#we were so hyped to see him as a lawyer again it was like we were watching an e3 reveal lol

[citnamora]

My roommate and I are playing Dual Destinies now and we both whooped and cheered when Phoenix slipped on his suit jacket. Is this a universal experience?

[madhatterbri]

Where You Belong | K.M.

Summary: Kol doesn't like the two of being broken up. He reminds you where you belong.

You looked at your watch and sighed. Another date had no showed. You cursed under your breath. All the secret meet ups you had with him seemed like a waste now. This guy was one of the good ones. He was a lawyer with a love for animals and history. Importantly, his family was nowhere near New Orleans.

"Kol got another one?" Your friend asked while wiping the bar down. They were closing for the night. After another no show, you decided to hang out with her and walk her home.

"Yeah. I thought I had outsmarted him but he has spies all over," you whined while rubbing your temples in frustration. You turned to see a man staring at you from outside the closed bar. He looked away when your eyes locked on to his. "Perfect example but at least that one sticks out like a sore thumb. I can't imagine how many are participating in my tours,"

Your tour guide career is how you met Kol Mikaelson. At first, he was sweet and constantly flirted with you. He would take your tours once a day no matter the weather. At the end of one tour he asked you out. You said yes and the rest led you here.

"Have you tried talking to him?" Your friend asked over her shoulder while counting the money in the register.

Your eyes widened at her in disbelief. Talk to the man that wants to ensure you are a spinster once you are old. The same man that acts before thinking and loves to cause mayhem. You would have a better conversation with a wall.

"Talk to the man that will go hours covered in blood? The same man that has caused my dates to either leave town, never talk to me again, or go missing?" You asked while using your fingers to count. "Sure let me just walk over to his family's place and speak to him,"

"I think you should. You have to set up boundaries with him," she replied. Boundaries. That is something he knows nothing about. "You are allergic to cats so being a crazy old cat lady isn't in your future. Let's get out of here,"

The walk to your friend's place consisted if her hyping you up to talk to him. The guy from earlier followed you. At least you knew the two of you would be safe. Some of the tourists around here could be a little aggressive when drunk.

You started asking the guy questions about your current situation. You felt it would be rude to not include him. He must not have been much of a talker because he didn't answer.

"Have a good night. Talk to him. Maybe you two can come to some sort of agreement,"

"Yeah, sure, come on Bob. I'm not dating this one so please don't report her to Kol," you shouted at him.

Your friend snorted and walked inside her apartment complex.

Thoughts zoomed through your mind on how to deal with the jealous ex-boyfriend. During your time together he was always so possessive.

You should have known you would never date another person in New Orleans again. No. There was no way you were going to think like that. He had to let you go once and for all.

"Come on, Bob. We are going to your boss," you announced and made your way to the Mikaelson home.

"Kol Mikaelson!" You yelled while looking for him. You walked down hallways until you saw him at his favorite place. He sat at a desk in his room. An opened book and alcohol in his hand to busy himself on the Friday night.

"Darling, must you be so loud? Hope is sleeping," he groaned in annoyance. Another night of babysitting duties while the others go on another killing spree adventure. You walked to him and immediately saw the blood on his collar.

"Wonderful. Blood on your shirt. I guess this one gave you some hassle about wanting to date me," you wondered. "He had a family you know,"

"The bloody fool still has a family. He isn't dead," he countered while feeling insulted. The man had given Kol some trouble before a broken nose cleared up their misunderstanding. "Besides he couldn't even win a fight,"

"A mortal couldn't win a fight against a thousand year old vampire? The shame that man has brought on all mortals,"

"You belong here, my love. I am never going to stop. Even if I have to kill one hundred men,"

[1800naveen]

My appreciation.

September 2023, I started the "a court of thorns and roses" series. Booktok got me hyped to read it so when I did, I really enjoyed it. (I fell victim to liking Rhysand and the inner circle, forgive me)

Feyre, Tamlin, and Lucien were my favorite characters. Their dynamic, how their relationship grew, I loved it all. (I was also a hater of Nesta but I changed now, my mind opened.)

I also saw spoilers on Tik Tok about acomaf and Rhysand which put me into a slump and I didn't continue reading the series again until April 2024. Yeah, it was that bad.

Finding out that people hated Tamlin for his later actions got me bummed because I really liked him at the time. I got spoiled for the rest of the series but I don't really care for spoilers that much.

During my slump, I made an account on Tumblr. I mostly liked posts but I would comment at times. I was afraid of making a post because I was just nervous.

I still had love for Tamlin so I avoided the Acotar side of Tumblr for a while. Because what if someone came after for my thoughts or opinions? That scared me. I felt somewhat alone when it came to not hating Tamlin or seeing him as a "villain" (he's more morally grey). I also still didn't like Rhysand because of the whole under the mountain thing which weirded me out.

Then one faithful day, I was looking through the Bryce Quinlan tag after finding out about her when I saw this post (it was about the crossover) and it was the first anti Rhysand post I liked.

And I clicked on the anti Rhysand tag and my third eye opened. When it came to booktok, I thought that hating this man was some sort of taboo.

These guys showed his wrongdoings, went on analysis, how he was toxic, how he treated certain characters, etc. Thanks to them, I was right to feel what I felt about him. He fucking sucks.

I then went on the pro Tamlin tag and I had finally found my people. Ones that shared the same thoughts as I did when it came to Tamlin and it gave me inspiration to make my first post on here.

(And the rest was history...) *cue the clapping*

Nah but seriously, I want to give my appreciation to the Tamlin, Nesta, Lucien, and Eris fans, the anti Rhysand people, the inner circle haters, and the people who just hate this series in general. I'm grateful for finding a community where I fit right in and where I won't get burned at the stake for my opinion (most of the time). I actually made friends on here which is great because I usually suck at making friends (Me and Tamlin twinning, can't make friends for shit) so this is great.

TIME FOR THE TAGS!!!

Giving my appreciation to the people who inspired me to become the blog that I am today: @szalonykasztan00, @copypastus (love your art❤), @shi-daisy, @arson-09, @thrumbolt, @achaotichuman, and @feyres-divorce-lawyer (so glad that I found you on tik tok first, a fellow Rhysand hater).

My mutuals where we are united by both love and hate: @sonics-atelier (thanks for making those analysis posts), @wingsdippedingold, @rin-u-pos, @positivelyruined (bless you for the Luke Eisner fancast🙏🏾), @nickel156, @viktoriaashleyyx, @thatapologisttoyourantis.

And those who I first found out on tik tok and then found them again on Tumblr (some are mutuals, some aren't and the first two I found out there asoiaf tik toks): @watcherintheweyr, @kataraavatara, @booksnwriting.

Yuh, that's about it. Just wanted to make something nice and sweet. Thanks to my 107 followers that I got for mostly being a hater or from other stuff that I post.

Me to all of you (This feels corny but I was born on the cob🌽):

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.

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(Here's the posts I was talking about.)

[talewind-arts]

The DoD would totally play rpgs growing up, I know realistically it would be Webs to tea h them about it, but young Dune totally would have played during his warrior fantasies, and later with Six-Ckaws in both the army and with the Outclaws. So I'd like to imagine that, when the DoD took interest in one of the scrolls Webs brought back (a how to play guide the older seawing prolly didn't think much of), Dune gruffly but reasonably encouraged them to try it out.

Tsunami would be the DM, but would probably keep getting into arguments with Glory and Starflight. Clay would just want to keep the peace, but he'd have a hard enough time figuring out the game. I think Sunny is very into it, but nobody listens to her, so Starflight ends up echoing her sentiments to keep the game moving. All in all, the DoD probably all get pretty into it, Glory probably lounged nearby during the session 0, watching but pretending not to care, until she quietly joined in the first session, with enough confidence that nobody openly questioned it when she described an intricatly fleshed out edgelord character (think full tween deviantart oc). Starflight was a rules lawyer, but they loved him and if it ever got bad someone would pounce on him and they would keep going. Already touched on Clay and Sunny, but Tsunami probably tried to make everything cool, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse when she did a bit too much railroading (She definitely sneaks the plot of the Missing Princess in there). Dune encouraged the DoD to stay with the game, waiting until any fights cooled down before suggesting they try again. There was no overarching story to the 'campaign', but the DoD were young and it was just something fun to do.

Later in life, Sunny decides to try and run a campaign for some students in Jade Mountain. She probably runs a couple different games for different students (at least one of them tries to involve Stonemover, but he's too sad for it), but the one we care about has Kinkajou, who dragged along Moon. Qibli of course came with her. Kinkajou also invited Tamarin, which means Anemone is there, too. Pike tried to follow, but he strikes me as the kind of dragon who thinks dnd is Satan worship, and won't get close.

Thanks to her character development, Sunny is actually a great GM, she's got Thorn's knack for people by this time, and it really helps in this situation. This table is actually pretty awesome. Kinkajou hypes everyone up and keeps them all confident in their choices, Moon is a good mediator of course, and Qibli is a delightful person to play alongside. Anemone sometimes struggles with being the bad kind of power gamer, but she's trying to be better and the group is very understanding. Tamarin maybe doesn't speak too much, but true to life when she does it's deeply impactful. This group does a lot of therapy thanks to Sunny running it, and other than Qibli and Anemone skirting the line, it's very family friendly.

