#strumbling heart

[cas-skz]

Crumble

Wooyoung x FEM!reader

| non-idol au | drama/romance/smut | 18+!! |

Hiding your true feelings for your brothers best friend was something you had grown used to but when life took a turn, it came crumbling down even faster.

[WRITERS NOTE]

Akakakakakakaka so seeing Wooyoung with a kid caused this story to take a turn and he’s a daddddy!!!! Lmao stay tuned for part two!!! Enjoy xx

“San- my boy. We hit it big tonight. You keep this up and we’ll be loaded with cash in no time.” Wooyoung’s voice echoed through the small apartment as you emerged from the bathroom, dripping wet and wrapped in a towel. The boys had just returned from their usual Friday night boxing match - underground and illegal, but the money was worth it at the end of the day.

Two set of eyes immediately scanned your body, with devilish smiles creeping onto their lips as they leaned forward on the couch. Seonghwa and Yunho, more inner fight circle boys. “Don’t be a tease, y/n, drop the towel.” Yunho shot, earning a bag of frozen veggies to be thrown at him by San. “She’s my fucking sister bro.”

“Don’t worry Sannie, I know where he’s been.” You smirked, patting San on the shoulder as you walked to your room. It wasn’t long after that you heard the boys saying their goodbyes and your brother had poked his head in your room to let you know he’d be gone for the night. “Woo is gonna crash here. He’s fighting with that bitch again.”

“Why does he have to sleep here?”

“Where else would he go?”

“Seonghwa’s? Yunho’s? That baby face security guard dude thst comes here sometimes.”

It wasn’t that you didn’t like Wooyoung, he’d been in your life for years and you had grown close to him but as time passed, you couldn’t help but find him addictively attractive.

“Shut up dude.” San laughed, shaking his head. “He’ll probably just be gaming all night. I’m sure you won’t even know he’s here.”

“Fine.” You grumbled, waving him off.

A few hours had past since San left and as promised, the apartment had remained quiet. You had curled up in bed watching Netflix and snacking until you finally had to use the bathroom. In just an oversized shirt, you pushed off the bed and started down the hall.

“Shit, fuck!” You yelled, strumbling into Woo as he headed back to San’s room. His hands went to your waist, holding you in place as you laughed into your hands. “You scared the shit outta me.”

It wasn’t until you opened your eyes that you realized the close proximity to a shirtless Wooyoung, his toned chest and arms sent shivers down your spine. “Sorry..” Woo awkwardly laughed, letting his hands slowly slide off your sides.

“No, it’s fine. I’m usually walking mindlessly.”

“It is your place. I’m just taking up room.”

“You do the dishes sometimes, so I guess you’re not a total waste.”

Wooyoung huffed a laugh as he gazed down at you, “I’ll let you get to it.”

You smiled gently at him before going into the bathroom, groaning quietly as you plopped down and glanced at yourself in the mirror. Your face was beat red from blushing so hard and as you reached for the toilet paper, you noticed the goosebumps that had taken over your arm.

Even after shoving your feelings deep down and having a couple of relationships over the past years, Woo always had a special place in your heart. You sighed softly as you finished up, finding it nearly impossible to ignore your now throbbing clit.

You turned your back to the sink and propped yourself up against it. After finding a comfortable spot your hand quickly went to work swirling quick circles.

The thing about living in a small apartment was the unfortunate close proximity of everything and keeping things quiet, wasn’t always the easiest. You bit your lip hard as you concealed your moans,

Your mind wondered to Woo, thinking of how you’d want him touch you all over. Thinking of how good he’d feel deep inside your pussy. Your head fell back into the wall as you pleased yourself, blocking the world out.

You had almost hit your peak when the sound of the microwave door slamming shut. “Fuck” you muttered, knocking a few things of the counter as you tried to compose yourself.

“You good in there?” Woo yelled from the kitchen, that unfortunately was only a few feet away.

“Yea, I’m fine!” You replied, quickly picking up the fallen items before turning off the light. You took a deep breath and opened the door, Wooyoung’s eyes shot to you. “I’m making popcorn if you want some.”

You could feel your face burning red, “uh no, thanks though. I’m just gonna go lay down.” You babbled, flashing him a quick smile before quickly returning to your room.

Had he heard you? Did he know what you were doing? All questions ran through your head as you flopped on your bed, groaning into your pillow in frustration.

A few hours had passed before you heard noise coming from the room next to yours, lowering the volume on your tv, you could hear the sound of moaning and dirty talking could almost perfectly through the wall. You listened carefully, quickly clueing in that he was watching porn. What followed next made your pussy start to throb again.

The more you listened, the hotter things seemed to get. Woo’s soft groans entered the mix, you whined quietly as your entrance begged for attention.

Your hand quickly moved to your exposed pussy and to no surprise it was soaking wet. Your head gently knocked on the wall as you slipped your fingers inside your tight entrance, causing you to let out a small moan.

In the room next to you, Wooyoung sat directly on the opposite side of the wall, his hard cock gripped in one hand. He had been driving himself crazy the last few hours, hearing the sounds of your moans from the bathroom played in his head over and over again.

All he wanted to do was go into your room and shove his cock inside you, but he resisted and that’s when he turned to his phone. His cock twitched as he heard you start to moan, the bright red tip leaked pre-cum that he used as lube to help pump his hand.

You and Woo continued to moan and it had became obvious that it wasn’t to the porno. You couldn’t keep yourself from just moaning anymore, and softly started to speak. “I’m so wet.”

Woo audibly groaned in response, “my dick is so hard for you.”

The moans and dirty talking continued back and forth, pushing you closer and closer to orgasm.

“Fuck, I wanna cum,” you moaned

“You want me to cum with you?”

“Yea, cum with me. Cum like you’re fucking this tight pussy,”

Both your moans increased, your hands worked quickly to pump your hole and rub your clit. Your body started to shake as you got louder and louder with each rub, “I’m gonna cum….fuck”

“Cum for me.”

“Yes. Yes I’m fucking cumming.” Your body shook into orgasm as you continued to rub your clit, the other gripped the sheets as you listened to the sound of Woo panting and groaning.

“You made me cum so much,” he groaned, “what a good girl you are.”

His words sent shivers down your spine, pushing you further more into orgasm. “Only for you,” you moaned, your body hovering a bit off the bed as your came to peak.

You finally came to rest, continuing to softly moan as you came down.

“This has to be our secret, you know that right, baby?”

“Our secret.” You yawned, curling yourself up in your sheets.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

You had slept peacefully through the night, feeling relieved but afraid of what was to come.

The next morning you woke to the sound of yelling coming from the kitchen, but what through you off was the unknown female who was arguing with Wooyoung.

“You’re just leaving? She needs her mother, why would you even think of leaving?”

“Because I can’t take being stuck her anymore. I need to get out and have some freedom.”

“At our daughters expense?”

The voices lowered as you heard San enter the apartment, he was quick to address the situation and defend his best friend.

“What? She trying to run away again?” San scoffed, it was a rare tone for your brother to have but you could hear the hatred in his voice.

“This has nothing to do with you San!” The female shouted.

“Considering she’s my god-child, I think it does. Why don’t you just tell him the truth.”

“San, shut the fuck up.”

You were too focused on the argument happening that you didn’t hear the footsteps coming towards your room, “Hey, sorry…” Woo peaked his head in, holding back a small laugh as he saw your attempt to hide against the wall.

You felt the heat rush to your cheeks again as you took a few steps back, allowing Woo into your room. Your fingers played with the bottom of your shirt as he set a baby carrier down, “Your brother is scary when he’s mad.” He chuckled nervously, running his hand through his long black hair.

“He cares deeply that’s why.” You said softly, kneeling on the ground next to the carrier. “What’s this little ones name?”

Wooyoung ���lowered himself down next to you, his closeness sent waves of warmth through your body. “This is miss Ella, my pride and joy.”

His face brightened as the beautiful baby girl smiled up at him, her small hand wrapped around his finger. “Do you mind watching her? Just until everything is sorted.” He asked.

“Of course I don’t mind.” You smiled, tickling your finger along Ella’s chubby leg. Woo quickly freed her from her carrier, standing up to embrace and kiss her sweetly. You couldn’t help but smile.

“She’s really chill and everything you need is in the bag.” Woo noted, turning to pass Ella to you. “Hey pretty girl.” You smiled as you took her into your arms. You wanted to pause this moment forever, but the yelling from the living room was only getting worse.

“Fu- thank you.” Woo said quickly, pulling you in for a quick hug. He paused for a moment, pressing a kiss above your ear before whispering, “I owe you.”

The time had past faster than expected and thankfully the three in the living room calmed down and started to speak about the situation. As far as you knew, Woo had been fighting with his, now ex, for almost a year. You remember him mentioning how she just wanted to party and bullshit her life away, thankfully it hadn’t effected Ella in any way.

Both you and Ella had passed out at some point, the quiet sound of baby sensory videos made it one of the best naps you’ve ever had.

Your eyes fluttered opened as Woo sat down on the bed, taking Ella into his lap. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

You shook your head as you sat up, running a hand through your hair as you grabbed some of Ella’s snacks. “No, it’s okay. I bet this one is starving.” You popped open the can of puffs, which she happily started shoving in her mouth.

“San went out to get some stuff, he wanted me to ask you if it was okay if we stayed here for a bit.” Woo’s eyes met with yours for a quick second, “I told him I couldn’t do that to you. It’s not fair.”

“I’m not letting you guys live in a motel or something.” You chewed on the inside of your lip as you crisscrossed your legs and scooted a little closer. “She deserves somewhere safe.” You smiled down at Ella, booping her nose.

You could feel Woo’s eyes on you as you babbled with Ella, it made you feel warm and safe in a way. But with things taking a sudden turn, you felt like you had to shove those feelings back down again.

“If San says you’re staying then you are.” You insisted. “I’ll help with whatever you need.”

“You really don’t have to do that.”

“I want to, it’s the least I could do really.”

Your hand slowly slid to his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Please, let me help.”

His eyes met with yours again, giving you that tingly feeling you were becoming familiar with. He leaned in and placed a kiss on your cheek, letting it linger for a long moment before he pulled back and looked at you. His eyes flashed from yours to your lips, he slowly leaned in and your eyes fluttered shut.

“Yunho! Can you watch where you’re going!” San’s voice suddenly filled the apartment, causing you to jump back and climb off the bed. “We should probably go help.” You said quickly, trying to stop yourself from blushing hard.

Thankfully Yunho had dragged Ella’s play-pen in first, so you set her up inside it with a few toys to keep her busy. The next few hours were spent helping San gather some of his things, as he planned to stay with his girlfriend so Woo and Ella could use the room.

After stuffing their faces with pizza, the boys were on their way, leaving you alone with Woo and Ella.

You hummed quietly to yourself as you washed the dishes, lost in your own thoughts when a set of arms gently wrapped around your core. “I could have done those.” Woo said softly, resting his head on your shoulder.

“It’s fine, doing dishes actually relaxes me.” You laughed, glancing down at his hands as his thumb gently rubbed against your stomach. You knew shoving your feelings down was going to be a challenge.

“Hey, I think we should-” You paused to turn around, taking his hands in yours. You looked into his eyes, getting lost in sparkly brown galaxies for a moment. “I just…” your eyes trailed to his lips before shifting back downward.

His pressed a kiss on your forehead before pulling you into a tight hug. “I know.”

You rested your head against his chest, taking in his scent. The feeling of comfort and warmth washed over you as you hugged him back, “You have no idea how much this sucks.”

A few days passed since Woo and Ella moved in and things around the apartment finally felt calm. You spent a majority of your time with Ella while Woo helped San prepare for the next fight.

After a day at the gym, Woo came home drenched in sweat and quickly took a shower after popping in to say hi to Ella. 

You were sitting on your bed reading when he walked into your room in nothing but a towel.

“I got something for you.”

“Something other than this?” You joked, sue him up and down.

He smirked and shook his head as he sat down next to you in your bed, placing a little square box down. “Open it.”

You rose your eyebrow at him before opening the black box, inside was a rose gold bracelet with a row of tiny aquamarine crystals on it. Your eyes filled with tears as a child hood memory flooded in. The bracelet was almost an exact match to one your late father had given to you and that your former best friend stole.

“Where did you find this?” You asked, looking at him through watery eyes.

“San and I where checking out a space under this pawn shop up north. I spotted it thinking you’d like it and San told me about the one your dad gave you.” Woo took the bracelet from the box and took your hand into his and placed it on. “He pouted the whole way home that I never buy him gifts.” Woo laughed, adjusting it on your wrist before holding it in his.

“Thank you. It’s beautiful.” You leaned over and wrapped your arms around him, placing one hand on the back of his head so you could hold him close. His wet body practically stuck to yours and as he hugged you back, he placed gentle kisses between your neck and shoulder.

You felt your body shutter at the sensation, the faintest of moans escaped your lips.

Woo’s hands slipped up the back of your shirt as your breathing picked up, he moved a small bit to get more access to your neck. His lips started to peck softly, slowly turning into gentle sucking and nibbling.

Your hand slowly slid from the back of his head and down his chest before resting gently on his waist, tempted to pull the towel open. Your legs slowly pushed down the light comforter on top of you as you moved yourself closer to Woo, unable to contain yourself any longer.

One of Wooyoung’s hands moved to your front, he slowly ran his fingers across your side boob before starting to play with your nipple. You moaned softly, letting out a small whine as he finally pulled away and looking at you with shy eyes. “Can I take this off?” He asked, tugging at your shirt.

