#w. darlington.

[amberxfthenight]

— sim. — a resposta de amber foi seca, apesar de o tom em si não conter nenhuma rudeza. ele era um historiador com muito tempo livre afinal de contas, de forma que aquele tipo de curiosidade fazia parte de algum de seus estudos. o rapaz vestia-se de forma elegante, certamente a combinar com o esplendor da festa, contudo, obedecia um código próprio de vestimenta que se alinhava ao espírito de alguém que parecia estar constantemente vivendo em séculos passados — por mais que o romeno só tivesse experienciado os séculos xx e xxi em sua existência vampírica. anuiu com a cabeça na direção do tremere. — eu diria que depende do ponto de vista. particularmente, com o seu otimismo, não duvido que seja. — concordou, por mais que não houvesse entusiasmo algum em sua voz. amber cruzou os braços, voltando a encarar as estrelas, algo que estava fazendo simplesmente por não ter nada melhor para fazer no momento e desejar ficar sozinho com os próprios pensamentos. certamente, ele não esperava que o ato fosse atrair a atenção de outro vampiro, esperava que o tremere se cansasse rapidamente de sua melancolia e fosse embora curtir a tal noite inesquecível. — eu estarei indo embora assim que possível, mas espero que outras almas mais festeiras como o senhor consigam aproveitar o evento.

Open Starter

Local: Sala de Jantar; Iate

Quando Darlington recebeu em sua casa o convite para celebrar a posse da nova diretoria da Amaranth Company, Carmilla Sevilla, o vampiro não ligou em um primeiro momento e até mesmo considerou a possibilidade de se ausentar do evento. Porém, se tratando de uma cidade pequena como Eden, uma festa daquele porte atraía atenção e olhares de diversas pessoas, e visto que ele fazia o possível para não levantar suspeitas a respeito de sua verdadeira natureza e se esforçava para se manter integrado à comunidade, Darlington Fraser não tinha outra alternativa a não ser comparecer no evento. O vampiro fez questão de separar seu melhor traje para ocasião e não pode esconder sua surpresa ao reparar na opulência da festa que estava sendo realizada em um iate enorme, claramente tinham investido e muito para a celebração da posse da nova diretora. Darlington se dirigiu a princípio para a sala de jantar e pegou uma das taças de bebida que os garçom estavam servindo. “Você sabia que no passado as estrelas eram usadas para fazer previsões sobre o futuro?”, comentou para a pessoa ao seu lado que, assim como ele, também estava observando o céu e a beleza daquela noite em particular. “Posso não entender nada sobre prever o futuro, mas me arrisco a dizer que essa noite será inesquecível”.

[onewakingworld]

I HAVE BEEN CRYING OUT TO YOU FROM THE START

[vaguely-concerned]

after all these years of listening to his voice my nicholas boulton radar is so powerful that I clocked him one sentence into his role in this radio play adaptation of lady windemere's fan (he plays cecil graham and I'm fairly sure it's the naxos production, for anyone who might be interested! martin sheen is also in it as darlington and does a great job)

[velvetbunniie-archive]

okay, but. okay, so i only read this because i followed someone that was annoyingly obsessed w it and i wanted to see if it was that good. which it’s fine! i read it very quickly and enjoyed it! but i’m a little befuddled abt the AMOUNT of praise it was given???? it’s a tight book up until the end, and then it loses its threads (a common complaint w stephen king as well, so. hm), and idk. someone tell her to take a breath and realize that everything does not need to be crushed in at the end. we don’t need to describe everything. sometimes the mystery is compelling. i would’ve actually liked to end the book with a lot more questions than answers, because that rlly would’ve fit with the sense of investigation that pervades the whole book. it would’ve been fun to feel like a amateur detective w the main character. dunno.

[bloodtwin]

forever thinking abt when i romanced minthara and she told me that bc baenre belongs to her mother's house OUR house would have MY name and the world would learn to fear it and i had to stop to giggle bc my boy's last name is DARLINGTON

[apollotronica]

i heart emoji miyayuu hes been spoonfeeding me directly

[lil-gae-disaster]

Christmas oneshot everyone :33

(all dialogue is in French btw)

@hamalicious-soup @papers-pamphlet @knowledge-paradox @almaprincess66 @imobsessedwiththeatre @rae-unbeloved @doodle-bug-nightmares

The snow was falling outside. It looked pretty from inside where Juliette Favre lived with the boy who she was tasked to take care of- no. Her son.

Jonathan was mere 7 years of age and he had grown to her like a son would have. The boys father rarely looked for him and if he did it was only briefly. She could almost delude herself into believing he was her own and that delighted her. She loved the boy as if he was her own flesh and blood, and she could tell he loved her like she was his mother.

His father disapproved of her raising his son in purely the language she was raised in, but what did he expect from a caretaker who barely understood the English language? He annoyed her greatly. The man never cared for his son like he needed to be cared about and yet he made those unreasonable demands instead of resigning his responsibility for the dear child who is so bright to her, too.

Said small boy was looking at her with those shining and curious eyes and a smile brighter than the sun could ever hope to be. "Mama, the snow is beautiful!" he told her with amazement shining in his bright and big eyes, filling them with life. He was such a gentle boy, she could not understand how his father could not care for him.

"It indeed is, my dear Jonathan." she supported his statement. And it was, it was like a white blanket of purity was thrown over the backyard of the family. Alfreds other son likely hadn't discovered it yet, as he is prone to destroying it. She did not understand this boy and how he and her dear son could share even a drop of blood. Jonathan always was respectful of nature while Darwin was prone to destroying it.

One good example was when both boys coincidentally simultaneously were in the yard in the spring, to simply enjoy the passing of winter. While Jonathan had been sitting in the grass with Juliette, the older woman answering her sons questions, a butterfly had landed in the boys hair, which was tied back in a simple braid. Darwin saw that and scared the butterfly, which also scared Jonathan. The butterfly left and he begun to chase it with his bare hands.

...looking back, this was not a particularly good example of Darwin being hostile to nature, the thousand slashed trees after his swordfight training would be better to showcase this, but it was still burned into her mind. Her son has looked so spooked and sad the butterfly had flown away, she felt genuinely sorry for the boy. Once they were inside, she gave him a book to read- a simple fairytale she took from her childhood home when she moved to Darlington. She then drew a simple butterfly for Jonathan, to cheer him up. And it worked really well, the boy was beside himself out of joy.

