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actual-arrrchie · 10 months

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What are some of ypurMichael/Jeremike headcanons? Could you share them with us?

Oooooh there's SO MANYYY These two are all I've been thinking about for over a year now and I don't plan to stop anytime soon lmao Putting a read more in there so you don't spend 10 years scrolling past this post

MICHAEL W. AFTON (voice claim: Kenai from Brother Bear)

His full name is Michael William Afton, he never mentions his second name to anyone for obvious reasons though

He was born in Utah

Autistic

Bisexual

Big sharp canines

He has vitiligo

He's a momma's boy

Pathetic wet cat boyloser

Clara and William divorced when the kids were very young. William got to keep them because he had better income and could provide "a better home" for them. He made it impossible for Clara to meet the kids again and told them that mom doesn't love them anymore. Michael didn't want to believe it but as the time passed, he eventually did

Clara was writing letters to the kids but William would burn them all before they could see them

Michael took the worst traits after William, unfortunately. He deals with sudden mood swings and serious anger issues

He was never taught a healthy way to cope with his emotions.

Michael sucks at explaining what he feels so he would often get frustrated and angry when people don't get why he's feeling a certain way

He's been dealing with night terrors every since his parents divorced

William always treated Evan and Elizabeth better than him so he feels jealous of them. Evan was too little to truly understand what's been happening around him but he did have a feeling that it's unfair, Elizabeth on the other hand was a daddy's girl and despite feeling like Williams wasn't giving her enough attention, she still always agreed with him and would stay on his side

Michael breaks stuff a lot. His room is always a mess because of this. He tore apart countless sketchbooks and notebooks, broke mirrors and even threw furniture around. After this kind of anger outbreaks, he always breaks down in tears and cries himself to sleep

Mike rarely looks in the mirror because of his many times people told him he looks just like his father. He never looks at family photos either

Michael and William have more in common than their appearance. Mike's small gestures and body language are exactly the same too. He hates it because people point it out all. the. time. There's nothing ha can do about it though

Even tho Michael hates his father, deep inside he still desperately craves his love and attention so he clings to any, even the slightest bits of kindness he gets from him. That makes it really easy for William to manipulate him and make him do whatever he wants him to do

Michael gets in fist fights a lot

He's not a stranger to violence in general but he's also really anxious and insecure. He always feels like he has to prove to everyone that he's nothing like William but most of the times it only shows how similar they are

Michael only cries when he's sure nobody can see it. William used to yell at him for crying when he was a child so he learned that he can never show any weakness

After the bite of 83, Michael experienced really bad panic attacks when he was exposed to animatronics or even his Foxy mask.

William would still force him to help in the pizzeria and make him work with the robots on purpose

Michael was forced to help at the diner/pizzerias since he was only 8 years old. Even when he was older, he never got officially hired there. William would just pull the "I pay for everything, you live off of my money so you owe me" card and make him work

He was anemic when he was about 13-14 years old, mostly because of how quickly he grew in that time and bad eating habits

Michael frowns a lot, not only when he's angry or irritated though. He tends to frown as a default expression which leads to a lot of misunderstandings

He's REALLY bad at taking care of plants

He loves cats and animals in general

JEREMY "REMY" FITZGERALD (voice claim: Seán McLoughlin aka Jacksepticeye)

Irish

Nonbinary [he/they]

Gay

Has two older brothers

Himbo

Big dumb silly idiot

Jeremy was born in Galway, Ireland and moved to California with his brothers and parents when he was 3 years old

They moved to Hurricane, Utah 16 years later and lived alone since

BIGGEST QUEEN FAN

Absolutely adores plants and has so many of them in their small apartment

Did construction work before getting a job at Freddy's

Has lots of religious trauma, all of it actually

Many piercings, most of them done by himself (idiot)

Has a big ivy tattoo

Was kicked out by his parents for being gay and struggled a lot to survive before starting a construction job. He even had to steal food a couple of times

Has ADHD

Has type 2 diabetes

Jeremy always dreamed about having a beautiful home with a big garden with lots of flowers and other plants in it but the best he got was a small old apartment filled with plants in pots.

They're very allergic to cats but that doesn't stop him from shoving his face into every kitty's belly

Jeremy was neglected as a child, his parents never planning a third child and not being too keen on having to raise another one. They put most of the responsibilities on their older sons which made them dislike their youngest sibling from the very beginning

Mary Anne and Patrick (the parents) never really tried to hide their indifference towards Jeremy, at east when they weren't in public. Because, naturally, they would hate for people to talk badly about them

Jeremy spent most of his childhood alone in their room, wandering the streets or spending time with Citlali, their best friend, and her parents. Remy adored them all and preferred hanging out with them over being with their own family

After moving to Utah he became very open about their identity. Moving away from his parents was difficult but also provided a whole new opportunity to finally be himself and make their own decisions

there is A WHOLE LOT more but this is all I've got in my head right now saiduhsada SHAMELESS PLUG TIME BUT YOU WILL LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT MY JEREMIKE IN THE FIC I'M WRITING, IT'S CALLED "Insufficient" ON AO3

#fnaf #five nights at freddy's #jeremy fitzgerald #insufficient au #fnaf au #michael afton #headcanons #my au

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revvnant · 11 months

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Misconception: He didn't love his brother. Is that.... True?

send me a misconception you think people have about my character and I’ll explain if it’s true or not.

heehee. so i'm gonna say heated things in this post, anon, and it's not because you asked the question. i love this question. when i strawman in here i'm referencing things i've seen in the tags and on other social media over the years. anyways, my first response when people bring this up is usually. that is an extremely complex thing to ask a teenager in michael's position. now, i'm not saying michael is The Victim, given that evan is literally dead. i'm extremely pro-michael responsibility. while it looks like the argument over whether or not he's the bully brother has died off somewhat ( or maybe i've just cultivated my experience a bit better lol ) i used to see so many Fourth Afton Siblings and it drove me insane. i craved that moral ambiguity, that is to say the ambiguity of the action / motivation, and the cloud that it left hanging over michael's story. i liked how it served a narrative where michael callously disregarded his sibling's safety and it got him killed, only for michael to try to be the best brother he could to his sister and lose her anyways, and in much the same way. i loved that michael wasn't perfect and rankled at the push for him to be distanced from the incident because it felt like people weren't willing to say that michael could be both a victim of abuse and a bully who got a kid mauled by taking a malicious prank too far.

which brings me back to the complexity. while it does not excuse michael's actions and certainly doesn't bring evan back, i don't think it's... disrespectful? choosing a side?? to say that michael was also in a bad situation. like. based solely off what we see in the games, michael and evan are on their own. we always see them home alone in an empty house. evan walks to and from freddy's without supervision ( not super unusual, but also something that, at the time, was becoming less common -- i like it as a prelude to the mci, where parents would stop allowing their children to go out alone ). he's spending time at a venue he not just dislikes, but is terrified of, on the regular -- and we don't know why, but i've always assumed that either william is bringing him to work with him or michael is dragging him there after school ( with evan then being free to walk home if he wants to, but he's also clearly discouraged from doing so, given the number of times he tries to 'escape' ). and now he's having his birthday party there. at the very least, his father is negligent. the only family member we see him with is michael.

we're entering headcanon territory now, so be warned of that. while i do a lot of research to back this up, i will also be upfront in saying that i'm spinning a narrative because i think it's appropriate for the setting and want to explore it. hence, there's nothing authoritative here, and i understand if it's not people's cup of tea. that said, michael is the oldest afton sibling. in a lot of places, especially that part of america, eldest / older children are expected to help raise their younger siblings. given that we don't see william around, let alone a mother, i've always come away with the impression that michael was left with a lot of the daily care of the kids. get them to and from school, help with their homework, make sure they shower and brush their teeth, etc. to some people that may sound extreme or dramatic, but it's reality for a lot of kids. they're made to grow up more quickly than their siblings or only children out of necessity. this isn't a blanket judgment of this practice, because 1) utah is not the only place on earth this happens and the cultural context in other places is different, so i don't want to smear that and 2) teaching children some responsibility is not necessarily a bad thing in my eyes.

it is, however, a lot of pressure on a kid. i've made michael four years older than evan and eight years older than elizabeth. those aren't insignificant age gaps, but while he slots more 'naturally' into that parental role for his sister, he and evan are much closer in age. he's twelve when evan is eight, fifteen when evan is eleven ( where i've placed the birthday party in the timeline ). he wants to be hanging out with friends and doing his own thing, and he's being held back ( in his mind ) by having to watch his siblings and, horror of horrors, take his brother with him when he goes places. probably not unusual for where they're living, again, but still. this would normally lead to some inter-sibling resentment, but there are additional layers to this.

one, i think michael struggles in school due to his situation at home. i think both the absence of his parents and the responsibility of watching his siblings are crunching his brain, and he's mentally ill and dyslexic in a school system not designed to accommodate him. if he doesn't make sure his brother's homework gets done, he gets in trouble. forget his own homework. if william and diane are working late, he's responsible for dinner. then he has to get them to bed. once that's done, he can do his own work / shower / whatever else he needs to do. he's exhausted.

two, he is being abused. the degree to which varies from person to person but this is my blog and i say that william was physically abusive. not only do i think there's more than enough evidence of this in the games ( midnight motorist, his comfort killing children when he has kids of his own ), but secondary research has all but proven to me that you almost never see cases of child killing without abuse going on in the house. you just. as a baseline. are not simultaneously a kind parent and a child murderer. to have your own children and to be comfortable killing somebody else's children may seem like two separate things in fiction, which is why i'm not against people saying that william was 'only a little' / not physically abusive, but in real life that just... doesn't happen. and my blog for the sci-fantasy horror series about possessed bear robot is historically inspired so we all just have to live with that.

a few things with the abuse, though. firstly, michael is learning violence in the home. he is being conditioned to accept physical harm as the norm, and his father is setting the example that the right way to cope with your emotions is to lash out. and not only is mike experiencing the normal heightened emotional state of puberty, he's angry and confused and upset because his father is mistreating him. he's being hurt and he has no one to appeal to ( another big historical theme for me: a lack of intervention in hurricane; not their children, not their problem, and heaven forbid someone tell another man how to run his household! ), he can't get away from it unless he wants to pack up a little rucksack and flee ( i do believe this happened at least once and he quickly got found and returned to his parents ), so he just has to sit. and stew in it. and not understand why it's happening. because there is no good reason for it. i'm very much not like. 'william abused michael because michael acted out!' the opposite, in fact. michael acted out because he was being abused -- and because he was a teenager! and that idea always rubbed me the wrong way because, to be quite honest, abusive parents do not need a 'reason' to hurt their kids. they don't need an inciting incident. i know parents are people, but abusive parents -- parents with a pattern of violence -- are gonna do what they do regardless of how their kids act. they can say there's a reason for it, but if there isn't? they'll invent one. so there shall be no 'mike was a bully and william started punishing him more harshly' here.

secondly, michael has to cope with his situation differently than his siblings. evan is a crybaby -- and rightfully so, given what he's going through! he also lives with an abusive father, though i don't believe he's william's usual target; that house is a nightmare and he is in it with the rest of them. plus, his brother bullies him! i would cry! but i think the crying is something that michael grows to resent very quickly. michael isn't 'allowed' to cry; he's a 'man', his father expects more from him. michael 'has it worse' than evan, so what does evan even have to cry about? michael doesn't cry when he gets mistreated, and 'nobody's' mistreating evan. evan, as far as michael is concerned, is being waited on hand-and-foot by him. he's the one helping with the homework and tying the shoelaces and walking him to school and picking him up at the end of the day. he's the one losing sleep and weekends with friends to take care of him. what the fuck could evan ever have to cry about? by that logic, maybe michael should give him something to cry about -- like william gives him something to cry about. because that's what real men do.

thirdly, as implied above, michael is the barrier. he's the oldest, he's the one who looks like william, he's the puberty-riddled mentally ill punk-leaning problem child. he is his father's target of choice. and i think he took pride in that fact when it first began, that he could take it, that he could serve as a shield. but he's a child and that didn't last long. how could it? he was being hurt. he just does not have the capacity to be like, 'no, i can do this for their sakes and be happy about it, it's good that it's me and not them.' few adults can do that without developing resentment for the people they're 'defending' ( especially when that's not what's really happening -- they're not 'defending' their siblings / children / etc. from anything, they're just being attacked ). but michael can't fight back against william. william is a grown adult and his father. so he gets mad at the only person he can do anything against in this equation: the other victim.

so we have a kid at an age where he normally wouldn't want to be hanging out with his younger brother, but he doesn't really have a choice. maybe some teasing would be normal, but this boy has been subjected to violence, and has, in his frustration and confusion, turned this violence upon his only feasible target. and it is violent. it's horrible. but is this hatred? is this evidence that michael hates his brother? i don't think so. i think they are in a fucking horrendous situation and they're just trying to survive. i don't think removed and sweeping concepts like 'michael loves his brother' or 'michael hates his brother' ( as if the two are mutually exclusive? ) apply here. michael took care of his brother. you could call that love. michael tormented his brother. you could call that hate. michael intended to frighten and maybe even hurt evan, but not to kill him, and it still resulted in evan's death. did he do it out of hate? if hate here is shorthand for 'a desire to see evan dead', no. if it's 'a desire to make evan uncomfortable and upset', maybe!

but like. i dunno. abusive households are like a pocket dimension. you need years of therapy to unpack that shit. i don't think sitting down and casting judgment on michael based on whether or not one believes that he 'hated' his brother is fair or worthwhile. with all that going on above, it's not even a thought exercise i'm interested in, if the end goal is to rank michael as a Good or Bad person. rather, i want to explore what would lead to an incident like that. maybe michael loved his brother, but in that house, expressing that love in any sort of healthy way was not an option. and that's far more compelling to me than 'michael was born bad' or 'michael is an unfeeling monster'.

#anonymous #W3. HEADCANONS #abuse cw #child death cw

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favefandomimagines · 3 years

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How Dare You? (t.s.)

Summary: your ex fiancé leaves you for another woman but he was quickly replaced and runs into you four years later.

AN: i’m on a tommy shelby kick for some reason so enjoy this piece of work that I have no idea what it is. very inspired by my tom holland fic ‘why?’

I also have baby fever so that’s why i’ve posted like four things that have to do with babies lol

It came as quite a shock when the news broke that Tommy left you. Or rather told you to leave. He was so enthralled with you from the very beginning, that no one understood why he’d tell you to leave.

Then as you were saying your round of goodbyes, you told them exactly what he had told you.

“Darling, it doesn’t make sense why he’d say that to you.” Polly commented as you stopped by the shop when Tommy wasn’t here. “He, uh, met someone else. Told me that she had something different and that he fell out of love with me.” You explained painfully. “Who?” Polly asked. “That new barmaid at the Garrison. Grace I think it was.” You answered.

Polly’s nephew had done a lot of things in his life but she was considering this to be the worst. “And he just told you to leave? Without any regard for where you were going to go or if you had any way of taking care of yourself?” She questioned. “Seems that way, yes. He doesn’t care about what happens to me. I guess I was just a placeholder until someone better came along.” You spoke.

“Now don’t say that about yourself, Y/N. You are a wonderful woman who accepted Tommy for who he is. The second Grace gets a taste of his life, she’ll run for the hills and he’ll regret ever letting you go.” Polly told you.

After you said goodbye to Polly and the rest of the Shelby’s, you hopped on a train to London to start a brand new life. A life that wouldn’t consist of the insecurities that came with being in a relationship with Thomas Shelby.

Shortly after you arrived in London and got settled, you found out you were with child. It came as a surprise because you were always under the impression you couldn’t have children. Your mother didn’t have the best of luck when she was trying to get pregnant at first until she had you.

You came from a family that was very well off and was higher up when it came to status. Which was why it was interesting to your parent’s circle of friends that you ended up with the notorious Thomas Shelby. Your family, however, were always the kind to support your decisions. But they couldn’t lie and say they weren’t happy to see you home.

But having a baby out of wedlock was still very much frowned upon. Thankfully, you had a childhood friend who claimed to be the baby’s father whenever anyone asked. His name was William and was the definition of a perfect gentleman.

Neither of you had romantic feelings for each other so this was an arrangement that didn’t overcomplicate anything. He was there for you and was happy to do so.

Luckily, Ada Shelby was still in London and she had helped you during your entire pregnancy. But you made her promise not to tell Tommy or John or Arthur. Not a single Shelby other than Polly was allowed to know.

You gave birth painfully and with Ada by your side. Your son, Oliver, looked exactly like his father. Especially the eyes. The piercing blue eyes that had haunted your dreams for months. But now you had a new blue eyed boy who craved and needed your attention.

