#yes i had to throw a lucy quote in there

[angelwiththeblue-box]

the nights are long and thats why we keep the fire lit -lucy frostblade, fhjy

leveragetober day 28- storm

taglist: @blueskiesandstarrynights @wheelsupin-azarathmetrionzinthos @thedragonemperess @depressedtransguy @genuine-possum @joshkiszkashusband @disdoorted-crows @starstruckodysseys

[augustvandyne]

Neeeeeeed some Angela lopez x reader FLUFFFF🫶🏼🫶🏼

okay babes!

sick day

You should’ve just bought a coat, or used one of Angelas, because now you’re both out sick, and no use to the station.

Your girlfriend had tried to convince you plenty of times to just buy a winter coat, but you wanted to stick it out.

As a kid, you couldn’t ever afford a coat, so you never really had one. But now you could afford twenty winter coats if you wanted them.

But you still don’t own one.

Your sickness had been incoming since yesterday, when you had woken up with a small stuffed nose, and a minor sore throat.

And Angela, well, you were gonna try to keep her away from you for most of the day so you wouldn’t get her sick, but that went out the window when you were assigned to patrol with her.

She was a clingy lover, in private. So she loved to kiss you, and do whatever she wanted with you, especially when you two shared the same shop.

You tried to tell her about your sore throat and your stuffed up nose, but she kept telling you she didn’t care, and kept kissing you anyway.

You bet she was starting to think that wasn’t such a good idea, now that you’d both woken up with hoarse voices and weren’t able to get out of bed.

You didn’t mind Angela being sick, though, because her sick voice was almost as hot as her morning voice.

The two of you were going to spend the day taking care of each other, and you wouldn’t want it any other way.

It was hard, but the two of you did eventually drag yourselves out of the bed, and onto the couch.

You’d called your best friend at the station, Lucy, to bring you and your girlfriend some soup, which you knew would lead to a whole basket.

But that was better than nothing at all.

Her and Tim had brought in some ginger ale, as well as the soup, and of course a get well soon basket from Lucy!

You and Angela laughed, and agreed not to eat anything in the basket once the two had left your shared home.

“Oh, I love you,” Angela lay on top of you, turning the channel to a true crime documentary, because that’s what the two of you truly loved to do together.

“I love you, too, Ange,” You kiss the top of her head.

“Ugh, I feel so gross,” Angela buries her face in your chest.

“Me too, baby, me too,” You let out a sigh. “We can take a shower—“

“Mm, no,” Angela’s voice is muffled by your sweatshirt in her face. “I just want you to hold me.”

“That, I can do,” You chuckle.

“I’m so tired,” Angela cries.

“Me too. Think we can con Grey into giving us another day?”

“Maybe if we’re throwing up..” Angela trails off, lifting her head. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“That I pretend to throw up while you call Sergeant Grey? Yes! It’s amazing, and I love you for being so smart,” You smile and tuck a piece of Angela’s hair behind her ear. You pull her into a small kiss, which turns into to more. But you stop before it can go too far, afraid that might actually provoke the bodily fluids.

When you both pull away you both realize Angelas phone is still in the bedroom.

“I’ll go get it,” Angela sighs and stands, temporarily losing her balance, to which you help her stand.

“Don’t need you falling for anyone else,” You cheekily joke, helping her sit back down for a moment.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Angela rubs her hand down your face, caressing your cheek with her thumb. “I think you made it pretty clear I was yours when you told Jackson to, and I quote, ‘find another t.o. to fuck with’.”

You dip your head into your chest, your cheeks aflame as you laugh at one of your worst decisions, ever.

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“Never,” Angela looks at you with more love in her eyes than ever. “I can’t lie, it was hot. The best part was when you pulled me into that kiss. That was the best first kiss ever.”

“Oh, you know it,” You shrug. “It was still embarrassing. How did I not know he was gay? I mean, I’m gay myself. Gosh.”

Angela laughs, shaking her head at you.

“I loved when Grey shouted ‘It’s about damn time’ from the stairs,” You laughed along with her.

“No, the best part was when Tim added, ‘At least take her to dinner before you maul her in the kit hallway’,” The two of you started dying laughing.

“Ah, we’re gonna have to tell that story at our wedding,” Angela says, only half joking.

She leaves a small kiss on your forehead and goes to find her phone.

You were definitely proposing soon.

[ynbabe]

Lockwood & Co. Incorrect quotes, pt.6

Before Lucy 

Y/n: It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s free: pouring river water in your socks! Anthony: Why would I do that? Y/n: It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s free!

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

*The Squad is eating dinner* George: Can you pass the salt? Anthony: *throws Y/n across the table*

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

George, after Anthony did something stupid: You should have realised, Anthony, if Y/n didn't kill you, I would have.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n: When will Ted himself...finally show up to the talk? Anthony: The final boss. George: You guys know TEDtalks stands for technology, entertainment, and design talks, right? Y/n: I will not let Ted hide behind these lies any longer!

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Anthony, in love: How do you do that? Y/n, after having done something dumb: I'm fearless. George, having introduced the idiots and now regretting it: When we were kids, I saw you run from bees. You flailed around and tripped over a chair. It was both hysterical and sad. Y/n: I'm mostly fearless.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n: My aesthetic is "would be sentenced to the chair by DEPRAC."

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n: Who hurt you? Anthony, always on the edge of a mental breakdown: *snorting* What, do you want a list? Y/n, pulling out ALOT of iron/silver weapons: ...Yes, actually.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Anthony: Why would you think any of this was a good idea?! Y/n: Probably because I’m a dangerous sociopath with a long line of violence. Anthony: Oh... George, from across the room: *from across the room* I don’t understand how you keep forgetting that.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n: It’s not gonna work, I’m not a snitch. George: Fine, let's try something else. Tag a friend you recently committed a crime with. Y/n: Lmao, @Anthony.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Anthony: I hate you. Y/n: Well, according to this picture I drew of us holding hands, that is untrue.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Anthony, after a fight with Y/n: The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was changing her name to Y/n.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n, grave-robbing: I’m going to hell. Anthony, there for a case: Probably. Y/n: I'll pick you up? Anthony: *nodding* Carpool.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Anthony, pissed : Y/n! I thought you were dead! Y/n, back after running away for a year: No, just in deep cover. Anthony, about to lose his mind: ...But it was an open casket. Y/n, little scared now: It was very deep.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n: Hold on, I can explain! Anthony: Really? Can you now? Y/n: I can if you give me a minute to think of a convincing lie.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Since Lucy

George, trying to joke: Hey, Joe said he's coming over this afternoon. Y/n, expecting a ‘delivery’: Cool. George: Do you know who Joe is? Y/n: JOE MAMA! Anthony, not even looking up from his phone: Damn, that backfired.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n, just back home: Do you cook? Lucy: I made a cake once. Anthony: Yeah, it was good. Lucy: Really? Anthony: Don’t make me lie twice, Luce.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n, back from sneaking around for state secrets: Anthony! For the love of god, please turn down that music. I have a hangover. Anthony, pissed at her: *blasting the mii theme at full volume* That sounds like a you problem, not a mii problem.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Anthony: For most of human history, vehicles had automatic collision avoidance and could even take you home if you were asleep or drunk. But then we got rid of the horse. George: You complete moron. You stupid fucking idiot. "Cars would be better if they could bite and shit" – that was you just now, dumbass. George: "Wouldn't it be cool if cars could piss? Wouldn't it be cool if cars could fuck?" Fuck off. Y/n: It would be cool if cars could fuck. Lucy: We... We still have horses.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Anthony, to Y/n, since they’re sharing a room,: I'm leaving for the weekend, so I hid 100 dollars in your side of the room for food. Clean your side and you will find it.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Lucy: It’s funny how well you and George get along. Didn’t they hate you at first? Y/n: George hates everybody at first. It’s their way of reaching out to people.

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n: I just found out from Lucy today that when I ‘died’ and George threw my weapons in the grave, Anthony said, “You should aim one at the coffin to be sure.”

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

Y/n: I give up. I am so tired. George: Get the emergency supply! Lucy: *carries Anthony and throws him in front of Y/n* Anthony: *smiles* Y/n: AND I AM BACK BABY, LET’S GOOO

[dutifullynuttywitch]

Incorrect quotes

@trappedinfanfiction quotes were so great - I had to try 😂

Incorrect quotes generator if you want to try!

Blades of light and shadow

Tyril: Smart is attractive. Educate me on something I don't know.

Mal: The mouth of a jellyfish is also an anus.

Imtura: Yes! You are so attractive right now.

Tyril: Stop.

******

MC: What is it called when you kill a friend?

Tyril: Homicide.

Nia: Murder.

Mal: Homiecide.

******

Mal: That sounds super! Doesn’t that sound super, Tyril?

Tyril: No.

Mal: I think I speak for Tyril when I say it sounds really super.

Wake the Dead

Troy: When will Ted himself...finally show up to the talk?

Angel: The final boss.

Shannon: You guys know TEDtalks stands for technology, entertainment, and design talks, right?

Troy: I will not let Ted hide behind these lies any longer!

******

Angel: The only thing I'm guilty of is being adorable... ...and also assault with a deadly weapon.

******

MC: Angel, Troy, I love y’all and all, but can I ask what in the hell are you doing?

Angel, trying to stabilize a tower of folding chairs that Troy is sitting atop: Oh nothing much.

Troy: I love you too :)

Heaven's Secret

Lucifer: “Struggle with depression” would seem to imply that I am bad at being depressed when I am, in fact, very proficient at being depressed.

******

Dino: If I had a face like yours, I'd put it on a wall and throw a brick at it.

Lucifer: If I had a face like YOURS, I'd put it on a brick and throw a wall at it.

******

Lucifer: This is horrible.

Mimi: Yeah, I know, I mean look at today’s news.

Lucifer: No, it’s not that, it’s Vicky.

Mimi: ...

Lucifer: It’s just like, I can’t get her out of my head and every time I look at her I have this pain in my chest, and I just know it’s her fault, that bitch!

******

Mimi: Truth or dare?

Vicky: Dare.

Mimi: I dare you to kiss the hottest person in the room.

Vicky: Hey Lucifer?

Lucifer, blushing: Yeah?

Vicky: Can you move? I'm trying to get to Dino.

******

Dino: I'm so happy, I could kiss you!

Mimi: Um...Neat.

*later*

Mimi, lying face down on the bed: I said "Neat," Luci. Who the fuck says neat these days? It's not neat to say neat but I said it anyways because I'm fucking stupid.

Lucifer, reading a book: Don't beat yourself up too much, Mimi. Everyone gets nervous sometimes. Remember what I did when Vicky confessed her love for me?

Mimi: Didn't you thank her?

Lucifer: *closes the book and looks at the ceiling* I fucking thanked her.

[manderleyfire]

'panem lost a poet panem lost a standup comedian' lmaoooooooo what are your favorite Coriolanus’ unhinged quotes from tbosas?? I cackled so much during that rather dark book, I feel embarrassed, lol

He had to think of just the right way to break the news. But what would that be? 'I love you deeply, but I love officers’ school more?' That wasn’t going to go over well.

Did you tell your best friend his crush was a cannibal? Never a rule book when you needed one.

AH, TRUST AGAIN. ThE aIr WaS fUlL oF iT.

Coriolanus winced slightly. TWO biking mishaps in the same twelve-hour period seemed more than coincidental.

This entrance was for the poor people, Coriolanus thought. Or perhaps not poor. The word PLEBEIAN came to mind. (those history classes did nothing for him)

PASSING OUT SANDWICHES WAS ONE THING, THROWING THE CHAIR QUITE ANOTHER (sorry, i'm in tears, xDDD)

Snow lands on top and ALL THAT. He knew he should be elated at this turn of events and jumping up and down inside while p r e s e n t i n g a modest, pleased front. But what he really felt was jEaLoUs.

THE HERO OF HER LIFE!!!!!!!!!!

The i m p o s s i b i l i t y of being a Snowflake in this postwar world.

And here he was in his uniform, clutching a rose like some lovestruck schoolboy, hoping she would — what? Like him? Trust him? Not kill him on sight?

Good-bye, Lucy Gray, we hardly knew you (biiiiiiitch 🔪)

So now that loudmouth Arachne was a defender of a righteous and just land. Yes, she laid down her life taunting her tribute with a sandwich, thought Coriolanus. Maybe her gravestone could read, “Casualty of cheap laughs.”

BETTER OFF SAD THAN DEAD

Coriolanus did not want to spend the next twenty years listening to them *mockingjays* serenade the local executions.

What was he doing but dressing her up to be a pretty corpse? Perhaps she could strangle someone with the scarf, or stab them with the pin?

HIS OWN FANS HAD A LITTLE MORE CLASS (rich boy™)

The LAST TIME Sejanus had lost his appetite, he’d lost his sanity as well.

Who were all these PeOpLe hanging around on a weekday at the zoo? Didn’t they have jobs? Shouldn’t the children be in chool? No wonder the country was such a mess.

What an ugly place, he thought dully as the train chugged its way through District 9. It didn’t look fit for human habitation.

Coriolanus gave the camera a thumbs-up when they cut for his reaction. He could not believe THIS was his life.

How much bread had they wasted with this nonsense? Oh, no, he starved to death! Somebody get the bread!

CORIOLANUS SNOW, MORE LONER THAN LOVER (whatta slogan for his presidential campaign)

How awful, Coriolanus thought. To have YOU be the first person in the world a baby sees *about dr. gaul*

Why would evil incarnate help his girlfriend?

In rhetoric class, she’d once attributed his inability to decipher the deeper meaning of a poem to the fact that he was too self-absorbed. The irony, coming from Livia, of all people! But actions spoke louder than words. Coriolanus to the rescue, Livia to the nearest exit.

“Of course I liked it, but I’m more open-minded than most" (hahahaha)

Then came confusion. If she had saved his life, he owed her, what? A sandwich and two cookies? That was how he was repaying her. For his life. Which apparently he held quite cheaply.

Oh, a ghost story. Ugh. Boo. So ridiculous.

Ma? Was Coriolanus’s place about to be uSuRpEd by someone who referred to his mother as “Ma”? The cabbage and posca threatened to make a reappearance.

CANNIBALS OVER CUTTHROATS!

several people took the pained look on Coriolanus’s face as sorrow at Arachne’s death, when ironically he felt like killing her all over again.

“That was some good-bye.” Coriolanus just shrugged. “What can I say? I’m irresistible.”