She looked at the drawing fondly while Jonathan occupied himself with a toy he got when Darwin was no longer interested in it. What would become of this boy when he was only fed new things and not taught how to appreciate what he already has? He was not her concern, but she could not help in her worry. Darwin was becoming a spoiled little boy who could not appreciate others, much less inanimate objects.

How many times has she observed the boy pushing away his meals because it was not what he requested, even though his requests would not taste good? How many times has she watched him destroy his toys and utensils because they were not complying with how he wanted them to, even though they do not have a consciousness to decide how they will behave? He was becoming greedy and not appreciative of what he already has. She was glad Jonathan was not like this, that he does not want what he does not need and that he appreciates what he does have, no matter if it is too little and he deserves much more.

Her sons laugh pulled her out of her musings. It seems while left unattended, he opened the window and a squirrel decided to explore it. And now it seems the little squirrel deemed Jonathans unruly hair a perfect place to sleep for a little. The little boy was obviously delighted and stayed still so that he would not scare the little thing.

Juliette wished she could hold this moment forever, but a boys hair is no place for a squirrel. "Jonathan", she called his attention from where she was sitting in an armchair, "a boys head is no place for a wild squirrel" she gently reminded him as she got up and gently picked the squirrel up to let it go outside again.

When she returned her gaze to her son after she saw the squirrel scurry off to the tree close by to continue its nap there, she saw him pouting. She had to laugh a little as she closed the window and led the young boy closer into the room.

"You should make yourself presentable, Mr. Smith awaits us for lunch in a little." She told him. Juliette never liked the man and could not understand how he became a husband, let alone a father. But even she had to admit it was gentle of him to invite them each year since Jonathan could talk to lunch, church and dinner with eventual presents on Christmas Eve.

The presents for Jonathan were rarely more than one, Alfreds care did not seem to extend so far as to get his younger son gifts. But it is not like Jonathan cared much for the number of gifts, he was content with the gift she always gave him.

Juliette had to smile at the memory of Jonathans big grin, from ear to ear, when he unpacked a blanket she hand stitched for a year during his archery lessons last year. He was overjoyed, even though she was not proud of it. The rest of the evening was spent of him tracing the embroidered corners in childlike wonder. She loved this boy as if he were her own.

The memory faded and she spotted Jonathan desperately searching his hair brush, his clothes put on disorderly. She made her way to him and fixed his clothing. Then she fetched everything she needed and begun braiding his hair. Alfred disapproved of Jonathans hair being longer than past his shoulders, but she could hardly cut it with Jonathans big brown eyes pleading her not to. She was a weak woman.

She decided to be a little more creative, seeing as it was Christmas eve, and braided a few strands before tying them simply together. It was not what Jonathan would usually wear, but he did not seem to oppose this.

Juliette got ready on her own, her curly black hair tied back as neatly as she could, in addition to her wearing her best dress, a simple and yet beautiful light blue dress her sister sent from France. Jonathan matched this with his own light blue clothing.

They made their way downstairs and got greeted with a diplomatic smile from Alfred Smith and a scoff from Darwin. Jonathan did not seem to mind, thought, as he looked at the richly filled table. They both took their seats together with father and son and after a prayer, they began to eat.

Alfred tried to strike up conversation with Jonathan, skillfully ignoring Juliette next to him, but the boy just started his studies in English. The man was talking too fast for him and Juliette could not help him since her English was not much better than that of her son.

After multiple failed attempts on Alfreds side, he let go of the mother and son duo and they continued their meal in silence until Jonathan started telling his mother of his new archery lessons and progress. Apparently Alfred caught up on Jonathans still lacking English, therefore he started speaking in French to the boy.

"How are your English studies progressing?" The man asked with faked interest. Jonathan looked for his mother for the answer of whether he should answer or not. She gave him a small smile and a nod, so he turned back to the man calling himself his father.

"It is hard but I am trying." he answered and this was true. Juliette saw him sit by himself sounding and trying the new words in his mouth, trying to understand the language. Alfred nodded in approval and then spoke with Darwin for the remainder of the lunch.

Church was interesting, to say the least. Juliette had to hold Jonathans hand from stopping him from squirming in his seat as the pastor talked in a language they both barely understood. She once spotted Alfred rolling his eye and Darwin giving them a glare. Why do they even bother when they do not enjoy their presence, she wondered bitterly.

The bitterness flew away when Jonathan started to lean against her, his eyes looking into her own light blue ones. She smiled and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer.

She never believed much in god, so the church visit did not mean as much to her as it perhaps did for Alfred. Jonathan was falling asleep by her side, surrounded by his mother and safe. But the pastor ended before he could fully drift off to the land of the dreams. He requested to be carried, and therefore she lifted him up into her arms. The small boy snuggled up to her and promptly dozed off again.

The church was only a short walk away, so she accompanied the head of the house and his son back to the mansion. Alfred seemed to wonder about something.

"Does this not spoil him? You are willing to comply with all his requests, this will only result in him being a spoiled little adult in the future." Alfred asked, nodding to the small sleeping child in the nannys arms. She chuckled a little before responding.

"I do not think so. I am willing to give him the affection a boy may need to grow properly, I am not bending at his will. And I teach him to also to listen to his heart above anything else. He is a good boy, you know?" She told her employer, annoyance bubbling up in her at the man's questions, but willing to answer them. She needed this roof over her head and she, admittedly, has grown quite attached to the boy.

Alfred made an 'O' shape with his mouth and then nodded in understanding. "I am sure he is. But he reminds me of my late wife..the grief is too much to properly care for him alongside my young Darwin." He told her, a trace of regret that could easily be seen as a show entered his face as his deeply green eyes laid on the sleeping boy.

Juliette would have loved to express her distain towards the man but she held herself together and simply smiled gently as she looked down at the boy sleeping in her arms, probably feeling safe, content and protected.

"He will grow up to be a bright young man, he's so very smart already." she told the man while a hand of hers began to roughly comb his hair with her fingers. It was soft and nice to the touch, a reflection of the boys character himself. She looked up to the man, whose eyes have gained a hardness behind them.

"He is no better than Darwin. He will not surpass my boy, who is way beyond boys his age already. Meanwhile Jonathan barely speaks English, as an Englishman." He told her, his eyes now not even glancing at mother and son.

