#also charlotte and henry get first pick of all seats

[caterpillarinacave]

#they had to split into two cars #tessa has one of those road trip bingo trivia things and wont shut up #will wont shut up because hes will #also charlotte and henry get first pick of all seats #theyre the grandparents in the group they get priotiy #Tid #tlh #tsc #cc #charlotte Fairchild #sophie collins #jem carstairs #Henry branwell #henry Fairchild #Charlotte branwell #tessa grey #will herondale #gideon lightwood #church the cat #Gabriel lightwood #cecily herondale #Magnus bane #Jessamine Lovelace #Alignment chart

[heykoonsy]

Word Count: 4.4k+ 

Pairing: OC x Jake, OC x Danny

Summary: Charlotte’s stay at the Somerset Sapiens Farm was short-lived, her intelligence quickly astounding the owner; Henry Somerset himself. Hoping to become a client, Charlotte is gifted to an eccentric vampire known for supplying the wealthy elite with high quality humans for their gatherings. Charlotte, however, intends to use this vampire’s power and connections another way.

Content Warnings: 18+ for mature themes

Chapter 1: The Past

Charlotte watched as a few guards made their way down the corridor opposite her cell. With them, a meek woman was being dragged by the arms. She grit her teeth at how roughly they handled her, taking little care of the incision at her throat and simply letting her head fall forward. She watched, noticing that the anesthetic used made the woman’s movements slow and groggy. As the guards tossed her onto the bed, they scoffed at her, remarking on her smell. When they came out of the cell, Charlotte looked away in disgust at their actions. 

The woman was carted away a few days ago, all because F6284 was too loud–she screeched, clicked and hummed throughout the night. It distressed her cell mate and neighbors, in fact, the entire wing echoed with the sounds of her cries. Charlotte didn’t mind much, she wasn’t rattled by an innocent woman’s voice. 

But the guards were. They had been complaining about her noise for weeks and seeing that a silent human still bleeds–the owner opted for a little change.

Charlotte had heard utterings from the other staff operating within the halls of the Sanctuary–or as she’d come to learn a few months ago–the Somerset Sapiens Farm. Several guards had been speaking of F6284’s “operation”, relieved that another “bleeder” had been “clipped”. The medical staff that drew blood and cared for injuries in the infirmary were also talking about it. They seemed a lot more sympathetic, worried about F6284’s condition after “surgery” and hoping to keep her comfortable. 

It was nothing more than pointless pity. The operation was still carried out. 

“F6423 and F6298 are already in the infirmary, so we still need F6200,” a guard’s voice called from outside her cell.

Charlotte stayed where she was, ignoring her ID number and keeping her eyes to the concrete floors of her cell. She heard the lock turn and her cell door open. 

“Drawing time,” the guard said, more to her than his partner.

“You’ve got to stop talking to these things,” the other guard said, crossing his arms. “Half of them can’t even walk, let alone speak.”

The guard pulled on Charlotte’s arm, raising her from her seated position on her cot. “You talk to Buttercup, she can’t speak.”

“Five weeks of obedience training says she can speak.”

“You paid someone to teach her tricks?”

“Can we just leave Buttercup out of this?” The other guard said exasperatedly. 

The guard shrugged his shoulders and led Charlotte out of her cell, keeping a hand on her upper arm to ensure she wouldn’t go anywhere. 

Charlotte was taken down a flight of stairs and to the infirmary. She had been there often–in fact, she stayed there for nearly two weeks when she first arrived. She was poked and prodded, each vampire she met sticking her with needles and syringes. She was strapped to the bed for most of it, going in and out of consciousness. At the time she didn’t know what she was being given, but after hearing the terms used for months now, she picked up on a lot. 

“We’ll start with fluids,” someone said from the space above her.

“Have you seen this?” Another pulled up her shirt, exposing her hunger-wracked body.

There was a pause. “Where did we find her again?”

“She found us.”

“Fluids first, then we’ll get her something to eat.”

Charlotte shook herself from the memory, watching as they passed rows of doors along a narrow hallway. Finally, they stopped and a door was buzzed open for them. One guard paused to open the door, and the other led her in. Charlotte recognized the words on the door as she was pushed past them: INFIRMARY.

“There you go,” the guard said as he sat her down on an empty chair in the infirmary. 

Charlotte watched as they bound her arms and legs to the chair. Her eyes skirted over the rest of the room, taking a quick count of everyone she saw. There was a small row of chairs, hers being the last in the line. Four other women were strapped in, all tied up and being bled. She recognized them as the same women she was always in here with during drawings. They were all members of the same “cluster”.

“Thanks Reggie,” a voice called from behind the chairs. 

The guard nodded and stood outside the door waiting to escort them back.

Charlotte watched as someone in a long white coat pushed towards her on a chair with wheels. She stopped in front of her, hands immediately going to Charlotte’s arm with practiced precision. She watched absentmindedly as the syringe went into her skin, feeling the small sting for a moment. After the blood bag was all set up, White Coat stood and made her way to the other side of the room to work at a desk. 

Charlotte looked over at the other women again, watching as their attention was drawn elsewhere. One was looking at White Coat, another was looking at the blood bag. The last two were tapping their feet, the light sounds making them excited. Charlotte watched as White Coat looked over at them–clearly annoyed by the noise. 

“Cool it,” she said harshly. 

Her tone startled the women, making them stop. When she turned away, their eyes moved to the floor. It was a few minutes before they started tapping their feet again, happily clicking at each other. White Coat slammed her hand on the table to quiet them. 

And yet again, it did not settle them for long.

This was only headed one way–and it happened last time too. Charlotte prepared herself, watching as White Coat rose from the desk and picked up something. Charlotte watched as she raised her arm quickly, but was stopped when she heard Charlotte’s blood bag land on the floor. White Coat looked over at her, dropping the arm that held her weapon. 

“Again?” She asked angrily.

Charlotte watched as she stomped towards her. White Coat stopped before Charlotte and raised her weapon again. She felt a sudden jolt which sent her body lurching forward. Charlotte gasped, shutting her eyes and gritting her teeth so she wouldn’t call out. 

“Bet you won’t do that again,” White Coat said as she hurried to hook Charlotte back up. 

Charlotte breathed heavily through her nose as she watched White Coat walk back to her desk. Before she could stop herself, Charlotte dipped her head low, grabbing the tube between her teeth and ripped the needle from her arm once more. The bag clattered to the floor, stopping White Coat in her tracks. 

Charlotte glared at her, watching as White Coat looked back, mouth agape. Then, she took a few steps back, her hand going to her mouth in shock. 

“Reggie,” she yelled as she buzzed the guard in. 

Reggie escorted her out of the room, giving a glance over to Charlotte as she watched them leave. 

Charlotte strained her ears, but all she could make out was, “She did it on purpose, she understood.”

Charlotte knew that she made a mistake as soon as she saw White Coat stop dead in the Infirmary. She had been lying low for months, keeping her speech and her ability to read and write to herself. She realized very early that they would never speak to her, just of and around her. It had never even occurred to them that she may be able to reply. 

After she joined the general population, she understood why they might believe that. They separated the humans by sex, one wing for men and one for women. She couldn’t speak for the male wing, but as for the female one, it was a sharp contrast to what she was expecting. 

For whatever reason, she assumed that the humans in the Sanctuary would be like her. She figured there would be mothers and fathers and children. But it wasn’t like she hoped. The humans here were condemned to their cells, taken out for drawings, “showers”, meals and “yard time”. The ones that couldn’t walk were dragged. The ones that couldn’t speak were ignored. The ones that did speak usually only repeated phrases they’d heard or mimic sounds like the buzzing of a door. 

It made her sick to her stomach. 

And, in realizing this, she came to terms about her father’s decision to keep them all away from this place. This is what life was like for their kind now: one hundred years of breeding made humans no more than cattle to their captors. 

Reggie held onto Charlotte tighter than he usually did, his grip cutting off circulation to the rest of her arm. She kept her gaze low as she looked at him. His chest was rising and falling fast, knowledge of Charlotte’s new-found intelligence clearly making him anxious. He stopped her in front of a large door, which looked nothing like the rest of the building. 

Reggie knocked lightly on the door, the sound alerting whoever was inside. Charlotte heard footsteps, and finally, the door swung open. 

A tall man met Reggie’s gaze, and he peered down at Charlotte. He gestured to come in with his hand, but Charlotte waited for Reggie to pull her along. Reggie sat her down in a waiting chair, and Charlotte noticed that there was a lack of restraints immediately. 

“Thank you,” the tall man said politely, beckoning Reggie towards the door. 

“Sir,” he began to protest but the man stopped him. 

“I’ll take it from here, Swanson.”

Charlotte stayed quiet as he made his way towards her. She felt his eyes on the back of her head as he continued to pace outside of her field of vision. He stepped closer, her eyes finally catching him as he crossed over to his desk. Leaning against it, his mouth tightened into an expression that Charlotte had difficulty reading. 

“You gave my staff quite a fright,” he said plainly. “We’ve never encountered a human that understands our language.”

Charlotte stayed quiet. 

“Usually, your kind mimics us,” he said, messing with something on his desk. “But they don’t understand what they’re saying. It’s all noise to them.”

He watched closely, tracking every small change in Charlotte’s expression.

“It’s not noise to you, though.” He looked deep into her eyes. “Talk to me,” he said after a few seconds. 

Charlotte looked away from him, her eyes drawn to the large window in the room. She saw a bright blue sky and white puffy clouds. He noticed this and shook his head. 

“You’re very smart, I can tell. Jane told me what happened in the Infirmary, that it wasn’t the first time you’d removed the needle. She said it was always in ‘retaliation’.”

Charlotte watched the clouds move across the sky, the wind blowing them faster. 

“You don’t like it when we treat one of your kind poorly.”

Charlotte met his gaze, threatening him to continue with her eyes. 

He smirked, “Is that what it’s going to take? Should I call F6423 in here and give you the proper motivation?”

Charlotte clenched her teeth, dropping her gaze. 

“No.”

The man smiled widely, his eyes giddy with excitement. “From what I’ve been told, you came here on your own.”

“Yes.”

“Where are you from?”

Charlotte remembered the cabin, wondering just how far she’d traveled. “A mountain, very far from here.”

“Do you have a name?”

Charlotte nodded. “Charlotte,” she said quietly. 

“Are there others–more like you?”

Charlotte knit her eyebrows together in anger, rising from her chair. Was he really trying to get more humans for his farm?

He raised his hands in defense. “F6423,” he warned. 

Charlotte sat back down slowly. “They were killed.”

He shook his head bitterly, Charlotte assumed he was only doing so because he couldn’t bleed the dead, and not because he was sad they were gone. “Shame, humans like you are very rare.”

Charlotte wanted to scream at his insensitivity–he was what she pictured vampires to look and act like. Bumbling vicious idiots with no empathy for anyone but themselves. He disgusted her–using violence to get his way. Prying information out of her for his own gain. She could bet each and every one of them working here thought just like him. Hoped for it–so they would be easier to hate.

“You are going to make the perfect gift,” he mused to himself. “Velasquez will never ignore me again.”

FIVE YEARS LATER

Charlotte quietly made her way past the guests of the party, lowering her gaze to the marble floor as she shuffled out of their way. She looked upwards again, catching sight of Julio–dark and looming–in the archway. He nodded for her to come closer. Charlotte tucked her chin and dodged more guests as she walked towards him. 

“Your mask,” he said, lifting his hands up to her face. 

Charlotte let him adjust it, feeling him tug on the strings behind her head. She let her head fall against his wide chest. 

“There,” he said softly. “Let’s go.”

Charlotte followed behind him as he made his way down the hallway and towards a large wooden door. He stopped in front of it, taking a small glance backward to ensure she was ready. 

Charlotte nodded, signaling to him that it was okay to proceed. He pushed open the doors and the first thing Charlotte saw was the brightly lit study and an empty desk. Julio quickly ushered her into the room, and instructed her to stand along the wall. Within a few moments, a man burst through the doors to their left. 

Julio stood in front of Charlotte, partially masking her view due to his height and broad shoulders. 

“Charlotte?” The man asked softly.

Julio nodded, he stepped away from her. 

Charlotte felt his eyes on her as she finally took him in. He was dressed in a white suit, a stark departure from all of the guests that were clad in black for the festivities tonight–herself included. He was much older than any vampire she’d seen as of late. Velasquez’s typical clientele were new-money rebels, however, it seemed that he was finally catching the eyes of the scions. 

Charlotte met his gaze and reached her arm out. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Bradley.”

Mr. Bradley seemed to beam before her. He coupled her hand between his own and she felt how cold and dry they were. 

“Not an ounce of fear,” he commented happily. “Gabriel mentioned how meek Mr. Velasquez’s personnel acted among his guests last month. I am pleased to say he was too harsh.”

Charlotte’s eyes stayed on Mr. Bradley as he dropped her hand. A knock came from the door and Charlotte stayed where she was. Julio looked towards Mr. Bradley. 

“Ah yes, come in,” Mr. Bradley called. 

The doors opened and an older woman walked through them. Charlotte glanced at her as she made her way over to Mr. Bradley. She was wearing a black lace dress that came to her knees and matching heels. Her curled hair hung close to her shoulders, bordering her face. She looked elegant, like a member of the elite should. 

“Lori,” Mr. Bradley smiled. “So nice of you to join us.”

“Thank you for putting me into contact with him. I am sorry it had to take place during your event,” she said, glancing over at Mr. Bradley. Then, her eyes went to Julio. “Mr. Velasquez?”

Mr. Bradley shook his head. “I’m afraid we will not be seeing Mr. Velasquez tonight. He sent his partners in his stead. This is Julio,” he gestured to him. “And this is Charlotte,” he gestured to her. 

“He is rather elusive,” she said, sticking her hand out to Julio, then to Charlotte. “Thank you for seeing me, I am Mrs. Wagner. I will be hosting a party in celebration of my husband–and no party is complete without Velasquez.”

Julio looked at Charlotte and nodded, prompting her to speak. 

“He has received your letter, and sends his thanks for your gift of wine.”

Mrs. Wagner beamed, smiling widely and exposing her sharp teeth. “I knew he would enjoy the cabernet, it’s one of my favorites.”

Charlotte nodded. “Mr. Velasquez will be sending the documents over, expect them within a week.”

Mrs. Wagner clapped her hands together happily. “I am so excited. We have a lot of people to impress, and I’m sure every one of them will be asking for his contact information afterwards.”

“Thank you for your time,” he said to Charlotte. Then he turned his attention over to Mrs. Wagner. “Well then, shall we?” Mr. Bradley asked as he stuck out his arm for Mrs. Wagner to grab. 

She took his arm and the two of them made their way out of the study. 

“We’ll be seeing you,” Mr. Bradley said, smiling at Julio and Charlotte. 

Charlotte waited for the sound of the receding footsteps to dissipate before looking at Julio. “You hate cabernet,” she said, crossing her arms. “Why agree to a birthday party of all things?”

Julio looked at her for a moment, “The Wagner name is very influential. Like she said, one party and we have all of their guests added to my client list.”

Charlotte nodded, her eyes still trained on him. She watched as his smirk fell and he looked elsewhere in the room. How long had it been since they started working together? Four, no, five years now? Living his life under a false name made more sense now than it did back then. But, that didn’t mean that she completely understood the need for such a distinction. She shook her head. 

“We have to get back to the party,” Charlotte said finally.

Julio agreed, nodding in her direction and opening the door for her as they joined the party once again. 

Charlotte tore off the mask she wore first, throwing it onto her bed to her right. Next to go were the heels, which fell to the floor one at a time with an audible clack. Charlotte moved to the mirror, her eyes catching Julio in the doorway as she messed with the zipper of her dress.

“What?” She asked, nonchalantly turning around. 

Julio came forward, spinning her around and unzipping the gown slowly to not snag any of the delicate fabric. 

Charlotte waited patiently, glancing at him in the mirror. When his gaze met hers he stepped away. 

“James called,” he said quietly. 

Charlotte’s attention was immediately captured. “He’s on his way?”

Julio nodded. “Ten minutes. I’ll leave you to change.”

Charlotte watched as he left, closing the door to her room behind him. She looked at herself in the mirror, loosening her hair from the sleek bun it had been in all night. Shaking her head slightly, she watched as loose curls fell around her neck and shoulders. Charlotte followed the strands as they met her collar bone. With her cold hand, she traced the bone there, recognizing the significance of not being able to see it distinctly anymore. In fact, as Charlotte began taking off her dress, she followed the curves of her body as it fell to the floor. 

She stared at herself, taking in the plumpness of her limbs once more. She still couldn’t shake the memory of what she looked like out there. Running off of little sleep and even littler portions of food. Looking at her body now, at what it was supposed to look like, she realized that even at the cabin she wasn’t eating enough. 

Her eyes went to her ribs, which couldn’t be seen poking through her skin anymore. There was more definition on her arms, and her thighs had actually become quite chubby. She smiled at this, pride taking root in her chest. She made it. 

Charlotte absentmindedly stroked her neck, where the memory of a long-faded scar remained. 

She made it. 

Charlotte heard a soft knock at the front door and then heard Julio’s voice as he greeted someone; James. She scrambled to her dresser and threw on a sweater and some pants. Charlotte made her way in bare feet through her bedroom door and took her place beside Julio in the doorway. 

It had been weeks since she’d last seen James. He was dressed in unusually formal attire, sporting a suit jacket and pants, much like Julio always wore. He smiled down at her, keeping his mouth closed so as to not offend–which he always did around her as well as Julio’s other staff. 

“The Wagner’s?” Julio prompted, narrowing his eyes at James. 

He nodded. “I obtained the guest list, vetted them. You are looking at, from my guess, at least twenty new clients–if you want them.”

Julio nodded, and Charlotte took in what that meant. James was an investigator of sorts, quiet, unremarkable–which made him easy to overlook and thus perfectly camouflaged. James has been working for Julio far longer than herself, and yet to this day James will swear up and down that Charlotte knows Julio better. She looked downwards, towards his messenger bag where some documents were poking out of it. 

James watched as her gaze fell and began pulling out the folders he made of each of the high-profile guests coming to Mrs. Wagner’s party. He handed them over to Julio. “Go over these, if there’s anyone you want me to follow up on, give me a call.”

Julio grabbed the stack of paperwork and glanced down at Charlotte, who was still eyeing James' bag. Finally getting the picture, Julio nodded a quick thank you. “I’ll get back to you,” he said, making eye contact with James. Then he looked at Charlotte again. “He’s all yours.”

Charlotte led James to the kitchen island like she had so many times before. And, just like back then, James waited until Julio was gone, disappearing into his office to pour over the research. James began pulling out all the documents that he’d collected over his time away.

Charlotte recalled the first time she met James. She was gifted to Julio, just as Mr. Somerset envisioned. However, upon meeting Charlotte–seeing her lack of fear towards his kind, her speech, and a million other things, just being a regular member of his staff was not on the table. So she began to live with him, and be more or less his right-hand when it came to his business. When it came time for a visit from James, Julio kept their contact brief. However, Charlotte was able to talk him into arranging a meeting for her. 