As you were raising Oliver, you quickly realized that he may have gotten his looks from his father but inherited your personality. He was a spitfire and had loads of energy.

William became a godsend on days when Oliver wouldn’t stop moving. You could only keep up with him for so long before you tired yourself out. For four years, William was by your side helping you raise Oliver. But still, nothing ever came of it and both of you were okay with that.

Which was why when you received a letter from Polly, asking you to bring Oliver for a visit, you immediately asked William to accompany you on the trip.

“Alright, love, we have all of your toys and your blanket. Are you excited to meet Aunt Polly?” You asked the young boy as you boarded the train. “Yes! She has treats, right?” Oliver asked. “Only if you’re good.” You replied.

William could see your apprehension as the train began to move. “Are you nervous?” He asked you. “Terrified. I don’t want him to meet Oliver. He doesn’t deserve to meet him when he told me to leave. I’m praying we just visit Polly without having to run into him.” You answered.

As far as Oliver was concerned, his father was exploring America and was going to be gone for a while. But you made sure that Oliver knew his father loved him. Even though you didn’t really know if he did.

Oliver was fast asleep when you arrived at the train station, William carrying the small boy in arms as you grabbed the small bag you brought. “So this is where you ran off too?” William asked as you walked the streets of Small Heath.

“Yes, it is. It’s more than how it looks. Now, I need to warn you about Polly. She can be very intense.” You told him. The three of you arrived at the betting shop, Polly having told you Tommy would be out of town for the days you were visiting.

You opened the door and saw the woman sitting at her desk. “I’ve brought you a surprise.” You announced, the woman looking up at you. “Oh, let me see him!” She spoke, quickly getting up and approaching you.

“Polly, this is your great nephew, Oliver. Oliver, this your Aunt Polly.” You said gently. “Do you have treats?” Oliver asked her. “For you, my dear, of course.” Polly replied. “And who’s this?” She asked, looking at William. “I’m William ma’am, it’s an honor to meet you.” William introduced himself.

“He’s been helping me with Oliver. He’s just a friend.” You added. Polly nodded her head as she looked from you to William.

The three of you sat down at the desk while Oliver sat on the floor playing with a toy train that you packed for him.

“He’s been asking about you.” Polly said. You let out an annoyed sighed as you massaged your temples. “She left him. Apparently, she had been spying on him the entire time. Trying to take down the family. We can now say that Thomas Shelby has been fooled by a pretty face.” She added. “After what I’ve heard, he deserved it.” William interjected. “I like him.” Polly commented.

You smiled at her before you spoke. “John and Arthur can’t know about Oliver. They’d just tell Tommy and it would be so confusing for him.” You said. “He won’t hear it from me. And Ada won’t speak to him.” The woman told you.

The door to the shop swung open, alerting the three adults and the four year old. Once you made out who it was, you quickly stood up and picked Oliver up off the ground.

“Y/N?” Tommy questioned. “We were just leaving.” You muttered quietly. “Who is this?” The man asked. “Tommy,” Polly scolded. “Who is this?” Tommy asked again.

“Take him outside please.” You whispered to William, handing him the boy. He gave you a nod before moving past the intimidating man. “An answer, Y/N.” Tommy commanded.

You gave him an incredulous look upon hearing those words. He had the gall to demand answers from you after what he did?

“You don’t get to demand anything from me anymore, Thomas. It’s been four bloody years.” You sneered. He hated how his full name sounded coming from you. Even when he was telling you to leave, you still called him Tommy.

“Who were those people? Your new husband and your child?” He asked, clearly irritated at the thought of you being with someone else. “How dare you? How dare you get upset if I moved on from you? You gave me no other choice when you kicked me out and told you didn’t love me anymore, leaving me with nothing.” You replied.

“If you must know, that’s William and Oliver. William has been my friend since we were 12. And Oliver is my son. He’s four.” You added.

You could see Tommy was adding up numbers in his head and you could see the realization form on his face. “H-He’s mine?” He asked. “Technically, yes. But the only thing he gets from are you are his looks. Other than that, you are not his father. I don’t think you ever will be.” You answered, pushing past him.

But he was quicker than you, grabbing your wrist gently, stopping you from exiting the shop.

“I have a son? And you felt the need to keep it from me?” He asked. He wasn’t angry at you, he was angry at himself. He had hurt you so bad that you didn’t even want his child to know him.

“Yes. Because I was not about to subject him to the same heartbreak you put me through. That boy saved my life and I’ll be damned if he has to feel an ounce of what I felt when you said you didn’t love me.” You said quietly.

Tommy slowly let go of you, letting you leave the building. He watched as you left, taking your child from William.

“I’d be surprised if you ever saw either of them again.” Polly said, Tommy forgetting she was even there.

But the woman was right. He didn’t think he’d get another chance to get you back.

A few months after your visit to Small Heath, it was Oliver’s fifth birthday. William had gotten engaged and you strictly told him to spend time with his future wife. You loved the girl so you held no hard feelings towards her.

It was just going to be you and Oliver but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You were very fortunate enough to get him some presents so as you were setting those on the table for him to open after dinner, there was a knock on your door.

“Stay here, darling. And no peeking.” You told Oliver, who was standing by the table.

You opened the door and saw Thomas Shelby standing at your doorstep. “Can I help you?” You questioned. “I know I don’t deserve it but can I please meet him?” Tommy asked you, his voice softer than the last time you spoke.

“Tommy,” You started. “She left me. If you didn’t already know. She had been lying to me the entire time just trying to bring down me and my family. I told her I left you to be with her and three days later she told me everything. But by that point it was too late and you were already gone. A temporary moment of temptation and weakness made me lose the one person who has been by my side for years. I gave you so many reasons to leave and you never did. I took you for granted, Y/N, and I love you.” Tommy finished.

You looked at him for a moment, trying your best to keep up your poker face. “And I can’t keep going knowing that I left you alone with our child. A child I haven’t met.” He added.

“He thinks his father is in America. I didn’t have the heart to tell him anything else when he asks about his dad.” You spoke. “Did he know that day that I was his father?” Tommy asked.

You wanted to say no. You wanted to say that Oliver had no inclination that Tommy was his father but that would be a lie. Because every night, Oliver slept with a framed photo of his father on his nightstand. You hated Tommy for what he did to you but your son needed to know that he had a father out there.

“I think so. I never told him about you but he has a photo of you that Ada gave him. I didn’t want to take that away from him because he deserved to know his father loved him.” You finally answered.

“I do. I do love him and I love you. And I want to be apart of both of your lives again. I need to.” Tommy said. “I hope you understand the severity of the situation you just put me in, Tommy. Oliver is right inside.” You told the man. “I-I know and I don’t deserve even a second of your time but I needed to tell you how sorry I am for what I did.” He said.

You looked at him for a moment before peeking back inside at the young boy. Who was trying to sneak a peek at his presents.

“Okay. Y-You can come in.” You said quietly. Tommy’s head snapped up, wanting to make sure he heard you right. “Are you sure?” He asked. “Yes. No matter how much I hate to admit it, he needs his father. Especially on his birthday.” You replied.

“Mummy, can I open my presents yet?” Oliver’s voice came from inside. You wiped the tears that snuck away from your face before plastering a smile on your face. “Actually, darling, mummy has a very special present for you.” You said, stepping back in the house.

Tommy followed you and watched as you moved aside for the boy to see him. “Look who came home for your birthday.” You commented, kneeling down to Oliver’s level.

“Daddy?” The boy questioned. “Your daddy came home just for you.” You said. Both you and Tommy were anticipating Oliver’s reaction. The little boy smiled and ran to his father who didn’t hesitate to scoop him up in his arms.

“You won’t be leaving again, will you?” Oliver asked. “No. I won’t be leaving again, I promise.” Tommy told him. “Okay, love, let’s have supper and open up your presents.” You said to him.

The evening went well. Though it was awkward for you, Oliver had no problem telling his father about all of his adventures. Though once he was fast asleep in his bed, cuddling the new teddy bear you got him, you and Tommy were left with many things unsaid.

“Thank you for letting me stay.” Tommy announced as you stood at the counter cleaning the dishes. “Oliver deserved to have his father here on his birthday. Even if you were away for the first four.” You replied. “You did so well with him. He’s just like you.” The man said.

“My mother said the same thing.” You replied. “But there’s no denying he’s the spitting image of his father.” You added.

Tommy could see that the whole evening was a bit emotionally exhausting for you. But he had been looking for you for months and thinking about you and his son since he saw you. He couldn’t leave without you.

“Y/N, do you still love me?” He asked. “You really aren’t beating around the bush, are you?” You replied. “Because I love you. I-I said I stopped loving you that night but I didn’t mean it. Grace was new and the thought of new sounded exciting but hurting you and putting you through that pain wasn’t worth new and exciting.” He continued.

“Of course I still love you, Tommy but I don’t know if I can trust you again. Especially with my son.” You said. “I will do whatever it takes to gain to your trust. Even if it takes my entire life, just please come home.” Tommy said.

This wasn’t the kind of decision you could make on a whim. You had to think about if you were ready to uproot your son and your life and start over again.

“We will come for a visit and we will see how it goes before I decide to take Oliver away from his home.” You answered. “That’s all I need. I promise you, I will never hurt you again.” Tommy replied.

“That’s a big promise to make, Tommy. And if you break it, you will never see me again.” You said with a steady voice. Tommy knew you meant it.

You were the butt of every joke for so long from your parent’s friends and he knew he was asking you to be put back in that position. Not only that, but he had hurt you in the worst way possible and he was asking a lot of you to go back to that environment.

“I won’t, I never intend on breaking another promise to you.” He told you. Tommy could tell that you so badly wanted to believe his words but you had been burned by them before. You weren’t so keen on trusting a single word he said.

“You can trust me now.” He said. “Can I? I put all of my trust in you before only for it to be crushed.” You told him. “Yes, you can trust me. When you come home, I’ll prove it to you.” He said. “This is just a visit, Tommy. It’s going to take a lot for me to not only trust you with me but with my son.” You said.

Tommy nodded his head at you before you turned back to the task you were doing. He should’ve known it wasn’t going to be easy getting you back, but he had to take what you were willing to give him. Because you were right, it wasn’t just about you anymore, it was about your son too. And Tommy planned on stopping at nothing to make his family whole.

#imagine #imagines #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders #thomas shelby imagine #thomas shelby #tommy shelby imagine #michael gray #polly gray #john shelby #arthur shelby #thomas shelby x reader

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nanaminsonyfans · 3 years

Text

Comfort Headcanons

masterlist

a/n; not requested but i need this rn. its more of a vent piece rather than anything else. as for the second half, those are personally all my thoughts and worries with my scars. like a i, a vent piece.

warning; mention of periods, s*lf harm, scars, and poor body image.

Being on your period with him

Mark

Mark came home late as usual to see you clutching his sweater he wore everyday. You were curled up in the fetal position and groaning. You looked almost dead. He got worried immediately.

"Y/n, baby." He whispers softly, wrapping his arms around you, not even bothering to take his super-suit off. You smiles a little at the comfort and warmth of him against your back and waist.

"Yes?" "What's wrong?" "Cramps...." You mumble, almost embarrassed. What if he didnt want to be around you. Even though you've been dating forever, and you usually stay at his place, that fear was always in the back of your head.

"Period?" You just nod, chewing the inside of your cheek. "What are you craving?" He was so sweet, even if you weren't craving anything and told him so, he would still get you something.

"The frozen yogurt from that place in Australia." You mumble and he gets up. "I'll be right back with that, then I'll change and cuddle. Deal?" You smile at him, he loves your smile so much.

"Deal."

Rex

Rex had been cuddling you back at the Guardian headquarters. He knew of your monthly, tracked it even. He may be a douche but he cares for his s/o.

So here he was, holding the heating pad against your waist, rubbing the balls of your hips softly. His hands were rough from being a hero but, sometimes it was nice.

The way you were secure in his arms made you feel safer than ever. You're blinks got more slow as you tried to watch the movie with your boyfriend. He chuckled softly, your back vibrating being of his laugh.

"Baby, just sleep...you'll feel better if you do." "But....'anna....'end time 'ith yous..." You slur, half awake. "You are babe. Now sleep...." Rex kisses your head softly, earning a hum from you.

"g'night...."

He sees your SH scars for the first time

Mark

You two had been dating for awhile. Not long enough to have sex just yet but, long enough to have heavy make outs. But currently you weren't doing that.

It was Mark's birthday and you took him to your family's lake house. William, Eve, and Amber came too. It was easier to convince your parents that way.

You stared at your reflection in the mirror.

The swimsuit was cute, it suited any body type, but it showed a little too much...of your hips for your liking. You shook your head.

You did everything to try and get rid of the scars. Coconut oil? didnt work. Foundation? Also didnt, pls you were going swimming. Bandages? too obvious-

You were snapped out of your thoughts when there was a knock on the door.

"Hey, Y/n, you gonna come out yet?" "In-In a second!" You panicked. Fuck! You cant go out. it went from your hip to a little bit of your thigh. He was gonna fucking notice-

"Are you okay? I'm coming in-" "No dont-!"

He came in. At first he was awestruck by you. You looked amazing in that! His eyes wondered and he saw.

Yeah you had a few scars on your arms, but those healed, they werent as discolored as the ones on your hips. Didn't help that you would basically relapse every other week.

"Y/n-" "I-I know...you probably think I'm ugly an-and an attention whore and you dont want to be with me anymore. That's fine- i wouldn't want me either-"

His soft fingers trailed across the scars. Mark placed a small kiss on your forehead, a small yet sympathetic smile.

"I love you. Nothing will change that. Okay?" He says with those amazing eyes. Eyes that were telling the truth.

"Okay."

Rex

This man was handsy. So if you relapsed, the next day he knew, or he knew something was up. You opened up about it once, but he said he didnt care, as long as you were okay.

You weren't okay.

After a relapse, the next day you would cuddle Rex, his hands would go to your hips and you would flinch, then wince. It stung.

You never bothered to clean it because, you deserved this. Everything bad happening to you was of your doing.

You knew you were a horrible person. You didnt know why the fuck Rex would he with someone LIKE you. What the fuck made you special? You don't deserve any of this love or happiness.

And thats why you relapse. Because you dony deserve it. You dont deserve Rex, your friends, or being a superhero.

Right now, you were cuddling Rex. You had shorts on that were riding up a tad, showing more of your thigh. You didn't notice that your scars and discoloration from said scars were visible, until Rex's thumb grazed eyes over it.

"Y/n...you said you stopped..." You thought he was disappointed in you. Who wouldn't be? Plus you fucking lied to him. But no, it was just concern.

"I-I know and im sorry." You whisper and grab his hand, pulling it away. "You probably dont want me now. I'm ugly. I'll never be as attractive as Eve or Mark or Kate or-or..."

You cried as you stumbled over your words, cursing at yourself.

"Stop it." Rex looked stern. "I love you. You could be a turtle for all i care and id still love you. Even if that is beastiality." "Turtles can speak-" "Yeah but...." You let out a small giggle.

"Whatever." Rex grumbled with a slight smile. "But, no matter what, i will love you. Forever. Okay?" You nod, hugging him. "Just....come to me next time?"

"I'll try." "That's all i ask for..."

