#taddy answers

[taddy-cat]

Can you draw Echo in your style? I bet it would be super cute!

HERE YOU GO! One Echo Zelda for you! She and Tri are working on a puzzle, don't disturb them! (Apparently my phone's camera recognized Tri's face as being a face, but not Zelda's XD)

Also, thank you for my first ever art request (if I've gotten one before I don't remember)

[taddymason]

Where is the starting point for your “Dad Jay” au fic? I’m a little confused about where to begin reading this expansive story you’ve written and an official reading order would be a great help

The first fic of the au is this one, which is basically Jay's first year in the Administration and how it all started. The next one would be Spirits in the Sky and then Lightning Pin

ALTHOUGH apparently you can start in Lightning Pin without problem, and I say this because most readers jump to read that one directly so I guess it is not necessary to read the first part to understand the story (?)

[wyrmswears]

W-wolfwalker...Jay....

yeah this slaps. heres jay wolf walker :)

[majorproblems77]

For the one character, one word thing I would like to pick Hyrule and kitten!

And happy birthday! I hope it's just as lovely as you are (aka, very lovely)

Thank you very much, friend! You are lovely too!

Hyrule and Kitten!

"So... Twilight." The traveller rocked on the balls of his feet as he looked over the rancher's shoulder. Down towards the animal below him. It was a small creature which seemed attached to Twilight at the hip.

the rancher made a noise in acknowledgement as he turned back.

"What is that?" The rancher raised an eyebrow in query as Hyrule found himself pointing down towards the creature. "It's so small."

"That's 'cause it's a kitten. This one is only 'bout a month old" The rancher smiled, gently cradling the creature in his hand. "Little runt this one. So Uli's been taking care of it."

"Is that why it's so much smaller than the others?"

The rancher nodded silently, placing the small kitten back down into the small bed they had fashioned for it. "Just because it's smaller than the others doesn't mean it can't be as strong. He just needs a little push in the right direction."

And that was something to think about, wasn't it?

"In fact, I bet in a few months this one will be scrapping with the rest of them. And Winnin'. "The rancher chuckled looking down one more time before he stood up and turned to Hyrule. "We should go find the others. They'll be back from the forest by now I reckon."

Hyrule smiled as Twilight turned to the door and opened it, hyrule found himself looking down at the little kitten one more time before turning away and exiting with Twilight into the fresh ordonian air.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Since you are apparently writing angst (I saw the post), and I know that it can be as cathartic as it is heart wrenching. That being said, have a fluffy picture

Hyrule made Sky a flower crown, and Sky in turn made Hyrule a tiny remlit statue (the tiny lizard on Hyrule's head is Lord Larry)

Awwww they’re adorable! And Lord Larry is a King and should be given all due respect and honor ❤️ Thank you very much for sharing this with me! ☺️

[rainofthetwilight]

LEVI TRICK OR TREAT!

TADDY HI!! TRICK OR TREAT!!! :DD

here I offer you: a quick doodle of your girl kaida as your treat!! jay got her a new switch :))

[prince-of-red-lions]

Per your request, I present one Windy boi in stereotypical pirates clothing

AAAAACK OMG TADDY HES ADORABLEEEJTHGHRHFNGNDJS

he’s a fierce lil’ guy :D READY TO SAIL THE GREAT SEA‼️‼️‼️‼️

[pan-fried-autism]

Keith Tabi Lemon monster and Addie are all in a polyship :)

sometimes :) canonically rn its just rock monster and addie (with lemon monster and tabi as their friends, plus keiths boyfriend sometimes), but keith and addie wouldnt mind adding someone else as long as its someone whos nice and kind and who theyre both attarcted to

[aziraphales-library]

Hi! I was wondering if you had recs for something longer that has a lot of exploration of queer themes? Love your blog!

Hello. We have #long fic and #queer themes tags you can check out. Here are some that have both...

The End is Where We Start From by tiresius (E)

“Aziraphale, hello. It’s er, been a long time.” “Yes, dreadfully long. You look different.” He immediately coloured in evident embarrassment. “I mean, of course you look different, as do I of course, I didn’t mean bad different, that is to say…” Something inside of Crowley, something that had been in a deep freeze for several eons, was starting to thaw. It was letting little bits and pieces of familiarity break loose to float back into their rightful places in his soul. One of those pieces, those round, blue eyes, suddenly snapped into place, and he felt a corresponding wave of long-forgotten feeling wash through him. Aziraphale is anxious. Make Aziraphale happy. “Yeah,” he interrupted. “D’you wanna… get a coffee or something?” *** Crowley and Aziraphale meet by chance on the street. They've met before, in their youth, in a different life. Some difficult things have happened since then. Will they be able to find their way back to each other and to themselves? A Good Omens human AU.

Orbit by altsernative (M)

"It was like they were in orbit with each other. Locked into their paths. Circling each other. Coming so close for golden snatches of time, then dragged away again. Again, and again, and again." Literature instructor Aziraphale and Astronomy instructor Crowley have been best friends for eight years whilst teaching at Agnes Nutter College, a subsidiary of Cambridge. If they ever wanted something more than that, well, they certainly hadn’t said anything. Just as they start to come to terms with their feelings for one another, Aziraphale is promoted to department head and out of Crowley’s life as part of the college's strict non-fraternisation policy. Neither is willing to give the other up, and with the help of a few familiar faces, a pub called Taddy’s that only plays four specific types of songs, Tracy, an enthusiastic B&B owner/community queer icon, and a hidden garden everyone seems to have forgotten about, they risk everything to try and find their way back into each other's lives once more.

