#sofia didn’t and why should she she has so much ahead of her what with her exploits in her father’s business ventures

[daincrediblegg]

Truly devastating to want to jump into an AU for your canon x oc/si ship when you haven’t even scratched the surface of your main fic for them yet 😪

[sofiamantegafan110]

NEW X-MEN EPISODE 7

EPISODE 7: LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO, PART 2

WE OPEN UP EXACTLY WHERE WE LEFT OFF, WITH LAURA CONFRONTING THE MYSTERIOUS KIMURA. SHE ASKS HER HOW SHE WASN’T ABLE TO PICK UP HER SCENT EARLIER, AND KIMURA TELLS HER THAT ONE OF HER LITTLE DEVICES WAS MADE TO MAKE HER UNDETECTABLE TO LAURA’S SENSES. LAURA TELLS HER THAT SHE KNOWS WHY SHE’S HERE, AND SHE WON’T COME BACK. EVER.

KIMURA: SWEETIE, WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT. IF THERE’S ONE THING I WAS GOOD AT, IT’S PUTTING YOU IN YOUR PLACE.

SUDDENLY, KIMURA IS BLOWN BACK BY A GUST OF WIND AS SOFIA AND JAY APPEAR BEHIND HER. SOFIA SNAPS AT KIMURA, TELLING HER TO GET AWAY FROM LAURA. KIMURA SMIRKS, ASKING IF THESE ARE HER LITTLE FRIENDS COME TO SAVE HER. SHE ASKS IF THEY TRULY KNOW WHAT SHE IS, AND WHAT SHE’S DONE, OR IF SHE’S HAD TO HIDE THAT FROM THEM. LAURA GLARES AT HER.

LAURA: ENOUGH GAMES. I WILL MAKE YOU LEAVE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. IT’S YOUR OPTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE ALL YOUR LIMBS INTACT.

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS.

LAURA CHARGES AT KIMURA, CLAWS BARED, BUT KIMURA BLOCKS HER WITH EASE, AND PULLS HER DOWN. JAY GRAPPLES WITH HER, BUT KIMURA GIVES HIM A SWIFT KICK TO THE STOMACH BEFORE SLAMMING HIM ONTO THE GROUND. SOFIA FLIES FORWARD, THROWING A PUNCH AT THE ASSASSIN, BUT KIMURA IS ABLE TO BLOCK THAT TOO, DELIVERING A KICK TO THE SIDE OF SOFIA’S LEG AND CAUSING HER TO SCREAM IN PAIN. KIMURA PUNCHES HER IN THE FACE BEFORE KNOCKING HER DOWN AND PULLING OUT A GUN.

KIMURA: LET THIS ONE SERVE AS A REMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO TRUST YOU.

BEFORE SHE CAN SHOOT SOFIA, LAURA MOVES IN THE WAY, CATCHING A BULLET IN THE SHOULDER. JAY HELPS SOFIA UP AND SHE USES THE WIND TO SLAM KIMURA DOWN ONTO THE GROUND. JAY TELLS LAURA THAT THEY NEED TO RUN, AND LAURA NODS. AS THEY RUN OFF, KIMURA LOOKS UP, YELLING THAT THIS ISN’T OVER.

MEANWHILE, CESSILY SAYS THAT THEY’VE BEEN GONE FOR TOO LONG. SHE WANTS TO FIND THEM. JULIAN SIGHS, TELLING HER TO GO AHEAD WITHOUT HIM. HE’LL JUST RUIN EVERYTHING AGAIN. CLARICE SITS DOWN BESIDE HIM, ASKING HIM IF HE’S STILL FEELING UNDER THE WEATHER.

JULIAN: I FEEL SO CLUELESS. SHE’S HAD A CRUSH ON ME ALL THIS TIME AND I COULDN’T EVEN SEE IT! WHY COULDN’T SHE HAVE JUST TOLD ME?!

CLARICE: COME ON, DUDE. YOU KNOW WHY.

JULIAN SIGHS.

CLARICE: LOOK, IT CAN FEEL KINDA EMBARRASSING WHEN SOMETHING IS HAPPENING RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE. I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT BEING REJECTED BY SOFIA THAT I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT SHE LIKED ME BACK. AND THEN THE NEXT MORNING, MY FIRST THOUGHT… WELL, IN ALL HONESTY, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS ‘OH MY GOD, I JUST HAD SEX WITH SOFIA MANTEGA’, BUT THEN I THOUGHT ‘WHY DIDN’T I TELL HER HOW I FELT SOONER IF THIS IS HOW SHE’D REACT?’, AND THEN I REALIZED THAT THERE’S ALWAYS A PERFECT MOMENT THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER WITH THE PEOPLE WE LOVE. YOU JUST NEED TO FIND YOURS.

JULIAN SIGHS AGAIN, AND TELLS HER THAT SHE MADE A GOOD SPEECH, AND HE NOW HAS A SENSE OF VALIDATION SINCE HIS SUSPICION THAT SHE HAD SEX WITH SOFIA IS CONFIRMED, BUT IT DOESN’T MAKE HIM FEEL ANY BETTER. HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO FIND A PERFECT MOMENT, OR IF IT’LL EVER APPEAR. CLARICE TELLS HIM THAT SHE’S GOING WITH CESSILY, SANTO, ANGELO, AURA, CAM, AND JENNY TO TRY TO LOOK FOR LAURA, JAY AND SOFIA. MAYBE HE SHOULD TAG ALONG.

JULIAN: NO THANKS. I FEEL LIKE I JUST NEED SOME TIME TO THINK.

CLARICE: SUIT YOURSELF, ROMEO.

MEANWHILE, SOFIA MOANS IN PAIN AS SHE LIMPS ALONGSIDE JAY AND LAURA. JAY STOPS AND TELLS LAURA THAT SOFIA’S HURT. THEY NEED TO TAKE A BREAK. LAURA ASKS HER WHY SHE CAN’T JUST FLY IF WALKING HURTS SO MUCH. SOFIA WINCES AND SAYS THAT WITH HER LEG BROKEN LIKE THIS, SHE CAN’T CONCENTRATE ENOUGH TO HARNESS THE WINDS PROPERLY. LAURA SIGHS AND TELLS THEM THAT THEY SHOULD HIDE. THEY DUCK BEHIND A BUILDING AND SOFIA SITS DOWN, SPREADING OUT HER BROKEN LEG.

JAY: WHERE DOES IT HURT?

SOFIA: WHERE DO YOU THINK? THAT WOMAN KICKS LIKE A MULE. EITHER THAT OR MY BONES ARE THAT FRAGILE.

LAURA: KIMURA HAS SEVERAL ENHANCEMENTS INSIDE HER THAT MAKE HER INDESTRUCTIBLE TO EXTERNAL ATTACKS. I BELIEVE THIS ALSO INCREASES HER DENSITY IN SOME WAY.

JAY: WHILE WE HAVE A MINUTE, MIND TELLING US WHO THIS BITCH IS? BECAUSE IF SHE LAYS A FINGER ON MY FAMILY, THERE’S GONNA BE HELL TO PAY.

LAURA SIGHS AND TELLS THEM THAT THEY BOTH KNOW THAT SHE SHARES THE SAME ABILITIES AS WOLVERINE, INCLUDING HIS CLAWS, HEALING FACTOR, SENSES, AND ADAMANTIUM SKELETON. BUT THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE SHE IS A CLONE, CREATED FROM WOLVERINE’S GENETICS TO BE A WEAPON FOR A GROUP KNOWN AS THE FACILITY. KIMURA WAS HER HANDLER, AN INDESTRUCTIBLE SADIST WHO MADE SURE THAT SHE WAS PUSHED TO HER LIMIT.

LAURA EXPLAINS THAT WHEN SHE WAS TEN YEARS OLD, SHE WAS SENT ON HER FIRST MISSION TO KILL THE NEWLY APPOINTED SENATOR GREG JOHNSON. WHEN SHE DID, SHE MURDERED HIM AND EVERYONE AROUND HIM IN A BRUTAL MASSACRE. SHE REVEALS THAT SHE KILLED ANYONE AND EVERYONE THAT SHE WAS TOLD TO, BUT THERE WAS A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS; SARAH KINNEY, THE WOMAN WHO AGREED TO CARRY HER, AND WHO WOULD BECOME HER MOTHER.

SHE SAYS THAT EVENTUALLY, SARAH DECIDED TO FREE HER FROM THE FACILITY’S GRASP. SHE KILLED EVERYONE THERE AND DESTROYED THE BUILDING FOR GOOD, BUT NOT BEFORE THE FACILITY PULLED ONE FINAL TRICK UP THEIR SLEEVE. A CHEMICAL TRIGGER. ONE THAT WHEN SHE SMELLED IT, SHE WOULD GO INTO A BLIND RAGE. AND SOMEHOW, THAT TRIGGER WAS PLACED ONTO SARAH.

LAURA HAS TEARS IN HER EYES AS SHE EXPLAINS THAT WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER, SHE KILLED HER MOTHER, WHO GAVE HER A NAME BEFORE SHE DIED. THE ONLY PERSON WHO SURVIVED WAS KIMURA, WHO VOWED TO FIND HER AND GET HER BACK UNDER CONTROL. SHE TRIED TO LIVE WITH SOME FAMILY OF SARAH’S, BUT KIMURA FOUND THEM. THEY BARELY ESCAPED ALIVE AND LAURA HAD TO LIVE ON THE STREETS AND UNDER THE RADAR FOR A WHILE UNTIL WOLVERINE FOUND HER AND RECRUITED HER TO XAVIER’S. BUT NOW, KIMURA HAS FOUND HER BY SOME UNKNOWN MEANS.

SOFIA: UGH! I JUST REALIZED! AFTER THE CAMPFIRE, I TOOK A GROUP PHOTO OF OUR SQUAD AND POSTED IT TO MY INSTAGRAM! THAT MUST BE HOW SHE FOUND US!

JAY TELLS HER NOT TO BEAT HERSELF UP. IT WASN’T HER FAULT. BUT THAT MONSTER NEEDS TO BE STOPPED, SOMEHOW. LAURA SAYS THAT THERE’S NO WAY TO STOP HER. SHE’S BASICALLY INVULNERABLE. SUDDENLY, KIMURA CALLS OUT, SAYING THAT SHE KNOWS THEY’RE THERE. THE INJURED ONE IS SLOWING THEM DOWN, AND SHE KNOWS SHE TAGGED LAURA BEFORE THEY RAN AWAY. THE SMART THING TO DO WOULD BE TO COME OUT AND ACCEPT HER PUNISHMENT.

SUDDENLY, CESSILY, CLARICE, JENNY, ANGELO, SANTO, CAM, AND AURA APPEAR, TELLING KIMURA TO BACK OFF. KIMURA SMIRKS, SAYING THAT THE LITTLE CLONE HAS GOT QUITE A GROUP OF FRIENDS AT HER RESCUE. TOO BAD THEY ALL HAVE TO DIE. CESSILY IMMEDIATELY FORMS A MERCURY BLADE FROM HER RIGHT HAND AND CHARGES AT HER, BUT KIMURA PULLS A TASER FROM HER BELT, ELECTROCUTING HER.

KIMURA: I’VE BEEN STUDYING YOU ALL FOR A WHILE NOW, REALIZING YOUR WEAKNESSES! IF YOU DON’T TURN X-23 OVER TO ME, I WON’T HESITATE TO KILL YOU!

ANGELO: BIG TALK, CHICA. LET’S SEE YOU BACK IT UP!

ANGELO’S HANDS STRETCH TOWARD KIMURA, BUT SHE GRABS THEM, PULLING HIM TOWARD HER AND KICKING HIM IN THE STOMACH. CAM LUNGES AT HER, BUT SHE DODGES WITH EASE, KICKING THEM IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. SANTO CHARGES NEXT, ANNOUNCING THAT IT’S CLOBBERING TIME, BUT KIMURA LEAPS OVER HIM, ATTACHING SEVERAL SMALL DEVICES TO HIS BACK. THEY EXPLODE, BREAKING SANTO’S BACK APART, AND HE FALLS TO THE GROUND IN PIECES.

SANTO: THAT… DID NOT ROCK… AT ALL…

CLARICE LOOKS OVER AND NOTICES A RED FEATHER ON THE GROUND. SHE TELEPORTS AWAY, AND JENNY BACKS UP, WARNING KIMURA NOT TO COME ANY CLOSER. FRIGHTENED, SHE PROJECTS HER MIRROR BETWEEN THEM, BUT KIMURA IS UNFAZED. JENNY ASKS HER WHY IT DIDN’T WORK. HER MIRROR SHOULD SHOW KIMURA’S TRUE SELF.

KIMURA: I GUESS I’M MY OWN WORST ENEMY.

KIMURA PUNCHES HER HAND THROUGH THE MIRROR, BREAKING IT, AND HITTING JENNY RIGHT IN THE NOSE. SHE FALLS DOWN, HER NOSE GUSHING BLOOD AS KIMURA LOOKS OVER AT AURA, WHO IS TENDING TO CAM. SHE ASKS HER IF SHE’S READY TO LOSE THOSE PRETTY LITTLE WINGS OF HERS, AND AURA GLARES AT HER, DEFIANTLY.

MEANWHILE, JULIAN IS SITTING ON THE PORCH, ON HIS PHONE. LUCINDA COMES OUT AND TELLS HIM THAT EVERYONE’S OUT LOOKING FOR HIS LADY. WHY ISN’T HE? JULIAN TELLS HER THAT LAURA’S NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND. AT LEAST, THAT’S WHAT HE THOUGHT.

LUCINDA: Y’KNOW, I GET YOU, RICH BOY. IT TAKES A MAMA OF TEN TO REALIZE WHEN SOMEONE’S GOIN’ THROUGH A MIDLIFE CRISIS. WAY I SEE IT, YOU NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS GIRL AS ANYTHING MORE THAN AN ACQUAINTANCE AND YOU MIGHT SECOND-GUESS ALL THE ROTTEN THINGS YOU MIGHT’VE SAID TO HER.

JULIAN: YOU READ MY MIND.

LUCINDA: BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE REASON WHY SHE AIN’T COME BACK YET IS BECAUSE SHE’S IN TROUBLE. AN’ ALL YOUR FRIENDS ARE NOW IN TROUBLE TOO. NOW, YOU CAN SIT HERE MOPING, OR YOU CAN GET OFF YOUR ASS AN’ PROVE TO HER THAT YOU CARE. YOU CAN BE A HERO.

JULIAN STANDS UP AND THANKS HER, TELLING HER THAT SHE’S RIGHT. HE NEEDS TO HELP LAURA. BE THERE FOR HER. AND IF SHE’S RIGHT AND LAURA IS IN TROUBLE, THEN HE NEEDS TO PROTECT HER. HE FLIES OFF AND LUCINDA SMILES AT HIM, BEFORE TELLING DANI THAT HER HUNCH WAS CORRECT. SHE REALLY DOES KNOW THESE KIDS INSIDE AND OUT. DANI SMIRKS BEFORE TELLING HER THAT IT’S A LIVING.

MEANWHILE, CLARICE BLINKS OVER TO WHERE THE TRAIL OF FEATHERS END, LOOKING SHOCKED AS SHE SEES SOFIA INJURED. SHE BENDS DOWN AND ASKS HER IF SHE’S OKAY AS JAY ASKS HER WHAT’S GOING ON. LAURA LOOKS OVER AND SEES KIMURA CURRENTLY INTIMIDATING AURA AND SAYS THAT THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE COME. SHE BEGINS TO STAND UP, BUT JAY STOPS HER, SAYING THAT WHATEVER THAT WOMAN WANTS WITH HER, IT CAN’T BE GOOD. LAURA NODS AND SAYS THAT SHE NEEDS TO PROTECT THEM, MOVING OUT OF HIS WAY.

AURA GROANS AS KIMURA HOLDS A KNIFE TO HER THROAT, BUT LAURA STEPS UP, HOLDING HER HANDS UP IN SURRENDER AND TELLING KIMURA THAT SHE’LL GO WITH HER. KIMURA SHOVES AURA TO THE GROUND AND TELLS HER THAT THAT’S CUTE OF HER TO TRY TO SAVE HER FRIENDS, BUT LAURA’S DISAPPOINTED HER FOR THE LAST TIME. SHE NEVER TRULY INTENDED TO BRING LAURA IN ALIVE.

BEFORE LAURA CAN REACT, KIMURA STRAPS A COLLAR AROUND HER NECK, CAUSING HER TO FEEL WEAK. KIMURA SMIRKS, SAYING THAT THAT COLLAR SAPS AWAY HER POWERS, INCLUDING HER HEALING FACTOR. WITHIN MINUTES, SHE’LL DIE FROM ADAMANTIUM POISONING. BUT SHE’S NOT A COMPLETE SOCIOPATH. SHE’LL PUT HER OUT OF HER MISERY LIKE THE ANIMAL THAT SHE IS. WITH THAT, SHE PLACES HER GUN TO LAURA’S HEAD WHILE THE TEEN COUGHS UP BLOOD.

SUDDENLY, KIMURA IS THROWN INTO A WALL AND CLARICE TELLS SOFIA THAT SHE DIDN’T KNOW SHE COULD DO THAT AT THE MOMENT. SOFIA LOOKS UP AND GIVES HER A PAINED SMILE, SAYING THAT THAT WASN’T HER. CLARICE FOLLOWS HER GAZE AS A GREEN AURA SHINES ABOVE KIMURA.

JULIAN: GET AWAY FROM HER. NOW.

KIMURA STRUGGLES TO GET UP, TRYING TO REACH A SONAR DEVICE ATTACHED TO HER HIP, BUT SHE SUDDENLY CRIES OUT IN PAIN AS BLOOD LEAKS FROM HER NOSE, EARS, MOUTH, AND EYES. JULIAN TELLS HER THAT HE DID HIS HOMEWORK. HE KNOWS SHE’S INVULNERABLE, BUT NOT IF HE CAN TELEKINETICALLY CRUSH HER BRAIN INTO A PEBBLE FROM THE INSIDE. KIMURA GLARES AT HIM AS SOFIA STANDS UP, TELLING JULIAN TO STOP. RIGHT NOW, LAURA NEEDS HIS HELP.

JULIAN: FINE. BUT AS FOR YOU, IF YOU EVER TRACK LAURA DOWN AGAIN, I WILL STOP YOUR COLD BLACK HEART BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN BLINK. GET OUT BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND.

KIMURA IMMEDIATELY SCAMPERS OFF AS JULIAN JOINS SOFIA AT LAURA’S SIDE. SOFIA LOOKS UP AT HIM, TEARS ROLLING DOWN HER CHEEKS AS SHE TELLS JULIAN THAT IT’S TOO LATE. SHE’S GONE. JULIAN PICKS HER UP, TELLING HER THAT HE’S SORRY FOR EVERYTHING. CESSILY BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS AS SHE AND THE OTHERS, INCLUDING SANTO’S SEVERED (BUT STILL LIVING) HEAD, WATCH SOMBERLY. JULIAN BLINKS AWAY TEARS BEFORE GRABBING LAURA’S COLLAR WITH HIS TELEKINESIS. DESPITE SOFIA TELLING HIM TO STOP, HE TRIES TO BREAK THE COLLAR, EVENTUALLY BREAKING IT APART. HE THEN BEGINS CPR ON LAURA, PRESSING HIS MOUTH TO HERS.

SOFIA: LAURA, PLEASE, COME BACK TO US…

LAURA SUDDENLY COUGHS, AND JULIAN BREAKS AWAY IN SHOCK AS SHE SITS UP. SHE LOOKS OVER AT JULIAN IN SURPRISE BEFORE CESSILY WRAPS HER IN A HUG. LAURA LOOKS OVER AT WHERE KIMURA’S VAN USED TO BE, MUTTERING THAT THIS ISN’T OVER.

LATER, BACK AT THE GUTHRIE HOUSE, LIZ TELLS SOFIA THAT SHE’LL BE FINE IN A FEW DAYS, BUT SHE SHOULDN’T DO ANY SUPERHEROICS UNTIL THEN. AS CLARICE GIVES SOFIA A KISS, JULIAN SIGHS, TELLING LIZ THAT HE COULDN’T DO IT. EVEN AFTER HE SAVED LAURA, HE STILL COULDN’T TELL HER HOW HE FEELS. SHE SIGHS, TELLING HIM THAT THEY’LL BOTH GET THERE. THEY JUST NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT TIME.

CLARICE: *SING-SONG VOICE* PERFECT MOMENT…

MEANWHILE, LAURA TELLS CESSILY THAT SHE COULDN’T TELL JULIAN HOW SHE FEELS, EVEN AFTER HE SAVED HER LIFE. CESSILY HUGS HER, SAYING THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. BESIDES, SHE’S THERE FOR HER, NO MATTER WHAT. JAY JOINS IN ON THE HUG AND LAURA SMILES, ADMITTING TO HERSELF THAT MAYBE IT IS GOOD TO HAVE FRIENDS, BEFORE THEY JOIN THE OTHERS AT THE DINNER TABLE FOR A THANKSGIVING FEAST.

MEANWHILE, KIMURA SIGHS, SAYING THAT SHE FAILED TO ELIMINATE X-23. IT APPEARS HER LITTLE SUPER-FRIENDS WERE GREATLY UNDERESTIMATED. MEANWHILE, ON THE OTHER END OF THE CALL, A HULKING BLACK SHADOW SAYS THAT IN DUE TIME, X-23 WILL SLIP UP, BUT KIMURA MADE A MISTAKE IN HER ATTEMPT TO TERMINATE HER. AS THE SHADOW LOOMS CLOSER, WE THEN SEE WHO IT IS.

KINGPIN: X-23 COULD STILL PROVE USEFUL… IN TIME… JUST WAIT AND SEE…

[peonierose]

The Tell-All (2/2)

Book: The Nanny Affair Book 2

Summary: Robins Tell-All interview with Serena Knight.

Word count: 2,150

Warnings: None (one or two curse words)

Authors note: a huge thank you to @txemrn for pre-reading. For listening to my ramblings. Thank you for the gem of a person that you are ❤️ *big virtual hugs* for just being amazing @eleanorbloom thank you for helping me answer my questions (always have a million of those 🙈) you’re amazing and I love our chats and interactions so thank you for that 💜 @annieruok94 girl, thank you for sometimes staying up late and reading and giving me a push when I need it 💛 thank you ladies. God I’m crying but thank you so much, you make this world a better place by being in it. Love you guys (saying the L-word is never easy for me to say, neither virtually and especially not face-to-face)

”So you mean to tell me, he has you to thank for getting the position?“ Serena drawled.

I focus my gaze on her face. “No. He did all this on his own. I merely told him that there was an opening. Let’s not make a big deal out of it.“

“Why not?“ Serena seems visibly surprised at my reply.

I shift in my seat “I didn’t do that much. Really. I was just trying to help him out. I mean why not.“

Serena smiles at me. “Want to know what I think?“

I raise an eyebrow at that. “You’re going to tell me either way, right?“ I grin at her. She grins back. “Obviously. I think deep down you’re a sweet guy, who cares deeply, but who’s been unlucky in his life lately. Am I anywhere close?“

I draw in a deep breath and cross my ankle over my knee.

“You know people always presume, that because I’m charming and okay I’ll admit it, I’m a flirt.“ I smile and continue and she laughs. “That I don’t have what it takes to run a company. Did you know, Sam introduced me as his assistant, even though my job was way bigger. Downplaying what I’m doing or not valuing a person enough…It really gets to you.“

I pause before I continue.

Serena looks at me expectantly, wanting me to go on. “That’s why I don’t think he should be the head of the company.“

“You’re not using dirty tricks to get ahead in the competition are you?“ She asks with a devilish glint in her eyes. I try not to get trapped, by saying too much. But you know what. Fuck it.

“I did something I’m not very proud of.“ I hesitate to say more.

She cocks an eyebrow at my words. “Please enlighten me.“

I sigh. “I’ve cheated. It’s not my proudest moment. While we were in Monte Carlo I convinced one of my employees to sabotage Sofias and Sams prototypes. When I realized what I’ve done, I felt awful about it. But there was no going back after that. It’s like I became this person I don’t recognize anymore. It’s been slowly creeping up on me. Not in a good way. I tried apologizing, but neither Sam nor Sofia would listen to my apology. I royally screwed up. Frankly, I don’t blame them. I’d be mad at me too. I felt cornered and caged. I didn’t know what to do anymore. No one was on my side. I’m not trying to play the victim card here. This is how I feel. Always in Sam’s shadow. The golden boy, who can do no wrong. Me?“ Incredulously I point a finger at myself.

“Yeah let’s blame Robin for everything that goes wrong. Even when I’m trying to help it backfires. And before you ask I only encouraged Jordan to apply for the job. I didn’t tell him to spy on Emma and Sam. If he heard something that was concerning….“ I trail off. Focusing my eyes above her shoulder, to to look at her directly. To get the courage to go on.

It seems my mouth has a mind of its own, though. “Did it hurt that Sam and Emma thought I was spying on them through Jordan? Yeah it did. I was only trying to help, but all I did was make things worse. Jordan…he…uhh…developed feelings for Emma. I told him from the start it was a bad idea. Emma is hooked when it comes to Sam. I don’t think it’s a very healthy relationship. I think it’s quite toxic. I mean if you were in love, why would you hide it or hire a publicist to ease them into their relationship? If you’re not ready to be in a relationship, why be in one to begin with?“ I ask without expecting a real answer.

“So Sam didn’t want everyone to know about Emma?“ Serena asks, tapping a manicured fingernail against the dictation device.