Juliette dared to roll her eyes behind his back. "This deficit is not his fault, do not blame him for it." She argued, but her superior did not answer, so she sighed and continued the walk in silence.

Once back at the mansion, Alfred tasked her to look after both boys while he oversaw the preparations of dinner and the gifts being placed under the tree.

It was.. exhausting. Darwin refused to speak French, perhaps he did not know it, and resumed to reading one of his books without speaking to either of them while Jonathan woke up in the meantime and idly chatted with his mother about anything that came to his mind. Towards the end, Darwin slammed his book shut and started yelling at them, but neither could understand what he was speaking, their lack of understanding for the English language was at fault for that.

The boy seemed to notice he had no success in his yellings and returned to reading until another maid, a nice young girl with enough knowledge of French to communicate with Juliette, but originally from the Russian empire, fetched the French woman and the two boys for dinner.

Dinner was spent in silence besides the occasional remark from Alfred about Jonathans appearance or yet lacking English skills, Alfred chatting with Darwin or Jonathan sharing a thought he had with his mother. But any cross-interaction between those two family entities was minimal.

Afterwards, Juliette quickly had to abandon her son for s few minutes to fetch her gift for him this year. It was nothing much, but she hoped it would still bring him joy. The gifts were many in number and varying in sizes.. of course all of them labeled with Darwins name.

This made Juliette sad and glad at the same time. Sad for her dear son who faced this unjust treatment out of reason outside of his control and glad she did not raise him to look at the quantity of presents, more the quality and love shown through them.

She snuck her poorly wrapped gift with a little distance to Darwin's to not risk the boy assuming it is his too and tearing everything off, robbing Jonathan of his only gift he had this and every previous year.

First Darwin was allowed to open his presents. They were all new utensils and necessities he did not need in Juliettes opinion, he already had perfectly working ones. If Jonathan felt envy, he did not show it. He was genuinely excited and happy for Darwin and what he had gotten and even tried to hug him to show his sincerity, but he was rudely pushed off by the older boy, the push amplified by a glare and a subtle turn away from him.

Juliette, who caught her son, gently nudged him to unwrap the one gift for the younger boy, and he gasped and exclaimed a string of various expressions of gratitude. This made the older boy curious whether his younger brother had gotten something more valuable in money than his gifts, but he was disappointed and relieved when he found a mere scarf.

Jonathan was over the moon, though. He immediately moved on to inspect the piece of clothing and excitedly told his mother about all the small things he noticed. He also immediately found the note Juliette left for him folded into the scarf. It just read "Je t'aime*", but he was so joyous about this note he got up and hugged the woman he readily called his mother.

That laughter and joy was worth everything for her and even though she did not always give him what he deserved, he deserved a much better life than what he experienced here, she was grateful for those little moments.

* Je t'aime = I love you

[fleshcarverfugitive]

if they had a kid you say ..........

𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫. | 𝐈𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐝 𝐀 𝐊𝐢𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐞

Name: Phyxraen "Phyx" Darlington Name meaning: "Blessed Disciple / Apostle".

Species: Half Drow, Half Whatever Puck Is. ( Wood Half Elf?? Withers wtf is he -- )

Class: Oath of Ancients Paladin (Eilistraee), Wild Magic Sorcerer

Gender: Male(ish) -- he / they

General Appearance: ( see above lol ) - drow genes Too Strong. He does have a birthmark like Puck though! It's just on his chest, usually covered by his clothes.

Personality: He's genuinely kind, like both of his parents - seeking justice and freedom for those he meets. Not a huge adventurer, but has some semblance of his mom's love of traveling & seeing new sights. Very curious. A bit of a weirdo, but in a good way.

Special Talents: While not as severe as Puck's, if you make eyecontact too long w him, it causes mild headaches. He got the watered down version lol. He's also a wild mage like Amalica.

Who they like better: In a shock turn of events? Puck. He probably gets Phyx's weirdness just a bit better than Amalica does - and. correct me if I'm wrong. Is definitely the chaos parent between the two of them. Gets Phyx to break out of his shy little kid shell. :]

Who they take after more: Honestly? He's an even mix of both. What happens when you put Amalica's moral compass in a weird Def Not Bhaalspawn Anymore body? You get Phyx. Probably the most normal child they could possibly have.

Personal Headcanon: You know that English professor that thought he stepped on a Ladybug and started reciting Hamlet at it, so no one wanted to tell him it was a red M&M? That's Phyx. 100% him. Blows someone up with his magic in the name of JUSTICE and then apologizes /hj

[stratfordsympathizer]

darlington, spawning in his own ballroom in gold bondage gear w ram horns and a glowing dick: hey stern can you-stop screaming, it’s me. stern can you get me a book on urban planning hell is really boring.

[checo-max]

09/01/13 – NASCAR @ Darlington (Cook Out Southern 500) 🏁

Results 🏎 P23 -> P8 (YAY TOP TEN WHOOP WHOOP)

Standings ✨️P9 (w/ 2007 pts)

Photos 📷 cavittcaptures, dirkbizub, team penkse on instagram

[foreverrandomwritings]

What’s In The Vows?-Part 4/5

Summary: It’s finally yours and Natashas wedding day. Will everything go to plan? Will tears be shed? 

Pairing: Natasha “Phoenix” Trace x afab!Reader

Warnings: Super fluff, sex mentioned at the end, mentions of alcohol and drinking. I don’t think theres anything else though. 

Word count: 1719

Masterlist   Series Masterlist

A/N: This can be read as a stand alone but will probably make more sense reading the other parts first. “What’s In The Envelope/Box/Plane?” The venue in this story is actually a venue I found doing research. 

You and Natasha had planned your wedding quickly after you had proposed to her. You had both realized she could be called away for a mission anyday and wanted to plan everything together. By some miracle there was an opening at Darlington House and you had booked it for June 3rd. 

The ceremony would be outside and the reception a mix of inside and outside. The florist, DJ and baker were all found quickly. The venue included catering. There would be an open bar. Penny knew someone that did photography and had availability. Natasha had decided against dress whites. The both of you found your dresses and had them sent for adjustments within a week of the planning starting. 

Phoenix had asked Bradley, Bob, her younger brother and sister to all be a part of her wedding party. You had asked your chosen 4 as well. Pete would be officiating the wedding. Jake and Javy were going to be flowermen and ushers. The whole squad had somehow gotten approved for that day off. Meaning no one could be sent on a mission that would overlap with the day. The both of you wanted to be sure they could all attend as they were practically family. 