Poor Sejanus. Poor sensitive, foolish, dead Sejanus. (GUNSHOT 💀💀💀)

[brookesophelias]

"the ballad of songbirds & snakes" is draining me & i'm only at the epigraph? | or, aka, Suzanne, you nearly had me.

“I thought of the promise of virtues which he had displayed on the opening of his existence, & the subsequent blight of all kindly feeling by the loathing & scorn which his protectors had manifested towards him.” — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818 The quote discusses the contrast between someone's initial positive qualities at the start of their character, & how those qualities were later overcast by the negating actions of those around them. (insert some already-popular theory about Snow's love for Lucy Gray becoming the inner world of why he tortured Everlark). THATS NOT WHAT GETS ME, HOWEVER. READ THE QUOTE AGAIN, STOPPING AT BLIGHT.

"...blight" as in desecration. Blight is the name of the District Seven Victor who Johanna Mason says, “Yeah, well, he wasn't much, but he was from home,” She nudges Beetee, who's barely conscious, with her shoe. “He got a knife in the back at the Cornucopia. And her—” (CF; chapter 22)

Blight: his name symbolises harsh challenge in D7's lumber industry. in true Suzanne Collins pattern, the name is deep. The direction implies hardened nature; necessitating physical strength & endurance to work in such an environment.

Johanna: her name's meaning exists within her characterisation & arc throughout the series. J. Mason is known for her sharp wit, cunning, & rebellious spirit, which contrasts with the traditional expectations associated with her district's lumber industry—stuck in the roots, steady.

naming Blight & Johanna may carry further meanings that reflect the characters' personalities, roles, or the broader themes in Catching Fire. Like the others, Blight's death, though it kept Katniss & Peeta alive, was unnecessary; considering Snow was to leave winners of Games alone—that was the promise

Allow me to quickly revisit the beginning of my post. In Mary Shelley's quote, "blight" metaphorically describes the destruction of positivity. Something that started with promise or goodness is overshadowed or ruined by influences or actions.

Botanically speaking, blight is a disease that causes causes withering, discoloration, & sometimes death in a large group of plants. Or entire forests. Blight is avoidable with proper gardening, but once affecting crops, it spreads. Yes, spread out the plants, but, care for your garden, check up on your plants, rotate crops, know the signs, set the healthiest foundation. (Snow isolated Victors from their districts, didnt care about their individual physical, emotional and mental health, only to throw 24 of them back into an arena where basic water was hard to find). The knowledge of lumber and trees barely helped Johanna and Blight stay alive. It was Beetee who reminded Jo that the arena's trees may've been fake &technologically engineered. In both contexts—botanical & metaphorical—blight signifies a process of decay . In plants, blight causes physical deterioration; in Shelley's novel, it's the moral as well as emotional deterioration of positive virtue.

The wording of blight in the epitaph evokes imagery in which, events and relationships start off flourishing (like virtues). Negative forces (such as loathing and scorn from others) eventually sabotage the events or relationships. A botanical lens reinforces the metaphor by providing a visual and concrete example of how things are effected by destructive force, whether it's a physical, natural diseases or emotional negativity. If you're not cautious, negativity will swallow you whole. Immediately like poison or slowly like fire.

[alwayschasingrainbows]

I think that Lucy Maud Montgomery used the references from a poem "Rubaiyat" by Omar Khayyam, to build a love story between Emily Byrd Starr and Teddy Kent in Emily's Quest, by using the symbolism of a book, a rose and a wine.

THE BOOK

"If I had a tail I'd lash it," groaned Ilse, casting herself on Emily's bed and hurling one of Emily's treasured volumes—a little old copy of the Rubaiyat Teddy had given her in high school days—across the room. The back came off and the leaves flew every which way for a Sunday. Emily was annoyed." (Emily's Quest).

First of all, we learn that it was Teddy who had given Emily this book, during their childhood. By saying so, Montgomery might imply that he understood (and perhaps, shared) Emily's love of poetry and beauty. While Perry Miller gives Emily more practical gifts (a hen, a typing machine), Teddy gives her "an old copy" of a poem - a gift Emily loves, even if others might not find it it worth-while. The gift is a symbol of their mutual understanding and similar approach to life.

It is important to point out that Emily cherished this book, partly because it was a gift from Teddy. Their friendship was strong at this point, slowly starting to blossom into something more.

Another moment in their relationship is symbolized by Ilse destroying the book. An act of throwing it across the room might refer to the way Ilse was casually throwing comments about Teddy, and in doing so, she shatted Emily's perfect image of Teddy. Perhaps the ruined book is a symbol of Teddy and Emily's failing relationship.

The quote "The back came off and the leaves flew every which way" might be a reference to noticing the side of Teddy Emily was not aware of.

THE ROSE

On the day of her twenty-fourth birthday, Emily opens the letter to herself, written at the age of fourteen and finds old rose petals inside the envelope (another gift from Teddy):

"A whiff of old fragrance came with it. Folded in it were some dried rose-leaves—crisp brown things that crumbled to dust under her touch. Yes, she remembered that rose—Teddy had brought it to her one evening when they had been children together and he had been so proud of that first red rose that bloomed on a little house rose-bush." (Emily's Quest).

It might be read as a reference to these verses: "Each Morn a thousand Roses brings, you say: Yes, but where leaves the Rose of Yesterday?"

"Rose of Yesterday" might symbolize a love that once was, especially in connection with these verses from "Rubaiyat": "One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies; The Flower that once has blown for ever dies."

Similarly, the quote from Rubaiyat: "And look—a thousand Blossoms with the Day Woke/and a thousand scatter'd into Clay/ And this first Summer Month that brings the Rose/ Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away."

might refer to Emily and Teddy's happy summer, after she broke her engagement with Dean:

"A wonderful month followed. A month of indescribable roses, exquisite hazes, silver perfection of moonlight, unforgettable amethystine dusks, march of rains, bugle-call of winds, blossoms of purple and star-dust, mystery, music, magic. A month of laughter and dance and joy, of enchantment infinite. Yet a month of restrained, hidden realization." (Emily's Quest).

Just like in the poem, after the happy month has passed, Emily and Teddy's relationship is strained again, after he leaves (seemingly) with no goodbye.

THE WINE

When Emily finds out about Ilse and Teddy's engagement, she says: "I've spilled my cup of life's wine on the ground—somehow. And she will give me no more. So I must go thirsty. (Emily's Quest)

It is, possibly, a reference to these verses of Rubayiat:

"Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky I heard a Voice within the Tavern cry, "Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry." (Rubaiyat).

"Wine" might refer to the joys of life and the contentment of the present time. It is Dean Priest who uses a "wine" as a symbol of life and happiness: "Emily, do you know I'm a little drunk to-night—on the wine of life. Don't wonder if I say crazy things." (Emily's Quest).

Similar meaning is to be found in the Rubaiyat: "Ah, fill the Cup:—what boots it to repeat How Time is slipping underneath our Feet: Unborn TO-MORROW and dead YESTERDAY, Why fret about them if TO-DAY be sweet!"

For Emily, at this point, her own "today" is unbereable. After learning about Ilse's plans to marry Teddy, Emily "did not feel either pain or surprise—one does not feel either, I am told, when a bullet strikes the heart." and "it seemed to her that she was suffering everything of death but its merciful dying" (Emily's Quest).

The message of Rubaiyat is a devastating one:

"Then to this earthen Bowl did I adjourn My Lip the secret Well of Life to learn: And Lip to Lip it murmur'd—"While you live, Drink!—for once dead you never shall return."

By saying "So I must go thirsty" Emily might mean that - without the wine - her own life is going to be empty of all the hopes and dreams - that there is no return to who she used to be. Her biggest regret, though, is not the fact Teddy doesn't love her at this moment, but the fact he seemingly never had. When she learns about his letter, she feels like a changed person:

"Bitterness—humiliation—shame had vanished from her being. Teddy had loved her. The sweetness of the revelation blotted out, for the time at least, all other feelings. Anger—resentment—could find no place in her soul. She felt like a new creature." (Emily's Quest).

The references from the poem are seen through the last book. The poem Teddy had given Emily, seemingly shaped their entire journey together.

[isca-rambles]

5x22 Oh god I'm anxious already before I even press play. I know what happens in this episode for the most part, but good lord I'm still nervous. How people can watch tv shows/films without spoilers beforehand is beyond me. It never takes away my enjoyment, it just makes me slightly less likely to have a full blown anxiety attack during. Ah, brains. So fun when they work like shit. Okay...here we go. Pressing play. Now. Now. Oh god don't hurt my babies. I do love the fake D&D talk though. It's so cute when shows try to pretend they know what the fuck they're talking about. Hexes don't affect saving throws, ahem, only ability checks. Unless they're using a different edition, I guess. Or homebrew. Oh god no my babies. Do not go down that dark alley at 4am in the fog don't do it please for the love of god. AND DON'T SPLIT THE PARTY. Jesus. WHY. Oh god why. To quote Lucy (and break my heart again), why are you doing this?! Celina, my baby. Aaron, my baby. God I hate this episode but I also love it because it's such a good episode and it has such a terrifying vibe. But good god. Tim and Lucy turning up together. The only respite I'm getting from this episode is them being next to each other. And yes, that jacket is so his. God the 'one of our own is in peril' episodes are always so good and always so bad for my anxiety. The angst is delicious but it hurts so much. Boyd there in the background behind Nolan. Bastard. But also why did they drop the ball so much on this big bad in S6? The strike, I guess. But they had such a good build-up and arc and it just fizzles out. Weird they don't have Lucy working on the riddle, honestly. She did so well on the last one. Is Celina still not getting a hug from anyone? Give this woman a Lucy hug, she is in need! Oh god. Grey. Don't or I'll cry. Oh god Lucy and Tim. She doesn't need to ask for a hug this time, he knows. He doesn't ask her what she needs, he knows. She folds so easily into him and there's no hesitation this time, there's no distance, no longing or lingering and then separation. They just fold into each other. Her hand on his heart, his hand on her head. Cradling each other. God the callbacks are killing me. And no doubt what's going through her mind is how they never even got a chance for this with Jackson. Never got to get him to hospital, the doctors never got to try and save him. Aaron had Celina. Jackson was alone. I'M NOT OKAY. I do wonder why they didn't go after Tim and Lucy in her apartment. Maybe because it wasn't remote enough compared to Nolan and Harper, who have houses. Maybe because they knew there'd be two cops there, two guns, whereas Harper and Nolan's partners might be less well prepared for defense. Maybe Nolan's call got to them in time? I know they get their own ambush at the end with Luke, which is equal parts terrifying and badass to see our power couple hold their own. And also I don't want more trauma for Lucy in her own home. But that is a fic idea, I guess. What if they'd gone after Lucy and Tim, instead of Nolan or Harper? God, poor Harper and James. Jesus that must be the worst feeling in the world. Oh my god this episode is still so tense and I know everything that happens. Or another fic idea, Tim and Lucy acting as bait in her home? And I know there's been a good few, but I need more hotel fics of everyone hiding out there or going there at the end of 5x22. I need more comfort fics after the ambush, or in the build-up before it. Fic prompt idea, what if they didn't abort before that door was opened and the trap triggered? Obviously no MCD, just think of the Chenford angst of being caught in a bomb or trapped in that building. Lucy's little glances with Tim. Wopez baby, my heart. Tim's smile. Give this man a baby, please. Just to hold. Damn right Lucy's not going on her own. I know you can handle yourself, Lucy, but no way you're going on your own during this crisis. Also guys stop flirting as you're entering this hell building. I mean don't stop.

Oh god this scene gives me heart troubles every time. It's such a good scene, aside from the fact they're not shooting at their legs. But otherwise it's such a brilliant scene. Our power couple just being so badass, protecting each other. Tim saying he'll hold them off, which is certain death, and Lucy instantly giving him a look of 'screw that'. And the way Tim doesn't fight back. He knows she's right and he knows she won't leave him. How in sync they are during this whole fight but especially at the start. Lucy and that shield! Tim practically dragging her up the stairs and then pushing her. He has to keep her safe. He knows she's capable but he cannot lose her. And god how small Lucy looks when that attacker has his hands around her throat. How terrified she looks. Because she can't die here and she can't leave Tim on his own to face them all. How desperate Tim is to get to her. How he just grabs her entirely and pushes her ahead of him, supporting her and guarding her. And he of course forgets all of his cop instincts and rules because he has to keep her safe. There was a gorgeous fic I read and again, I can't remember by who, but saying she was his hands and he was her eyes. Tim looks so terrified when that door opens, because he knows he can't do anything to protect them. He hasn't got any ammo and he can't reach a weapon because he has her. And Lucy holding that gun up in desperation, trying to protect them both.

And Tim still doens't let go of her. He guides her in and onto the stairs. He can't let go of her because holding onto her, even just her vest, is reassuring him that she's still alive. I just adore the power couple protecting each other so much. It's not saying she's weak, we know she's more than capable. But that doesn't mean he won't do everything in his power to keep her safe. You protect the people you love, regardless of how well they can protect themselves.

I know it was too fast paced but god I would've killed to see them just have a moment together on the stairway. Reassuring each other they'd okay. Touching faces, hands. Forehead touches. Head kisses. Anything. We still have that contact between them, but no way Tim is not holding onto her for more than a second. She's not leaving his sight and he's not leaving hers, so they're both going after Moran. The little look between Lucy and Tim. I need so much more comfort fic set after this episode.

God this really is such a brilliantly done episode. The music, the shots. It's all done so well. It's just a shame it didn't really lead anywhere much in S6.

[ioannemos]

and when the wind blows through it, it makes no sound

Whatever became of the moment when one first knew about death? There must have been one. A moment. In childhood. When it first occurred to you that you don't go on forever. It must have been shattering – stamped into one’s memory. And yet, I can’t remember it. Tom Stoppard

day six: oh, yes, the past can hurt / childhood | regrets | secrets rating: pg-13 for murder, violence, probably language? still don't know how british cursing works tbh words: 900

───────────────────────────

They come inside without speaking and separate at the door: Lucy to the attic, George to the kitchen, and Lockwood to the basement. He leaves their kit bags for the moment, deciding to come back for them later.

Familicide. The word rolls around in his head as he lays out his chain for oiling and double-checks his flares. The police couldn’t conclude what had happened, but there were certain hints. The twins were poisoned first, which suggested the hand of Mrs. Baldwin; the older two were shot in their sleep with Mr. Baldwin’s gun, a more masculine action. “Mothers don’t shoot their children,” a policeman was quoted as saying in one of the articles about it.