“I guess not. It’s probably not the first time. Have you noticed that no one, and I mean no one, apart from some office gossipers ever talk about Addi? It’s like she never even existed.“

Her eyebrows rise and she has a thoughtful expression on her face. “Not even the twins?“

I move my shoulders to relieve some of the tenseness. “Not around me no. I always thought that was odd.“

She just nods. I can tell that she wants to know more, but leaves it be. Thank god for that.

____________________________________________

She leans back and crosses her legs , making sure that her dress doesn’t ride up her thighs. She studies me like a bug under the microscope.

“Let’s get back to the competition. You’re not worried at all? To what methods Sam and Sofia would stoop?“ She’s trying to make me say something that I can’t take back.

“Sam’s got a lot on his plate. So I’m not worried.“

Serena zeros in. “And Sofia? Don’t you think your former flame would do something crazy or retaliate?“ Serena looks smug.

I let out a large breath and look at her patiently, waiting for her to elaborate.

“I mean she might have some dirt on you, maybe something explicit?“ She has that same glint in her eyes, that a predator has when they’re about to strike. I guess for her it means the juicer the information the better. I click my tongue.

“So do I. I always plan ahead. I’ve learned that from living with the Daltons and being around them. They’re not as good as everyone thinks they are. But soon everyone will know about that.“ I cross my arms over my chest.

Serena seems very intrigued by that. “A surprise?“

I smirk at her. “Sure. Let’s call it a surprise. I guess she’ll make herself know soon enough.“ Not willing to say more on that. Serena’s confused about that I can see it. Her eyebrows are knitted together and she bites her bottom lip. Trying to figure out whom I mean.

She shakes her head and moves on. Plastering on a fake smile.

“This interview has been enlightening so far. Anything else you want to share with us?“

She’s almost on the edge of her seat waiting for some dirty deeds. Or some skeletons in the closet.

“Did you know, that Addi was planning to leave Sam and take the twins?“ Bouncing my knees up and down.

Serenas mouth gapes open, her eyes wide. She clearly didn’t expect me to say that.

“She wanted to divorce him. Money wasn’t an issue for her, she’s well adjusted.“ I shrug.

“So what happened?“ She leans forward and holds the dictation device in her hands with a firm grip.

“Well Addi was fed up with Sam and everything. She didn’t like the paparazzi always being in her business. She wanted to be left alone, but being with Sam that’s impossible.

So she made a decision. But they sort of worked something out. What that was though, your guess is as good as mine. Can you imagine what a laughing-stock Sam and especially the Dalton name would be? If it came out, that his wife was leaving him and taking the kids with her? The horror.

I thought it was a ballsy move.“ I smile to myself, one corner of my mouth lifting upward.

She chuckles. “You seem to have a lot of admiration for Addison Dalton. Is there a reason you keep brining up her name so much?“ She asks innocently. As if she doesn’t know her intentions with that question. My lips quirk up, she knows exactly what she’s doing. I let out a laugh at that.

“What are you trying to insinuate?“ I reply pressing my lips together and trying to hold in something a more smartass reply but I refrain. Leaning forward in my chair and interlacing my fingers together.

“Nothing. I only asked a question, that’s all.“

She holds up her hands in a surrender gesture, trying to reassure me she meant nothing by that. In lean back in my chair again, searching her eyes.

I let my eyes roam around the room. “To answer your question, no, there’s no particular reason. She’s not the fun police like Sam.

Fun fact though, Sam was different when Addi was around. He was relaxed and forgot about work sometimes. Went sky diving. However, the bad feelings weighed out the good times they shared, I guess. They were fighting more and more towards the end.“ I tap my foot nervously.

“I see. So Robin what were you trying to gain from this interview? Did you think dragging Sam’s and Sofia’s name through the mud would help you in the long run?“ She tilts her head to the side.

“No. I was trying to open up and tell things from my perspective. At this point that won’t even matter anymore.“ I rub my hands together nervously.

“What makes you say that?“ Serena seems genuinely surprised at that, and furrows her brow.

I sigh again. “Look they all have a favorite. Newsflash? It’s not me. I’m not trying to paint anybody in a bad light. I want people to see me as a human being who sometimes makes mistakes. There were times I made the wrong call, but I never meant to hurt anyone. I was trying to get along in the competition. The best way I knew how.“

“Last question.“ She giggled and I just raised my eyebrows at that.

“Who do you think should win?“ She preens.

I pick at invisible lint on my pants “Sofia. Hands down.“

“Don’t you think that’s biased? Because you two were a thing?“ She quips.

I shake my head. “That has nothing to do with it. She’s brilliant and beautiful. She’s also very cunning. She’s got a feel for what’s best for the company. I mean can you imagine working at a mostly male dominant company and always having to prove your worth? Sofia and I have that in common. We both had to prove ourselves.

In her father’s eyes she was good enough to get married and to pop out some kids, and that’s it. Which is really sexist, if you ask me.“ I lick my dry lips.

“What was the reason you two called it quits? Readers are dying to know.“ She raises her eyebrows teasingly.

“I thought I just answered the last question?“ I remind her.

“Indulge me. Please?“ She pouts.

“Alright. Last question.“ I try to think about what I feel comfortable to share, without making Sof look bad. Thinking back on the good all the fun we had.

“I guess I wanted more than she was willing to give. It started out as a fling. Both of us just enjoying each others company. She always called me a player.“ I laugh lightly at that. “Which might be true to some extent. I wanted to take things to the next level. To go public. She had other ideas I guess. Yeah I admit it hurt me deeply. You’ve also got to respect someone’s decision. I’ve only ever wanted to see her happy. I always have. If I’m not that guy, then I hope she finds someone that can make her truly happy.“ Are the last words in the interview I utter when it comes to Sofia. Deep down I know they’re true.

____________________________________________

She turns off the dictation device. The click reverberates in the deafening silence.

“Getting sentimental on me Robin? Because those are some nice words.“ She smiles sweetly at me.

“You wanted honesty, right? This is it.“ I hold out my hands palms up trying to emphasize my point.

Opening her mouth then closing it again, seemingly torn if she should say anything.

“Thank you so much for this interview, Robin. I’m sure some of the questions weren’t easy to answer. I’m sorry if I was a bit brutal.“ She gets up from her chair and straightens her black dress, and rolls her shoulders from sitting all this time.

I avert my gaze and stare at my shoes. “You’re right. Some of the questions weren’t easy to answer. But it’s a tell-all. They’re not supposed to be easy. People have to realize emotions aren’t always spot on and perfect. Sometimes they’re messy and taking a peak behind the curtains isn’t always pretty, or even what people might expect.“ Is all I say. Though this was off the record.

Serena promises me an early copy before it goes to print. And waves goodbye. Closing the door softly with a click and leaving me alone.

I sit still in my chair, wondering for the umpteenth time if this was the right thing to do. Or if I made the biggest mistake of my life, yet.

I look out the window and let my thoughts drift away, just being here in this moment and not having a care in the world for a couple of minutes.

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[multimetaverse]

HSMTMTS 2x05 Review

The Quinceañero was a truly historic ep featuring the first time two boys have ever kissed on a Disney show. Let’s dig in!

We got the second same-sex kiss in Disney history tonight, Big Shot had the first last Friday, and the first kiss between two boys in Disney history. It’s a huge step forward. That’s not to say that Disney is going to start approving more same-sex kisses or lgbtq relationships or characters but the door is now open and at least some other shows and movies will be able to eventually follow in HSMTMTS steps.

Really nice cover of The Climb, Joe has such a great voice. It was cute that young Seb had watched young Carlos’ dance vid and felt inspired. Frankie and Joe being an irl couple certainly helps give Seblos a good rapport but it also helps that creator and showrunner Tim Federle is an openly gay man himself. I think if a straight man was showrunner we probably wouldn’t get such dedication to Seblos as a couple. 

It was a really funny ep too: Carlos saying his love language is riddles, Ricky asking Nini who they talk to when doing their confessionals, Carlos saying Miss Jenn was a master of smoke and mirrors, Benjamin Mazzara and Mike Bowen interacting. My personal favourite gags were when Big Red said he always wanted a nickname and Kourtney immediately did an office stare and when Nini said Picasso was a terrible person.

Gina still going through it. Kourtney is right that it doesn’t really make sense that Gina is now going to all this trouble for Carlos but to be honest the writing and pacing has been disjointed so far this season so a lot of things aren’t flowing as well as they need to. Is what Gina regrets convincing Ricky to go back on stage as that helped get Rini back together? That’s petty but fair and also true to teenage emotions (though she shouldn’t beat herself up too much, Rini were clearly on the path to getting back together by that point anyway).

Jesus Christ, Ricky needs to read the room. Last ep he correctly realized that Gina wouldn’t want to hear about his Nini issues and tried to stop Big Red from mentioning them but now he’s just doing it himself? Obviously they’re trying to drill in the fact that for now Rina is one sided but it’s a little much. Also really doesn’t make sense that Ricky wouldn’t go to Kourtney or Big Red for this kind of advice.

Sofia Wylie was killing it this ep, both her and Joe are showstoppers. A Dancer’s Heart was great and she did a good job of acting on the verge of tears almost the entire ep

At least EJ actually thought to ask Gina how she’s feeling though and she clearly appreciated it after she got over her shock. It does seem that reports of Portwell’s demise were greatly exaggerated, with the music and the longing stares they’re setting up for at least EJ to have a crush on Gina. Hell even Mazzara picked up on it at the end. I had noted last week that it seemed like Gina’s story line in S2 was being thrown out of balance by the writers dropping a planned Portwell plot and sure enough this week we actually begin to see Gina’s story arc not being entirely her pining over Ricky. 

EJ also benefits by being given something to do instead of just standing around in the back. I’m glad he took Mazzara up on the AV club offer and they have a nice mentor-mentee relationship going on. It’s also a nice little parallel with 1x05 when Gina told off EJ and had a moment with Ricky and now in 2x05 Gina tells off Ricky and has a moment with EJ. 

Matt seemingly dismissed Portwell as a friendship rather than even hinting at something between them. I guess he could have been told to keep it under wraps as much as possible but odd that they wouldn’t hype it a bit; it’s not like this came completely out of left field, people were wondering if Portwell might happen because of the moment they had in 1x10 and the facetime call they had before S2. Sofia has already said that Gina will have love interests this season and EJ being one, even if it’s brief, would make whole lot of sense since there’s really no one else for except Jack who only shows up much later and doesn’t seem to be in more than an ep or two.

Rini was sweet tonight. Yes Ricky is being clingy which stems in large part from his mom’s abandonment and in fairness Ricky and Nini have probably been used to spending much of their time with each other since they were kids. Loved that ‘I think you kinda you know’’ call back tonight. Looks like Nini will be cast as the Rose which should be interesting.

Miss Jenn is pulling Mike Bowen, Ben Mazzara, and Zach Roy. Good for her! Jike shippers certainly feasted tonight as Mike crashed a teen bday party just to see Miss Jenn and we got confirmation that everyone’s fave Disney Dilf was born in the 70s and must be no older than 51.

Well gotta love Lily’s commitment to bringing down East High and drinking scalding hot black coffee. She really seems like she just stepped off the set of Glee

Really hope we see those puppies and man was that wolf adorable

Not both HSMTMTS and Love Victor both making Okay Boomer jokes (it worked when Pilar said it to Felix but not when Ricky said it to his dad)

Big Red exposing Kourtney and Howie was good and it looks like their plot kicks into high gear next ep

Bet Tim thought he was real clever for that shot of Mazzara, Mike, and Miss Jenn in a triangle

A well shot ep except for one weird  and abrupt cut from Mazzara saying Caswell to Seblos outside the barn

Looking Ahead:

EJ stopping Gina from leaving would certainly further their relationship and would parallel him being the one to bring her back in S1. I still don’t get why they didn’t just use the Valentine’s chocolates as a plot device to further this plot; just have EJ secretly send them as he was also lonely and you can still have Gina think they were from Ricky.

From what I’ve seen online this Portwell hint has been controversial. It’s true that there’s an age gap between the characters of 2ish years and a much bigger one between the actors but I don’t think that will stop Tim as he already had EJ date Nini. I’ve also seen comments that it would be a bad idea since EJ is leaving at the end of S2 once he graduates but he’s not actually leaving, they’ll keep him around in some fashion until the current juniors graduate. 

So far it seems like Rini is the Rucas of hsmtmts, Rina is the Lucaya, and Portwell is the Joshaya.

Kowie starts progressing a bit next ep and we may possible see Antoine next week or the week after according to Larry.

Presumably Ricky’s clinginess starts causing trouble between him and Nini.

Still so funny that North High just up and decided to do Beauty and the Beast just to bring down East High.

Until next week wildcats

[youwontlikethisblog]

You Betrayed Me!

Armando finds out that Betty's "boyfriend" gave her money to invite everyone in her friend group to have lunch.

He nears Patty, Marcela, and Hugo cackling at the expense of Betty, as always, and smiling he asks what they're laughing about, that he too wants to laugh.

"We're talking about Betty's boyfriend." Marcela says calming down from her laugher and Armando's huge smile falls and he displays a pissed off expression. "Ah you don't know she has a boyfriend?" she chuckles.

"Nono I didn't but I'm not interested in the personal life of Beatriz. Who is he?" now his voice is low. However you can tell he is angry but controlling himself.

"I think she doesn't even know it herself." Patty jokes.

"But I am dying to know who he is 'cause that type of species, of people, we need to study. We should stick them in a research laboratory with cameras and when he gets close to give her a kiss he'd grab her by the ears and(proceeds to pucker his lips as if he were sucking in air) all drooling." Hugo insults and laughs.

"Ah! No! I can't imagine anyone could have the balls to kiss her." Marcela laughs and covers her face in disgust.

"Right! Up until now I was convinced that the only thing that could kiss her would be a bat." Patty says.

"Aside from that, the man ia a millionaire!"

Armando turns to look at Marcela and then at Patty.

"Millionaire no. Multi-millionaire. He lent [Betty] money so she could take her friends out to eat to the Corrientazo.(Proceeds to mock Sofia's voice and naming the menu)"

"With so much trickery she managed to get a multi-millionaire. Does she think we're all stupid? As stupid as the supposed multi-millionaire boyfriend she got?" Mean girl cackle.

Armando mouths the 'multi-millionaire" part.

All three of the mean girls laugh or cackle like wenches.

"What's wrong? Ah it's because in front of Armando you can't talk bad about Beatriz."

"Ah Armando one thing, why don't you tell that moscorrofio to introduce you to her rich boyfriend that way you can make business with him and get money to run me my check."

"Ha-ha-ha. You're all super funny today. "

"See he doesn't even believe it that Beatriz found a rich boyfriend"

Hugo complains about not getting paid so bla bla bla.

The camera then switches to Armando being centered, head down, staring ahead under his brows, nostrils flared, lips tight, and his classic hand passing lightly over his hair as we hear a menacing voice:

"I'm going to kill Beatriz Pinzón Solano."

One thing is for sure here: Armando's ego is being dragged through the mud.

The arrows thrown at Betty end up hitting him as he is the one that has the balls to kiss(in his imagination AA) her.

As they insult, ridicule, and make fun of Betty and her boyfriend Armando is getting a taste of what he's afraid of. The ridicule and social embarrassment he'd face if he were to ever be seen with Betty as his girlfriend out in public. His reputation is important to him and he is afraid of being laughed at and he's now seeing it. He is witnessing first hand what he knows people in his social circle will say behind his back and Betty's.

Now it does upset him and he is angry that Betty has a boyfriend as everytime he hears that he has the exact same expression: Anger disguised as disinterest.

When Patty mentions that he[Nic] is a multi-millionaire his anger now centers in disbelief and betrayal.

Swiftly he turns to Hugo and with a smile on his face until he hears again "multi-millionaire" and he turns to Marcela, mouths the words and stares at her.

The phrase that comes to mind is "stomach tied in knots." but not in a good way. He looks tense, pissed off, hurt, and scared.

All these emotions center around Betty and her "boyfriend". Why would Armando feel betrayed? Why does he feel hurt? Why is he pissed off? Especially more when money is mentioned?

Money for men is power. The more you have the better you are. It's seen as a sign of being untouchable, stronger, more important, and better than everyone else.

Men use money to boost their ego and feel better about themselves. So for him to hear that Betty's boyfriend is a multi-millionaire is a kick to his ego, but also his fear that Nicolas is turning Betty against him and by consequences will take away his money therefore it would make Nicolas Mora better than him.

Now Betty's friends suck.

They constantly use her to make fun of Patty. They never respect her privacy or her wishes to maintain her personal life secret from others in Eco Moda and are always so nosy in her business.

They care more about their ego than they do about Betty's wishes or feelings.

Even Bertha tells Betty that she can't deny them the pleasure of rubbing it in Patty's face that Betty has a boyfriend.

The only ones that show some kind of redemption are Mariana, Aura Maria, and at times Inesita.

Because of them the hostility of Armando and his distrust of Nicolas is fed. As they constantly spread false information and use Betty's intimacy as a pawn without caring about the consequences. They suck.

Betty leaves a lollipop on Armando's desk.

As Armando enters his office we can see the lollipop on his desk.

Why does such a simple object hold such meaning in this scene?

Betty exits her office.

"Did you eat well?"She speaks in a peaceful tone.

"Mhmm" he avoids her.

"Sir, I need you to sign this paper for the legalization of the money Terra Moda paid to your family." Armand snatches the paper from her hand to sign and then throws it at her. "Thank you." Betty looks at the paper. "I have some really good news! Regarding the sells report and with the advances that Mr. Mario Calderon managed to get we are able to cover the overdraft with the bank and pay everyone tomorrow."

Armando slowly looks up at Betty, under his brows he gives her a dead stare. "What joy, no? Beatriz." he says sarcastically.

Confused Betty stops smiling and stands up.

"I knew you'd like the news." she walks towards her office and then returns " Sir may I ask you a question?"

"Mhm."

"Are you upset with me?" Armando, again slowly looks up at her.

"If i'm upset with you?" He laces his fingers in front of him, head tilted towards her, eyes dead focused on her. "No." he rest his elbow on his desk while he makes his hand into a fist, moves his right arm to rest behind him on his chair. "I'm not upset with you, Beatriz." He blinks rapidly. "It doesn't upset me at all for you to go around the halls of Eco Moda to shout to the four winds that you've got a rich boyfriend. That doesn't bother me." he is angry. Now he already discussed the situation with the Love Guru himself and they drew the conclusion that Betty was referring to Nicolas and Armando. We know that he was jealous, both economically and emotionally.

"Me?"

He stands up quickly, picks up the lollipop and starts to gesture pointing at himself and moving his hands in the air in front of him. "No! Me! Me! Beatriz you said you have a rich boyfriend." he leans on his desk towards Betty and hisses at her. "You told Patricia."

"I haven't said anything, Sir."

"No. I said it. " He walks from behind his desk to stand behind Betty. "Since I'm the one with a rich boyfriend! Beatriz you're lying to me. "He shakes the lollipop in the air. "and what pisses me off the most are lies. You did tell Patricia Fernandez in the hall that you have a rich boyfriend and I asked you a favor, to please not tell anyone about this-this-what we have, our relationship, yes. "he jerks to see behind him. "that it wasn't going to leave the both of us, right. You started talking about it. You tricked me! You betrayed me! You betrayed me, Dammit! You Betrayed me!" he angrily throws the lollipop onto the floor.

"Sir, I swear to you by the most sacred thing in my life that I didn't say anything. Allow me to explain. We[the secs.] were all waiting for the elevator and I told them I'd invite(lunch would be on her) out to eat because they're really low on money and I had taken out sixty thousand pesos from the petty cash fund to help them. In that moment Patricia showed up and overheard the conversation and started attacking me, asking where I had gotten the money, as if insinuating that I had stolen it from Eco Moda. So then they, to defend me, started to yell at her that I didn't have any need to have stolen that money and that I earn a really good salary and am a really good administrator and outside of that, Bertha said that I have a rich boyfriend but I've already explained, Sir, that she is always nagging me about Nicolas Mora."

"It's cause you told them you are committed or in a relationship with Nicolas Mora. Or what's going on, Beatriz?"

"Um nonono, Sir, how do you draw that conclusion? I haven't said any of that. Bertha said that to mortify Patricia but again, I repeat, I don't have anything with Nicolas Mora, no more than a friendly and work related relationship" she smiles nervously.

Armando stands up from his desk and walks behind it.

"Look Betty this isn't right. I don't like for people to be making assumptions or speculating. You shouldn't have said that, neither Bertha or anyone else. I don't want what we have to be jeopardized or that there's a rich boyfriend around. I don't like that, understand me."

"Yes sir. I talked to them already and asked them to not bother me about Nicolas Mora and they'll do it. Besides I don't have anything with Nicolas. In any case I want you to excuse me because of all of this and I want us to stand clear that I have word and I'll die before I don't fulfil it. I'm never going to betray you, Mister. I am incapable of breaking something so sacred to me. Do you believe me, Sir?"

"Yes, I believe you."

"It just that for me it's really important that you believe me."

"Yes I believe you."

"Do you swear?"

"I swear, swear, swear. I believe you, I swear!"

"Thank you, sir."

This was a heavy scene.

Armando is furious. He can't sit or stand still. This isn't for show. He truthfully feels this.

Betty is nervous and scared. She stands still, only moving when Armando nears her.

The lollipop actually plays a huge role here. It is a symbol of Betty's affection(just like chocolate bar that he shared with Mario). When Armando hastily picks it up, he is holding her affection. As he waves it in the air he is questioning it. As he throws it on the floor he is discarding it.

This represents Armando's furry and how quickly he is to react to it. He doesn't pay attention to consequence or details. He is solely focused on his own pain and yes, he is in pain.

As he repeats over and over again that Betty betrayed him.

Why does he feel betrayed? He talked this out with Mario and they both drew the conclusion that Betty was probably talking about him[Armando](the rich boyfriend). However Armando still feels betrayed.

Let's take a few steps back and break this down to simple actions.

Betty arrives to Eco Moda. She leaves a chocolate bar for Armando on his desk.

Mario and Armando have a briefing where Armando doesn't talk about his feelings and when he does Mario doesn't take him serious so he shuts off and gets angry at him instead.

Betty and him talk. He talks to her sweetly.

Betty's friends use her to make Patricia jealous.

Patricia, Marcela, and Hugo make fun of Betty and insult her and her "boyfriend" while Armando watches and witnesses first hand his biggest fear that keeps him in denial; public humiliation and people talking bad about him behind his back. His ego is bruised.

Mario and Armando discuss this new tabloid. Mario then mocks him by asking if he's jealous. Armando refrains and tells him to get serious.

Betty arrives back to Eco Moda and places a green lollipop on his desk.

Armando arrives to Eco Moda and enters his office.

Betty hands him a paper to sign. He pulls it out of her hand and then throws it at her. He then proceeds to yell(whisper but yelling at the sametime) at her and like a lion paces in his symbolic cage of feelings.

At the peak of this he expresses his true feelings.

Betrayal.

Once again Armando feels bamboozled.

At the start of the day Betty's gift represented hope. It gave him the understanding that things were going well and all of a sudden he finds out that she is "talking" about her rich boyfriend[Nic] to everyone. This causes him to want to murder her. Now when he talks to Mario they conclude that Betty possibly wasn't talking about Nicolas but instead him, Armando. His feeling of betrayal moved from feeling jealousy to now feeling like he can't trust her.

To some degree, not only because he doesn't want to face public humiliation or Marcela finding out about them, Armando does want to continue this relationship with her as it means he removes Nicolas from her life and you know what that means to him. So he does want to keep it tight lid.

However Armando has a problem, he can't control his rage. He can keep himself composed in front of people he doesn't want to give a bad impression to but with people he sees every day he has no problem exploding on them. This is the one emotion he is never shy to show.

Now as he stares at Betty, the one who he has trusted so much, as a potential liar, someone who could have broken his trust, he feels deep anger and hurt. He believes that she isn't respecting his wishes and worst of all playing him.

Her gift now though still represents her affection, is something he no longers cares for in his furry or how he treats it.

As she explain her side of the story he inspects her. He is suspicious and watching her closely.

Now seeing things from Betty's side. She is now looking at the man she has worked so hard for, to prove her worth, her important role in the company and his life, who has worked so hard for his trust, question her, it causes her a deep anguish.

She clarifies things but she needs him to believe her. She needs him to trust in her, to see her, to not question her integrity, to not pull away.

This is similar to the time that Betty confessed that RagTela had offered her a 10% commission and because at this point things were vastly less complicated for Armando emotionally, he listened to her and he showed that he trusted her. However this time Armando now agitated and frustrated over the whole situation tells her "I swear, swear, swear! I believe you, I swear!" because he wants the conversation over.

This isn't enough for Betty but she takes his word. You can tell she feels awful about the whole situation.

People that tend to not show emotion, live in denial of them, and basically just avoid them tend to feel extremely exhausted when we are placed in emotional settings. Be it an argument or just a conversation that is heavily rooted in emotions we tend to burn out quickly and just want the entire thing done with.

Armando is the exact way except he doesn't have the luxury of taking some time off to recharge emotionally like many of us do. For months this man has been on an emotional rollar coaster with the company and now in his personal life.

When Mario shows up to his office we can clearly see a very tired Armando.

Betty isn't like that. Though she knows how to control her emotions, she wears her heart on her sleeve with the people close to her. She isn't afraid to show her affection, though afraid to speak of them she is, Betty still wants people to believe in her.

Again though Betty and Armando are similar in a lot of ways the way they react is what sets them apart. Betty faces her problems and she finds ways to fix them. That's who she is. She explains her side of the story to clear the air but mostly because she doesn't want Armando to not trust her. His trust in her means a lot to her. It's what she has worked so hard for.

So while he is emotionally exhausted at the end of their argument, Betty isn't. Betty is hurting and afraid once again of what it all means.

