#and it paid off this time. and i’m sooooo interested in where that will go

[lunarrolls]

let me make it so abundantly clear right now that taking the shard was a fucking amazing choice. obviously not from a logical standpoint, they were warned against doing that like eight billion times, but it was SUCH a good move narratively holy shit. i think ashton would have given it up to fearne if she wanted it, but she didn’t, and oh my god did they want it. they have been recklessly throwing themself into answers this entire time. they threw themself into a fucking volcano without any hesitation to get that shard. the fact that it made them feel anything at all? of COURSE they were going to grab it. he told evontra’vir that he was owed power. nobody else was going to give it to him, from his pov, so he took it himself. also it was fucking hilarious how bad of an idea it was. literally just the worst possible thing you could have done. but also it made total sense, i love it, taliesin jaffe what the actual fuck, i owe you my life, aabria iyengar i owe you my life more,

#cr #cr3 #cr spoilers #ashton greymoore #roll insight #literally the most insane possible narrative direction this could have gone #but it MAKES SENSE ashton does not internalize consequences because they do not stop long enough to do so #they made the choice to do this within the span of like six hours and consulted nobody about it except fearne #purposefully because they knew the others would stop them #anyways i know i’m gonna see so much discourse about this in the next week but holy fuck. LOVED that choice #even if ashton had died . still a great choice #a fucking insane choice. fucking UNHINGED choice. but i’m a fan of big risky in character moves #and it paid off this time. and i’m sooooo interested in where that will go

[sadgrlsclbb]

Ain’t been telling y’all the tea lately

So we had a talk yesterday…

We were watching a show while I was laying in his lap. Then I looked up at him and we kinda stared at each other and got all nervous and looked away…then it started

He says to be, “just don’t hurt me too bad.” And I automatically was lik, wymmmmm??? But he always does this thing where he starts off saying what he wants/means, and then like half ass it. It’s almost like saying, “well I’m not pointing any elbows.” And then lifting up his arm to where his elbow it pointed in your direction.

So I tell him to tell me…cause closed mouths don’t get fed, and I can’t even consider feeding you, if you’re not making any indications that you’re hungry.

Then he told me I was right and he said to me that he was basically saying that there’s a possible chance that in the future I could do something to hurt him. And hopefully I hold back and not hurt him too bad.

I asked what what does he mean???? Bc if anything, I should be saying that to him. He’s the only that proudly brings up him being poly.(not saying there’s anything wrong w it) And how when he’s interested and someone catches his eye, right there in that moment, he knows that that’s what he wants.

And he’s toooooooo nice snd friendly😒 he also brought up how I “got mad niggas in my phone,” which isn’t true. I deadass opened my phone right there to show him all of the UNREAD messages that’s been SENT TO ME over up to 4-6 weeks ago. And ever before they sent the message, they’re text STILL hasn’t been responded to, up to like 3 weeks before that🤷🏾‍♀️

Then he proceeds to bring up how in the past his ex’s left him for someone else and told me he doesn’t want me to do the same. Especially if the guy is “a lame.” (I don’t like saying l**e, I heard that it’s ableist. I haven’t don’t my research)

I told him there’s not a THING to worry abt over here. Cause once I have my eyes set. That’s all I see. …straight tunnel vision, w only the person I’m interested in at the end of it.

THEN, he also brought up my guy friend, which MIND YOU, have a 6yr age difference. He’s 18…😬

He said to me w a sigh, that he guess he has to share. And that if ye were me, he would feel good that he had two dudes who care abt and take care of me.

Again… I asked what does he meannnnm. Then he brings up how he didn’t want to say anything. But I tell him it seems like it’s bothering him and I can’t can’t fix something if idk what it is.

He brings up how I went out w my guy friend the other day and we went out for sushi and he paid. He said he wish that it was him that took me out in a sushi date.

I also told him it wasn’t a “date” but I just went out to eat w my friend. And that we can literally go out to get even better sushi, since it sounds like you wanna pay for my food😭

But he also talked abt how when we 1st met, he thought it was weird that my guy friend keep calling my phone. He thought to himself that I already have a nigga. He also said he was side eyeing me bc of the age difference. But he sees now, that the kid is just my friend.

But he still thinks it weird/funny that he knows when to call. Like every time we’re fucking, he would call. Or when we’re cuddled up and really invested in a movie/show. And the fact that I would answer.( not while we’re fucking. But I’d text him after that I was busy.)

Sooooo, w all that being said, I’ve decided to set some boundaries.