Lucy heard a woman crying and saying, “I can’t bear it, I can’t bear it.” Couldn’t bear what, he wonders as he restocks his bag. A suggested motive was the loss of Mr. Baldwin’s job. She couldn’t bear to be seen as poor? To lose her pretty things? There were things they could’ve sold to make ends meet, like her jewelry and a silver set. They could’ve moved to a smaller house. But no, that wouldn’t do, he thinks in disgust. They couldn’t be seen as failures. Never mind that Baldwin lost his job because he wouldn’t stop drinking. God forbid they experience the consequences of their actions…

He realizes he’s been staring at the shelf for several minutes without moving, hands gripping the edge of his bag so tightly that his knuckles ache. He drops the bag and heads for the training area, drawing his rapier.

“A HORRIFYING SCENE”: PARENTS KILL CHILDREN, THEMSELVES screamed the headline of the main article. Four children, dead in their beds. The twins’ room was clear of furniture but the Beatrix Potter wallpaper was intact, little scenes of Peter Rabbit eating carrots, Benjamin Bunny in the tam o’shanter, Jemima Puddle-Duck in her bonnet and shawl. Two faint death glows along one wall.

Lockwood misjudges a swing and his rapier hits one of the pipes hard enough that he feels it jar up his neck. He stumbles sideways, shaking the vibration out of his arm. It won’t do to get sloppy. He ducks back in, dodging a blast of air.

The older two had bedrooms across the hall from each other. Both were found laying down with their eyes shut. Did they both sleep through it? Did their father close their eyes after? Their death glows were just as faint, though bigger. The eldest slept curled up on her side.

Running into her room after a nightmare, crying and tugging on the sheets, calling her name as her face scrunched up and her eyes flickered open. The fading scent of citrus and lilies surrounded her like an invisible halo. The comforting darkness of her raised blanket; a sigh and she was back to sleep. He’d lay awake waiting for his thundering heart to slow, which it always did. The peace. The relief. The quiet.

He misjudges again, this time his sleeve catching on a nozzle and tearing a hole in his coat. He sheds it impatiently and throws it to the side of the room, rolling up his shirt sleeves. As always he sees the minute scar on his right thumb that's the only physical reminder of the day Colin died.

Slight, small for eight, white-blond hair, milky blue eyes that made him look ghost locked. The shocking brightness of the blood around his mouth when the poltergeist had thrown everything from around the fireplace at them both. Lockwood got nicked by a corner of the ash shovel; Colin had been skewered by the poker. He’d given a single startled cough and then died. Lockwood hadn’t realized at first, expecting a change of expression, a rattling exhale, eyes fluttering shut. He didn’t even have time to shout for help: the death glow appeared while he stared.

Colin’s mum had him cremated. It was the only time Lockwood saw her. She was also slight, but tall, with flaxen hair and eyes the same odd shade of blue. She’d stared around without interest, looking through rather than at anybody.

“Lockwood?”

He turns and slams his cheek into one of the nozzles, sending a white-hot burst of pain across the entire right side of his face. He drops his rapier with a choked gasp as the world ceases to exist for a minute or so. All he can do is clutch his cheek and try to remember how to breathe.

Somewhere in the background noise underneath the siren of the pain, the machinery cuts off and then Lucy is trying to pry his hands back. “Let me see, let me see.”

He has to force himself to let her. The general glow of pain is settling into a pulsing hot line beneath his watering eye. At first he thinks a tear fell.

“Oh, shit.” She pushes his hand back. “Push pressure on it. I’ll get the first aid kit.” He’s found a stool to sit on by the time she returns. He allows her to direct things: hold this, open that, hold still. “What’s wrong?”

It takes him a moment to figure out that the question needs an answer, and a much longer moment to realize he doesn’t know. He tries shrugging.

“Bollocks. You were fighting something.”

“I don’t know.” She gives him a look. “Honestly, Luce. Do you think it’ll scar?”

───────────────────────────

@lco-angst-week

squeaking in under the wire here... i'll add more thoughts in a sec

okay SO

i love lockwood. he's emotionally self-aware to a POINT, but he's gotta like, sit down and think about it, and this one runs deep. probably wouldn't wanna touch it with a ten-foot pole. it would be hard enough for him to express what he's feeling if he even knew what it was, and listen *slaps lockwood on the shoulder* this sad boy can fit SO many suppressed emotions in him

also lest anyone accuse me of libel, lucy and george are also affected and sad by this particular case, they're just expressing it in different ways and lockwood slamming his head into a steam nozzle kinda derailed lucy's "hey so. these are some Unfun Feelings Huh" talk

[charlenasaxen]

Favorite Quotes - Queen of Hearts pt. 2

“He had murdered her beloved brother, Charles—once the infamous Mad Hatter—by throwing him out a window.”

“They knew Wardley, the love of her life, had promised to come for her”

“These trees of the Twisted Wood knew who drew the location of the stars night after night.”

“I will learn to survive, she thought. I will wait for Wardley and then we will find a boat and sail to the Other Worlds.”

“I will take Wardley here one day, she thought, if I can find it again.”

Several trunks twisted accusingly in her direction.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, forgive me.” She rested her now-bleeding hand against the raw wood, feeling the scars.

“Morte stepped back and let out a bellow. It was a deep, terrible sound, a war cry, and it chilled Dinah to the bone”

“Cradling the wet pelt in her arms, Dinah brought it before Morte”

“she absently had watched a red-striped otter flit in and out of a stream”

“The trees had converged in a thick canopy of flowering branches, interweaving with each other to create a solid tunnel of flowers”

“He was running because he could; from his mouth erupted happy whinnies. His body flowed like water”

“This time she was able to enjoy it—the world flying past, the greens and purples of the tunnel blending”

“I’m flying! she thought.

Daring to reach one hand above her head, she let her fingers trail the heads of thousands of fuchsia orchids”

“Charles’s body, lying broken on a stone slab. His beloved servants, Lucy and Quintrell, their throats”

“The sound of the trumpets blaring from the castle and the Cards who had swarmed out of it, so ready to kill their princess.”

“where one of the Heart Cards she had killed sat on a log, softly playing a lute, a cat lounging lazily on his shoulder.”

“Dinah hadn’t been allowed to touch her mother, or even to go near her bedside. She stood sobbing in the doorway”

“eyes finally trained on Dinah as she whispered her good-byes”

“Be gentle, my dear, take heart. Be a good queen. Take care of your brother.”

“I will. I love you. I love you.”

The hint of a smile brushed across Davianna’s face. “I love you too. . . .”

“bells were ringing throughout the kingdom, and the sound of them rose up through the courtyard”

“Long live the future Queen of Wonderland.” He placed the crown on her head, the heat of it scorching”

“Harris carried her out of the room, and as he turned, Dinah was given one last glance at her mother’s face, her beauty siphoned away by death”

“could see the fear in Harris’s eyes as the hot crown was laid on her head.”

“She watched silently as a fiery red hawk danced and dipped over the horizon, such a thing of beauty.”

“rays of sunlight shot through the tree, and suddenly it hummed with life, as if lit from inside”

“The house was one large circular room with a beautiful high-vaulted ceiling. At the front of the room sat a cold fireplace, cozied up to a sitting area”

“She said a silent thanks to whoever baked this bread and grew these onions”

“Broken jars of the amber tree syrup littered the ground around him. Dinah felt all the air rush out of her lungs”

“As he ran, the sun disappeared over the Yurkei Mountains and all was black”

“but she would not be taken to the Black Towers. She would force them to kill her, and she would try her best to kill her father.”

“That was her only purpose on this night; She would avenge her brother”

“Hide,” whispered a voice in the darkness. “If you want to live, don’t fight. Hide.”

“He killed Charles, she thought. And I will kill him now, a shadow in the darkness. Yes, my king, come ever closer.”

“pressed herself against his black coat, becoming invisible once more. Black on black, a shadow at midnight.”

“She dreamed of a deck of cards on a glass table, being played by a black glove”

“Hearts. Spades. Diamonds. The king. The king. The king.”

“It wasn’t my toy. It was for my brother.”

The Spade grimaced.

“No, yeh don’t. That handsome stable boy might have taught yeh a few things”

“Wardley?” At his mention, everything in the world seemed to stop. “What do you know about Wardley? Is he alive?”

“Ah, now yeh want to talk.”

“Dinah frowned. Morte would definitely not come if she whistled.”

“but what else could she do? She could no more stop breathing than turn away from knowing Wardley’s fate.”

“That was you. You told us to hide.”

“Aye. And if I hadn’t, yeh would be headless right now, since yeh were determined to fight an entire army.”

“to capture her—eh, you—dead or alive”

“The passion with which yeh had defended that silly wooden toy for yer brother had shown me that yeh could never do such a thing”

“a sword in yer hand, the cloak trailing behind yeh. I watched in awe”

“The execution of such a handsome young Card, one who was so well liked and potentially the next Knave of Hearts, would surely be frowned upon”

“Wardley, once the brightest star in Wonderland, would be mocked for the rest of his life, all because he had saved hers”

“as the beautiful twisting crown that Charles had made was lowered”

“I will never see the palace again.” Or Harris. Or the beautiful stained-glass heart”

“There are worse places to be laid to rest, she thought. At least I’m here under the stars”

“It was the hawk, the tracking hawk, its beautiful deep red feathers mottled”

let out a yell and hopped away. “Yeh bit me! Who bites someone?”

“This news broke Dinah’s heart, and afterward there wasn’t a day that she didn’t think of Harris’s kind face and soft hands.”

“now he was in pain. It was unforgivable”

“To her devastation, she learned that Emily had been beheaded for treason”

“Her life was like nightfire—a place that once burned with bright hope, now nothing more than a flickering blackness”

“the motion giving Morte’s new leather reins a shake, a gift from the Spade. Morte regarded them humorously”

“Her childishness convicted her and she felt her face flush with shame.”

“I lay beside my love. The next day, I buried Amabel and Ioney under their favorite berry bush”

“When at last my vengeance was complete, I left their bodies in the Twisted Wood, just like they had left my Amabel to die”

“Dinah stared at the Spade as fat drops of rain drenched them both. Lightning snaked across the gray sky. “Vengeance. This is why I help yeh.”

“someday we will both have justice for the loved ones taken from us.”

“The walls around them were alive, raising their voices in a hissed chorus. Evil, evil, evil”

“The light blazed through the dark. She burst through into its glorious pinkness and fell to her knees”

“There was nothing sweeter than being alive. Morte whinnied happily beside her, rolling on the soft carpet of flowers”

“The flowers radiated a warm heat when they popped open, which accounted for the heavenly air”

“The valley was deep and long, a maze of color and fantastic curling shapes”

she blindly ran, arrows falling around her like rain.

“Morte!” she screamed. “Morte!”

“You will not touch my steed this day, nor spill my blood. I do not fear death from your arrows, but you should fear my sword”

“waited to see Charles’s happy face, just on the other side of the rabbit hole”

“The ground was covered by a lush, bluish-green grass. Horses were everywhere, roaming free—eating, running, sleeping.”

Dinah saw Charles’s tiny body crumpled under a starry sky. Her voice rose. “I have nothing but hatred for the king.”

“made her dreams vivid and joyful. Charles, weaving feathers into a hat. Harris, adjusting his spectacles while they feasted on wine and grapes.”

seeing Charles on the stone slab. “Don’t be sorry. It would be fitting to die like my brother.”

“She danced around Bah-kan, and once managed to land a hard blow just above his ribs”

“She suspected his pressing appointment was with one of the Yurkei women who was fond of watching him bathe every day”

“Yes, she could be happy here, perhaps in time. There was no Wardley, so a truly perfect life was ruled out”

“she knew that she was being led, and yet the smell was everything she missed. Harris and Wardley and warm baths and the palace.”

“Cheshire’s wicked grin seemed to stretch to the end of the valley. “Cat got your tongue?”

“Tell me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you where you sit,” she hissed

“My mother. How dare he? Dinah was on him in a second, grabbing his neck”

he lowered his voice significantly, and Dinah felt chills rush up her spine. “Perhaps from the night I saved your life”

“The night when I told you to go now, and yet, like an idiot, you visited Charles’s chamber instead?”

“Cheshire was the stranger who had saved her life? She stopped struggling and stood stunned”

“I guess we’ll start at the very beginning, since most of the things I dabble in start with me anyway.”

“You’re smart, like me. I mean, gods know people have tried to poison me over the years. Adorable.”

“Together we conceived a child and named her Dinah. You, my beautiful and strong daughter.”

“seeing the love of your life dying in front of you and being able to exchange only formal, pleasant words of comfort, your heart feeling like it will burst inside your chest.”

“I dared not say anything, because who would watch over you if I was executed?”

“so unlike mad Charles, with his blond hair”

Cheshire smiled and looked down at the table. “I had already interceded where I dared to make sure that you had a good childhood.”

“I arranged for the Ghanes to move into the palace so that you might have a friend in Wardley”

“I convinced the king to hire gentle Harris as your guardian”

“so that you and your mother could have some peace.”

“After all, I knew my daughter to be intelligent and curious, just like me.”

Dinah’s throat was dry and stinging.

“She stared at Cheshire as he continued, but all she saw was Charles”

“could not hide my horror when he told me that he had just thrown Charles from a window”

“I knew that every moment of my life had boiled down to this one. How could I help save my daughter without revealing the truth?”

“I ran—how I ran—first to the kitchens and then to the weapons room. I knew you would never survive without food in the wild.”

“I watched you sleeping—my daughter, the pride of my heart, with a face like her mother’s and a fierce intelligence not unlike my own. I had never seen you so close.”

“I vowed I would do whatever it took to help you survive. Then you awoke . . . and tried to kill me.” He gave a chuckle.

“I believe she was glad to receive the crown. The king left immediately after to resume the hunt.”

“as soon as I knew that you were safely in Sir Gorrann’s care, I quietly took my leave from the king’s side and followed an alternate path”

“Please forgive me for my delay.” He gestured to the elaborate table. “One would not call me a light packer.”

“But, finally, here we are, father and daughter, reunited at last, without secrets or lies between us. I have longed for this moment.”

“Tea, my daughter?”

“Kneeling before her, he bowed his jet-black head in the moonlight”

“Why? Because you were born to wear the crown, and I will not see Davianna’s daughter slowly waste away.”

“a ring of hearts that blazed like fire. The crown she had left behind. Cheshire picked up the crown and lowered it onto her head.”

“His voice boomed through the trees. “Rise, Dinah, and become the Queen of Hearts. It is time to embrace your fate.”

“She ran her fingers lightly over them. Harris would have loved to see this.”

