#whoever chose different lighting for each scene.... fight me

[keumsdonghyun]

keum donghyun for cosmopolitan

[cjsinkythoughts]

FATWS One Shot #1 - Back to the Beginning

Word Count: 1644

Warnings: Cursing, Mentions of Intoxicated Automobile Accident, Steve Being a Slight Puppy

Setting/Characters: Directly after Captain America: The First Avenger, New York City; Reader, Director Nicholas Fury, Captain Steven Rogers

A/N: Here it is! The first One Shot that goes along with my FATWS Series! Keep in mind; it doesn’t take place during FATWS. There are NO SPOILERS in this and there will be NO SPOILERS in any of the One Shots. I do recommend still reading the Series, though, to understand the Reader more. These are more like…prequels to the Series. And it won’t be a series. It’ll just be a collection of One Shots based on what I think is important and what you guys wanna see. I also WON’T BE DOING A TAGLIST FOR ONE SHOTS! (Only those in my All Works Taglist will be tagged!) I’ll be adding them to my FATWS Series Masterlist under a ‘One Shot’ section, so you’ll be able to find them there, and I’ll also be tagging them with #fatws series oneshots. Feel free to send in requests for what you wanna see. I’ve gotten a few already, so I’ll be writing those tomorrow. I’ll say that they’ll all be shorter like this one, but...knowing me...we’ll see.

(Also, I’m aware of the theories that SHIELD chose the woman because the resemblance to Peggy, but just ignore that for this.)

As always, not beta’d so please excuse mistakes! Be kind to yourselves and each other! Enjoy and stay tuned!

FATWS Masterlist

cjsinkythoughts Masterlist

You knew. You knew the moment his eyes raked over your form. You knew when he looked over his shoulder at the radio playing some baseball game from 1941. You had done your homework, just like you did with every mission you worked. Granted, this one was a little different, but when Fury called you in personally, you couldn’t say no. You told them your uniform was wrong. You told them the game was too close to when he went under. You told them.

So you weren’t surprised in the least when he smashed through the wall, running out of the room. You didn’t necessarily regret pushing the button; you did it because you knew your cover had been blown, not because you were threatened. But you regretted calling out Code 13, not realizing that they’d chase him out into the middle of Times Square of all places.

Before you could head outside, wanting to know what happened, Fury’s name flashed across your vibrating phone.

“Y/L/N.”

“We’re heading back.”

An eyebrow raised, showing your confusion. “That was quick.”

“He’s fine, if you’re insinuating what I think you are.”

“I’m not insinuating anything, sir.” It was a lie, of course. You wouldn’t put it past Fury to slow down the Captain anyway he could, especially if the Man Out of Time was putting up a fight. “Sir, with all due respect, I tried-”

“I know, Agent. When We get back, we’ll set up in Conference Room C. I want you to join us.”

Your eyes narrowed, free hand on your hip. “You only called me in to ease him into this whole new century thing-”

“And he’s not eased.”

“It’s not my fault, Fury. I told your guys that it was wrong-”

“I know, Agent. Introducing him to the new century obviously went less smoothly than we anticipated.”

“Ya think?”

“Conference Room-”

“C. I heard you the first time. I’ll be there. Give me a few minutes.” He hung up without any farewells, making you roll your eyes. The director had pulled you off an assignment - in the middle of it - and promised you could get back to it once you finished helping him with the Star Spangled Man problem; help Captain Rogers integrate into the new times. But it was starting to seem that Fury didn’t just mean when he woke up.

You quickly changed, switching the old fashioned uniform for the tighter SHIELD-assigned one, before heading up to the level with all the conference rooms. You understood doing this in New York instead of the HQ in DC - the captain was from New York and, as much as it changed, some things would be familiar - and you definitely understood not doing this on the Helicarrier since Rogers didn’t even know about smartphones yet. And you definitely weren’t complaining; you had an apartment here in the City that you hadn’t slept in for months now.

Glancing at the room plaques, you paused in front of ‘C’. You took a couple breaths, relaxing yourself just as you did before any mission, before opening the door and stepping in.

Fury and Rogers were sitting at the table on opposite ends, the blonde looking around warily, eyeing the few agents lining the walls. You shot Fury a look, disapproving of the firepower in the room.

“Captain. Director.” You nodded to them in greeting.

Roger’s eyes snapped towards you, recognition lighting up his features. “You-”

“Agent Y/N Y/L/N. Sorry about the act.”

He nodded hesitantly, watching you as you sat down a couple seats from Fury. “I have some other business to attend to, so I’ll make this quick. To help you adjust, it’s been decided to assign an agent to help you for the next few months. Agent Y/L/N, here, will take that position.”

You blinked, turning to Fury, not expecting that. “What?”

Fury ignored you, standing up and setting down a file on the table in front of you when he passed. “The file has what you need to explain to him. Start now.”

“Fury.” You snapped, eyebrows furrowing as you stared at the file. Looking back as the door opened, you scrambled to stand when you realized he was leaving. “Fury! Excuse me.” You pardoned yourself from the captain, chasing after the director without waiting for his reaction. “Nicholas!”

That got his attention, his stride pausing. He spun on his heel, an eyebrow quirked. “Agent-”

“You didn’t mention anything about months helping him. I thought you meant, at most, a week!”

He crossed his arms tightly across his chest. “You’re the first person he saw when he woke up. You’re the best option.”

“First off,” you mimicked his position, popping your hip for good measure. “Even though I was the first person he saw, I deceived him. Why would he trust me? Second, why me? I understand having me for the little show you put on. I get that. But me? Of all people? You know I don’t do personal stuff.”

Fury narrowed his eyes. “You’re on this, and that’s final. He needs to know politics and technology. Settle him into the apartment in the file.”

You gaped as he turned around and started towards the elevators at the end of the hallway. “What about-?!”

“Your mission is being taken care of!” He called over his shoulder. “Politics and technology!”

You huffed, stomping your foot, frustrated, well aware of the fact that you were throwing a mini tantrum. You worked behind the scenes, acting as someone other than yourself. You didn’t help 93 year old super soldiers settle into new houses, teach them about current politics, and explain what cell phones were.

Walking back into the conference room, you found it empty besides Rogers, who was looking through the file, eyebrows knit in confusion. “Sorry about that.” You apologized, moving around the table to plop into the seat next to him.

He gave a half hearted shrug, glancing over at you. “It’s okay. He didn’t tell you the plan. I don’t blame you for being annoyed.”

“Yeah…it’s nothing personal. I’m not annoyed at you, and it’s not because of you. It’s just-”

“You don’t do personal stuff.” At your quirked eyebrow, he tapped his ear. “I could hear you.”

You cleared your throat, feeling slightly embarrassed at being heard. “Oh. Right. Enhanced hearing. Um, so, I guess you’re already starting without me.”

The tips of his ears turned red as you gestured to the file he was scanning. He dropped it, moving it over to you. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” You shook your head. “It’s your schooling. However you wanna do this, whatever pace you want, we’ll do that. Fury just wants you to know-”

“Politics and technology.” He shot you a small smirk. “I heard that too.”

You chuckled a bit, nodding. “Right. Okay. Let’s see here. Nickie said there was an apartment they got you…”

“Page six.” He informed you as you flipped through the pages.

You hummed, looking at the small apartment, perfect size for one person, right here in Manhattan…in the same building as yours, you noted. “Of course.” You rolled your eyes. You’d basically be his babysitter, and you knew neither of you wanted that.

“What? What’s wrong?”

You sighed, shaking your head. “This is my building.”

He blinked, looking down at the picture of the apartment. “Oh. Well, if you want I can request a change-”

“No, no. It’s fine. I just - I wish Fury told me.”

“Can-can I ask you a personal question?”

You shrugged, thumbing through the rest of the file. They basically wanted you to give him a government lesson starting with the fifties and then go over military technological advancements - a lot of Stark Industries stuff. “You might as well. We’re gonna be spending quite a bit of time together.”

“Why don’t you do personal?” You stopped your reading, tapping a finger on the table as you chewed on your cheek. “Sorry. You don’t hafta share if it’s too personal. I get it. I was never really into sharing my emotions, either.”

Turning your head to him, your lips pursed thoughtfully. His head was ducked, his blonde hair previously parted and styled was falling into his eyes, which were trained on his linked hands in his lap. His forehead was still creased, but it was more contemplative than confused as it was previously. 

“I specialize in undercover operations.” Ignoring the way he whipped his head to you, slight surprise in those blues that you were answering his question, your head dropped back to the files, trying to act nonchalantly. “Before that I grew up in foster homes. My parents died when I was little. Drunk driver. No one survived. I was…two. I think. Maybe three. I learned to keep my head down to stay out of trouble; be the kid whoever had me wanted me to be. Anyways, I’m used to playing other people. I’m not really used to being myself.”

The room was blanketed with a silence that wasn’t uncomfortable. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, either, but it was welcomed as Rogers processed what you had just told him. His voice was quiet, almost shy, when he spoke up. “You can be yourself with me…if you want.”

You looked over at him again, your lips turning up slightly as you met his sincere gaze. “Thanks. You can be yourself with me too, Captain Rogers.”

“Let’s start with you calling me Steve, Agent Y/L/N.”

Your features broke into a bigger grin as you nodded, accepting his terms. “Alright, Steve. I don’t really have a preference. Just don’t call me Agent. I get flashbacks to every conversation with Fury.”

Steve laughed and you couldn’t help but enjoy the way his eyes shut, his nose scrunching up. “Alright.” He agreed with a beam. “I think I can avoid that, honey.”

All Works Taglist:

@happygoreading​

@bibliophilewednesday​

[ao3theskyisblue]

In the light of twilight

Summary:

"How long are you planning on sitting miles away from me?"

"I'm only a few feet away from you. Miles may be overstating it, babe."

A 2x08 coda because I still haven’t recovered from last night

Read on ao3

“How long are you planning on sitting miles away from me?”

Carlos had stood up to hug Gwyn and Owen just before they reluctantly left to catch her flight back to New York, exchanging words of reassurance and a promise to get together again soon. He stood back to watch as Gwyn leaned down to kiss TK’s temple softly, Owen giving his son’s hand a squeeze.

“Take care of him.” Carlos couldn’t help straightening his back at those words, nodding at Owen in response.

“Of course, sir.”

He caught a fond eye-roll at that, and even Gwyn seemed to be holding back an amused grin, but the two had left the room soon after that. Which left him to head back to his spot on the uncomfortable hospital chairs, hands clasped before him as his mind raced again with the endless possibilities that could have happened tonight. He didn’t know how long he had sat there, thoughts a blurred haze, until TK had broken the silence.

Looking up, Carlos felt his breath catch at the tender warmth in TK’s gaze as he looked at him, quiet understanding lighting up his features.

“I’m only a few feet away from you. Miles may be overstating it, babe.” Carlos resorted to a tactic he thought he had under his belt, using humour to deflect. He could tell TK wasn’t fooled in the slightest, judging by the short huff of breath at that, before he was lifting a tired hand towards him.

“Still too far.” TK was definitely pouting now, but Carlos still caught the minuscule wince at the action, the movement definitely reminding the man of his injuries that would take a while to heal.

In all honestly, he didn’t know why he was hesitant to get any closer.

Back when they had finally found them, when he saw TK staggering against a table with a bloody bandage on his head, his feet had moved on autopilot, bringing him straight to his boyfriend’s side in a matter of seconds. There was an overwhelming urge, a need, to know that he was okay, that he wasn’t too late.

That trusting his gut had been right.

The overwhelming emotions that had his eyes clouding with unshed tears as he held TK in his arms then were unparalleled, and he knew that there was no place he would have rather been than right there. Everything after that had been a blur - his father arriving at the scene, their tentative conversation, a residual reminder of a family lunch date he had yet to inform TK about.

He had been so close to losing a part of himself today. Looking at TK who was still watching him patiently from the hospital bed, he felt as if the universe might tell him that this was all an illusion, that he had failed to protect the one thing he’s always vowed to protect, that everything he had worked for would disappear right before his very eyes.

“Carlos.”

Biting the inside of his cheek to stop the onslaught of emotions that hit him all at once at the sound of his own name, Carlos got up slowly and took a stumbling step towards the hand that had not stopped reaching for him.

“I’m here, and I’m okay.” TK whispered, and Carlos closed the distance between them, latching onto the offered hand like a lifeline, leaning down to pull TK into a tight hug, though still mindful of his injuries. Pressing a gentle kiss to TK’s hairline, right above the bulge of bandages, he closed his eyes and didn’t fight the tears that slowly slipped down his cheeks.  

“How are you feeling?” TK murmured, and Carlos laughed wetly as he pulled back slightly to wipe away the wet stains on his face. Gentle hands replaced his own, and Carlos gingerly sat on the edge of the bed, lifting a hand to cover TK’s that were still delicately wiping his tears away.

“How am I feeling? You were the one that had a rough day.” Carlos shook his head, and TK immediately made a noise of protest.

“You haven’t had the greatest day either. How – are you still suspended?” TK asked tentatively, eyes searching his, and Carlos smiled.

“Still pending investigation. But I think that after these recent events, I’ll be back to work in a few days.” Carlos felt his heart stutter in his chest at TK’s brilliant smile at that, his eyes shining proudly.

“I’m so proud of you.” TK murmured, and Carlos leaned into the hand still cupping his face, turning to kiss the palm of it. Sighing lightly, Carlos reached for the hand TK had dropped down on the hospital bed, the warmth emanating through him soothingly as the latter immediately intertwined their fingers.

“I was so close to playing it by the book.” Carlos admitted quietly, dropping his gaze to the dull blue hospital linens, having a sudden urge to pick at them but TK only tightened his grip on his hand. “It hit a nerve, I guess, when my father told me my instincts may have been wrong. I kept on thinking if I didn’t let that man go today, if things would have gone differently.”

He didn’t look up, and he knew that TK would wait until he was ready. His boyfriend was surprisingly patient in times like these, and it was a source of comfort Carlos could always trust in.

“If you had arrested him, you would have – “ TK’s voice cracked at the end, but swallowed it down and continued, “you would have died. You, your partner, and whoever was nearby. You would have all died.”

Carlos hadn’t visited that part of what could have happened thoroughly yet. Certainly, he wouldn’t be here if he had played by the book earlier today, and who knows what would have happened after. The bank robbers would still be free, they would have just hired someone else to do the job, and the world would have moved forward.

Without him in it.

It was definitely something that he should probably talk about, and he will.

“Yeah. Yeah, I know that now. But then? All I knew was that I could have made a terrible mistake just from trusting my instincts, and I – I started to doubt myself.” Carlos admitted quietly and TK must hear the resignation in his tone.

“Carlos…”

“But I didn’t.” Carlos continued, looking up now, and he didn’t know what his eyes were portraying but it had TK’s widen slightly. “I didn’t play by the book. I chose to follow my gut and I’m – I don’t regret it. I would do it a thousand times over. Your father was right, our guts are what we take out there in the field, and I should trust it.” Carlos could see TK starting to smile, and it was impossible not to smile back.

“He also said we should have a heart behind our shield.”

TK’s smile widened, and his eyes were filling with emotion the longer they stared at each other. Carlos tilted his head slightly when TK pressed a hand to his heart, patting the spot gently.

“And you have a damn good one.” TK whispered fondly. Carlos let out a wet chuckle, taking the hand that was pressed to his heart to kiss his knuckles. He let his lips rest there, a physical reminder of what he could have lost today creeping in on him, before leaning his forehead against the warm hand, smiling helplessly.

“What?” TK tilted his head adoringly, and Carlos looked up to meet his gaze.

“I just really love you.”

He falls in love all over again at the elated smile that lights up TK’s face every time he says that, endeared by the shy edges to it as if he could never grow tired of hearing it.

“I love you too.”

Carlos took that moment to scoot just a little closer, lifting an arm to wrap around TK’s mid-section to lean in further. He was completely content in just staying like this until the doctors approved of TK’s discharge, but they hadn’t been staring at each other very long when TK’s brows furrowed slightly. Carlos was immediately on alert.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry I missed dinner.” TK lamented, looking like he was almost a little frustrated at himself and Carlos raised an eyebrow.

“You were kidnapped, pistol-whipped, and almost shot. I think that gives you a free pass, babe.” Carlos teased, chuckling quietly as TK groaned, shooting him an amused glare.

“You do know that your glares don’t work on me? I’ve since built an immunity to them, and all they do is make you look more adorable than you already are.” Carlos smirked, not even dodging the light hit TK landed on his shoulder.

“Don’t talk to me as if I don’t know what I look like. My head’s practically a bloated marshmallow.” TK said pointedly, but Carlos wasn’t deterred.

“So, soft and cute?”

TK shot him an unimpressed glare, looking like he wanted to roll his eyes but remembered how much his head wound had protested at that the last time he tried and held back.

“Only you can find me cute lying in a hospital bed like this.”

“You’re always cute, no matter where you are or what you’re doing.” Carlos reminded, eyebrows lifting as if challenging him to continue and TK merely shook his head slightly, an exasperated smile on his lips.

“You really need to stop being so sappy right in front of my concussion.”

“Never.”

Leaning in, Carlos pressed a light kiss to TK’s lips, grinning when he tried to chase him as he pulled back, the lips he had just been kissing already forming a light pout.

“I go missing for hours and you won’t even give me kisses?” Carlos snorted at that, narrowing his eyes at the playful glint in TK’s gaze.

“Playing the kidnapping card? Really Strand?”

“Gotta keep you entertained somehow in spite of everything.”

Carlos smiled, leaning down to gently kiss the corner of TK’s lips, much to his weak protest.

“Not in spite of.”

TK frowned, a questioning look in his eyes as Carlos reached up to delicately run his fingers through TK’s hair. Looking into the green eyes that caught him heart and soul ever since their first meeting in the rain, Carlos felt his body fill with warmth.  

“I’m here, and I love you because.”

~.~

“You didn’t eat the pasta.”

Carlos locked the front door and turned to see that TK was staring at the dinner layout spread before him. He vaguely remembered being in such a frenzied rush to the Strand house that all he remembered was to blow out the candles, leaving everything else exactly where they were before he had sped out the door.

“You didn’t come home. I would never have started without you.” Carlos frowned. The very thought of eating without TK felt wrong in every aspect, and toed off his shoes, placing them neatly beside TK’s by the entranceway before padding over.

The pasta had gone cold, the sauce looking a little hardened against the spaghetti noodles. The salad was looking a little dry as the dressing no doubt seeped into the vegetable leaves and sinking to the bottom of the bowl.

“Well, let’s eat it now!”

At TK’s sudden exclamation, Carlos blinked rapidly, looking down at the slightly worse-for-wear food laid out before them to TK and back again.

“Now?” Carlos knew he sounded incredulous, which was only further emphasized by TK’s affirmative nod. “Ty, it’s – “ Briefly glancing at the clock, he continued, “four am in the morning.”

“And?”

Carlos couldn’t help a surprised laugh, his boyfriend’s eagerness to eat the food he had spent a better part of his day cooking slowly rubbing off on him. TK was already padding forward slowly towards the setup, no doubt wanting to heat it up, but Carlos laid a gentle hand on his arm, guiding him towards the couch instead.

“I’m pretty sure your mom already fed you a year’s worth of Matzo ball soup. How are you still hungry?” Carlos mused, his lips twitching in amusement when TK groaned when he realized he was not-so-subtly arranged on the couch comfortably.

“I know for a fact that you haven’t eaten much. If at all.” TK looked at him pointedly, and Carlos couldn’t exactly deny that. He had grabbed a coffee, maybe had a few bites himself of the soup that Gwyn had almost force-fed him too and that had been it.

Hunger had been the last thing on his mind, and in truth, he honestly hadn’t really felt it.

“Spaghetti at twilight. How romantic.” Carlos mused, pushing off the couch to head to the kitchen when a hand caught his wrist.

“I love your cooking.”

Carlos looked down at TK who was staring up at him, a sudden serious look on his face that had him falter in his steps.

“You know that, right?” TK asked, looking a little worried now, and Carlos immediately nodded.

“Yeah. Yeah, of course. You’ve never shied away from telling me, and the noises you make sometimes should be illegal.” Carlos loved how he could always make TK smile, and the soft smile that the man propped up on the couch was currently donning had his stomach flip pleasantly.

“Your cooking brings me comfort. You bring me comfort.” TK bit his lip, tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek in that tell-tale manner of when he was trying to find his words. Carlos, frankly, has forgotten every single word he has ever learned in life when he realized what TK was implying.

“I will always want to eat your cooking. It’s – it’s comfort, it’s home.”

The hug was sudden, and he hadn’t even realized he had moved until he realized one moment he was standing, the next he was crouching next to the couch with TK in his arms. He felt lips gently press a kiss to the crook of his neck, and Carlos absently wondered how his life had suddenly turned a meaningful 180 with just one fateful meeting.

“You’re my comfort too.” Carlos whispered, squeezing TK a little tighter, smiling shakily when the latter didn’t hesitate to reciprocate. “When I think of home, you’re the first and last person that appears in my mind.”

TK let out a shiver at that, and Carlos pulled back slowly to run his thumbs along TK’s cheeks, the softness of the skin making his heart ache. And when TK reached up to grasp his wrists carefully, he couldn’t help but lean forward for a gentle press of their lips.

“But your cooking still has my vote pending.” Carlos let out a smirk before stepping out of their hold on each other to actually head to the kitchen, grinning when he hears a sound of offended disbelief from the living room.

“Rude!”

As he heats up their intended dinner, Carlos glances back at the couch where TK was still glaring at the pillow in his lap, muttering something under his breath. Shaking his head in fond amusement, he was about to re-toss the salad when TK’s phone that he had forgotten on the kitchen counter lit up with a call from an unknown number.

“TK! Your phone’s ringing, do you mind if I pick up?” Carlos called, and TK made a sound of affirmation. Picking up the device, Carlos pressed on the green ‘accept call’ button before lifting it to his ear.

“Hello?”

 The steady rhythm of raindrops falling suddenly sounded louder than anything in the world, the gray haze permeating through his thoughts as the onslaught of words slowly pieced together in his head.  

His grip on the phone slipped, eyes widening when the voice on the phone relayed news that he had never prepared to imagine, a call he had never been prepared to receive.

He could hear TK calling his name in concern and looked up to see a pair of worried green eyes fixated on him.

Swallowing thickly, Carlos let out a shuddering breath.

“Something’s happened to Judd and Grace.”