The bridal shower, engagement party and bachelorette parties were all on one day and combined. Neither of you wanted to do your own things for the Bachelorette party and also wanted her younger siblings to be able to enjoy it. So it was basically just everyone involved in the parties hanging out watching movies eating junk food.

As the day approached you were both growing jittery. Not at all nervous as the both of you were excited to spend the rest of your lives together. But you both wanted everything to go to plan. You had decided to stay the night before and night of at a nice bed and breakfast close to the venue. 

You had whispered sweet nothings to each other as you laid in bed together the night before. Tangled in the sheets and each other. Soaking in the calmness of the night together, the buzz of the wine from the rehearsal dinner still vibrating through your bodies. Until the two of you fell into a blissful slumber nothing but a mess of limbs and even breaths. 

The morning of the wedding was spent peppering each other’s bodies in lazy kisses. Embracing the peace of your quiet room before the rushed hours to follow. There was an early breakfast in bed feeding each other various foods in between your giddy giggles. Looks of love and adoration were shared. 

Then Bradley came knocking on the door saying your time was up and he needed Nat to start getting ready. So the two of you reluctantly separated, a final kiss planted upon each other's lips as she slipped out of the room. Bradley took his job as man of honor very seriously and had already made sure Bob and her younger siblings were in the bronco before pushing her out the front door of the quaint bed and breakfast. 

You were whisked away to the venue shortly after with your entourage in tow. The both of you had packed everything you’d need in the trunks of your respective cars the night before. It was easy to get set up in your rooms and before you knew it you were heading out the door for your first look. 

The both of you had decided to do the first look in one of the many gardens the Darlington House had. You both had tears in your eyes as you saw each other. She had on a form fitting white dress that accentuated every curve of her body nicely. There were pearls and lace placed in the perfect places. The back was cut low exposing most of the skin underneath. The neckline was just low enough to expose her collarbones and worked into lacy sleeves along her arms.

Her hair was in a messy styled updo with occasional strands of hair hanging out. She had on a subtle makeup look. She had forgone jewelry except for a pair of pearl earrings her grandmother had gifted her. She looked utterly radiant. 

“You look absolutely stunning, baby girl.” She had whispered to you as she held your hips in her hands staring into your eyes. You rested your forehead against hers as you resisted the urge to kiss her just yet. 

“I have never seen a sight as breathtaking as you sweetheart.” You said breathlessly as you brought your hands to rest on her cheeks. Then you were kissing her, slow and sweet. Wanting to mark your last kiss as Fiancés as memorable as your first kiss as Wives would be. You pulled away and rested your forehead against hers once again. 

“Let's get married, Nat.” You spoke to her as you finally pulled your hands away from her face. She gave you a final peck on the lips before parting ways with you. 

She was walked down the aisle first by both of her parents. Then you were walked down next by your respective people. Seeing her standing at the altar had your heart fluttering. You had dreamt of this day as soon as you saw her in that bar all those years ago. You just never imagined it would be as amazing as you’d hoped. 

You joined hands with her as you passed your bouquet off. You wore matching smiles on your face. Full of love and hope and trust. It was a feeling like no other when your eyes connected with hers. Tears springing forwards once again. But you held them back, desperately wanting to see her clearly. 

“We are gathered here today to join these two wonderful women in matrimony.” Pete began the ceremony.

“They have decided to speak their own vows, Natasha will go first.” He gestured towards the woman standing across from you. You squeezed her hands as she took a deep and shaky breath. 

“Growing up I was always certain of one thing. I was going to be a pilot in the navy. After I finally achieved that I wasn’t certain about anything anymore. I had never thought about life beyond flying a super hornet. That was until the day I met you. I was confident then that I was going to marry you. As I stand before you today I am now confident that I will spend the rest of my life fighting to get home to you. You will always be something, someone I am confident in. You have been an unwavering support in my life for so long now. I will love and cherish you for the rest of my days, baby girl.” Tears were steady along your cheeks as she finished her words. She brought one hand up to wipe them away giving you a smile that meant so many things; reassurance, commitment and unconditional love. With a squeeze of your hand that was still connected to hers you began to speak. 

“I have feared many things in my life. I have feared the unknown of what the future would hold for me. I have feared heights and I have feared not having you come home to me. But the one thing I have never feared is loving you. I know with you by my side I will never have to fear again. I will not fear the future because I know it holds you. I will not fear heights because it is something you crave and find peace in. I will not fear you not coming home because I know you will fight with everything you have to come home to me. Sweetheart, I will love and support you for as long as forever lasts.” Then it was your turn to reach up and wipe at her tear stained cheeks. You stared at each other like it was the day at the bar all those years ago. You were completely entranced by each other that the world around you came to a halt. It took Pete loudly clearing his throat for your eyes to separate. 

“May I please have the rings?” He turned to Bradley who quickly reached into his pocket and handed them towards the captain. You steadily slipped the rings onto each other's fingers as he went over the meaning of the rings. Then you waited with bated breath to finally have her lips on hers. 

“You may now kiss the bride.” He spoke out and that’s all it took for the both of you to surge forward. 

Your lips crashed upon one another as steady as waves crashing upon the shore. Your hands wove around her neck as hers cradled your cheeks. The kiss was confidence and happiness. Once you pulled back from each other lightheaded and blissed you let out a quiet giggle. She smirked at you as she pulled you back towards her, giving you another slow kiss. Lips making promises of your future together. 

After what felt like only a moment you were twirling around the dance floor enjoying your first dance as a married couple. You had picked a song that had been on in the bar the night you first met. You hadn’t needed dancing lessons as you both decided to just wing it. It was full of laughs and stolen kisses. 

Then came the time for speeches. They started out as Bradley cracking a joke and then crying towards the end at the thought of his best friend being married. Bob came up and wished the two of you luck. Then it was her siblings who were laughing through the whole thing. Her parents gave a brief sentimental one. It worked quickly through your party. 

Before you knew it the night was coming to a close and you were both climbing into the back of one of Petes' many restored cars. He whisked you away as the crowd cheered and roared behind you. You held each other's hands trying to keep them off each other until you could get into your room at the bed and breakfast. You had both gotten breathtaking lingerie pieces for the night and couldn’t wait to see the other adorning them. You both looked forward to the honeymoon awaiting you Monday morning.