[chemist-ana]

Chapter 12 The Gala— Sams POV

Book: The Nanny Affair

Characters: Sam, Ana Schuyler (MC), Vivan and Mason Dalton

Pairing: Sam Dalton (male) x Ana Schuyler (MC)

Rating: 18+

Content Warning: NSFW, Sexual Language, Adult Language, Sexual Situations

A/N This chapter has been a very highly anticipated chapter by all of those who have been reading this series. It took me a while to write because I wanted to make sure I got it right, I really hope you all enjoy this trip into Sam Dalton’s mind… because this is really when their relationship changes. I hope I did this chapter justice. Thank you for all of your support during this series and for all the likes and reblogs.

Summary: All it takes is one night for everything to change.

Word Count: 5192

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Her eyes are wide in surprise as the silence stretches before she finally speaks.

“What happened to Sofia?”

“She can’t make it. She came down with a bad case of food poisoning.” Or so she says… I didn’t want to ask too many questions, because honestly… I am glad she isn’t my date tonight…

“Oh. Still… I’m not sure it’s a good idea for me to take her place.” Her face drops. “Don’t you think we’d be tempting fate? Or at least, each other?”

I let my eyes wander over her body, noticing every dip and curve of her hips and chest. I don’t care, to hell with duty and responsibility, I fucking want you.

“Yes, definitely. But I can’t seem to help myself. Besides, it was Sofia’s idea.”

She perks up at this information, her mouth setting into a thin line as she raises one sculpted eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“She said you’d know what to do, since you helped her prepare. And it was ‘uncouth’ for Dalton Enterprises to have an empty seat at the table.”

I watch hope flash through her emerald eyes as the corners of her lips teased up in a small smile.

“What about the boys? We can’t leave Mason and Mickey by themselves.”

Ah, yes, but that is why I have Carter.

“Carter already said he can keep an eye on them.”

“Okay, but…” She looks around her room, taking her bottom lip in between her teeth, until I see a sense of resolve settle over her. “Sam, I’d love to be your date tonight.”

“Really?” My smile widens, things just keep getting better and better...

“Hell yeah! Or something more appropriate for a fancy gala… most delightedly?”

“Honestly, I don’t care if you’re appropriate or not. I’m just glad you’ll be there.”

“So… what exactly does one wear to a fancy event like this?”

“Funny you should ask… I thought it’d be nice if we matched tonight.”

I bring the dress from behind my back and the gold sends flashes of light across her face. Her lips spread into a genuine smile.... So beautiful…

“It’s beautiful…” She whispers as she lightly runs her fingers across the delicate fabric.

“You’re beautiful.” I say without hesitation. “Doesn’t matter what you wear. But I do think you’d look particularly stunning in this. I am going to step out and give you a moment to change.”

She looks up at me as she takes the dress, whispering a quiet okay.

The door clicks behind me as I step out. My eyes look over to Mason and Mickey who are whispering something between themselves at the end of the hall. When they catch me staring, they run into the living room. I shake my head with a smile, trouble makers.

Eager to see Ana in that gown I turn around and knock softly on her door. She calls out ���come in’ and I open the door slowly.

“You ready?” I ask before my eyes land on her.

“You tell me.” She turns to face me, squaring her shoulders with a confident smile.

I stop in my tracks, letting out a sharp exhale… fucking breathtaking. My eyes scan her body, starting at the stilettos strapped to her feet curving her long legs up, the slit in the dress showcasing her toned leg. My eyes continue up to the deep V in the front, showcasing the soft curves of her breasts and the delicate skin between them. Then finally they settle on her face.

“I was right. You’re stunning.” I take two long strides until I am standing right in front of her, resting my hands on her waist and slowly trailing them down the curves of her hips. “Fit’s like a glove.”

Her breath catches as our eyes meet. “Sam…” She whispers as a blush spreads across her cheeks.

I reach up and run my thumb across the velvet skin of her cheek, losing myself in her eyes as my chest tightens… this is way more than just infatuation…

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket as a text comes in, bringing me back into the moment. I clear my throat taking a step back, and I watch her let out a breath.

“We should head out.”

“Right. Don’t want to be late.” She grabs her clutch off of her dresser.

I give her a rueful smile as I intertwine our fingers together. “That, and if we stay here a moment longer, I don’t think I will ever be able to bring myself to leave.” And I want to show you off tonight.

“… Oh.” Her blush spreads further across her cheeks. That delicious blush is going to be the death of me, it’s like a key to your true feelings.

“Come. The limo’s writing for us.” I pull her out of the room, leaning into the feeling of being elated for the evening ahead.

***

We trade glances as the limo drives us through the city streets. I fight every urge in my body to run my hand up the length of her dress to her most private place, keeping my hands firmly placed in my lap.

When the limo pulls to a stop outside of the gala, my eyes dart outside, noticing the throngs of reporters. I take a steadying breath before our driver opens the limo door. I step out first, turning back and offering a steadying hand to Ana as she gracefully exits the limo.

That's when the lights started flashing, these snakes expected me to show up with someone else… I hope she can handle this.

I place my hand on the small of Ana’s back as she leans into me.

“Whoa. The press is even crazier than at your engagement party.” She says just loud enough for me to hear.

“Just smile and nod. That’s what I always do.”

She leans back and I look down at her with a warm smile. I offer her my arm, and she links hers through mine.

“Sam! Sam Dalton! Who’s your date? Where’s Sofia Russo?”

I feel Ana tense on my side and I pull her closer.

“She’s got such style! Look at that gown…”

I glance down at Ana and she has a smile on her face that could drop any man to his knees.

“Give us a quote, sweetie! What’re you doing here? What happened to Sofia?”

“No comment. Now, if you’d please excuse us…” I guide Ana confidently through the paparazzi, looking down at her and mouthing a silent ‘sorry’ as we step away from the mob together.

“I can see why Sofia prepared so much for tonight… I didn’t realize this party was such a big deal!” The confident smile that played on her lips is now replaced with a look of worry.

I stop, pulling her into my chest. “Ana, I’ve thought about taking you out on a night like this for a long time. Now that we’re finally here, I’d really like to focus on us, not Sofia. Because you…” I lean back and scan my eyes down her delicious body. “…are all I can think about. Deal?”

That lovely smile returns to her luscious lips. “Deal. No more Sofia talk. Let’s head inside and enjoy the evening.”

She takes my hand and we walk side by side into the ballroom. This feels so incredibly natural…We make our way to our table and my stomach drops when I see my parents already seated. My mothers eyes widen as she looks over to my father. I see a flash of disappointment on his face.

“Ana? What a… delight to see you here. You look wonderful in that gown.” Her gaze softens.

“Thank you.” Ana responds confidently.

“Where’s Sofia?” My father asks gruffly. Great manners dad…

“She wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed home. Luckily, Ana was free to help us fill the table.”

“Lucky, indeed. You know how it looks to have an empty seat.” He manages to give Ana a smile before turning his attention back to the room.

“Are we expecting someone else?” Ana looks up at me.

“Unfortunately, Robin couldn’t make it at the last minute either. But never fear, Mason’s old secretary should be along soon to take his place.” My mother waves it off with her hand… Robin not showing up to a party?

“You weren’t kidding about this empty seat thing.” Ana leans in and whispers in my ear.

“Yeah, if you buy a table at an event like this, you’re expected to fill every seat or you might get frozen out next time.” I whisper as my eyes fall on hers. I lift my gaze to scan the guests that have begun to fill the room and my eyes land on Miles Houston.

“That’s Miles Houston. I recognize him from Sofia’s flashcards… Why are we staring at him though?”

Intuitive, god you are impressive.

“I’ve been trying to convince him to collaborate with us on a new project, but he’s notoriously un-schmoozable. Care to help me change that?”

“It’d be my honor.”

She takes my arm and we make our way across the room.

“Samuel. You’re looking well.” Miles extends a hand, which I shake firmly before turning to Ana.

“You too, Miles. Ana, I’d like you to meet Miles Houston, a fellow technophile and unrepentant geek. I’m hoping he might brainstorm with me someday.”

I watch his eyes scan up Ana’s body and I bite the inside of my cheek.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Do you work at Dalton Enterprises as well?”

“I… freelance alongside the company in a limited capacity, but I’m inches away from committing full time.” Clever girl…

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

“I love how the waste and energy efficiency are top notch.” She pauses, pushing her shoulders back. “It’s important to be conscious of your environmental impact, even on a small scale. Like how after a company event, Sam himself stayed behind to recycle every last can.” Her eyes flick to mine, and I wonder if she can tell how proud I am of her at this moment.

I turn my gaze back to Miles as she catches him by surprise. “It’s hard to find a CEO willing to do the work instead of cutting corners. “

“We do what we can. It’s our responsibility to set the standard.”

“It is helpful to see Dalton Enterprises from a different point of view… and the way you describe it seems rather idyllic.” Miles tips his glass of champagne at Ana as his brows raise.

Gotcha.

“As you know, we’d love to bring you onboard. You could be instrumental in making sure we hit our environmental goals with the latest Nightingale update.”

“I admit, I’ve been on the fence, but after tonight… I’ll be in touch.” He looks at me with a nod.

I reach out my hand, trying to hide the grin that is spreading across my face. He shakes it, and as he walks away, I turn to Ana.

“I can’t believe you just schmoozed the un-schmoozable.”

“Turns out, it’s pretty easy when you study everyone’s life story for a full day. Speaking of…” Ana gestures over my shoulder and I turn to see Selene d’Torte standing at our table, having what appears to be a heated discussion with my parents.

“We’d better rescue them.” My eyes flick down to Ana and we make our way back to our table.

My father is visibly upset as we approach. . “Selene, you can’t just back out like this out of the blue. It’ll make the other shareholders panic!”

“That’s not my responsibility. I just want to sell my shares and be done with the whole market.” I can tell Selene is uncomfortable.

“Pardon the intrusion. It’s good to see you again, Selene. May I introduce Ana Schuyler? This is her first gala, and I’m trying to show her a good time.”

Selene turns towards Ana and her face softens slightly into a smile.

“I couldn’t help but overhear… Are you really going to sell, Ms. d’Torte? Dalton stock has been so stable recently, even trending up.” Oh, Ana, I hope you know what you are doing…

“I just don’t trust the game anymore, I wouldn’t expect you to understand…” She trails off as fear flashes across her face.

“I understand, and it reminds me of something Kierkegaard said.” Ana smiles. “‘Life must be understood backwards, but lived forwards.’ If you dump all your investments now, you’ll just be living ‘backward’.”

“I did feel like I had a talent for investing, but I was so wrong with MediShade…” Selene takes a small step back.

“Maybe you’ve been burned in the past, but life is about observation and adaptation. That’s all philosophy is, right? Distilling education from experience?” Damn you’re good.

I clench my jaw to keep it from dropping to the floor.

“Jonathan Swift did encourage us all to live every day of our lives, and I think he meant to take risks.”

“Exactly. I’d hate to see you lose confidence in your judgment of one mistake.”

I can see the moment that Selene’s mind has been changed because of the smile she gives Ana.

“I suppose it would be hasty to make a decision right now. Sam, let’s meet next week to discuss this further.”

We shake hands and after a polite goodbye, she retreats back to her table.

“That was…” My father is at a loss for words.

“Impressive.” My mother finishes for him.

“That was Ana in action.” And I am more impressed than I ever believed I could be…

I heard the music change and against my better judgment, all I want to do is have her in my arms.  I look over at her and extend my hand.

“Dance with me, Ana? You’ve more than earned a break from all the shoptalk.”

“I’d love to.” She places her hand in mine and I lead her out onto the dance floor. I pull her to my chest and we sway together, the rest of the room and all the guests fade away.

“I don’t really know how to waltz… or whatever this is.” She whispers softly.

“Just follow my lead. Or I could follow yours, if you’d prefer.”

“Meaning what? If I twerk, you will too?” She laughs softly.

“Something like that.” I squeeze her hand in mine and lean closer to whisper in her ear. “This is our night, Ana. Not theirs.”

“In that case, I’ll follow your lead.” She murmurs in response.

I intertwine our fingers together with my right hand while placing my left hand on the small of her back, drawing her closer to me. The smell of jasmine and Ana overtaking my senses, as I feel her body melt into mine.

“Just relax. As long as you stay loose and let me take control, it’ll be easy.”

“You say that like letting you take control is easy for me.”  Her melodic voice ringing through my ears.

“Do you prefer to be in control?” Arousal stirs through me.

“Mmm… I like when we take turns.” She says as she squeezes my hand.

“... Duly noted.”

I pull her even closer to me as we dance in time to the music, I can feel her body tensing up as she steps on my foot.

“Whoops! Was that your foot?” I see a blush rising on her neck.

“I’ll survive. Don’t worry about the steps, Ana. Just look at me.” I encourage her. She leans back slightly and her emerald eyes meet mine. She is looking at me like I hung the moon and my chest tightens. She starts to loosen up and I take the opportunity to spin her around the dance floor. The intense feelings I am having for this woman grow exponentially in this moment, as I watch her dance and her face light up.

“Wow. I didn't think I had it in me.” She looks up at me with a grin but I can’t return it as the war of emotions rages on inside of my head. “What is it?” She whispers as worry flashes through her eyes.

“Walk with me?” I say quickly.  I need to get her alone before I change my mind…

I hold her hand and lead her outside onto a secluded balcony, as soon as the door closes all the noise from the gala disappears.

“Something on your mind?” She asks quietly as we walk towards the railing.

“Honestly? I just wanted you to myself for a while. Ever since we got here, the other guests have been swarming around you, drawn to you…” My voice fades as I turn to her, so beautiful in the moonlight. The gold of her gown highlights every single curve that I dream about every night. “Not that I can blame them, especially in that gown.”

“It’s not that special…” She blushes.

“You are what makes it special. You’ve made this whole night special by just being here. It’s like you’ve grown up surrounded by all this. You’re in your element, and you shine.” I shake my head.

“You may think I belong here, and you’re right.” She hesitates for a moment before her emerald eyes shine bright into mine. “I feel like this is where I’m meant to be. By your side. Nowhere else.”

I reach up and rest my hand on her cheek. “I can’t help but wonder if you’re right… like everything that’s happened between us since your interview was fate. And I don’t even believe in fate.” I lean towards her, drawn to her magnetic pull, our lips only a breath away from each other. The smell of champagne is lingering in the air between us and my eyes scan her face, and linger on her pink lips.

“What if someone sees-“ She says breathlessly, her gaze shifting down to the floor.

“I don’t care.”  I place my index finger softly under her chin and lift her eyes to mine. “Right now, all I care about… is you.”

I ignore the alarms going off in my head, warning me to stay away from this beautiful woman, the duty and responsibility mantra that has ruled my life for far too long… I can’t resist her anymore… I don’t want to resist her anymore… she whispers my name, and the sound coming from her lips is all I need to close the gap and press my lips to hers. I part her lips with my tongue and the familiar taste of Ana fills my senses as our kiss builds in intensity.

Her body melts into mine as I pull her tight against me. My lips leave hers as I trail kisses down her neck and my hands find her hips as I pull her even tighter into me.

“Sam…” She moans as her head falls back.

I have completely lost control, as every single part of my body craves every single part of hers. I guide her backwards until she is pressed between my body and the railing, her breathing growing quicker.

I slide my hands down her waist until I feel the slit of her dress on her thigh. I trail my fingers across the soft skin of her inner thigh, her breath hitching in her throat.

“Ana, I want you… but I can’t keep stopping myself. You have to be the strong one here. If this isn’t what you want, tell me to stop now.” My voice husky as my lips graze the shell of her ear. I can feel the desire pulsing through my veins.

“What if I don’t want you to stop?” She presses soft kisses along my jaw until she’s right below my ear.

“Fuck…” I whisper. I pull back as our eyes meet, her eyes burning with desire and I can feel the heat that is coursing through her veins.

“Sam… don’t stop.” Her voice pleading, and any sliver of hope that I might have had as to control myself, is gone.

My lips are on hers again and I wrap my arms around her slender body, relishing in the feel of her. Our kisses deepen. The heady combination of Ana and champagne lingering on her tongue.

“God, you’re perfect…” I whisper against her lips. My hands travel down to the curve of her ass and I pick her up. She takes the clue, and wraps her legs around my hips as I trail kisses down her neck. “Tell me what you imagine when you touch yourself at night, Ana. Do you think of me?”

I grind my hardness against her and her breathing intensifies as her head lulls back.

“I imagine you being my hard, strict boss.” Her eyes are dark as she focuses on me. Oh you naughty little thing…

“I told you that I wanted your panties on my desk by midnight.” I narrow my eyes at her and her breath hitches. I bring my hand up to her hair, threading my fingers through the long brown strands, before I clutch a fistful of it. I pull her head back just enough to expose her neck. “Care to explain why they aren’t there, Miss Ana?”

I bring my mouth to her neck, nipping and licking as she moans against me. With my hand still in her hair, I bring my other hand to the bare skin of her thigh, trailing my fingertips across the sensitive skin. “Or should I skip straight to punishing you?” I growl.

“I’m… sorry…” She says between breaths.

My fingers find her center and I can feel the wetness pooling through her panties. She is completely at my mercy as my fingers dip beneath the delicate lace fabric, stroking her wetness. God, she is soaked for me. “I’m going to have to discipline you for disobeying.”

I remove my hand, giving her peachy ass a quick, sharp slap. She gasps at the contact.

“I can… still get them for you.” She moans.

“It’s too late now. I need the real thing, not just the little piece of fabric you rubbed against all day.” Moans escape her lips as I suck on her throat, desperate to mark her and claim her as mine.

“I dreamed about this, before we met… the night before our interview…” She says breathlessly.

“About us?” I lean back from her slightly and my eyes widen at her admittance.

I watch a smile play on her lips as she snakes her hand down and grabs my cock that is uncomfortably hard in my dress pants.

“This, right here.” She says coyly.

I close my eyes and groan as she strokes her hand up and down my arousal. Fuck, that feels so fucking good.

“Sam, let me touch you.” She whispers in my ear.

“You don’t have to-“

“I want to. I want to feel how much you want me.” Her lips curve up in a smile. Where have you been my whole life?

I set her down on her heels, leaving my hands settled on her waist. She reaches for my belt, and I watch her delicate hands as she unbuckles it quickly and unzips my pants, easing some of the pressure on my cock. She slips her hand inside and my breath hitches in my throat.

“Ana…” I moan. Fuck.

She wraps her hand around my hardness and pumps her hand up and down.

“Is all this for me?” She purrs.

Fuck, yes, beautiful, it’s all for you. “Yes… only for you.”

The soft skin of her hand continues to work up and down and I fight back every urge I have to come right in my pants. This woman is going to unman me.

“Ana, if you don’t stop soon… I’m going to…” I say between breaths.

“Would that be so bad?” Her voice drips with desire as she watches me unravel.

I tighten my grip on her waist as she continues stroking me, her thumb circling around the tip and spreading the moisture around the head.

“Ana…” I warn.

“Sam, I need you. Now.” Her emerald eyes find mine.

My eyes search hers for a moment before I lower myself between her legs, pushing the skirt of her dress up and pushing her panties to the side.

“Finally…” I whisper as her perfect cunt is finally bare before me. I lean in and press my tongue to her warm, bare skin. And her taste is just as sweet as I imagined. She moans as I flick my tongue against her clit. I reach up and press my thumb and her body writhes under my touch. Her hands grab onto my hair and I feel her body tense as she nears the edge.

“Sam, I need…” Her moans fill the silence. Her hands find my shoulders as she urges me closer.

“I need you too.” I lean back and look up, her lips are open as she breathes frantically, her head tipped back. I stand up, reaching behind her to find the zipper to her dress. I pull it down and her dress pools at her feet.

“Hurry.” She whispers. Her fingers push my jacket from my shoulders. Then with shaking fingers she unbuttons and pushes my shirt off.

“So demanding.” I smile as I pull her near naked body into mine. Her eyes roam my chest and my abs and her eyes darken even more. “See something you like?”

“You have no idea.” She smirks. She reaches for my cock again, pumping me. A moan escapes my lips as the pleasure courses through my body.

“Ana… Ana… Ana…” I warn her, you are too damn good with that hand. She lets go and moves my boxers all the way down to my feet. When her eyes finally land on my bare cock, her breath hitches in her throat.

“I had no idea that was the situation we were dealing with. I…” She hesitates.

Oh beautiful girl, you have never been with a real man before, have you?

I reach up and run my thumb across her plump bottom lip and her gaze shifts to mine.

“Trust me, it’s the perfect size.” She takes her bottom lip between her teeth. My fingers travel down to the apex of her thighs as she grinds her hips into my touch.

“Sam… let me serve you.” Her throaty moan escaped her lips as she dropped down to her knees in front of me. Oh my god…

“Ana, you don’t have to-“ But fuck I want you to.

“Don’t you dare try to take this away from me, Sam Dalton.” She looks up at me through her long lashes. My eyes never leave hers as she darts her tongue out and licks the length of my cock. My hands tangle into her hair as she opens her mouth and wraps her pretty pink lips around me.

An instinctual growl escapes my lips as my head falls back. Fuck, your mouth feelsso fucking good. I moan her name and lightly pump her head up and down my length. I can feel myself nearing the edge, and there is no way I am finishing in her mouth. I give her hair a small tug and bring her lips to mine, pinning her against the railing.

“That felt… but I need to be inside you.” My lips brush hers.

I stare into her eyes as she nods her head, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. I lift her into my arms and she wraps her legs around my hips. I can feel the tip of my cock teasing her entrance.

“Ana, are you sure?” My eyes search hers.

“Yes.” She smiles as she pulls our bodies closer together.

I bring my lips to hers and thrust my hips forward, surging into her. Fuck, she is so fucking tight, god I have dreamt of this moment for so goddamn long.

She gasps and her body trembles around me. I pause for a moment before I start moving in and out of her. Her hips start to move with mine and our bodies fit together like puzzle pieces.

“Yes… don’t stop…” She moans, her forehead resting on my shoulder as her breathing increases. Every logical thought goes out of my mind as my body starts to move harder and faster against hers. I feel her fingernails digging into my back as she tightens around me.

“Ana, I’m going to…” I say breathlessly, as my body nears the edge.

“I’m close… so close…” Suddenly, I feel her explode in my arms, her head flying back as a cry escapes her lips. She clenches around me and suddenly I am diving over the cliff with her. I lose myself in her perfect little cunt as she calls out my name and I call out hers.

I hold her close as my heart rate slows. I feel her breath on my neck, and her arms are still wrapped around my shoulders. She picks her head up off of my shoulder and I take that as my cue to softly place her back on her heels.

Wordlessly we both hurry to slip back into our clothes, all of those warnings come rushing back.

What the fuck did you just do…

Damn it, Dalton.

My thoughts are a jumbled mess as I button my shirt and tuck it neatly back into my dress pants.

“So… now what?” Ana breaks the silence as I see her glance over at me.

“I… guess we slip back into the gala?” I have no idea what will happen next...

She smiles softly… “Is that a question?”

“I don’t exactly have a protocol in place for something like this.” I force a smile.

“I hope no one notices.” She bites her lip in uncertainty as she glances at the balcony doors. “We’ve been gone a long time…”

My head starts to spin as the sound of her moans echo in my ear.

Have I completely lost control? This is all just a pipe dream… fantasy…

“Yeah, we should get back in there… back to the real world.” I clear my throat. “I’ll, uh, go in first? We probably shouldn’t walk back in there at the same time.”

“Makes sense… I’ll wait a few minutes.” Her tone is disappointed, but I can’t handle that right now.

I glance at her one last time, giving her a curt nod. I move towards the door, before turning to her one last time. Say something to her, ass hole.

“Ana, I…”

“It’s fine. I’ll be fine. We can talk later.” She turns her back to me and fixes her gaze on the city.

“…Okay. If you’re sure.”

I unlock and open the balcony door, slipping back into the gala. No one spares me a second glance as I make my way back to the table. My head spins as I take a seat.

“Is everything alright, Sam? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I look up and see my mother giving me a worried look.

I clear my throat. “Yes, yes. I’m fine.” I reach up and straighten my tie, shifting my gaze to my plate.

What the fuck happens next?

[socalwriterbee]

Confessions Part 3

Catch up on Confessions

Part 1 Part 2

Book: The Nanny Affair

Characters: Marie Castro (MC) x Jordan Le x Sam Dalton

Rating/Warning: Teen, Angst, Some Adult Language

Word Count: 1,660

Characters Belong to Pixelberry

“It’s not something you want, it’s something I need.”

Sam’s words kept playing over and over again. Marie had watched Sam disappear behind the elevator doors, with an expression she can only describe as cowardly. Whatever they had was gone. Gone all because of a kiss. What kiss ended their relationship? Was it hers with Jordan or was it Sam’s with Lana, like Jordan had confessed to her.

“It’s not something you want, it’s something I need.”

He was leaving, without a fight. His promises of their relationship worth fighting for were all a lie. The quietness of the lab was deafening, everything her and Sam went through kept appearing in her head. The laughter shared, the arguments, the moments they spent in each other’s arms, it was all gone just like that. It wasn’t worth fighting for.

Marie didn’t remember how she made it back to the lab, it had gone by as a blur. Space, it was something he needed. Space. Their relationship was still in the dark to the world, a secret they couldn’t share and now there was nothing to share. Now, she was just the woman who spared Sam from marrying Sofia.

Tears began streaming down her face, the droplets landing on reports sitting on her desk. Her sobs slowly becoming uncontrollable.

“I’m just a fool, How could I possibly think he would want forever with me.” She tells herself, wiping away the tears that keep falling down her face.