[sincitybxtch]

We Can’t | JJ Maybank

summary: y/n found her boyfriend rafe cheating on her and jj comforts her.

word count: 3.6k

warnings: smoking, swearing, mentions of sex, fighting.

a/n: hi! so i haven’t written anything in ages so if this isn’t good i’m so sorry! there are definitely some mistakes so sorry in advance! i was thinking of making a part two but i’m not quite sure yet. if you guys have any request or ideas feel free to send in some!  

You couldn’t believe what you were seeing right now. Your now ex boyfriend Rafe Cameron was on top of another girl. You really thought he was different, clearly he wasn’t. He invited you to a party that he was throwing, since his parents were gone for the weekend and when you showed up he was nowhere to be found. So you asked Topper, who told you he was upstairs doing god knows what. You figured he was in his room just messing around until you showed up, he tended to do that at parties but once you opened the door to his room, you saw him messing around but with another girl. You’ve never seen the girl before so she was probably a touron.

“You can’t be fucking serious.” You said, which made Rafe lift his head up from the girl and make eye contact with you. With a roll of your eyes you turned right on your heels and walked out of the bedroom not caring that you left the door open. You could hear the shuffling coming from the room and when you were about to go down the stairs Rafe called your name. “Y/n wait. It’s not what you think it is.” Your head turned towards him, he held the sheet from his bed on his waist and people were standing around staring at the scene in front of them. “It’s not what I think it is! Oh really? So you weren’t just fucking another girl?” You asked with so much anger laced in your voice, “The funny thing is I really believed you were different. Clearly I was fucking wrong.” Shaking your head at the male.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know what got into me.” Rafe pleaded with you, you could see the guilt in his eyes. “Don’t you dare say your sorry! You don’t get to say your sorry. You don’t even get to feel bad when you were the one that chose to cheat.” You yelled at him. The eyes that were on you felt like daggers, the music was turned down low so everything you were saying was being heard throughout the house. “You know what Rafe, fuck you.” You told him before walking down the stairs, pushing through the people crowded in front of the stairs. The front door was left open so you quickly rushed out trying to get away from all people that didn’t have anything better to do than stare.

You felt an arm wrap around your waist and lead you towards a dark trail that was out of view of the house. You were quick to try and get away from whoever grabbed you, but when you turned to see who it was you saw JJ Maybank. A very handsome blonde haired boy with beautiful blue eyes. He wore a navy blue sleeveless shirt, you can tell he cut them off himself and he wore a pair of blue light washed shorts. You’ve always had a little thing for JJ, who wouldn’t? The male was so attractive how could you not like him.

“JJ?! What the fuck! You scared the shit out of me.” You told him, you just realized how close you were to him. Your breath caught in your throat as you looked up at him, he was a lot taller than you. “I’m sorry! I just saw you storm out of the house and I just wanted to see if you were okay.” His voice was low and quiet, probably because he didn’t want anyone to know he was on the opposite side of the island. “I’m fine. I just don’t want to be here.” You told JJ and he nodded. “Are you sure you're okay? You look like you're about to cry.” He said, he had a concerned facial expression on his face and you just nodded not wanting to get into it right now.

“I’m not gonna cry.” You told him before leaning against the tall tree. “Well if you do, you’ll always have my shoulder.” He told you, he knew you were upset over something Rafe did but he didn’t want to pressure you into telling him. JJ didn’t like Rafe, everyone knew that. They both couldn’t stand each other and she couldn’t blame JJ, Rafe always acted like he was better than everyone else. “So do you wanna go smoke or something? I just need to get out of my thoughts.” You asked, you smoked here and there but only if it was with JJ. He’s the only person you trust being around when you weren’t sober. “Yeah I have a couple joints in my pocket, we could go to the beach.” He suggested and you nodded.

-----

The walk to the beach was silent, you and JJ stayed in your thoughts. If your friends saw you with JJ right now they would run off and tell everyone that you were hanging with a pogue. You never got why kooks always assumed that the pogues were bad people. They were human just like them, just didn’t have the money that they had. You were a kook and you truly hated being called that, yeah your family had money but they had to work for everything that they had. You were always attending the events, that was only because your parents forced you, they only went to the ones that were being held by friends. You’d always have to dress formally, everything had to be expensive if it wasn’t you’d get judged. All the rich people were snobs and very judgmental, if you didn’t act like them or have an expensive taste you wouldn’t be excepted.

It was quite sad actually, you’d never get why people would put someone else down for not being able to afford the luxury lifestyle.You’ve known JJ since forever basically, the two of you always got along. You considered him a friend, your best friend. He was the only person that didn’t care about the shit you wore or how much money you had. He cared about you and only you. JJ wanted to get to know Y/n not the Y/n that had a nice house and rich parents. He’s the one you’d go to when you needed to get away from the kooks, he’s the one that would listen to you when you needed someone to talk to and he was the one that helped you escape your life for a little bit.

The sand was cold when you sat down in it, JJ pulled out his two joints and a lighter before he sat down next to you. The waves weren’t as big as they were this morning, the noise of the waves crashing onto the sand was always music to your ears. Hearing the flicking noise of the light you turned towards JJ and pulled your knees up to your chest as a cold gush of wind hit your body. Goosebumps appeared across your body, you only wore a pair of white high-waisted jean shorts and a red cropped tank top. JJ took notice of you shivering and moved closer to you, he wasn’t fazed by the cold air which was crazy but you didn’t question it. You rested your head on his shoulder with a small sigh, he was so warm.

“You wanna take the first hit? Or shall I?” He asked with a little grin on his lips. You took the joint from his grasp and brought it between your lips inhaling the smoke before handing it back to him, you parted your lips letting the smoke leave your mouth. It would be an absolute lie if JJ didn’t think you looked hot with the joint between your lips. The lips he’s always fantasized about. Once you handed it back to him he placed it between his and did the same thing you did. “So you gonna tell me what happened between you and Rafe or what?” He asked once he released the smoke from his parted lips. “How did you know I was upset about Rafe?” You asked moving a little closer to him when another gush of wind hit. He brought his arm and wrapped it around your shoulder pulling you in close to him.

“It was kind of obvious but I didn’t want to pressure you into telling me right away.” JJ handed you the joint once again. “He cheated on me.” You told him as you took another hit from the joint. You felt the boy’s body tense up when you told him about what happened. “I can’t blame him though. I was the one that didn’t want to have sex with him.” You added, a small frustrated sigh left your lips. Rafe was always asking if you were ready and your answer was always no, you didn’t want to give it to him because you felt pressured every single time he’d asked. When you told him no he’d get angry and storm off, you just didn’t want to end up getting hurt. “Don’t fucking blame yourself for something he did.” He told you, his face had anger written all over it.

You saw his hands clenched into fist and you brought your hand to his thigh. “JJ I know what you’re thinking and no you are not gonna beat him up.” As much as you’d loved to see Rafe get his ass beat you didn’t want JJ to get hurt in the process, your hand rubbed circles on his exposed skin trying your best to calm him down. “I don’t like the fact that he hurt you, he doesn’t deserve to get away with this.” He said his head turning towards you and he made eye contact with you. You could see the hurt and anger in his eyes, all he wanted to do was protect you and give that cheating sleazebag what he deserves.

“I know he doesn’t but I don’t need you getting hurt.” You told him, bringing the hand that was resting on his thigh and pushed back the blonde hair that fell in front of his eyes before placing your hand on his cheek. Your eyes never leave his, you always get lost in his eyes. You didn’t even know he started leaning in until his lips touched your own. You knew it was wrong to kiss back but you did it anyways, you’d be lying if you said you weren’t in love with JJ. All the little things he did always made your heart skip a beat. Like when he would scrunch his nose at things he didn’t like or when you’d tell him no to something and he would wiggle his eyebrows at you until you’d give in and say yes.

The kiss turned into a heated make out session, but without the grabbing and touching. JJ’s hands stayed on your waist or they would switch between your cheek or neck while your hands switched between his cheek and chest. You pulled away from the kiss, you could feel your lips ache for him. “This shouldn’t be happening JJ.” You told him your fingers brushed through his blonde hair that was scattered all over the sand. “Why not Y/n?” He asked, he searched your face wondering if he made a mistake. “You know why. I just got out of a relationship.” You told him before moving your body off of him. “This can’t happen again JJ.” You told him not looking at him scared to see his reaction. “Okay. It won’t happen again.” He told you, hurt written all over his face.

-----

A week has passed since the night Rafe cheated on you and JJ kissed you. You hadn’t talked or seen them since that week. You locked yourself in your room for the week scared of reality. Your mom would tell you Rafe would stop by and ask for you, your mom would turn him away knowing you didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t know exactly what happened between the two of you but she knew you guys weren’t together anymore. Lying on your bed you scrolled through your phone but you were interrupted by Kiara barging through your room. “Get your ass up and ready. You are coming with me to the movie tonight.” She told you, crossing her arms over her chest. Kiara has been your best friend since you moved to the island, you live right next door to her. “But I don’t wanna go.” You told her with a sigh as you dropped your phone on your bed and sat up.

“I don’t care Y/n.” Kiara told you, she had the ‘you better get up’ look on her face and you let out yet another sigh as you got up from your bed and walked to your closet. You knew you weren’t winning this fight. You picked out an outfit and walked into the bathroom. You didn’t feel the need to dress up so you just wore something simple. Your hair was left natural not really wanting to do anything with it. “Do I really have to go to this?” You asked as you slip on your shoes and Kiara just gave you a nod for her response.

Once you and Kiara got to the place where the movie was you saw JJ and Pope sitting on a blanket having a serious discussion. “You invited them?” You asked, wondering if she invited them or if they just showed up. “Yeah John B was nowhere to be found so I kinda got stuck with them.” She shrugged and you just nodded walking up to the two boys with Kiara. JJ’s eyes met yours and you gave him a small smile and wave. You really didn’t care if your so-called friends saw you with pogues, they didn’t bother to come see you after the break up with Rafe so you could care less about them.

“So what were you guys talking about?” You asked before crossing your legs. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” Pope spoke in a fast manner, clearly not wanting anyone to know what JJ and him were talking about. Out of the corner of your eye you saw JJ lightly hit Pope in the side to tell him to shut his mouth. “What he means by nothing is that it's not important.” JJ told you, a very confused expression appeared on your face and you just nodded. “Okay then.” You spoke, shaking your head at them. Kiara handed you water and the two boys juice before she sat down and got comfortable.

As you took a sip of the cold water your eyes scanned through the crowd and your eyes landed on none other than Rafe who was standing besides Topper and Kelce. His eyes filled with disgust as he saw you sitting with pogues especially JJ. You just about spit the water out of your mouth when you saw him but you swallowed it and covered it with a cough. “You okay?” JJ asked, his hand pressed to your back rubbing it in a gentle and comforting way. You just nodded in return. Rafe didn’t like the fact that JJ was touching you but there was nothing he could do about it, especially in front of all these people.

Once the movie began you ended up forgetting about Rafe, you were too busy focusing on the movie to think about him. Feeling a light nudge on your arm you turned to look at JJ who leaned close to you. “Pope and I gotta go to the bathroom.” He whispered into your ear and you nodded moving your feet out of the way for them. You watched as they walked towards a tree, the bathrooms were behind you and you didn’t know why they went down to a tree. With a shrug of your shoulders you didn’t think anything of it.

“Hey Kie, they’ve been gone for quite some time. I think I’m gonna go look for them.” You told her before getting up. Kiara got up as well and grabbed JJ’s green backpack. “I'm worried about them too.” She told you before walking towards the tree they went too, you followed wondering what was going on. You heard JJ and Rafe’s voice coming from behind the movie screen and you quickly ran down there Kiara right behind you. The sight you saw made your jaw drop. Kelce had JJ’s arms pinned behind his back as Rafe punched him in the stomach and Topper had Pope in a headlock. “What the fuck Rafe! Topper let Pope go!” You yelled at the two boys before you ran over to Rafe pushing him off of JJ. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? What is wrong with you!” You pushed him again and turned to Kelce who immediately let go of JJ.

Kiara was dealing with Topper, she was on his back yelling at him to let go of Pope and when he did Pope fell to the ground. “What is wrong with me?! What is wrong with you Y/n? You are hanging with pogues!” He yelled in your face, his eyes were bloodshot. “I can’t believe you right now. You can’t be serious.” You rolled your eyes at him and then turned to look at JJ who was sitting on the ground trying to catch his breath. You gave him the ‘are you okay’ look and he nodded. Kiara was helping Pope and Topper was trying to pull Rafe away from you. Rafe saw the way you look at JJ and his nostrils flared in anger. “Oh my fucking god. You’re fucking him! That’s why you didn’t want to have sex with me. Wow it all makes sense now.” A laugh left the boy’s lips and you looked at Rafe dead in the eye with a very unbelievable look.

You brought your hand up and slapped him right across the face leaving a bright red handprint on his cheek. “I’m not fucking him and if I was it wouldn’t be any of your damn business! You cheated on me remember? I didn’t want to have sex with you because you would pressure me! You’d make me feel guilty for not giving you what you want. I told you many times that I wanted to wait but you never got the fucking hint! You kept saying how bad you wanted me and when I didn’t give it to you you’d get mad at me. What kind of boyfriend does that?” You told him. “Don’t ever talk to me again! I don’t want you even looking at me! You got that?” You added. He just nodded clearly embarrassed with himself as him, Topper and Kelce walked off. You quickly helped JJ up and walked over to Kiara and Pope. “Are you guys okay?” You asked and they both nodded.

-----

You ended up taking JJ to your place while Kiara took Pope home to clean him up. Your parents were gone for the night so you didn’t have to worry about them catching you with JJ. He sat on one of the island chairs as you cleaned him up. “Here. Put this on your eye.” You handed him a bag of ice wrapped in a towel and he placed it on his eye with a wince in pain. The first aid kit laid on the kitchen island and you grabbed the little alcohol pads and stood in between his legs moving his hair from his face and looking him in the eyes. “This is gonna sting.” You told him and he just nodded in response. You placed the little alcohol pad on his cuts and he winced once again in pain. He tried moving away from you but you placed your hand on the back of his neck keeping him still.

“Can you take your shirt off please?” You asked knowing he had a few cuts on his side. When he removed his shirt you were surprised he didn’t make a snarky remark. Your eyes caught the sight of all the bruises on his upper half and a frown formed on your lips. “What started the fight?” You asked as you picked up another alcohol pad and pressed it to his cuts, earning another wince from him and a few curse words. “They just jumped us and Rafe was saying something about you that I can’t remember and I lost it. I would’ve killed him Y/n if Kelce wasn’t holding me back.” He told you, watching as you grabbed a bandage and placed it on his cuts to keep them from getting infected.

You knew there was more to the story but didn’t pry. Once you finished placing the bandage on his side you looked at him. His eyes were already on you. Your hand reached up to his cheek brushing his cheekbone and then running your fingers through his hair pushing it out of his face. You were inches from his face and you could feel his heavy breathing on your face. You bit at your bottom lip as your thoughts turned dirty. He was shirtless in front of you and gosh did he look good. Was it bad that you wanted him? You wanted him in ways you never wanted any other guy before. Your hands moved to his neck and you pulled him into a kiss, he reacted almost immediately by kissing you back. He dropped the ice bag on the counter and his hands wrapped around your waist pulling you in close to him.

You bit at his bottom lip and slipped your tongue between his lips. The male’s hand moved from your waist and was placed on the back of your neck as your fingers ran through his messy hair. You weren’t sure what you were doing but you knew you wanted him and you wanted him now. JJ got up from the chair and he bent down a little, placing his hands just below your ass and picked you up, placing you on the kitchen island. His lips met yours once again, he didn’t care about the pain he was in, all he cared about was you.

[didsomeonesaydaddydraco]

Loving the enemy | d.m

Request: nope

Word count: 2255

Warning: betray, bit of angst, heavy heartbreak

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Slytherin!Reader

Note: I wanted this to be a one shot, but now I’m thinking about turning this into a mini series. Let me know what you think and if you want a Part 2 (or more). Love you all. xx

All my life, I was told to choose the right path. To do everything in my power to stay loyal to myself. No matter what others say, rather be alone than with the wrong crowd. I was walking around the Castle, always making sure the corridor was empty when I took a turn from one to another. It was in the air. Everyone knew it was just a matter of time for Voldemort and his army to come and destroy everything what was so kind to our heart. Hogwarts. The place which had been my home for seven years. I grew up in here. Found lifelong friends here. I fell in love and got my heart broken for the first time in my life. I learnt to be a great witch here. The thought that I might lose everyone and everything scared me to death.

- Hey – cold, ring covered fingers grabbed my hand from behind, and I let out a small squeak. I turned around with my wand already in my other hand, ready to throw a defensive spell at whoever tried to attack me – Easy, it’s just me.

- Draco – a sigh left my lift as a sign of relief – You shouldn’t go around grabbing people like that when you know very well, Voldemort can come any minute now – I scolded my boyfriend softly, and put my head on his chest. I could hear his heart pounding loudly against his ribs. He kissed the top of my head lovingly.

- Sorry – he whispered and held me closer to his body – I wanted to make sure you were okay, because I didn’t see you at dinner tonight. You still haven’t got your appetite back? Have you eaten today?

- Calm down – I laughed – I wasn’t hungry, but yeah, I had eaten a bit today.

- You need to eat, baby – he pressed his lips into a thin line. Worry was written all over his perfect face. The last few weeks were too stressful with schoolwork, and there was death hanging above as, ready to ruin everything we cherished in our lives, I couldn’t force myself to eat. Every single time I joined my friends for lunch or dinner, all I could do was stare at my food. I wanted to be brave and I wanted to stay strong, but after all, we were still just kids at the edge of adulthood. We were supposed to get in trouble because of our pranks. We were supposed to go on dates at the Three Broomsticks. We were supposed to make the water in our cups turn into Butterbeer or Fire Whiskey and get drunk in the Common Rooms after the Prefects finished their night routines. We were supposed to fall in love and sneak out in the middle of the night to be with our boyfriend or girlfriend. But instead of making memories and having the time of  of our lives, we spent our free hours with perfecting our duelling skills, learning defensive spells and training, so when the time comes, we are prepared to fight, or at least stay alive.

- What are you thinking about? – Draco asked. I didn’t notice when he laced his fingers together with mine and led me to his dorm room. When I was snapped out of my thoughts, I saw him sitting on his bed, looking at me with an unknown emotion on his face.

I looked at him for too long. I wanted him to be safe. I wanted to protect him. I was terrified of losing him in the battle. I was terrified because he never said anything about the upcoming tragic event. Every time I brought it up, he suddenly had a very important thing he just couldn’t miss leaving me hanging, or simply changed the subject. Draco was never the man of words or emotions. He preferred actions over everything. In our love life, school work or when he wanted to keep his reputation. But how could someone tell their fears with actions? He had never cried. Not in front of me. He had never trembled, nor had troubles falling asleep. And yet, when I looked at him, I could see his skin being even paler than his usual tone, and the circles under his eyes were way too dark for my liking.

- How can you not be afraid? – I asked him simply. My guts warning me something might be off, and my arms suddenly wrapped themselves around my body as if they wanted to protect my from something – Why can’t we have a conversation about this?

Draco’s eyes darkened and he walked to his window. He didn’t give me an answer, just stared at my reflection on the glass. I stared back. Analysing every single feature of his face, I saw how his beautiful grey eyes lost their sparkle and were filled with sorrow. I saw his eyebrows wrinkled as he thought about something. His lips were pressed into a thin line again. And finally, after all this time, I could see real emotions running through his face after each other. Worry. Pain. Fear. Love. Disappointment. Hopelessness. My heart broke at the sight of him.

- Draco – I said his name softly – What’s going on?

He turned around but didn’t come any closer to me. He was playing with his shirt’s sleeve and chewing on his bottom lip. A habit of him when he was nervous. I knew something was odd about him. Slowly, but everything came together in my mind. Draco refused to wear anything, but long sleeved shirts. He started to wear those to bed as well, even though he hated to have a shirt on for sleeping. Every time we made love, we had to turn off the lights, and he casted a spell which turned the whole room completely dark. I ignored the voice in my head, which was basically screaming at me to do not go any closer, crossing a line.

- Baby – I breathed and with a sudden movement, I pulled up his sleeve, revealing the mark on his forearm. There it was. Black ink standing out on his almost milk white skin. The Dark Mark dancing on his arm, like it was celebrating the fact the Voldemort had striked again. Gaining another soldier for his army, destroying an innocent soul. I felt empty. I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t think straight. I was terrified for him. He was just a boy. I didn’t understand anything. Was it against his own will? Did he want to join the Death Eaters? I felt betrayed. I refused to believe that he would do such a thing on his own will. Could he really throw away everything? Could he really risk our lives?

- Y/N – Draco tried to grab my hand but I stepped away from him – Please, hear me out…

- Why didn’t you tell me? – I asked him – Did you want to keep it as a secret? Did you really think I would never find out?

- No, of course not – he shook his head and took a step closer to me, but my cold stare stopped him from taking any more – I wanted to tell you, but didn’t know how. I was waiting for the right moment, I guess.

- The right moment? – I raised my voice a bit, but I had to remind myself not to cause a scene because our classmates were outside in the Common Room – And what would have been the right moment, Draco? During the battle when I see you fighting on Voldemort’s side? – I hissed the last couple of words – Please, tell me you won’t…

Draco couldn’t look me in the eye. His icy blue eyes were looking everywhere in the room, but me. I waited. I waited for him to tell me he would never go against his School. The place which was his getaway from his poor excuse of a father. It was his safe place. It was OUR safe place.

-  Baby girl – his voice broke a little and I knew. I knew that his silence what in fact the answer for my question. To the one that I had asked, and to those which remained buried in me. I stood there, completely devastated. Trying to find the boy who I had fallen in love with. The boy, who would have tried to do everything in his power to protect those who he loved. I was questioning myself. His loyalty. Every single word coming out of his mouth. I felt broken. But no matter how heartbroken I was in that very moment, all I could think about was one thing. How was I supposed to protect him from everything that was waiting for us?

- Y/N – my lips rolled off of his tongue as a silent prayer – Love, please…

- You’re weak – a bitter laugh fell out of my mouth. I was mad. Mad at him for not standing up for himself. Mad at him, for lying to me for weeks. Mad at him, for putting himself in such a dangerous situation. And I was mad at my own self, because even though I wanted to hex him right there and then, I still loved him with every piece of my heart – It all begins and ends in your mind, Draco. What you give power to and has power over you, if you allow it. And you did. You let Voldemort to have that damn power over you.