That was three years ago now–and James had already given her a plethora of information. James was worth every measly cent. Their first meeting had been about establishing a paper trail. She remembered it like it was yesterday, because it had given her something she’d been missing. 

“I really didn’t have much to go on,” James said, and Charlotte looked up at him concerned. Then, James cracked a smile. “But I found a lead.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened and she moved forward on her stool, closer to James.

James had pulled out an aerial map from his bundle of documents. “The game lands North of Somerset,” he pointed on the map, “are right here. They are owned by the State Sapiens Gaming Commission. Not to bore you with the legality, but that means records need to be kept of anyone hunting on their lands. Unlicensed hunting–poaching–is illegal, after all.” He cocked his head to the side, worried that he lost her. “Do you follow?”

Charlotte nodded.

“You mentioned that it was nearing winter, about two years ago now, correct?”

“Yes,” she said, swallowing hard.

James pulled out a few other documents. “Any Ranger in the game lands would have had to log the registered hunter, or hunters, and keep record of their arrival and departure.” He pointed to one document, which was a list of check-ins. “Five years ago, on October 5th, only twelve hunters checked in with the Rangers. Do you recognize any names?”

Charlotte took a deep breath as she grabbed the page from James. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself. She took a deep breath and glanced downwards, eyes scanning the line of signatures. When she got to the center of the page, she gasped audibly. She ran her finger over the thin writing of the only name she recognized. 

“Jake,” she whispered. Her heart was pounding in her chest, soaring with hope as she read his name over and over. Jake Kiszka.

After that meeting, there were dozens of others in the three years they had been working together. Charlotte hoped that this latest meeting would help shed some light on something she was curious about.

James pulled out the documents with practiced precision and Charlotte waited for him to begin. 

“There isn’t much this time, I’m afraid.” He placed a few documents in front of her. 

“That’s okay,” Charlotte said quietly. She was grateful for anything he had to give. 

“I was able to get an update on Josh. More letters to elected officials. I couldn’t stick around long–too many eyes.”

“And Sam?”

“He’s still M.I.A.,” James said grimly. “My guess is he’s out of the country again.”

Charlotte nodded along, wanting so much more than what she currently had. 

“I couldn’t find anything on Danny,” he said, messing with his bag again. “Since he has not shown up around the others, I can’t track him down.”

James pulled out a thin plastic card and pushed it slowly over to Charlotte. 

Charlotte looked over and her eyes sparked with joy. “You said there wasn’t much?” She took the card in her hands.

“It’s not much, Charlotte.” 

Charlotte took account of what she was looking at, spinning it in her hands. It was what she believed to be an ID badge. She could see the name Jake Kiszka printed on it, and below that, an obscure logo. Her breath got caught in her throat when she saw his photo. She was drawn immediately to his eyes, which were sunken in and obviously tired. His cheeks were less full and he was paler than she remembered. It looked like he tied his hair back for the photo, a tight ponytail fixed to the back of his head. 

“How did you get this?” She breathed.

“I put a tail on Josh. He picked up Jake at a coffee shop, I think? I almost lost them, someone with a bike knocked into Jake and, let’s just say not everything made its way back into his backpack.”

Charlotte looked at James, her eyes welling with tears. She looked down at the now blurry photo of Jake. “Can I keep this?” 

“I already made a copy,” he said with a tight smile. “You can keep it.”

Charlotte sat there quietly for a moment, stroking the badge.

“The logo on the badge is where I hit a snag. I don’t recognize it, and no one on my team has either. I’ll have to keep looking into it, but I’m hopeful.”

Charlotte closed her eyes to will the tears away, when she opened them again, she looked at James. “Thank you,” she said with barely a whisper.

#A Home for Jake #Greta Van Fleet Fanfiction #Jake Kiszka #Vampire!AU #Horror/Dystopia #gvf #greta van fleet #A Home for Charlie sequel

[zackmartin]

Trick or Treat! I hope you have a super-duper wonderful Halloween! I love you too! 💜

ahh, thank you, bestie!!! I hope you're having a fun Halloween too!!! 💕💕

ask box trick-or-treating: fic writer edition!

This snippet is from the same halloween fic as this excerpt. I apologize, this is really long, but I liked it and I couldn't bring myself to cut it off 😅 (also, like i said before, please forgive the fact that this is kinda messy since it's still a first draft)

Henry shrugged and sank lower in his chair, absentmindedly picking at the peeling label of his root beer bottle. “Who knows? He started complaining about remakes and how they don’t do the originals justice, so I stopped listening.” Jasper snorted. “We could always do something else,” he suggested. “Like…?” “Party?” “You mean the parties we weren’t invited to?” Jasper rifled through the bowl of candy on the table. “Maybe you weren’t invited to,” he mumbled under his breath. Henry rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself when there was a knock at the front door. He was barely out of his seat before Piper came flying down the stairs, screeching, “IT’S FOR ME!” as she went. The three of them instinctively glanced toward the door as she pulled it open, Henry resisting the urge to flinch at her harsh, grating voice. He took a swig of his root beer, almost swallowing his tongue in the process, when he caught sight of who was standing on the other side of the threshold. Jasper whirled around to look at him at an almost neck-breaking speed, eyes wide, as Henry leaned across the table towards Charlotte. “Why is Zack Martin at my house?” he whispered. Charlotte peered at him, brows furrowed. “How should I know?” “Did you bring it? Did you bring it?!” Piper gushed, practically bouncing on her heels. Zack nodded as he stepped through the door, using his foot to nudge it shut after him. Henry tried to force himself to look anywhere but at Zack, but it was no use. His eyes always ended up traveling back in spite of himself. Zack was already in costume: a ’50s greaser-style outfit, complete with cuffed jeans, black Converse high-tops, and a leather jacket that made Henry’s heart rattle around his ribcage. “Hey, Swellview,” Zack chirped as he caught Henry’s gaze while following Piper to the counter. Henry’s pretty sure Zack also said hello to his friends, but he was too busy trying to remember what words were to really know for sure. He had to settle on giving Zack some awkward chin nod in lieu of a verbal greeting. “Here it is!” Zack announced, setting down the scroll-like object in his hand before he unfurled it across the countertop. Henry craned his neck to get a better view. “A map of all the best trick-or-treat spots, including all the places with full-size candy bars.” Piper stared down at it with a greedy smile, looking like a little kid who had just been let loose in a candy store with an unlimited budget (although Henry supposed that really wasn’t that far from the actual situation). Henry’s so focused on the fact that Zack Martin’s currently standing in his kitchen, smelling like stale cigarettes and cheap cologne and making his teenage hormones go absolutely haywire, that he forgets to ask how Piper even knew he had such a map.

#asks #heather tag 💜 #zwrites #zelda writes #happy halloween! #zenry

[zenryverse]

First Lines Meme

I was tagged by @thenoteonthepolaroidpicture thank you, friend! I love you! 💗

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories. (If you have less than 20, just list them all!) See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Tag some people to play the next round!

I took this as meaning like WIPs? If it means literally everything then I’m sorry I’m stupid 😬 I feel like this is meant to be like, the first line/opening line of the fic in general, but I don’t usually do the first scene right away, I just write whatever scene is in my head and then if I have enough that I feel like I can turn it into something, then I usually try to start writing a first chapter/first scene. So, my long-winded point, is that some of these genuinely are first lines, and others are just, the first line of the scene(s) I have 😅 (also, a lot of these are still in first draft mode or still having working titles, please forgive me)

Zack led Henry deep into the underbelly of the ship, down into the storage area that was scarcely guarded after-hours and off-limits to everyone but a certain few crew members. (First line of chapter 9 of Danger on Deck)

Zack slowly clicked the red button on the screen to end the call, his mind reeling. (Untitled Zenry One-shot)

  Henry burst into Charlotte’s apartment, accidentally slamming the door behind him, causing Charlotte and Jasper to jump from their seats at the kitchen counter. (Christmas at the Tipton)

Zack strolled into the kitchen/living room where Henry was standing at the counter. He approached him from behind, wrapping his arms around his waist, pressing a gentle kiss to the nape of his neck before nuzzling his face into the spot between Henry’s shoulder blades. (Adopting Rocky) (i know that’s technically two lines, but I think the second line is soft and I’m in a soft mood, so I’m breaking the rules) 

Zack and Henry sat shoulder to shoulder on the floor, leaning back against the couch, legs intertwined, Henry’s hand resting on the inside of Zack’s knee. Rocky had clumsily forced his way in between them, now fast asleep, currently using Zack’s ankle as a pillow. (The Proposal)

Zack opened the front door, freezing in the doorway when he noticed the house in disarray, complete with the couch flipped on its side, Izzy kneeling next to the entrance to the hallway as she frantically ripped through her backpack, throwing things haphazardly on the floor, while Felix rummaged through the kitchen cabinets, every one of them standing open. (Steve Gets Out)

“You’re not being fair!” Izzy whined as she followed Henry into the kitchen. ((Un)License to Drive)

  “Another!” the Prince proclaims, clumsily raising his glass, the mead sloshing out of both sides. (Untitled Fairytale AU)

  “Why don’t you just ask her out?” Zack questioned as he picked up one of Ethan’s dolls (sorry, action figures) off the shelf, turning it over in his hand as he absentmindedly examined it. (Untitled MBAV/Suite Life crossover)

“But, I know I can do this! And, I’d be good at it!” Zack persisted as he continued to pace. “I know this business! I grew up in this business!” (Untitled Zenry One-Shot)

“Thank god you’re home,” Zack declared in a panicked tone. (Zack and Henry Babysit)

  “Hey. I said ‘no tears’, remember?” (Untitled Hero/Villain AU)

"Hello?" Zack croaked, plopping back onto the bed, squeezing his eyes shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose. (Izzy Gets Suspended)

  "Is that everything?" Henry inquired, throwing his duffel bag over his shoulder as he stood in the open doorway of his front door, watching his two friends collect up the last of their things. (Saturday the 14th)

  Henry hits the button on his watch to silence the alarm, quickly mumbling out an apology to his History teacher that has whirled around to glare at him for interrupting class. (TBH - aka my latest AU 👀)(yes, tbh stands for something, but I’m not willing to say what on account of it being embarrassing 💗)

  “I don’t want to have to say goodbye again,” Zack breathes, in the same sorrowful tone Henry’s heard all too often, the one that makes his chest ache. (from a kiss prompt I never finished 😬)

  Bailey stepped out onto the Sky Deck, the warmth of the midmorning sun hitting her face, convincing her to spend her free period out there enjoying the nice weather. (chapter 5 of Be My Valentine?) 

“You can’t seat my parents next to each other!” Piper barked from her spot across from Cody, yanking two red note flags, each scribbled with Henry’s parents’ names, off the seating chart that was laid out on the table between them. (The Wedding) 

Idk who’s still actively writing that i can tag?? So, i’ll just take a shot in the dark but if I don’t tag you and you want to do this, just go ahead and do it and say that i tagged you 💗 @neshatriumphs @yackers @legendaryjohnmarston @sunsetcurve

#this is literally everything I've written in the past 5 years laskdjfksf #seriously all of it. it's right here #I'm willing to elaborate on any of these cause I'm sorry. but after rereading a bunch of scenes my writing slaps man #*phoebe buffay voice* i'm sorry but i am extremely talented

[oboevallis]

runaway

hey it’s been a hot minute, not really sure what this is ive have it in my drafts for a while, but i feel like everyone’s written this 😂 but i wanted to post something at least also ‘who is he?’ part 4 will be coming out soon hope everyone’s doing well

“It’s always been her, hasn’t it?” Amelia’s voice wavered as she struggled to keep her composure.

“I didn’t sleep with her!” Link exclaimed, slurring his words. “I just stayed with her.”

“Whenever something goes wrong between us you always go running to Jo. Just get it over with and fuck her already! She’ll be all the things I’m not.”

“You have no right to be mad. I poured my heart out to you, I’ve been planning for months on proposing to you. I love you Amelia Shepherd, but your so damn self destructive you’re ruining this for the both of us. I’ve done everything you’ve wanted this is just one thing I wanted. If anything I should be mad, but I’m being the bigger person.”

“You’re being the bigger person?” Amelia chuckled in disbelief. “Talk to me again when you’re sober.”

“Who said I wasn’t sober?”

“Please, part of Jo’s help sessions always result in the two of you downing a bottle of whiskey, which is an incredibly unhealthy coping mechanism.” As she said this she was aggressively packing her clothes in a suitcase.

“Not everyone’s a fucking alcoholic. Not everyone has to sit an a room with fucked up strangers complaining about their lives, when they did that to themselves.”

“You think I wanted to be snorting oxy off of the reception desk of a medical practice while I’ll my friends watched? Or stealing my brothers car and crashing it trying to find drugs? I thought you were different but you’re just like Owen.” That’s the last thing she said before walking into their sons nursery and scooping with up.

“You can’t take Scout.”

“I can because you’re drunk out of your mind, I don’t even know why I’m talking to you.”

“Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Amelia yelled before slamming the door behind her. She fought to get the baby in his car seat, she couldn’t seem to catch a break. She needed to get away, she needed to go back to her original refuge.

“Come on Scout, can we cooperate for mommy?” Amelia begged, fighting off tears as her son kicked and screamed. Despite being a movement baby he hated the car, specifically the car seat since no one could hold him. Eventually the baby was secured, and he quickly fell asleep, as he realized how he exhausted himself after his tantrum. Three hours into the drive Amelia immediately started to regret this, it was a 17 hour drive, and she was doing it alone with a baby who just barely turned one. No, she was doing this, she needed to. She’d be sure to take as many breaks as she needed. This was what needed to be done for her and her sons well-being.

After two hotel visits and countless stops along I-5 S she found herself in LA standing outside her sisters door, but couldn’t bring herself to knock. She knew Addison loved her but she couldn’t help already feeling the subtle condescension. ‘How have you already managed to screw this up?’ ‘I love you Amy, I do, but isn’t this a little extreme?’ ‘You’re clean, right? Because I’ll take you back right this minute’

Quickly she turned around to go back to her car to think about her next game plan before a voice stopped her.

“Amy?” Amelia jerked back around to be met with Addison’s confused yet comforting smile.

“Umm I’m vaccinated, but I got tested if that makes you more comfortable. I’m negative I-I just needed to get put of Seattle.”

“I know the feeling.” The older woman chuckled holding the door open wider to allow the two to come in. “Now let me hold my new nephew!” She squealed as she held her arms out for the baby, soaking in his tiny stature. “I miss when Henry was this little.”

“Where is the little guy? It’s awfully quiet.”

“They went camping, Henry’s been stir crazy for over a year and it seemed safe enough for the two to go away.”

“I’m sure Jake was thrilled.” Amelia smirked thinking back to the time the practice went on a camping trip together and Jake had almost refused to go hence his disdain for the wilderness.

“You know it.” Addison joked along, playing with the baby’s tiny fingers. The older woman then lead the way back onto the deck and settled on a lounge chair under an umbrella. Amelia followed behind and took out sunscreen from the diaper bag she was sure to pick up once they got to LA. “He’s absolutely adorable Amelia.”

“Thanks.” Amelia smiled as she lathered the baby’s extremities with sunscreen.

“Gosh i just want to eat him up.” Addison pretended to bite into him, causing the baby to shriek with laughter. Cracking the first genuine smile the neurosurgeon had since after Maggie’s wedding. “You know I was talking to Charlotte a little while ago and she mentioned she was going to go to a meeting if you want to go meet up with her, she still goes to the one near the pier.”

“Thank you, Addison.” It now felt silly to have been scared to talk to Addison, she always knew how to help the neurosurgeon. “Are you sure you’re okay to watch him?”

“More than okay.” Addison beamed, running her hand through the baby’s hair. “And even if you stayed I still wouldn’t let this little guy go.”

“I love you Addie.”

“Love you too Amy.” Addison assured as the woman walked out to her car, it’d be a lie if she said she wasn’t worried for her little sister. But she was reaching out for help, she wasn’t sure what the issue was but she was immensely proud she came to her and not a baggie of pills.

_______________________________________

“Don’t you think you should call her?” Jo asked as she prepared a bottle for Luna.

“No.” Link coldly said, cradling the baby in his arms.

“At least for Scout’s sake?”

“He’s fine, looking back Amelias made it very clear she’s the only parent that matters or gets a say.” Link bitterly replied.

“I’m sure it isn’t like that.” As much as she loved her dear friend, he couldn’t see where he also went wrong in this situation. “She loves you.”

“Not enough to marry me.”

“She isn’t ready.”

“Her and Hunt were off and on, and she accepted his proposal.”

“First off she had a brain tumor, and because of said brain tumor she impulsively asked him to marry her. She thinks clearly now, and I think she just wants it to work out and be right.” Jo turned around and sighed as she saw her friends annoyed look. “You’ve never been a marriage guy, where is this even coming from?”

“I don’t know it just feels right, i don’t want to lose her.”

“Your gonna lose her if you push her into this.”

“I move mountains for her, I’ve adjusted my whole life for her. It’s just one thing, one thing that I want.”

“Link are you stupid? This isn’t fighting over what couch you get this determines the rest of your life. And marriage isn’t all that, it doesn’t keep a person there.” Jo sighed, since adopting Luna she’d been thinking a lot about her ex husband, and how stupid the concept of marriage was.

________________________________________

“Has he called?” Addison cautiously asked as Amelia fed her baby.

“Nope.” Amelia popped the ‘p’. “I get that he hates me now, but I thought he’d at least check in on Scout.”

“He’s just upset.”

“I know, I just thought he understood. He’s nothing like Owen but since we moved into his apartment I just feel suffocated like I did when we were married.”

“Have you tried talking to someone, professionally?” Addison inquired, leaning further back onto the beach chair.

“What so they can silently judge how I have a perfect life but still feel terrible?”

“Amy, you know a therapist isn’t going to think that, their there to help you without judgement.” She stared at the woman for awhile until she came to a realization. “After Scout was born you didn’t have any postpartum appointments did you?”

“No, the world had shut down a week after he was born.” Amelia confirmed.

“Do you think your having a delayed postpartum depression reaction? I mean you were thrown into taking care of a newborn and three other kids who aren’t yours in complete isolation . Then On top of that you didn’t have time to grieve Christopher. It’s difficult on women who have lost a child previously when they bring home a healthy baby.” Amelia held back her tears, as much as she tried to focus on scout she couldn’t help but feel broken over the fact Christopher didn’t have the opportunities scout has.

“Pre-covid a day wouldn’t go by that I didn’t think of Christopher. Then I just got so caught up in everything, and I’d barely think about him. I mean I almost forgot his birthday.”

“You can’t feel guilty about that.”

“I j-just wish Link would get that I don’t want another baby.I mean he’s ten times more understanding than Owen was about my grief but, I just don’t want another baby.”

“You’re allowed to not want another baby, but do you think it has to do with Christopher?”

“I don’t think so, I just can’t love yet another person without losing myself. It feels like I already have, I don’t recognize anything about me. Surgery doesn’t even give me the thrill it use to.” The older women sat up and placed a reassuring hand on the younger ones knee.

“I’m gonna talk to Violet and have her refer someone to you. Then you’re gonna talk to Link and come up with a game plan. And I’m gonna be right here the whole time, you’re my family. Everyone here is your family we’ve got you.”

