#stopped listening to his heart and then had a hard time listening to Emma? HMMM.

[emmaspolaroid]

so Norman definitely thought Emma and Ray weren’t coming back from the Seven Walls right he thought they were all walking right to their deaths and he had forgotten that hope isn’t supposed to be a lie you tell others and stopped listening to his heart so long ago that he forgot that he wants to live……….

[fueledbyapplepi]

Hii I was wondering if I could rq Mikey, Baji and Mitsuya with a gn! s/o who is the sole provider in their household? and the guys only find out because they saw their s/o while they were at work? but they didn't know they even had a job bc they kept it a secret? it's perfectly okay if you aren't up for this rq! I hope you have a good day/night!!

Given it All | Mikey, Baji, and Mitsuya

- The boys with an s/o who's a breadwinner of the family.

warnings: mentions of family problems

genre: fluff, angst

A/N: Writing this made me kind of emotional because I have friends who are the main providers for their family and I see them work very hard. This one's for all the independent and hardworking people out there <3

Mikey (Sano Manjiro)

Another day. Another one.

Mikey loves feeling your hands. They're soft and smooth against his calloused fingers. He'll feel the palms in your hands every moment he gets. He always felt like a baby being caressed by your soft hands.

But there seems to be a detail in your hands that he can't miss. Every time you two see each other, Mikey would notice the burns and red marks on your hands.

"Y/N, what happened to this?" he asked.

"Oh, it just got itchy again. You know, the usual," you replied, trying to brush off the topic.

It has always been like that. Each time that Mikey points it out, you always try to avoid the topic or reason out that it's just a scratch. And it's not like he's saying that you're a liar, he just knows that there's more to that than just a mere scratch.

Which is true.

You didn't really want to lie to your boyfriend. It's just that, it's something that it's hard for you to open up and talk about.

At a young age, you were forced to live by yourself. Your mother died at a young age, while your father was a drunkard - eventually getting out of the picture.

In order to provide for yourself, pay for rent and other fees necessary to make a living, you worked hard. Currently, you're working full-time at a family restaurant where you're assigned at cooking. Although this was a daily task for you, you never fail to get yourself burned from the boiling oil.

It wasn't an easy life especially living alone. But at least, you have your boyfriend by your side to get by.

Now that you're shift has finished, you were tasked to throw out the trash at the back before you leave.

As you were about to walk away from that alleyway, you heard a familiar voice.

"Y/N?"

Looking at the source, it was your beloved boyfriend with a questioning look on his face.

"Mikey? What are you doing here?" you asked, anxious about how you'll explain this to your boyfriend.

"I just finished beating up some guy," Mikey said as he pointed out to a dude who passed out on the further part of the alley. "How about you?", he continued as he looked at your uniform and an obvious face that's waiting for an answer.

You knew this day would come. You just didn't expect that it would be today.

Sighing, and taking deep breaths, you explained to Mikey your story and why you work here.

"Y/N, why didn't you tell me?" Mikey asked as he caressed your cheek.

"It's hard for me to talk about it. I'm sorry for not telling you," you said as you looked down.

"Hey, it's okay," Mikey said. "I have a better idea,"

"What?" you asked

"Why don't you just sell Dorayaki and I'll buy all of them every day. Then you'll be rich," Mikey said jokingly.

You looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"But seriously, live with us!" Mikey said with such a happy look on his face.

"Eh?" you asked confused.

"Live with me, Emma, and gramps! I'm sure they'll be happy to take you in, you're my s/o after all," Mikey said, "Plus, you wouldn't have to work this hard if you don't have to pay for rent," he continued.

Your heart felt like it's floating in the air. How can you have such an adorable and loving boyfriend?

"I love you, you know that?" you said.

"Thank you so much, Mikey,"

"It's nothing," your boyfriend said as he kissed your hands. "You're like family to them after all,"

Maybe, the true family you've been looking for was always been by your side.

Keisuke Baji

You sleep early but the bags under your eyes were noticeable for your boyfriend.

Baji always thought that it was weird that the eyebags under your eyes were evident. Not like it's a bad thing though. You're still beautiful as ever in his eyes.

It's just that you always tell him that you sleep at 8 in the evening. Yet here you are, looking like you pull an all-nighter every day.

Maybe it takes you hours before you actually go to sleep? That's possible. But what if you just don't want to spend the rest of the night with him? Is it possible that you're getting tired of him?

It's only been months since you've started dating, but Baji couldn't blame you if you get tired of him.

But it's not like you don't want to hang out with your boyfriend. Hell, who doesn't want to hang out with theirs and experience late-night dates and night rides right? Especially if it's with Baji.

It's just that, you don't have the luxury of spending the night with your boyfriend. Being the eldest of a family of four, you have to work and provide for the needs of your mother and your two younger siblings.

To help your family, you work two part-time jobs every night. One is being an employee at your local convenience store and the other is being a kitchen staff at a local pub. Two jobs might be heavy, and tiring for you, but it's what helps you and your family to get by.

Your boyfriend knew nothing of this. You know that Baji's a great guy, but you're afraid of embarrassing the 1st Division Captain of Toman, so you just try to hide it and make lame excuses.

Tonight's the usual night. Same excuse. Same job.

Currently, you're responsible for the counter at the store. It's past midnight, and you wish you can catch up to some sleep. But you know you can't since you'll be unable to get your minimum wage.

As you're looking at the countertop, someone suddenly handed Peyoung yakisoba.

"Baji's favorite" you smiled as you thought to yourself. Oh, how you miss your boyfriend.

"And that'll be 145 yen," you said as you look up at the customer.

Well, that was unexpected.

"Baji?" you said, seeing your boyfriend's face.

"Y/N? You work here," Baji said, with a confused look on his face.

"Sadly, yes," you said.

"Well, care to share this with me?" Baji said as he pointed out the Yakisoba.

"I have a 15-minute break. Sure," you agreed. Thinking now's the time to explain.

As you and Baji met at the small parking lot, you immediately explained.

"Look, Baji. I'm sorry for hiding this. I want you to know that I'm the breadwinner of the family that's why I can't hang out at night with you. I didn't tell you because I don't want to embarrass you," you rambled as you look anywhere but Baji.

"Embarrass me?" Baji said, walking closer to you.

"Y/N, I'll never be embarrassed at you. I'm proud of you, okay?" your boyfriend said, reassuring you. "I just wished you trusted me more,"

"I'm sorry, Baji," you whispered as you hug him. "I love you."

"Text me okay? I'll pick you up so that you won't have to walk," Baji said as he smiled at you.

"Thank you," you said, with tears threatening to fall.

"You're welcome," Baji said as he kissed your forehead, "Now, let's eat okay?" your boyfriend said, excitement laced in his voice as he opened the Peyoung yakisoba.

Mitsuya Takashi

You're a busy bee. That's for sure.

Whenever Mitsuya invites you on dates on the weekends, you weren't available because you're busy.

When he invites you to have dates after school, you always have to decline because again, you're busy.

He understands it though. Mitsuya knows that you have to study hard for your siblings and that you have to take care of them as well. As someone who always looks out for his younger sisters, Mitsuya knew that it can be hectic sometimes.

What he doesn't understand though is the fact that it's evident that you're trying to hide something from him. He's not that oblivious when it comes to you. Especially after dating you for months.

You're bothered with it too. As much as you love your boyfriend, you're embarrassed about the job you have. But it's not like you have any choice. The job pays well and is enough to make a living for you and your two younger brothers.

After school and on the weekends, it is true that you're busy. Busy with the maid and butler café that you work on.

It's embarrassing enough to be dressed like this. But being seen by the love of your life? That's a different level of shame.

Now that you finished with your shift, you felt the exhaustion on your body. Standing and serving customers isn't a joke anyway. You didn't even bother to change out of your uniform. You just wore a hoodie over it, not caring about the frills of the clothes peaking underneath.

As you were walking home, you heard the familiar sound of an engine. Turning around, you saw a familiar face.

"Ehhh? Y/N?" Mitsuya said, stopping his motor beside you.

"What are you doing?" he continued, eyeing your clothes and looking at you as if he's waiting for an explanation.

"Mitsuya, I can explain," you said as your face reddened from embarrassment.

"Hmmm, I'm listening," your boyfriend said with an unreadable expression.

"Well, uhm, you see, I work at this café that requires us to dress like this," you said as you pointed out to your clothes, "But I don't do anything bad though! It's just we dress like this," you further explained, waving your hands.

"You look cute," Mitsuya smiled "I kind of hoped you just told me sooner. I would've made you some clothes,"

"Huh? You're not mad?" you said, surprised.

"How could I be? My s/o's working hard. Plus, I get to see you in cute clothes. What's there to be mad of?" Mitsuya said as he smiled at you.

"Baby, I love you," you said as you looked at your boyfriend with adoration.

"I love you too. But take me there someday okay?" Mitsuya replied grinning.

You just nodded and blushed at the idea.

[wistfulcynic]

The Meet-Cute, Part One

In which Ruby decides that what Emma’s love life needs is a good old-fashioned meet-cute, and sets about arranging one for her. Or two, or three, or six...whatever, she’ll set up however many it takes for her friend to meet The One. But it may turn out that Emma doesn’t need any help finding The One after all...

Rating: T Words: 5.2k (first chapter)

On AO3

-

LOOK @optomisticgirl I WROTE THE THING.

Also, @ohmightydevviepuu, @shireness-says, and @distant-rose you are complicit in the writing of the thing.

-

PART ONE:

“What you need, Emma Swan, is a meet-cute.”

Emma swallowed a sigh but couldn’t hold back the accompanying eye-roll. “I’m pretty sure that’s the last thing I need.”

“No, hear me out,” Ruby insisted, her eyes alight with excitement. “This is actually perfect for you.”

Emma let the sigh go this time, reminding herself firmly that Ruby was her best friend and had been for years.

“All right,” she said. “Tell me why I need a meet-cute.”

“Yesssss,” said Ruby. “Okay, listen. There’s nobody at work you’re interested in dating, right?”

“My co-worker is literally my brother.”

“Yeah that’s kind of what I meant. Most people meet their future spouses at work—”

“That’s not a real statistic.”

“—but—yes, it is real—but there’s no one at work for you and that’s not likely to change, so you have to look elsewhere. Now, the next most common place to meet someone is where you live—

“Seriously, you’re just making this stuff up.”

“—but there’s no one for you there, either,” Ruby pressed on, ignoring her. “No cute guys across the hall—“

“No straight ones anyway.”

“—and seeing as you are for some strange reason dead-set against online dating—”

“I absolutely am.” Emma shuddered at the hideous thought.

“—which actually does work, by the way.”

“It doesn’t. You and Mulan are just outliers.”

“Look, Emma, don’t knock the matchmaking power of Good Omens Discord chats until you try them.”

“Yeah, no thanks.”

“Well then,” Ruby declared, in a voice that suggested she thought she’d won the argument. “That leaves you with no option but the meet-cute.”

“Really, that’s my only option?”

“Just think about it, Emma.” Ruby’s eyes grew dreamy. “Adorable mix-ups in coffee shops… picking up the wrong leash at the dog park…”

“I don’t have a dog.”

“…you both reach for the last croissant…”

“Where am I going to find a croissant in Storybrooke?”

“The last bear claw then, the pastry is really beside the point.”

“And what is the point?”

“The point is that you meet someone and it’s fucking cute, okay? And then you fall in love and live happily ever after.”

“Or I could just, you know, go on as I am, not meeting anyone.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, woman,” said Ruby sternly. “Do you want to live the rest of your life alone?”

Emma shrugged. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing.” Better than being stuck with someone she didn’t love, just for some dumb reason like—

“Do you want Henry to grow up without a father?”  

—like giving her son a decent man in his life.

“Henry has a father,” she reminded Ruby. One he hadn’t seen for the best part of a year, but still.  

“Do you want Henry to grow up without a father figure who isn’t a massive douche?” amended Ruby. Emma sighed again.

“Neal does the best he can,” she insisted.

Ruby snorted. “Sure he does.”

“He does, really. He’s just… not cut out to be a parent.”

“Well, that’s for sure.”

But Emma didn’t blame Neal for being a shit dad, though she knew her friends and family did. It wasn’t his fault it was hers, for stupidly falling for and getting knocked up by a guy whose ‘best’ was showing up once or twice a year to shower Henry with presents and promises before disappearing again without a word a few weeks later. At first it had broken both their hearts—Henry’s from disappointment and Emma’s from anger and guilt over his disappointment—but Henry was twelve now and starting to learn that the parents he adored were human and flawed, and to adjust his expectations accordingly. Emma had to admit that it was a relief not to have to cover Neal’s ass anymore by trying to make excuses for him, however deeply she regretted Henry’s loss of innocence.

And yeah, it would be nice not to have to raise her kid alone. Neal got to be the fun parent, buying Henry all the stuff she couldn’t afford and taking him on trips to exciting places, leaving Emma to enforce bedtimes and check homework and try to make Henry eat the vegetables she herself hated. Having someone else around, a real adult she could rely on to share those responsibilities with her, that would be good. Great, really. Wonderful, in fact. But dating was hard enough without having to start it off by explaining that even though you yourself weren’t yet thirty you came in a two-for-one deal with a near-teenager, and Emma had had far too many first dates end early and awkwardly to hold out much hope that she would ever meet the man of her dreams, be it cute or any other way.

“I appreciate the thought, Rubes, I really do,” she said. “But I’m just not looking for anyone right now.”

“But don’t you see?” Ruby cried. “That’s the best time to meet someone—when you’re not looking.”

Emma threw up her hands. “You are impossible and I’m not talking about this with you anymore. I’ve got to get back to work anyway.”

“All right.” Ruby shrugged and let the subject drop, but the glint that still remained in her eye warned Emma that this wasn’t over—not by a long shot.

—

Before she returned to work after her lunch with Ruby, Emma stopped by the library. Belle wasn’t at her usual spot behind the desk so Emma ventured into the stacks on her own, in search of some books that would help Henry with his school project on the solar system. She was standing in the astronomy section with her hands shoved into the back pockets of her jeans, frowning at the frankly baffling array of options when a voice spoke just to her left.

“Can I help you find something?” it said.

Emma turned with a smile that stalled abruptly as her mouth dropped open. “Um,” she said, blinking in confusion at the blue eyes and dark hair that very definitely did not belong to Belle, and the bright smile that took her breath away. “I actually could use some help, but—sorry, but do you work here?”

The owner of the voice—and the hair and the eyes—laughed. “I do, for the moment at least.”

“Did something happen to Belle?”

“To her grandfather, apparently,” he replied. “I’m not sure of the details but Belle told me she had to go back to Australia for family reasons.”

“Oh. I didn’t hear anything about that.”

The man’s eyebrow twitched in a small frown. “Well, it was quite at the last minute, so she probably didn’t have time to tell everyone. But I’d spoken to her recently and mentioned I was looking for a quiet place to spend a few weeks’ holiday and so when she asked if I could come here and cover for her for a while, I gladly agreed.”

“And why would she call you?” Emma nearly flinched at the harshness in her tone but the man’s smile widened and his eyes twinkled, sucking even more air from her lungs.

“We’re old friends from library school,” he explained, as Emma struggled for breath. “My name’s Killian Jones.”

His smile began to crumble as Emma just stood and stared at him, until she managed to shake herself out of her breathless haze and smile back. “Emma  Swan,” she said. “I’m the town sheriff.”

“Ah.” Killian’s grin brightened again, and Emma thought vaguely that he should really have a licence for that thing. “That explains all the questions.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. We don’t get many new faces in Storybrooke and, well—”

“Aye, of course, you can’t be too careful.”

“Um, right. Exactly.”

“Well, Sheriff Swan,” said Killian, with an absurd little waggle of his eyebrows, “I can assure you that haven’t broken any laws, but then I did only arrive in town last night so there’s still plenty of time.”

Emma laughed. She couldn’t help it, his goofy humour and ridiculous eyebrows were too charming. “But if you broke the law I’d have to lock you up,” she replied, and fucking hell was she flirting with him?

He seemed to think so, if the way his eyes glinted as he leaned in closer was any indication. “I might not mind being locked up, if you promised to stay and guard me,” he murmured.

Emma’s breath caught again at the look in his eyes, the edge of danger behind the flirty charm. “Do you talk like this to all library patrons?” she asked, cursing the raspiness in her voice.

“Definitely not. It’s highly unprofessional, but then there’s not much else I can say when you still haven’t answered my question.”

She swallowed hard. “Wh—what question?”

“Can I help you find anything?”

“Oh.” Duh, Emma. “Um, yeah, actually. My son has to do a project on the solar system, so I’m looking for some books he could use.”