- I had no choice. Believe me, if I had, I would have choose differently and… - his voice was desperate, but so I was. I was trying to pick up the pieces of my broken heart. All those pieces were still beating for him and hoping that this whole thing was just one terrible dream and I’ll soon wake up in his arms. But deep down I knew it wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t even know if that time will come one day, when I can wake up from a nightmare free dream, wrapped in his loving and protecting arms, listening to his light snoring, and the beating of his heart. Feeling him hugging me tighter when he was waking up, or dreaming. Smiling into our morning kiss, and admiring his beautiful face. Getting lost in his dreamy blue eyes, while we’re talking about our future together. Where we want to travel. Where we want to live…Live, how funny. Like we had any chance of that.

- Bullshit – I snorted – You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice.

I knew it must have been hard for him. Everyone in his family was a Death Eater, but so were my ascendants. I chose. And I chose the right path as I was taught when I was little. I was in the impossible situation. My mind and my heart were in a huge war, making it extreme hard to choose, but I had to. One of us in this relationship had to be on the right path, and make the final decision.

- What do you mean? – his eyes were filled with tears, and that was the moment I realised, I had been crying this whole time. Everything was too overwhelming. My head was spinning from the million thoughts chasing each other, and my heart was pounding way too rapidly, I was scared it might explode in any seconds. My whole body was shaking from fear and my fist was numb from the too tight grip – Y/N?

- What I mean is – I took a deep breath, knowing very well that I was about to make a decision that will affect both of us in a bad way – I have made my decision a long time ago. I know who my ascendants are, but I’m not one of them. I’m Y/F/N, and I can choose freely. And I did. I love you, Draco. Salazar is my witness that I really do. I love you so much it literally hurts me, but I have to break my own heart now. This is a serious situation, and you know it too…

- So you choose Potter over me? – venom filled his words and his eyes darkened even more. He was in pain. I broke him. But I had too.

- No, Draco – I shook my head at him – I choose my friends who became family to me over the years. I choose Hogwarts, which was my home away from home. I love you, Draco, but they were here for me way before you made up your mind and decided you wanted me.

- Baby – he choked out from his sobs – I love you. I love you so much, please…Please do not leave me. I need you – he fell on his knees – I’ll go crazy without you… - I was sobbing with him. My whole body was aching and I didn’t know if I could make it out alive – Why?

- Because I’ll always protect my family, Draco – my voice was only a whisper. And with that, I left his room.

I left his room, leaving Draco screaming in his hands, in the middle of his room. I was running down the empty halls of Hogwarts. I should have admire its beauty while I had the chance, but my tears blurred my vision. I tore my heart out from my chest and left it on the bedroom floor. Completely shattered. Shattered by me. I knew I couldn’t have protect him out there. Just like him, I had no choice…

[swansstuff]

So uh, I've been thinking about a hypothetical Trucy Wright: Act Attorney and here is the very poorly written outline for it because yeah. No spoilers except the Apollo Trucy thing. Tw death, murder, blood and grieving so yeah.

Trucy's first case is literally her first ever case. This is a flashback case. We follow her as she wakes up, slightly stressed about today, Phoenix gives her cereal and a pep talk and a cryptic message. Trucy asks where Papa is, it is Miles, they are married. Phoenix is cryptic about that too. He stays behind as he "has to buy groceries" so Trucy heads into the office. Apollo greets her, it's clear they know they're siblings, and he hands her a case. Miles is prosecuting. She is fucking terrified. She goes to the crime scene, Gumshoe is the detective and he's educating his teenage sons, constant confusion of who's who, because they are twins and they look very like Gumshoe, it'll be kinda funny. Its a simple investigation. During the investigation, the player can check Trucy's profile and the profile system shows character's middle names now. We get some gems such as Klavier Hyacintha Gavin later on, the reasoning behind this is coz Trucy is nosy. The important one here is Trucy Mia Wright. She says something about how she chose her own middle name when Phoenix adopted her and she chose Mia after learning about her. Yada yada. Trucy wins the case. Edgeworth is very proud, Phoenix is in the gallery and there's a flash of him crying proud tears, Apollo hugs her afterwards, Athena congrats her.

Next case, flash forward three years later, we do not see Phoenix and nobody really mentions him. Thats because he's fucking dead but we don't know that yet. This case is a Fey case, we meet Maya who is married to Franziska and they're technically on honeymoon in Kurain and Pearl becomes the Maya to Trucy's Phoenix. Its another fey murder case. There are a few mentions of Trucy's admiration of Mia, mainly just a mirror of a few lines she's said and a conversation where her and Maya talk about her, Trucy says she would have loved to meet her and Maya explains how her spirit has been dormant for ages now and how she assumes she's moved on.

"If you want I can try and channel-"

"No no no no NO. Its ok!"

This is our first hint that Phoenix is no longer with us, but we don't know until later thats what she means. Sebastian is the prosecutor, the player finds out that Miles is taking a break from prosecuting work, Trucy already knew of course, and Sebastian is dubbed Chief until he comes back, Fran says

"It would've been me were I not on my literal honeymoon right now." We are not told why yet, but it is because of Phoenix. Kay Faraday is the detective, somebody murders someone and frames Maya, no-one is shocked by this. We also get an update on Iris, she's thriving. She wins yada yada.

Next case, a couple of months later, Trucy gets a call from a friend that the player can't identify at first. Its Katrielle Layton. She needs Trucy's legal knowledge because someone is sueing her detective agency because have you seen how they practice. This, of course, turns to murder and we get another surprise when we meet the prosecutor. Who probably has a licence to practise law in England? Simon Blackquill, he is British ok. Yeah, Trucy wins with Kat's help, we meet Ernest and Sherl and Alfendi and Flora if we have time. I miss them. Trucy and Kat have a conversation that cryptically addresses their fathers and their "whereabouts" and living up to their legacy. We see Trucy cry, but only a similar flash to AJ:AA and we do not know why. Yet.

Next case, flashback case. Trucy is the assistant on this case but we still play as her, even in the court sections since Phoenix is prepping her for the bar and getting her to give him the answers. The bar exam is only in three days. Klavier is prosecuting. The case somehow relates to Kristoph and there's the whole mirror dynamic thing of when Phoenix lost his badge. Kristoph is dead by now, but the whole thing is there was a plot inside prison to make Phoenix pay for putting a bunch of them in, Kristoph was the assumed ring leader until he died and the cops now dont know who's running it. Somebody (Godot? That would hurt big time) was their inside man, sent to figure that out, so when whoever it was turned up dead, the whole thing got exposed. We get a bit of a Mia moment in the trial where Trucy tells Phoenix to flip over the receipt (thats evidence for some reason). Phoenix says "I feel like that shouldn't be the second time someone has said that to me". The killer is found, by Phoenix, and put into isolation, as have most of the other participants. We then see Trucy get her badge. They have a conversation and Trucy says Phoenix basically forgot about it for a couple of months. The case closes with a foreboding "and I forgot about it too, until..."

Next case. Phoenix is fucking murdered. Trucy gets a phone call late at night, she hears laboured breathing on the other end and a "don't forget I love you" from Phoenix. Trucy pulls a simba and goes "dad? Dad?!!" And the line goes dead. The player is presented with a choice of who to call. They have two phone calls. Who they choose first makes no difference, but the second time they are forced to choose Ema who will trace Phoenix's phone call. They could call Apollo and he would comfort her, Miles would panic, Maya would say he was just messing around, Athena would sense her distress and say she's coming over etc. You could attempt to call Phoenix back but he would not answer and you would be allowed to call someone else. Ema then traces the phone call and we follow Trucy to the crime scene. We get a truly haunting cutscene where everything kinda goes blurry except Phoenix's face and the blood. Trucy doesn't cry. She stands there in shock. The WAA is there in various states of shock and upset. Return of grieving Apollo I guess. Miles turns up and the look on his face is haunting. Trucy and him make eye contact and they share the thought of something has to be done. And then. "The bar association took me off the case and Papa too, they said we were too close to it. As a result, we never found out who did it... Until now." And we see a determined Trucy face. We jump forward to where we last saw Trucy, she and Pearl are coming back from England and its a bit more cheery. Trucy sends Pearl on a train back to Kurain and heads on home. She enters the house and we see Miles pouring over Phoenix's case. He jumps up and runs towards her.

"Trucy! I think I have a lead, I-"

"Papa, you're tired, go to bed." (Or better dialogue along those lines)

Its clear he's been doing this sort of thing a lot.

"But I do! At least...I think I do..."

He trails off and rests his head in his hands.

"Do I? Or am I just a mess?"

Trucy gives him a sad smile.

"C'mon let's go to bed."

Miles returns the sad smile and fades out like all ace attorney characters do. The player is given the option to look around. There's probably some emotional dialogue and bits that give clues to how she and Miles have been fairing the past 3 years. Answer is, not very well. Examine the pile of papers on the table. Trucy will take a look and then realise her papa may have actually been onto something. Its a diagram of which prisoners knew each other, with an arrow from each leading to a defense attorney we have never met. Trucy is confused, but she calls for Miles anyway. He comes back downstairs and Trucy asks him about this lead he found.

"Well I realised all those prisoners would know this defense attorney (insert name?)"

"Why? And why would they be suspicious?'

"They (pronouns?) Were always the defense attorney who would take on the cases of those Wright had already accused. They gained a reputation of being the doomed defense attorney."

"So... They knew all the prisoners in the plot and they had a grudge against daddy... Papa I think you're onto something!"

And the case continues, since we already know who's been accused, it plays out more like an investigations game, Trucy has to prove it, with Miles' help of course, literally every other character we know and love plays a part in making sure this guy gets a guilty verdict. There is still a courtroom bit and a moment when all is looking dark, Trucy literally has a full on breakdown as the Judge threatens to remove her from the case again. Miles is by her side, they're both technically prosecution here i guess. Miles, however, is too deep in his own mental breakdown to help. Everyone else is in the gallery besides Pearl. Pearl channels Phoenix as a last hope sort of thing. Phoenix comforts her and tells her to keep fighting, he touches her badge and probably says some sort of bullshit about it. The Judge is about to bang the gavel when Trucy and Phoenix object at the same time. Miles looks up and realises whats going on and he objects too, a little later. The battle goes on until it finishes and the other attorney has a breakdown that steals little bits from every other murderer Phoenix has put behind bars.This is the one time seeing the word guilty on your screen feels good. There's a whole heartwarming celebration at the end, Phoenix sticks around for a little bit and everyone gets a bit of closure. Its assumed he's gone since Pearl passes out and Trucy dips out for a sec. She's away from the festivities, staring at the badge in her hand and we see someone coming up behind her. Maya is channelling Phoenix now. He gives Trucy a hug and utters the words "the only time a lawyer can cry is when its all over and, Trucy darling, my light, its over." Echoing both Diego and Mia.

And the screen fades to black with a final hug between father and daughter.

:)

[crossovereddie]

Thoughts on S10xE12: THE WEDDING

Okay so y’all know how this is gonna go. A lot of tears. A lot of screaming via caps lock. And of course it wouldn’t be complete without a lot of “I LOVE YOU SO MUCH” and pet names for Mickey. Enjoy. 

Let’s get non related gallavich things out of the way because I don’t wanna finish this on a downer

I actually love Liam/Frank scenes

Debbie finally getting what she deserves? Good

Tami is a fucking bitch

Entitled little brat

You won’t change my mind about this

Don’t even try defending her

You NEVER use someone’s child against them.

Don’t threaten to take Fred away then be shocked that Lip ruined his sobriety

I just kept repeating “please no” when he paused before taking that first sip

It fucking hurt so much

Lip deserves BETTER

Tami is toxic. End of. Period.

Now let’s bring up the mood!!

Liam looking at the tuxes was so cute

He’s so confused

Mickey actually chose a white tux for himself :((((((

My snow angel🥺

Everyone checking on Ian is so sweet

Carl’s toe nail clippings “you picking those up” 😂😂😂

Ian really hates that shit doesn't he

I'm so proud of him for taking his meds

GIVE ME THOSE PHOTOS

"Savings" lmao

Baby got fancy for his wedding

HIS FACE I CANT😂😂😂

They shower together :((((

“Those are nice right?”

Fashionista Mickey making another comeback

Unpopular opinion but I love seeing his Ian tattoo on his chest ON THEIR WEDDING DAY

chin touch :(

So soft. So sweet.

THE WAY IAN GRABS HIM YES BITCH

THE GRUNT 🤤🤤🤤

HEIGHT DIFFERENCE FUCK

MICKEY IS T I N Y!!!!

TOWEL

NECK KISS

FUCK

I fucking hate terry

I need him dead because my baby isn’t safe until he is

His little “what?” 😩

HE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER

GET HIM BABY

But like don’t because I need you free

Can sandy poison terry or something?

Sandy 😂😂

This scene was sad because my poor baby but so early shameless I love it

Carl and the beer trilogy 😂😂😂

“I don’t wanna get married where my shoes stick to the floor”

GIVE THE PRINCE HIS ROYAL WEDDING

The spinal cord line 😂😂😂

Mickey’s a Gallagher I don’t care what their last name is

HERE COME THE TEARS AGAIN

“Why is Mickey handcuffed?”

“Terry fucking wins again” NO BABY

MY FUCKING HEART

ILL GIVE YOU ALL THE HALLOWEEN CANDY TO FILL YOUR LITTLE TUMMY BABY BOY

I WANNA BUY YOU ALL THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS YOU WANT

LET ME ADOPT YOU

IM SO FUCKING SAD FOR HIM

HE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER

“I love you. I love you” 😭😭😭😭😭

“This son of a bitch is never gonna let me be happy” IM SOBBING ALL OVER AGAIN

In so little words Lip really said “Mickey Milkovich deserves the wedding of his dreams and we’re gonna make it happen if it’s the last thing I do”

Did anyone else start singing Carrie Underwood when Ian said “Louisville slugger”

The Gallagher’s love Mickey so much

I LOVE MICKEY SO MUCH

IAN FUCKING LOVES MICKEY SO MUCH

“Mickey might have to marry Debbie instead of Ian”

“Nice polish boy named Michael” LMAO

I love Lip

OKAY THIS SCENE KILLED ME

The way Mickey is looking at Ian melts my heart

Again their height difference murdered me

YOU WANT KIDS?

K I D S

IAN WANTS KIDS WITH MICKEY BUT WE ALREADY KNEW THAT

FUCK HIS DREAM FROM THE ICONIC DELETED SCENE IS COMING TRUE

IF THEY DONT HAVE KIDS NEXT SEASON IM RIOTING

I like when they make fun of each other because they are literally best friends forever

THEIR SMILES

MILKOVICH

GALLAGHER

BUT WHICH ONE IS IT NOW

Ian is obsessed with holding mickey’s neck

THUMB

MY BOYS LOOK SO HANDSOME IN THEIR TUXEDOS

Mickey trying to be nice to this lady 😂😂

I LOVE HIS VOICE

They have mutual friends and I’m fond

I told y’all it’s the little things that get me

“Chiavari chairs look nice” “I like how the gold catches the light” DONE

The cake topper I NEED IT

I HATE TERRY I HATE TERRY I HATE TERRY

The lip and Ian scene made me cry again

THE SONG

IAN YOU SAP

HE LOVES MICKEY SO MUCH

As soon as I heard the first cords of the song I IMMEDIATELY bursted into sobs

IM CRYING AGAIN

MY LONELY DAYS ARE OVER 😭😭😭

Once again I’m beyond jealous of sandy

I wanna walk my baby down the aisle 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

HES SO CUTE FUCK

IM HONESTLY NOT OKAY

THE NIGHT I LOOKED AT YOU

I DIDNT KNOW THIS SONG WAS GONNA HURT SO MUCH

HEIGHT DIFFERENCE AGAIN IM SO BLESSED

It’s like even more noticeable this episode right?????

TINY AND TALL

BLACK HAIR AND RED HAIR

BLUE EYES AND GREEN EYES

WHITE TUX AND BLACK TUX

TOUGH AND SOFT

THEY COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE

Kev was so funny finally

GET HIS HOMOPHOBIC ASS GAY JESUS SQUAD

When they kept singing even after he pulled his gun I cried so hard

I’m crying again wtf

THE VOWS FUCK

TO BE MY HUSBAND

IM FULL ON UGLY CRYING I CANT EVEN SEE THE SCREEN

I IAN TAKE YOU MICKEY TO BE MY HUSBAND

FUCK THIS HURTS SO MUCH

AFTER ALL THE SHIT THEYVE BEEN THROUGH THEYRE GIVING THEMSELVES TO EACH OTHER IN THE PUREST WAY POSSIBLE

“Now?” “Yes now” HE WAS SO EAGER AND SHOCKED THAT THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE SINCE HE WAS A KID IS NOW HIS HUSBAND

We got to see the smitten lovesick Ian Gallagher from s1 again

HES NEVER STOPPED BEING SMITTEN AND LOVESICK BY MICKEY

Honestly same

Not gonna lie, seeing frank emotional made me even more emotional

MICKEYS SMILE COULD LIGHT THE WORLD

MY SON IS ACUALLY MY SUN

THE HAND HOLDING IS SO CUTE

THEYRE ACTUALLY MARRIED

HUSBANDS!!!!!

IAN SO PROUD HAVING HIS BABY ON HIS ARM

YES MICKEY IS IANS BABY FIGHT ME

IM SO FUCKING HAPPY

MICKEY DANCING IS THE CUTEST THING IVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE

“I miss mom” that hurt a lot more than I thought it ever would

I’m glad they mentioned Monica. Ian loved her so much

YOURE REALLY GONNA PLAY PERFECT RIGHT NOW FUCK YOU

“I should probably go dance with my husband” THATS YOUR HUSBAND CAN YOU BELIEVE IT

The head neck tuck 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

THE WAY THEYRE HOLDING EACH OTHER LIKE THEY NEVER WANNA LET GO

“We were just kids when we fell in love not knowing what it was I will not give you up this time” FUCK WHOEVER PICKED THIS SONG YOU WIN

I actually hate this song with a passion but suddenly I love it

LIKE THEYRE ACTUALLY SLOW DANCING

SLOW DANCING AT THEIR OWN WEDDING

IAN REALLY HAD TO DO THE NECK GRAB WITH THE THUMB RUB COMBO JUST TO KILL ME DIDNT HE

THEYRE SO IN LOVE IVE NEVER SEEN A LOVE THIS DEEP BEFORE (and I’m fucking married to the love of my life/high school sweetheart lmao)

Liam getting the car for them was the sweetest thing

He opens the car for Ian :((((

HE HOPS INTO THE CAR MY LITTLE BUNNY

Frank is genuinely happy for them and that fucks me up so much

THEY REALLY HAD TO USE RED SHEETS HUH

THEY KNEW IT WOULD FUCK US ALL UP EVEN MORE THAN WE ALREADY ARE

The soft touches are always my favorite

They make my heart flutter

“Morning Mr. Gallavich” OKAY SAY WHAT YOU WANT BUT THAT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY FUCKING CUTE

“Morning Mr......Millogher?” THE CUTENESS WONT STOP

Mickey physically cannot stop caressing Ian

THE THUMBS ALWAYS GET ME

Like I actually look for them knowing they’re gonna be doing the thumb rub

Fucking terry

BUT THEY LOOK SO CUTE COVERED IN FEATHERS

There Mickey goes again with the Ian caressing

in case you forgot: THEYRE MARRIED

HUSBANDS

I can’t believe this actually happened. They’re actually MARRIED. After everything they/we have been through....wow. I’m still in shock. I’m still crying my eyes out. Now I’m gonna go cuddle up with my husband and make him watch the episode with me since he finally has time. I’m over emotional. It’s not fair that they wait until I’m pregnant to let Mickey be happy. It’s like they enjoy my uncontrollable sobs. Leave me your thoughts! I wanna talk about this episode forever.

[arlakos]

The Master Fu rewrite: From a Miraculous Themed Pez Dispenser to an Actual Mentor

Ok, let's get this show on the road. Its gonna be a while and a lot of salt/

Master Fu is a character I have grown to dislike. A lot

While I initially did not feel this way at first (at worst finding him to be boring) thanks to some interesting discord discussions, as well as discussing with my internet best friend @twin-books​, I have slowly come to see the character in a negative light in many different aspects, ranging from the characterization of Fu to the plot choices Fu makes that are in many ways stupid as hell. However, unlike some who I have talked, I believe that Fu in many ways can still be salvaged as a character. He’s not a bad character himself, just that the way the show (and by extension Thomas ASS-truc, aka THAT GUY) treats him is the issue. 

In this post I am going to tackle the key issues with Fu, explain them and what i would do to personally make his character better. I am not gonna lie, this post is going to have a moderate amount of salt, so if you arent interested in a salty blog post, TURN BACK.

So, assuming that you have accepted the salt by continuing to read, let's get started.

There are a few key pointers to the issues I have with Fu.

1. His character

2. Show, don't tell

3. Fu’s weird choices

4. The bad Origin Episode of Fu (not to be confused with the actual origins episode.

So let's go over the first topic.

1. Master Fu’s character (or why he’s a glorified PEZ dispenser)

A lot of people may find this part to be surprising. After all, Master Fu shows himself in canon to be kind and helpful towards Marinette, developing new powers for her and Chat Noir to use and has helped the heroes in stopping some of their adversaries. Right?

Well...

See, the only actual characterization that Fu has is well... his passiveness.

See Master Fu, for the most part, does nothing to actually help the heroes in their struggles against Hawkmoth. For most of season 2 and 3, he remains inside his home and pretty much does nothing, doing nothing to help track down hawkmoth or aide the heroes himself, and then for the second half of season 3, runs around in a van. He gives the miraculous to Ladybug and Chat Noir to have them stop hawkmoth, then watches from the sidelines while drinking tea.

The only time he really did anything developed the potions that give the powerups (and based off what we saw, are huge gimmicks), and even then, it was simply used as another way to show how awesome Marinette is by her being the one to solve the potion.

Sure, some people may point out that it was used to show how Marinette is a capable Guardian, but aside from the fact that I think Marinette is not a capable Guardian (which is my opinion), it really doesn't help the fact that it makes Fu seem incompetent.

Slight Rant time: The secret to one of the potions was an actual tear of joy?! What kind of stupid ingredient is that? It would have made much more sense for writers to make the ingredient to be some sort of plant because of the whole ‘natural energy’ in plants, but no its an actual tear of joy, what did the guardians do to learn that, cry in a pot?! Also, For someone who is supposed to be a wise Guardian, you sure can’t seem to find out the last ingredient like its impossible. But a prepubescent girl who can't talk to a boy is totally smarter than you and can figure it out?! Yeah right.

