#thinking about Brooklyn Boys Johnny

[eyelinerandmcr]

🦇 OPHELIA'S INTRODUCTION POST

ophelia | she/her | scenmo | scorpio (even tho im not really big on astrology i still think its fun) | bisexual | greek orthodox christian and i support all religions!! | always open to meet new moots! | feel free to ask me anything at all as long as its not creepy |

→ MY INTERESTS: music i like: my chemical romance (my fave!!), pierce the veil (my second fave!!), mazzy star, all time low, amy winehouse, black veil brides, system of a down, ayesha erotica, evanescence, bring me the horizon, chappell roan, solya, escape the fate, avril lavigne, taking back sunday, gerard way, hole, (old) panic! at the disco, misfits, sleeping with sirens, the cure, fall out boy, & more!

youtubers i watch: chad chad, stephanie lange, salem tovar, danny gonzalez, film cooper, drew gooden, not even emily, sarah chio, nailea devora, ally purugganan, jarvis johnson, erika diane, kurtis conner, verilybitchie (even tho i disagree w/ some of their opinions), d'angelo (also disagree w/ some of their opinions), benoftheweek, annemarie forcino, occasionally johnnie guilbert

books i love: !!literally anything by leigh bardugo shes my fave!!, the hunger games series including the ballad of songbrids and snakes, the house in the cerulean sea, the red queen series, the outsiders the book thief, loveless, a tree grows in brooklyn, hell followed with us, the scythe series, darius the great is not okay, a wrinkle in time, the woman in me by britney spears, i am the cheese, hole, twilight, the bell jar, that was then this is now, station eleven. always open to recs! <3

hobbies: writing, drawing, doing my makeup, thrifting, reading (especially fantasy), going on walks, baking, singing, collecting perfumes, listening to music, analyzing poetry and lyrics, teaching myself guitar, painting my nails, debating about pretty much anything as long as it stays respectful, journaling, sewing and altering clothes, making collages, swimming, playing the piano, watching long video essays on youtube (especially ones about anything related to music), talking to my friends irl or online, talking about music but especially mcr!!

people i'll write fics about (requests are currently open): gerard way, frank iero, mikey way, pretty much any character/person in the mcr fandom, vic fuentes, tony perry, but honestly feel free to request anyone! (speaking of fic writing: i wont write non-con or age play or illegal age gaps or anything along the lines of that; i won't write smut about an underage person; please do not plagiarize my work my writing is one of my favorite things and i work really hard on it) Fanfiction Masterlist

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ → DNI: - if you are anti palestine (this does NOT mean anti hamas! i don't support hamas! i mean if you believe that the people of palestine do not deserve to be free and live on their own land) - if you are racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or discriminatory towards any group of people - if youre over like thirty or something but honestly idc just dont be weird ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ → OTHER PLATFORMS: a03: lanaslollipop wattpad: lanaslollipop (literally have not uploaded/edited anything on this account for so long except a few random convo posts) (those were both from when i had an intense lana del rey phase and i feel like theyre too sentimental to change)

→ xoxo, ophelia! <3

[kaytheday]

The Soul of Jackie Robinson

This is for day 6 of @outsidersweek! Thank you to @damthosefandoms for the inspiration of this piece, you are great!

Jackie Robinson. It’s all Dallas can think about as he falls. Bullets tearing through his skin like a Robinson home run tearing through the park. Fast and hard and driving the breath from his body. It’s getting harder to breathe anyway. 

Just like those cold winter nights in Brooklyn. Running from first base to second after hitting a home run. Chest hitching as he tried to suck in as much cold air as he could. His fingers were frozen, his shoes had holes, and his hair might be frozen but there was a big grin splitting his face in two. 

It almost felt like that now. 

Except the cold didn’t make him feel any more alive. It made him feel dead. All of the pain and awareness he had gained since childhood lining his body like sandbags on each shoulder. This pain, this cold, this suffering, it made him feel heavy, like he was six feet under already. He would be in a few minutes anyway. 

Jackie Robinson… number 42… As a kid, Dallas had thought that writing number 42 on his sneakers would make him run faster. It did, if only to run away from himself. 

He can remember first coming to Tulsa. Strikingly seventeen and younger than he’d ever be again. His sneakers were so bare and worn through that Buck Merril had practically laughed them off his feet. Then he had gifted him a new pair from the lost and found at the bar. What Dallas did next was hardly a conscious decision. He had done it with every pair of sneakers he’d ever owned in his life. Before he knew it, he had scrawled a small 42 at the bottom near the heel. 

If you’d have asked him what he was doing at the time, he would have knocked your teeth out for even questioning him. Looking back, he could piece together that it was some semblance of comfort for him. An attempt to have one familiar thing so far away from home. For as long as he could remember, he had carried the spirit of Jackie Robinson in his body. The number written on his shoes was just a physical manifestation. 

Ponyboy had dared to ask him about it once. 

“Dally? Why do you got number 42 on your shoes?” Instead of answering honestly, he’d bitten the kids head off and told him to go back to his book. Which is exactly what Ponyboy had done. 

As Dallas is falling, the little boy in him wishes that he would have been honest with Ponyboy. That he had told him or Johnny what the number meant to him. Maybe it was just so he’d have an excuse to talk about his hero or New York or his favorite sport. He doesn’t know why, it’s not like it matters now. Not with Johnny and him certain to be in the ground by the end of the night. 

Jackie Robinson. That's what he’s thinking about as he falls. The little boy he used to be. Back before he was bitter and mean and everything that a hood should be. The young boy who would stay out all hours of the night playing baseball with his friends, whose hands were calloused from carrying a bat wherever he went, who loved the game of baseball more than life itself. Back when the spirit of Jackie Robinson ran through him like blood in his veins keeping Dallas filled with life and energy and genuine passion. Because what was Dallas Winston if not passionate? 

Now, the spirit of Jackie Robinson sits underneath his collarbone. Heavily weighing him down with all the things he used to be. Dallas is beginning to grow sick of the painful awareness that accompanies growing up. 

For Dallas, Jackie Robinson was the kid he used to be. Jackie Robinson meant a childlike passion for the game of baseball. Jackie Robinson was those cold nights spent outside with only the fire inside you to warm your fingertips. Jackie Robinson was the way Dallas’s free spirit would run, stopping only to touch the ends of the earth. Tearing down every expectation with a childlike oblivion. 

Number 42 was everything that Dallas used to be. Maybe that’s why he wrote the number on all of his shoes. To feel closer to the little boy he used to be, the little boy he still carried with him, buried deep inside. 

Now, Dallas was lying sprawled on the pavement. He had counted three… maybe four… bullets inside of him…? At this rate he didn’t really know. Blood slipped from his mouth, staining his lips and running down his chin. He was dying. Dallas was sure of that. He faintly hears the shouting of his friends… his brothers. But louder than anything else he can hear the sound of his childhood…

Jackie Robinson leads off… Brooklyn fans go wild… With a 3-2 count Jackie wallops a home run… Here comes the relay Jackie slides he… SAFE! 

And suddenly he’s back in that backwater city block with number 42 scrawled into torn sneakers. He’s sliding into home base which is just an old pillowcase filled with newspaper scraps but none of that matters because he feels good. Lou is there and he’s playing umpire, he’s calling him safe. Dallas is alive and filled with passion and feeling better than he’s felt in years. 

So this is what death is? Going back to the good pieces of your childhood? Before it can be tainted by loss and pain and all the destruction of the world. Lou is there, maybe Johnny is too. So Dallas quits fighting, he lets the warm spirit of Jackie Robinson glide over him, blood flowing silvery like life into the gutter. He’s returning home. He’s taking his final bow. 

Jackie, can you see me now?

[thefandomchaos]

I’ve seen so many people post about Outsiders Newsies AU and I’m so happy more people are on board with it, so I’m contributing my part.

(Also BTW this are all characterizations wise and not about who the Newsies characters actually are)

• For obvious reasons, Darry would be Jack. His the leader of the Curtis Gang, his the one to put things into action.

• Ponyboy would be Davey, he comes up with the ideas, knows how to put them in words

• I said it in another post but Darry & Pony share Jack & Davey personality wise. Darry is smart, smarter than Pony; but Pony knows how to put ideas into words, Darry knows how to execute them.

• Also, Jack & Pony dreaming about leaving,(Darry too, but is more obvious that Ponyboy constantly wishes for more in life than Darry does, doesn’t mean Darry doesn’t wish about leaving) and Davey & Darry working to help their family (Darry doing everything he does for his brothers). (+ Pony and Jack like painting/drawing)

• I’ve fully made Two-Bit Racetrack (+ some Albert) in my mind, but the rest of the Curtis gang definitely are just a mix of the Newsies boys;

• Soda has been mixed as Les and Crutchie (and the other boys as well)

• Johnny also gives Les and Crutchie vibes tbh so (like I said, all the boys would be a mix of the newsies boys)

• Steve gives Romeo and Racetrack vibes (and again, all the other newsies boys)

• Dally is one I can’t actually think of, probably Spot personality wise

• Tim Shepard’s Gang as the Brooklyn Newsies

• Randy and Bob as the Delancey Brothers, Paul as Wiesel.

• Cherry as Katherine (without the romance)

[hzllhoundz]

the outsiders sexuality hc

js somthen for yall while your waiting I swear I’m getting it done 🙏 (think of it as more modern cus they would have heavy internalized homophobia)

———————————————————————

GREASERS

Johnny Cade - he is either gay or doesn’t feel romantic or sexual attraction (modern times I think he’d be he/they)

Keith ‘two bit’ Mathew’s — bi he probably gets drunk and compliments Darry’s muscles Darry thinks he’s js being weird but he also really likes Marcia (he /him)

Steve randle — bi to probably he likes his girlfriend and all but soda is very fine to him (have you seen how he looks at him in the movie ??) (he /him)

Ponyboy curtis — pan, he just wants to love but I think would be more physically attracted to women and mentally attracted to boys like ones he’s close w (gender neutral but preferably he/they)

Sodapop Curtis— straight or a very feminine man and he’d say ‘it’s not gay cus he looks like a girl!!’ It’s okay chat we can still be delusional but he is into more of the standard fem blonde (he/him)

Darrel ‘Darry’ Curtis — not labeled he doesn’t seem the type to date anyone really his life’s to busy, he would be a cool uncle tho and he cares for the gang like his kids all ready (maybe he’d adopt one off the street)

Dallas ‘dally’ Winston — gay, queer, mentally he likes women only for their bodies (ik it’s wrong but it’s probably true he’s not a good person) but I think he was Genuinely In love with Johnny but only realized it late and was in denial he also loves pony boy but only realized that when he was about to die that’s why In the movie S.E Hinton had him call out for pony (but not romantic I don’t think I haven’t seen some good edits tho of pony Johnny and dally)

SOCS

Sherri ‘Cherry’ valance — she’s bi but when she’s like 23 she becomes a lesbian she had a crush on Marcia for a while after dating bob and getting over Ponyboy (about 17-18 yrs old by then she moves to Brooklyn and gets married to a girl (completely hc there is no reason for this) and they adopt a few kids who need home and named one after bob

randy — I think he would be bi but only because he was in love with bob but never said anything or acknowledged it because bob was with cherry and he didn’t want to ruin that relationship or anything but they were so close I think that when they were drunk the line between ‘platonic’ and ‘romantic’ blurred and they had a one night stand— anyway he cried himself to sleep every night for 3 years after bob died and cared more the cherry

[sl-newsie]

American Woman (Thomas Shelby x American OC) Ch. 27: All In The Same Basket

Masterlist: https://www.tumblr.com/sl-newsie/739551758747090944/american-woman-thomas-shelby-x-american-oc?source=share

Thud.

The door shuts and footsteps approach me. Thomas hasn’t been home all night and I don’t think twice about what happened. That bloody bastard. Of course he slept with her! May isn’t enough so he’s desperate enough to have a married woman! Perdition surely waits for him now.

“Morning,” I greet lightly when he walks in, bitterness hidden beneath. “Have some eggs.”

He looks even happier now. If I feel awful it’s my fault alone. I’m the one chaining myself to this, not him. 

“Do you plan to tell May?”

It’s asked so simply yet held with so much emotion. Thomas doesn’t ask how I know. 

“I do. I won’t string her hopes out.”

“At least you have the decency to do that,” I mutter.

“Grace mentioned New York,” Thomas says and I can tell what he’s thinking. “Said something about the people in Brooklyn being less friendly than the others. Know anything about that?”

I huff and all but throw the frying pan into the dish water. “No offense Thomas, but I do not bring my work home with me. I do not want your problems following me to my home. I simply requested that she stayed away.”

Instead of yelling Thomas stays calm. “Grace doesn’t mean any harm.”

“I know. She’s a nice person. But after the lies she told, I don’t want that in my life. The only way I will let this business into my life is if you agree to partner with my father.”

Have a taste of your own medicine, Thomas Shelby. How do you like it when someone pretends to care only for profit? Only instead of extracting sexual pleasures I am acquiring benefits for my family.

“I see.” Now his voice changes to the cold tone I remember. “He needs business just as much as I.”

I shake my head. “Prohibition hasn’t done well for my family. Capone only trades with the Italians and hates the Irish with a passion. If you partner with my family it would help a lot.”

“He’ll do it.”

We both look to see Polly standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

“Oh really, Pol?”

“You make a deal with her or Verena gets a 20% cut,” his aunt orders.

My eyes widen and I wave my hands. “No. No. We don’t accept handouts. We just want to sell whiskey. Even if it’s slightly illegal.”

“So you shall,” Thomas announces, looking between both of us with annoyment. “When do we draw the contract, eh?”

“After the race,” Polly says.

Right. The race. Another derby day full of crowds, gambling, and drinking. Just like the stories of the Sheepshead races Uncle Steenstra talks about. If John plays his cards right then Arthur will be joining us.

I finish putting the finishing touches on my makeup and yell out the door. “Ready, Finn?” 

A scampering noise gets closer and closer and Finn all but crashes into my room. He hastily adjusts his coat and stands to attention.

“As always,” he pants. “Maybe this time you can actually see the race. Nice hat.”

A lovely addition, if I do say so myself. Who knew Polly had such nice hats hidden in her closet? “I thought I’d dress for the occasion. Where’s this race?”

“In Epsom. I promised John I’d escort you to the meeting so you know the plan.”

“Is Ada coming?” I ask as I follow him to the door.

“Yeah, but Tommy’s meeting with her. Said it’s private.”

Don’t be mad. She’s his sister. You just work here. Forget all about Thomas and enjoy yourself for once.

Out in the street we see the cavalry has arrived and is waiting next to a covered truck. Along with John.

“Is Arthur meeting us there?” I ask.

“You tell me!” Arthur walks out from behind the truck, arms spread triumphantly.

My face breaks into a smile. “Arthur! You son-of-a-gun! How was prison?”

“Fucking Hell.”

Another man walks up and I recognize him from the horse sale Thomas took me to. A member of the Lees, I think. An odd man, wearing a patterned ascot.

“Johnny Doggs.” He tips his hat. “Ms. Steenstra. The boys and I must apologize for the last time you met us. Let it be known that today we’re all on the same side.”

Some of the Lees remove their hats while others give me friendly waves.

I give John a cheeky grin. “You told them to say that, didn’t you?”

The Shelby brother rolls his eyes. “They wanted to say sorry. Can we move on?”

“Here comes the boss,” Johnny points to someone behind me.

The handsome gangster struts towards us, cigarette in hand. Being surrounded by the Shelby brothers and Lees really helps distract from any previous emotions for him. It’s time to get my head in the game and be a valuable part of this team.

“There he is.” Thomas opens his arms and embraces his freed brother.

Arthur huffs. “You’re late.”

“I had business.”

“How the fuck did you get me out-a that?”

Thomas claps his shoulder. “I need you today, brother. Pulled some strings. You alright?”

Arthur’s frown is replaced with a grateful smirk. “I am now.”

“So he’s in charge now?” John asks.

“That’s right. And you two are in charge of him,” Thomas clarifies. Finn starts to object but gets cut off. “Finn, you don’t obey orders, you don’t come.” He turns to Johnny Doggs. “Will the Lees be there?”

“The Lees will be there, captain.”

Thomas squints. “Captain?”

“Aye, we promoted you. The boys decided you’re no longer like a sergeant major, fucking them fancy women and using those fancy words.”

I hide my laugh along with the rest of the men. This is hilarious! Thomas is getting joked on and I’m allowed to find it funny!

“Fine, but I’ll take it as a compliment,” Thomas complies. “Just don’t shoot me. Let’s go to the Derby, boys!”

He waves for them to jump in the truck but hesitates when he sees Finn helping me up.

“She’s coming too. I promised she could see a race,” John says.

He thinks for a second. “Very well. Stay in the back while we rally the others.”

Screw you, Thomas Shelby. I’m not waiting around for you to permit me to help. This American can’t be tamed by your charm.