She waited for Killian to freeze up, to awkwardly withdraw from her now that he knew she had a kid. But he simply nodded and asked “How old is your lad?”

“Ah, he’s twelve. Sixth grade.”

“Hmmm, in that case I’d recommend this one.” He reached over her shoulder to take a book from the shelf, giving Emma a whiff of some spicy cologne and a briny scent like he’d been out on the sea. Her knees went weak, and when he held out the book she stared blankly at it, trying to marshal her scrambled thoughts back into some kind of order. “It’s an excellent overview of the solar system with plenty of details on all the planets,” Killian explained, “but the language is accessible for someone your boy’s age.” His eyebrows rose again in an expectant look.

“Um. That looks great, thanks.”

“See how he gets on with it, and if he needs more information I’d be happy to make another recommendation.”  

Emma nodded and followed him to the check-out desk, wordlessly handing him her card and watching as he completed the process of checking out the book. When he finished he tucked a bookmark between the pages and handed it to her with another warm smile.

“Well, Emma Swan, it’s been lovely talking to you,” he said. “I hope it won’t be a one-time thing.”

“I—I’m in here a lot,” she replied. It was only a slight exaggeration. Henry was in the library a lot and she often came to pick him up. “So I’m sure I’ll see you again.”

For the third time in fifteen minutes Killian Jones stole her breath with his smile. “I’m looking forward to it already,” he said.

—

The next morning Emma was at Granny’s waiting in line for coffee when out of nowhere someone gave her a hard shove, knocking her into the man in front of her, who had just accepted his cup from Ruby.

“Oh my God!” she cried. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened!”

“It’s okay,” said the man with a tight smile, shaking droplets of coffee off his hand as Ruby’s eyes grew comically wide.

“Oh, no,” she said. “What a terrible accident. Let me get you another cup, sir.”

“Thanks,” said the man, and Emma’s own eyes nearly rolled clean from her head. Ruby was known for her lack of subtlety but this was ridiculous, even for her. Emma glanced over her shoulder just in time to spot the tip of Mulan’s braid just disappearing through the door.

“So,” the man was saying to Ruby when Emma returned her attention to him, leaning on the counter and giving her a crooked grin. “You come here often?”

“Every day,” said Ruby dryly. “I work here. But maybe you’d like to ask Emma that question.”

The man’s pale blue eyes flitted to Emma, then rapidly away. “I’d rather ask you.”

Ruby gave a frustrated huff. “Here’s your coffee.” She thrust the new cup at the man and turned her back.

“What’s her problem?” the man muttered.

“I don’t know,” snapped Emma, “maybe you should ask her wife.” The man’s eyes widened in alarm at the look on her face and he backed away, slowly edging towards the door.

“Have a great day,” she called after him, then turned to her best friend as the man fled the diner.

“I hope you’re happy,” she hissed.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Ruby asked, the picture of innocence. Emma rolled her eyes.

“I’m guessing this was your attempt at a coffee shop meet-cute? I spill the man’s coffee, apologise profusely, he laughs it off. I offer to buy him another cup, he refuses but asks me to dinner instead? Was that the idea?”

“...maybe.”

“And you see how well it turned out?”

“He was clearly just not The One,” said Ruby stubbornly.

“There is no ‘The One’ Rubes, that is a myth, and I cannot believe you roped Mulan into this nonsense too.”

“I didn’t rope her in, she volunteered! We both want you to be happy, Emma.”

“And you think dumping coffee on the world’s creepiest doctor will make me happy?”

“What? Have you met him before?”

“Yeah. Last year when Henry broke his arm. You’ll be pleased to hear that he tried to hit on me then. Right in front of my kid.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. Meet-cutes only work in romcoms and fanfics, Ruby. Here in reality they just piss people off.”

“Well,” said Ruby, handing Emma her coffee, determination clear in the set of her jaw. “We’ll see about that.”

—

Emma: What do you want for dinner?

Henry: What have we got?

Emma: Nothing, that’s why I’m asking. I can stop at the store on the way home.

Henry: I suppose pizza isn’t an option?

Emma: We had that yesterday.

Henry: Not a problem for me. But chicken or something would be okay too.

Emma: One of those rotisserie chickens?

Henry: Yeah, sounds good.

Emma: Okay, kid. See you at home.

Emma was standing in the grocery store, frowning as she compared the rotisserie chickens when a voice spoke just to her left.

“I don’t think there’s much of a difference between them, love.”

Her heart leapt and her skin tingled, and yet when she turned to face Killian Jones—and his damned smile—she was still not prepared.

“Hi,” she said breathlessly. “I, um, didn’t expect to see you here.”

“No reason why you should, I guess, except that I like all people do need to eat from time to time.”

“Of course.” She felt foolish, but his expression was warm and only slightly teasing.

“How did your son get on with the book?” he asked.

“Really well! He read for like two hours last night. Thanks for the recommendation.”

“Any time.”

They stood grinning at each other until someone behind them cleared his throat and they both gave a little start. Killian rubbed the back of his neck as he moved aside to allow Mr Clark to select a chicken.

“So, um,” said Emma after he’d left. “Are you getting stuff for dinner?”

“Aye. I’m staying in the apartment above the library and this morning I discovered that the oven doesn’t work, and the repairman can't come until tomorrow. So I need something that comes pre-cooked. Hence rotisserie chicken.”

“Solid plan,” said Emma, though she felt sad thinking of this lovely man eating dinner alone in that tiny apartment, and that was the only reason that she blurted out “But, ah, why don’t you come over and eat with Henry and me?”

“Oh.” Killian blinked in surprise.

“Since we’re both having the same thing it makes sense not to waste a chicken,” Emma barrelled on. “When Henry and I get one we’ve always got leftovers, so… I mean, you don’t have to if you’d rather not—”

“No, no. I mean, yes! Yes, I’d like that.”

“Oh. Um, good.”

He smiled again, bright as always but with a hint of shyness that caught her off guard. “Is it, ah, just the two of you?” he asked. “Presuming Henry is your son, that is?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “His dad’s, um... not in the picture.”

“I see. Well then I would love to share a meal with you, Emma Swan. And your son. And perhaps you would allow me to bring dessert?”

Emma’s heart was pounding so loudly now she was sure he must be able to hear it. “That’d be great. Um, here’s my cell number, just at the bottom of this.” She took a business card from her pocket and handed it to him. “Text me and I’ll send you directions to our place. Can you come over about six?”

“Six it is.” Killian slipped the card into his own pocket carefully, as though he didn’t wish to harm it. “I’ll see you then.”

—

Emma finished the rest of her shopping in a daze, wandering haphazardly through the aisles and putting random things in her cart without thinking before giving herself a mental slap and a stern admonition to get a fucking grip. She removed the strawberry syrup from her cart (she and Henry both hated fake strawberry flavour) and the tuna (what the hell had she been thinking?) and then remembered that Henry was nearly out of peanut butter. His favourite kind was the most popular one and the store could hardly keep it stocked, so she was pleased to see that there was one jar left as she approached the shelf. Just as she was reaching for it, though, another hand appeared and snatched it from her grip.

“Hey!” she cried indignantly. “That was mine!”

“Sorry,” said the man who’d taken it. He didn’t look sorry in the slightest. “Maybe they’ve got more in the back?”

“Are you kidding me?” Emma huffed.

“Nope,” the man replied. “Look, I really am sorry but someone needs this peanut butter. She sent me in here to get it specifically.”

Emma hissed her breath out through her teeth. “She did, did she? And did she say why she couldn’t get the damn peanut butter herself?”

“Ah, no,” said the man, frowning warily at her. “She didn’t. But listen, lady it’s just a jar of peanut butter.”

Emma’s lip curled into a snarl and the man’s eyes widened in alarm. He backed away from her, nearly stumbling in his haste. “So, um, I’m going to, ah, go now,” he stuttered. “Bye.”

He turned and fled towards the checkouts with Emma close on his heels. She followed him to the self-checkout line where he kept shooting nervous looks over his shoulder at her and she amused herself by giving him darker and darker glares each time and keeping her eyes fixed on him when he took the jar of peanut butter and ran out the door.

When she arrived at where she’d left her car Emma was entirely unsurprised to find Ruby there, leaning against the hood and looking slightly sheepish.

“So what was the plan this time?” asked Emma. “That we would both reach for the last jar of peanut butter, our fingers would touch, sparks would fly, and we would exchange cute banter with sexually charged undertones ending in a date?”

Ruby nodded. “Something like that.”

“Ruby, I keep telling you, that is not how real life works!”

“Oh yeah?” Ruby challenged. “Well, what about David and Mary Margaret! They had a meet-cute.”

“He mistook her for a burglar and she hit him in the face!”

“Exactly!”

“How is that a meet-cute?”

“How is it not? They met, it was cute, and now they’ve got an amazing story to tell their kids.”

“I met Neal when I tried to steal the car he’d already stolen,” Emma pointed out. “That’s an amazing story and yet our relationship was a fucking dumpster fire that I’d be happy to forget all about if it weren’t for Henry. Not all cute meetings end in happily ever after, and frankly I don’t think a squabble over peanut butter in a small town grocery store is the best way to jump-start true love.”

“And what would you know about true love?” Ruby snapped, then gasped in horror as her eyes went wide and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God, Emma, I’m so sorry,” she whispered through her fingers. “I didn’t mean it.”

Emma’s chest felt tight. “It’s okay,” she muttered.  

“No, it really isn’t.” Ruby gripped Emma’s hands in hers. “I love you, Ems, and you’re one of the most loving people I know. That’s why I want so badly to see you happy.”

“I know.” Emma nodded and gave Ruby’s hands a squeeze. “I know you didn’t mean to say it.” However true it might be, she thought bitterly.

“Let me make it up to you—”

“Oh my God, please don’t—”

“—with this free jar of peanut butter!” finished Ruby triumphantly. She reached into her bag and removed the jar, offering it up with a flourish.

Emma smiled as she took it. “Thanks. I wasn’t looking forward to telling Henry how someone stole the last jar right out from under me.”

Ruby flashed a grin, then turned solemn. “Are we okay, Emma?” she asked hesitantly. “Truly?”

“Of course we are,” Emma reassured her. “Truly. I do have to get going though I have—uh, Henry will be getting hungry.”

“Of course.” Ruby stepped back to let Emma unlock her car door. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see you.”

As Emma drove home she tried not to think about why she hadn’t told Ruby that Killian was coming for dinner. It might stop her friend’s meet-cute-ing attempts if she knew Emma had a—well, not a date exactly but a man coming over to... well, just to eat really, but still. She could have spun it so it seemed like a date and got Ruby off her back, at least for a while. Yet for some reason Emma wanted to keep Killian just for herself. At least for a while.

—

Killian Jones was punctual and he could follow directions, Emma thought when her doorbell rang that evening at six o’clock precisely. That alone put him head and shoulders above Neal... and what the hell was she doing comparing a man she’d literally met yesterday with her son’s useless father, even just in the privacy of her own head?

She smoothed her hair and the front of her blouse and took a deep breath to calm herself before opening the door, and still she was not prepared for that stupid, gorgeous smile.

“Good evening, Swan,” Killian greeted her. “I come bearing brownies.”

And wine, she couldn’t help noticing as she stepped back to let him in. “Great, uh, brownies are my favourite,” she lied. “Um, Killian, I’d like you to meet my son, Henry.”

Henry came forward with smile on his lips and mild confusion in his eyes. “Hi Killian, nice to meet you.”

“And you, lad. I hope you like brownies as well.”

“I love them,” Henry replied. “Though my mom usually prefers—” he broke off when Emma gave him a Look. “Ah, she prefers hers without nuts.”

“Well, she’s in luck because these are nut-free.”

“Sounds perfect!” said Henry brightly, and Emma didn’t think she’d ever loved him more.

“Let me just take those from you,” she said, relieving Killian of the box of brownies and bottle of wine. “Henry, can you show him into the living room? Oh, and Killian what would you like to drink?”

“Whatever’s easiest, love.”

“Water, soda, beer?”

“Beer would be great.”

“Coming right up.”

Emma fled to the kitchen, doing her best not to look like she was fleeing. Once safety through the door she set the brownies and wine on the counter and desperately drew air into her lungs. She wasn’t going to survive spending much more time with Killian if she didn’t learn to breathe around him, she thought wryly, and also why was she even thinking about spending more time with him—this was nothing but a casual, friendly meal and they had only just met.

“Get a fucking grip, Emma,” she reminded herself firmly, and went to pour some beer.

When she entered the living room a few minutes later Killian and Henry were sitting next to each other on the sofa, deep in discussion about the solar system. Henry had his project notes spread out on the coffee table and Killian was rubbing his chin, listening intently as her son spoke, and Emma’s heart absolutely did not melt at the sight of them. It didn’t.

She set a glass of soda in front of Henry and a beer in front of Killian, who looked up at her with a smile.

“Thanks, love.”

Aaaand there went her breath again, thought Emma. Damn it.

“Ah, I’m just going to go finish up dinner, um, if everything’s okay in here?” she said.

“Aye, I think we’ll be all right.”

“Mom, guess what? Killian knows all about astronomy and he’s going to help me make sure my project’s good!” Henry exclaimed.

“All about astronomy, eh?” teased Emma.

To her astonishment Killian’s cheeks and the tips of his ears turned pink. “A slight exaggeration on the lad’s part,” he said, scratching at a spot just below his ear. “But it is an interest of mine and I’ll do my best to be of some use to him.”

“He’s already helped me with Saturn’s moons, and now we’re gonna talk about the rings on Uranus,” said Henry excitedly. “Did you know Uranus has rings, Mom?”

“I did not,” said Emma, biting her lip as amusement glinted in Killian’s eyes.

“Yep,” Henry continued, oblivious to their mirth. “Just skinny ones, though.”

“I suppose bigger ones wouldn’t fit,” said Emma. A muscle danced in Killian’s jaw as he clenched it tight. Henry frowned.

“Uranus is still pretty big,” he said. “Not as big as Jupiter or Saturn but—hey! Are you guys laughing at Uranus?”

“Of course not, lad,” said Killian. “Uranus isn’t funny at all.”

“It’s very serious actually,” said Emma.

“I certainly take it seriously,” Killian agreed.

Henry glared at them. “You guys realise I’m the twelve-year-old boy, right? If anyone should be making Uranus jokes it’s me.”

“Well you have been letting some excellent joke opportunities slip by you, my boy.”

“Yeah, Henry, we’re just picking up your slack.”

“Much like rings on Uranus might.”

“Oh my God,” Henry groaned, as Emma lost control of her laughter and collapsed onto the sofa. Killian was grinning like a maniac, ridiculously pleased with himself, which only made her laugh harder. Henry held out for nearly a full minute before he started giggling too, then all three of them held their stomachs and roared.

—

Their fit of shared hilarity helped Emma relax, and the dinner ended up being one of the best evenings she’d had in a long time. Killian, as it turned out, had spent several years in the navy before he became a librarian. He had hundreds of stories about his adventures in far-off lands and seemingly endless patience for inquisitive twelve-year-olds who wanted to hear every single one.

Emma sat and ate and listened as Killian regaled her son with his tales, and tried not to think too hard about how simply nice this was. Like the sort of pleasant family meal she’d always dreamed of as a child and regretted that she couldn’t give Henry, and she really needed to stop thinking about Killian like he was an actual part of her life when she’d barely known him for a day. She knew better than that. From bitter experience.

And yet. Killian’s kindness to and interest in Henry was genuine, she was sure of it. There was no hint in his words or actions to suggest that he was trying to use her kid to get to her, or that he was only pretending to care about Henry’s project. Her superpower didn’t even twitch. Every instinct Emma had was screaming that the most sinister thing about Killian Jones was how dangerously attractive she found him. He was just a nice man who knew how to talk to children. A nice, insanely hot man with the prettiest eyes she’d ever seen and a smile that stole all the air from her lungs, who not only didn’t run when he found out about her kid but actually liked him.

Fuck, she thought, as Killian caught her eye and gave her a little half-smile that had her gasping for air. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

—

“Well, thank you for a lovely evening, Swan.” Killian’s hand was on the doorknob but he seemed in no great hurry to leave, and she was equally not eager to see him go. “I had a wonderful time.”

“Me too. And thanks for being so nice to Henry.”

“Your boy is a delight, it was no hardship.”

“Still. It meant a lot to him.” She didn’t mention Neal and Killian didn’t ask, but she had the strangest feeling that they both wished they could.

You only just met him, damn it!