“things changed. Dinah, I’ve grown a bit fond of yeh, and I’ll fight beside yeh, whatever yeh decide.”

his face etched with the love of a father.

“Yeh remind me of my Ioney”

“when she was a child in her mother’s arms, when Charles was still alive”

“Be quiet! Do yeh long to be pecked to death?”

“We become who we must to overcome pain and to make things right again”

“I will have the crown that my brother made for me. I will take it with fury and swords.”

“they rose into the air in an ever-widening spiral, blocking out the stars”

“A crowd of Yurkei was gathering, and their voices gave way to silent awe as she walked down the steep path”

“Cheshire, his purple robes billowing in the wind and his hands resting together”

“Dinah’s newfound father came with his own set of demands: he would take his seat as the queen’s main adviser”

“while Cheshire was constantly trying to engage her, she couldn’t bring herself to be kind to him, not yet”

“Since he had arrived, Cheshire had given her a number of gifts—a lovely diamond brooch in the shape of a cat”

“without her noticing, the blade and her body had become one”

“Then again, they had to live in the Darklands, which to Dinah seemed to be punishment enough”

“the women of the Yurkei presented Dinah with a gift: a suit for battle, adorned with elements representing both Hu-Yuhar and Wonderland”

“The collar was lined with soft white gossamer feathers plucked from young birds”

“Cheshire put his hand over his heart and gasped. Sir Gorrann, steps behind him, raised his eyebrows.”

“giving her healing tinctures and murmuring quiet prayers for her success”

“I want him back. He is no good to you dead. We need him.”

“Dinah felt the crown heavy upon her head. “I swear it on my brother’s life, on Charles’s name.”

Dinah was already climbing down the ladder. “Then we will all be dead anyway. Good night.”

“Morte had been so happy to see her that he only stomped around her three times”

“They ran through the valley for hours, the thundering of his hooves scaring the other wild ponies into submission”

Their faces were alarmingly happy.

“What are you staring at? Where are the warriors? Have they already killed each other?”

“the rider was smaller, with a mane of curly brown hair blowing in the . . .

Dinah didn’t feel her body start to move, but soon she was sprinting”

“WARDLEY! WARDLEY!”

He abandoned his horse, sprinting toward her as she screamed his name.

“WARDLEY!”

They collided in the middle of the field in a tangle of limbs and a crushing embrace.

Wardley was kissing her forehead, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

“I thought I would never see you again!” sobbed Dinah.

“I’m here now. I’m here. Shhh.”

“don’t you know? I’m here to command your army.”

“He’s here, she thought. He came for me. I wasn’t wrong to believe he’d find me.”

“Wardley had known Dinah her entire life, in the intimate way”

“recounted her story, alarmed at how dangerous everything seemed in retrospect”

Dinah rolled her eyes. “I’ve seen you bathe a thousand times.”

“That is true.”

“after she had stabbed him (way too deep! he was kind enough to remind her)”

looked surprised to see Wardley soaking wet and Dinah watching silently.

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“Dinah let her hand rest on his thick curls, her face cracking into a smile”

“Her hands slid down his hair, tracing his jawline, pulling his face upward”

“You are surely not the same girl that I kissed under the Julla Tree. You’ve grown strong!”

“He reached out and tugged playfully on her braid, and Dinah’s fierce heart melted”

“He demonstrated by breaking off half of the kitchens, folding it flat, and then putting it back”

“Sir Gorrann stepped in front of her, his sword drawn and trembling as he pointed it at his old commander”

“He’s an incredible monster, isn’t he?” They both glanced over at Morte as he happily stomped a toad to death.”

so enchanting, a world of soft pink bubbles and warm light. She shrugged. “It feels like love.”

“And that’s why it’ll kill yeh,”

“They came to me how they came to me. You did not come here to ask questions about the pillows.”

“Keep your temper, Queen of Hearts.”

Morte was beside her now, and she weakly pulled herself up”

Dinah heard Wardley’s voice ringing above the commotion. “What the hell happened? Give her to me! Bring Cheshire now!”

“Wardley leaned his face over hers. “You can close your eyes, Dinah. I’m here.”

“happy to fall asleep in the arms of the one she loved most.”

“What happened?”

Cheshire resumed lightly patting her head

“She looked up at Cheshire with amazement. “How does one make warm pies in the wilderness?”

“he explained its full effects. My dagger at his throat helped a bit, I think. ”

“where I could love you both proudly. And yet, by doing that, I would deny you the crown”

“taking care with each corner. When he was done, a tiny paper mouse remained”

“You’re up!” His long arms wrapped around her shoulders, and Dinah gladly let him pull her against his body.”

“pushing her hair aside to whisper in her ear. Dinah’s heart beat rapidly as his breath brushed her cheek.”

“Do you believe we can win? As the onetime future Knave of Hearts, do you think we will win?”

a lock of curly brown hair fell over his eyes. Dinah felt her heartbeat quicken. “Take a walk with me, Dinah. There’s something I want to show you.”

“waterfall flowed up from the middle, its stream turning into mist”

“I prayed that I could take you here one day, that you would wake up.”

A smile crept over his face, so lovely that it hurt her heart. “Wonderland is a pretty wondrous place”

“Yes, but . . . what if he doesn’t? What if he puts on a helmet, and I don’t recognize him?”

“the way his sculpted muscles tensed under his shirt. He had become a man since she had seen him last.”

“I will kill you before I let the king torture you. And I hope you will do the same for me.”

“The last time that I get to speak with you as a friend, and not as a commander to his queen.”

“he grabbed the back of her head roughly and pressed his lips hard against hers. Dinah gasped at the force with which he kissed her. It was a hungry kiss.”

“feeling the muscles rippled across his shoulders as he pressed down against her. A whimper escaped his lips”

“As he kissed her furiously, Dinah felt a wet tear drip down his face onto her cheek.”

“what is wrong? What are you doing?” Her eyes traveled over the face she knew so well.

“Dinah felt the creepings of a familiar dark emotion as she looked up at the man she loved so much: rejection.”

“I want to be your king, your husband, your lover. But I cannot . . .”

prickly laughs tearing her into pieces. “It was the only thing that ever mattered, Wardley.”

“I COMMAND IT!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “OBEY ME!”

“how just moments ago, his lips had been on hers. She bit down on them so hard that she tasted blood.”

“She clutched Morte’s mane, driving him harder, faster, until the two of them moved over the earth in a blur of blackness”

“If she could not quench the fire burning within her, she would set Wonderland ablaze”

“His ancient fingers, once used to turn the pages of glorious books of history and language now struggled to fold a tiny piece of paper”

“consoling himself with his own voice. “Remember, my dear, it’s not the size of the paper, but the size of your skill”

“Harris, how long is forever?” she had asked.

Harris had smiled. “Sometimes, just one second.”

“The crane stared back at him, bobbing slightly.”

“The queen was coming. He knew it. That was not the question.

The question was who would she be when she got here.”

[beef-brisket]

Lucifer smiled: Oh, I'm almost certain they will be.

Adam: ...is this what you and Michael were fighting about?

Lucifer looked away. Fucking Michael: Yes and no. Michael's just... he gets too caught up in his work. He can't get his head out of his ass and have a look around, you know? He just... he either doesn't think or thinks too much. There's no in between.

Adam: ...So, in other words, he talked amd you got angry?

Lucifer: That's pretty on the money. He... wanted to keep you there... even after the baby's born- to do tests... he thinks it'll be a danger. But- you were normal once- I think it'll be fine-!

Adam: He has a point. I mean, it's a shit point, but I see where he's coming from. Someone with the parasite has never been pregnant before. So, who knows what will happen...

Adam leans back, his hands never leaving his stomach.

Lucifer: ...Do you want to keep it?

Adam: ...You know, I've never thought about kids. Or marriage. Or partners. There was no one here that I'd ever want that with. And I sure as hell didn't want to bring a kid into this shit. And I haven't exactly had the best parental role models...

Lucifer was getting nervous. None of that sounded like he wanted to keep it.

Adam: And I'd hate for you to be bound to my bullshit... and I'll probably outlive you. By like... a fucking landslide. Depending on what shit Charlie has, I might even out live her- not that that matters, she probably won't care about me- I'm sure she'd like to move closer to somewhere with people when she's a bit older- than you'll go to- which is fine! I'm not stopping you! I- um... shit, where was I going with this?

Lucifer: I'm not sure- but let me ask you one thing. Do you want to keep it?

Adam: ... I guess?

Lucifer: ...you guess?

Adam: I mean- what if looked like Vox!? Who knows what the fucking parasite will do to it- maybe it's not even a baby amd instead it's so.e creepy mix of us and the mold! I just... I don't want you to dream of a beautiful child, and we end up with some squiggly, wormy thing. I'd still love it... wouldn't have to pay for college.

Lucifer laughed: You really know how to make a situation like this, funny.

Adam: What can I say? It's my coping mechanism. But fuck it. I'm sure it'll be fine! And it's not, I'll just... throw it out the window. Ain't no little fucker surviving that drop.

Lucifer: ...

Adam: ...I'm kidding, Luci.

Lucifer: Okay, whew! Thank god- wait, are we keeping it? Are we having a baby?

Adam: Yeah, man. A "baby"!

Lucifer: Just- baby Adam. No air quotes.

Adam: Okay, sorry. Baby! Sweet. So... nine months- that'll be... two more growth spurts at the most. I can handle that. Fuck yeah. Okay. Cool.

Lucifer: You're so chill about this.

Adam: Yeah, that's just me, man! Don't hate.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. This is going to be a long seven-ish months.

Have you seen Resident Evil: Village? All I'm saying is Adam and Emily as two of the three sisters and Sera as Lady Dimitrescu.

Lucifer is Ethan trying to find Charlie.

At first, Adam was on his mother and sisters side- but because they have a weird thing against dudes, he eventually helps Lucifer.

Trust me, it feels illegal not to make Adam the stunning Lady Dimitrescu, but for story reasons, he'll be one of her kids.

I mean, their hot. What can I say? Adam would look great like this 🤷

Adam: Mmm- man flesh~.

Lucifer: ...Kinda gay, man.

Adam: It's not gay.

Lucifer: It is- man flesh? Really?

Adam: ...

Lucifer: ...

Adam: *stabs sickle into his leg and drags him away* Mother!

I have seen it! Ha I love this. ((Yes he'd rock being the Lady of the house 😩))

Lucifer: Ow!! What the fuck!?

Adam: It's not gay! Mother was right.

[fairytail-incorrectquotes]

Natsu: What does coffee taste like?

Lucy, on her eighth cup of the morning: Unfortunately not as good as it smells.

Natsu: Oh, like shampoo!

[halforcdad]

serenading was really the last thing i ever wanted Kate to do as her grand gesture and i still don’t love it, but the amount of people who keep calling a big, awkward, public gesture hugely ooc for Kate and keep saying they miss the old whistler who wasn't dumb, oh DIA Whistler was so much better. its the show’s first season. i don’t think it’s even possible to be ooc when the writers are just starting to create these characters and we barely know them. we only saw ‘cool, confident, bossy dia whistler’ for about 6 episodes before 1x11 happened and changed everything, and while she’s still all of those things she was changing even before the breakup happened and with all the growth she’s gone through, she’s going to end the season looking pretty different to how she started (fair warning, this is a little unhinged and unorganized, just a little)

her arc has been about her learning to let people in and learning to be more honest with her feelings, to not be afraid of putting herself out there and learning how to stop pushing people away as a result of the impact Lucy and the team have had on her. it’s about making yourself vulnerable and trying to find people who will accept you even if you’re an awkward giraffe. throughout the season the writers have been telling us that she: finds it hard to be open and show her emotions, she puts her orders before her feelings at work causing everyone to view her as the ‘bad cop’ and that sucks, she really wants to make connections with her coworkers, but she doesn’t know how and she’s kinda bad at it, she was afraid of starting something with Lucy (and messing it up) because Lucy’s the most amazing woman she’s ever met and she wanted to keep it on the downlow until she felt she could handle it, is actually very charming and sensitive and goofy underneath that hardened exterior

there’s a reason Ernie describes her as “the tall one acting goofy,” she tries to keep her relationship with Lucy a secret and yet you can see her softening as a result of it and being unable to hide their connection and pull to each other even at work. Jesse notices they’re making googly eyes at each other during the Pearl Harbor tour in 1x09 and remarks that “there’s a certain DIA officer i haven’t seen around your desk recently,” because she couldn’t fight the gravitational pull drawing her to Lucy’s desk everyday, literally the worst kept secret at the office you morons! In 1x12 she’s sprinting after Lucy practically shouting after her (loud enough for all of Pearl Harbor to hear) even when she’s asking if Lucy’s going to throw their relationship away that easily. Kate gets a pass with Jane because how can you pretend you don’t care about Lucy after she could’ve died on an UC mission and as for Kai, well, he has two eyes so he definitely noticed too

the Whistler in 1x01 would definitely not be going over to Tennant’s house after 1x14 and sharing a drink with her (might not have warned her about Glenn Smith either) and maybe she wouldn’t have tried comforting her when Jesse went missing in 1x15 (not because she wouldn’t have wanted to, but maybe it would have been harder without all the stuff that happened in between as a result of the Lucy romance) and that’s growth baby!

as for her acting ‘dumb’ and goofy, whistler’s greatest hits (paraphrased):

1x07: the entire opening scene right in front of Ernie's coffee, like ladies its barely 9 in the morning 

1x09: “i want to be intimate” “here???” 

1x11: "i like this" "the coffee? its fair trade." "so i think i win the dumbass award." "yes...no! NO!"

1x14: “creds... that’s what all the cool agents say :)”

1x17: “the source of the attack was some sort of pineapple” “like the fruit?” (also forgetting she never apologized to Lucy)

1x20: while looking like a beaten bloody piñata “I’m fine just some bruises...and some minor head trauma...” “i did not have Lucy surf quotes on my bingo card today” 

1x21: “about the power of love!” -silence- “...anyway i think that’ll help us get through to David” (we were all raving about this scene and how cute it was, but we don't want to acknowledge all the work it took to get here?)