A/N: The Honeymoon part will be coming up soon. That part will most likely include smut.

Tags(open): @wkndwlff & @sylviebell​

[sunfortune]

ok maybe i’m jumping the gun bcos i’m only halfway-ish through hellbent, but! as much as i love the dynamic between darlingstern and as much as they are both developed as characters, i feel like there was no development between the two of them? there’s no scene or chapter that makes me go, “oh that’s why they’re so insane abt the other,” and i keep expecting a flashback to happen to explain it. the crystal smashing scene was cute but i don’t see how it makes alex become obsessed w saving darlington or how it makes darlington consistently reach out to her when he’s in hell. am i going crazy i feel like i’m missing something. the mutual obsession is 10/10 but it’s like. Why are they mutually obsessed with each other

i thought that too which is why i thought they were like no way near being in a romantic relationship after ninth house. and after i went in the tag and people were writing ninth house fic where they just get together. i was like nooooo! they are not ready for that

and when leigh bardugo was like i wanna write like ten books for this series i was like yeah!! bc they NEED to be like scully and mulder and be in an insane codependent workplace relationship for like ten million years before they get anywhere romantically

until she changed her mind and made it a trilogy so then the trajectory of it changed in book 2.

but i do get why alex was trying to get him back in the beginning. it wasn’t necessarily romantic. he was her friend but also she feels guilt for her hesitation when he got sucked in after figuring out the ground zero stuff. and then the intrigue of no one being able to figure out what the hell happened to him added to the obsession.

and then the whole reveal of how if HE was disposable to lethe how much do they really care about her. it’s codependent coworkers

i didn’t get why he was also insane. until they gave his backstory and he was just as lonely and neglected as her despite the polished veneer of him. so like i GET why they latched onto each other (they litchrally have no one else who’s in the same boat) but i also think it’s true they need sooooo much more until a romance between them would actually hit.

but i do think at the end of book 2 they are in a new place entirely bc their standing changes a lot. this dream was lowkey foreshadowing of where they are at the end of book 2 too: it’s not the same

i think part of it is just classic codependent coworkers situation which then warps considerably after alex literally went to hell to get him out. like they’re still very much coworkers despite all that. so now it’s weird lmao. and it’s really hard to be casual about it. even tho alex is very much trying.

but yeah i also think they are not there romantically yet but they are also insane so it kind of doesn’t matter bc the devotion isn’t romantic. i need them to keep being insane. and with how much book 2 changed the trajectory i think book 3 can pull through if done well. but who knows. here’s hoping <3

[whipplefilter]

I’ve missed the last month of NASCAR due to traveling and I MISS IT LIKE A LIMB. I need it in my blood. I actually did listen to a lot of the Kansas race live on MRN due to being jetlagged and up at 4AM, and really enjoyed the finish--I would have preferred a KL W but many of my favorite race finishes are Kyle Larson finishing P2 to JGR (KL vs. Denny at Darlington two years ago, KL vs. KyBu at Chicagoland in like 2018 or 19...). On account of MRNing it, it hasn’t even really been a full three race weekends--and even though it was at N Wilkesboro, this past weekend was only All-Star anyway. The YEARNING, though--!! The yearning!!

And like, personally, I’m an advocate for a shorter NASCAR season--let the crew see their families ever maybe???--and I enjoy the off-season break. But May is peak NASCAR time, in my book. Playoffs aren’t so near, so everything’s still (mostly) fun, and it’s a great stretch of tracks. (Though I will also say that Ross Chastain is even more my nemesis than ever.)

I really want to watch the 600, because I love an endurance race, but I’m visiting family and I’m not sure if I can steal away. And I cannot subject normal humans to six hours of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. 😂😂😂

In any case, the Haneda Airport loves Cars 2!

[stormlit]

SYBELLE DARLINGTON. 20. human/vampire. present day. concert pianist from new york.

character background/info behind the cut for mentions of abuse & parental death.

piano prodigy whose career was managed by her older brother, fox (aka closely controlled in order to make her reliant on him, though she didn't realise this). she'd been rushing back from vacation with her whole family in order to get to a concert she was performing at carnegie hall, with a record company set to record it for her second album, when they got into a major car accident that killed both her parents.

sybelle shut down almost entirely. she didn't play the concert, she didn't leave the apartment, she didn't take care of herself. fox's abuse escalated from control to verbal, to minor physical and then extreme physical abuse. and sybelle dealt with it by playing the appassionata over and over again.

she was taken care of by her adoptive brother benji, a savvy 12 year old who became her protector and her voice, and she in turn protected him from fox. benji is her family. she would do anything for him.

fox is killed by armand who comes to nyc post-dubai*, drawn in by sybelle's playing and witnessing the abuse. both sybelle and benji think him some kind of angel. and when armand is near-death after being burned in the sun, they rescue him and bring him back to their apartment, they take care of him, bringing him a victim to feed on. sybelle in particular is fascinated by watching him hunt.

they become a family, almost just like that; armand considers them his kids, and sybelle thinks of him as a father. he sets up trusts for them, buys them clothes and anything they might want, takes them to symphonies and ballets. she loves him, is never scared of what he is, and they have a very special bond. armand almost lives in hiding with them, away from the turmoil of the vampire world/the wreckage of what he left in dubai.

sybelle and benji are both turned by marius, armand's maker, entirely without any of their consents; marius had been looking after them, briefly, and did it with the intention of keeping armand around, not caring even that benji is a child. armand is furious with marius for it.

honestly, very little changes? they hunt now, which sybelle takes to quickly and deftly, but they're still just a little family unit. she doesn't mind being a vampire, though she hates telepathic speech and people being in her head. she does, eventually play concerts again, though carnegie hall is far from her first choice, and she does put out more recordings and perform on livestreams, but success and fame isn't something sybelle has ever sought. most of the time she doesn't even care if anyone's listening to her play. she's fine if they do, but it's entirely unselfish; she just wants them to enjoy the beautiful music, which she didn't write.

if you're into classical music or attend concerts in new york, you may know her name, though.

sybelle is both autistic and suffers from long term brain injury. these don't just disappear once she's a vampire, though the severity of some of her dizzy and headache spells definitely lessen; there is no magic vampire cure. she's also traumatised, and has never properly worked through her grief over her parents or what her brother did to her. she doesn't care what people think of her, and she doesn't talk much; she will go an entire day without saying anything, or only to benji or armand, and she often feels like she's in a dream-like state.

she doesn't care about vampire politics in the slightest, but she's an observer, watching how things work with wide eyes. her first reaction is rarely fear, but morbid curiosity, and she has no real sense of danger. but she's more aware of what goes on in the world than it might seem, cares more than she should about atrocities while not being bothered by the nature of vampires eating people, and knows her own mind, even if it might seem she does not.