And people are going to bring up the fact that Fu helps by granting the miraculous... but that really doesn’t help the argument against him. In fact its one of the main reasons why I think Fu is so passive. Rather than go out and give the miraculous to allies in the same manner as he did with Ladybug and Chat Noir, Fu just gives them to Marinette to just choose whoever she wants and expects them to be returned! 

Not only is that irresponsible of any sort of mentor to allow a novice to choose a hero, but what if Marinette chose wrong or allowed the Miraculous to fall into the wrong hands because she lost it?! Because of surprise, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN STYLE QUEEN when she lost the bee miraculous! 

Despite the fact that I love the idea of Chloe being a hero, I think the introduction to how she got a miraculous was largely Fu’s fault. Had Fu decided to have a look at Chloe (assuming he ever would have) and introduced Chloe to Pollen in a safe manner (and not while she was upset and visibly stressed/angry), she would have learned that keeping a secret identity was important and would likely go on to become an actual hero like Ladybug and Chat Noir.

A lot of people would assume she would do the same thing again regardless, but Chloe at the time was flat out rejected by her mother, who was a rather huge Bee-word (Pun intended). It would make sense that she would do whatever it takes to prove to her mother she is worthy of respect, and that would include exposing her identity just to show off to her mother.

Despite all of the hardships both Ladybug and Chat Noir go through, Fu does nothing to remedy or help the situation. This can even be seen in Season 1, where the only reason Fu reveals himself was because Marinette discovered the Miraculous Book, and Fu (and even Marinette for that matter) didn't even tell Chat until season 2 because ‘he wasn't ready’, whatever reason that is.

Rant: What the hell do you mean he wasn't ready?! He literally became a hero the same time as Ladybug and he it’s not like he hasn’t proven himself! Why the hell should he be left in the dark?!

Now, a lot of people could attribute all these moments to both his responsibility as a Guardian or his isolation at being the Last Guardian so to speak. He has to make sure the Box is safe and make sure the knowledge is passed on to his successor without it being lost. His recessive behavior is due to his isolation and duty to keep the miraculous safe.

If that was the case, why does he do nothing to aid the heroes in finding Hawkmoth or his lair so that the miraculous doesn't remain in Gabriel’s hands? That way he can move on and keep the miraculous safe away from others. We know he is supposed to be smart, so why doesn't he just attempt to find the place the butterflies are coming from and tell Ladybug and Chat Noir via a message so they can ambush him?

So...what would i do to fix his Character?

Well for starters, I would actually have him be a bit more proactive. 

Considering that Fu would recognize the threat Hawkmoth poses, he would work down to track Hawkmoth and prevent him from getting anymore stronger. It would also be likely that he would choose which people should get a miraculous, regardless of whether it is temporary or not, so this would likely mean that Alya, Nino, and Chloe would not likely get their respective miraculi, even if Fu deems them worthy of one.

Note: This would actually make a cool AU. Imagine if Fu chose other people in the class to be heroes, like Nathaniel to be the fox and Luka to say, the turtle. Perhaps Sabrina would be the Bee hero?

Also, perhaps if you really wanted to keep the Queen Bee Trilogy, have Ladybug finally choose a hero as part of her first test, but have it go wrong for her.

Also, If anyone has seen the series on AO3 called Miraculous Tales by JED1, one of the things introduced in the sort of AU was that Fu worked behind the scenes for a majority of season 1, helping the heroes by sending them anonymous letters to aid them in their heroics. So that could be another way Fu could be more of an active mentor instead of just doing nothing except dispensing Miraculous.

Also, I know the whole thing about Fu being too old to be a hero, but what If Fu transformed to help the heroes in one of their early adventures.

Say... instead of Volpina being the season 1 finale, it is instead an early encounter with Hawkmoth, who comes to fight the heroes himself. The two heroes have been weakened thanks to the effect of an Akuma Hawkmoth has with him. He is so close to beating them...

When a shield of green energy blocks an attack from the Akuma.

Together, the three heroes managed to stop Hawkmoth and his Akuma, but unfortunately, he escapes. Before the two heroes can talk to the newcomer, he vanishes. 

The next day, Marinette goes to see the person Tikki mentioned, and she meets her savior (and soon to be teacher).

A few days later Adrien meets his new Chinese teacher.

That Could be a great way for him to actually be a Guardian and a mentor for the two heroes! As well as for Adrien to actually be part of the Miraculous team instead of as a sidekick!

Still, some people may say that Fu helps Marinette and Adrien, it's just not shown on screen. This, of course, brings me to my second problem...

2. Show, Don't Tell

Now, this a problem that the show has a and isn't solely based on Fu alone, and is mostly due to THAT GUY and his stupid writing. Anyone who has seen my previous mega-post knows about THAT GUY and his ludicrous idea of a perfect show. I could go on and on about why THAT GUY can go eat a stale Baguette, but I'm going to stick on track.

See, when a large part of the show is about heroics and being mentored on the art of heroics, it makes sense that you would show the heroes learning how to be actual good heroes. Maybe teach them martial arts, train them in the use of their powers and help them unlock new ones, all that usual superhero stuff.

But thanks to both the structure of the show and the impossible writing of THAT GUY (which concists of writing each episode to be single story and out of order insead of each episode following the last), we don't get to see any of it at all. The show rather would want to focus on setting up the next akuma rather than explore the world of the show, so it means that a lot of the stuff in show is just presumed. 

This can also go for simple lore stuff as well. For example, Adrien joined Kitty Section in the Captain Hardrock episode, yet he isn't in Silencer. Nobody would know what had happened until you had the mistake of seeing Astruc's twitter...

So yeah, its not the first time it has happened, but it shouldn't have to be this way in the first place! If you have to go to someones twitter to find the knowledge from a show that should have been there in the actual episode, then its not the fans fault for ‘oBvIOUSly’ not knowing, its THAT GUY’S fault for not making sure that bit of information was in the episode in the first place! Perhaps just a small scene explaining it instead of being passive agressive on twitter because you were too dumb to remember your own canon?

...Dammit i got off track. Back to Fu.

So yeah, in Miraculous, they dont actually show Fu teaching Marinette how to be a guardian. He does mention in Feast that he has chosen Marinette to be the next Guardian and that he will teach her (after basically insulting the traditions of his order), but considering that he goes off in his truck and stays on the move, its likely that he doesnt get the chance to teach her at all. Of course, Miracle Queen has him declare Marinette to be the new Guardian, but it feels rather jarring, as we never really feel that Marinette learned anything or she has proven her worth. All they really showed on the show was Marinette getting miraculi from Fu and that one episode with the potions, so we really never really think that she is ready. Sure we can assume that Ladybug is capable of choosing the right people to be heroes, but that doesn't mean she meets the other criteria because of that specific category.

Honestly its very simple how to fix this issue:

Have some episodes be about Fu teaching Marinette and Adrien. That way it makes sense when Ladybug is made the new Guardian. Perhaps have an episode revolve around a particular new thing about the book the heroes are learning from and have the akuma not be related to the episode theme for once, just have them there as an excuse to show off a new power, even if it is a gimmick.

Speaking of the book, the book seems like its never been fully explored or explained, or perhaps that it really doesn't seem to contain much.

Throught the entire 3 seasons, all that we have learned about the book is:

That it contains the list of all miraculous heroes

It shows how to make the power up potions

It shows how to combine the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous

It shows how to repair a miraculous

It would be nice for the book to be used to explain the background of the order, or perhaps it shows a way to grant Ladybug and Chat Noir new powers for their miraculous, and have them learn about the guardians for the plot and themselves so we can have a ‘moral of the story’ for the episode.

3. Fu’s weird Choices

Fu makes a lot of dumb choices in Miraculous Ladybug. I’ll make this one quick but i will explain a few new ones in more detail

Fu doesnt help Ladybug and Chat Noir until season 2. Sure it makes sense to wait until they both prove themselves trustworthy, but he leaves no advice for them, not even with their kwamis for safety reasons.

Fu doesnt tell Chat Noir the truth until Syren for no actual reason (thats 14 canonical episodes!)

Fu lets Marinette choose the miraculous despite her lack of training (yes, even if she does choose well in canon.)

Fu lets Marinette return the Miraculous book despite how important it is to the order (even if he did take pictures). Marinette doing it to let Adrien come back to school is still wrong, even if it is to help her friend.

Now for the actual big mistake of Fu.

In feast, the order of the Miraculous has been restored, and so have the people inside it. His master and all the people he knows is there. With Hawkmoth knowing his identity, it would make sense for Fu to travel back to China and back to the temple with the Miraculous Book to be deciphered by the other Guardians, using the Horse Miraculous to transport Miraculi to the wielders when necessary.

...Right?

...Nah that’s dumb (saying this sarcastically)

Instead, he stays in Paris, hiding in a truck, and basically gets himself kidnapped and the box stolen, resulting in him having to give up his memories to protect the heroes because he decided a truck was a better idea than keeping the box out of Hawkmoth’s grasp.

How would I fix it? It’s obvious, just have Fu be smart and not make any of the listed bad decisions. With the power of an entire miracle box in his hands, he could have just used the powers to keep himself out of Hawkmoth’s grip and give the miraculi when necassary, even if he decided not to go back to the temple.

And finally we come to the big bad, the main offender, the reason why I think Fu is a badly written character...

4. The bad Origin Episode of Fu (not to be confused with the actual origins episode.

Going back to the start of season 2, i actually like how Fu is introduced. From the initial start he shows himself as a wise and caring mentor for Ladybug (and Chat Noir) and actually sounds confident. When I hear him talk about the Order of the Guardians, and his own backstory, it sounds both intriguing yet tragic. 

The fall of the Order was Fu’s fault, but how could this be? Was it because Fu was betrayed by someone he chose as a hero, perhaps a Butterfly wielder? Were they attacked and Fu blames himself due to survivors guilt? Did fu touch an artifact that released an ancient evil?I didn’t know, but i was curious and wanted to know more. 

For that first initial introduction, I could imagine that the season was going to be great. I hadn’t learned the revelation that Gabe was Hawkmoth and seen the rest of the ep at the time (which was boring in comparison and just like season 1 but WORSE), so I was still excited for this season That we as an audience would finally learn more about the world of miraculous and explore this new chapter in the show while seeing Ladybug and Chat Noir fight new villains along the way.

Obviously, that didnt last with Miraculous being Miraculous, and it was around that time i learned about how THAT GUY was an asshole, and the discord server that i joined showed the shortcoming with the show, but even looking back on it now, i could imagine that season 2 could have been amazing.

Seriously just look at the video above, its a downright amazing intro to Fu.

So finally season 3 comes around, and the episode Feast is released. So how did the temple fall? What is this secret that Fu kept hidden from us? Surely after a season of buildup that the BACK STORY WAS GOING TO BE AMAZING-

....

So, the whole reason the order fell was becasue Fu was hangry and he dabbled with magic so he could sneek off to grab a bit and not do his job?

...

*Sigh*

...

░U░N░H░O░L░Y░ ░S░C░R░E░E░C░H░I░N░G░

This is it, all this buildup and this is the reason that an entire order Fell! Are you kidding me!?

Not only was this one of the worst writing decisions that has ever been made, but it also made Fu look like a complete and utter moron! I get that this show is mainly used by THAT GUY to make Marinette look better than everyone else, but COME ON!!! WHAT WAS THAT?! WHY WAS THAT?! HOW DID ANYONE ON THE MIRACULOUS TEAM THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA. DOES EVERYONE JUST  LET ASS-TRUC DO WHAT HE WANTS BECAUSE NO ONE CAN TELL HIM HIS IDEAS ARE DUMB?!

...

Ok, calm down. Calm down...

Well, aside from that really stupid decisionholycrap- the sentimonster itself wasnt that bad. The idea of it is rather terrifying and explains why Fu needs to always keep moving and is so passive for fear of the monster finding him and chasing him. But the whole origin story for Fu is a bunch of crap. Not only does it waste the buildup of that moment, but it also makes Fu seem so incompetent. It’s obvious that THAT GUY used this as to show why Marinette is a better Guardian than Fu, but as someone that actually likes good writing, i choose to reject that idea. Just because Astruc messes up the ideas of the show, it doesnt mean that the concepts are bad, and i’ll be damned if I let that affect me or my own canon!

So how would I rewrite this monstrosity of an origin?

Literally replace it with anything of the backstories i mentioned. Have Fu been betrayed by a Butterfly wielder, have the temple be attacked, anything that what we have been given. I’d make a joke about a funny idea for the fall of the order, but the origin of Fu in Feast is already a joke. A bad one

And with that, here’s how I would rewrite Fu to be a better character. 

With these changes, I feel he would be a much competent and interesting character and a better mentor for our heroes. If you guys feel some other changes would be needed for Fu, or if you think I'm wrong about something because either i missed something important or you think that Fu being incompetent is a great way to show girl power for Marinette (Lots of sarcasm at that last part), feel free to send me an ask about what I would do about this part and that part for Fu or another character, or just tell me that I’m wrong.

Can’t wait for Season 4! Let's see if Zag can fix the mess Astruc made.

Also, please for the love of god go read Miraculous Tales by JED1, they are amazing. And follow @twin-books​, they helped me so much with rewriting Fu.

[nitewrighter]

Was Darth Vader's redemption death better than Kyle Ron's? If so, why?

Yes. Holy fuck. Absolutely. Darth Vader’s redemption was lightyears better than that stupid fascist fuckboy. Let me ask you: What moment was the “light side turning point” for Kylo? It was Leia using the last of her strength to… I guess give him a series of flashbacks and tell him that he could return to the light? Which gave Rey the opening to stab him?? And then she healed him because… ?????? Light Side???? There’s apparently a romantic subplot because…???? they’re two physically attractive male and female white leads in close proximity to each other??? Force dyad???

But okay–Leia’s reaching out to Kylo through the force–HOW FUCKING DIFFERENT IS THAT FROM WHAT HAN WAS DOING IN THE FIRST MOVIE!? I had to watch TWO OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS IN FICTION DIE TRYING TO BRING A SHITTY SCI-FI DYLAN KLEBOLD BACK TO THE LIGHT SIDE. AND GOD, DRAGGING POOR HARRISON FORD BACK INTO THIS CLUSTERFUCK TO TRY AND MAKE THIS WRITING PASSABLE MADE ME WANT TO PUKE.

Okay okay. I’m calming down. I’m calming down. Rather than focus on how stupid and convoluted that final confrontation was, and how weak it was dragging Palpatine back into this series, I’m going to focus on Darth Vader. 

When Darth Vader turned to the dark side, he pretty much did so through a combination of 65% “I’m scared Padme’s going to die” and 20% “Palpatine is nice to me and the Jedi Council treats me like a child” and 15% “Obi-Wan’s off fighting General Grievous and he’s pretty much 90% of my impulse control so…” If the prequel trilogy gave us anything, it at least gave us that. And it also established Anakin Skywalker as a Chosen One who would Bring Balance To The Force. This is important.

 Because Palpatine is smart, he basically manipulates Anakin into throwing a shit ton of the Force’s power to the dark side for decades. But the Force isn’t necessarily about good guys win and bad guys lose, it’s about balance, and it inevitably course-corrects. So we get The Chosen One falling to the dark side, so now we have two sith, (Always two there are, Master and Apprentice) but then what happens? We get Light Side twins born! Luke and Leia! One is raised basically to be this strong-willed advocate for freedom and keep the spark of resistance alive against the Empire (The Dark Side), and the other grows up on the home planet of his father, away from the Jedi, the Sith, away from the war itself until it eventually kills his foster parents and burns his home. So now, Darth Vader doing all his dark side shit, has set his twin children on the path to oppose him! Force Balance, baby!!! 

So let’s fast forward to ROTJ–Luke and Vader are having their big confrontation while Leia and the Rebel forces are having their big Star War. And there’s actually a really interesting dynamic going on because like, Vader has made the offer to Luke before to join him, overthrow the Emperor, and rule the Galaxy as father and son. So Vader, at this time, is still going by the Sith playbook of “always two there are.” Luke doesn’t want to destroy Vader, because he had a vision on Dagobah that pretty much told him that destroying Vader would be destroying himself. Now, you could argue that this is the whole weak sauce “if I kill I’m just as bad as the bad guy!” trope but I don’t think it’s that. I think the Force told Luke, “Look, it’s STILL ANAKIN who has to bring Balance to the Force, and if you destroy him, then you become him.” Which was also Palpatine’s plan! Palpatine was sitting pretty and cackling because he figures, whoever beats who, he’s going to end up with the most powerful Force user in the galaxy under his thumb.

 So basically Vader does try to appeal to Luke, saying, “Oh joining the Dark Side is the only way to save your friends–especially your sister” and then it’s like this switch flips for him, “If you do not turn to the dark side, perhaps she will.” And this makes Luke go APESHIT–That same furious unstable love that gave Anakin so much power and edge is present in Luke as well, and Luke overpowers Vader and he’s standing over him! He could kill him! But he doesn’t! He goes right up to that brink and he stops. And he says “I am a Jedi, like my father before me.” And that’s this signal to Vader that Luke isn’t choosing the light side because it’s the easy path. He isn’t choosing the light side because “he has yet to understand the power of the dark side”–Luke had enough Dark Side power to overpower Vader but that wasn’t who Luke wanted to be and there was a light in Luke that he believed was still present in Anakin/Vader. Luke stood up to the Emperor and his own father’s manipulations and he stepped down from his own rage when Vader couldn’t. So right when Vader’s like, “Oh…. maybe my whiny blonde son actually knows what he’s talking about” that’s when Palp’s like “If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed!!!” and Vader’s like “Oh shit, I have to make this right” and he sacrifices himself to save Luke and kill the Emperor, hence BRINGING BALANCE TO THE FORCE. And then you have that final scene where Vader has his helmet off, and it’s Anakin and it’s heartbreaking–he’s this sad, scarred old man, and Luke says “I have to save you” and Anakin says “You already have.”

What worked so well about Vader’s redemption is that it was ultimately about Luke and (in a slightly more indirect way) Leia. It was about Vader making a sacrifice to save his family–when it was his fear for his wife and family that pulled him to the dark side to begin with. 

We had to see all of the original trio die for Kylo Ren’s punk ass. In the Last Jedi, Luke surrendered to the Force after using all of his strength to protect Leia and the Resistance from Kylo, who, may I remind you, was given the opportunity to walk away from the First Order after Snoke’s death, but Kylo was like “Nope. I’m Supreme Leader now.” Rey was like, “Hey maybe you can Not Be a Space Nazi now” and Kylo was like “Not happening. The job of Space Hitler has just opened and I’m taking it.” Vader was always Palpatine’s dragon. his enforcer. Palpatine was the one in charge. Master and Apprentice!! When Kylo killed Snoke and chose to be Supreme Leader of the First Order, he fulfilled the Sith law of the Apprentice eventually overtaking the master. The Rise of Skywalker didn’t have the balls to follow up on the strongest points of The Last Jedi, and that is why it was a convoluted sucky mess. “Oh the Force isn’t a magical thing that can come from anywhere! Rey’s a Palpatine! It’s all genetic!!! Also Vader’s sacrifice meant nothing because Palpatine’s still alive! Palpatine’s still alive because we, the writers, are incapable of recognizing that Kylo is way more compelling as an actual antagonist and we don’t have the time or skill to write a good antagonist! Yay!!!”

And then that movie had the gall to have Kylo running around in a pair of black pajamas pretending to be Han as if we, the audience, are going to forgive him for looking Han right in the eye and stabbing him. Fuck Kylo. Fuck his redemption. And fuck that weak ass horrific excuse of a romance they thought would justify this bullshit.

[nayutai]

5 | Bulletproof

⤖ Pairing: OT7 x OC

⤖ Genre: light angst

⤖ Summary: Laila fights back against the powers that be

⤖ Warnings: implied and descriptive violence (it’s just a sparring match), foul language, mentions of death and deception, light sexual content

⤖ Word Count: 2.405

⤖ A/N: Things are starting to happen!

Laila’s hands curl into tight fists in her lap when Yoongi brings up several pictures of their new target. She has to force herself not to focus on the rage threatening to overcome her senses so she can focus on the words coming out of Yoongi’s mouth. In his research, Yoongi was able to discover that Cobra had blown the underground scene quite suddenly. It had been hard to track down people with any useful information about the events surrounding her disappearance but a former general that had refused to work under Minseok had only been too happy to talk. It was really all he could do considering that Minseok had tried unsuccessfully to get rid of the Cobra loyalist. He’d been confined to a wheelchair for the past two decades after a bullet had left him a quadriplegic.

His name is Jisoo and he had quite a lot to say. According to his intel, Cobra had simply told Minseok not to run her empire into the ground, wishing him luck before walking out the door for the last time. Jisoo had been floored. Her resignation had come seemingly out of nowhere. It was when she’d lovingly touched her belly after he’d followed her out into the hallway that he realized why she was getting out. Cobra had considered him one of her most trusted confidants and had told him long ago that were she to ever become a mother she’d leave and never come back. She didn’t want to raise a kid in this life.

Tears rise in Laila’s eyes for the second time as a single picture of her mother appears across several of Yoongi’s monitors. It’s grainy but a daughter knows. She looks like she’s on a job. Gun in hand. It’s the only known picture of Cobra in action.

Namjoon wordlessly slides a box of tissues in Laila’s direction. She doesn’t protest when Jungkook softly rubs her knee a few times before retracting his hand. Yoongi senses that she’s the type who doesn’t like to dwell on sad emotions so he keeps talking to give her something else to focus on.

“According to Jisoo, your mom and uncle had been estranged for quite some time before she left. He remembered that Minseok had tried several times to find your uncle but the 90s was a rough time for people like us and he had bigger fish to fry.” Yoongi produces several news articles detailing the violence and chaos that had plagued the city back then. A few of them feature pictures of burning warehouses and even the aftermath of what looks like a deadly shootout at the docks.

“So what you’re saying is that my uncle sold my mom out to this Minseok guy? Is that what I’m hearing” If she knew what hole her uncle ended up at the bottom of, Laila would gladly spit on his makeshift grave. Her mother had extended an olive branch to him and he’d set it on fire.  

“Essentially.” Yoongi answers casually.

“I’m glad he’s dead but I hate that I’m not the reason.” Laila’s fists clench and unclench as she tries to stay focused.

Her mind drifts back to all the Friday afternoons her mom had spent at the small café near their house. The memory almost feels foreign like she’s watching a movie about someone else’s life. She’d always asked why she chose to sit in some hippie dippy café every week but her mother had always been tight lipped about her reasons just like she was on why she insisted on having a daughter trained in three different martial arts and advanced weaponry. Laila had known that wasn’t normal but saying no to her was a surefire way to get cursed out in one of the three languages her mother had been fluent in.