An Absence of Stars by mllekurtz (E)

A.Z. Fell is a famous (well, in his circle) Soho bookseller whose selection of volumes is the epitome of respectable (and boring) literature. One of his favourite authors is the renowned science writer A.J. Crowley, whose books on astronomy have popularized the subject — and also sell very well. Mr Fell is overjoyed when Dr Crowley accepts his invitation to do a signing of his new book in the bookshop, but their first conversation is a disaster: for some reason, Crowley does not share Fell’s distaste for romantic literature and acts very cold when the bookseller berates the author of one of the most popular romance series of the moment, Madame Ashtoreth. Little does Fell know that his favourite writer and the one he hates with a passion are the same person…

I Knew I Loved You by AppleSeeds (E)

In September 1999, when his family gets connected to the internet, prospective Marine Biology student Crowley discovers an online forum where he can actually talk to people who share his passion for saving the whales. He begins corresponding with a kind stranger he knows only as Ocean_Angel, and is incredibly excited when the opportunity arises to meet this mysterious person in real life. As their friendship develops, Crowley shares things with Angel that he can't talk about with anyone else, and Angel's insights help him to explore and embrace his own identity. As Crowley works towards finding a place in this world where he feels like he really belongs, he realises that a big part of the answer to that question might actually be right in front of him. What if where he belongs is with Angel?

secondhand smoke by PaintedVanilla (T)

you're second hand smoke, second hand smoke i breathe you in, but, honey, i don't know what you're doing to me mon chéri the year is 1990, and anthony crowley is looking for a church in london that might be tolerable. the one he winds up attending isn't exactly such, but he decides to stick around for one reason. said reason happens to own a bookshop that crowley begins to frequent, much to the surprise and delight of anathema device and newton pulsifer, who seem quite convinced that crowley could use something else to focus on besides gardening, their campaigns, and visits to tadfield.

Sit Tight, Take Hold by nieded (E)

The summer of 2022, Ezira Phale is a rookie Formula 1 driver out to prove he's one of the best racecar drivers in the world, but everything gets turned upside down when he falls in love with his real-life idol, AJ Crowley. Or: The one where Crowley does not go too fast for Aziraphale. _____ This story uses a multi-media format with CSS and HTML. It's best read using the workskin so please make sure that you are enabling user workskins. If you do not want to use the workskin, I will also be posting a .pdf of each chapter and a final .pdf once everything is posted! I’m not so cool as to know how to do podcasts, manips, and videos, but this will feature scripts, news articles, text messages, tumblr, and race programming! So strap in and put your seatbelt on! This is going to be one fast ride of romance, competition, and over-indulgence.

- Mod D

[crazylittlejester]

Guess who just got obsessed with Hyrule Warriors??

*cough cough* it’s not me idk what you’re talking about

I got the Definitive Edition because I refuse to play such a wonderful game on my glitchy Wii U. I’ve actually made decent progress and the game is so fun.

out of curiosity do you know how to unlock my fairy mode?? I cannot for the life of my figure it out. I’ve googled it but I got a variety of different answers. And none of those answers make sense to me. Sorry for my little yap!

YIPPEE!!!! IM SO GLAD YOURE HAVIN FUN I ADORE THE GAME

imma be honest man- i got really bad memory issues and havent loaded up the game in a few months i think, and i may be misinterpreting what you mean by Fairy Mode, but I dont think thats a DE thing, i think its a 3ds Legends thing? I could be so so wrong (@taddy-cat might know..?) so sorry for being useless 😭 about my own hyperfixation no less

no need to apologize for yappin i love to hear it :)

[symbioticsimplicity]

@taddy-cat

You asked for the essay, you get the essay.

First and foremost, the premise of the show is that anyone, no matter how awful, can be redeemed. Based on that alone, there's already room for Alastor to make the cut. He would absolutely take the longest and I believe he'd be the last of the original cast to have done so, but I think its not only possible but plausible. From a writing perspective it would be brilliant should they carry it off.

But that's the Doylist answer, we're interested in the Watsonian one.

The first thing that makes me think so, is that we've already seen him change, in small ways, but its change nonetheless.

Turning away Mimzy, which while was most likely because he was trying to make Lucifer swallow the narrative that he was constructing, still showed him prioritizing the hotel.

Lending Charlie his Mic. THAT was a trust exercise. It didn't take place during one of the scheduled times, but make no mistake he placed a SHITTON of trust in Charlie then, he just didn't tell her. It was on his own terms, but like I said SMALL changes.

Threatening Husk. That sounds contradictory because how could threatening someone indicate a GOOD change? Because we very much have heard about Alastor being the type of person you don't fuck around with. People do everything they can to avoid him so much as NOTICING them. He's absolutely the type to kill without warning but he DIDN'T. He threatened because he LIKES Husk.

And of course him mentioning "One could become accustomed" to the rest of the Hazbin cast. First of all, that was right before a major battle, he could very well lose any of these people the next day. That's such a fond thing to say under those circumstances, especially for someone like him. (This is pure speculation, but remember what Mimzy said about him becoming a kitten after a drink or two?? What better time to drink than the eve before a major battle??? Alcohol loosens the tongue, ergo Alastor is an affectionate drunk. Honestly??? That would be fucking hilarious, and would explain why hes not visibly drunk around any of them despite liking alcohol)

Also!!! Rosie!!!! The fact that he DOES have the capacity for genuine friendship, however twisted, shows that he has the potential to cultivate even more relationships like those, perhaps in a healthier manner even.

That said, it will be HARD.

He will fight TOOTH AND NAIL. He is the embodiment of it gets worse before it gets better. He's gonna fuck up SO MUCH MORE before that even becomes a possibility. Because in order to get him to actually consciously make the decision to become better, he has to have remorse to work with. Right now Alastor feels none guilt about just about anything hes done up until this point. He's a monster and he knows and loves that about himself. He DOES have a moral code in there somewhere, its just wildly different than anyobody else's and he hasn't broken THAT once. He needs to be put in a position where he DOES.

Because for someone like him, redemption can't be an accident the way it was with Pentious. It needs to be an intentional goal that he has to work towards with the same kind of intensity he's put toward evil. And given the set up they have for him to betray the Hotel, I genuinely hope that's the catalyst. I hope its right after Charlie goes out of her way to do something genuinely meaningful for him (Like passing him a message from his Mother, because she sought her out while she was in Heaven. She knows how much he cares about her at that point, and made the effort to make contact and see if she could get smuggle a letter down for him. Maybe it even causes her some trouble too just to add fuel to the fire.)