You leaned away from him and nodded, helping him as he slipped you out of your shirt, exposing your naked body. Your cheeks rushed a dark red as your finger tapped on the loosely wrapped towel, you pulled it open with his permission.

You both took a minute to scan each others bodies, Woo fingers trailed against your sensitive skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps.

“I want you.” Woo whispered.

You scooted back on the bed, giving him room to lay down next to you. His towel fell as he stood to reposition, his hard cock stood to attention as he pulled the covers over the both of you.

Your lips were now itches away from his, “We shouldn’t.” Your hand trailed down the side of his body before resting on his hip. “But I don’t think I can keep myself from you any longer.”

Wooyoung pulled himself closer to you, “So don’t.” His lips brushed against yours, “He knows I’m in love with you.”

“W-what? What ar-”

His lips crashed into yours before you could finish your sentence, kissing you deeply and passionately.

You let your whole body sink into the kiss, tangling your legs with his as you moved your hand to his cock while his found its way to your clit.

He was everything you’d dreamt about and even better than you’re fantasies. Wooyoung made your entire body feel electric.

You moaned against his lips as you became more and more aroused. A small gasp escaped your lips as he slid a finger inside your tight entrance, you could hear how wet you were with each movement his finger made.

Woo’s head dipped down to your chest, where he placed kisses all around your breast before taking the nipple into his mouth. His tongue swirled around the tender bud, flicking and sucking.

“Fuck.” You moaned, tangling your hand in his hair as he leaned you onto your back. His mouth moved to your other nipple and your hands gripped the sheets as he added a second finger into your pussy.

Woo trailed kisses back up to your lips as his fingers slowly slid from inside you, “Taste.”

You opened your mouth as he slowly put two sweet tasting fingers inside, “Good girl.” He praised, kissing you again as he guided the tip of his cock through your pussy lips.

You whined quietly as he teased your entrance, poking just the tip in and out as he slowly worked to fit his cock deeper and deeper inside. You cursed against his lips as your nails dug into his chest and his thick cock filled you out.

You held each other close as you continued to fuck, whispering sweet nothings to each other and none stop kissing. You couldn’t help fall for him more and more as the night went on. It felt so new but familiar at the same time.

You woke the next morning in bed alone, but to the sound of dishes clinking in the kitchen. You ran a hand through your hair, still damp from the late night shower you had with Woo and grabbed one of his long sleeve shirts before making your way into the kitchen.

You stood back and took a moment to take it all in. Wooyoung cooking away with Ella balanced on his hip, chatting away with her about colors and numbers.

“Morning.” You said softly, walking towards the two and placed a kiss on Ella’s cheek before Woo’s.

Wooyoung smiled down at you, “Could you put her in her chair please.” He asked, placing a kiss on your forehead.

“Of course.”

When you turned around again, Woo quickly cupped your face and kissed you deeply, pulling you in as close as he could. “I couldn’t kiss you properly with her in my arms.”

You leaned up on your tippy toes as you wrapped your arms around his waist, “I guess we can forgive you.” You teased.

After a few minutes, Woo joined you and Ella at the table, pulling you onto his lap as you happily enjoyed the meal he made. It made your heart warm.

Weeks started to fly by as you grew closer to Wooyoung, falling more and more in love with him. You also got to know Ella a lot more, her habits and routine, things that made her happy or upset. She was pretty easy once you figured out what the problem was.

Wooyoung and San had been winning fights left and right, bringing in more money than their accounts could hold. While things seemed to be going perfectly, it suddenly came crashing down.

The door slammed opened just as you were finished changing Ella, a wave of panic and urgency filled the home.

“Y/N, get your things. Now. Whatever you need for at least a month” San ordered, his eyes filled with anger as he stormed through the house, grabbing your items of clothing and shoving them into a duffle bag.

Wooyoung was right behind him, your heart dropped as your eyes met with his. “What’s happening?”

“Y/N! Hurry!” San yelled from your room.

“We need to get you two out of here.” His words were cut short as San came out of your room, once again shouting an order at you to gather your things.

Within a few minutes you had gathered just about everything you could think of, anything you needed on a daily. It took all your energy to hold your emotions back as the sight unfolded in front of you, San and Woo were running back and forth packing things into an unfamiliar vehicle.

“Woo…please tell me what’s going on?” You asked as Ella started to cry in your arms. You softly patted her back and shushed her as he quickly started to bring you to the SUV, doing everything in your power to hold back tears.

Without an answer, he swept Ella from your arms as San spun you towards him.

“You trust me?” He asked, looking you directly in the eyes.

“Always…”

He pulled you into a hug, immediately causing the tears to fall from your eyes. “I promise we’ll come back to you and Ella.”

“What the fuck do you mean?” You shoved yourself back from him, anger now taking over.

“We have to go. I love you.”

He rushed over to his car, yelling at Woo to wrap it up.

You yelled after him, trying to follow when Wooyoung grabbed your wrist and turned you to him. There was sadness in his eyes and it broke your heart.

Your tears started to fall again as he pulled you into him for a kiss. The salty taste from your combined tears slipped between your lips.

“I love you. Please take care of her.”

Wooyoung quickly got you into the car where Ella was sitting in her car seat, holding one of Woo’s shirts. He gave you one last kiss before closing the door.

“No…No!” You cried out, trying to open the door. Childlock was on, and he was already quickly heading towards the other car.

As both cars took off in opposite direction, there was nothing you could do but fall onto the seat and cry.

PART TWO

[tilly-tilly-2827]

Spirited Away

Cannon divergence of An Offer from a Gentleman #1

Synopsis: “When I come back around, will I know what to say?” Or what if Sophie became pregnant with Charlie after the couch scene? What if Sophie agreed to be Benedict’s mistress for the sake of her son? What if Benedict never resisted the rules of the ton?

The darkest timeline of AOFAG; inspired by Billy Eilish’s “CHIHIRO”.

AO3 post from here!

“I’m getting married next month.”

When Benedict murmured those words against her neck, Sophie felt nothing. Nothing at all. Perhaps Benedict thought she would start crying, or at least, emotionally disturbed, because he began to stroke her curls as if soothing her from the nonexistent pain.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Sophie listened to the ticking of the clock.

“But, nothing is going to change between us, my love. In my heart, you are already my wife,”

Staring through the half-opened window, Sophie noticed that the moon was exceptionally well-lit that night,

“Which young lady is going to be Mrs. Benedict Bridgerton?”

“Ms. Stowell.” Benedict sighed as he tightened his arms around Sophie’s small waist, feeling her soft smooth skin against his, “Dolores Stowell.”

“Please send my regards.”

“Sophie, Sophie, Sophie,” Benedict tried to roll her to his side, wanting to look into her eyes, but her grip on the sheets was too tight, “You knew I had to marry someday,”

“I know.”

“Mother and Anthony were pinching me to marry. I thought I should get it over with,”

“I understand.”

“Aren’t you jealous, Sophie?”

“Do you want me to be jealous?”

Yes, his pathetic answer almost strumbled from his lips. He half wanted her to scream and cry in hysterics, begging him to marry her instead. If she were in fits of anger and jealousy, Benedict could hold her tight and smooth her, whispering love into her ears until she calmed down and slept peacefully in his arms.

But Sophie only lay there motionless, emotionless.

Silence crept up in the spacious townhouse on St. Johns Street. Only the peaceful sounds of Charlie snoring from the nursery could they hear.

“Do you know how much I love you, Sophie?.” Benedict covered his hands over Sophie’s clenched fists. Trailing her delicate, cold fingertips. “I love you, Sophie.”

“I know.”

“Only you.”

“I know.”

At the break of dawn, Sophie felt Benedict slip away from the covers, the gentle waves of the mattresses waking up from her doze. On any other day, Sophie would wake up and send him off with a kiss, but that day, Sophie just couldn’t bring herself to do so.

She kept her eyes shut as Benedict placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, his hands lingering on her golden curls. Then, she heard a small click on the door; Benedict was so careful not to make a sound. Making sure that Sophie and Charlie would stay in their sweet dreams of their own.

Life as Benedict’s mistress wasn’t as horrible as she had imagined. It wasn’t horrible, in fact, it might be the life she had once dreamed of.

Even before Charlie was born, Benedict visited the townhouse every day with flowers in his hand, a basket of apples and pears she had craved during her pregnancy. He didn’t sleep for three days and held her hand tightly as she screamed and moaned in pain, the birth of Charlie Bridgerton had been long and painful. Both in tears and sweat, he had burst into tears of joy when the midwife handed the little baby in his arms, telling him with a smile that it was a healthy boy. Sophie had also shed tears as she watched Benedict sing lullabies while cradling little Charlie, knowing that perhaps, she had not foolishly repeated the tragedy of her mother. Unlike Sophie, Charlie was loved by his father. Unlike her mother, she was loved. Sophie knew that nothing could be better.

Almost every day, Benedict would come home from his studio at five o’clock, and Benedict would ask how her day was as she cooked supper for three, and chatted over their dinner plates. Benedict would play with Charlie as he tumbled on his lap, and after tucking in his son with a lullaby and a kiss on the forehead, Benedict would wrap Sophie in his warm arms, murmuring sweet love in her ears. Some nights were spent with cups of tea and suppressed giggles, talking and laughing away about Charlie, paintings, poems, and books. Sometimes nothing at all, talking absolute nonsense for hours and hours. Some nights were spent inside Benedict’s arms, waltzing around the room, dancing and twirling to the gentle sound of the music box. Some nights were spent with hushed voices, Benedict worshiping every part of her with his body and soul. Feeling the intense heat on her, inside her, Sophie knew that she was loved.

Sometimes, Benedict would take Sophie and Charlie to the park, and the three would have a picnic on the freshly cut grass, laughing as Charlie rolled on the grass chasing butterflies. Benedict would doze off in the armchair beside the fireplace with Charlie in his arms, Charlie snoring happily with the exact same drop of his eyebrows. It was astonishing how the two resembled each other, and Sophie had to chuckle when Charlie gave her the same crooked grin as Benedict when he was up to mischief.

Sometimes, Benedict would take the two to Wiltshire, where Sophie could roam around the village without fearing being seen by the other Bridgertons. Charlie would burst into fits of laughter as Benedict softly tickled his stomach inside their carriage. Mr. And Mrs. Crabtree would coo and cuddle Charlie without any questions, Charlie enjoying the undivided attention he was getting from the elderly couple.

Charlie giggled happily on Sophie’s lap as Benedict gently pushed her from the back, on the swings he had made on the cherry tree. The three would take walks in the countryside, Benedict carrying the snoring Charlie on his back.

“I love a good party,”

“I would hardly call this a party, Benedict.”

Sophie laughed as Benedict brought her hand to his lips,

“My most favorite party of three, my love,”

Walking arm in arm, Benedict would steal kisses from her every corner.

It was almost like the married life with Benedict she had always dreamed of. Almost.

True, Benedict missed Charlie’s first birthday because of the queen ball. True, they couldn’t spend Easter and Christmas together, he would be away in Audrey Hall with his family, and sometimes Benedict would show up at the door drunk and wasted, presumably after an opera or a ball. But even those moments were precious, sobering him up with a glass of water, and cooking chicken soup for his hangover the next morning. Softly caressing his curls as he groaned like a bear, Sophie would gently wake him up with a kiss, acting like a loving, dedicated wife. And he would playfully pull her into their beds, nuzzling his lips on her neck,

Sophie knew that she was already Benedict’s dirty secret, and with Benedict being in the sacrament of marriage; her presence, Charlie’s presence was going to become more unscrupulous than ever.

But all the abundant love that Benedict had poured into Sophie and Charlie had made her believe in the illusion of bliss and happiness.

The next day, Benedict knocked on the door at five o’clock sharp, just as usual. With a crooked smile and a bouquet of Lilly of the Valleys in his hands.

“How was your day, my love?”

“Papa!”

Charlie’s face lighted up into a cheeky smile seeing his loving father at the door, reaching his arms up for a hug. Benedict picked up Charlie from the carpet with ease and nuzzed him playfully with his nose. The identical, scrunched smiles on their faces.

“Tickles!”

“Were you being a good boy to Mama?”

A little more, Sophie thought to herself. Let me stay in this illusion a little more,

Carrying Charlie adoringly in his arms as if nothing had happened. Giving her a small kiss on the cheeks as if nothing had changed. Undoing the laces of her nightgown, whispering her name as if his fiancée had never existed.

“Sophie,”

It was barely audible, but she heard the familiar name murmured against her neck. It had happened several times in their marital bed, but no, she wasn’t going to question the integrity of her husband, her mother had taught her better than that. And somehow, his desperate tone always sent shivers down her spine; a tingling sinful sensation.

Normally, it would begin with slow practical strokes. Next, he would rub her core until her breath became more shallow and short, and he would stop when she fell apart in his hands, arching her back into a gasp. His strokes would become faster and deeper after that, and after he spilled inside her, he would neatly clean her up with a towel and gently pull the sheets over her naked body.

“Good night,” He would say, leaving a small peck on her cheeks. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

After wrapping himself in a silk robe, he would clean his hands with the basin, using a small brush to scrub his nails. The lingering smell of their sex mixed with the fresh scent of lemon and soap.

Then he would leave. Closing the door of her bedroom.

In a few minutes, she would hear her husband order a bath for one. Then she would smell the burning cigarettes from the window, her husband indulging in the filthy habit in the outside garden. Throwing the burned-out cigarette on her well-polished Italian tiles.