Another JMA group is actually run by Turtle! He's a little nervous to commit to it, but Peril has always wanted to play and convinces him to run a oneshot after Clay talks about playing with his friends. She thinks Clay would like her more if she also understood the game (not knowing he never did), and Turtle used to play with his brothers in huge group games. They end up running drop in oneshots, but most dragons are pretty scared to play with Peril, save for a few. It ends up being very healthy for them, as it helps quiet Turtle branch out, and dangerous Peril get closer to other students. The funniest one is Pike, who as I said before thinks this game is evil. He thinks he is infiltrating the villainous practice to see if it is dangerous to Anemone, but ends up absolutely loving it, in secret of course. The trio ends up playing together more and more often as a way to get better at people together, and Pike becomes much less insufferable. These three get REALLY intense with rp, and eventually welcome a curious and dumbfounded Winter, who wants to learn after hearing about Moon and Qibli's group. These players should hate each other in one way or another, but they have a fun time being really aggressive and intense, and despite feeling intimidated, Turtle has a great time with such a heavy rp game.

Also, somehow through Winter the group ends up hosting a game with Linx and Snowfall, which is a crazy day.

[cosmoseinfeld]

How was the Sunny Dublin show?!!! Do you have any pictures?

How long was the macdennis segment? Was Glenn shaky on the macdennis "love affair" chat (saw a post on twitter) or was he just doing one of his Glenn bits like from the podcast where he acts like he's not into things before he's honest about it? Did they confirm Honey and Vinegar for s16 or were they just teasing the idea of it in future seasons? Were you able to see their expressions from your seat? (Sorry for being cringe and insane in your asks!)

hiii! sorry it took me so long to reply. I was kind of processing those days and also recovering from covid which i brought as a fun souvenir! (nw, it's all good) I can't possibly tell you how long the segment was but it def took up a good chunk of the show! i was sitting too far away to take good pictures or videos (nor did i want to yknow, kind of living in the moment) but i took this pic of the screen which was up for a satisfyingly long time

I honestly think glenn was just doing one of his "bits" because - imo - he's much more on our side when it comes to the meta level of the show just from how he is talking about dennis etc. I still love how bold rob was by just straight up saying macdennis is a love affair to some. at least, glenn then said to rob "love you, baby!" I remember meg saying it's one of her favourite dynamics but we already knew that. Oh, she also said that the impl*cation scene was put up there against her will and i agree. It's not a macdennis moment and I overall hate it (in parts because it is what dudebros cling to so desperately). I am amazed that they somehow managed to avoid talking about Mac and Dennis break up AGAIN by "letting the audience choose" (which is a fabricated thing because a hyped up audience will cheer and holler for anything) but i will say that Suburbs got a REALLY loud cheer. They played the montage from that and ofc the dinner scene with the "newsflash asshole" moment. Oh, we also had to watch glenn's naked ass on screen. Rob talked about shooting that scene and said how hard it was for him to keep up because glenn was bringing his whole talent to it and rob said he wasn't that good of an actor to keep up. glenn said he's sometimes concerned that there is this psychopathic side to him and that he needs to get that checked. They then played Mortgage Crisis but didn't really talk about it. BUT meg suggested that hugh honey & vic vinegar should make a comeback at some point and rob sort of agreed and so did the audience, so who knows! The segment ended with them playing the impl*cation scene instead of break up and meg saying mac and dennis keeping each other in check is one of the things she loves about that dynamic and that they follow their own specific set of rules.

Overall, it was a very fun show and I am happy I went. The mood was so great, on stage and in the audience. I couldn't see their expressions from up there but I did see rob pulling down his pants to show us his shamrock tattoo, so there's that image... I loved the video cameos by danny, artemis, the lawyer and even uncle jack. Glenn got drunk on stage to the point that rob felt the need to intervene when he got too annoying lmao. Glenn said rob gave him a shot of "tequila" backstage and it might have been the bit that tipped him over - he then got corrected because it was whisky of course (maybe he had flashbacks to the christmas special). They played family fight but it was sooo messy omg... never give buzzers to drunk man-children. Everybody celebrated kaitlin of course and it was... a special experience to hear her and glenn sing the tiny boy song live. Charlie sang a bunch of sunny songs. The one that got me most was "I like life at paddy's pub" of course, especially because the whole audience was singing along. They also had an inflatable tube guy on stage before the show started which I thought was hilarious and weirdly relaxing to watch... Oh, yes before the show started, they had a sunny playlist going on with all the classics like "the boys are back in town" and the ghostbusters song etc. During the intermission, they showed gag reels on screen. Hm what else... Not to burst the bubble, but they also talked about how they couldn't film s15 in Ireland because of covid restrictions, so the on locations shootings took place in california - movie magic! If I remember anything else that's of significance, I'll post a follow-up. I really hope they'll come back to europe soon because i'll def go again. It was so nice to meet other sunny fans IRL and hang out and have a good time together :) i am always amazed how a shared love for a show can bring people together... it's so wholesome. (and you could also sense their love for the show and each other and I think it's great for them to finally get such a direct feedback from the fans)

[gawin]

Mj! The FBSR episode today has me like: 🥹

I especially loved every part of their usual bestie bickering.

Here: 🥰

And here: 🥰

Then there's ALWAYS a part where one or both are using a swear word, and it has to be bleeped out 😂🤣

Takes me back to season 1, the bungee jumping episode. There were more bleep outs than actually words when they were at the top of that tower. 😂

And people wonder why I love them so much? I mean, how could I not love them?? 🤷‍♀️

BESTIE!!!!! aldkkskdksdk same!!!! it’s always soooo good to see them again!!!

and yes! even if this episode wasn’t part of forcebook show real, it would’ve still been one because it had EVERYTHING: rain, bickering, one of them nearly dying, swear words that have to bleeped out, playing around, taking lots of photos of each other. check check check!

LMAOO yeah! the bungee jumping episode was like: 33 i love yous, 67 curse words, 2 actual decent lines that still have i love you and a curse word in between 🤣🤣🤣🤣

god that sure was a moment!

some of my favorite highlights were book being possessed by phupha’s spirit saying he’s a hornbill 🤣

that one time force was going down the stairs and book stopped to worry about him

and of course, hype man force when book said that nothing’s changed about himself in this past year, except he got more handsome and force immediately became past book defense lawyer

look at how happy book is 🥺🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭😭

GET YOURSELF A FRIEND LIKE FORCE!!!!!!!!!

exactly!!!!! for me, loving them is as easy as breathing. i don’t understand how one does not love them or at least not admire their chaotic and yet profound friendship. how they’re amazing hosts, how genuinely and effortlessly funny they are, how they bounce off of each other so well. the natural chemistry and friendship are just so beautiful to witness!!!

fbsr is about best friends making memories together and i’m so glad we get to see a little bit of that. so glad they get to experience fun things together and i hope one day they look back fondly at it.

everything they achieve is great but their friendship is the greatest gift of all ❤️

[boyfhee]

jay is the husband who would bring you a flower a day, searching what each flower mean 🥺 fuck it, i cant have him but you can.

thanks, you can definitely give me more tips for counselling hehe. i don't know if she will take bipc but she says i will cause one day she tell, ill take arts amd commerce other day ill take mec and other day, polytechnic haha like she chamges it everyday so i really cant tell.

but she is studying in 10th so, a few more months and she will decide what is good for her. the fact that there will be no boards for the coming 10th students 😔 why were we born in the 2000's era caelin? why?

i dont think you will faint in faint of the cadaver, i have seen dissection videos on youtube before i join pcm so, i know the courage it takes to stand near it and do it + when you sleep alone at night, what if it haunts you 😭 nooo, i am done for sure.

since i am an ENGINEERing student, can't talk about it but i will always talk medicine with you. please share me what you learn sometimes caelin, ok? hope your medicine years will go smoothly <3

i got into kpop early 2020, day before bts on comeback 😁 i never knew what were comebacks or debut or contents etc etc. until i started stanning bts. and then enhypen since the day their profiles were released 🤧 i saw my bois grow, you cant ask me how i suffered. eggies will definitely cry if you ask them about iland.

what groups did you stan during your early kpop days??? and what kdramas or anime were your firsts?? i am 17 so it's okay if i interact with you right?? i saw your carrd too, but asking again 😌

anyway, goodnight caelin, hope you meet jay in your dreams. tell me if you guys got married or not :0 and when you see this, it will be morning so happy morning <33 and happy bakhrid.