But if that remorse were to begin, I think it would eat him alive. In the same way pain feels magnified when its not a frequent thing, Alastor has never felt guilt before so its crushing to him.

Alastor is also not the type of person to sit around and mope so after figuring out what the fuck is happening to him, he would be the type to force himself through whatever he thought necessary to deal with it. And the way to deal with it is to put himself through Charlie’s program.

He has to see his Mom, and he has to make things right.

And that fucker is driven.

[taddy-cat]

hullo trick or treat :³

Eeeee

I can only give such cuties treats!

*gives whole bag of lollipops to each*

[taddymason]

I hope I’m not only one who Hates yellow as color for Jay:both as secondary color for his ninja gi and lightning!

First of all:yellow looks horrible one yellow mini figs,and to not make it same color,they make yellow on him like a highlighter yellow,which is disgusting

Second:yellow lightning is literally everywhere,and Seeing BLUE ninja of Lightning having this yellow feels like loss of individuality in Jay as character with such superpowers.

One of many reasons I love Jay is that he is not yellow lightning,he is blue lightning

RD may have strong sides like animation and dynamic fights,but it fumbles really hard when it came to Jay

you see, this happens when you have three characters on a team whose combo color is blue (with zane, nya too). In any case I would say that Nya should be the only one whose secondary color is blue/cyan, Zane can be silver/gray or pink, and Jay should be bluish purple (also that combo resembles the nightfury plasma blast in httyd and looks beautiful)

yellow on him just looks... ugly. Imo his his wolf gi looks better if it has more golden tones instaed of yellow. It also doesn't make much sense for his powers to go from being blue throughout the series to being yellow when the yellow lightning is much less hot than the blue one but that's just me. I know a lot of people say this is intentional to show his lack of experience with his powers but it really seems like it'll be a permanent thing from now on.

[novastaar]

Got a few more OC questions:

What is their favourite colour?

What do they wear to bed? Not asking that after posting that adorable image of the Captain and Shellington in their pyjamas! Why do you ask?

Do they have any random/obscure talents?

Do they go by any nicknames?

Yay! Thanks for the questions

(Not gonna lie, didn't see this one at first and almost didn't answer it, oops) Trixie's favorite color is green, and Frog's is orange

Trixie just wears an oversized T-shirt and sweatpants to bed. One of the few crew members to have a full outfit. Although, I think in real life she'd probably wear a onesie. Frog just wears an eye mask. That's it.

Trixie has a couple of weird talents. They don't come in handy that often, but she has them. She's really good with knives (Barnacles was the one who found that out after they found an old hunting knife on one of their missions, and Trixie just started swinging it around like nothing), she can pick locks, she can dismantle just about any camera, and she can catch most venomous snakes without getting bit. Frog has fewer talents but more useful ones. They have a photographic memory, she can't be affected by poison or venom, and they can mimic any bird call they've heard before.

Trixie is actually a nickname (I've also upgraded the comic where I reveal her name to a drabble to hopefully get me to finish it quicker. It probably won't work). She also responds to Trix and Trixster, though. Frog doesn't go by many nicknames, but Kwazii calls her Tadpole or Taddy to tick them off (it doesn't really work, they don't care at all)

[majorproblems77]

8, 9, 12

Thank you!

[jacksonroseroth]

~The Price~Chapter 3~

Moodboard made by @badwolf-in-the-impala, none of the pictures are mine

~

Warnings: Mentions of abuse

~

After closing down the bar, Taddie began to get anxious as Ash linked their arms to walk back to their locker together. She didn’t know how to tell her best friend about what Thatcher had offered, she was at even more of a loss at how to tell her she was strongly considering it and would be taking her car over once they got home. She took a deep breath and changed shoes, shrugging on her jacket as Ash chattered at her, though it went through one ear and out the other for Taddie. Her mind was a buzz with what she was going to do, what she was going to say, what was going to happen, too much so for her to focus on much else and she was extremely glad that Ash was driving home.

Taddie disassociated the whole ride, both women too exhausted for conversation, and Taddie was thankful. She’d managed to figure out that she was going to tell Ash she was going to be out for the night, but not much past that. She knew Ash would ask why and where she was going, but Taddie didn’t have a good enough excuse. As they got closer and closer to home, it was looking more and more like Taddie was just going to have to either tell Ash outright or sneak out once Ash went to her room.

Ash pulled into the driveway and put the car in park with a soft huff, the sudden sound making Taddie jump and blink, looking around and realizing they were home. Taking a deep breath, Taddie grabbed her bag as they both got out and trudged up their path, Taddie quickly unlocking the door and the pair blowing in. Taddie slammed the door shut behind them and they both shivered out of their jackets, Ash going to the thermostat and turning the heat up, quickly.

“Ohhhh, why did I move home?” Ash groaned out, ending it with a laugh as she glanced back at Taddie, who’s face held a blank look as she slipped out of her boots, put them by the door, hung her jacket, and put her keys in the bowl-Like a goddamn robot. “Uh, Tads? You alright?”

“Huh? What? Y-Ye-Yeah, I’m-I’m fine. I’m, um, I’m gonna turn in. I’m fucking beat.” Taddie said, shoving a hand into her curls, scratching at her scalp as she crossed the floor, going to her room. Ash raised a brow and nodded, watching her friend avoid all eye contact with her and make a beeline, quickly closing her door. Ash furrowed her brows together, but shook her head with a sigh and went to the kitchen to fill a Starbuck reusable cup up with ice and water, then went to her room as well.

Once she heard Ash’s bedroom door shut, Taddie tugged out the keychain and her phone, looking over the charm and sliding her finger over the initial, then flipped it, seeing a number etched into the back of it. Taking a deep breath, Taddie began dialing as she muttered to herself, “I am out of my fucking mind…”

Pressing the green phone button, Taddie sighed as she pressed the phone to her ear and laid back against her pillows as she listened to the ringing drone on. Part of her thought he would have already passed out, waiting up for her so long. She wouldn’t have been surprised, seeing as it was nearly 3 AM. But her hope quickly drained as the line picked up as she heard a soft groan, the sound shooting through her and making her eyes snap shut as she muttered to herself before she heard Thatcher’s rough and tired sounding voice answer with, “Hello?”