#amelia shepherd #amelink #atticus lincoln #baby amelink #greys anatomy #greysanatomy #greys fanfic #addison montgomery #scout lincoln #jo wilson

[littlx-songbxrd]

A gift to the queen who deserves all 500 of her followers :) I wanted to write something for you as congrats, I hope you like it :))

It's a fairwell/chenry high school au loosely based on west side story since I was watching it earlier today

Charlotte sighed with relief when she finished with the last bit of homework. She cannot believe they weren't allowing her to leave her room, even going so far as to stand outside her door and at the bottom of her window. The brunette wondered if that was how every princess felt before they were rescued, trapped and alone, waiting for someone who sees them beyond their beauty and status.

'If only he would come.' She thought sadly. There was a knock at the door, no doubt it was Tatiana coming to talk about how much she hates the preppy sophomore, Will. "Come in." Charlotte said, barely loud enough to be heard. A pretty brunette girl came through the door instead of the demon in the shape of a 14 year old girl. 'Tessa?' She thought, 'why is she here?'

"Hello, Charlotte." Tessa said with a smile. "I was just talking with your guardian, Benedict, right? I told him about our project for science." A message from Henry. Oh he did come save her after all!

"I had completely forgotten, I'm grounded right now so I don't think I can go.."

"Nonsense," Benedict's first born, Gideon, said stepping into the room. "Father says as long as Gabe and I accompany you, you can go. There better not be any boys working on this project."

"Of course not, Gideon. No boys."

Gideon smiled and winked, "let's go then." 'Does he know? Is he helping me-' "Get all your stuff for the project." 'He does know! He's helping me escape!' She realized.

Charlotte packed up the small amount of stuff she had with her quickly. Tessa told Benedict that since it was Friday they were going to stay up late for the project,  and then stay the night at Tessa's house, he asked if any of us minded Gideon and Gabriel staying the night as well, just to 'keep an eye on their 'sister''. Tessa said that they could sleep in the guest bedroom, and that she would feel safe having two tough guys in the house since her parents are in New York for a business trip.

Charlotte almost started crying when they got in the car and headed towards Henry's. Gideon and Gabriel were also leaving, Gideon turned 18 a few months after Charlotte and had been subtly making himself Gabriel's proper guardian. Henry had pulled them aside and told them his plan, that he loved Charlotte and wanted her to be safe from Benedict's control, Gideon could tell he was telling the truth and offered a deal, he'll get her away for good but he has to let him and his brother stay with them at Henry's weirdly large apartment.

She rushed out of the car and up the stairs to Henry's apartment, knocking rapidly in excitement. He answered the door and almost fell down by the force of Charlotte's hug, he squeezed her tightly, mumbling about how much he loved and missed her. If she wasn't crying before she definitely was now, she pulled away to look at him, he was her favorite sight.

Henry felt his legs shake, going numb again. "Lottie, help me to the couch please."

"Of course, my love." It was a running joke that she would carry him like a bride wherever he needed to go, which ever led to him breaking down and apologizing about not being strong enough to make her feel like the queen she is, Charlotte kissed him to shut him up because she thought it was utter nonsense.

She picked him up with not too much difficulty and laid him down on his favorite couch, the bouncy one with very ugly colors and patterns on it. He pulled her on top of him and kissed the top of her head, the brunette rolled her eyes playfully and grabbed the blanket that was hanging over the side of the couch.

She tried her best to put it over them but eventually Henry just had to do it since he was at a better angle than her. She heard Gideon and Gabriel come in, and Henry telling them to put their stuff in the two bedrooms that shared a bathroom and 'Lottie's' stuff in his. The brothers said goodnight before going into their rooms, Henry turned on one of those old movies that he liked, she could feel herself falling asleep, finally safe in her genius' arms.

"Can't wait to marry you.." She mumbled too tired to have control of her words.

Henry didn't even stiffen at the thought of marrying her, instead he smiled and kissed her forehead. "Tomorrow, that way he can't take you away again."

Charlotte couldn't believe this was her life now. Henry's parents and his friends' parents were involved in the candy and food business, and Benedict, who had adopted Charlotte when her parents died, was a food critic and kept trying to shut them all down. There wasn't anything wrong with the food, he just didn't like them. She remembers meeting Henry for the first time, at his moms' diner downtown. That was her mom's favorite place, she went there every year on the anniversary of their deaths.

Henry had just started working there, though his parents were worried seeing as the physical therapy was helping his legs much. Charlotte thought he was beautiful in his little apron. She got the same thing everytime she went, and she started going back more often just to see him, so he remembered her order.

Everytime she came in, he was quick to start her order before she's even seated. He wanted her to know that he remembered her. They got closer and closer during their visits at the diner. She once stayed from noon to almost one in the morning to help him with his shift because his legs weren't cooperating very well that day.

Charlotte wasn't expecting to see him at her new school when Benedict moved them so he'd be closer to work. They had every class together and got even closer, even going as far as adopting the new group of freshmen coming in with Gabriel when they were juniors. That's when things went south.

Henry's legs were getting worse, confining him to a wheelchair for most of the day, not to mention Benedict found out about them. He moved all her classes and grounded her and forbid her from seeing him, he used some not so nice language when describing Henry's condition and the fact that he has two moms. Charlotte was devastated, how could he do this to her after she had everything he ever asked with zero complaints or hesitation! But even during the torture that senoir had started out with, they still saw each other, she still went to the diner with Gabe and Gideon, and she still helped push his wheelchair around regardless if she would be late for class.

But he was her genius, he found a way for them to be together, and without resorting to violence or running away illegally to where Benedict could just get her back easily. Henry was her person, her happy ever after. And even though she didn't like the way fairy tales portray women, he always made her feel like Belle, beautiful and smart, kind and nurturing. Charlotte couldn't care less about their troubles, she was just glad they were getting their happy ending.

I WAS SAVING THIS FOR WHEN I FINALLY HAD TIME TO READ IT CORRECTLY AND IT WAS BETTER THAN I EVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED

IM FEELING A LOT OF THINGS RN MOST I CAN RECOGNIZE IS AMAZEMENT

THIS WAS SO GOOOD!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH HENRY AND CHARLOTTE MODERN AU HIGH SCHOOL SWEET HEARTS

AND ITS BASED ON WEST SIDE STORY?????

THAT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MUSICALS GROWING UP???????

.......also does this mean i can hc henry as one of the sharks?

......bdjdndbfnndd Is He ErNestO NoW?

THEYRE GETTING THEIR HAPPY ENDING

I LOVE HOW THIS IS ALL PLOTTED WITH BENEDICT BEING A FOOD CRITIC AND THE INTEGRATION OF HENRYS CONDITIONS

GABRIEL AND GIDEON HELPING >>>>

GIDEON LOOKING TO BE GABRIELS GUARDIAN STOP

TESSA HELPING NOPE THIS IS

Put this in my grave

Yes I mean ALL of it

THANK YOU I LOVE AND I ADORE IT

[keanureevesisbae]

The Tran-Cavill Grandkids

Henry = 79 / Olivia = 70 / Vanessa = 47 / Elodie = 40 / Heather and Chloe are 36

Olivia: We have 8 grandchildren. It has been sixteen years since I first became a grandmother, but I still have to get used to it.

Henry: I love being a granddad. I love everything about it, especially when they all come over and we have seventeen people over.

Oliver (16)

Olivia: Oliver is Chloe’s and Joon Ki’s first son and our oldest grandson. Chloe was still in college and scared out of her mind when she found out she was pregnant. I stayed over in her dorm from her twenty fifth week of pregnancy to the thirtieth, since poor thing was suffering from a lot of panic attacks and because of their different schedules, Joon Ki and her friends couldn’t be there for her. I forgot how disgusting those dorms were. After that, she took online classes, because she was really fatigued and uncomfortable. She stayed at our place again up until the birth.

Henry: When Oliver was born, my life stopped for a moment. I was officially a granddad. I mean, I always knew I wanted to become a father, but a granddad… I never really thought that far into the future. But Oliver is such a wonderful young man. Takes his job as the oldest grandchild very seriously.

Olivia: He comes over a lot, since our house is on the route when he goes home after school. He helps us with some chores or just comes over to drink some tea with us. Oliver even offers to do groceries for us every Saturday.

Dylan (14)

Henry: Dylan is Vanessa’s and Trey’s first son. We were delighted that we were going to be grandparents of two boys. However, it was pretty hard for Vanessa and that absolutely broke my heart. My poor girl was in a lot of pain and discomfort and there was nothing I could do about it.

Olivia: Vanessa became dehydrated pretty early on in her pregnancy, forcing her to quit her job. I actually quit my job too, because I realized that I needed to be there for her. 

Henry: Finally, after all those years of her saying that just because I am rich, doesn’t mean she should stop working. 

Olivia: Anyways, my poor baby was really out of it and I moved in with her and Trey for a while, because they obviously needed to prepare a lot for the arrival of their little boy. So Henry and Trey decorated the entire nursery, while Vanessa and I tried to come up with a birth plan, me telling her about the whole giving birth thing and how scary it can be. We even went to a few therapy sessions, simply to put her mind at ease.

Henry: However, Dylan was born ten weeks too early and it was a trying time for all of us. We spend so much time in the NICU. Thankfully the entire family stepped in to help Vanessa and Trey out. Dylan was a pretty weak baby, also really tiny and had troubles eating. Though he was sick and tired pretty often, he grew out to be such an amazing kid, who understands the limits he has and despite that, still manages to participate in certain sports. We are so proud of him. 

Megan (9)

Olivia: It took five years before Vanessa got pregnant again and thankfully this pregnancy was easier on her. We were so excited when we found out she was pregnant with a little girl! Our first granddaughter. Megan is such a bright young lady. When she was four, she saw a picture of Henry having a tea parties with her aunts when they were around her age. The next time she came over, she brought a dress and her cups and saucers and forced Henry to partake. 

Henry: I thought those days were over, but I’m a push over and I couldn’t say no to her. Megan is such a happy go lucky kid, with the most infectious giggle. I remember when she was a baby, she started to giggle and didn’t stop. Nowadays, she can just stare at you, before bursting out in a fit of giggles. She also forces me to dance with her, but thankfully every Tran-Cavill girl tells her that it’s for the best that I don’t dance.

Jake (8)

Henry: Jake is Chloe’s second second and that is one special kid. He was already dancing in the womb, according to the sonographer. I think he was only two months when I was playing some music in the background and Jake was in his seat. He started to move his arms right on the beat!

Olivia: He is now going to dance classes and I have to say: that kid knows how dance. He can appear to be a bit more introverted, isn’t really in your face when they come over to visit. All in all, he is a pretty timid kid, but the second he hears music or is on a stage, he dances his heart out. So amazingly talented! When he visits, he always gives us little previews of the dances he taught in class. 

Kiki (4)

Henry: Heather was never the type of woman that dated. She was always more focused on her own career. It did shock me when she told us that she got pregnant and that she had to tell her boyfriend about it, since we all had no clue that she was even dating someone. Not even her own twin sister knew! 

Olivia: What a fucking doorknob that guy was. Heather wanted me to join her, when she would tell this Tom dude she was pregnant. Turns out she really is a daughter of mine, because she found herself a man that is the spitting image of Wesley, appearance wise and personality wise. He got so mad when she told him and even had the audacity to tell Heather that she got knocked up by someone else. He really wasn’t hiding the fact that he was an idiot, because he told my sweet Heather all that, when I was right next to her! Long story short, I broke them up, slapped Tom in the face and threatened to kill him if he ever sought out to her or the baby.

Henry: That’s my girl.

Olivia: But Heather is a real trooper and manages to take care of Kiki just fine. Thankfully we love her dearly and didn’t kick her out, because she got pregnant out of wedlock (like my parents and brothers did). We are the go to baby sitter for Kiki and it’s so much fun to pick her up from school. It reminds me of the times that we would pick up our own girls from school.

Henry: Kiki is such a happy go lucky little girl. She is a ray of sunshine and we are so lucky and grateful that she is in our lives and that that idiot Tom is not. I fear the day that I run into him, because I will throw him in front of a bus. Accidentally of course.

Olivia: Henry, honey, remember: you’re nearing the ripe age of eighty. What if you break a hip or your wrist?

Lewis (14)

Olivia: So, Katie, Elodie’s wife, used to teach English in Secondary school, but after she lost her job, since her school had to close, she became a substitute for three months at another school. That’s where she met nine year old Lewis. According to her, he was a shy kid, but every day after school, he’d linger around the classroom and talked to Katie. He would help her out with cleaning up, make his homework and often they would walk out of the school together.

Henry: Unfortunately she had to leave after three months and according to her, it was pretty hard leaving Lewis. Two weeks after she left the school, she got a call in the middle of the night. The principal of that school informed her that Lewis was removed from his home by the police. The neighbors called it in, since they heard the abuse going on. Later on, it turned out that Lewis was the victim of abuse on a daily basis. He lingered in Katie’s class room to postpone the moment of going home to his father. He was in desperate need of someone who would take him into emergency foster care.

Olivia: However the only person he wanted to stay with, was Katie, so she and Elodie took him in. It was supposed to be for a week, but a week turned into a month and after a nasty trial, they officially adopted Lewis on his tenth birthday!

Henry: I remember him coming over for the first time. Maybe it was a bit mean to let him meet everyone at once, but despite his nerves, he managed quite well. Now we know Lewis as such a hardworking young man, who desperately tries to help others and makes sure that they can reach their full potential.  

Stella (8)

Olivia: Elodie and Katie got into foster care a whole lot more seriously after they adopted Lewis and three years ago, they had to foster Stella, who had lost both of her parents in a tragic accident and there wasn’t anyone that could care for her. I remember Elodie and Katie having a bit of trouble with Stella, because she would lock herself up in her room and not talk to anyone.

Henry: It was hard, but Lewis swooped right in and the two of them had such long conversations. I think it was because of him that Stella opened up to her moms, but also to the rest of the family. She and Lewis are definitely partners in crime. She is quite something. Very mischievous and sneaky. She loves to scare people, hiding behind doors, but she doesn’t do it to us (thankfully), because she is afraid will scare ourselves a heart attack. So considerate. 

Olivia: In a lot of ways she reminds me of Vanessa. She is very eloquent and uses fancy words to throw you off guard. I love taking her out with me, because, just like Vanessa, she “whispers" something to you (most likely she’s gossiping), but the people she is talking about, can always hear it. I know I shouldn’t condone this, but I love the faces of the people when they hear Stella say: ‘Grandma, why is that woman wearing those shoes? The straps are too tight. She looks like a ham.’

Henry: You allow that? You should discipline her.

Olivia: I have been raising kids since I was twenty three and I always made sure to discipline them. Now that I’m a grandma, I can let it slide for a few times.

Charlotte (2)

Henry: And last but not least, little Charlotte. They fostered her since she was a year and officially adopted her six months ago. We don’t know exactly what happened to her, since she was abandoned at around nine months. No one actually knows what her exact age is, let alone her birthday. 

Olivia: It’s such a shame that something this horrendous could happen to such a precious little bean. She is, despite the things that happened to her, a lovely young girl, who kind of reminds me a lot of Elodie. A bit shy, a bit quiet and not a smiler.

Henry: Definitely not a smiler to strangers at all, but when she does… She’s so precious. Lewis and Stella are really good with her as well. These two were made to be older siblings. I can’t wait to see what kind of girl Charlotte becomes!

◎◎◎

Olivia: We are so blessed with our beautiful grandchildren and it’s my goal to become at least a hundred years old, so I can see every single one of them at least graduate!

Henry: And I want to hold my great-grandchild, so yeah, I agree, my love. We should become at least a hundred years old.

Taglist: @thelastsock​ // @flhorah​ // @sausagefest1996​ // @laufeysodinson​ // @xxxkatxo​ // @memoriesat30​ // @henrythickcavill​ // @crimsonrae​ // @henryobsessed // @madbaddic7ed​ // @summersong69​ // @lyrafraiser​ // @peakygroupie​ // @coldmuffinbanditshoe​ // @mary-ann84​ // @thereisa8ella​ //@crazyandanonymous4u // @xuxszx​ // @emmaofgreengabbles​ // @jimmypagesandbrianmayshair​ // @onlyhenrys // @omgkatinka​ // @oddsnendsfanfics​ // @speakerforthedead0 // @agniavateira // @gearhead66 // @chamomilebottom // @diegos-butt // @yoyoanaria // 

#henry cavill #henry cavill x ofc #henry cavill x oc #henry cavill fanfic #henry cavill fandom #Olivia Tran-Cavill #henry cavill x Olivia Tran #mister cavill your dog is kinda fat

[noreasonjustbored]

If You Love Me, Let Me Sleep

Hello peoples!

If you didn’t already know, last week’s episode of HD had me feeling a little upset in the Chenry department. (See previous post with rant about that) Looking through my asks last night, I was inspired by an ask from @riebellion. So thank you for requesting this dialogue prompt forever ago, I’m just getting around to doing it. 😆

Prompt #13: “Dude. It’s three in the morning.”

Tag List:

@mychenrymadness @up-the-tube @heyimtavia @adorkable-blackgirl @henryhearts

—————————

The rhythmic buzzing of her phone against the nightstand is what eventually wakes Charlotte up. Bleary eyed and disoriented she felt around for the device. When she finally disconnected it from the charger and peered at the screen through squinted eyes, she realized that she wasn’t awakened by random notifications from apps. Henry had been calling her repeatedly.

Immediately more alert than before, she sits up against her headboard and clears her throat. Hitting the Call Back button she reaches over to the nightstand again and grabs the bottle of water she leaves there every night. She takes a large swig as the phone dials. The line is mid ring when she hears it get picked up.

“Hello?” Henry’s gravely tone all but whispers.

Swallowing quickly, Char answers, “Hey Hen is everything okay? I see you called me like 5 times but I was sleeping. Does Ray need us for something?”

“No, Ray doesn’t need anything. I was uh...hoping that we could talk.”

“Talk? Dude. It’s three in the morning” Charlotte responds incredulously after glancing at her alarm clock flashing 3:07 in bright red font.

“I know, I know. It’s just that I couldn’t sleep and I really need to talk to you.”

“Can’t this wait until the morning?” Charlotte groans.

“Well as you so elequently informed me. It is the morning.”

“Ha ha. Real cute.”

“Look, please just humor me.”

“OK fine. What’d you wanna talk about?”

“Actually... can we talk in person?”

“Are you serious right now?!” Char whispered shouts.

“I know but I’m kinda...already outside.”

“What?” she asks while throwing the covers over her legs and making her way to the window. Pulling back the curtain, she sees a lanky figure that gives her a stilted wave from their spot below the window.

“What are you doing at my house?”

“I told you that I need to talk to you. Can you please just come down?” he asks. She can see him running his hand through his hair from here.

“Fine” Charlotte huffs. “Give me one second” she says as she backs away and hangs up her pear phone.

Looking around her room she locates her fluffy bunny slippers and slips them on. Then she grabs the first warm article of clothing she sees, a hoodie thrown over her desk chair.