#invincible #mark grayson #rex splode #rex sloan #mark grayson x reader #invincible x reader #rex splode x reader #rex sloan x reader

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omegalomania · 3 years

Note

I think tumblr ate my ask or it just didn't sent but what are your favorite Bastille songs / what are some songs you recommend?

i did NOT get this ask im very sorry anon.

it's genuinely hard for me to narrow down cause bastille is pretty up there in terms of favorite artists. i love all their shit, but a special mention goes out to their second studio album wild world since it's the one that made me a Fan

uh so here's a primer i guess i spent too much time on this lmao.

if you wanna listen to their big hits:

flaws - their first single in the uk. if you ever listened to ship playlists on 8tracks in like 2013-2015 then you've probably heard this song or a variant on it at some point.

pompeii - this is the song that really put them on the map and you definitely know it. it dominated the charts all over the place.

happier - the marshmello song that you've definitely heard before too. i think bastille wrote this for justin bieber or some shit but then decided they liked it too much to give it to him? lmao. anyway if you're not digging the version you hear on the radio all the time i recommend trying the stripped down version

good grief - their big hit off their second album. big in the uk, didn't really make as many waves elsewhere, but it's a really solid song anyway. one of those "upbeat tunes that's actually really fucking sad" ones

things we lost in the fire - another one off their first album. if you live in a wildfire area this might not be one to turn to. or maybe you'll find it cathartic idk i certainly do!!

quarter past midnight - a song about escapism, as was fitting when it was released in 2018 and equally fitting now. running away for a night of fucking around with friends, craving any kind of brief departure from the chaos of the modern world

skulls - this one was not a hit or a single and is technically a bonus track but i'm including it because once again if you ever clicked on a ship playlist on 8tracks in like 2013-2015 you've heard this one. and you know what that was justified this one is also good

if you wanna feel existentially depressed:

their whole discography. i mean i kid but i also don't. that's just kind of how bastille does it. BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS ones that hit me in particular would beeee

two evils - kind of a grim, haunting one introspecting about morality of the self.

oblivion - musing about the afterlife, love, and how time changes all of us.

those nights - contemplating what it is we seek when we plunge into reckless escapism, and the inherent loneliness of it; how even when surrounded by people there's still the pressure of the world outside, continuously coming to pieces

the draw - this one was written about the pull of pursuing a career in music vs. staying home with family and friends. in a broader sense, it can apply to a lot of things. i always felt it resonated with feelings of paranoia and displacement

winter of our youth - discusses childhood, nostalgia, and regret. if it feels like everything's slipping away, is it easier to relive the past, especially if the past is tinted rose?

sleepsong - loneliness, desperation, and the cyclical, abyss-like nature of all it encapsulates

if you want discussion of serious topics:

final hour - a bonus track off their second album that also became a bonus track off their third album? anyway this song talks about climate change and gun control. happy stuff

doom days - this one talks about, uh, everything! doomscrolling, political divides, escalating national tensions, climate change again, etc.

the currents - a song centered on political rhetoric and the power that figureheads have over the masses, the way they can orchestrate hate. basically it's not so subtly aimed at donald trump lmao, dan's literally sung it as much in a few live settings

WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? - social media addiction and the way capitalism and corporate interests have annexed our online experiences, fighting desperately for our attention as they seek to monetize every available aspect of our lives

four walls (the ballad of perry smith) - well this one is about uh. perry smith. who was charged with the death penalty for killing 4 people in the late 50's. but it's less directly about him and more a discussion of the morality of the death penalty and capital punishment

snakes - burgeoning anxieties and the impulse to turn to easy outs, like ignorance or alcoholism, to escape the world's global problems

if you want some pop culture sprinkled on top:

icarus - greek mythology. i like this one because it addresses something that i feel isn't addressed enough in discussions of this myth, which is that icarus is a very young lad. less about the pride of the fall, and more about the inherent tragedy of that.

laura palmer - the whole song is a david lynch shoutout. i've never seen twin peaks myself but the song still slaps.

daniel in the den - christian mythology. discusses the biblical tale of daniel in the lion's den and links that up to themes of betrayal and family.

poet - this one's a double feature, referencing both william shakespeare's sonnet 18 and edmund spencer's sonnet 75. also one of my favorites.

send them off! - this is another one of my favorites of theirs. it's also been described by dan as "othello meets the exorcist" and it very much delivers there

if you want something uplifting:

joy - while bastille (understandably) has a bit of reputation as a band that makes sad music about sad things, they've definitely got some happier songs in their catalogue. pun intended cha ching. this one's one of their more straightforwardly happy tunes

survivin' - this was a song they wrote while they were touring and then felt weird about releasing once the panini hit because it felt a bit on the nose. they ended up releasing it anyway and i am so glad they did cause it's a mood

act of kindness - the "happy" part here is debatable but i'm gonna include it anyway. it’s when someone does something nice for you and that impulse Changes you way down deep you know???

warmth - one of those "the world's going to shit but at least we have each other" kinds of tunes

the anchor - one of those "the world's going to shit but you're the one fucking thing that's still keeping me here" kinds of tunes

give me the future - their latest single as of this writing and one of the more optimistic tracks in their catalogue imo! it's yearning, but it's also with a genuine hope for the future.

and LASTLY. because im going to take every chance i can to plug this band. im going to throw some collabs and covers at you because there's one thing this band does SUPER well and it's collabs and covers.

of the night - this is the big one. it mashes up rhythm of the night by corona and rhythm is a dancer by SNAP! and it's so good they still do this one live and it goes off every time.

no angels - a mashup of "no scrubs" by TLC and "angels" by the xx, poured into a strangely mournful tune with clips from the hitchcock movie psycho. doesn't sound like it should work but it does. kinda really does.

torn apart - with GRADES and lizzo no less!!! it's got two parts but they're both excellent listen to them both

weapon - collab with angel haze, dan priddy, and F*U*G*Z and one of my absolute favorites

remains - remix of their song "skulls" but featuring rag'n'bone man and skunk anansie that adds an entire new dimension to the song, really fucking excellent

old town road mashup - lil nas x's old town road meets lizzo's good as hell meets radiohead's talk show host meets talking heads' road to nowhere meets the osmond's crazy horse. "what the fuck that shouldn't work" i KNOW and yet here it is!! BLATANTLY BANGING!!!

we can't stop - one of the few times dan smith subtly changes the lyrics of the song he's covering (most of the time he opts to keep the original pronouns and the like, which is very nice to see). anyway this one mixes miley cyrus's we can't stop with eminem's lose yourself and billy ray cyrus's achy breaky heart. and also the lion king's i just can't wait to be king is there. yes i know it sounds batshit especially because the whole thing is surprisingly melodic and heartfelt and you know what it works.

anyone but me x nightmares - mashing up joy crookes' anyone but me with easy life's nightmares and absolutely one of my favorites.

bad guy mashup - how many songs can they include with the word "bad" in the title? we've got bad guy (billie eilish), bad decisions (bastille), bad romance (lady gaga), and bad blood (taylor swift). bastille even has a song called bad blood and they didnt use it. they used taylor swift's version. also the distinctive guitar riff from dick dale's misirlou is there.

somebody mashup - how many songs can they include with the word "some" in the title? someone like you (adele), somebody told me (the killers), somebody to love (queen), use somebody (kings of leon), and someone you loved (lewis capaldi). seriously these guys take mashups to a new level.

final song - this is a cover of MØ's final song. it also adds in craig david's 7 days and, impossibly enough, europe's final countdown. how does it work. how.

ALL RIGHT. THATS ALL IVE GOT IN ME. HOPE THIS HELPED ANON AND IM SORRY IF THIS IS TOO MUCH

#askin hours #anon #bastille #ill put this in the bastille tag why not #this is predominantly a fall out boy blog but if any bastille bloggers are out there....all like 20 of you....#i see the work u do in this fandom and i love u for it

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wyn-n-tonic · 3 years

Text

Golden, Like Daylight -- Part IV

Word Count: 1,925 Warnings: PTSD. Drug use. Ben Affleck. Panic attacks. Bullet wounds. Smut (not explicit but it's there). A/N: Your kind words mean literally everything to me and I have been sobbing between the warmth shown to me over this series and also how much I love Francisco Morales and want the absolute best for him.

MASTERLIST | PART: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX

Gif by: @uuuhshiny

Luna hasn’t stopped wailing since Sunday, the one and only day Frankie said he wouldn’t be able to call.

It’s Thursday and both their lungs are close to giving out.

One Morales woman hyperventilating herself into fitful sleeps, the other only sobbing through held breaths in stolen lonely moments of peace and quiet.

Kristyn had taken up residence in the spare room, making sure Leah slept and ate. She was the one who cashed in Leah’s sick days with the school, forging a bullshit sick note when she went into work.

Leah is currently distraught because her husband might be dead in South America, we don’t know.

That’s what the first one said, dashed out on the keyboard in a petty moment of frustration. She might be the only one of Leah’s sisters who didn't want to lob his fucking head off every time she shed a tear but it didn’t mean she never wanted to do it.

Patient is suffering from a prolonged migraine and intensive nausea. Follow up appointment scheduled for next Thursday at 9am.

That should fucking do it but she’ll have to start checking off the vacation days soon. Dip into family leave for Luna.

Alexa held her on that first Monday, talking her through the panic in a puddle of spilled coffee. The paper cup splashing across their knees in the hallway as concern emanated from the AP Lit room at their backs.

Somewhere at the base of the Andes, her husband was being pried out of a crashed helicopter by the only other men she’d ever truly loved. William was shot, Benny was reckless. She felt it all in her body as she was driven home, helped into the shower, held in her bed but not by the arms she craved.

“He's coming home,” Deana brought dinner that night, her big sister cutting into her steak like she was a child at risk of choking again, “he will do anything he can to make sure of that.”

“What if he doesn’t, D?” Leah’s taken on the stare, everything and nothing all at once, “what if he doesn’t come home this time?”

“I promise you, Lee, okay?” She reaches out to push aside hair damp with tears, “I've never seen a man so in love.”

“Yeah…” she’s quiet, “he promised me too.”

And she told him to stop making promises because he doesn’t keep them.

I think you put a baby in me, Francisco Morales.

The tears well over her eyes, spilling onto already salt stained cheeks.

He made love to her like it was the last time he would ever see her, the last chance he would ever get. He poured his entire being into her, drunk off the feel of their bodies together. She could feel him in the hollow of her ribs, an aching that called out for the comfort of his beating heart against hers again.

Would that be so bad?

She sobbed out, startling Luna’s own ragged cries again, afraid that she would never know warmth against her cold hands again.

—————

“Hey,” they're huddled against the onslaught beneath a barely-there cliff, labored breathing in tandem, “you still with me?”

Frankie’s panic attack came on slowly, a rolling storm in the distance the moment the helo crashed in the valley.

Bad landing.

His fight or flight response has his lungs in a vice grip but he still manages a laugh, “I think I should be the one asking you that.”

“You know it’s gonna take a lot more than a stray bullet to fuck me off,” he’s smiling but Frankie knows how much blood he’s lost, how long it takes for a wound like that to clot without medical intervention.

It’s true, it’ll take a lot more than a stray bullet to take William Miller but that was before, when they had back up. Out here, though? Surrounded by his brothers in arms? Having done what he just did?

Francisco Morales has never felt more alone.

“Fish,” William hits his knee against his, “where are you?”

His eyes refocus on the tepid water pounding all around him, the world coming back as he takes a deep breath, “are you afraid, Will?”

“You gotta be more specific, Frank, I’m terrified of everything.”

He’s quiet when he speaks, “me too,” barely above the downpour.

He sees Will nod in his peripheral, “I know.”

“Will, I’m afraid I’ll never see them again,” and when he chokes, he realizes he’s been crying.

“No, you can’t think like that.”

“I know, but I can’t stop it either, like…” trailing off, he lifts his face to the pressure of the water; it’s the sweetest thing he’s felt in days, “what if this is the last shower I ever take?”

“Fish…” Will reaches for him but he’s cut short.

“No, listen to me. If anything happens to me out he—“

“Nothing is going to fucking hap—"

“Shut up and let me finish,” his rage and sadness is burning hot through him, it takes everything within his being not to choke on air as he speaks again. “If anything happens to me out here, Will, take care of my girls. Please.”

The blond nods his head, heavy with exhaustion and pain, “until the very end of my life, Frankie.”

The relief that spreads through his body is better than any drug he ever tried, he feels himself slipping into an upright sleep, his heart at peace for the first time since he left his bed.

“But,” Will’s voice catches him on the edge of consciousness, “I would also face down the end of my life to make sure you see them again, do you understand me? If the only thing standing between you and a bullet is me, don’t fight. Leave me there and run like hell. You’re going back to your family.”

“But if I don’t make it…”

“Fish,” Will's laugh is drenched in the space between them, “are you saying it’s your last will and testament for me to marry your wife?”

“Fuck off,” his words are clipped, strained, “and don’t call me Fish.”

—————

They still, eyes up to the screen of the baby monitor as they hold their breath for another sound from Luna’s room. The baby settles back into silence, her small chest rising and falling on the grainy feed.

He remembers Leah opening the military grade surveillance equipment at the baby shower, the shake of her laughter as she held onto Benny’s shoulder to anchor herself to the chair.

“Should we check on her?” It’s small, a rushed question of a concerned mother.

“I said a baby monitor, Benjamin, not a prison security camera.”

“Absolutely not,” Ben grabs her hand, “This is better than any of that shit you’ll find at Target. Video means there’s no wondering either, you can just look up and assess the situation, more rest. That’s important, you’ll need to savor the little that you get.”

He pushes a lock of hair from her face, damp with the tears of the day and the sweat of the night, “no, baby, we don’t want to disturb her.”

“Yeah,” Will chimes in, his beer bottle held loosely in his hands, “Frankie should’ve been training you on sleep deprivation this whole time, you’re spec ops yourself now.”

“But what if she wakes up?”

“Well…” the corner of his mouth lifts to close the fan at the corner of his eyes, “it’s a good thing she can’t see us through that thing, right?”

“Francisc—“ the irritation of his name is finished in a heady moan lured from her body by another slow drag of his hips.

The crook of his nose slots against hers as he finds her lips again, the warmth of the room around them is nothing compared to their mouths on each other. Bathing in shared heat, her fingers entwine into the curls at the crown of his head, the other hand palm up to his chest. And as the beating of his heart races towards her burning touch, he submerges himself once again.

His firm grip holds the hinge in her leg, fingers digging into the sensitive skin that fills her lungs with fits of laughter and light. He braces himself against the bed, the aching in his forearm dulled by the soft, breathless whimpers intoxicating his entire being.

His voice is washed out when he finds it, “mi sol,” lips dragging across her own, “mis estrellas.”

Her eyes find his, heavy with admiration and trust. “Francisco,” she is drunk and drowning in the love of this man, “finish me.”

He shifts to cradle her jaw and as he trails his other hand up her thigh, he sinks within her once more. Finding his release against her own, he is convinced they’ll never be able to fully untangle again.

He presses a kiss to her nose.

My sun.

Her forehead.

My stars.

Her lips.

My whole sky.

—————

I think you put a baby in me, Francisco Morales.

He snaps back to reality, Santi and Tom’s voices echoing all around them.

His head is hot, he’s pushing past Will with concern set so deeply in his eyes he fears he’ll break right there.

Would that be so bad?

“Fucking bullshit!” Tom’s face is red, Santi having finally said what all of them are thinking.

He feels the weight of Leah in every fiber of his being, slotted perfectly against his body.

“We're all on the hook for this, are we not?”

I should’ve said no.

“God damn this fucking horse! Stop it!”

All those years blinded by loyalty to authority, Frankie never talked back to his leader but the man in front of him isn’t a leader. He’s a whiny child who’s lost his toys and Frankie hates him.

Biting back what he wants to say, he holds his hand up in a show of camaraderie, “Relax.” His finger quirks up as if he’s scolding a tantrum, “Relax. We’re not picking at the fucking scab right now, okay?”

Tom stares him down, like he’s weighing an argument against him too but Frankie’s done. He meets the taller man’s gaze, this man he would’ve died for.

“One foot in front of the other. Come on.”

This man he almost has died for.

“Let's go. Jesus fucking Christ.”

His true allegiances don’t lie to this man anymore or the gun at his hip. Not the money or the mules. He left that splintered fantasy about twenty feet back.

He’d throw this man over if it meant going home right now.

The money too.

None of it is worth a goddamn thing to him if it means he’ll never see the way that the light bounces off the gold in Leah Morales’ eyes ever again.

The same honeyed flakes in the brown of his daughter’s bright gaze.

I think you put a baby in me, Francisco Morales.

He made love to her like it was the last time he would ever see her, the last chance he would ever get. He wanted to pour his entire being into that woman, ensure that he would live on if lost to the Colombian jungle off a narco's bullet.

Would that be so bad?

He was scared but, truly, would it be so bad?

But it would be because he could truly leave her with nothing. No money, no husband, no father to her babies.

He lost count of the days he hadn’t called.

He makes his way up the mountain, following Tom’s bitching, wishing it was Leah leading him home instead.

#i believe in francisco morales supremacy #frankie morales #francisco 'catfish' morales #francisco morales #triple frontier #fanfic #fanfiction #santiago 'pope' garcia #santiago garcia #william 'ironhead' miller #benny miller #pedro pascal #ofc #oc #original female character #original character

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favescandis · 3 years

Photo

New Q&A with Alexander Skarsgård and Esquire Middle East

‘Alexander Skarsgård on pro wrestling, death metal, the joys of Godzilla vs Kong’ - by William Mullally, March 25, 2021

The Swedish star speaks to Esquire Middle East about his latest film, being home in Stockholm, and staying ripped for The Northman during quarantine

Alexander Skarsgård did not have the 2020 the rest of us did. There was no quiet quarantine, no tubs of ice cream devoured at three in the morning, no existential boredom, no staring out the window as we wondered if we’d ever be able to start doing things again.