“My God, this place is huge!” I marvel at the elaborate racetrack. “Where are the horses?”

“Over there.” Thomas points to a series of white tents. “You can come with me to see her, if you’d like.”

“Won’t say no to that!”

I don’t wait for him to catch up. This is what a real horse race is like? No wonder Thomas loves horses so much. He shows me to a tent and I spot May waiting inside next to a very sturdy speckled horse.

Thomas wastes no time and begins inspecting the animal. Brushing her coat and checking her eyes.

“Looks in fine shape. Hello hello hello. Kushti bok. Kushti bok, eh?” He murmurs to the horse. “Any troubles?” 

May, still with her arms crossed, shakes her head. “Not at all. Go, drink and enjoy the race. I’ll join later. It's fine, I’ll stay down here in the mud.”

Her words draw out a dose of sympathy from me. Oh, May. You got caught in this too. Unfortunately none of us will be the last to fall for him. We just need to pick up the pieces and move on-

Just then Thomas leans in and presses a kiss on her surprised lips. I take the time to wander off to the corner and inspect the other horses. After everything he still shows affection to any woman but me. And he- He left. He forgot I was even here.

“Sorry about that.” May walks over showing no hostility. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

I try to stay positive. “Hello, May. Lovely to see you again. Good news about the horse, I hope?”

She nods at the magnificent beast. “Grace’s Secret has done a wonderful job. She’s a very sturdy animal.”

Her words cause me to stop stroking her mane. “What’s the horse’s name?”

“Grace’s Secret.”

He’s still thinking about her. I can’t just say nothing. May deserves sympathy, rich or not.

“I’m sorry about…”

“About Thomas breaking off?” she fills in.

Quite witty. No wonder Thomas took to her. “Yes.”

May looks at me with an expression I can’t quite place. “I can see he treats you well. But you’re smart enough to keep him tamed. Keep up with that. You best get back to your party. I’ll be fine here.”

She waits for me to leave but I see no reason to. “No. They have their own business. I can stay here for company, if you wish.”

Her eyes soften at my kind gesture. “That’s gracious of you. Thanks.”

The announcer’s voice overhead says the race is about to begin. Where is the best spot to watch?  I look out and see Thomas standing on the steps with- With Grace. She came here. Of course she did. Wearing a nice pink dress with a matching hat. Looking how any woman wants to be with the man all women want.

“You alright?” May asks when she sees my pale face. “Thomas must be waiting-”

“He’s perfectly fine,” I grit my teeth. “He has plenty to occupy himself with.”

She sees where I’m looking. “It’s the other woman, isn’t it? The one sailing away?”

“One would think.”

Thomas leaves Grace at the bottom of the stairs and I spot Jerimiah sending Lizzie up to Thomas. That son-of-a-! He deals with literally any other woman. Anyone but me.

“He mentioned you once.”

May’s words shake me from my angry thoughts. “For what reasons?”

“Said you made him change his mind about Americans. About educated women. Personally I believe he thinks you’re too innocent for his business. Why stay?”

I keep watching Thomas until he disappears into a bar. “My father once said to me ‘Verena, life is too short to never take chances. With a little luck and the love of God, set your mind to do anything.’ After everything I’ve done here I can’t think of a place that would offer anything so… adventurous.”

May chuckles. “That’s Thomas, alright.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, the race will begin in four minutes. Please be upstanding for the pledge.”

Oh, alright. I’ll respect the pledge of the people who dominated my own country. Why is May not watching?

“You don’t want to watch the race?”

May sits down on a haybale and avoids my gaze. “She’ll do fine.”

“And they’re off!”

There they go! What powerful beasts. So graceful and yet they can decapitate you with one kick.

“Come on, girl. You can do it,” May mutters.

Something else catches my eye. It’s Lizzie again. Leading a stranger away to the barn. Why is she going with…? I thought she gave up being- That man is armed. Oh no.

I keep my eyes on her and start walking out of the tent. “May, I have to go stop something.”

Walking. Jogging. Sprinting! Have to get through this crowd! Where’s Thomas? Arthur? Anyone?

“John!” Thank God! “Have a spare gun?”

He gives me a funny look. “You know guns aren’t allowed. Who says I’ve got one?”

“Please!” I ask urgently.

He takes off his hat and pulls out a small pistol. “Use it wisely.”

I snatch the weapon and weave back into the sea of people. Lord, help me find her! I know we don't always see eye-to-eye but she can be a good person! Don’t let me be too late-!

“Get the fuck off me!” Lizzie shrieks.

I turn the corner and find the uniformed man shoving her against the wall, the wood slicing into her skin.

I cock the pistol. “Step aside. Now!”

A hand from behind pushes me aside and Thomas steps up with his own gun. “Russel!”

The gun clicks but no bullet fires. The man groping Lizzie ducks down and barrels into Thomas, knocking my gun away in the process. I rush to Lizzie’s side and help her stand. She’s reaching for something- 

“It’s ok, Lizzie,” I whisper. “Give me the gun-!”

She shoves me over and tries to fire it herself. It misfires again.

“Tommy!” Lizzie screeches when the man tries to push his own gun against Thomas’ head.

Bang!

But it’s not Thomas who drops dead. It’s the man called Russel. His brains are painted everywhere.

“Where were you?! Where the fuck were you?!” Lizzie rages hysterically and points the defective gun at Thomas.

Death. I just saw someone get murdered. Life taken. I know it’s not my fault but why do I still feel a fraction of the blame? Could I have stopped it, or did he deserve to die? 

“Just go. Go!” 

Lizzie pushes away and storms back to the bleachers. 

“You too, Verena!”

Thomas grabs my hand but I don’t budge right away. How can I? There’s a fresh corpse right across from me.

“Verena.” He kneels in front of me and makes me look at him. “Darling, it’s alright now. You’re safe-”

“It’s not my safety I’m concerned about. It’s him.” I point to the corpse. “I could’ve stopped him, and now he’s dead.”

“I killed him. Not you.” He rips the gun from my limp hand. “What the fuck were you thinking, Verena?!”

“I thought I was helping! I’m sorry my feeble reaction is too soft for you but I’m not a bloody criminal!”

“You’ve kept above water this long! What happened?”

I gawk at his arrogant face. “Oh, like you’ve never made a mistake! You don’t see me rubbing your bad choices in your face.”

We both know what I’m referring to. 

“Get back to the others,” Thomas orders, still glaring straight at me.

Fine. Very well. Fine! I’ll leave you to get killed or whatever bloody plan you’ve got!

I pivot and march through the muddy stalls back to the roaring crowd. By now the coppers have caught on to the gun violence and are swarming everywhere.

I hurry past the group of Peaky Blinders and Arthur leans in to whisper: “Better duck, Steentra. ‘S about to get messy. Tommy’s about to meet with Sabini.”

Someone walks up behind and I see it’s May, now wearing a beautiful red dress. She seems distracted and points to someone in the crowd. “Who is that?”

John looks over and recognizes who she’s pointing at. “Grace. Tommy’s old flame.”

“I see. Have you known her, Verena?”

My eyes sharpen. “Briefly. She’s the one I saw with him earlier.”

“So we are all part of Tom’s basket of women, are we?” May comments.

I nod towards the table where Lizzie’s hunched over. “Lizzie’s in it too.”

More cops brush past and in the chaos I hear May whisper: “At least he hasn’t broken your heart yet.”

The mention of it makes my blood run cold. “Don’t speak too soon.”

May considers something and gets past me. “I’m going to go talk with her.”

“You’ll play nice?” I joke.

“No hostilities, just an introduction.”

“She may not be so gentle.”

@meadows5

[64-jungle-planks]

Night at the Museum: Redesigning Characters 2/4(?)

Character profile: Al "Scarface" "Snorky" Capone

This character is based off of and takes inspiration from the historical Al Capone.

Real Name: Alphonse "Al" Gabriel Capone

Nickname and Meaning: Scarface - He earned this nickname because of the three scars on the left side of his face, two on his cheek and one on his neck. Embarrassed by them, Al hates the nickname and never shared the real story of how he got them, siting that he actually got them fighting in WWI.

Snorky - Snorky was slang for sharp dresser. Al loved expensive, flashy clothes. Only close friends used it for him

Age: 26 (January 17, 1899)

Time Period: America's Prohibition in the 1920s, around mid-1925 Johnny Torrio, Al's boss, stepped down and let Al take over the Outfit.

Family: James "Jimmy" Vincenzo Capone, Raffaele "Ralph" James Capone, and Salvador "Frank" Capone + Three younger brothers and one sister that wasn't brought back.

(Headcanons under the cut)

Based on/taken from History:

Can play Banjo and Mandolin, prefers Mandolin

involved in the Five Points Gang with mobster John Torrio as a kid. John Torrio mentored him and gave him the role as the Chicago Mob leader

Only got into the mob for the money to care for his family

Can go from 1 to 10 very quickly

Played in a semi-pro team in Brooklyn as a kid/teen with Ralph. They were known as the Al Capone Stars

+ Intelligent + Generous + Confident - Overdramatic - Attention seeker - Petty

My own silly headcanons:

A little twerp, Al doesn’t respect authority

Feels that he’s better than Ivan and Napoleon because he’s from a newer generation and knows more.

“Okay boomer” vibes

Acts like he hates Napoleon and Ivan (mostly Napoleon), but likes them secretly. They are two men in history that did grand things- in fact he liked learning about Napoleon in school! Al just thinks he had a too big of a head.

Only has one tone of voice- really loud

Swears every other word

He’s a basically still a kid, one with too much power. Al knows his way around the mob, he’s been in it since he was around 15, but now he’s been given power over the Outfit and hasn’t come down off that high yet of being in charge.

Hes happy to have Frank back, they were four years apart in age and were extremely close. He’s missed Frank the year he’s been dead

Was extremely tempted to play baseball using the Einstein’s as balls. He doesn’t like them.

On that note, Al is slightly unnerved around the miniatures. He doesn’t seem to know what to do with himself around them.

He likes sitting at the bench in middle of the hall of miniatures just watching them. Al liked Cowboys and liked playing cowboys and robbers with his brothers as a kid. Some part of him wishes he could be part of their group.

After finding the Sinatra songs made after Al died, he’s constantly found humming them and making up his own lyrics to go along with them. He likes That’s Life the best.

Al somehow acquires a camcorder and films the whole night that they’re trying to take over the world, making himself a big star and part of the plan. He wants that stardom, he loved it when he was alive – he was just getting a part of it when he was alive

Really loves making up nicknames and short stories for people around him. One of his favorite things to do with Ralph is people-watch.

Al: I don’t like Napoleon! He’s a fuckin’.. fuckin’ bitch! A short ass goblin! Ralph: Yeah.. goblin’ that dick. Frank: MMHHEHEHAHAHAHAHAAH!!! Al: What.

Makes jokes about Napoleon and his boys being gay because he's frightened about questioning his own sexuality. He knows he likes women, but he's got that good ol' "1910's Christian beat the gay away" ideal still stuck in his head. It takes a bit for Al to realize he's bi

Loves giving gifts

He likes having at least one of his brothers by his side. Historically it's been Ralph, but during the events that take place during NATM 2, Al kept Frank close because he was frightened of loosing him again.

Frank, Ralph, Napoleon

[bisexualoftheopera]

Movies/Series to watch with the Obey me! Boys on date nights

Lucifer:

Probably a comedy, he needs a good laugh and to relax after a long day. I suggest Brooklyn Nine Nine for a series (Jake reminds him of a certain white haired scumbag) or, for a movie, Rango (the comedic genius of Johnny Depp and the fact that a lizard is doing all this because he got lost)

Mammon:

A romance or a action comedy. I feel like he'd enjoy Glass Onion: a knives out mystery (especially the end scenes) or Red Notice (he'd enjoy the story and the action and the comedic moments)

Levi:

Hard to imagine what he'd like, I'm 100% sure he'd like way of the househusband tho. Maybe he'd get into marvel and binge all of those movies (I feel like he'd like Tony a lot and maybe Peter Quill too?)

Satan:

I don't know why but I definitely see him liking baking impossible (the combo of engineering and baking? He'd want to see everything) or liking iZombie (zombie solves people's deaths by gaining their memories from eating their brains? Cool!) I see him watching Love and Monsters and snuggling you, thinking about what he'd do if that happened

Asmo:

Definitely watching next in fashion together or glow up. I feel like he'd watch horror movies just to hold you close but if it's a psychological horror then you're the one holding him. I see him watching the school for good and evil as well. I do think he'd enjoy Shadowhunters as well, Magnus would be his favorite.

Beel:

He would watch anything with you honestly. I do see him really enjoying the Johnny English movies and watching them with you and Belphie. A nice comedy is good but let's add some variety to it. A good romcom, maybe an action comedy or a horror comedy. No tearjerker movies though, he'd get so upset if the love interests don't get together or one dies.

Belphie: (the inaccuracies part in this only applies to the devildom and the game not actual inaccuracies in the movie and/or actual religion)

If you do get him to stay awake for a movie or even an episode, he would be the worst movie buddy (always talking, guessing what happens next and spoiling it if he's already seen it) but he'd love mystery stuff, they keep him on edge and he can't fall asleep until he knows what happens. He'd love Glass Onion as well and enjoy Constantine a lot (the inaccuracies in it slightly ticks him off because hello? Mammon is not Lucifer's son?? What???)

[snapghoul]

Songs I think Johnny Cage actually listens too.

✰ Note: I love “International Love” being his unofficial theme song, it’s funny. This is just a collection of songs I think represent him and songs he has on his playlists. Some have headcanons for funzies.

✰ Head cannon: Johnny gets his music taste from his mother, It was one of the only ways to bond with him because of her job. Favorite memories are him singing with her in the car. Has old cassettes his mom made for him, refuses to get rid of them.

– ⭑ –

Head Over Heels & Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears

Voulez-Vous, Money, Money, Money, Super Trooper & Slipping Through My Fingers - ABBA

✰ His mother played Slipping Through My Fingers on their way home from his high school graduation, and they both ugly cried.

Blue Monday - New Order

Sunglasses At Night - Corey Hart

Bohemian Rapsody, Another One Bites The Dust, We Will Rock You, Killer Queen, Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - Queen

Paint It Black & Sympathy For The Devil - The Rolling Stones

Girls On Film, Hungry Like The Wolf, Rio & The Wild Boys - Duran Duran

Sabotage, Fight For Your Right, Intergalactic, No Sleep Til Brooklyn - Beastie Boys

✰ Listens to BB while he is training. Something about them make him want to beat the shit outta his punching bag.

Enjoy The Silence & Never Let Me Down Again - Depeche Mode

Devil Went Down To Georgia - The Charlie Daniels Band

Sunburn - Fuel

Love Shack - The B-52’s

✰ His mother's favorite song. Listens to it when he’s feeling nostalgic.

Black Betty - Ram Jam

Enter Sandman, For Whom The Bell Tolls, One, Master Of Puppets & Lux Æterna - Metallica

✰ Johnny is a sleeper Metalhead; one would never know he is until someone walks in on him listening to it. He had his wrist broken in a pit. Will white girl dance to metal and rock music.

Lonely Day, Chop Souy!, Sugar & Violent Pornography - System Of A Down

Welcome To The Jungle, Sweet Child O’ Mine & Paradise City - Guns N’ Roses

The Chain, Go Your Own Way & Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

Super Massive Black Hole, Knights of Cydonia & Starlight - Muse

Punk Tactics - Joey Valence & Brae

✰ “I am the King and You’re just a pawn. Who’s got the high ground now, Obi-wan?”

[give-seconds]

A Husband and His (Ex) Best Friend

Paring: Johnny x female reader, past Jaehyun x reader

Summary: With all the planning for your wedding coming up, everything feels like it is going right. Soon, you and Johnny will be happily married and all that is left to do is to wait. But what happens when Jaehyun shows up out of the blue?

Part 1 

Warnings: mentions of cheating, none others that I can think of but let me know

Word count (part two): 7.8k

This is not proofread so let me know about any errors!!

“Are you sure you got the address right?” you ask.

It is the day before the wedding, and Johnny disappeared, only sending a quick text saying something came up. An hour and a half later, he sent you a text telling you and Jaehyun to come meet him at an address.

Jaehyun nods his head. “Yeah.”

“Johhny?” you call, opening the door to the room. You feel around the wall for the light switch, jumping when you’re met with a chorus of “thank yous.”

You stare in shock at the smiling faces of Johnn's family and friends standing under a ceiling of gold and blue balloons. You smile at the colors, instantly recognizing your favorite colors. Standing in front of them is Johnny.

“What is this?”

“Let me show you,” Johnny smiles, holding his hand out to you.

You take it, letting him guide you to his mom and dad.

“Y/n, dear,” his mom starts, smiling at you as if you were her own child. “It has been a pleasure getting to know you. I always enjoy our lunches when you visit or we come to see you. I remember when Johnny called me, telling me he met the best girl and needed ideas for an interesting first date.”