Slipping it over her head, she quickly makes her way down the stairs of her home, careful not to make too much noise. She opens the door and sees that Henry has made his way to the swing on her front porch. He is looking down at the hands in his lap. His thumbs are twirling anxious circles around each other.

Closing the door behind her gently, Charlotte walks over and takes a seat on the opposite end of the swing. Folding one leg beneath her, she turns to face her friend inquisitively. She doesn’t say anything, she figures that he would start since he was the one that interrupted her slumber after all. As she observes his posture, she can feel the nervous energy radiating from him in waves. She places a gentle hand on his knee, hoping to coax him into speech.

He whips his head up at the touch and takes a quick breath in at the sight before him. Taking in every detail, the first thing he makes note of is her hair. She has it up in a style she once told him was called a pineapple, with a satin scarf tied around the front to protect her edges. He sees her eyes, semi-glazed over from the lack of sleep. He notices the oversized blue hoodie that she is wearing, sleeves so long that they cover her hands. She has the bottom situated over her knees.

That’s my jacket. 

Henry stares for a few more seconds, because even just woken up she is beautiful. He gulps and then says the first thing that pops into his mind.

“It looks good on you.”

Giving him a puzzled gaze, Charlotte asks in a sarcastic tone “What looks good on me? Exhaustion?”

Instead of answering verbally, he gestures to her torso.

She glances down at herself and sees that she was wearing Henry’s sweatshirt. She hadn’t even realized it was his in her haste to meet him outside.

“Is this what you woke me up in the middle of the night for?”

He shakes his head then clears his throat. “No. Sorry, I was just distracted by you in my clothes.”

“Why? Did you need this back?” she wonders while starting to pull it up, exposing her toned midriff as her undershirt rides up with the hoodie. He could also now see the small black shorts she was wearing, that were hidden when the garment was on correctly.

“No!” Henry said a touch too loudly while pulling her wrists down to keep her from taking it all the way off. “Keep it. It looks better on you anyway.”

“Okaaayyyy. You’re being really weird Hen” Charlotte states while adjusting the hoodie over her knees once more. “Why are you here?”

Inhaling a deep breath, Henry took the plunge. “Mick Jagger. Are you really dating that guy?”

“That’s definitely not his name. You know his name Henry, you’ve said it.”

“Whatever.”

“Does it matter?”

“It’s just that we didn’t even know that you knew him. Then all of a sudden he’s here. And you’re going on a date? What’s that about?” he asks nervously.

“Well as we discovered earlier, I’ve told you guys several times about Jack. It’s not my fault that you didn’t listen to me.”

“True, it’s just...I feel like we should’ve known that you had a boyfriend.”

“Who said he was my boyfriend?”

“You did, didn’t you?”

“I don’t recall using that particular word.”

“Right. Well does he- does he know about us?”

“Us?”

“Yeah, does he know about...” Henry pauses. “Dream-gate?” he finishes in an exaggerated whisper.

“Dream-gate?” she chuckles. “I thought we decided that those dreams didn’t mean anything.”

“I mean yes- We did. But like, we still- And it was- If I was your-”

“Henry, what is this really about?” Charlotte interrupts his rambling.

“It’s just- what if I want the dreams to mean something?”

Taken aback by his bluntness, Charlotte loses her train of thought. “What do you want them to mean?” she inquires quietly.

Henry slides closer to her. “I don’t know. That we like each other? I mean, I know that I like you.”

She takes some time to truly process his words. “I like you too.”

Henry’s whole face lights up at her declaration. “Really?”

“Really.”

“What about Jack?”

“Who? Oh! Jack. We aren’t together.”

Henry’s face read pure bewilderment. “But what about your date? You fed each other bread earlier.”

“Not real. I just said that to see if it bothered you.”

“Huh. No wonder you guys didn’t have any chemistry” he mumbles under his breath.

“And then when you guys burned down my kitchen-”

Henry winces.

“-and we had to relocate to the ManCave, it was the perfect opportunity to gauge your reaction. I convinced Jack to pretend with me in order to make you jealous.”

“Wow, ok. Because I was confused about you guys supposedly dating this whole time.”

“Yeah, no. Jack’s just a good friend. I do usually cook for him when he visits me though. But it’s only friendly.”

“That makes sense.”

“You know, I prepared Jack for the possibility that you would act snotty towards him. Drop food in his lap, spill his drink on his shirt, that kind of thing.”

“Classic” Henry grins.

“But you didn’t even flinch while you were serving us. I thought I was being delusional about your feelings for me since you didn’t do any of that. You didn’t even seem to care.”

Henry grabs her hands gently. “Of course I cared. I was giving him the stank eye every time you turned your back.”

Charlotte laughs, “For real?”

“Heck yeah. But I couldn’t ruin your date Char. I just wanted you to be happy. Even if it wasn’t with me.”

“Whoa. When did you get so mature?”

“I am a grown man Char.”

Charlotte places a hand on her hip and gives him “the look”.

 After a few moments they break into a fit of giggles. Calming first from their laughing fit, Henry stares at Charlotte with a small smile on his face.

“What?” Char asks when she’s composed herself.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Yes.”

#Chenry #Henry Danger #Charlotte Page #Henry Hart #Charlotte Bolton #Kid Danger #Nickelodeon #Henlotte #Riele Downs #Jace Norman

[akaashishotthighs]

Modern TID - Part 7

Part 6 - Part 8

The next morning Will walked home giddily. He had never felt happiness like this. At last, Will and Tessa, now his official girlfriend, had kissed, and it was better than anything Will had imagined. Though he had slept over at her place, nothing between them had happened. They only slept, both in different pillows, but facing each other. He never knew that sleeping next to someone could feel this rewarding, but having fallen asleep looking at Tessa, with her trying to keep her grey eyes open and a smile playing on her lips, he didn’t think he could ever sleep alone again.

He had woken up before her but didn’t dare to wake her up. He laid there, watching her sleep, an uncontrollable grin on his face. He wasn’t sure if Tessa was aware that she talked in her sleep. It wasn’t extreme, like some videos he and Jem had found of people shouting and screaming in their sleep. No, she was softer. She whispered non-sensical things like “cute penguins” or “more coffee please”. In between these random phrases that would’ve sent anyone in a fit of laughter, she whispered his name. Just his name. “Will”. And then she smiled, a sweet and soft smile. His heart did an impossible leap out of his chest.

He thought about it now, as he walked up to the grand gates of the Institute (which was what he and Jem had called the enormous house since they were younger). He walked, or instead, he skipped through the pathway that led to the front door.

Cyril was coming around the house, leaving the garage. When telling Tessa about the occupants of the Institute, he purposefully let her believe that he was just joking about Cyril and Bridget, the chauffeur, and the cook. He had grown accustomed to leaving them out, and just how big the Institute was, and how much money he indeed had, when meeting new people. It hadn’t taken him long to realize that once people knew you had money, they treated you differently, and that wasn’t always a good thing. He was no longer capable of counting with his fingers the number of girls that had pursued him romantically for the simple fact that he was rich. Well, he was sure his looks didn’t hurt either, but mostly what they wanted was for him to buy them nice things. Even the nicest and purest of girls seemed to have their morals completely changed once he actually brought them home and they saw all of this.

But Tessa... She was different. He had thought about telling her yesterday night, but then he saw her apartment. It wasn’t that he thought she would be like those girls, no, never. He was afraid that she would judge him. That happened as well. The other bad part about being rich, in his experience. People were quick to judge you, and believe that you think you’re better than them. He also knew that Tessa was a very self-conscious person. That was clear from the get-go. He didn’t want her to be intimidated, or scared, and pull away from him. He knew he would have to show her all of this eventually, especially because he was desperate for everyone to meet her.

They had plans for her to visit that week since her brother was out of town and she could relax. He felt the nerves prickling is skin. She would actually meet his family. Well, his London family at least. His heart contracted in pain, which was what always happened every time he thought of his parents, and of his baby sister Cecily. And Ella, the voice at the back of his head reminded him. He pushed down the feeling to cry and recited the names of the people near his heart to take his mind off his family. Jem, Charlotte, Henry, Sophie, Cyril, Bridget, Jessamine. Tessa, his heart spoke without permission. He let it.

Memories of the night he spent with her flooded his mind as he walked inside the Institute, Sophie being the first person he encountered. “Sophie! Isn’t it just the loveliest of mornings today?”

She had been carrying a basket of freshly baked bread, but she put it aside on the floor cabinet by the door. She put her hands around her hips, the apron she insisted on wearing preventing the flour from the bread to get on her dark pants, and regarded him curiously. “Are you drunk?”

He shook his head laughing. “No! Why would you think that?”

She tilted her head to the side, the scar on her face gleaming in the light. “You’re happy.”

“And because of that, I must be drunk?”

She shrugged. “Either that or you’ve finally lost your marbles.”

He leaned on the wall next to her and smirked. “I can assure you that my marbles are exactly where they need to be.”

She sighed and picked up the basket once more. “I’m not sure whether to be offended or just plain disgusted.”

“How about happy because today,” he clapped his hands with force. “Is the loveliest morning of all.”

She shook her head at him and left without saying a word. He followed her into the dining room, where everyone was seated, about to start breakfast. “Good morning, you wonderful group of people!” He said when entering the room. Everyone looked up at him, even Henry, with a curious look on their face. “Today is simply just the loveliest morning I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Jessamine asked Sophie while she set the basket on the table.

“He’s drunk.” She answered while rolling her eyes.

“Will, for goodness sake, it’s nine in the morning!” Charlotte scolded him.

He put his hands up. “I’m not drunk. And I must say, I am hurt that you would believe me to be, especially at this time of the morning.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time...” Jessamine murmured into her teacup.

Ignoring her, he moved to the other side of the table to sit next to Jem. The other boy immediately leaned into him, a grin on his face. “So, how was ‘baking cookies’?” He whispered. His eyebrows wiggled up and down in a motion that implied something other than what he was saying.

“It was lovely. We baked two full trays. I forgot to bring some though, sorry.” He took the teapot and filled his cup, while Jem sat in the same position he had been before, a look of complete confusion in his face.

“Uhm, what? You actually baked cookies?” He whispered in astonishment.

“Of course. What else did you think we were gonna do?” He smirked at his best friend, who instantly got what he meant, and burst out giggling.

“You got played.” He bumped their shoulders.

“I didn’t get played. She’s just adorable that way.” His cheeks reddened.

Jem’s brown eyes widened. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you call someone adorable. Other than me of course.”

Will shrugged. “What can I say? I’m surrounded by Care Bears.” He threw the other boy a grin.

From the head of the table, Charlotte cleared her throat. “So, Will.” She turned her eyes on him, a serious expression on her face. “Is there a reason why you’re only coming home at this hour?”

“Yeah Will,” Jessamine said in a taunting tone. “What poor girl were you torturing all night?”

“Why? You jealous?” Will smirked.

Sophie scoffed. “Please. We all know Jessamine isn’t your type.”

Will leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Oh really? Then please, do tell, what is my type?”

Without missing a beat, both Jessamine and Sophie replied “Jem”.

The owner of the name widened his eyes and leaned forward. “Excuse me?”

“They’re right,” Will said.

He turned to him. “They are?”

“Tall, brunette, wise eyes, smart and kind but can go up against me in a snarky contest.” Will shrugged. “Sounds like my type to me.”

Jem opened his mouth to protest but stopped to consider the information his best friend had just given him. After a few seconds, he closed his mouth and leaned back in his seat. “I had never thought about that.” He nodded slowly. “Interesting.”

“And is she?” Charlotte asked, her calm demeanour making everyone’s attention to turn back to her.

“Is she what?”

“All of those things you mentioned?” Charlotte crossed her hands on her lap.

Will smiled. “And so much more.”

Sophie tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrows, a weird look written on her face. “You look so... serious.”

Jessamine waved her finger in his direction. “I don’t like that. Give us back the five-year-old, goofy Will we all know and tolerate.”

Will gave a small laugh. Beside him, Jem was grinning. “When do I get to meet her?” He asked.

“This week, maybe.”

“And you’re ready for that?”

“More than I ever thought I would be.” Will gave him a look, and Jem understood it. Of course he did. Jem always understood the fine print between the things Will didn’t say. “Now, are we going to eat or not?”

Everyone quickly turned to the food, and the conversation flowed, as it usually did, to Jessamine and whatever had happened this week that she just ‘couldn’t even’. But Will’s attention was somewhere else. In oat-meal cookies, a cheesy rom-com, penguins, and big beautiful grey eyes.

#modern tid #tessa gray #will herondale #jem carstairs #jessamine lovelace #sophie collins #charlotte branwell #henry branwell #cecily herondale #ella herondale #wessa #jessa #heronstairs #herongraystairs #chenry #the infernal devices #the shadowhunters chronicles #tid #tsc

[george-mackay-macfine]

Dear Diary Prt.10

November 17th, 2011

Dear Diary,

Or rather, future Y/N,

You should remember to be proud of me, I’ve been sticking to my new life rules, as hard as it has been. Especially when it comes to staying away from guys, especially when those guys names start with G… Especially when that one guy is under the impression we are best friends, and only friends, and nothing is wrong, and you don’t have a steaming hot crush on him, and you aren’t actively going out of your way to try and ignore him…

Especially when the boy whose name starts with G joined Henry, Harry and I’s study group, and sat beside me for a full three hours making adorable goofy faces at me every time I uttered a complicated word.

Overall it’s been fucking peachy.

Let’s hope when Henry teaches me to cook I don’t burn down the flat,

Love, Y/N

November 19th, 2011

Dear Diary,

I think my brain is going to overheat from the amount of studying I’ve been doing lately. Every night Harry has been making sure I keep on track and sits with me at the living room coffee table and helps me study, I don’t know how he does it, helps me study and does his course work,

Henry, Harry and I are still doing our group study sessions, Dean sometimes joins, George often joins…

For future reference Y/N, the crush on George… yeah, it hasn’t gone away.

November 21st, 2011

Dear Diary,

A MONUMENTOUS OCCASION,

Dean-Charles Chapman has asked a girl out to dinner… Okay, so he asked Charlotte out to dinner… And, yes okay he asked Harry, Henry, Jordan, George and I… but he still asked a girl out.

I think he wanted to ask her out alone, but he chickened out, for the tough boy whose not scared of anybody, he sure seemed to pale when he stuttered out,

“D-d-d-o you want to go to dinner… with me…”

Harry looked like he was going to pass out from shock, and well I think I did blackout for a minute there.

Either way, I know am being forced to take a night off from the books and enjoy a dinner with my friends.

Do they not know how hard it is to become a doctor?

In case you forget future Y/N,

It’s hard!

November 23rd, 2011

Dear Diary,

I want to mark down a ‘normal’ week in my life for future Y/N, you know when I’ve lost my marbles and think I’m going mental with how busy I am.

Here goes,

Monday

Mondays are rough. I have a lecture from 8 am until 10 am, followed by a lab or small groups (Which some of the guys, like usual don’t help out) from 10 am until 12 pm.

Exams also usually land on a Monday, by God’s punishment - which always makes Monday’s just that tiny bit worse.

On days when the exams are on Monday, our lecture is generally followed by a two hour, yes TWO HOUR lecture of the next block we’re about to study.

Monday’s generally wear both Blake and me out, so Harry bless his soul has taken to cooking dinner every Monday.

Once a month George knocks on my door well past midnight, he pretends to be drunk but I can’t smell any liquor on his breath, and when I turn him away he makes the most irresistible face. The next day he pretends he did nothing… It’s infuriating.

Tuesday

Tuesday is a little more relaxed. A lecture from 8 am - 10 am, followed by problem-based learning (PBL) case - This means attempting to diagnose hypothetical patients based on provided signs, symptoms and labs. PBL concludes with the assignment of look-ups, based on the case.

Tuesday is great, my classes are generally over by 1 pm, which is when I meet Henry and Harry at the library, (sometimes joined by George, sometimes by Jordan or even Dean) and I catch up on the weeks lectures, complete by PBL lookup, and then Henry comes home with me and is teaching me how to cook, I’ve learnt to make lasagna so far, or at least the oven has…

Wednesday

Wednesday’s start the same, morning lecture and small group or lab occupy 8 am - 12 pm.

Every other week we meet for the Practice of Medicine (POM) sessions from 1 pm - 5 pm. Where we’re led by a dynamic psychologist and physician duo, we learn patient interviewing techniques and practice our physical exam skills.

After POM I go to the library, study until 6 pm then it’s time to go meet the guy’s at their flat where they make dinner for us (Yes, George can cook)

Thursday

Thursday’s, the same as the rest of the week, You’ve probably remembered out the morning pattern, but here it goes again. Thursday mornings start with a lecture followed by lab/small groups ending at noon.

During non-POM weeks, I visit my Ambulatory Care Apprenticeship from 1- 6 pm, There, I have a chance to practice my fledgling physical exam skills and work on resecting the awkward from my patient interviews under the guidance of a primary care physician.

Thursday nights are another night where Harry, Henry and I meet at the library, and you guessed it, sometimes the other boys are in tow, sometimes Charlotte is there too, generally, if Charlotte is there it means Dean is normally… Dean has a crush…  

Friday

Friday, 8-10 lecture, followed by day two of PBL where we give short presentations of our lookups, covering topics from disease etiology to physicians’ legal rights and obligations.

If I don’t have a text the next week I’ll usually let the boys talk me into playing at least one round of beer pong, or even going to one of the campus parties… probably not though, most of the time Charlotte comes over and we laugh at the boys,

I also mostly flirt with George.

Saturday

Saturday’s… I’m at the library, nearly all day, sometimes George can pull me out for an hour to have a picnic, which I’d never say no too.

Sunday

I do nothing, expect think about George and how I’m ruined for life, and how stupid I am for allowing him to control so much of my time.  

Y/N, If you do this in the future with other guys. I’m going to make you regret it.

Love,

Y/N (2011) (Still in love with George)

November 25th, 2011

Dear Diary,

I remember when I was fifteen I’d dream about my future and how amazing it’d be when I was in university, spending nights out with friends, drinking and dancing the night away, having breakfast at two in the morning because we could, going to all-night diners and drinking over the top milkshakes, well it finally happened.

“My brain hurts,” I moaned to Harry as I rubbed my temples pencil dropping against my notebook.

“Do you want to get breakfast with me?” I opened one of my eyes and looked at him. “We’re getting breakfast,” He nodded his head packing up both our things. “It’s late, and we’re going to have breakfast together.” Harry grabbed my books and bag motioning for me to get up.

“Harry, it’s like midnight,”

“Perfect time for breakfast then,” He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the exit. Bursting out the doors. “The very first hour of the morning, nothing says midnight better than pancakes.” I let out a giggle shivering as a gust of wind hit me.

“I’d love to get breakfast with you.” Harry looked both ways down the road, checking for any oncoming traffic grabbing my hand tighter, pulling me so we ran across the road. I shivered again as we walked down the block the wind whipping my hair around my face.

“You’re cold?” I shrugged another shiver hitting me. “Here,” He put our bags on the ground shrugging off his topcoat, leaving him in just his denim jacket. He held it out to me, nodding his head towards it.