Then she would hear the carriage coming from the distance, and she would hear two clicks on the door. One heavy click of the entrance door. One light click of the carriage door.

Then she would be all alone in the house.

Life with Benedict Bridgerton was supposed to be a dream come true. It was a dream come true, it truly was.

Benedict Bridgerton had been listed as the most eligible bachelor for years, and she always loved the way he smiled, the way he danced, the way he talked, charming everyone in the room. With his tall broad figure and his crooked teasing smile, she always thought he was the handsomest in the prosperous Bridgerton Brothers.

Her parents had been over the moon about the courtship, and although it puzzled both her and her mother why Benedict had suddenly started to show interest in her after spending years avoiding her like a plague, she liked how he courted her with fragrant flowers and sweet chocolates, the charming smile only given exclusively for her.

In three weeks he proposed to her and they were engaged. In a month they were married, and Benedict had taken her to Italy for their honeymoon; traveling through Venice, Rome, beautiful cottage around the Amalfi Coast. She had felt rather smug walking around the city with a handsome man by her side, taking her to extravagant palaces, balls, art galleries, and beaches. And she did enjoy the intercourses at night, “the marital duties” her mother had taught her. She was surprised at how much she enjoyed it; given her sister’s comments about “utter pain and discomfort for five minutes.” Benedict was kind and gentle, showing her the newfound pleasures and sensations. She loved how he touched her, with his warm, soft hands. She wanted his hands to stay there, forever,

But after a month, they returned to Maddison Manor, a relatively large place in London, a place her father had given them for their residence. She was disappointed that he insisted on having separate bedrooms, but she knew he was a shallow sleeper, he seemed quite sleep-deprived during their honeymoon.

“Go back to bed,” He would gently say to her when she woke up in the middle of the night, feeling the cold sheets on her fingertips. Finding her newlywed husband on the couch, fervently writing something on a piece of paper. “Go back to sleep,”

“Aren’t you coming with me, dear husband?” She would ask, gently undoing the knot of her gown, but her husband would only chuckle, putting the robes back to her shoulders.

“Can’t sleep,” he would say, “I’ll join you later,”

But she would often find him snoring on the couch the next morning.

Back at the Maddison Manor, the two shared breakfast on weekdays, exchanging the plans for the day. He would normally leave for his art studio at 9:00, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, Benedict would have dinner with her; the other days he had appointments with his other family members and the other artists in the studio.

What surprised her about Benedict was that he was a man of routine. Hearing discreet rumors about his bohemian tendencies, she thought he would be slovenly; perhaps lazy and sloppy.

But he was quite the opposite. He would diligently attend the invitations of balls, operas, and musicals, and dance two waltzes with her at every ball.

“Such a wonderful husband,” Her friends would tell her jealously*, “I haven’t seen my husband for three months.”*

He would decline her invitation to social events once in three times. He would come home every day at five-thirty in the morning. He would come to her room at ten o’clock in the evening every Tuesday and leave at eleven o’clock. Once every two months, he would go on a two-week trip with his artist friends, to an outdoor sketch in the countryside. Returning home with souvenirs; oysters from Whitstable, pottery from Middleport, and beautiful engraved signet rings from Kent.

Sweet honey from Wiltshire.

The night of his return, he would give her not one but two orgasms, and kiss her twice on the lips, but she would only taste whiskey and cigarettes. And he would wash his hands, take a bath, smoke, and leave. Like a clockwork soldier.

She should be happy. She lived in a beautiful house with a handsome husband, who fulfilled every aspect of his marital duties. She had wonderful in-laws, (although they were rather too bustling for her liking) and if she was lucky, she would be blessed with a baby sooner or later.

She wondered if Benedict would start to love her if she gave him a son. She wondered if Benedict would stop cleaning his hands if they had children together. If he would stay in her bed for a whole night. If he would open the door to her bedroom every night.

Lost in thoughts, hours and hours passed by as she sat by the windowsill.

Waiting.

She never really liked going in the servant's Kitchen. Nothing, nobody in the room was particularly familiar to her, and the smallness and the stuffiness of the room was disorienting, sometimes making her dizzy and sick. But she did have to consult the cook with the dishes for the upcoming Bridgerton Ball, she knew that the sooner she finished the conversation, the sooner she would be able to leave the awful pace.

“Excuse me, I’m afraid Mary forgot to deliver these,”

But just as she was about the room, a woman came rushing into the small kitchen, carrying a bundle of sheets. Judging from her shabby dress and ash stained face, she was probably one of the washerwomen, carrying a little child behind her back. She did look rather pretty, she thought, a certain glow within her some women often carried, but the little child was breathtaking, with almond green eyes, long eyelashes, angelic brown curls that, that, that, that, that,

“Oh, my deepest apologies,” She widened her eyes in surprise, dropping into a hastily cutusy, “Sheets, my lady, cleaned and ironed.”

“Ah, Ms. Beckett. I did wonder why Mary’s bundles were so small today,” Mrs. Lindon, the housekeeper said briskly, “Excellent quality as always.”

But just as the housekeeper shooed her off in the streets, she found herself grabbing the washerwoman’s wrists.

Because she knew those brown curls,

“Such a beautiful boy,” She said.

The mother’s puzzled look turned into a warm smile, and she gently laid her hands on the boy’s chubby cheeks, plump and reddened like a ripe autumn apple.

So well nourished, she thought.

She slightly dipped her head to look into the boy’s eyes, but he suddenly buried his head on his mother’s shoulders, hiding from her gaze.

Both the women and Mrs. Lindon chuckled.

“My apologies again, Madam. He’s quite shy around people at the first time,” “How old is he?”

“A year and five months, my lady.”

“And another one coming up, I hear?” Mrs. Lindon added with a bantering tone, and the washerwomen returned a weak smile, a slight weary look in her eyes.

She suddenly noticed that the woman was rather slim compared to the baby she carried, her cheeks slightly hollowed and her color was slightly off, her shoulders terribly delicate. Burnt marks on her thin arms, and blistered fingertips. But she had beautiful honey-colored locks, bright-colored eyes that loomed too large for her face,

“Name?”

“Pardon?”

“His name,”

“Oh, Charles, my lady.” The woman replied, “But we normally call him Charlie,”

“Charles.”

The little boy was now focused on his mother’s golden curls, giggling as he played with the bouncing ringlets,

With That crooked, charming smile,

“Don’t you have a nanny?”

“...I.”

“To look after him?”

“I do look after him, My lady.”

“Do you?”

She stared at the young toddler’s tiny palm, the little burn mark on his left hand, a little bandage wrapped around his right. She reached out to take the boy in her arms, but the washerwoman suddenly staggered back, a slight fear and guilt in her eyes.

“I must be going,” She said hastily, “Good day to you, my lady.”

And the women rushed out of the room. But the little boy turned his head softly as the mother reached the door, a crooked smile and a small wave,

The same cheeky smile that she always loved,

But she wasn’t going to let him go with just that smile.

“Opium. Benedict. Opiums. You told me you would stop,”

“Dearest, there was the Smythe-smith musical last night.” Benedict pouted his lips playfully, battering his eyebrows, and not a drop of remorse in his tone, “How do you think I could bear the night without them?”

With a crooked grin, Benedict snaked his hands around Sophie’s waist, his lips nuzzling the nape of her neck, “I wouldn’t have needed them if you were there for distraction,”

“Benedict, I’m being serious,”

“So am I, my love. So serious, ”

As Benedict’s hands traveled to the hems of her skirts, she slapped his hands off, stepping away from his clutch.

“Benedict, we need to talk,”

“But it’s been ages, my love.” He again pulled her in his arms, nibbling her earlobes, “I didn’t send Charlie to Mrs. Crabtrees for no reason,”

“So you wouldn’t have to worry about our son accidentally taking in any of your special tea?” His hands squeezing on her bosoms froze, and Sophie peeled herself away, turning around to face him with a scowl.

“I didn’t know that it was in my jacket, Sophie!” Benedict groaned weakly, flopping down in an armchair. “Sophie, I’m sorry I accidentally brought them here,”

“No, Benedict. I am not asking for apologies.”

“Then why are you so upset?”

“Benedict, I know what those are, what they do to you,”

With a soft sigh, Sophie gently paced herself on his lap, curing up on the armchair with him. She ran her fingers through his curls, but Benedict didn’t quite look into her eyes, wringing his hands in his lap.

“Why tea again, Benedict? Tell me,”

“The Smyth-Smith musical is more terrible than you could ever imagine, Sophie.”

“No, Benedict.”

Sophie saw him bite his lips as if he were afraid to let something wicked slip out.

“It’s just...stressful. Balls. Garden parties. Promenades. Dorl...everything.”His shoulders deflating, Benedict buried his face in her shoulders, “ I want to stay with you. Always. With Charlie. All the time.”

“Then stay,” Sophie said softly. “Stay with me.”

“I...I can not,”

“Why?”

“...I’m married,”

It was a terrible answer, Benedict knew instantly as the words lurched from his mouth unconsciously. Sophie visually grew stiff on his lap, but she quickly averted her gaze to the fireplace. Despite the cracking fire, Benedict noticed that there was no color on her face,

“I cannot cope with anymore,”

“Sophie,“

Benedict tried to grab her skirts as she stepped away from his lap, but failed miserably, almost slipping out from his chair. Sophie meaninglessly took a cloth from the table, wiping the pot Benedict had washed an hour earlier.

“What do you want from me, Benedict?”

Sophie refused to look at him, her hands working on the cool iron surface,

“Sophie, I only want you,”

“But am I not making your life miserable? You wouldn’t have gone back to your special tea if Charlie and I didn’t exist.”

“No, don’t say that Sophie,”

Benedict gently took the pot from her hands, placing it back on the upper shelf.

“I don’t understand you, Benedict.”

Sophie looked at him, the man who had been her prince charming, the man who had saved her, the man that she fell in love with, the man who poured so much love into her,

She tightened her grip on the cloth.

“You told me that you were going to get married to gain freedom. So that the eligible debutants and their mamas wouldn’t hunt you down anymore. That you could be free from the rules of the society. Yet, ever since you got married, you are more trapped than ever. Trapped in the cycle of Balls, musicals, parties, operas,”

“Sophie, I must fulfill,”

“I thought you married to escape from those duties. To be with me and Charlie.” Sophie continued softy, “I don’t understand what you are trying to do,”

Benedict suddenly stood up from his chair. But as he took steps towards her, Sophie could sense he was contemplating every step. When he finally reached her, standing by the kitchen window, He tried to put his arms around her shoulders, but Sophie brushed it off yet again.

The two stared at each other in silence, and Sophie noticed that there was cold darkness in his green-grey eyes she had never seen,

“Do you know what, Sophie?” Sophie saw Benedict clench his fists. “It’s you whom I don’t understand.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know you’ve been working at the laundry.”

Benedict started to edge her to the wall, Sophie staggering back, a knock on the head as she reached the end. Benedict loomed over her, his tone in a hushed whisper. “I know all your secrets, Sophie. Didn’t you think I would find out where you keep your worker’s rags?”

Benedict suddenly grabbed her arms, pulling them up to her eyes, his tone was suddenly different; cold but laced with impatience.

“And didn’t you think I wouldn’t notice your hands and arms getting burnt and blistered every day?”

Sophie yanked her arms from his embrace, but he caught them again, aggressively pinning her wrists against the wall. Sophie cursed her height, no, she cursed her own body, no matter how she tried, Benedict had everything to overpower her,

The only defiance was to not look into his eyes, the ones she knew were firing up in fury,

“Sophie, what do you want me to do?”

Yet his tone turned weak, submissive, almost as if he were begging for mercy,

“I’ll give you everything you want. Everything. Everything. Why do you keep working Sophie? Making yourself suffer in service,”

“Because I don’t want to sit idly in the room only waiting for my lover to come home,” Sophie hissed, yes she was still pinned to the wall but she could still glare at him,

“Do you know how pathetic that is, Benedict? Spending the precious time of life only thinking when her lover is coming back, like some kind of mistress,”

“But you are,” Benedict said quietly.

“I had no choice,” Sophie muttered. “If it weren’t for Charles, I would have killed myself.”

“No, Don’t say that Sophie.”

His eyebrows scrunched as if in pain, Benedict softened his grip on her wrists and on that brief second, Sophie pushed him by the shoulders, away from his captivity.

Benedict just stood there as Sophie began to prepare tea rather violently, putting the kettle on the stove, and grabbing the tea-set from the cupboards. Benedict hated how the china’s clattered, even the rattling of the kettle was fuming his frustration,

“You told me not to tell lies, Benedict.”

“And this is the truth.”

“...Then just stop working at the laundry. Please, Sophie. I’m begging you. If you need more money I could give you more,”

“It’s not about the money, Benedict,”

“Then what is it about?”

“My goddamn pride, Benedict!”

Sophie realized that she was about to slam the teacup she held in her hands, smashing the fine china on the brown chipped tiles. Benedict would cut his hand cleaning out the glass splinters scattered on the floor,

Sophie took a deep breath.

Breathe, Sophie, breathe.

“Why are you suddenly condemning me, Benedict?” Sophie asked quietly. “I started working months ago, and a smart gentleman like you would have noticed much earlier. Suddenly you’re asking me why. Why Benedict? Why?”

“It’s not good for Charles.”

“I don’t understand,”

“I first thought that while you were working, Ms. Hudson was looking after Charles. But just a few days ago, when I asked her if she needed additional money for the diapers, she told me that you take Charlie to work.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with that. I’m his mother, Benedict, and I want to take care of him,”

“Think rationally, Sophie.” Benedict’s tone was starting to become impatient, tapping his fingers on the wall, “You possibly don’t think it’s good for Charlie,”

“Why so?”