— lover clun anon ^3^

im tweaking please stop . literally wanted to write a jay fic as we speak, but i have no motivation to write these days TT

OMG tenth graders are like that !!! my brother is also in tenth and one day he wants to go in soft engineering and the other, astrophysics or lawyer, it's a mess. he hates bio though, so med is definitely not an option for him :"> AND NO BOARDS FOR TENTH ANYMORE ? god hates me. out batch felt so experimental tbf :/

i love watching dissection / surgery videos, but what if i can't stand the smell ㅠㅠ gna sleep at night after reciting hanuman chalisa bruv o_o also my cousin is a dentist and she told be about a dream she had where he was running away from a huge jaw ?? chasing after her ?? it was a couple days before her finals lmfao

and i would love to hear you talk about engineering too :D not that i know a lot, but maybe this is my chance to expand my knowledge >< i will surely tell you what i learn ( was revising thorax anatomy yesterday btw ) hope engineering treats you well mwah

ohh omg i used to stan bts ! like around blood, sweat and tears era ?? it lasted till they they dropped idol i think ? and then it felt like their music changed drastically so i stopped listening to them, but i do have a few new songs that i like, mostly solo works that too of jk only TT i have a v bad habit of not listening to new songs for some reason

actually, two of my friends gushed about iland, but i was never into survival shows so i just listened to them and hyped them up but never focused on it. then i saw that sunghoon was debuting as an idol— i knew him since he was a figure skater, but that still didn't convince me to check them out lmfao TT but i came across fever one day and i'm telling you, i listened to it for weeks straight before even bothering to check the group out hehe ( _ _; ) even though i haven't watched iland, i've seen clips and that gave me an idea of how the show was

my first kpop group was exo ! i stanned bts shortly after, and then was introduced to nct, then svt, now enhypen. although i have been a casual listener to a lot of groups, esp ggs. and the only ggs i've ever stanned are formis and aespa >< my first kdrama was suspicious partner, i love it so much :D the chemistry is so good ++ it has a mystery element so i love it even more. and first anime was haikyuu TT i love them sm, it's truly my comfort show

now tell me about you :O your first kdrama, anime, first bias, how did you come across kpop, do you collect albums / merch— anything !

ps i didn't meet jay in my dreams ( for some reason, whenever i have enha dreams they're super weird and the boys try to kill me most of the time ) i had a nice sleep nonetheless, hope u did too ! eid mubarak to you as well ^_^

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

I LOVE U ARI. 🌖🌖 ALL YOUR HEADCANONS R SO CRAZY ACCURATE TO SUGURU AND I CAN SEE THEM ALL...!!! i love the way you tied all of his professions to key aspects of his character and his pure heart (it's pure to me. 😒)

if you are crazy about doctor geto you NEED TO SEE THIS https://x.com/lespretzo/status/1726479240571617365?s=46

this artist draws him so beautiful and tender and softly, i hope you like their art as much as i do (the only suguru ever). when i found this art last weekend i kept praying for doctor geto to come save me and treat my ailments and then i ended up breaking my spine and staying in the er... what a bad omen

ur mind with lawyer sugu... oh dear... oh lord.. the briefcase and the slicked back hair oh my legs are divor

ALSO ANGRY/STRESSED OUT GETO IS SO HWHHFKEHFJRJFJJEKDNMGMGNHHH but wish only happiness on him... he deserves peace after the jjk universe.. i have some reservations about him being lawyer just because my mom is one too, and i've seen how stressful it is and how aggressive people get but chef's kiss nontheless

wow your response hit every part of me... the medical and barista... omfg and teacher suguru is so real, idk if you've read this? one fic about (elementary school) teacher suguru who trips over a bunch of blocks when he first sees you because he's completely taken away by your beauty, oh my heart... i have such a soft spot for teachers too because they've just been very dear to my life and ugh. these headcanons broken my heart and strung every piece back together in the same breath IM SORRY FOR BEING DRAMATIC but your mind is insane

as for my own thoughts i don't have too many :') that's why i asked u! because i was sure that you would deliver. i asked my friends about it and we were all kinda lost and i'm happy i found your blog since we both love suguru and we can talk about him! yipee

and the hurt comfort fic coming soon WOOISHIGHIOOOOOOOO *screaming in hurt*

WAHHHHH I’M SO GLAD I HAVE YOUR APPROVAL 🌖 ANON…… 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

ty for asking such a fun question!! AND YES he DOES have a pure heart 😔😔😔 he’s just trying his best to do good!!! he’s a sweetie!!!!

i’ve seen that doctor geto art before hehe it’s just. SO good. i love the art style sm!! and you’re so real anon i too need suguru geto to tuck me into bed and treat me during a bout of illness </3 WDYM YOU BROKE YOUR SPINE THOUGH 😭😭 PJDKDBBD……. pls take care of yourself…. don’t trip over a flight of stars and die ok……… doctor!sugu will be so disappointed 😔😔

AND LAWYER!SUGU….. yeahh i also think it’d be soso stressful for him 😭 i can picture him having a higuruma-esque breakdown eventually…. because he wants to help people so badly but sometimes he just Can’t and that drives him nuts. poor bby….

AS FOR TEACHER!SUGU…….. my beloved mutual alexis wrote that elementary school fic and i love it SO much he’s so cute and pathetic in it <333 my absolute beloved <3333 teacher!geto is such a dork. i adore him. i have a big soft spot for teachers too!! :(( and sugu would be so perfect. 100% views all his students as his kids… he tries not to but like. he can’t help but grow so fond of them. may or may not get teary eyed when they graduate (they tease him for it relentlessly while sobbing their eyes out LMAO)

BUT YES THANK YOU AGAIN feel free to come to me w sugu questions whenever you’d like!! :3 i’ll try my best to assist….. AND . i’m so happy you’re hyped for the hurt/comfort fic !!!! i’ll try my best to feed sugu nation well!!!!!!

[crmsnmth]

September Sky Chapter Five, Part 7

"Yeah, I guess it's not really my thing. But, hey, neither are clubs and here I am," I shrugged it off like it was no big deal.

"I'm still a little surprised by it."

"I guess I know I'm not actually going to a club. I'm going to a safe place with my friends. I really don't have friends here. I mean, people know me enough to nod their heads or say hello, but I can't say that any of those people are my friends."

"Chad said you were pretty loyal to your friends," she said, almost off-hand.

"Wait, what?"

"I admit. I talked to Chad about you. After I found out you were friends with him, and he told me how close you guys really are. Don't worry. Chad is an excellent hype man for you, "she giggled. Now my curiosity was peaking. What did Chad tell her? What does she know about me that I don't know she knows" Does she know both the good and the bad?

"Why?" It was all I could think to say.

"You intrigue me. I can't deny that."

"Well, what did he tell you?"

"I'm sorry, I can't answer that. Friendship clause, you know."

"Friendship clause?" I was starting to feel like a little kid with way too many questions I won't get any answers for.

"Yep. Using a friendship for information. Whatever they say is confidential. They can tell me about you, but I can't share that information. It's all confidential."

"Damn."

"I can tell you that Chad didn't have one bad thing to say about you," she softly smiled. The smile that warmed every part of me.

"I'm betting there's a clause somewhere there. Maybe something about how best friends don't talk shit to romantic interests. Or something like that."

"Romantic interests?" Addison said laughing.

"I'm no lawyer. I don't know how to sound professional."

"You're a dork," she smirked as we pulled into the parking lot, parking right next to Conner's car.

"Yeah, I know," I shrugged at her.

We all hopped out of respective seats, Addison once again taking my hand. And Kayla gave a peck on Conner's cheek. A really loving type of thing. It was good to see them lasting. They were good for each other. They kept each other off drugs. Conner was an opiate abuser, and Kayla once was a major fan of methamphetamine. She'd been clean for at least two years or so. They acted like an old couple. It was kind of cute.

Club Specter wasn't all that impressive on the outside, other than its neon back lit pink shape of a ghost. It was unassuming and if you had no idea what it was and drove past it one night, nothing would give away its secrets. Like any other club in the earlier 2010's, they did theme nights pretty often, one of which being Goth Night. And that seemed to be the only time I'd ever been inside of this place.

I won't deny that it did seem to be a good time every time we went. And being the plus that the placed was filled with goth and punk subcultures, it was easy to slide around in the crowd. Socialization without the actual need to socialize. The perfect type of socialization. The club would play a lot of old 80's goth music, even throwing in some modern darkwave. Besides the normal bar, they also opened an absinthe bar. The place was dressed in red lights, giving it the perfect ambiance.

We all made our way inside and headed straight for the bar. Addison sat next to me, and Kayla sat on the other hand of her. Conner stood behind us all. In all the times I went out with him, it was rare to see him actually sit at a bar. I guess he just preferred to stand.

[sxfik]

let's talk about episode 16 and why it confirms solhwi endgame

back to masterlist

a/n: as always, this is just my opinion and what i interpreted from episode 16! some of this might be a stretch (or wishful thinking lol) but ya know, feel free to start discussions etc.

just through my time scrolling here on tumblr and on twitter, i've seen many viewers be disappointed with the last episode and it's lack of confirmation for solhwi (and also like understandably so, we'd all love to see a more "firm" confirmation). but i genuinely think that this whole episode was a confirmation of their feelings for each other, that there was something there.

the most important thing to remember about this show is that it is not a romance. the main plot is centered around the mystery but also these students learning how to navigate the law and trying to show the different sides of the law (ways the law can be used to help vs. ways the law can be used to harm). we, of course, also get to explore the relationships of the group with their family, their professors and with each other. so overall, i think we can all agree that we weren't going to get an "explicit" confirmation of their feelings for each other.

i think one of the things law school does really well as a show is that it doesn't give a "perfect" ending to every story. for example, in many shows, we see every plot line resolve in the show with no open endings and in general, it ends up all resolving with in the span of two episodes. but with episode 16, especially the ending scenes, we see that not everything is resolved. we don't get an answer for every single mystery, such as seung-jae's story line or the full extent of professor seo and assemblyman koi's relationship. what we do get instead is a "set-up" to show or hint at how the relationship might develop in the future. this also applies to the relationships within the story: for example, we don't really get a full ending for kang sol B's issues with her family. rather, we see that they are going to therapy and working it out together. we don't get a true ending to the court case with ji ho's dad. even with kang dan and her story, we don't get to see a "full" resolution to it, but we do get a hint/a sense that everything is on track to be resolved. many people might argue that this is a sign of bad writing but i disagree. i believe that this is realistic writing, because the issues that are faced by the students in the show is not resolvable in one year and neither are their relationships.

with that in mind, i would apply the same logic to solhwi. like i said, i didn't think we'd get a kiss scene or anything similar to that in their 1L year. through this season, we are tracking joon hwi and sol A's relationship as it grows from classmates to acquaintances to friends to in like to in love (especially for han joon hwi). if you go through and rewatch the show, you can see that as the episodes go on, we see han joon hwi and sol's relationship develop into something that is based on trust, care, appreciation and communication.