“Harry…”

“Take it,” He turned me helping me shrug the coat on. “C’mon,” He held his hand out to me again, a smile on his face. I grabbed his hand and walked with him down the street again until he pulled me to a stop. “Here we are,” Harry smiled pulling the door open ushering me inside. As soon as we entered and the small bell above the door chimed a middle-aged woman appeared. Her blue waitress uniform covered by a white apron.

“Well good morning you two.” She pulled two menus from her apron, handing them out to us, we both took one from her. “How’s your night gone? Good, I hope.” Her smile never left her face as Harry shook his head ‘yes’ smiling back at the lady. “Well, you two take a seat, I’ll be over shortly to take your order.”

“Thank-you.” Harry pulled me away from the woman and up to the far end away from the door. Apart from another group of students we where the only customers in the diner, so it wasn’t a fight to find a private place. “Here’s good, Right under the heater so you won’t be cold.” He smiled pointing above his head to where one of the vents was sending warm streams of air down onto us. I smiled at him before sliding into the booth, watching him as he did the same on the opposite side.

“So.” We said at the same time, stopping and laughing for a second.

“You first,” I insisted.

“I just wanted to check you were warm enough.” I felt a blush come to my cheeks as I looked down at the table. “But your cheeks are giving you away,”

“I’m quite warm thank-you, Harry.” I ignored his comment. “Do you think you’re ready for the exams?”

“Yeah, I think so,” He nodded his head. “But I don’t want to be too cocky, in case I fail…” I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Can’t have MacKay beating me again,”

“You two are too competitive.” I smiled picking up the menu and flipping over the pages, looking over the different type of meals. “Hmm bacon and eggs, pancakes, what the hell is a pancake tower,” I spoke aloud reading from the laminated pages. “Is it like the tower of Pisa made from pancakes?” Harry let out a deep chuckle. I put my menu down and looked at him. He was watching me amused. “I’m serious. If I order the tower of pancakes is it going to come out here as a replica of the tower of Pisa or am I going to be very disappointed?” Harry shook his head still watching me, the smile never leaving his face. “What?” I questioned, he shook his head again.

“Nothing, Nothing,” He smiled his eyes going back down to his menu, I smiled and did the same.

Do I really want pancakes?

A milkshake maybe?

Why do I love food so much?

“Are you two ready to order?” I jumped in surprise as the waitress from before snuck upon us. “Oh dear, I didn’t mean to scare you sweet pea.” She chuckled deep in her belly.

“It’s okay.” I brushed off closing my menu. “I’m ready when he is.” I looked across the table to Harry who’d shut his menu and placed it on the table. He nodded his head affirming he was also ready. I turned to the waitress smiling. “Can I please have the scrambled eggs and bacon with a glass of pineapple juice.” The woman nodded scribbling down my order before looking up from her pad to Harry.

“And I’ll have a tower of Pisa.” He cut himself off with a chuckle. “I mean the tower of pancakes.” The waitress chuckled writing down the order. “And a cup of coffee will be fine for me.” He added on. She nodded her head and walked away muttering how it wouldn’t be too long.

“Tower of Pisa huh.” I giggled, Harry shook his head and threw a packet of sugar at me. “How about twenty questions?”

“Isn’t that one of your dreaded party games?”

“Maybe,” I sat up straighter in my chair. “Okay, me first.” I thought about all the things I wanted to ask him. I decided to start small. “Who is your favourite author?”

“Stephen King,” I nodded my head, smiling wider. “IT was the first book that made me scared of the dark for a month straight.” He laughed at himself. “My turn… Are there people you don’t like?”

“Elle… Oliver…” I shrugged my shoulders. “Just to name a few,”

And that girl who George kissed at the first party.

“Why?”

“I believe it’s my turn,” I smirked. “What are the most important things in your life?”

“The truth,” He nodded his head. “I don’t like being lied to.”

“That’s an important thing,” I agreed smiling. “But I did say things.” I wagged a finger in his face.

“Ask me in a couple of months.” He shrugged coyly.

“Here we go, a glass of pineapple juice, and a coffee.” The waitress placed our drinks in front of us. “Food won’t be too long.”

“Thank you,” Harry smiled politely before grabbing his coffee and taking a drink. “Darkest period in your life?” I took a deep breath.

“Right after my boyfriend cheated on me with my best friend” I felt myself slump in my seat. “I was in this dark pit… I’m just glad school was over, I don’t think I could have dealt with that.” I laughed in self-pity.

“Y/N, if you don’t want too,” I shook my head.

“No it’s good to talk about this.” I smiled again. “It wasn’t all bad… I met George,” I cleared my throat. “He helped me,”

“And that’s why you like him?” I nodded my head.

“Pancake tower, and bacon and eggs.” The waitress sat the food in front of us. “Enjoy kids, let me know if you need anything else.” I smiled at the waitress as she walked off.

“Have you considered trying to date anyone else?” Harry asked suddenly from across the table.

“Harry, I am insane.” I picked up my fork. “No one should have to deal with me. I’m a mess I have George showing up to my bedroom door once a month trying to get me to kiss him again, and then the next day he pretends he doesn’t do it…”

“You’ve got to tell him,”

“What,”

“I can’t do that Harry,” I groaned. “You have no idea how much I wish I could because Y/N, She likes her sleep and he is interrupting it… too often.”

“Y/N,”

“What if he doesn’t pay me any attention after that?”

God Harry, if only.

#george mackay #georgemackay #george mackay fanfic #george mackay imagine #george mackay smut #Harry Styles #Harry Styles x Reader #HarryStyles #Harry Styles Imagine #Harry Styles Fanfic

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

Share a Lair 16 || Thunderstruck Birthday Girl

This is basically just self indulgent Charlotte love showering. I generally write Charlotte as an April Taurus, because of when her birthday episode aired, so I figured this is around the time that I can just do a little cute, fun, show of love and stuff, and also give her a chance to get some nice things. It is mostly just filler, but does have at least one important piece of story and I’ll get back to the crucial parts with the next installment.

Charlotte liked a lowkey birthday. Usually, she had brunch and cake with her parents and spent it with the guys in the evening. This year, Max made a bunch of plans for her, and she was curious to see how well he would do with this, so she planned to have brunch with her parents and told the guys that she would touch base with them later in the night. At some point during making plans, the boys got competitive via casual conversation and so she was told that they were going to have a bake off and that as the birthday girl, she would be able to determine who baked the best cake. “So, you’re gonna have like four cakes?” Max asked.

“Knowing the guys, not a single one of the cakes that they plan on making will make it, whether due to calamity or them just eating all of the cake.” But, if there was cake, she was definitely having some of each.

After brunch, Max picked her up from the bistro, not really being that concerned that she wasn’t introducing him to her parents yet. He got a glimpse of them hugging her before leaving and they seemed extremely intimidating. He already didn’t like parents and hers were both successful in their own right and high maintenance from what he understood. Even the bistro that they were at was an exclusive place. Each guest had a personal server, and whenever the Pages came through, their Jamaican chef was given access to the kitchen to prepare their meals for special occasions. This morning, Charlotte had been presented with an authentic Jamaican breakfast and bottomless brunch drinks. Max couldn’t recall ever having had a brunch, much less one in an exclusive bistro, with a personal chef, personal server, and access to all of the bar.

Superhero life paid extremely well, but it was more of a trade off, since one’s body and health was on the line with each mission. Charlotte’s father was a physicist and spent more time working than he did at home. Her mother was a college chancellor and was home just as much as her husband, even though her job was only about an hour away. They tried to make up for the blank spaces with extravagant gifts and expensive celebrations, but Charlotte was simply always happy just to be able to see both of them at once for a little bit of time, even though half of it was generally spent with her having to update them on exactly how her educational career was going and have enough accolades and credentials to account for the time she couldn’t tell them about as a hero’s tech specialist. Learning that made Max understand her overachiever complex a little bit better, but he wanted the rest of her birthday to be as relaxing and rewarding as possible.

He took the scenic route back to the lair and she leaned her seat back and rested, watching everything and listening to a playlist that he made for her. He had several. One for when she goes to sleep, one for her workday, one for when she studied, etc. This one was one that he made for car trips with her. One of his favorite things about doing stuff for her was that she always noticed. The first time he’d made her a playlist, she’d said, “You had to have made this thing specifically for me, right?” He wanted to deny it, but noticed how excited that made her and confessed. It was an amazing feeling to do something for someone special and have them not only not take it for granted, but to really appreciate it. Max didn’t always receive that from his loved ones, but he usually did from Charlotte. He was confident that she was going to LOVE her birthday time with him.

She liked being around a lot of people less than he did. So, where he might be down for a party with his friends and loved ones, she was more like her family was over here for this amount of time, and her friends over there, for that amount of time. Everything and everybody had their time and place.

But, she told him not too long ago, “I never get tired of being around you though. It’s like… you’re practically a part of me.” She said it all casually, matter of factly. He couldn’t even hear her emotion in it, but he definitely started crying. Then there was this whole thing where she thought that maybe she said the wrong thing and tried to comfort him and apologize and explain better, “I’m not saying that you aren’t your own person or anything, just that like… my life is comfortable no matter how much of you is in it…” He had to compose himself to let her know that he was happy to hear it, not upset. He also apologized for crying, because damn… that couldn’t be sexy. Turns out, it was… as long as it’s warranted and not over every little thing! So, that was bonus scores for him.

.

Max made Henry “be scarce” from the lair for today, which was fine by him, because he had to “Serve these fools in the cakes department, anyway!” And Max just… Didn’t even WANT to know what that meant, but was relieved to later find out that it was about baking cakes and not the booty shaking contest that his brain automatically convinced him it would be. So, whenever Charlotte walked in and the place was set up like a spa, she gasped. “What’s happening?”

“You always want to grab a spa day, but you’ve cancelled like a dozen times because of work demands. So, I set up a home spa day for you… I did get funding from Dr. Page and Dr. Page, but they knew that you deserved it and since Henry asked, they just wired it to your birthday fund.”

“You and Henry got money from my parents for a birthday spa day for me?”

“I sent Henry to get money, yes. Is that alright?”

She covered her face, “That is SO SWEET! They could have eaten him alive. They’re very inquisitive people.”

“I sent him with an outline of all of the plans,” he said, with a shrug.

“You know me so well that you know how my parents are, even though I haven’t introduced you yet!” She was thunderstruck. He took her bags and handed her a robe and slippers…

After her spa treatment day, complete with Max playing guitar and singing her some songs during interludes while she waited for something to dry or settle, or whatever, she felt brand new. She hadn’t realized how stressed she’d been, even though Max does stuff for her whenever he can, she obviously had still been hella stressed out - probably because of Russia, graduation, Jasper and Henry, spa days being cancelled… But, she NEEDED this and Max giving her what she needed, right on time? She would miss that when he was gone. Now, she was sad for a moment.

“Time for gift presentation!” He said, distracting her from missing him before he was gone. She perked up, skin radiant, silky smooth curls popping, and her smile beaming. She was still in her robe and had her spa day swag bag next to her, which were packages of the products used today in her spa day treatment and also products from the spa that supplied the materials. “First of all, we have…” he spun his finger around and the kitchen island rotated to reveal where he had hidden all of her gifts, apparently (and she had forgotten that this lair had many secret areas, but he obviously hadn’t). He reached for a huge bag and beckoned it to her. “From the Hart household, warmth and comfort in the form of new silk sheets and pillowcases, plus fuzzy blankets and bamboo pillows!”

“YES!” She had been saying she needed these forever, but not getting around to ordering any because other stuff seemed more important everything she thought about it. She LIVED for luxury, though, she often talked herself out of it.

“From Henry, himself, an assortment of fine chocolates, a wine drinking accessories set, and a collection of gourmet cheeses.”

“Ooooh… He must’ve gone into his hero funds for this!” She said, pulling things out of Henry’s gift bag.

“He did!” Max cheered. “Jasper got you…” He gave her the bucket, wrapped kind of like an Easter basket, “A stationary pail.” There was something weird in his voice. He probably had asked Jasper to get something else and Jasper was having none of it.

She opened it to see a personal planner, a personalized pen and journal set, scented stickers, sticky pads, etc and she squealed. “He got them to match the scheme of my home office whenever I set up my new place after college!” Max furrowed his eyebrows and she explained, “You see, Max… You are very smart and pay attention to detail, but Jasper has known me for a really long time and sometimes has even the most menial of my lifestyle choices down pat.”

“Your work dads got you tickets to the Graduation Concert Festival,” he said, handing her an envelope and ignoring the declaration about Jasper. “My parents got you a kitchen set for your post graduation apartment… Well… actually, my Cousin Blobbin did, but it was my mom’s idea. Cookware and appliances!”

“That’s… nice!” She said. She had just realized that she hadn’t gotten anything for that, yet. Just an electric kettle, a spice rack, and whatever she was going to cop from her parents’ kitchen. This was a much better situation! She had a few more pretty great gifts that she appreciated, then they were down to the last few, which were all from Max. He sat down next to her and she set aside everything that she had and let him hold both of her hands, wondering why it got so serious all of a sudden.

“Charlotte… The past months that I’ve known you have been amazing to me. Even before we got together, just looking forward to experiencing and learning you everyday has been everything that I’ve ever wanted from another person. : Hesighed and looked at their hands, “I’m officially scheduled to go to Russia for three years.” His shoulders sank. “And I know that you plan to visit and that we plan to continue long distance, but that’s still so tentative for me and scary - the thought of you being tasked with waiting on me to come back. But…” He looked over at the counter and floated something to himself, “If you want, you can stay in my comeback home.” He handed her a set of keys with a SuperMax keychain attached to it. “I know that you’ve been looking for apartments and this is actually a house, but…”

“You are asking me to move in with you for 3 years from now?” She asked.

“No! I’m asking you to move in now and get comfortable and make it your own, then whenever I’m back… we can get used to living together again, and you’ll already be set.” Her eyes widened, “But, if you don’t want to, I understand! We haven’t even been together for a year and who knows how Russia will change us.” He pressed a button on the remote on her keys and a holographic image of the house projected from it, “But, if you want to, I’m welcoming you to.” It was an elevated house on top of pillars, a garden with stair rails on either side and a carport. “And you’ll have full access to my underground lab and lair.”

“This is a super cute house,” she said, in a tiny voice. “And a very sweet notion. I’ll… think about it…” Sensibly, she and Max had not been together long enough for this move, but also, their circumstances were special. They lived together already, basically, and their timeline was rushed for a number of reasons… But, just living with him alone, and actually moving in and keeping it while he was on tour was… a lot that she had to rationally comb through. He understood, and was grateful that she didn’t flat out say no and tell him that he was crazy for thinking she’d even want to.

“On a lighter note!” He changed the subject, “I present to you, some of my most inspired works of art…” He gave her a portfolio of several portraits that he had done of her, some very casual and cool, some extremely detailed and graphic, some as herself, some reimagined in other forms and styles. “They’re mostly from the pining days,” he said, bashfully. “But, I’m working on a big piece to hang in the comeback house.” She flipped through pages of her face, beautifully rendered and covered her heart.

“These are really good, Max.”

“I usually just draw project schematics and costumes, but I was having a phase where every time I tried, I had to draw you first, or I’d be distracted the whole time.

“I love it.”

“I figured that I did need to get you a REAL gift, though, so…” He reached for a jewelry box and opened it. It looked elegant, like fine jewelry - a set with a necklace, earrings, bracelet and a ring. “Shapeshifting jewelry!”

“I’m sorry, what kind?”

He put the ring onto his pinky, because it would not fit anywhere else and it lit up, then it reformed itself, unbuilding and then rebuilding to look like a skull and crossbones ring. She gasped. “It scans your body and gets a record of your outfit and accommodates it. Very fun technology to have.” He took it off and handed it back. She put it on her ring finger and once again, it reformed and became a cute, thin band with a tiny pink jewel.

“This is amazing! I’ve never seen it before.”

“Experimental tech being used for facial imagery reconstruction whenever supers get unmasked. I took the principles and put them in your jewelry!” He said, proud of himself. She was proud, too. She honestly had THEE BEST BOYFRIEND. “And, in case you felt like that was a little too much, or whatever, I have backup gifts of a simpler nature. There’s this coupon book of treats and services, yes several of them are sexual, because I made it and I can,” (she laughed) “There is this HUGE concentration candle, I mean… LOOK at this thing! Oh, and this.” He handed her some folded paper. “It’s a handwritten love letter, basically me being kind of a loser and telling you all of my feelings, but on paper, like a madman…”

“Yes,” she said, snatching it.

“Yes, I’m a madman?”

“No… Well… yes, but… yes, I’ll move into your comeback home after college graduation.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

“To clarify… Was it the letter?”

“It was the… Max. You’re perfect, Dude. I just…” she shrugged and rested her head on him.

.

Whenever Charlotte made her way to the Man Cave, she heard the hijinks as soon as she stepped off of the elevator, and what she saw was four grown men and a young girl all fussing and covered in cake. “Did any of you save any cake?” She called from the elevator. They didn’t stop fussing or even seem to hear or notice her, so she looked around and saw a plate wrapped in saran wrap with assorted slices of cake, “I’m gonna presume that this is mine and leave with it if nobody notices that I’m here!” she called out. They were still fussing at each other and then Ray slapped Jasper in the face with a glob of icing, to which, Jasper growled and charged him and Schwoz, Henry and Piper, began to try to break it up, but all that could be seen was cake and icing flying everywhere. Charlotte left and whenever she did, she heard as the elevator door was closing, “Did any of you hear Charlotte’s voice?”

“Nice try, Henry! You don’t get away from this that easily!” Piper screamed.

“I honestly don’t want to know,” Charlotte told herself. But, she honestly did, too.

Shortly before Midnight, whenever she came back, everything was cleaned up and she announced, “Bringing back the plate!”

“SURPRISE!” Everyone jumped out and screamed, making her scream and drop the plate which shattered on the floor.

They ignored it and began to sing the happy birthday song to her, gathered around a cake platter that Schwoz was holding, only it had an amorphous cake on it, and could hardly hold the candles. It looked like a disaster from a cartoon. She blew out the candles and looked at them, suspiciously, “So, is this the only cake? What happened to the bake off?”

“Bake off?” Ray repeated. “We don’t have to prove that any of us are any better than the others. Besides, it’s YOUR birthday! Today was about you.”

“Did you all fight the entire time, have a huge cake fight, then gather up which pieces of cake that you could and cover it in icing to present as my birthday cake?” Everyone’s face showed that they were caught! That was EXACTLY what had happened. But Ray scoffed and said, “No! And quite frankly Charlotte, it is insulting that you would accuse us of such…”

“I saw you earlier. I took that plate of cake,” she pointed to the broken plate on the floor.

Henry began to fuss about how HE KNEW he’d heard her voice earlier, while Ray was fussing about the broken plate and Jasper was asking which cake was the best. Upon hearing that question, they all became more interested in that, “Yeah, which one? Which? Huh? Bet it was mine…”

“Ummm… they were all actually delicious, but I preferred the lemon one…”

“YES!” Jasper cheered and began to gloat in everybody’s face. “Max liked the chocolate one that tasted like a 5 year old just threw all their favorite things into a cake.”