“The environment, Sophie, the environment! Don’t you understand? There are chemicals, hot water, and other dangerous objects. It's not a place for a child, especially not for a toddler. And I’ve never gone down those parts of the city, but I don’t want Charles to be influenced by,”

“The other fallen women in the factory and their other illegitimate children?”

“Sophie, the place is dangerous,” Ignoring Sophie’s last question, Benedict’s voice changed into a desperate plea. “I don’t want you or Charlie to get hurt,”

“You’ve already hurt me enough, Benedict.”

“But I gave you everything Sophie, a flat, dresses, jewelry, ribbons,”

“Why would you think this is everything?”

“Then what do you want, Sophie?”

“Only You,” Sophie said softly. “You. And Charlie.”

Benedict shook his head in confusion and exhaustion, waving her words away. After gulping down a glass of water, he loomed over her petite figure, glaring down at her.

“I’m taking Charlie, Sophie. To Maddison Manor.”

“Oh, so is that where you live?”

Sophie scoffed, eyeing him sarcastically.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You never told me where you lived,”

“You never asked, Sophie.”

Sophie gave a low laugh, a dry, weary voice that dug nails in Benedict’s soul,

“Do you think I ever want to see the love of my life in the hands of another?”

“Sophie, you are the only one I would ever love, “

“Yet, you are trying to take my love away,” Sophie said quietly. “Taking my love away from me,”

“Charles is my son too, Sophie. He carries my name. And I don’t want him wandering alone in those streets in the future,”

“You don’t seem to find the problem with me, walking down those streets.”

“I see the problem, Sophie.” Benedict snapped, “Except that you choose to do so despite my warnings. You chose to walk down those streets. But not Charles.”

Sophie tightened her fists. God, she wanted to smack him but Benedict's words were painfully justifiable,

In the blink of an eye, while she looked away, Charlie had reached his hands on the burning iron, bursting into a painful cry,

“So, you are going to take him away? Away from his mama?”

“I’m not taking Charles away from you, Sophie. I’ll come to St. Johns with Charlie every weekend. If that’s not enough for you, I can hire you as a maid,”

“What will your wife think?” Sophie snared, his absurdity was making her veins explode, “I don’t think your Mrs. Bridgerton would be happy about having a bastard in her own house. Let alone live with her husband's mistress.”

“It’s my house, Sophie.” Benedict snapped back, “I’m the master of the house, not her. And Dolores is an intelligent woman, perhaps less foolish than you,”

“I cannot believe you just said that,”

“She will understand, Sophie.’

“You’re an idiot.”

“And you're being an absolute fool,”

With a deep sigh, Benedict ran his fingers in his hair. Why couldn’t this woman be reasonable?

“When you said you would be my mistress,” Benedict continued matter-of-factly, “You made me promise three things. I believe an intelligent women like yourself would remember,”

Sophie clutched the hems of her skirt. So tightly that her nails were biting into her skin, the striking hot pain against her skin,

“I asked you to love the baby no matter what.”

“Yes. And I have, Sophie. I love and adore Charlie with all my heart. I would give my life for him.”

“I know.”

“Tell me the second one.”

Sophie hated how Benedict’s voice was calm and reserved; as if he were trying to soothe a toddler,

“The baby would have your name,”

“And I have done that Sophie. Chares Bridgerton. Do you understand how difficult that was for me?”

Benedict peered into Sophie’s eyes, craning his lean figure, but Sophie only glared back at him, with her icy-cold green eyes,

“You said that you would give your life for him.” She tilted her head in disbelief, “Yet, you struggled to give him the legitimacy?”

“Sophie,”

Sophie cut off his words.

“And the education. Benedict. The same education as you,”

“And I plan to keep my promise, Sophie. I found him a governess. In a few years, I can get Charlie a tutor so that he can be prepared for Eaton,”

“But why do you have to take him away from me? Why? Why, Benedict, why? He could stay at St. Johns, Benedict. Get a tutor to visit there,”

“Sophie, that place is filled with whores and prostitutes,” gritting through his teeth, he said, “Do you think I can get a decent man to come to St. Johns for education,”

“Are you calling me a whore?”

“No, Sophie. Why would I call you,”

“But you did,”

Benedict twisted his lips in a mocking smile.

“Sophie, your argument is completely irrelevant to Charlie’s education,”

“Well, according to your theory, Charlie is a son of a whore,”

“Why could you say that, Sophie?”

“Because you said so!”

The two glared at each other. Sophie clenched her jaw, her forest green eyes in flames. The veins on Benedict’s neck bulging.

Fists clenched. Sweating.

“I’m not having this conversation with you,”

Benedict took his jacket from the chair, and walked up the stairs to their bedroom. Sophie followed him, desperately trying to catch up with his speed,

“No, Benedict. We have to talk about this,”

“I don’t think you’re in the right place of mind to talk reasonably,”

“Oh, you’re the one to say,”

Sophie glared at him as Benedict continued to pack his belongings, no, not packing, he was just slamming things in the leather trunk,

“I’m going to take the carriage to London. I’ll send one the first thing tomorrow morning for you and Charlie.”

“Oh, so you are going to run away from me now? Away from Charles? Away from all your problems again?”

“I just need a break, Sophie. From this mess,”

“No, Benedict. This is your mess.”

“This is our mess, Sophie.”

“No, if,”

“If, if, if, if.” Benedict muttered angrily, “You keep talking of nonexistent possibilities, Sophie. Non-existing dreams. Illusions. Can’t you see I’m trying to live the reality Sophie?”

“YOU fed me with illusions of love, Benedict. Telling me that you love me and nothing was going to change. Everything changed, Benedict. Everything. Ever since you got married. You lied to me, Benedict, making me hope that someday we could,”

“See, Sophie? See? You are talking of illusions again,”

“Because you made me believe in them,”

“WILL YOU SHUT UP?”

With a violent slam of the desk, Benedict found himself screaming at her. But Benedict immediately regretted everything he said as she took two steps back, her face no longer flushed with anger or spite, it was emotionless. Blank.

“Sophie, Sophie, Sophie.”

“No, Benedict,”

“Sophie, I’m sorry.”

“I love you.”

“No, don’t say that.”

“I don’t know you anymore,”

Her voice was quiet.

“I don’t recognize you anymore.”

“Sophie.”

“Who are you?”

“I don’t know.”

And she left, closing the door behind her.

“Maybe tomorrow,”

“I didn’t know you would be here tonight,”

“Is it a crime to dine at my own house?”

With a mocking smile plastered across his lips, her husband played with the chicken roast on his plate, peeling off the grilled skin with a silver knife. Like a little toddler.

“Are you quite all right?”

“Splendid, my dear, quite splendid!”

Her husband gave a dark chuckle as he chugged down another glass of whiskey. It was quite unusual for him to be dining at Maddison Manor on a regular Saturday, and when she saw him arrive at the door at five o’clock, asking the butler to prepare a dinner for two, she asked her ladies maid to put on her best dress, the dark green silk she had just made at the modiste. The low neckline was a bit scandalous; but the modiste, with a teasing smile, had told her that was her husband’s taste.

But he seemed more interested in the glass of whiskey than herself. Hell, he paid more attention to the plate of roasted chicken before him. She gripped on her silver knife and fork even tighter.

“How was your day, my love?”

“Splendid.”

“How so?”

Benedict didn’t answer her question. Instead, he took another shot of whiskey, waving a hand to the servants for another.

As the butler came in with another bottle, she snatched it from his hands. Her husband’s eyes widened as she poured the liquid into her wine glass, drowning herself in the bitterness in one just swig.

She could feel the burning in her throat,

Benedict finally looked at her, eyeing her from tip to toe. He changed into a twisted smirk.

“You do look rather fetching today, Mrs. Bridgerton.”

“Thank you. I just had it made for you.”

“Ah,”

Benedict stretched his hands to take the bottle, but she pushed it to the corner, away from his reach. She heard him click his tongue in annoyance.

“Does it please your eye?”

She tried to sound seductive; lowering her voice, fluttering her eyelashes. She had put extra rouge on her lips before dinner, and the fragrant perfume he had bought in France. At least, that was what he had told her,

“Why did you make it green?”

He asked, abruptly.

“I thought your favorite color was green.”

“My favorite color is blue,”

“Oh,”

Husband and wife, the two dined in silence, only the sound of their plates and utensils clattering with each other audible in the Background.

The roasted chicken suddenly tasted bland. Both Benedict and Dolores thought sandpaper would taste better, feel better in their mouths,

“I can take your sons,”

“Pardon?”

“I said, I can take care of your sons.”

“How, how do you know about it,”

“I met them,”

“What?”

“She was delivering fresh sheets to the neighborhood,”

“Jesus Christ,”

She saw Benedict bury his face in his hands but she continued on,

“She looked tired. And it can’t possibly be good for your children to be around in that environment,”

“You keep saying in sons,”

“She’s pregnant.”

Benedict violently stabbed the knife into the table. A dull sound echoed through the room.

“Bloody hell.”

She glared at him.

“Shouldn’t you be grateful?”

Benedict didn’t answer. Instead, his clutch on his whiskey glass became tighter, his knuckles turning white and red at the same time.

“We can take in Charles for his wellbeing. If the baby in her belly is indeed yours,”

“Of course she’s mine,”

“Oh, so you are so sure about it?”

For the first time in their relationship, he had a sheepish look on his face. But he still didn’t answer her question.

“Go to her house tomorrow, and get Charles.” She continued emotionlessly, “As for the second one, we can talk about it after she’s born,”

“I can’t, Dolores.”

“Benedict, can’t you see how benevolent I am trying to be? How merciful as your wife? I’m doing this all for you! So that you would snap out of your misery, and be happy for god's sake,”

“I can’t.”

She noticed that her husband had stabbed the knife in his hand, the red blood dripping on the velvet carpet, staining the silk white tablecloth into a darkish black, a sharp smell of human flesh,

“She’s gone.”

“Gone, gone.”

“Gone.”

Benedict jerked awake, drenched in tears and sweat. The bright moon and the silent wind rattling the windows told him that he was at my Cottage, not the bloody Maddison Manor, not St. Johns, not Audrey Hall.

His heart was still beating rapidly, his breath still short and shallow as he grabbed a glass from a table, drinking the lukewarm liquid in one breath.

“Are you all right, my love?”

He heard a gentle soft voice from his side, soothing his beating heart, the shivers he felt from the awful dream.

“Where’s Charles?”

“In the nursery, love.”

“Why isn’t he here with us?”

“Because he always sleeps in the nursery, you silly man,”

“Oh,”

“You’re soaked in sweat,”

Her hands softly caressed his clenched shoulders, rubbing his skin reassuringly, soothing him to go back to sleep,

“It was just a dream, Benedict.”

“Just a bad dream.”

“Isn’t it?”

#Writer’s Notes

“Love is not finite,”

“Is it?”

[pureshoney]

her world wouldn't stop spinning, heart hammering against her ribs like it was trying to escape. each beat echoed through her ears until she couldn't tell where the sound ended and her thoughts began. "keenan?" her voice came out small, childlike. "can you pick me up? i'm at apex …" she left their booth against her friend's wishes and strumbled outside after yanking wrist free from their grasps. "i took too much …" she whispers into her phone, the night air hitting her flushed skin, and even that wasn't enough to cool her down. she clung to his voice like a lifeline, letting him talk her through the minutes until his car pulled up to the curb. when he helped her into the passenger seat, the familiar smell of his car air freshener gave her something real to focus on, even as her thoughts continued to race and scatter. "my heart's still so fast," she said, pressing her face against the cool window. "what if—" / @unraptures

[intoloopin-archive]

♡‒♡‒♡ LOOPiN'S ROMANCE HISTORY: A SHORT OVERVIEW

[!!!] Possible tws for a brief mention/implication of past physical and psychological abuse (Haruki, J.J and Haegon sections, respectively), as well as the implication of an uncomfortable age gap (Haruki again.)

HERE IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOORA: @hshtag!

♡‒♡‒♡ TAESONG'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ Taesong has compensated for years of extreme failure in all departments of life by scoring the most comprehensible, prettiest woman in all of Seoul - Yunhee, obviously -, and it only took him 1 major breakdown after a bad vocal class at her uncle's shop in 2022 to do it. Ever since then, they have slowly gone steady; Yunhee's organized and lively personality is just what he needs to ease his ways.

➷ Honestly? That's the girl he's going to marry, and there's no doubt on Taesong's mind about it. Maybe he'll even do it soon. Like very, very soon, and- oh my God, Taesong, stop going to the Cartier website and starring at wedding rings for 40 minutes, man, this is embarrasing.

♡‒♡‒♡ MINWOO'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ Ever since Minwoo decided to turn his heart into a synthesizer at the tender age of fourteen, he's been the subject affection of almost no one - if you exclude his former neighbor that basically gave him his trainee dream and he once promise to write music for until their dying days, but she's definely never coming to bite him in the ass, unless uh-oh, she totally is. And she's with Haegon now. Cool.

➷ Not like he cares, because again, Minwoo's never been in love with her. In fact: he's never been in love with anyone, not back then, and not now. He's not in love now. Who even cares that every time he tries to write songs these days they all end up being about a fake blonde guy with long hair, too much money and the loveliest set of brown eyes there ever were, but whatever! That doesn't mean anything! It's not even that descriptive - in fact, he's never met anyone like that ever, and fuck you Dylan if you think otherwise.