Like I’d never dip out on my friend for any nigga. BUT, if I already made plans w him, I’m not gonna cancel. And I wouldn’t expect you to do the same. Matter of fact, I wouldn’t even think to ask you to do that.

So I told him, I’ll answer the phone less when we’re together. And I’ll let him know, so it’s not like I’m dipping out on the homie. But he tells me that I don’t have to necessarily do that. But bc I respect my partner and if it makes them feel a type of way, I’ll always try and meet them in the middle. He resorted it and thanked me for listening to him. I told him, no thank YOU for communicating w me. And that this is something that we would do all of the time

#k rantss #I’ll get into me telling my friend in another rant #too much typing😖

[vespertin-y]

wait another one for the ask game! kaede! i love hearing people go off about funny little fictional characters, hopefully kaede is one you like talking about, i assume so because like... the saioumatsu hehe

you are correct i LOVE talkin about kaede so much all the time

Sexuality Headcanon: she shows canon attraction to both men and women and every time i see someone headcanoning her as monosexual i fight back the urge to become a cyberbully. i really do love how,,,aggressively bi kaede is in canon though. her FTEs involve her explicitly planning a date with shuichi. she tells the first character u meet other than the protags (tsumugi) that she has nice curves and also that the frightened look on her face is sexy. she follows this up by telling tenko she’s cute. she calls rantaro a pretty boy in the nail brush event. kaede has sooooo much love inside and i love that for her!!! what a queen.

Gender Headcanon: hmmm i flip back and forth on whether she’s trans or cis but kaede is definitely A Girl in my mind yknow? she/her exclusively, not really gnc at all. also she probably wears a lot of argyle. not sure why that’s in the gender section but i’m not taking it out now.

A ship I have with said character: ok this may come as a terrible shock: saioumatsu. i already wrote a ton about why i like it in the kokichi post, and i’m gonna write MORE about why i like it in the shuichi post, so i think i’ll just talk about some aus i have for them here...i have one based on kaede’s FTEs with kokichi where kaede is a traveling concert pianist who sneaks her phantom thief boyfriend into various countries so he can perform his shenaniganery; shuichi is an especially clever civilian who listens to kaede’s music to soothe his anxiety and follows the phantom thief case for his own enjoyment, putting him in the perfect position to notice their pattern and begin the chase. i have another one where kaede and shuichi are both humans who have been hurt by the fae in the past, and kokichi is a half-fae with the ability to lie (think abt the relationship angst u could milk out of that...Think About It.) and i have a third one set in HPA where kaede and kokichi have both started dating shuichi, but not each other; kokichi is completely convinced that shuichi is his other half, the truth to his lie, his one and only soulmate, but kaede is DETERMINED to woo him and complete the triangle.

A BROTP I have with said character: kaede and kirumi are really fun i think!! they’re very similar in that they both base their entire identities around their talents and have p much no other hobbies, and they also both sacrifice their physical and mental wellbeing to keep the v3 cast happy and united...i think they deserve to Chill The Fuck Out together yknow? find some new hobbies, do something selfish for once. start a book club. RELAX.

A NOTP I have with said character: irumatsu 😶. listen i know this is one of the most popular ships for both of them and i might get a lil flack for this but,,,i hate it I HATE IT SO MUCH!!! every time i see irumatsu it’s just the two most popular girls getting haphazardly shoved together in the background so we can focus in on The Boys™ (usually saiou) with no attention paid to their actual characters. i think it’s really exemplified in how many people joke about not being able to tell them apart in fanart...sure they’re both BLONDE but kaede and miu have completely different hair lengths+styles+shades, totally different styles of fashion, and DIFFERENT COLORED EYES. and yet when u bonk them together in fanart they become the most identical fucking white bread characters you’ve ever seen!! kaede and miu are both lovely and interesting ladies and they deserve better than this bland-ass background ship is what i’m saying :/

A random headcanon: does not swear Ever. there is a dead body right in front of her and she says “aw fiddlesticks this really rustles my jimmies :(”. kaito and shuichi were both raised by old people so they’re already used to that way of speaking, but kokichi is Distressed. he begs her to just say fuck already and she tells him he’s “cruisin’ for a brusin’, mister”.