She laughed at her situation, one she agreed to. She wanted anything and everything to with Sam, she foolishly fell in love with a man who kept their relationship in the dark. A man who hired a publicists to fool the world on how they met and fell for each other.

Sam had done all that because he didn’t want history repeating itself with her, wanting to protect her from the things he couldn’t protect Addison from. What she should have been protecting herself from was Sam. She had thrown caution to the wind in accepting the position at Dalton Labs without letting anyone know. Putting what she and Sam had accomplished at risk, but she didn’t regret it, if given the chance she would do it again. Because she believed that their love would be strong enough to handle whatever came their way.

Taking a deep breath, she was determined to come out of this ahead. It was her who impressed Evan in the interview, she earned this job. Hell, she even impressed Sofia. She was doing her best in helping the environmental lab succeed, even if after it all, it meant Sofia becoming CEO over Sam. She would work hard to prove to everyone who doubted her and just saw her as a nanny wrong. Packing her things to call it a day, Marie stood a bit straighter with renewed vigor and made her way out of Dalton Labs.

****

Letting out an exhausted breath, it had sounded like a great idea to walk home but halfway through the busy, noisy, chilly streets of New York she began to regret that idea. Pulling her jacket a bit closer to her body as the cold wind nips at her exposed skin, a familiar face catches her eye through the glass doors of the lobby.

“What are you doing here? Haven’t you caused enough damage.” Marie grits through her teeth.

“I came to apologize.” Jordan smiles at her, lifting a pizza box. “I come with a peace offering.”

“You can’t expect me to forgive you just like that.”

But the smell of greasy, delicious pizza wafts in the air, making her stomach growl.

“Please?” He gives her the saddest eyes that he can possible muster. “I think you could some food. It must have been hours since you last ate.”

Every possible reason that she should say no comes in a rush “I..uh..yeah..Ok.” Marie says against better judgement.

“I’m not inviting you up because I’ve forgiven you, but you did bring a pie from my favorite place. The least I can do is hear you out.”

A sincere wide smile spreads across his face, his eyes light up with hope. “I’ll take it.”

They step into the elevator together, Jordan watches as Marie passes her card to access the penthouse. The ride and walk to her apartment is complete silence. After unlocking the door and stepping inside she locks the door behind them.

“Make yourself at home. There are drinks in the fridge. I’ll be right back.” Marie tells him, making her way to her bedroom kicking off her heels.

After changing into an oversized t-shirt, one she had taken from Sam once upon a time, and black shorts. She didn’t want to give Jordan a wrong impression, Marie made her way back to the main room of her apartment, where Jordan had already set up everything for them to enjoy the pie he brought.

“That smells delicious.” She smiles, taking a plate from Jordan and grabs a slice.

“I’m happy that I could bring a smile out. You should always be smiling.”

“The smile comes from having food. Don’t take too much credit.”

“Right. Sorry.” He says as he takes a bite. “Oh my god.. I can see why this is your favorite.” He follows with a mouth full.

Marie chuckles at the facial expressions Jordan makes as they continue enjoying their dinner and swapping stories of pranks, experiments and everything in between that Mason and Mickey have done and gotten into.

“I can’t believe they tried the syrup experiment in your shampoo too.”

“I’m pretty sure it had the same result.”

“A sticky mess!” They say in unison.

“I still can’t compete with you. It’s always Marie was so fun or Marie would do this.” Jordan tells her with a soft look on his face, not of jealousy but she knew it was something more he wanted.

“Jordan, you shouldn’t compete to recreate with what I had with them. They love having you as their nanny. You should know that they talk about all the cool and fun stuff you do with them.” She tells him, reaching for his hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Yeah, well. I’m probably out of a job anyway. After what happened. Sam won’t keep me after I kissed his girlfriend.”

She doesn’t correct him about being Sam’s girlfriend, Marie begins to pick up the plates they used. Walking towards the sink, she places them down and turns to face Jordan, her back pressing against the marble counter. Everything that happened today comes flashing back, Jordan’s kiss, Sam walking in on them, Jordan’s accusation of Sam being with Lana. And the one that hurt the most, Sam leaving, her eyes began to water. She blinked back trying to fight the tears from falling, her new resolve beginning to crack slightly. Sam’s scent filling her senses, maybe wearing his shirt had been a bad idea.

“Hey..hey..” Jordan comes up to her about to take her into his arms but stops just short and caresses her arm, trying to bring her some comfort. “I don’t know what I can say, sorry doesn’t begin to cover what happened, what I may have caused, the argument and all.”

Marie side steps away from him “It was more than just an argument. He wants space. It’s easy to blame you right now and I do.”

Neither one saying anything, only their breathing can be heard in the quietness of her home. Jordan looks at the woman he has been falling in love with since meeting her. But she wasn’t looking at him, her attention somewhere else, with someone else.

“He just gave up and pushed me away. It was just a matter of time for this day to come.”

The smile on her face masked her true feeling, Jordan could see the hurt he caused her. He wanted her and he didn’t care how he would get her. The first step in winning her had been more effective than he had hoped for and he would be there for her, whenever and however she would want him.

“Marie, I don’t know if you’d believe me or you’d take this with a grain of salt. I’m here for whatever you need. A shoulder to cry on, someone to talk too. I’ll be here.”

“I..uh. Thank you Jordan. I think, you should.. you know, it's getting.”

“It’s getting late. I should head out, pretty sure I’ll be packing my things.” He grins as he makes his way towards the door. “Goodnight Marie.”

“Goodnight.”

She watched him go, turning and waving at her, Marie closed and locked the door after seeing him disappear behind the elevator doors. For the first time in her life she felt empty.

Marie hated that feeling. She wasn’t going to wallow in what could have been. It was her from this day forward and no one would get in her way especially not Sam Dalton.

******

His grip tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles becoming white with rage. His jaw clenched, his heart rate increased as he watched as the boys nanny walk out of the building. A smirk on his face, a fucking smirk.

He knows one thing can cause a look like that, Marie. The look of being the luckiest guy on earth, countless times she made Sam feel that way, after spending their stolen moments in each other’s arms.

Reaching for the handle of the Audi, he was going to confront him. Sam didn’t care if he caused a scene. As he opened the door, a honk of a taxi makes him instantly reconsider what he was about to do.

Jordan turns towards the noise, spotting a familiar car pull out and drive away, he watched the taillights disappear. A wide grin spreads across his face. He knew who it was, a satisfying feeling warmed him, knowing he was closer of making Marie his.

[allisonxmoynihan]

illicit affairs (pt. 2) ~ a. turcotte

Requested: yes | no

Song: this series is loosely inspired on Illicit Affairs by Taylor Swift (you can listen here!) 

Part One: read here! 

Word Count: 1,988

The sun peeped out from behind the clouds, the first sunny day you’d seen since summer. You winced at the bright december sunlight, wiping down tables at the cafe, trying to prepare yourself for the afternoon rush of tourists and tired parents with chaotic toddlers begging to go back out in the snow 

A group of girls came in and you offered a weak smile their way, “I’ll be right with you,” you say, walking back towards the counter. 

The holiday rush was always your least favorite time of year, but it was worse now that he was gone. You hated seeing how cheery everyone was, how excited everyone was to be with loved ones for the holidays. But like the cold, bitter days outside, you were left realizing that your “warmth” was gone, off doing better things like he always said he would. 

“Hey, so can I get,” a slender, brunette girl with the most beautiful blue eyes you’d ever seen starts in an almost valley-girl voice before pausing, “Vanessa, what did you say was really good?” The girl turns to look at you, “Sorry, it’s my first time coming here, my fiance always talks about it so I need to try it!” She smiles.

You smile back, wondering where you had seen her before, but not being able to figure it out.

“Okay, yeah, can I please get a small skinny vanilla latte?” the girl says

“Of course, can I get a name for the order?”

“Sofia,”

And that’s when the images come flashing back in your mind, your hands going pale from gripping the counter so tightly. That’s her. You glance down at her hand, seeing the large diamond ring on her left hand, and your heart sinks all over again as he comes back into your mind. Him. The only guy you’d ever given your heart to, and you haven’t gotten it back after the months away from him. Alex had moved on, obviously, and your heart broke all over again looking at his fiancee, the girl who was everything you could never be for him.

“Alright, Sofia, that’ll be $1.50, and you can wait at the other counter for pick up,” you choke out, handing the order ticket off to your co-worker. 

You watch her and her friends walk across the cafe, the pictures from Alex’s instagram flooding your mind. You wanted, more than anything, for him to be happy; you knew he deserved all the best things in life and you really truly wanted him to be well. But you hated seeing that he was so okay while you were still hurting. You hated that you couldn’t be the one to make him happy. 

Your eyes follow her as she walks out the shop and runs up and hugs the dark haired boy you’d grown to love. The knife in your heart twists as he kisses her; and when he pulls away and sees you behind the counter, you swear you see hints of sadness before he’s dragged towards the town square, hand in hand with Sofia.

~*~

The sun was setting above the city skyscrapers, creating hues of pink and orange to scatter about your living room. Your head was resting upon Alex’s chest, rising and falling with each breath he took, his fingers twirling your hair round and round.

“I could stay like this forever,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“Yeah?”

“Of course. I can see us, living out in a penthouse, coming home from hockey to you and our kids,”

“That sounds nice,” you laugh, tilting your head up to press kisses against his jaw.

“I love you,” he smiles down to press a kiss to your lips.

You smile, but the pain in your chest tightens. With each passing moment you could tell Alex was slipping further and further away from you and you didn’t know how to make him stay. You noticed he started distancing himself from you, only coming by when it was convenient or when he needed you. 

You push yourself off of him, sitting up and staring at the wall ahead of you.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asks, concern filling his eyes, begging you to confide in him.

You laugh slightly to try and keep the tears back, “Alex, who is she?” 

He’s immediately taken aback, “who? I don’t know what you’re talking about..”

You scoff while shaking your head, “you don’t know what I’m talking about? Alex, the girl who’s all over your social media”

He swallows hard, reaching for your hand, “baby, come on, she’s just a friend. You know you mean the world to me.”

Your expression softens at his reassurance, “but then why can’t I meet your friends? If i mean the world to you, why am I always kept a secret?”

Alex pulls you into his side, pressing a gentle kiss to your temple, “I’m just protecting you from my world,”

You relax into him, feeling better and protected. You knew the world of elite hockey players were different, that you didn’t fit the image. You believed Alex when he told you he was trying to protect you from the wrath and hate from his fans.

~*~

“We need to talk…” his stern voice fills your ears, your breath halting.

Your heart sinks as the elevator closes, “Okay, yeah, I’ll be at your place soon.” 

He abruptly hangs up the phone and you stare at your reflection in the elevator door. You felt Alex slipping away for months now, and you knew it was only a matter of time before he got bored and left. Before he found someone better and left you in the dust. 

You knock twice on his door before a disheveled Alex appears, stepping aside to let you in. He doesn’t kiss you at the door like he used to, just stares at you as you walk into his apartment. 

“So…” You start, breaking the uncomfortable silence that’s fallen over the two of you.

“This needs to stop” he states matter of factly without any hesitation. It comes out so mechanical and rehearsed, and you know he’s been thinking this for awhile now.

You look up at him, swallowing back the tears, “Alex, please, can we just try and talk this through?”

He shakes his head, “y/n, i’ve made up my mind. Whatever it is that we had, it’s over.”

“But-”

“y/n, I don’t love you, okay?” he snaps, and you take a step back.

“What did I do wrong?”

He sits back on his sofa, running his hand through his hair, “you didn’t do anything. I just found someone better. I’m moving on, okay?”

Tears threaten to spill, as you look at him in disbelief, sadness and anger combining in the pit of your stomach. “You’re an asshole,” you mutter, turning to walk out the door.

Walking down to his lobby you angrily wipe the tears away. The one boy you’d ever given yourself away to, the one boy you’d ever fallen for, the person whose happiness mattered to you more than your own was gone. And you didn’t know if you’d be okay again.

“Hey, y/n?” you hear his voice, smooth like honey, breathy from running to catch up to you, “take care of yourself, okay?”

~*~

Laying on your couch, you were thankful that the work day was finally over. For the next 12 hours you could just sit at home and relax, and forget all about Alex and his fiancee. 

You were watching your favorite tv show, stuffing oreo after oreo into your mouth when a loud knock startled you. You look at your phone to see it was almost 2 a.m., and you weren’t expecting anyone.

Cautiously, you get up and look out the peephole.

You sigh, opening the door up, “wh-?” you're interrupted with his lips harshly connecting with yours, pushing you backwards and kicking the door closed.

He lays you down on the couch, laying on top of you before reconnecting your lips and kissing down your neck.

“Alex, what are you doing here?” you breathe out, your hands instinctively sliding up his t-shirt.

He gathers some of your skin between his teeth and sucks down on it, “I need you,”

“What about Sofia?”

“We can forget about her for a minute,” 

You know it’s wrong, that he should be home with Sofia, but this is everything you’ve been craving since he pushed you away. As much as you know you shouldn’t, you give in to his desire.

He removes your clothing in a rush, admiring your body like he never has before, and you want to believe him. You want to believe that he really does love you, that he meant everything he ever said. That he only left you because he got scared of how real your love was.

He thrusts into you and you moan his name, throwing your head back.

“You like that, huh baby girl?” He asks, picking up his pace.

“Alex, please,” you pant

He kisses up and down your neck, and you know there are going to be marks tomorrow morning as he starts rubbing circles to your clit.

He grunts as he continues to thrust sloppily into you, “i know you’re close baby girl,”

You release around him, and he closely follows as he draws out your high, “i love you alex,” you say before pressing your lips to his.

He slips down your hall to get a towel to clean you up, “y/n, I’m sorry for how I treated you all that time ago,”

You hush him, “it’s okay, alex, it’s fine. We can start fresh,”

He shakes his head, beginning to redress, “y/n, i’m getting married to another woman,”

You gulp, watching him as approaches the door, getting ready to walk back out of your life.

“Thanks for tonight,” he smiles, before slipping back into the night.

You begin to cry, angry at yourself for letting him come back in so easily after everything he’s done to you. Angry that you would continue to ruin yourself over and over again if it meant he’d come back for just a moment. 

~*~

“Alright kiddo, I’m heading out for the day. I left a little present for you in the back to thank you for everything. Keep your head up and you’ll do great things,” Your manager advises.

You smile, “Thanks Carol, and I promise I’ll be fine out east, I promise.”

She smiles back, “i know, honey, you always will,”

Years had passed since that night with Alex. You sat waiting for him to come back for a year, and sometimes he did, but they always ended the same way. He and Sofia got married and you saw on instagram that he and Sofia had just welcomed a baby girl into the world: Isabella Grace Turcotte. 

Even after his daughter was born, he continued to show up drunk at your door declaring that he needed you. And each time you gave yourself away to him, hoping he’d choose you at the end of the night. 

But enough was enough, you decided you deserved more than being his mistress behind closed doors. You knew he didn’t care about you at this point anymore, that it was convenient for him that you were willing to continuously destroy yourself each time he decided to come back into your life. So you decided to leave LA and head east to Boston. 

Alex had moved on to the bigger and better things you knew were in store for him, he was the Kings best player, and you were happy his dreams were finally turning into his reality. It was time you invested the energy you had poured into him for so long into yourself. It was time you gave yourself a shot at turning your own dreams into a reality. And you never looked back.

[magicwithineleteo]

ok so below the cut is me addressing my feelings about the “drama” in the fandom. i would just like to mention that i am hesitant to post this out of fear of receiving backlash and being attacked/harassed by those who disagree. if you are as mature as you believe yourself to be, then please act as such and try to have a healthy discussion instead of just jumping on me for speaking up.

tw: pedophilia, bullying, swearing

i honestly don't have words for what’s happening in the fandom. i joined this fandom out of love for an amazing show, and was pleased to find a community of like-minded people who enjoy it just as much as i do. but i was not expecting this toxic element. i agree with the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and they are free to ship whatever they want to. usually, i wouldn't give a fuck. but i do care when the ships are morally wrong. to reiterate, this is NOT a matter of opinion, this is a matter of MORALITY, which if someone wants to go ahead and say is subjective, at the end of the day, there are basic definitions of what is morally right and wrong. these ships are gababel and esteomi. (i am against cedfia too, however i’m not in the sofia the first fandom. only the eoa fandom so this is primarily about these ships.) i do not understand how one can comfortably ship these ships. at the beginning of the show, naomi is 15 and esteban is in his mid 50s. i don’t get how so many people don’t see the issue with that??? and at the beginning of the show, isabel is 10 and gabe is 18. again, a big issue. there is only one context in which esteban and naomi would morally work, if naomi was around pre-amulet. so by the time elena is freed, naomi is a similar age to esteban. but she’s not. regarding gababel, i don’t see how aging up isabel makes it any more acceptable. gabe has known isa since she was 10, i don’t think he’s just gonna immediately get feelings for her when she turns 18. that just sounds like a bunch of bs. other excuses for these ships are also a bunch of bs. dang, i didn’t know that not shipping gababel was because i’m not imaginative enough to think about the future of that ship. at least i'm imaginative enough to see that it's not even worth imagining because why would anyone even want to picture it? 

treating people with kindness and living by the golden rule means a lot to me. that people should be nice to each other, no matter if their beliefs clash or not. so why is it that when a young minor calls out these morally wrong ships, they are targeted? once again, this is a young MINOR. A CHILD. and not to mention, they were targeted by a bunch of adults. this child has called out something that’s morally wrong and adults came for them. i feel like these adults were aware that they are a child, but only to a certain point. they used the fact that they are a child to prove the point that they don’t know what bullying is, or that you were once in their shoes, an opinionated teenager. didn't know having an opinion was exclusive to teenagers, but i digress. however, a lot of you failed to recall that this is an actual child. not to mention, a handicapped child who has expressed time and time again how negative criticism affects them. at the end of the day, this context shouldn't even matter, because no one should be treated like that anyway. this child was bullied. this child felt invalidated and hurt. i don’t care what you think the definition of bullying is. they were bullied. imagine you’re in their place. a young (at the time 14 year old) who is receiving replies from  several adults telling them that they are wrong about pedophilia. you wouldn’t feel so nice either. their mental health went down because of this. you all failed to realize that this is a child, and that you need to be respectful to them. they are an equal member of the fandom, and they deserve several apologies. 

going along with this whole dialogue of age, i would like to point out that your age has nothing to do with your level of maturity, understanding, or comprehensibility of matters. just because someone is younger than you doesn't mean that automatically you are more correct or have the upper hand or whatever it may be simply due to your age. sure you may have more life experience, but what about your level of decency? empathy? awareness? sense of morality? these matter just as much, if not more. you can be 15 and wise and be 80 and be less knowledgeable. your actions and character display these things, not your age.

also with the whole “woke/woke teenager” thing. it's funny how it was said that buzzwords are being thrown around yet here we are, throwing this word around too. anyways, being “woke” is about being aware, having an open mind, and being able to not only recognize when something/someone is wrong, but being able to shed light on it and call it out. if you think i’m “woke” for calling out your pedophilic fantasies (which yes it is pedophilic i don’t think i need to explain to adults how that is so; and no, just because you aGe tHEm uP in yOuR hEad doesn't make it okay) then i’m damn proud to call out your shit. and i'll be damned if one of my friends or i get scrutinized for standing up and doing the right thing. no one deserves to get attacked for this, especially not with superficial strawman arguments that go after the person themselves rather than their “argument”/point of view. you can do all the name calling you want to, that does nothing to enhance your argument. all it does is shine a bright light on your character. and thank you for that, so we can see what kind of people we have in this community. it’s not about being sensitive or “woke” or whatever useless argument you want to use to steer away from the fact that you are MORALLY WRONG. i would understand if this discussion was about something lighter but this is so much deeper. this is not about “not being able to imagine/not being creative enough to imagine” i mean seriously? is that the argument here? that would be laughable if it wasn't as sad. what a substanceless argument that shows there is no viable justification for these ships. and it is not just about these pedophilic ships; it's also about how people are getting treated, specifically how adults on a power trip are attacking younger members of the fandom (wrongfully) with their petty posse of people. i mean seriously? can none of you (just a one on one not one of us versus your gang) have a decent conversation without needing your other friends to attack along with you? just childish honestly. and i wouldn't even say that because children aren't low enough to act like that. they are aware enough of others' feelings and know how to solve problems without hurting each other.

the fact that this is being deemed as “policing” and “telling the fandom at large what to do” is just ridiculous. first of all, no one is forcing our stances down people’s throats. second of all, who said you suck? you said it, not me. third of all, think of it like this. we have laws, yes? sure, the laws are written and yet some people still choose to break them. the law is enforced but yet still people have the option to follow it or not (even though they should follow it, duh). now say someone is breaking the law. would law enforcement be wrong to call them out on it? would they be wrong for charging them? no, because your actions have consequences. someone can “believe” they were not breaking the law but if their “belief” is objectively illegal and morally wrong, then by all means they should be called out on it. just because *you* personally don't find you shipping a 10 year old with an 18 year old (a fifth grader and high school senior for context) doesn't mean it's not problematic. and it doesn't matter if you're aging them up, it's still weird like why? it’s like you’re trying to justify pedophilia? and then you have the nerve to collectively attack ONE younger person who called out your foolery? this analogy was not to make it seem like we are the police of the fandom and are high and mighty or whatever, but simply to try and get across the point that just because *you* think it's not wrong, does not absolve you of it actually just being wrong. 

the way this matter has been addressed (and i wouldn't even say that because it is more like a one sided conversation/scolding where the opposite side of the discourse is either silenced because of fear or silenced after being attacked) has been absolutely petty, snarky, condescending, and catty; you really give yourself a sense of superiority over people because you are older and therefore more mature and more able to understand things on a deeper level? then understand this. handle this discussion in a more mature way. allow others who disagree with you to at least come to the table and share their feelings and see from their perspective. do not immediately pounce on them with your similarly-aged clique like this is some early 2000’s high school movie. it's funny because you are invalidating us by belittling us as just “high schoolers”, but if anything you guys are the ones acting like what you are projecting on us. literally bullying children. how depraved do you have to be to sit here and behave like this with actual children. it's funny because some of you actually have children and here you are, being a keyboard warrior for a pedophilic ship. is that the hill you are choosing to die on? at least try to open your eyes and see why we are addressing this. to your point, yes, you are adults. ADULTS. so act like it.

i would also like to mention that there is a big difference between notps and morally wrong ships. notps are ships that you do not ship because that’s just not what you like. an example of that for me is elenaomi. i don’t ship them like that, that’s one of my notps, and that’s okay. however when there are ships like esteomi and gababel, those are more than notps. those are morally wrong ships because they are pedophilic. i am not gonna call these my nOtPs; these are HELL NOTPS.

some of you are also big hypocrites. you say to scroll on, and to ignore it if you don’t like it. yet you feel the need to respond to things you don’t agree with. yes, it’s your blog, but if you’re not going to practice what you preach then, what’s the point? this reminds of the whole dialogue surrounding “if you don't like it here (your country), then leave.” this phrase is used to invalidate people who call out issues within their country, whether it be the societal structure as a whole, or the government etc. it's like you are only patriotic if you have 0 complaints and love everything about your country. you don't care if things are ruined; it's your country so you love it. in my eyes, true patriotism is when you are able to recognize and not be in denial about issues in your country; you are willing to not only acknowledge them as a problem, but are actively trying to address and fix it. similarly, i believe that you shouldn't have to just scroll on or leave the community because you are uncomfortable because of a genuine problem. why should we just be silent and accept what's going on? us scrolling on while recognizing the problem and not saying anything, letting it thrive, is being complicit. it's like being a bystander, and we are not going to do that. we want this community to be a great place for all of us to get along because of our shared interest of eoa. but that doesn't mean that these things should be excused or ignored. if you are having an issue with people calling this out, if the shoe fits, that's your problem, and moreover, you are part of the problem. i am not calling out specific names in this, so if you have an issue with it, then….hate to break it to you.

i understand that i’m usually a lot nicer on my page. however, i feel that i have been silent for too long. but i’m not a hypocrite and i know that i’m right. how people respond to this just reflects their character more than mine. i am a 13 year old child, and i am hesitant to discuss this because you guys did not hold back at a 14 now 15 year old. that is not okay, especially when this is supposed to be a loving community about a show that is aimed at children. that was all. please have some empathy, understanding, and especially respect.

[365days365movies]

January 16, 2021: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

I am a massive comic book nerd. Not unusual these days, to be fair. But I’m definitely up there, as far as my obsession with Marvel and DC go. And, yeah, I stick mostly to those two houses, and their various imprints.

Why do I bring this up? Well...remember this movie?

Kick-Ass was a pretty big deal when it came out in 2010, as it was a Marvel Comics movie that was completely unrelated to the relatively new Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based of a 2008 comic book written by Mark Millar and drawn by John Romita Jr., the film was directed by Matthew Vaughn, and featured a more realistic take on how real-world superheroes would actually work.

Vaughn and Millar by this point at least, were friends. Around 2012, they’re getting drunk at a pub together, and talking movies. The topic of spy movies come up, and how there hasn’t really been a good, non-parody, fun spy movie, and that there should be. And that was the bulk of their conversation.

Enter Dave Gibbons, a legendary comic book artist, whom you may know from drawing the comic book that was turned into this:

Oh yeah, he’s a big deal. Gibbons and Millar end up getting together to write a fun spy comic book based on this idea. Vaughn, meanwhile, is getting ready to direct X-Men: Days of Future Past, the sequel to X-Men: First Class, which Vaughn directed. That’s a good movie, by the way, even if I have...issues...with the treatment of the X-Men in film. Maybe one day I’ll get into that, we’ll see what happens. Ask me about it if you’re curious.