♡‒♡‒♡ SEUNGSOO'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ By far the LOOPiN member getting the most action, their resident lover boy if you will, Seungsoo rarely does serious relationships: he likes unlabeled things and having the capability to be a little bit in love with everyone without having to explain himself further about it. He's a feeler, not a thinker, and love is his muse! It brings the best out of him! It just sucks it took him three strikes at trying to communicate successfully to get it right (Never mention The Great Delilah Fiasco. He will cry.)

➷ He's been lucky enough to find Gayoung along the way, who lives very much like him, only smarter, and went on to completely change Seungsoo's perspective of what love can really look like. He's even become besties with her other primary partner, Junyeol! And everything is finally so great and feels so right for once! It would be a shame if he fucked it up for idiotic reasons or something...

♡‒♡‒♡ HARUKI'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ After the years of deep intimacy damage caused by his past manager's sick grip over Haruki's guts were cut short by Sangwon's resignation (and eventual death), he took little venture back into the dating pool, strumbling instead into unbalanced, set for fail situantionships with his co-workers in all the fields he's set in - bandmate? Check (Sorry about all that, Hanjae...); Model he does constant gigs with? Partial check (Sejin is 34 and the lead singer of a comedy band. He has bigger fish to fry and Haruki is so over him, just so over him, really!); Ex-boyfriend of his former Boy Of The Week friend that Haruki was coursed into running over that may or may not still be in love with Kohei while using him to cope with the fact that he's been horribly dumped? He's about to get there, do that, don't you dare try to stop him (Daewon is, after all, very nice. And what's that thing about third times being special?) ➷ To conclude, Haruki has absolutely no idea what a functional relationship should look like - or if he even deserves to experience one to begin with. So let him have his momentary 'fun'. He's learning. And he's certainly going do better someday. Hopefully.

♡‒♡‒♡ DYLAN'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ Dylan's nothing but a simple guy with simple guy experiences. He met a lovely girl in school as a teen, Sasha, and they went on to live a sweet and calm friends to lovers romance. Then he made up his mind about turning into a K-Pop Idol, he passed a trainee audition, and it was over (he and Sasha were very nature about it. He still follows her on Instagram in his private account. She has a whole baby now, goddamn, where did time go?)

➷ Looking back at it, the teenage affair seems a life time away now... And since then? Nothing. Chihoon has never even been to date in South Korea, and it's not by lack of options: Dylan is secretly very popular among female Idols, some might go as far as say he has a bit of a hot bachelor reputation, so why...? Don't ask him, really. He has no clue what's going on. Everything just feels so pointless lately, and romance isn't an exception.

♡‒♡‒♡ GYUJIN'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ To the possible surprise of the masses, Gyujin hasn't ever been romantically involved with a single person in his life. He's more of a flirt-with-all, run-from-all kind of guy, and at this point, he doesn't even know why; he's doing great! Why the heck is he so scared of holding hands or going beyond first base and all that crap?!

➷ If only he tried his luck with someone who showed unquestionable love and devotion to him from the get go, or that wasn't spooked by his career, like a fansite or... Wait.

♡‒♡‒♡ O.Z'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ To his and his bandmate's outmost surprise, secluded, very anti romance Zhiming managed to not only find a perfect collab artist that's fully on board with his experimental music, but also a girlfriend that seems to understand him inside and out in Nico. What started as a project with an online singer going by the stage name of 'nicebnico' in late 2022 has now bloomed into an online romance, then an in person romance that's inspired him to not only keep pursuing an even weirder sound as his heart desires, but also to keep himself open to taking risks and opening up to a new world of people - how can he not when Nicola is the biggest risk taker extrovert woman that ever walked the earth. Turns out, the opposites attract myth is the real deal. ➷ With Nico finally deciding to reveal her hidden identity in 2024, they plan to be more open with the public about their relationship as well - consequences be dammed! Zhiming is a man in love and he'll shout it from the roof (quietly) if he has to!

♡‒♡‒♡ HANJAE'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ With two epic fail romances on his back at such a young age - a tip: don't agree to date your childhood best friend's girlfriend a day before they've actually broken up, and for the love of God, don't mess around with your bandmate that clearly is in no mental state to even consider your very real feelings -, Hanjae seems to have finally gotten it right with Yoora!

➷ At first turning to his very good friend with a fake dating scheme to hopefully help end some of Haruki's overwhelming guilty for how bad their whole deal was, Hanjae, being Hanjae, catched feelings - and for the first time ever, it didn't explode all over his face. Yoora reminds him that love is all about who you want to spend your piece and quiet with, and for as long he'll be able, he wants to never make her feel anything but safe.

♡‒♡‒♡ J.J'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ Despite claiming to be "too busy for anyone" because he is "a professional" with "real goals of stardom" and "impossible standards", which are all to some degree true, what kept Jiahang stuck in a loveless limbo thought all of 2023 was the very weird parasitic relationship Dongwook pushed him into - A Secret Third Thing taken up to the max, and he wasn't even into it! Not to mention he wasn't even the only one! Poor Jiyeon has it even worse!

➷ In theory, he's free now, and he can be a guy in his early twenties and not let some psycho from the biggest boy group in the world control his every move. But like... Why bother trying? It's not like he's got much to work with, being famous and all, not to mention kind of rotten to the core (self-observation). And he has Minwoo anyway, which- Uh. What a weird little thought...

♡‒♡‒♡ HAEGON'S ROMANTIC HISTORY

➷ As the saying goes: you had Haegon's heart once, you might as well have it forever. No, he's not proud about it; nothing about his never ending saga with Sunyoung makes him feel anything but frustrated, and pathetic (He got cheated on with Minwoo, out of all people, as well as with DJ that lives in a goddamn trailer. How does a person deal with that?!). Except for when he feels completely in love with her, of course, which is often in correlation to the times he doesn't have her around. Weird how that goes.

➷ But he is very happy to announce that in December of 2023 he said his last goodbye to Sunyoung, and he is for real this time. Haegon is very fucking serious. This is not like breakup 3, or break up 7, or break up 11. This is the end, and he is absolutely ready for something new. And speaking of new, didn't Haruki's sister just start training at New Wave some months back, and she's a 01 liner too and so nice, so pretty, hold on just a minute-

[floretskybright]

Feral Macaque AU

I had another idea for a lmk au

When they were young Macaque was good hearted while Wukong was kinda the bad one

Wukong was only nice to the monkeys and who he considered his friends and didn't have problems with being cruel or murderous to those who weren't and that pissed him off (which was easy to do)

Macaque was the most soft hearted of the two , he might not put his trust blindly to strangers like a naive fool but he isn't heartless or uncaring to people in need that deserved help

And that's the exact reason Macaque was a target for bullying , mockery and insults by the other demons

Even with Wukong's protection it only gave the others another reason to consider him weak

Wukong was Macaque's only friend and that's why Mac was so scared of losing him but eventually they fought while Wukong was trapped under the mountain sealed by Buddha and Macaque was very emotionally hurt

When Wukong joined the journery to the west Macaque got worried and thought about saving him despite still being somewhat hurt and mad at Wukong but it lead to his death instead

Macaque was furious , Wukong was the bad one , the one killing and doing whatever he wanted but got a chance to be better while he died mistaken to be a bloodthirsty monster out for the monk's blood

Macaque decided , if they thought of him as monster then he will gave them a monster

Then Lbd came and resurrected him but didn't know much of the "monster" she was dealing with

Macaque has gone feral and Lbd had to take precautions to use him

She caged him and leashed him but he would still not obey her , trying to escape and causing a rampage destroying and killing her servants with bare hands

She then used the monkey's insticts to gave him a reason to somewhat stay put for a while so she gave him Rumble and Savage to protect and care for and as a reason to obey her orders if he doesn't want them to get hurt

Eventually Mk strumbled across them and freed them and would later struggle to help and befriend three feral monkeys and try to avoid them going out for a rampage

Wukong gets involved to keep them on flower fruit mountain so they don't kill anyone and he has to try to reason with Macaque for him to return civil and maybe reconcile (by MK's request)

Shadowpeach can be platonic , romantic or simply friendship

[safely-in-vhagars-belly]

Spoilers teasers for three!!!! new stories coming soon to my account

‘’What do you know of this house?’’ Her grey bright eyes slowly glance over the painting. ‘’House Balarion.’’ She nods to the painting. The old lady in your grandmother’s retirement home asks.

You tell her what you learned in history, in art history to be more specific.  ‘’I know Balerion used to be the Valyrian god of death and the underworld.’’ You tell her.

Aemma approaches you, a kind hopeful glimmer in her eyes, precious as a diamond. She takes your hands into her own, handing you something. When you open your hands, there lies a locket, a clear dragon-shaped locket.

‘’I have seen it in your eyes. I see a hunger, a curiosity for the unknown. I think you can bring me and my family what we always wanted.’’

‘’What is that?’’ You wonder.

Her eyes sting briefly with tears before she clutches you tightly. ‘’Peace.’’ You gawk at her as she leans closer. ‘’Watch out for the black big dragon. Yes, you will. You will…watch out…for the black…big…dragon…he is watching you…’’ She mutters, as she softly strumbles away from you, to her room. ‘’It will become clear soon. All will be revealed. Trust no one. You can trust…no one…’’ 

—---------

You sit on Aemond’s bed, after he helps you with the letter and hides it from Visery’s watchful eyes. You have decided to trust him. ‘’So this old lady, in my grandmother’s retirement home, she has a painting of the house, this house-.’’

‘’That’s spooky.’’ He comments but he does not tell you are crazy. Not yet at least. ‘’It’s gets a lot more spookier.’’ You take off your necklace, opening the locket so he can see for himself. Inside is the picture of the girl. ‘’I think this is Aemma. And I think that old Lady used to live here.’’ Aemond’s brows narrow, as he studies the picture.

‘’And I think that Viserys had something to with the death of her parents.’’ His good eye slightly widens at your confession. ‘’I think he knew what this house was hiding. And that’s why he had to get rid of them.’’

‘’How and why would he?’’

‘’Because somewhere in this house, lies a treasure.’

—-

Daemon brings the cigarette to his lips before smoking, when studying y/n as she and Aemond read books together. ‘’I don’t like her. That new girl is hiding something.’’ He mutters. ‘’She and Aem sneak to Visery’s basement a lot.’’ 

His best friend, Jacaerys laughs.

‘’They are probably just feeling each other up and making out.’’

‘’Hm. Probably…’’ But Daemon is no fool and knows the smell of gold, treasure and money all too well.

—-

Aegon grabs his younger brother by the throat, his big eyes full of terror Aemond never saw before. With shaking hands, he takes the dagger from Aemond. ‘’I want you to stop scooping and to stop messing with things you both don’t understand. Do you want to end up like the Arryns?’’ Aegon asks, rapidly shaking Aemond until he blurs out an answer.

‘’Why, what happened to the Arryns?’’

Aegon huffs, putting the candles away.

‘’Nothing good. Please, brother. Take this advice to heart. Stop waking the dead.’’

—

You sit on your grandmother’s bed. Since you and Aemond have awakened the curse, to start the trials, she has entered a coma. And so has Aegon. The trials must be solved in time, so the treasure can be found, and returned back to Valyria, lifting the curse before it's too late. Aemond holds you tightly as you sob into his arms. ‘’It is too much, Aem. It is way too much.’’

‘’I know. But we must find the treasure, before Daemon or Viserys.’’ He murmurs. ‘’We must.’’

You clean your face, as you slowly look up in the mirror. Behind you stands a silver-haired woman, wearing a ivory classic Valyrian gown with dragon details. In her hand, she holds a dagger. She takes one look at your necklace before she aims the dagger at your throat. 

‘’You will hand me back all that you people stole from me, or you will meet your demise.’’

—The house of Balerion,  based on the Dutch show: Het huis Anubis, based on the legends surrounding the curse of the graverobbers, based on the ‘’curse of the mummy.’’ on my account soon.

IDEA 2 STARTS HERE

‘’I’ve never been afraid of the water, let alone of the sea.’��-Unsinkable, Lotte van den Noort.

Dear Highest honoured guest,

It is with great pride and pleasure,

that we announce the launch of our luxurious passenger ship, the Balarion. She will depart on her maiden voyage on April 10. Designed by the Velyaron seahorse line, they ensure this ship to be the newest of the newest with luxuries out of this world. Balarion will be talked about for generations, perhaps centuries to come. The designer of the ship, Corlys Velyaron, calls the ship his newest beautiful and biggest entry yet, giving her the nickname: Unsinkable. 

We expect a smooth voyage with Captain Viserys Targaryen, and we expect to see you soon. 

-Head of the Velyaron administration, Laenor Velyaron.

IDEA 3 STARTS HERE

Are you

Are you

Coming to the tree

‘’I’ve had nothing left to lose when I started the games.’’

Where they strung up a man

they say who murdered tree

‘’But now i do. I’ve become a symbol. A symbol of hope, of possibility. And he wants me dead. I killed his brother, his father, and set his world on fire. But he threw me back in the arena. He tried to kill me first.’’

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be…

‘’For years, all I wanted was to do nothing with the corrupt regency of my father. The games were a distraction, he always said it. A way to control the masses. I was to be the head game maker. Now? Now I’m the president. The last remaining man of my father’s bloodline. And I will destroy that girl.’’

If we met at midnight,

In the hanging tree.