*obviously open to working with how armand writers want to play it, i'm very happy to write her in the 90s, but by default she's modernised to work with the show

[unicyclehippo]

smth abt watching drawfee makes me love making characters again like.. on their own totally seperate from any specific storyline . it’s the same feeling I get from making a random dnd character like.. ok this one? this is the roundest person u have ever seen.. that’s so good ok what else.. their hair? GREEN. undead connection or hair dye? yes. it’s a little old lady who dyes her hair green bc she was PUNK when she was a teen & she STILL IS. also she’s got an eyepatch bc she lost a game of eyeball hockey. naturally, her weapon of choice is a hockey stick, offhand weapon a knitting needle. she sews & knits a lot, making scarves for all the billion orphaned urchin kids i use for my other dnd characters (& also the weird investigator characters). she has a couple pairs of dentures & they’re her tooth tool sets like one of them is her lock picks & they’re just solid diamond, & then her unarmed attack is a full set of metal fangs. she’s so round bc a) round hell yeah but also b) so much stuff in her jacket. she wears a helmet bc safety first kids before u jump into a dragons cavern!! it’s covered in stickers. she falls asleep in ten seconds flat & NEVER takes evening watch….but she’s up at like four am so she’ll take the last watch. huge fan of the birds in her garden & she talks abt them like they’re little cardinals & robins n stuff but then it’s like Surprise she has this Enormous giant eagle steed or smth but it’s not a giant eagle it’s like a idk a giant crow & it’s absolutely bedazzled n bedecked w treasures she gives it they’re best friends they bitch abt everyone. alternatively it is a cardinal or smth bright like that, only it’s the size of a bus yknow. she has dangly earrings they’re cutlery I was gonna say non functional but im now obsessed w the idea that she pops them out when she’s gotta eat thats so funny. i feel like her name is smth like Agatha “Concussion Percussionist” Darlington & i love her

[the-red-mafia]

The Catalyst

Johnny leads the teens through the area, safely reaching the stairwell to the catalyst before being ambushed by Darlington. Will Mad and Solana be able to reach them in time, or will they be lost to their minds? Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry this one is two weeks late, we needed extra time to prepare it. Double post today so after you're done reading this one, go check out the next post: The Assassination. Next Update: 11/11/2023 Word Count: 3026

Immediately after "The Game"

Solana’s bat collided with Darlington’s stomach again, sending the boy flying down the hallway. He let out a laugh before glancing back at Mad, whose screen was blank. 

“You okay, Mad?” the elf asked, lowering the weapon.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” it replied, “Mostly, at least.” 

“Is something going on?”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this place,” Mad said, causing Solana to chuckle.

“Cursed places will do that.”

“Well, yeah. But…I don’t know. We’re sure Zaeor gave Maroon this game, right?” Solana frowned.

“As sure as we can be, I guess.” Mad crossed their arms and looked up at the grey ceiling.

“Why would Zaeor give Maroon a cursed video game? Surely he knew about the curse, right?”

“Maybe he didn’t,” Solana replied, “I don’t think he would intentionally give it to Maroon.”

“Maybe…” The elf leaned against a wall.

“Or maybe he needs to get rid of this curse and wants us to do it.” 

“But why not tell us so we’re prepared?” Solana shrugged.

“I don’t know, I’m not a god. I’ve got no idea what he’s thinking.”

“Right…” Mad mumbled, “Wait, where’s Darlington? Shouldn’t he be back by now?” Solana frowned and pushed herself off the wall.

“Yeah, you’re right. Where is he?” They looked down the hallway, but no one was coming back. 

“Um- excuse me-” Mad quickly turned around, barely managing to step out of the way before Solana swung their bat at the boy behind them. He quickly stepped back but was hit by the elf’s second swing. 

“Nice try, Darlington,” they muttered, raising the weapon again, “Ready to get pummelled again?”

“W-wait! I’m not who you think I am!” Mad put an arm out in front of Solana.

“Who are you then?” 

“I’m Johnny Darlington, but n-not the one you were fighting! That’s an evil version of me, I swear!” A smile appeared on Mad’s screen.

“I believe you. What are you doing here, then?” The boy took a deep breath.

“Your friends. I was h-helping them get to the catalyst and…well. They’re in danger.”

When Velvet, Maroon, Thorn, and Johnny rematerialized, the surroundings had morphed once again. Velvet looked around at the lines of desks and chairs, computers sitting on top of each of them. The yellow wallpaper was back, although it was partially covered by various frames. Instead of holding paintings, however, they were all white paper. 

Next to them, Thorn lurched forward. Velvet groaned and quickly grabbed a trash bin. They handed it to him, and he promptly turned around and threw up into the bag. Maroon stepped away from aer slightly.

“Thorn, are you okay?” They didn’t respond.

“Teleporting makes some…weaker people lose control of their stomachs,” Velvet said, smirking. Thorn flipped them off.  Maroon placed a hand on their shoulder. Thorn looked up at them and smiled weakly before returning to the trash can and vomiting again. 

“Where are we, Darlington?” Velvet asked, crossing her arms. 

“This is as close to the catalyst as I can take you,” he began, “My magic doesn’t work any closer.”

“Of course,” the teen muttered. 

“I don’t remember this level from the trailer. What-”

“It’s not a level. This is what goes on behind the scenes. It’s where all the mini-games and puzzles are monitored.” Thorn set the trashcan on the ground and grabbed a tissue off a desk. 

“So which way?” Velvet began. Darlington led her to an exit door which led to a concrete stairwell. Maroon helped Thorn to follow them as Velvet looked up and down. 

“If my info is right, at the top of the building is where the catalyst is.” Thorn looked up at the dozens of stairwells and groaned. 

“All the way up?”

“All the way up.”