“It was my pleasure,” said Killian, and the way his voice went gruff on the word pleasure set her heart racing and heat blooming across her skin, and when his breath caught and his gaze dropped to her lips she had to force herself to remember that this wasn’t a date and she didn’t actually know this man. But she could tell from the rasp in his throat and the flush on his cheeks that he was feeling the same things she was, that he wanted the same things just as badly, and it would be easy, so easy just to lean in and press her lips to his—

Too easy, and far too risky. Emma gulped and stepped back as Killian gave a shaky exhale, closing his eyes as his Adam’s apple bobbed and Emma shoved her hands hard into her jeans pockets. He opened his eyes and then the door and gave her a brief smile before stepping into the hallway. Emma dug her fingers into her legs and firmly squashed the tiny part of her that wanted to beg him to stay.

“Well, ah, thanks for coming,” she said. “I guess I’ll see you around.”

“Aye.” He took two steps then stopped and turned back. “Er, perhaps next time you might allow me to provide the meal?” he said hesitantly. “Just for you?”

“Um. What?” said Emma, then immediately wanted to kick herself.

Killian’s nervous expression softened. “Well you see, as much as I enjoyed Henry’s company this evening, I’d very much like to take you out, Emma,” he said. “Just the two of us. On a date.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Aye, really. On Friday, perhaps, if you’re free?”

“Ah, yeah, I can be,” she replied, trying not to sound too eager. “I’ll have to see if I can get someone to watch Henry, but… yeah. I’d like that.”

That breath-stealing smile broke across his face as she knew it would, and yet she still wasn’t ready for it. “It’s a date, then,” he said. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear something warm.”

“Uh.. okay.”

“And love, if you can’t find someone to look after Henry at such short notice I’d still like to spend the evening with you.” Killian’s face was earnest now. “With both of you, I mean. We’ll just postpone our date until a more convenient time.”

A lump rose in Emma’s throat and for a moment she thought she might cry. “I—that’d be good too. I’ll let you know.”

He nodded. “Good night, then, Swan.”

“Good night.”

—

@katie-dub @thisonesatellite @spartanguard @kmomof4 @stahlop @mariakov81 @teamhook in case you’re interested :)

[spaceorphan18]

Glee - The Exit Quiz

Okay, I’m gonna rapid fire answer these, cause why not.  I really recommend you guys do the same! (also - thanks @honeysucklepink - for sending in an ask <3) 

1. favorite character?

Kurt Hummel - love him so hard (but obviously, y’all know I love Blaine and many others, too) 

2. favorite teacher?

Probably Beiste or Emma

3. favorite couple?         

Klaine - be shocked.        

4. least favorite character?

Believe it or not, Ken Tanaka - I just cannot so hard

5. least favorite teacher?

Oh Will - he’s a disgrace to the profession. 

6. least favorite couple?    

I don’t know? Long term - Probably anything related to the Jarley/Ryder triangle - because it bored me to tears.   Short term - Puck/Shelby - don’t get me started. 

7. favorite duet?        

Off the top of my head - Happy Days/Get Happy, it hits the warm place of my heart        

 8. favorite bromance?

Sam and Blaine, kinda by default.  I wasn’t huge about the male friendships on the show. 

 9. favorite episode?

Oh c’mon, y’all know it’s New New York

10. favorite season?           

This is actually hard - I think season 2 has my favorite bits, but season 5 is my favorite overall?      

11. least favorite season?              

Season 3 - continued to be shocked  

12. favorite favorite episode?               

Um, did we not just go over this? 

13. favorite cast member?                

Oh Chris, you know it’s Chris

14. funniest character?                

Jane Lynch *lol

15. which character's clothes would you like? 

EEsh, hard pass on most of them. 

16. favorite competition episode?      

Original Song - almost by default, I really can’t stand most of the competition episodes.           

17. what episode can you watch over and over again?                

Most of them, and I have ;)  I like Love, Love, Love might be the most rewatchable though. 

18. what character do you find the best looking?      

I had to think... is it Kurt? Yeah, no, it’s definitely Kurt...           

19. why did you start watching glee?               

Okay, so I’ll tell this whole story... 

So, ten years ago, I got a new job, and moved to a new city, and met a (seemingly) nice guy - with whom I went out with a few times and (unfortunately) it didn’t work out because I got dumped cause he wasn’t that great and still seeing his ex.  Fun, right? Anyway - a friend of mine was like - I’m sorry you’re sad - watch this show! You like musicals and are okay with gay, you’ll like it! 

So - she gave me the season 1 (part 1) dvd and I was like - yeah, that’s fun, but nothing about it grabbed me.  Except DSB - that gave me chills.  But then she insisted we watch it together every time it was on, and so we did... through, eh, half way through season 2? 

And I was, like, nope, this show is just the worst - it’s mean spirited and mean and I am not really enjoying it.  So I stopped.  For about a year. 

So a year-ish later, I got let go from a second job (that was fine - it was super shady and people got arrested, don’t do random online jobs guys) and had some free time, so decided to catch up on Glee and **gasp** watched The First Time and absolutely fell in love with Klaine.  And then I rewatched the whole series and really appreciated it more the second time around.  

And years later, I’m now sitting here with you people.  Lol <3

20. how long have you watched glee?

March 2010                

21. what scene or episode made you fall in love with the show?   

The Auditorium scene from The First Time.  It took my breath away, which hadn’t happened since I started watching The Office.              

22. if you could wake up and be one of the characters for a day, who would you like to be?              

Elliott Gilbert - he seems to have his life together.   

23. what character would you most like to meet?           

Cooper Anderson - I mean who wouldn’t?      

24. favorite newbie character?             

Unique in the original newbies, Jane of the second group   

25. who would you be most want to be friends with?           

Elliott Gilbert - he’d get my life together     

 26. if you could have a one night stand with any character, who would you choose?           

Cooper.  I mean there are some things in life you’d just have to go for.  I’d imagine Santana would give you a pretty good time for a one night thing, too, though.      

 27. favorite fan fiction?                

Probably, Misqueue’s Scenes from a Breakup.  She really taught me the power of good fanfic. 

28. favorite headcanon?                

Hmm, this is so morbid, but the strongest one that comes to mind is that they both live to old age, but Blaine is the one who dies first, and Kurt’s kind of unbarable to be around afterwards, and I once wrote a tiny thing about this - how Kurt would get into fits and be nearly intolerable, but the seasoned nurses ask him to talk about Blaine, and it calms him down.  

29. favorite person that has guest starred on glee?

Hmmm, based on their characters - Matt Bomer, Adam Lambert, or Sarah Jessica Parker. Oh and Katey Segal.  I’m so sad that they didn’t bring her back. 

30. favorite minor character?                

I have a deep appreciate for Stoner Brett.  Also Lord Tubbington

31. what character annoys you the most?    

Ken Tanaka, uapoweifjodsifjeaw;oifh yuk. Also up there is Sandy Ryerson and JBI.             

32. what surprised you the most? 

I’m not sure what you mean??  Mostly that I’ve grown used to the idea of Blaine and Karofsky enough that I don’t hate it and I get why it was a thing.                 

33. which character resembles you the most?                

Thought processing wise - Kurt.  Though emotionally, maybe a bit of Blaine and Mercedes.  

34. which character are you most connected to?

Kurt                

35. 5 favorite quotes?

oh - god, i’m bad at remembering things off the top of my head -- 

My favorite one is: “let me autocorrect that for you.  Lima doesn’t have a zoo, why’d we think it did?” the delivery on that is the best.  

also the one where Jane Lynch goes on about giving Will a cat and punching him in the face.  

And the Kurt line about answering the phone saying ‘she’s dead’.                 

36. an unpopular opinion you have about this show?             

Oh, I have so many... mostly, season 2 isn’t as good as people claim it is, and season 6 is much better than people claim it is.    

 37. plot point you would've wanted to change, and how would you change it?   

The biggest one for me is adding in a catalyst to Kurt’s story to head back to Blaine.  Not so much change, but add to the already existing story.  

I’d also get rid of the whole Shelby/Puck thing all together.  Did not need to be a thing.   

(Where are questions 38-39??)

40. what will you miss the most?               

The week to week-ness of having discussions with people.   

41. top 10 favorite songs each season? 

Wow - this is a big question, time to get the iphone out... 

Season 1: 

Don’t Stop Believin’ (Pilot version) 

Defying Gravity (Kurt version) 

My Life Would Suck Without You

Run Joey Run (for comedic reasons)

Rose’s Turn

I Dreamed a Dream

Bad Romance

Bohemian Rhapsody

Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey version) 

Over the Rainbow              

Season 2: 

I Want to Hold Your Hand

Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy

Teenage Dream

Forget You (Don’t ask - I love it) 

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Misery

Blackbird

Raise Your Glass

Loser Like Me

As If We Never Said Goodbye

Season 3: 

Something’s Coming

Last Friday Night

Hit Me With Your Best Shot/One Way or Another

Perfect

We Are Young

I Will Always Love You

Love Shack

How Will I Know

I Have Nothing

Not the Boy Next Door

Season 4: 

Call Me Maybe

It’s Time

Teenage Dream (Acoustic) 

The Scientist

Dark Side

Being Alive

This is the New Year

Just Can’t Get Enough

Come What May

Mamma Mia

Season 5: 

All You Need is Love

Make You Feel My Love

Hold On

Defying Gravity 

Loser Like Me

Don’t Stop Believin’

Rockstar

Pumpin’ Blood

All of Me

Pompeii

Season 6: 

Home

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow/Head Over Feet

Somebody Loves You

At Last

Listen To Your Heart

Popular

Some Day We’ll Be Together

Daydream Believer

This Time

I Lived

42. favorite new directions group cover?                

I mean, Don’t Stop Believin’ is the ultimate classic - but I have a strong appreciation for Hold On. 

43. favorite warbler cover?                

Oh, god, Teenage Dream probably? But then Raise Your Glass

44. favorite vocal adrenaline cover?                

Bohemian Rhapsody - nothing else really comes close. 

46. favorite celebrity judge?                

The Nun who used to be a stripper.  

47. someone you would've liked to see guest star on the show.                

Julie Andrews as Kurt’s grandmother.  

48. favorite tribute episode?                

The Beatles and Whitney Houston

49. what episode made you cry the most?                

The Break Up - partly cause of the music, and partly because of the circumstances of fandom around that time :P 

50  what episode made you laugh the most?

This show was a comedy?  (I’ll have to think about it and get back to you) 

[darkvalkyrie6]

Isn’t the lie more interesting

I got the inspiration when I thought of going to a concert alone, while I was falling asleep.I didn't use any movies, books or series for inspiration, the story is my original work. I hope you like it :)It’s still just a story, like all of my other stores. It doesn’t have a deeper spiritual, moral or ethical meaning.

————————————————–

Emma always had a gift of knowing when people told the truth and when they were lying. She could see small changes in people’s faces, in their posture or their behavior that gave away their lies. She didn’t practice it or learn it. She just had a natural gift for it. It wasn’t a good thing to always know when your friends or loved ones were lying to you, so she just usually kept to herself.

One day, Emma went alone to a club. There was music and a very well known metal band she liked was performing. She sat alone at the table drinking her favorite beer, Guinness, listening to the music. The concert was still an hour away, so she just sat at the table, looking at other people when a guy walked over to her table.

“Is this seat taken?” He asked.

Emma looked at him and saw that he had one too many beers and that he barely stood up straight, so she said. “Yes, I’m waiting for my friends.” Emma used that excuse because it always worked. It was an unwritten rule that if somebody said that you back away.

Sometime later, another guy walked up to her table and asked the same question.

Emma looked at him, he looked sober and actually kind of cute and smart, so she said. “No, It’s not.”

The guy sat down and started the pickup line routine. Guys were so predictable. “Hi, I’m Lucas and if I may ask, what are you doing here alone?”

Emma looked at him. That was one of the worst pickup lines she heard in her life. Why did she think he looked smart, but everyone deserves a second chance so she said. “Truth or lie?”

“Hmmm… Truth.” Lucas said.

“Why truth?” Emma asked.

“Well, I want to know the truth.” Lucas said.

“But don't you think the lie would be more interesting?” Emma asked.

“What do you mean? Why would I choose the lie when I could know the truth right from the start?” Lucas said.

“I’ll tell you what. You go first and then I’ll tell you the truth.” Emma said.

“Ok. So, what’s it goanna be. Truth or lie?” Lucas asked.

“Lie.” Emma said.

“Ok. Lie it is. I’m here because my friends made me come. I didn’t want to go, because I don’t get out that much, but they insisted that I come and maybe meet someone.” Lucas said.

Emma rubbed her face with her palms, took a big sip of beer and said. “That was a good try at a lie. It wasn’t the best lie I have ever heard. You started with a lie, the part about you going out that much I really didn’t know if it was true or not, that was good. Then you told a part of the truth to make the lie convincing, I was actually amazed you did that, but you went overboard with the truth and told too much of it.” Emma explained.

“How do you know what’s my truth?” Lucas asked.

“After many years I learned that the truth for men in clubs, who approach women to pick them up, is always the same. There are some small differences, like with you. I know you are smart and a good person, but the pickup line you used told me all I need to know about you.” Emma said.

“So, your lie, in the end, sounded more like the truth than the lie. Come on, I’ll give you another shot, you were missing a few key elements of a lie. Tell me a proper lie, tell me a story that will intrigue me. You can add some truth to it but it can’t be all truth.” Emma said.

“I’m not good at telling stories.” Lucas said disappointed that Emma saw right through him.

“Can I then tell your lie?” Emma asked.

“What? You want to tell my lie? Why don’t you just tell me your truth?“ Lucas asked.

“Well, you still didn’t successfully intrigue me or made me laugh. How do you expect a girl to talk to you without making her laugh?” Emma asked with a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

“Ok. Tell my lie.” Lucas said.

“Well I’m almost done with my beer, let me get another one.” Emma said.

“I’ll get you another one. What are you drinking?” Lucas asked

“Guinness.” Emma said.

Lucas stood up, went to the bar and ordered a beer for Emma and a beer for himself.

“Thank you.” Emma said. “Now let’s tell your lie.”

“There were two concerts we wanted to go to, but they were on the same day. A friend and I wanted to go to the concert in the Factory club because of the bend that was playing, but our other friends wanted to go here. I don’t like this club. Every time I’m here the sound is awful, you can hardly hear the singer’s voice and the people pouring beer are polite as parking officers giving tickets. Since we couldn’t decide where to go without involving our fists one of my friends suggested we make a bet about it, so we did.” Emma looked at the confused look on Lucas’ face and said.  “Bear with me, this is where it gets interesting.”

”The bet was that each of us would drink a full mug of beer and burp as loud as possible. The one who burps the loudest will get to choose where we were going. One after the other we drank a full mug of beer and burped. I was in the lead until the smallest friend of our group chugged down the mug of beer in less than a minute and burped so hard the windows shook, trust me I'm not lying to you about that. We were all taken by surprise. I mean how can such a small body make such a loud noise” Emma was saying but was interrupted.

“Ha ha ha ha ha! I could swear that you are talking about Simon right now. Ha ha ha...”

“Ok. So, Simon clearly won the bet and he chose this club. Others agreed and so did I. When we were standing here, at the bar, I saw you order a beer and then sit at the table alone. You have a cool tattoo on your thigh, but I could only see a part of it. I wanted to talk to you but I saw a guy stagger towards your table and ask you something. You just dismissed him and I lost confidence. My friend Simon didn’t, he rolled up his sleeves and told us he was going to talk to you. I stopped him and said that I saw you first and that I have the right to go talk to you first.” Emma said and took a large sip of beer. “I bet they make Guinness from the water of Antarctica’s ice”

“Where was I? Oh, yes. Simon started arguing with me and we agreed to flip a coin on it. I flipped and he called. He called tails and it came up heads. I was happy that I won, but at the same time, I thought that you’ll dismiss me as the guy before. My friends gave me a push and I walked over here. When I asked if the seat was taken and saw you looking at me from head to toe I was starting to mentally prepare to be rejected. I was really surprised when you pointed at the seat and said that it wasn’t. Since I thought that you would dismiss me I really had no plan on how to continue the conversation.” Emma said and took a few sips of beer.

“That’s not fair. I started talking to you when I sat down.” Lucas sad.

“Shush! Let me finish. With no plan, I introduced myself and used one of the corniest pickup lines that exist on this planet. It was as if I was working against myself at that moment. Who starts a conversation with the words ‘if I may ask?’ You could have just said no and cornered me. But the dumbest thing was that I asked you what you are doing here, here in a club where a concert will be. Yeah… I made a fool of myself from the start and again mentally prepared to be dismissed. But to my surprise, you didn’t do that.” Emma took a few sips of beer

Then she said. “You see, it’s not so difficult. You start with the lie that can be believable, ad some humor to it because you have to make the girl laugh, ad truth to it that you saw me and wanted to talk to me and end it with how you made a fool of yourself so the girl feels pity and thinks you are just an oaf. If you do that every corny pickup line will work.” Emma smiled and kept drinking her beer.