Anyway, Millar goes to Vaughn with this script, and Vaughan looks at it and realizes that he needs to direct this movie before somebody else makes it. So he leaves Days of Future Past, and he signs on to...

I feel like it’s an obligation, as a comic book dude, to watch this film. I should also read the book, but I didn’t do that with Kick-Ass, so to hell with it! Let’s get this recap started! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap

Starting off with some Money for Nothing, and somewhere in the Middle East, 1997! We go into a stone temple, where some kind of mission is taking place. A surprise grenade causes the loss of one of the agents. The surviving agents are Merlin (Mark Strong), Lancelot AKA James Spencer (Jack Davenport), and Galahad, AKA Harry Hart (Colin Firth).

Hart, feeling guilty over the death of this agent, tells his wife, Michelle (Samantha Womack) and child Eggsy (yes, Eggsy) of his sacrifice, and gives Eggsy a medal.

From there, we jump forward 17 years, to Argentina where...Mark Hamill?

Holy shit, it’s Mark Hamill! Apparently, he’s playing Professor James Arnold, and being held hostage by a group of mysterious men. Just then, he’s rescued by Lancelot, showing up with some classic James Bond-style swagger and asking for a cup of sugar, sardonically.

He kicks the asses of these guys, but is SLICED IN HALF BY A MAN WITH SWORD LEGS WHAT THE FUCK????

I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was watching the best thing I’ve ever goddamn seen. And as if that weren’t enough, she’s working for Samuel L. “Motherfucker” Jackson, playing Richmond Valentine. I am...I am so pleased.

We go to the Kingsmen headquarters, where Lancelot is being mourned by the Kingmen and their leader MICHAEL CAINE, REALLY, HOLY SHIT

Ahem. Sorry, uh...the star-studded cast has basically caused me to have a minor aneurysm. Caine plays Arthur, the leader of the Kingsmen. Get it? I can dig it, I’m a sucker for a good Arthurian reference. Anyway, now that Lancelot’s dead, it’s time to find a new candidate. Apparently, the man that died 17 years ago was part of an “experiment” by Hart, which Arthur says has failed. Galahad calls Arthur a snob, and says that they need to evolve with the times. \

Speaking of that former candidate, how’s his son doing?

Not stellar, it seems. His mom is dating a very unsavory gentleman, and not really taking good care of her youngest daughter. Eggsy (Taron Egerton), on the other hand, is a carefree delinquent. After engaging in an entertaining backwards car chase with the police (it’s cool), he gets arrested. He refuses to give up his friends, and he instead asks for a phone call.He looks at the medallion around his neck, and remembers that he can use the number of the back to contact someone for help. He uses a specific code phrase, but it appears not to have worked. But then, Eggsy is turned loose with little more than a phone call. That’s when Eggsy meets Hart.

We find out that Eggsy has a high IQ and Olympic-level athletics, but has dropped out of the Marines, and has been arrested for drugs and other illegal activities. After being read out by Hart, Eggsy goes on an anger-filled diatribe about the differences in privilege between the two of them. Although it’s short, it’s a powerful speech.

But that speech is interrupted by the owner of the car that Eggsy stole the previous night, as well as his gang. They’re yearning for a fight with Eggsy, and they threaten Hart. He doesn’t take that well, as he shuts the doors and windoes to the pub. Time to teach a lesson.

Yup, I’m giving this fight the posted video award. It might be short, but it’s also one of the best and coolest sequences I’ve ever seen in a spy movie. And OH, it’s giving me that gadget shit I was missing from the Bond movies.

After one of the most enjoyable fight sequences I’ve seen in a while, Eggsy’s understandably stunned. So is his stepfather Dean (Geoff Bell), the leader of the gang that Hart beat up in the pub. He’s not happy, and he beats Eggsy in their apartment, and that scene is...WHOOF. Much to their surprise, however, Hart’s left a device on Eggsy’s back. He threatens Dean through the device, and tells Eggsy to meet him at a tailor that he’d mentioned.

Once Eggsy escapes from Dean and the gang via nest parkour tricks, he makes his way to the tailor, where Hart officially brings him into the fold, giving him the opportunity to become a Kingsman. He exposits the history of the agency as a private group of spies, meant to protect the world while not bowing to the bureaucracy that plagues government-affiliated spy institutions.

We get to go to Kingsman Headquarters proper, and yeah...yeah, it’s cool. As compared to the other recruits, Eggsy’s pretty obviously out of place. This, of course, is part of the point, as Hart believes the Kingsmen could use someone with different life experiences and background. That would be the experiment mentioned earlier.

Eggsy’s competitors include Roxy (Sophie Cookson), who appears to actually be polite to him, unlike most of the potentials. They settle in for the night...but not for long. Their quarters fills with water, as the entirety of the Kingsmen head towards the showerheads and toilets for air. While they all succeed, Eggsy is the one who actually gets everyone out, by literally punching the window.

Unfortunately, for one of the candidates...it’s too late. These candidates could die in the hiring process. Rough.

Sadly, Mark Hamill also doesn’t quite make it, as Hart finds him, surprisingly freed from Valentine’s capture. As he’s questioned, Valentine is forced to kill him via Suicide Squad implant, and barely escaped from his men. Valentine and his henchwoman, Gazelle (Sofia Boutella) are trying to figure out who the Kingsmen are, to no avail at the moment.

Back with Merlin, who’s training the Kingsman candidates! They’re all told to get a puppy! Aw. Eggsy chooses J.B. a pug, under the mistaken impression that it’s a bulldog. And I’m not a pug person...but that puppy is cute as shit.

Time marches on, and the Kingsmen continue their training. Eggsy’s colleagues continue to discriminate against him, especially Charlie (Edward Holcroft). Hart, who was knocked out by the explosion, eventually wakes up. Valentine goes around to political leaders and proposes his plan to “save the world,” whatever that’s about to mean. Apparently, that includes giving the King of Sweden a surgical implant of some kind. Huh.

This, of course includes some, uh...conflict with Gazelle.

Awesome.

Eggsy’s in the final 6! As Hart congratulates him over this, we finally get some exposition on Richmond Valentine’s plan. See, that implant is the Suicide Squad bomb that killed Hamill, and Gazelle also has one. Additionally, he’s released a plan to the world that will provide free internet and phone data...forever. Not ominous at all, that.

After a cool skydiving training sequence, only three candidates are left. Hart, meanwhile, poses as a wealthy philanthropist, donating to Valentine’s cause. As a result, he’s treated to an extravagant dinner...of McDonald’s. Yes, it is the best product placement I’ve seen in a while, in case you were wondering. That reveal was hilarious.

Anyway, their conversation turns from talking about climate change studies and concerns, to their opinion of James Bond movies, in a lovely little piece of meta flavor. At this point, they would appear to understand each other’s role in the play, as it were. Forgot to mention, Valentine’s been kidnapping anyone who disagrees with his goals, while also distributing his free internet cards. So, there’s that. But he’s also trying to figure out what exactly the “Kingsmen” are. Speaking of...

Our three remaining Kingsman candidates are assigned a mission to seduce a young dignitary. However, all three of them make a mistake, and allow themselves to get drugged at a party, by someone wanting to know who Hart and Kingsmen are. When Eggsy wakes up, he’s been strapped to train tracks. Uh oh.

Despite an oncoming train, Eggsy doesn’t give the man any formation. Which, of course, was the point. It’s Hart, helping to give the Kingsman candidates a little loyalty test, which both Eggsy and Roxy pass with flying colors. But Charlie...Charlie’s a coward who immediately gives everything up, including Arthur himself.

Eggsy gets to spend 24 hours with Hart, before being thrown headfirst into a mission. Hart explains that being a Kingsman means being a gentleman, which Eggsy isn’t. Hart, of course, plans to fix that.

They head to the tailor, and check out some spy gadgets. And much to their surprise, Valentine is also there, under the guise of getting a suit. Hart takes the opportunity to recommend a hatter, who gives him a top hat with built in listening devices. I love it.

Eggsy, meanwhile, speaks with Arthur at Kingsman HQ. He’s commanded to perform one final test: kill his pug, J.B. Which...yeah, damn, that sucks. He doesn’t do it, understandably. Unfortunately...Roxy does kill her dog. She succeeds...and Eggsy’s kicked out of the Kingsman candidacy. Which feels like a bullshit play, if I’m honest.

Eggsy steals Arthur’s car, then goes back home. As he’s about to confront his stepfather, Hart brings back the car via remote access, then explains to Eggsy that the gun was filled with blanks, and that Eggsy ended up giving up his shot. He also reveals that the first candidate to die...didn’t actually die! It’s been a ruse all along, meant to test the candidates under the strictest of conditions. Which sucks, obviously, because Eggsy’s out of the program.

And at that point, Valentine says something of note, revealing that he plans to go to a hate church in Kentucky to begin his master plan. Hart heads there, and tells Eggsy to stay put.

We get treated to just...just the loveliest of sermons. Disgusting. But then...

...that’s the point, isn’t it?

Because Valentine uses the SIM cards to create a signal that drives the parishioners crazy. Hart’s also in the church, however, and he also starts going crazy. Which leaves the question: what happens when a highly trained spy goes up against untrained civilians, has a bunch of gadgets...and has absolutely no restraint whatsoever?

A MASSACRE, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS. And most surprisingly, it’s a massacre that we actually SEE. Hart basically kills almost EVERYBODY in the church. I’ll put the video up, but...y’know, be warned here. It ain’t pretty.

Hart comes to, and realizes exactly what he’s done. He leaves, only to be confronted by Valentine and his men. The Bond metaphor finally comes full-circle, explained directly by Valentine. But instead of explaining his whole plan and devising some complicated way to kill Hart that he’ll inevitably escape from...

He just shoots Hart in the head. Holy shit. And this is while Merlin, Arthur, and yes, Eggsy watch on through Hart’s home feed. Looks like a new Kingsman is needed.

Arthur tells Merlin to assemble the Kingsmen. But Eggsy...Eggsy has other plans. Thinking on Hart’s words about wanting to do something good with his life. He goes to Arthur to talk to him about Hart’s death. Arthur invites him in for brandy. And that’s...when my mind exploded.

HE’S FUCKING IN ON IT?!? Michael Caine, NOOOO! Turns out that Valentine’s convinced Arthur of his true plan: a culling. He believes that the Earth’s temperature because there’s simply too much humanity, like a body trying to kill a virus. And so...he’s going to make the virus exterminate itself. And that argument’s enough to win Caine over.

Turns out that the implant is meant to protect those individuals against a neurological signal emitted by the SIM cards, the same one that went off in the church. Arthur, realizing that Eggsy understands exactly what’s going on, poisons him, then asks if he would like to join them. Eggsy refuses...and Arthur sets off the remote poison to kill him.

But NOPE! EGGSY SWITCHED THE FUCKIN’ GLASSES! I love this movie. Arthur dies, and Eggsy uses the opportunity to dig the implant from his neck. He takes that and Arthur’s phone to Merlin and Lancelot, who realize that they can’t trust anyone at this point. And so, the three of them - yes, the three of them - go to stop Valentine.

And, yeah...I can dig it. OH HOW I CAN DIG it.

Roxy goes up in an experimental vehicle to bring down the satellite, Merlin is flying the plane, and Eggsy...Eggsy’s the one going in disguised as Arthur, in order to infiltrate the mountain lair of Valentine. Here, he and the other beneficiaries wait it out, while the world literally tears itself apart. Now wearing a bespoke suit and playing the role of a gentleman, Eggsy enters the lion’s den.

But as expected, it’s time to hit some snags. Roxy waits juuuuuust a little too long, and one of the balloons in her craft pops. As for Eggsy, he meets an old “friend” of his in the form of Charlie, who’s now working for Valentine.

The missile’s fired just in time, as Charlie’s taken out and Eggsy runs for the plane. AWESOME climax here as Eggsy escapes. I mean it; it is VERY cool. They succeed JUST in time, and the satellite is destroyed. However, Valentine’s still managed to partially start the process, and they can’t do anything about that.

Eggsy’s gotta go BACK in, before Valentine gets another satellite to trigger the signal worldwide. Now armed with Hart’s AWESOME umbrella, he makes his way there under heavy gunshot. They’re also teaming up against Merlin in the plane, so he’s not doing great. And that when Eggsy has the idea...to turn the implants on. ALL of them.

It’s amazing. Violence in fireworks. So, it’s too bad that it doesn’t stop the signal. It works, and people start to tear each other apart all across the world. But only for was long as Valentine has his hands on the desk. Eggsy manages to stop that by laying down some suppressive fire.

That provokes a response.

..This movie is, for lack of a better term, fucking rad.

Gazelle and Eggsy have an awesome fight, worthy of any James Bond movie, seriously. I really want to give it the video post honor, but I’ve done that too much already. For god’s sake, I literally JUST did that.

Gazelle dies (it’s kinda goofy how she dies, if I’m honest), and Eggsy kills Valentine with her prosthetic leg. It’s over, as the signal ends, and Eggsy even gets the girl. Not Roxy, the Princess of Sweden. Not going into it, but it’s funny.

And that’s Kingsman: The Secret Service! Honestly, I gotta say, that was a rad-as-shit movie, and...

Ooh, a mid-credits scene! Eggsy goes back home, to the pub, where his stepfather and mom are hanging out with the gang. And let’s just say...Dean’s gonna get a little comeuppance. Manners, after all, maketh man.

OK, THAT’S Kingsman: The Secret Service! And that, again, was pretty rad. See you in the Epilogue in a few!

[goldenkamuyhunting]

Ramblings and crazy theory time about GK chap 263 “Oosawa Fusatarou, also known as Boutarou the Pirate”

And so we’re ready to talk of the chapter we got as a (rather sad) present for Christmas and of someone we shouldn’t forget…

Yeah, Oosawa Fusatarou, better known as Boutarou the Pirate

(for who’s wondering the quote below his name is actually based on this quote: "Stories are for joining the past to the future. Stories are for those late hours in the night when you can't remember how you got from where you were to where you are. Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story." by Tim O’Brien)

So okay, now let’s dig into the chapter.

We first follow some of the escaping knights, the ones who were tailed by Hijikata. Hijikata shoot them but he’s displeased to discover he chased the wrong group as the sack they were carrying is filled with barley and that he didn’t manage to kill them at the first shoot as they stand up again and try to gang up on him. At this Hijikata takes his sword...

...and since Hijikata is not bad with the rifle but he’s usually much more awesome with his sword I don’t expect them to last long.

We then move to Tsurumi’s steam pumper where Sugimoto has his rifle in his hands... and he’s ready to use it as a primitive club... because he has figured not even that up close he would manage to shoot something. Okay so he is also holding himself up with his other hand so shooting would be difficult but really, I see Sugimoto using his rifle as a club way too many time to think this is an one time thing motivated by emergency.

Sugimoto favours to use it as a wand, if this can’t be done, he revert to using it as a rifle.

Anyway with hit he tries to break Kikuta’s head but Kikuta manages to lower himself right in this so Sugimoto gets close but manages to make no harm... well, apart from managing to knock from Kikuta’s hand one of his PRECIOUS Nagant.

This is a hard blow for Kikuta, more than if Sugimoto has managed to hit him, because everyone has his priorities.

Tsurumi too has his priorities and tries to shoot at them.

I doubt he genuinely bothered aiming as Tsurumi is usually much better with his gun (though yes, they’re on a moving vehicle, but really Tsurumi is good and they’re close). I’m sure he thinks hitting Sugimoto would be preferable but he wouldn’t be above getting rid of Kikuta whom he never fully trust... so Kikuta complains that what Tsurumi is doing is dangerous. I doubt Tsurumi cares.

But we go back to Boutarou and Shiraishi. The bottle car enjines are still roaring but the car is still. Boutarou is still alive but no more in shape to drive.

Shiraishi, sweating a little, is asking him ‘what the hell came over him’ as saving Shiraishi wasn’t Boutarou’s normal behaviour in Shiraishi’s books.

Boutarou, who’s clearly dying, tell him that he has messed up and therefore, since he saved him, Shiraishi will do better not to forget him and tell his children the reason they exist is ‘thanks to Oosawa Fusatarou, also known as Boutarou the pirate’. Shiraishi agrees and Boutarou tells him he also has to make something of himself as he can’t live his life as nothing more than the escape king.

As he says so... Boutarou hands him the skins he got from Kadokura.

Shiraishi says he understands...

...and Boutarou pulls him closer to reveal him the info he got from the Ainu about where is the place where the Ainu first gathered up all the gold. This surprises Shiraishi greatly but when he asks Boutarou for confirmation the latter is dead.

The next we see is Shiraishi driving the bottlecar, a dead Boutarou on his side, as he promises him he won’t forget him... OosaKA Fusatarou, also known as Boutarou the pirate (Boutarou’s surname is actually ‘Oosawa’).

Okay so I stop here to say Boutarou’s whole death felt very underwhelming. Shiraishi, who up to the previous chapters seemed concerned and worried for him even though Boutarou had betrayed them, now doesn’t really look like he’s feeling much, even though Boutarou has just saved him from death taking the bullets that were meant for him.

Sure, it can be that Shiraishi is a bit in shock, hence the lack of expression but really, I’m not particularly impressed. The only moments in which Shiraishi seems genuinely affected are when he’s surprised at hearing the location of the gold and when he says to a dead Boutarou that he won’t forget him. Though since it seems Noda wasn’t in his best shape when he drew this chapter, maybe this scene will be revised later on. Shiraishi seemed a lot more emotionally involved when Kiro died than now... and it doesn’t help that Shiraishi, at the end of the scene, spells Boutarou’s name with the wrong kanji. If it’s a joke to say that Boutarou’s name couldn’t even be remembered correctly, well, that’s not funny, placed at this point. If it’s a typo though, this is also something we can only find out in the volume version.

Overall, okay, I was expecting for Boutarou to die, and it was great how Boutarou, in his last moments, passed everything to Shiraishi while pretending to remain himself (oh, I made a mistake in saving you) yet still showing he cared for him by telling him to get a real life, something that was more than escaping from prison to prison, and something Boutarou has always insisted Shiraishi should search for himself so it’s not like he’s saying so just because he’s dying.

And I think that Boutarou’s death will affect Shiraishi’s future, the way Kiro’s death will affect Asirpa (will Sugimoto too have someone whose death will affect him? Kikuta? Hijikata? Ogata? We’ll see...) but really, I wanted to see Shiraishi reacting more to his dead, at least as much as he has reacted to seeing him wounded. Well, whatever, we’ll see if this gets improved in the volume version.

Meanwhile back to Sugimoto we go.

Tsurumi has given up on trying to shoot him and is merely driving the steam pumper carriage, while Sugimoto is pinning down Kikuta, taking care of not getting shoot by another of Kikuta’s beloved Nagants.

Sugimoto, with his irises white in full murder/beast more, demands to have Asirpa back and that he’ll send them all to hell. Now that Kikuta is lying flat on his back and Tsurumi couldn’t shoot him too by mistake, Tsurumi is taking good care not to try to shoot Sugimoto. I guess if Sugimoto kills Kikuta Tsurumi will consider it as a personal favour.

Anyway, at Sugimoto’s statement Kikuta says to do it as ‘they’ll be rolling out the red carpet for him’.

This rings a bell in Sugimoto, whose eyes return normal, and should ring a bell in us also as Sugimoto said this same sentence in chap 2.

With an almost vulnerable look Sugimoto seems to realize the man he’s strangling is ‘Kikuta-san’.

As he calls him that this rings a bell in Kikuta as well who realizes ‘the immortal Sugimoto’ is the one he knew as ‘Norabō’ (ノラ坊 “stray boy”)…

...which draws a funny parallel with how Ushiyama called Ogata ‘Nora Ogata’ (のら尾形 “stray Ogata”)…

...but this nick is more likely meant to be here to tell us the truth is Kikuta met Sugimoto prior to the war, when Sugimoto was wandering after he left his village, which might explain why Noda was very vague when answering to a question asking what Sugimoto did in those 2 years.

Q8: What did Sugimoto do in the 2 years between leaving the village after burning his house and coming back to Ume’s wedding? Noda: He travelled to places such as Tokyo and Kyoto. [translation courtesy of @piduai]

This might also explain why Sugimoto and Kikuta, despite knowing each other, didn’t recognize each other.

Sugimoto was younger, without his distinctive scars, with longer and more straight hair so Kikuta, who apparently never learnt his name, didn’t connect him with the boy he knew. As for Sugimoto evidently he didn’t pay Kikuta any attention when the latter was in Karafuto with Tsurumi and now he was so knee deep in the heat of the battle he likely paid no attention to Kikuta’s face, only seeing an obstacle in front of himself.

I’m genuinely curious to see how things will go between them, especially because, at this point, Tsurumi decides to try to shoot Sugimoto again (no idea if because he’d heard their talk and understood things could turn out unfavourably or because he decided the chance Sugimoto were to kill Kikuta wasn’t worth carrying Sugimoto with them, especially because, once he had dealt with Kikuta, Sugimoto would try to kill him), the shoot distracting an already confused Sugimoto and Kikuta, instead than taking advantage of this to try again to shoot him, just kicks him off the cart.

Sugimoto rolls on the ground with his rifle...

...again Kikuta making no attempt to shoot him and then resumes running after them, calling Asirpa.

At this point we see Asirpa’s face as she tries to call Sugimoto...

...but we can’t know if she’s with Tsurumi because the scene switches to Koito, Tsukishima and Nikaidou’s group and really, I would totally LOVE if Asirpa’s with them (so yes, I’m biased and therefore not reliable in trying to guess where Asirpa is) because, as they think they’re safe because no one is pursuing them, Koito’s horse gets shoot down by someone in front of them, causing Koito to fall.

Tsukishima thinks someone is following them when, in that moment, Sofia, MY QUEEN, jumps from the roof on Tsukishima’s horse.

So you see, of course I want Asirpa to be there and end up with Sofia as I’ve been anticipating their reunion for YEARS. On another side Koito and Tsukishima are in a really bad spot because not only Sofia is very strong and her men are probably with her (hence Koito’s horse could be shoot by someone ahead of him), but Sofia knows they had a hand in Kiro’s death and wants revenge, sweet revenge.

Now, I don’t want those two to die but it was high time the tiger curse were to come bite their backsides and Sofia is such a formidable foe even alone she could spank Koito, Tsukishima and Nikaidou with a single hand considering how she had no problems holding her ground with a tiger and with Gansoku.

On another side I really wanted Sofia to have a chat with Koito as there’s a huge chance Koito too talk French and I think it would be really good for our Bonbon if he could talk with a lady who used to be a bonbon herself but grew out of it to became such AWESOME revolutionary leader.

Really, I’m so happy Sofia is back to the plot I can barely wait for the next chapter!

Anyway the story ends here, with Sofia ready to spank the boys while Sugimoto runs after Tsurumi. I expect Shiraishi will reach Sugimoto with the bottlecar and they’ll resume the chase and that Hijikata might possibly join them. That or Hijikata will join Sofia.

Will the Hijikata group join their boss as well?

We’ll see.

I doubt someone will catch up with Tsurumi though, and it’s entirely possible the next chapter won’t even spend a word on this as we’ve left Ogata and Vasily in the middle of attempting a sniper duel so next chapter might be about them.

We’ll see.

[chibivesicle]

Golden Kamuy chapters 267 & 268.  Filling in the gaps and learning how Tsurumi was involved in the gold.

After a few chapters that I was expecting to be more rewarding falling flat, things are starting to pick up.  We first learn about Kiro’s involvement and how his relationship with Wilk became strained.  Before they broke Sofia out of prison, Kiro decided to tell Sofia more details before actually reuniting with her.  It is unclear if this story was relayed to Sofia via the milk ink or if Kiro wrote this with regular ink meaning anyone could have read the information.  What this page does tell us, is that Sofia learned this information prior to meeting Asirpa and Ogata likely knows something about what was written.  Noda wouldn’t just throw him in the background for no reason.

I wonder if this information was already shared between Kiro and Ogata? 

The chapter title page has an image of Wilk, Riratte and Asirpa as a family.  Clearly, a visual parallel with Tsurumi, Olga and Fina indicating that the two men have fates that are intertwined.

When Kiro saw Wilk holding Asirpa, he knew that something was different; he loved her and his family and as a result his priorities would change.  Kiro is not happy with this while Huci smiles next to him.

This is an interesting story since Tsurumi is retelling what Kiro wrote to Sofia, clearly in Russian.  Tsurumi is dominant and in charge of things as he makes Sofia when he mentions the man Kimuspu.  The last remaining person who knew where the gold was hidden.  At the same time, somehow Tsurumi learned of this information.

The panel informs us at certain key members of his elite inner circle knew about this, Kikuta in the back, potentially even working for Central at that point in time, Usami close to Tsurumi and Ogata and Tsukishima in the front with Ogata also more distant from Tsurumi.

This confirms what Ogata told us all the way back after the Barato arc with Hijikata.  That he referred to how Tsurumi knew what happened to the seven Ainu men without indicating if he was there or not.  I loved how Ogata just said that Tsurumi was the intelligence officer who examined the crime scene.  Time and time again Ogata speaks but only gives enough information to catch someone’s attention.

The flashback told my Tsurumi who wasn’t there at the time is in part based on what he knows from Kiro as well which is something to keep in mind.  The men convened at Noboribetsu, clearly in a kotan close to where Ariko is from.

The group of men were meeting to discuss it and Wilk is leading the discussion.  Not surprising at all since he is a natural leader.  His back is to us in the middle panel as they talk.