You laugh softly, looking over to the man in question, lightly squeezing his hand.

“And after going through some ideas, we landed on a winery tour. Had I known you don’t drink, I never would have suggested it, so I am sorry about that. But I wouldn’t trade the outcome for all the money in the world. My dear, you make my son so happy. As a mother, I thank you for accompanying our son on this journey.”

Before you can say anything, your fiancé lightly pulls you to the next person.

“Hey, y/n,” Mark says. You smile widely at him; the serious look on his face feels out of place. “You wouldn’t know this, but the first time I saw you was actually by the Statue of Liberty. Hyung told me he was dating this girl who was a part-time tour guide who gave German tours of the Statue of Liberty. I asked to meet you way before I actually did, and he told me no and that it would be creepy to stalk you on one of your tours. So I asked this boy in my German class, YangYang, to come with me, and we waited until you came by with a group. I asked him what you said on your tours and how you seemed personality-wise. I remember he called me an idiot. Nevertheless, he went along with me and said you made the tour sound interesting by slipping in jokes and even singing a popular german song at some point. Anyways, long story short, thank you for making my brother so happy and for showing me the kindness of a sister.”

You bring a hand to your mouth, feeling tears well in your eyes at the sincerity in his voice. Again, before you can say anything back, Johnny pulls you to the next and last person.

“I don’t believe we’ve met.”

She smiles. “No, we haven’t. My name is Dylan. John and I went to the same high school; we were friends all four years. So you can imagine—randomly meeting him here in Brooklyn—it felt like fate. When I saw him, we exchanged numbers, and I asked him on a date. He turned me down because he ‘met the girl of his dreams.’ And I will admit, it is a little nerve-wracking to stand here in front of your family and friends. But when John texted me asking if I would come here to convince you you are the love of his life, I couldn’t exactly say no.”

You laugh, happy tears falling from your eyes.

“And now, it’s my turn,” Johnny whispers, moving to stand in front of you. Still holding your hand, he clears his throat dramatically. “Hi.”

“Hi,” you whisper, not trusting yourself to speak much louder.

“Now, at risk of spoiling my vows, I’m not going to say much more than what they said. I am sorry I’ve been gone so much the past week, but I did get you a few things.”

He lets go of your hand and turns to grab something behind him. “This,” he says, turning around, “is a bottle from the year we visited the winery. Now I promise not to drink it if you don’t.”

You laugh, fanning your eyes. “I promise.”

“Great!” He places the bottle on the counter behind him and grabs something else. “This is a postcard from Ellis Island, where we had our first proper conversation. I’m thinking, we frame this, and it be our first piece of art.”

You reach out to take the postcard, running your fingers over the front. “I love it.”

“And this,” he bends down on one knee, pulling out your engagement ring from his pocket, “is my gift to you. This is the start of our promise. My promise. That every day of my life will be about repaying you for all the joy you have brought me.”

You don’t know if he is done speaking when you throw yourself onto him. He laughs as he lowers you both into a sitting position, wrapping his arms around you and lightly kissing your head. “Are you going to accept my proposal, or is this about to get really awkward?”

Pulling away from him, you sit between his legs, wiping your tears. “Is that even a question that needs to be said?”

He shakes his head, grabbing your left hand and gently sliding the ring back onto your finger, whispering a soft, “back where it belongs.”

“Okay, everyone,” he announces, not moving up from the floor. “I’ve made reservations for us in about an hour. Sadly, we cannot pay for everyone as we are planning a wedding. So if you don’t want to pay, that’s cool, but we would love to have dinner with you before the stress of the rehearsals. I already sent you all the address, so Suh squad, move out!”

Everyone chuckles, talking among themselves as they file out the door, leaving only you, Johnny, and Jaehyun—who you forgot was in the room—behind.

“Where are we?”

“This is the air b&b I rented for Yoonoh and me to sleep in tonight. The owner said no one was staying in it before us, so she said I could show up whenever. I took 'show up whenever' to mean spending an hour setting up and executing a surprise for my lovely fiancée. Figured it would throw you off.”

You laugh, taking a moment to commit the way he’s looking at you to memory. You want to remember this moment forever. “Consider me thrown off. You didn’t need to do this for me, by the way. Just getting married is enough repayment.”

“But I did. I was planning this before, but then you asked me if I still wanted to get married, and that only motivated me further. I wanted to show you I have no doubts about this wedding.”

“Stop, you’re going to make me cry again,” you whine, pulling him into another hug.

He chuckles. “I love you too.”

—

“Hey, y/n?”

You hum in response, not looking away from the television. Since tomorrow is the wedding, and you invited your brother over to spend the last night as unmarried siblings together.

“Johnny’s friend, Yoonoh, he looks familiar. I only saw him in passing at the rehearsal dinner, but he looks familiar. Where is he from again?”

“Korea,” you answer in what you hope is a non-suspicious tone. You hadn’t even thought about this. Of course, your family would remember him. You dated him for three years, and even if it's been years since any of you have thought of him, it’s not like they’re just going to forget him.

“Are you sure?” Your brother shifts on the couch to look at you. “Because now that I’m thinking about it, he looks like that jerk you dated in high school? It’s not just me who sees that, right?”

You lightly chew your lip, weighing your options. You can pretend you have no idea what Deven is talking about or admit the truth. Both feel like you’ve lost in some way. If you admit he is the man who cheated on you, you know your brother is going to disagree with you, leaving you with at least the slightest hint of guilt. If you choose to lie to him, then you have to deal with the guilt of not only lying to your fiancé but also your brother.

You sigh. “Okay, I’m going to tell you this, and you have to promise me not to freak out. Do you promise?”

You wait for him to nod his head.

“So, Johnny’s friend Yoonoh is the same guy I dated in high school. And I haven’t told Johnny yet because he’s really excited to have his friend back. I thought I was going to tell him, then I decided not to, and now we’re getting married tomorrow, and there’s not a lot of time left.”

He stares at you in shock, jaw slightly dropped. “So you’re telling me you’ve had the guy you’re getting married to and your ex-boyfriend sleeping under the same roof, and the only people who know are you and Jaehyun?”

He holds up a finger each time he mentions one of their names, bringing them together when he talks about them sleeping under the same roof. The whole time, you nod your head. The longer he talks, the heavier the silliness of the situation feels.

“Or is it Yoonoh?” He backtracks, separating his hands. “Because I swear his name was Jaehyun.”

“No, it was. I guess he changed it before he met Johnny. But you need to help me out. As my younger brother and the only one in our family willing to ask me about this, it is your job to help me figure out what to do.”

He huffs, picking up the remote to pause the tv. “You got two choices: tell Johnny or don’t. Choosing the don’t option would include maybe telling mom and dad, so they don’t go telling anyone.”

You groan, throwing your head back. Your parents wouldn’t intentionally go around telling people the guy who cheated on you is a groomsman at your wedding; rather, they would go down the same route Devon did. They mention that he looks a lot like the “guy you dated in high school” as a joke and unknowingly make things awkward.

“But it isn’t just my wedding, you know? He likes Jaehyun, and if he wants him there he should be allowed to have him there. It doesn’t matter that we used to date, and it doesn’t matter that I don’t like him. That’s what a relationship is: it’s a give-and-take. This is me giving.”

“Y/n, he loves you. Do you remember, as kids, how we always loved how our aunt and uncle were? You can tell they love each other. I don’t believe romantic soulmates exist. But if they did, they would be our aunt and uncle. And that’s exactly what you and Johnny have! You two are as much of soulmates as can be.”

A small smile slips onto your face. “Thanks, Deven. I’m so glad you think that. Having Jaehyun here has messed with my ... everything, and hearing you say that makes me feel warm. But I feel like that proves my point. I know we’re great together, so what does it matter that my ex-boyfriend is here so long as it makes him happy?”

“Because he cheated on you!” your brother exclaims, throwing his hands up. “Because while he may not have told me directly, I can feel that Johnny would be angry that someone hurt you as he did. I’m angry knowing he has the nerve to show his face at your wedding, let alone sleep down the hall from you! I can’t imagine how Johnny would feel. All things considered, I think he’ll be sad once he finds out.”

“Alright.” You chew your lip, bringing your attention back to the paused screen. “You’re probably right.”

“I’m always right.”

—

"So Yoonoh- can I call you that? Or do you prefer Yoonoh Hyung or something else?"

Jaehyun chuckles at Johnny's little brother's rambling, not looking away from the mirror as he and all the other groomsmen finish straightening their suits. "Yoonoh Hyung is fine."

Mark nods his head. "Hyung, what do you think of y/n? She's the best, isn't she?"

"Mark, leave him alone," Johhny says, tapping his phone to check the time.

Mark holds his hands up. "I was just starting a conversation."

"Well, that's a weird start. He barely knows her."

Jaehyun smiles, looking back at the mirror to fix his hair. He wishes he didn't have to lie to his friend. In the end, though, it's better for everyone if your secret stays just that; a secret.

"Well, he's lucky," one of Johnny's friends, Parker, says. "The same day I met her, she treated me and my wife like old friends. She's one of the warmest people I know."

Jaehyun turns to look at his friend, instantly noticing his love-struck smile. He is envious of how much you and Johnny love each other. He wishes he had someone to look at him like that.

"Shouldn't we be talking about me?" Johnny jokes, clearing his throat. "Anyways, we should go out. Deven will meet us out there and then the wedding will get started!" He shakes out his hands, rocking on his feet. "Are you guys ready to accompany me for my only wedding?"

His question is met with cheers, and with a final rock, Johnny leads the way out of the room. He leads them to a room across the hall, knocking on the door.

"Hey, Johnny," a woman greets, only cracking the door enough to poke her head out. "Ready to get this party started?"

He nods his head. "Yep. Are you girls ready?"

"Yep! We'll meet you at the end of the hall, okay? We can't risk you getting a sneak peek of your bride."

Johnny laughs, nodding his head. He guides them further down the hall, stopping in front of a set of double doors. He greets the man standing outside the doors, looking at his phone. Jaehyun tilts his head, watching Johnny exchange a quick hug with the man. He looks so familiar.

"Okay, guys," Johnny announces, drawing his attention away from the other man. "When y/n's bridesmaids come out, you'll all pair up with one of them. Parker will be with his wife, and Mark will be with her maid of honor, J.J. Other than that," Johnny looks at him and the other man, "you two choose whoever is standing closer to you. It doesn't have to be the same person from rehearsal."

"You already said this at the rehearsals, dude, chill," Parker laughs, patting him on the shoulder.

"Do you remember how nervous you were before you had to do this? I'm calm compared to you."

Parker chuckles, shaking his head dismissively, and Jaehyun smiles at the interaction. Before Parker can respond, the sound of whispers draws the group's attention to the group of women in red dresses quickly walking toward them.

"Okay, order, everybody!" Johnny announces, and everybody falls in line behind him.

Contrary to what Johnny says about not needing the same person they paired up with during rehearsals, the girl Jaehyun walked with smiles at him in greeting. He smiles back, extending his arm for her to grab.

"Ready?" she whispers.

He nods, looking forward as his friend pushes open the door. "Ready."

Despite it not being his wedding, he can't help but feel a little nervous as everyone stands up, eyes turning to look at them as they walk down the aisle. His heart skips a beat when he passes your family, focusing on looking straight at where he is going. It’s unrealistic, but he hopes they don’t see him.

When they reach the base of the stairs, he smiles at the woman on his arm before they part ways. He feels eyes burning into his back, dreading the seconds until he has to turn around again. They're looking at me—there is no way they don't remember me. And he’s right. When he turns around, your family is looking in his direction. But it's not him they are looking at.

Instead of the hot stare of hatred he expected directed at him, he sees your mom lovingly look at Johnny. She's gripping her husband's hand, saying something to him as he turns his head to look at Johnny. With all the commotion he caused by staying at your house, it never really hit him how little he actually means to your family. The realization is somehow shocking—despite him and his family feeling the same towards you, and something in him breaks at the knowledge that he barely means anything to you. Until now, a part of him thought this would all blow over after you realized how much he has changed, and things could return to how they were before you and he dated; you could be friends.

The music changes, and the room's attention is brought to the doors as everybody waits for you to appear. Watching you walk down the aisle, Jaehyun is thrust from his previous thoughts by how beautiful you are. He always thought you were beautiful, but seeing you years later—really seeing you— you are even more stunning than he remembers. He flicks his eyes to the left to look at Johnny’s face, and he smiles at the pure look of love on his friend’s face. His heart warms, and suddenly not meaning much to you doesn't seem like such a big deal. He misses you, misses how good of a person you are, but his longing is nothing compared to Johnny's happiness. While he wants a second chance, he can give it up for his friend. He can let you go again.

The rest of the ceremony passes by in a blur, and Jaehyun can't wipe the smile off his face. He hasn’t been to many weddings, but this is the first wedding he has attended to make him feel this way—that true love exists. He couldn’t wish for a better happy ending for his best friend.

At the reception, between meeting various friends of yours, Johnny and you catch his eye. All the stress the wedding put on you two forgotten as you laugh, patting Johnny’s arm as he looks away, laughing. Even toward the end of the evening, and only a few people left, the love felt at the ceremony is still in the air, painting everything in a rose tint.

“Hey,” someone taps his shoulder, drawing his attention away from your laughing figure. When he turns around, he sees the unknown groomsman from in front of the doors. His eyes widen as he realizes who it is.

“You’re Deven, right? I guess-”

Before he can finish his sentence, your brother throws his glass of wine in his face. He gasps and takes a step back in shock, wiping the liquid from his eyes.

“That’s for showing up at my sister’s wedding.”

—

“We need to tell him,” you say, pushing the door to the guestroom open. Johnny had to take a work call, so you took the opportunity to talk to his friend separately. “You’re leaving soon, and I can’t stand keeping this from him anymore. We don’t lie to each other, and now that I’m his wife, it feels even heavier.”

“If you want to of course I’m not going to stop you. But really, do you think that would be the best course of action? Things might take a turn for the worse.” He says, his face void of emotion. His lack of emotion mixed with his words lowers what little patience you have with him.

“Can I be honest?”

He nods his head.

“I don’t hate anyone. Hate and love are two very strong emotions, and it isn’t fair to throw them around randomly. So no, I don’t hate you. But you are the closest person I have to hating someone. So if you think this act here will change my mind somehow, you’re wrong. If you and Johnny stay friends after this, you are not welcome back into my home. Do you understand?”

He looks at you, eyes seemingly blank. But you know him better than you like to admit, and his trying-to-hide-emotions face hasn’t changed since high school. Something in him is hurting. “I understand.”

“I don’t.”

You and Jaehyun jump at the sound of your husband’s voice, and you stare wide-eyed as he pushes the door open.

“Why do you hate Yoonoh? And why wouldn’t we be friends?”

You feel your heart stop at his questions. Yes, you wanted to tell him, but not like this. It made you feel like he caught you cheating. Jaehyun looks expectedly to you, effectively making you feel more trapped. You hold Jaehyun's eye, wanting to cry at the expectation he is now placing on you.

“Listen,” you start slowly, looking away from the man next to you. Just looking at Johnny makes you want to curl into yourself. “It’s a long story, okay? Well, not a long story. Rather, a really hard truth to say and something I did because I thought it was right. But now, I’m not so sure.” you ramble, walking towards him. “You can be sad, mad, or anywhere in between.”

He smiles nervously, eyes flickering between you and Jaehyun. “Thanks for the permission.”

You let a silence fall between you three, and you feel the nervousness from Johnny mix with your anxiousness. You don’t know what Jaehyun feels, nor do you care. You’re too busy trying to think of how to start this.

“I’m the one who cheated on y/n.”

You quickly turn your head towards him, eyes wide at Jaehyun’s sudden confession.

Johnny laughs, the look on his face showing he doesn’t understand the comment. “What?”

“I-um, remember the guy I told you about that cheated on me in high school? Yeah, that is Jaehyun- I mean Yoonoh.”

Any trace of a smile falls off Johnny’s face, and he tears his eyes away from you to look at the other man in the room. “And that’s true? You guys are from the same area of Connecticut, and you’re the guy she dated for two and a half years before he left and had his best friend tell her you cheated on her?”

Jaehyun nods his head, eyes looking away in shame. “I can’t imagine how you feel—”

“You’re right; you can’t. Because I’m sure you think I feel angry—and believe me, I am—that you did that to my wife. But more than angry, I feel stupid. I mean, the entire time you’ve been here, you’ve been dropping hints. You knew stuff about her that you wouldn’t have known unless you were close. And yeah, your excuses made sense at the time, but now that I think about it, I never would have mentioned y/n’s second flavor of ice cream to you in Korea. And you,” he looks back at you, and you feel another wave of anxiety rush over you. “I feel so stupid that I didn’t notice how uncomfortable you were. You only gave him short answers, and I’m sure you never looked him in the eyes for longer than three seconds.”

He laughs, running a hand through his hair. “God, I feel like such an idiot. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it wasn’t just my wedding; it was yours. And you wanted him there, and it shouldn’t matter my past with him.”