Laila feels a twinge of pain at how happy her mom had been the day she died. She’d said that that day was special. That whatever she’d been waiting on at that café was finally going to come to fruition. If it hadn't been for the fact that she'd had an important exam that day, Laila's parents would've pulled her out of school early to go with them.

“Well, I think that’s enough debriefing for today. Yoongi will get you copies of everything for you to obsess over later. I need a nap.” Seokjin sighs at the satisfying crack of his bones when he stretches over the back of the chair he’s perched on.

“Unfortunately for you though, Hobi here  is our logistics man so-” He doesn’t even get to finish his sentence as Hoseok and Laila immediately start voicing their distaste at the implication of what Seokjin was about to say. The leader shuts them both down with a bellowed command. Hoseok falls silent but Laila is having none of it.  

“Oh, stuff it, you bastard. Your little groupies here might be scared of you but I’m not and I’m not working with him.” The room goes eerily silent as Seokjin and Laila stare each other down. No one present has ever seen anyone directly challenge their boss this way and live to tell about it.

“Watch your tone, Song.” Seokjin practically growls through his teeth, rising to his full height to stare down at the insolent woman across from him. If there’s one thing he can’t stand, it’s being disrespected in front of his people.

“Watch your back, Kim.” Not one to let a man try to intimidate her, Laila stands toe to toe with Seokjin. Jimin shifts subtly at the blatant threat she’s just spat at his older brother. His movement doesn’t go unnoticed in the slightest. “Move again and that’s your ass, Park.” Her eyes don’t stray from Seokjin’s face once and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit impressed.

“How about we all call it a day and try this again tomorrow when we’re calmer?” Namjoon, ever the level headed negotiator, steps between Laila and Seokjin. His eyes flit quickly between the two of them looking for any signs of rationality and understanding.

“Fine but I’m still not working that closely with someone who tried to have me killed. I’ll go after Minseok myself before I do that.”

“Go ahead. You’ll only get yourself killed and then I’ll finally get what I paid for.” Laila catches everyone off guard when she pivots on her heel to slam her fist into Hoseok’s face faster than anyone can make a move to stop her. The force of the hit sends him flying off of the stool he’d been perched on.

The room erupts as Jungkook pushes Laila into a corner, using his body to shield her from Hoseok who has rebounded from the punch to continue what she started. Jimin, Taehyung, And Namjoon are just barely holding him back while Laila adds fuel to the fire by flipping him off and sticking her tongue out at him teasingly. Yoongi grabs a beer from the mini fridge under his work table and watches the whole scene unfold in amazement. He hasn’t been this entertained in a while.  

“You might want to get some ice for that eye, Hoseokie. It looks like it’s swelling.” Laila coos as Hoseok is finally wrestled out of the room. Jungkook’s shoulders tense up a little more when she pats her hands against a rib cage. “Alright big guy I appreciate what you were trying to do, but you can move now.”

“Oh, yeah sorry.” Jungkook shuffles to the right to let her out of the corner.

“I don’t appreciate you fucking Hoseok’s eye up like that.” Jin doesn’t give Laila even half a chance to interrupt him which she has her mouth open to do. “Working with Hoseok is unavoidable because he’s the best strategist we have. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you two to be around each other right now though so we’ll start with battle training instead. I’m not about to send you into a war zone without knowing what you’re capable of.”

“Yes, sir.” Laila gives Jin a mock salute and a cocky smile. “Can I go now or do you want to scold me some more, headmaster?”

“Please get out of my sight.” Jin maintains his exasperated façade but hearing Laila speak to him so formally - even in such an obviously mocking manner - makes his blood rapidly flow south. “Jimin will contact you about your training.”

***

Two days of radio silence go by before Laila hears anything from Jimin. She meets him at the location of his choosing per the singular text message she’d received. It’s a rundown looking building in the warehouse district that looks like it should’ve been condemned a long time ago but Laila has long since learned that looks can be deceiving.

She’s not surprised to find a renovated interior. The air is tinged with the scent of sweat. Her eyes wander around the room taking in the various types of workout apparatus arranged around the spacious area. The room would appear to be empty but Laila can feel a set of eyes on her. She’s almost certain that it’s Jimin, but whoever it is has decided to stay hidden for a reason so she drops her bag on the floor next to the regulation-sized boxing ring that takes up a large portion of the room.

Jimin watches from the shadows of the second floor balcony as Laila hops into the ring. His breath hitches despite his best efforts to remain neutral when she sheds her tank top, revealing the crimson sports bra underneath. Even from so high up, the swell of her breasts is as clear as day. He can’t deny that he’s attracted to her on a physical level but business and pleasure never mix well. That doesn’t stop him from appreciating the view as he watches the shapely woman below him prime her muscles for the ringer he’s about to run her through.

“Jimin, come play with me.” Laila taunts from the boxing ring as she moves into the downward dog position. Jimin's boyishly good looks had always stood out to her the most when she was going through all of the surveillance pictures her uncle had of the various members plastered around his apartment. The oldest Busan member looked like a walking meal with his sleek but muscular physique and Laila always did love to play with her food.

The sound of light footsteps coming towards her shortly after her little stunt aren’t surprising in the slightest. Men are predictable creatures after all. He’s dressed simply in a white shirt, black jeans, and a pair of sneakers. Not exactly what she’d expect someone doing combat training to wear but he looks delectable.

Jimin makes a slow appraising circle around her, whistling appreciatively at the sight of her ass in her leggings. Laila rolls her eyes at his horn dog antics and that’s when he strikes. She’s admittedly caught off guard by him suddenly knocking her feet from beneath her but she recovers quickly.

“What the fuck!” She yells in a fit of rage. She wants to tie him to the rafters by the ends of his hair for that little trick.

“Minseok’s guys aren’t going to ask for permission to try to kill you so why should I? Always be ready.” Laila snorts sarcastically but readies herself nevertheless. Play time is over. Jimin may have gotten the drop on her this time but she won't let him do it again.

She twists, bringing her foot up towards Jimin’s pretty face. He neatly dodges and moves to counter while she’s off balance but instead he finds himself ducking the fist coming full speed at his face as she completes her turn. He notes the quickness with which she follows one move up with another. They dance around each other in an almost graceful fashion. Both of them doing their best to gain the upper hand. Laila smiles internally at the obvious frustration leaking through into Jimin's movements. It's clear to her that he didn't expect for her to be such a fierce opponent and she plans to make him pay dearly for that mistake. A jarring hit to her shoulder cements the idea in her brain as she does her best to shake away the pain of the blow. No more games.

Sweat drips down the back of Jimin's neck as he grunts in exertion. He's very comfortable in his own masculinity and his identity as a man but there's still a tiny part of him that doesn't relish the idea of being bested by a woman with a quarter of his muscle mass. What had started as a simple sparring match to gauge Laila's skill has become an all out war to come out on top. She leaves herself open for the kill and Jimin lunges; his tunnel vision not allowing him to see it for the trap that it is.

Laila uses his own momentum to take him down, straddling his waist and pinning his shoulders to the mat as she leans down until her mouth is level with his ear. "I've never taken a life, Jimin." She whispers. The tip of her tongue slowly drags along the shell of his ear. She takes a second to delight in the shiver that rolls through him before she continues. "Don't make me change that so soon."

Despite the threatening nature of her words, Laila can feel an unmistakable hardness beginning to press against her core. Her eyes drift over Jimin's face while his own are firmly trained on the swell of her breasts. She's never met a man that found death threats sexually enticing but she reckons that there's a first time for everything. Her hips grind against his crotch teasingly, resulting in drawn out groan that ignites sparks in Laila's blood. Time to get up. She makes to do just that but Jimin lives up to his reputation of being quick on his feet, his hands shooting up to grab at her waist as he moves as if to flip her over.

"No!" She pushes his shoulders back down and completely removes herself from him. "I don’t fuck losers." Jimin is stunned for all of three seconds before a devilish smile splits his face in two.

"I'll make you eat those words right before I eat you out."

[walkerismychoice]

Who Do You Love? (Logan X MC, Colt X MC)

Book: Ride or Die

Pairing: Logan x MC, Colt X MC

Rating: 18+ (The hotel room diamond scene is included and is NSFW)

Summary: Gabi picks her prom date, but is it really her final choice?

Note: This part of the ‘series’ adapts the events of Chapter 14 of the book to fit Gabi’s love triangle situation. Much of the dialogue is from the chapter but there is some original dialogue and moving some things around as well.

Word Count: 3259

Tag List: @choicesarehard @powdesiree1986, @tmarie82 @khakie4 @ifyouseekheart @lovehugsandcandy @blackcatkita, @a-whore-of-rome @lizeboredom @debramcg1106 @drakesensworld @leelee10898 @frugalchoicer @fluffy-marshmallow-heart @confessionsofabrokegirl @rhymesmenagerie @give-me-ernest-sinclaire @plutostudie-s @alegria1580 @zaffrenotes @mfackenthal @boneandfur @teenytinymagician @client-327 @choiceslife

How did this happen? Five minutes ago she had no prom date, and now she's got two guys dressed and ready to go at her door and doesn't know what to do. She's got to turn one down, and she knows in her heart who that is, but how is she supposed to do that now with them both right here staring at each other?

Gabi inhales deeply looking between Colt on Riya's doorstep and Logan on the sidewalk one more time. "Colt, can you go wait inside? She can't bear to do this to either one in front of the other. Colt narrows his eyes at Logan before giving a nod and heading inside. Logan looks so handsome, yet so sad as he tentatively steps towards her. "Logan..."

"You don't have to say anything, Gabi. I'll spare you that. I was the idiot who left you when Colt stayed. I shouldn't be surprised you want to go to prom with him...that you've chosen him over me." Defeated, Logan drops his gaze to the ground.

Gabi closes the distance between them and picks up Logan's hands, threading her fingers through his. "Look at me, Logan." He does, reluctantly. "I didn't know Colt was going to show up here tonight, just like I didn't you were. Right before that I was sitting on Riya's bed moping when she told me to text whoever I was pining over, and you know who that was?"

A glimmer of hope flashes in Logan's eyes before the pain returns. "Well you were just kissing Colt, so I guess that's my answer."

"Logan, you idiot." Gabi let's out an exasperated sigh and drops his hands. "You see this?" She pulls out the necklace chain that's been tucked inside her shirt. "I've worn this every day since you left, to keep you close to me. Yes, I know you've figured out I had a thing with Colt, and I missed him too, but when I really think about who I can picture by my side, it's you Logan, only you."

"So your saying-"

"I'm saying you should do what you came here to do." Gabi smirks and a big grin spreads across Logan's face.

"Gabriella Santos, will you go to prom with me?"

"Yes!" Gabi collides with Logan and wraps him. In a bear hug. "Nothing would make happier," she exclaims, but then she backs away as she remembers what she has to take care of. "....But I have to let Colt down first."

"Take all the the time you need. I'll go wait wait in the Limo." Logan points his head in the direction of a black stretch limousine parked down the street.

"You got us a Limo?" Gabi steps up on her tiptoes and pecks Logan on the lips. "Okay, I'll text you when I'm ready."

Logan gives her hand a squeeze before she walks back to the house. She steels herself before she turns the knob and finds Colt sitting at the kitchen table scrolling through his phone. "Hey, Gabi" he says as he starts to get up.

"Wait," Gabi holds her hand up, motioning for Colt to stay seated. "We need talk."

"Okay..." Colt sits back in the chair as his smile fades. "What's up?"

She reaches across the table to put her hand on his. "You know I didn't know you would be showing up here tonight. I haven't even heard from you since we all went our separate ways. Maybe then things would have been different...but I can't go to prom with you."

But I thought-" he starts, a bewildered expression on his face. "You just kissed me!"

"You kissed me, Colt. I didn't have time to react."

"And then he showed up." Colt seethes.

"It's not just that-"

Colt abruptly stands up and rips off his boutonniere, throwing it down on the table. "Save your breath, Gabi. I get it. You chose him over me. I was just a distraction. Someone you could mess around with until you made up your mind."

Gabi puts a hand on his shoulder as Colt walks by, and he pauses momentarily. There's so much she wants to say but the words aren't there. Even if they were she doesn't know if he'd listen. "Colt, you know you were more than that...you are more than that."

Colt scoffs and shrugs her hand off. "Whatever. Have a nice life." He stomps outside and slams the door without looking back.

Gabi sinks down in the nearest chair, feeling like the wind has been knocked out of her, and sobs. She knows this was the right choice but it doesn't make it hurt any less. She still has a place for Colt in her heart and probably always will. She didn't want to leave things like this, but there's nothing she can do about it now. She concentrates on her breathing, inhaling and exhaling deeply to calm herself and then splashes some cold water on her face. Thinking about Logan waiting for her makes her feel a little lighter. She'll have time to be sad about this later, but for now she's going to focus on having the night of her life.

~~~~~

It still feels so surreal. A few months ago the last place Logan would have thought he'd be was a high school prom, but here he is dancing to a slow song and holding Gabi tight as she rests her head on his shoulder. He'd been speechless when he saw her come the stairs at Riya's house in her pale pink gown, thinking about all the times he'd heard someone described as 'glowing' that this must have been what they meant. He places a kiss on top of her head, inhaling the familiar and comforting scent of her fruity shampoo. The night’s been perfect and only get’s better when Riya gives them a key to a hotel room she had booked for herself and Gabi. He doesn’t want to pressure her into anything she’s not ready to do, but even if he just gets to sleep with her in his arms again he’ll be completely content.

Logan lets out a low whistle as they walk into the modern looking, well appointed hotel room. “Remind me to thank Riya later.”

Gabi smiles shyly. “I will.”

Logan pulls her into his arms and can’t help but smile back down at her. They sway together like the music from the dance is still playing. “How did I ever survive before I knew you?”

“I honestly do not know,” she teases. “Tonight has been perfect.”

“Yeah? I can think of a couple ways to make it better...” 

Gabi slaps his shoulder playfully. “What? I bring you up to a hotel room, and you’re immediately thinking about--”

Logan feigns offense. “I was talking bout room service. Get your mind out of the gutter.” Giving her a hard time is just too much fun. Room service would be good too, but he’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t hoping to get her out of that dress the moment he saw her in it. Gabi throws her head back and laughs, and Logan hasn’t seen her this light and carefree in a long time. He grazes her cheek with his thumb. “I was a fool to think I could stay away from you, Gabi.”

“I don’t want you to stay away. You mean so much to me.”

“It’s more than that, though. What I feel for you...it’s more than that.” If she didn’t believe it before, he hopes with everything that she does now. “I already told you how I feel. I love you, Gabi.”

Her thoughts are difficult to discern as she takes it in, but then her face lights up like the sun. “Oh, Logan...I love you too.”

Logan smiles so big his cheeks hurt. “Say it again.”

“I love you. I love you. I love--” Gabi squeals as he picks her up and spins her around, and Logan has never been happier than in this moment.

“I love you, Gabi. More than I thought I could.” To think before Gabi, he didn’t known if he was capable of loving anyone, never having experienced unconditional love himself. “You know how sorry I am that I lied when we first met...but honestly, as much as I hate myself, I know we wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for all that. And I wouldn’t trade this for the world.” 

“Logan...” He notices a shift in her eyes to something more serious, and he can tell she’s a bit nervous to say it out loud. “Logan, I want...I want...”

“What do you want, Ellie? Show me.” She pulls him in by the lapels of his coat, kissing him passionately and it says everything. “Gabi...” he moans into her mouth and she arches into him as his lips trail down her neck.

“Logan...” She breathes and his mouth finds hers again, weaving his hands in her hair and taking in as much of her as he can get. With shaky hands, she reaches for his belt and slides her fingertips just inside the waistband of his pants.

“You don’t have to--” It would kill him to stop now but he loves her too much ask her to do anything she’s not ready to do.

“I want to.” She grins confidently, wiping his doubts away. She makes quick work of taking off his suit coat and shirt, tossing them across the room and then he helps her in undressing his lower half. She steps back and takes him all in and he can almost literally feel the heat of her gaze as a warmth flushes through him. She runs her hands all over his body, his muscles flexing under her touch, and as she inches lower and lover down his abs, his cock twitches in anticipation. “Gabi... you’re driving me crazy.”

“Good.” She replies smugly with a grin. She starts at the top of his chest again to tease him and suddenly he can’t take it any longer, grabbing her wrist and pulling her onto the bed with him.  He sucks on her neck, twirling his tongue over her skin and he can hear her inhale sharply and hold it like she’s forgotten how to breathe.

“My turn.” He runs his hands over the top of her dress and then pushes up the skirt of her dress. “As stunning as you look in this dress...it has to go.” He fights the urge to rip it off, slowly unzipping the back and delicately pulling it down, kissing, touching, and savoring all the newly exposed skin as he goes. She’s finally his for real, and he doesn’t want to miss a single thing. 

“Logan...” she moans softly.

“God, Gabi. You’re perfect,” he utters between kisses and he feels her tremble beneath his touch. “Tell me what you want, Gabi.”

“Kiss me, Logan. Kiss me everywhere.” Her emphasis on the last word indicates the exact place she wants his mouth and he’s more than happy to oblige.

Logan looks up at her and smirks. “That, I can do.” He flips her onto her back, pressing light kisses to her lips, moving down teasingly and painstakingly slow, her whole body tensing up in anticipation as he gets close. He wants to taste her so bad, but the payoff will be so much better if he makes her wait.

“Mmm,” she whimpers as he kisses her hip, stomach, inner thighs... 

It’s pretty clear how bad she wants it, but he won’t risk ruining this for her, so he has to ask. ‘Gabi, are you sure?

“Yes,” she pants and he decides she’s been tortured enough. He licks a broad stripe through her folds and she tastes even more incredible than he thought she would. She twists her fingers through his hair as his tongue works her clit, increasingly louder moans and guttural sounds escaping her lips. He grips her thigh with one hand as he brushes his thumb over her nipple with the other. She bucks her hips into him, and her responsiveness to his touch is turning him on like nothing else. He hears her breaths quicken, and he knows she’s close, so he concentrates on his movements, gradually swirling his tongue faster unit she cries out, pulling on his hair as her whole body stiffens and then relaxes back into the soft mattress. He lazily laps at her entrance as she comes down from her high, his tongue slipping inside to feel her walls still pulsing.  

“Logan, I want all of you,” Gabi demands once she catches her breath. She pulls him back face-to-face with her. He can see all the love and desire as he stares deeply into her eyes, but also the uncertainty. “It’s...my first time,” she says as if he didn’t already know.

He wraps her in his arms and hugs her tightly, whispering reassuringly in her ear, “I got you, Gabi,” and he feels her tension dissipate. He grabs a condom from the nightstand and puts it on before lowering himself onto her. He caresses her cheek and then guides himself inside her, never breaking eye contact. She winces slightly as the tip goes in with a little resistance, but then as the rest of his hard length easily glides in, her eyes flutter shut and she moans contentedly. He buries his head in her neck, holding still and relishing the feel of her walls around him. She’s so sweet and sexy at the same time, and he wants this to last. He finds a slow and steady rhythm, rocking his hips against hers and she moves in time with him. He leans back just enough to slip a hand between them, tracing circles over her clit until she’s falling apart again and calling out his name, and that’s all he needs. He picks up the pace, groaning as he finds his release inside her.

After cleaning up, they lie in bed, Gabi wrapped in Logan’s embrace while he presses a kiss to the top of her head. “Mm..I could  stay like this forever--” Gabi’s thought interrupted by her rumbling stomach.

Logan chuckles. “Sounds like your stomach might have something to say about that.”

“Well I did just work up an appetite...”

Logan cups her cheek and kisses her sweetly. “We both did. Lets order some room service.”

What follows next is par for the course in Logan’s life. Their perfect fairy tale of an evening doesn’t last. Instead of room service, they are greeted at the door by a member of the brotherhood, Gabi knocking him out with a vase. They narrowly escape Jason and the other members only to run into Mona, who despite being captured and recruited by the brotherhood to work against them, risks everything to get her and Logan out safely. Gabi hot-wires a car and they drive away undetected, for now, the only certainty being that the brotherhood won’t rest until they’re all dead.

~~~~~

“What now?” Gabi asks as they drive away from the scene, not knowing where they should be going or what to do.

“We need to text Colt,” Logan asserts.

A flash of dread courses through Gabi. “Really?” She can’t imagine seeing Colt again right now, or him wanting anything to do with them after what happened earlier.

“We’re outnumbered. Mona is on their side now. We need help, and he stuck around town to get his revenge.”

“But Colt? After the mess he caused” And after I ripped his heart out and threw it on the floor...

Logan frowns. “You got a better idea?”

“Fair point,” Gabi concedes.

“And be careful what you say. They might be tracking your messages.”

Gabi groans but takes out her phone and texts Colt, letting him know the brotherhood found her and Logan. She gets the notification that her message was seen but he doesn’t reply. ‘Please, Colt. Your life is in danger too. Meet me and Logan at the place we first met. We’ll explain there.’ Colt responds back with a simple ‘Fine.”

Colt is already at the refinery in El Sugundo where they first met the night of the sideshow, leaning back against the fence with his arms crossed. He glares at Logan, looking him up and down. “You look like a waiter,” he spits.

Gabi narrows her eyes. “Come on, Colt. We don’t have time for your crap.”

“You don’t? Then why am I here?” He’s evidently not going to make this easy on them.

Colt finally calms down and cooperates and they fill him in on everything, momentarily pushing all the tension between them to the wayside so they can figure out a way to stay alive. Logan offers to play the hero and turn himself in, but Gabi won’t let him. Not only does she not want to lose him, but there’s no guarantees that will save anyone else. They are running out of options, when it hits Gabi - she needs her father’s help.

Gabi gets both Colt and Logan to agree to come with her but as they turn to get in the car, Colt stops her. “Can I talk to you for just a minute...please?”

Logan protectively puts an arm around Gabi, and squeezes her side. “It’s okay, Logan,” she assures him, but she’s not even sure she believes it herself. Logan reluctantly gets in the car, and Colt pulls Gabi just out of view.

Colts mouth is pressed in a thin line as his eyes sweeps over her. “Looks like you had fun at prom.”

She nervously tucks a strands of her behind her ear, suddenly feeling very exposed. She hadn’t had time to think about it, but with Logan’s rumpled clothing, and her smudged makeup and messy hair falling out of her once neat braided up-do, it’s probably clear what they were up to. “Colt, are we really doing this now?”

“After I got over being pissed at you, I kept wondering if there was something I could have done differently...if I had slept with you when you wanted me to...”