“Surprised you didn’t answer with my name since you know so much.” Taddie said, not realizing she’d said it until she heard his low chuckle of amusement before he said, “I have some sense of boundaries. I don’t know where you live, though I’d assume in Roanoke? Is that fair?”

“Yes. I do.” Taddie said, a spontaneous smile jumping across her face. She shoved a thumbnail between her teeth to try and stop it from growing.

“Alright--I still don’t know your address. I don’t know your phone number, at least not until now. I don’t know your social, your previous addresses…Could I easily find out? Yes. But where’s the fun in that?” He said with a soft snicker. She rolled her eyes as she said, “So, I’m just something to play with for fun? This isn’t all that serious then?”

“Oh, it’s plenty serious…But yes, I like to play with my food-Is that so wrong? I do it with consent and honesty. I laid it all out for you, didn’t I?” Thatcher asked, his voice daring her to challenge him. A challenge she more than took him up on.

“I don’t know-Did you? You only want me for appearances? There’s no ulterior motives, no sick and twisted sexual desires you’re achieving from this?” She asked, casually, trying to shock him into faltering. Instead, she was met with another chuckle before he said, “Oh, trust me, kitten, I have plenty. Ones I’m more than excited to play out--But, force isn’t my thing.  I’m all about safe and proper sexual play…But, like I said-We can talk about all that when you get here. Which would be when, by the way? My man said you went straight home?”

Taddie bolted up and her head whipped toward the window as her heart began to pound. She hadn’t realized she’d gasped until Thatcher said, “He’s not still there. I’ve told them once they see you go into your home, safely, they’re to go home and report back to me. I told you, it’s about protection, Taddie. Not stalking. I might do some questionable things, but I consider it somewhat living up to the family name. At least I’m not a complete disappointment.”

She’d heard the switch in his tone, going from playful and teasing to almost sad and depressed. Taddie chewed her lip then let out a soft sigh as she scooted back on her bed, crossing her legs beneath her as she said, “Thatcher, I’m still not sure about this…It all seems very…”

“Risky? Enticing? Sensual? Romantic?” Thatcher offered, the flirtatious lilt returning to his voice. Taddie’s lips skewed in a smirk as she said, “Very close to prostitution…Without the sex.”

“Mm-Well, the only reason it would be without sex would be up to you. I’m more than agreeable, but on your terms-Should that be something you wanted from this…Taddie, at least spend tonight with me and tomorrow before you go to work. Let me show you what I can offer you.” Thatcher said.

“It’s 3 in the morning. I’ve got a shift tomorrow, I can’t be up until dawn-”

“Did you forget my brother owns the bar and keeps your schedule? I say you need a paid day off and you’ve got it, Taddie. All you need to do is say the word… Let  me show you what I can offer you.” Thatcher said, firmly. Taddie chewed her lip and took a deep breath as her mind worked. She heard Thatcher’s breathing on the other end, then heard the sound of sheets rustling. Taddie closed her eyes and let out a sigh as she fell back onto her bed.

“Fine…But what am I supposed to tell Ash? We live together, she’s going to ask questions.” Taddie said, quietly, biting her lip as she glanced at their shared wall, listening for Ash’s movements. She heard the toilet, then the sink, then her TV turn on.

“Tell her you’re spending time with your new boyfriend. Might as well keep up appearances on both ends, no?”

“No. Not when she’s my best friend and I tell her literally everything…I-I can’t keep this from her, Thatcher. I can’t.”

“Well, you’re going to have to. No one can know this isn’t real, Taddie. Not until the end at least, if you succeed. If you do, I’ll come clean to my family, to Ashlen…And the only time you’ll ever even see my name again is on the checks that get delivered to pay for the studio.” Thatcher said, almost disappointed already that she wouldn’t, in fact, fall for him. Taddie closed her eyes and internalized a groan before she said, “You’d better have an amazing cover story as to why I’ve never told her about any dates, why I never said anything to her, and why we’re suddenly spending time together. Ash is a nosy bitch, especially when it comes to me. She’s gonna have questions.”

“Then you’d better get your ass over here, hadn’t you?” Thatcher said, his playful tone returning. It made her cheeks heat as she smirked and bit her lip. “I’ll send the address, kitten.”

Arousal shot through her and she fought it as her eyes fluttered closed and she took a deep breath to conain herself as he added, “I’ll see you soon…Which it had better be?”

“Well, you’ll just have stay awake and wait, won’t you?” Taddie said, quickly ending the call and pressing her phone to her chest as it pounded. A coy smirk spread across her face as she let out a chuckle then got up, quickly packing a small duffel bag’s worth of overnight things and listened at Ash’s wall to see just how occupied she was and if Taddie had a shot to sneak out. She heard the TV still going and also videos as she scrolled on TikTok, so she knew she was safe. Leaving her door cracked for Juniper, Taddie crept to the door and carefully grabbed her keys before slipping out of the house and locking the door behind her before she hustled to her car and jumped in.

~

Taddie took a deep breath as she rode the elevator to the penthouse floor, her anxiety bouncing around inside her like a caged and feral animal, desperately waiting to be let out. She pushed the feeling down as the doors opened and she took another deep breath. Stepping out, she fingered the keychain in her hands, rubbing her fingers over the P  on the front then went up to the door, unsure whether to knock or just unlock the door. She stood there for a moment, contemplating, before she let out a sigh and stuck the key in the lock, turning it and the knob, pushing the door open. After all, he gave her a key for a reason. She looked around and raised her brows, seeing a very nicely furnished foyer; Two matching armchairs to the left with a round table between them, a finely made mahogany table rested under an ornate mirror that faced her. She chewed her lip and looked herself over before walking further into the apartment and closing the door behind her, locking it.