The rest of the men are revealed.  The first man who speaks is clearly Ariko’s father, Siromakur based on those eyebrows. The cast of the soon to be doomed men are revealed with a wide range of beards and eyebrows.  I’d guess it took a lot of effort to find seven Ainu names and this might be why this plot point is so late, as it is known that Noda avoided names currently in use to be culturally respectful.   I will note that Mesira, Irenka and Ratci all have no light or sparkle in their eyes, making them look like they may have had more bad experiences. Sukuta looks like a nice guy.

Maybe it is just me but Oskeporo gives me major Kirawus vibes?  I want to see your eyebrows Kirawus!  Are you related to Oskeporo?  They are both wearing dark clothing, my brain wants to say Oskeporo has a blue attush with white trim.

It looks sort of similar to Kirawus’s - or maybe he’s also from the Kushiro region? In the next chapter we learn that Oskeporo is from Nemuro.  That is pretty close to Kushiro since Kirawus was working in Nemuro at the fisheries when he met Hijikata.

Anyways back to the main events.  The men realize they need to find the old man, Kimuspu quickly so no one beats them to him, since of course people told other people about it. . .

As they head out Kiro finds Wilk and he’s pissed off.  The text bubble tells us he’s beyond upset and he’s got a clenched fist.  Finally, we are getting some clarity on why things broke down between Kiro and Wilk.

Even though Kiro had integrated himself into the local Hokkaido community, his best friend left him out of things.  Of course, Kiro was always dedicated to their original greater cause as he’s Tatar/Karafuto Ainu and perhaps knows that Sofia is in prison in Karafuto?

Wilk tells the other men to go ahead and so that he can talk to Kiro one on one.  Kiro is hurt and angry being excluded from these plans.  It indicates that knowledge of their meeting was more well known than Wilk likely would have preferred.  Ainu told each other about the gold, the old man, and the leaders meeting to discuss it since Kiro found him easily.  Or did Ogata tip him off?  Was this the beginning of the cat alliance?

Wilk tells him that they should change focus to only protecting Hokkaido based on logistics.  This ignores the places where they grew up and therefore the other ethnic groups.

Tsurumi then asks Asirpa if she understands the difference between a regional ethnic nation that shares land borders with Russia and other countries making them difficult to defend.  Which is the exact same reason Tsurumi wants to make Hokkaido an independent state and why Hijikata also likes it.  From a strategic perspective it does make a lot of sense, but it excludes most of the minority groups they were fighting for all these years.

This exchange between Kiro and Wilk explains so much of why Kiro said Wilk changed.  He sees it as a betrayal and abandonment of the Russian far east and Karafuto.  Wilk calmly states they will encourage immigration of different groups.

This is clearly upsetting to Kiro as his skin is covered with the chaotic screentone.  This is always used when a character is upset and reeling from learning something that they don’t want to hear.  I love the fact that a very similar screentone is used in Ogata’s flashback in 165 talking to Yuusaku.  Ogata appears calm but there is emotion behind his ice cold responses.

Interestingly, the screentone with the curved lines is only used with Ogata specifically, and it doesn’t show up again, but both show an inner turmoil.

Kiro argues that because Wilk’s village immigrated to Hokkaido, that is why they failed in part due to going to a place they were unfamiliar with and different ways to survive.

Wilk replies that he understood by the Karafuto Ainu immigration failed and just says ‘we need to avoid repeating those mistakes’.  Really?  Why do you tell us what they are Wilk?  Does he really have an answer for that or is he just saying this hoping Kiro will calm down?

Kiro is quickly able to point out flaws for some of the ethnic groups and Wilk has a cop out of an answer, it will be up to individuals to make that choice.  Kiro may be upset, but I think he is correct by telling Wilk his priorities have changed with the birth of Asirpa.  These men have known each other for most of their lives and acted in an organization where they had to trust each other deeply.

I do like the switch to see Asirpa’s reaction, she loved her father but she definitely saw Kiro as an uncle figure and did no know about their falling out at all to change her opinion of them when all of this started.

Wilk artfully dodges Kiro’s question by saying he’s being realistic.  I don’t think Wilk wants to confirm what Kiro said in stoic Slav fashion.  If anyone has been following my meta for some time, you’d know I’m a huge fan of Kiro, so I like the next page. Knowing Wilk, he calls him out on it - he found a place to call home, he loves his family and his priorities have shifted to protect his current home.  But Kiro is still holding a torch for Sofia, and wants to break her out of prison and help his own people.  The fact Wilk doesn’t even respond tells us Kiro is right.

Asirpa quietly reflects on this.  It clearly explains so much about what happened and in a way Kiro showed her Wilk’s original plan with the intention to help the partisans.  Tsurumi summarizes the legitimacy of these contrasting goals.  His position in the chair reserved for the priest as well as his contemplative expression makes me think that Tsurumi is confessing to his own feelings that are divided within himself. 

The page ends with Tsukishima watching things blankly, a frown and stress lines under the eyes - how is he feeling in this very moment?

The flashback continues as Kiro loses it mentioning that Sofia is still waiting for them.  This must mean that Kiro has continued to keep tabs on her or maintain some knowledge/limited communication with her.  He charges towards Wilk and the two fight, but Wilk manages to get him in a headlock victorious.

Asirpa then is able to tell Sofia that she knew that Kiro had feelings for her, so of course he’d want to go back for her.  Of course she didn’t learn this until Kiro died but it does make a lot of sense. Sofia listens closely, but it is still unclear how well she understands Asirpa speaking Japanese.

The fight ends with Kiro on the ground and he lost his shoes in the fight somehow.  It is unclear if this is a drawing error by Noda since Kiro is frequently shown bare feet, partly to signal his death in Karafuto, but other times he seems to like having free toes. 

Asirpa’s explanation is that Wilk knew the Kiro loved Sofia and he avoided Kiro.  It a way it would be a dick move to have a family that he loved, while Kiro can’t do anything about the woman he loved who was their comrade in arms. 

Sofia looks so sad here, two men she loved and cared about are dead in this entire mess.  The chapter ends with a beat up Wilk tying Kiro to a tree and we see him now barefoot.  Did Wilk take his shoes off to prevent him from chasing after them?  I don’t know or if Noda accidentally gave Kiro shoes a few pages prior.

But now we finally know the event that lead Kiro to tell Inkarmat that Wilk changed.  And we as the readers know he changed.  Kiro is pissed off at Wilk and this was the rift that separated the men and their goals for the gold.

Kiro realized that he and Wilk now had different goals and it was what ended their friendship.  The next chapter starts with a somber and sad looking Kiro writing the letter.  Which now we can see is an ink letter.  He reflects on how that was the last conversation he had with Wilk, which likely wasn’t how he had wanted it to go.

Wilk tells him this is for Asirpa’s benefit and her happiness.  Apparently, he decided to gift Asirpa with this path based on the fact that he felt Sofia was a good leader/role model.  I mean besides the fact that Sofia gave up her chance to live a normal domestic life.  It is clear Wilk was impressed with Sofia and her character but it still shows that Wilk is putting her in a situation she didn’t ask for.  

Yet, Asirpa isn’t upset by this.  She echoes Wilk’s way of thinking which is just like Koito Sr.  So in a way she has more in common with Koito and his role to do things his father expects from him.  Though Koito’s older brother already died in the service so it isn’t like she has a younger sibling.

Tsurumi seems to suggest that Wilk could have just slid into obscurity and live his life in peace and quiet.  Does this mean that Tsurumi wanted to live in peace and quiet with Fina and Olga?

Asirpa boldly tells him that it isn’t possible as the Ainu would disappear.  As the Ainu are intrinsically linked to the kamuy.  The Ainu must respect the kamuy and in return if they forget them they will disappear. 

In reality this was the assimilation of the Ainu into Japanese society, losing their links to the kamuy and their cultural identity.

Tsurumi finally responds that the fate of those wanting to protect the kamuy was not good.  He looks like he’s barely able to control himself as he’s got his deranged look on his face.  So scary that Sofia and Asirpa are shocked.

The flashback then continues from Tsurumi’s point of view.  Though we need to realize he may not be telling the truth.  The fact that Tsurumi was able to track down Ariko Sr. implies that the secret wasn’t super secret!  Good job of keeping things under wraps Wilk and other Ainu dudes.  Tsurumi starts off with flattery to get comfortable with Simorakur.

For example he clearly comments about his son being in the army and making sure he is sent the knife to remember his identity.  Interesting the other men with Tsurumi are Usami and Kikuta.  Tsukishima and Ogata are no where to be seen. 

Tsurumi is told he is too late, the other men went in search of the older man and therefore the gold over a month ago.  Of course Ariko’s dad decided to leave the group because of the disagreements that began to occur as some of the men threatened the families of others including Cikapasi’s grandfather.  Not sure why bringing Cikapasi into this part of the narrative makes sense since he was fine in the story as an orphan who found his family in Karafuto. . . .  I wonder if this was supposed to read that the man was Sukuta and he had a younger brother and grandfather.  With Cikapasi being the younger brother . . .

Tsurumi turns on his charm and calls Simorakur, a polite Mr. Ariko (obviously Ariko-san in the original) and ties the loyalty of his family to the Japanese to be important.  That his family is serving the government in a good way.

The tells Tsurumi that the six men all had pretty big egos, and drastically different viewpoints so they were not a good alliance.  But that one man was able to draw them together and resolve conflicts easily and he was a natural leader.  That man of course, was Wilk.  The flashback allows Tsurumi to learn about this natural leader who is also knowledgeable and even used a fact that Tsurumi told him when talking to the men.

The next page shows Wilk as a mystery to Tsurumi at first.  Of course, he’s got the cross scar on his face marked likely to link him with Christian symbols and he’s offering his hand to the viewer, not unlike how Asirpa first offered her hand to Sugimoto.

Tsurumi is impressed and wants to know more about this man.  Of course the big reveal is when he learns who the Karafuto Ainu man is.  His eyes go white in shock and likely out if his desire to kill him.  We also get an even better view of his torn sleeves.  Likely the kidnapping of Koito happened recently and he did a poor job of repairing his white uniform.

So, Koito was kidnapped in Hakodate, recently but Usami wasn’t involved in it.  Did Usami just join him?  As Koito’s flashback only reveals Kikuta, Tsukishima and Ogata.  Not surprisingly, his calm exterior is shaded with the hatched screentone again, just like Kiro in the last chapter.

Tsurumi then tells Asirpa and Sofia that he shot a single poison arrow at Wilk, his eyes completely white.  He tells Simorakur that Wilk was a partisan fighting against the Russians and had come to Hokkaido for the gold for the partisans.

And he quickly departs and watches as he lead Tsurumi, Kikuta and Usami to the gold.  They hear gunfire and are unable to keep up with everyone else.  In the morning they find one of the men stabbed with a makkiri.  So Tsurumi knows that Wilk didn’t kill any of the men.

If we go back to chapter 70 Ogata tells Hijikata what he knows as Hijikata implies he knows that Kiro is likely a partisan.  Now it is hard to tell if the knife in chapter 268 matches one in 70.  But Ogata makes it clear that all of the knives had notches on them.

Does this mean that Wilk actually did damage everything?  Or did Tsurumi make this up to frame Wilk for the deaths so that Wilk appeared guilty?  Or did Wilk actually do this out of cultural obligation?  I want more information since right now Tsukishima and Ogata aren’t involved. 

Did Ogata find Kiro and untie him from the tree?  Did the cat alliance form while he was out of the range of Tsurumi?

The chapter then ends with Tsurumi telling them that Wilk skinned himself, removing his face and putting it on another dead person’s severed head.

Yay!  This now at least lines up with Asirpa’s statement that they found her Aca’s nose and ears to identify he was one of the dead. 

A long time ago I had reasoned that Wilk disfigured himself by cutting off his nose and ears, but this is a much more gruesome way to fake his death.  Did he know someone like Tsurumi was onto him?  My biologist brain really wonders how he was able to do this with out a sterile environment and way to protect the healing skin and face and protect the muscles and argh it just seems far fetched to me from a biological perspective.  I figured the nose and ear part would make more sense since GK has had ear removal and off page nose removal.

But hey this is GK!  People seem to have great healing abilities!  So might as well extend this to Wilk’s entire face.

What these two chapters have show is that Tsurumi has let his own emotions control his place in the hunt for the gold.

I wonder when Kikuta started working for central and if he told Ariko what really happened to his father.  Or did he always keep this secret from him and instead betray him, which is in part why he felt so guilty when Usami beat the crap out of him before sending him off to be a double agent?

Kikuta does have more of a moral compass that Usami and we now know he has some sort of inspirational role he played with Sugimoto before he joined the military.

I am still underwhelmed by these developments.  I was hoping for something bigger but right now Tsurumi looks like a man who was already angry at the Japanese government for the death of his family in Russia, who then doubles down on it when he learns the man leading the Ainu was Wilk so he goes after him.

At least we know why Kiro was so upset with Wilk and why he felt like Ogata had to kill him so that they could take Asirpa to Karafuto and to meet Sofia.

[wa-royal-tea]

WARNING! Super Long Post Ahead!

The Gale House, Ahtolia (3:15pm)

Sofia: It’s so nice to see you again, Belle. I’m sorry we have to meet like this.

Belle: I am too. It's been too long. How are you? Everything going well?

Sofia: I feel great. The baby is doing fine and he’s been moving a lot these days.

Belle: ‘He’? Another boy, then?

Sofia: Yes! Alfie was so excited when he found out he was getting a brother instead of a sister.

Belle: Congratulations, Soph, that's incredible. I'm so happy for you and Darien.... I should have said something before, but with everything going on, it just didn't feel like the right time.

Sofia: Thank you. Oh, you’re here to see Emery right?

Belle: Yes. I need answers... even if they're answers I don't want to hear.

Sofia: I see. I’ll call him down. You can wait in the courtyard if you want to.

Belle: I'll take you up on that. I just... I want to be wrong, Sofia. I want to be told it was nothing, that he doesn't have any conflicting feelings, but... I'm just not sure if that's going to be what I'll get.

Sofia: I don’t know how to comfort you, Belle. I’m sure whatever decision he’s made, he has thought it through. And whatever happens, I’m always here for you if you need me.

Belle: Thank you. And no matter what happens today, know you're still my friend. Even if your brother is an idiot. I'm not that petty.

Later

Emery: Did I keep you waiting?

Belle: For two months.

Emery: Can we talk about this like adults? I don’t want to argue with you.

Belle: Sure, if you insist.

Belle: What happened to your face?

Emery: Papa lost it last night when the news broke out. He didn’t do it on purpose, of course. It was in the heat of the moment.

Belle: That's an understatement if I've ever heard one. Is that why you’re staying with Sofia now?

Emery: Yeah...Mum wants me to stay away from the palace at least until papa cools down. I kinda messed up big time.

Belle: I feel like it's fairly obvious. It's not like everyone saw you leaving your ex-girlfriends house at night without any sort of security detail around–

Emery: I know why you’re here.

Belle: Do you?

Emery: I can explain. I didn’t look for her. We bumped into each other at the street and I just...asked her if we can talk.

Belle: And you went to her house. Alone.

Emery: No. I asked her if we can talk at somewhere private. Of course, the only place I could think of during that time is her home.

Belle: You mean to tell me she agreed? After everything that the press, that you put her through?

Emery: You’re not being fair to me, Belle. I tried my best to protect her from the press in the past but you know how ruthless they can be. We kept our relationship a secret before they found out about us. And since then, they kept on picking on her just because she’s a foreigner and a commoner.

Belle: You knew the risks, and still did it anyway. What's got into you?

Emery: I–

Belle: You fully knew how the press would take it, and still, you did it. Did you even think, for one second, how much danger that would put her in? She's putting everything on the line for you.

Emery: You think I want this to happen?

Belle: If I'm being honest, with your track record these past few days, not to mention months of silence, I wouldn't be surprised if you did it intentionally.

Emery: Are you trying to say that I’m trying to cheat on you?

Belle: I am saying that, Emery! And I'm also pointing out that you are doing a very poor job of hiding it! You left her house at dawn. I saw the smile on your face as you left. You honestly can't expect me to be naïve, to think that something could have happened while you two were inside.

Emery: Listen, Belle. I am not that kind of person. I don’t cheat. If I were like that, I would’ve done that to you a long time ago–

Belle: Well, I'm so glad that you're such a good person that you would never think to cheat on me, Emery, how considerate of you. Tell me, then, if you would have cheated on me long ago, would it have been with Irene? Do you still love her?

Emery: What did you just say?

Belle: You heard me. Do you still love her?

Emery: I–

Belle: No, stop talking. You've done quite enough talking these past few days, and now it's my turn. Emery, I.... I hope it's obvious how much I love you. I hope that there has never been case for me to put that doubt in your head. I had expected to be saddled with some local noble that my parents picked for me to try and rein me in, but then that day in Fairlake, I felt like I finally met someone who understood, who cared about me and saw me as a real person with real emotions, not just the picture perfect princess that everyone expects me to be all the time. You make me a better me, Emery, and I hope that I have been able to make you feel that way. I have been so blessed to be accepted into your family like I have been, and I will thank my lucky stars for that every day. So I hope you realize how hurt I was when I saw those pictures. I thought to myself, 'Of course, he saw her. It makes perfect sense. How could you have been so foolish as to think he had ever moved on from his first love?

Emery: Belle please–

Belle: No, you're done talking. It's my turn now. I.... I want you to go back to her.

Emery: What? What are you talking about?

Belle: You still love her, clearly. The fact that you never answered my question proves it, so go. Go back to her. Why stay here with me when you can be with her and get your happily-ever-after?

Emery: You’re not thinking this through, Belle.

Belle: I've had plenty of time to think about it. Two months, in fact. I love you so much, too much to make you stay when you're clearly unhappy. Can't you see it? The writing is on the wall, and if you want to ignore it that's fine, but I won't. I can't. I'm doing this for your sake. You deserve to be happy, and I'm not about to hold you back from that.

Emery: Are you sure you want us to end things like this?

Belle: Of course I don't. If I had this my way, we would move past this, go back to the way things were a few months ago. But we can't, and it's going to be better for both of us if we just... go our separate ways. I can live my life, and you can go after the girl you clearly want. Like you were meant to all along.

Belle: You have made me so happy in these past two years, and that is something I can never thank you enough for. But you need to go after her. If that's the way your heart is telling you to go, who am I to stand in the way of that? I don't want to be hurt like this again, and you don't deserve that either.

Emery: Belle, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you like this. It was never my intention.

Belle: I know, Em. But please, when you're happy with her and the life you two make together, remember this moment. Remember what I sacrificed for you to gain that happiness. Make sure you never put anyone in this position again.

Belle: Goodbye, Emery. I wish you the best of luck.

@carmichealroyals​

Note:

I didn’t put in the text in the pictures since this chapter has long texts and I don’t want to ruin the photo’s aesthetic.

Previous | Beginning | Next

[multimetaverse]

HSMTMTS 2x08 Review

Most Likely To was the best ep of S2 so far and ended one ship while launching another. Let’s dig in!

Gaston was super fun, a very nice showcase for both Larry and Matt. This is the kind of energy that early S2 was lacking. Also feels like the first ep where East High might actually have a shot at beating North High. Covid restrictions played a role but we really needed to see more rehearsal scenes and scenes of the wildcats just being theatre kids. This also may be one of the last times we see EJ perform as a student in the musical so I’m glad we got this.  

EJ has been criminally underused for most of S2, he’s marketed as part of the big 4 along with Nini, Ricky, and Gina and Matt Cornett’s name is listed 3rd in the credits but in the early eps of S2 you’d think he was guest star. Lately he’s started to become more important and tonight was an excellent showcase of why he’s such an interesting character. I’m not gonna check but this feels like it’s the most EJ screen time in a single ep that we’ve gotten all season long. 

Of course, the main reason for EJ’s increased screen time is because of Portwell. I’ve been neutral on them but tonight they really won me over’ their scenes were so sweet that they warmed even my cold black heart. Matt and Sofia are good friends irl and that shines through in their easy rapport and great chemistry. Gina snorting at EJ’s joke was cute and I loved the shot of Gina accidentally walking into the shot for EJ’s confessional. As an aside, they’ve been doing some fun stuff with the confessionals lately which helps add a bit of the metaness that helped make S1 so great.

The real big Portwell scene tonight was EJ and Gina talking on the couch at Ashlyn’s. Lot’s to love there. Gina’s speech to EJ about what she sees when she thinks of him was sweet and her saying that EJ tried to do the right thing and often failed but kept trying echoes what she said of herself during her confession to Ricky. Also when EJ asked Gina if she understood the feeling of having her life mapped out she replied, ‘’not really’’ which is almost certainly the inspiration for Gina asking a question to EJ and him responding ‘’not really’’ in their pre S2 face time call on the hsmtmts instagram. 

EJ is still wracked with guilt for the guy he used to be but Gina reminds him that he’s grown and is a good guy which leads to her slip up about her seeing him that way vs the rest of the gang hinting that she’s beginning to catch feelings for EJ. Which leads to EJ complimenting her and them having a moment that could well have led to a kiss if Ashlyn hadn’t come home. And they cap it off with Gina falling asleep and EJ covering her with his Duke sweater. 

It’s been nice not seeing Gina upset over Ricky these past two eps and it’s a damning indictment of the poor writing and pacing of S2 that her story in the first 6 eps can be summed up as Gina being upset over something Ricky said or did. Not only has Portwell allowed EJ to rise in prominence but also it’s allowed Gina to escape the rut her character was stuck in pining for Ricky. 

I hope after S2 is over that we get an interview where Tim explains how the Portwell plot came to be. The S1 finale set up some possible interest between them as did the pre S2 face time call but nothing came of it during the first 4 eps, they stood next to each other a lot but barely interacted otherwise. Notably in 2x01, which Tim himself wrote, EJ tries to grow a beard and tells Ashlyn that he says her as so young which is extremely jarring now that we know that EJ is crushing on Gina who is Ashlyn’s age. 

Was Tim not set on doing Portwell until he realized he needed to give Gina something else to do other than hopelessly pine for Ricky? Narratively, it made sense after Rini got together in S1 to put the other two Big 4 characters together in S2 but did Tim not want it to seem so obvious to the audience so he deliberately kept Portwell apart until 2x05 where EJ’s feelings make for a nice plot twist? Was he just reluctant to plug EJ back into the love square due to how much more complicated it would make things but later felt he had no other options? Or was it just plain old bad pacing and writing?

Of course, I wish that there wasn’t such a large age gap between Sofia and Matt but there are no Gina ships that avoid that problem, there’s also an age gap between Sofia and Joshua, just as there was between Olivia and Joshua and Matt in S1. Depending on when they film S3 there’s a good chance that most of it will be finished before Sofia even turns 18 which is deeply unfortunate. There’s a broader issue of teen girls being cast in mostly age appropriate roles while their male love interests are older adults and in particular it often affects female characters of colour. Netflix has a really bad track record with those kind of age gaps but Disney has problems too as we’ve seen on HSMTMTS and on GMW where by the end of S3 they had 18 year old Peyton Meyer as the boyfriend of 14 year old Rowan Blanchard’s character (not to mention canon Joshaya which didn’t have such a bad age gap between the actors but was problematic regarding the ages of the characters themselves).

A knock I’ve seen on Portwell is that EJ is just gonna leave for university next year but that was never gonna happen, Matt’s under the same 4 season contract as all the other mains and he’ll be sticking around in some capacity much like Sharpay ended up doing in the movies. It is true that EJ will probably have to move on at the end of S4 while Gina still has her senior year left but that will also happen with her and Ricky since he’ll be graduating at the end of S4. It was a big mistake to make EJ a senior but it also may end up being a big mistake to make Gina a sophomore. It would have been too messy to retcon EJ to be a junior but Tim probably should have taken the chance to retcon Gina into being a junior in S2.

That Rini breakup was so sad (missed opportunity for gotta go my own way). They managed to get in a Troyella reference with the treehouse. This was inevitable they just have not been communicating well though now that we know that Ricky thought Nini left YAC for him some of his desperation to spend as much time together as possible makes more sense. I think Rini is endgame if the series has 4 seasons but it wouldn't shock me if we never seem them dating again and they only get back together in the series finale. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Nini never dates anyone else for the remainder of the series or at least not seriously. 

We’re not even halfway through the series so it’s way too early to permanently slam the door on Rini though this time apart will probably help Joshua and Olivia move on from their own bitter break up before it bleeds too much into their performances. I do wonder if Tim really has a clue what he's gonna do with them for the remaining 24-28 eps of the series, assuming S3 and S4 have 10-12 eps each. 

Roman Banks killed If I Can’t Love Her and the montage of all the couples or ex couples was great.

It was nice to finally meets some parents other than the Bowen’s and Salazar-Roberts’. Kourtney’s mom was played by Dara’s actual mother and their dynamic was great as expected. It seems from their conversation that Kourtney's father is dead which I don’t believe has been mentioned before. Cash Caswell.... well it gets what the character is about across. He really looks and sounds like a rich Utah republican, I bet he knows Mitt Romney personally. I liked EJ going to tell his father that he’s not going to Duke and recognizing that he wants to build his own life on his own merits. 

We saw a bit of that S1 Miss Jenn energy tonight which was fun though I didn't like how curt she was with Seb nor did I like how rude Carlos was to Seb although we know that blows up in 2x10. 

Jazzara rising! I really liked how Jazzara and Portwell are sort of mirroring each other and since Mazzara knows about EJ’s feelings for Gina it wouldn’t shock me if helping EJ out is part of him showing a softer side in 2x12.

Of course Ashlyn is VP of the Nostradamus society. It's clear her family has some kooky new age beliefs (her parents are probably members of some naturopathic medicine group on Facebook that doubles as a gateway into Qanon)

It was nice to see Big Red being such a good friend to Ricky and the return of Ricky’s infamous pillow hugs. Lmao at Ashlyn just chilling while Big Red is comforting Ricky

Also Miss Jenn saying sexy and Big Red referring to pillow talk, the writers are adding a bit of spice when cooking up these scripts.