i've seen many people say that we've over hyped their relationship in the last couple episodes but i don't believe that's true. i believe that the show is trying to display that both of them are falling for each other, they're both seeing each other in a "new light." for joon hwi, that moment came much quicker; like i said in this post, joon hwi is realizing the extent of his feelings towards her when he says that he owes her. and this last episode proves it! this whole episode we see the camera focus on han joon hwi's reactions and his love for sol, except he's actually aware of himself. earlier, the reactions came out without him realizing or being aware that he's in love with her. but this episode? he is aware of his feelings for her. throughout this episode we watch as his admiration for her grows louder and louder, from smirks and soft smiles at her to appreciation for her knowledge and talents. we see the hint of defensiveness cross his face when ji ho insults kang sol (which by the way definetly felt more like ji ho was taunting joon hwi that he was actually insulting kang sol). even sol B knows when she asks to start but he makes her wait for sol A.

and in the end, we see that sol is realizing her feelings too. i believe for her, the change came through ye-seul's trial. some part of her always loved his company and his friendship but after the trial, and their friends teasing their jealousy, i think sol definitely took more note of joon hwi. i think it's evident in their 1L year in this episode, the looks of appreciation she gives him, the way her eyes seem to always land on him in the end. and ESPECIALLY the courtroom scene where sol and joon hwi were practicing her argument, we can see her feel the tension and his presence as he grows closer to her, we can see her getting flustered and nervous around him in a the way you would with someone who's position is your life is graduating from friends to a crush. the beginnings of this episode definitely show that solhwi is starting to full on fall for each other.

THEN during their 3L year, we can see how they're full blown gone for each other. i genuinely think that at this point, they are in a relationship with each other and here is why.

one: the moment sol sees joon hwi walk by, she calls out his name asking him what he's up to. then when he responds "i want to wind down" she follows him. when they get out of the elevator, she says "you said you wanted to wind down?" and he lets out a teasing laugh at that. i definetly think that she was talking about/expecting something completely different when he said he wanted to wind down, because as he explains that he wants to wind down by "watching the trial," you can watch the gears turning in her head before answering "right, i should wind down too" in an embarrassed way, with joon hwi teasingly smiling at her (obviously he knows where her mind went to). and then after stretching, sol makes her classic "you're so annoying/you're so frustrating" face at him.

two: as kang sol and joon hwi provides counsel to the old man, we see joon hwi once again watch kang sol but the expression on his face this time, is a lot different to the expressions that we've had previously. before, the reactions and expressions were more distant, more "in admiration" and in amazement (about her and his feelings for her). but in his reactions this time around, we see it's more firm, it's more confident. it's a completely different expression of love than what we've seen before. it's a lot more similar to one that a boyfriend or a husband gives their significant other than the expression a boy gives to his crush. it's a lot less amazement and enamorment and more content, proud expression.

(honestly it's kinda hard to describe how different the expressions are in words, but if you watch the moment around 1:00:00, you'll see what i mean)

here's the thing: the concepts and issues that law school is showing us are not resolvable issues in one year, and they are not "easily" resolvable issues either. that is what this show has been trying to show us: that the law is complex and it's application in the real world is even more complicated. so it would not make sense for this show to wrap everything up in a neat bow and present it to us in the final episode. moreover, solhwi has forged a friendship through the pressures of law school as well as the overarching mystery and plot of the show. this season was centered around watching them develop a relationship together and this show hints and shows that solhwi are soulmates, their relationship will not be an epic love story where there are grand gestures or confessions of love. it is a gradual change from friend to lovers, while having independent development and maintaining their own goals in life. the very ending, we see them reach their goals as lawyer and prosecutor but they still come together. if they were to have a confession scene in the very end of the show i believe that it would have been too rushed without enough development on both sides. i think that law school ended in the best way for both characters without reversing or skipping their development while leaving room and hinting at the possibilities for the future.

[xneens]

best friend’s daddy - part three

Warnings: dark!andy barber, language, mentions of age difference, mentions of sex, underage drinking, pregnancy

Word count: 4.8k

Summary: A series of snapshots with your past and current life with Andy Barber.

[highly requested—and i mean highly]

masterlist

Newton, MA - 2017 Homecoming Game

He saw you immediately, shamelessly staring at the bright, yet fake smile slapped on your face as you posed for the picture. Andy's eyes drifted to the football players arms around your waist, too far down for the assistant district attorney's liking, not that he could do anything about it. He was unable to contain the eye roll when one of the players pressed a quick kiss on your cheek while you looked at the camera.

Andy knew he had no right feeling that way. He knew you thought he hated you. The glares, the tone he used, the disapproval glances he gave Jacob whenever you were with him. It was enough evidence for you to think he didn't want you around. He didn't. But not for the same reasons as you think.

Jacob ran past him, pulling you into a hug as the players around you ran back to their pre-game huddle, hyping themselves up. He heard your laugh, his previous annoyance washing away as he listened, wishing he didn't have to keep up his act. Instead, he watched from afar, noticing the fake smile replaced by a genuine one as you hugged your best friend, your cheer skirt rising before dropping back to it's already short length as soon as Jacob let you go.

Like the years before, Laurie didn't come to the homecoming game, claiming she was far too busy with work but Andy wasn't dumb. He could see it in her face everyday, helplessly watching his wife distance herself from him. But he couldn't blame her; he was doing the same. After all, not everything is supposed to last forever.

He secretly admired you, silently praising your will to pursue the career you wanted despite the very many attempts, and lectures from your parents about becoming a lawyer. Andy had gotten calls from them, more than happy to show you around the building with your parents hope of you magically being interested in what they had planned. But you were stubborn, and you hadn't backed down. He was impressed.

You glanced at Andy, surprised he wasn't glaring at you but rather staring at you with an expression you couldn't quite place, and you quickly diverted your eyes back to Jacob. "I'm so glad you came! Thank you for not being a total nerd tonight."

"My dad practically dragged me out of the house, grumbling about how I had to support my best friend when she's on the cheerleading team." Jacob explained, motioning to his father, the older Barber climbing the stairs as he claimed a spot on the bleachers next to your father. "I think it was just an excuse to watch a game that didn't feature the Patriots."

Once again, you were surprised. As said before, you thought he didn't care for your presence; to hear he wanted his son to support you was surprisingly shocking no matter how small it was. "Oh. Looks like he and Dad are gossiping again. Your mom didn't come?"

"No, she had work. What about yours?" asked Jacob.

"Business trip." you answered, sarcasm dripping from your voice. You saw the Instagram posts her friends posted, the so-called business trip had turned into a vacation with the girls. You heard your name being yelled, your cheer squad waving you over. Turning back to Jacob, you smiled. "They're calling me over so I gotta go. I'll find you after halftime, okay? We can ditch."

Jacob arched a brow, the corner of his lips twitching up. "But you're head cheerleader. Aren't you supposed to stay for the whole game?"

"Nah, Leila can take over after halftime. I'll just make up an excuse and say I went off with a guy or something." you said, tightening your ponytail. "Oh, and don't use the last stall in the boy's bathroom. Pretty sure someone had sex in that."

"Pretty sure that someone was you." he replied, grinning as you flipped him off. He laughed when you nearly ran into toddler, apologizing to the little person before running to the squad.

Jacob joined Andy and your father, answering questions from your dad, and listening to the two fathers talk about the mundane life as the game started. Andy's vision kept drifting off to you, cheering on the sidelines as the game, accidentally missing parts of the game. Not that he minded to much, he had a nice view, and he knew the score. It wasn't that much of an inconvenience for him.

Before halftime, you snuck away, going into the school to grab another hair tie from your locker. Thankfully, the field was close to the west side of the school, the locker bay only a short walk from the entrance. Coincidentally, just as you walked towards the bathroom with the hair tie, Andy bumped into you, the phone in his hand dropping to the floor.

"Oh, shit." you cursed, quickly bending down, grabbing the phone and handing it back to your best friend's dad. "Sorry, Mr. Barber, I wasn't looking."

Andy sighed, studying his phone instead of giving into the urge to comfort your tense state. For the millionth time, he wished he didn't have to act like a dick to you. "It's fine. Just watch where your going or you might head into the mens' room."

Not knowing whether he was serious or not, you gave an awkward nod, walking pass him. You hadn't seen the lingering glance he gave you before walking back to the game. Pushing on the bathroom door, you let yourself drown in your jitters, hyping yourself up before coming back and performing.

You had forgotten about Andy by the time you returned.

—

Newton, MA - May 14, 2018

Andy heard the knock, getting out of his seat to unlock the door. A presence befall him, a feeling he only got when you were nearby. With that thought, he immediately opened the door, greeted by the sight of you soaking from the rainfall, shivering, eyes slightly swollen, and downright miserable.

He called out your name in surprise, shocked to see you in such a messy state, let alone see you in his office. "What happened? Come in, come in. Are you okay?"

"Sorry, I—" you shivered, biting your lip to keep from spilling every problem you had faced on him. "It was raining so hard that I had to stop so I wouldn't crash or anything. And this was the closest building I parked to. I ran inside but I guess it didn't make any difference seeing how soaked I am."

Andy wrapped his jacket around your shoulders, unable to find a stray blanket or anything warm to give you. He led you to the leather couch, softly pushing you down to sit on it. "Come here, sit down. Did school end early?"