-Based on the Hunger games movies)

I hope this made someone a little excited. It was great for plotting lollol

[galaxofmuses]

Drabble: Countdown FINAL

Warnings: Trauma, Anxiety and Emotional Damage, Major Sonic Frontiers Spoilers. Have fun y'all this has been a journey. <3

 Squinting his eyes at the direction of the nearest tower and his vision becomes double. This concerning side effect doesn't concern the hedgehog and just laughed it out. Skyler’s pacing was slowing down despite his bravado that he faces in danger. 

“Where’s the fun in that?....Heh…good one Skyler.” 

Muttering to himself, but he starts to cough harshly as the hedgehog strumbles on the ground.The corruption shoots a wave of pain through his body as Skyler looks at his arm looking much worse than ever. Gritting his teeth as the pain did not stop, Skyler knew that there was nothing he could do. His ear flickered from the sound of a teleport, turns to find Sage teleports in and actually looks concerned for him  then the cold stern stare.Yet through the pain Sky continues to smile as he slowly gets back up on his feet. 

 “Your cyber-corruption is accelerating. How can you smile when you can barely stand?”

Sky did not say anything, but to stare with a smile, a gentle one at that despite the pain and then continues to focus on the tower. Leaving the child with no answers and yet determined to figure out how on earth this mobian is still to keep on walking. Sage continues to watch the hedgehog limping away and knowing his fate is soon to happen.

As each tower he reaches, his heart skips a beat. The adrendaline and determination is what kept him going. The fear turned into courage to climb on, even at times he barely balanced through each platform. Remembering the times he spent with his friends from his youth and With his courage to even talk to them is still a miracle who used to be selectively mute and eventually warming up to be more social and excited of what adventure.Now seeing his friends grow and thrive in front of his eyes.  He should be proud, but yet the doubt lingers silenltly in the back of his mind that he might lose them. 

Making progress of taking care of each tower one by one. Felt his adrenaline wear off and collapse on top of the tower. His vision blurs out as he looksing both arms covered in corruption of red and black. His eyes are starting to fade as Skyler tries so hard not to cave in. 

"I can't....not now."

Muttering to himself as he limps over to the top of the tower. Knowing this is the last one and lifting his shaking hand to hope that he can reach the last device. The struggle was agonizing for him, but he somehow managed to reach the machine. With a deep breath and silence, not knowing what is going to happen to him. But knowing that his friends would be safe after this. The world doesn't need a Sonic.  He presses the button and sees the last tower deactivated and hopping off the tower and landing on the soft grass. Sky felt the flashback in his mind. Seeing the Ancients fighting back and recognizing the titans and felt their pain and sympathy that knowing their fate was to be doomed. 

The cyber-corruption spread around his body as the pain peaked into an unbearable state. He should have been accepting his fate. His death. Yet, a memory unlocks from the back of his mind. A distant voice, he swears that is familiar to him, cries out.

"Please...Survive my little Skyler." 

Gritting his teeth as he tries to fight back to try to remember who called out to him, but it was too late. Gripping his head as he yells in pain and remembering the young fox triple checking the Tornado again before the takeoff, A spunky tomboyish pink hedgehog who is ready to go on the next adventure, the ever stoic echidna who keeps refusing join the three, but is always keeping an eye on them when he can. The ones he loves who forever etch into his mind. His friends. His Family.  As he felt his life drained away, Skyler struggled to take out the torn photo from his communicator watch. Gripping as hard as he could as he stares at the picture of him and his friends. 

He felt....Nothing. 

Both of his arms go into a slump as his hand lets go of the photo flutters down like a feather and eventually lands on the ground.Amara and others break free from the corruption’s grasp. Each mobian looked at each other to an almost embrace until they saw the sight of cyper corrupted Skyler. Amara rushes at Skyler to help, but seeing the sight of the sky-colored hedgehog and trying to shake his shoulder. "Skyler! Skyler! Please! Wake up!" There was no response nor Sky did not move an inch. Knuckles and Wren rushed over to them. But Wren stops to look down to see a familiar item. 

It was a torn photo.

With teary eyes as Wren picks up the familiar photo which shows a memory of the younger days of them getting together and it was the day when Sonic finally tells them his real name and proclaiming that they are his family. With a sniffle as he turned the back of the photo that made him frown even more. There is a rushed scribbled writing that says.

 Don’t forget your Family.  

The Fox's eyes teared up a bit as he tried to wipe the droplets away as Knuckles was sticking by his side and felt Knuckles' hand to comfort him. Looking up to see the echidna did not pass by for Wren, but to check up on him with concern. Wren shakes his head and still feels his emotions still building up. "Come on Knuckles, Let's go check on Amara and...Skyler." Both of them finally caught up to check on Amara who is absolutely hurt and sobbing. "I-I tried everything! He's not waking up!"  Knuckles grits his teeth and is angry that he was so useless through this whole situation while the other two felt the same. Tails’ ears turn back. “He took on so much Cyber Energy. It corrupted him.” 

While Sage and Eggman who is also free from the cyber dimension and starts to maniacally laugh with glee that his greatest threat is finally gone. Sage felt a pang of guilt despite their warning to Skyler over and over again. Eggman chuckles and boastfully replies. “My only regret is you denied me the pleasure of finishing you off, rodent.” The A.I. was frantically looking for a certain solution and then realized what they can do to save the hedgehog. “We must get you back into Cyber Space! Immediately!” Clasping their hands together with a pleading look back at the doctor. The happiness died from his minion’s suggestion and growls with annoyance. “I just got out! That was the whole point!” He slams his hands on the eggmobile angrily at her while Sage still stands their ground to push her fear out of her way. “I ran millions of simulations. The only way I can keep you alive is if you're not here when it gets out.” Then the anger from Eggman fizzled out and now raising a brow in suspicion of what the small child is saying. “When what gets out?”

Then an alarm blares across the sky and the unfamiliar voice booms across the skies.Everyone except Skyler looks up at the direction of the voice.

Since time immemorial I have languished here. The locks are broken. Now I shall tear down the walls between dimensions and consume all.

Sonics’ friends were shaken from this moment of declaration,but that does not stop that doesn’t stop Eggman and points at the skies. “No, no, you don't! I'll mobilize the Egg Fleet and blow you out of the sky!” Sage replies in return with worry. “It won't be enough. It triumphed over the Ancients' technology. My simulations show a success rate of zero percent.” As the two bicker back and forth from this moment. 

Wren shakes his head and his hands grips into a ball of fists and looks at Amara and Knuckles. “No! Skyler worked too hard for us to give up now. Those visions we saw... we can drive back the corruption and bring him back!” The other two both smile and nod in agreement. “Anything for Skyler!” “Whatever it Takes!” As the three gather around the hedgehog and they all share hands together.  Before Wren takes Amara’s hand, He takes the photo and slips it back in Skyler’s hand, Making sure that photo will never leave by the hedgehog’s side again. It is clear that his bond with Skyler is endless and he has no regrets of meeting Skyler back in South West Island. Going back to his spot and takes Amara’s hand and says his wishes out loud. “Sonic, I want you to see the hero I become.” Amara holds her tears back and tries not to cry. This was a hedgehog who fell in love with a close brother to him. “Sonic, you still have love to share with this world too.” Knuckles was never really the mushy type, but knowing that he has been butting heads and bonding with Skyler and the others for a while.There is a sense of a brotherly bond that is so strong that he wil never admit that he does respect the hedgehog. and replies in his own way. “Sonic, we're even after this, ha!”   

As the three disappear, reverting the corrupted hedgehog back to normal. As the minutes felt hours for him and looking around and then felt a warmth in his heart. He goes to put his hand over his chest and closes his eyes. “Everyone….Thank you. I won’t let you down.” After the bickering and negotiating between Eggman and Sage, Sky is just amused with a smile across his face which made Eggman cringe with annoyance that he made Sonic a temporary partner. As the hedgehog speeds off to collect the chaos emeralds and do some small talk with Sage. He felt a bit of the weight lift off his shoulders for once. No more corruption getting in his way and now refocused to save the planet and his friends. Time passes by as the hedgehog plops in front of the abandoned building and turns to see Sage appear across from him.   

Sage’s body is flickering into black and white and that made the hedgehog quite curious. “So what’s going on? I was going to ask about if you’re still corrupted but uhh….” Skyler wasn’t really sure how to speak with him, but the AI shakes their head. “I…I do not know myself…Unfortunately I am still corrupted from the Cyber Space, I know it’s not the doctor’s fault. I do not blame him.” Then the awkward silence fell, the mobian had no idea how to even talk to her. The silence was deafening for the two, but Sage actually asked him a question. “I do not understand. Why help your friends even when you know you we’re dying?”  A pause from Skyler and then looks at her with a gentle smile.

“They’re my family.”

Sage looks confused, but then she remembers every moment, every encounter from each mobian. They always mutter about their loved ones, their names. Even Sonic the Hedgehog or also known as Skyler, He has a photo to remember them that is close to his heart. 

“Family….a found family by non blood and friendship….” 

Tears we’re starting to come out of their eyes. Confused by these emotions as her black dress flickers back into white. “I do not understand….at first, but now….I understand you now. You care about your friends like family….and you planet as well.” She looks up at the bright blue eyes in a different perspective. 

“Maybe…one day….I shall have a family like yours…Sonic the Hedgehog.” 

As they were going to continue talking more, the radio buzzed from his communicator watch and it was the voice of Dr. Eggman. “What are you two taking so long?! Get over here and finally finish this!” With a whiny groan from Skyler and he responds. “Man I’m never gonna catch a break from adventures like these, but!” He just closes the communicator in the middle of the doctor’s rambling. “Well let’s go before your “Dad” whines about waiting again.” He grins at Sage, which made her smile in return. 

“Hey. You should smile more often.” 

        Moments later after Sonic defeated the last titan, only to realize that something wasn’t right, but now him in his Super Form and Sage ultilizing the Supreme Titan to chase after the one that is behind it all, ‘THE END’. Skyer grits his teeth and cries out in rage.

“He took your home world... He took your lives... Are you going to let him do it all over again?! I need your help. We can end this! Please!!”

Silence fell on deaf ears from the enemy and it was bent on destroying Gaia, his home, the ones he loved. Skyler would not let that happen as he starts to dodge the projectiles out of his way and then he sees the opportunity to finish this once and for all as he speeds off like a shooting star and pierces through The End. That wasn’t enough for the enemy as The End sneaks in an attack once Skyler thought they were finished. Sage notices the attack and goes in front of Sonic to protect him.

“No! I won’t let you!”  

With that she takes the attack and turns to look at Sky with a smile. A smile that is too familiar for them. Then a memory flashed back instead of the girl, it was Shadow.

“Thank you, Sonic.”

As the memory flickers back into reality, to see the girl’s dress slowly fading back into the soft white and her red eyes into blue. With a smile across her face knowing that her role is done. She has done what she was set out to do is to make her new friend and father happy. The golden hedgehog froze in place as the explosions hurled Super Sonic towards Earth. His eyes did not waver to the defeated enemy and seeing Sage being engulfed from the final blow. As he was running out of energy to keep his form alive, he struggles to gather his strength and reaches out to her and sees the inhibitor ring embedded with the fake chaos emerald unfolded from the fall. With horror he remembers, this was the moment when he failed to save Shadow. The guilt he tried to bury for years always manages to unearth itself and this moment is no exception. Feeling the familiar emotions and absolute agony to remember the Ultimate Lifeform falling down to his death. The ring starts to crack and the emeralds start to darken from Sky’s negative energy. With a panicked whisper he tries to hold it together.

“No! No! NO!”

The ring shatters into pieces and the golden form turns into something sinister. The silence of space fills with screams.   

 Meanwhile back at the island, Wren and the others wake up and realize that everyone is back to normal. Well….except for one. A figure crash landed nearby as the three gasp in surprise as Skyler gets up with a groan as the dark form did not cease. His friends at first did not know what to do, but Amara decided to take the lead, but Wren was about to protest, but Amara motions him to hold for a moment and goes over to Skyler who is clutching his head in pain. 

“Skyler….Please…Come back to us. You are better than this darkness.”  

Wren and Knuckles watch her and then both nod to go and assist. As his friends’ support continued to encourage him to return, Skyler’s panicked mode was pretty high until the soft words made his breathing into a deep and slower pace. The dark aura slowly starts to fade back into the familiar bright sky blue. Slowly looking at all three at them with a teary eyed smile. “I….I’m back.”

The three friends were in absolute tears and they all laughed for a while. “You idiot! You made us worried!” The Echidna burst his emotions out to him. “I’d punch you again if I could!” Amara did not hesitate to give him a huge hug and look at the hedgehog she knows and loves. “Sky, please don’t ever do that again. I….I never thought that would work, but…” Wren goes to give his big brother a hug as well and with tears as well. “I knew me and Knuckles had to keep on hoping that you would be okay and….and.” The fox broke into a sob. After the emotional reunion, the four finally settled in the Tornado which is surprisingly in one piece and with that they all took off to head back home.

 As Sonic is relaxed on his usual sitting spot, looking over at his left wrist to feel something missing. With no wasted thought, he did not dare to think about it right now. Now it’s just time to go home and try to relax from this wild adventure. There were so many things in his mind, yet the nagging feeling in the back of mind is still continuing to fester.  

Gripping his left wrist to stop those doubts and close his eyes.

“We’ll meet again Sage….I just know it.”    