“Yoonoh, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Y/n told me not to. She wanted you to be happy.”

Johnny nods his head, scoffing. “So she did it for me, and what? You did it for yourself?”

Jaehyun hesitates to answer, but, to his credit, he never breaks eye contact with Johnny. “I don’t know if I would say it’s that simple.”

“No, it’s simple. You broke her heart and made her feel worthless. But she set it aside because she loves me and wanted someone I considered a friend at my wedding, despite how she feels about you. But you, you kept it from me because you were scared. You were scared of how I would react. Instead of manning up and doing one good thing for y/n, you decided to keep it to yourself.”

Your heart melts at his speech, and you reach out to grab his hand. “Johnny.”

He smiles sadly at you, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Can we talk in private?”

You nod your head, letting him pull you out of the room. Johnny leads you to the kitchen, letting go of your hand to lean against the counter. He rubs a hand over his face, and despite his conflicted emotions, you feel a little of your anxiety melt away now that you’re away from Jaehyun.

“Is that really why you didn’t tell me? You wanted me to have a friend there? It’s not because you don’t trust me or anything?”  

“No, of course, I trust you,” you say, grabbing his free hand in both of yours. “I just, I don’t know, I wanted you to have everyone you wanted at our wedding. You were so excited to have him there, and I couldn’t take that away from you. It’s supposed to be the best day of your life. You deserve to have the people you love there.”

“I don’t know what to say to that. That’s so stupidly selfless, and I wish you had told me. We’re a team now. We need to tell each other these things.”

You vigorously nod your head, hoping to show him you agree. “Yes, of course. I have never lied to you about anything else. Please know I trust you unconditionally.”

He sucks in a breath, tilting his head to the side. “I don’t like the idea of unconditional anything. I want you to trust me because you love me and believe in me. Not because you feel you need to because of this or because we are married.”

You nod your head, whispering an okay. You feel like you're grasping at straws; everything you say feels wrong. Maybe it's the anxiety that has been building up in the past five minutes, but you feel like one more wrong word from you, and you'll spiral into a crying mess.

“Now,” he clears his throat. “I have to go talk to him. But when I get back, let’s go out, okay?”

You lightly chew your lip, watching as he flashes you a fleeting smile before making his way back to where Jaehyun is.

—

Jaehyun felt the air leave his chest once you and Johnny left the room. While not physically hit, the look on his friend's face felt like an emotional punch.

After you two left the room, he sat on the bed and threw his head into his hands. In hindsight, he probably should have let you tell him. Maybe Johnny wouldn’t have been as mad. Then again, Jaehyun has no idea how mad his friend is. He has a feeling that he’ll find out once he returns.

“So you really cheated on my wife, huh?”

Jaehyun chuckles, raising his head out of his hands to look at Johnny, who closed the door behind him. “I bet you never thought you’d say those words.”

“Come on. We need to have this conversation.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” he sighs, pushing himself up from the bed. “What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know, so just let me talk. So when your family moved here, you moved to the same city as y/n, met, and started dating. At some point, you started cheating on her, but then moved back to Korea and had one of your then friends tell her?”

Jaehyun can’t bring himself to look Johnny in the eyes. Seeing you had kicked him in his ego. It reminded him of the person he used to be. But now, having to tell your husband about how horrible of a boyfriend he was really made him feel small.

“I didn’t ask him to do that. He just decided on doing that. Not that I blame him.”

Johnny nods his head. “I don’t need to know why—it doesn’t matter. But do you know how worthless you made her feel? Just the other day, she asked me if I still wanted to marry her because she was thinking about your relationship. She told me I deserved better. And I’m sure some of that came from keeping this secret from me, but a majority of it came from you.”

Jaehyun looks up to see if he is done. The first night he got here, and almost every night since, he thought of the things Johnny might say once he found out. He would never describe his friend as violent, so he wasn’t worried about getting hit. He would prefer being punched to the look on his friend's face.

“I invite you to my wedding,” Johnny continues, seemingly annoyed at Jaehyun’s lack of response. “And invite you to our home. When you see your ex-girlfriend open the door, instead of being a decent human and telling her you’ll stay somewhere else, you stay in our home. Do you have any idea how uncomfortable that probably made her?”

“I did offer to leave, but she told me it was okay. She said she didn’t want to influence our relationship. She also said you’d pick her over me.”

Johnny sighs. “What do you expect me to say to that?”

Jaehyun shrugs. “I don’t know, but I do want to apologize. I’m sorry I put you in this position, and I’m sorry I lied to you. I never meant-I don’t know what I meant. I just know I never intended to cause a problem between you and y/n. I came and stayed because you’re my friend, and I wanted to celebrate one of the biggest days of your life.”

“You’re not listening,” Johnny insists. “I’m not mad because you’re the guy who cheated on her. I’m mad because you didn’t say anything. I can’t say anything would be different if you had told me before, but it might have been! We could have talked it out, and you could have convinced me you changed. But now, instead of looking at you as the guy who broke her heart, I’m looking at you as the guy who also made her uncomfortable in her own home. At her wedding! How could you do that to her?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re going to have to do better than that.”

Jaehyun sighs. He knows this is a losing conversation. Nothing he can say would make this situation better. “I guess I was being selfish. I wanted to protect my friendship with you by not telling you this. Yes, of course, I felt guilty for what I put y/n through. But she said she wanted me there for you. I felt trapped because I wanted to be there, you wanted me there, and she wanted me there for you but not herself. What was I supposed to do? Go against her and tell you?”

“Yes! Yes, you should have told me. Because she cares for me, she put me first. She decided she was less important than I am, and you are the only one to blame for that. And that is unacceptable. As my friend, you should have told me.”

“Hyung, I’m sorry.”

His friend takes a deep breath, running his left hand through his hair. The silver band on his finger catches his attention, and he feels another wave of guilt wash over him. “You know you need to leave?”

Jaehyun nods his head. He didn’t know what the outcome of this conversation was going to be, but he knew this was bound to happen.

“Good. Y/n and I are going out, so if you could be gone by the time we get back that would be best. I’ll still drive you to the airport, and maybe then we can talk about where our relationship goes from there.”

He nods his head, feeling too lost to say anything. Johnny silently leaves the room, and a few minutes later, he hears the front door close. He wishes he isn’t the one to blame. That he can blindly call you and Johnny jerks and leave with his ego intact. Now that he had that conversation, though, he knows there is no other narrative to possibly tell.

He is the villain. No longer is he the friend who came all the way from South Korea for his friend’s wedding. Now, he is the guy who cheated on his friend’s wife and had the nerve to stay in their home and attend the wedding. He chuckles, finally moving from his spot.

It’s almost funny. All this might have been avoided had he come clean in the first place. If he had just been honest, maybe he could still call Johnny his friend. But if history is any indication, Jaehyun has a problem with the truth.

—

“So where are we going?” you ask, following Johnny as he starts down the street.

He shrugs his shoulders. “I was thinking we could just walk and talk.”

You nod your head, pursing your lips as you reach out to grab his hand. You don’t know what to think.

“Y/n, I just don’t understand. When you told me someone cheated on you, I was so confused. I was both mad and sad for you. You knew what I thought about the man who cheated on you, and you still didn’t tell me it was him. I would’ve worked with you. Worked to make you comfortable.”

You sadly hum, the constant weight of the situation settling on your chest and making it hard to breathe. “I know, honey, I know. And that’s why I didn’t tell you. It’s only a big deal to me—”

He interrupts you with a laugh. “That’s false, and you know it. Don’t even give me that. You knew it would be a big deal to me, and that’s why you didn’t tell me. And yeah, Yoonoh told me that you wanted to protect my relationship with him. That because it was also my wedding, I should have whoever I wanted there. But that’s crap, and you know it.”

You squeeze his hand, looking at all the passing people. All these people passing by, and none of them have any idea about your situation. To them, you’re just another couple having an average conversation. You’re envious of their ignorance but thankful for the hope that maybe it isn't as world-shattering as it feels.

“I don’t know what to say. I understand why you’re mad. I don’t know how I’d feel if some girl who cheated on you came to the wedding. Because I hold such a high opinion of you, I would think she doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near you. But he’s your best friend from an amazing time in your life, and I couldn’t be the reason you two don’t talk.”

A silence falls between you two, and to try and avoid your thoughts, you focus on the sound of cars passing by. When you were younger, you never imagined your life in New York. You love Connecticut and had every intention of moving back after finishing college. Enter Johnny.

When you first met Johnny, you paid him no mind. He was just another face in the crowd. After you met him on Ellis Island, you started noticing him more in the crowds of people you passed every day.

Apparently, he felt the same. He started smiling at you when you passed in the halls, occasionally exchanging greetings. Then, one day in psych, he deviated from his usual seat in the middle and joined you in the front.

“Can I sit here?”

You smile at him, hoping he can’t see how happy you are to see him. “Yeah, of course.”

You silently watch as he sits down, pulling out his notes. “Oh,” you start, not wanting the conversation to end just yet. “I never got to thank you for helping me with that boy the other day. It meant a lot to me.”

“It was the least I could do. You looked like you had your hands full.”

You laugh, nodding your head. “Yeah, I was. I don’t know if you noticed, but that little boy and I had a bit of a language barrier.”

He hums. “Well, I am happy to lend a helping hand when I notice a damsel in distress.”

You laugh at the remark, not missing how the comment made your heart light. You quickly shut the feeling down, choosing to focus on your notes. You haven’t seriously dated anyone since Jaehyun, and you don’t know if you’re ready. Throughout the class you tried to ignore the urge to look at him.  

“Hey, so I’ll see you Friday for class?”

You smile up at him, happy he wants to see you again. “Yeah, see you Friday.”

After that, you two started talking more, and eventually, he asked you out. You were hesitant at first, still nervous after everything that happened with Jaehyun. Around your third date, you told him that. Told him that if he wanted out now, he could take it, and you wouldn’t blame him. He smiled, shaking his head softly before telling you there was nothing to worry about. From what he had seen so far, there was nothing that would make him think he needed to use that out.

“We’ll work past this, right?” you ask softly, not wanting to hear an answer. “You don’t think poorly of me?”

He squeezes your hand. “Sweetheart, do you think something like this would make me care for you any less?”

You feel the tears prickle in your eyes, and you hug his arm with your free hand. “I love you.”

—

Jaehyun heaves a nervous sigh, bouncing his leg nervously as he waits for Johnny's call. He hasn’t spoken to his friend since he was kicked from your apartment—the last conversation he shared with him has replayed in his mind for the past few days.

When Johnny's contact photo pops us—a dumb photo he took of a drunk Johnny in a party hat—he feels his heart stop. What am I going to say? How do I act normal?

He clears his throat, trying to rid his body of the nervousness. “Hey, you out front?”

“Yeah. As soon as you leave the building, I’m there.”

“Okay, see you in a second.” Jaehyun pushes himself up, hanging up the phone as he walks the few steps out of the automatic doors. His friend wasn’t kidding. As soon as he steps outside the hotel, he sees his friend’s car trunk popped open for Jaehyun to load his things.

He walks as slowly as he can without it being obvious, mentally building up the courage to sit with Johnny and have what he can imagine is the most awkward conversation he will ever have in his life.    

“I’ve done a lot of thinking,” Johnny starts, not leaving any time between the start of the drive and the start of the conversation, “and a lot of talking with y/n, and honestly, I don’t know what to do. I talked with her, and she wants me to keep you as a friend if that is what I want without thinking about her.”

“And is that what you want?” Jaehyun keeps his eyes on the outside world. He doesn’t know if he can stand to see any of the left-over disappointment.

“I don’t know what I want. Even if she says not to keep her in mind, she’ll always be in my mind when I look at you. I mean, no offense, but now when I look at you, I am reminded of the secret you guys kept from me and how I felt when I found out. I mean, I felt like you guys played me, and it was all some sick joke.” Johnny sighs, and out of the corner of his eye, Jaehyun can see him shake his head. “But that is beside the point. I asked her if she could ever forgive you for what happened.”

Jaehyun sits straighter in his seat, turning his head to face his friend. “And… and what did she say?”

“She says that when you’re with her, it feels like you revert to who you were in high school. That she can still see traces of the same man who hurt her. But when you’re with me, she sees the man I view as my best friend. She said she likes Yoonoh much better than Jaehyun and that if you can continue to be that man around me, then she can understand if we remain friends."

"I change that much?”

Johnny shrugs. “I don’t know.”

He nods his head, looking back out the window. He lets a few seconds of silence pass by as he decides if he wants to hear the answer to the question that still needs asking. “And you? What do you think about still being my friend?”

“Right into it, huh?” His friend laughs humorlessly. “I don’t know, Yoonoh. You were part of the reason I had such a good time in Korea, and without you, I don’t think I would have enjoyed my time as much. I made other friends there, but none I clicked with like you, and none that I still talk with to this day. So you matter to me. But at the same time, you cheated on my wife before we met. When she told me about this, she told me about the pain and the self-esteem issues that came with being cheated on. And then you lied to me about it. Sure, so did y/n, but she did it selflessly, and you lied for you. I don’t mean to put it so bluntly, but I don’t know anymore.”

“I don’t mean this in a joking way, but I agree. I don’t know what you should do either. I want to say you should forgive me, but I don’t know if that is the ‘right’ thing to do. What would make you feel less guilty?”

“I have been thinking about this for the past three days, and I can’t say what that would be. I tried to imagine my life without you and my life with you. I feel like I have to choose between you and my wife, and I don’t want to make that choice.”

“You know, you don’t need to make that choice now. I’m not going anywhere, and neither is y/n. You can text me whenever you have made your choice—whatever that may be. If you don’t want to talk to me, then I will respect that, and we go our separate ways. You and y/n are right—I have been selfish during this whole thing. It’s time for me to be as unselfish as I can and tell you that you can take as long as you need. Know there is no pressure on my side of this.”

Johnny sighs. “You know, saying things like that reminds me why I like you.”

Jaehyun laughs, happy to have something lighthearted in the environment. The comment gives him hope that maybe things will be okay between them. Even if it isn’t okay, he meant what he said; whatever Johnny decides, he will respect it. He wouldn’t ask his friend to do anything that might cause an issue in his marriage. Not when he found you.

—

“Talk later then?”

“Yeah, let me know when you land in Korea. Safe flight.”

Jaehyun nods his head, waving goodbye. Johnny sighs, watching his friend walk into the airport. He feels like so much happened in four days, and now, more than ever, he is ready to go on his honeymoon and have a week dedicated to just you and him.  

Ten minutes into his drive back and five minutes into sitting in traffic, the loud ring of his phone causes him to jump.

“I gotta see if I can make this quieter,” he mumbles, pressing accept on the steering wheel. “Hello?”

“Hey, did I time it right?” you start, skipping the greeting. “I added an extra twenty minutes to the hour drive from when you left the hotel to make sure you had dropped him off. Not that I would mind calling you while he is still there, I just wouldn’t want to get in the way of you guys spending the rest of the time together. And now I’ve been talking for too long. You really need to learn to interrupt me.”

Johnny laughs. “I love it when you talk. Don’t worry about it, Love.”

You laugh, and he imagines you throwing your head back. “Love? That’s a new one. Anyway, I looked at the weather for when we’ll be in Italy, and it looks perfect! Low seventies, high sixties.”

He laughs, resting his head against the driver's window as he watches the cars barely inch forward. “And to think, you had your doubts about the Amalfi Coast.”

“Hey! First, we both put suggestions into the hat, and it isn’t my fault your brother picked your suggestion. Second, I never had any doubts about Italy. Don’t lie.”

“You’re right, you’re right, I’m sorry. The weather sounds great. I’m stuck in traffic right now; I guess there was some accident on top of the normal traffic. So I’ll be home in like one hundred years.”

“Aw, I’m sorry. Want me to pick some food up from that Greek place around the corner? A little comfort food for us?”

He smiles, knowing you mean comfort for more than just the traffic. “Yeah, that sounds great. Get me the gyro-”

“Gyro chicken mix plate. You really should change it up now and again. You’re getting too predictable.”

He laughs. “Yeah, maybe next time. Once you find the good stuff, it’s too scary to try new food.”

“Whimp.”

“Whatever you say. Mind you I am also driving. It’s not like I can check the menu. That would be unsafe.”

“Excuses, excuses.” You sigh, and Johnny can hear the shuffling of papers. “Alright, I’m going to head home now. I gotta write this substitution plan before we can leave. But I’ll get the food, and while we feast, why don’t we watch some tv?”

“Sounds like a brilliant plan. Love ya.”

“Love you too.”

---

Thank you for reading! This as been a wip forever now and it feels really good to finally put this out (even if it is a few days later than I thought). I would love to know what you thought!! 