“So do you still think the truth is more interesting?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know anymore.” Lucas said. Emma managed to tell his truth through his lie as if she was reading a book. He wasn’t sure if he even wanted to know her truth anymore. He sat there just looking at her for a few moments not knowing if he should ask for the truth, she promised him but then the concert started.

“I think I’ll chose the lie.”

“Aahaa… A change of heart. Ok, I respect that.” Emma said. “Well, I have this app on my phone that tracks concerts around me. I saw that one of my favorite bands is going to be in town so I bought a ticket. None of my friends listen to this band so I decided I’ll go alone. When I was standing in line today, I felt like those people that go to the movies alone. You know the crazy people that go to the movies alone and watch the movie alone. All of those people are crazy. But standing alone in line to get into the club I started to feel the same as those crazy people.”

“Oh yeah. Those people really are crazy.” Lucas said.

“I know. How can you go watch a movie all by yourself? Crazy.” Emma said. “So I got here and I’m enjoying my favorite beer before the concert. The only problem with being here alone are the drunk men coming to my table pestering me. They can’t even make a complete sentence yet they want to pick me up with their charm and beer breath.” Emma smiled and continued to drink her beer.

If that was the lie, Lucas wondered what the truth was and wanted to take back the change of his choice. From the other room, where the stage was, they could hear someone saying that the concert will start in a few minutes.

“Want to go watch the concert?” Emma asked.

“Yeah, sure.” Lucas answered hoping that he will get to hear the truth eventually.

————————————————–

Thanks for reading :) Every comment is welcome

[tmarie82]

All’s Fair in Love and War

Characters: The entire TRR crew (Drake x MC, Liam x Olivia)

Book: The Royal Romance

Word Count: ~2,600

Rating:  PG

Author's Note: I received an anonymous request a while back to write the TRR gang playing paintball.  I hadn’t been inspired until last weekend when I finally came up with this concept.  This one is purely for fun and entertainment value with a smidge of Team Oliam dropped in here.  I hope you enjoy!

Please let me know if you would like to be added to my tag list.  You can find all of my fics here - MASTERLIST

~~~~~~~~~~

Now …. Please queue mental soundtrack to the “Rocky” theme from this point on.  Makes this more entertaining. 😉

~~~~~~~~~

“Is this really necessary, Warner?” Drake whined as he zipped up his beige coveralls.

“Drake, don’t be such a spoilsport!  It’s going to be fun!”  Emma responded enthusiastically while she finished dressing herself, then bounded over to her husband to straighten his collar.  “Besides, how often do you get the chance to play war hero AND the opportunity to shoot objects at Olivia?”  She smirked at his annoyed expression.

“Honestly, I’m a little afraid of how Olivia is going to respond when handed a weapon and free reign to shoot things at me and Maxwell.”  Drake's eyes widened a little at the horrific thought.

”Come on, it’s only paintball ... it’ll be fun, you’ll see!”  She winked as she brushed past him and out of the changing room to the field.  Drake exhaled a long sigh of reluctance before finally turning to follow her to battle.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Now, we only have a few rules out here to ensure everyone's safety ... “ the referee continued his opening remarks.  “Number one, no shooting at your opponents within 5 feet or anywhere above the neck.  Number two, always wear your safety goggles.  And last, be sure to have some fun and communicate out there.  We'll begin in five minutes ... gentlemen you’ll be starting on the east field entrance and ladies on the west side.  Listen for the whistle for the thirty-second countdown, and then the gunshot for the starting signal.  To your starting positions, teams!”

“Well, I guess this is it!”  Emma chirped cheerfully, pressing a quick kiss to Drake's cheek.  “Try to have some fun out there!”

“Oh, he'll have fun, alright ... you girls are going down!!!” Maxwell chided as he gripped Drake by the shoulders to march him towards the starting position.  “Now if you'll excuse us, we have to go strategize!”  Maxwell led Drake over to where Liam was waiting, then the three men huddled to start planning their plays.

Hana waltzed over to Emma and placed a hand on her shoulder, silently watching as the males conversed with animated gestures.  Olivia came up beside them, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed as she observed their prey.  She let out a low chuckle.  “These poor boys aren’t going to know what hit 'em.”  She flung the paintball gun across her shoulder and turned to look at her sisters-in-arms.  “Well ... shall we, ladies?”

~~~~~~~~~

The men heard the warning whistle and got into position on the east side, laser-focused on the playing field spread out in front of them.  The man-made arena combined thick foliage, rocky terrain and open grassy clearings in a sporadic pattern, allowing for plenty of opportunities for an ambush.  The gunshot echoed in distance and the three men started their slow and steady trek through the arena, each going their own direction; Maxwell down the right, Drake down the left and Liam straight down the middle.  Their best strategy had been to split up, stay low and quiet and listen for the girls as they progressed slowly.  After the many years playing soldier in the gardens at the palace, they were fairly confident they had the upper hand in this competition.

Maxwell quickly fatigued of his army crawl across the rough landscape, especially since he’d seen no sign of imminent danger so far.  The field was eerily quiet after the sound of his comrades going their own directions had faded.  He pressed himself against a large boulder at the edge of a clearing as he stood up, peering around for any sign of life.  Once he was sure he was truly alone, he made a quick dash to the closest tree and ducked behind it.  He continued zig-zagging between obstacles, trying to avert any watching predators just like he’d seen in the movies.

Just as he approached another clearing beside a cluster of trees, he heard a low whistle echoing through the branches.  He dropped swiftly to his belly, searching through the trees for the source of the sound.  Another whistle, this time closer ... but he still couldn’t tell what direction the noise was coming from.  The snap of a branch directed his attention above him, where he found Emma perched on a limb in the large oak above him.  She whistled again and smirked as they met eyes.  “Hi Maxxie.” She taunted him as he heard the click of the trigger, immediately followed by impact as the ammo met his round buttock.

~~~~~~~~~

Drake waited patiently, curled up in a makeshift foxhole under the shade of a grove of trees.  He had situated himself near the exit of the arena, hoping to take off any of the girls as they attempted to make their escape.  So far, the arena had been extremely quiet until ...

He heard someone marching noisily through the trees, not even attempting to remain hidden.  He expected to see Hana or Emma approaching the exit, but rolled his eyes as he heard the low grumbles of Maxwell cursing under his breath.  Of course, he thought.  As his friend walked nearer to his hideout, hanging his head in defeat, Drake called out to him to get his attention.  “Pssst!  Maxwell, psst!” Maxwell looked around curiously, finally settling on the leaves Drake started rustling to catch his eye.

“Oh, hey Drake!” Maxwell called loudly.

“Shhhhh!” Drake scowled as he peered around for other intruders.  “Keep your voice down!”  He paused to examine the paintball victim head to toe, quirking an eyebrow as he observed the paint marks. ”Did you get shot in the ass???”  He chuckled.  “Who shot you, anyway?”

“Your lovely wife.  A sneaky girl, that one.  She caught me completely off guard.”  Maxwell shook his head in dismay, but Drake couldn’t help the proud smirk that spread across his lips.

“Alright, get out of here before you give away my spot, Beaumont!” Drake whispered harshly, shooing Maxwell towards the exit.

Drake stayed in location for a few minutes, confirming that the coast was clear, before attempting to slink away to another secure hideout.  He did a quick hop up and turned to run under the cover of the trees behind him, but found himself standing face to face with none other than his wife.  She raised an eyebrow at him, gun poised and aimed at her target.

“Hi Honey.”  A sly smile on her lips.  “I figured that was your cute little ass hiding over here.  I’d recognize it anywhere.”  She winked while Drake rolled his eyes.  “I really don’t want to have to do this, Drake ...” she inched closer with gun still raised, but for some reason couldn’t bring herself to pull the trigger.

Drake grinned as he raised his hands in the air, walking hesitantly in her direction when- splat!  Drake cringed and rocked forward as the wad of high-velocity paint splattered across his upper back.  “Aggghhh!!!” He yelped as he turned around to see Hana walk out from behind a tree about 50 yards away, a mischievous gleam in her eye.

“Don’t worry, Emma, I did it so you didn’t have to.”  Hana patted her friend on the shoulder, turning to face Drake. “Sorry Drake, but it had to be done.”

“I get it Hana, no hard feelings.”  Drake reached his arm around awkwardly, trying rub the sore spot where Hana's paintball had met her target. “But man, that was quite a shot!  Where’d you learn to shoot like that?”

“Despite what you may think, Drake, we're not all trained as samurais in Shanghai.  I frequented the shooting range with my father growing up.”

“Of course you did ...” he mumbled.  “Alright, just do me a favor and go easy on Liam.  You don’t want to hurt a king's ego too bad.  At least let him think he put up a good fight.”

“No promises!” Hana giggled, then grabbed Emma's hand to find a new hiding spot and strategize.

~~~~~~~~~~

Liam traipsed lightly through the trees, sweeping the perimeter of his vision for any sudden movements.  His ears were attuned to the subtle sounds of nature, peeled for any change in tone or volume.  He heard a soft snap of a twig in the distance behind him as the wind swirled around him.  He recognized the soft yet spicy fragrance that wafted to his nostrils immediately, causing the corners of his mouth to tug upwards in a grin.  It was a scent he’d begun craving more and more recently.  ”Hi Liv.” He turned to face her with a smug look on his face.

She glared back defiantly, her paintball gun aimed and ready to shoot at any moment.  “Liam.”  She acknowledged him plainly, neither forfeiting her tactical advantage or moving towards the trigger.  

He took a tentative step in her direction and raised his hands in surrender.  “Truce?”  He asked, eyeing her carefully.  “I was actually hoping to speak with you ... in private.”

Olivia raised her eyebrows at his statement, then nodded as she lowered her weapon and removed her safety goggles.  “How’d you know it was me, anyway?”  She cocked her head as she questioned him.

Liam rested his own goggles on top of his head and smiled softly, taking a few steps in her direction.  “Hmmm ... lucky guess?”  He tried, but by the expression on her face he could tell she wasn't buying it.  “I do know you pretty well, Olivia.”  He stopped directly in front of her, peering down into her green eyes intently.

Olivia's face remained emotionless, but inside she could feel her heart beating and the blood rushing through her veins.  She let her guard down slightly as she welcomed his approach with a devious grin.  “I suppose you do.  We have known each other our whole lives.”  She stared into his deep blue eyes as he hovered above her, then let her eyes wander down the faint stubble tracing his jawline down to his lips.  She noticed how one side tipped slightly higher than the other as he smirked before he pursed them together, a telling sign that she knew meant he was nervous.  The thought of Liam, nervous, with her ... she snapped back to reality, trying to remember what it was they were talking about in the first place.   “Ahem ... so what is it you wanted to discuss, Your Majesty?” She asked in a sarcastic formal voice, a playful smile on her lips.

”Very funny, Liv ...” Liam shook his head in amusement.  “I wanted to know if you would like to have dinner with me sometime?  Just the two of us.”  There was a faint smile on his lips and a eager look in his eyes.

Olivia’s stomach fluttered in excitement at his invitation, but her face remained blank.  “That’s an interesting proposition ... but I won’t lie, I’m a little confused by this invitation now after all the years we’ve known each other.  Especially since I was competing for your hand in marriage during the social season not long ago ... what changed?”  Her expression softened as she spoke, and she tilted her head inquisitively as she awaited his reply.

”After everything that’s happened in the past year ... I’ve changed.  You’ve changed.  It just feels ... right, now.”  Liam paused studying her expression for any indication of her feelings.  “So ... is that a yes?” Liam held his breath as he waited.

Olivia couldn’t hold back the gentle grin that crept to her lips.  “Yes, I would love that, Liam.”  They stared at each other for a moment, lost between the familiarity of their life-long friendship and the unfamiliar territory unfolding in their relationship.  “Well, we should probably get back ...” she mumbled.

“Yes, I suppose we should.”  Liam grasped one of her delicate hands in his, bringing it to press his lips gently across her knuckles.  There was a twinkle in his eye as he beamed down at her, slowly backing away.  “You wait here while I go out ahead.  I don’t want anyone to see us covorting with the enemy.”

Olivia watched his tall, muscular frame as he paced off into the tree cover.  “Hey Liam!”  She called to him, before he was out of range.

Liam turned to face her again, a hopeful look of expectation on his face- splat!  He hunched over as the impact of the paint-filled ammo hit him square in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.  He looked down at the yellow paint spread across his front in disbelief as Olivia watched from her position, wearing a proud expression.  “You did say you know me pretty well, Liam.  You didn’t really think I was going to let you off that easy just because you asked me to dinner, did you?”

Liam chuckled softly as he stared down at his chest.  “No, I guess I should have expected this.”

“You know what they say ... all's fair in love and war.”  She saluted to him with her free hand, then draped the rifle across her shoulder before brushing past him on her way to the arena exit.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“So you ladies never told us … what was your strategy.”  Maxwell asked his female friends while the whole crew shed their coveralls and retrieved their belongings from the lockers.

“Easy ... we spread out, ran in quickly and found hiding spots … and then we waited.  We knew you guys would be hunting for us like some prehistoric cavemen, so we waited for you to come to us.  And it worked.”  Hana grinned proudly at their successful plan.

Maxwell grumbled under his breath as undressed while Drake scowled in the corner while compiling his belongings.  Liam had been relatively quiet since he’d returned defeated to the exit, but the expression he wore didn’t appear disappointed in the least.  Emma turned to Olivia beside her and nudged her, whispering “So what happened with you and Liam, anyway?”

Olivia's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.  “Nothing happened ... he just caught me a little off guard.”  She seemed lost in thought as she continued cleaning herself up.

Emma furrowed her brow, confused.  “What?  But you shot him?”

“Uhhh ..  you know what I meant.  I caught him off guard.”  Olivia shoved her remaining belongings in her bag, quickly taking her leave before Emma could ask further questions.  Emma gave a knowing glance to Hana, who winked back at her in return.

As the friends chatted outside waiting for their limo back to the palace, Emma sidled up next to Drake and tucked her arms through his.  She peered up at him affectionately while he looked to the horizon and avoided eye contact.  She gave him a playful nudge with her elbow, finally earning a subtle smirk in her direction.

“Oh, you missed a little paint here, Drake.”  She stood on her tip toes to wipe a paint spot from his temple, then pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.  “You know, you may have missed some more spots ... perhaps I need to give you a good scrub down when we get home.”  She smiled mischievously when she saw the heat flash in his eyes as he focused on her.

Drake chuckled.  “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. Besides, it’s the least you can do after you stood by and watched as your friend shot me.”

“Fair enough, Walker.”  She squeezed his hand and dropped it to walk towards the limo.  Drake watched his wife sashay over to the vehicle, admiring the subtle sway of her hips.  She turned back and gave him a devilish look over his shoulder, winking quickly before ducking into the car door.  

Drake sighed and ran his hand through his hair before following behind her.  The things he did for this woman ... and he loved every moment of it.

END

~~~~~~~~~~

Tagging: @simplyaiden-blog @mfackenthal @lizeboredom @walkerismychoice @boneandfur @laniquelove @choices-fanatic @liam-rhys @mariamatsuo @the-everlasting-dream @client327 @kamybelen-blog @butindeed @enmchoices @drakelover78 @kamilah-sayeed-xoxo @parkerattano @asprankle @innerpostmentality @jadedpixiescribbles @crookedslimecreatorpasta @choiceswreckedme @debramcg1106 @mymandrake @alesana45 @flynnomalleys @eileendannie @diavolosprincess @mrsdrakewalkerwrites @clarissafics @blackcatkita

[remindme2breathe]

What comes easy won’t last long, and what lasts long won’t come easy

Here we are again. The flavor of the day is bland with a twist of desperation. 

I am not perfect by any means. I make mistakes and like to think I’ve been capable of owning them. I’ve always thought of myself to be fairly level headed, someone who can look at the bigger picture from everyone’s position. I have been overly accommodating to the people who surround me, I try way harder for them then I do for myself. I am guilty of being ‘a people pleaser’. I don’t know when that started really, but in my 30′s it became severely obvious, and I kinda hate myself for that. 

I am walking into my 8th year of my relationship with my boyfriend... B-O-Y-F-R-I-E-N-D. Not Fiance, not husband... shit, hardly a partner. He is a BOY, and I am stuck here. Not against my will obviously, I can kick him out whenever I please, however, my life with him is a complicated one that effects too many people (there I am, people pleasing again. Buckle up folks, this happens often). 