General Opinion over said character: MY QUEEN, THE BEST FEMALE CHARACTER IN ALL OF DR, WOULD KILL AND/OR DIE FOR HER. they made one (1) mistake with her writing in canon, and that’s having her not actually kill rantaro. yknow that one post that says “if you want your female characters to be strong and complex, sometimes bad things have to be their fault”? that’s kaede. the ch6 twist feels like a weird attempt to make her retroactively perfect and i don’t like it. other than that i really don’t have any complaints!! (no the ch1 twist was not fridging...none of you know what fridging means. if you wanna talk about fridging in dr talk about peko.) also i dreamed about kissing her once and i’ll be chasing that high for the rest of my life i think

#nobody better mention that i stole the kaede/kirumi dynamic from that one tsumugi FTE #listen i read it and thought it was a really interesting dynamic but tsumugi does not deserve to be friends with kaede soooo #kaede akamatsu #akamatsu kaede #dr #mem gets an ask

[gwennavierre]

Doki doki

Adrien realizes something about his everyday ladybug.

Ladybug realizes something about her kitty.

-----

Marinette was a busy person. School, crushes, liars, bullies, akumas, friendship drama... those were things most teens in Paris dealt with, but Marinette was also Ladybug, the Guardian of the Miracle Box, and a budding fashion designer.

While others ran to hide from akumas, Marinette transformed into Ladybug to fight and defeat them with the help of Chat Noir and the occasional temporary miraculous holder.

While her classmates got to go to bed at a reasonable time after doing homework, Marinette stayed up for hours getting to know the kwamis and work out who would best be suited to be a temporary holder for them when needed.

And while other teens practiced their passions in waking hours, Marinette worked tirelessly through the nights and over weekends to finish commissions. Her non lucrative hobbies tended to get pushed aside, which was frustrating since they helped her relax...

She decided she could kill two birds with one stone (so to speak... Orikko wasn't a fan of that phrase..) by sharing her own interests with the kwamis while working on her current fashion projects.

A few of the kwamis had taken a shine to the anime shows and manga collection Marinette had. Some preferred reading the Japanese comics out loud to their Guardian as she stitched or crocheted. They delighted in making different voices for the characters or taking turns reading, emphasizing the sound effects and even acting out the fight scenes (Tikki especially liked acting out the romantic scenes solo and making Marinette giggle uncontrollably as she passionately kissed the air space in front of her own tiny face).

Marinette hadn't realized just how much more time she was spending watching anime and reading (or at least listening to) manga until a normal morning of class was about to start.

She had gotten there early for a change! Not planned, Tikki had simply set her phone alarm for earlier while she slept in an attempt to get her holder to class on time for a change. It worked, though Marinette realized what had happened the moment she burst through the classroom door. She had been scowling at her purse every few moments while idly sketching at her desk since then.

Her anger at her clever kwami dissipated however, when a certain blond boy waltzed into the room with the grace and energy of a gazelle. She couldn't help the love sick sigh that escaped her as he made his way to his desk, a small smile on his lips growing into a full grin as his eyes met hers.

"Good morning, Marinette!" His voice was sunbeams and she wanted to curl up in it and take a cat nap.

"G-good morning Daydreaming. I mean Adrien. Sorry.. I was daydreaming. Not that you're not a daydream because you are! Not, I mean. You're just a regular dream. I mean person. I... what I meant was... um..." Marinette wished more than anything else in that moment that the desk would turn into a black hole and suck her I to it.

Until she heard Adrien laughing softly. Until she saw the crinkles at the corners of his eyes. Until she heard his next words to her...

"I'm sorry for laughing, Marinette. I promise I'm not laughing at you, though. Not exactly anyway... it's just... you tend to get flustered like this sometimes and while I usually just pretend I don't notice so you don't get embarrassed, I... I honestly think it's adorable. Like... utterly ridiculously freaking cute and I had to tell you. I... I hope you don't mind me saying that." His voice had gotten quieter towards the end, his eyes glued to the sketchbook on Marinette's desk, his right hand rubbing the back of his neck, and his cheeks lightly flushed with pink.

Marinette had noticed all of this, somehow, and was staring at him in mild shock, eyes wide and unable to close her jaw for a moment.

When she came back to her senses (debatable), the first thing she did was clutch her chest dramatically and whisper just loudly enough for Adrien to hear: "doki doki"

...

...

Shocked green eyes snapped to mortified blue ones.

Marinette slapped a hand over her mouth in horror.

Adrien grinned like a kid who was given free reign in a candy shop.

Before he could stop her, however, Marinette stood up and shot to the classroom door, nearly colliding with a few classmates making their way in. She didn't return until the bell rang and steadfastly avoided Adrien's gaze whenever he turned around in his seat.

____

Shortly before class was supposed to get out, there was a muffled commotion from down the road.

Great. Akuma. Marinette made a quick request to use the bathroom, leaping out of her seat before the teacher could respond. She didn't notice Adrien leaving the classroom shortly after.