Walking even further, Taddie was breathtaken by the openness of the space, large glass windows went from ceiling to floor, not many walls in the apartment save for two that she assumed made up his office and one for the bathroom, of which there was a single glass block wall that seemed to shield the toilet and the shower. As she looked and wandered around, she suddenly stopped with a gasp, when she saw Thatcher standing on the edge of an indoor pool, because of course he had his own indoor pool. But what had made her gasp, was the candlelit table with two plates of food waiting for her. At the sound, Thatcher turned and gave her a smirk. He wore a pair of black joggers and a simple white tank top, clearly displaying the single arm, full sleeve tattoo, which made Taddie’s brow raise in surprise.

“Glad you made it…Though you could have left your things at the door?” Thatcher teased as he went to her. Taddie nodded and said, “I know. I, um, I wasn’t sure…Where you were--This-This is amazing. You have a nice apartment.”

“We have a nice apartment. This is yours now, for the next month at least. This is where you’ll come back to after work, this is where you’ll sleep, shower, eat. I told you I was serious about this. It might be for appearances, but it’s still a test. Got to have the right environment for tests, no?” Thatcher said, reaching out to slip her duffel bag off her shoulder and set it down before moving around her, helping her slip off her jacket. Taddie bit her lip and nodded, lightly, looking around the room before her. She felt his hand slide around her neck, pushing his fingers under her chin, lifting and turning her to face him. She let out a gasp, then cut it off quickly when she realized how close their faces were. “You’re still in your uniform…Too anxious to change?”

“Well, you-you said you wanted me here…”

“And you told me I’d have to wait…And I did. Thought you’d get a little more dressed up…But I don’t mind. You’re cute in your uniform.” He purred down at her before letting his hand drop and moving around her, to the table. Taddie took a slow, shuddered inhale as she watched him walk away, then stop and turn to her, beckoning her to follow him. She gave a light gasp and quickly took several steps forward to catch up to him as he led her to the table. As she got closer she saw steaks on both plates, as well as mashed potatoes and a side of charred corn that gave off whiffs of garlic, all of it making Taddie’s mouth water. “Are you hungry? I didn’t see you eat anything today, so I wanted to have something for you.”

“I, um, I’m starving actually, but I-I will have no self control and eat like the heathen I am.” Taddie said with a soft chuckle, dragging her gaze from the food, looking up at Thatcher with a soft chuckle. Thatcher smirked and laughed, shaking his head as he moved around her, going to her chair and pulling it back for her.

“Go for it. You don’t need to hide anything when you’re here, Taddie. I want you to be yourself here. This is a safe space and I’ll never judge you.” Thatcher said, bracing his hands on the back of her chair, waiting for her to sit down. Taddie looked him over with a slightly skeptical look before she quickly shook it away and slid into the chair, Thatcher tucking it under her as she sat down. She closed her eyes and took a slow breath before opening them, seeing him walking around the table to sit down across from her. “Are you alright? You look like you’re about to jump through the window…”

“I’m, um…I’m fine, just…Just a little on edge?” Taddie said, watching as he picked up a bottle of what she assumed was champagne, and pour it into two glasses. “Oh, I don’t drink this…Late?”

As he poured the drink, she saw it was much more yellow with bubbles than being more cream/tan colored like normal champagne. She raised a brow and looked at him in a silent question, then Thatcher chuckled and turned to bottle to show that it was apple cider. Her cheeks turned pink and she let out a soft chuckle, biting her lip, lightly.

“Martinelli’s. I do like to drink, but this is a real good brand of apple cider. Splash of vodka or whiskey and it’s perfect. But, no, I don’t drink this late either.” Thatcher said as he set the bottle down and picked up his glass to take a sip. Taddie slid her hand across the table, sliding her fingers over the base of the glass and turning it a few times before she pulled her hand back and straightened a little more in her seat. Thatcher raised a brow at her as he set the glass back down and said, “Taddie. What is it?”

“Oh, my God, I can’t fucking do this-I-I’m…Thatcher, I’m sorry. I-I don’t think I can do this--I-I showed up, right? That’s-That’s what you asked. So, I-I’m sorry…I-I can’t do this.” Taddie said, quickly pushing back from the table and standing. Thatcher stood with her, a little too fast for her taste, and Taddie nearly toppled the chair over, falling back with it, flinching so hard when he took a few quick steps toward her. Seeing this, he quickly backed off and held up his hands, raising his brows in shock. Taddie panted, softly, gripping the back and arm of the chair as she caught herself and squeezing her eyes shut.

“Thaden…”

“Don’t ever call me that.” She hissed at him, shooting him a fierce glare before she blinked and the look vanished, a look of guilt and regret taking its place. “I-I-I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be…” Thatcher said, gently, approaching her slowly, this time, and holding out his hands toward her, showing her he meant no harm. She shifted on her feet, watching him closely as he came to stop before her and lowered his hands. “What happened to you?”

Taddie sighed and looked away, shaking her head with a light scoff of a chuckle. Thatcher slid his hands into his pockets, waiting patiently for her to gather herself and her thoughts before she looked at him again, drawing her brows together a little more. He gave her a soft, sympathetic smile, trying to reassure her. With a deep breath, Taddie turned and slowly lowered herself back into her chair. Thatcher slowly bent his knees, sinking into a squat beside her.

“Alright…O-Okay…Um-” Taddie started, her voice shaking slightly. Thatcher gently laid his hand on her knee and she turned to him as she said, “I-I…I’ve been in an 8 year abusive relationship since I-I was 21. It’s over--I’m-I’m 31 now-I spent the last two years moving around trying to get away from him, until Ash said I could move in with her, here in Roanoke. It-Its such a small town, I figured he’d never look for me here.”

“What did he do?” Thatcher asked, his voice hard and angry, though he tried to control it. Taddie winced and quickly tugged her knee from beneath his hand with a deep sigh. He pulled his hand back and waited, trying to quell his anger before it rose too quickly.

“He, um…Lot-Lots of, uh, lots of emotional abuse? Um, v-verbal, mental, physical, s--” Taddie stopped suddenly, her vision tunneled and she was briefly thrown back to a series of flashbacks that left her silent. Thatcher flinched at the last syllable, and took a deep breath, ducking his head down briefly before he said, “Did he ever force you?”