Have a great day/night <3

Taglist: @legbouk​ @lydinews​

masterlist 

[simon-x-billy]

Simon x Billy

Year of the OTP: October

Chapter 10: Attack of the tiny flying human

Prompt: Text messaging

AN: While Billy is sleeping off his drowned sorrows in his time zone, Simon has time traveled back 6 hours, to Brooklyn. He gets to live the same 6 hours twice. That’s just how it works. So sci-fi. He has been summoned (peer pressured) back to Brooklyn by his agent for a terribly important meeting requiring a suit. That’s all he knows about it: Wear a suit. Done. He’s wearing a suit. He’s never even seen Johnny in a suit, let alone wearing one with him. It’s this morning all over again, and it’s official. Italians do coffee better. NSFW TW: Finally back to the sexytimes! But first, lots of talking and saying stuff and things. Fair warning: There’s no Clary irl, but there is a Chase. Masterlist || ao3 || start || prev || next

————/Simon/————

“Simon, I don’t like that Johnny.”

“I know, Ma.”

“He looks like a sheister, that boy. He does not have a trustworthy face. No. He does not.”

“I know, Ma.”

“Well if you know, Simon, why don’t you go find a more trustworthy-looking agent?”

“Ok, Ma. Where are the Eggos?”

“Pish. Why am I stocking Eggos when you’re not living here anymore? Go stock ‘em for yourself over at that schmancy apartment of yours.”

“Ok, Ma. You’re right.”

She’s turned her ‘you don’t have a trustworthy face’ face on me.

“What, Ma. What? Please stop giving me the stink eye. It’s scary looking and definitely unfriendly.”

“You want I should be your friend now.”

I search madly for the right answer to that question.

“You want I should go to Katz’s? Yonah Schimmel? No! Wait! Ma, I will buy you an island if you make your matzoh ball soup.”

I am a genius.

Katz’s. Yonah Schimmel is next door. Pic mine.

That should keep her busy for well over 24 hours. It takes time to boil a chicken down to nothing but golden goodness. As Grandma used to say, “It took a day to build Rome, it takes more than that to make chicken soup.”

That should keep her happy and friendly for at least as many days as the soup lasts, and then some. And it’ll give me some fat to run off. Sometimes I don’t eat enough to sate the running addiction. It is what it is.

From the kitchen I hear Ma shout “But I do like his red hair!”

————/-/————

“Simon!!!” It’s practically a screech. The next thing I know, I’ve been attacked by a tiny flying human. I don’t know if there’s such a thing as a flying hug. Kind of like a cannonball into a pool, but aimed at me and not at a pool. Whatever it is, there are limbs everywhere, long hair in my mouth, and not a fraction of an inch of her touching the ground. I figure I’ll just leave the untangling up to her, for fear of touching places it would not be good to touch. This is all on her to unravel. She slides easily to the ground outside Java Jones.

Lily. That’s who.

“Look at you! Why are you all handsome and fresh-looking?” She looks at me suspiciously. Because apparently this is suspicious. And I now worry that I’ve never been handsome and fresh before.

“Nevermind,” she immediately interrupts herself, holding me at arm’s length. “Look at you! You’re all tanned and weirdly healthy. I’m dazzled by the sun dripping off you.” She sniffs. “Why do you smell so good? Are you wearing cologne?! I’m concerned.” Her eyes narrow. “Who are you and what have you done with my sweet vampire Simon? Why are you like this and what are we doing tonight?”

All of this delivered with coquettish little grins and winks sprinkled here and there.

“Stop flirting with me, vile creature.”

She growls and mock-punches me in the arm. “What the fuck, Simon! Where have you been? Clearly somewhere sunnier than Brooklyn. And this is not a tan you get in the Hamptons.”

I can’t help it, I just can’t be mad at this compact little flying ball of limbs. The girl three years younger than I am, that I think of as my little sister, yeah, her. I can’t be mad. She’s just too excited to see me. Genuinely happy to see me. Ugh, now I’m genuinely happy to see her, too.

“So? Are you going to tell me anything? Why do you look like a golden god, sitting here in this dingy hole of the pallid and caffeine-deprived?”

“Italy.” Am I grinning? I think I might be grinning.

“Grinning like the Cheshire Cat.”

“Did you hear the part about Italy?”

“Italy?!?!” She says with overly dramatized shock

Now this one definitely went to theatre school.

I know this to be true, not only because she’s dramatic — convincingly dramatic — but also because it’s where I met her. So I know from firsthand experience that she has a finely tuned host of expressions, reactions, etc to draw from. It’s called sense-memory. Dude, we’re from NY. Theatre camp might just have been with the Actors Studio, or it might not. We might have been mini Method Actors, we might not.

And this face? This face is pure goofball, all the way. She comes by it naturally.

“No, but seriously, Italy?” she asks.

“Yeah, I’m thinking about moving there.”

Lily spews cappuccino froth everywhere.

“Hang on, I got it.” I'm instantly springing for the counter in search of a cloth. Or even a stack of mini napkins? Please? I leave Lily holding her shirt away from her skin. The cappuccino is still hot enough that her shirt is now steaming. Ow.

It’s only as we’re dealing — successfully — with the aftermath, that I finally have a moment to recall what I said, just moments before The Great Cappuccino Incident of 2015.

I’m thinking about moving there.

I didn’t even know that’s how I felt until it flew out of my mouth.

I think I want to move to Italy.

I think I want to move to Italy.

Yep, still true, even after repetition.

“You want to what?” she asks, attention fully on me and not her shirt.

“I think I’m going to move to Italy.” Hm. My mouth just made up my mind for me.

When I’ve had something fly out of my mouth in the past, my mouth has turned out to be trustworthy and wise about 90% of the time. It’s not a perfect science. But what I will say is that my mouth speaking from my gut is not as gross as it sounds. I’ve learned to trust my gut-mouth. It tells me what I don’t realize I already know. And suddenly I have complete clarity. I’m moving to Italy.

!fuckyeahmovingtoitaly!!!!sddssaasblergjkl!

“Why???” she asks. I can hear all the question marks.

“I’m feeling…………things there.”

“You’re feeling things there,” she parrots back at me. “Like what?” she asks with mirth. She’s feeling mirthy.

“Well, for one, I feel more creative than I have since the day I started flogging myself with a blinking cursor on a blank white page, entitled Book 4 pg 1.”

“Writer’s blo-“

“Don’t say it! You’ll jinx me!” Look, Jewish mysticism is alive and kicking in Brooklyn. “Quick, spit on the evil eye!” I order her. It’s the least she could do!

“Don’t worry, Si. You’ll conqu-“

“Stop jinxing me! What, are you trying to ruin my life? Seriously! Anyway, I think Italy might help with that thing we’re not allowed to say out loud, knock on wood.”

Lily is staring at me. Well, no, not staring so much as assessing. “You’re different, Si. And it’s not just the tan. Your eyes are brighter. Sparklier.”

“Ew.”

She smacks my arm.

I look at her and my insides turn to mush. “You, Lily, are a mensch.” Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“What have I done to deserve your highest praise?”

“You haven’t done anything specific, and that’s part of the point. You, Lily, are a good human being. If it was just a one-time thing, I’d find a different compliment. But this is just an observation. You are a good human person.”

To my surprise, her eyes well up. “Hey, you ok?” I take her hand in mine and give it a warm squeeze. “Hey,” I squeeze again.

“Oh, nothing,” she says, rolling her eyes, but I can tell it’s not even remotely ‘nothing’ by the simple fact that she’s sniffling and her eyes look even more watery.

“Nothing’s wrong, Simon, I promise.”

“Happy tears, then? Did you get into Juilliard?”

“I wish! And anyways, I’m at Tisch.”

“Not too shabby!”

“You bet your frickin ass! There is no shab!”

“Mazel tov, Lily. Stand up and hug me,” I order her. And she does. But she’s sniffling and watery again. I have acquired a cappuccino shirt of my own. At least we’ll both smell alike, and cancel each other out.

I look at her appraisingly. (It’s her turn to be appraised.) “Something’s happened.”

She can’t stop the smile from exploding across her face. “Yes, something’s happened. But Chase made me promise that he’d be there when I told you.”

“Oh.”

Look, I know it’s a shitty thing that my monosyllabic response fell like a lead weight at her feet. But seriously, it’s Chase who needs to know what he’s walking into. Lily can either warn him or not. She’s not his babysitter nor his gatekeeper. “Keymaster,” I sigh.

The only reason I’m pissed at him is that he blew me off for a year. He wasn’t there for me. A stranger from Italy is the only person who was there for me. Not Lily. Not even Ma, who decided being jealous of her son’s vacation was top of mind, rather than her son’s mental and emotional state. The more book sales you have, the less support from humans you need? Is that the logic?

Poor little rich boy. Broken by privilege. Ok, the self-loathing has started, and at this moment, it’s not all about me. It’s supposed to be about some big surprise and I need to respect that.

“Where is that melonfucker anyway?” I raise my voice a little louder, as a poetry slam has just begun. At least it’s not as bad as the one in the book.

“Melonfucker?” The way she says it, I can’t tell if she thinks I’m funny or a loser. You’d think those two expressions couldn’t mate on one face.

I probably could have worded that a little better. Anyways, “Don’t ask. It’s a thing now. Soon everyone will be saying it.”

“I like it. Better than motherfucker. I don’t want to think about fuckers of mothers,” she says with a squicked-out expression.

“But fucking melons is ok,” I laugh.

“Fuck melons, not mothers! T-shirt? Mug?” she suggests.

“I fucked melons way before melonfucking was a thing,” I declare.

“You did what now?” It’s that voice with that pretentious accent that I’ve known since we were 10. He moved here from London. Posh London, apparently, cuz I guess that’s a thing that exists. It wasn’t til he met me that he started not-hating living anywhere else. And not only was this not London, it was America of all places. Insults and injuries and all that.

I thought he was cool. He thought I was a dork. But a friendly dork.

I first laid eyes on him as he wrestled with the door of his locker, just a few down from mine. Then he showed up in my English class, and everybody laughed when he pointed out that English class should really be about learning to be English.

It’s a miracle and a mystery why the student body chose to think that was funny. If it’d been me pulling that gag, I’d have been bullied mercilessly. But not Chase. He has something in him that has always drawn people in. I’ve never been able to put my finger on it.

He discovered that I’m the bomb later that day in the lunchroom. (‘Hi, I’m Simon and you will shortly discover that I am the bomb, deal with it.’ That’s how my brain has chosen to remember it.)

I’d been behind him in the lunch line, and watched with fascination as every single thing about the situation confused him. He was bewildered from beginning to end. Only to be spat out the other side into a busy lunchroom social scene. The moment of destiny, when the new kid stands there holding his tray, blinking at the reality of not knowing a single person in an already well established social hierarchy he knew nothing about.

This was it. Do or die time. It’ll make or break a kid.

And this was where I got awesome.

I walked up and stood there next to him, both of us looking out at the room. It was just as he was about to ask what I was doing that I said, “Sit with me.” And then walked up the center aisle without checking to see if he’d followed. Because even at 10 I was painfully cool. I stopped at the usual table, next to the usual cast of characters, and asked Kevin to scooch down so both of us would fit.

Chase had, indeed, followed. So he sat down. I think I said something like, “Hey everybody this is…” and let him fill in the blank. “This is Chase. Chase, this is everybody.”

I always remember that day whenever I’m pissed at him. It sucks cuz then it gets hard to stay pissed at him.

Chase looks at me warily before he grabs my fist and pulls me into a tentative bro hug. “Hey, man.”

”I’m mad at you.”

“Yeah. I kinda got that,” he replies. “Babe, did you tell him yet?”

“Of course not Simon will you be my Man of Honor?” All of this comes out on a single breath and obviously without punctuation.

I can feel myself standing here blinking at them. Everything gets a little slo-mo. I swallow.

Lily flashes her ring, wiggling her fingers at me in excitement.

“Married?”

They both nod yes.

“I do! I mean, yes! I will!” I sweep the tiny human up into my arms and twirl her around once before holding her at arm’s length. “Mazel tov!” I hug her again, and then look to Chase. “I knew this day would come, but a father’s never prepared for the flood of emotions, is he.”

“Father?” asks Lily with an “Ew gross,” following shortly behind.

“You better treat my little girl right,” I adopt a Texan accent, “Or I’mma come after you, son.” I give him a nostril flare, because it feels right. “You hear me, son? That’s my little girl you’re marrying. And Daddy’s got a shotgun, son. Daddy’s got a shotgun alright.” All we’re missing is a spittoon.

“Simon, what are you doing?” Lily asks.

“You know very well what I’m doing.”

Both Chase and I speak at once. “Monologuing.” It’s a thing we do. We went to theatre school.

“I can’t believe you’re monologuing at a time like this!” She practically shouts at me.

“It’s what he does when he’s nervous,” says Chase. The man who’s known me better than anyone else since we were 10.

Ugh, I guess I better man up and give him a real hug. “Mazel tov, man.”

————/-/————

She can’t be serious. “You want me to what now?” She wants me to cosplay Book Simon for Comic Con. I feel sick.

“I just threw up a little in my mouth.”

“No, seriously, hear me out. ‘Simon is Simon!’” she says with finger quotes. “It’s your thing! It’s synergy,” she says with ever more enthusiasm.

Lily, picturing synergy

“You’re joking, right?” It’s Chase.

“Oh thank God,” I blow out a breath of relief. “I was literally about to die a thousand horrified deaths hearing you agree with her. Oh my God. I feel dizzy.”

“Shut up,” Lily grouses. She sticks her tongue out at us because adulting is hard.

“I can’t cosplay my own books, and you know this! That is the- I mean, why would you even-“ She’s shaking her head, indicating that she is stubbornly holding tight to her position. “OK, look,” I say, committed to explaining all the ways she is an insane person. “What would you be thinking if you went to a show, only to find the frontman wearing his own band’s t-shirt, from this year’s merch tables.”

Chase sucks in his breath and pulls back, as if I have particularly noxious farts. Big, juicy, gross ones.

And then Lily busts out with, “I’d think he was wearing an ironic t-shirt.”

Ooooo, well played, Lily. Nice save. But I’m still embarrassed for her. “I wouldn’t be able to look myself in the eye for years after cosplaying myself. I think I might literally throw up. So much.”

“What about the scene when you crawl out of the grave - that Simon,” she persists. “You could be all muddy and unrecognizable.”

“But I AM VAMPIRE HUNTER D! And anyway, I’m on a panel tomorrow. So I can’t show up unrecognizable from being covered in mud from my grave.”

Simon, picturing D

“On a panel?!” Chase exclaims. “You, Simon Lewis, on a panel. Facts? You’re on a panel?”

I nod.

“On a panel,” he reiterates for the purpose of clarity. “Why didn’t you lead with that?!”

“Yes, yes, and yes to however many questions - I lost count.”

“And he’s my Man of Honor. And,” she gets serious, “he’s moving to Italy.”

“What? Simon, what the fuck?” Chase is now pie-eyed.

“And he’s talking to someone.” She finally stops dropping bombs.

I groan, “Lily, I was trying to get to all of that. Just one at a time.”

“Stop right there. Both of you.” Chase is suddenly serious. “Simon?”

“Yes, Chase?”

“Talk. About Comic Con.”

Lily is unimpressed. “That’s where you landed? Of all those options. You want to hear about Comic Con.”

“Ok, Comic Con,” I acquiesce. “I’m on tomorrow at 11am, 1A18. They want me to talk about getting started at a young age. But after this morning’s meeting with Johnny, I’m beginning to think maybe that’s not what they’ll want to hear about at all.” I am internally happy dancing.

“Why - what’s that about?” Chase wants to know.

“Come to the panel and find out,” I challenge, barely concealing my glee.

They both look pained. Chase breaks the awkward with, “It’s a little late for tickets. We didn’t know if you’d want to go.”

“Why wouldn’t I have wanted to go?”

“For exactly the reason we were worried about you being mad at how long it’s been. Simon,” he raises an eyebrow. “You ‘later-bro’d me.”

I can’t decide if I’m feeling guilty for that. At all. Nope. Not feeling guilty.

“Kelly can get VIP Passes. Will you come?”

They look to each other for some silent communication. It appears to go a little like this:

“What do you think?” asks Lily’s raised eyebrows.

Chase’s squint answers, “I dunno.” He’s always had a hard time agreeing to do things without several days notice. It’s one of the things I changed about his character in the book. You can’t be a half-angel warrior without spontaneity.

Lily’s hopeful eyes and dimples scream back, “Please, please, please?”

Chase’s sigh is total capitulation. The tension in his shoulders lets go, telling me he’s in.

“Thanks, guys. I hadn’t realized how much I need you there for the announcement. It’s big, and I’m freaking out.”

Chase goes to speak but I cut him off. “Nope, not telling til tomorrow. Cuz for now, I have even bigger news. You tell him, Lily.”

“Which thing am I telling him? It’s all juicy. Like how you met someone and now you’re moving to Italy. Is that the part you mean?”

Chase is still communicating wordlessly. His eye roll says, “As if.”

“Dude, bro I-“ I begin, but Lily cuts me off.