No, Skarsgård had to spend the year staying in the best shape of his life to play an honest-to-god Viking warrior and Nordic prince Amleth in Robert Eggers’ upcoming epic The Northman. Not that he minded, of course.

Skarsgård is in a very good place. Before The Northman, he filmed Godzilla vs. Kong, which was one of the most joyful experiences of his career. It’s a film that is much better than anyone could have hoped, that fixes the flaws of the previous outings of the franchise in Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of Monsters by making its supporting characters actually interesting to follow—including Skarsgård’s turn as a conspiracy-loving mad scientist named Nathan Lind—and making the battle between the legendary behemoths the stuff of Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant.

Esquire Middle East caught up with the 44-year-old Swedish actor, who is aging like a vampire, fittingly enough, over Zoom ahead of the film’s release.

Read the full ESQ&A with Alexander Skarsgård below:

Alex, it’s great to see you again. How are you?

I’m pretty good. You’re in Dubai, right? I’m in Stockholm, Sweden at the moment.

How long have you been home?

I’ve been here for two months now since I wrapped The Northman.

How’s that been?

Yeah, it's been really nice. I mean, it's obviously a difficult time, but considering everything, I'm lucky, because everyone is doing alright. It's a nice opportunity for me, as I'm constantly on the road normally. It’s great to just be home, and not just for a week around Christmas or weekend over summer. I actually get to be here and spend some real time with my family.

You didn’t have any downtime in 2020?

Well, I was actually shooting for most of 2020. When the pandemic hit, I was in Belfast about to start filming the Northman, then we shut down for three months, and during that I had to train basically. It's a very physical role, so I had to keep working out. I was still in work mode for the whole lockdown. Then in July, we started shooting till the end of the year.

Did you prefer it that way?

I was very grateful to be able to work. It was definitely different from the normal set because we were completely isolated. We got tested three times a week and I basically lived in a bubble up in the hills of Northern Ireland and didn't see anyone didn't do anything for six months other than work and sleep and train.

I have a friend Adlai who lives in that village in Northern Ireland and I kept trying to get him to go break into your set because I needed to know more about this movie.

It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The most amazing experience.

You’ve been making a habit of working with great horror filmmakers, with Robert Eggers (The Witch) on the Northman, and Adam Wingard (You’re Next) on Godzilla vs. Kong.

What’s interesting about all these guys like Adam and Rob Eggers is they produce these really dark and twisted movies but they are two of the nicest human beings I've ever met. They're so sweet and genuine.

What do you and Adam like to talk about?

Death metal, probably. He's a big metal fan.

Are death metal people sweethearts, generally speaking?

Yeah, actually. Sometimes I feel like that's sometimes the case when you meet musicians in death metal bands they're like the sweetest, loveliest people who talk about their grandmothers and stuff.

Why do you think that is?

Maybe it's cathartic. It's a way to get out all that dark energy onto the big screen or as a musician onto an album.

Did you and Adam click immediately?

I met him years ago for another project. We didn’t end up working together on that but it was such a memorable meeting that we stayed in touch over the years. He’s not only a wonderful guy but so intelligent, such a film buff who knew everything about not only the horror genre, but even just films in general. When Godzilla vs Kong came up, I was just really excited to get an opportunity to work with him.

Were the words ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Kong’ enough for you, or did something specific draw you to this one?

I think it was a combination. I had just come off of a couple of really dark intense projects. I did the Little Drummer Girl, which is a limited series based on the John le Carré novel about conflicts in the Middle East, and I just come off Big Little Lies, two seasons of domestic abuse.

Did you just need something different?

It was just really two of the most rewarding experiences of my career but also really, really draining really intense experiences. I was just craving something fun and exciting. I hadn't done any big tent pole matinee-style movies and since Tarzan.

But you said it was a combination—are you also a Godzilla nerd?

Oh man, I was like a little boy. I just got giddy when I saw the renderings, the drawings, the storyboards, like the world that they wanted to create. I thought tonally they were the right people to make this kind of movie because I thought they had the balls to go all the way and make it as big and crazy and fun as it as I think it deserves to be, with the right amount of sarcasm and irony, but while still taking the topic seriously, and the characters seriously, and really caring about both Kong and Godzilla.

Did you and Adam share a lot creatively back and forth?

Oh, yeah. He would run up to me and ask what if they run into a creature that almost looks like an owl and start explaining how it works. And then you start sketching something on a piece of tissue. And then a week later, he would come back with something amazing that the visual artists have created. To be part of that from an early stage is so exciting to me.

As a pro wrestling fan, that balance of ironic and serious you mentioned sounds awfully familiar to me. Did you guys make a pro wrestling movie on purpose?

It’s a lot like pro wrestling. Like, you want the fights to be big spectacular, fun, and entertaining. But you want to care about the wrestlers, right? You want to root for them. I think Adam did such a great job in finding that tone. They beat the sh*t out of each other on an aircraft carrier, but you also want to connect with these creatures and care about them. The movie asks, what does Kong really wants other than beat up Godzilla? What is he longing for in life?

That’s exactly what I think when I watch the Undertaker throw Mankind off Hell in a Cell.

Absolutely!

Godzilla vs. Kong is in theaters now across the Middle East

https://www.esquireme.com/content/51448-alexander-skarsgard-on-pro-wrestling-death-metal-the-joys-of-godzilla-vs-kong-the-northman-interview

Photo from WarnerBros. Entertainment. Thanks to SophTop on Delish for the find!

#Alexander Skarsgård #Godzilla vs. Kong #Esquire Middle East #Alexander Skarsgard #The Northman

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notyourordinaryrandomgirl · 3 years

Text

Silva's Revenant

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Chapter 4

The next days were like a blur. You mostly only stayed at the headquarters doing paperworks for the squad and also catching up with the Magic Emperor for all your travels.

One feeling is making you on the edge these days. The feeling of traveling and being adventurous. The adrenaline that it gives you, and it’s just been over a week since you went home but it is making you think twice if you really want to stay at Clover Kingdom.

“I understand,” The Magic Emperor told you when you opened the topic to him, “During the first months of my appointment as the Magic Emperor, I was so lost too. I longed for the fight and the blood to do something more physical with my magic.”

“That’s why you always sneaked on Marx during work?” You asked.

He chuckled, “It’s one of the reasons. Although people tell me that being inside the office is where I needed the most. I feel like I am not doing enough.”

“How did you overcome it?”

“I think I did not.” He looked at you more seriously, “I just saw the work inside is also as crucial as the work in the field.”

“The more I think I am not suited to just stay in the Kingdom. I mean I know I traveled for years and have seen so much of the world but I still feel I still can do something valuable outside.”

“I will help you. I will send you to more remote places inside the Kingdom, especially at the Forsaken Realm. I think you will feel it there more.”

You feel thankful, “Thank you, Magic Emperor.”

That’s how you roll the next day. You are busy preparing for all the information and much needed for your mission. Although you think it is not needed as you are used to utilizing what is present to survive but you cannot turn down the Magic Emperor’s request as you already did when he offered to send some Magic Knights with you.

“The Forsaken Realm is far from the Royal Capital. You should really prepare.” Charlotte said.

All the captains are present to discuss the given mission that will be passed to you. The Magic Emperor assigned you the 30% of the jobs for the Forsaken Realm, but you bargain to make it to 50% with the condition of letting the captains choose what to give to you.

“I think she is the least person we should warn about that. That woman lived outside the Kingdom for years, I think she had her worse than the Forsaken Realm.” William said.

You warily look at them as they exchange conversations in front of you.

“Watch her nail the jobs easily.” Yami grinned.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, but I still have some more room to grow.” You said.

“Very well said. I think we could give her at least 3 jobs from our squad, Magic Emperor.” Crimson Lion’s captain declared.

“Make it 5. It’s alright with me.” You bargained with him.

Fuegoleon looked shocked, “5 jobs from just one squad?”

“I actually want to take 5 from each squad if I could.” You bravely confessed to them.

“Hey, Y/N. Do you plan to live there?” Jack asked you.

It shook you more than the captain of Green Mantis expected, because the thought of residing there crossed your mind. As you would like to not cause any commotion anymore and to be fully committed to not be with their lives again, the Forsaken Realm which is far is definitely a great choice to be home to.

“That’s absurd. She’s a Magic Knight, she is also needed here.” Yami argues.

The Magic Emperor exchanged looks with you. It almost made you cough when your eyes met Nozel’s after. He saw your exchange with the Magic Emperor, and the way his face changed proved to you that he got the message behind it.

“But we can also not deny that a Magic Knight is very needed in the Forsaken Realm. I think the presence of the Magic Knights inside the Royal Capital and some on the Commoner Realm is enough to say that we have enough here, right?” The Magic Emperor intercepted.

“You are actually considering sending her there?” Charlotte asked, baffled.

“Yes,” The Magic Emperor answered, making the captains shocked, “If there’s no issue with her squad about it. I think I am planning to, besides its one of her proposals when she took the job.”

All the captains turned to you. You leaned back in nervousness.

“You just came back.” William Vengeance said.

“I think we cannot judge her. We are quite lucky she agreed to this, because she originally wanted to travel again outside the Kingdom. I also know that she is needed inside the Kingdom, so the least I could do is send her far where she can closely feel what she craves for.”

The captains’ reactions aren't shocking to you nor it mattered to you. All that matters is your captain’s say about it and Nozel Silva’s. Much to your mind’s saying his thoughts doesn’t matter but your whole being knows it does.

“You are okay with this, Dorothy?” Charlotte turned to your captain.

Dorothy was snoring but she raised an okay sign much to Charlotte’s dismay.

“I know this sounds like I am demanding from you, but I really…” You paused, contemplating whether to say it or not but you eventually did, “needed this. It’s a thing that I wanted for the Kingdom. The Forsaken Realm just as the name implies is actually being neglected whether we want to admit or not, it is a fact. I want to really do this.”

“I understand that, but…” Charlotte was perplexed about the idea, “To live there? That is too much. Maybe you could go back from time to time there.”

“Same sentiments here, Captain Charlotte, that’s why I was only considering. Whereas, as soon as she was needed here with my call she needed to go back. Pretty much like every Magic Knight. In the middle of the job or not.” The Magic Emperor says.

You looked down. You understand everything, you really do. This might just be desperation to leave out of their sight, or his sight.

The meeting drained you. You didn’t know why but it did. You decided to take a walk at the Magic Emperor’s premises, weighing everything you needed to do and accomplish. This felt foreign to you somehow, as you are used to doing what your instinct tells you for the past 5 years but now you actually have a superior who you respect so much and trusts.

“Is this about what Solid said?”

Your body snapped around. Nozel is leaning on a wall with his arms crossed on his chest. The area is almost dark if not for the moonlight letting you see his face.

“Captain Nozel.”

He scoffed, “Y/N. I’m talking to you as Nozel.”

Those words made you look away from him. No, you cannot address him as such. He is a captain to you, and it will remain that way.

“I can’t do that.” You quietly said, but you know he heard you.

There’s a long silence and it almost made you turn to see if he was still there but he broke it and spoke. The warmest voice he used since you returned. It’s so friendly and it’s making you ache for something.

“About your plans on permanently staying at the Forsaken Realm, is it because of what Solid told you?” He impatiently asked you.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, and I don’t think you even know what was said.” You remained staring at the moon.

“I do. Solid told me.”

It made you turn to him, but the intensity of his gaze made you blink. You looked back, staring at the moon, still perplexed by the eye contact.

“What was said was facts and his sentiments, Captain Nozel. We, especially you, cannot take that against him. He is your… brother.”

Your brother wanted me to get out of your life, permanently. Even Nebra, and if Noelle learned who I am she will probably do too, Nozel.

“A sentiment driven by purely emotions and no logical thinking is no argument anywhere. You should not let it get to you. Solid is just like that, you know him.” The last words were almost a whisper but it didn’t escape you.

You want to argue with him. How could he downgrade his brother’s feelings? Purely emotions? No logical thinking? Maybe he is right, but it is still valid and does need to be taken seriously. However, the moment his own will actioned to assure you to not think of it is too Nozel to you and it made your heart flutter like crazy.

“You should not be considerate to me, if it is against your family. You should not mind me. Do not take my side, Nozel. I know what I am doing. It is my decision.”

You called him Nozel, idiot!

“Y/N, I also know what I am doing and I know my siblings more than anyone. If I said, he didn’t mean what he said whenever he is driven by emotions and not thinking properly it is true.”

You frustratingly turned to him, “Nozel, by emotions or not, thought properly or not, what he said is all true anyway. Also, I don’t think he will say that if it is not what he feels.”

“Okay, let’s say it’s true.” Nozel starts to take his steps and it makes you shudder, “Your solution is to leave? Is that your solution to every dispute?”

“Nozel…” You stepped back to tell him he should not come near you any longer.

He stopped and he looked irritated, “Y/N. This is making me crazy and angry with you even more.”

Your chest tightened, but you did not bother as your shattered heart felt like aching. The waters in the brim of your eyes made you look away from him.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Apologize in my face, Y/N.” His voice is tense.

You looked at him. He starts to blur in your eyes. The emotions surging to you is making your thoughts haywired and your body stiffened. All you want is to run to him and embrace him tightly, which is what you won’t do. Your rational mind gladly is still with you on this surge.

“Nozel, I’m sorry for everything. I seriously apologized for all the pain I caused.” You said, clasping your hands in your chest.

“The hell you should.” His voice sounds pained. You are looking at each other’s eyes, and you could watch his eyes full of resentment towards you.

You wiped the tears that fell to your cheeks, “Nozel. I’m not asking for your forgiveness. Solid made it perfectly clear that I caused great damage to you, and I don’t think I could ever forgive myself ever for that. That is why I can’t ask yours. I am glad I met you, Nozel. I’m so thankful for all the words, lessons and love you have given me.”

He remained impassive and not moving. However, his eyes speak so many words that you don’t even wanna decipher. You don’t want to get your hopes up if ever you will read him wrong. You don’t even know him now.

“You idiot.” He said.

“You idiot, stop sulking and practice your magic.”

“I really like you, idiot.”

“Stop crying! Idiot, get up and beat that commoner!”

“You are such an idiot. What are these bruises? I told you to always take care of yourself, you idiot!”

Rush of memories went through you for all the times he called you that. It might look like an insult but you know Nozel Silva, it would take a moon to fall down the sky before he stopped calling people that.

“You hubris. Don’t call me that.” You retorted. Why does he always have to call me that, anyway? Can’t he think of anything? What? He calls every person an idiot now?

A smirked graced his lips, “You’re still an idiot.”

You frowned. He is hopeless. A royal is always a royal. They have no hope anymore. This made your heart feel lighter but still feel annoyed.

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#nozel silva #nozel #silva's revenant #nozel silva fanfic #nozel silva fanfiction #nozel fanfic #nozel fanfiction #black clover #black clover fanfiction #black clover fanfic

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pls-let-me-out · 3 years

Text

The Selection

For thirthy-five youngers, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince William.

But for Niccolò Jackson, formerly di Angelo, being Selected is a nightmare. It means leaving his home to enter a fierce competition for a crown he doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Especially when he knows that his family has rebel affiliations. Just one slip as he talks of them, and he will be executed for treason. So, when he is chosen to participate, he has a simple plan: get in, don’t do absolutely anything to attract the Prince’s attention, and be sent home after the first week.

Of course, things start going down-hill since the first day.

After saying good-bye to his younger sister Hazel, with the promise of writing, the last thing Nico wants to do is socializing with the other suitors. Not only would it be absolutely tiring, but he also finds it useless, as they are meant to be competitors for the same prize. None of them will cultivate any long-lasting relationship. Not that the others are too heartbroken to see him disappear, they have been eyeing him weirdly since he first set foot down the plane. He isn’t the one from the lowest cast, but most of the others are from the higher ones.

Nico is a Six, or has been so for the last few years. It’s the cast of workers. He doesn’t know how much of a background-check they’ve done at the Palace, how much the Prince actually knows about him. However, it has taken Nico exactly a look at the other two suitors from the lower castes (Elise, a Seven, a manual laborer; James, a fellow Six) to know that they are the charity cases. Every time a Selection is held, people from all castes (except Eights) are brought to the Palace, but it’s always clear that they won’t stay for long. They are often ignored by the other suitors and the Royals. It’s fine by Nico. He will be paid for staying a week.

The gardens are at least pretty. Nico has to admit as much. There’s a maze somewhere, which he doesn’t want to see even from afar, and old statues in white marble are scattered around. If Hazel were here, she would love the place. Nico finds it a bit overboard. There’s a golden plaque on the ground. Nico bends to read the descriptions.