I am 7 years older then my boyfriend, let’s call him Blu (that was my dog’s name). I met Blu by accident actually. In May of 2013 my then husband and I decided we just could not work it out anymore and we split ways. We were cordial, able to remain friendly for the sake of our kids. We accepted that although we failed MARRIAGE, we will not fail Co-Parenting. He left our family home in May and by September I met Blu. There’s some chaos there but I’ll tell that tale on another occasion. Remember when I said I met Blu by accident? I was serious. I had a friend named Emma who loved drama! She came to my house and told me about a site that she found out her boyfriend was on and she wanted to see if he would flirt with me (or another fake identity she made up to be honest, she just used my information to create an account), I call that playing with fire, but you know how that can go. Anyway, she did what she needed to and got the information that she wanted. I was uninterested in those apps so I never bothered to look into it. A couple of days later someone named Blu would send me multiple messages trying to get me to talk. I decided to respond, I explained that my name wasn’t what was listed and explained the whole situation to him, he just laughed it off. I didn’t know then that he was so familiar with drama like my darling friends little stunt. Anyway, we got to talking and it was very soon when he asked if I was interested in meeting up. After all the crime shows and books I’m into it was a hard HELL NO for me. I asked him to give me a little time, I also explained my position. 

He told me a lot about himself, single dad, shares custody of two very young children with his ex. He lived with his parents about 2 miles from where I was. He didn’t seem cocky or arrogant, or maybe I just didn’t see it. We exited the chats and moved on to phone texts. He would message me every morning, afternoon and night. He knew about the age difference and didn’t care. Meanwhile I felt incredibly insecure about it. After about 7 weeks I finally caved and said I would meet him somewhere public, he said his family was having a BBQ at his house for me to just come by. I thought that out and figured: who would kill or rape me with all their family there?! So I went, but I never went inside his home. I stayed by my car, we talked for hours. I remember in the end I was fitting on the trunk of my car and him on the edge of the sidewalk... maybe 1:30 am when I finally decided to head home. He didn’t try any funny business, and was completely respectful. Before I left he asked if he can take me out to eat somewhere, like an official date, I still felt a little odd but I agreed. At that dinner I told him everything, about my pending divorce, how my custody is currently working, etc. 

Me and him were from different worlds entirely. There were a few occasions that really pointed the differences out. For example, he listens to REAL MEXICAN MUSIC (google CALIBRE 50) where as my Mexican music consisted of Reggeton, Salsa, Bachata. He was 100% grounded in his Mexican roots, where my mixed breed havin’ ass was raised in an American household, where dinners were served at a certain time, we ate together as a family, we attended church on Sundays, we were close. The structure of my life was typical American Family with the added components of my nationalities; Mexican and Puerto Rican. We didn’t curse around our elders, I didn’t know of drugs, or habits. That was the first shot, the second time I noticed the difference was in October when we made arrangements to carve pumpkins with his kids and mine. On that particular day his mom and sisters were home, so of course I invited them to participate. They looked at the pumpkins as though they just landed from outter space! The third time was just a couple of months after, December. While my house was decked out with Christmas trees, stockings, and nicely wrapped presents... his house had no tree, no gifts, nothing. 

We have gone through a lot over the years, mostly good things (or so I thought). Have you ever laid next to someone you felt the closest to and think Gosh, I don’t even know him? Eight years later and I still think that. I use to cry myself to sleep. I still feel so incredibly alone, and more so... misunderstood. The SANE me wants to think I have a right to think this way, but he comes in and convinces me that I am the problem. Meet Blu, head of the narcissists.

He is consumed with his cars, weed and sex. He has a problem with being faithful. And I have a problem with trusting him, and every time I feel I can let my guard down, he always comes in to remind me that I can’t. Things are about to get personal, I hope you don’t mind. 

The first time I found out about his ‘extra activities’ we were already living together, this was maybe a little over a year after we became official with each other. He left his phone in the living room and it was getting a ton of texts, to my luck he is also a very heavy sleeper. I opened the messages and read them (OMG WHY WOULD YOU GO THROUGH HIS MESSAGES?! FK OFF KAREN, THIS IS MY REALITY, NOT YOURS!). It was a girl asking if he was gonna go by. I messaged her back as though I was him and she went along. I ended up waking him up, my eyes red and burning from all the crying. I asked him about it and all he was able to say is WHY ARE YOU GOING THROUGH MY PHONE, turned it off and went to bed. I remember feeling low, but that didn’t stop me dumb ass from going to lay next to him and crying until I fell asleep. He ended up changing his number after a few days and said he was ‘sorry’. Those types of situations happened maybe twice a year. 

In 2016 I helped him open his own business, he had no money so I put up most of it (yes, stupid, I hear ya!) with the condition that he would not be listed on any documents as an owner. He argued with me about me not making him feel like a man (people pleasing in 3, 2, 1...) So I added him to the paperwork. I felt bad for him, I never wanted him to feel like that despite what he made me feel like. On one occasion he was working late, me being scar’d for life, I called him about 12:20 am and asked if I could take him anything or if he needs something because he had been working since 2 pm. He told me he was fine, but I said OK LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING. I went anyway to ‘take him food’, when I was driving up a black Honda was driving off, and there was Blu looking like he saw a ghost. I asked who that was an immediately he yelled and asked why I was there. I said that I brought him something to eat to which he said MY FRIEND JUST BROUGHT ME SOMETHING... my friend... hmmm... At about 4 a.m. I messaged and asked if he was ok and he said IM NOT COMING HOME, IM DONE! My pride didn’t allow this to just happen, I responded with OK. I locked his ATM card, Gas Card, and any credit lines. He came home (I thought he would) hootin and hollerin! I quietly took my explosion waiting for him to finish. At that point I said to just leave the work truck keys and to be on his way. He refused. 

In 2018 he started recording his phone calls for work purposes (you wouldn’t believe how many people try and cheat ya to save a buck!). I had access to the recordings but never listened to them because they were of a bunch of truckers asking for stuff. One day though, I was triggered. He said he was going to go down the street to help my sister and brother in law move something. I thought it was strange because my sister told me everything! So when he left I asked her about it, she said ‘yea it was weird he offered to come help’ I then asked her to call me once he left. About 10 minutes later I got the text “HEY SORRY HE LEFT LIKE 5 MINUTES AGO BACK HOME” We lived literally five minutes away, so I waited. After about 30 minutes I decided to listen to the recordings. He called a girl asking her to meet him in the Bank Of America Parking lot about 5 minutes the opposite way, he told her he was able to leave his kids with his dad for a little while so he can go see her. My heart SANK. I felt it at the pit of my stomach. This entire douche bag drove MY CAR to see some hoe??? FOR REAL! So I texted him and said where are you? He messaged about 10 minutes later and said IM ON MY WAY HOME I JUST FINISHED AT YOUR SISTERS. I didn’t respond. When he came it we went at it. Let me clear the air: I AM NOT AN ARGUER. I don’t find it useful to scream and yell, but my emotions were shot, I was on a different level now. I dropped the bomb! I guess he didn’t see it coming because he was unable to keep up with the shit storm I was dishing out. In the middle of it, that broad had the nerve to call him. I told him to answer it and he said no. When I got ahold of his phone he had the NUTS to tell me NOT TO FK IT UP FOR HIM. Shattered. I was non-existent. 

to be continued

[caroline18mars]

Into the night - Chapter 116

Jordan sat at the vanity table, brushing her long brown hair with long, slow strokes, she could barely look at herself, instead of beautiful make-up, she had dark rings around her eyes and when had her complexion changed from bright and fresh to dull? Sighing she put the brush down on the table and touched her face as she studied it in the mirror. “You still look as beautiful as the first day I laid eyes on you” Jared startled her, seeing him lean against the doorframe from her mirror, “I think we both know that's a lie, but I appreciate the effort” she broke their eyecontact and picked up her brush again. Jared stood up straight and walked up to her “I mean it, Jordan, you're so beautiful..” he stopped at the back of her chair, their eyes connecting again. Jordan felt a hot blush creep around her cheeks and stopped with what she was doing to stand up, pulling her satin robe a little tighter around her, “wait, stay..” Jared stepped in front of her, trying to convince her not to spend another night alone. Jordan looked at her feet, this was so awkward but he was right, she needed someone to be with her right now, if only to calm her stuttering nerves, Jared felt that she was actually listening to him and bit his lip as he looked at his bed. To his surprise, Jordan turned around and headed for the bed, slipping out of her satin robe to pool around her feet and then slipped between the sheets. He looked at her, what she was doing now was something he couldn't ever come up with in his wildest dreams lately, so he decided not to waste another minute and followed her, slowly sliding himself between the coolness of the sheets too. She looked at all the muscles in his upperbody flexing and straining, he was fighting so hard to respect her obvious need for  distance, “it's ok” she whispered “we're not shrimps” she smiled, her silly comparison finally made him relax. “I know I'm not, and I know for a fact that you're anything but shrimpy” her smile turned into a giggle and it was music to his ears, it had been way too long since he saw her this playful but just when she infected him with her laughter, she turned serious again. “I always loved how I can be myself around you..but I guess you hear that a lot, especially from..” she calmly said, she didn't want to start another bitch fight, but she couldn't stop her lip from curling in disgust “her”. Jared felt the blood in his veins freeze up “Ok, listen..”, his eyes locked with hers “I know you're not gonna believe it, but nothing happened between me and her, ok?” he wasn't 100% sure about that, but it didn't matter, this stupid feud between them that was keeping them apart, had to end right here and right now, he wasn't gonna spend another day or night without her. “But..” she protested but he immediately stopped her “listen to me, Jordan, nothing happened! It was just me being absolutely stupid! Yes, I got drunk and yes I went to her place but I didn't cheat on you, ok? I woke up with my clothes on and..I was just in shock, after everything that had happened to you..with..Cedric, well you know..and then you start accusing me of cheating..I was just..I obviously did all the wrong things and I apologized and I'll keep apologizing for however long you want me to but...how could you even think such a thing? What made you believe that I wasn't happy with you? What..what?” he got tangled up in his words. It was the emotion in his voice and the way he still got so upset over that night, that went straight to her heart, he did love her, he still did “it was the text you got that night when we were supposed to have some time alone..I didn't want to, I swear, I was reaching for the remote..but instead I had your phone in my hand when that text arrived..something about me ruining your life and pushing you to the verge of bankruptcy..I felt guilty for reading it and at the same time I was shocked and..” she blurted out.

“Wait..what text?” he frowned and reached for his phone, frantically scrolling through his messages until he found what she was talking about and closed his eyes while he shook his head “For fuck's sakes, this text is not about you..” he studied his screen and then handed her the phone “it's from Emma and she's not even talking about you..”. He pushed the phone in her hands when she refused and made her read it while he explained “it's..about Amanda..she's been trying to get in touch with me ever since the trial..but since I blocked her number, she's been stalking Emma about the baby and how she still thinks I'm the father..she's been selling her story to some gossip rags..that's what Emma meant about the bankruptcy, because she's dragging my name through the dirt..”. Jordan blinked a couple of times, somehow it all started making sense..”Is this what we've been fighting over?..really? Oh djeez..” he rolled on his back and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, “I..I'm sorry..I thought..” Jordan stammered the start of an apology but then he rolled on his side and looked at her “you thought wrong, ok? You have nothing to worry about..I love you, babe, I would never do anything to hurt you or let anybody talk about you that way..I didn't even reply to Emma because I couldn't care less, not then, not now, not ever! Do you have any idea how extatic I was to have you home with me that night? Those days you were..gone..knowing what that bastard was capable of..” he paused for a second “I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe or sleep or eat..knowing that he kidnapped you and..I just wanted to die..”. Jordan's breath got stuck in her throat, seeing his despair and his pain and most importantly realizing how stupid she had been, she met him halfway and shuffled over to him, resting her hand on the stubble of his cheek before she pushed his lips against his and ended their war. A few tears escaped his eyes but he didn't care, he just hungrily deepened the kiss, biting down on her bottom lip, his tongue darting out to force its' entrance to her mouth where he instantly was met by her own, twirling around and against each other in a fiery and hungry pas-de-deux. He pushed himself up only to push her down against the mattress, his hand kneading the back of her neck while his mouth crashed down on hers again and her hands massaged the sides of his chest “hmmm, wait..” she pulled back from the onslaught on her mouth. Jared, even though he was still in a daze, could feel his heart sink, he didn't want this to end but he had to respect her boundaries too, but then she looked up at him with this seductive brown eyes of hers and let go of him so her hands could drift down to her stomach pulling  her satin gown up over her legs ever so slowly. Did she truly realize what she was doing? She couldn't just tease him like this “Babe, we don't have to..” he whispered, not wanting to force her, but she shut him up by taking his hand to help her slide it further up over her thighs and hips while they kept staring deep into each other's eyes. Jordan stilled his hand with hers' when he reached her stomach, she knew his heart was sinking and she could almost smell his dissapointment, so she gently pushed him back and before he realized it, she pulled the gown over her head and lay down again “you're right, we don't have to..” she teased him by casually running her fingers over her lace-covered breasts all the way down her stomach to her matching lace panties “But..I want you to”.

He looked at her like a kid that got to open all his christmas presents all at once and eagerly dived right in, biting her throat while his hands kneaded the full mound of her breasts, feeling her nipples go rock hard from nothing more than his touch, he pulled down the lace cups of her bra. Seeing her full, round breasts squeezed together, almost served up on a lace platter for him, he lost  his cool and swirled his tongue around a rock hard nipple, covering the tender flesh around it in goosebumps “uhhhhh” she moaned and started squirming under the delicious and moist attack. Turning his attention to the other nipple he looked up at her, he needed to know for sure if this was what she really wanted, it had been forever since they made love, or at least that's what it felt like. “Are you absolutely sure? You don't have to, I mean..I don't want you to feel pressured, I'm more than happy for us to just talk, I don't care as long as I'm with you” his warm breath danced across her chest as he kissed his way up to her throat, planting a soft kiss on her lips, Jordan broke the kiss and cupped his face between her hands. “Hey, you're the one complaining about our sexlife, or the lack thereof, remember?” Jordan gave him a quizzical smile but instantly regretted reminding him when she saw the lust in his eyes make room for pain and guilt. “I'm sorry..I was frustrated and..” he breathed his apology, “no, I'm sorry..that was a lousy thing to say..listen, I'm absolutely sure that I love you and I want this as much as you..” her hand moved southwards, cupping his arousal and giving it a light squeeze “and you definitely want it too, big boy” she purred, tugging his lip while she spread her legs and pushed his hand under the lace of her panties “so why don't you start here?”. Without breaking eyecontact, his hand moved ever so slowly under the lace, pushing his fingers between her legs, cupping the warm triangle there for a second, long enough to feel her back arch in bliss. Every touch, every squeeze or lick, was like he was seeking for approval from her side before he continued, he was going to take his time, that much was certain, he had never made love to her this slow, after an hour he hadn't even as much as penetrated her, all he had done so far was set every inch of her body alight, making absolutely sure not to miss a spot, so by now she was a quivering, frustrated mess that grunted, moaned and hissed. The more frustrated she got, the more he loved punishing her, he knew exactly what he was doing, pushing her body closer and closer to the edge until she was so overstimulated that she would..well she would know what had hit her in about a minute or so. All of his weight shifted over her body as he settled himself between her legs, the teasing, the delayed anticipation, it all came rushing out as he positioned himself with her opening and entered her in one hard thrust “oh god, ooooooh, oh fuuucccckkkk” she screamed a list of profanities as she almost climaxed. Jared kept absolutely still, buried deep inside of her, smiling as he watched and felt her body shiver and squirm underneath him, desperately trying to urge him to do what she was was almost begging him to do, and sure she would get it but first he needed to see her come apart so the minute his thumb started playing with her overstimulated little knob, her body started to tremble and her legs started to cramp up, locking around his waist while she exploded around him and her first orgasm tore right through her. The clenching and unclenching of her muscles on him was becoming unbearable so he finally pulled out a little only to push in even deeper inside of her and started fucking her slow and hard while she was still coming undone.