Looking Ahead: 

Looks like Gina may be wearing EJ's duke sweater next ep according to some posts I saw. Jack presumably is there to somehow help Gina decide what she wants with Ricky and EJ though him having wanderlust might also feed into Gina’s thoughts on settling down in SLC or moving with her mom around the country.

Let's see what mom of the year, Lynne Bowen, has up her sleeves. Ricky’s bedroom at her place in Chicago looks much nicer than the apartment Mike Bowen has so perhaps she makes a lot more money than he does. 

Not looking forward to the Zoom portions of the ep but I guess it was inevitable. 

There’s only two paths for Gina’s story to go in the remainder of this season; either she decides to move on from Ricky and give EJ a chance or she decides that Ricky is worth trying again and squelches her budding feelings for EJ. The former looks much more likely after tonight’s ep but either way it needs to be handled with care. Inevitably Gina and Ricky need to talk about what happened between them but if Tim really wants Ricky to continue being a viable love interest or even a good friend to Gina then he needs to really have Ricky apologize and show a thoughtful, kinder side of him that’s largely been missing this season. 

What I think Tim is doing is setting up Portwell getting together in 2x12 but Ricky pining over Gina until Portwell break up late S3 and Rina get together in the S3 finale before they break up later in S4 and Ricky gets back with Nini near the end of the series. If I had Tim’s ear I would tell him that he should pick which ship he wants to do, Rina or Portwell, but don’t do both. He wants canon Rina? Great then end Portwell before it starts and have Rina happen in S3 and introduce other obstacles to them getting together rather than having to damage EJ’s character and make him lose another girl he likes to Ricky. He wants canon Portwell? Great then have Gina and Ricky’s conversation be closure for the both of them and have Gina and EJ get together and break them up without Ricky being a cause of it or waiting in the wings to get with Gina soon afterwards. Doing both will be a disaster and I truly hope that Tim Federle carefully thinks over his mistakes in S2 and really plans out the remaining 2 seasons of the series while there’s still time to prevent things from going really off the rails like GMW and AM did thanks to the bad decisions of Michael Jacobs and Terri Minsky. 

Until next week wildcats. 

[chemist-ana]

Chapter 10- The Company Picnic— Sams POV

Book: The Nanny Affair

Characters: Sam, Ana Schuyler (MC), Robin, Mickey and Mason, Sofia, Mason Sr., Vivian,

Pairing: Sam Dalton (male) x Ana Schuyler (MC)

Rating: 18+

Content Warning: NSFW, Sexual Language, Adult Language, Sexual Situations

A/N This is a brand new series that I was inspired to write. I am going to go chapter by chapter in Sam Daltons POV. This story is completely inspired by Choices The Nanny Affair. I have used most of the dialogue from the actual story, anything written in BOLD was taken directly from the book and therefore is not my writing- credit to our good friends over at Pixelberry! All characters are credit to Pixelberry except for my OCs

Summary: When you let your guard down at the company picnic, will you be ambushed by friendly fire?

Word Count: 4740

Tag List: @txemrn @secretaryunpaid @lifeaskim @aussieez @pixie88 @thefrenchiemama @sfb123 @mainstreetreader @shewillreadyou @khoicesbyk @lady-calypso @choicesficwriterscreations @somersetmummy @melalicious8383

Robin stood there, his eyes flicking between Ana and I with a knowing look.

Fuck.

I run my hands through my hair, trying to gather my bearings.

“Robin, what are you doing here? And why is Sofia calling you?” Wait, why is Sofia calling him… I have my cell on me…

“She was looking for you. Do I even want to know what you two were up to?” His eyes narrow at me.

“We were just working!” Ana says breathlessly. Not exactly the perfect cover, Ana.

“You know you don’t actually work here, right Ana?” Robin crosses his arms and widens his stance, his frown deepening.

“Sam was showing me the prototypes. That count as work…” Her voice has grown quiet.

“We don’t need to explain ourselves to you, Robin. Did you finish the press release for the Milan breach?” My anger evident in my tone.

“I’ve been a little busy, but apparently I’m not the only one.”

Fucking drop it Rob.

“Enough. If you have something to say, say it. If not, then get back to work.” My eyes narrow at him in challenge. I watch as he turns on his heel to leave the lab, pausing briefly at the door and looking over his shoulder.

“I almost forgot. Sofia had a message for you, Ana. She said since you were doing this office tour today, you should come to the company picnic this weekend.”

“Really? I thought she wanted me fired.” Her eyes grow wide as she looks between Robin and I.

“It’s probably a ‘keep your enemies closer’ type of thing. She already told Mom and Dad about the invite, so they’re expecting you to be there.”

I clench my jaw, fighting back my ever increasing desire to punch that look off of his face. God I have been wanting to do that to him a lot recently... I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose when I hear the door close to the lab, leaving Ana and I alone again.

The silence is palpable as I look at her, she is looking down as her fingers twist together.

“Ana, are you okay?”

“Sam, we have to be more careful. We’re lucky Robin was the one who walked in on us. It could’ve been much worse.” Her voice quiet as she continues to watch her hands.

“You’re right. It won’t happen again.” I don’t know how lucky we are that it was Robin… “You don’t have to come to the picnic, you know.”

Her emerald eyes lift to mine as she studies my face for a moment.

“If you… think it’s best I don’t-“ She takes a step away from me, looking back down at her hands. I reach out and gently place my hand on her arm.

“That’s not what I meant. I want you there. Against my better instincts… I always want you wherever I am.” Close to me.

Those words get her attention as she slowly rises her eyes to mine. I hear her breath catch and it sends a reminder of the passion that we just shared only moments before.

“Okay then, I’ll be there.” She gives me a small smile.

I return her smile as our eyes linger for a moment before my mind wanders to a less important question... Why was Sofia on the phone with Robin? I reach into my pocket and check my phone, no missed calls or texts. Weird…

I spend the rest of the day thinking of Ana, spread out before me on the lab table, the sound of pleasure that escaped her lips, and the sweet taste of her arousal on mine.

***

I wake up early the next morning, as I walk quietly into the kitchen, I pause outside of the door to Ana’s room. God how I want to just bring you into my bed and get lost in you… I shake my head, fuck these thoughts need to disappear… I need to escape while everyone is still asleep. I write a quick note and leave it on the counter- Went into the office early- will be home early to take the boys out for a treat. -Sam. Good enough.

I run my hands through my hair as I ride the elevator down to the lobby, Carter is waiting at the curb, always ready.

When I enter into my office the sun is just breaking above the skyline. The building is eerily quiet as I sit down in my chair, turning my attention to the waking of the city as the sunlight casts its morning shadows.

Suddenly I hear the door to my office open.

“How did I know you would be here already?” I close my eyes. Robin.

I hear him sit down in the leather chair on the other side of my desk and I turn my chair to face him, a smug look on his face.

“Sammy, what in the actual fuck is going on with you and Ana?”

I take a sharp inhale, “First of all, there is nothing going on between us. Second of all, even if there was, it would be none of your fucking business.”

“You are really going to lie to me? What I walked in on yesterday didn’t look like ‘nothing’.”

“Yeah, well, you know what happens when people make assumptions.”

“Sam, I thought by now you would understand that there are consequences to your actions.”

“Robin, save the kingly speech for someone who gives a damn. There is nothing going on between us.”

“You’re going to hurt her, and when all the chips fall, she is going to have nothing, and you are still going to have everything.”

I stare at him for a moment, biting the inside of my cheek.

“Why were you on the phone with Sofia?”

“I told you Sam, she was trying to find you.” He points a finger at me, before he shakes his head and stands up. “You better figure your shit out.”

Without another word he turns around and strides out of my office.

It’s going to be a long day.

***

I bring a glass of water to my lips for a sip as I type out a few quick texts, and alert Carter to be ready with the car in five minutes. Now where are the boys?

I make my way down the hall, and knock softly on Ana’s partially open door.

“Ana, have you seen the boys-“

“Dad, look! Ana’s wearing the outfit we picked out!” Mason pushes the glasses up his nose with a smile.

“Oh, wow. You look… nice.” My eyes flash as they run down the exposed skin of her delicate neck and her long legs. I swallow down a surge of desire.

“Just nice?” She asks with a coy smile.

I glance over at the twins who are now lost in a conversation between themselves before I lean in and the smell of jasmine fills my senses.

“Definitely not ‘just nice’, but I’m trying to be good.” My eyes flick to the twins.

“I think I like you better when you let yourself be bad.” Her emerald eyes darken and a memory flashes in my mind of the soft whimpers that escape her lips when I touch her.

I clear my throat, breaking myself of my trance as I stand up and look to the twins.

“Right. Is everyone ready to go in here?”

“I am!” Mason cheers running out of the door.

“Wait, I forgot my socks!” Mickey calls as he follows close behind.

My eyes linger on Ana before I reluctantly turn away.

***

Ana and I walk side by side down the large path in Central Park, the boys follow close behind.

“What’s the problem, you two? You don’t like picnics?” We stop and turn towards the boys who are kicking at the rocks on the pavement.

“Normal picnics, yeah. But who knows what Aunt Sofia has done to this one?” Mickey whines as he drags his feet.

“Boys, I promise you, Aunt Sofia didn’t have any part in planning this picnic.” I fight back the urge to laugh.

“But, we still have to follow her rules, don’t we?” Mason looks at Ana with a pleading look.

“You can still have fun too.” She gives him an encouraging smile. “Besides, there’ll be so much going on, I bet she won’t even notice if you sneak an ice cream cone. Assuming your dad says it’s okay, of course.”

“Really?” Mickey breaks out into a big grin.

“Sure. But just the one treat. We don’t want you to get a sugar overload.”

That seems to get them moving, because they run ahead. Ana and I share a look before we continue walking.

“It’s beautiful… I can see our building from here!” Mason shouts as we round the corner and the field comes into view.

My eyes meet Sofia’s as she starts walking towards us.

“Sam, you’ve got to see this. It’s accounting versus legal on the badminton court!” Her eyes are bright, you are unusually cheery today. Than her gaze falls on Ana, and I see a flash of something in her eyes, but it’s gone before I can tell what it is.

“Well, don’t you look adorable. You always know how to turn it on when it matters most, don’t you?” I resist the urge to close my eyes and sigh. Adorable, really Sofia?

“I try.” Ana gives her a confident smile.

“Can you also try to keep the boys from getting too dirty or being too loud or eating any sugar or running near the adults? Sam and I will be right back.” Sofia grabs my arm and leads me towards the badminton courts. I glance back at Ana who is herding the boys in the opposite direction.

“I am glad she decided to come today.” Sofia squeezes my arm. “Robin mentioned she had some hesitation.” My stomach sinks as I think about Robin… did he say anything to her?

“Yeah, so legal vs accounting huh?” I say effectively changing the topic.

***

After laughing a little too hard watching the accounting team get slaughtered by legal, I hear my dad’s voice calling over a megaphone.

“Welcome to the Annual Dalton Enterprises Company Picnic! I hope you’re ready for some good old-fashioned fun! We’ve got everything from giant Jenga to croquet to kickball.. But the highlight of the afternoon will be starting in five minutes… tug-of-war!” I hear a few good natured cheers and my eyes scan the field for Ana.

I see her talking to Robin, her brow furrowed.

“It’s Complex A versus Complex B! If you’re not an employee, pick a side.” My dad drops the megaphone and my eyes are still locked on Ana and Robin as I make my way across the field.

I don’t realize Sofia is behind me until I walk up on Ana and Robin and she is the first one to speak.

“Are you sitting out too, Ana? This game is so filthy and juvenile, I always sunbathe through it.” Sofia looks down at her manicured fingers and walks to the sidelines.

“Ana! You have to be on our team!” Mason shouts as him and Mason jog up to us.

“Yeah! Together we’ll be unstoppable!” Mickey chimes in as he gives Ana a smile. Ana’s eyes look between the boys then rise up to mine.

“We could use the extra hands…” I tell her.

“If Ana doesn’t want to play, she doesn’t have to play.” Robin’s eyes narrow at me.

I bite the urge to call Robin a petulant child.

“I can’t resist a good competition. I’m in!” She flashes a cocky smile at Robin.

“Yeah! Suck it, Uncle Robin!” Mickey jumps in the air and sticks his tongue out at Robin.

“Mickey…”

“I mean… you’re going down?” His eyes widen.

“We’ll see, kiddo.” Robins eyes soften as he looks down at Mickey, but harden immediately when he looks back at me. “At least we don’t have any distractions on our team.”

“Bring it on.” Ana turns on her heel and we walk towards our side of the rope.

We huddle together with the rest of the people on our team.

“First thing’s first, we need a team name!” Mason takes charge. That’s my boy.

“What about winners?” Ana says.

“Yeah, go winners!” Mason and the rest of the team cheers.

“Enough conferring! It’s time to play!” My dad’s voice booms over the megaphone.

We all line up as my mother explains the rules.

“Boys up front. Ana, you can stand by me.” I give Ana a smile as she stands directly in front of me.

I see Robin glaring daggers at Ana from the opposite side of the rope. My eyes dart back to Ana as I catch her sticking her tongue out at him. What were those two talking about earlier?

“Is that your method of long-distance trash talk?”

“It’s working, isn’t it? Robin’s head isn’t in the game, which means we’ve got this in the bag.” She gives me a confident smile.

“Let’s put that theory to theory to the test.” I give her a smile before she turns around, wrapping her hands around the rope.

My dad starts the pulling match and I lean back, digging in with my heels as the rope goes taught.

“You’’ll have to do better than that!” Ana shouts. You’re a competitive little thing aren’t you.

The boys are urging everyone to pull. I wrap my fingers tighter around the rope and heave and it seems to work, because the other side starts to give.

“That’s it, winners! We’ve got ‘em on the ropes!” I shout.

My eyes are locked on the muscles that are tense on Ana’s back.

“Almost… there!” Her voice rings out.

“We can’t… let them win… look at them!” Robin’s face is angry as he pulls. “Though I guess Ana does have some experience playing dirty.”

My eyes fly to Robin, but his gaze is focused on Ana. She ignores him and continues to pull, until we pull the marker onto our side. The momentum of her pulling causes her to stagger back… and right into my arms.

The smell of jasmine and Ana rush my senses as I squeeze my arms tightly around her, to steady her or hold her close I don’t know anymore. She looks over her shoulder and her emerald eyes meet mine, and for a moment the world fades away.

“…Hi.” A blush creeps up her neck as our eyes linger.

“Hi.” I smile.

Her eyes dart down to my lips as she takes her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes growing dark. I slide my tongue across my lip and I feel her body tense.

“Sam…” She whispers and the sound sends a shockwave through my body.

“Ana, I-“ Fuck, you are in public, and Sofia is here.

“And the winner is- Team Winners!” My dad’s voice booming over the megaphone breaks me from my trance.

“We did it!” Mason and Mickey jump around excitedly. I drop my arms from Ana just in time for Mason and Mickey to tackle me in a hug. My eyes never leave Ana as they wrap their arms around me.

“You did it, boys!” I finally break my gaze to ruffle the twins hair as they cheer.

“We did it, Dad!” Mason looks up at me with a grin.

“Yeah, we couldn’t have beat Uncle Robin without you and Ana!” Mickey looks over to Ana.

“And we couldn’t have done it without you two.” She reaches out and ruffles Mickey’s hair.

God, this just feels so right.

“That’s one way to put it.” Robin. Moment fucking broken.

My eyes fly up to Robin’s who has his eyes narrowed at Ana. I am about to snap when my mother walks up besides us.

“Nobody like a sore loser, Robin. Be a good example for your nephews.”

“Samuel, my big, strong man! I’ve got a wet wipe and a fresh shirt with your name on it.” Sofia walks up and wraps an arm through mine, and pulls me away from the group. I look down at her as she leads towards a tent, her eyes focused.

***

I stand silently next to my father as we watch everyone start to leave.

“I would call that a success.” He glances over at me.

“I would say so. You and mom should go, let me handle the clean up.” I clap him on the back as my mother walks up to us.

“Are you ready to go Mason, dear?”

“Yes, Viv.” He extends his arm for her to take before turning to me one last time. “Well done today, Sam.”

“Bye, Samuel.” My mother brushes a kiss to my cheek before I watch her and my father walk towards the edge of the park.

With a sigh I grab a few trash bags and begin walking around, picking up loose plates. My eyes fall on Ana and the boys and I make my way over to them.

“I’ll take those.” I hold open the trash bag for Ana and the boys to drop their used plates and napkins in. Ana and I fall into step next to each other as we follow the boys to the edge of the park.

“So, did you have a good time today?” I glance down at her and the sun has left a beautiful glow on her olive skin.

“Well, I missed you.” She says softly, turning her beautiful face towards mine. “I feel like I barely got to see you all day after tug-of-war. But this moment right here, with you? It’s been the best part of my day.”

“The party planning committee will be disappointed to hear it… but it’s my favorite too.” I chuckle, my eyes lingering on hers as I watch the sun reflect off of the little specs of gold amongst the emerald green.

As we round the corner I see Carter waiting at the curb, Robin and Sofia already there besides the car. Why are they always together…?

“Looks like the ride home will be a little crowded tonight.” Ana murmurs.

“Good thing I can get out of it for once, I always stay behind and help the cleaning crew after the picnic. It’s the least I can do to show my appreciation for everything.” I look down at her as our arms brush.

“No ones too good to clean up their own mess, right Dad?” Mason asks as he kicks a rock on the pavement.

“That’s exactly right, little man.” Damn proud.

“But we don’t have to stay… right?” Mickey’s eyes grow wide.

“Not until you’re a little older.” I smile at the look of relief on his face.

The boys climb into the car and I catch Sofia’s eye.

“Yes, honey, very inspiring. See you at home.” She leans in and brushes a kiss against my cheek then follows the boys into the car.

“Ana, are you coming?” Robin asks as his eyes scan Ana’s body.

Ana looks up at me with a question in her eyes.

“You’re welcome to stay and help, if you want. It won’t take long between us and the crew. We usually divide and conquer to cover more ground.” Please stay…

“Sounds like a great way to help out this afternoon.” She meets my eyes with a warm smile, her eyes not hiding her true intentions.

“Sure. Just… remember what I said.” Robin regards Ana with a firm look, before shifting his focus to me, and finally climbing into the backseat of the car.

Ana and I turn around and head back to the picnic area, our arms brushing lightly as we walk in a companionable silence.

“Have you ever been to a big picnic like this before?” The breeze blows through her hair as she looks up at me.

“I have never been to one before. Neither of my parents ever had a company picnic, so this was a first.”

“And? What’s the verdict?”

“I’ll let you know when I have one.” She gives me a coy smile before turning her attention back to the park.

I hand her a trash bag and she begins picking up stacks of paper plates.

“I bet you’ve been to a million of these over the years.”

“You could say that. I was still a kid when we held the first one, but it looked nothing like this. We could practically all fit on one blanket back then.” I smile at the fond memories… we have come a long way since then.

“It’s hard to imagine the company being that small.”

“Yeah, we’ve definitely grown a lot since then. But as much as I sometimes miss how… simple things were back then, we also couldn’t make as big of a difference. We can help so many more people now that we’re bigger.”

“I bet that feels good.”

“It does. And it definitely makes the hard days a little easier.”

“Speaking of, I can’t believe you’re not soaking in a bubble bath right now. You were at the center of all of the activity today.” She glances at me. I want to be in a bubble bath with you.

We bend down to pick up a red solo cup at the same time, our fingers brushing, and a blush spreading across her cheeks as her eyes snap away from mine.

“Sorry.” She says quickly.

“No worries.” I smile at her, but I can sense a change in her mood. “I am pretty tired, but it’s a Dalton family tradition to stay behind with the workers and, well, work. My father always stayed behind, but now that he’s older, the mantle falls on me.”

“You know, Robin mentioned one time that he’s also being considered for CEO… but I can’t really picture him staying behind, even if it’s part of the job description.” What else has Robin told you about my family? Yeah, well, if there is anything I know about Robin is that he does the bare minimum.

“Yeah, well, he probably wouldn’t have to, even if he were CEO. My dad has always held Robin to different standards than me. But at this point, that would only happen if I really, really, messed up.”

She glances around and when I follow her eyes, I realize we are all alone on this side of the park.

“Taking responsibility has never been Robin’s strong suit. Great at making messes though.” I flash her a smile but she seems to be avoiding my gaze. “You’re being awfully quiet over there.”

“Hmm? Oh, I just… have a lot on my mind.” She replies without looking at me. There is definitely something wrong… and fuck I hope it doesn’t have to do with Robin. “Actually, Sam… there’s something I wanted to talk to you about…” Her lips turn down in a frown. Definitely Robin.

“What did Robin do now?”

“Earlier today, he pulled me aside and demanded that I leave you alone…” I stare into her eyes, trying to read the expression on her face.

“What did you say?” Please tell me you didn’t tell him anything…

“I told him I didn’t know what he was talking about… but I don’t think he believed me.”

I let out a deep breath and reach up to rub the knots in my neck. Fuck…

“I’m so sorry I’ve put you in this position, Ana. You shouldn’t have to deal with my brother confronting you like this.” What are you doing to her?

I reach out and cup her cheek and I can see the pain in her eyes.

“Robin seemed pretty sure that at the en dog all of this… I would be the one who ends up hurt.” Fuck Robin, stay out of my business.

“As much as I hate to say it- and as much as I will do everything in my power to prevent it- he’s probably right.” I cringe as the words come out of my mouth. “But Ana, my parents’ expectations, the company politics, Sofia… it all just fades away when I look at you.”

“Sam…” My name rolls off her lips in a whisper.

In that instant, the sprinklers turn on, sending a jetting stream of water onto both of us.

She cries out and leans into me as I wrap my arms around her, trying my best to shield her from the water.

“Okay, seriously, who sets their sprinklers to go off in the middle of the afternoon.” I laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, even though I can’t complain having Ana in my arms.

“Someone who got AM and PM mixed up?” She laughs and the sound brings an even bigger smile to my face.

I lean away from her slightly, my eyes roaming her face as I smooth the hair from her face. She is so beautiful…

“You look beautiful like this… I’ve never seen you wet before.”

“You don’t know that.”

Her words send a shockwave to my cock. I definitely didn’t mean it like that, but fuck am I glad you did.

“That’s not fair. Now that’s all I can think about…” You, wet, in my arms, in our home, in the car… fuck…

“Sam, now you know how I feel.”

“Does this mean you think about me all the time? At night, in bed, alone…?” My voice has dropped to a husky whisper as images of her on her back, naked, and moaning fill my head.

“Yes… touching myself, thinking of you, wondering if you’re turned on because of me.” The huskiness of her voice matches mine as her eyes wander my face and linger on my lips.

Holy fuck, you naughty little thing.

“Always…” I tighten my grip on her waste as her breath catches in her throat.

“Sam… kiss me.”

I was hoping you would say that.

I lean down and capture her perfect pink lips in mine, my hands roam her every curve, trying my hardest to memorize the twists and turns. Our kiss grows in passion as she lets out a moan into my mouth.

I grab her hips, pulling her against my growing desire.

“Ana… what are you doing to me?” I whisper against her mouth… I have never been so out of control in my life as I am when I am around you…

I drop my lips to her jaw, trailing light kisses up to her ear, the smell of Ana, sunshine and jasmine, fills my senses as I taste her sweet skin.

“I can’t seem to control myself around you…” I whisper into her ear.

“Maybe I want you to lose control…” She whispers, her lips lightly grazing mine.

She tangles her fingers into my hair and drags my lips back to hers. I want to lose control with you… My fingers continue their exploration as I graze my fingers over her erect nipples through her shirt, god this wet shirt is doing wonders for you…

“I want nothing more than to lay you down and take you right here, but…” I whisper in her ear as I blaze a trail of kisses down her neck, her body responding to my every touch with soft whimpers and gasps.

“We are still in public… and broad daylight.” Her breathing is erratic as I press my forehead to hers. I close my eyes, and listen to her erratic breathing and feel the rise and fall of her chest.

“Dammit.” I whisper. I lean in and press a soft, slow kiss to her lips before I pull away. My body instantly missing the contact. I grab one of her hands in mine and give it a light squeeze. “You’re going to be the death of me, Ana. Or at least, the death of my reputation.” I take a moment to check my surroundings, fortunately we are still alone.

“…You’re welcome?” Her soft laugh ringing through my ears.

“We should probably get back to cleaning, or we’ll never finish.”

“Oh, I’m desperate to finish, alright.” Her coy smile spreading across her lips.

I smile at her with a shake of my head, her lips red from our kisses and her skin flushed… so damn beautiful…

We make our way out of the line of fire of the sprinklers and continue working, well into the evening. My fingers moving in time with the rise and fall of her curves, remembering the sparks of electricity and the sound of her moans.

[punkcupcakestyles]

Love Song

Part 11

Catch Up!

(Warning: Smut ahead)

“I’ll tell you later...maybe,” 

“You’re not gonna tell me, are you?” His eyes turned half closed, just as if he already knew I was lying. So I grinned, offering him an innocent smile as I took his hand in mine.

“Are you gonna tell me you’re still in love with your ex?”

“I’m not.”

“Perhaps...if you repeat that to yourself...it’d maybe sound real.”

He took a step closer, and my breath hitched at the sight of him. God, he was so beautiful, I wished I could get lost in him. 

“I’m not,” he repeated and there was this sudden air of intimacy between us as if we were sharing our deepest secrets; as if nothing else mattered.

“Almost,” I whispered in response. I almost believed him. He was almost there. 