“Forgive me,” someone says, and Nico almost jumps out of his skin. “Are you lost, sir?”

Nico turns around, hiding the cigarette behind himself. Useless, since it just makes the smoke come from behind him. The person he comes face to face with has widened blue eyes. Oh shit.

So much for not being noticed, Nico thinks. In complete silence, he stares at the Prince, and the Prince stares right back at him. Nico hopes that, if he gets away from the situation at hand quickly enough, the Prince will forget his face. Poor people probably look all the same to pricks like him, anyway.

“Hey!” The Prince exclaims, and a smile brightens his features. “You are one of the suitors, aren’t you? I’m Prince William, it’s nice to meet you.”

Prince William extends a hand, and Nico has to switch the cigarette in the other hand to shake it.

“Niccolò Jackson,” Nico says. Should he say that it’s nice to meet him? How is he supposed to know how to greet a Prince? He lets go of the Prince’s hand.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” the Prince continues. “However, shouldn’t you be socializing with the other suitors?”

Nico sighs. “It’s not really my scene. Sorry.” He shrugs.

“Oh.” The Prince rubs the back of his neck, looking around uncomfortably.

“You don’t have to stay,” Nico says. He craves peace and quiet, and he can’t get it when the whole reason he has been taken away from the family in the first place is right in front of him. “You can just go. I’m sure you have very important things to do.”

“I do, as a matter of fact. Greeting every suitor, for example.”

“Consider me greeted.” Nico nods one last time at the Prince, before giving him his back and inhaling the smoke of his cigarette. He really hopes they aren’t being filmed right now, or Sally will kick his ass once he gets home.

“I – you shouldn’t be smoking,” the Prince continues.

“Will you put me in jail if I do?”

The Prince seems even more taken aback, and Nico is starting to feel impatient. He wants to go home and sleep for the next few years, but he can’t, because of course he just had to be one of thirty-five idiots sorted from the whole kingdom. That’s just the kind of luck that follows him around these days.

“Well?” Nico asks again. “Will you put me in jail?”

“Of course no! But it’s bad for-”

“Bad for me, so mind your own business.”

And with that, Nico stomps away. They won’t even notice I’m there, Nico told Hazel before leaving, when she was still in bed with her hair wrapped in her scarf. I’ll be a shadow. I’ll sneak something out of the Palace for you, though. She laughed, until her lungs started burning again, and she got cut off by a heavy round of coughs.

Nico shares his suite with a guy named something he can’t pronounce. He’s a Two, an actor. He informs Nico of that himself, and also asks whether Nico wants an autograph. It’s almost heartbreaking, how Nico has to inform him that he has never seen any of his movies.

“It must be such an upgrade for you,” the guy continues, from where he is perched on the sofa, watching him unpack through the open door of the bedroom. “Passing from being a Six to a Three. You know you will be a Three when this is all over, don’t you? Of course I will remain a Two, unless the Prince chooses me. Then I’d be a One. Don’t you find it so-?”

Nico doesn’t hear the rest. He closes the door, muttering something about taking a bath. He just sits on the bed, and lets the hours pass. He doesn’t get out of his room until it’s dinner time, when they are brought food into the suite. Actor-boy tells him that he will be dining with the girls in the next suite, and leaves Nico behind.

The following day the suitors have breakfast together. Only one place is left vacant at the table, by the time food arrives.

“Is it for the Prince?” The girl next to him asks another. “Should we wait for him?”

The other shakes her head. “Oh, no. It’s for Drew Tanaka. She will be having breakfast with her family, though.”

Nico furrows his eyebrows, sipping his coffee quietly. Shouldn’t that not be allowed? They can keep their phones and contact their families, also post on social media, but they shouldn’t be traveling home. And does she intend on traveling home every day?

“Her father’s a lord,” the second girl responds. “Her family lives here.” She snorts. “Didn’t you research anything about the other suitors?”

“I didn’t think it was allowed.”

“And it isn’t,” a third girl says. She sighs. “Honestly. Just don’t talk about breaking the rules so openly at the breakfast table. You don’t even know who is listening.”

Nico feels her eyes on his face, but he doesn’t look up from his coffee. Once again, he wishes he were in his own home, even if it means having to deal with Percy and his obnoxiousness. Maybe he can stay just for a few days, thinking better about it.

When breakfast is over, they are brought to a circular room. The smell of flowers in there is almost nauseating, and Nico wishes he could open the windows. But Jasmine – the woman who showed them around yesterday – is already giving him weird looks. If he were to step closer to the window, she would probably think him in the middle of a robbery of windows. So he walks around the room while he waits for his turn, stopping every once in a while to admire the paintings on the walls.

“You aren’t a Five, are you?”

Nico almost jumps out of his skin. Again. This time at least it isn’t the Prince in front of him, but the third girl from the breakfast table. Nico shakes his head.

“Six,” he says. “But not only Fives can watch art, you know.”

“I guess,” she responds, shrugging a bare shoulder. The girls are wearing elegant dresses, and hers has a particularly large gown. Nico is in a suit, which he looks like an idiot in. “I’m Lou Ellen, Two.”

“Niccolò Jackson,” Nico says. “Six.”

“You already said that.”

Nico shrugs, without anything left to say. He turns back to the painting.

“You don’t look particularly happy to be here,” she continues. “Don’t you want to woo Will?”

Nico turns back to her. “Who’s Will?”

“Prince William.” She doesn’t hide a smile. “He’s a friend of mine. So, are you going to woo him?”

“That’s just the least my charming personality can do,” Nico replies. There’s a smudge of something in the corner of the painting, which is in equal measure disgusting for the viewers and horrifically disrespectful to the artist.

Lou Ellen laughs. “I guess so. Why are you here if you don’t think you can woo him?”

Nico shrugs. “Aren’t they paying us?”

“Chapeau,” Lou Ellen concedes. She takes a deep breath. “You don’t seem very interested in making friends.”

“That’s because we won’t be friends for long. Ten go away after this first week, or fifteen, I didn’t really read all that well. After that, everyone who has stayed will try their best to remain again, beat the others somehow. At some point, people will just be stabbing each other in the back.”

“Will you?”

Nico scoffs. “I won’t stay that long. Me, the other Six, and the girl from Seven. We are the three everyone is certain will leave after this week. We are placeholders.”

Lou Ellen is called in next. They’re going by order of the castes, so Nico is the third-last to go in. He finds the Prince seated at the round table, the breeze entering from the window is ruffling his blond hair. His lips are already pulled in a smile when Nico enters. It makes him shiver.

“Mr. Jackson,” the Prince says. “It’s very nice to see you again.”

The Prince gestures to the enormous teapot and the two empty mugs. There are also many types of sweets, and the lemon-cake Hazel likes so much. Just thinking of her has nostalgia blossom in Nico’s chest, and they have only been apart for a day.

“Are you glaring at the lemon cake?” The Prince asks.

Nico startles. He quickly sits at the free chair. “No.”

“Are you allergic?”

“No.” Nico clears his throat.

“May I offer you some tea?”

“I really despise tea,” Nico replies. He crosses his arms on the chest, leaning back. The Prince pours some for himself. “Also, isn’t it your thirty-third cup?”

The Prince smiles. “Yup. Believe it or not, there are people who enjoy a good cup of tea.”

“I can believe that, but thirty-three in a morning is a bit of a stretch. Won’t you get indigestion or something?”

“Is that a threat?”

“From the one who thought that it would be alright to let you drink thirty-three cups of tea in a morning, maybe,” Nico replies. He grins. “Not for the poor soul who is just the witness. Should I tell the thirty-fifth to let you take a toilet break?”

The Prince laughs. “I really hope you know we are being filmed, and this is a live-stream.”

Nico taps his foot on the ground. He isn’t used to being on camera anymore, although Hazel often posts short videos in which he also appears on her profiles on social media. He doesn’t have to talk in those, though.

“You really know how to put people at ease,” Nico comments. “What are you going to tell me next, that your parents are watching in the next room, ready to intervene if I ask you too much about your toilet habits?”

“They only intervene if you are unreasonably sarcastic.”

“That’s a very charming and fancy way of telling me to shut up.”

“Oh dear – tell me you aren’t one of those eat the royal folks.”

“Didn’t you run a background check on me or something?”

“Well, yes, but I wasn’t shown any of that,” the Prince admits. He shrugs. “So, uh. I don’t know much about you.”

Nico nods, and stares at the table. It’s covered by a really horrible, red and golden tablecloth. It’s exactly the type of thing Nico should have expected to find in the Palace.

“Cool,” Nico says.

“What’s cool?”

Not this tablecloth. He doesn’t say that. “Not much.”

The Prince nods. “Alright.” He clears his throat.

There’s a long, awkward silence. Nico should deal better with awkward, really. That’s all conversations ever are with him. There are stilted words, long, stretching silences. He wishes the ground would open under him.

“How much longer do I have to stay?” Nico finally asks.

“Where?”

In this hellish hole. “Here. Now. In the tea-room, I mean.”

“We should go for a walk,” the Prince says.

“Not together, right?”

“Ah.”

“I mean, no offense, but this is frankly embarrassing,” Nico says. He leans forward in his seat. “I just really need a cigarette.”

“I’ve never smoked one.”

“I really hope you aren’t trying to get one of mine.”

“I was just trying to make conversation.”

And the Prince makes a strange kind of puppy eyes, which Nico has only ever seen Hazel make. And Percy, occasionally, but his just annoy Nico to an unbelievable level.

“So, what do you do in your free-time?” Nico blurts out, hoping to erase the Prince’s eyes.

“Oh, I study,” the Prince says. “I really enjoy reading, and learning in general. I particularly enjoy Philosophy, which I usually study on my own. I have tutors, of course. Although at the moment I am having some problems with Physics. I have also tried studying French a couple of years back, but I wasn’t really good at that. It was just so horrible.”

“Learning French sucks,” Nico concedes, thinking back to his own struggles with the language. “But not as much as learning Latin.”

“You know Latin?”

Nico shrugs. He shouldn’t have said that, should he? The Prince has already said that he doesn’t know much of his background, so maybe he also doesn’t know that Nico hasn’t always been a Six. Hell, he wasn’t even always called Niccolò Jackson.

“I know Ancient Greek.”

Nico nods. “Sounds fancy.” He doesn’t say that he knows that, too.

The Prince almost seems to be having problems controlling all his energy. His finger curl and uncurl around the armrests of the chair. His gaze shifts more than once to the windows and the gardens. When Nico follows his eyes, he doesn’t see anything, though.

A bell rings, startling the Prince out of his reverie.

“It seems that our time is up,” the Prince says.

The Prince stands, and Nico does the same, giving him an even-more-than-awkward nod, and turning to leave.

“It was really nice meeting you!” The Prince continues, when Nico’s hand is already on the doorknob.

Nico turns back, to give him a tight-lipped smile, catching the Prince empty the mug of tea out of the window. It startles a laugh out of him. The Prince turns, his eyes widened at having been caught in the act. His cheeks dust in red, and it only makes Nico laugh harder.

“So you aren’t poisoning yourself with thirty-five cups of tea, only the soil outside,” he says. “Good to know.”

“It’s considered polite to offer people tea,” the Prince replies smoothly.

Nico’s smile tightens. “Well, let me tell you, Your Highness, maybe the Twos, Threes, maybe even Fours or Fives, care about drinking tea and making small talk. Sixes and Sevens? We don’t really care whether you stuff yourself in tea and lemon cakes. Actually, most people from home would probably much rather you not waste so much food when everyone has already been served plentiful breakfast.” Nico makes a mocking wave with his hand. “With your gracious permission.”

He doesn’t slam the door behind himself, even if his cheeks are red and his ears ring. Sally should be proud of him, honestly.

#solangelo #solangelo fic #the selection au #will solace #nico di angelo

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canyouhearthelight · 4 years

Text

The Miys, Ch. 107

Happy Tuesday, time for a new chapter!

Writing author’s notes three weeks in advance is hard, I am realizing. However I am reasonably sure if I wait to write this note, I will forget, because Tuesdays are insane at work.

So, quickly: shout out to @baelpenrose for being my beta, as always. Also, thank you to @charlylimph-blog and @zommbiebro, for the characters in this chapter.

I hope you all enjoy!!

I had to admit, as I laughed at Charly’s face when she stole a bite of my food, that Huynh - and therefore Jokul - had a point about eating in the cafeteria/mess regularly. Today, I had taken a page out of his book, and decided on my lunch based on what someone else was eating that looked good when I walked in. No matter how the dish ended up being, the smile on the face of a random stranger when I stopped and told them their food looked good, along with asking if I could get some from the console, made my day.

Which was good, because it was the oddest fish pie I had ever eaten. In general, I neither hated nor loved fish pie - I needed to either have a request or a craving to make it, usually. However, when I originally saw it as I entered the mess, I saw flaky crust, meat, veggies, and a creamy sauce and called it a winner. I don’t think Charly was expecting seafood in general when she took a bite, and I certainly hadn’t been expecting scallops, even knowing I had gotten fish pie.

“That’s… that’s fish!” she sputtered, glaring at me in betrayal.

“It’s actually scallops,” I corrected, no less perplexed for that fact. “I was expecting mackerel and cod, or haddock. That’s what Conor always asks me to make, anyway.”

“But it’s fish,” she insisted. “I thought it would be chicken.”

“It’s not bad,” I admitted, taking another bite. “Just caught me off guard.”

Shaking her head and scowling, she got up to get her own food, returning with an actual chicken pot pie. Just as she was hooking her arm around it protectively - either protecting it from me or from my lunch, who knew - a pillar of grey and silver stalked up to the table before plopping down miserably.

Now holding her pie over her head - to avoid being flanked? - Charly stared down, eyes wide. “Mr. Bjornson?” she asked, bewildered.

Craning my neck, I realized she had a point, although the hair was somewhat dishevelled and the robes were wrinkled beyond anything I had seen him wearing previously. Not even Conor or I would wear clothes that creased, honestly. Hesitantly, I poked at him. “Did you just decide to die in front of my food?” I asked, skeptical. “Last time you interrupted my lunch, you were being kidnapped.”

Alarmingly, Jokul sat up, eyes red, sniffling back tears. “He won’t talk to me…”

Both Charly and I jerked back, surprised. Recovering faster, I carefully ventured a question. “You mean Ivan?”

Rather than answer out loud, Jokul gave a bigger sniff and nodded emphatically.

I was so not prepared to have this conversation, but I tried anyway. “Is everything… I guess, okay, for lack of a better term?”

“He works so much,” came the plaintive response. “He’s so tired all the time, and I’m trying to adjust to everyone looking at me funny and…” He stopped, tears rolling again, biting his lip in what looked like an effort to gain control.

“And?” Charly asked, setting her lunch down and carefully reaching to put a hand on his forearm.

“AndIdonthaveanyoneelsetotalktonowbecauseIrealizedIdontactuallyhaveany friennnnnnnds,” he blurted out quietly, the last part on a barely-constrained sob. I had to give him credit for trying to draw as little attention as possible while talking about something that was clearly a difficult subject.

“Oh, that’s bullshit,” Charly sighed softly, shaking her head. “Right, Sophia?”

I rocked my head a bit, thinking about it. “I mean…. I don’t know about friends, per se - “ Charly glared and kicked me hard enough to drive the breath out of me. “Hey! Cut me some slack?”

“I’m the one who got the punch,” she scolded, stroking his hair and carefully detangling it.

Fair. “Earning friendships may take some time,” I admitted. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t talk to anyone about what’s going on, you know.”

“Who, Councillor?” he demanded sadly. “Who do I have to talk to?”

“Well, you clearly thought I was a good idea - Ow, Charly!” Rubbing my shin, I continued. “Like I was saying, though. It kind of depends on what it is you want to talk about. If it’s struggling to come back from a negative public image… Simon, hands down, is the best person for that.”

Thankfully, Jokul went from looking despondent to confused. “Simon Rodriguez?”

Charly and I both nodded hard enough to pop our necks. “He was a complete ass when I boarded. I actually tried to kill him, and so did Tyche. He can tell you the details, but in the end, he made the effort to be a better neighbor, and now he’s an amazing educator whose students adore him.”

“Arthur Farro was a warlord, however,” Jokul tried to object. “Would he not be a better source of insight?”

“Absolutely not,” Charly responded before I could draw a breath, shooting the idea down instantly. “Mr. Farro doesn’t care what other people think of him, beyond making sure they aren’t trying to kill him too actively. He adheres to social etiquette in most cases, but it’s not for his own sake, more for the sake of those associated with him. Does he care if he’s trustworthy? Absolutely. Likeable…...” She winced as she trailed off, hand tipping in an ‘eh’ gesture.