The writers have been showing it all season, this is just who she is the more you get to know her, not liking it is different than ooc

Kate just sucks at talking and processing her emotions on the spot and can’t always immediately formulate a response right away whether you’re her boss or her colleague or her ex girlfriend (she ghosted a girl for months for god’s sakes which is probably honestly where most of the ‘this feels ooc for Kate’ criticism comes from and it’s hard to blame anyone for that because wth Kate, but it also serves as the biggest indictment of how her lack of social skills has effected her life and now it’s finally catching up to her)

a lot of people call Whistler rushing in without thought or backup to be ooc, and while they’ve shown that she’s smart and good at thinking things through (figuring out a way to help the team in 1x06, with the Clark Lohan thing in 1x10, using David's wife’s fate as leverage to get through to him in 1x21), that’s been behind the scenes we never saw her do field work during her stint at the DIA so there’s nothing really to base the ooc claim on, the first time we see her in the field is in 1x17 (she only transferred to the FBI 3 episodes ago) when she rushes in and Lucy has to stop her so it’s not out of the ordinary for her to do something similar in 1x20 at Agent Jones’s house, Whistler in the office and Whistler out in the field are different because they’re different environments entirely (and she’s new to the field)

i dont think the people calling Whistler ooc for acting goofy and socially inept would call her ooc for turning down a promotion anywhere from 1x06-1x13 to stay close to Lucy after early Whistler was billed as ambitious and career-driven (but i guess it’s different because it’s romantic without being awkward...), if we’re going to throw that term out there we should examine all her actions that way not just the one’s we maybe don’t like 

you can criticize the writing and the show all you want we all have different opinions we’re not all going to agree on how good Whistler’s development has gone, but i don’t think it’s fair to say any public grand gesture or Kate acting ‘dumb’ is completely out of left field, yes she was more cold and distant and mean earlier (and maybe you preferred that way more) but as the show has progressed you get to see a different more shy, uncertain, dorky side of her and that's not ooc that's just how humans are

she’s been slowly stepping out of her comfort zone all season and Lucy’s influence on her has inspired her to finally make a running jump into the deep end to win her back because she loves her and that’s how much she means to her (my favorite post about the grand gesture written before we knew it was a singing gesture LOL) that's the whole point isn't it? the power of love! has changed Whistler! she's never felt this way about anyone before and is clearly woefully inexperienced in love, she misses Lucy and wants to win her back no matter what so she's willing to listen to anything and do anything to show her she's all in and wants to be with her and only her! love makes us do crazy things, but it makes sense after a season of pain and regret

unfortunately for some people, Kate also happens to be less competent socially so that’s going to manifest in truly awkward (and secondhand embarrassing) ways, but she’s always been capable of this because she’s a multifaceted character and the writers have been showing us that

[soft4gguk]

to build a home | chapter five

pairing: Jungkook x reader. ceo!jk + dilf!jk x nanny!oc

genre: strangers to lovers. angst. loads of plot. eventual smut.

word count: 9.2k

warnings: angst. swearing. alcohol. jealousy. no one is black-out drunk in this, oc’s just a lightweight! more heavy petting? idk anymore. mentions of sex and virginity.

author’s note: hii! this was quite healing to write, tbh. it’s very angsty at times but the ending makes it all worth it! i feel like we need a little bit of love after last night’s interlude so i made sure to sprinkle some of that on this one. thank u for all ur love and feedback, i appreciate it more than you’ll ever know! i'm sending a million kisses your way <3 xxx

p.s. yes. this settles the jucy/yoocy debate. place your bets.

This is a work of fiction. Please respect the members and their privacy. x

Chapter Five

Your eyes are fixed to the perfectly cut orange wedge that floats on top of your Aperol Spritz. You circle your straw around it, the clink of the ice hitting the glass throwing you right back into time and space.

The music is muffled by the loud chatter of the people scattered around the bar. Some in tables, some standing in corners, aimlessly engaging in conversations that lead nowhere, everywhere – some just passing the time until its, quote on quote, morally correct to end up in each other’s beds.

You look up from your glass, abruptly thrown into your own aimless conversation.

“And then he proceeds to pay for my matcha latte with coins!” You turn to Lucy, who widens her eyes at Sky’s words in mock surprise. “And- ___, get this,” she says, snapping her fingers when she notices you’ve drifted for the majority of her recount, “he walked me home. Only he was riding that skateboard of his the whole way there! Ugh.”

“What’s so wrong about coins, though?” Lucy says, a little dumbfounded by this. You snort.

“Well,” Sky contemplates for a while. “I don’t know! The vibe was just off. And the waiter had to stand there for like ten thousand centuries as he counted them. One. By. One.”

Sky is not your friend.

Well, that is a loose statement. Let’s try again. Sky is someone that has fallen into the space between an acquaintance and those people you end up in the company of whenever you want to do just this – have aimless conversations in a bar. You can’t quite explain it but the mundanity of her problems is comforting at times. Like they bring some sort of universal balance that sets everything back into place.

If you let her, she’ll sit through five negronis and tell you about any recent atrocity that she stumbled upon. Today is the poor skateboarder that had to pay for her overpriced green tea with coins. You take a moment of silence for his spirit and hope he recovers well.

“Hold in there, Sky. You know what they say, a million thorns to get to the rose.” Lucy comforts as Sky sulks, sipping on her drink.

Nobody has ever said that. But Sky nods, sniffing a little, and you smile. Lucy is, without a doubt, walking straight into the gates of heaven.

“Ladies, on the house.” Jiwoo, former literary student and classmate, says as he places three shot glasses filled with a suspicious looking clear liquid.

He also bartends, hence your uncomfortable seating arrangement at the bar besides one another. The three of you are his personal cheerleaders as you keep him entertained through his shift and he keeps you, well, buzzed.

“I just think-” Sky starts, “I think I’m ready for my rose. Now.”

The three of you just nod in acknowledgement at her words. A sheepish smile adorns Jiwoo’s face, who successfully recovered after Sky crushed his spirit freshman year. He did not pay with coins but she did tell him his head was ‘a little too in the clouds’ after he confessed his undying love for a good Shakespearean drama.

You reach for the glass, eyeing it for a second before you decide, fuck it. As you bring the shot closer to your mouth you glance at Lucy whose eyes look frantic, wide in shock. You simply assume it’s a delayed reaction to Sky’s very own Shakespearean drama. As soon as the rim touches your lips, your neck draws back, closing your eyes as you down the Tequila in one swing.

“Wow. I didn’t know you had it in you, ___!”

The awfully-familiar-but-not-quite-there voice startles you, opening your eyes and glancing in the direction of where it’s coming from. Your eyes widen in pure, utter terror, face wincing as the burn from the straight liqueur hits your throat, too consumed in the sight before you to bother reaching for a chaser. You let out a throaty cough.

The awfully familiar voice belongs to Taehyung, who, to no surprise, stands in a circle next to your seat at the bar with a set of familiar faces. One of them being Jungkook’s.

Your mind chants a string of highly explicit curse words that, for obvious reasons, you can’t voice.

“Hey, ___! Nice to see you again!” Jimin’s chirpy voice breaks you out of your ghostly trance.

“Uh- yeah. You too. It’s nice to…,” your voice drifts as your eyes meet Jungkook’s stern ones.

Fucking hell.

“Ah, don’t let him get to you. He’s done worse.” Yoongi muses, amusement evident in his voice. He’s even smiling. This moment is so awkward it even broke Yoongi.

Great.

Taehyung chuckles before he says, “I’m gonna go see if I can find us a table. This place is packed tonight, huh?”

“I’ll come with.” Yoongi says, voice back to his relaxed tone.

Jimin browses through the menu as Jungkook comes to stand next to you.

“Hey,” he says, giving you a tight-lipped smile.

You nod, returning it with the same amount of awkwardness. “Hey.”

“Hi!” Sky chirps, making you both turn to her, “I’m Sky. Nice to meet you.” She extends her hand over you, offering it to Jungkook.

He shakes it, returning her introduction with a simple, “Jungkook.”

“How do you two know each other?” She rests her elbows on the bar, back turned to Lucy completely, as she cocks her head that rests between her hands. A dazzling, Colgate smile gracing her features.

“He’s my boss,” you say the last word with a certain edge to it, hoping it helps her tone her peacock wings down. But it is to no avail.

You look up at the ceiling, looking for your angels that seem to have clocked out for the day.

“Oh! You’re the owner of that cute baby she keeps yapping on about?”

Lucy’s fingers press at her temples, mentally cursing her own angels for this exceptional turn of events.

Jungkook all but gawks at her for a second too long before he says, “Yup. That’d be me. Owner of the cute baby.”

“Oh my god, cute! I love babies. Well, more like, babies love me.” She giggles, overly enthusiastic for the dullness of the exchange.

Jungkook smiles nervously at her. Jimin senses his discomfort and the overall awkwardness of the situation and steps in, coming to stand between Sky and Lucy.

“Hey, what are you drinking? It looks nice and refreshing.” He asks her.

“Oh, this? It’s a negroni. Super strong, but kind of picked up the habit during my semester abroad in Rome.” She takes a sip of her drink as she responds.

“Ah, that sounds nice.” He entertains that for about a second, giving her a genuine smile before he turns to Lucy. “Hi. I’m Jimin, and you?”

She glances at him, eyes long lost somewhere else as to brace herself from the situation. “Oh- um. Mint julep.” She says.

He chuckles softly, meeting her eyes before he shakes his head lightly. “No. I mean, what’s your name?”

She gasps a little in shock, an apologetic giggle leaving her lips. “I’m Lucy.”

“Lucy…” he contemplates, eyes fixated on the endless bottles on the other side of the bar. A small smile on his lips. He turns to her. “It’s nice to meet you, Lucy.”

~

1. That one time you stole a single cherry flavoured Chupa Chup from your local convenience store after your cousin, the juvenile delinquent, called you a wuss.

2. Breaking Micky, member of your grandma’s beloved porcelain kitten collection and denying it over and over again, resulting in her taking the belief her house was haunted to her death bed.

3. Cheating on that one math exam in fourth grade because the basic concept of geometry just wouldn’t get through you.

4. Letting your geeky science group partner feel you up in your bed whilst your parents were next door, at total peace with their daughter engaging in the thrilling wonders of the anatomical body – the other kind.

You’re going through a mental list of every single thing you could’ve possibly done to be stuck in this situation. But even for you, who’s had to live with the guilt of said doings for many years, it feels a little bit drastic to be punished like this.

Taehyung’s quest for a table was unsuccessful, resulting in them having to occupy the seats right next to yours at the bar.

And so here you were, right next to Jungkook, both of your backs turned against each other’s, as you both tried to enjoy a little night out on the town. Another quest that kept finding itself unsuccessful.

The space is quite loud around you and you can’t really listen to their conversation – only Taehyung’s loud laugh now and then.

So, you think, this is good. This could be worse. You can’t even see him! And like Jungkook says: out of sight, out of mind. Yes. This is perfect.

This was not perfect.

“Guys,” Sky whispers, waving her hands inwards, motioning for you and Lucy to get closer. You do and she says, “I must’ve spoken too loud because… it’s here!” She shrieks and Lucy frowns in confusion at her words. Sky rolls her eyes. “My rose, silly.”

“Elaborate?” Lucy urges.

“Duh. ___’s hot boss! Jungkook,” she whispers his name but you still turn around abruptly, making sure he didn’t catch it. “___, you must play cupid. Pretty please?” Her palms flush together, signalling a prayer and you’re not religious but the act feels blasphemous to you.

“Sky, did you spike your negronis again? He’s my boss. I’m his nanny. There is so much wrong with the simple image of me trying to hook him up with my twenty-two-year-old friend.” You argue, trying to sound objective, so as to look away from the specks of jealousy that are threatening to explode inside your chest.

Sky pouts and Lucy nods before she adds, “Yeah, Sky. I think this rose is thorny.”

“I think it’s the beginning of a very romantic story.” She stands her ground, and quite frankly, you don’t blame her.

“Sky, if actual cupid is somewhere around here on nightly rounds, then he might be able to help you. I can’t, though.”

She jumps in her chair excitedly, clapping her hands once before saying, “You are so right! It has to be fate. Plus, he won’t be able to resist me.” She bats at her hair as she says this, sipping on her negroni, cheeky smile on her face.

And for all you know, she might be right. Sky is the textbook definition of attractive. She has sharp features that make her look almost cat-like, but a soft, warm smile that, yeah, most times she fakes but hey – it’s warm alright. She dresses like she knows she has an all-rounder proportionate body and overall, she oozes confidence. If you consider Jungkook’s track record, as in, the woman he had a child with then yes – he wouldn’t be able to resist someone like Sky.

It shouldn’t, but the realization makes you feel uncomfortable. And the more you think about it the discomfort turns into something worse – sadness.

Sky goes on and on about the principles she sticks to, all gathered from her, and you quote, Bible; Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. You’ve never read said literary masterpiece but the title alone sounds sexist. Both Lucy and you let her talk, though, falling back into the dynamic of the aimless conversation – just like you were before Jungkook and his troop waltzed inside your little Saturday Sanctuary, now cursed forever.

You sigh, shoulders falling to the beat of your gaze as you go back to aimlessly stirring your drink, a significant mental strain on trying to brush aside the feeling of jealousy that takes over you. It’s a jealousy that doesn’t even belong to you, you realize. A feeling that came from an idea so far-fetched inside your brain, mustered from a shock-end reaction after Soori ended up in the hospital over a week ago.

Neither of you had acknowledged it – proving your case further. And it was better that way – you didn’t need the added tension on top of Jungkook’s day-to-day indifference. So, in that moment, you welcomed it.

Right now, it makes your heart feel heavy, though.

Jiwoo senses your despair, walking over to you and placing his hands gently on top of yours, shaking them a little to get your attention. Your gaze snaps up, looking at him as you return his sweet smile.

“Are you alright?” He asks.

“Just fine,” you tell him but he raises his brow, picking up on your white lie.

“Hm,” he ponders, “I’ll believe you. Have some of this, though. Just in case.” He winks before he places another shot glass in front of you, swiftly sliding it your way.

You catch it. Another poorly judged, ‘fuck it’ before you’re repeating the same motion that put you right into said misery you’re trying to drown.

~

At first, Jungkook only feels it – your change in demeanour. Then, he notices the change in your tone of voice, really cancelling out his friend’s conversations and listening in on yours. You laugh, clap, shriek, gasp – dramatizing every reaction to whatever it is your friends are saying. He’s not really listening in on your conversation, no. He’s listening to you.

Curiosity finally gets the best of him and he shifts around in his seat, coming to face the bar fully. You’re slightly turned around but he can see you from the corner of his eyes. Your cheeks are flushed, arms swinging around in the air as you tell some story about a road trip from hell where you and Lucy both caught food poisoning and your car broke down halfway through the trip. He chuckles softly to himself. You truly are a storyteller. Even funnier as your words begin to slur slightly as the alcohol swims through your body all the way to your head.