“Did he just dude-bro you?” she asks Chase in alarm.

“Yes, Lily. Yes he did,” answers Chase, looking askance at me.

“Shut up. Whatever.” I wave the dude-bro away. Just tell them, Lewis. “So, I kinda met someone. Someone in Italy. Which is only partly responsible for me moving there.”

Chase finally seems to get it.

“You’re moving?” he asks, voice losing its bombast.

“To Italy,” Lily confirms.

“Uh, I guess, yeah, kind of? Yes, I’m moving to Italy,” I say with greater conviction and vehemence.

“Name, please.” Lily puts out her hand as if I’m expected to have a pocket full of gold to deposit there. But what she’s actually demanding is a different kind of currency. A name.

“Um, I don’t know. I can’t really- I mean I don’t really know what ‘we’ are, so-“

“Give us a bloody name, you wanker,” Chase pulls out the Britishisms. “Clearly it’s serious.”

Si, certo. “Billy.” It flows out of my mouth so naturally that I know I’m not wrong.

“Where did y-“ Chase begins.

“Sorrento. A hotel. Maybe you guys can come visit sometime?”

Again with the unspoken language of eyebrows and dimples.

“OK, sure, yeah. If we can.” He’s being noncommittal. Maybe they don’t get that I’d be buying the tickets. They’re pretty expensive and Lily and Chase are a few off-Broadway shows away from their big breaks, so they can’t exactly be buying airfare just because I tell them to.

“Good. Let me know when, so I can have Kelly do all the ticket stuff,” I clarify, but I can see Chase is already squirming. “She’s the only one who knows how life actually works. Like I guess that frequent flier miles are an actual thing that exists. Hypothetically speaking.”

“Oh!” Lily exclaims. “Frequent flyer miles? Cuz if that’s the case, I’m saying yes right now. Just to be clear.”

“Yeah, of course! Just let Kelly figure it out, once you know when would work, ok?” Suddenly I’m feeling brilliant. Their honeymoon. Oh my god I am so awesome. “Or, y’know, you could always do your honeymoon-“

“Done! Yes! Our honeymoon! Yes, please. Yes. Exactly! That’s exactly when we’re coming whether Chase likes it or not.” Lily is practically vibrating, and trying hard to keep herself tethered to the earth. She fails. She jumps up and down, clapping and giggling. I might have gotten that from her.

This kind of thing always makes Chase uncomfortable — the money talk. It always seems to make him itch. As if money talk gives him hives.

“Soooo, Billie? Who’s she?” he asks with renewed interest.

“Yeah! I want to know about Billie, Simon, spill,” she echoes.

Well, shit. This is awkward.

I take a deep breath, and wing it. “Um, yeah, so Billy’s a chef at the best hotel I’ve ever seen in my life. And you guys know what a book tour is like. So when I say I’m in love with a hotel…”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it, you love the hotel. Next?” Lily dispenses with the superfluous information. “More about Billie. Feed us.”

“Reminds me — let me know as soon as you pick a date, so I can get you a reservation. As much advance notice as y-“

“Blah blah blah restaurant, hotel, blah blah Billie! More Billie!” she demands.

“Are you moving to Italy because of a girl?” Chase isn’t excited about this notion.

“A girl?” I suppose that the following is not technically a lie: “Nope. Not for a girl. And anyway, even if it was partly because I like somebody, it’s just as much about loving Italy. The Mediterranean.” (I don’t misspell it, cuz I don’t want to confuse them.) “The speed of life there. The priorities are different there. And anyway, I already bought a car there. That’s like one step away from applying for citizenship. I like to finish what I’ve started, y’know?”

“Funny,” says Chase without even a hint of a smile.

“Wait. Are you getting-“ I pull back, eyes theatrically squinty. “Lily? What is happening on Chase’s face? This is a new one, and I’m not embarrassed to admit it scares me. A little.”

“I’m not sure, actually,” she says, studying him. “It’s almost the way he looks when some guy is hitting on me.”

“Chase, are you jealous? Please say yes, please say yes,” I tease.

“I am not jealous! Why would I be jealous!” He’s beginning to shut down. Lily and I both know the signs, so we let it go.

“Billy is a chef from Ireland,” I begin, and Lily is already swooning. The accent. Guaranteed. “And I will not deny that the Irish thing does it for me.”

“Is she a redhead?” asks Lily.

“Not a fan of the gingers, me,” Chase reminds us. It was one of the things I enjoyed most about writing up his dream girl — giving her red hair. His face looked pinched from sucking lemons when he first read it.

“Moving on. So I haven’t made any calls or done anything about moving, yet. So I don’t know about timing or anything. But I’ll let you know when I do.”

“Billie, please. Less Italy, more Billie. We’re frickin hungry, so feed us already!” she demands.

“What’s her best quality?” Chase wants to know.

“Beauty, yeah of course, and specifically the insanely green eyes. But really? Billy thinks I’m funny. Like, actual laughing and not just laughing to be nice.”

Their faces tell me everything I need to know.

“You’re making her up,” Chase claims.

“Agreed, she doesn’t exist,” says Lily. “How could you lie to us — right to our faces?!”

“Facts! And actually kinda seems to care about me. Like for real and not just for imagination.”

“Why do you think she’s worth dropping everything to shack up with her?” Lily asks.

“Billy is a lot of things, Lily. And ‘worth it’ is definitely one of them. I’m actually kind of fucked up about it. It’s a connection. A weird and unexpected one. But it’s a connection and it might be the first real one I’ve had since I met you guys. Damn. That’s kinda heavy. Right?”

They both vigorously nod in agreement.

Did I just ask them to come visit me and my very masculine, male ‘friend’ Billy? I might be regretting that already. A lot. This represents the 10% success rate I mentioned earlier that differs from the 90% success rate of my gut-mouth.

————/-/————

“Simon?!” I hear pots and pans clang to the floor in the background.

“Billy? Are you ok?”

“Just-“ His voice sounds strained, like he’s stretching — likely because of the falling objects he’s trying to rescue. “One-“

I hear Italian in the background.

Was that Billy? Holy shit, I thought his Irish accent was hot. Wait. Now an older man’s voice in Italian is doing some kind of scolding.

“Si, normale, normale,” I hear Billy say, and I almost get chills. Then I do get chills cuz he’s saying, “Grazie, Vittorio. Grazie mille.” I want him to say that, but with my name in the middle, and directly into my ear. Low and private, so only I can hear.

At least I know enough to catch that he’s speaking with one of the owners of the hotel. The one who runs the kitchen. Head chef. Michelin stars and all that.

I’ve only gotten a handful of words, but god it’s good to hear Billy’s voice.

What the fuck is up with me? I am so completely beyond my comfort zone. Because only things that I know how to do are in my comfort zone. If I don’t know how to do something, how am I supposed to be comfortable? Whatever. Point is, I miss his-

“Simon? You still on? Simon?”

“Yeah! Yes. Hi. Yeah, here. Hi.”

Billy chuckles on the other end. God what a glorious sound.

“It’s so fuckin good to hear your voice, mate,” rushes out of him. “I can’t even pretend it isn’t.”

“Fuckin hell, I know!” I can’t even pretend either.

“Lord, I think I need to sit my arse down a minute.”

I think he might miss me.

It feels like my digestive system has jazz hands, and I am grinning. I know this because I've just raised my fingertips to my lips to find out. And they are indeed grinning. If I had a mirror I’d be able to tell if it’s a dopey grin. I’ve never tried that kind of grin so I’m ill-prepared for encountering one in the wild.

“Hmmm,” Billy intones, then giggles. Recall how awesome those are. Giggles from Billy are musical, up and down the scale.

Billy tells me, “I love that you have no problem with thinking out loud — especially since, in the moment, you have no idea you’re doing it.” He’s teasing me. I’m feeling teased.

It’s simple. “I gave up caring. It wasn’t worth the energy. And anyone who can’t handle it won’t be able to handle me. So, it’s like a sieve for humans.”

“Weird metaphor, but ok,” he grants me.

It just occurred to me, “She Who Shall Not Be Named never commented on it. Not once. I kinda figured it wasn’t happening anymore. But I guess it is.”

“Simon?”

“Billy?”

“Did you ever feel like she took advantage of knowin what you were thinkin?”

Well, that was dark as one can get. I’ll admit my pride doesn’t love the implication.

“Probably,” I admit with an acrid taste in my mouth.

“Fuck her,” he says, simply. But there’s a vehemence underneath it all that makes my pulse go all irregular. He’s jealous. And protective. Of me! I feel like I just got asked to the prom by the hot exchange student.

“Why do I have to like you so much?” I accuse. “It’s really annoying.”

He doesn’t answer. “Billy? You still there?”

“Yeah.” His voice is weird and rough. “I’m here. I’m glad you called.”

“Me too.”

“No,” he says. “I’m really glad you called. I think I might be ah, em, a little fucked up over this whole thing.”

My heart plummets to my shoes. “Oh.” I don’t know what to do with this new information. I didn’t realize he thought this was fucked up. Ow. My…something hurts. Ow.

“Simon, that’s not even what I said, mate. I said that I’m fucked up, not that the situation is bad. You get the difference, right?” He sounds all wrong.

“Billy, are you ok? I’m a little lost, but I don’t want to be. So tell me, are you ok? Are…are we ok?”

“God yes,” rushes out of him all at once. “Tell me we’re ok, Simon. Are we?”

“Of course! Why would you- No, you know what? Never mind all that. I’m just gonna say it plain. I miss you, Billy Delaney. I miss you and Italy. I plan to see both of you by the end of the week.”

I hear a huge exhalation on the other end, and then I hear movement, as if he’s just slid down the wall to the floor, and landed with a grunt.

“Does that sound ok?” I ask.

“Y-“ He has to clear his throat, and it still sounds gruff. “Yes. Good. Yeah, yes. That- That sounds good.”

“Everything ok, Delaney?”

“Yes, Lewis. All is, as you say, ok.”

“Thank God.”

“Right?” he asks on another gust of breath.

“Why do I miss you so much? It’s weird, right?” I mean, it is. Right?

“Not to my eyes. Not to my ears. Or any other part of me,” he says. “I feel like I haven’t been able to breathe since you left the car. Vittorio is convinced I’ve lost a relation or something. I almost cut myself dicing, Simon. I almost cut myself, dicing!!! That’s beyond the pale, mate. Beyond the pale!”

“Be more careful, Billy, but don’t stop missing me, ok?”

“Ok. Say it back.”

“I promise, Billy. I won’t stop missing you.”

“God! I am so completely shite. Needin to hear that from you. Embarrassing.”

“But-“ One word into my response, Ma busts into my bedroom. It’s after lights-out time, and she’s brandishing her matriarchy at me.

“Simon! What are you doing up so late?” she demands.

I feel just like I did when I was 13 and got caught with my hand in my jammies. “Knock, Ma! I’m on the phone!”

“You are not. You’re on the computer. Don’t lie to me.” Despite the fact that it’s the future, where computers are also phones.

I can do nothing but roll my eyes.

Billy chuckles. “Keep it down, Simon. They’ll be hearin your eyes in Italy.” How can he tell?

“Shh!” I hiss.

“Don’t you shush me, Simon Ira Lewis.”

“She just triple named me,” I whisper to Billy.

“Who are you talking to, young man?”

“‘Young man?’” Billy laughs. “So your mum’s the one as keeps threatening to turn the car round, then.”

“You’re being very rude to your mother. Don’t carry on another conversation while we’re having a conversation.”

“The irony,” observes Billy.

I shoot him a “Pshht!” under my breath, and growl with an actual “grrr.”

“You’re all up in my space, Ma. That’s not ok.”

Ma looks taken aback.

“Who are you to decide what’s ok? Respect your elders, young man.”

“Ma. Stop. And go away. Or I will. I’m serious.”

“Excuse me?!”

“I love you, Ma, but you’re killin me here.”

“Boundaries,” Billy sagely observes.

“Boundaries, Ma. We have some.” Then to Billy, “Shh! I’ll handle this.”

“You’ll handle what? You’ll handle me?! What has gotten into you?!”

“Nothing, yet.”

Billy has just snarfed water out his nose.

I can hear him choking in the background.

“Look, Ma. We’ll talk in the morning, k? But I gotta go give a talk first thing, so it’ll have to be breakfast, not brunch.” And seeing as feeding loved ones is plainly still her kryptonite, I decide to take the food route to her happy place. “Will you make the coffee how I like it? And some of your coffee cake?” Oh my god, the coffee cake. I just made myself salivate. I’m not ashamed.

I see her giving me a thoughtful side-eye. “Alright. I love you, honey.”

“Love you too, Ma. G’night.”

“You want her to leave the door open a crack, and the hall light on?” Billy teases.

“How do you know about that?! I mean, why would you say that?”

“No reason,” Billy answers. “I think I might love your mother,” he says, with that twinkling voice he gets when he’s delighted. Are all Irish people so twinkly everywhere all the time? I gotta find a better word than twinkly.

“Promise me she’s short,” he commands. “In my mind she is a mighty woman, but short.”

“Your mind is right. Jewish mothers are required to be short,” I report. “It’s the law.”

“I knew it,” he laughs. Again, with the twinkling. “Her accent is amazing. Why don’t you sound like her?”

“You mean like this? Soymun. You’re pretty close with your Soim’n, actually. Who knew? Brooklyn and Ireland. Two countries so far apart should not sound so close.”

He chuckles. Such a nice sound. “More. Do the voice, do the voice,” he demands.

“Really? Ok.”

“Ha HA! Yes!” I can hear him grinning maniacally. He should consider happy clapping. When words fail, it’s really the only thing left to do.

“OK. So here’s what she tells me this morning at 6am over coffee:

“Soymun,” I exaggerate her accent. “Did you hear we have new neighbors next door? You remember, where Mrs. Levy died.” (Mrs. Levy died?) “Such a nice young couple. Two men, you know. They get married these days. Such nice Jewish boys.” (Always with the NJBs.) “They got the most beautiful baby girl.” (Got? What, did they go shopping?) “I babysit from time to time, you know. Oy, so spoiled already. A strong head on her, that one. She’ll make a fine Jewish mother someday.” (God help her future sons.)

He stops applauding to inquire, “NJBs?”

“Nice Jewish Boys. Like me. It’s a thing. Just roll with it.”

————/Billy/————

Billy: send me a dick pic

Grumpy: adfsdadfslkjsdjf

Grumpy: you want a what

Billy: ☝️printed right there

Grumpy: rhetorical q

Grumpy: back to the dick pic

Billy: yes please back to that

Grumpy: are you kidding

Grumpy: no dick pic til i know if you’re kidding

Billy: have you ever taken one

Grumpy: NO!

Grumpy: i mean yeah of course

Billy: you’ve never taken one

Grumpy: no

Billy: send me one

Grumpy: why???

Billy: are you feckin jokin me?

Billy: if your hand was doing what mine is

Grumpy:

Billy: just a little somethin to inspire

Grumpy:

Billy: refresh my memory

Grumpy: so how’s Lola?

He’s attempting to distract me with his car.

Billy: send one

Grumpy: you’re bossy

Billy: do you like that

Grumpy: jesus billy!!!

————/-/————

Ten minutes of banter later, I have the dick pic, a full bath, candles in the window, lights off, and almost an entire bottle of Bushmills 12. I swirl the whiskey round the ice til it starts meltin, then let myself into the water, relaxin against a towel folded behind my head.

I like making Simon feel wanted. Desired. But I was also wanting the dick pic currently glowin in my hand.

The hand that’s not currently cupping my balls, giving them some much appreciated attention. I prop the phone up against the window, so both hands are free.

I compare the pic to my own cock. Despite being the same size, they really are quite different. He’s cut — that’s the obvious difference. But he’s also veinier. Different color, too. Mine’s more, I’m not sure, maybe darker? But his looks sort of peachy, with a rosy head. I recall it looking angry red when it’s hard.

Grumpy: I’m waiting

Billy: ?

Grumpy: for yours, you cheat!

Billy: ok

I hold mine in my hand, stroke it and take a couple shots. The second one is best (why? dunno), so I hit send.

Grumpy: glargh *swallows tongue*

Grumpy: no swallowing jokes

Grumpy: unless they’re good jokes

Billy: you don’t want me thinking bout swallowin

Billy: but you’re fine with me thinkin bout your tongue, tonguing?

Billy: that’d be alright then would it?

Billy: i’m so turned on that even textin can’t make my cock go soft

Grumpy: you don’t play fair

Billy: you got no idea

Grumpy: merp

Billy: goodnight simon

Grumpy: no! billy wait!

Billy: my hands are busy

Slippery under water, my cock is almost painfully hard, but the slip and slide is everything good in the world.

Because of a dick pic. That is mental.

But look at it!

I think I just- Did I really just salivate?

Now all I can think about is picturing Simon slipping and sliding in and out of a mouth. Not my mouth, specifically. Sort of a gender neutral mouth. And just thinkin bout Simon gettin sucked off, my brain stutters, my pulse, my stroke, everything stutters as the bright light of pleasure glows throughout me and I’m groaning.