She felt like she was high or drunk, drunk on lust and love, her mind was blank, the words were being replaced by moans and grunts, he was fucking her into a trance and she let him, a new bar had been set real high and from now on she wouldn't want it any other way. “Breathe..just breathe, honey? Jordan?” Jared's hips stilled for a minute when he saw her eyes starting to roll and heard her breathe all irregular and hard but then her eyes fluttered open and her hands rubbed his neck and his face “I am..I'm ok..please, don't make me wait” she whispered while her legs wrapped around him. That was the moment when he let go completely and his hips started thrusting fasting and faster until the familiar tension tied his abdomen into knots, her hands slipped over his back, caressing his rolling muscles while she locked eyes with him. Seeing the fire burn there in her eyes announcing another orgasm made him rush to his own, and as his hips frantically slammed into her, everything fell away, white noise ringing in his ears and all colours of the rainbow clouding his vision, he cramped up and shot his release deep inside of her, taking her with him. For minutes they lay there, wrapped around each other, limbs tangled in a messed up bed, the heady scent of sex filling the room until Jared broke the silence and kissed her lips while he slowly pulled out of her “I love you” he breathed. “I love you too” Jordan nestled herself in his welcoming arms that wrapped around her, cradling her in their little cocoon of intimacy “are you ok?”. Jordan nodded and hummed all satisfied “I'm ok, more than ok..how about you?” she loved these lazy, completely pointless post-coital conversations, “better than ok..I'm so..happy, I've missed you so much” he pushed a kiss in her hair and closed his eyes, this was the moment, this was the moment he had been dreaming of ever since they met, he had made up his mind and he was completely at ease with it. She was the one, there was no doubt in his mind, there never was, even despite all the crazy shit that had been going down the last couple of days, weeks, if he didn't ask her, he was probably gonna chicken out and he would regret it for the rest of his life. “Me too..so, so, so much..” she yawned, fighting for her eyes to remain open, it had been such a crazy day, the trial, missing Noah, getting that call from the hospital, her hopes for a possible new future, this, being with Jared, this sex marathon they just had. “Jordan..I..need to ask you something that I've been wanting to ask you for a really long time..” he gathered all of his courage, “hmm? What? Ask me..what” she hummed, the first veil of sweet slumber already falling over her eyes. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, here went absolutely nothing, his heart beating out of control he plunged into the deep end “Marry me?” he whispered all hoarse and pushed a kiss on top of her head. There was no reaction, nothing..except from her soft, slow breathing..what the?? was she? oh yes she had fallen asleep..

[ive-always-been-a-pirate]

Standing In The Outfield (2/2) + A CS Fanfic

A two part fic about baseball, the friend zone, and what happens when your unresolved feelings bring you home after five years away. Inspired by the song 'The Outfield' by The Night Game.

Okay, here’s part 2!  Sorry for the delay, but I decided to finish this and then do a third part that will be like a smutty outtake of sorts. Thanks for your patience, friends! Hopefully the next one won’t take as long. Enjoy! :) [Read Part 1 Here]

Word Count: 4.8K Rating: Still T for now

"Emma….hi."

It was almost like the world stopped spinning as Killian braced himself in the swiveling desk chair. He silently willed his legs or mouth to move, but both were definitely far too difficult with the way she was standing so nonchalantly in the small office's doorway. He'd allowed himself to dream of this moment once or twice since they exchanged conflicted goodbyes all those years ago, but his imagination had clearly fallen short.

Seeing Emma again wasn't something he could have ever prepared for - and his wide eyes and timid smile gave him away in an instant. Then again, maybe she'd always noticed how he looked at her. It's not like that had changed in the time they spent apart.

"Hey, I….didn't mean to interrupt, but I heard you were back," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess I had to see for myself."

She hadn't changed much since they'd last seen each other, but Killian allowed himself to take in the beautiful details that made up this woman like it was the first time. Her hair was slightly shorter, but still hung in loose waves over her shoulders. She was dressed a bit beyond casual - jeans that were more tailored than the ones she used to wear and a detailed white top paired with a gray jacket - which made him feel a bit self conscious about his worn out denim and zip up hoodie. Her suede flat shoes certainly rivaled his laced up Nikes and he wondered briefly just what was causing her to dress so differently these days.

People change, he silently reminded himself - and while the idea tugged at his heartstrings, he couldn't help how he felt so elated to see her. He hoped desperately that she felt that way too, but the anxiousness written all over her face was definitely giving him pause.

"Aye," he nodded, standing slowly and rocking on his heels a bit. "Haven't been here long yet. I'd planned on seeing if you were still….well, once I got settled."

He didn't finish his reply, not knowing exactly how to admit that she'd been on his mind since he landed back in town. He'd kept in touch enough with David to know that Emma had never left Storybrooke, but he'd never dared inquire why. He had always believed she was destined for big things and it made him a little sad to hear that she'd never opted to explore life beyond small town Maine.

"Good," she answered, her smile a bit bolder. "I mean it's good to see you."

He smirked at that, her words sinking in and shoving him right back into a world where all he wanted was to see her happy. He'd never stopped wanting that for her, even when he had partially convinced himself that she didn't need him to be part of it anymore.

Yes, it was only a partial belief….because on some level, a life where they were little more than a memory to each other would never make total sense to him.

"And you as well," he agreed softly. "I wasn't sure….I, uh, didn't know if-"

"If I'd want to see you?"

He nodded, shoving his hands nervously into his pockets. It wasn't a lie - he had wondered just what this reunion might ultimately be like. Did she actually want to run into him again? Could they pick up where they'd left off?

"Well, I can't say I expected that I'd have to track you down in the haunted part of the high school," Emma replied, moving a bit further into the room. "But you aren't the worst sight for sore eyes."

Her eyes watered a bit as he breathed a sigh of relief, his lips parting without words. There was so much he knew he should say in that moment - so many explanations that she deserved to hear and so many things he wanted to tell her. He was in the middle of summoning any courage he could and trying to decide where to begin when his efforts were halted by her knee-weakening smile. He couldn't help the way his arms moved, widening as she rushed into them. Her embrace was tight around his neck and he hugged her fiercely as everything seemed to right itself. He could have stood there for hours, holding her close and breathing in her presence without a care in the world - if only the world would have allowed.

"Oh….sorry to barge in," Principal Hopper said from the doorway, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Just wanted to make sure you're all set here, Killian."

Watching a slight blush color Emma's cheeks as she pulled back and avoided his new boss's eyes, Killian felt his heart turn a quick somersault in his chest. He wasn't sure what the reaction meant at first, his old insecurities regarding the woman standing before him sneaking back in. As she bit her lip fast and rolled her eyes the tiniest bit, Killian peered toward the school's principal with realization. They obviously knew one another - and he wondered how as he nodded.

"I think so," he answered with a kind smile. "That team meeting is tonight, right?"

"Six o'clock sharp," the man reminded him with an entertained tilt of his head. "The turnout should be great. Lots of parents and players are excited to hear what you've got planned for the season. I take it you'll be there to take notes for the Mirror as well, Emma."

"Uh, yep," she replied quickly. "Planning on it."

Principal Hopper offered them both a grateful expression before departing and Killian couldn't contain the sheer amusement in his gaze as his sight turned back to her. He felt a semblance of their old banter tingling on his tongue as she gave him a warning stare.

"So that's what you've been up to-"

"It's a new thing," she mumbled with a sigh. "Unexpected but….not the worst job. Just temporary though. I don't plan on making a career out of writing about who wins every Friday night high school football game."

He didn't dare tell her that he still received the regular copies of their hometown paper or that he'd actually caught a glimpse of her first article. He didn't tell her that he knew she'd be as phenomenal at this as she was at everything else, even though she definitely deserved to hear that.

There were a lot of things Killian knew he should have said over the years to the green eyed girl currently giving him a humored smirk, but as his thoughts began to straighten out, he realized in there was really only one thing he wanted to say.

"So I have a few hours before I need to get stuff set up for tonight," he started slowly, scratching behind his ear. "Do you maybe want to…."

"Yeah….I'll call-" Emma cut in, digging her phone out of her pocket and batting her eyelashes teasingly. "-but you're paying, Jones."

Killian bit back a laugh as he listened to her rattle off their typical Granny's Diner takeout order via phone. It had been years since they'd done this, but as he looked at her across the desk, he almost believed nothing had changed at all.

It didn't take long for him to realize that one thing definitely hadn't changed - he was still a heartsick fool when it came to Emma Nolan.

If he was being totally truthful, he'd known it the moment he finally laid eyes on her again. All it had taken was a glimpse of that long blonde hair and those bold green eyes for him to fall right back into the same mindset he'd held tight to all those years ago - the one where she utterly captivated him in more ways than he could ever explain.

It wasn't wise to stroll right back down the narrow path of being her friend - especially when he'd likely always want more - but he couldn't resist. The simple lunch and catch up conversation they'd set out to have that afternoon quickly evolved into hours of sharing stories and reliving the past. Emma's laugh still sounded the same and the way it made his heart pound was the only thing distracting him from watching her wandering fingers as they snatched a few fries from his plate - not that he truly minded.

After all, it wasn't the first time.

It was almost strange the way they landed right back in that specific sort of togetherness that was so characteristic of them. It was that same comfortable yet nerve bending relationship - the kind where he was elbowing her teasingly one moment and studying the smooth appearance of her lips the next. It wasn't just friendship. There was something more.

There had always been something more - well, at least for him - and he was trying desperately to table that idea the following night when she dropped by his office again. She looked so perfect strolling through the doorway with two hot cups of coffee in hand that it was difficult to imagine either of them to exist anywhere but with each other. Maybe it wasn't enough, but it was something - and if he still couldn't have her, he could have this. Even after years apart, he realized how much he still needed some part of her in his life.

He'd have to take what he could get for now - and perhaps always.

"I remember this," Emma said suddenly, reaching across the desk and snatching the copy of his first player picture from his minor league days. "I didn't believe it until I saw you in a Pirates uniform."

"Hmmm," he answered with a rather foolish tilt of his head. "Didn't believe what exactly?"

"That you were….gone-" she replied, swallowing hard as she ran a finger over the crisp photo. "-or that you'd actually made it I guess. I mean, I always knew you could, but I think I always kinda hoped you'd turn up back here one day after you lived that dream."

Killian felt his shoulders slump at the realization - the idea that Emma believed his aspirations ever meant to discredit their friendship. He'd spent years of his life loving the game that brought them together, but she'd unintentionally become his dream somewhere along the way too.

God, how he wished he could tell her that.

"I came to see you once," Emma blurted out. "In New York….I came to one of your games."

"You….what? When?"

"It was your second season," she explained with a nervous smirk. "The fourth home game I think. It was against-"

"That little triple A team from up north - the Arendelle Icebreakers," he cut in, finishing her sentence with a disbelieving gasp. "Emma, why didn't you tell me? I would have….I….I never even got to see you."

"That was kind of the point," she replied quietly, looking up at him timidly. "Moving to New York to play baseball was one of the only times I've ever seen you do something for yourself. I never wanted to make it about me. I just….wanted to know you were alright. I wanted to make sure you were happy."

"I wasn't."

Killian nearly bit his tongue at the unexpected admission. He wasn't sure why he said it. Sure, he hadn't been entirely blissful living in the city and falling out of touch with her, but he'd managed to get along fine. Her eyes went emerald with a mix of sadness and understanding, a sight that made his jaw flex with tension.

"Neither was I."

Whoa, he thought as his eyes widened. He certainly wasn't expecting that.

"Everything was just so different after you left," she said with a shrug. "Like, they closed the ice cream shop on Main and the baseball team became terrible….I mean, really terrible. Then I gave up on the idea of law school and then everything with Neal and I just-"

Her words hung heavy in the air as he tried to process them, his head spinning with everything she'd just divulged. He knew he should be sad about the fact that he could no longer meet her at Any Given Sundae for a scoop of Rocky Road and his breath shuddered at the thought of her heart breaking without him around to keep count of the pieces. She was telling him so much and while he was thrilled that her sincerity regarding their conversations was obviously still a point of pride, he felt the subtle prod of his old insecurities.

She was being honest with him. He owed her at least that much too.

"I left," he acknowledged quietly. "But I'm here now."

"Yeah, you are," she nodded. "But does that change things?"

He paused briefly, wondering what the right answer was. He knew what he was hoping for, but as for what Emma wanted….well, he'd never truly been able to pin that down.

"It doesn't have to," he finally offered. "I know the store bought stuff isn't as good as the slow churned ice cream from that little shop, but it's decent - and Cassidy was a fool for messing things up between you two."

"Maybe it was me who ruined it-"

"Don't even try that, love," Killian grinned, shaking his head. "He was always a moron."

"Hmmm," she laughed with a slight blush. "And what about the Storybrooke Knights, Coach?"

"I'm working on it, darling," he chuckled, scratching the scruff on his jaw. "Just gotta give them a chance."

Emma's lips rose into a smile that made his heart ache as she held eye contact for several more moments. The request he'd just given her was ironic and Killian realized quick enough that there was a bit of a double meaning to his words.

Give me a chance, he thought silently as he held back a deep breath.

The baseball team he'd come to supervise wasn't the only thing that deserved some time to prove its worth and telling her so was something he would get around to doing one day.

Eventually, he reminded himself - or at least that was his plan for now.

It was something he kept promising himself he'd bring up during the week that followed. He tried to convince himself it was time to come clean - to tell her that though baseball had taken him away once, it wasn't the only thing that brought him back - and he was still attempting to work up his nerve when she knocked on his old house's front door the night after the first team practice.

He had never sold his childhood home - not after his father finally passed away and not even after he left Storybrooke behind. There was something about the creaking porch swing and dimly lit living room that made him hope he could come back to it someday. Seeing her beneath the porch light all wrapped up in a leather jacket with a nostalgic smile made him instantly believe that he'd made the right choice in keeping the place in his name.

Letting her in was as easy as it had always been - both literally and emotionally. She settled into the couch cushions as they filled in the blanks from the past few years with conversation and a few photos she located in a box on the coffee table.

It was almost like she'd….missed him. Lord knows he was hoping she had.

"Awwww," she gushed, grinning at the sight of him in an action picture from his first season in New York. "You look so cute here."

"Hey, love, I prefer-" he countered with an eyebrow raise. "-devilishly handsome."

"You know, you never changed - at least not to me," she told him softly as her eyes dropped down to the picture again with fond familiarity. "Same old smirk and messy hair. Same stupid ability to get anyone to adore you….and that scar."

"Not my fault, if I recall correctly," he smiled with a glance down at the left hand Emma's older brother had once cleated by accident. "Dave wasn't always the most graceful bloke-"

"Not that one," she returned, leaning in to brush her thumb over his cheek. "This one."

He tried not to flinch beneath her sudden touch, the feel of her hand gentle and even a bit caring. Her eyes flickered with embarrassment as she nearly pulled back, but he somehow slowed her reaction with a reassuring half smile.

"Sorry," she blushed, skimming his jaw lightly. "I just….I guess I've had a hard time actually believing….this."

"This?"

"That you're here," she clarified with a nervous sigh. "That you came back."

He noticed it then, his focus zoning in on her watery eyes and loose wavy hair. She had missed him.

"I always wanted to," he admitted. "This place, it's…."

"Home?"

With a nod, his mind became clear with what he should have said. You are my home, he thought.

"Aye," he smiled. "Something like that."

It was the first inning of their third varsity game when Killian realized just how much hadn't changed since the last time he stood at the edge of his hometown field. The sun had barely dropped in the sky and the cool feel of the spring night air was halted by the black windbreaker he'd just pulled on. It was similar to the one Emma used to steal from him, back when she used to grin at him from the stands and long before she had a boyfriend who wouldn't stand for her wearing some other guy's jacket - even if that other guy was nothing more than a friend.

Friends, Killian thought with a furrowed brow as he glared toward the bleachers. That's what they were and as he watched his old teammate take the empty seat next to her, he decided that perhaps that's all they'd ever end up being.

He didn't even know Neal was still living in Storybrooke - well, not that he'd taken the time to ask. Discussing the whereabouts of that git hadn't exactly been a priority for Killian since he'd started rekindling his friendship with Emma. They'd spent hours bantering and reminiscing since the first night she'd stepped into his half unpacked office and while they'd certainly recounted dozens of memories, Killian had made sure to steer clear of those that involved her old flings and boyfriends.

Ex-boyfriends, he thought as he zipped up his jacket with a hard tug. That's what he wanted to believe Neal was, but as he watched the pair of them engage in a quick hug, he wasn't optimistic about his assumption.

"Game on, Coach," his third baseman - a quirky sophomore named Roland - greeted as he exited the dugout. "You ready?"

Peering back up toward the girl who'd never lost her hold on him, Killian let out a shaky sigh. She was there - right there - and yet as he took in the way she smiled at the man sitting next to her, Killian couldn't help but think about just how far away she really was.

A game, he pondered silently. That's what this was - and he was finally down to his last out.

They'd lost that night. Well, to put it more accurately, they'd been completely annihilated by the seventh inning. When they'd all taken the field for the customary stretch and small town rendition of 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame' - a baseball tradition that Storybrooke never failed to honor - he'd chanced a glance towards the stands. It took only a second to notice she was gone and his face had grown hot when he realized Neal was too. The small crowd was in the middle of chanting something about peanuts and Crackerjacks when he felt his hopes fall fractionally.