“No.” Taddie said, quickly, jolting out her her trance like state with a sniffle, and she turned to look at him again. Blinking her tears away, she cleared her throat, lightly before she continued, “No, he-he never…But, I-I saw the look in his eyes a few times…He would’ve.”

“Taddie, I’m sorry for what happened to you and what you went through. But you need to know-You need to understand-I am never going to touch you like that. If I ever talk to you in a way that isn’t respectful, you have full right to put it back on me and put me in my place. This isn’t something I’m holding you prisoner to. Anytime you want this to end, it’ll end. You’re going to have full reign over my household and when we visit my family. For all intents and purposes, save the titles, you’re the queen of this apartment and the princess in the family, and you’re going to be treated as such.” Thatcher said, softly, slowly reaching a hand up to lay on her shoulder. Taddie nodded, softly, and sniffled as she took another deep breath, calming herself down silently. He pushed his hand over her shoulder and up her neck, under her curls. She shifted her gaze to him and she gave him a soft smile, though it didn’t stay, fading slowly. With a light sigh, Thatcher stood, slowly, not wanting to startle her again, and said, “Why don’t you just crash for the night? Maybe I was wrong-I don’t want to make anything worse for you, Taddie. I’m sorry.”

She tilted her head up to him, blinking in confusion. He caressed his thumb over her jaw, then pulled his hand away as he turned, going to her things in the doorway. Taddie closed her eyes and muttered to herself before she said, “Thatcher, if you ever even so much as raise a hand to me--”

“That will never happen, Taddie. I can control my anger. I might yell and get loud, but I’ve never hit a woman.” Thatcher said, turning back and pushing his hand into his pockets again, staring at her as she opened her eyes to look at him again, her brows drawn tightly as her eyes shone with tears.

“I don’t even want you to get loud, Thatcher. I-I don’t want to be with anything that’s even close to him. I-I’m not going to put myself in that position again. Ever.” Taddie said, shaking her head with a sigh as she glanced away. Thatcher came back over to her, waiting until she looked up at him to gently slide his fingers under her chin.

“I told you I have my men following you for your protection and I’m serious about that. I can honestly say, you are 100% safe when you’re with me, Taddie. I’ll do anything to keep you safe and so will my men. You’re dating in the mob, now, kitten. This is the safest you’ll ever be in your life.” Thatcher said, giving her chin a light squeeze before letting it go. He took a deep breath, then said, “But I’m not going to be jerked around either. If you want to do this, then we’re going to do this. You need to tell me now if you’re in or out. You can still end it whenever you feel it gets too much, but I’m not going to stand for you not being sure and yo-yoing between what you want to do. Make a choice and make it now.”

“I’m in. I-I, um, I’ll-I’ll try? I--”

“Yes. Or. No?” Thatcher held her gaze as Taddie took a deep breath and said, “Yes.”

Thatcher’s smile jumped to his face before her went back to his chair, sitting down and scooting in. Taddie let out a slow exhale and scooted closer to the table as she said, “So, um…What-What’s all going to happen? You said this was for appearances? So…Why do you need to a show girlfriend?”

“Thomas has been married for 15 years and has two kids, boy and a girl. Theo got married a few years ago and Tristan and his girl have been going strong for a good 2 years now. We all think he’s going to propose at Christmas. Me, being the true black sheep that I am, I’ve never brought anyone home to meet the family, never had the long term thing…O-Once, but it-Well, it didn’t work out.” Thatcher started, clearing his throat, awkwardly and quickly taking a swig of the cider. Taddie raised a brow at the reaction, but she simply tucked it away and decided to touch on it later. “We have family dinner every Sunday. When you meet my Mother, smile, say ‘It’s nice you meet you, Ma’am’-Those exact words, not even joking-She expects something more formal, so a curtsy, but even a quick dip down, she’s happy. She’ll be very judgemental at first, but…I was supposed to be her last baby boy, so she has a special place in her heart for me over the twins.”

Taddie let out a giggle and leaned her arms on the table, slightly, as she said, “Surprise pregnancy?”

“Double surprise. Twins. Tom was not happy at first, he was already 10 and didn’t like me being around to begin with.” Thatcher said with a snicker, picking up his fork and knife, cutting into his steak. Taddie smirked, then let her gaze roam around the setting in front of her before she finally reached for her glass for a quick sip. Thatcher watched her with a growing smile as he slid a piece of steak into his mouth, chewing slowly. Taddie cleared her throat as she set the glass down and picked up her fork, raking it through the mashed potatoes before taking a large scoop and eating it. She gave a small wiggle of happiness, feeling the hunger taking over her, but she tried to keep it at bay, at least for the first night.

“Mm-So…Your brother’s women? Did they get the whole explanations and introductions before meeting the family too?” Taddie asked as she picked up her knife, quicky cutting her steak up. Thatcher chuckled and shook his head as he took another bite.

“No. Usually, their women don’t know anything other than their man until they meet the family. Kind of an ambush thing--Mafia. You know.” Thatcher said with a smirk and a chuckle. Taddie glanced up at him and nodded, her smile growing a little more genuinely. He stared at her with a smile of his own, watching her eat steadily, despite saying she’d act like a heathen, she was so hungry. He chuckled to himself, leaning his mouth into the back of his hand as his gaze bounced around, from her face to her hands, her fingers to her mouth, watching her lips.

Taddie glanced up at him in the silence, then did a double take as she stopped chewing and her cheeks heated. Her lips curved into a small smirk before she quickly finished chewing and swallowed before she said, “What? Y-You’re staring…”

“I’m sorry. I tend to stare at beautiful things.” He said with a coy, teasing smirk before he looked down to gather another bite and take it. She bit her lip as her blush deepened, her smile lifting a little more as she looked down to do the same and keep eating.