“Hey,” Jiwoo barely whispers, but Jungkook can hear him perfectly from his place next to you.

“Yeah?” Your voice is soft, and he can hear the smile on your face.

“What are you doing after this?”

“I don’t know… what am I doing after this?” You mock seriousness.

“Wanna get some ramen on the way and go over to yours? Watch a movie?”

Jungkook visibly tenses, but you don’t pay him much mind when you jump from your seat. “Beetlejuice!” You exclaim.

Jiwoo laughs, a short-nod of affirmation as he says, “Beetlejuice.”

“Bathroom break,” you announce, to seemingly nobody.

You stumble down from your stool, holding onto the edges when your step falters a bit as your head spins once, then twice as you regain your balance. Once you’re seeing straight again, you make your way to the bathroom – laughing to yourself as you feel the buzz all through you, easing your nerves, making you feel good.

Jungkook bounces his left leg repeatedly in a frenzy. Jimin picks up on it, turning to him.

“Hey, you okay?”

He nods. “Yeah. I’ll be right back.”

He doesn’t process his train of thought as he gets up from his stool, turning around and promptly making his way to where he knows the bathrooms are. He shoves past groups of people dancing, kissing and groping. Some doing all at once.

He makes it through the narrow hallway that leads to the bathrooms and stands there, waiting. He realizes just how poorly thought out his action was and how he has no fucking idea of what he’s going to say to you when you walk out of the toilet. He’s about to turn around, or hide inside the men’s bathroom – whichever one he can muster first. But the Universe has other plans because right as he begins to stir out of his awkward standing position, you come out of the bathroom. You’re looking down, measuring your steps, hands at your side fixing your skirt.

You look up and you’re met with the sight of him.

“Oop,” you yelp, hands coming to your mouth in embarrassment as you lose balance slightly.

He grabs your shoulders gently, holding you in place. “You okay?”

“Yeah-,” you stare at him, blinking slowly as you take him in. “Yeah. Yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what,” he asks.

“Um… my- me. Uh. I’m drunk. This is embarrassing.”

Jungkook chuckles lightly, letting go of your shoulders. “Don’t be. You should be doing just this on a Saturday night.”

“I don’t- usually. You know?” You tell him and he frowns in confusion, smiling a little at your rambling. “I usually spend my Saturday nights reading The Little Prince and listening to Elton John until Lucy loses it.”

“The Little Prince?” He asks, amused.

“It’s my comfort book.” You defend, a pout forming at your lips. You frown, “where’s Soori?”

“She’s spending the night at my parents’,” you wince slightly at this, eyebrows raising. “Don’t worry, my nanny’s there- I mean. She- took care of me when I was growing up.”

You give him a lazy smile. “So, you had a me?”

“Eh- yeah. Kind of.”

“Was she qualified?” You tease.

He laughs, rolling his eyes. “Funny.”

“I’m,” hiccup, “sorry.”

Jungkook scolds himself mentally over how endeared he is by your teasing and hazy minded playfulness. If he thinks about this situation in a professional light, the same one he carries as CEO, he already breeched protocol. But then again, he’s pretty sure that happened the moment he pulled you to him and you straddled his lap. But we don’t talk about that.

“You’re alright.” He gives you a kind smile, throwing you aback. “Do you- I can take you home, if you want. My driver’s out front.”

You ponder on this for a second too long, sending Jungkook’s brain into a frenzy. The protocol is non-existent at this point. “Are you sure? I- there’s a bus! I usually take the bus. From the ramen place. Best ramen in town. You should try it- anyways. The bus stop is right in front-”

He interrupts your ramble, voice going back to that stern edge. “I wouldn’t want you taking the bus this late at night.” He can see you contemplating, lips in that signature pout. “We can stop by the ramen place- if that’s why you’re so hesitant.”

You smile at him. A big, toothy smile that makes your whole face light up.

“Done deal.”

~

The scene that unfolds before you as you get back to your designated places in front of the bar is astonishing, to say the least.

The both of you come to a halt as you take in the little social circle both your group of friends have formed as they mingle, down shots and sip on their drinks casually.

When two worlds collide is an ironic way to put it but it couldn’t hold more accuracy.

Yoongi and Taehyung are invested in some recount about Sky’s strolls through Venezia – hard Z. Jiwoo fills in on that conversation here and there as he mixes drinks behind the bar. Their mouths are agape, taking in her wild stories as she over-dramatizes them for the purpose of having their full attention on her.

Opposite that, in their own little bubble, another mingle that borders on bonding forms as Jimin and Lucy sit awfully close to one another. It’s all giggles and coy smiles, little whispers in between stories as they grow visibly smitten with each other.

Jungkook’s voice takes them all out of said bubbles.

“I’m taking ___ home.” The moment the words leave his mouth he regrets them – an assortment of bemused faces gawking back at him. “To- I mean- I’m giving her a ride home.” He clarifies.

“Yeah, I’m feeling a bit tired,” you turn to Jiwoo, an apologetic smile on your face. “Let’s do Beetlejuice some time next week?” He only nods, returning your smile.

“Alright, Gguk. Get home safely – the two of you. Give Soori a forehead kiss from me.” Taehyung says.

“And me,” adds Yoongi.

Jungkook smiles at them, nodding before turning around. But he’s caught halfway through his action before a high-pitched voice calls out his name.

Sky walks over to him, offering a flirty gaze before she says, “Jungkook! It was so nice meeting you. I hope our paths cross again. I’m sure they will.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Until then,” Jungkook tells her, bowing slightly, shooting a quick smile her way before he walks away.

You are not one to thrive off of other people’s miseries but yes, a wicked grin adorns your face at the sight of hers. Taehyung catches this, raising a brow your way. Your smile drops, quickly facing away from him. Out of sight, out of mind.

You walk over to Lucy instead, smiling at her before you say, “Hey, Lu. You coming with?”

She looks at you, a sheepish smile forming at her lips. “Uh… I think I’ll stay. Text me when you get home, though!”

“Sure. Will do. Let me know when you’re heading back as well.”

She nods and gives you a hug, which you return – letting yourself melt into her.

You can quite literally feel the happiness she radiates.

Jimin looks at you, smiling sweetly.

He’s to blame. You smile back at him.

His little moment of bliss doesn’t last long as he feels Jungkook come to a stand right next to him.

“Minie,” he wraps his hand around his friend, sweetly bringing him closer as he laughs. But Jimin knows his alter motives. “Don’t fuck my nanny’s best friend.”

“Ggukie,” Jimin laughs, over-dramatizing the action, a saccharine ring to his voice when he says, “don’t fuck your nanny.”

~

You are sitting in the backseat of Jungkook’s Range Rover. He’s by your side, mindlessly scrolling through his phone. He bounces his left leg over and over again and as you fixate on it you begin to feel dizzy, head spinning a little.

You have no idea how you get the two of you to the ramen place with the half-assed directions you give his driver but once you’re pulling up, you’re telling him your orders and Jungkook is handing him his credit card over before he exits the car and heads to your personal idea of adult Disneyland – the ramen place.

You think about how this poor man is about to hand the cashier a black, sleek card to pay for greasy under-priced, in your humble opinion, ramen. The thought is so funny to you in your drunken state, you start chuckling.

Jungkook’s eyes snap from his phone to you, frowning in confusion as to what it is you find so amusing. His bewildered expression just makes the whole situation funnier and you’re full on laughing now – head thrown back in your seat, one hand over your mouth and the other over your chest as you try to control it. But your attempts are in vain because your laughter only gets louder, filling the space around you at an alarming rate.

Jungkook stares at you. He’s stuck in a very 50/50 state of mind. 50% dumbfounded and 50% praying to all the gods and angels above your laughter never comes to a stop. And with that, it becomes contagious. He tries to fight it but there’s no use as he feels it bubbling inside his chest and then – he’s laughing with you. Lightly at first but then his cackles reach the same pitch as yours.

The moment holds its little infinity for a while and then your laughter begins to die down – shoulders still shaking slightly as you come down.

You melt into the seat, head turning slightly as you glance at him, his eyes glassy as he begins to come down, too. He does the same, head dropping a little to the side until his eyes meet yours. This side of him makes you feel light – your chest fluttery, on a steady ascend and you never want to come down.

He stills. That soft blink, warm smile making your head spin – now drunk on how ethereal he looks. Not only him, but his whole essence. So pliant, so soft. A soul that finds laughter contagious. You can physically feel your heart contract at this. It hurts, tugging at your every string in the sweetest way possible.

“What was so funny?” He murmurs, that smile never faltering – only getting impossibly softer.

“I don’t remember,” you say, even though you do. You just can’t bring your brain to process any other thought that isn’t him. Him and his big, doe eyes and the way the night reflects on them. Him and his light.

He hums, absentmindedly. The silence that fills the car is dense but you welcome it. You both do as your fingers begin tracing irregular patterns on the leather seats, right between the two of you. They move mindlessly and your eyes close, wishing with all your heart it was his skin under your touch. You can hear the steady rise and fall of his breathing and you just wish he’d come closer – close enough to get lost in yours.

Your mouth voices out your wishes, encompassing them in an ever-so-soft,

“Please.”

And Jungkook can’t think straight.

He hasn’t been able to think straight since your laughter filled the closed space of his car, crawling inside his chest and settling in places he didn’t even know still carried themselves in screaming colour.

His mind had lost all composure the moment you looked into his eyes as if they carried the whole galaxy in them. Since that moment, his heart had taken on the lead.

He moves closer to you, sliding against the leather seats. He does this so swiftly you only notice when your eyes slowly flutter open, butterflies swarming your tummy as your wish grants itself before your eyes.

You give him a dopey smile, pulling yourself closer to him until you’re both a breath away from touching. You wish for that breath, too.

Your fingers dance from the now tight-knit space between you to his legs, slowly moving up his thigh, the tips of your index and middle finger beginning a stroll with no apparent direction. Jungkook can barely feel your touch against the thick fabric of his jeans but the thought alone sends shivers down his spine, shutting his eyes closed for a moment as he tries to gather all the sensations he’s feeling. As he tries to reason with his rational mind and his heart.

All his thoughts come back to you.

His hand hovers over your thigh for a second and, before he can attest to his actions, they close around it – feeling the smooth of your skin, promptly joined by a million goosebumps as your body gives into his touch. He squeezes slightly, unable to control himself. Unable to control the ardent need to have you impossibly closer, to imprint his touch on you until you can feel it for days.

Your hand flies to his cheek, cupping it gently as you let yourself stare into his eyes – hoping they can speak your desire with words that shy away from you the more real the moment becomes. He keens into your touch, face nuzzling into your hand, lips grazing at the soft skin of your palm. He closes his eyes as you run your nails gently down the smooth of his cheek, the sensation making him squeeze your thigh harder, making your whole body shudder as a whimper leaves your mouth. The faint sound has him opening his eyes and they begin a slow dance between your gaze and your lips, back and forth until the feeling at the pit of your stomach grows unbearable. You move an inch closer, pulling his face to yours with the hand that stills on his cheek.

“___,” his voice is but a whisper, “you’re- drunk. We shouldn’t.”

He exhales loudly and as much as you want to give him a detailed recount on how his touch activated all of your senses to the point of sobering you up, you don’t.

“Okay, just… stay here? Please?” you say.

He leans his head forward until your foreheads are touching, nodding slowly as he closes his eyes and lets himself go – falling into your touch and enjoying the way you feel as you melt into his.

Your hands snake all the way to his hair, tangling in his locks – realizing just how much you missed how receptive he is when you touch him there. Your nails scrape down his scalp, softly – an idle touch that does more to Jungkook than he can begin to grasp. His hand comes up to rest at the small of your waist, snaking his arm around it, pushing you closer. You feel restless – a need that doubles as greed at this point invading your senses, begging for him. You pull at his hair slightly and he hisses – so close to your mouth you can feel the vibrations of the sound graze your lips.

“Fuck, ___-,”

The sound of the front door frightens the both of you – jumping abruptly at the sound. It takes Jungkook three seconds too long to register what’s happening but when he does, he removes his hand from around your waist and, in a collected manner, goes back to his seat.

He thanks the driver as he passes him the food, and places it on the floor between the two of you.

You sit there, motionless – trying to absorb the previous moment before it completely drifts from your mind. Like a needle to a soapy bubble. Gone in a second.

You can’t figure out if your heart is restored or bent all over again.

You feel Jungkook shuffle closer to you until he’s flushed to your side. Before you can utter a word, his arm comes up, reaching across your body for the seatbelt before he pulls it down, safely strapping you into the seat. You think he’s about to pull away again but his forehead comes to rest against your temple, your breath hitches in your throat at the mere contact.

“I’m sorry,” he exhales into the soft of your cheek, nose nuzzling against it for a second before his warmth leaves your skin.

You can feel your heartbeat pounce against your every pulse point, erratically threatening to leave its safe space. But despite its restless temper the answer comes to you clearly.

It’s restored.

~

Your head pounds against your skull as your eyes begin to flutter open – the god-awful hangover you can already feel kicking at your nerves as you adapt to the light that shines through your window. You have a bad habit of not closing your blinds before going to bed and today, it’s a problem.

You lay there, staring at the ceiling as you try to steady the beat of your heart at the recollection of last night’s events. At the mere thought of it – of his face, so painfully close to yours, his eyes taking you in, his touch on your skin – the butterflies settle back into what seems to be their favourite place lately.

It’s hard to put a feeling so ethereal into words. You wonder how it’s possible for something so delicate to hold such complexity yet at the same time for it to feel like the easiest thing in the world.

Jungkook is, without a doubt, an enigma. All the blind spots in a puzzle that feels impossible to bind together yet when it fits, the way your bodies found each other’s yesterday, it falls into the big picture seamlessly.

You’re mad at your brain for not letting you fully enjoy the light, soaring feeling of your heart – the way you feel warm all over when you think of his face. The same face your gaze held impossibly close yesterday. Every single mole on his honey skin, the way your mind fell in a trance, an endless game of connect the dots as you held a particular focus for every single one. It’s the closest you’ve felt to adoration and as you pulled him closer, you decided you wanted to do just that to him.

Adore him.

You groan, hands coming to cover your face as you try to collect yourself, falling back into the sensical scheme of things. The reality – your reality.

You need coffee and fresh air – a much needed walk in the park with a, presumably, loved-up roommate and best friend. Who, most likely probably, has one hell of a story to tell.

You get up from your bed, making your way to the closet as you retrieve a pair of biker shorts and a beat-up vintage Rolling Stones shirt you found in a garage sale for a fiver. It is your comfort shirt and immediately, its superstitious effect soothes you.