“Colt, it’s not like that-”

“Oh, really? I see the way you’re throwing heart eyes at Logan now-”

“Enough. I’m not discussing this with you.” Gabi makes a move to leave but Colt grabs her wrist.

“I’m sorry.” Colt frowns. “You know my response to almost every emotion is anger, and I need to work on that. You don’t owe me this consideration, but I just need t say this in case I never get the chance...in case it makes a difference. I love you, Gabi.”

Gabi’s mouth falls open as this was the last thing she expected to here. “Colt...no you don’t.”

“What?” Colt is taken aback. “You can’t just say someone doesn’t love you.”

“But you don’t!” If he loved her he would have been on her side like Logan was. He would have tried to consider another way when she asked him to.

“Please don’t say I just love the ‘idea of you.’“

“We barely know each other Colt. You love...this dream of us defeating everyone who ever doubted us, side-by-side. But love isn’t like that. It’s not about winning. If you loved me, you wouldn’t need any of that. Love is no matter what.” She puts everything out there. All the things she’s been wanting to say but he wasn’t ready to hear.

Colt’s look of defeat turns to one of determination. “This is no matter what..and I’ll prove it to you.”

[fangirl--of-everything]

Plums (Sihtric x Reader)

Word Count: 8400

Request: nope

Summary: Sihtric is wandering the streets of Wessex when he meets an alluring woman. The fact that she is a whore does not phase him, and as the two begin to spend more and more time together the line between business and pleasure begins to blur. (Y/n) tries to fight it, but she cannot resist the charming Dane for long. But she is not a whore by choice, and some people are suspicious of the bond that is forming between her and Sihtric.

Chapter Warning: suggestive content, violence, blood, cursing

A/N. So, this was kind of challenging for me to write. I do not write anything sexually explicit, but since the reader is a whore and her and Sihtric’s relationship is born in that environment, there are some scenes that get pretty suggestive. BUT note there is no sex, and nothing too explicit. As much as that was a fine line to walk, I am really proud of this, and I really want to know what people think of it. Please feel free to comment and or message me with any thoughts or feedback, I would really appreciate it.

Alright, enjoy :)

His lord Uhtred had been summoned to Wessex following their attack on a group of Danish raiders, and Sihtric and Finan weren’t allowed to enter the Witan with him, so they were left to wander the streets waiting for him to return.

Sihtric had taken to wandering the streets of Wessex whenever Uhtred was summoned, and he had strayed further than usual today, finding himself in a modest market. It was little more than a cluster of makeshift booths, but he purchased some plums that were sweet and juicy. He smiled as he wandered, taking a bite and ignoring the way the juices ran down his chin. They didn’t have fruit in Dunholm, and nothing as exotic as this in Cookham, and he had to admit that if the big Saxon city was good for one thing, it was the delicious food.

He slowed when he saw a small group of women crowded around a stall, watching him. He shifted, straightening his shoulders and flexing slightly, taking another bite from his plum. One of the girls whispered to the others and they all started to giggle. He walked over to them, tossing his plum from one hand to the other. 

“Is there something I can do for you?” 

One of them stepped forward, a small smile pulling at her pretty mouth, and Sihtric felt his stomach twist. “We were just saying that we do not get a lot of Danes in these parts,” she said, her voice soft and sweet, with the accent of a high-born Saxon. Her skin was pale, her eyes dark and deep as she looked at him through thick lashes. “We were guessing as to how it is you got to be here.”

Another one of the women came up behind him, sliding her hand up his arm. He swallowed hard, looking into her pretty blue eyes. “I thought you might be here to swear your sword to our king.”

A third one, her hair fiery red, appeared at his other side. “I suspected you were here for a more sinister purpose.”

“Oh really?” Sihtric felt himself lean towards her, entranced. There were not many beautiful women in Cookham, and the ones that were had fathers who forbid them from talking to a Dane. “What purpose was that lady?”

She smiled, a dimple appearing in her cheek. “I suspect you’re here to find a Saxon woman to run off with.” Her hand slid up his bicep, and his breath hitched.

Another voice chimed in, this one with the rougher accent of a low-born. “Luckily I was here to set all of you straight. This is Lord Uhtred’s man, and if you do not return his goods his lord is likely to come and collect them from you.”

Sihtric’s head snapped up, and he saw the final woman leaning with her hip against the stall, arms crossed over her chest. Her eyebrows were raised, and she shot each of the women surrounding him an exasperated look.

“You never let us have any fun (y/n).” The redhead groaned, her face tightening into something less attractive, and her accent no longer high-born english, but rather Irish, like Finan’s.

The three women stepped back, the blonde shooting him a last look before she left, glaring hard at the fourth girl, (y/n). She caught the blonde’s arm, holding up a hand. In it was placed a plum, and the bag of coin Sihtric had not even noticed were stolen from his belt.

“Hey!” he protested, but the blonde just winked at him, and his complaints died in his throat.

(Y/n) walked over to him and held out her hand, offering him back his belongings. He eyed her skeptically as he took them.

“What was that?”

She snorted. “That was a couple of whores trying to seduce a pretty foreigner into their beds.”

His eyes widened, and he kicked himself. How he had failed to notice they were whores was beyond him, but to be fair he wasn’t used to such beautiful women pursuing that type of career. The types of whores he was used to were… different. Still, it was stupid of him to fall for the scam.

“And you?”

“Why do you think I was here with them?”

He rolled his weight onto his back foot, taking another bite of his plum. He didn’t taste it. “And how is it that you know I am Uhtred’s man?”

A small smile spread on her face. “Your friend Finan has visited me a couple of times, and I make a point of remembering men who have good money and like to spend it on pretty girls.”

His mouth went dry.

She flashed him a small smile, one corner of her mouth tilting higher than the other, and turned to go. “A word of warning Dane, never trust a woman you meet in this marketplace. She can see how much coin you carry, and from there decide on how much she likes you.”

It wasn’t until she was a few feet away that Sihtric found his voice, and called after her. “Does that include you?”

She spun around with a laugh and winked at him.

-----/--/-----

(Y/n) had just finished with a client. She stripped the sheets from the bed in her small room, bunching them up in her arms and carrying them downstairs, catching the lowered voices of men in the main room, and the high, fake english accents of the other girls. Coins rattled faintly in her pocket as she walked, her hips swinging awkwardly as she tried to navigate the narrow stairs without catching her feet on the sheets hanging from her arms.

The building she worked out of had an entire hidden section, with a back door inside the small closets in each of the women’s rooms, leading to a private hallway and back staircase, which was the one the women were encouraged to use for errands like this, bringing dirty linens into the basement and such. She dumped her armful of sheets onto a pile that was growing in the corner, making a note that two of the women would probably have to go out tomorrow to do some cleaning, and came out through the opposite door as the one she had entered from.

This door, and the staircase that emerged from it, were connected to the main part of the house, and she emerged into the entrance of the building. Women were milling around, three or four of them who, like her, had finished with their clients and were waiting for new ones to wander in. She felt eyes on her and cast a look at the large man in the corner of the room, his eyes dark on hers. The coins in her pocket grew heavy, and she kept her eyes down as she rolled them into her palm and dropped them into his hand. He caught her wrist as she turned to go, tugging her towards him and sliding his hand into the deep pocket of her skirt.

“Don’t want you holding out on me,” his voice rumbled through her back as his hand shifted in her pocket, fingers sliding along her stomach and hips and pressing painfully. She clenched her jaw, stiff and still until he smacked her ass and released her wrist. “What do you say?”

“Thank you Lord Acwel.” She said softly, flashing him a soft smile even though inside her stomach was rolling with anger. All of the guards did this. They felt they were entitled to feel up the girls whenever they chose, and each of them demanded they be called lords, though (y/n) knew they were all just as low born as she was. He pinched her one more time before finally sending her on her way, a smug smile on his face.  

There was the soft whisper of the door sliding open, and she was grateful, even though it made her stomach twist painfully every time she heard that telltale slide of the hinges. She was sure surprise registered on her face as she took in the handsome Dane from the marketplace a few days ago. His eyes found hers, and his mouth twitched as he walked over to her.

She crossed her arms, a genuine smile spreading on her face as she saw him. “Hello you.” She leaned against the small table that was set up close to the door. “It appears you didn’t heed my warning about trusting pretty girls in marketplaces.”

He shrugged, but she watched as he looked around the room, taking in the low light, the soft glow of the candles, and the quiet murmuring of voices through the walls. It was obvious he had never seen a place like this before. “My lord always says I need to work on listening.”

She laughed, startling herself with the authenticity of it. He smirked, dropping his gaze to the floor for a second before looking back up at her. She opened her mouth to say something else, but she again felt Acwel’s hard gaze  on her back, and she straightened, her smile dropping slightly. This was not the place for casual conversations. It was a place of business, and she and the other girls were the merchandise. “Who are you here for?”

He looked confused, his eyes darting around the brothel. “What? I get to pick?”

She tried to hide her smile at his innocence, and nodded. “Have you ever been to a whorehouse before?”

He snorted. “Not one like this. The places I am used to are less… nice.”

Her stomach twisted again at his words. It was true she was lucky that she hadn’t ended up anywhere worse than here, but this was still not a life she would choose. She bit the inside of her cheek and made sure her smile stayed in place, even though it was tighter now. “You can pick whoever you like, but those are the girls who are available right now.” She pointed over her shoulder at the few women walking around the room, all of their eyes on the two of them. (Y/n) waved her hand in the direction of the couch. “Elizabeth, the blonde, hasn’t stopped talking about you since she touched your arm the other day in the marketplace. I think she’s available.”

“Actually,” he rubbed his hand over his bicep, “I… I want you.”

She wasn’t sure why that surprised her, but she felt her eyes widen. It wasn’t that she wasn’t popular, and she had her regulars who would always wait for her to be free, but for some reason this choice felt more important.

He seemed to sense her shock, because he tensed. “I am sorry, are you not--”

“No, no I am.” She cut him off. “I just was not expecting-- never mind. Let’s go upstairs.”

She took his hand, tugging him behind her and leading the way to the stairwell, and the bedrooms. “What do I call you?”

“Sihtric, lady.”

She looked at him over her shoulder, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I’m no lady, Sihtric.”

His eyes darkened and a hungry smile spread on his face as she pulled him towards her room.  

-----/--/-----

He slumped forward, his entire weight landing on top of (y/n), his chest heaving. He buried his face in her neck. (Y/n)’s breath came in heavy gasps, and she pressed a kiss to his shoulder, her nails dragging gently along the slope of his back.

“That was amazing.”

“Yeah?” He pushed his weight up onto his arms so he could look down at her. Her face was flushed, and she gave him a smile, her tongue flicking over her bottom lip.

“Yeah.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging his head down and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. He smiled against her mouth, and with another sigh he rolled off of her, the two of them lying on their backs on the narrow bed. She raised an arm to rest on his chest, her fingers sliding along his jaw.

“And how trustworthy is the word of a woman you are paying?” He asked, smirking.  

She pursed her lips against a smile, but it escaped anyways. “I lie to most of my clients, it’s true, but in this case I’m telling the truth. Whether or not you believe me is your decision.”

He flashed her a cheeky smirk. “And if I choose to believe you?”

She hummed, sliding closer to him, her own lips stretching into a smile. “I think, if you wanted to be sure I was telling the truth, we might have to try again. Just to be sure.”

They drew together, Sihtric pressing an open-mouthed kiss to her lips and feeling her smile into it. She rolled, draping her leg across his waist, and he ground his hips against hers, his heart starting to race.

She pulled back, her breath quivering, and flashed another cheeky smile. “You know this is going to cost you extra, right?”

He growled, tugging her back down on top of him.

-----/ 6 months later /-----

(Y/n) had just exited the brothel through a back door, a bundle of linens in her arms that she was supposed to wash, when she was grabbed from behind. An arm slid around her waist, and before she could shout in surprise a hand was clamped tightly over her mouth. She was tugged backwards, and the bundle of linens fell from her arms as her back was pressed against the wall of the building, the hand still tight against her mouth. Her eyes widened as she recognized Sihtric staring down at her.

“Shh, do not scream.” He breathed. “It’s just-- what in Odin’s name?” He shifted back slightly, angling his body away from the blade she had pressed against the seam of his britches. “Where were you even keeping that?”

She pushed his hand away from her mouth with her free hand as he stared at her questioningly. “Somewhere that I can grab it when crazy Danes attack me behind my place of work.”

His eyebrows raised, and he stared at the knife appreciatively. When he looked back at her there was a hunger in his eyes that made her own breath catch. She tucked the knife back into its pocket in her skirt. “You scared the shit out of me Sihtric. What are you doing here?” She smacked his chest with an open hand, but it was ineffective.

His eyes darkened and he leaned closer, his tongue flicking across his bottom lip. “Uhtred was summoned by Alfred.” His voice was husky, and his gaze flicked from her eyes to her lips, and back again. “I wanted to see you.”

Now her heart was hammering for a different reason, but she pushed the fluttering in her stomach down, nudging the Dane back to give herself space to breathe. “You could have come through the front door.”

“It’s Wednesday.” He shrugged, like that sentence made any sense in the context of their argument. He saw the way her face twisted in confusion, and explained, “You do the washing on Wednesdays. I knew you would be back here.”

She swallowed, her stomach fluttering in a way she could no longer force down. She had to admit she had grown fond of him over the past months. He had been to visit frequently following their first encounter, every time waiting until she was free and following her up to her room with that same cheeky smile on his face. About two months ago his lord had been called back to Cookham, and she had assumed she was not going to see him again, yet here he was, scaring the shit out of her and looking at her with those same dark eyes, and (y/n) realized with a sinking certainty that she had missed the handsome Dane while he had been gone.

She looked around desperately for something to say, something to distract herself from the feelings swirling in her belly, and her eyes landed on the dark blood that was crusted against the side of his head.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice coming out more soft, more tenderly than she had intended. Her hand lifted, and she slid her fingers along his hairline. His eyes drifted shut for a second as she did, and he leaned closer, catching her wrist.

“I am fine. It’s nothing.”

She studied his face, his dark eyes open and warm as he looked down at her.  “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “It was a couple of days ago. I just have not had time to wash. We just got in, I came right here.”

She saw the opportunity to tease, and opened her mouth to take it, but he didn’t give her the chance. His right hand found her hip, pressing her back hard against the wall, and his left tangled in her hair, tilting her head back and anchoring her as he kissed her deeply, his entire body pressing against her. The kiss was hot and hungry, and his tongue slid along her bottom lip, slipping into her mouth. She tried to hold it back, but she gasped, her fingers catching his shirt and pulling him closer.

The laundry was forgotten by the time they broke apart, and she was breathless as she pulled him towards the back door. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Sihtric smirked, tugging her back and pressing another kiss behind her ear. “I will meet you at the front.”

She shook her head, taking his hand and pulling him towards the back entrance. “Come with me.”

He slowed, looking at the back door in confusion. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. When he reached for the purse that hung from his belt she shook her head again, catching his hand and pressing a soft kiss against his palm. His eyes widened as he realized what she was saying.

“Really?”

She nodded. “Just this once.”

-----/--/-----

The two of them lay under the thin blanket in her room, (y/n)’s head resting on Sihtric’s chest, his fingers tracing lazy designs on her bare back. Their legs were tangled under the sheets. Sihtric pushed down a yawn, a content smile on his face as she shivered under his fingers. She pressed her lips against his chin. He looked down at her, his eyes tracing the gentle slope of her nose, the curve of her eyebrow, the bow of her lips. His fingers twitched at his side, and he reached up, his thumb sliding over the smooth skin of her cheek. He couldn’t help but smile.

“You are beautiful.” He said softly. “I have missed you while I’ve been away.”

He felt her stiffen against him, and she shook her head. “No, none of that.”

He lifted his head to see her more clearly. “What?”

She refused to meet his eyes, her fingers trailing over his chest. “Don’t say things like that.”

“Why?”

She shook her head again. He caught her chin, tilting her head up until she was forced to meet his gaze. “Did I do something wrong?”

Her face softened as she looked at him, and she pressed a quick kiss to his jaw. “No, you did nothing wrong. I just don’t want you to say things like that.”

“But why? You are beautiful, and I have thought about you almost every day.”

“Sihtric,” she sighed. “I can’t do this with you.”

“You can’t do what with me?” his voice was harsher than he intended, and he pushed himself up onto his elbow, forcing her to sit up to look at him. “I do not remember asking you to do anything.”

“This,” she gestured between the two of them. “You coming here to see me, saying kind thing, looking at me like that. I can’t do it.”

Her voice was tense, but Sihtric liked to think he knew her after all this time they had spent together, and he knew there was something she wasn’t telling him. He shifted closer to her, softening his voice and reaching out to slide his hand behind her head. She stiffened, her body tight and still, but she leaned slightly into his touch.

“What are you saying?” Sihtric asked, his thumb sliding against her cheek. “Do you not want to see me anymore?”

She shook her head, shaking off his hand and turning her body away from him. “We aren’t seeing each other, do you not understand that? I am a whore. You pay to spend time with me. I lie to you and say what you want to hear to make more money. All of these compliments and sneaking around, this is not something I can do with you.”

It was a convincing speech, and Sihtric felt his stomach tighten as he heard it, but he also saw the way her jaw tightened as she turned from him, and the way her bottom lip shook just slightly as she spoke. He knew she was lying. He pushed himself closer to her, but kept his hands at his sides as he studied her profile, the way her lips pursed as his arm brushed against hers.

“Do you lie to me while we’re together?”

She nodded, her eyes on the wall.

“I do not believe you.”

“It does not matter whether or not I lie to you Sihtric, I am a woman you pay to be with, I--”

“I did not pay you to be here.”

She finally looked at him, her face open and vulnerable even though she tried to stay serious.

“You did not let me pay you to be here.” His arm slid around her waist and he pulled her closer. “You can say that this means nothing, and that you are just a whore, but that is not what I see when I look at you. And I think that when you saw me today you were happy because it was me, not because you were going to make money.”

She licked her bottom lip. “Maybe that’s all true, but, but this still can’t happen.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m a whore!”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise as her voice rose, her face flushing. “Why does that matter?”

(Y/n) groaned, rubbing her hands over her face. “Because Sihtric, I owe a debt to the master of this place, and he owns me until I can pay it.”

Sihtric blinked in surprise. “What?”

She sighed. “I was young, and I--”

There was a heavy knock on the door, and (y/n) jumped, her breath hitching. Her whole body tensed, and her hands started shaking in her lap. Sihtric’s stomach twisted, and it struck him that she was not safe here. She was afraid of whoever was behind the door. There was another sharp knock, and (y/n) shot him a warning look, pushing herself off the bed. Sihtric was left sitting, suddenly painfully aware of the fact that he was naked. She shot him a panicked look, and he got to his feet, scrambling to collect the clothes that were scattered around the room.

“Yes?” (Y/n) called, grabbing her dress and pulling it over her head.

“What in God’s name are you doing in here? You left the washing in a pile outside.”

“I-I’m sorry,” (y/n) stammered, straightening the dress and searching desperately for her apron. “I had a dizzy spell, and my--” Sihtric handed her the apron and she gave him a grateful look. “--my body just went weak, I’m sorry. I will go out right now and take care of it.”

The door shook as whoever was behind it knocked again. “Open the door woman.”

“Acwel please,” (y/n)’s voice was still timid and nervous, but her hand was steady as she caught Sihtric’s wrist, pulling him towards the back door. “I-I’m not decent.” He stumbled, just finishing pulling on his breeches, the rest of his clothes in a bundle in his arms.

“You know the rules. And decency has never been a problem for you before.”

Sihtric growled under his breath, blood rushing in his ears. She pushed him hard through the door, pointing down the dark hallway, whispering under her breath, “Do you remember how you came in? Go to the end of the hall and through that door. Don’t speak to or look at anyone.”

The door shook again, and she flinched, giving him another push.

He caught her wrist. “Come with me.”

The door rattled violently in the frame, and she squeezed her eyes shut, taking a shaky breath. When she opened them her gaze was steady, and she shook her head, giving him another push. “Go, now. And please do not come back here again.”

“(Y/n),” he didn’t want to let her go, and he knew now that he couldn’t leave her here. “Please come with me.”

“Go. Now.” She twisted, pulling her wrist free, and shut the door in his face.

He knew he should leave, but his feet were rooted to the floor as he heard the squeak of hinges. (Y/n)’s front door was thrown open, and Sihtric tensed as he listened to the heavy footfalls of the man, Acwel, as he came into the room.

The man’s voice made Sihtric’s hands curl into fists around his clothes. “What took you so long?”

“I’m sorry, I am still not feeling well.” (Y/n)’s voice was different than he was used to. It was still sharp and clever and biting, but there was a faint tremor underneath it, a genuine trace of fear that he had never heard from her before. It made him want to kick this door down and take her as far away from here as possible.

There was a sharp intake of breath, and the sound of feet, the man’s heavy and sure, (y/n)’s a frantic scrabbling along the floor. “When I knock on the door you open it. As soon as I knock. Understand?”

For a second there was silence, and then the sharp crack of skin on skin. Sihtric growled, his body vibrating with fury. His knuckles were white around the door’s handle as the sound of heavy feet moved away, and the door creaked shut. He immediately swung the hidden door back open, his clothes falling from his arms as he saw (y/n) slumped in a heap on the floor, her body curled in on itself.

“I am going to kill him.” Sihtric growled, dropping to his knees beside her.

She jumped at the sound of his voice, but otherwise didn’t move. “I told you to leave.” She mumbled.

“I am not good at listening, remember?”

She laughed bitterly, and finally lifted her head. There was a bright red mark on her cheek, the colour already darkening into a bruise. Her eyes were shining, and for the first time since he had met her he saw her walls completely down, and the vulnerability in her face made his chest tighten. He took her shoulders and gently pulled her towards him, and she slumped against his chest, her body trembling in his arms as he tucked her into his side.

“I am sorry.” He pressed his lips against the top of her head. “I should have come in and killed him before he could hurt you.”

“Sihtric--”

“No.” He cut her off before she could say anything. “I know what you are going to say, but you are wrong. Whatever you owe this man, it is not worth staying here. You can argue all you want, but I am leaving and you are coming with me.”

“No I’m not.” She pulled back to look at him, her face softening as she did. “You are sweet, and kind, and I think you are wonderful, but I do not need your pity. And I do not need you to rescue me.”

“I am not trying to rescue you. I…” a small smile spread on his face as he realized what exactly he wanted. “I want you to be my wife.”

(Y/n)’s mouth fell open.

“Think about it,” Sihtric shifted so he could face her, taking one of her hands in his. “I am the oathman of a lord, you will be safe with me. And you can come with me to Cookham, it is beautiful and rural, not like this city. I promise I will protect you and provide for you, you will never want for anything. You would be my woman, and I would be your husband.”