"No, um, I skipped." you sniffed, sinking down on the leather, letting Andy's coat fall over your shoulders. "I had a fight with my mom. A big one. So, I didn't exactly feel that great to come to school and I've been driving around since eight."

"Sweetheart, you're soaked. You're going to get sick." Andy murmured, wiping his warm hand over your forehead, the little droplets of water wetting his hand. "I have some clean clothes in my gym bag. Tell me what you were fighting about, it might make you feel better."

You watched him grab his duffel bag from under his desk, opening your mouth to protest but the cold, wet clothes made you close it. "I made some backhand comment about having a job in fashion, then she just blew up. She wants me to be a lawyer, go to the best schools, and be successful even if I'm not happy. I told her to fuck off, yelling that I'll do what I want. She didn't like that answer, so I grabbed my keys and drove around."

Andy gave you his Patriots shirt, and a clean pair of sweats, taking his wet jacket from you. You whispered a thank you, before taking off your dripping shirt, not caring Andy was watching. He cleared his throat, diverting his eyes away from your half-naked body. "Well, what did you want to be? What do you want to do after school?"

"I don't really know, except for the fact that I don't want to be a lawyer, that's for sure." you replied, putting on the sweatpants Andy gave you, relishing in the warmth. "I'm sorry for getting your couch wet, I—"

"It's okay, don't worry about it, sweetheart. Are you okay, now? Do you want me to do something about it?" Andy asked, unsure to hug you so he settled for an awkward pat on your shoulder, moving closer to you.

You scoffed, fidgeting with the hem of the large Patriots t-shirt, rolling your eyes at the question. "Trust me, there's nothing you could do about it. They're both so persistent on me being this successful lawyer that it doesn't matter if I want to be one. Tell me, Mr. Barber, what's so fucking great about being one?"

He bit back a smile, shifting on the couch until he was touching you, the serotonin you gave him encouraged Andy to brush back your dripping hair behind your ear, tilting your chin up to meet his gaze. With wide eyes, and a slight frown, you meet his eyes. "Well, firstly, you're able to help people. In layman's terms, you either can defend a client, or prosecute a criminal. Putting the bad guys away. Um, you can meet new people, have some experiences that's unlikely for others. But, you're right. You shouldn't have to do what you're parents have planned for you."

"Try telling them that." you sniffled, goosebumps appearing on your arms, subconsciously leaning your cheek on Andy's hand. He heard the angelic sigh escape from your lips, his smile appearing. "Thank you for the clothes and everything Mr. Barber."

"Don't mention it." he replied, bravely wrapping his arms around your slightly shivering body. Andy felt you tense for a few moments before slowly relaxing, shifting so he could rest his chin on your head, his thumb rubbing soft circles on your back. After a few minutes of silence, Andy reluctantly broke the silence. "Would you like me to call Jacob?"

He saw the flash of hurt in your eyes before you composed your expression, nodding slowly as you pulled away. "Yeah, I'll call him. He has free period so he won't be missing anything, I promise. Sorry for keeping you from work, Mr. Barber."

Andy shook his head, helping you up from the couch. "No, no, no. I just had some papers to go through, you didn't keep me from anything. The rain is slowing but you can stay in here until Jake comes. If you want."

You nodded, giving him a weak smile. "Thank you."

—

The Barber House - June 1, 2018

Giggling uncontrollably, you leaned against Jacob, a bottle of beer in your hand. Jacob laughed over the cartoon character with you, throwing his head back at the ridiculous scene on screen. Scooby had just stared at the screen, ending the episode, the screen turning black before another episode started. The noise Scooby made just had you and Jacob in another fit of uncontrollable laughter.

The sleepover had been spontaneous, yet long way overdue. In less than a week, you'd have graduated, and moved out of Boston, living in New York City as you went to the same college. That was one of the upside of finally leaving Newton, but even with the continuous nagging from your parents, you were still going to miss them.

You had been extra quiet, knowing full well Andy was stressed for something Laurie had done, the wife walking out of the house just as you had pulled up on the driveway. She had given you a friendly greeting, asking questions about graduation, before hugging you and driving away in her car. You knew it was bad as soon as you entered the house, seeing Andy glaring at the kitchen counter as you waited for Jacob to come save you. Thankfully, you didn't have to make small talk with the lawyer.

But the his tense expression was enough to keep you quiet in Jacob's room. Well, until he turned up with beers he had gotten from a mutual friend of yours, Cory Gilbert, the bartender at the bar and grill you and Jacob frequented at. He was over 21, legally able to buy the beer, giving it to Jacob as a present for graduation. Cory had given you a nice bottle of brandy, but you had decided to save it for graduation night instead.

Getting drunk hadn't been hard, for Jacob anyways; it took more than a few pleads from your already drunk friend to convince you to drink with him. Once you did, you felt the liquid slightly burn down your throat and you greeted the giddy feeling it left you. Soon, you were found leaning against Jacob's bed, sitting on the floor as the both of you cackled at the animations playing on the screen.

Andy still hadn't came up to hush the both of you; and to be honest, you weren't sure to be relieved or disappointed. You settled for relieved once as you saw Scooby and Shaggy running away from a "monster."

It was half past ten when you finally got up from your spot on the floor, leaving Jacob to drunkenly slur at his phone while the tv played in the background. Getting up, you headed to the bathroom, careful not to make anymore sounds than you already had. You were too drunk to notice Andy standing outside his door, arms crossed as he amusingly stared at your little tip-toe walk to the bathroom.

You finished your business, washing your hands, and heading back to Jacob's room when you lost your footing and stumbled into Andy's arms. You yelped in alarm, glad for the muscular arms that caught you. Looking up, you saw what your drunk brain could only describe as Adonis. You smiled, patting his pec as you slurred. "Thank you, Mr. Barber."

"How drunk are you, sweetheart?" Andy asked, not letting you go. He felt you swaying slightly in his arms, bringing you closer to his chest until your face was only a couple of inches away from his. His eyes flickered to your lips, his tongue licking his own. "You look flushed."

Giggling, you couldn't help but grin at the human contact. You had been so sure he hated you, but from your current position, your assumption seemed silly. "You're making me blush. Me and Jacob haven't been drank—drinking that much, pinky swear."

He snickered at the tiny slip up with your grammar, the slowness and laziness in your voice evidence enough if it hadn't been for the burst of confidence, and shouts from Jacob's room. "You shouldn't be lying, especially to a lawyer. Let's get you sobered up, wouldn't want you waking up with a bitch of a hangover tomorrow, now would we?"

Andy places a hand on your back, his hand intertwining with yours as he tried to lead you downstairs safely but you halted in the middle of the hallway, laughing as you sneaked behind him. You tapped his shoulder, trying to push him down. "Gimme a piggy back ride, Mr. Barber. Like the ones you gave me when I was four!"

The lawyer burst out laughing, finding your drunk confidence adorable. He couldn't help but agree, squatting down enough for you to climb onto his back, your legs wrapping around his waist, your arms locking around his neck. Andy held your legs in place with his hands, shifting you upwards so you rested comfortably on his back. Turning his head, he raised an eyebrow. "You ready, princess?"

You nodded in response, your hair ticking his neck as you snuggled closer to his neck, nuzzling your cheek. All the alcohol had rushed to your head. Andy walked down the stairs, careful to keep his grip on you as he did so. He heard all the tiny giggles and gasps you made, his bad mood dissolving with each sound. He couldn't remember a time Laurie had made him that happy.

Reaching the kitchen, Andy sat you down on the kitchen island, reluctantly letting you go as he went to grab a glass of water. He gave you the glass, but you rejected it, too busy looking at the game on the tv, seeing past the arch and into the living room.

He set the glass on the counter, leaning against it as he crossed his arms, staring at the mesmerized—and drunk—girl in admiration. You turned your attention back on him as soon as the commercials rolled, catching him ogling you. Blushing, you giggled once again, waving him over.

Curious, Andy stepped towards you, surprised when you gripped the collar of his shirt, dragging him closer to you until he was only a couple of inches away. Leaning in, you whispered in his ear. "I have a secret."

"What is it?" Andy asked, one word away from kissing his son's best friend. The tension radiating from interaction had him weak, helpless from the very tempting chance to take you right there and then.

Cupping your hand around your lips, you felt him snake between your legs, bringing you even closer. With your lips near his ear, you whispered, "I have the biggest crush on you. Sometimes I wish you were single so I could ride you until I physically can't."

Andy growled, his hands digging into your waist as his lips hovered over yours, his blue eyes piercing yours. He murmured your name, so close to losing all of his control.

"Every time I come over, I hope you'd push me against a wall, rip my shirt off and fuck a baby in me." you confessed, loving his body warmth. His grip had tighten on you to the point it was borderline painful, but you relished in it, the alcohol numbing the rational thoughts in your head as they screamed at you to shut up.

The lawyer was so close to doing what you wanted, nearly taking you right there. But much to his dismay, his morals had held him back; surely all it would take would be another sentence murmured from your lips but he considered himself strong. "Sweetheart..."

Just as Andy's lips brushed over yours, loud, heavy footsteps made him pull away, spotting his son drunkenly enter the kitchen. You smiled brightly at Jacob as if you hadn't been about to kiss his father. Andy raised an eyebrow at his son, irritated for interrupting. "Jacob, what're you doing?"

"I—" the boy frowned, forgetting momentarily on what he was doing. Jacob pointed at you, returning a random wave. "I was looking for her, because I got worried she fell in the toilet or something."