“Which is why he wasn’t bothered in the least when you wanted a fight,” I pointed out, trying to draw the points together. “Whereas Simon didn’t realize how poorly people thought of him, and as soon as he did, he took steps to change it, even when it was hard. So definitely start there if you need guidance.”

“I will endeavor to do so,” Jokul nodded before his expression dropped again. “But what about Ivan?”

“There is nothing about him being tired that makes his ears malfunction,” I heard myself say. What? Why? Why was I doing this? “No matter how tired I am, my ear still works, and I can still listen to Conor and Maverick about their days. And sometimes that’s all that’s needed. Mutual bitching about a bad day is… pretty normal, actual.”

He sat up, paling, with a horrified expression on his face. “Oh dear gods, how do you manage two?!”

Charly and I traded glances of confusion before looking back at the distraught man who was slowly inching fingers toward my fish pie. I nodded to Charly, who wrinkled her nose and got up to grab him some food, while I addressed the former cult leader. “It’s usually easier than just one,” I confessed. “If one of us is too tired or sick, there’s always someone who can pinch hit.” I wasn’t about to admit that it was also made easier by the massive family I had acquired during my time on the Ark. That was the last thing he needed to hear. Softening slightly, I tilted my head and placed my hand on his arm. “Jokul, do you really not have any friends, anymore? What about… the ginger kid. I never got his name.”

“William,” Jokul spat with more force than I had seen since the day we met, catching me completely off guard. “A sycophant. He almost immediately asked what my plans were to continue forward with ‘our plans’.” The air quotes were a nice touch, but his face was nothing but sour. “I had to report him to Councillor Kalloe,” he confessed, face falling into a frown.

“Oh, wow,” I murmured. “Okay then. We need to figure out how you can meet other people, I think.” I was barely able to resist the urge to hit myself in the face. We? Why was this a we thing all of a sudden?

Thankfully, Charly came back, nose wrinkled at a second portion of fish pie. As Jokul dug into it, she perked up slightly. “The Undine! They have cultural events all the time! And! Andandandandand,” she started bouncing in her seat with each syllable. “Ivan loves those events. Not only does he drum up a lot of work, but he also loves meeting new people! You can do a date thing!”

That was, by far, the most harmless suggestion Charly could have made, and I made a mental note to send her a candy-basket at some point. “Plus, if Ivan is there, Zach and Hannah should be, too. You met them, right?”

“Did I?”

I managed not to roll my eyes as I reminded him. “The couple that were talking to Ivan the day you, um… met him?”

“Oh!” he exclaimed, sitting up straighter. “He mentioned they were friends of his!”

“Lord bless it,” I laughed. “Those two are probably his closest friends, honestly. So, something like that would be both a chance to make friends and something you can do with Ivan!” And something that does not require me to adopt someone who recently did his best to be a pain in my ass.

“And you said I can still just… talk, to Ivan, when he’s too tired to do anything else?”

“Yes?” I confirmed, slightly bewildered. “He still cares, I would think. Keep in mind, he does manual labor for a living, by choice. If he’s too tired to move, he is probably physically incapable of moving. It would be like Conor coming home, showering, and flopping on the couch. Good luck moving him, just grab him a pillow and blanket.”

Jokul arched an eyebrow at me, recovering something resembling his former ego. “I am quite capable of carrying Ivan to a proper bed, thank you.” His face abruptly softened. “I’m just new at… this…” he waved his hand vaguely. “Relationships, during a time of peace, I suppose.”

Huh. That never occurred to me, actually. “Hang on,” I thought out loud. “Have you had any portion of this conversation,” I frantically pointed between the three of us, “with Ivan?”

“Not.. yet?” came the sheepish response.

“Sir!” I sputtered. “If you do not go home right now - take your pie with you! - and talk to your poor…. Partner, boyfriend, whatever. If you don’t talk to Ivan, I will give Arthur permission to re-administer the ass-whooping and deal with Ivan later over it!”

Rather than being offended, Jokul seemed to take the admonishment for what it was, and dashed off. Charly, breathless with laughter, managed to recover just enough to give me the stink eye. “Did you just give solid advice to your adversary?”

“I won! Sort of,” I argued. “Besides, anyone that upset about a romantic relationship deserves some kind of slack, right?”

“Were you really going to sic Mr. Farro on him?”

I groaned, burying my head in my hands. “The less he knows about this entire interaction, the better. I’ll never hear the end of it.” And then, just as if my day could not possibly get any better, I heard a familiar, dry voice snark from behind me.

“The less I know about what the better?”

Oh, hell.

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#the miys #science fiction #humans are weird #found family #found family tropes #humans are space orcs #fiction #original fiction #earth is space australia #hfy #humans are space fae #humans baffle aliens #humans are crazy #movies #cuddles #popcorn

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bulletballetarchive1 · 3 years

Text

💎 CHARACTER STATS 💎

▌ FULL NAME: Delores Linette Littlejohn/Scozzari

▌ SINGLE OR TAKEN: Verse dependent.

▌ ABILITIES OR POWERS: An excellent dancer. Remains very agile, poise and balanced although having not danced on a professional level in awhile. She also has the potential of harnessing great artistic ability, which is also a verse dependent thing ( all boiling down to how much time she devotes herself to art and actively studies it. )

▌ EYE COLOR: Brown

▌ HAIR COLOR: Black

▌ FAMILY MEMBERS: The Littlejohn Family is enormous. There were her grandparents, Amos & Elizabeth, their children which includes her father William as well as a host of cousins spanning on both her paternal and maternal side. When married to Sal, she has a total of four kids: Cassandra, Nicholas, Bianca, and Luciano.

▌ PETS: When she’s young, she has a Cocker Spaniel named Lady. Who is accompanied by two other Cocker Spaniels depending on the verse. There is also Solomon, a German Shepard. He’s her main guard dog in most scenarios. Finally, there’s Pepper. A black cat who is more of Sal’s pet due to the feline’s favoritism.

▌ SOMETHING THEY DON’T LIKE: Feeling unheard, whether it be an important or unimportant scenario.

▌ HOBBIES/ACTIVIES: she’s a follower of 80s/90s fitness trends, Jazzercise in particular. Also, does a lot of at home workouts. Plays sports like tennis. Reads romance & erotica, shopping, getting her hair done, seeing plays and musicals in Manhattan, attending local art exhibitions, dancing.

▌ EVER HURT ANYONE BEFORE: In some emotional form.

▌ EVER KILLED ANYONE BEFORE: Verse dependent, in canon she carries a gun in her purse but there’s been no reason for her to pull the trigger.

▌ ANIMAL THAT REPRESENTS THEM: Has the demeanor of a housecat, but the lifestyle of a lioness.

▌ WORST HABITS: Prone to severe passive-aggression if she doesn't like you, says little about her negative feelings yet expects those around her to catch on when something isn’t right, tries to repress many of her negative emotions, makes expressive faces without realizing, subconsciously ‘turns her nose up’ at certain things, smokes heavily whenever stressed.

▌ ROLE MODELS: The women her grandfather had relationships with. They molded her heavily. Delores also values her time spent with old mob wives.

▌ SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual. The degree of how open she is open with her sexuality varies verse to verse, though.

▌ THOUGHTS ON MARRIAGE/KIDS: Delores started out having a very girlish view on marriage in her childhood. She believed it led to eternal love and a happily ever after. Delores aims for having only long term serious romances. ( as a millennial she can admit that maybe she’s old fashioned in that kind of aspiration, but she doesn’t want to waste her time on people who don’t care about her. ) Now, Delores feels marriage is based on mutually choosing someone to be with. But more than that, it’s choosing to support them and help them survive through life just as they help you. In regards to children, Delores on default wants two or three. Not one. This is because she felt very lonely growing up and in her perspective, a big family is likely to ‘radiate love.’

▌ FEARS: Thunderstorms. Losing her children, whether it be through abduction or murder. Break-ins. Men she doesn’t know. Snakes. And ferrets, because they are snake like.

▌ STYLE PREFERENCES: 90s designer dresses and diamonds. High quality lingerie.

▌ SOMEONE THEY LOVE: Her family.

▌ APPROACH TO FRIENDSHIPS: It was more difficult for her to have friendships in her childhood than it is in her adulthood. Delores just didn’t get social cues and she seemed weirdly ‘old’ which other kids did not like. Now in adulthood this reserved demeanor comes across much differently. There are plenty of women who want Delores to be their ‘friend’ and she goes out with them for the sake of being polite, but she always keeps her distance. However, if Delores considers you a true friend, she’ll spend most of the day with you. Take trips out of the state with you. Vent to you. Let you vent to her. All and all, she’ll spend hours on the telephone talking about any and everything.

▌ THOUGHTS ON PIE: Not everyone can make a pie properly.

▌ FAVORITE DRINK: White Wine.

▌FAVORITE PLACE TO SPENT TIME AT: She loves the atmosphere of Los Angeles.

▌ SWIM IN THE LAKE OR IN THE OCEAN: Neither.

▌ THEIR TYPE: She’s always been attracted to people with brighter demeanors than her own. Even when she scoffs or rolls her eyes, she’s secretly thinking of how cute and funny they are. She likes it when people have a sense of adventure to them, because she actually craves new experiences and they’re the best person to get this thrill from! But more than that, Delores is attracted to people who care about those around them, showing that they are not self-centered. People who have a moral code, integrity. In the end, these things are far more important than how charismatic someone is.

▌ CAMPING OR INDOORS: Indoors. She’s not about that camping life.

tagged by: @hammurabicomplex tagging: steal it from me, I think most of my mutuals have been tagged.

#dash games.#headcanons.

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at-the-exd-of-everythixg · 3 years

Note

][Rhys and Finn for the ship meme][

@blind-mutant

Ship meme

General:

How long will they last? - I'd say a good few years! For Holyverse they'd last for centuries but for normalverse I'd say quite a while too since Finn and Rhys work so well together.

How quickly did/will they fall in love? - Rhys fell for Finn within a month I'd say since Finn spoils him and honestly Finn was probably just a week or two behind him.

How was their first kiss? - Nervous af for Finn, who was quite tense and jittery and Rhys was nervous too, but I can imagine he helped relax Finn and found it rather amusing with the fact that Finn's ears and tail would have been flapping wildly during their kiss.

Wedding:

Who proposed? - I'd say...Finn? He's more the type to prepare and set something up over long-term and I bet he used baking treats to surprise Rhys.

Who is the best man/men? - Peter rabbit? sjjsjs let's be honest; neither Finn or Rhys know that many people.

Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - I would say someone at Finn's work since that's like,,,the most people he knows admittedly.

Who did the most planning? - They both did but I think Rhys more since Rhys wanted it to be perfect.

Who stressed the most? - Rhys did for his worries and panic and cue Finn having to snuggle him for a lot of time.

How fancy was the ceremony? - Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big. - something small, special and sweet!

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - Rhys's whole family lmao.

Sex:

Who is on top? - Rhys is mostly, though Finn likes to take charge once in a while.

Who is the one to instigate things? - Rhys, but Finn does like to do it more and more as he gets more confident and likes to tease Rhys more.

How healthy is their sex life? - Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now - goes through the roof when Finn hits his rut though!

How kinky are they? - Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head - It varies a lot!

How long do they normally last? - Rhys lasts longer than Finn, but Finn's stamina means that he can cum and go again for a few rounds very quickly.

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - Rhys gets more, but that's only because Finn can go for a WHILE and tends to be easily satisfied.

How rough are they in bed? - Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it. -

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory. - TRY and pull these two apart, I dare you, they're so cuddled into each other.

Children:

How many children will they have naturally? - None.

How many children will they adopt? - I think maybe one or two? Finn wants every child in the world but Rhys points out their limits.

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - Finn does.

Who is the stricter parent? - Funny enough I'd say Finn? He has a more normal childhood and would know limits better than Rhys who wants to pamper his kids.

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Both of them but Rhys mostly since he's the one who picks them up.

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - Rhys remembers and reminds Finn to do so.

Who is the more loved parent? - I mean,,,u can't resist the parent with bunny ears and a fluffy tail,,,

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? - Finn. I fucking KNOW Rhys would start fights.

Who cried the most at graduation? - Both of these weenies did!!

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - Finn is as Rhys would be in trouble with them too.

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? - Finn does.

Who is the most picky in their food choice? - I'd say Finn since he's a vegetarian.

Who does the grocery shopping? - They both do it together but Rhys more at night or when Finn's at work.

How often do they bake desserts? - Finn usually brings something back home every night!

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - They both love salads but Rhys still eats some meats, mostly when he's craving it or for health.

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Rhys is with Finn's favourite take away/

Who is more likely to suggest going out? - Rhys more but tbh they don't much since Finn has to then hide his ears.

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - Rhys.

Chores:

Who cleans the room? - Rhys does more since he has more time.

Who is really against chores? - Neither of them except for Finn during his ruts.

Who cleans up after the pets? - Finn does.

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - Neither really...Peter.

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - Finn does since he's more worried about people coming into his home.

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Rhys does and he uses it to buy 1 Kiss from Finn.

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? - Rhys does.

Who takes the dog out for a walk? - Rhys technically takes Peter out into the garden while he has a smoke.

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - Every year! Both of them like making/buying decorations and it helps set the mood!

What are their goals for the relationship? - Rhys wants to be able to get a job and help support the household I'd imagine and Finn would like to be able to get better about being more open as a mutant for Rhys's benefit and to make him happy.

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - Rhys.

Who plays the most pranks? - Rhys and Peter!

#ask #blind-mutant #he has a heart made of cotton (finn)#headcanon #ship meme #i wuv eMMM

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batty-writes · 3 years

Text

New Beginning

Status: One shot!

Main pairings: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen Minor pairings: Barry Allen & William Clayton Summary: Barry searches for his family after Crisis, but he finds much more.

Word Count: 2,220

Warnings: Crisis spoilers kind of.

Can be read on AO3 or under the cut.

The last thing Barry remembered was holding Oliver’s head up, Sara by his side as a new world was born. He didn’t know why he woke up in the crime lab. He immediately grabbed the nearest piece of paper and read it several times. Then his computer, he started flipping through files. Everything stayed the same. He looked down at his hands, counting his fingers. Ten. Okay. This was not a dream, he was really in CCPD, or at least what looked like it. He sighed and started to internally ask himself where he was. His first thought was his family. Iris, Wally, Joe, William. He needed to know where they were William and Jenna were. He didn’t want to have been involved in erasing anymore kids. He stood, and started to move downstairs. Unaware of where he was going to start. He ran to his loft, but it was empty. There was nothing, no furniture or anything. As he was running, he was forced to confront the fact that Oliver was dead, and he was dealing with that in his usually way; running. No matter what problems there were, there was always another problem to run to, a problem he could fix. So, he needed to know where his family was. He fell to his knees in the empty loft. Where was his home on this reality? What was happening ? “Barry!” he looked up through the large windows and saw Kara Danvers and J’onn J’onzz. Thank god he thought. After Kara explained what they had discovered, Barry decided he needed to find his family and make sure they were safe.

-------

When Barry rushed through the doors at the West house, he started calling names. “Joe? Iris?” he marched through the house. No matter what timeline or earth he’d explored the West house was the same. He was greeted by Eddie Thawne. He popped his head out of the kitchen with a grin. “Hey, Barry! Are you here to see Iris? She just went out.” Barry reached out and clapped Eddie on the shoulder, to make sure he was real and not part of the speed force, but played if off as a friendly greeting. “Eddie! I was looking for you and Iris. Where is she?” It wasn’t exactly a lie, not by any means. Eddie was his family, he just … wasn’t aware that Eddie was a family member he should be looking for.

Eddie crossed his arms, seeming to not believe that. “She’s at your house. She said she was specifically craving Oliver’s cooking.” Barry stared at him. “Which one?” he tried to laugh it off slightly with a joke. Eddie crossed his arms. “What happened in 2014 that prompted me to punch Barry in the face?” He asked seriously. “I … tried to get Iris to be with me.” he coughed awkwardly, hoping that was the last identity conforming questions. “Listen, Eddie, it’s me, some stuff just happened. It’s very important that I make sure Jenna and everyone is safe. We-- we lost someone in this crisis.” He needed Eddie to know how dire the situation was.

“Barry … I’m so sorry.” he squeezed Barry’s arm sympathetically but he also could tell the current situation was urgent. “Joe and Cecile moved up north with Wally a few months ago. They’re all there with Jenna. You should check home for everyone else. Your old childhood home.”

Barry nodded. “Thank you.” and he was gone before Eddie could fully process the words.