“Fuck,” he breathed. Velvet chuckled before starting up the stairs. The others followed behind, Thorn still grumbling behind her. The sound of printers rumbling came from the closed doors along the stairwell. Voices came through quietly as well, immediately putting the assassin on edge.

“Are there other people here?” They demanded. “J-just NPCs. nothing to worry about.” Velvet narrowed their eyes.

“Mhm…sure.”

“You’re being paranoid, Velvie,” Thorn called out. The assassin flipped him off as the voices suddenly stopped. Velvet froze at the top of the steps. There were only two more flights to the top but Darlington choked back a sob. 

“He’s here,” he breathed, “I’m so sorry.” Velvet raised two of her throwing knives. 

“Stay behind me. I’ll take care of it.” They glanced back at their teammates but they were gone. The corridor was completely empty as a laugh echoed up and down the stairwell. Velvet gripped the throwing knives tighter and sprinted forward. Footsteps reverberated behind them but they quickly kicked the door open before slamming it closed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 

A cold breeze hit her back, causing her to turn about. Their throwing knives had disappeared, along with the red zip-up and scars down their arms. A black, short-sleeve dress took its place and fell just below her knees. They stood in front of a large brown door, dozens of stickers scattered on it. In the middle was some kind of word: C-A-R-

“What the fuck,” the teen breathed. Their heart skipped a beat as they spun around. The marble walls, the dark brown doors, the towering glass window behind her-

“Fuck- How-” She turned back to the door. A rainbow was peeling off now, and an odour wafted towards them from underneath. They clenched their fists. 

“No. I’m not doing this. Whatever you’re trying to do, Darlington, it’s not happening!” Another laugh, followed by the sound of a gun loading right behind her head.

“Open the door, dēvotiō,” Unor’s voice whispered, “Your surprise is behind it.” Velvet could still hear the smirk in his wicked voice. They took a deep breath and stepped forward.

It’s not real, it’s not real- they repeated as they turned the knob. The door slowly pushed open and the assassin shut her eyes.

“Open your eyes, Velvet,” Unor’s voice muttered again, “Look at him. You did this, you know.” The stench was overwhelming, to the point where Velvet knew exactly what was in front of them. She slowly opened her eyes before slamming them closed. 

Maroon spun around as a chill went down their spine. Thorn’s warm hand was long gone along with Velvet and Johnny in front of them. The teen took a deep breath and raised their hands. 

“Where are you?” They called out. A laugh came from behind them. 

“Right behind you, Margaret.” The dull grey walls of the stairwell seemed to melt away into brown and white and various seats materialised on either side of them. A large white cross hung on the wall in front of them with several young children sitting in pews. The rest of the seats were empty and a man dressed in a black robe stood at the front of them. All eyes turned towards Maroon as someone shoved them to the ground. 

“Margaret. How lovely of you to finally join us,” the man in the robe said. Maroon froze.

“She was playing around in the forest again, Father,” the person behind them stated coldly, “Sleeping under a tree, no less.” Maroon could feel tears running down their face as they took a deep breath. The robed man walked towards them. Maroon heard their own voice tell him to stop, but he didn’t listen. Every step that he took brought a familiar feeling into them. Their hands grew cold as the robed man slapped them across the face. 

Maroon took another deep breath before mushrooms exploded around the church hall. They grew through the wooden floor and wrapped around the robed man’s legs. His screams pierced Maroon’s ears and were shortly followed by the high-pitched screeches of the children. The adults shouted at them but their words reached deaf ears. The robed man now lay dead on the floor, mushrooms growing out of his ears. His head exploded, his brain now turned into tiny pink fungi. Several other adults followed suit. Maroon closed their eyes as the ground shook, the walls soon crushing the remaining living humans in front of them. 

“Maroon!” Thorn shouted, gripping the knife so hard his knuckles were turning white. When the laugh echoed, he quickly slashed behind him. The area rapidly changed around aer, morphing into grey stone walls. Paintings hung up on either side of it but they were drowned out by various vines in front of them. 

A red slash hung in the air where Thorn’s knife had sliced. A silhouette began to form around it before it solidified. Thorn stared in horror as his red-haired mother’s body slammed into the ground. The knife, blood dripping from it, fell out of its hands. 

“No-” he whispered, “No, it’s not real. It’s not-” His mother let out a loud scream, forcing the prince to cover aer ears. The word ‘no’ kept dripping out of his mouth as the queen continued to scream and writhe on the floor. Footsteps thumped down the hall and the door behind him flew open. 

“Love!” The king shouted. He stopped in the doorway as Thorn slowly turned towards him. His sword was drawn, just as it was.

“Thorn…” he breathed, “Son, what happened?” 

“They…they…” the queen’s voice faded out. The king looked at Thorn and his eyes fell to the bloodied knife at aer feet. 

“Thorn…” He whispered, “What have you done?”

“I didn’t- I didn’t mean-”

“You ‘didn’t mean it’?” the king’s voice grew louder and Thorn quickly closed his eyes. It wrapped itself in its arms and took a deep breath.  

“Thorn, look at me!” The king demanded. Tears began to form in the prince’s eyes as he breathed again. 

It's…not real, they thought, Maybe if I just…do it…everything will go back to normal.

“Thorn!” The king shouted again. They felt his rough, calloused hands through the thin sleep tunic they had on. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the king. A few tears ran down his face as he shouted, demanding to know what happened. Thorn shrugged the king’s hands off and picked up the knife.

The image froze right as they dug the knife into his stomach.

Solana felt a little nauseous after the “good” Johnny Darlington teleported them. She looked over at Mad, whose screen was still blank. The robot tried to look around but Johnny quickly grabbed their arm and pulled them across what seemed to be an old office. 

“They’re this way!” he called out, “He used his magic on them-” He opened the stairwell door and sprinted up them. Solana had to sprint to keep up with the surprisingly agile boy. As they climbed, laughter began to echo down. The trio stopped on a landing, Solana pulling Mad behind him and raising his bat. 

“They’re…they’re a few more flights up,” Johnny mumbled. The “bad” Darlington floated down, still laughing. The two of them looked almost identical, except for Darlington’s pitch-black outfit compared to Johnny’s jeans and a t-shirt. 

“At least we can tell them apart well enough,” Solana mumbled.

“That’s what you’re focusing on?” Mad replied. The elf shrugged.