____

"Good job!" The superhero duo bumped fists after the miraculous ladybugs had cleaned up the mess made by the akuma. It had thankfully been a quick one. Ladybug had seemed a bit preoccupied during the battle. Chat didn't seem to mind, though. In fact... he looked quite pleased with himself. Ladybug raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're in a good mood today, kitty." She smiled at the smirk on his face, happy to have something else to think about other than her embarrassing blunder in the classroom earlier...

"Is it that obvious? Heh. I guess I am." Chat Noir searched Ladybug's face, wanting to tell her what happened but only if she genuinely wanted to hear about it. She tilted her face towards him and smiled expectantly. Good enough for him!

"So, uh... today, um. Do you read manga?"

Ladybug frowned in confusion. "Yeah? But... what does that have to do wi-"

Chat waved his hands in a mildly impatient gesture. "Getting there, just... context will help. So! I got to class and there was one person there already. This girl... I... I've been kinda crushing on her for a while..."

Ladybug felt something tighten in her chest at that, but dutifully chose to ignore it. She was happy he had finally started moving on. She was proud of him. This girl in his class was probably no where near as cool as her anyway. Wait, what? Ladybug shook her head to rid the intrusive thoughts and paid attention to her partner again.

"... she's always been like that around me but I thought it was because she hated me at first, or just felt uncomfortable because I'm fam- er... familiar or uh... something." Chat cleared his throat awkwardly. Ladybug gave him a look that seemed to be encouraging him to continue though her smile seemed a bit... off.

"Anyway. So today I say good morning to her and she starts fumbling over her words. They seemed so... I dunno... She kept accidentally calling me a dream, a daydream actually... and I just... I started laughing because it was sooooo cuuuute!" Chat had brought his closed fists to rest under his chin and his eyes glazed over at the memory of Marinette's earlier word salad.

Ladybug's brain was buzzing. It was driving her nuts. She knew what it was but it couldn't be... so that meant it wasn't. Right? Isn't that how things work? Oh, he's still talking. About that girl. Who just so happens to have done the same thing she did this morning. Funny thing, coincidences.

"... she ACTUALLY SAID 'doki doki'!! Can you believe it? Like... her eyes could have literally had hearts in them. There's no way I misinterpreted that, right? She likes me, right?? I mean... it makes sense, all the times she got flustered. It wasn't because she doesn't like me after all!!"

Chat had started pacing in a circle around what apparently was a lifelike statue of Ladybug, seemingly unaware of the switch.

"She ran out of the room right after and then left right before the akuma so I haven't had a chance to talk to her since, but I think, no wait, I KNOW she likes me and I want to ask her out and now I won't feel awkward asking to marathon an anime or something because she obviously likes that kind of thing too and I can't believe I didn't know that about her before but now I DO know and that means I can... um.... Ladybug?"

He stopped and stood directly in front of Ladybug, a look of concern and mild embarrassment on his features. Ladybug's eyes that had appeared to be staring into a void snapped to his. Her mouth clicked shut. Her face blossomed into a deep blush and she took two giant steps back from Chat, stumbling slightly. It was Chat's turn to frown in confusion.

"Ladybug, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing. I have to fo gome. Go home.

Chat's eyes narrowed. "Your school is already out for the day?"

"Yes" she lied. "Shirt day today."

"Um... okay? You mean short?"

"That's what I said."

Chat scratched the top of his head between the cat ears. Ladybug was acting really strange... it's almost like she's... no. It can't be. Can it?

"Ladybug... are you...."

"Chat..." It was a warning. But Chat Noir had to know....

"Are you jealous?!"

__________

Shall I continue this or leave it as a one shot?

#adrienette #miraculous ladybug #miraculous les aventures de ladybug et chat noir #ladybug and cat noir #ml ladybug #ladybug and chat noir #marinette dupain cheng #tales of ladybug and cat noir #ladybug #chat noir #miraculous chat noir #ladynoir #ml marinette #adrien x marinette #mlb fandom #mlb fanfic #anime memes #manga #ladrien #cat noir #miraculous fandom #miraculous crack #miranette #miraculous lb #miraculous ladybug tikki #lucky charm #tikki the kwami #mlb fic #mlb marinette

[yaya-does-things]

Nap time with the Obey me! boys

So basically.... I’ve been super into the Obey Me! Fandom so.... of course I’m gonna write some content. Anyway, I thought of a cute idea with an MC who enjoys a good nap time. As someone who is partial to taking naps for an hour at four almost everyday, I found writing this quite self indulgent haha. Anyway, please enjoy, and to all of the people who are fellow nappers, this one’s for you *wink*