She sighed, and he knew from the look on her face that she was about to say no. “That all sounds wonderful, but--”

“I love you.”

She froze again.

“I love you.” He said it again, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her towards him. “I cannot sleep when I am away from here because I am thinking about you. Other women have no effect on me. When I look at them I think of you, and I miss you and long to be here with you. I promise you this is not pity, I want you to be my wife because I love you and I want you with me always.”

She blinked, the corners of her mouth quivering, and pulled him towards her. Her lips crashed against his. He wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap, a smile spreading on his face. She pulled back, a question in her eyes, but he tugged her back down and kissed her again. This was sweet and tender, slow and gentle and different than every other time he had held her. When they broke apart he rested his forehead against hers, the two of them smiling and breathing deeply.

Sihtric studied her face, the small smile on her lips, the flush of her cheeks, and his chest warmed. “Is that a yes?”

She nodded, laughing. “Yes. Yes I’ll marry you.”

-----/--/-----

As much as (y/n) hated the thought of owing another man, they decided that the safest way to get her from the brothel was for Sihtric to buy her debt from the brothel’s owner. He did not want to leave her here, and she did not want to owe a debt to him or his lord, but there was no way for them to make it out of the brothel and get any sort of distance away before they were discovered missing and pursued. If they were in the countryside things would be different, but (y/n) could think of no way to get free while Sihtric’s lord was in Wessex without being arrested and dragged before the king for defaulting on a debt.

Sihtric had asked his lord’s permission to marry her, and was waiting for an answer, and every day while he waited he came to see her. His purse was getting significantly lighter as the days passed, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He needed to be there to ensure that she was not being mistreated, and she needed to see him to give herself courage and remind herself that she would soon be free.

She heard the creak of the front door opening, and she couldn’t stop her gaze from snapping up to see who was coming in. A smile spread on her face when she saw Sihtric enter. His eyes searched the room until they landed on her, and he flashed her a cheeky smirk when he met her gaze. She laughed at how obvious he was, and jerked her head towards the staircase, signalling him to follow her.

When she got to her room she barely had time to close the door before her back was slammed hard into it, Sihtric’s mouth hungry and hard against hers. She laughed into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He trailed kisses from the corner of her mouth down her jaw, his lips sucking gently at the slope of her neck, and she sighed, arching her hips against him.

“I missed you.” He breathed into her throat.

“Then what took you so long to get here?”

He nipped at her earlobe, and she tilted her head back, a moan slipping from her lips.

“I was talking to Uhtred.”

That broke the mood, and she sighed again, pushing him back so she could focus. “What did he say?”

“He is still thinking.” Sihtric kissed her again, his teeth catching her bottom lip. “I am getting tired of waiting for his permission to take you away from here. I think we should just leave tonight.”

She pressed her hips against his. “And where would we go?”

His hands pressed at her thighs, and she gasped as he lifted her in the air. He smirked up at her before tossing her onto the bed, climbing on top of her and kissing her again. They were done talking, his hands pulling up the hem of her skirt as he trailed kisses down between her breasts. She lost herself in what he was doing, feeling his body moving against hers, his hands pressing down on her hips, his mouth hot on hers. She was so absorbed in the feeling of him that when he stopped, going completely still all at once, it hit her like whiplash.

“Sihtric,” she whined, chest heaving, “you can’t just--”

The words died in her mouth, a strangled noise escaping in their place.

Sihtric hovered above her, his forearms shaking as they took the weight of his entire body, holding himself completely still in a position that was half-raised, and clearly hard to maintain. His head was tilted back by the shining steel pressed below his chin. A thin line of blood trickled down his neck, catching in the hollow of his throat.

(Y/n)’s heart stopped in her chest, and she held completely still, her eyes following the thin line of steel to its source. Acwel was all but grinning as he twisted the sword, digging the point deeper into the soft spot under Sihtric’s jaw. His eyes were on Acwel as more blood rolled down his neck. (Y/n)’s gaze flicked to the right to see one of the brothel’s other guards standing behind, arms crossed over his chest, the same smug smile on his face.

“Get up Dane.” Acwel’s voice was low and threatening, and he spat out the words with obvious contempt.

Sihtric moved slowly, sitting up and shifting his weight off of (y/n), all the while the tip of the sword still pressed hard against his throat. For just a second (y/n) felt one hand press hard and steady against her hip, and then he eased off the bed and to his feet, dark eyes hard as he glared at the Saxon who was watching him with a smirk.

Playing dumb was their best bet. (Y/n) took a deep breath, her body still taut with nerves, and began to push herself up off of her back. “Acwel, what are you--”

“Do not speak woman, unless you want your savage’s blood to paint the walls.”

She swallowed hard, her jaw clenched tight. She tugged her skirt back down to cover her legs, but didn’t dare do any more than that with Acwel’s sword on Sihtric and the other man’s cold eyes locked on her.

“Move boy.” Acwel jerked his head, and Sihtric was forced backwards until he was standing with his back against the wall. He took it all in with a calmness that was unnerving, and for the first time (y/n) could clearly picture him fighting beside Uhtred of Bebbanburg. His glare was cold as he looked at Acwel, but when his eyes flicked to meet hers his gaze was steady, and it gave her courage.

He shifted his attention back to the two Saxons, tilting his chin up arrogantly. “Speak like that to her again and I’ll remove your tongues before I kill you.”

The two men laughed, and the other guard came forward, a slimy smile on his face. “You should say a prayer to your pagan gods boy while you still can.”

Sihtric raised his eyebrows and said nothing.

There was tense silence for a minute, and (y/n) could barely breathe her chest was so tight, but finally the door to her room creaked open, and a third man entered. (Y/n)’s stomach dropped when she saw the blond man, green eyes scanning the room quizzically. He looked around the room, his eyes resting on Sihtric for a moment before sliding over to (y/n). She tensed under his gaze, swallowing hard. Sihtric saw the way she stiffened as this new man drew closer to her, and he shifted, wanting to put his body between her and this new threat. Both Saxons shoved him hard against the wall, and he bit back a growl.

“(Y/n),” the blonde man’s voice was smooth and disappointed as he walked right over to the end of the bed, offering her his hand. “Care to tell me what is going on here?”

She swallowed hard, staring between his hand and his face, her body all but shaking with tension. Slowly, painfully slowly, she took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. Her jaw was clenched as she stared at him, tense and waiting.

He tilted his head slowly, sympathetically, to look her in the eyes. “Tell me the truth. Are you planning on stealing from me?”

She shook her head. “N-no Edlyn. I swear.”

Edlyn nodded, then turned to look at Acwel. The big man smiled, tossed his sword from his right hand to his left, and drove the pommel into Sihtric’s stomach. (Y/n) gasped as Sihtric grunted and bent double around the weapon, his breath leaving him in a huff. The other man grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back against the wall. His face was red and his mouth open and for a second his body was painfully, frighteningly still, and then he sucked in a breath, coughing and groaning. Acwel laughed, and (y/n) saw white.

She shouted a curse and lunged, her left hand diving into the pocket of her skirt. Sihtric’s eyes widened in shock and appreciation for his fierce woman, and Acwel tensed, fear flashing across his face as she dove at him. Edlyn tightened his grip on (y/n)’s hand and pulled her backwards, twisting her right arm sharply behind her back and wrapping his other arm around her throat. Her attack was stopped before it had even begun.

She bucked against the hold, but he just jerked her arm and she hissed, pain shooting through her shoulder. She kept her left hand pushed deep into her pocket, her fingers wrapping around the small knife she kept hidden there, but she was pinned. Sihtric’s chest was still heaving as he struggled to catch his breath, but his attention was on her, tensing at the way her face twisted in pain as Edlyn gave her arm another sharp twist.

“Let her go, or I will kill you slowly,” he growled, his body vibrating with the drive to move, to fight these men. But the tip of the sword was back at his throat, and he didn’t know what would happen to (y/n) if he got killed and left her alone with these men.

Edlyn stepped towards him, giving Sihtric his undivided attention for the first time since he had entered the room. Sihtric straightened his spine and schooled his face into the deadly glare he had mastered from studying Uhtred, letting his face go stony and still. He kept his eyes on the other man’s, resisting the urge to glance down at (y/n).

“So,” Edlyn’s voice was thoughtful as he looked Sihtric over, “you are the Dane boy who plans on stealing my property.”

“I have stolen nothing. She does not belong to you.”

Edlyn laughed, turning his head so he could press his face into (y/n)’s hair. She tensed and flinched away, and Sihtric felt blood pound in his head as he struggled to hold himself back from ripping this man apart.

“Do you belong to me?” Edlyn asked, dragging his nose along the curve of (y/n)’s cheek.

She swallowed hard, her body shaking against his hold. “No.”

Sihtric felt his chest swell with pride as he watched his brave girl push down her fear, but part of him worried about the dangers of her being defiant. She should have told this man what he wanted to hear to keep herself safe until Sihtric could kill Eldyn and get her away from here.

“No?” Edlyn’s grip on her shoulders tightened, and he pulled her arm violently upwards.

Pain ripped through her shoulder and she screamed. Sihtric shouted in his native language, something harsh and guttural and violent, and it took both of the guards to keep him pinned to the wall as her legs buckled, eyes rolling back in her head as the pain ripped through her shoulder and down her back. 

Another blow to his stomach had him bent double and heaving. When he finally caught his breath and was able to straighten he spat another curse, but his eyes were on (y/n). She was held up by Edlyn’s arm around her chest, and there were tears in her eyes. She refused to meet his gaze, and he could see the arm she had buried in her skirts shaking.

“Do you belong to me?” Edlyn asked again, giving her arm a gentle tug.

She moaned, tears sliding down her face, but she shook her head stubbornly. She spat through her teeth, “No.”

“Do I not own you?”

“No.”

He pulled sharply on her arm, and she screamed again, bucking against his hold. Sihtric cursed again, jerking his arms violently, but he couldn’t shake off the two men who held him.

“Stop it!” Sihtric shouted. “(Y/n) is my woman now. Touch her again and I swear I will stake you down and burn this place to the ground with you inside.”

Edlyn’s eyes snapped to meet his, and Sihtric growled, straining against the men holding him. Eldyn gave (y/n)’s arm one final twist, a small smile spreading on his face as he watched Sihtric tense, before letting her go. She collapsed, cradling her injured arm to her chest, and pushed herself backwards until she could slump against the side of her bed.

Edlyn struck fast, so fast Sihtric could not prepare for it, and his head snapped back hard against the wall, tasting blood in his mouth. Pain bloomed across his cheek, and he could feel the spot where his teeth had cut into the skin of his cheek, but this was nothing. He stretched his jaw, shaking his head and spitting blood out onto the floor. When he looked back at the Saxon man his eyes were hard, fury in his blood. “Get your men to release me, and fight me like a man. Do not take your anger out on a woman who cannot fight back.”

Edlyn spoke as if Sihtric had said nothing. “Did you know, Dane, that defaulting on a debt is punishable by the loss of a hand and ten years in prison? And theft of property is the loss of both hands, or your life?”

Sihtric stayed silent. His gaze flicked down to (y/n), and he caught her shifting, rolling her weight onto the balls of her feet. Her left hand had disappeared back into the folds of her skirt. She met his gaze and gave him a small nod. He clenched his jaw and looked back up, keeping his face stony as he looked at the blond man.

Edlyn was blind to the exchange that had just occurred, and he was smug as he continued to speak. “(Y/n) knows these penalties, but I assume you do not, which is why I will only take one of your hands. Acwel, please take (y/n) outside, I will deal with her in a moment.”

(Y/n) scrambled to her feet as the big man reached for her, taking a step towards the man who owned her life. “Edlyn please do not do this. He is Lord Uhtred’s man, if you contact him the lord will pay you for Sihtric’s safe release. I will do whatever you want just please do not--”

Edlyn spun, the back of his hand catching her along the cheek, forcing her head to the side, her body bending in defense against another blow. Sihtric swore, jerking his arm against the man holding him. There was the swish of fabric as (y/n) twisted, her left hand appearing from the pocket of her skirt, the small knife she kept hidden there driving hard and fast into Edlyn’s thigh.

The man screamed, stumbling back a step, and blood spurted as (y/n) wrenched the knife from his thigh. Acwel lunged for (y/n), cursing, and as soon as the blade left his throat Sihtric drove his elbow hard into the gut of the man still at his side, his foot raising to catch Acwel in the ass, sending the man stumbling forward onto the bed.

(Y/n) drove her knife into the back of Acwel’s exposed neck. Sihtric turned, slamming his fist hard into the face of the other guard, catching the man’s sword and pulling it from its sheath at the man stumbled backwards, blood pouring from his broken nose. He ended the man more quickly than he would have liked, but time was of the essence here.

He spun to see Edlyn, still on the ground and with a great deal of blood pouring from his thigh, grab hold of (y/n)’s ankle and pull sharply, sending her crashing to the ground. The breath flew from her lungs as her weight landed hard on her bad shoulder, and for a second she saw white. By the time her vision cleared the injured man was climbing on top of her, his hands tugging at her skirt, murder in his eyes.

Sihtric drove the blade of his stolen sword deep into the man’s gut, causing Edlyn to spit blood onto the hem of (y/n)’s skirt. He twisted it, and the man went limp. (Y/n) scrambled backwards with her good arm, the small, slick blade of her knife clenched tight in her fist, while Sihtric grabbed a handful of Edlyn’s shirt and dragged him backwards, flipping the man onto his back.

Edlyn’s face was no longer cocky and smug. it was tense with fear, and his hands shook as he raised them to defend himself. Sihtric drove the sword down with all the force he could muster, the blade sliding through the man’s chest and wedging deep into the wooden floorboards. Edlyn groaned, blood pouring out of his mouth, and reached a hand out weakly. Sihtric kicked it away.

“It is not as slow a death as I would like,” Sihtric hissed, his voice low as he crouched down in front of the other man, “but it will have to do.”

He pushed to his feet, and turned his gaze to (y/n), who was sitting with her back against the wall of the room, her legs drawn up to her knees, arm held tight to her side, knife clutched in her hand. He spared a quick glance at the hulking body on the bed to ensure that Acwel was dead, and then he made his way around the chaos of the room and crouched in front of (y/n), pushing the rest of the Saxons from his mind. They meant nothing to him.

“Are you alright?” he asked softly, reaching his hand out to touch the bruise rising on her cheek. Her breath hitched, and she leaned into his touch, nodding. He felt a small smile spread on his face, and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “Woman, you are incredible.”

She laughed, her smile almost genuine. He kissed her again, and she let him help her to her feet, wincing as the movement jostled her arm. He scanned her body quickly, checking for injuries, but she seemed to be pretty much intact, except for the rising bruises on her face and the obvious dislocation of her shoulder.

He could feel her doing the same to him, her uninjured hand rising to touch the darkening bruise on his jaw and the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. She didn’t notice that the knife was still in her hand as she did it, and he took her wrist, gently easing the weapon out of her hand and sliding it back into the pocket of her skirt.

“Sihtric,” her voice was shaking slightly as she spoke, “I’m so sorry--”

He tugged her forward and pressed a firm kiss to her mouth, ignoring the twinge of pain that shot through his jaw at the pressure. She sighed. He pulled back and guided her head up so he could rest his forehead against hers.

“You just saved my life. Do not apologize for that. Ever.”

She nodded, and he kissed her again, trying to convey just how sorry he was that she had gotten hurt. Just how grateful he was that she was safe now. She sighed, and he thought she got the message. When they broke apart she was the one who pressed their foreheads together, her good hand tight on the back of his neck like it was the only thing keeping her standing.

“I promise you are safe now.” He breathed, his thumbs sliding along her jaw. “You are my woman and I am going to protect you.”

She nodded, her body relaxing under his hands. “What are we going to do now?”

He lifted his head to glance around at the carnage in her small room, and tucked her tightly against his chest so she didn’t have to see it.

“We are going to go to my lord Uhtred and tell him what happened here. He’ll take care of it. And then I am taking you to Cookham, far away from all of this.” He smirked at her, knowing it would lighten the mood. “I have a very small hut, and a bed that hasn’t been slept in for weeks. You’ll have to help me warm it.”

She rolled her eyes and swatted at his shoulder. “I love you.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and steered her towards the secret door at the back of her chamber, snagging his sword belt and draping his cloak around her shoulders as he did.”And then once we have warmed my bed I will see about getting us down to the little chapel and making you my wife.”

[littlemisssquiggles]

Pinehead Headcanons: Oscar is the One True Ozma

If you’ve been following my Pinehead Headcanons then most of you might already know how much this squiggle meister is an advocate for the Oscar is the One True Ozma Pinehead theory.

I’ve latched onto this theory passionately because in my head, it’s the outcome that sounds the most favourable to me right now as opposed to the other side where most FNDM fam members believe Oscar to either be completely erased by the Merge becoming a clone of Ozpin with no memory of his old self (the common bad ending to the Man with Two Souls story) or just remains as his original self but with Ozpin’s memories (the classic good ending)

In the past, I used to think that the Merge meant Oscar and Ozpin becoming a perfect fusion of themselves with the new Wizard persona retaining elements of both souls. He would have Ozpin’s memories but still be very much the Oscar Pine know and love at his core.

But ever since I saw the Lost Fable and learnt of the original Ozma, I’ve fallen hard for the concept of Oscar being the other half of Ozma---the reincarnation of his original body that he never regained after the God of Light first resurrected his soul into the body of Diggs.

Although Ozma had lived countless of lifetimes paired to the bodies of other men, the noteworthy fact still remains that the God of Light never granted him back his original body. Here pegs the important question. If only Ozma’s soul was brought back then what happened to his original body. His first form.

This is why I love the concept of Oscar being that original form. Despite what other fans might think, there have been one or two tell-tale signs sprinkled throughout Oscar’s side of the story that have indicated, to me at least, that he is meant to be different than all the past Wizards of Light.

Seriously? How it is that folks can still think that Oscar is going to turn up just like all the other past Wizards when the narrative itself has emphasized that Oscar is meant to be his own person. He’s meant to be different. At first I pegged this meant that Oscar was going to be the Last Life. The last reincarnation. I still stand by that hunch that Oscar is the one meant to end the cycle. But now I’ve taken it a step further.

Oscar is meant to be the last life because unlike his predecessors, who each had their bodies paired with Ozma’s soul, Oscar Pine is essentially Ozma’s original body---just reborn in Modern Remnant currently living as a 14-year-old boy. The Merge isn’t meant to erase Oscar. If what I’m saying about Oscar being the incarnation of Ozma’s first form is proven true then it would mean that the Merge will be reuniting Ozma’s original soul with his original body.

If Ozpin represents Ozma’s soul or at least the current version of Ozma’s soul while Oscar represents the current version of Ozma’s original body; then by my theories, the Merge is actually a good thing. It’s the phenomenon that will make Ozma whole again as he is reunited both body and soul.

When you look at it this way, neither Ozma’s soul nor his body are the same anymore. Ozma’s soul isn’t the same because for centuries he’s been paired with countless men whose memories have now become a part of his. And Ozma’s body isn’t the same anymore either since he’s presently the14-year-old Oscar Pine.

Therefore, if Ozma isn’t the same man he used to be---body and soul then therefore he should be left to choose the life he wants to live from henceforth, right? After the Merge is complete, Ozma---Oscar will be free to live as whoever he wants. Now that he’s been made whole again, Oscar as Ozma can chose to be who he wants to be. He can chose to be Oscar Pine for the people who know and love him as Oscar Pine. I’ll come back to this point later.

Another reason why I love the ‘Oscar is One True Ozma’ Pinehead Headcanon is for the parallel between the pairings of Fairy-tale (Salem and Ozma) and Rosegarden (Ruby and Oscar).

In the past, Ozma fell in love with Salem who ultimately became a silver-haired, red eyed witch corrupted by the Power of Darkness hell-bent on humanity's destruction.

However in present day, Oscar is destined to fall in love with Ruby Rose, a red-haired, Silver Eyed huntress empowered with the Power of Light fighting towards humanity's salvation.

See where I’m going with this? When I look at it like that, this just makes me believe more in the RoseGarden love story being told because of this very strong comparison. I didn’t even realize how much Salem and Ruby parallel each other until now.  

Even though Salem's hair could technically be considered more white than silver while Ruby's hair is more of a blend of black and red; nonetheless, that still leaves the strong comparison between these two ladies especially when you put them up side by side as the love interests of Ozma and Oscar respectively.

This point only serves to further drive my headcanon of Oscar Pine being revealed as the resurrection of Ozma's original body and his last life. Still makes me believe strongly that the Merge is meant to make Oscar remember that he is Ozma while making him whole again.

And once Oscar realizes who he truly is, he'll be left with a new choice---to decide whether to continue living as his old self (Ozma) or live as his new self (Oscar). And for the people who love him as Oscar, Oscar will chose to be Oscar. That’s my hunch and I’m sticking with it.

I know I’ve voiced this hunch of mine a few times before however I really wished to drive it home with the point about Salem and Ruby. The more I expand on this headcanon, the more I love it especially with those strong parallels. Everyone’s got their own theories that they refused to let go of. This is one of mine. Anytime anyone asks me what I think of Oscar’s fate with the Merge, THIS is going to be my answer.

I never viewed the Merge as anything negative and this assumption further proves that. The Merge is meant to make Oscar whole again. That’s how I see it. With this thought in mind, I think I’ll end this post with a small RoseGarden-inspired Squiggle Script since it’s been a while.

RWBY Squiggle Script #020: Her Oscar

Picture it. Ruby reunites with Oscar after the Merge is complete. When Ruby finds him, she discovers the boy standing with his back turned; staring out into the distance. He doesn’t meet her gaze, not even as she approached this unknown soul cautiously, unclear of his identity. Who was he now? Was he the boy she knew as Oscar Pine or…someone else entirely that Ruby wouldn’t be able to recognize even with Oscar’s familiar face. Now Ruby stood directly behind him, gazing longingly at his back hoping for the person she prayed he still was.

 Ruby: *skeptically* Who…are you now? Are you…Oscar…or Ozpin? Or…is it Ozma? Are you Ozma?

The unknown soul only met Ruby’s question with one of his own.

Unknown Soul: *sombrely* Who do you see me as?

Ruby: I…

Ruby frowned; hands clenched against her beating chest.

Ruby: *ruefully* I…want Oscar. I want you to be Oscar. My Oscar.

Finally; the unknown soul turned around. Ruby gasped; eyes widening as she found herself before the smiling face of one Oscar Pine.