She hadn't left the other two games early. In fact, she'd arrived early to the first one and talked him out of his very nervous frame of mind almost too easily. She'd stayed late at the second game, even helping him haul the bag of aluminum bats and crisp baseballs to his car afterward. Emma had always been his most consistent fan and while he knew it shouldn't, her absence made the team's loss that much more frustrating.

He knew he probably didn't have the right to feel annoyed about something so trivial, but convincing himself of that was proving to be very difficult as he read through his game notes in the lowlights of his office.

"You always were ridiculously studious."

He jumped a bit in his seat, his sight jerking up to meet the eyes of his visitor. He definitely wasn't expecting such an intrusion and his heart thumped rapidly in his chest as he bit his lip.

"Aye," he answered, setting down the stack of papers. "I suppose it's true what they say about old habits."

"Admirably consistent, Jones," she smirked. "I've always liked that, you know."

God, she was beautiful, and even more so in the article of clothing she'd put on since he last caught sight of her - his well worn windbreaker from all those years ago. She'd kept it, he realized as his eyes admired her tangled blonde hair and cautious green gaze. That had to mean….something.

"Nice jacket," he said softly, his eyebrow raising. "Though I should apologize that our current team might not deserve such kind support."

"It wasn't that bad, Killian….and I'm sorry I missed-"

"You shouldn't be," he lied. "I know you've been….busy."

His response sounded clipped and the way it made her shoulders straighten immediately made Killian wish he'd spent a little more time picking a casual way to answer her. She moved into the room, her arms folded as she finally paused near the edge of the desk. He wasn't sure why, but she looked….nervous?

"I didn't intend to leave," she started, her teeth worrying her lip. "I just….needed to take care of something."

"With Neal?"

Shit, he thought as his heart raced. Why did he even bring up that jerk? Why did he even care?

"You saw that?"

"I, uh, yeah," Killian stammered, trying to avoid her eyes. "But it's okay, Emma. You don't have to-"

"Killian, I wanted to explain-"

"You don't have to," he cut in, rising to his feet. "Whatever's going on with you and Neal, Emma….it's none of my business-"

"But that's what I wanted to tell you, Killian, there's nothing-"

"He let you walk home, Emma," he blurted out, watching confusion fill her eyes as he shook his head. "I mean….that night of the dance - the Sadie Hawkins dance. After your date, he let you walk home by yourself. I know that because you were freezing by the time you got to my house and your feet were obviously sore from walking in those shoes you never wanted to wear in the first place."

Emma's lips parted slightly, a slight sense of bewilderment filling her stare as she listened to him ramble. He steadied his breath as their eyes locked and it didn't take long for the words he'd never said to resuming rushing out of his mouth.

"Then when you got sick the next week, he didn't bring you the notes you missed in World History or get you chicken soup from Granny's," Killian listed, his face hot with frustration. "He gave you roses for your birthday, Emma, even though you don't like them because you think they're a cliche. Oh and he doesn't like The Princess Bride - something he flat out told you the third time he got you to bail on movie night."

Her eyes were glassy as she listened, his rant obviously causing something to stir in her. Killian knew this was different for her - he'd never been quite this bold about how wrong he thought Neal was for her. Maybe this was wasn't how it was supposed to go. Maybe telling her that Neal didn't deserve her wasn't his place, but Emma was his best friend….and he'd spent far too long pretending that was enough.

"I know Neal….he's-" Killian said, biting his lip with a huff. "-but he's not…."

"He's not what, Killian?"

Her eyes were nervous yet permissive as whatever she was about to say faded into a charged silence. He could feel his nerves vibrating as he tried to be remain calm and rational. This was it though - the moment he'd been searching for since they were kids. It was that single instance he'd been waiting for since long before he chose to give her the space he'd assumed she once wanted.

He had to say something.

"He doesn't know….that you like bearclaws."

Yes, something - but not that, he thought as he began to mentally berate himself.

"That I like….bearclaws?"

"Yeah, the ones from the diner," Killian started, finally allowing his eyes to soften. "It's what I'd always bring you the morning after a tough loss - and not because you couldn't stand to see the Storybrooke Knights get their asses kicked, but more because it cheered me up to see you so happy about a morning pastry."

She laughed softly, a pink blush warming her cheeks as he stepped a few paces in her direction. He had no idea where his confidence was suddenly coming from, but as a small tear rolled down her cheek, he resolved not to question his instinct to wipe it away.

"He probably doesn't know that you're an outstanding writer either….and not just small town news either, love - I mean fiction stories and book reviews," he continued, giving her a nod. "The only girl who could convince eighteen year old me that Peter Pan was worth reading."

"It was," she sniffled, her smile weak. "But I-"

"He doesn't know that you don't like apples and that you can't dance, but you're pretty cute when you try," he smirked. "Or that you know more World Series trivia than any woman or man honestly should."

"Mmmm," she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Still bitter about that I see."

"You're patient, Emma - and passionate," he carried on. "You love traditions and sappy movies and appreciating the sweet things in life like that stupid discount cinnamon you always put on your hot cocoa."

"It's the best kind."

"Aye," he said, his eyes hopeful and his smile honest. "So are you."

The air hitched hard in her throat, his fingers grazing hers as they intertwined and Killian lifted her hand to his lips. She gasped at the contact and he took comfort in the way she shifted forward the tiniest bit.

"So why does it matter so much to you that the guy I am not and will not be dating-" she subtly clarified before forming her question. "-knows all of this?"

“It matters to me that you know, Emma.”

"You want me to know that you're….observant?"

"No," he said slowly, allowing the feelings he'd pushed away for years to surround him. "I want you to know that I don't want you to be with Neal because….I want you to be with me."

It took what felt like ages for a slow grin to spread across her face, the years he'd spent avoiding the truth melting away as she placed her hands on the sides of his jaw. It was like a dream when her thumb ran over the scar that had been beneath his eye for quite some time now and Killian closed his eyes briefly while he awaited the reply he could only pray she'd give him.

"Took you long enough, Jones."

He chuckled slightly as her forehead fell to his, the moment pulling them into a careful first kiss he'd almost believed he might never receive. It was pure and easy as her lips moved against his own, the quiet space of his office ignored and insignificant as his fingers wove their way through her hair. He could have dissolved into thin air as the kiss broke after a few minutes, but when his gaze returned to her beautiful one, he was beyond grateful that he didn't.

"So," she breathed, leaning into his gentle caress. "Now what?"

"Well, I guess-" he began with a smile that felt permanent. "-we take it a base at a time?"

"Hmmm, maybe," she countered, tilting her head from side to side. "-or how about we agree on no baseball puns and I let you take me out anywhere except a ballgame?"

He laughed a little harder that time, placing a soft kiss on her head as she nuzzled his chest. The game he'd been focused on earlier that evening had ended in exhausting defeat, but this….this was the real victory he'd been hoping for.

Tagging some folks: @optomisticgirl, @xpumpkindumplingx, @laschatzi, @jennifer-morrison, @spartanguard, @teamhook, @kat2609, @thesschesthair, @timeless-love-story, @its-like-a-story-of-love, @shady-swan-jones, @kmomof4, @deathbycaptainswan, @cocoa-and-rum, @ascolinwishes

[amandaj718]

Emmerdale Live and Organized - October 12, 2017

This is going to be an emotional, long, crazy episode. So, the pre-show will be short.

ALL HAIL THE GOATS. THE GOATS OF EMMERDALE SHALL PREVAIL!

Anyway…lets crack on, shall we?

The Bartons

Sure. I always let my dead relatives hang out in my house before the funeral. I’ll tread cautiously here because of different customs.

Nana Barton? NEW CHARACTER?

Oh, Ross. Honey. *Tissues and Bubble Wrap for him!*

No middle name? Do people no do middle names anymore?

Tracy and Leyla. I get it. I had trouble sitting in front of my grandfather’s casket at his wake. It was…too much. No shame in not doing it. It's just…it's rough.

Tracy is getting me teary-eyed. *WRAPS MY HEART IN BUBBLE WRAP*

Pete. GET IT TOGETHER FOR THE FUNERAL AT LEAST.

Ha. The dialogue that we heard when they jerk broke onto the set and started filming random stuff.

Yeah. Finn always looked for the best in people except for Aaron because he had no problem sending him down the river. (I’m still bitter about that guys. I don’t care if he is dead. He wasn’t a saint. Yet…we all do this don’t we? Don’t speak ill of the dead? Hmm, interesting practice…no? Thoughts on this?)

Eric. ERRRICCC. *BUBBLE WRAPS ERIC TO BLANKETS* *RUNNING OUT OF BUBBLE WRAP. SEND HELP*

ROSS WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU BURNING?!?!

The Wishing Well

Belle is the voice of reason.

Zak. Your old values are killing me here. Listen to the girl. Nothing happened. Why? Liv is…well…you will all find out.

Sam looks freaked out. Oh no. Like I thought. Too soon.

I think I have Belles shirt.

SAM. That’s not what happened! Sigh. Whatever.

Here we go. It's all coming together now. *glad to not hold in that spoiler anymore*

OH LOOK. Real parents. Look at that Liv.

David’s Grocery

I don’t think Pete had time to fully process the baby. Just saying.

Tracy! *Passes her a tissue*

“Two pages of smut!” – Tracy (AWWWWWWW! Cute)

The Café Crew

Nicola just cracked me up. “Weird but happy.”

Sam and Lydia. They are rushing. This won’t end well. Will it?

Oh god. They are going to get the wrong idea! *dun dun duuuunnn*

Moira’s Farm

Moira is still not bonding. I don’t think so. God, that is a big baby. Cute as hell.

Adam is as lovely as ever. It’s just your brother Adam. Jackass.

Adam making it about him. Thanks. *I’m not in a good place with the character right now. So, get used to it*

God. Everyone is guilty.  *DUN DUN DUUUUNNN*

The Pub Crew

Charity and Vanessa. That’s all I keep thinking about.

It’s all superheroes! PERFECT. *A happy tear comes out*

Diane is more involved in this storyline than her own stepsons. Thanks show.

Well. Leyla isn’t into burying the hatchet on this one Pryia. Eek. Moving on.

Everyone is dressed up. Cute.

Victoria is an asshole. Film at 11.

“Stranger things have happened.” – Faith (Yes. I agree.)

A nice shot of Jack Sugden.  Was that an accident?

Gabby feels too obvious. No?

Oh god. Faith. EEEEK.

Well, Cain. Come on. It’s obvious that you are the obvious choice here. Also, too obvious.

Some insight into Chas and Cain’s childhood.

Wow. Victoria. Your mind went right to Adam is guilty! Maybe you aren’t over things.  Just saying.

Oh god. Vanessa is so drunk. STOP HER.

“Beaky Box” - *SNORTS*

Vanessa and Charity. Yup. That’s…a thing. *Shrug*

‘Who Pushed Emma?’ Mystery

A hard slap? Hmmmmm. That is new information we didn’t know about.

Ok, technically, TECHNICALLY, this comes from Justine (@BeautifulHusbands), but we think Pryia, Nicola or Laurel is who pushed Emma. Watch this space for more info.

Cain doesn’t know, but I think he thinks its Moira. Just by his expression. I don’t know.

Adam is still the village idiot. His stupid ass self will get himself or someone else in trouble. I can feel it.

I’m shocked no one has blamed Robert yet. Everyone does. OH! Aaron is out of town that is why that hasn’t happened yet. *History people. Wink* lol

ROSS. WHY ROSS WHY. WHY DO YOU HAVE EMMAS THINGS?!?!

The Funeral

THEY WOULD NOT INTERRUPT A FUNERAL! SERIOUSLY!?! WTF?!?! I’ve been to a few funerals where the police….I won’t finish that statement right now. *looks away*

SERIOUSLY. THIS IS FUCKED UP. Let them bury Finn in peace!

Nicola is the Emmerdale fandom while we wait for the funeral to start. HA.

The Lachlan and Finn ship LIVES! FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN. (I just quoted a freaking country song. I’m sorry)

How nice! The Whites are sitting behind The Bartons. Hmmm. Very interesting.

Nice Chrissie. *eye roll* Only Nicola can make jokes. Not you. Shut up.

Why did the show zoom in on Chrissie when Pete asked: “what mother kills her child?” *OHHHHHH OOOOOOOHHHH*

Then it zoomed in on Lachlan about shooting something…I lost track of Pete’s breakdown but OH MY GOD. LET SERIAL KILLER LACHLAN RISE!

Nicola. I LOVE HER SO MUCH.

Adam showed up after all. Later. Still, works.

The Dingles Van of Doom

DON’T GET IN THE VAN GERRY!  

He is in the van. Gerry is in the van.

No, he isn’t Zak. You are an idiot.

Pigs don’t…I can’t. This is so dumb on so many levels.

HA! POINT ONE FOR GERRY! Isn’t everyone on this show from a farm except for the dead weight family and Tom?

Ok. Please. Make this stop. This is so stupid.

Oh god. Sanity showed up.

‘It’s Just Speculation!’

As per usual: Stay off the message boards, respect each other’s opinions, breathe, reboot and eat a Snickers. If you want to talk theory or the show come on over to my twitter and Tumblr @AmandaJ718

Until next time, see you around in Emmerdale! 

[gleefail]

Glee Memories: 1x15 The Power of Madonna

A long, long time ago, as Glee was approaching graduation in Season 3, I found myself nostalgic with some rare free time on my hands. So I decided to rewatch the series from the beginning and jot down some memories, discrepancies that have arisen since, fave quotes, tally solos - all that good stuff, strictly for shits and giggles.

8 years later (eek!) and once more I find myself with an unexpected abundance of free time. With so many revisiting or being newly introduced to the show between binge watching during Quarantine and all the tragedy that has surrounded the show since it went off the air, I figured I’d finish what I started. And by finish, I mean go through the end of S3. Cause I truly cannot acknowledge what happened after that. Except for 5B.

Kicking this off by reposting the first 15 episodes I already went through. Enjoy!

1x15 The Power of Madonna heeee, Sue just referenced Desperately Seeking Susan. Man, I loved that movie as a kid. Who’s That Girl as well anybody remember that one?!

hahaha, how have I never noticed before that Quinn is drawing a picture of Rachel Berry…a very unflattering picture that says “LOSER”? Awesome.

hahaha. Jesse and Rachel ‘hypothetically’ went to a Wiggles concert. Seriously, he’s kinda perfect for her.

Aw – The Montage from A Chorus Line is playing under Jesse’s pressure-her-into-sex moment. I have such fond memories of that song. I was featured in this song for a show that ended up changing the course of my entire life, quite literally. :)

“Would you please stop talking? You’re grossing out my baby.”

“But I can’t wait to get a guy mad at me for saying ‘no’.” Bite your tongue, Mercedes. Also…be careful what you wish for.

Still creeps me out that they have this whole sex talk with Mr. Schue in the room. And that he eavesdrops. And that when he speaks up it’s to ask if they’re having that much ‘guy trouble’, not to actually be a good teacher and help Rachel out in her “my boyfriend’s pressuring me to have sex but I’m not ready” situation or to respond to Britany and Santana’s advice to just never say no and that they should have more self-respect…teacher of the year indeed.

Do women really still earn 70 cents to every dollar a man does for the same job? Oh, eff that!

More Emma pamphlets:                HELP! I’m in love with my stepdad!                I still breastfeed …but how old is too old?                Congratulations, you’re pregnant.                Proper Wiping: Easy as 1…2…3                …and something about Toxic Shock Syndrome and Asperger’s that I                can’t read, lol.

Ugh, douche. Will just said this area of expertise (sex) is Emma’s blindspot. Jerk.

So Glee seems to have a knack for insulting folks that will later be guest stars. Gwyneth Paltrow and John Stamos have been mentioned thus far, and Lindsay Lohan just made the list. Hmmm…

I love the Ann Coultier jab. Cause I despise that ‘woman’

Ray of Light routine on stilts. Still leaves me speechless.  My favorite part is still when the men on stilts do these assisted lifts with women who are not. They get them so effing high.  It’s just amazing.

“Somehere on the English countryside in a stately manor home, Madonna is weeping.”

“Hall of fame MILF”

HA! Artie’s look in response to Tina giving him side-eye. Too funny.

Finn has no idea what misogynistic means. #BlessFinnsHeart

Kurt is gonna do a video of Madonna’s styles. With Mercedes. Kurtcedes love. :)

Yeah, I find it hard to believe high school boys wouldn’t be rubbin’ one out at these girls in corsets, touchin’ themselves and bein’ a little S&M with one another. Even if they hate Madonna with a passion. Their disinterest is completely unrealistic.