“Um…So, Christmas is next week? Does this factor in at all?” Taddie asked. Thatcher nodded and sat back, setting his fork down as he said, “It does. We do portraits every year and my Mother is nagging me about when I’m bringing someone home for them. I’m 35 myself, about to turn 36…She at least wants to see me happy with someone. So, it kind of works as a gift for her, gets the family off my back…”

“But, you’re doing this and banking on me falling for you…I can’t say I feel either direction on the spectrum right now…What happens if I don’t fall for you and the month ends? You’re just going to lie to everyone and say we broke up?” Taddie asked, reaching for her glass and taking a drink.

“No, I said I’ll come clean and I will. If that happens, maybe my family will finally back off. If I had to pay for it…” Thatcher started, quickly stopping himself and shaking his head as he cleared his throat. “But, we have a month. You’re going to be getting a few more days off, little bump in your pay to compensate for it. I…Kind of want to give this a real shot. I know it might not be a conventional start, but it’s not entirely easy for me to have and keep something serious with a woman. Once shit goes down once, they freak out and leave, so-”

“So, you thought you’d do a little light stalking to try and get on my good side then half kidnap me?” Taddie said, in a matter-of-fact tone, though there was a teasing undertone to it. Thatcher looked up at her then smirked as she lifted her gaze to him, raising her brows in an innocent expression as she slipped a piece of steak into her mouth.

“I’ll settle for a voluntary kidnapping, thank you-You drove yourself here. And I wasn’t stalking-”

“You were protecting. Yes, yes, I know.” Taddie said with a soft giggle. She glanced at him through her lashes, seeing him smirk and sit back with his glass, taking a deep swig. She cast her gaze down as she pushed the last few pieces of steak around, then laid her fork down as she sat back and lifted her head to him. “So…Is this a first date then? If you’re trying to be a little more serious?”

“If you want to take it as that. I actually had a breakfast planned for us tomorrow as a first date.” Thatcher said, with a small smirk. Taddie nodded as she tongued the strings of meat that were stuck in her teeth.

“What is this then?” She asked, softly. Thatcher sat forward, moving his glass to the middle of the table and prompting Taddie to quickly do the same, clinking her glass to the side of his as he said, “Smoothing everything over before the relationship begins. I told you I operate on consent and honesty. I’m going to lay everything out for you. If you have questions, you can ask me whenever you think of them.”

“You’re not expecting sex.” She asked, bluntly, lifting her glass to her lips. Thatcher had already taken a sip and choked on it, lightly, not expecting her to be so direct. Her lips curved in a sly smirk, covering it by taking a drink and setting her glass down again. Thatcher coughed a few times, pounding his fist to his chest, then cleared his throat as he looked at her with an arched brow. “I’m asking my questions.”

“That wasn’t a question…But no. I’m not. Not unless you make that move first. Not saying I don’t want it, that I haven’t thought about it. I’m a man after all.” He said with a soft laugh and a smirk. Taddie nodded and smirked back as she leaned forward to pick up her fork again. Thatcher leaned forward and slid his hand over hers, prompting her to look up at him as she took another bite and he said, “But, I want you to be in control of that. When we’re in front of family, obviously, I’m going to touch you and hold you, grab you into my lap…We need to put on the appearances for them. But when we’re here, we can be more like roommates, if that makes you more comfortable. It’s like any relationship, Taddie-We need to spend time together and get to know each other to know our true feelings. That’s really all I’m asking is for that shot. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. But we gave it a shot.”

“Touching, holding, grabbing…What about kissing? How…Much…Of that do I need to expect?” Taddie asked, lowering her gaze as she swirled the tips of her fork in her mashed potatoes. Thatcher gave her hand a squeeze and he saw her eyes flicker up to him, though her head remained bent.

“None, if you don’t want me to. A peck on your cheek, affectionate seeming one to your temple, your forehead…I can do the little things. I don’t want to push you with something you don’t want, but there needs to be some kind of affection between us.” Thatcher said, softly. Taddie took a breath as she lifted her head.

“When-When am I supposed to meet the family for the first time? Like everyone? Sunday?” Taddie asked. When Thatcher nodded, she sighed and gave him one herself, before she lowered her gaze to her plate and said, “Well…Then, we-we can work on that I guess…Um, I d-I don’t want to be rude, but it-it’s late--”

“Are you done eating?” Thatcher asked, quickly wiping his mouth with his napkin before he stood. Taddie looked up at him and nodded, letting her smile lift a little more as he rounded the table, offering his hand to her. She took it as she pushed away from the table and stood. He led her to her things, scooping up her bag and jacket before he led her to the king sized four-poster bed that sat against the back wall, in its own little nook. Thatcher set her bag on the bed and let go of her hand as he said, “I’m gonna put your jacket in the closet. Um, feel free to change, get comfortable. The bathroom is behind the wall over there.”

Thatcher pointed to the glass block wall then gave her a smile, leaning closer to kiss her cheek, lightly, before he took a step away and turned to round the corner. Taddie bit her lip and let out a slow exhale through her nose before she turned to her bag, trying to change as quick as possible before he came back. She tore off her shirt and tugged on a tank top before she pulled her bra off underneath it, stuffing it into her bag. As she wiggled out of her jeans, she cast a glance over her shoulder to look for him as she unfolded her sleep pants, that had a Van Gogh’s Starry Night pattern on them. She let out a relieved sigh as she zipped up her bag and dropped it on the floor, then spun around to sit on the edge of the bed, pushing her hands into her hair as she closed her eyes.

“Are you decent? Can I come back now?” Thatcher’s voice came after a while. Taddie let out a soft gasp and pulled her hands down as she looked up. She didn’t see him anywhere so she took a breath and called out, “Yeah. I’m-I’m changed…Thank you.”

“Of course.” Thatcher said, coming around the corner with a soft smile, his hands in his pockets. Taddie stood and gave him a small, sweet smile as he approached, then stopped a foot or two from her. “Well…Um, if you need anything at night, there’s extra pillows and blankets in that cupboard. You’re welcome to anything in the kitchen. We can go over where everything is tomorrow, the tour and all, if you’d like. I’ll just be down the stairs there on the couch.”