"She's fine, I was just sobering her up." Andy answered before you could, reluctantly helping you off the table, wishing he had a few more minutes alone with you. "Don't let your mom see all those bottles when she gets home. She won't be lenient as I am."

Jacob saluted in response, watching his dad help his best friend off the table. He was too drunk to notice the longing looks you had exchanged with Andy. "Okay, dad. Night."

Andy stood in the kitchen, alone, watching his girl giggle at something his son whispered. With more confidence than ever, he pulled out the manila envelope from the kitchen drawer, placing it on the table. Laurie would find it when she comes back.

—

Newton, MA - July 4, 2021

"You're so fat." Jacob commented, eyes widening when he felt the baby kick. Without much thought, he invaded your personal space, placing his cheek against your stomach. You sighed, rolling your eyes at your best friend. Jacob chuckled. "This little guy is gonna be a soccer superstar. Like Cristiano Ronaldo."

Andy chuckled from the driver's seat, pulling into the driveway, pulling Jacob off your stomach and back to his seat. "Don't antagonize her, Jake. She might rip your head off for breathing the same air without her permission."

Childishly, you stuck your tongue, making your baby daddy burst out laughing before as he turned off the car and opened the door. But you could hardly say his comment was an exaggeration, grimacing at the memory of nearly snapping Andy's arm off when he had forgotten the almond milk from the weekly visits to the grocery store. It had been both a blessing and curse to have Jacob in the outs of the pregnancy when that incident occurred. You hadn't wanted him to see the growing bump.

With the help of both Barbers, you got out of the car, carefully and slowly for the sake for both you and the babies. The two were chatting as they unloaded the baggage from trunk while you made your way to the house, reminiscing in the days when Jacob's glances weren't filled with betrayal, as if you had ripped his heart from his chest.

It wasn't everyday he looked at you with that raw emotion in his eyes—the betrayed looks had started to decrease the more time you spent together—yet you still felt guilty. With a hand over your growing belly, you opened the door, bombarded with memories from childhood, once again reminding you who you were having a baby with.

Once Jacob had sprinted out of the room, in anger and denial after seeing his father tangled in bed with his best friend, you had pushed Andy off you, wanting to go after him. When Andy argued it was better off for Jacob to be alone, you had blamed him for everything, for ruining the lifelong friendship with Jacob and weeks of stress caused by sleeping with him the first time. The lawyer hadn't denied the guilt or blame like you thought he would—like you wished he would—instead drowning in the insults you threw his way.

You didn't start to forgive him until Jacob came back, but then loathed him after the your best friend announced he needed some time and space to think it out, uncertain which conclusion he would come to. Thankfully, he couldn't live without you in his life, no matter how hard he tried, so he came running back, wishing for an apology when all you wanted to do was cry and wish you didn't have to spend two months without him.

Andy, like the charming bastard he is, had slowly broke down the wall of bricks made from your anger and hatred, and unwillingly, you let him in. Jacob had explained, quite awkwardly, he should be in no way a problem to yours and Andy's relationship, only to be slapped by the pregnancy news. Surprisingly, he kept it light and took it well.

Unsurprisingly to Andy, the fetus (he had been very upset when you occasionally called the baby that) had been conceived on Thanksgiving, proving the plan B useless. You had given up any pretenses at that point, and gave in to Andy's precautions no matter how ridiculous they had been; safety for the fetus.

Your parents had been content with the excuses you've made, only a little suspicious on not wanting to see them during the months of carrying the baby. The baby boy to be precise. But the lack of visiting since college was consistent enough for them to not rise suspicions.

You settled down on the couch, exhausted by the road trip despite how short it was. Newton was hardly small, but with Andy's former title, it wouldn't be long before rumors spread, and with rumors came exaggerated stories along with middle-aged women judging your life decisions because they had nothing to do all day other than sit in their lazy asses.

Andy and Jacob set the bags down by the doorway, Jacob letting out a huge sigh while his dad walked over to you, kissing your forehead. You couldn't help but smile at the gesture. He sat beside you, leaving no room to breathe.

"Hello, gorgeous."

"Ugh." Jacob groaned, turning his eyes away from the PDA. "Okay, I'm gonna go before any more of this happens. I'll see you guys for dinner."

Before you could ask, Jacob closed the door, practically sprinting to his car. Seeing his father in bed with his best friend had scarred him. You turned your attention back to Andy, head tilting in confusion. "Where's he going?"

"He's giving me some alone time with you. Had to pay him a few bucks after he complained about stealing you, but he'll manage for the next couple of hours." Andy explained, his hands absentmindedly stroking your belly, his smile beaming.

"What's happening in the next couple of hours that he can't be here for?" you asked, curious. The blast of hormones had been a gift Andy knew he didn't deserve, with you crawling over his body in the earlier months of the pregnancy, waking him up with lips wrapped around his cock. With his precautions for the baby, he'd been a tease for the past few weeks with the due date just barely two months away.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head in amusement. "It's not that, sweetheart." Andy chuckled at your pout, disappointed by the outcome. "I just wanted to spend some time with you."

You knew there was something more, but you let it go, one thing at the front of your mind. Your fingers clawed at his shirt, biting your lip. "Then let's spend some time together." Leaning closer, you softly nipped at his earlobe, whispering in his ear. "Daddy."

Andy murmured your name, stern and sure but the bulge in his pants deemed a different story. That was enough for you to stop seducing him. "You're going to be the death of me."

Laughing, you turned the tv on, cuddling next to the soft man. Well, as close to cuddling as you could with the belly in the way. Your feet had been sore despite the not having to walk much all day, but the road trip had taken a lot of your already drained energy. Andy understood, gently taking off your shoes and massaging your feet until they no longer felt sore.

Two hours were wasted watching true crimes documentaries, Andy passionately commenting on the evidence they clearly had missed, and voicing his opinions of who was clearly guilty. You muffled a giggle, amused by the former lawyer. It still surprised you to see Andy so ... light? The forehead creases only coming together when something had displeased you, no matter how tiny. Retiring must've done something to relieve the stress he carried.

It wasn't until the third Buzzfeed Unsolved episode came on that you got tired. Andy, sending the change, muted the screen, pressing a soft kiss on your close eyelids. He positioned you so you were leaning against him, your back to him as you laid on the couch, a hand over your growing stomach. Anxiety seeped through his veins.

Andy cleared his throat. Playing with your hair, he said, "Marry me."

Your eyes snapped open, growing wide as you pondered if you had heard him right. "What?"

He shrugged. "Marry me."

Andy had said if so casually, it wasn't a question, but a statement. Or more accurately, a demand. You turned around, putting space between you two. Your eyes were hurting from the lack of blinking. "What?"

He reached in his pocket, the small, velvet box that had rested uncomfortably in his pocket took your breath away. Andy opened the box, revealing a diamond, far too beautiful to look at. His smile widened, taking in your shocked expression. "Please marry me."

A minute of silence passed.

"You're fucking insane." you whispered, staring intently at his blue eyes who were sparkling in excitement. He knew the outcome.

Andy's smile hadn't wavered. "Is that a yes?"

"No!" you shouted, getting up from the cough. He stood up, his arms ready to catch your unbalanced body. You glared at him. "I'm not going to marry you because I'm pregnant! No! No, no, no. I forbid you to ask me that question until this baby is out of me."

He laughed, wrapping an arm around your waist. "So, when I ask in two months ... ?"

"You'll just have to see." you murmured. A smug smirk fell on his face, but this one was warmer, more heartfelt.

"You'll say yes."

You shrugged, but couldn't help the smile appearing. "Probably."

< previous

[ofdreamsanddoodles]

i’m far from finished with the game, but a big problem with dual destinies is that nothing about their interactions makes me feel like athena should be as worried as she is. like yes they’re coworkers it’s sad to hear that someone is taking a leave of absence for potentially mental health reasons (because apparently being exploded means nothing to these people) but athena keeps on making these statements like “we want our cheerful apollo back!” & while it is true that apollo smiles more in aa5, he’s also directly in charge of athena’s court room education, and apollo is generally pretty responsible, it’s not a leap to think he’d take having her as an assistant pretty seriously, but also, even WITH that athena TELLS HIM TO HIS FACE SHE DIDN’T THINK HE HAD FRIENDS.

and then there’s the fact that she keeps saying how much he’s changed since he put on clay’s jacket but clay’s death was pretty much directly before the bombing so i’m on cosmic turnabout right now and i have no idea what happened between winning juniper’s second trial and apollo leaving so it feels like he’s been wearing the jacket for like. two days & athena’s freaking out over nothing. but the thing is so much of this would be completely fine if the narration was coming from trucy? you know, his sister? who’s hinted at the fact that she knows they’re related and spent a full year running around solving cases with him? i’m not saying take athena out of the story, i think her becoming a lawyer at a young age to save her “someone” could parallel nicely with trucy who’s been constantly putting on a brave face while her fathers were in trouble & now has no way to save the brother who literally put zak’s killer behind bars. i KNOW the next case is going to have phoenix working with athena or something because he’s phoenix wright and he’s the main character but think about how much better things would be if trucy & athena could spend some time just like. trying to process how they feel about apollo leaving while they solve a case together or whatever. i’m not even saying make apollo less smilely when i started playing i just assumed he was hyped to see clay again if that’s the reason i think that does highlight how much clay meant to him

[lovecolibri]

What do you think about all this lucy promo the show is doing? Because Im not worried about her being a LI, as much as I don't trust the writers I think they already assasinated buck's character enough during 5a, so I don't see him cheating. But I still would like for them to focus on the protagonists, I don't care about lucy, so why this massive promotion.