“I TOLD ALL OF YOU THAT I AM THE CAKE COMMANDO!” Ray yelled. She figured that was his, because it was just a bunch of different chocolate things in a cake - chocolate cookie crumbles, chocolate chips, chocolate candy - she felt sick after one bite of that.

“Yeah, well, he’s probably gonna order one for his dad’s birthday.”

“Thunder Man? He’s still alive?” Ray asked.

Piper asked, “So… you didn’t like the pineapple right side up cake?”

“I did.”

“The chocolate covered strawberry cake was a delicious masterpiece!” Henry fussed.

“It was.”

Schwoz offered, “I think that you may have misjudged the dreamsicle and pickle cake.”

“I did not misjudge it, because I didn’t know what it was and refused to try it. Max said that he didn’t know how it worked, but it somehow did.”

SHe held out her hands, “I enjoyed everybody’s cake…” She pointed at Schwoz,’ “Except for yours.”

“Awwww,” he said, crestfallen.

“But, Jasper asked which one I thought was best and…”

“And she said it without much of a thought that she preferred the lemon icebox layered sponge cake with whipped white chocolate cream cheese icing. TOLD. YOU. GUYS!” He fist bumped her and she just laughed a little bit.

Henry commented, “I got beat with an egg beater for nothing.

“Not for nothing!” Charlotte said. “I completely want that chocolate covered strawberries cake programmed into the auto snacker for my next monthly.”

“My dreamsicle and pickle cake was the only one that used organic ingredients,” Schwoz pouted.

“I will NEVER try it. You won’t EVER tell me anything to make me try a Dreamsicle and pickle cake, Schwoz!” Charlotte said.

Jasper said, “Well… I’m gonna have some of this birthday cake,” and grabbed a plate and the cake cutter.

“Cut me a piece, too!” Henry asked. They all sat down and had a plate with fallen pieces of their various cakes on it and turned on a movie to watch.

“This was actually my best birthday in a while,” Charlotte noted. She didn’t need to go into detail about Max and how perfect he was. Her friends were all happy and full of cake and even that, in it’s own way, was equally as perfect.

#Share a Lair #Henry Danger #The Thundermans #crossover #crossover fanfic #Nesha Crossover #Thundanger #Thunderbolt #Share a Lair Repost #Nesha HD Fanfic #fanfiction #Share a Lair 16 #Serving me Canon Energy

[doctorsgirl262]

Ranking (Most of) the Nancy Drew Video Games

Literally no one asked for this, but I thought it’d be really fun to rank and give my opinion on each of the games. I’m biased towards a fair share of the games since they were the ones that I played growing up. **I have yet to complete 5 of the games (I know, blasphemy) but I’m not going to rank them since I don’t have any opinion on them. This includes: Stay Tuned For Danger, Final Scene, Ransom of the Seven Ships, The Captive Curse, and Labyrinth of Lies. I am also not including the dossier games. I also want to stress that I don’t dislike any of the games. 

28. Secrets Can Kill (Remastered): This game is okay, it’s not my favorite. I like the fact that Nancy is trying to solve a murder. But I feel like all the characters are kinda bland and really aren’t all that memorable, and neither are the games. I also found the hidden clues in the posters to be a bit challenging, so overall, I’m not a huge fan of the game.

27. Tomb of the Lost Queen: I loved the idea, but it wasn’t really memorable to me. I enjoyed it enough when I played it, but have absolutely no desire to play again. But I do like the Egyptian history that we see in this game.

26. Midnight in Salem: Honestly, not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. But by no means is it good. I didn’t hate it while playing, but it was missing a lot of what the games normally have. It felt dull and kinda boring, and the plot just didn’t feel totally cohesive. But, I look forward to playing more games in the future, even if it means waiting another 4 years. I will admit though that the mechanics were seriously lacking. I hated having to drag the screen up and down to search for clues, and the way moving worked kinda was abrupt and sudden. But, I’m realllllly digging the updated looks for the Hardy Boys.

25. Trail of the Twister: Kinda boring, kinda not. I don’t really care about tornadoes at all, so it was boring to learn about them and having to be part of the team. But I did enjoy the underlying mystery about selling secrets and such, and I liked most of the characters.

24. The Shattered Medallion: It’s an interesting game, but I’m not a huge fan of it. Nancy and George (and Bess) being on a reality tv show is an interesting concept, but I like the concepts where there is true mystery and danger to be found as Nancy delves deeper. The puzzles were fun, but not super memorable. I think it’s a fun game to play once, but I have absolutely no desire to play it again.

23. Message in a Haunted Mansion: I haven’t played this one in years, but I remember being terrified of it when I did. Finding the creepy note and then almost having the house burn down always scared me, and the fact that there was a “ghost” haunting the place didn’t help. I think it’s an enjoyable game, but it doesn’t have the same replay-ability as some of the other games do.

22. Secret of the Scarlet Hand: I love history, I really do. However, I found that this game was just a tad bit too boring with how much history it had in it. I enjoyed getting to learn about Mayan culture, but the fact that the mystery doesn’t really occur until half way through the game was just kinda a killer for me. The puzzle weren’t my favorite either.

21. The Haunted Carousel: I had a really hard time playing this one, but that has nothing to do with the game itself. I have a fear of oceans and sharks, so sometimes I had a hard time getting through puzzles. The puzzles weren’t my favorite, but I think the plot was interesting, with Joy remembering her past and the amusement park.

20.  The Creature of Kapu Cave: I think it was really cool that we had the opportunity to play as the Hardy Boys in this game. I think it was an interesting plot overall, but I got bored sometimes. I also hated Quiggly, she was rude and annoying towards Nancy and it just frustrated me to no end.

19.  Curse of Blackmoor Manor: The game had a creepy feel to it, but I feel like the end of the game was a real let down. There was so much plot throughout the game, and there was the “curse” that Nancy learned about, and it just seemed to come to an abrupt ending.

18.  Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake: I think this game is interesting. The speakeasy was a really cool aspect of the game, and I enjoyed that it was a bit of a darker game. But I think the puzzles were fun and interesting and it was an enjoyable game.

17.  Ghost of Thornton Hall: I love the atmosphere of this game, with it taking place in the South with ghosts. I love the history that was involved in the game, and the whole plot revolving around Charlotte and her death/murder. I like the dark route the game took, compared to some of the other games. It’s one of the few games that give me the chills.

16.  Sea of Darkness: I hate it when there is Ned and Nancy drama in the games, it always makes me so uncomfortable. In a previous post I talked about how I felt about their relationship, so I won’t really get into it, but that’s besides the point. The fact that it’s last game with Lani Minella is sad, but it was still an interesting game. I think the puzzles were fun, and I enjoyed the Icelandic activities in the game.

15.  The Silent Spy: I love the fact that we get a backstory on Nancy’s mom’s death. Also, going to Scotland and meeting Samantha FREAKING Quick. The fact that we finally got to put a face to her name after waiting for so long (11 games btw). I think it was a seriously fun game that had some interesting puzzles and had a unique plot.

14.  The Haunting of Castle Malloy: Another really creepy game to me, but really well done. I enjoyed most of the puzzles in the game, and the idea of searching for the missing groom and trying to understand the history of Castle Malloy was super interesting. The characters were overall rememberable, and so was the plot, and I feel like it was a nice, challenging game

13.  Alibi In Ashes: I really enjoyed this one too, and I love that you get to play as Bess, George, and Ned on top of playing Nancy. I find it crazy that her town would think that she would burn down the old town hall, but it’s whatever. I liked getting to build a case for Nancy, I think that was a fun aspect of the game. I also liked that it was our first chance to really meet Deirdre Shannon. I just liked the whole mystery aspect of this game, with dusting for finger prints and picking locks to trying to determine a suspect.

12.  Legend of the Crystal Skull: I liked the dark vibe of this game, and that we got to play as Bess. I really enjoyed Henry Bolet and his character, and I think that the overall plot of the game was really interesting. The crystal skull was a really cool idea to have in a game, and I feel like overall the game had a good balance of creepiness. I also loveddd the little trap on the poor shop keeper with the sneezing powder.

11.  Danger on Deception Island: This was another one of my favorites from when I was a kid. I always enjoyed the puzzle, especially the one with building Nessie for some weird reason. I thought the plot was really interesting, and that it was a creative idea. The puzzle in the game were also really creative, and I thought that overall, it was a cool game. The characters were interesting, and so was the plot.

10. The Deadly Device: The danger. The mystery. I spent so freaking long trying to beat aggregation, I cannot express the pleasure of completing all the levels. I like that this one had a murder, which reminded me of some of her older cases. I really enjoyed the characters in this one too, and I like how much a true mystery the case was. There were a few moments that really had me a little anxious and on the edge of my seat as I played.

9. Shadow at the Water’s Edge: One of the scarier games of the series, but I enjoy it. I feel like there are certain scenes that are actually terrifying, and I love how well done everything is. All the characters are interesting and finding out the backstory of the hotel and all the ghost business of the game. I think that it as a whole was just an amazing game, and there was so much detail that went into this game that I loved.

8.  The White Wolf of Icicle Creek: Weirdly enough, I love the chores aspect of this game. I normally hate doing chores, but they’re kinda fun here. I think the puzzles in this game are fun, and so is the mystery. I love it when Nancy goes undercover. I love that they brought back Tino Balducci for it, and like Nancy, I feel like all of us were groaning at the realization that we had to work with him (but we were all also kinda excited to do it too). However, there was so much history to the game, that I feel like the ending was kinda abrupt, but that could totally just be me.

7.  Secret of the Old Clock: I absolutely love the fact that this game takes place in the 1930s and that it’s based loosely on Carolyn Keene’s books The Secret of the Old Clock and The Mystery at Lilac Inn. The mini games are some of my favorites, and I just enjoyed all the characters and the plot. I always had a lot of fun when I played this one when I was younger, and it was always a game I looked forward to playing

6.  Treasure in a Royal Tower: I love the history that the game is based on, Marie Antoinette. I found that the puzzles in this game were fairly fun too, but I especially liked having to do a bit of sneaking around. I feel like the older games had a lot more danger to them, and I found myself on the edge of my seat sometime while playing.

5.  Danger by Design: Ooooh, this is a fun one. I loved getting to work for Minette, even though she was kinda crazy. All the puzzles were so much fun, but my favorites have to be the cooking challenge and the designs for Prudence Rutherford. The characters are super fun in this game, and I love the plot about the stained glass too. Getting to go into the catacombs is also super fun, and overall, I think they went in a really good direction for this game.

4.  The Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon: I adored this game when I was a kid since it was the first Nancy Drew game I ever played. The idea of a hidden gold mine on top while also having Lori’s disappearance on a moving train was just so fascinating to me. I always enjoyed the puzzles and loved the characters, especially the Hardy Brothers.

AND FINALLY... MY TOP 3 FAVORITE GAMES

3.  The Secret of Shadow Ranch: This is one of the more recent one I played, and I loved it so much. I love the history and culture of New Mexico, so I really enjoyed getting to see the petroglyphs and the cliff dwellings. I’m also a sucker for baking puzzles in games, so I really enjoyed that. The characters were also really interesting, and I loved the Dirk Valentine plot line. Overall, it was a really really fun game that I would love to play again.

2.  Phantom of Venice: This game is near and dear to my heart. The characters are really interesting, and I love getting a glimpse at Ned and Nancy’s relationship, with him giving her the necklace (especially since the more recent games have been giving them a rocky relationship). I think the adventure itself is an interesting one, and I love it when Nancy travels abroad for a mystery. The puzzle in this game were really interesting, and overall, I really enjoy it. I also loved getting to be Punchy LaRue!

1. Warnings at Waverly Academy: This has been my favorite Nancy Drew game for years. I love all the characters and how different yet similar they are to one another. The puzzle throughout the game, from making a DNA strand to playing scram and air hockey, I didn’t dislike any of the them.  And the Edgar Allen Poe story plot is also super cool, I think that was an amazing plot that Her Interactive came up with. Also, the snack shop mini-game is just so much fun. “As of now, the snack shop is open!”

#nancy drew #nancy drew games #sck #mhm #trt #ssh #dog #car #ddi #sha #cur #clk #trn #dan #cre #ice #cry #ven #hau #wac #tot #saw #ash #tmb #ded #gth #spy #med #sea #mid

[neshabeingchildish]

Thunderstruck Birthday Girl

This is basically just self indulgent Charlotte love showering. I generally write Charlotte as an April Taurus, because of when her birthday episode aired, so I figured this is around the time that I can just do a little cute, fun, show of love and stuff, and also give her a chance to get some nice things. It is mostly just filler, but does have at least one important piece of story and I’ll get back to the crucial parts with the next installment. Tagging, so I don’t get fussed at lol @kiddangers @adorkable-blackgirl @chenoahchantel @famousflowermagazine I THINK that’s it? Sorry if there was someone else.

Share-a-Lair 16

Charlotte liked a lowkey birthday. Usually, she had brunch and cake with her parents and spent it with the guys in the evening. This year, Max made a bunch of plans for her, and she was curious to see how well he would do with this, so she planned to have brunch with her parents and told the guys that she would touch base with them later in the night. At some point during making plans, the boys got competitive via casual conversation and so she was told that they were going to have a bake off and that as the birthday girl, she would be able to determine who baked the best cake. “So, you’re gonna have like four cakes?” Max asked.

“Knowing the guys, not a single one of the cakes that they plan on making will make it, whether due to calamity or them just eating all of the cake.” But, if there was cake, she was definitely having some of each. 

After brunch, Max picked her up from the bistro, not really being that concerned that she wasn’t introducing him to her parents yet. He got a glimpse of them hugging her before leaving and they seemed extremely intimidating. He already didn’t like parents and hers were both successful in their own right and high maintenance from what he understood. Even the bistro that they were at was an exclusive place. Each guest had a personal server, and whenever the Pages came through, their Jamaican chef was given access to the kitchen to prepare their meals for special occasions. This morning, Charlotte had been presented with an authentic Jamaican breakfast and bottomless brunch drinks. Max couldn’t recall ever having had a brunch, much less one in an exclusive bistro, with a personal chef, personal server, and access to all of the bar. 

Superhero life paid extremely well, but it was more of a trade off, since one’s body and health was on the line with each mission. Charlotte’s father was a physicist and spent more time working than he did at home. Her mother was a college chancellor and was home just as much as her husband, even though her job was only about an hour away. They tried to make up for the blank spaces with extravagant gifts and expensive celebrations, but Charlotte was simply always happy just to be able to see both of them at once for a little bit of time, even though half of it was generally spent with her having to update them on exactly how her educational career was going and have enough accolades and credentials to account for the time she couldn’t tell them about as a hero’s tech specialist. Learning that made Max understand her overachiever complex a little bit better, but he wanted the rest of her birthday to be as relaxing and rewarding as possible.

He took the scenic route back to the lair and she leaned her seat back and rested, watching everything and listening to a playlist that he made for her. He had several. One for when she goes to sleep, one for her workday, one for when she studied, etc. This one was one that he made for car trips with her. One of his favorite things about doing stuff for her was that she always noticed. The first time he’d made her a playlist, she’d said, “You had to have made this thing specifically for me, right?” He wanted to deny it, but noticed how excited that made her and confessed. It was an amazing feeling to do something for someone special and have them not only not take it for granted, but to really appreciate it. Max didn’t always receive that from his loved ones, but he usually did from Charlotte. He was confident that she was going to LOVE her birthday time with him.

She liked being around a lot of people less than he did. So, where he might be down for a party with his friends and loved ones, she was more like her family was over here for this amount of time, and her friends over there, for that amount of time. Everything and everybody had their time and place. 

But, she told him not too long ago, “I never get tired of being around you though. It’s like… you’re practically a part of me.” She said it all casually, matter of factly. He couldn’t even hear her emotion in it, but he definitely started crying. Then there was this whole thing where she thought that maybe she said the wrong thing and tried to comfort him and apologize and explain better, “I’m not saying that you aren’t your own person or anything, just that like… my life is comfortable no matter how much of you is in it…” He had to compose himself to let her know that he was happy to hear it, not upset. He also apologized for crying, because damn… that couldn’t be sexy. Turns out, it was… as long as it’s warranted and not over every little thing! So, that was bonus scores for him.

.

Max made Henry “be scarce” from the lair for today, which was fine by him, because he had to “Serve these fools in the cakes department, anyway!” And Max just… Didn’t even WANT to know what that meant, but was relieved to later find out that it was about baking cakes and not the booty shaking contest that his brain automatically convinced him it would be. So, whenever Charlotte walked in and the place was set up like a spa, she gasped. “What’s happening?”

“You always want to grab a spa day, but you’ve cancelled like a dozen times because of work demands. So, I set up a home spa day for you… I did get funding from Dr. Page and Dr. Page, but they knew that you deserved it and since Henry asked, they just wired it to your birthday fund.”

“You and Henry got money from my parents for a birthday spa day for me?”

“I sent Henry to get money, yes. Is that alright?”

She covered her face, “That is SO SWEET! They could have eaten him alive. They’re very inquisitive people.”

“I sent him with an outline of all of the plans,” he said, with a shrug.

“You know me so well that you know how my parents are, even though I haven’t introduced you yet!” She was thunderstruck. He took her bags and handed her a robe and slippers…

After her spa treatment day, complete with Max playing guitar and singing her some songs during interludes while she waited for something to dry or settle, or whatever, she felt brand new. She hadn’t realized how stressed she’d been, even though Max does stuff for her whenever he can, she obviously had still been hella stressed out - probably because of Russia, graduation, Jasper and Henry, spa days being cancelled… But, she NEEDED this and Max giving her what she needed, right on time? She would miss that when he was gone. Now, she was sad for a moment.

“Time for gift presentation!” He said, distracting her from missing him before he was gone. She perked up, skin radiant, silky smooth curls popping, and her smile beaming. She was still in her robe and had her spa day swag bag next to her, which were packages of the products used today in her spa day treatment and also products from the spa that supplied the materials. “First of all, we have…” he spun his finger around and the kitchen island rotated to reveal where he had hidden all of her gifts, apparently (and she had forgotten that this lair had many secret areas, but he obviously hadn’t). He reached for a huge bag and beckoned it to her. “From the Hart household, warmth and comfort in the form of new silk sheets and pillowcases, plus fuzzy blankets and bamboo pillows!” 

“YES!” She had been saying she needed these forever, but not getting around to ordering any because other stuff seemed more important everything she thought about it. She LIVED for luxury, though, she often talked herself out of it. 

“From Henry, himself, an assortment of fine chocolates, a wine drinking accessories set, and a collection of gourmet cheeses.”

“Ooooh… He must’ve gone into his hero funds for this!” She said, pulling things out of Henry’s gift bag.

“He did!” Max cheered. “Jasper got you…” He gave her the bucket, wrapped kind of like an Easter basket, “A stationary pail.” There was something weird in his voice. He probably had asked Jasper to get something else and Jasper was having none of it. 

She opened it to see a personal planner, a personalized pen and journal set, scented stickers, sticky pads, etc and she squealed. “He got them to match the scheme of my home office whenever I set up my new place after college!” Max furrowed his eyebrows and she explained, “You see, Max… You are very smart and pay attention to detail, but Jasper has known me for a really long time and sometimes has even the most menial of my lifestyle choices down pat.”