When Barry arrived at home, he didn’t waste any time. He rushed in through the front door. Stopping only to look around, when he saw William in the living room, he got to him with the aid of the speed force. He hadn’t the slightest idea why William was in his living room, but he would take over him having been somehow harmed or erased in the crisis.

Barry lowered himself closer to William’s height in relief, letting out the breath he’d been holding. “Are you okay?” He started to fuss over him, looking for injuries before looking at his face. “Will, are you hurt?” he was looking him in the face now. Willaim wrinkled his nose. “I’m fine, Papa, gosh. You always get so worried.” he rolled his eyes.

Papa . Barry stopped for a moment. He and Oliver had always been … but he wasn’t this involved with Oliver when everything happened. Not that be didn't welcome it, he did have a good relationship with Wiliam. He adored him.

He wasn’t sure how this would have changed. He hugged William tightly, kissing the top of his head. “Yeah … I’m sorry. Some stuff happened today, and I was scared that you were caught up in it.”

“Dad!” William called. “Papa took out a big bad today!”

Iris and Oliver appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. “Why didn’t you call me?” he had a hot pan in his hand, which he quickly realised and moved back to put it back on the stove. Barry slowly let go of William and crossed the house into the kitchen. He hugged Iris, who was significantly pregnant. “Congratulations again. Can I talk to my -- can I talk to Oliver for a moment?” he swallowed thickly.

To Iris, Barry looked like someone died, she made a face at his congratulations , but let it roll off given the circumstances. She kissed him on the cheek. “Yeah, Barr,” she said softly and stepped out of the room. Barry could hear her talking to William in the other room, but was unable to make out what they were saying. Barry stared at Oliver for a few seconds. “Ollie,” his voice was soft, “We’re married?” he expected Oliver to remember the crisis, as he and Kara, and J’onn had, but apparently he did not. “Barry, what happened to you today?” his voice was serious. In the same way he always said I’m here for you over the years. He turned off the stove, and put an arm around Barry. Something washed over Barry then; a sense of safety. It was like, maybe this all really was over. Maybe Oliver had created the world, and gotten to live in it. He finds himself pressing into Ollie. “You don’t remember it at all?” he whispered. “None of it?”

Oliver’s touch shifted and his other arm wrapped around him when Barry started to feel heavier against him. “Hey, what should I remember? What happened?”

Barry remembered their final moments face to face so clearly, the brief time they had alone spent much like this; holding each other. Even with Oliver in his new Spetre form, he was solid enough for Barry to hold him.

He’d insisted they would make it out if they worked together like they always had. Oliver wasn’t so sure. Then, even though they knew they didn’t have time for regrets, but they expressed those anyway.

“You were dead. Dig tried to get your soul from purgatory but you wouldn’t go, then you … became something else, but still you.” Barry pressed his face against Oliver’s neck, confronted his familiar scent, he began to settle more. Though it seemed to be. When Oliver was Spectre, it was different and he felt different to Barry … this was all Oliver. This is what Oliver Queen felt like under his touch, and how he smelled, it was his voice. So maybe in the birth of the new earth, Oliver really had been untouched by the crisis in the other universe, or whatever they would have to refer to this as. “I think you know by now that I don’t give up that easy.”

The tears crashed through then. “It was so bad, Ollie, all the earths died. There isn’t a multiverse anymore. We don’t know who’s dead, or who’s just forgotten.”

“There was … a multiverse?” Oliver was silent after that, just holding Barry close to him. Barry was sure that Oliver was imagining what Barry and the other heroes had been going through in the current crisis. Barry nodded slowly. “Yeah.” his eyes fell closed for a second before he pulled out of Oliver’s arms. He wasn’t entirely sure what was happening now, what they would face in the future, but they could face it together. Oliver let Barry pull away but was watching him with concern. “Okay,” he said softly. “We’ll figure this out. We always do.” “Tell me about when we got married.” Barry just wanted to breathe for a second. J’onn would be there soon to fill Iris in he was sure, and then he would realise Oliver didn’t remember. “Please.”

Barry allowed Oliver to comfort him for the moment, gently rubbing his arms. “Okay, Barry.” His voice was soft. “We got married in twenty-seventeen.” He kissed Barry’s temple, gently. “Do you want me to get the pictures?” “There’s pictures?” he knew first hand that proper weddings were few and far between in this super-life, so the fact that they had a wedding photo surprised him. Oliver smiled a little, his eyes crinkling around the edges. “Yeah, hold on.” he headed out of the room, returning in a few seconds with a framed photo. It wasn’t exactly what Barry imagine when Oliver said a wedding picture … but it was perfect. The photo was a bit of a wide shot, Ray standing between them. William was standing with Oliver, and Iris with Barry. Barry was in his Flash suit, and Oliver still wore his own. There were other members of the teams in the photo as well. “I take it, we just took the chance?” Barry offered with a small laugh. “Yeah, we were cooped up on the ship after a mission shortly after I got custody of William.” He watched as Barry looked at the photo one more time before he set it on the counter and pulled Oliver into a soft kiss. “Why weren’t we married in the other earth?” he seemed hesitant about asking. Barry sighed and pulled back. “Because,” he crossed his arms. “We were idiots.” “Care to elaborate?” Oliver pressed, a small smile playing on his lips. Barry stared at the floor for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain their situation. “I loved you, and you loved me.” he figured he would have to say that much. “Everyone knew, William knew, hell I’m pretty sure Gideon knew and she’s an AI. We were … kind of together but we didn’t get our heads out of our asses until we were drugged by Team Flash and locked in a cell together. At one point during all that, you said if we survived you would marry me but ...” Tears welled up in Barry’s eyes again as he was hit with everything. “Then you died fighting in this crisis. I didn’t know I would get to come home to you, Ollie.”

“I’m sorry I don’t remember, but we’ll face whatever comes next together, like we always have.” you he paused for a moment. “Wait, so you don’t know about the girls?”

“The girls?” Barry was turned around by both of Oliver’s strong hands.

Oliver pointed to the sonograms on the fridge, over his shoulder. “Nora and Mia Allen. You broke me down, and Iris was more than happy to be our surrogate.” “How did I do that?” Barry touched the hand on his shoulder

Oliver kissed the back of Barry's head. "You sent me Flash onesies and I cried." It was obvious that Oliver was half joking, but Barry felt … better about the reality ahead.

A voice broke apart their moment. “I see you’ve located Oliver.” J’onn stood in the doorway. He was wearing his human face, most likely in worry of making Iris and William feel ill at ease, or someone being in the house that didn’t know just how different their friends were.

“Yeah.” Barry shook his head, trying to recover from the information overload. At least it was good. There was a home here, with Oliver, where he was alive. “Oliver doesn’t remember the crisis though.”

J’onn stepped forward. “I’ll give him your memories of the crisis.”

“Wait.” Barry moved in front of Oliver. “Maybe he doesn’t need to remember you know … dying.”

Oliver squeezed Barry’s shoulder. “No, it’s okay. Show me.” his voice level.

J’onn carefully pressed two fingers to Oliver’s temple. A light shone through and Oliver winced. His hand gripped Barry’s shoulder in a different way and he was leaning heavily on Barry now. J’onn couldn’t pick and choose what he gave him, so Oliver was being overloaded with all of Barry’s memories of Oliver, not just the crisis. All at once, in one split second. He inhaled sharply and nodded. “Okay, so what’s the next step?” he asked seriously, already in fight mode. Just like Oliver. “We should touch base,” J’onn started. “There is a lot to discuss now that we all seem to be of the same earth …” he reached out and touched both their heads. “but for now, we should all rest.”

Barry was flooded with the missing pieces from this new world from Oliver. Some were good, and some were bad, some were worse, but they were there, and this world was theirs and Barry loved every piece of it. He was ready to move forward and continue fighting by Oliver’s side for as long as they could.

#olivarry #barry allen/oliver queen #barry allen x oliver queen #oliver queen/barry allen #oliver queen x barry allen

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trash-muse · 3 years

Text

Ask Meme: What Would You Know About Love?

WHO: John Constantine, Zatanna and Asmodel @dark-musngs - with special guests Adam Constantine and Lyla Rose WHAT: Ask Meme - [forehead touch] your muse rests their forehead against my muse’s WHERE: Various places WHEN: Various WARNINGS: None. Trying something a little different - with time jumps.

2040 - Star City

“What would you know about love, Constantine?”

The bar was full of rowdy patrons, all drinking their fill and creating a constant hum of noise so loud that one could barely hear themselves think. But Adam Constantine heard the woman sitting across from him just fine. She eyeballed him impatiently, lips pursed ready to demand an answer.

Lyla Rose was one of Adam’s nearest and dearest friends. She was also quite possibly the bane of his existence. Well, maybe her and his boyfriend were tied for that title. Sorry... ex-boyfriend.

Every time Adam thought things would finally work out, his ex would find some other reason why they couldn’t be together. However, like fools they would fall back into one another again. It was like they were stuck on the old carousel horses. Up, down. Round and round.

But then, it was like his Dad said...

“Love is complicated.”

2020 - Central City

The morning sun streamed through the point where the curtains met, sending a warm beam of light across the bed. Adam stirred, shifting and freeing a hand to try and rub the offending light out of his eyes. It took a few moments, but after opening his bright blue eyes, Adam realised it was morning.

Hopping out of bed, Adam shuffled over to his bedroom door, yawning as he opened it and exited out into the hallway. He could hear voices in the kitchen - the accented baritone of his Daddy’s voice and the slightly lower octave of Azzie’s were easily recognisable. They sounded soft as they chatted away, making breakfast, and Adam knew they hadn’t realised he was awake yet.

He didn’t know what made him stop and watch them for a moment. Why he didn’t just join them with a good morning hug. But with head tilted slightly, Adam paused at the end of the hallway and just watched the private moment between John and Azzie.

“... Zatanna would have stayed if you asked her to.” Azzie seemed to continue an earlier conversation as he brought three plates over to the stove. His Daddy was making bacon and eggs. Adam could smell the delicious smell filling the apartment.

“She has her own place, Az.” John replied, using the spatula to turn the food. He was such a good cook, especially breakfast foods. “And they’ve fixed it up real nice too after what happened. Don’t blame her for going back. It makes this place look utter rubbish.”

“John...” Azzie sounded like he didn’t agree. He put the plates down and moved closer to John, hugging him from behind and resting a chin on his shoulder. Adam had seen them cuddle like that a number of times. He liked to imagine that is wasn’t just Azzie’s arms wrapping around his Daddy but his wings too. Of course, Azzie didn’t have wings in that moment. But if they were there, Adam was sure his imagination was right.

His dad put down the spatula and turned toward Azzie, which Azzie responded to with dropping his head forward and resting his forehead against John’s. It was a tender moment Adam thought nothing of at the time but would later no doubt recall the love between them.

“You love her.” Azzie so low that if Adam hadn’t of crept closer he wouldn’t have been able to hear it.

John sighed and didn’t deny it. But he didn’t exactly admit it either. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?” Azzie didn’t sound like he was going to be convinced. A bit like the time Adam tried to lie and say he had brushed his teeth and he hadn’t. Azzie was very good at picking up on lies.

“Because love is complicated.”

“It’s not with us.” Azzie moved closer still, hands moving over John’s back. In turn, John hooked his arms over Azzie’s shoulders and the food sizzled away in the silent pauses.

“Not now. Hasn’t always been this easy.” His Daddy must have smiled because Azzie smiled back. They kissed gently and hugged tighter, not a gap between them. “Besides, Z doesn’t feel the same.” John jumped back to talking about Zatanna. Adam loved her too and wished she had stayed, but he guessed she wanted to go home. He was allow to visit but it wasn’t the same. “There’s too much that’s happened.”

“What happened?” Adam piped up before he could stop himself. Seeing no point in remaining hidden, he moved out into the kitchen, casting a curious looking in his dad’s direction.

Two sets of eyes shot toward him but Azzie was quicker to recover. “Don’t worry about it, kid.” He said, peeling away from his dad and coming over and picking him up. Adam giggled, he always loved being scooped up and hugged by Azzie. Maybe that’s why his Daddy loved him. Azzie gave the best hugs.

2040 - Star City

“Love is complicated. Love hurts. Blah, blah, you’ve said this all before, Constantine. Still doesn’t explain why you’re holding out for a bloke that won’t commit. That won’t share all his secrets until they show up and punch you in the gut.” Lyla wasn’t giving up and certainly wasn’t taking his answer without further explanation. Adam knew a certain white clad canary that had treated his dad with that same brash demand for less bullshit and more answers.

Adam rubbed a spot just below his ribs, right where his ex’s secret little half sister had punched him and winded him before he could ask her what she was doing in his apartment. His ex’s apartment. Adam didn’t blame her for the reaction. She had thought she was coming to an empty safe house. Adam thought he was surprising his boyfriend by coming home early. It was all a misunderstanding. Still it hurt that his ex had kept a secret sister and hid his involvement in the Canaries movement from him.

But, despite the hurt and the lies, Adam loved him. There would never be a moment he wouldn’t love him. The secrets hurt but Adam understood the reason for them. It was for protection. Still didn’t stop the words he lashed out with in anger. Didn’t stop him from walking out and seeking his best friend to go drown his stupidity and sorrows at the pub.

Maybe it was like what his Mum said...

“Love is forgiveness.”

2021 - Central City

The Van Geld Opera House in Central City wasn’t just host to the opera but a many number of stage performances. It was here the great magician, Zatanna Zatara, wooed her audiences with dazzling illusions and mesmerizing tricks. All eyes were captivated by her performance but none more so than the little blonde boy waiting in the wings.

As the red velvet curtains dropped and the crowd cheered, Zatanna rose from her bow and smiled at the little boy, giving him a wink that sent him scampering off backstage with a giggle. She waved off any stage hands and assistants that approached her with polite gratitude, and followed the sounds of childlike joy back to her dressing room.

“If I had known you wanted to bring Adam to see a show, I would have given you tickets.” Zatanna half scolded the man lounging on the dressing room sofa.

John took the mild chastisement with a smirk and a shrug, not put off that he might have been in trouble. “It was a last minute decision, love. You were all sold out.” He replied, watching Zatanna as she made her way to the vanity and placed her hat on the table.

“Mumma, are you mad?” Adam turned his bright blue eyes toward her, looking like he was ready to apologise for doing something wrong.

Zatanna laughed and shook her head, taking the few short steps back across the room to Adam and crouching to his level. “No, my little one, I could never be mad at you.” She offered a hug which Adam accepted eagerly. He really was a mumma’s boy. “I was just surprised by your visit, that’s all.” She rested her forehead against Adam’s, like she was sharing a secret with him. “Even if I was mad, I’d forgive you. Because love is forgiveness. And I love you so much.”

Adam giggled at the extra squeeze in the hug he was given, completely unaware of the look exchanged between his parents. The one that knew that message of forgiveness ran so much deeper. That if they hadn’t sorted out the complicated between them and forgiven their mistakes - mostly John’s mistakes, but who’s keeping score - then this family moment wouldn’t exist.

John watched the pair with unrestrained love in his eyes. Those before him plus the angel waiting for them back home - it was the family he had been missing and secretly craving all his life. “Besides, you still got a good view of Z pulling a rabbit out of a hat, right kid?” He asked with a chuckle.

“No Daddy!” Adam spoke up, excited once more and speaking a hundred mile a minute. “It was elephants. They were floating then PFFFT... they disappeared.”

“Wow, elephants, really?” John asked his son with the slightly false amazement a parent takes on to share in their wonder.

“Alright, boys. Home time.” Zatanna interrupted before the pair would go off on another tangent. She loved seeing their interactions - fatherhood really suited John - but she didn’t think they’d want to spend all night chatting. It was after Adam’s bedtime, after all.

2040 - Star City

“Love is forgiveness?” There was the ever present scoff in that question. The one that said Lyla thought he was off his rocker. “So what? He lied to you and you’re just going to forgive him?”

“I hope so.” A new voice approached the table.

“Will.” Adam looked up, noting the fact his ex looked more insecure and awkward in that moment then he had ever been in Adam’s presence. And Adam had bared witness to his poor attempts at flirting.

William Clayton stood rocking onto his toes with his hands shoved into his trouser pockets, looking extremely out of place and uncomfortable in the seedy bar. “Can we talk? ... In private.”

Adam nodded and rose from his seat, leading Will outside and into the side alley. They stood there, watching each other for a few moments before suddenly both speaking at the same time.

“I shouldn’t have gone off at you like that.”

“I should have told you from the start.”

Both men chuckled before Adam made a gesture for Will to say his bit first. Will nodded in thanks, wanting to get what he had to say off his chest.