I twist as I pass the head on every stroke. God yes. My breathing picks up.

The imaginary mouth sucks on the crown of his cock. The image sends a lance of pleasure through me. I imagine my hand doin the same to his balls as I’m doin to mine.

In my mind, I’m picturing Simon feelin everything I do to myself, as if I’m doing it to him. I use it to create the fantasy. The fantasy expands to include my cock gettin sucked off. And it’s a pair of lips I’ve never kissed. I can’t believe the strength of wantin Simon’s lips on my cock, and wantin Simon to feel it as if it’s my lips on him. Mmmmmfff.

Oh shit, what’s- Text notification. Simon’s just sent another text.

His cock. Long, thick, rock hard and red. The angle is mmmmf his thighs in the background, and ungh his ssssac against his course shorthairssss.

I get two flashes of pleasure in quick succession. Oh fuck yes. Hhhhhhhhhhmmmyes.

My cock jumps underwater, sending out ripples as electricity courses down my length.

Unnnnhhh, my imagination is still hard at work. I can no longer tell what part belongs to who, where sensation and imagination meld. In my hand. In his mouth.

Mmmmmm in his mouth.

I can see it with such clarity. That mental image makes my balls draw up high and tight, and all they want is release. Oh Jaysus, the image is so clear. His mouth, red and puffy from bein used. Spit-shine on his lips, running to his chin. The vision makes me moan, like a glow from a thousand miles away. And I keep on moanin, as a thrilling feeling of urgency swamps me. I arch my back, the pleasure drawing from every part of me, until I uncontrollably gasp “Fffffffffffffuh!” And suddenly I’m pulsing come into a cloth.

My cock in his mmmmouth. I convulse again, pulsing out even more, and my moan turns into a whine as I encourage one last strained pulse from the head.

My chest is heaving from holdin my breath. Sometimes I forget to breathe when I come. And if I can manage to keep control of my cock long enough to time my climax right, some of my most powerful orgasms have come from holdin my breath longer than a reasonable man would. The gasp of air when I tip over the edge is an orgasm that comes on a head rush and a sudden infusion of oxygen.

I’m not one for choking, though. Even the thought of it makes my cock shrink.

I step out of the bath and rest against the window frame, appreciating the view of the boats in the harbor all lit up like sparks on the water. I let myself air dry in the night breezes, luxuriating nude by the open window lettin in the floral scents of the gardens and the salt off the sea.

It’s a beautiful night, and I am sated.

————/-/————

Masterlist || ao3 || start || prev || next

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[imoonf1]

When the lights go out, he's all I ever think about the picture burning in my brain, kissing in the rain. I can't forget, my English love affair

Wattpad (Spanish)

Sidney Sex list

Spotify

Chapters

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Sisney De Luca. Argentina. vocalist .22

IG: bySidneydLu tw:SideofSid

Paddock friend . lovely Sid

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Mason Mount. Football, England. 24

IG: MasonMount tw: MasonMount

The english love. London Boy

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Luka Weber. German. guitar. vocalist. 22

IG: itslukab tw:Lukauka

the first love. passionate german boy

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Erling Haaland. Football. Norway. 22

IG: Erlinghaaland tw: erlinghaaland

Big boy. lovely erl

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Kostas Tsimikas. Football. greek . 26

IG:Kostastsimikas

the affair. greek scouser

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Chris Davis. USA boy. bassist, 27

IG: ITsChrisD tw:ChrisDDD

adoptive brother. the oldie

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Johnny Smith. drummer. USA boy. 24

IG:ithinkimjohnny tw: mrsmithjohnny

Johnny boy . invisible man

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Playlist !

English love affair — 5sos

Into you — Ariana Grande

Partire da te — Rkomi

Eyes off you — PRETTYMUCH

Será — Las pelotas

Nunca quise — intoxicados

Brooklyn baby — Lana del Rey

Glowing in the dark — TGNTDC

Bad blood — Taylor Swift

Wildest dreams — Taylor Swift

Golden — Harry styles

You right — Doja cat

Jenny — Studio killers

Pierdeme el respeto — playa limbo

[xaviergalatis]

Said that hoe can not be mad at her

Makes me sad

Take that lil bitch in a date

They tryna copy my style watch how i jump in the crowd

All that matters is you the one feelin it

Pull up with the drake let the blow hit him

Autotune

How the fuck im flexong like this

When/while I land

Better hide yo bitch before zaza hit that

I just dropped a pill mom don't vacuume

Now every time I press a ecstasy

And now he living in a mental home

Ganging new fans no new hit record

Florida water

If 12 come kicking in my door today, I'll sit in a cell

Cuz' they gon find seven different drugs, and weed in the scale

Sometimes I think that I should quit but I know that's a never

I might go I'm

Herd your

Fuckin n that butch n gettin money

You done for soft

Only rapper from my city riding with switches on em

The AMG outside

Tokyo

These bullets got his head like John f Kennedy

I'm BeastMode, you don't know Mav

Xay

You're man is a goofy

He can get touched

Looking like I rob banks

I was looking at the gra! I don't even like likes

This is not mumble rap. This is murder rap

Headaches a migraine

I pop percs n

I put Louie on my beanie

Smoking on Skittles

You going broke trying keep up with me

My new chain is taller then johnny dang

Neighborhood dealer

Never gave a fuck that's how I got rich

See you in pictures with too many opps

These racks be the reason I walk with a limp

Chrome heart

The outside white the inside brown like Michael Jack

!maybe in 4 5 minutes

The rest of the plan got scrapped when I land

Life sweet when you know the cost

Brooklyn

Pharaoh

Mary denim

Draco

these little rapper bois

Maybach truck

Awful records

Brush teeth

This ain't mumble rap this murder rap

Young skinny nigga with my dick in my hand

!y wrist a surgeon

Vest

I been popping seals

Smoking exotic

Shoot from the neck up

Pipe

Pull up with a stick let it hit

You can't match my energy

He don't even stop to get gas

Stand on that

You can get smoked trying to lil bro me

Group chat

Blown

WHat(ADLIB)

Fire arms on fire arms

With the chainsaw took his brains off

Eat the cake anime

We only shoot from the vest up

Fear of God

You know people gone be talking about us weekly

Lil Uzi but I'm nice now

Barely open up the curtains to the rooms I work in

I'm in the booth with a strap on me right now

My fico score is amazing though

Financial freedom my only hope

Voice inside my head said wet then if they test you

Heat your home like southern California gas

I bought a phone just to Snapchat pics of that wet ass pussy

They didn't see me cuz I was in my other Benz

I heard you stay in a metropolitans home

Who knew would do so much damage the internet wouldn't have the bandwith

I rewrite history I don't care about yesterday

Colosseum floors

At the air port they check all through my bag tell me that it's random

Should have been signed twice

Fuck you pay me

Yeezys on I don't slip

She swallow my kids

Big chop knock a nigga out zapatos

Put my kids on her titty

We only shoot from the neck up

I'm wit lil maceee If I catch a opp I cannot catch a Casey

in the hills like a pop star

Oh she thinks she funny bitch I'm halirous

I got the bad bitch doing !y dance

Fuckin with the mob shit get too scary

Why you rap like that if you ain't been up on a mission

Trigger happy quick to knock em down if he slipping

Eating crepe

You know we do shit out of spite

Future looking bright imma need some Ray-Bans

23 have the game in a gift wrap

Diamonds hit no light

Way befor I thought I get a deal

I hit it once then I hit the dash

My diamonds is wet just like the pool

Zay

Xavier

I didn't even need to use the AK

I really mean it I'm just not recording

Metro

Like Mike

No new friends

I don't check the price

Make my own money so I spent it how I like

Pimp hand

The game

Cashout

No numbers all apps this an encrypted phone

I keep the bread tied

Throwing C's

Said she USD to model for American apparel

Lil mama

Slave ship

Active

I feel like snapping today

Finna hit racks

I know she want to kickki it with me uh huhhh

Red flag

better keep it in your lap if you at that light

Spanish bitch

Nothing less then an FN

Hoe

Government name

Papi

In the home town riding rentals

Carrier woods on my face that's 8 bracket

Fake friends

Running man

Another six months, I'll be unknown

Remember the time that I spilled the cup

Of apple juice in the hall

The i8 I'm in, ain't came with no keys

Top

If I spend money imma go back and work it off

Flipped a one to a five flipped a five to a ten

Get off my dick little bitch

I need somebody and always

The webs from all the spiders

Uh, I don't like no Swisher, I like Grabba Leaf, lil' nigga

I never conquered, rarely came

Sixteen just held such better days

I got little hitters on the block now

Call my Glock the seatbelt the way I click it

I just be shippin' that Za', shippin' that somebody farted,

huh

Drakes ghost writer

This ARP got a red sight

Starts in the roof

Glocks on me and they lethal

Hop in srts and do fruity loops

He can't play big bank

Higher then God

Popped a 10 mg by myself had to relapse

Top friends

Oh, we on that shit too, I used to hit licks too

I see that boy gotta clap em

That one that you love sucks the whole squad

Sippin on muddy everything kid Cudi

Ride around the 212 with the stick on me

Choppa hit his ass make em do flips

I'm in Toronto like I'm cool with the drake

Sup syrup

Shorty

Cutter on me

Hell cat

One mic

I fuckk with Souljah boy

Shoot the shot long range

Try me and get swept

Doing numbers on the phone alone

She need ID she can't get in with out it

Move it to my place

Been a couple years since my child had a job

I ain't trippin', let 'em rest in peace

Ride around the city I don't need a wear a vest

Up pockets sitting in the trap

Fucked with a sick bitch now I got a cold

I'm faded than a hoe

Jump out

I really had them grams before you had a gram

How does it feel when you got no food

I swear these bitches !y mini-mes

Call me John Madden, fuck her in the Aston

Martin dropped the top bitch you know what's happening

I ain't gonna stop smoking on that Mary Jane

Look !e in the eye

Really bout that life

I am not a clone

10 toes

Straight top shelf shit

District the gang end up missing

Smoking hits off tinfoil again

I'm smoking dope in the v

I fuck your hoe for a week

Bitch as hella fat need a ass shot

I always keep a hoe I keep some

My feen bout to nodd off

Ipad

Phone

Ain't gotta lie about schemes

AP on my left wrist

Was it the Kush or the cologne forgot what I put on

Might as well record every thing I say on this

All I do is push the beat I don't write shit

Look how I walk on the beat

It's hard to tell my smoker no when he got 3 ones

We ain't here to make friends

Homie calling asking for visits

Susan bake both caught bodies

How your homie wear a vest but don't stay wit a strap

I beat the boss then text him you gotta eat the loss

My bro said he alright then killed himself why you lie to me

When your man got smoked that was my best blunt

Got the bread let it go like a hostage

I was in the park spray-painting on the platform

Half a mill to perform, I can’t let them fuck that shit up

Plus I love the way my middle name looks when it’s lit up

My psychiatrist got kids that I inspired

Some days I'm in my Yeezys, some days I'm in my Vans

If I knew y'all made plans, I wouldn't have popped the Xans

feel like Pablo when I see me on the news my

She keep pushin' me back, good dick'll do that

I keep a clip

Keep calling my phone bout his bitch

The industry

About to go back in

Coulda ran off the plug

But I kept it real and I showed him love

Bro just jumped out the ride with a mask on, face like he dodging COVID

If we go uptown, gotta hold that (Whoosh)

Wanna fly Dubai tonight? Lastminute.com, I'll book that flight

They gon turn up the AC then charge you for the blankets

Some paid 4-5 serious

it's July, shots get hot like summer heat

Body armor on, warmer in my palm

New project I let dram do it

The lights hit

Black President

How can you call me bro he's not my bro he breaking the code

She cheat I cheat we even

Good hair good body good face

I'm up in all the stores

Braid my wig ASAP tat on my ribs

It seems like r Kelly wet dreams I kept six teens

Countin' up in the Polo socks

Tommy Hilfiger my waistband, ayy I'm fire, I'm fuego (Fuego)

Ferragamo on my belt

Bitch mob

Went to jail for like 500 days

I know lil b he fucked !y bitch too

I might take I case I'm not living straight

I'ma keep selling that crack in

Them females plan on doing me wrong so I grab the thumb out the trojan pack

Met somebody baby mama inside of the VIP

I live fast die young, never take it slow Tell your girl to tell a friend that it's time to go

Yes sir

am nothing like these other niggas coming out this year"

So well spoken man I should have went to Cambridge

Please comprehend I am a Surf Club general

You don’t want be caught in the middle like a center fold

I'm calling your bluff don’t act like you can’t see me dialing

I waited four days, nigga, where y'all at?

I keep my noes as clean as I can

360 Yeezy boosts these ain't Roches

I'm tryna bust down a rollie

You make assumptions again

Middle fingers up

Middle of the function wanna gimme hug

Sippin suryp

MacBook on my arm I ain't got no dell

[unhetalia]

Man, I've been in fandom for such a long time that this question is really exciting because I get to mull over and think about so much media I've loved!

These are just fandoms/media I will still read/consume - there's a few that I don't think I'd ever be interested in again or a few where I'd probably only read a few fics that I won't put in.

Bolded are media I'm actively consuming/consuming fic in.

Inuyasha, Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho, Shingeki no Kyojin (fic only), Spy x Family, Prince of Tennis, Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, Slayers, Sailor Moon, Saiyuki, Ouran High School Host Club, Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun.

The Social Network, Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit, The Flash (TV), Arrow (TV), House M.D., Pirates of The Carribean (I do not condone Johnny Depp, and it's strictly about the fictional universe), BBC Merlin, Stargate: Atlantis, X-Men: First Class, The Untamed, Guardian, Brooklyn Nine Nine (non-fandom), Psych.

Gravity Falls (currently on re-watch), Scooby Doo (non-fandom), Avatar: The Last Airbender.

DC Comics, Percy Jackson, Calvin and Hobbes (non-fandom), Junji Ito (non-fandom).

BTS, Adam Lambert & Kris Allen (fic only), Fall Out Boy, Buzzfeed Unsolved/Watcher Entertainment.

Outside of specific media, I tend to gravitate to documentaries - mysteries, true crime, history and pre-history and nature ones are my favourites, and I don't tend to love any business related or celebrity ones. I love podcasts, once again of the mystery, true crime, etc. variety. Also I really like home-maker Korea youtubers but no... tradwife stuff. Just tips on cleaning well.

Regarding crossovers, I have certain fandoms I tend to gravitate to regarding crossovers/fusions. Stargate: Atlantis is one (I currently have a plot in my brain that I roll around in at night), and, even though I am not in that fandom, I also have a weird thing for meeting-the-Avengers for Hetalia specifically. Otherwise I'd tend to go for fusions instead, such as my England-is-King-Arthur plot, rather than him meeting Arthur.

I have... something against Harry Potter fusions where they replace the characters. Meeting them and having the characters react to them is something I like, because I love outside POV, but just them in Hogwarts tends to not interest me.

So it's a 'depends' for me on crossovers because I sometimes think some fandoms are really not suited to it, while some are.

Hetalia fans, what are your other media interests?

Some of mine are...

Western Animation:

-Avatar/Korra, Batman, Owl House, Arcane, Ever After High, She-Ra, Winx Club, Carmen Sandiego, Over the Garden Wall, Dragon Prince, Kim Possible, Disney Fairies, Miraculous Ladybug, Hazbin, Totally Spies, Blue Eye Samurai, Anastasia

Books:

-Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, Series of Unfortunate Events, Mythology

Games:

-Zelda, Endless Ocean, Animal Crossing

Anime:

-Ghibli, Aggretsuko, Skip Beat, Mermaid Melody, Tokyo Mew Mew, Shugo Chara, Zombieland Saga, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Attack on Titan, Beastars, Black Butler, Lupin III, Ouran, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Kimetsu no Yaiba, Perfect Blue, Rozen Maiden

Musicals:

Wicked, Epic the Musical

Do you ever like to do crossovers with any of them?

The italicised ones are crossovers I've worked on. Purple means I've posted about the crossovers, red means I haven't posted anything just yet.

I'll tag a few characters and ships I've included in crossovers.

[blondrichclosetwitch]

Out of control on videotape

I never could learn to drink that blood

You’re the one that’s got the key

I know it all was a big joke

Later he’ll be shot for resisting arrest

My fantasy has turned to madness

And all my goodness has turned to badness

My need to possess you has consumed my soul

I will find a way, and I will have you

I will collect you and capture you

You are an obsession

Who do you want me to be to make you sleep with me

Are you devils new or are you a spy

I think of you as a target

Here, I've touched the sensitive point

Wait, I will linger on it

It is time to pass to serious things my pretty doll

The more you scream, the deeper I will go into your quicksands

Can you believe that? Sick.