Sorry I'm going to be a "middle of the road" person again, I can't help it.

On the practical side of things, 911 is not doing promo for the 911 fans per se, they are doing promo to entice new viewers, and to entice casual, general audience viewers. So, a new character gets the promo for the hype. Now, why only Lucy is getting the hype and not Greenway? I have a couple of guesses, one being that she's around longer/more/has a larger role because she's here as a foil for Buck and to shine a light on some stuff for him (bless you @stagefoureddiediaz and your post about name meanings), another being that the show has several hot leading men, and they want to promo another attractive female being on the show to draw in viewers, and finally, the actress is (apparently) at least somewhat well known from other things, and doing promo for her is a great way to draw fans of her into 911 and gain new viewers. Promo is ALL about creating buzz, and the stills they released are targeted towards creating the most buzz from the widest range of people, and intriguing new viewers into watching.

This doesn't always end up being great for fandom fans because I literally could not care one single iota about this new character we know next to nothing about who is going to be taking up screen time with Buck after a half season of him languishing in that miserable relationship and not really getting lots of scenes with his normal scene partners (something apparently a lot of the cast were struggling with during 5a as the whole team is fractured). I just want stills of the characters I know and love because they are the ones I want information about!

So, on the less practical, "think of the worst case scenario so you'll be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed" side of things, I get people being at least a little trepidatious about all of this because we literally just suffered through 5a's pointless focus on the reporter for scenes that we didn't need. And already, I'm hearing people saying that of course Lucy isn't here as a love interest, she's her own person with her own arc or hoping she has her own story outside of being "just a love interest" and it's like...did you all learn nothing from Ghost Stories?! Past is Prologue?! She is currently here to serve a purpose very must like Lena did for Eddie (the season 3 mirroring is very loud) but if people keep it up, we're going to end up right back here again. 🤷‍♀️

The other thing a lot of people seem concerned about/annoyed about people being concerned about, is her being a love interest and Buck cheating because "he would never do that". And besties...*sigh* I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment, Evan Buckely as we know him would never. And 911 isn't in the habit of just totally throwing out years of character development so I'm not like, irrationally worried. But.

Evan Buckely is not a person, he's a character. And therefore his actions are subject to the whim of the writers. Because honestly? I can't imagine Evan "loyalty streak a mile wide" Buckely would have any desire to continue to pursue a woman who flat out told him she fought to the point of involving lawyers to air that footage of Bobby. Everyone knew Bobby didn't want to give an interview for her, and when she realized Bobby could no longer say "no" to an interview, and in fact was so incapacitated he had no idea an interview was even being conducted or filmed, she pressed forward to get information out of him instead of immediately calling and informing someone that multiple, compromised firefighters were currently driving a firetruck through the streets of LA and responding to a medical emergency. Like, I know that scene is played for laughs and it IS funny! One of my favorite scenes because it's not real so it's just silly fun, but it's something to think about. If Chim had been dosed as well? If he saw that lady with the shoe in her face and panicked and pulled it out causing more damage? If the driver of the firetruck was dosed and crashed? There could have been some serious lawsuits and repercussions to that event because the one person who knew what was going on made the choice to actively NOT tell anyone in order to exploit someone else specifically to get ahead at her job and get herself on tv. 😤😤😤 Every time I think about her actions I am filled with righteous fury.

Sorry, I digress. The point is, Buck knew all this. He knew by the end of 2x06 what kind of person the reporter was, and she is the antithesis of everything he strives to be in life. There is no world in which him continuing to pursue her, to the point of bringing her around Bobby and Athena specifically, makes any sense. I get where we are right now, and we are going to see Buck learning some lessons, but literally any rando women probably could have worked. Now, there's always the theory that the brought her back specifically because people already didn't like her and they wouldn't have to worry about too many people latching on to her character because she wasn't sticking around for that long (though it's definitely already been TOO LONG at this point). And that can be backed up by how every interaction with her and Buck in season 4 reinforces how much they do not trust each other and are not on the same page about anything (she even says they make a bad team!), and don't work. But then again, all that made a lot of us believe she was here just to be a friend for Buck and everyone got hyped about it, and then we all had the gall to make shocked Pikachu faces when they had her kiss Buck, right on the heels of one of THEE most romantic coded Buddie scenes ever.

So you know what? I get why people are a little more cautious and a little worried about this new character. It's NOT in character for Buck to cheat, and it's not in character and doesn't make narrative sense from where we are sitting right now for him to move on to a new relationship immediately after breaking up with Taylor. But. Given that we are just barely on the cusp of Buck having his breakdown? Once Maddie and Chim and Eddie are back where they belong and he's helped as much as he can and has been pushing back his own needs and emotions for so long and might finally have the space to face them? The writers could absolutely make a plausible reasoning for Buck to do some wild "out of character" things. I don't think they will, but then again, I didn't think they'd take the emotional beat of Eddie being shot in front of Buck and make us watch Taylor of all people being the only one to see and attempt to comfort him in the immediate aftermath, or have him start a relationship with her, or have her and literally no one from the 118 be at Eddie's welcome home party, so 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[sweetkingdomstarlight-blog]

truth hurts

Pairings - Ransom Drysdale x Reader

Words - 1704

Warnings - oral sex (m receiving), shitty families

A/N - My first ever Ransom fic, massive thanks to @thicccsimp​ and @mollygetssherlockcoffee​ for reading this over, helping me fix a few things and hyping me up enough to post! This is for @eurynome827​ 2K Challenge, well done on your milestone my love, it won’t be long until you’re at 3K I'm sure. Thanks as always to @buckyownsmylife​ for helping me with the idea too! As always this is not for minors so if you’re under 18 then please shoo.

I was given the lyrics to a Six The Musical song - You can build me up, you can tear me down You can try but I'm unbreakable You can do your best, but I'll stand the test You'll find that I'm unshakeable

Tagging because I think they might like this - @bestofbucky​ @mashep23​

You handed your father the brown paper lunch bag, the one he had left sitting forgotten on the counter this morning. Quickly planting a kiss on his cheek, you turn and make your way into the grand house, leaving him to continue tending to the rose bushes.

You heard them before you saw them, arguing about whatever one of them undoubtedly saw on Fox News that morning. Grabbing a glass of red wine before you sit in the corner of the room and watch them tear into one another, you smirk at the petty insults they often hurled at each other when they didn’t have an actual counter argument.

Sipping on the wine you check your phone for the third time in five minutes, he was meant to be here before you and you need him to be the buffer between you and his family. They weren't your biggest fans and you quite enjoyed riling them up, waiting to see who'd snap at you first. You and Ransom often wagered about who would be the first to burst out into a screaming fit.

They all had such short fuses, so all you had to do was mention something ‘snowflakes’ were concerned with and they all absolutely lose it, at this point you considered it your own private theatre. Normally you like to keep a distance since they weren’t shy in reminding Ransom why you weren’t the right match for him, today however you were needed.

The family lawyer has requested that both you and your father be present for Harlan’s will reading. Both you and Ransom thought he would be getting something substantial from his grandfather and the family wouldn’t be happy, so he would need you and your father there for support.

You sit for twenty more minutes, laughing at the nonsensical crap Joni was pushing as usual, something about jade eggs and where Gwyneth Paltrow decided they should be inserted this week. You hear the front door close and jump up as he finally arrives, running and jumping into his arms, wrapping your legs around his waist, another fun way to annoy his family, kissing him deeply and moaning as he gripped you. Whispering into his ear “where the fuck have you been? I’ve had to annoy them all on my own today” he smirks and kisses the tip of your nose before putting you back down and walking hand in hand in the room greeting his family.

It was fair to say he was the black sheep of the family, he hadn’t accepted handouts as easily as the rest of them since the two of you got together, deciding instead to try and make it on his own. He moved into your apartment and gave up the house his grandad was paying for, living off his savings ever since. He had been writing his own novel for the last six months and he was getting so close to finishing, he didn’t want to tell the family and have them shit all over his idea, especially Walt who thought he was the literary one now that Harlan had passed.

You grab two glasses of whiskey and sit in Ransom's lap, kissing his cheek and handing him one of the tumblers. Asking him what kept him so long he tells you he thinks he’s finished and wanted to re-read some of it before he told you. Pride flashes over your face at how thrilled he is and you both do a mini squeal at his news. “I can think of the perfect way to celebrate” you whisper in his ear before licking the shell and telling him to come and find you in a few minutes.

You hear him looking for you a few minutes later and pull him into the cloakroom, kissing him urgently and grabbing his ass “you want to have some fun?” you say kissing down his neck and biting his shoulder. He breathes out a ‘yes’ as you get on your knees, pulling his hardening cock out and licking the tip while he leans against the wall behind you.

“We don’t have time for teasing kitten” he says gripping your hair and pushing deep into your mouth, you lightly gag on his length and hollow your cheeks, sucking and licking at what you can. It doesn’t take long for him to spill down your throat, you smile up at him licking your lips and place a gentle kiss on the tip before tucking him away. He gently pushes you against the wall, gripping your hips and whispering what he plans to do to you later when you get home.

You’re interrupted by a sharp knock on the door and someone clearing their throat, straightening yourselves out you open the door and see his father, Richard, staring down at you both. “Can I help you, Dickie” you ask, smirking at the frustrated expression on his face. He tells you there’s 20 minutes until the reading and the family wanted to discuss what they were expecting, you tell Ransom you’re going to see your father out back and blow him a kiss, sneaking away before anyone can moan at you.