You make a pit stop in the kitchen, brewing some coffee and fixing it just the way Lucy likes it – warm and sweet, a little drizzle of cinnamon at the top. You smile, remembering the way hers shone last night. You throw a handful of ice on your own cup before you grab them both and head to her bedroom.

“Good morning, lover.” You say.

She’s wide awake, resting on her side, cheek flushed to her hand as she smiles at her phone screen that she holds awfully close to her face.

“Hi,” her answer is brief but her tone of voice is laced with a sweetness you don’t miss.

“One to ten?”

“Ten,” she ponders for a minute, “thousand.”

You gasp, a shriek leaving your lips as her giggles join your excitement.

“What? Oh my- wait. What are you doing in your own bed? Is he- is he somewhere in here?” You begin scanning the room frantically.

She rolls her eyes playfully. “Where exactly would I hide a full Jimin in here, ___?”

You visibly melt at the softness her voice takes at the mention of his name.

“I need to know. Everything.” You place the coffees in her nightstand before you’re jumping inside her covers as she makes room for you – both your arms resting in her soft pillows, head cocked in the palm of your hands.

“Wait- you’re not mad?” She wonders, voice a tone nervous.

“Why would I be mad, Lu?”

“Because, you know… he’s Jungkook’s best friend.”

You shake your head softly, smiling at her before you reassure her, “No. I’m not mad. How could I ever be? You look so happy.”

“After the bar, we went to that diner – the one close to the library. We walked all the way there, too. He held my hand and…,” her eyes glisten and your heart flutters a bit. “It felt… right. We sat in a booth and talked. For hours on end. I could hear his voice forever.”

“Oh, Lu…” you lay flat on your back, staring at the ceiling. “Tell me more.”

“He kissed me.” She mimics your previous move. “I’ve never been kissed like that. I’ve never felt so… wanted. He broke down walls I didn’t even know I had, ___.”

Your hand reaches for hers, intertwining your fingers together.

“All this time I thought I had an idea of… love that was so unrealistic. I didn’t think it could happen, let alone to me. But he’s the closest thing to it. He’s so real.”

You think about your years of friendship with Lucy. The way you’ve witnessed as she’s changed, matured, grown out of beliefs and ideas that once kept her innocent – young. Yet the one thing she didn’t ever let go of is the idea that she was deserving of a love so strong, so striking from the very beginning.

If it’s not a hell yes then it’s a hell no, she would say, after countless disappointments that left her picking up shattered little pieces of heart as she gave them all so transparently, with a vulnerability you admired.

“He’s your hell yes.” You tell her.

She smiles, nodding her head. “I didn’t… tell him that, you know, I’ve never been with someone… like that. But I wanted to. I wanted him. Yet when the moment transitioned and it could’ve gone further than a kiss, he told me he didn’t want it to be like that. He said there was no rush. That we could take our time. That if I let him, he could literally lay me in a bed of roses.” She giggles, a bit shy at voicing out the memory.

You turn to her. “Lucy, I’m not going to have to resort to re-reading Norwegian Wood for a fix of romance. I have my very own starstruck one right next door!”

Your loud laughs fill the room and it settles down the air of uncertainty around you.

“He feels like every romance novel I’ve ever read. And more.”

~

A shiver runs down your spine, making you shudder. You don’t quite know if the cause is the abnormal chill that breezes through the summer morning or the nerves that brew at the pit of your stomach, traveling all the way up your throat, making you feel a bit sick.

You stand in front of Jungkook’s front door, waiting for the door to open – Mrs. Chae’s soft features offering you a smile, the smell of dark coffee, the glossy morning dew that adorns the green grass. Anything to make this routine you’ve adapted for the past two months feel familiar – normal. To give you the comfort of what becomes the ordinary once you settle into its steady rhythm.

The comfort, however, does not come.

When Mrs. Chae opens the door, her soft features are slightly fallen, as if she was immensely drawn into a restless train of thought. Soori is in her arms, abnormally quiet for her usual cheerful morning state.

You frown, taking her in your arms as her little body leans forward, grabby arms reaching for you.

“Hey, princess. What are you doing here, huh?” You coo, placing a soft peck on top of her forehead.

“Good morning, ___.” Mrs. Chae says, that warm smile back in its place.

“Good morning, Mrs. Chae. Did she have breakfast already?” You ask her, bouncing Soori in your hold a little, emitting a giggle from her. There she is.

“Not yet, no. Mr. Jungkook has asked me to tell you to meet him in his office.”

“Oh. Sure, let me just-”

“Now.” She senses your discomfort as you wince slightly at her words and she softens, “as in, as soon as you got here.”

“Okay. I’ll… just go then.” You say, placing Soori back in her arms before you turn around, heading the way that leads to the long hallway.

You glance back as you hear Soori’s faint whines behind you, fidgeting in Mrs. Chae’s hold as her tiny fists open and close in your direction.

You’re scared.

You don’t know exactly what to expect – a plethora of intrusive thoughts had been overwhelming you all weekend, trying to make out just how Jungkook would navigate about the whole situation.

Before he dropped you off, you had turned to him, waiting for him to say something – anything, to settle the nerves that were already starting to blossom as you became aware of just how far the line between wonder and temptation had been crossed this time.

The look in his eyes had been gentle, understanding even. Letting you know that he, too, was trying to make sense of it. It made you feel hopeful, to think that maybe, just maybe, he’d be willing to hold onto your moment for longer, to let you in as you both figured it out. Together. But your heart sank as his gaze dropped, voice back to that frivolous nature you’d reluctantly accustomed to.

‘See you Monday,’ is all he said.

Monday found you in front of the door to his office, hands shaky as you mustered the strength to finally knock on it.

You do – a couple of seconds of hesitation before you decide that it’s inevitable. Whatever happens, it’s all inevitable.

“Come in,” you hear his voice from the inside, a little muffled but already, the sound of it makes your shoulders drop, bracing yourself for the worst.

“Morning,” you say, closing the door before you lean against it, hands still behind you gripping onto the doorknob.

“Good morning.” His eyes remain glued to the stack of paperwork that sits in front of him for what feels like an eternity. He looks up at you, his head leaning to the side a bit – something you’ve noticed he does out of habit when he’s lost in thought.

“Are you going to fire me,” you run your words, an agitated ring to them.

He just stares at you but nothing in his dark irises give way to what exactly he’s about to say next and this makes you all the more nervous. He senses it, the way your chest heaves rapidly, shoulders tensed.

“No.” You look up at him, a mix of shock and relief taking on your expression. “Sit down, please.”

Your steps are somewhat lethargic, the initial nerve not having fully died down and now simply merging into another type of worry. Once you finally settle into your seat, your eyes lock with his.

“Jungkook,” you begin.

“We’ve crossed… a lot of boundaries. I want to apologize for that.”

His words feel like a stab, right at your heart. Sharp, cold, shooting pain through all your nerve endings. It hurts – thinking he sees what you did as something worth apologizing for. A mistake. It hurts and breaks and there’s nothing more than you want to do than ask him to take it back.

“There is nothing to apologize for, I- wanted it. I want-”

“I think we got carried away. We misinterpreted a lot of things. It’s not real, ___. It was all just a side effect of… curiosity.”

You.

He continues, looking away from your eyes. He fears that if he lets himself get lost in them for yet another minute he might break. He might finally lace all the words they hold together and he might just have to coincide with them.

He rather his own not tell you their truth, either.

You remain silent.

“I don’t want Soori to lose you, ___. We- can’t afford to lose you. You’re good for her and that is the most important thing to me. So… this can’t happen again. I hope I’ve made it clear.” He adds, eyes cold as they meet yours once again. You look away, fearing you might give into the impending tears.

“You won’t. Lose me, I mean." It takes you a minute but your eyes land back on his – hurt evident in them but something else Jungkook had yet to become familiar with. A void that unsettles him. “And yes. You’ve made it very clear.”

His eyes on you break you further – second by second. He just stares and it makes you angry. His carelessness makes you angry. His very little courage to try.

But your heart doesn’t let that feeling linger – it doesn’t let you put him in such light. You think of his own heartbreak, the same one that landed you in his door. You truly are a side effect, but not of curiosity, no. You are a side effect of the most painful thing to ever happen to him.

The realization settles upon you – shattering your heart, its fragility taking you aback as all the sense you make of the situation doubles as broken glass, breaking at your skin as you grasp at them.

It isn’t real. It never was. You have been the consequence of a loss of control. His heart walked away and you walked in. It never was real because he’d never see you as more than that.

“Can I go now,” you ask and he simply nods.

You don’t look back when you walk away and you might all of your courage in order to collect yourself.

For Soori.

And even if with half a heart, for him.

~

Her light is contagious and you’re grateful for it.

As the hours drag along you let yourself be softened by Soori’s laughter, her ever-green wonder, her loud baby babble that makes you wonder what exactly goes on in that head of hers.

She’s so loved. She’s so needed.

She’s the heart-mender and she doesn’t even know.

You rock her to sleep, chuckling a little as you look down at her, only to find her eyes wide open looking up at you – no hint of sleepiness in them.

“Hey, you. Go to sleep, missy. When you wake up, we’re going to eat and read and play.” She smiles at you, two tiny front teeth peeking. “We can have some of those dino nuggets your daddy’s afraid of because they’re non-gm-something.” She giggles at your words, nuzzling closer to your chest, lulling herself to sleep with the faint beat of your heart.

You bring her closer and when she falls, body growing heavier in your arms, you let yourself hold her for a little longer.

You can smell him on her.

Love is fragile but not futile, as opposed to feelings.

You break, letting yourself quietly cry as you sway her from side to side.

~

The pressure building in his knuckles as they land on the punching-bag is painful but Jungkook can’t risk gloved hands with a speedy Soori on the loose.

He looks down at her, sat in her play mat that is spread on the grass, a diverse selection of all of her favourite toys laid down in front of her. She doesn’t seem to be too interested, though. Tugging the fabric of her shirt up as she pokes her belly button in total awe.

Jungkook smiles at the sight, giggling softly to himself as to not break her out of her most recent discovery.

He’s proud of himself – of the way he’s managed to make their weekends worthwhile. It might sound ridiculous but he puts an exuberant amount of pressure on himself to keep his eleven-month-old entertained. He still hasn’t figured out if it’s hard or a belly-button-poking type of easy. So, he tries many things – some fancy some simple. She seems to enjoy the simpler things in life, though – her favourite being the water and this one pink rubber ducky that’s seen better days.

They’ve done it all this Saturday. Having woken up bright and early, made a mess out of the kitchen in a highly successful attempt at making French toast – another new favourite for Soori – and swimming in the pool, rubber ducky included.

He enjoys her company and he likes to believe she enjoys his.

Jungkook finds comfort in how hands-on he has to be with her new found mobility. She’s quick and sneaky and requires his full attention so she’d been doing an excellent job at keeping Jungkook distracted from the calamity of his own thoughts.

It’d been two weeks since your talk.

He’d done it all. Everything in his book to run away from his feelings. Even more – everything he could think of to ignore how restless he felt.

To the blind eye – nothing seemed to have changed. Morning kitchen meetings, doorway goodbyes, Soori falling into his arms in the same place he’d left her in and then you were gone until it was time to do it all over again the next day.

But, to Jungkook, nothing held your warmth – the light he’d grown used to. The one he didn’t quite realized he looked forward to every morning until it stopped keeping him warm.

You both did a stellar job at hiding it, though. Keeping on civil smiles and brief greetings – only letting yourselves linger on the eye contact for long enough so as to not dissipate the distance that you’d put within yourselves.

He throws a hard punch, not quite realizing the harshness of the action. It startles Soori, eyes coming to look at her dad in total confusion, chin quivering in the wake of a cry.

“No, no, baby. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he picks her up, bringing her close to him. “No more of that, okay? It’s done. It’s bye-bye.” He presses his lips to her temple as she calms down.

He feels stuck in a grey spot. Unknown. It makes him feel uneasy, just so fucking restless. His curiosity never died down and it’s then that it dawns upon him – he never let you in enough to know what the pain of losing you would actually be like. To know enough about you as to miss you – need you.

If the void in his chest is big enough to fit his longing now, he can’t imagine what it’d be like to know you enough to love you.

He reaches for his pocket, retrieving his phone. He unlocks it – pulse racing as he dials.

“Hey, Ggukie. Talk to me.” Taehyung’s voice rings against the speakers.

“I need your help.”

~

You’re being swarmed by little arms, tucking you in their embrace as they tickle you.

You pretend to squirm and attempt to release yourself from their hold, gasping in surprise as their loud giggles fill the room.

“Okay, okay. Free Miss ___.” You say but it is a lost cause as a troop of very determined kids try to seek revenge for the tickle attack they’d ensued from you a couple of minutes prior.

Dae is the first one to break free – his voice loud and excited as he says, “Uncle Jungoo!”

You freeze. Looking to your side to directly meet his eyes. He wears Soori in a baby carrier, a pretty yin and yang design adorning the front. He gives you a small smile. You don’t quite return it but you don’t divert your gaze from his. You smile at Soori, though, who’s jumping in his hold at the sight of you.

You walk closer to them, smiling at Taehyung as Dae jumps into his arms, showing him the drawing he’d painted during his free time.

“This is amazing, bud. You’re such an artiste. Mommy and daddy are going to have to start displaying your work in the gallery, huh?” He says, earning himself a big, crooked grin from Dae who nods enthusiastically. “Hey, ___.”

“Hey, he did so well today.” You say, smiling at Dae.

Soori shrieks, in need of your attention. You turn to her, smiling wide before you come to play with her little hands that stick from either side of the carrier.

“Hey, baby girl. What a nice surprise,” you coo, coming to plant soft kisses on her plump cheeks.

“Hey…” Jungkook says, voice low.

“Hey.”

“Can we- um… can I talk to you?”

“Sure.”

Taehyung grabs Soori from the carrier and helps Jungkook strap himself free, shooting you a warm smile before you’re both turning around, heading for a quieter space in the library, walking through the high shelves stacked with books.

“How are you,” he starts. He sounds nervous and it unsettles you.

“I’m fine. What’s wrong? Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry.” He says, your cold stare has his mind running around in circles. All the courage he’d mustered to come here fading away.

“For what exactly? I think you’ve apologized for your so-called mistakes already. No need to do that again.”

“I don’t think we got nearly close to making a mistake.”

You scoff. “Did we not? it seemed that’s all you saw it as back then, though.”