So I died in the back of the cab but I'll be back to haunt them

This thing does not end here

My spirit walks the streets of Brooklyn singing:

Fat children took my life

Fat children took my life

Fat children took my life

I say, Let's go, let's go, let's go to this magic wonder show

And I'm walking and crawling and so tired I'm insane and I have a baby boy

she's thinking "I can see So I can sing him a lullaby'

Time and time again I started wars in the heads of men

I'm sent to heal, angels are real

In a world of steel

"Tell me about your

"Cause they seem like very bad men

Well, we want to keep away from

And it's the worst thing they'veseen

As they're all standing around that tree

And I'm so sorry, and I can't stop crying

“I saw you get knocked down and I ran out. I bet your head was spinning with that bright pain…you're stunned. “

All those feelings and fears and all the difficult shit in all those tender years

Your schedule's pretty crazy, doing interviews

I don't think either of us yearns to share the stage

I wish I had covered all my tracks completely 'cause I'm so afraid 

I come to ride high on that seasick rolling wave and you know that I am just trying to get out

But you can’t get it down without crying

When I’m dressed in white, send roses to me

Through the mysteries of sight, you can’t get out

 Something inside of me talkin'to my fucking brain

I don't know but l.. i think I'm possessed

I've got blood on my hands

I just wanna say that I love you

You have the name of someone I love

Pay the man

Can't see me but I warned you

But I fear it's all just comin' back to

me

And I fear that it's all just comin' back to me

it ends in darkness

Here is like a soldier home from war with nothing to remember but the shutter of bombs. Will I ever feel like I belong anywhere? There’s only so much you can take. I might never be normal again.

She would meet you there in winter

He’s telling me it’s time to let you go

Barcelona

I don’t have to think I only have to do it the results are always perfect and that’s old news

I cannot see the end of me

Everybody grieves different.

Once in Columbus Ohio someone was harassing me(some guy) so I changed my work name to Jane(for quite a while, tbh)

God be my witness I never shall yield till we come face-to-face

Safe behind bars—this has a story attached

 every day was another fish tank and your head swims around

I guess I’d like to move back to the middle again

our head is a Cage and a parrot, it won’t shut up

With this love

Come together

Problems do have solutions, you know*

Too many lovers in one lifetime ain't good for you

You treat me like a vision in the night

1 ain't no vision, I'm the girl who loves you inside and out with my heart hangin' out

Just don’t tell them that you know me

What made it special made it dangerous, so I bury itself

Daddy I won’t forget —-my dyslexia keeps confusing me with yesterday’s numbers, but this Kate bush video with Donald sutherland is just great.


“I always thought this was about a Vietnam vet who suffered from PTSD and eventually succumbed to madness.” Admittedly I was watching all these seagulls fly in circles while Johnny jewel played, it looks so much better than the human condition. Also in our family, my grandfather was Big Johnny and my brother was Little Johnny, so there’s that.

I step down into sand

Water carries us from here

It’s the year, oh oh, extra super very (this comes from the twist after the lyric “I need human heat”)

Tbh, couldn’t figure maddening cloud out

Every perversion is justified

This is no ordinary love

I knew I'd curse you for the longest time

And when you are young, they assume you know nothing

And that shit is gonna end up being true

Beware of the Diamond Dogs

This go out to C.

I won't stop til we get justice

It's eatin' at my spirit, speakin' for the spirits

Cause you know what you’re doing, when you’re coming back

Can't live another minute bleedin' from my back cause I don't have another one for you to stab

And I don't wanna have another heart attack

I’m sorry, I’m sorry

And I can love the same man in the same bed in the same city

King Solomon's Mines, Exit 75

I'm still alive, I'm still alive

You were wild, where are you now?

Michael

You've got a way to keep me on your side

(Y'all can't fuck with T, baby) (i honestly don’t know I was busy and now I’m tired, goodnight)

[sl-newsie]

Distant: Mouthpiece x OC *Halloween Special* 🎃

Summary: The Jets and Sharks throw a Halloween dance, which attracts the attention of a girl who’s had her eye on Mouthpiece for some time. (Also I did look it up, the fanbase officially named Mouthpiece as Harvey Gonzales! I had no idea!)

“Uh, Grazi? A little help- ah!” The ladder swerves again and I can feel myself falling-!

“Gotcha!”

Strong arms reach out and catch me just before my head hits the ground, and I already know it’s Mouthpiece from how hard he’s laughing.

“Wow, Diana! That’s quite a fall! What’d ya do to make the ladder so mad?” His warm touch makes me shiver and before I can get too flushed he stands me up. “There! Right as rain, yeah?”

I swallow my feelings and smile. “Yup, alright here! Say you wouldn’t by chance be going to the dance-?”

“Hey, Mouthpiece!” Action scoots over and drags him away to the group-a Jets for some stupid prank, leaving me high and dry with no date.

Every. Single. Time. Every time I try to ask him out, Mouthpiece is always preoccupied! You’d think that by all the hints I’ve given that he’d wise up, but sadly that’s not been the case.

Just then Grazi and Velma walk up. “Took a nasty fall, huh Diana?”

I scowl. “Sure, you turn up just as the Jets show up. Where were you when I was about to get a concussion?”

She shrugs and sucks on a lollipop. “It’s not my problem you’re a klutz. Now go finish hanging the pumpkins.”

Normally I’d refuse and fight back, but I don’t mind pitching in for the Halloween event. It’s one of my favorite holidays, and it’ll be so rewarding when I show up tonight in my costume. It’s a vampiress dress that I sewed it myself, and found the poifect wig last week. 

After retreating to the back-a the gym, I find the last of the plastic pumpkins and start placing them next to the concessions table. Seeing everyone chat and get excited for the dance makes me feel bittersweet. When it comes to friends I don’t involve myself with the drama of the West Side goils, and instead find friends in odda places. Mouthpiece, Baby John, Kid Blink and Skittery from ‘Hattan, and a few from Brooklyn. Call me a tomboy, but I just can never understand why goils is so interested in gossip. Their jibber-jabber is way more strange than the boys’ jibber-jabber. And tonight it’s sad to say that hardly any of my friends will be here- or at least the ones that will talk with me. Maybe I can hang with Baby John while Mouthpiece continues to ignore my proposals.

“Nearly finished?” The principal walks up behind me.

I nod. “Yes, sir. I’m very glad that the Jets have been behaving.”

“I agree, though this time of year always makes me antsy. They always seem to slip Halloween pranks under my nose and I can never find out how! Thanks again for helping out with the setup.”

As the principal walks away I hold back a chuckle. No doubt the Jets have partnered with the Sharks to do something even bigger this year. Last time they dumped a bucket of pumpkin guts all over the teachers. Lord knows what’ll happen tonight.

“Diana! Ready to go?” 

It’s Baby John, followed by his goil Jackie. Of course every decent guy I know already has a date, leaving me to be the lonely wallflower tonight.

I force a smile. “Sure am, Johnny. You and Jackie all set for the bash tonight?”

Jackie, Velma’s little sis, grins and nudges John’s shoulder. “You bet we are! We’re wearing matching costumes! What are you going as?”

“It’s a surprise,” I say simply, then add a smirk. “You’ll have to wait and see. Now let’s go!”

After I’ve walked home and set my heavy backpack down, my mother’s already buzzing up to me.

“Diana, dear! Did you ask him?”

I bite my lip and busy myself by washing my hands. “Yes.”

“And?” My mother waits on-edge.

This is what I get for being too open with my parents.

“He never said anything. I’m going alone.”

My mother sighs and pulls me in for a hug. “Dear, you shouldn’t be going alone to social gatherings. At your age you should be going on dates! Is there anyone else you’d like to ask?”

My anger starts boiling and I push away with the hint of a scowl on my face. “No, all the odda boys are already taken or too stupid! Now can we please talk about something odda than my depressing social life?”

Before she can respond I dash outta the kitchen and rush upstairs, shutting my bedroom door and collapsing in my desk chair. Just relax. Just because he doesn’t feel the same doesn’t mean your life is over. Time to get my costume on.

Once I’ve zipped up my sleek black dress and clipped on my crimson cape, I all but wrap my honey-colored hair up in tape in order to fit on the wig. Black heels complete the look, and after a touch of goth makeup I head downstairs where I find my father waiting.

“Oh no! A vampire! Don’t bite me!” he teases as I walk over to grab my coat. “Remember pumpkin, you don’t need to have a date to have a good time. The fun is all in how you chose to spend your time, so go have a happy Halloween!”

At least his pep talk is better than mother’s.

I allow a small smile and give him a hug goodbye. “Thanks, dad. I’ll see you later.”

As I walk back to the gym I see it’s gotten much darker, almost sunset. My costume seems to give me some much-needed confidence and it helps even more when the people I pass keep giving me odd looks. All the perks of being something scary. When I get to the gym it’s super crowded with various costumes, but hardly any of them are like mine. No one decided to be scary this year? Sad.

“Whoa! And who are you, good-look’n?” I hear Action ask behind me.

I turn and find he’s dressed as a pirate, and is also standing with Riff, Bernardo, and Mouthpiece, who recognizes me instantly. His eyes look as if they’re about to pop out.

“Diana? That’s you? Geez, that’s quite a getup!”

“Like it?” I ask, just a little bit shy. 

He nods repeatedly. “Yeah! You’s always so- so…”

“So goody-two-shoes?” Grazi walks up dressed as a flapper goil and smirks at my outfit. “Bit goth, don’t ya think? You going to a funeral?”

I let her snappy insults wash right over me and decide to walk away to the concession table where Tony and Maria are standing, both dressed in homemade candy corn costumes.

“Hola, Diana! Please join us!” Maria beckons me over. 

“Luv the costume!” Tony praises.

I smile and shrug. “Thanks, that means a lot. At least you guys think so. I just escaped the drama queen herself.”

Maria’s face scrunches up. “Oh, no. You can hide over here with us. Forget about Grazi.”

Tony nods. “Trust me, Diana. Nearly every guy here’s given you at least a second glaze since you came in.”

I bite my lip and look away. “I just wish Mouthpiece would notice. But all he ever does is act like I'm just any odda person, even though we’s been friends since kindergarten.”

Tony starts to say something, but then gets interrupted by Riff. He and Maria go off to join the odda Sharks and Jets, leaving me once again to be alone. 

I sigh and mudda to myself. “I wish Spot or Blink were here…”

“Well they might not be, but you get the next-best thing!” A voice says from behind.

My eyes light up and I turn around to be met in a big hug. “Racetrack Higgins, you son-of-a-gun! You crashed the party?”

“I couldn’t miss a chance to see my brodda now, could I? Besides, you guys have way more fun dances than we do!”

Seeing the Manhattan boy gives me new-found joy, but that still doesn’t hide my previous feelings.

“So what’s got ya down, Di? You’s all dolled up in this gorgeous outfit and you’s off in the corner look’n sadder than the dead.”

I huff and roll my eyes. “With how people are here I might as well be dead. All my friends got dates except me. That and your brodda’s been putting me on the back burner.”

Race gets a distant look in his eye, then smirks. “Well see, that’s the thing with us… When there’s one-”

“The odda ain’t far behind!” Mouthpiece sneaks up and tickles my sides.

“Wait- you- Mouthpiece stop it!” I cackle as I try to squirm away. “Did you know Race was coming?”

Mouthpiece playfully shoves his twin brodda and they both laugh. “Can’t split us up all the time, can they? I tried to find ya but you’s off hiding over here!”

Race sneaks me a strange look with a gleam in his eye. “I think I’ll meet up with you two later. Right now I’s gonna go scam some punch.”

He walks off, and almost instantly Mouthpiece’s body language changes to be more stiff. As if I’ve got a contagious disease. How did things change this much?

“So, um… I haven’t seen ya around much.” That’s because you haven’t noticed! “How’s it been?”

It’s been saddening to see my friend get distant from me.

“I’ve been… ok. I see you’ve become good chums with the Sharks.”

He laughs and looks over at where the odda boys are talking. “Yeah, we’ve got a great prank planned for tonight! Wait ‘till you see it!”

Normally I’d share his enthusiasm, but I still can’t understand how he thinks ignoring me and then chatting it up is all fine and dandy.

“Great. Gonna be a blast, I bet. Um, I gotta go. Have fun tonight, Harvey.”

His real name. Mouthpiece knows I never use his real name.

I turn and hurry away to lose him in the giant mob of students, all previous thoughts of excitement and Halloween all forgotten. Of all nights why did it have to be during my favorite holiday? Unfortunately my dark outfit stands out like a sore thumb and Mouthpiece spots me before I get to the back door.

“Diana, wait!” He scoots out right behind me. “You avoiding me?” He talks in a joking manner, as if it’s nothing.

How is this fair?! “But that’s- It’s not-! Ugh! I can’t believe you can’t- Never mind!” I keep walking away into the streets bustling with trick-or-treaters, but he still follows.

“Wait, what’s wrong? What can’t I understand-?”

I lose what’s left of my little self-control and shove him against a lamppost. “I’m in luv with you, you stupid Jet! I’ve tried and tried to show you but every time you act as if I’m just a friend and will always be just a friend!”

His face flashes 50 different expressions, ending with an open-mouth flabbergasted look. “But… you’s never said anything before.”

“Just because I’m quiet don’t mean I don’t have something to say. But how would you even know if I did say something? You’ve been more distant than I have! Now unless you’re gonna be my friend again then please leave! Maybe I can squeeze in some trick-or-treating to help save what’s left of tonight…”

Just then, strong hands grab my hips and I’m turned to face Mouthpiece’s bright blue eyes. 

“Say you won’t kill me-” My breath hitches as he leans in and presses a soft kiss on my cheek. “I never thought I was good enough… never wanted to put you in danger. But I never wanted to seem cold or distant to ya. I’m sorry, Di.”

I- I don’t know what to say, what to do- He’s felt this way the whole time? “H- How could you put me in danger?” I ask in a shaky voice.

“Because-a the Jets. After what happened with Tony and Maria I thought that I’d never find a goil who’d put up with me, what I get caught up in.”

I set a steady look and bring a hand up to his face. “I’m not afraid to get dangerous, Harvey. You know me better than to think I’d shy away from danger. And since you’s on good terms with the Sharks now there’s been no more rumbles! I’ll luv you no matter how crazy your life is. I just hope I’m enough to keep you happy.”

Mouthpiece hugs me closer and buries his face in my wig. “God, Diana. Is that even a question? I luv you so much it’s been so hard not to say anything. Will ya still take me?”

My fingers run through his blonde hair and take a deep breath. “You’re never too dangerous for me, Harvey Gonzales. I’m finally glad to know you luv me back! I’ve missed you.”

Mouthpiece leans away slightly and gently removes my wig. “I wanna see you, your own hair, your own face- the face of the goil I’s luved my whole life. And I wanna kiss you again.”

So he does. Deep and passionate, but nothing too fast so it’s not uncomfortable. It’s everything I’ve waited for!

“D- Don’t you have a prank to do?” I try to say in-between kisses.

He doesn’t miss a beat. “I’d rather stay here with you.”

When we break apart to breathe, in the dizzying bliss I put my head on his shoulder and nip at his neck. 

Mouthpiece chuckles. “Uh-oh, I got bit by a vampiress. The nicest, hottest vampiress I could ever deserve.”

I let his childish joke slide and hug him impossibly closer, letting out a happy sigh. “Good to have you back, Harvey.”

[64-jungle-planks]

Happy 124th birthday to Al Capone!

(Sorry I am a bit late today, and I'm sorry the drawing is in pencil again! I got really sick. I have a lot of photos that I took, though! I'm super excited to show you guys)

124 years ago on January 17, 1899, Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York. In his yearly years, he lived with his mom, dad, and siblings at 95 Navy Walk.

I'm pretty sure Al went to school at either Public School 133 or Public School 7. It would make more sense for him to attend 133 because it's a 20-minute walk (nowadays) compared to 7 which is an over 2-hour walk. It would also make sense because, five minutes away, is Brownstone Bagels and Co., the rumored start-up hideout of Johnny Torrio.

I believe the story of Al hitting a teacher is true, with the context that he was fighting a kid over his stolen lunch ((a fight which the teacher was trying to break up) this version of the story is from Al Capone: His Life, Legacy, and Legend by Deirdre Bair, it's the one I find the most believable). I don't believe he left school, though, in Uncle Al Capone by Deirdre M. Capone, she states that Al "did earn a high school diploma. Contrary to what many biographers have written, Al Capone was a high school graduate. I have a photo of Al—the earliest photo of him that I am aware of—on the day he graduated from high school, and his father is sitting proudly beside him.”

The family then soon moved to three places on Garfield place: first 38 Garfield Place and then 21 and 46 on the same street. Al then moved to Chicago in 1919 and the rest of the family soon followed after him in I think August 1923.

I also want to include a horse shoe I found while walking about Garfield Place that was stuck in super old concrete (according to my dad). When looking at it, it made me think that one of the Capone boys put it there while fooling around as a kid. I don't have too many funny stories on Al like I do Ralph, so I hope you folks like this!