Britany has a (younger presumably as she plays soccer with a 7 year old) sister. Forgot about that. I think RIB did too.

The way to get a man forever is to take his virginity? Really? I would think that would unleash him into a sexual awakening and sleeping with everything he could now that he wouldn’t be perceived as ‘lame’ or a loser or whatever for being a virgin…no?

Finnocence. Nice.

Can we acknowledge that Finn lost his virginity in a plot for Santana to snag a younger man (by what, 4 days I think she said?) to emulate Madonna per Sue and not get kicked off the Cheerios? That’s…just so sad.

“You’re about as sexy as a Cabbage Patch Kid.” – ha!

So…watching this post-Nationals, does Emma get to have Madonna playing in her office now? ;)

Finn’s pissed that Rachel lied to him and didn’t really break it off with Jesse. Evs. Mind ya business, Finn.

So because he’s jealous or his ego is hurt or whatever, Finn tells Rachel if her and Jesse leads to something bad for the entire Glee club not to expect anymore friendship from him. Um…yeah. I’d marry him a year or two later. Cause…clearly he’ll be there through rough times…douche. Selfish, childish douche.

I still really like this mash-up of Borderline/Open Your Heart. And as much as I don’t love Finchel, the angst in this is my cup o’ tea. I like it.

I do love all the Madonna shout-outs in the hallway. Makes me feel old that I recognize each of these looks. Oy.

Finn, why are you just randomnly tearing books from the shelves and knocking them to the floor as you walk through the library? Such a badass…

I was watching an episode of Gilmore Girls and Brad was the piano player for one of Emily Gilmore’s parties (I think Rory’s college grad party). Hilarious. Also, he looked EXACTLY the same. How long ago was that?!

I find it awesome that Mercedes has a picture of a gal from So You Think You Can Dance in her locker. I love that show.

Up With People rejects. Ha.

Hmm. Will is suddenly not intimidated at all by Sue and her quips. What brought that on? Although, it’s hot when he stands up to her. Until he makes fun of her hair. Then he seems like a jerk.

“Oh, snap!” I love this moment. And the gif that came out of it.

Birth moment of the Sue, Kurt, Mercedes dynamic right there. Yay. :)

Sue just told Kurt and Mercedes about her sister being handicapped. I don’t care what anyone says, she likes them, even just a little bit. And I love this dynamic of the three of them. It always makes me smile.

Hahaha – Kurt’s reaction to Sue not being able to keep up with the latest looks when she was younger. Hilarious.

“Mercedes is black. I’m gay. We make culture.”

“I picked the Stephen Sondheim biography section for our clandestine meeting because only he can express my melonchalia.”

“You deserve epic romance.” Listen. Looking back from the end of Season 3, I really am not understanding why I’m supposed to want Rachel with Finn. Jesse makes so much more sense.

“Foreplay shall begin at 7:30 sharp.” Oh Emma. A for effort.

Vogue. Man. I was so little when this came out. I remember when it premiered on MTV.

Jane Lynch has such long legs. I’m jealous.

“Will Schuester. I hate you.”

Like A Virgin still makes me really uncomfortable. For so many reasons. I just…don’t need to see this side of any of these characters. I feel like a voyeur.

How did Santana and Finn swing a motel room at 15 years old? Hmm….

Add Whoopi to that list of joked about future guest stars. Yeesh…that’s 5 now? 4? Stamos, Paltrow, Lohan and Goldberg.

Sue is gonna reinvent Kurt and Mercedes. Squee!

Why is Rachel looking at sheet music for Where Is Love? Cause 1. I hate that song, 2. I hate that show, and 3. shoutout to the pilot?

Finn just asked Rachel how her date with Jesse went. With the subtext of “did you sleep with him?” WHY are they even talking about this? I don’t get it. It’s private Finn, so rude you’d even ask. Also, how does he even know they are even close to sex? I missed something. This is so weird. Made even more weird that neither of them seems to think it’s weird that they’re having this conversation. Ugh.

“Just come out so we can talk. Or sing about it.” Jesse is ridiculously perfect for Rachel Berry.

Okay, I’m gonna rant for a second: I know I’m anal and put him on a pedestal and all, but S3, they make it sound like Sam had sex with one of his clients at the strip club; after they’ve shoved super-romantic in-love-with-Mercedes Sam at us for like, 9 episodes in a row over a span of like, 3 or 4 months; regardless of how I personally feel about that or that ship, right now we see a super uncomfortable scene that still breaks my heart where Finn is dealing with the aftermath of sleeping with Santana, when he has feelings for someone else, but more in that he doesn’t have feelings for her, therefore it didn’t mean anything and it’s clearly not sitting well with him. Regret is all over his face. It’s so sad. So…why did they do the same thing but expect it to be okay in S3 regarding Sam (but even more gross cause of the whole stripper/client aspect)? Eff you, Glee.

I feel like this might be the most real and vulnerable I’ve ever seen Santana (in the post-coital conversation with Finn in the motel room bed). I mean…a couple moments may rival it, but it’s definitely top 5 if not top 3. It’s so sad to see how she really feels about this aspect of her life that publicly she seems so proud of and invincible to. Man. Poor Santana.

Um…is Puck playing Ninja in the background or just being a human statue or something? It doesn’t look like anyone is playing with him, so it must be the latter? Random.

Something changed in the way I felt about Glee after this episode, now that I look back on it. I felt like I should’ve left this episode feeling like “wow – they’re ballsy and go against the grain! They’ll do the unexpected” but…instead I was left with a feeling of “do I trust these writers with these people I’ve come to care about?” I’m referring to the possibility of consummation with 3 couples, 2 of which would have seemed…not completely unhealthy and one that obviously was…and they had those 2 chicken out and consummated the 1 that just shouldn’t have because it was kind of an irresponsible message to send to the youngins watching this show who they say at times they speak to when they write things like Kurt’s gay storyline or about being an outcast but finding a group that understands you and being happy with who you are. But here I’m sure they’d say something about how they’re not role models and shouldn’t be emulated. Yeah. This was the beginning of the end of my true love for Glee and the beginning of me just loving certain characters and occasional episodes or storylines…the beginning of my love to hate Glee. Whee. :/

It’s cute that Will polished Emma’s shoes. :)

I know a lot of people think it’s condescending and all, but I think the way Will handles suggesting counseling etc. to Emma was nice. There’s something mature about it. I think it’s that he’s like “we need to take action to work through our issues or they’re not gonna go away” as a team. It was nice.

“What the hell? It seems like now people are doing things JUST to hurt my feelings!” Ok, so maybe Finn IS more perfect for Rachel than I thought. Selfish little man-child.

Jesse St. James just joined New Directions. Kurt is pissed cause it means he’ll have no chance at a solo. Mercedes mentions that they only trot her out at the end of songs to wail on the last note, how is that okay? Truth.com. Also, why were those two issues NEVER addressed by Will? They were put out there, they were true as hell, and they were just ignored. Teacher of the year indeed.

Santana points out that obvs Jesse is a spy. Mr. Schue sticks up for Jesse and lets him join. Yet Rachel wasn’t allowed to date him cause that would be bad for the Glee club? #WTF?

“Mr. Schue, is he your son?”

“Okay, from the top!”  

4 Minutes. Seriously, I never thought Chris Colfer was hot before I saw this song. But let’s be real – he is hot as fuck in this song, I still think so. It was the first time I noticed as well that boy had grown into a little man! When did THAT happen? Wasn’t he just a baby-faced nugget like, 3 episodes before this?

Also, I love both of the vocals for them on this song.

Ok. This still pisses me off (can you tell this is an ep that started my rage towards Glee? Lol): Emma, Mr. Schue and Rachel are all distraught and shocked when they see that Mercedes and Kurt have joined the Cheerios…WHY? Britany and Santana are already on the Cheerios and in Glee and it’s fine. Quinn was. Why is this such a betrayal? They didn’t QUIT ND to join the Cheerios. And isn’t Rachel in like, 16 clubs in addition to Glee? Puck, Finn, Mike and Matt are on the football team. Artie has jazz band and AV club. Mercedes and Kurt and Tina are the only ones who are ONLY in Glee Club. This is stupid.

Shot of Quinn who is happy as a pig in shit for the two of them. THANK YOU Quinn for having sense and being a cool person and good friend.

“You guys could’ve at least given me a heads up.” “You mean, the same you way you gave us a heads up before NOT giving us a solo almost every week?” PREACH!!

You expect me to believe that the sexuality of Express Yourself, Artie working on that kick-ass Vogue video, or that amazing performance of 4 Minutes didn’t sway the boys to like Madonna…but their shitty rendition of “What It Feels Like For A Girl” did? Fuck you, Glee. I’m not an idiot. Stop treating me like one.

Why is Kurt a part of this lesson on treating the girls with respect? 1. He’s into Madonna, so he doesn’t need to be converted. 2. He’s NOT treating the girls like garbage. Teacher of the year indeed.

“I think we’re gonna need a new baritone cause Finn would like to become Finnessa”

“My growing feminism will cut you in half like a righteous blade of equality.”

Kurt mentions he’s an honorary girl. Again, WHY is he a part of this lesson?

AW. It just broke my heart a little that Tina said to Artie “why would you propose when you don’t even like me?” Aw. Poor Tina.

Alright, I admit, I love that whoever wrote this ep finally ended this nonsense with Finn being all pissed at Rachel for dating Jesse like she did something wrong and made him realize why she was even single to be pursued by Jesse in the first place. Kudos…whoever you are cause they didn’t credit the writer or director on this ep (the fuck?).

“Sing off. The parking lot. 5:00. Be there.” “No…”

“Frankly, I need you. I’m tired of carrying the male vocals all by myself.” Oh, FUCK. YOU. Finn! (I say on behalf of Kurt, Artie, and Puck).

Kurt just sang his first itty bitty solo in Glee club and then before Mercedes starting singing he ran up and gave her a peck on the cheek. Oh my God, I love them.

Gospel choir. So. Effing. Random. Yet so. Effing. EPIC.

SOLOS: Rachel (4), Mercedes (3), Finn (3), Emma (1), Santana (1), Will (1), Jesse (1), Kurt (2)

[gleefail]

Glee Memories 1x5: The Rhodes Not Taken

A long, long time ago, as Glee was approaching graduation in Season 3, I found myself nostalgic with some rare free time on my hands. So I decided to rewatch the series from the beginning and jot down some memories, discrepancies that have arisen since, fave quotes, tally solos - all that good stuff, strictly for shits and giggles.

8 years later (eek!) and once more I find myself with an unexpected abundance of free time. With so many revisiting or being newly introduced to the show between binge watching during Quarantine and all the tragedy that has surrounded the show since it went off the air, I figured I’d finish what I started. And by finish, I mean go through the end of S3. Cause I truly cannot acknowledge what happened after that. Except for 5B.

Kicking this off by reposting the first 15 episodes I already went through. Enjoy!

1x5: The Rhodes Not Taken Glee Club Invitational posters go up. A showchoir invitational means other showchoirs are invited to perform but it’s not a competition. …but it’s Glee

“Can we please talk about the giant elephant in the room?” “Your sexuality?” Me: hmmm…I think I like this gal. Thus began my fondness for Ms. Lopez

Okay, Mr. Schue just suggested that Quinn’s solo will work if he layers Mercedes and Santana in with her…um, 1. he knew then they’d sound awesome together, yay, but 2. why not instead just give the solo to Santana or Mercedes?

“That Rachel chick makes me wanna light myself on fire” – Puck just foreshadowed my future

Mr. Schue just said he’d give Tina some of Quinn’s verses in the solo to ease up her stress cause Finn’s worried about the baby. Seriously, what universe is this where he’s immediately thinking of giving Santana, Mercedes, and Tina solos?!

Emma is telling Finn that he shouldn’t attempt an athletic scholarship because very few kids get them…but he still goes for one and is heartbroken about it 2 years later. #BlessFinnsHeart #oops

It still makes me snicker that Jacob asks Rachel to show him her bra…and that it makes me remember I saw Lea Michele in Spring Awakening where she got a lil naked. And I get uncomfortable.

Haaaa – Will goes on April’s website and there’s basically porno music playing. Awesome.

APRIL RHODES!!! Oh, Kristen Chenoweth, you are soooo fake tanned!

It’s bout 10 seconds in and I already adore April Rhodes all over again.

“Then Ralph had an affair with Vinnie, I had a set of mixed race twins…”

”You guys look like the world’s worst Beneton ad”

I said it when I first saw it and I’ll say it again: Lea Michele has a beautiful voice, but Kristin Chenoweth is a damn professional who knows how to use her instrument. The style she can put into Maybe This Time, His Name, and Alone, making them each unique to their genre and still giving an exceptional rendition of it speaks to the genius of the Cheno…whereas Lea Michele will do a high pop belt interpretation of her songs 98% of the time.

”April should stay. I adore her.”

So far, with the exception of the Technicolor zebra ensemble, Mercedes is dressing pretty normal. Actually, she looks pretty fashionable and hot about 60% of the time. Not an animal print in sight. When did that change? WHY did that change? Amber Riley looks so good so far!

”I once got a cake out of a kid’s birthday party – with the candles still lit!”

”You’re a really good actor, Finn” – oh, if only you knew his ‘dream’ then, Rachel

”Talent doesn’t age, sweetheart” *wink* Oh Cheno, I love you.

“Me me me me me me” “You you you you you you you” Yeah. Still not funny. Cheap joke that I’ve heard a million times since elementary school choir vocal warmups.

“Oh, Bambi. I cried so hard when those hunters shot your mommy.”

”I’m pretty sure it’s not a fake ID because he looks like an eleven-year old milkmaid”

”I think it was April. Her backpack’s always clinkin’ with empties”

“We have obligations as teachers, Will, to give kids opportunities for growth and enrichment” – I needed her to tattoo that on Will’s forehead so he was reminded everyday. Cause he forgot that for about 80% of the kids in the club. Everyday.

Seriously, Lea Michele is real good at the crying scenes. Like, impressively good. Makes your heart break a little cause she ugly cries.

“Um, do you have any NyQuil? I could use a little pick-me-up.”

”That Finn Hudson is one cutie pie I gots mah eye on”

Seriously, April Rhodes was top bitch of Glee when Glee ran the school like the Cheerios and athletes do in current Glee. She was like, Crey-Crey Rachel Berry and Top Bitch In Charge Quinn rolled into one. Do NOT fuck with her, Rachel.

“Sober? I’m rollin’ on a fistful of horse tranquilizers. I can’t feel mah lips.”

”I mean, that’s how you get better, y’know? Singing with people who are better than you.” – I totally forgot that there was a time that Glee said things I thought were really smart and wholeheartedly agreed with (especially if you replace ‘singing’ with ‘performing’ or ‘working with’ in that statement, then it’s even more accurate)

I have never been able to listen to Alone the same way again. These two do it so insanely well.

Rachel’s eating pizza at the bowling alley. Pepperoni pizza. Too bad she’s not only vegetarian, but a vegan. #oops

Rachel kisses her bowling ball before taking her turn. EW. Emma is somewhere having seizures from all the germs.

For the second time, Rachel and Finn kiss while he’s still with Quinn. Only this time, he now knows Quinn’s pregnant with what he thinks is his child. How was he NEVER called out for this cheating?

“This is a hot damn mess.”

Wait…in the pilot, Finn said he’d been dating Quinn for about 4 months…why is anyone (let alone everyone) shocked to hear Finn’s the babydaddy? #oops

Finn dropped off an application for a music scholarship for college…as a sophomore#oops

“I hope you have fun playing house with Quinn while you languish in your little ensemble but MY dreams are bigger than that…and they’re bigger than YOU” oh Rachel…you will eat those words in about two and a half years#oops

Oh. Hell. No. Mr. Schue just walked in and stopped vocal warm-ups to say the house was packed. Nice music teacher …but it’s Glee

“I’m hoggin’ their sunshine”

”You were right, Mr. Schue: she’d massacre Mariah in a diva-off”

”I realized being a star didn’t make me feel as special as being your friend” Man. I’m remembering why I used to love Rachel. The things they did to her character…Season One Rachel, I’m so used to S2 and S3 Rachel, I barely recognize you.

Somebody to Love really pinpoints that New Directions was better then. I mean, talent-wise in terms of dancing. They only had Finn who was a bad dancer and Puck soooometimes looked a lil akward, but everyone else danced real well. Now they have no Matt, and added Sam (who I love but can sometimes look real uncoordinated), Rory and Joe who are both bad movers per Glee Project. Oy vey.

SOLOS: Rachel (2), April (3), Will (1), Finn (1) MERCEDES TAKING THE GLORY NOTE: First time (1)