Had I walked away right then, I might have been able to convince myself that the sweetness in his eyes and the tingling on my skin were all for show and that they, whoever they were, had already gotten their fair share of cute and intimate photos and it was now time to go back to the table.

If only I was that smart.

I stared at his lips for just a couple of seconds and smiled as he leaned forward and brushed my cheek daintily with his fingers, pushing my hair back. There was an intense feeling in the air, and even if I couldn’t name, it was overwhelming. It felt as if the words that kept failing us were ringing in the air, with no need to be said out loud. 

“What?” I giggled as he looked at me with that intensity that he had seemed to have mastered.

If I was being honest, the seconds were going by ridiculously slow and I was starting to feel nervous. Why did I ask about his ex? What if what he wanted to tell me was that he was still in love with her? That he wanted to end things so he could be happy for real? 

What would I do then? I was the one that was stupid enough to ask. 

Surely, I would have to let him go and forget about him, even though I had a feeling it would hurt like a bitch. Give him back his memories and move on with my life, was all I could do. Not his kisses, though, those were mine to carry forever.

“Nothing…” Harry finally shrugged. “We should go back before D comes for us.”

I didn’t get my answer, I rarely ever did with him. 

He walked away without saying another word and I watched him as he sat back on his chair, and smiled as someone offered to refill his coffee for him. I wondered how he had gotten so good at hiding his feelings. How many lies had he told? I hoped not as many as I had, anyway. 

I sat down next to D and forced a smile at her as she looked at me suspiciously. I still felt heavy in my chest for some reason and my head was spinning around in thoughts, about the things that Harry could say and the dreadful feeling of slipping away. 

It was silly, I kept repeating to myself, I was silly. Actually, I was an idiot. 

“A penny for your thoughts?” Diana sang, and I saw the overly sweet smile she was offering me. 

For the first time that morning, I focused on her: the pouty fullness of her lips and the freckles on her nose. I noticed the almost full plate next to her, and the slight hint of hunger that shone in her eyes. I knew about that, I had spent enough days not eating so I could fit into a dress. Her eyes widened and turned down suddenly, a glint of resentfulness taking over the hunger when I pushed a chocolate and blueberry muffin her way. 

“A muffin for my thoughts, how about that?” I said softly. 

“Smart,” D mused as she pinched just a tiny bit of the muffin and popping it into her mouth. It was barely enough to chew, and I frowned as she grinned childishly. “I was thinking, we should go to Alexander Mcqueen, see if we can get you a dress for tonight’s party. Or maybe Saint Laurent. You always use Chanel.”

I looked at her almost dumbfounded and blinked stupidly as I waited for her to continue. I didn’t know of any party, couldn't remember her telling me about it and, most importantly, I didn't feel like going anywhere. 

Diana finally looked at me, after having spent at least 2 minutes dissecting the poor muffin and she must have seen the confusion on my face cause her eyes widened again and I smiled stupidly at her. 

“The producers’ party, Sof!” D finally exclaimed, leaning closer to me as she tried to be discreet. “You do remember you’re here for work, right?”

“I do!" I objected. I just didn't plan on really working while I was in London. 

“Harry is work, you haven’t forgotten that, right?”

“I have not.”

“I hope so,” she whispered as she pulled away from me to sit fully back on her chair. “So the dress, Macqueen or Saint Laurent?”

“I don’t really care.” All I wanted to do was to be petulant and turn my face away like a bratty child, just like Cat did when she was a baby and I told her she couldn’t eat the raw cookie dough. But if I did, I would’ve to look at Harry and be reminded that he was indeed just a part of my job, and I didn’t feel like thinking about that. I was fucking trapped. 

“Ok, then, ruffles and flowers it is. The bigger, the better.”

I looked at Diana, pretty sure she was being serious, and sighed, stealing back the muffin I had offered her to pick on it as well. Between Harry’s cologne right next to me and Diana’s inquisitive eyes, I felt like I was starting to spiral down; like it was all becoming a little too much. Like I could run away and start a new life, again. 

“Zuhair Murad...Please. I would like a dress from him,” I mumbled without looking at Diana, cause I was afraid that she might see that I was losing my mind just a tiny bit. It was hard to breathe, just as if I were drowning and I couldn't come up for air. “I think, uh...I think I’m gonna head back to the hotel, D,”

“W-What? Why?” Diana stammered as she watched me get up from my chair and pick my coat and my bag that were dangling from it. I could feel her eyes on me, as well as everyone else’s, looking at me like I was fucking crazy. And maybe I fucking was. 

I avoided Harry's eyes when he stood next to me and took my hand in his, frowning worriedly as he looked at me. 

“Are you ok, baby?” He whispered. 

“I’m sorry,” I said loud enough for everyone to hear. “I, uh, I have a headache. I think I’m gonna head back.”

“Ok, I’ll go with you, then,” he said as he was already picking his coat without letting my hand go. I squeezed his fingers lightly to call for his attention and smiled when he looked at me with his big, bright eyes. 

“It’s ok. I could use some time alone," I whispered just for him this time, pressing my lips to his as my fingers slipped around his waist, and his went to the small of my back to pull me a little bit closer. It was soft and slow, meant to be just a tiny peck, but neither of us wanted to let go, and we stood close to each other as our lips and he continued to kiss me softly once and again. 

“You sure?” His lips brushed mine when he talked and the tip of his nose bumped against mine. 

“I’m sure,” I wasn’t. “Stay here with your friends, please.” Right there, that was the problem: the fact that my fingers were curled around his shirt and refused to let him go. 

***

@hipsdontlie “You reckon Harry eats ass? I would serve him mine on a plate”

@rockerflower “Jesus, every time I see Sofia, I feel tingling in parts that shouldn’t be tingling.”

@icanfeelititinmyheartl4e “he has such a pretty beard.”

@confusedkate “I would give my first unborn to see these two f***.”

***

D was indeed incredible. 

I stared down at the couple of dresses that she had gotten me, and with trembling fingers, I picked up the handwritten note that came with them. 

“Whatever you choose, you’ll look glorious. Z.M.” 

It was neatly written on an elegant paper, and the signature had a bit of flourish to it. Glorious was not the word I would use, but God, those dresses were stunning. 

There was a black dress, composed of a black top and a sheer skirt, both fully embroidered with black beads. The sheer panels were placed in the middle of the skirt, and I was supposed to use a pair of black undies with it. 

My other option was a blue suit, with shorts and a top with a plunging neck, that only joined around my waist. Both the jacket and the shorts were sequined with white, golden and red beads to form Egyptian imagery. It was stupidly beautiful, but my ass probably wouldn’t fit in those shorts. 

Finally, a golden top with long sleeves and a signature Egyptian collar and a long skirt. Both were embroidered with tombs and hieroglyphs that reminded me of the Book of the Dead. That was a little scary to wear, I wasn't looking to be canceled just yet. 

The black dress was my safest choice, so that's what I went with, paired with purple heels and a black peacoat. My team had done the rest: My hair was sleek and shiny, not a hair out of place and my makeup was smokey and subtle, making me look mysterious. 

Diana helped me with the details, tucking and pushing in the right places until I looked like I had curves without showing too much skin. That seemed to be important. 

She must’ve asked if I was cold about a thousand times, and by the time we left, I wasn’t sure if I wasn’t cold for real, or if I was just stubborn enough to freeze to death. I clutched my coat closer, just in case. 

The ride to the party was smooth and silent. From time to time D would give me an update on my social media or some tell me about some tea she had found about. I pretended to listen, nodding my head whenever I heard the excitement in her voice or humming as she talked.  

I wanted to ask her if Harry was going to the party, cause she hadn't said so and I hadn’t dared to ask. Harry hadn’t texted me after I left the restaurant, and I was feeling empty and kind of silly for missing him already. So I remained silent, choosing not to ask what I didn’t want to know the answer for. 

I couldn’t help but wonder if he would like my dress, cause I felt pretty in it, or if he would nuzzle his nose onto my neck to feel my perfume. The few times we had slept together, he would bury his face onto the curve of it as he fell asleep, his fingers tightly pressed to my hips as if to keep me close. 

I was silly, indeed.

The entry to the party was chaotic, to say the least. Celebrities were lining up in front of a flower wall to be photographed by a bunch of paps and I turned around at the sight of it all, but D held my hand to stop me from doing so. I groaned and walked to them, smiling and joking as they ordered me around. Move to the left, smile more, smile less, look this way. I smiled until I got bored and with a small wave, I got into the house, followed by their screams to give them a few more shots. 

I had been to parties, it was part of my job. Every few weeks, or days even, there was something different to celebrate. This seemed to be kind of a laid-back party, one of those where people would chat, get drunk and take cool photos. It was decorated with flowers upon flowers, and “vintage” furniture, loveseats that looked like they came out of a palace, with rich red velvet cushions and golden details, and chandeliers. 

“Dear God, you look stunning!!” The male voice made me turn around, and smile at the overly tanned man that was looking at me. His name was Martin and he was the producer of my latest movie. His bow tie was a little bit crooked and he probably should've picked a black one instead of a purple, but he was rich enough to do exactly what he pleased. I hugged him, with my arms around his round belly. 

It was then when I saw her. I had never seen her before in my life, but I knew it was her, and she was beautiful, the kind of beauty that is meant to break hearts, cause what’s the point otherwise?

Her blonde hair was styled in waves and her red dress hugged the curves of her body in just the right places. She had a sweet smile, almost like candy, and her tiny nose scrunched up as someone told her a joke. Slowly, I looked around her and my heart stopped for a full second as I realized who was the funny guy. 

He was sitting right next to her, wearing a blue suit and a slightly sheer white shirt, unbuttoned halfway down his chest. Harry was looking at her with adoring eyes, smiling softly as he listened to her talk. 

I hoped someone would look at me like that someday. 

If I had to describe what I was feeling, it would be something black, cloudy and heavy at the same time. I looked at him and knew that his happiness was way more important than whatever stupid feeling I may have. But it also hurt, in some kind of new way. It was right in my chest, where my heart was supposed to be. 

I didn’t realize I wasn’t breathing until D squeezed her fingers around my wrist, pulling me softly to her side and I looked at Martin, who was offering me an odd smile. 

"Are you ok, sweetheart?" He asked and I nodded automatically, wishing I was anywhere else, but there.

How stupid was I?

"Yes," I smiled. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Marvel! The Marvel Universe is waiting for you, how about that? Disney won’t greenlight the project until you’ve said yes. You know you're my favorite." 

"Of course she is," Diana interjected to fill my awkward silence. "Just look at her!"

"A pretty package filled with talent, you are difficult one to ignore, my dear."

Nice words, but I could think about was the pain I was feeling.

***

One hour had gone by and Diana had dragged me as far away as she could from Harry and his ex, and we were now sitting on the far corner of the house, where I was taking a blue couch, sitting right next to a gorgeous guy with gorgeous lips. 

I tried to focus on him, on whatever he was saying, the way his lips moved with every word. He looked a lot like Sam, from the greenish swirls in his chocolate eyes to the pink tint of his plump lips. 

God, he was pretty. 

He smiled brightly and looked at me shyly as he offered me another drink, a gin tonic with lime on it and I grabbed it, holding it as I looked at him. For a second, his fingers brushed over my hand and my eyes darted to him as he pulled it away. He sighed and smiled to himself as he sat back on the couch. 

"Sorry," he said shyly.

Mark, his name was Mark, I needed to remember that. 

What if I kissed him? Would that look bad?

My phone rang, and for a second there, I thought about ignoring it, just like I had all night long. But I needed a break from my stupid thoughts.

"S'okay," I assured him, as I went to take my phone out of my green clutch. 

@Harry

You should tell him you have a boyfriend, yknow?

You look beautiful, btw. 

My eyes rose from the phone to look for him in the crowded room. My heart was dancing anxiously at the thought of seeing him again and I scanned over the people until I found him, leaning on a wall right across from me. He was looking at me, a little smirk playing on his lips when I found him.

@Harry

Meet me in the bathroom by the left door in 5, yeah?

I looked at him one more time, already imagining what would happen if I went to the bathroom. His sweet, heavy kisses on my skin, his fingers pressed to the curve of my ass as he made his way up to the hem of my shorts to pull them down. 

Would he do that thing he had done the night before, tasting me like I was fucking dessert? Would he allow me to touch him, maybe get on my knees for him? I had never done that, but I would do it in a heartbeat for him. 

It was so tempting, my head was already spinning. 

I held his gaze as I put my phone back into my clutch and smiled brazenly at him as I denied with my head, right before turning around to continue my one-sided chat with Mark. 

***

I knew I was being stupid. I knew it because feel Diana’s eyes on me and I kept wondering if Harry was looking at me too. My knees were both on the couch, stacked over the other, and I was sitting on one side of my body as I laughed at something a pretty girl had said. My shoes were off and I was nestling my drink in my hand, while my head was propped up on the other one. I felt snug, warm and sleepy, maybe because Mark was sitting too close, or maybe because I had had one too many drinks. 

Mark turned to look at me and his eyes were bright, maybe because he was drunk too. 

“You’re falling asleep” He whispered intimately and I only managed to nod, a silly smile spreading on my lips as he moved slightly closer. 

“I am.”

“What if I wanted to kiss you?”

My eyes snapped open and I was suddenly not sleepy anymore. Panic was definitely the feeling that was running through my veins at that very moment, as I saw him slowly moving to kiss me. I spilled some of my drink on my lap and I took that as my opportunity to break the tension that was filling the air. 

“You don’t want to kiss me,” I told him as I tried to dry the little patch and without looking at him. “You want to kiss the actress, not me.”

“I’m pretty sure I want to kiss you.”

“No one does,” I shook my head. “Trust me.”

“Let’s find out,” Mark smirked and I chuckled, amused by his gut. 

Fuck.

“I-I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Cause she has a boyfriend.” Harry’s voice rang next to me, as the sofa dipped hastily right next to me. I wobbled for a second and turned to look at him. 

He was as relaxed as ever and his voice was soft as if he didn’t want anyone to know what we were talking about. But there was something about him that’s wasn’t as sweet as usual. A hint of darkness in his eyes that made them shine differently, almost angrily. “And by boyfriend I mean me. Hi, mate, I’m Harry”

I was gobsmacked if there’s ever a right moment to use that word. I kept looking at him as if he were a fucking ghost that had appeared out of nowhere. What was he doing there? Who the fuck did he think he was with that stupid smile on his face and his cool pose?

“Sorry, baby,” he said. “Did you miss me?” He hung his head back and offered me an amused smile while his fingers went to my thigh, resting there as his green eyes finally met mine. 

Did Fake Sofia miss her Fake Boyfriend? With every inch of her body. But did I miss Harry? My whole body was aching and I was sure he had everything to do with it. 

I peered at Mark, who looked nervous and unsure of himself, so I smiled at him softly and sweetly. It was my better choice, cause otherwise, I would probably cry out of anger. 

Harry’s arm went to the back of my chair behind me, and his thigh pressed to mine as if he wanted to remind me he was still there. 

It all felt like a show as if he was way too worried about what people might’ve thought and he cared very little about my actual feelings or how I was doing that night. If anything, I was the one being humiliated. 

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to Mark. 

With that, I got up from the couch to make my way to the door. and leave without Harry. 

***

It took me more than an hour to get ready for bed. I cleaned my face and washed my hair carefully, and I carefully put the dress away, so it wouldn’t crease or get dirty. I took a long shower and put on a clean shirt, large enough to cover my ass. 

My hair was still dripping down but I was sitting comfortably on my bed, with the thick covers over my legs and a bunch of scripts and books spread over them. I had pulled out my markers and pens and was now going ham on a particular page, highlighting pretty much all of it without even actually reading it.  

I felt like I was supposed to be crying like that was the natural thing to do and I was just pretending to be brave. Truth was, I couldn’t even do that, I was stuck with a numb pain, sharp and heavy, but also dark and silent. 

There was a knock on the door just as I was running out of space to highlight, and I grunted, already rolling my eyes as I untangled myself from the sheets. I was pretty sure what would say to Diana when I opened the door: `Don’t worry, I’m still here, I’m not running away. You can tell Midge everything’s ok.” Although, ´fuck off´ was also a good choice. 

“I’m alright, D,” I sighed as soon as I opened the door and before I realized it was D who was standing behind it. 

Harry was standing in front of me, wearing a black hooding over his blue jeans. `TPWK’ was written in white letters, and he looked snuggly and warm. His hair was messy as if he had run his fingers through it more than once and he was offering me a sheepish smile, looking at me just as if he knew he wasn’t supposed to be there. 

“Hi,” he said.

“Harry, the hotel staff signs NDAs. No one is telling anyone I’m not sleeping in your bed.”

“I don’t give a fuck about that,” he shrugged off.

“Then, what? There’s no one in here, you can’t humiliate me more.”

“I’m sorry, Sof, I’m so sorry.”

“Not enough.” I went to close the door, but he was quicker than me and held it open until he could get into the room, walking inside as I made my way back to my bed, where I sat down and looked at him. “Did she kick you out of her bed? Or did she not invite you in?”

“She did invite me in,” Harry said reluctantly, avoiding my eyes as he leaned back on the wall and stuck his fingers inside of the large pocket of his hoodie. I felt something breaking inside me, like a fancy platter that had fallen at the bottom of my feet and had shattered in a billion pieces, one large shard poking my chest sharply. What was that? What had broken down and how could I fix it?

“Why did you come then?”

“Cause I wanted to sleep with you,” Harry shrugged off. His face was somehow sad, and I wished my chest wasn’t burning, so I could comfort him, brush my fingers through his hair and tell him it was ok. That I was there for him. “You calm me down. I mean, you drive me fucking crazy, but...yeah…is easier to sleep when I’m with you.”

It would’ve been so much easier if I had just asked him to go, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that. I looked at him and sighed, getting up from the bed so he could lie down. 

“You can stay,” I whispered, before getting myself into the covers, and laying on my side to look at the wall. 

Harry took a minute before he followed me, stripping off to his underwear and putting my things away before he got himself into bed. He did it quietly and carefully, almost as if he were afraid to remind me that he was still there. 

“Sof…” Harry talked after a while when I was already falling asleep, and I hummed in response. “Were you as jealous as I was?

“Were you jealous?”

“Yeah...wanted to kick his fucking ass.”

Oh, how sad was that it made me smile.

***

He knew how to apologize. 

I had woken up with his arms around me and his face nuzzled into the crook of my neck. The ends of his hair made me ticklish as they brushed against my skin, and I let my fingers caress the back of his hand as he snuck it under my shirt and put it over my tummy.

He was being careful, soft, slow, giving me a chance to wake up to his kisses. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered as I fluttered my eyes open. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“I’m still mad at you.”

“I know, but it’s too early to be mad.”

“Are you suggesting I pause it?” I turned around to look at him and his hand fell on the small of my back, sliding down the curve of my ass to let it rest there. 

“Yeah, so we can kiss a little.” His lips met mine in a soft kiss and I smiled as he broke it apart, nuzzling his nose against mine. “You can be mad at me again at noon.”

“At noon?” I whispered and my fingers brushed over his neck, playing with the little hairs on the nape of it and I pulled him closer. His smile grew playful and he scooted closer, ready to kiss me again. That was all I wanted, to kiss him as many times as I could before he left. To not give him up a second earlier than I absolutely had to. 

He started with the neck, trailing sweet kisses down to my collarbones. I could feel his warm breath as his plump lips pressed on my skin and I sighed as the tip of his fingers brushed over the curve of my waist. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of his touch, the electric currents that rushed down my body because of him. 

I parted my lips as Harry decided to look at me again, and I melted under his smile and the sight of his short curls falling over his face as he hovered over me. He was propping himself up on his arms and he had me trapped against the bed, with nowhere to go and nowhere to look but him. My fingers curled around his forearms and I shifted until his legs were between mine and he was tipping his head down to kiss me fully on the lips. 

I kissed him back, enjoying the taste of his mouth and the weight of his body on top of mine. My hips rose to meet his and I moaned at the pressure and his rhythmic movements as he kissed me. 

“Fuck,” Harry whispered hoarsely as he broke the kiss and I wrapped my legs around him and started to rock my hips to feel him better. “Do you like rubbing yourself on my cock, baby?”

“Take off your boxers,” I pleaded. “I wanna feel it.”

I knew he was trouble. 

Without saying another word, he dipped his head down, finding my collarbones to nibble on it for a second, as his hands pushed my shirt up and I rose my arms so he could take it off. I was soon in just my underwear, sports bra and a pair of flower-printed cotton panties, and Harry sat back, letting me prop myself up so I could remove my top. He was devouring me with his eyes, looking attentively at every inch of my body, which made me feel shy. 

My first instinct was to cover myself when I dropped the top on the floor, but he was quicker, pulling my arms away to stop me from doing so. 

“S’just me, love.”

His kisses were sweet as we both fell back to bed, my legs on each side of his body as he slowly made his way down my chest. Each new kiss was soft and urgent at the same time and only added to the fire that was building in my tummy. 

I was getting wet and he hadn’t really touched me. 

“I like your knickers,” Harry smirked as he looked down my body, a glint of amusement shining in his eyes as I winced. 

“I didn’t think anyone would see them.”

“Let’s take’em off, then.”

I sucked in air as his fingers hooked around the waistband of my panties and he shimmied them off. The night was cold and I shivered, not really sure if it was because of it or the fact that he was looking at me with hunger in his eyes. 

“Look at me,” he commanded and I obeyed, watching as he hovered over me, to dip his head down to my chest and trap a nipple between his lips. The warmth of his tongue and the cold air made me hiss, but soon it didn’t matter, cause he was sucking on it and the feeling of it all was driving me crazy. He nibbled on my skin and soothed with kisses, and I arched my back to feel him closer, pushing my hips down so I could meet his. 

“Fuck, I love your tits,” he murmured, pulling away from me briefly, and only to play with the other. 

My eyes snapped wide open when his fingers blindly reached my center. He was still focused on my chest, licking wide stripes on the swell of it, and letting his lips close around the soft skin. I was sure I was gonna get bruises from it. 

But he seemed to know what he was doing. The tip of his fingers grazed down my slit, pushing lightly down my center only to move to meet my clit. He was soft with his touch, almost teasing. He drew slow circles on it, barely applying any pressure, and, as he felt the first clench of my walls, he let his finger slide down to play with my pulsing entrance.

I could take my eyes off of him, I wanted to drink everything, to remember it for the times when I was alone in my room. 

His smile grew wider as it became easier for him to rub my clit, cause I was wet, dripping actually, and he looked down to see. His fingers were glistening when he pulled them up and he took them to his mouth to lick them clean. I felt myself shiver. 

“Let me taste ya, yeah?”

It was more a warning than a question, cause he didn’t wait for my answer before moving down to slot himself between my legs. 

This was more than kissing just a little. 

I closed my eyes at the feeling of his kisses on the inner part of my thigh, his fingers pressing to the back of it so he could trail his lips up until he reached the top. He sucked on the skin and let his tongue soothe it as anticipation grew on me. I felt like I could burst out at any second, my whole body was pulsing in need.

I propped myself up on my elbows, parted lips and jaded breath, and looked at him as he finally buried his face between my legs and his tongue met my center. He was slow, tasting me as if he wanted to remember that moment forever. It felt like we had all the time in the world and the only thing we needed to do was to enjoy it. 

“Fuck.” 

My fingers knotted in his hair as he licked a stripe down my slit. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing, other than looking at him. His hot breath fanned over my wet center and I shivered, letting my mouth hang open as he wrapped his mouth around my throbbing clit. 

I closed my eyes, letting the overwhelming feeling win. It was a pressure, a delightful one, that had built in the lower part of my tummy, pulsing and waiting for its moment of glory. I let myself fall down the bed, shivering as Harry pressed his large hands on my hips, keeping me still as he let his tongue curl around my clit one more time. 

“Look at me, baby,” Harry murmured one more time and I lazily fluttered my eyes open, looking at his dark green eyes as he continued to savor me, lick by lick. 

“Fuck, Harry!”

It was a lot more intense than I remembered it, maybe because he had something to prove and something to make me forget about. When my legs trembled on each side of his face, he slowed down, letting the tip of his tongue circle around my entrance to give me some time to rest. 

He looked at me again, his nose pressing down on my pubic bone as he went to play with my clit again. I was losing my mind. 

Harry released his grip on my hips, which I took as my opportunity to rock them on his face, so his nose would bump against my clit, and his tongue felt thick sliding down my slit. I made circles with my hips until my walls were clenching and a firey bliss was consuming me. My legs tensed as I pushed my hips up, and Harry held me there, with his hands on my ass, and his skilled tongue working fast and deep in my center. 

“Fuck, you taste good,” was all he managed to say, all I could hear at least, cause I was slowly slipping away, allowing my body to be overtaken by something new, some kind of bliss and euphoria I had never felt before, not even with him. 

I came down to the bed and pinched my eyes shut as Harry continued to work on me, softly and slowly, as if he were cleaning the last remains of my high. I trembled with every new lick, my legs shaking as I felt the ghost of the pleasure I just felt still pulsing between my walls. 

“Let me kiss you,” I begged when he hovered over me again, and he smiled for a second before pressing his lips to mine. As he laid down on top of me, I could feel his clammy skin feeling feverish under the tips of my fingers. He was hard, I felt him pressing down my slit, and he hissed when I moved to feel him better, completely naked and wet for him as I was. 

The kiss was lazy and deep, and I could taste myself on the tip of his tongue, a weird feeling that I somehow enjoyed. His tongue played with mine, and we moved in a rhythmic dance, that made him moan and writhe his hips against mine. 

I felt empty when he rolled himself onto the bed, and I pulled the covers up to hide in them. He smiled when he turned to the side and saw me completely covered in sheets. Not a part of me was to be seen. 

“C’mere, baby, I still have a few hours before noon.”