“Your work dads got you tickets to the Graduation Concert Festival,” he said, handing her an envelope and ignoring the declaration about Jasper. “My parents got you a kitchen set for your post graduation apartment… Well… actually, my Cousin Blobbin did, but it was my mom’s idea. Cookware and appliances!” 

“That’s… nice!” She said. She had just realized that she hadn’t gotten anything for that, yet. Just an electric kettle, a spice rack, and whatever she was going to cop from her parents’ kitchen. This was a much better situation! She had a few more pretty great gifts that she appreciated, then they were down to the last few, which were all from Max. He sat down next to her and she set aside everything that she had and let him hold both of her hands, wondering why it got so serious all of a sudden.

“Charlotte… The past months that I’ve known you have been amazing to me. Even before we got together, just looking forward to experiencing and learning you everyday has been everything that I’ve ever wanted from another person. : Hesighed and looked at their hands, “I’m officially scheduled to go to Russia for three years.” His shoulders sank. “And I know that you plan to visit and that we plan to continue long distance, but that’s still so tentative for me and scary - the thought of you being tasked with waiting on me to come back. But…” He looked over at the counter and floated something to himself, “If you want, you can stay in my comeback home.” He handed her a set of keys with a SuperMax keychain attached to it. “I know that you’ve been looking for apartments and this is actually a house, but…”

“You are asking me to move in with you for 3 years from now?” She asked.

“No! I’m asking you to move in now and get comfortable and make it your own, then whenever I’m back… we can get used to living together again, and you’ll already be set.” Her eyes widened, “But, if you don’t want to, I understand! We haven’t even been together for a year and who knows how Russia will change us.” He pressed a button on the remote on her keys and a holographic image of the house projected from it, “But, if you want to, I’m welcoming you to.” It was an elevated house on top of pillars, a garden with stair rails on either side and a carport. “And you’ll have full access to my underground lab and lair.” 

“This is a super cute house,” she said, in a tiny voice. “And a very sweet notion. I’ll… think about it…” Sensibly, she and Max had not been together long enough for this move, but also, their circumstances were special. They lived together already, basically, and their timeline was rushed for a number of reasons… But, just living with him alone, and actually moving in and keeping it while he was on tour was… a lot that she had to rationally comb through. He understood, and was grateful that she didn’t flat out say no and tell him that he was crazy for thinking she’d even want to.

“On a lighter note!” He changed the subject, “I present to you, some of my most inspired works of art…” He gave her a portfolio of several portraits that he had done of her, some very casual and cool, some extremely detailed and graphic, some as herself, some reimagined in other forms and styles. “They’re mostly from the pining days,” he said, bashfully. “But, I’m working on a big piece to hang in the comeback house.” She flipped through pages of her face, beautifully rendered and covered her heart.

“These are really good, Max.”

“I usually just draw project schematics and costumes, but I was having a phase where every time I tried, I had to draw you first, or I’d be distracted the whole time.

“I love it.”

“I figured that I did need to get you a REAL gift, though, so…” He reached for a jewelry box and opened it. It looked elegant, like fine jewelry - a set with a necklace, earrings, bracelet and a ring. “Shapeshifting jewelry!” 

“I’m sorry, what kind?”

He put the ring onto his pinky, because it would not fit anywhere else and it lit up, then it reformed itself, unbuilding and then rebuilding to look like a skull and crossbones ring. She gasped. “It scans your body and gets a record of your outfit and accommodates it. Very fun technology to have.” He took it off and handed it back. She put it on her ring finger and once again, it reformed and became a cute, thin band with a tiny pink jewel. 

“This is amazing! I’ve never seen it before.”

“Experimental tech being used for facial imagery reconstruction whenever supers get unmasked. I took the principles and put them in your jewelry!” He said, proud of himself. She was proud, too. She honestly had THEE BEST BOYFRIEND. “And, in case you felt like that was a little too much, or whatever, I have backup gifts of a simpler nature. There’s this coupon book of treats and services, yes several of them are sexual, because I made it and I can,” (she laughed) “There is this HUGE concentration candle, I mean… LOOK at this thing! Oh, and this.” He handed her some folded paper. “It’s a handwritten love letter, basically me being kind of a loser and telling you all of my feelings, but on paper, like a madman…” 

“Yes,” she said, snatching it.

“Yes, I’m a madman?”

“No… Well… yes, but… yes, I’ll move into your comeback home after college graduation.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. 

“To clarify… Was it the letter?”

“It was the... Max. You’re perfect, Dude. I just…” she shrugged and rested her head on him. 

.

Whenever Charlotte made her way to the Man Cave, she heard the hijinks as soon as she stepped off of the elevator, and what she saw was four grown men and a young girl all fussing and covered in cake. “Did any of you save any cake?” She called from the elevator. They didn’t stop fussing or even seem to hear or notice her, so she looked around and saw a plate wrapped in saran wrap with assorted slices of cake, “I’m gonna presume that this is mine and leave with it if nobody notices that I’m here!” she called out. They were still fussing at each other and then Ray slapped Jasper in the face with a glob of icing, to which, Jasper growled and charged him and Schwoz, Henry and Piper, began to try to break it up, but all that could be seen was cake and icing flying everywhere. Charlotte left and whenever she did, she heard as the elevator door was closing, “Did any of you hear Charlotte’s voice?”

“Nice try, Henry! You don’t get away from this that easily!” Piper screamed. 

“I honestly don’t want to know,” Charlotte told herself. But, she honestly did, too.

Shortly before Midnight, whenever she came back, everything was cleaned up and she announced, “Bringing back the plate!” 

“SURPRISE!” Everyone jumped out and screamed, making her scream and drop the plate which shattered on the floor. 

They ignored it and began to sing the happy birthday song to her, gathered around a cake platter that Schwoz was holding, only it had an amorphous cake on it, and could hardly hold the candles. It looked like a disaster from a cartoon. She blew out the candles and looked at them, suspiciously, “So, is this the only cake? What happened to the bake off?”

“Bake off?” Ray repeated. “We don’t have to prove that any of us are any better than the others. Besides, it’s YOUR birthday! Today was about you.”

“Did you all fight the entire time, have a huge cake fight, then gather up which pieces of cake that you could and cover it in icing to present as my birthday cake?” Everyone’s face showed that they were caught! That was EXACTLY what had happened. But Ray scoffed and said, “No! And quite frankly Charlotte, it is insulting that you would accuse us of such…”

“I saw you earlier. I took that plate of cake,” she pointed to the broken plate on the floor.

Henry began to fuss about how HE KNEW he’d heard her voice earlier, while Ray was fussing about the broken plate and Jasper was asking which cake was the best. Upon hearing that question, they all became more interested in that, “Yeah, which one? Which? Huh? Bet it was mine…” 

“Ummm… they were all actually delicious, but I preferred the lemon one…”

“YES!” Jasper cheered and began to gloat in everybody’s face. “Max liked the chocolate one that tasted like a 5 year old just threw all their favorite things into a cake.”

“I TOLD ALL OF YOU THAT I AM THE CAKE COMMANDO!” Ray yelled. She figured that was his, because it was just a bunch of different chocolate things in a cake - chocolate cookie crumbles, chocolate chips, chocolate candy - she felt sick after one bite of that.

“Yeah, well, he’s probably gonna order one for his dad’s birthday.”

“Thunder Man? He’s still alive?” Ray asked. 

Piper asked, “So… you didn’t like the pineapple right side up cake?”

“I did.”

“The chocolate covered strawberry cake was a delicious masterpiece!” Henry fussed.

“It was.”

Schwoz offered, “I think that you may have misjudged the dreamsicle and pickle cake.”

“I did not misjudge it, because I didn’t know what it was and refused to try it. Max said that he didn’t know how it worked, but it somehow did.”

SHe held out her hands, “I enjoyed everybody’s cake…” She pointed at Schwoz,’ “Except for yours.”

“Awwww,” he said, crestfallen.

“But, Jasper asked which one I thought was best and…”

“And she said it without much of a thought that she preferred the lemon icebox layered sponge cake with whipped white chocolate cream cheese icing. TOLD. YOU. GUYS!” He fist bumped her and she just laughed a little bit.

Henry commented, “I got beat with an egg beater for nothing.

“Not for nothing!” Charlotte said. “I completely want that chocolate covered strawberries cake programmed into the auto snacker for my next monthly.” 

“My dreamsicle and pickle cake was the only one that used organic ingredients,” Schwoz pouted.

“I will NEVER try it. You won’t EVER tell me anything to make me try a Dreamsicle and pickle cake, Schwoz!” Charlotte said. 

Jasper said, “Well… I’m gonna have some of this birthday cake,” and grabbed a plate and the cake cutter. 

“Cut me a piece, too!” Henry asked. They all sat down and had a plate with fallen pieces of their various cakes on it and turned on a movie to watch. 

“This was actually my best birthday in a while,” Charlotte noted. She didn’t need to go into detail about Max and how perfect he was. Her friends were all happy and full of cake and even that, in it’s own way, was equally as perfect.

#Share a Lair #henry danger #the thundermans #crossover #crossover fanfic #Nesha Crossover #Thundanger #Thunderbolt

[betweenthepage]

Mini Reviews

As always, you can find my reviews on Goodreads and you can also follow my Instagram

Review’s for: 

1) Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland 

2) Scammed by Kristen Simmons

3) The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

4) Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

5) Ember Queen by Laura Sebastian 

6) The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh 

7) Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger

8) Tithe by Holly Black

Beyond the Black Door

The book read a bit like early 2010’s YA (which isn’t a bad thing, I was fine with it. But some people don’t enjoy it). While I enjoyed the general plot, I wish some parts of the book were left out so that Kamai—the main character—could get the ball rolling sooner. I feel like it would have made for more interesting situations. I really enjoyed reading all the characters—especially Vehyn and all his villainous ways! The diversity in sexuality was beautiful and I am so glad that people are finding themselves in these characters. I think it was done beautifully, and will hopefully open the door for more books like this. Overall, I felt like the conflict was resolved very well and realistically for the book—aka no, “everything happened because I say.” 3 out of 5 stars!

Scammed

I enjoyed the first book, but this book? LOVED. The writing is great and the twists and turns? Did not see a lot of it coming! I’ve been conned! I LOVED that we got to see more of the secondary characters (Henry and especially Charlotte who I love x3 now) and I hope even more of the other students get some screen time in the third book. Beyond Charlotte, I was surprised to see how attached I got to Moore! More Moore! Lol Some of my only problems with Scammed were that a lot of the events that happened could have easily been solved with honesty (but then...no drama!) and that Brynn—our main character—was an easy pawn. For someone who’s good at what she does, she sure got played. I’m still spinning at all the twists that happened, trying to piece things from the first book. Seeing if maybe I missed clues, suspecting everyone, questioning who the real villains are and their true motives. That makes for a good book. @ Kristen Simmons/ Tor Teen, please send me the third book today, I am ready for third book, today. I will eagerly be waiting the third book, which I am ready for today. 4 out of 5 stars!

The Kingdom of Back

Marie has once again written a beautiful book with emotion and grace. As a pianist, I’ve been obsessed with many composers, Mozart being one of them. I knew he had a sister but didn’t know how she too was just as talented as Wolfgang. This books scratched the surface of her talent and used their imagination to write a different world. While I enjoyed the writing itself, I did feel like the otherworldness was a bit confusing and for me, didn’t make a lot of sense some of the time. I had to ignore things or add my own things in order to make more sense of it. Some times I was a bit bored due to the plot slowing down. Beyond that, I was filled with rage at the real life injustice portrayed in the story that Nannerl had to face. Not only from society/the world, but from her own father. I wanted SOMEONE to shout at him. It truly is a sadness and loss to the world that her compositions were lost to the world and she didn’t get her chance to be just as great as her brother. Marie Lu talked about how she believes her music lives on through Wolfgang, I believe so too.

Chain of Gold

Normally with so many characters, I mostly enjoy them but really only care for a few. With Chain of Gold, I LOVED every single character. They all stole my heart in different ways. Though, Matthew is my favorite by far. I have a soft spot for sassy men who like clothes.

I absolutely loved all the minor plot lines; I can clearly see how they’re going to develop into bigger plot lines. Though since there were so many small ones, it made for the overall plot to be...lacking? Not that it wasn’t good, but I just felt like I wasn’t at the edge of my seat. But given everything that happened, I know it’s only going to give me more anxiety as the books continue. I also had to pull up a family tree to see who’s kid was who’s because there are so many Lightwoods. They’ve kept busy haha

I loved seeing all of our characters from TID and I LOVE how much EVERYONE knows Tessa and Will love each other. Makes me feel even more lonely lmao.

And the ending with some of the main characters...it’s a troupe I haven’t read in a while but I’m so excited.

4 out of 5 stars!

Ember Queen

I’ve finally read this! I didn’t get to it because I travelled for a signed copy and then school but finally!!

Lots of moving parts to this book, which make sense considering they’re in the middle of a war. A lot seemed a little too easy, and while many were lost on the pages, it wasn’t anyone we really knew. Thus, the feeling of it being too easy.

The big heart ache towards the end of the book, I knew was going to happen. It no longer had a plot or arc to move the story forward unlike everyone and everything else so it was made clear to me. Regardless, I was still incredibly sad as it was one of my favorite things. (Trying to be vague and avoid spoilers lol)

I LOVED that after everything Theo has gone through, even all the growth she has had, she still remained a soft hearted person, unafraid of her emotions. Embracing her tears and everything she felt. I love a strong willed woman, but we need more soft hearted women. Both are equally strong and Laura did an amazing job at capturing that.

The ending was great, I think. It took something Theo often thought about and was a big thorn to her plan and made her embrace it. It was fitting.

I was fortunate enough to start this trilogy early via an arc, and I’m so glad I got to see it to the end.

4 out of 5 stars.

The Beautiful

Right from the start, I fell in love with Celine. I love everything about her but especially that she wasn’t afraid to want power AND love. The setting and time that this beautiful (haha get it?) book was written was a time where POCs were still treated badly. I liked the fact that Celine—and others—acknowledge this as well as enjoy that all people from everywhere could have a place where they could work side by side. There wasn’t a character I did not like or love. I enjoyed them all, even when they annoyed me or broke my heart. Even the potential lives interests (plural). I love both though I have my heart set on one boy. I didn’t like that even though a lot of things were revealed, those things were still vague. I have to think it’s because grander things will be revealed in the next book, but for now, it’s left me a little confused. This would have made this a 4 star read for me. But I just loved Celine SO MUCH that I have no choice but to make this a 5 star read. She literally made this whole book for me. 5 out of 5 stars.

Steel Crow Saga

Listen...it’s an Asian inspired book filled with LGBTQ+ INCREDIBLE characters, found family, POKEMON-ESQUE things? Just buy the book already. Don’t even finish my review.

This book was great. Every character in this book was amazing in one way or another. Lee warmed my heart (we love a sarcastic thief) but Tala owns it. She was by far my favorite character. Everything she went through, has done...she’s amazing and her growth through the book speaks loudly. She fought a lot of inner turmoil (NO ONE WOULD BLAME HER IF SHE PICKED DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT SHE DID IN THE BOOK...but I’m glad she didn’t) and all the emotions she felt? I felt them too. I just want to wrap her in a hug and make sure nothing bad ever happens to her again. I did find one of the characters, Jimuro, annoying up until the end, where his growth was finally tangible. He was big talk but finally led with actions. Good job, dude. Still want to mildly slap you, but it’s all good. The pacing of the book was perfect and I want to live in this world where I basically can get my own Pokemon. Or metal bend. I do wish some smaller details were talked about more, as it left me with a couple questions, but overall I enjoyed it. And I hope one day there’s a sequel. :(

4.5 out of 5 stars!

Tithe

Story wise, I felt it was rushed and definitely could have been longer for the pace. But I liked it for the most part. Beyond the pace, everything felt a little too easy. If that’s the case, I can make it in the Unseelie court too lol The main character, Kaye, was something. While I generally liked her, she’s very selfish and unaware of the emotions or well being of her friends and family. Possibly it could be because of what she truly is...but still. And while she apologized for some of her actions, it seemed very surface based and it just rubbed me the wrong way. Her one real friend, Corny? LOVE him. Felt for him too. I hope if he pops up again that he gets nothing but happiness because poor king. Roiben? He was cool. I generally liked him! He was kind of the calm to Kaye’s chaos. He didn’t have much character to him but I know the later story revolves around him more so I’m excited to see his development. 3 out of 5 stars.

#book reviews #ya books #cassandra clare #holly black #mini reviews #rose speaks #review #my review #my reviews

[a-race-of-cannibal-ducks]

Chapter 1.

Yes, I haven’t considered a title for this yet. This is only chapter 1 of a 2, perhaps 3, part fic about Jem, Will and Jessamine aged fourteen (thank Herondale for this idea). It’s sad, it’s angsty and apparently the plot made people cry! It’s quite Jessamine centeric, but also focuses a lot on Jem and Will. Withought giving much away: arguments, crying. Enjoy. (Also please note I know Sophie wasn’t with them at the time, but I suck with names so Herondale and I decided all maids were Sophie now).

Spirits were anything but high and tensions were anything but low. A series of missing - presumed dead - mundanes had sparked the attention of the London Institute and Enclave, leading to tri-weekly meetings lead by an ever-more growing stressed Charlotte Branwell and an incredibly tired Henry Branwell. At morning breakfast, the tension was palpable.

Sitting around the large square table, were the residents of the London Insitutue, a low murmer filling the room as food was brought out and set down in the centre of the table. Toast, eggs, bacon - often enjoyable foods the people sitting around the table would savour. But no one seemed to be collecting anything for their plate. Everyone's eyes seemed to be stern and sorrowful.

"Oh do please have something," Charlotte sighed, lightly buttering a slice of browned toast. "It'll keep your energy up," she added, stealing a quick glance at her husband, Henry, whose eyes seemed to be trained to his copy of the news paper. The news paper had been surpisingly useful as of late, stating whether or not the mudanes had returned - dead or alive.

Sucking in a shallow breathe, Charlotte asked,"is there anything of use in there today?"

Henry shook his head, taking a sip of the steaming cup of tea which Sophie had poured for him. "Nothing I can find, but I'm looking." The reply was quick, uncertain, especially as updates had been appearing within the first few pages of the newspaper if there had been any.

Across from Charlotte and Henry, sat Jessamine, her face pressed to her hand as she picked at the corner of her toast spread with a thin layer of strawberry jam. "It's not like he's doing a good job of it; he's probably missed something," Jessamine bit, her tone laced with frustration. Being fourteen, it wasn't much of her place to be doing work on this case, nor her position to comment on the ability of Shadowhunters her senior.

"I don't suppose you'd do much better," Will replied, shooting an angered look at Jessamine. He, like Jessamine, was also fourteen and unable to be much of an assistance to anyone (in fact, one may call him a nuisance with the amount of remarks he seemed to make whenever tasked with helping out Charlotte or Henry) but still criticised Jessamine.

At this, Jessamine looked affronted - she wasn't known to be much of a worker nor a trainer, in fact, she despised the idea of even becoming a Shadowhunter at all. Often, she'd refuse to handle any and all weapons, she had only read very certain parts of the Shadowhunter's Codex, and wasn't very attentive to her studies. So, rather than replying, she scowled and continued to stare at her toast.