You help out in the greenhouse with some of the planters he’s prepping, talking to him about work and the trip you’re planning with Ransom to New York, when you both hear it, screaming and shouting, your father goes to the house with you, always ready to protect you from those vile people.

You walk in together and Linda snarls at you but tries to hide it as a grin, instinctively you stand next to Ransom ready to jump in and defend him, your father next to you throws an arm around you and places his hand on Ransom’s shoulder in support. Ransom smiles at you both and leans down whispering in your ear “down girl” when he sees how tense you are “they aren’t worth it, I promise you” he winks at your father and turns back to them all.

They were arguing about you, apparently you weren’t worthy of a Drysdale, an argument you’ve overheard on more than one occasion, usually he shuts them down but they don’t listen and just wait until you aren’t around before picking at him again. Linda realising that her son isn’t listening decides to take a more tactful approach “look we just want what's best for you darling, we’re obviously about to come into a lot of money today and you don’t want to be tied to her, she only wants what we have”.

Your father clears his throat in warning, he hasn’t ever raised his voice to these people out of respect for Harlan but now that he’s gone and he will most likely be sacked once they inherit the home he sees no reason to stop. Ransom looks to him and pleads with him not to do this right now and your father nods his head in understanding, before pulling you into a hug and whispering in your ear that they are the problem and not Ransom, he's a good man and he always looks after you. You nod your head and turn to face Linda, about ready to give her a little reality check when the family lawyer requests you all join him in the library, your father is about to walk away when he is asked to stay and join the family also.

You take a seat next to your father, Ransom standing behind you both waiting. Both you and Ransom suspected Harlan would look after him, maybe give him some sort of payout on publication of his first novel, he was always so supportive of the idea that he could write a book too. He’d already helped you pay for college, something the rest of the family could never find out about. Harlan was always so kind to his loyal employees and your father had worked for him for more than twenty years. He was offered help with setting up his own business or even help paying his bills but your father refused, instead requesting that your college be paid for. You weren’t allowed to refuse, you were just asked that you find something that you were passionate about.

The lawyer started talking and everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath collectively, he took care of the smaller items first, most of it going to staff and friends. Then came the bigger stuff, half of his fortune was to be divided between his children equally. The family didn’t even let the lawyer finish what he was saying before they were jumping up and demanding to see the paperwork, appalled that they would only be getting half. He sat calmly and asked them to listen until he was finished, next on the list the other half of his fortune would go to you and his home would go to your father.

You stared at each other completely dumbfounded, the shouts and accusations of the family around you buzz like static in your ears. Ransom stood at full height, acting as a blockade between his family and yours as you both absorbed the news. The lawyer handed out copies of the will for their records and asked that you make appointments to see him and have the necessary arrangements tied up properly. He left swiftly after, obviously recognising that this was about to get ugly.

Ransom swept you up in an embrace telling you to ignore the family and focus on him, your father in the meantime sat reading over what he had been given, speechless for the first time in his life about what had just happened. The family were practically feral, screaming abuse and name calling at the two of you. Ransom stood at full height and told them all to “eat shit” one by one calling them out and advising them to speak to a lawyer, if they could afford one, he laughs at his own joke before pulling you both into a big hug and suggesting you all go out for drinks. “You’re paying” he winks at you and grabs your hand leading you past the angry mob waiting at the door for you.

[sapphire-wine]

oh wise sapphire, please tell me more about the Clay Phoenix half brothers au.

Oh boy OKAY If you want to open that can of worms again, I think I've touched on most of these points weeks ago but many cursed ideas took priority after it: [Warning: This is VERY long]

Basically it started because I kept making "clay my beloved" posts and "phoenix my beloved" posts and someone called me a simp and I was like "i cant tell if you're talking about clay or phoenix but who is clay if not just a younger and less spikey phoenix" and then i went "wait yea they look v similar..."

So the "Phoenix and Clay are actually related" idea was born. So I've decided as of right now that Phoenix's mom is the Wright and she changed both her and Phoenix's last name to her maiden name after his parents divorced/his father left when he was young. Then a couple years later his dad has Clay and right now I think he's just out of the picture.

Since Apollo and Clay meet when Clay is crying that his mom died, I kind of figured they wouldn't be able to be related through their mom because Phoenix probably would have heard his mom died and then heard she had another son. I don't think it's stated on the wiki where Clay goes after his mom dies and I haven't played AA5 so idk if it's touched on where Apollo and him live. But I'm going to have him live with his aunt who was still fairly young when his mom died so she just kind of lets him do whatever. I think Clay and Apollo met in middle school so they were around 12.

The actual AU starts pretty much a week or two after Bridge to the Turnabout, so before the trial that gets Phoenix disbarred. Clay is 15/16 and looking through his parent's old legal documents and with his parents wedding certificate, his birth certificate etc, Clay finds another wedding certificate and another birth certificate that his dad was married to a Wright and they had a son named Phoenix.

Clay thinks back to all of the times he heard Apollo boast on and on about this defense attorney Phoenix Wright that "cross examined a parrot Clay! I'm going to be a lawyer just like him!" and he's like "APOLLO I HAVE SUCH GOOD NEWS FOR YOU"

So he and Apollo gather up all these documents and march down to Wright & Co law offices and Phoenix opens the door to these two teenagers like "hello?" and Clay is like "Hi I'm Clay Terran we have the same father. This is my best friend Apollo he's not related to you but he's a big fan so he wanted to come."

And Phoenix "I adopt every child I see" is instantly like, MORE FAMILY??? And he goes around and spends that month introducing everyone to his new half brother and his half brothers best friend. Apollo is awestruck because he's read about all of these people and he's admired so many (but not as much as he's admired Phoenix) and Clay has no interest in the legal system whatsoever so he's meeting these people like "sup?" and putting his feet up on Edgeworth's desk, etc. and Apollo is just mortified because "these are really important people Clay! You can't just ask them if they have the authority to make Pluto a planet again! Show some respect!!"

This is a bit where I'm not sure if I'm going to keep canon or if I'm going to diverge it wildly (im thinking of diverging it wildly):

Apollo really wants to see one of Phoenix's trials in person and who is Phoenix to deny any teenage assistant anything so he brings them both to the Gramarye trial. I think once Trucy shows up and is like "hi! Here is some evidence!! Byeeee" both Apollo and Clay (in Among Us fashion because they definitely played it before the super hype) are like "Phoenix that little girl was sus I don't think you should use that evidence" and then Phoenix doesn't use it

Clay goes and is like "hey unaccompanied girl, where are your parents and where did you get that evidence?"

Zak still disappears and Phoenix adopts Trucy still he just still has his job. Clay assumes the uncle role like a duck to water and Apollo (even though he's v skeptical of Trucy at first because "why is she trying to give illegal evidence to Mr Wright there should be a chain of custody for evidence") also comes to enjoy her company because this is his friends new niece.

Phoenix would still find out that Apollo and Trucy are related at the same time as canon. Clay would just also find out and tell them if Phoenix doesn't.

And also because Phoenix doesn't use the evidence and Kristoph still tells Klavier about it, he's kind of like "hey....why did you know about it and he didn't even use it to benefit?" so that would be a whole other thing.

I think Clay would see this kid a little older than him behind the prosecutor's bench and go "he's weird friend shape" so they would end up hanging out. Clay would think it was cool he was in a band ("Will we be getting free tickets?")

ANYWAY, if you made it this far I have a lot of thoughts for this

[rollerskatinglizard]

plot twist i want the director's cut of After the Storm and Once Cursed, Twice Shy. Especially the second one gimme all the juicy bits that didn't make it into the book!

You are a SNEAK!! Tempting me into reblogging that just to spring this!

Okay, so. The rough draft of After the Storm got written almost entirely in April of 2019, like 175k of it in one month. This is the kind of thing I'm pretty sure you can only do if you have three writers, all hyped up and writing like crazy. We were just coming up with ideas, okaying them and slamming them down on the page, it was the kind of glorious madness I think you only get with the first book, not its sequels. Sequels carry a whole freight of continuity that weighs down the pace (altho trying to get anything creative done during a pandemic probably isn't helping). (Also working on five stories at once slows down the pace of all of them, but That's The Process.)

Because Rich was my original character to start with, I would occasionally mention something about him or his life that my cowriters hadn’t heard before, and sometimes they decided those were good and needed to be included in the book. For instance, halfway through the first draft, it occurred to me to tell them that he’d originally had sisters, both Very Strong Redheads like him, one who couldn’t settle on a career and was always trying something new, and one who was terrifyingly smart and studying to be a lawyer. Roach and Splickedy went Huh! Okay, so what would they be doing right now? And we worked out the whole family reconciliation plotline and added the earlier scenes with Thena to the parts we’d already written, altho obviously Thena’s personality changed A Lot, since no one would call her “flighty” now.

Like After the Storm, Once Cursed, Twice Shy was a first book, and it got written in much the same “let’s just do this and see what comes out” sort of way (if rather more slowly), so most of the ideas we had originally are what’s in the book! So again, the surprise isn’t what got cut, but what came later, to wit: Red’s crest. We’d actually finished the rough draft and begun edits when we realized Red needed another fae attribute, and then Curlicue had to go through and add all the appropriate crest movements and meanings, and then we realized this meant we could have a preening scene! Very enjoyable, best edit hands down.

In case you were wondering, Roach and Splick and I are currently working on two sequels to After the Storm along with innumerable short stories and novellas. Curlicue and I are 10k into a short story that comes after Once Cursed, and we have the sequel planned.