“Just glad we won’t have a switcheroo situation.” They stepped forward and swung the bat at the floating middle-schooler, but he just floated upward. Solana watched him reach his hand out as it glowed a light lilac. The room suddenly grew dark and Darlington disappeared from view. 

Solana was sitting down all of a sudden, the inside of a small ship surrounding them. A small window was in front of her, a younger Nolan on the other side. A chill shot up their spine. 

“No,” they breathed.

“Solana!” Mad’s voice pierced the ship, the walls rippling. Solana turned to where she thought the noise had come from.

“Mad?” The ship snapped back to the grey walls of the stairwell. The elf shot up, panting. Darlington was groaning on the floor down a level while Johnny stood in front, facing him down. Mad was to her left, taking her pulse. 

“What happened?” 

“He tried to trap you in your worst memories,” Johnny said through gritted teeth, “Like he did with the kids. It’s a twisted version of my magic.” Solana jumped to their feet. 

“How’d it stop?”

“That was, uh, me,” Mad mumbled. It sheepishly raised Solana’s bat and handed it to them. Solana smiled and turned back to Darlington, who was once again getting to his feet.

“Let’s do this, then,” she began, “Maybe if we pummel him enough he’ll let them go.”

“Maroon!” Their eyes shot open. The ruins of the orphanage were covered in green plants now, and the dust had settled. Their mushrooms had receded into a small patch at their feet, still growing slowly.

“W-who’s there?” Boots hit the grass behind them and Maroon turned around. Velvet walked towards them in their mission uniform, hair short once again. “Maroon, wake up!” They kept walking towards them, but their mouth didn’t move.

“Velvet?”

The prince looked around at the frozen image. Their dad’s blood floated, the smell of iron in the air. His mom’s screaming had stopped but his heart kept beating hard.

“Mom, Dad?” it called out. No response. Thorn let out a relieved breath. Warm arms wrapped around aer, causing aer to jump slightly. A familiar smell slammed into their nose.

“...Maroon?”

“Thorn!”

Velvet felt tears run down her cheeks as Unor held her eyelids open. His laugh seemed to shake the ground. The red blood seeped towards her, forming a pool at her feet. Bright emerald green eyes stared up at the ceiling, blood splattered on his chin. The bullet was still buried in his heart underneath the pale, ripped skin.

Her heartbeat thumped as she kept staring and Unor kept laughing. Quiet shouts came from behind them, followed by a loud thud. Velvet’s eyes widened and she quickly spun around. Unor didn’t resist, his arms frozen up where he was holding her. His laugh continued but his mouth didn’t move. 

“What the fuck?” the assassin muttered. A high-pitch scream came from what seemed to be below the floorboards.

“Darlington,” she growled. They blinked before they were back in the stairwell, lying on the floor. The shouts were louder, and she made out Solana’s voice calling out to Mad. Velvet shot up and ran to the railing. Below, Solana dodged a knife thrown by Darlington, not the one from earlier, and Mad caught it mid-air. The other Darlington took the knife from the droid and threw it to Solana, who then chucked it back. 

“Mad, Solana!” Velvet shouted. The trio looked up and Solana’s eyes widened. 

“Velvet!” Solana replied, “You okay?” 

“I’m fine! What’s going on?” 

“Evil Darlington had you all trapped in a spell,” Mad said, “We’re distracting him now. See if you can wake Thorn and Maroon up!” Velvet groaned but pushed herself away from the railing and sprinted down the steps. Maroon and Thorn were unconscious two floors down. The teen took a deep breath before kneeling down next to Maroon. 

“Maroon!” they called out, “Maroon, wake up!” A few seconds passed and Velvet lightly shook them. 

“Velvet?” Maroon’s eyes slowly opened and scanned the room. Eventually, they locked on Velvet and they shot up, pulling her into a hug. She attempted to squirm out of their grip at first but stopped when a small tear hit her jacket sleeve. 

“I- I-” Velvet sighed and quickly propped them up, pointing at Thorn.

“Go wake Thorn up. I’m going to destroy the catalyst.” 

“Velvet-” The assassin put her hands on Maroon’s shoulder.

“Come on, Maroon.” They were quiet for a second before nodding. Velvet stood up and leaned over the railing. Darlington slammed into a wall as Solana laughed. Her heartbeat was still racing and her breathing was shallow. 

“They’re fine,” Velvet mumbled, “Get it together, Velvet.” She sprinted up the stairs again. A chill went down their spine as they opened the door, but they let out a relieved breath when the door simply opened to a dark room. In the centre was a pedestal with a floating green disc above it. A light green glow emitted from it, illuminating the symbols etched onto the floor. Velvet kneeled down and ran her hand over them.

“Hm.” Velvet grabbed another throwing knife and rolled up their jacket sleeve. They quickly etched a rough sketch into the top layer of their skin before standing.

I’ll ask Zaeor later, Velvet thought. She quickly grabbed the disc and snapped it in half. The green light disappeared as the assassin let out a sigh of relief. Velvet turned around and stuffed the knife back in her pouch, pulling her sleeve down. Maroon had their arms wrapped around Thorn, Mad now hovering over them. Solana had a wooden bat and stood next to the “good” Darlington, who looked up at her when she approached.

“Thank you, Velvet,” he began, causing the rest of the mafia to turn towards them, “I don’t know how much longer we could’ve held out.”

“That’s it?” Velvet replied. Darlington nodded.

“That’s it.” The teen narrowed her eyes but handed him the snapped disc. He looked down at the pieces before chuckling.

“My own game. How ironic.” 

“Are you good, Velvet?” Solana asked. The teen raised an eyebrow.

“Fine. Why?” 

“Darlington just trapped you in your worst memories and you’re ‘fine’?” 

“Oh, that’s what his powers were. Makes sense.” A question mark appeared on Mad’s face. 

“Did you…not-”

“I did. But I don’t want to fucking talk about it,” Velvet interrupted, “Just take us home, Darlington.” Mad didn’t push it further, but Solana gave her a look. Velvet simply gestured to the beaded red bracelet on her left wrist and the elf nodded. Darlington took Solana’s right and Velvet’s left hands before smiling down at Thorn and Maroon.

“Are you two ready?” Thorn took a deep breath and stood, helping Maroon up. Maroon grabbed Velvet’s other hand and Thorn’s. Mad grabbed the remaining hands, completing the circle. Darlington sighed and his hands glowed a light blue.

“Thank you. Thank you all.”