"Do stop the unnecessary bickering," Jem, Will's parabatai, replied, waiting for some angered reply from Jessamine which didn't come. Instead it was a weary Charlotte who had just checked the large clock behind her for time.

"Benedict and the rest of the Enclave will be here presently... Henry and I will be in the Great Library, but please try to leave us undisturbed," Charlotte spoke, her tone almost pleading as she rose. They were very often interrupted by anyone of the younger Shadowhunters whilst in the middle of a meeting - but this one was important. Charlotte gently tugged at the hand of Henry once she was standing fully, an urge to pry him away from the newspaper which had been ruled useless nonsense.

"Is there anything which needs doing?" Jem asked before Henry and Charlotte had exited, his tone was more quiet than usual, despite getting a world more sleep the night before. The question earned groans and sighs from Will and Jessamine, people who did not want to do anything extra.

But Charlotte shook her head. "No, I don't believe there is. If you'd like to catch up on studies or perhaps do some weapons training? Do be careful though." Charlotte directed her last sentence as Will as Jem nodded and the two older shadowhunters departed the room.

It took a good few more moments before Sophie appeared, a small smile on her face and her cap slightly askew. "Are you all finished?" her tone joyful and slightly accented with a cockney accent.

"Send Agatha my thanks," Will joked, seemingly ignoring the previous slight altercation. Although, when he looked down at his plate, he still saw his slice of toast and rash of back, almost perfectly intact.

Standing up, Will and Jem pushed in their chairs as they began to leave the grand dining room, leaving Jessamine sat in her seat, head still pressed to her hands. "Why do you always have to do everything together?" She asked as immediate regret filled her. She hurriedly pushed in her chair to catch up with the boys.

"Well," Will started, his tone already dripping in sarcasm. "Would you care to spar, Miss Lovelace?" he knelt in an almost proposal sort of way while Jem stood behind him, shaking his head very lightly.

"Of course I don't!" Jessamine exclaimed, throwing her hands up in a piqued manor. How dare he? Of course she didn't want to spar with him!

"Why ever not?" Will laughed, coming up from the position on the ground. "Are you afraid I'd win?" he asked, turning to Jem, who was doing nothing to diffuse the situation yet. "James Carstairs, your thoughts?" Will asked.

Jem blinked a few times, trying to focus himself back in. During the second brief altercation, he'd let his mind wander a little and found himself disconnected and relatively dizzy. "Perhaps we could interest Jessie in something we could all enjoy, hm?" His tone was light and kind. It was a talent of his, the ability to find a solution for everybody.

"I'm not afraid of anything you do William, but more, a lady doesn't fight!" Jessamine retorted.

"A lady?" Will scoffed. "You're a Shadowhunter, Jessamine! That's all you'll be, and a bloody bad one at that if you keep up the way which you're going. I very much doubt you've attended a single weaponry lesson, and only occasionally bother to turn up for other such studies!" William wasn't angry at her, per say, she could do as she pleased for all he cared, but it was something which Will knew would upset Jessamine. She never wanted to be here, to be a Shadowhunter. But neither did Will. Infact, none of them chose to even be in the London Institute anyway!

Jessamine felt the breath leave her body for a second, wide eyed. How could he say such a thing? She didn't have to be a Shadowhunter and she didn't need to learn Shadowhunter things! Tears pricked the back of her eyes and flashes of her mother and father shone behind her eyes. Oh how she missed them.

"You can't say that!" Jessamine spoke, her voice raised, not saying more for fear of the prickling tears becoming streaming ones.

"I can't? Well, I am aware I have a voice, so-" Will got cut off.

Jem had moved from behind Will to be standing in front of them both, a frustrated look on his pale and tired eyes. Jem always came to be the mediator - never Charlotte, never Henry - it was always Jem. Often, he was fine with it, allowing himself to have an open mind and take no sides. But this time... everything Will had said to Jessamine, it truly exasperated him to no end, but Jem also wasn't one to lose his temper.

"Take a moment," Jem started, taking a breath that was harder than it should have been. "Think about what you're both saying." He coughed. "Will, d-do you really... think that's what you o-ought to be," Jem coughed again, a few more times, bringing the taste of metal to the back of his mouth.

"Jem... are you feeling alright?" Will ask, sudden vulnerability rushing into his voice, rather than the sarcastic and hurtful tone he used to jab at Jessamine.

Jessamine stood motionless, still reeling from Will's prior comment, and now Jem. She knew he was ill, but not to which nature nor degree - it wasn't a highly discussed subject and Charlotte kept much of the details very hush-hush. But she knew the Silent Brothers were unable to cure whatever troubled him and, she'd heard, a few comments here-and-there passed around that death was inevitable.

Brushing off the concern, Jem went on. "Ought to be saying while the Institute is..." he tried to take a breath again, but it was harder, his chest was tight and heavy. He closed his eyes briefly for a moment of solidarity, but the moment he opened them again, everything was dimmer than he remembered and he could feel himself slowly collapse to the ground, a fit of coughing wracked his body.

"Jem," Will said hurriedly, dropping to the ground beside his friend as he supported his head, pulling out the handkerchief he had stuffed into his black trouser pocket and handed it to Jem. Will glared at Jessamine who was frozen in shock and terror, her heart pounding in her throat and she could feel the blood rushing in her ears.

"This is your fault," Will bit at Jessamine, colder than she had ever heard before. "If you hadn't said anything..." Will knew it wasn't Jessamine's fault, he knew it wasn't but he couldn't do much more than blame her.

Shaking, Jessamine shoved her arms into a crossed position, trying to fend off all of the memories which she and Jem had. Although she would never admit it, she saw quite a friend in Jem. Whenever she was having a difficult time at night, Jem would happily come to her room, to have conversations about whatever she wanted to, play with her dolls if she liked. Jem would play Father doll and Jessamine would play Mother and Baby Jessie doll. It was always a normal day they would playout, breakfast, piano, reading together. Jessamine's eyes welled up further with tears, this time she couldn't blink them back.

TAG LIST (hey guys, this is my Shadowhunter sideblog!): @wicked-books-101@bchcadcd @rubys-finger-cymbals @lessix

#admin: carstairs #the infernal devices #shadowhunters #the shadowhunter chronicals #the infernal devices fanfiction #shadowhunters fanfiction #will herondale #jem carstairs #charlotte branwell #jessamine lovelace #henry branwel #pre: tessa #this is sad lol #i am so sorry if you saw this pre-edit

[nazariolahela]

Something Domestic: Chapter 7

A/N: Hey y'all! This is a new TRR AU I’ve been working on. This story is told in first-person narrative, from Riley’s (MC) POV. There will likely be smidges of canon in this, but not too much. Thanks for reading, and please leave feedback, and/or if you would like to be tagged.

Catch up here

Series Tags: @burnsoslow​ @aworldoffandoms​ @dcbbw​ @ladyangel70​ @texaskitten30​ @sunandlemons​ @jlynn12273​ @indiacater​ @jared2612​ @rainbowsinthestorm​ @drakesensworld​ @badchoicesposts​ @msjr0119​ @katurrade​ @blackcoffee85​ @cynicalworlds-blog​ @hopefulmoonobject​ @beardedoafdonutwagon​ @cmestrella​ @sugarandspice-milkandhoney​

Synopsis: When Riley Brooks takes a new job as a nanny for the affluent Rhys family in New York’s Upper East Side, she assumes she’s just going to care for the children of the couple who hired her. But instead of just school pick-ups and afternoon snacks, she also finds herself spending time with Liam, the handsome divorced dad. Can Riley control her feelings for Liam while still performing the job she was hired for?

All characters are the property of Pixelberry Studios. Thanks for allowing me to borrow them.

Chapter Summary: Riley takes the kids on a playdate, and learns a startling secret.

My first week on the job goes by surprisingly quick. Before I know it, Friday has arrived. Liam and Madeleine have already left for work and I’m getting the kids ready to start the day. Before she left, Madeleine informed me that she set up a playdate for the kids with some friends of hers. And after the incident in the park on Monday, Liam hired security detail for me, much to my chagrin. Mara — my new bodyguard — sits in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee while I wash up the dishes from breakfast.

“Riley? Can we go to the zoo today?” Charlotte asks between bites of scrambled egg whites.

I stop washing the frying pan in the sink and turn to her. She looks at me with those emerald eyes, the same ones her mother uses to judge my every move. “Your mommy actually set up a playdate for you and Philip today. So we’re going over to see the Auvernal twins.”

Charlotte frowns. “I don’t like them. They're mean. Amelia doesn’t share her toys and Henry spit on me.”

Oh boy. This is going to be fun. Why am I not surprised that Madeline’s friend’s kids are brats? Before he left this morning, Liam did mention that Bradshaw and Isabella were a little too “hoity-toity” for his taste. Whatever that means. I guess the Ruby Red doesn’t fall far from the tree. I finish washing the pan and drain the sink, placing the sponge on the back and dry my hands.

“I’ll be there the whole time to make sure they are nice to you. If there’s a problem, Mara and I will take care of it.” She looks to Mara, then back at me, and nods then shoves a forkful of eggs into her mouth. Philip picks at his bowl of yogurt parfait, eating only the blueberries and strawberries. Yogurt is smeared on his cheeks.

”Can we go to the park again and see Mr. Toad? I miss him,” he asks.

I grimace. After the incident on Monday, I was forbidden by Madeleine from taking them to the park without prior approval. ”Uh, your mommy doesn't want us to go to the park for a while, bud. So, we're going to have to think of something else to do afterward. Maybe I can text her and see if we can go to the Children's Museum after your playdate.”

The kids finish up their breakfast as I pack up their travel bag. Mara gets on her phone and calls Bastien to bring the car around. Once everyone is ready to go, we make our way downstairs to meet him. Mara helps me fasten the kids into their booster seats, and waits for me to climb in after them, then takes her place in the front seat. As we make our journey to the Auvernal’s penthouse, the kids argue over who will be stuck playing with which twin. Jesus, these kids must be a nightmare.

Twenty-five minutes later, we arrive at their penthouse in Tribeca and I usher the children to the Auvernal’s quarters. A man in a waistcoat, grey striped trousers, a white Windsor cut shirt, and a black tie greets us and escorts us to a private keyed elevator. Once we reach the top floor, the door opens directly into an expansive foyer and my jaw immediately drops. This place is amazing! A gracious living room is accented by floor-to-ceiling windows and the terrace overlooks the iconic Tribeca architecture. The floors are Brazilian wenge hardwood, and a custom built-in wood-burning fireplace gives the room an elegant yet intimate feel.

As we are guided through the kitchen, I take in the granite countertops, white wood cabinetry, the Viking and Sub Zero appliances, and a 12-foot marble island. I’m pretty sure the fridge costs a month’s rent. The butler leads us into a playroom area attached to a bedroom suite with a private balcony.

“Master Henry and Mistress Amelia will arrive shortly,” he says before bowing and exiting the room. The kids and I take a seat on the plush leather sofa in the room, while Mara stands guard outside the door. A few minutes later, a young woman in a royal blue cardigan over a black tea-length dress enters, followed by two young children. The boy has brown eyes, short sandy brown hair, and tan skin. He is wearing a navy blue suit jacket, white dress shirt, and charcoal grey pants. The girl also has brown eyes and tan skin, but her hair is dark brown and pulled into a high pony wrapped in a lavender bow. She is wearing a lavender sundress under a white cardigan.

I rise from the sofa. “You must be Amelia and Henry. I’m Riley.” The children eye me skeptically, looking to their nanny for guidance. The young woman nods.

“Manners, children. What do we say when we greet our guests?” she snaps in a thick French accent and moves toward me, extending her hand. “Hello, I am Bridgette. The children’s au pair. So nice to meet you, Riley.”

Henry and Amelia move towards where Charlotte and Philip are sitting. “Hey, Philip. I got a new train set. Wanna play?” Henry asks. Philip nods and the two make their way to the corner of the room, where a huge toy chest sits. Amelia grabs Charlotte’s hand and drags her to the other end, to a larger-than-life dollhouse. The children laugh and play as Bridgette and I take our seats on the couch. I watch them for a few minutes, making sure everything is going smoothly. Philip and Henry take turns hooking up cars to the train and snapping pieces of the track together. On the other side of the room, Charlotte and Amelia hold a fashion show with their Barbie dolls.

These kids don’t seem so bad. Maybe I misjudged them. The butler from earlier enters the room, carrying a tray with a teapot and two teacups. He sets the tray on the coffee table in front of us and pours a cup for Bridgette and I, before bowing and exiting the room. Bridgett and I get to know each other as the kids play. I learn that she is also an education major and is studying abroad at Steinhardt, my alma mater. She tells me about living in France and asks me if I've been. I give her pointers about what classes to take and fun things to do while she's here.

After about an hour, I excuse myself to use the bathroom. The butler — whose name I learn is Nigel — escorts me to the “guest” bathroom. And by “guest,” I mean holy shit! This bathroom is bigger than my entire apartment. The five-fixture bathroom has bluestone and marble finishes, double sinks, a Duravit soaking tub, and separate shower stall. There is also a stunning Bec Brittain tailored light sculpture hanging from the ceiling and a large walk-in closet with custom Poliform cabinetry. This is so over-the-top for a guest bathroom, I can only imagine what the rest of the penthouse looks like. I finish up and head back to the playroom, and as I reach for the door handle, I hear the sounds of children arguing, followed by Bridgette scolding in French. I sigh deeply and roll my eyes before pushing the door open. I enter and find Philip and Henry playing tug-o-war with a G.I. Joe action figure, while Bridgette attempts to break them up. The discarded remnants of the train set they were playing with earlier lay scattered on the floor.

”These are my toys! You can't play with them!” Henry screams.

”You weren't even playing with it, ” Philip replies as tears streak down his little cheeks.

As I move over to assist Bridgette with the boys, I hear a shriek from across the room. I whip my head around to see Charlotte gripping her arm, and Amelia yanking a Barbie from her grasp.

”She bit me!” Charlotte cries as Amelia scowls and clutches the doll to her chest.

”Okay, kids. That's enough for today. Let's say goodbye to Amelia and Henry, ” I say, gathering their things. Bridgette looks at me apologetically as I escort the children out of the room. With Mara trailing, I nod goodbye to Nigel and head out.

During the car ride home, I comfort Philp and examine Charlotte’s wound. The bite mark wasn't enough to break the skin, but it clearly upset her. Who knew a couple of five-year-olds could be such assholes? I’ll definitely have to tell Liam about today. When we arrive at the Rhys penthouse, we bid Bastien goodbye and make our way inside. A half-dozen paparazzi litter the sidewalk outside the building, snapping our photos. I do my best to ignore them and usher the kids upstairs. The kids make their way to their playroom and I plop down on the sofa in the living room, sighing loudly.

“Everything alright, Miss?” Mara asks.

“Yeah. It’s just that dealing with those bratty Auvernal kids was exhausting. No wonder Charlotte didn’t want to play with them this morning.”

Mara smirks. “Makes you want to have kids of your own someday, huh?”

I laugh sarcastically. “Hopefully my kids will be raised better than those little dickheads.”

Just then, Philip comes ambling down the stairs “Riley? I’m bored.”

I rise from my seat and walk over towards him. “Do you want to color? I have some art supplies in my bag.” He nods and I head to the kitchen and retrieve a sketchbook and the 80-piece art set I carry in my tote bag. I tuck a stack of old newspapers under my arm and lead him upstairs into the playroom. I find Charlotte sitting in a chair, flipping through a pop-up book. She looks up and notices the art set in my hand, her eyes growing wide.

“Is that paint?” she asks, setting the book down.

I smile and open it up showing her the collection of crayons, colored pencils, watercolor paints, and paintbrushes. She jumps up and runs over to me, looking at the set in awe. I take the newspapers and lay them down on the floor, so as not to get paint on the carpet. I tear a page out of the sketchbook for each kid and pass them out. “When you guys are done, we can hang these on the fridge for your mommy and daddy to see.”

The kids begin creating pictures, as I pick up the toys scattered throughout the room. After a few hours and several Picassos later, I gather up the supplies and help the kids to clean up. I notice Charlotte’s hands, arms and legs are covered in paint. “Looks like you need a bath, missy. Run along into the bathroom and I’ll help you wash up” I tell her. She giggles and takes off towards the bathroom. I grab an iPad from the entertainment center and open up the Dopey Cat app. I then hand it to Philip. “Can you hang out here for a bit while I give your sister a bath?” I ask. He nods, too engrossed in the game to respond. I chuckle and make my way to the bathroom. Charlotte is already there, her shoes, socks, and dress scattered all over the bathroom floor. I run a bath for her and help her into the tub. Once she’s situated, I grab the shampoo and begin washing her hair. She mimics my actions, washing the hair of her Barbie doll. I grab the detachable showerhead and start rinsing the shampoo from her hair.

“Are you excited to start school next week?” I ask. She nods and continues bathing her doll. She then stops and turns to me.

“Riley? Are you my daddy’s new friend?

I shut off the water and set the showerhead aside. “I’m your nanny, sweetie. I’m yours and Philip’s new friend.”

“Are you going to be staying with us for a while?”

“I am. For as long as your mommy and daddy want me here.” I reach for a loofah and body wash and begin washing the paint off her arms and legs. She nods and dunks her Barbie’s head underwater, washing the shampoo from her hair. “What about Mommy’s friend? Is he going to be staying with us for a while?”

“Uh...I guess that depends. Who is your mommy’s friend?”

“I don’t know. He came over the other night when Daddy was still at work. Mommy kept calling him ‘baby’ but he’s too big to be a baby. She made us go in the playroom and then they went into Mommy’s room and didn’t come out for a long time. Brother and me could hear her crying. I think he was hurting her,” she frowns.

“Does Mommy have friends over a lot?”

“Sometimes. One time she had two ladies over. They sat in the living room and drank grown-up juice. Another time she had her baby friend over. They hung out in her room the whole time.”

My fists clench. I can’t believe Madeleine is bringing her booty calls to the house. And around the kids. Oh, wait, yes I can. Poor Philip and Charlotte. And poor Liam. I’m appalled at the nerve of this woman. I take a deep breath and finish rinsing Charlotte off, before pulling the drain stopper. She gets out of the tub and I wrap her in a fluffy yellow towel. I lead her to her bedroom and help her slip on some clean clothes. After a few minutes, I hear Philip knock on the door. “Riley? I’m hungry.”

I pull my phone out of my pocket and check the time. 5:18 p.m. “Your mommy will be home from work soon, but we can grab a snack for now.” We head downstairs to the kitchen and I grab a jar of peanut butter from the cabinet and apple slices from the fridge. I put everything into a bowl and set it on the table for the kids. As they eat, I take a seat next to them and rest my head in my hands. I think back to what Charlotte told me in the bathroom. Do I tell Liam? Or do I keep my mouth shut and mind my own business?

Ugh. This was not part of the job description.

#something domestic #trr au #trr fanfic #playchoices fanfic #riley brooks #liam rhys #nanny au #nazariolahela fanfic