Oscar: *confidently* Then I’m Oscar.

Oscar then slowly cupped Ruby’s face tenderly; his hazel eyes radiant as he gazed deeply into her silver eyes with all the love he had in his heart for her. This gesture only made Ruby whimper under the warmth of his caress in a weak attempt to withhold the tears of unbridled joy that trickled down her blushing cheeks.

Oscar: *passionately* I am your Oscar.

Truth be told, Ruby didn’t need him to confirm this but she appreciated it all the same. The minute he turned to her, she already knew. As a being of a mystical lamp once quoted, call it magic or something much stronger, but in that moment Ruby Rose knew exactly who it was standing in front of her. He was the boy she loved and that was all that mattered as she closed the gap between them and kissed him; no longer shy to hide her love for him.

After all, he was hers. Now and forever more.

And scene.

This is how I would picture the CRWBY closing off Oscar’s arc while at the same time cementing RoseGarden as an endgame couple. But y’know, these are only my ideas.

As always, everything is up to the call of the CRWBY Writers. Whatever wild ride they have in store, especially for us Rosegardening Pineheads, I pray that it’s as charmingly cute as the bond between these two Rosebuds.

More Squiggles’ RWBY Content

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

[rvnjun]

Vampire!Jeno

requested: yes! genre: fluff with minro angst warnings: vampires? shitty friends? pairing: vampire!jeno x human!reader  a/n: whoever requested this, thank you so freaking much, i love aus a/n pt2: so I don't know how to end these things so i'm sorry for the crappy ending. I’m really happy with this but I don't know if it's any good so feedback would be appreciated 

this gif has nothing to do with the story but he looks hot somehow 

There were 2 different types of vampires, those born into it and those who were bitten, the latter being the most common 

Jeno, like many people, were bitten without consent 

He could remember that night very clearly, he wouldn't change it for the world

It may have been a horrible night but it was the night he met you 

There had been these gruesome animals attacks going around, people were showing up killed with their necks sliced and a lots of blood gone

His friends and him, being the idiots they were, decided to would be cool to try and find the thing that was hurting these people

They snuck into the woods and caused a scene 

They were being obnoxious and definitely making any sane animal nearby run away in fear

Until they heard it, it was exactly like in the horror movies

From somewhere behind them a branch broke, they turned their phone lights onto it but nothing was there

That's when Jeno noticed what looked like blood, without thinking he slowly walked towards the spot, being down he tried to get a better look

He heard his friends gasp so he looked up and made eye contact with something inhuman

All of them screamed, they thing lunged at Jeno and bit him

His friends started fighting back, they were throwing punches and anything they could pick up of the ground

The thing let go of Jeno and hurriedly scurried off in pain form the youthful teenagers viscous attacks 

Scared out of their mind they picked Jeno up and called 911, after telling them what they saw and what happened they were called crazy and the operator yelled at them for prank calling

Everyone was panicking, Jeno was bleeding out and they all thought they knew what they saw but no one was going to admit it, to say that one cursed word, vampire 

“Jeno is going to turn into one of those monsters” “Are you saying we kill him or leave him here to die?” “No! I'm just saying, what if he attacks us, you saw what that thing was doing to other humans ” “Guys, let's just leave him here, he will either die or turn into that thing and neither of those is good for us,”

Jeno was out of it but he still heard the conversation very clearly, his friends didn't care about him or trust him 

They all got in the car and drove away, leaving behind a injured,confused, and betrayed Jeno in the woods

That's how he met you 

You had been trying to walk to a convenience store nearby when you heard talking

Stopping you overheard the conversation and immediately you were concerned

You had no clue what they meant by monster, all you knew was that their friends was bitten and they were choosing to leave him here instead of helping him get proper help 

Once you saw the car drive away you ran out from your hiding spot and saw Jeno laying on the ground looking half dead

“Oh my gosh,” you said once you saw all the blood on hi,, Jeno didn't even have the energy to raise his head to see who it was, he just lied there and let you help him

You put pressure on the wound and pulled out your phone

“911, I'm at ************ and there is this boy laying here, he is very injured, there is a lot of blood,,,No I don't know what happened, I found him like the after his friends left him here,,,He isn't responding to my questions,,,,Oh my gosh, Mrs., I think he is dead,,,,Oh my gosh,,,oh my gosh,,,,Mrs., he isn't breathing,,,Mrs., I can't calm down there is a dead guy in my a,,,,what the fuck,,.,,,,how,,,,what?”

Your eyes widen when the kid went from not breathing and bleeding out of all the place to sitting up with no injury

He looked at you with blood red wide eyes

Slowly you hung up the phone and just stared at him

“What,” you simply said in awe

“I don't know whats happening,” he confessed with a worried tone 

“Neither do I, can you tell me how you got bitten, how did it heal?” honestly, you didn't know why you were still sitting on the ground while talking to this guy

You should have stood up and prepared yourself to run, you should have been afraid, but, you couldn't

He was clearly as afraid and confused as you were, you heard what his friends said, he was now alone and his closest friends abandoned him 

You sat and listened closely to his story, once he was done talking you immediately said what he did not want to

“You're a vampire!” you pointed out while leaning in closer to him 

“Vampires,,, are real,, I'm now one of them?” he asked himself before looking up at the sky

“What should I do? How do I tell my parents? Am I going to have a craving for human blood?” he started throwing all these questions at you and you didn't know how to answer 

“I don't know, let's go to the library and do some research,” you had offered while smiling at him

“Oh and I never introduced myself, I'm Y/N,” you stuck out your hand and waited for him to shake it

Jeno smiled and shook your hand with an adorable smile that showed his baby fangs “Jeno, nice to meet you,” he introduced

You and Jeno started on your journey to the public library, but not before stopping at the convenience store to get him some sunblock

Along the way, you talked about many things

Things about your lives, why you weren't and aren't afraid of him, what he should do, how he needed better friends

You weren't so sure how the conversation was smoothly transitioning but you liked it 

Once you got to the library you immediately went to the vampire section, you pulled out multiple books

The next 2 hours were spent with you two reading the books and exchanging information and facts 

You had read in the books that vampires get together in “nests” and help each other but, a lot of vampires were actually kind

Until a librarian approached you two, he was on the taller side and he wore cute spectacles

“Hi there. I just wanted to make sure you two were alright,” he kindly spoke before taking in your sight  

You guys hadn't really paid attention to it before but Jeno was very pale and dead looking while you still  had blood on your shirt 

Hesitantly Jeno nodded, he looked afraid and concerned 

The librarian whose name you read as Johnny didn't seem to believe it 

He smiled and showed his fangs while looking at Jeno

You and Jeno had gasped and slightly backed up

“I'm not the one that turned you. I was just concerned when I saw you two and you guys have been reading books about vampires for a while now,” Johnny said with a soft expression

You and Jeno exchanged glances and chose not to say anything

Johnny noticed this and continued speaking “ Look, I live in a house with others like us, we aren't the bad guys, why don't you come to join us.”

“Are you sure?” Jeno asked, loosening up a little bit

“Of course, now come with me, let me take you there,” he said while turning to walk away “Just you, don't bring the human,” Johnny added 

Jeno looked at you with covered eyes, he didn't want to leave you, not after all of this, not after what you've been through together in the past 4-5 hours 

You stared at Jeno with kind eyes 

“May I have your number?’ Jeno asked causing you to nod, you quickly wrote it down and handed it to him 

Scurrying off he left you behind to clean up all the books but you didn't mind “Be safe,” you quietly mumbled 

It had been a few days since you had your encounter with Jeno, you started to look at people differently, whoever turned him and killed those people was still on the loose

You were walking home, thinking about Jeno and everything that happened in the time span of a few hours when someone jumped out in front of you 

“Delicious,” their voice was sinisterly broken

You instantly knew that they were a vamp and more n likely the one that has been hurting people 

There was a lump in your throat, you didn't know what to say or what to do

You had read about how to protect yourself but you didn't have any of those things on you 

Sneakily pulling out your phone you tried to call 911

“I'm gonna get you,” he said while charging at you at fast speeds

You screamed as loud and has high pitched as you could

His hands grabbed your shoulders as he forced you to hold still

“Jeno,” you screamed for one last time before the man's hand was placed on your mouth 

In a matter of seconds, the man was thrown off of you, your knees gave out below you and you fell to the ground

A strong pair of arms wrapped around you and pulled you into them

You looked up to see your knight in shining armor, Jeno

He gave you an adorable smile

There were some things you could tell about him that had changed, he looked healthier and much stronger 

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw people you didn't recognize take down the rogue vampire

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Jeno asked with concerned yes

You shook your head no and looked at him

His arms were still wrapped around you and you were still pressed against him 

His eyes moved to your lips, you could see the want in them

All you wanted to do was close the gap between you 

Your stared at his lips and hoped he would notice

Soon enough, he was leaning in, pressing a soft kiss to your lips you felt sparks fly

“Loverboy, get a room,” one of the good vamps said casing you to pull away

You moved from Jenos embrace and looked at them with wide eyes

There was 3 of them, they all looked nice and friendly

“Haechan shut the fuck up,” the shortest one said before putting the one you now knew as Haechan in a choke hold

One of them started to smile while watching his friends antics, you immediately noticed how bright and friendly he looked 

“Y/n these are my new and improved friends,” Jeno said with a laugh

“You already know haechan, the one choking him is Renjun and the smiling one is Jaemin,”

“Its a pleasure to meet you all,” you politely said

“Same to you, thanks for helping Jeno,” Jaemin said

“yeah and as much as we would like to talk we have to go,” Renjun piped up, he pulled on Haechan and Jaemins sleeves trying to get them to move

Jaemin easily compiled but Haechan put up a fight before giving in with a charming smile 

“You never called me,” Jeno said as soon as the boys had left

“I didn't know what to say and I figured you were busy with your new vampire life,” you confessed while looking at the ground 

“Y/n I would love to be busy with you, I gave you my number for a reason. Since I just kissed you I think you know how I feel,” he said while pulling you back into him 

His arms were wrapped around his waist while yours were wrapped around his neck 

“I like you too Jeno, I want to make this work,” you said while looking into his mesmerizing brown eyes

“Me too,” he said before leaning down and pressing another kiss to your lips

thee end 

[amplesalty]

Halloween 2020 - Extra - The Stand (1994) - Episode 3 The Betrayal

Betraaaaayal! Betrayal! Betrayed me!

This thing has a real habit of immediately bringing you back down to earth at the start of each new episode, episode 3 opens with Redman performing some impromptu surgery on a straggler their group has picked up along the way, only for the guy to die on the table. I mean, Stu was a mechanic so that’s like a surgeon for a car, right? No licensed music this time though.

Stu is a busy man though as he is also making moves on Molly Ringwald’s Fran, much to her friendzoned buddy Harold’s chagrin. Absolutely massive nerd this guy, like if you were to Google the word nerd it would pretty much be him that comes up on the image search results; thick glasses, slicked hair, rampant acne. He tries to play it off like he’s not bothered by this sudden development between the two, even though Stu downplayed his own interest in Fran when they first met and Harold feared he was being cockblocked. Inside though Harold is stewing.

Molly Ringwald looks very different in this, she has this dark hair in a bob cut that really looks like a wig. I don’t know if that was just her general look at the time or a stylistic choice by the production team but it makes me think it’s a choice by her to almost reinvent herself. Apparently in the early 90’s she moved to Paris for a time so maybe if this was something of a reintroduction to American audiences for her, she was trying to shed that famous image of her with the red hair?

I feel like Harold tries too hard, when Stu and Fran break the news of their budding romance to him he pretty much cuts them off to congratulate them and act like he isn’t bothered in the slightest. In his image as well, they’re using motorcycles to travel on (I guess it helps to weave between all the abandoned cars) so he rocks up in this full leather getup. Like not just a jacket but the chaps and everything. It’s like he’s trying to project this more macho image for himself in light of this competition, not it’s doing him much good. Then he just mostly goes off on his own, pouting and brooding.

Much like Nick and Tom were the breakout pair of episode 2, the stars of the show here are Harold and Nadine. Nadine popped up in New York City along with the singer Larry, there was something very off about her that was underlined when it was revealed that she was having strong visions of Flagg and they seem to have this romantic link, only she’s not entirely into it? I dunno if it’s like a split personality thing or if part of her is trying to fight it, there are times when she tries to walk back toward the path of righteousness but she keeps being led astray. Her hair has massively turned grey as well in whatever span of time has passed between episodes, probably only days or weeks tops. Possibly some after effect of her visions with Flagg?

The acting from these two borders on comically over the top at times, like there’s a scene where a bunch of newcomers are introducing themselves to Mother Abigail and Nadine almost floats through the crown like she’s In a trance. She approaches Abbie with her back turned and this usually quiet, jovial old woman leaps up with finger outstretched bellowing “WHO IS THIS WOMAN THAT GOES THERE?!” and Nadine introduces herself with this smile and slight head tilt that gives off this massive degree of faux coyness and sweetness. Abigail is always so warm and welcoming to newcomers but she’s noticeably shaken by Nadine’s arrival, who in turn almost seems to be toying with Abigail. It’s like whoever was in charge of this scene wanted everyone to dial it up to 11 to really get the point across that Nadine is shifty but that seems pretty pointless considering we already know she is considering her relationship with Flagg. And it’s not asif it’s to plant the idea in Abigail’s mind or anyone else around as it never comes up again.

The best part though is Nadine being rejected by Larry, who has since moved on and found a new woman in his life, and is told by Flagg to go to Harold where she seeks to manipulate him and talk him into acting out against the people who have wronged him like Stu and Fran. I don’t know if they were playing this up for laughs or if it’s just a byproduct of the world it takes place in but there’s this whole seduction scene where Harold comes home to find his door ajar and a sexily dressed Nadine inside. She’s kinda like if you mixed Sindel from Mortal Kombat and Elizabeth Hurley in Bedazzled. This whole thing plays out against his backdrop of a post apocalyptic world so you’ve got Nadine seducing a man dressed in coveralls and smelling of God knows what considering he’s spent the entire day cleaning up dead bodies from the town. Luckily she prepared two jugs of wash water that she’s left on the back porch and after that she’s prepared a fancy meal of tinned beef. It’s all shot really weird as well, all dutch angles and she’s partially obscured in shadow, sunlight streaking across her face but broken up by the shadow of the blinds on the windows.

Then, now that Harold has finally gotten some action, it’s like it instills him with copious amounts of dickbag confidence as he keeps telling her to keep her yap shut and suddenly the power in this relationship has shifted entirely, now she acts like she’s some poor put upon little housewife who needs to have her man’s dinner on the table when he gets home or else she’ll be sorry. I suppose it worked out in the long run though considering he’s following through on his plan to blow up Stu, Fran and the other town committee members that he feels he was shunned from.

Not that they’re without fault, as pretty much the first thing they do is decide to recruit spies to send over to Las Vegas where Flagg and his followers are hanging out in order to work out what he’s plotting for them. Or, as Larry puts it, “We’ve been in charge less than a day and we’ve already re-invented the CIA”. Which makes perfect sense, even if they do acknowledge they may be sending people off to their deaths. Only, it comes across a lot worse when they chose Tom as one of the potential spies, or ‘scouts’ as they prefer to call them. I get why they’d pick him in the sense of him being mentally challenged so Flagg and his followers might not suspect him of any nefarious intentions. But to do this they hypnotise him which I don’t fully get, I guess it’s like they’re deeply imbedding it in his head so it’s instinctive for him. It gets pretty uncomfortable though when Stu tells him that if anyone tries to stop him, if it’s two or more people then he needs to run but if it’s just one person he needs to kill them. Bloody hell, I thought this was a peaceful new world utopia you guys were building here? And if anyone asks him why he’s here? Well, as Stu puts it, “They drove me out of the free zone because of my feeble mind. They were worried I might have a woman who would give birth to idiot children.’ Or as Tom repeats it back “You were worried I might have a woman and I might fill her belly with a retard like me.”. He has this sort of twitch when he’s receiving the instruction, almost as if it bothers him on some level. Maybe that’s what the hypnotism is for, maybe they were worried he might not understand that this excuse is just an act and take it seriously? If they get past the conscious mind that would see it that way and implant it in the subconscious, almost like a sleeper agent sort of thing? Or maybe it would strip away all the emotional language and only take in the direction intention of the plan. Fran actually asks him during the hypnosis if he’s the same Tom that Nick met, which he answers yes before hesitating and saying no, he’s God’s Tom, so maybe on that basic level he will act for what is good for his fellow man even if it’s detrimental to his own personal well being?

It comes across as a little cold given that Stu doesn’t try to qualify the questionable things like the murder or the feebled mind excuse. He doesn’t seem entirely comfortable with it himself though, hesitating at times or having noticeable changes in his facial expressions. Everyone else in the room seems more sympathetic to Tom in the moment though, asking Stu to finish up whilst Stu pushes on a question or two more. Between this and an earlier scene where the scout idea is first floated though, he seems to have settled on a very pragmatic approach, the ends justifying the means.

There is a moment with Tom that underlines one of my favourite little things involving Flagg which is that given that people are travelling to see Mother Abbie from all over the United States, each new character in each new location seems to have a different way of referring to Flagg. Tom mentions two names himself; ‘The Hard Case’ and ‘The Walking Dude’. It adds to the scope of the situation, people from totally different areas are having near enough the exact same dreams but without that shared initial way to discuss these dreams, they’ve all come up with their own names for the people within them. Kinda ties back to that idea of people interpreting the dreams differently as well.

With all the scouting stuff though, it never seems to occur to them that if they can think of this idea, what’s to say Flagg hasn’t already thought of it too? Which is why they never see Harold’s plan coming when he has Nadine leave a nice little shoe box full of dynamite in Stu’s house, ready to detonate the next time they have one of their big meetings. Regular Guy Fawkes this guy. Only, he actually gets to set his off, albeit he doesn’t get his main targets. Nick wasn’t so lucky…damn.

And so we’re finally reaching the big crescendo as Mother Abbie’s dying words are a new instruction laid down from on high; that four of our great leaders of the free zone are to head out into the wilderness alone in order to face off against Flagg. Bring it on!

[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne

#82: The Ride or Die (7x12)

To me, the three most major moments to come out of 7x12 in terms of revealing more about what Richonne mean to each other was; the candlelit dinner scene, the scene they’ll have later in the van, and this scene right here. Cuz I knew Michonne was ride or die, but that almost became literal in this scene.

We see Rick fall and Michonne sees it too. She yells his name and then immediately runs to him and, again, I see this look of panic from Michonne, which at this point I had only really seen two times before.

She runs and she sees walkers surrounding something and eating it. Now, I admit when it first aired I was like "Do these producers really expect us to think that Rick is dead rn? Like do they really think we'd buy this fake out?"

But then I stopped and assessed the err of my ways lol and realized I don't think they expect us to think Rick is being eaten. They expect us to think Michonne thinks that. 👌🏽

And I realized that actually makes sense and it works, especially when you note that once Rick falls this is where the perspective shifts and we see things more so through Michonne's lens.

Basically I realized it's not about us right now, lol. We're supposed to be seeing and feeling what Michonne is feeling and Michonne is so clearly feeling heartbreak so of course we feel it too. 😥

She didn't see the deer, she saw Rick fall and now she's seeing walkers eating where Rick fell. It makes sense that she would draw this conclusion.

Plus Michonne doesn't know what we know which is that Rick is the lead character of the show and therefore won't be killed off in the twelfth episode of season seven, so for her in this moment he really feels gone. And it's painful to see her so beyond pained here. 😭

Like I really feel like 7x12 was made specifically with an intent to leave everyone like this...

And this raw emotional moment of seeing Michonne alone, thinking she’s watching Rick be taken from her for good, was one of those scenes that really accomplished that. 

(Side note: There's always gonna be a little part of me that really hopes that they chose this scene to show what Michonne would do if she lost Rick because we're never going to have to see her actually lose Rick, cuz they're going to live forever…Right? 😬)

Seeing Michonne’s reaction was pretty devastating cuz she sees these walkers grubbing and you visibly see the fight leave her. Danai described it by saying Michonne empties and it’s so true, you literally can see this emptying, and it’s like a light goes off within her.

And it's understandable cuz, when someone is a major source of light in your life, when they leave that light really does turn off in you for awhile.

I feel like you can also see the PTSD of what she probably saw when she returned all that time ago to find her son and boyfriend in a similar state. Like you can feel her soul being crushed as she thinks it's happened again and this time to her legitimate soul mate.

I was initially slightly surprised that she would drop her katana and just sort of freeze. Dropping the katana really was like her dropping her will to live and fight cuz it’s been instrumental to keeping her alive.

I would have thought she'd immediately go ham on the walkers. But again, I stopped and assessed the err of my ways and realized no this actually makes so much sense and was a very legitimate in-character response.

Michonne is not a warrior robot. She has feelings and she has deep feelings for Rick in particular. And since she’s a human being there are bound to be things that are too much to take, even for her.

Also, think about what her coping mechanism was when she lost her son and boyfriend. She essentially put life on pause. She lived pretty much in solitary confinement and shut down.

It’s easy to forget that that's her natural response because she fought to overcome that and allowed herself to be brought back from that dark space. But that shut down mechanism is still in her and it showed itself as she thought she lost the love of her life and for the first time was “too late” to save him. 

They've had to go through so much since the world fell apart and just roll with the punches for so long and this is the one thing Michonne wasn't ready for. It was the one punch that she couldn't quite roll with.

Seeing her respond this way really revealed just how deep her feelings for Rick go. Like I knew it was deep but this let me know it was like deep, to the point where life without him could make her entire world stop.

They’ve dealt with so much loss but this is so clearly a whole different level of loss. And honestly it makes sense cuz this is a different kind of love too.

Being with Rick is the most complete she's ever felt and now the one that's given her all that is presumably gone, so it's like the Michonne we’ve come to know is gone too. 😥 Luckily it was only presumably. 🙌🏾

I hate thinking about either character going, but I've always said that when one of them goes it'll be like the show changes cuz it'll literally change the core of the character that remains.

Like Rick and Michonne have become so deeply intertwined to the point that it's like there's no longer one without the other, especially since so much of their growth and evolution as individual characters has to do with having had the other in their life.

Whoever was left would be a shell of who they were from there on out and we saw a devastating glimpse of that in this scene. 😥

But y'all, on a lighter note lol, as much as I know one day it's gonna happen and someone's gonna go, cuz that would have been inevitable before the apocalypse and even more so after, I firmly believe they aren't going anywhere this upcoming season. 👌🏽💯😌

And fortunately no one went anywhere in this scene either which means we got even more Richonne gold. 🙌🏾😊