“Adam, I should have told you from the start.” Will repeated, sounding utterly sorry. “I only just found out about Mia recently and thought it was safer to keep as many people in the dark about her as possible. I should have told you about her. I should have told her about you. I just... I was scared. I’ve already lost my family once. I didn’t want to lose it again.” He paused with a sigh, still standing out of arm’s reach. “But all I’ve managed to do is tear it apart anyway."

Adam looked at Will with a somewhat dumbfounded expression. Will, in his roundabout way had just admitted he thought they were family. That level of commitment was light years beyond what Will had expressed before. Maybe Mia had knocked some sense into him as well.

“I really hope you meant what you said about love being forgiveness.” Will continued, finally stepping closer and taking his hand out of his pockets. He reached out, hesitating to take hold of Adam’s hand. “I forgive you. And I love you so much.”

Adam drew in a long breath, unaware he was holding it until he heard those words. It was the first time Will admitted that he loved him. “I forgive you. And I love you too, Will.“ Adam replied, closing the gap between them and pulling Will into a kiss. “Love is complicated. But, I think we can work it out together.”

#c: asmodel #c: zatanna zatara #muse: john constantine #muse: adam constantine #past: 2020 #future: 2040 #ask meme: what would you know about love

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justwritethatdown · 4 years

Text

Chapter 2 of my high school AU :D

Beca finds herself wanting to know more abou Chloe, but Chloe's friends - and her social anxiety - give her a hard time about that. Also some more insights of her relationship with Jesse, Amy and her family :)

Words Count: 3K

Rating: T

Warnings: Underage smoking and language

Read it on AO3 or under the cut ↓

I don't need much of anything, but suddenly…

“How does it feel to be / Different from me Are we the same / How does it feel?”

That night Beca fell asleep with the smell of Chloe on her pillow, which made her heart do funny things in her chest.

Maybe Chloe wasn’t that bad after all.

Nothing changed at school between them, Chloe didn’t talk to her the next day or the following couple of weeks – not that Beca tried to talk to Chloe but, you know – Beca told herself she wasn’t disappointed at that. They weren’t friends.

“Beca wait!" she heard Chloe call after her and immediately turned around to see the redhead running towards her in the schoolyard “hey! What’s up?” asked Beca unable to control her grin. Chloe offered her a pink ear bug, smiling brightly “I wanted to ask you what you think of this song, it came out yesterday I think".

Beca took the ear bug and put it in her ear, the song was already playing but she knew right away it was Airplanes by B.o.B. ft. Hayley Williams “you like Paramore, right?” Chloe checked and Beca was surprised that the girl not only recognized them from one of her playlists, but she knew them well enough to know Hayley Williams was the singer of the group.

Beca’s smile widened while she nodded “yes! And I think this song is really good" she answered looking at Chloe with surprise “what?” giggled the redhead “nothing...” said Beca looking at her feet “I didn’t think you liked this stuff" she admitted looking back at Chloe.

“And what stuff you thought I liked?” asked Chloe biting her lip “I don’t know... Britney Spears?” guessed Beca screwing up her nose and Chloe gasped “you don’t like Britney Spears?” she gasped in shock tugging at the ear bug wire to make it pop out of Beca’s ear “ouch! I didn’t say that...”

“Who else do you think I listen to? Let’s see" asked Chloe in somewhat of a teasing tone “I don’t know, I don’t want to get in worse trouble that I’m in already... just tell me you don’t listen to Mariah Carey please"

“Mariah Carey is the greatest singer of all times" stated an irritating voice interrupting them “Chloe, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Who is that?” asked the blonde girl who joined them “hey Bree, she’s Beca... family friends” dismissed Chloe, putting her iPod away. Beca didn’t know why that statement stung so much, it was the truth after all, they only knew each other because their parents – not that she’ll ever consider Sheila family – were friends.

Aubrey – Chloe’s best friend, for what Beca could understand – looked at her from head to toe in disapproval, before turning back to her friend “come on, Stacie is waiting for us” she said walking away and dragging Chloe alongside with her.

“Bye...” Beca told to no one, since the girls were already gone. She went to class wondering if maybe she was wrong about Chloe and they could be more alike than she though, but even popular girls are allowed to like good music, right?

One thing was sure, Chloe wasn’t even remotely as mean as Aubrey was.

At lunch Beca was glad Jesse decided to sit with Benji for once, instead of bothering her, so she could make a playlist of songs she thought Chloe might listen to, and one of those she thought Chloe should listen to.

Amy slept in and skipped school that day – something she did almost every Tuesday – so Beca didn’t have to worry about her either.

“sorry if I stood you up at lunch" apologised Jesse wrapping an arm around her shoulders, knowing very well that Beca would have shrugged it off and be dramatic about him touching her. He giggled when she did just that “you weren’t at my table? I didn’t notice” declared Beca in a monotone voice and Jesse pushed her gently “stop iit" she complained pushing him back “Benji was upset about his chemistry test" he explained without Beca asking “but he got B+” argued Beca and the guy shrugged “it’s the lowest he ever got".

“Where’s Amy by the way? I saw she wasn’t with you at lunch either” he asked “are you going to walk me home?” queried Beca stopping on her tracks – it was a ten minute walk between her house and the school – Jesse shrugged again “if you don’t mind. I don’t have anything better to do anyway" and before Beca could answer, he added “I know you must have missed me today, so you’re welcome" which granted him another shove from the brunette.

“How come you're not wearing your headphones?” “my iPod died at lunch" “aw, because I wasn’t there to keep you company?” he teased “you’re an idiot.”

The truth was that Beca craved more moments with Chloe, she was intrigued by her. Even if she usually was a pretty good judge of character, she was wrong about Chloe the first time and she still couldn’t completely figure her out yet. At school Chloe was a completely different person than who she was at home, she was nice to everyone and always smiling. And then there was that moment they shared in Beca’s room, that was what confused Beca the most, making her second guess all her assumptions about the redhead.

She wanted to get to know her better, but whenever Beca saw the girl in the hallways with her stupid friends she didn’t have the guts to say hi to her and just focused very hard on her steps to avoid eye contact. Beca hated to interact with that kind of people – she hated to interact with any kind of people – they acted like they owned the school and even if Beca couldn’t care less about that, she didn’t want to waste her time feeling judged by them or worse, letting them make a fool out of her. She really didn’t know why Chloe liked them, but again, she didn’t know Chloe at all.

Another month passed by. Beca never showed Chloe the playlists. It wasn’t important and Chloe probably wouldn’t care about that anyway.

“Why is this playlist called ‘Chloe'?” asked Amy making Beca’s blood freeze “that- that’s nothing, why do you always touch my stuff?” she gasped struggling to take the device from Amy, who won the fight without any effort “Jonas Brothers? These songs are so not you" added the blonde confused “It’s just... stupid songs, so I gave it a common stupid girl name” she blurred out wincing at her own words.

Amy narrowed her brows “Isn’t Chloe the name of that redhead you met at those ‘fucking lame dinners' with your father and Sheila?” she inquired making the quote marks gesture while repeating Beca’s words “maybe... I don’t know” tried Beca but she knew she was screwed “Beca...” said Amy not buying it at all.

“Yes, it’s her, okay? I made a playlist of songs I thought she lik-" “you never made me a playlist” interrupted her the blonde “that’s different, she’s- that’s different” blurred out Beca. Amy finally decided to let it go with a shrug connecting her loudspeaker to Beca’s iPod, letting the music fill her bedroom.

“Ugh! Why can’t I just stay with mom?” growled Beca “a couple of weeks at the beach are going to be good for you Bec, why do you have to fight me over everything?” asked her father “I don’t wanna come, dad I wanna work on my mixes, why don’t you understand that?” she whined and ran to her room smashing the door closed behind her.

Her father just informed her that in July they were going on a two weeks’ vacation someplace in Florida with Chloe’s and other two families the Beale used to go on vacation with every year. Beca didn’t have the time to be thrilled about it that she heard the name Posen being mentioned by Sheila. She didn’t even register the other one because she was already spiralling.

Posen like Aubrey Posen. The high bitch in charge at her school, Aubrey Posen. Chloe’s best friend Aubrey Posen. That couldn’t be a coincidence and Beca wasn’t willing to spend a single minute with her, let alone two entire weeks.

“Why is she like this Robert?” she heard Sheila question “what kind of kid doesn’t want to spend time on the beach with her friends?” at the world ‘friends’ Beca felt rage build up inside her – why was Sheila so fucking naive? – but it didn’t last long, because she heard her father sigh defeated “I don’t know honey, I’m afraid I did something wrong with her".

Beca put her headphones on trying to push back the tears that started falling from her eyes.

“She doesn’t want me, does she?” mumbled Beca sitting on her bed, knees pushed tightly against her chest. Her father looked at her sympathetic, sitting at the edge of the bed “Your mom is...” he trailed off for a moment, struggling to find the right words “she is having a hard time and needs to be alone for a while" he tried his best to explain “but she loves you! More than anything” he rushed to add and Beca rolled her eyes.

Lately her father did nothing but take her mother’s side, funny thing is that when they were married, they couldn’t agree on anything. Ever. Beca supposed he felt guilty about her ‘midlife crisis’ since it started just when he asked for a divorce because he couldn’t keep going on like that – or maybe it was the fact that he was in a relationship with stupid Sheila for about a month before that.

Beca’s blood started boiling in her veins at the thought, it was his fault after all, he gave up on their family.

“I’m gonna go at Amy’s” she spat out jumping off the bed.

“Beca, I need you to tell me you’re coming to Florida” he repeated.

“Whatever” answered the girl before leaving the room. It’s not like she had a choice anyway, her dad was just trying not to feel guilty about yet another thing.

“So, you’re going?” asked Amy passing her the joint. They were laying on Amy’s bed listening to music, as always.

“I have to" sighed Beca before smoking “I wish my dad was like yours, he lets you do everything you want" she wined “yeah he's pretty cool" laughed the blonde “or too busy to care maybe" she scoffed carelessly “dude, this pot sucks by the way" growled Beca giving the joint back to her.

Amy took another smoke before agreeing “I know, but I bought it from Luke" she explained “ugh, that dude is an idiot! He wrote ‘Meghan’ on my fake ID” complained Beca. The blonde stared lamely at her for what felt like forever, before cracking up in a loud laugh “Beca all fake IDs have fake names" she gasped trying to stop laughing. Beca looked at her blinking quickly before starting to laugh too.

“Anyway, he is an idiot yes, but he’s hot, so I don’t care" stated Amy “okay but never buy his pot again" demanded the brunette taking back the joint.

“So how are things going with Jesse?” asked Amy out of the blue “what do you mean?” “I mean you have this thing going on for a while now, when are you going to make it official? If you know what I mean...” said Amy wiggling her eyebrows, Beca felt slightly nauseous at that.

“There’s nothing between Jesse and me" she said defensively “oh come on Beca, you two are always attached to the hip!” growled the blonde “you don’t have to hide it from me" she said more softly “he's always attached to my hip I've got nothing to do with that!" spat out Beca getting up “I know you, you wouldn’t let him near you if you didn’t want to" pointed out Amy.

Beca knew her friend was right, she never let anyone get too close to her, but for some reason she allowed Jesse to do that and she had to admit she liked having his invasive ass around – not to Amy anyway, she was never going to admit that to Amy.

“That’s none of your business” she cut off rising the volume on her iPod to end the discussion.

When Beca came back home she found a brand-new soundboard to connect to her computer – the one she’s been asking for and her dad always denied her – sitting on her desk.

It was the same way she got her headphones, she got into a fight with her dad about something concerning the divorce somehow, stormed out of the house and found them at her return. Robert knew it wasn’t the best way to deal with conflict, but he really didn’t know how to deal with a teenager in full rebellion mood, so expensive gifts were his go-to in these cases. It wasn’t enough for Beca, but she decided to take what she could from this situation. She didn’t like to deal with conflict either anyway.

The girl spent the whole night trying all the functions her new device offered while thinking about Chloe. She spent most nights thinking about Chloe recently. She thought about what it must be like being at the verge of the high school social ladder, having everyone’s eyes on you all the times – a kind of pressure Beca couldn’t be able to stand, for sure – how it felt to be respected, feared even, by the whole school and mostly how would it feel to be bossed around by Aubrey all the times.

Aubrey gave Beca chills. It wasn’t that Beca feared her – she didn’t fear anyone – but there was something about her that made her stomach clench, as if she was under examination. She knew Aubrey judged everybody from her high throne and Beca didn’t think enough of her to care about that, but what scared the brunette was that Aubrey’s stupid opinion could affect what Chloe thought of her.

By the time sun started creeping up from her window, she had decided that suffering through two weeks with Aubrey Posen was a small price to pay to get to know Chloe better. Her social anxiety will have to come to terms with that.

Beca threw herself on the bed, cursing her decision to staying up all night on a weekday. Her clock showed it was half past six and she briefly wondered if she could push it a little and try to gain a ‘you can skip school today’ too from the argument she and her father had, but she knew Professor Mitchell considered school the most important thing ever, even over the peaceful atmosphere he tried so hard to maintain in their home. She groaned and set her alarm to an hour later before falling asleep in her outside clothes.

Of course, she didn’t hear the alarm going off and now she was super late. As she fumed to gather all the things she needed for the day she jumped at the sight of Sheila’s head peeking from her not-closed-anymore bedroom door.

“You’re late" she stated with that irritating tone Beca really didn’t want to hear first thing in the morning.

“I know that, thanks” spat out the teenager.

“Let me drive you to school” offered the woman now fully standing in Beca’s room.

“Absolutely not" said Beca without looking at her, still busy looking for her maths' notes.

“You left a notebook in the kitchen the other day, maybe that’s what you’re looking for" told her Sheila before leaving the room.

After getting ready Beca went to the kitchen and found the notes. Sheila was sitting at the kitchen table, probably waiting for her. Beca groaned “okay let’s go" as if she was the one doing the woman a favour.

Beca was sure it was a trap, so she rushed to put her headphones on to avoid any unwanted discussion about her weird behaviour or whatever. Surprisingly Sheila didn’t try to talk to her at all and when she stopped in front of Beca’s school she even offered the girl a sweet smile “have a good day”.

“Yeah...” murmured Beca under her breath before leaving the car.

It was a shitty day, like if she was under a heavy cloud; she forgot to charge her phone, her head was killing her and Jesse didn’t shut up for one second all morning, not to mention math class – which was always a nightmare. Beca was about to commit murder when suddenly Chloe approached her at her locker.

“Hey" breathed out cheerfully the redhead and Beca found her breath catching in her lungs “I’ve heard you’re coming to Florida with us this year” she continued with her classic bright smile. Beca’s heart started racing and she was positive her face was red “I- yes, we- uh...” she rambled focusing, on nothing in particular, inside her locker. “I’m glad you’re coming" at that Beca forced herself to look at Chloe and try to mirror her smile.

“Hey babe" she heard Tom call from the other side of the hallway. Chloe turned towards him with heart eyes and accepted his kiss when he reached them. Beca felt nauseous watching that – she hated pda and cheesy happy couples.

When they parted Tom friendly nodded at Beca “hi, I’m Tom" “Beca" she said shaking the hand he offered her. Beca tried to smile at him, she really did, but all she could manage was a grimace. The girl was never so glad to hear Jesse’s “Beccaaawww" approaching her.

“Uhm, sorry, I have to go. It was nice meeting you Tom. Bye Chloe" se excused herself locking the metallic door and walking to Jesse. It was the first time she’d ever said Chloe’s name to her face and was still marvelling at the sensation it gave her, when Jesse started to throw a million words at her again, but she couldn’t focus on him at all. For some reason she kept replaying that stupid kiss in her brain over and over again.

“Earth to Beca?” called her Jesse snapping his fingers in front of her “what happened to you? You’ve been weird the whole day" he asked in a somewhat of a worried tone “I didn’t sleep" she told him “why not? You can talk to me you know” he assured her, but behind him Beca spot Amy in the distance shamelessly gesturing at her with her index finger entering a ring she was making with the other hand “gross...” whispered Beca glaring at her.

“What?” asked the guy confused “dude you need to leave me alone okay? You’re not my fucking boyfriend” she snapped making some students turn to look at them. Jesse was staring at her with a hurt expression and she regretted right away snapping at him – it was Amy’s fault not his.

“All right” he said raising his hands and turning no leave. Beca wanted to stop him, but she was too proud to apologise.

“Troubles in paradise?” asked Amy joining her “Amy fuck off!” “geez somebody woke up on the wrong side of life today" she exclaimed rolling her eyes and walking away, she knew it was best to leave Beca alone when she was like that.

#bechloe #high school au #beca mitchell #chloe beale

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