Thatcher gestured around, but when he turned and pointed all the way across the apartment, she felt a twinge of guilt and glanced back to the giant bed she was going to have to herself. Turning back to him as he turned to her, Taddie took a step closer, reaching out a hand to touch his arm as she said, “Wait--Well…I-I don’t feel right about kicking you out of your own bed-”

“You’re not sleeping on the couch and I’m not letting you. Nor am I going to force you to sleep with me--”

“What if I want to? I-I just…If you don’t want me sleeping on the couch and I don’t want you sleeping on the couch…We’re-We’re sleeping together, not having sex…” Taddie said, letting her hand fall from his arm.

“I’ll do anything you’re comfortable with, Taddie. Your comfort is my only concern.” Thatcher said, closing the space between them and lifting a hand, slowly, brushing the backs of his fingers over her cheek, then pushing them into her hair. Taddie nodded as she stared up at him, slowly pushing her hands over his abdomen, that she found was rather long, considering he was so tall. Her lower lip was sucked between her teeth as she slid her hands up his chest for a brief moment, then let her lip pop back out as they parted. Thatcher shifted as he pulled his other hand from his pocket and slid it over her waist as he tugged her closer. “Are you going to let me kiss you, Taddie?”

“I--I might…Why don’t you try and find out?” She whispered back before she lifted on her toes, slightly, as he ducked down to ease his lips over hers in a deep kiss. She inhaled, deeply, as she kissed him back, leaning against him as he lightly gripped the back of her neck and walked her back a few steps, until the backs of her legs hit the bed and she broke the kiss with a soft gasp. “I-I-I, um-”

“We should go to bed…Do you want me to get the extra pillows? Make a barrier between us while we sleep?” Thatcher asked, softly. Taddie shook her head and wrapped her fingers around his wrist as he pulled his hand back to her cheek.

“You-You don’t need to do that…You’re not going to molest me in my sleep, right?” She teased, making his lips curve in a smirk as he slid a finger under her chin, tipping it back more as he chuckled and shook his head.

“It would be without your consent, kitten. So, no. I won’t. You have my word…Though I have no control over my hands and I reach out for anything in the middle of the night. Are you okay with that?” He asked, sliding the backs of his fingers down her throat. A shuddered breath escaped her lips before she swallowed hard and nodded as she whispered, “Yes.”

“Good…Now, let’s go to sleep. I’m exhausted from waiting for you all day.” He teased, chuckling as she tsk’d at him and gave him a quick shove back. He laughed and caught her hand, tugging her back against him and making her emit a squeal, then a giggle as she gripped his arms, glancing back at him. He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek before letting her go and rounding the bed. Taddie bit her lip and reached out for one of the posters, lightly leaning against it as she watched him go around to one of the nightstands that sat on either side, taking off his watch and setting it down. He slipped off his rings, placing them beside it, then sat on the edge with a light sigh as he pushed his feet out of his slippers, pushing them against the nightstand.

As Thatcher turned, Taddie pushed herself off the poster and went to the head of the bed, pulling back the blankets and slipping in, quickly grabbing her phone and sliding it onto the nightstand before she climbed in. Thatcher got under the covers as well, eyeing her sleep pants as she tucked her feet in and covered herself up. He chuckled to himself and reached over to press a button on a solid black plastic appliance, the soft sounds of waves crashing beginning to sound from it. Taddie turned and raised a brow as she stuffed her curls up, tying them back with a silk scrunchie as she said, “You sleep with a sound machine?”

“White noise. We, uhm…Me and Tommy grew up on the ocean in Sweden. Just before our Mother got pregnant with the twins, we moved here…It’s not the same.” Thatcher said, not looking at her as he shifted and settled himself. She realized his tone wasn’t one of a fond storytelling, but one that was simply telling her why and not to mention it again. Taddie bit her lip, suddenly feeling bad and wondering if she sounded a little too teasing, then shifted as she turned to him, scooting a little more toward the center, and him. He glanced at her, watching her closely as she started to reach out to him, then stopped.

“I-I’m sorry…I wasn’t trying to make it seem--I was just surprised. I-I have an app that plays rain and thunderstorm sounds to help me sleep…” She said, trying to put him at ease. Turning to her a little more, he raised a brow at her as she shuffled closer, curling her legs beneath her. “I-I can’t sleep in complete silence. I-I tried for the first six months…I couldn’t sleep because I picked up on every single noise and it kept my anxiety up because I thought…I thought he’d found me.”

“I can’t sleep without sound because…Well, being the sons of a mob boss isn’t always peaceful. Let’s just leave it at that.” Thatcher said, turning to the nightstand and reaching for a remote. He pressed several buttons and slowly the lights went out in the flat, then fire jumped to life along the wall, making Taddie gasp, softly. Setting the remote back on the nightstand, Thatcher shifted down to lay his head on the pillows while Taddie bit her lip and watched him. She took a deep breath, contemplating what she wanted to do, then moved closer and pushed her hand over his shoulder.

“Thatcher, I told you about my abusive relationship…Ash doesn’t even know how bad it was, just that I needed to get away. If we’re going to do this and do the whole get to know each other thing…You need to open up to me as much as I open up to you. Relationships are a two way street, honey.” Taddie said, softly. She pushed her hand higher, then lifted it, sliding her fingers in his hair along the side of his head. Thatcher reached up a hand, wrapping his fingers around her wrist and tugging her hand down.

“Not that. Not now. Go to sleep, Taddie.” Thatcher said, his voice holding no real emotion other than tired. Taddie bit her lip then nodded, starting to pull her hand back and turn away, but he kept a hold of her hand, lifting it to kiss her fingertips before he let it go. She blinked, letting her hand fall to his chest, where it laid for a moment, before she pulled it back and shifted further away to turn over and slide lower under the blankets. Thatcher turned to her, watching her shoulders slowly relax as she let out a few deep sighs. He desperately wanted to reach out and hold her close while they fell asleep, but he’d thrown enough at her for one night. He only hoped things would go smoother tomorrow and the rest of the week, as well as the month.

~

Let me know what you guys think! If you want to be added to the taglist for future chapters, send me a message! <3

Taglist: @badwolf-in-the-impala