Main Verse Update Drabbles: Pt.1 / Pt.2 / Pt3/ Final: Current

[dansnaturepictures]

Looking back on five of my favourite ever birdwatching days 

Seeing the Surf Scoter at Stokes Bay in 2015 

Seeing Pennington’s female Surf Scoter on Sunday inspired this post which was brilliant too, and this 2015 sighting of this mega bird has always stuck with me. A wonderful and thrilling moment, with the Common Scoters it was with and only my second ever Red-throated Diver seen other highlights in a day we saw so much. A long time Twitter friend of mine joked when I was sharing my sightings that night “did a Hoopoe fly by as well?”, clearly a good luck charm as that iconic species was the next new bird we saw later that year. I took the first picture in this photoset of the Surf Scoter and Common Scoters. 

Great Spotted Cuckoo at Portland in 2016 

2016 feels like the beginning of a few amazing birding years for us with so much seen and high year list totals at a bit of an increasing intensity and in hindsight this super bird at Portland was the key bird seen that year, when it looked like this rarity may have eluded us on that sunny afternoon it suddenly dashed over the path right beside us and we got a sensational view of a special species in a smashing wild bank holiday Sunday. I got the record shot in the second picture in this photoset of it. 

The first day of the Scotland trip we went on in 2018, in the Highlands 

On this sensational part of the amazing Heatherlea ‘Birding Bites’ tour a present for my 21st birthday I had one of the best days of my life, with dream after dream coming true in the snow covered landscape as I saw my first ever Red Grouse, Crested Tit, Capercaillie, Golden Eagle and Black Grouse as well as White-tailed Eagle, Dipper, my first ever Mountain Hare and also Red Squirrels and Red Deer seen in the way of mammals and more. Magical moments in an enchanting trip with wildlife and scenes to savour I always longed to see. I took the third and fourth pictures in this photoset of Crested Tits, fifth of Golden Eagle and sixth of the Black Grouse that day.

Seeing Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Tawny Owl on one afternoon in 2021 in the New Forest

Being two birds I dreamed of seeing for years and first saw in the same year back in 2014, this was a utopian day at a place I love when we thrillingly saw a Tawny Owl flying in the day and were ecstatic to see a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker weaving through the branches. Hawfinch, Woodlark, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Reed Bunting and Fallow Deer were other highlights in an unbelievable list of species seen that day. This massive moment seeing them both together has sparked a good couple of years of seeing the owl and woodpecker a bit more frequently too. I got the seventh picture in this photoset of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that day.

Seeing an Osprey fly over Skomer Island whilst enjoying Puffins in 2022

My 2022′s answer to the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker/Tawny Owl moment which I have also replayed so much in my mind, I was so amazed when whilst watching the original birds I took to my heart getting into birding as a kid the seabirds and taking in all the splendour of this with Puffins ensconced in sea campion the other bird I first loved as a kid an Osprey flew over. I never imagined seeing Puffin and the other seabirds and Osprey in the same day so this was also one of the days of my life and was an inspirational personal moment for me in a year of changing things for the better last year. The crazy few minutes in a packed, momentous and sensational day also included other of my favourite birds Red Kite and Chough flying over. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of the Osprey and ninth of a Puffin that day and tenth of a Chough later that week away at Strumble Head.

[mrbexwrites]

10 Songs, 10 People

@words-after-midnight left an open invite to this tag game, and I was feeling whimsical. Keeping the open invite open to anyone who stumbles across this- take this as your sign from the universe to join in (if you want to! No obligation!)

Rules: Put your library on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that come up. Then, tag ten people.

Sorry, but you’ve all got to suffer through my awful taste in writing music that I’ve compiled over the last 18 months of writing Memento Mori. My playlist is basically a collection of random songs that I strumble across on the radio and/or the internet and remind me of a character/scene from the books. And that’s my excuse for why the list has no rhyme, reason or theme!! 1. Billy Joel- We Didn’t Start the Fire

2. Heart- Alone

3.The Longest Johns- Bonny Ship the Diamond

4. Tiffany- I think We’re Alone Now

5. Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette- Hello

6. Landon Pigg- Can’t Let Go

7. Sleigh Bells- Infinity Guitars

8. Larkin Poe- Danger Angel

9. Eurthymics- Thorn in Your Side

10. Brandi Carlisle- Broken Horses

[candydoodlesgoofy]

Angie G. Deer

Character history: "Angie G. Deer's journey to Neighbourhood was an unexpected adventure. One morning, while wandering through the woods surrounding the neighbourhood, she found herself lost and disoriented. Panic set in as the dense trees seemed to close in around her. It was then that Eddie Dear, the friendly neighbourhood mail carrier, strumbled upon her.

Eddie, with his warm smile and gentle demeanour, immediately sensed Angie's distress and offered his helping hand. He guided her back to the heart of the Neighbourhood, where Sally Starlet, Angie's dearest friend, was quick to come to the rescue. Sally, a beacon of kindness and generosity, provided Angie with clothing and a comforting presence.

During this time, Sally learned the origin of the scar that adorned Angie's left eye—a reminder of a harrowing encounter with a wolf in the past. Angie's courage in surviving such a traumatic experience only deepened the respect and affection the neighbourhood had for her. With the support of her newfound friends, Angie gradually began to find her place in the close-knit community of the Neighbourhood."

[hummingsng]

“Are you saying you want to kiss me?” mollie @ bonnie

// BONNIE & MOLLIE . @wr0ngbtch

"I . . . N- No . . . I mean, I- I'm not, well . . ." strumbling onto her own words like some ridiculous person struggling to stand still onto their own feet, Bonnie bit her inner cheek not to say anything else. or at least, before her mind would process how she could answer to her question. it seemed like she wouldn't have a safe space either way. Bonnie didn't want to say NO, because she knew deep down it wouldn't be true. besides, she wanted her to stay. but her most hesitant part was scared confirming it would be precisely what would cause the other girl to leave. what if all the hints were only in her head? fuck it. Mollie had given her many hints . . . Too many too doubt anyway. but it could happen. she was aware she could fall in love perfectly easy, despite of anyone's biggest flaws, she didn't want to play stupid . . . but she knew she was in love with her best friend, she shouldn't even more knowing she was rough around the edges, the question alone being enough to intimidate her for a lifetime. "I mean, I . . . I wouldn't say I wouldn't want to kiss you, just, I've imagined it before," her words slipped out, gaze locking down onto the ground. it felt even more risky to admit it out loud knowing she had a boyfriend, one who cared about her, yet her heart would still crave Mollie like the mess she was. she couldn't control herself anymore. just like now, she could be perhaps pushing her off without meaning to.

[heartbeathearer]

TW: arrhythmia / strumbling heart with extrasystole at 2:35

Heya, my heart is still strumbling and struggling. And I finally catched something what never wanted to be heard in a recording. It occured only when no ECG or recording was started, when there was no attention. So it’s not the only extrasystole I’ve ever had but the first in a recording. I have a lot extrasystoles a day sometimes if my heart is more over worked or stressed and that’s pretty easily this time without any sleep, stress, pain, heat, seizures, faintings.... lol Sounds very interesting and felt even more oddly. When my heart does this - and indeed it did yesterday - it feels like someone is grabbing my heart inside my chest and does squeeze it with full force into its smallest form possibly, squeezing very hard by hands in my chest. Ooof.. Usually this event hurts a lot. As hell I can say! But luckily this time no pain. (I’ve got enough pain without any sharp heart pain for many lifes - not only for one.)

[born-to-lose]

[geto-kee]

arataki itto x reader [two versions: both male and female]

Minors dni

receiving oral from the one and oni himself.

Male

your heart raced in your ears, your eyes were moderately hazy, your pupils were blown out to their max capacity.

your [color] eyes watched itto—comparable to that of a hawk.

the white-haired oni’s cheeks were moderately flushed as his eyes met yours. his nose was somewhat runny, his pupils were blown out as much as yours. his cheeks were hollowed as drool dribbled past the corner of his lips–descending his chin.

your cock skimmed past parted and eager lips, his moans stifled by your girth.

one of his broad hands clasped your hip as his other hand wrapped around your veiny cock—you could feel his warm tongue switching from side to side beneath your tip as he suckled. his adam’s apple bobbed each time he swallowed you down.

pulling your hips back, your cock slipped past his mouth, strings of saliva still attached to his lips.

his chest heaved as he looked up at you with his hazy eyes. he leaned in again without question, tilting his head aside, his mouth latched on the side of the girth. he licked and sucked his way towards your balls, sucking them while his hand began jerking your cock, his hand squeezing as he twisted his palm.

his chest heaved as he looked up at you with his hazy eyes. he leaned in again without question, tilting his head aside, his mouth latched on the side of the girth. he licked and sucked his way towards your balls, sucking them while his hand began jerking your cock, his hand squeezing as he twisted his palm.

arataki itto could suck your cock forever if he could.

Female

you could see just how eager the oni was as he pressed greedy kisses against your hip. his teeth nipped at your flesh.

the taste of you was seemingly delicious on his tongue. he moaned, his cock twitched against the confinements of his pants.

❝please,❞ he whimpered, his dampened eyes looking up at you with a needy stare.

❝please let me taste you...❞ he beseeched, his fingers dipping into your flesh.

your fingers still scraping through his white hair and into his scalp. a sound, similar to a purr, rumbled from the rear of your throat. you grinned, squinting your eyes scarcely. ❝go ahead,❞ you cooed.

he moaned in what seemed like remedy. he dipped his head, his anticipating lips, dampened with his saliva, pressed against your sex—careful of his teeth.

his tongue lapped at your clit eagerly, his pink lips wrapping around the nub. your hands, still in his hair, tugged at his strands.

you licked your lips, brows furrowing in concentration, ricocheting your hips against his face as his tongue slipped past your pussy lips. be buried his face, his nose essentially rubbing against you.

you moaned, tilting your head back as praises strumbled from your lips like a mantra.

and he was desperate to hear more.

from his position, he could hear the soft squelch of your pussy each time his tongue nestled between your dampened lips.

his eyes ascended your form, catching your lower belly flexing slightly.

your chest heaving, the rise, and fall of your breast—you were beautiful to him in every aspect. his eyes caught your face, and his eyes gleamed when you both made eye contact.

he shifted his head from side to side as he suckled on the soft flesh between your legs.

wattpad? Geto-Kee

[happyselves]

Drugs ( part 1 ) { Daniel Ricciardo x reader }

" I'm a fucking mess sometimes, you needed me as much as I needed you. We were a drug for each other, but we need to heal and in order to get better I need to let you go "

You watch Daniel in the opposite corner of the room, lost in your thought.He was looking at you like he knew how much it was hurting you to be here, be there for him like you are a simple friend to him. You wanted more, you needed more and you knew he couldn't give you that, not Daniel Ricciardo. You had way too many long sleepless nights talking about it, he did not want a partner before the end of his career, yet until now you were hoping that he would change his mind,until last night. You had one of those sleepless night conversations again and it was the one that made your emotion's vase overflow. You hide so well how your heart broke in millions pieces last night. After all those years of friendship you had to let him go. He was hurting you and keeping you close " as a friend " . He knew now how much you were in love with him when you were doing so well hiding it all together. The smile, the touch, the gaze, you put your best acting for so long but you couldn't anymore. I was toxic for you when all he was, was the best friend you could hope for, always supportive, always here for you, but the more he cared for you the more he made you hope.

Last night was a mess, you both got drunk, both ended up on his room balcony in that beautiful hotel in Bahrain. You laugh for hours until the alcohol hits you both really hard and makes you confess things that you would normally keep to yourself. He starts by rambling about life outside f1, then it comes to your friendship and your brain isn't functioning properly, only your heart was able to make a decision. So when he started describing how perfect your friendship was for him and how essential you were in his life, your heart spoke for you but only in whispers.

You : You have no idea what's going on in my mind.

Dan : What did you say ?

And then you feel the alcohol effect, the one that makes you brave.

You : I said you have no idea what's going on in my mind right now ...

You waited a bit, not daringly looking at him, he was waiting for you to continue, looking at you with a curious gaze in his eyes, very intrigued that he patiently waited until you took a breath and gained enough courage to say what you had in mind.

You : You have no idea how much torture it is for me.

That where you saw his face close itself, the seriousness taking place like he just hit a wall in full force. He realised something, he realised that you weren't happy and his heart broke, you didn't need to say more he got it right away by the tears forming on the corners of your eyes. He realised that the friendship he thought was perfect wasn't, he finally saw after all this year how much you were unhappy. He was so selfish that even if he knew you by heart he didn't see the suffering you were giving him every time you too spoke during a sleepless night. Now he sees it, the pain, the hurt but most important the love and all he could feel right now was his heart aching and sinking into a dark hole.

He was losing you,

killing you,

torturing you,

helding you captive...

At this instant he hated himself so much for wanting to keep you just for him, no wanted to let you go, he wanted you only for him and it was unhealthy cause he knew that he couldn't give you what you needed from him. He felt sick to his stomach, he was toxic for you but you were a drug for him, he needed you to be well, to do well, to be happy. This man was confused because he didn't know how to explain his own feeling, he didn't know if it was love, possession, friendship, ownership, the only thing he was sure of was that without you he would be nothing. His mind needed to be clear, he needed to act fast before you left him for good, he needed to make sure of what he was feeling ...