“Because it might be, ___.” He defends, voice growing exasperated.

“What do you know?” You whisper, tone harsh.

“I know enough. About mistakes and where they land you. How they feel like once you’re left cleaning up the mess they make.”

“Well, it’s good we didn’t fully commit to said mistake now, isn’t it?” Your words are venomous and they take you by surprise – but above all, they’re laced with pain. So much pain.

“Maybe it’s good. Maybe it’s bad.”

“I can’t with the back and forth anymore, Jungkook. What did you come here to tell me?”

“I can’t live with not knowing.” He starts, “I want to know. The mistake has been made. It was made the moment I let myself look at you, really see you. And it was made the moment I let you see me.”

You tried to suppress them but a fresh set of tears pool in your eyes – making your eyes shiny. It tugs at Jungkook’s heart and he wants nothing more than to hold you.

You surrender, letting yourself weaken before him. “Please – stop calling it a mistake. That’s so unfair, Jungkook.”

“You’re not understanding me, ___. Mistakes – fuck. They rule this world. It’s the one constant in this life. You’re bound to make them. What I’m saying is that… they can turn out to be the best- the best thing to ever happen to you.”

He thinks of Soori.

Of the day he met Ira.

He thinks of how big of a mistake he thought he was making when he hired you.

“Why are you so afraid of making them, then?”

He huffs, shaking his head. “That can’t be further from the truth.”

“So, it’s just me then. I’m the one mistake you’re not willing to make.”

“You’re the mistake that terrifies me the most. The very one that tests all of my rationality.”

You look at him. Holding his gaze, eyes not faltering once. His chest flutters – the way it hadn’t done in a while because you haven’t looked at him like this since that night in the backseat of his car.

It takes you a moment but you break your silence, a soft whisper – one last attempt.

“Then let go. Free the rationality from your actions and… treat me the way you would if you only listened to your heart.”

Your gaze falls to the floor, fearing having to look at him as your heart breaks all over again.

You don’t see him take a step towards you. You only feel his index finger, coming to rest under your chin before he tilts it upwards – slowly. Letting himself look for your gaze. When he finds it you’re met with starry eyes. The galaxies, his light.

You think he’s about to pull away when his hand travels to the back of your neck, pulling you closer in one swift, determined movement. Your mouth barely lets out the gasp that forms in your throat before he’s crashing his lips into yours. Arms snaking around your waist, flushing his chest to yours – two heartbeats finally blending together. Mending together.

You fall into him, knees weakened, a light feel to your bones as your arms entangle around his neck, leaning your head to the side as you melt into his lips, parting your mouth to welcome his tongue, falling into the dance of his kiss.

It’s your hands on the soft, warm skin in the back of his neck.

And the feel of his pink bottom lip tucked in between yours.

It’s his body leaning forwards as yours falls backwards, his big hands enclosing around your waist, holding you to him.

Every feeling intensifies and shoots straight to your heart – settling in your chest, your heartbeat thundering against it until you can feel it in your throat, merging with all the words that you’ve reserved just for him and this moment since the minute your soul subconsciously leaped onto his – sealing a pact unbeknownst to you at the time.

It’s your heart, on his lips.

That’s what the world tastes like.

~

YEP. i literally went “now kiss.” AND I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT IT! i feel like all the words i’ve put into this story have amounted to this moment right here and i cant wait to keep navigating their relationship. it's real guys. it's happening. i hope you are happy too! also, team JUCY y’all won. honestly from the beginning of chapter two i was like YOONGI. YOONGI’S HER BOY. but tbh i like to make y’all happy and ALSO jiminie got me with his dumb jokes on the last one too lol. two hopeless romantics. i want what they have. i really hope u enjoyed this one and that your hearts are well. i can’t explain how much i appreciate the love and i am sending it right back. do let me know what u thought – love talking to u guys. xxxxxx

~

★taglist★

@roro-in-utopia @yiyi4657 @littlrmills14-blog @namjooningelsewhere @drownforryou @iwanttohitmyself @finelinememories @yukiehyukie @shatzkrinslinzki @bts-fic-recs-mess @kokoandkookie @subtlepjiminie @girl-meetsevil @kookiesbreaky @di0rgguk @bloopkook @babyrosieareroses @kookiecrumb @casspirit0705 @eclectictacozinewobbler @tickledpink55 @rjsmochii @dimcorner @miniiimee @vintageroses10 @amyniu @tessxblxckthorn @emotionaltrashcansblog @fangirl125reader

[isabellebissonrouthier]

Characters Out Of Context

I was tagged by @promptinator-writes, thank you so much!

Rules:

➥ Include one character quote — of your choosing ⁠— from each chapter of your WIP (or as many chapters as you'd like).

➥ Give absolutely no context, save for what's between two parts of an interrupted sentence, should that occur. You may mention who said it.

➥ Have fun, no pressure!

Tagging: @asher-orion-writes @the-stray-storyteller @mjjune @caligraphyzev @writingmoth

***

CHAPTER ONE: Sophie raised her eyebrows. “But would maiming not also create a problem?” she argued. “And, besides, that is only marginally better than murder.”

CHAPTER TWO: “It’s a monster!” a bandit yelled, and Sophie was not quite sure whether she agreed or disagreed with the statement, though it left a bad taste in her mouth. “Kill the beast!” 

CHAPTER THREE: “And by ‘protect people,’” she said, “you mean protect her?” 

CHAPTER FOUR: Rena blew a raspberry. “Boo, boring!” 

CHAPTER FIVE: “Ollie, I’m not like anyone else in all of Thera.” 

CHAPTER SIX: “Are you ready to dance, Fabian?” Rena teased.

CHAPTER SEVEN: Sophie paused, before she finally said: “I think you would’ve helped them even if they had not saved us first.” 

CHAPTER EIGHT: Harley blinked, but was only a little surprised. “Yes, it’s pretty, but-” 

CHAPTER NINE: “If anyone could burn down a ship with a blue mage present, it would be Rena,” Joseph joked. 

CHAPTER TEN: “So?” she said. “Princesses can commit crimes, if they want to.” 

CHAPTER ELEVEN: “That’s a noble goal, but I don’t think a few books will change how they feel about us.” 

CHAPTER TWELVE: “I’m… excited?” Sophie said, trying to mend her mistake and instead cringing at the uncertainty in her voice.  

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: “Well, look who’s woken up,” came a voice of amusement from just behind him. 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: “Okay, that’s fine,” Rena said eventually. “Because I already have a plan.” 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: “Excuse me? Of course not!” 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: “What the fuck?” Rena exclaimed, her mouth having fallen open. 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Genevieve paused, before continuing to speak. “Does your family know?” 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: “I have no interest in getting myself killed.” 

CHAPTER NINETEEN: “Well, with all the money she makes, I suspect she’s doing quite well for herself,” Caine responded, finally looking away from Rena – her golden strands of hair, shining in the sunlight, her matching eyes that looked like fresh honey – and turning to stare at the view. 

CHAPTER TWENTY: Rena grinned. “Oh, I’m not worried about that. I’m too smart to be fooled by something like that. I know my people too well.”  

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Lucy raised a delicate eyebrow. “Really?” she said, softly unsurprised. “Well, I do hope to read it someday.” 

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: “I hope someday you find a place where you can be yourself,” he said. It looked like there was more he wanted to say – words sitting on the tip of his tongue, awaiting a passage through his lips that never came. Whatever they were, he kept them to himself. 

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: “You might think you’re intimidating, but I just think you’re adorable.” 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: “Too afraid to face me, Caine?” she called out. “You need a purple mage to hide from me? I didn’t know you were a coward.” 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: “You let your guard down.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: “Don’t,” she repeated, her voice coming out just a little quieter. 

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: Harley laughed again. “Do you even know how to throw a punch?” he teased, nudging her arm with his elbow.

[bws-main]

I had a seizure this morning and now feel like crap so please take these short hcs of the Obey Me boys trying to help (this is my desperate bid to comfort myself ok leave me alone)

Lucifer

- Looks calm but absolutely panics. He just sees your eyes roll up into your head and you drop without warning, and for a horrible second he thinks you died

- Is smart enough not to grab you while you're seizing and just kneels beside you as it plays out

- When you resurface he scolds you in typical angry protective mama Luci fashion, asking if you're alright, angry that you worried him but so relieved that you don't seem to be injured

- Does some research afterwards and learns how best to help you if it happens again. Is much calmer the second time, and if it's not too violent, will hold your hand until you come back

Mammon

- Yes he's the one that cries, what about it?

- Listen. He loves you a lot, ok? Watching you suddenly lose consciousness and start, quote, "thrashin' around like that!" made him think you were doing death throes

- When you come to he's bawling, a total mess, hollering for his brothers (*cough* Lucifer) to come help you and begging you not to die

- Is clingy for DAYS afterwards, practically hovering over you and insistently holding your hand any chance he gets. Refuses to let you out of his sight and even spends the night in your room

- Never really gets used to your seizures and always panics a little when it happens. Is always a bit misty eyed at the end, because he really fucking loves you and would be devastated if you died on him! So no dying, ok?!

- Makes you promise not to die on him 🥺

Leviathan

- The first time it happens you two are squirreled away in his room, playing some new video game that he'd been eager to get his hands on. You suddenly get a really terrible hot flash and your whole head starts tingling, and you barely have time to warn him. "Levi, I'm gonna-" and that's all the further you get before you're slumping over

- You land semi on his shoulder, semi in his lap, and he jerks his arm away all confused, demanding why you're getting all touchy all of a sudden!

- Then notices that you're seizing and freezes on the spot. He just completely shuts down. Leviathan.exe has stopped working. Kind of blindly staring at you in horror because he has absolutely no idea what to do, what's going on

- He remains stiff as a board until it passes, and can barely squeak out an, "Are- Are you ok? Normie? H-Hey, no dying in my room! Not in game or irl!"

- After you explain what happened, he readjusts his floor gaming set up. Adds more pillows, and gets you a big comfy beanbag chair. That way, if it happens again, he doesn't have to worry about you falling or hitting your head

- Reads up a little bit on seizures and their cause (i.e. he specifically seeks out a manga that has an epileptic MC and takes it for fact, but. He's trying) and tries to make sure you don't come in contact with any crazy flashing lights or drink too much alcohol

Satan

- He is definitely the most prepared. Once you became a permanent fixture in their lives and he was undeniably fond of you, he read up on pretty much every human ailment known to man, from the common cold to the bubonic plague to even, yes, seizures.

- So when it happens, he's sure to catch you, making sure you don't hit your head and quickly lays you down on the floor. Makes sure you're spread out and aren't in danger of smacking anything. Puts your head in his lap as a cushion, and pays close attention to be sure you aren't going to bite your tongue

- Uses his sleeve to dab your forehead as you're coming out of it, asking in a surprisingly tender voice if you're alright. Asks if you're feeling dizzy or confused, asks your name, current location, age, etc., just to make sure that you're ok

- Makes you a nice mug of warm tea afterwards, puts you to bed if you're feeling tired after the ordeal, and even offers to read to you to help you calm down

Asmodeus

- You guys are having a bath when it starts, and he's just going on and on and on about how great you're going to look after his special new conditioner works it's magic and the bathwater rejuvenates your skin. He barely notices you suddenly slipping under the water

- Thankfully, the seizing causes splashing and then he notices, and of course freaks out. Grabs you under the arms and pulls you up above water, calling your name in a panic and wondering what's wrong!

- He gets you out of the bath and laid onto the floor, fretting that you had inhaled some water and clearly aren't ok!

- When it ends he's kneeling over you, sparkling tears streaming from his eyes, and you've barely started to sit up before he's throwing himself at you, sobbing into your neck and clinging. Demanding to know what that was, feverishly asking if you're alright, apologizing in a panic.

- When you tell him that yes, you're alright, he pulls back from the hug just enough to grab your cheeks in his hands and rain kisses all over your face, still sniffling because he was so worried!

- Begs you never to do that again, citing that he'll get worry lines otherwise, and more importantly, "What if you fall and bruise that beautiful face?! I couldn't bare it, I just couldn't! You mustn't ever do that again, for both of our sakes!"

- He wuvs you and treats you to some extra special pampering that night 💖

Beelzebub

- Unfortunately, he's the idiot that picks you up. He means well, but seeing you just suddenly drop like a sack of flour makes him worried! Definitely has flashbacks to Lillith's death, watching her fall after being shot from the sky, so he scrambles over to scoop you up and book it. Either to the House of Lamentation or to Purgatory Hall, whatever's closer. Either Solomon or Lucifer will know what to do!

- Being jostled around as he full on sprints with you right after coming out of that vulnerable state is no good, and you end up getting sick. He's very apologetic as he rubs your back while you heave, questioning if there's anything he can do to help!

- When you explain what just happened, he feels terrible. He didn't know! Looks like a kicked puppy as he apologizes, hands hovering over you, unsure what to do to help!

- He takes you back to the House and insists you go straight to bed! Makes you some soup, a very gentle broth to help settle your stomach and replace the nutrients you lost! He keeps himself from eating it on the way back to your room. That's how much he loves you. This is your special feel better soup, he can't steal from you!

- Probably insists on spoon feeding you so you don't strain yourself

- After you're feeling better, he asks that you teach him all about proper seizure response so he'll be prepared for next time

Belphegor

- You're sitting together in the observatory when it happens, and when you suddenly flop over backwards he kinda snickers. "Aw c'mon, falling asleep sitting up is my thing."

- Promptly notices you're seizing and just goes o.o

- Scoots away from you so you don't smack into him, but is immediately right by your side again when it's over

- Asks if that's some kind of weird spontaneous nap thing that humans do. When you tell him that no, it's definitely not, he gets kinda mopey. "Aw. I thought I could grab us each a pillow and a blanket."

- You explain to him that it's not crazy life threatening or anything, so he doesn't need to worry. He huffs that he wasn't worried (yes he was) and he knew you were going to be fine (no he didn't)

- Bullies you to come back to the attic with him for proper post-seizure napping procedure. Doesn't even steal the blanket and let's you be the little spoon for once. Holds onto you very tightly, and only then do you notice his hands are subtly shaking.

- You carefully wiggle and turn over so you're nose to nose. "Hey," you gently tell him. "Really. I'm ok, I promise. Ok? I promise. I'm not going anywhere."

- He clings to you tighter, moving to bury his face in your neck. Mumbles that you better not, and he's gonna hold you to that

- Next time it happens, he's ready with a pillow to slide under your head and a warm glass of milk afterwards to help soothe your nerves

You are very loved. The end (◕ᴗ◕✿)