So that night, under the stars, on this balcony, both of you were drunk. On this sleepless night, he grabbed the chair you were sitting in and brought it close to him with a firm attention to put an end to this. You got so surprised by his sudden gesture that you almost fell, he caught you with his arm like he always does when you are about to strumble. His arms having a firm grip on your waist he never let go of you, he didn't intend too even for a second until he was sure of what was going on between the two of you and you felt a tension building between your bodies. You dreamed of this for so long but living it was beyond every expectation because as soon as you ended up on his legs, it was like your soul left your body admiring this moment from afar, but you never felt more alive. Your skin was burning, your head spinning as the sight of him getting his face closer to you. He hesitates for a second that lasts an eternity for you before closing the gap between your lips and pressing his onto yours. They were soft, like kissing a cloud and your eyes shut themself automatically to make this moment captured in your brain forever cause you knew it would be a one time thing. You didn't want to think of this not right now, not when the man who was kissing you softly was here doing what you've always wanted and you were determined to show him how useless words were useless in this instant.

His lips still on yours, no moving like he was waiting for something, an approbation from you to make a move, you didn't realise that you were overthinking so much that you didn't respond to the kiss but the alcohol in his system wasn't letting him pull away just yet, and you were glad for it because you could react just in time and open your mouth to catch his lips, licking the dry spot on it, making them yours and only yours for what could last some longs minutes. His whole body relaxes and he releases a sigh he didn't know he was holding, his hands finally leaving your arm to fiercely grab your neck and making your forehead touch each other, deepening the kiss, introducing his tongue to the party. It was becoming sloppy and you were so intoxicated that your head was feeling dizzy but you weren't sure if it was because of the toxicity running through your veins or the way Daniel was eating you literally alive, like you let nobody do before. Your cold hands were finding their place at the hem of his shirt, pulling the last millimeters separating you from him. You wanted to feel him everywhere on your body as much as possible, the burning sensation was addictive and you needed more, you needed more of him ... again and again, savoring the few stolen moments.

But you had to let go, you couldn't breathe anymore, and he had too but it felt like he didn't want to. Coming back to reality was brutal for both of you as it seems to appear when you both pull away from each other, not moving your hands to lean on the contact, the fire and electricity who was roaming between your two bodies. At this point you couldn't open your eyes yet, you couldn't face him, face his terror of what you had just done, face the saddest of a lost friendship ...

His hand moves to caress your cheek, and like a fool, you lean to it, purring like a cat enjoying being petted. His thumb was stroking your skin, encouraging you to finally meet his gaze and when you do so, you've met the most beautiful brown eyes like it was the first time you were really seeing them from a close side. They weren't as light as you remember and his pupil was so dilated, yet so alive, sparkling like the sky during the 4th of July. He wasn't blinking and you weren't either, to scare to miss something , it was even more deep in the meaning that the exchange you just had, so intimate to lock eyes with each others, communicating only with your eyes, wondering what's the other is thinking, quietly battling to know which of you will break the contact first.

It end up being you when you felt your lungs lacking of air, opening your mouth to gather a huge breath of air which bring you a new clarity in your brain and made you jump out of his lap, finding yourself search for the balcony ledge, regretting right away the decision because you were already missing him. He was looking at you, his arms still up in the air where you were a second ago, still shocked from your sudden change of heart. How could you look at him and be around him after that ? You wouldn't dare to meet his eyes right now, deeply ashamed of what you just did. So you didn't and you left without a word, leaving him hanging on his own, leaving the room and probably leaving his life.

You spend the remainder of the night crying in your room, grieving the loss of the friendship you had with him, hoping to disappear from this place and not meeting him in the morning.

But that was without counting on the elevator taking too much time to come to your floor and the door of Daniel's room opening. It was too late for you to run and take the stairs plus you had too much luggages with you to carry. You pull on your best act, like nothing happened last night, hiding your puffy eyes and your miserable face as much as you can in the hood of your oversized hoodie ... his oversized hoodie. That thought made your eyes water again, you were about to betray him, leaving him alone but after like night.

That was where he called your name from the back of that room, and like an idiot you lifted up your head meeting his gaze from afar. He looked at you like he knew ... and your heart broke again replacing it with dust as the elevator's doors finally opened in front of you. You entered it, looking at him one last time.

MASTERLIST

Comment under the post to get notification of a new chapter...

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

❛ MY OTHER HALF ❜

✨ REQUEST: nose si voy tarde però bueno, espero que no. i would like to request (obviously if that is okay for you) a headcanon with angel x reader of the day of their wedding, like súper súper fluffy.

✨ MADE BY: @artofvamps

WORDS: about 2k.

❚❙ A/N: this writing hasn’t been edited, you may find some grammar mistakes, I’m sorry about that. If you find a description about body or a word out of place, or something that it makes you feel uncomfortable / unrepresented, let me know by a private message and I will change it delighted ❤

❚❙ Especial thanks to my lovely @angelreyesgirl for helping me with this wonderful masterpiece 🖤✨

❚❙ GIF credits: to the amazing @angels-reyes.

❚❙ ANGEL REYES MASTERLIST.

❚❙ MASTERLIST.

❚❙ JOIN MY TAG LIST.

Never in your life you could think about having a most perfect wedding, Angel didn't care about it too much, being enough for him to see you happy.

The most magical place you have ever been. Especially when the sun is almost falling, around five pm.

From the window of his room, you can see the backyard perfectly decorated by Creeper and Riz. They didn't lie when they told you that would be amazing.

White and red roses everywhere, forming vines wrapping the wooden beams of the altar. Over the guests' chairs, there are six fairy lights, giving some more intimacy when the night has come; and a red carpet in the hallway, over the grass.

All your friends are there, mixed with the Mayans, waiting for you.

Your hands are trembling, alone in Taza's room, while you hear some voices and laughs outside. You can't help but take another look of yourself in the mirror.

The white dress fits your body perfectly, falling from your chest to the floor.

The girl at the shop called it ‘a-line wedding dress’. You don't care about the name, but about the fact that you look like the most beautiful girl. Your hair is tied on top of your head, behind a delicate silver tiara and small red crystals in it. Soft make-up, that Bishop's Old Lady did for you, just like your future husband likes.

Felipe is run of words when he comes to the room, but you can see what he thinks in his eyes, about to cry.

You know that he would like that Marisol could see you marrying her son. She would love to see the man Angel turned himself into since he met you three years ago.

“Hey, I’m Angel Reyes, and you know what? You’ll be my wife one day”.

He wasn’t wrong.

But he’s not going to lie. He has been the whole night having nightmares about you running away from him; about you deciding that you didn’t want a life with him.

Ezekiel and Coco have been awake too, comforting him whenever the doubts hit his mind.

Holding Felipe’s arm, he guides you downstairs to the outside, feeling your legs shaking and your heart about to explode. You have doubts too. You’re scared of him taking a step back at the last moment.

Although every bad feeling disappears from the two of you, as soon as you lay eyes with each other.

Angel is about to cry. So are you.

For you, for him, there's no one else around your orbit. Just the two of you. Him waiting at the wedding altar, watching you walk over the red carpet perfectly placed on the ground.

And, damn. You thought that Angel couldn't look better, until you have seen him wearing that suit.

A black suit, covering the immaculate white shirt under a silver waistcoat with mayan symbols tissues in it. His hair is perfectly brushed to the back of his head and his beard is giving you desires of kissing it.

Seriously, it should be illegal to look this good.

But the detail that steals all your attention is the fact that he isn't wearing his characteristics rings. That big silver cross in his right pinkie and a signet ring with the Virgin of Guadalupe in his ring finger.

Felipe kisses your cheek, to intertwine his son's hand with yours.

You can't help but use your free hand to clean the tears falling down his cheeks, making Angel chuckles softly. You are always taking care of him with the most minimal details, showing him how much you love him, before leaning forward to kiss the tip of his nose.

“You changed me. You changed my life. You came with that smile, illuminating all the darkness around me. You've accepted me, advised me, shown me the road to happiness, put me first. You've never, ever, judged me. You've healed me, you've healed my wounds, my soul, my heart. You gave me the opportunity I always thought I would never have… You, mi reina, have loved me unconditionally without asking for anything back. I don't have enough words to express how I feel every morning when I wake up with you under my arms, when I kiss you, when I see you dancing in our kitchen, when you… look me with these beautiful eyes as if I was the fucking Big Bang happening in front of you”. Bringing your hands to his mouth, Angel kisses every knuckle of them. “I can't imagine a single day without you, without hearing your laugh, without reading your texts desiring me a good day when you wake up and I'm already gone. I don't wanna live a single day without hearing you singing in the shower, without riding my bike with you behind my back, without you smacking my ass and screaming ‘daaaamn, this is all mine’! You make me happy like no one could do. You make me feel important like no one could do. And I promise you, fuck… I swear it to God, that I'm gonna give you all of me. Every second of every minute, of every hour of every day till the end of my time. I don't want to live without you”.

Now, it's Angel who has to clean your tears, causing some laughs between the guests. And he can't help but wrap you with his arms in a tight, tight hug. The warmest and dearly hug he has ever given you.

“I didn't know what love was until I met you. I didn't know which was the meaning of life until I met you. Mi rey. My other half. It was you, and only you, since I saw you the first time sitting on your bike, smoking and with that face of grumpy idiot”. The guests laugh again, because they all know that pose. “And then you standed up and started to walk, and I thought ‘what the hell is wrong with his leg’”. More laughs. The loudest comes from your future husband. “But I would never change you for anyone else. We've been through bad days and good days. Shitty nights and funny nights. I would never change my life with you for anything else. No one has ever made me happy as you do every moment of my existence. You're the most awesome, incredible, loyal and lovely man I have ever met. You fight for me, you take care of me, you protect me. You make me smile whenever I feel insufficient, whenever I feel sad, whenever I feel that I don't belong anywhere. My home, my life, my happiness is wherever you are, Angel Reyes”.

Then, Taza as the priest looks at the two of you, before guiding his dark eyes towards you. “Would you want to take Angel Ignacio Reyes in hol—”. He can't finish, being interrupted by the man in question clicking his tongue. “Of fucking course she wants”. Gently grabbing your chin with a hand and placing the other on the back of your head, Angel kisses you by pecking your lips, making you laugh.

But Leti breaks the moment, coughing exaggeratedly. You asked her to be the flower girl and she has been practicing the last month, to don’t mess up her task. The most important one, actually.

For the next two hours, you can’t stop looking at your hand tangled with Angel’s, and the two fresh golden rings in your fingers. To other people they could be just two pieces of jewelry, but for you it’s the purest way to show him your love, your support, and your unconditional trust in him.

And for the next two hours, Angel can’t stop kissing your face all around. Going down with furtive kisses on your neck, your shoulder, your knuckles; not being able to take off from you his other arm around your waist, tightly closed to push you next to him.

Coco and Gilly are in charge of the speech, knowing that it’s going to be more funny than you thought, when they get up from their chairs drunk as fuck after too many shots of tequila. “Yo, mami… you really got the golden dick”. “Man!” Gilly punches him on the shoulder, making him strumble with his own feet and having to grab the other’s jacket to not fall. “I’m speaking the truth! Who was gonna think that he would get the girl to this point, ah?” “Not me”. “Me neither”. “You jealous, ah, motherfuckers?” Angel tosses them a napkin, causing the laugh of everyone around you. “Seriously, girl… How you do it to st—”.

“Enough?” Leti whispers to EZ, sitting by her side. The younger Reyes nods in silence, getting up, making Creeper and Riz a sign to take them off from the center of the yard; between curses in spanish and in some kind of invented language because of the alcohol.

“Hey, brother, I just want to tell you that by far this is the happiest moment of my life. You don’t deserve anything but all the love and the affection, and we all know that only her can give it to you”. You’re starting to think that EZ’s purpose is making Angel cry, because his eyes are being filled up with a bunch of tears now. “Our lives haven’t been easy, you know that… And you have put all the weight on your shoulders since ever, but I’m proud of you. Of who you are. Of calling you my brother. Mi sangre. I don’t desire you anything but happiness, Angel”.

“Yeah, and God bless your patience, sister”. Leti can’t help but add that remark, trying to not laugh when she finds you nodding energetically, before kissing your husband’s tears running down his cheek.

The big toast echoes all around the ranch, in the meantime that the prospects from Yuma and Stockton bring the cake. One of them. That’s the main, a three-story cake of black and white chocolate with your names drawn in red. Canche’s wife has made it for you. She’s an amazing pastry.

And you thought that Angel wouldn’t do it. HE PROMISED YOU ONE HUNDRED TIMES.

But that piece of shit were lying,

Stamping a piece of cake on your face, your husband quickly grabs your wrists to avoid you punch him, or do the same to him. As you sob between chuckles, keeping your eyes closed, Angel licks your lips with the tip of his tongue. “Mi dulce, mi favorito”.

“You promised me…”

“Ah, ah… I promised that I wouldn’t smash YOUR face IN the cake. And I didn't”.

After cleaning yourself and changing the heavy dress for another one that fits your silhouette to the perfection, you are ready to give your husband the last surprise of your wedding.

“Are you takin' me to a dark corner?” “Stop asking, Angel… You'll see”.

At the front yard, a baseball bat and a ball awaits. “What's that, baby?”

“Sh… I throw you the ball, and you hit it, okay?”

So there you are, watching Angel in position as in his old times, when he used to play in highschool.

You throw it.

He hits it.

And in just one second, the distance between you gets caught up by a pink powder, almost staining your clothes.

Angel is in shock. The bat falls from his hand. Eyes widened. Parted lips. His skin bristled, as his cheeks got wet again because of the tears.

“Felicidades, papi”.

He can't stop crying, embracing you with all his strength to his chest. Your husband can't believe anything that is happening today. All he has ever wanted is happening in a sight.

“The day we met, you told me that one day I would be your wife. And I told you that you looked like the father of my future children”.