Lucifer!

was looking for MC one day when he found them asleep on the couch in the living room

why were they there? Wouldn’t it be better to just sleep in their own room? Is the couch even COMFORTABLE???

none of these questions get answered of course

he just stands there for a bit, watching MC peacefully sleep

they look absolutely ADORABLE

he would move them to his room just to keep them to himself

but they look much too peaceful

so he leaves them alone

when they wake up, a blanket has been thrown over them

they soon find out it was Lucifer, since he mentions that if they need a nap, his room is always open

MC smiles with a blush, and they seem to take up that offer quiiiiite often, especially when Lucifer is stressed from working

Once MC was welcomed to his room for naps, they were there CONSTANTLY

Doesn’t even want to sleep unless they know Luci has slept well himself

If MC even finds that Luci stayed up too late working again, it will be their mission to have him take a nap with them as well

He doesn’t always want to but is always dragged in somehow

He doesn’t even sleep half the time, he just likes how MC cuddles up to him as they rest, and how their hair feels between his fingers as he softly messages their scalp, his mind deep in thought over things, whether it be his affection to this human or the work he should really be getting to

Oh well~~~

Guess his work will have to wait a tiny bit more

Mammon

MC and him are hanging out one day, just vibing and watching a movie

However, it seems naptime has approached, but MC doesn’t want to seem rude and just fall asleep while Mammon is there

but... the movie’s just soooo slowwwww

and... they’re sooooo close to Mammon that his heat is radiating off and onto MC

so, of course, MC snuggles in a bit more, which brings a blush to Mammon’s face because of the proximity

(he won’t admit that tho, so he tries to be chill)

He just lays there, stiffly, with MC’s head lying on his shoulder. 

They slowly start to drift off, head bobbing every once in a while as the movie progresses 

Mammon is a statue now 

He doesn’t move until he knows they’re asleep, and even then, is VERY careful in moving their head to be placed on a few pillows he moved over (I mean, he doesn’t want them to have a sore neck when they wake up!)

So, he himself lies beside MC, placing his arm under his head as he turns his attention to their sleeping face.

He reaches out, and lightly traces a finger down their cheek, which earns a slight twitch of their nose from the contact

He smiles at how cute they look, and soon falls asleep himself

(wakes up to Lucifer coming in the room, finding the two together at a time where Mammon should NOT be out of his own bed. Gets yeeted by Luci, and MC is still asleep, unaware of the second oldest getting reprimanded)

Levi~~~

As someone who doesn’t leave his room often, Levi is not one prone to witnessing MC’s frequent nap times

That is, until the he invited them to play video games with him one day

He insisted that MC join him for one of his raids, even if the human insisted that this was their time for naps

“But, the raid starts in ten minutes! You HAVE to help me MC!”

“But Levi-”

“It will be great! I PROMISE! PLEASEEEE”

Of course MC could not resist. He was just too cute when he begged

And so, the two were sitting on the floor, screen brightly hitting their faces as the room was dark around them

MC was trying their best to stay awake, seeming as though the game was not keeping them very interested, since they were only used as a decoy. 

Levi paid no mind tho, as he was frequently yelling at the screen and telling MC what to do.

He didn’t notice that MC had fallen asleep until he noted that their character was nowhere in sight.

Looking to the side, he finally noted the fact that, yes they had fallen asleep, and yes, they were leaning on his shoulder

OH NO

Cue Levi’s face becoming EXTREMELY red

He had no idea what to do 

Why were they asleep? Why were they leaning on his shoulder!? WHY WAS THE ROOM REALLY HOT ALL OF A SUDDEN!?!??

Even with these questions burning he made no attempt to move them

So he just sat there. Stunned.

Welp. Guess it’s a game over for now.

Just gonna sit here for a while till they wake up then

Plot twist: he falls asleep too

Satan <3

All he wanted was to have a nice reading sesh with MC

THAT'S ALL HE WANTED 

But no

He had initially invited MC into the library with him, wanting them to read a book he highly recommended and dually loved

He had handed them the book, MC taking it gladly, smiling all the while as they listened to his sinopsis  

He was just so cute when his eyes lit up about his favorite books

And so, when he was done, MC was glad to begin reading, hoping to earn the same appreciation he had towards the book

He sat on the seat beside them, his own book in one hand as he held MC’s with the other

It had been at least half an hour before he looked up again, looking to see what MC thought of the book so far.

What he didn’t expect was for MC to be asleep

Was his book really that boring?

He looked down in his seat, sighing in disappointment

Perhaps MC just didn’t appreciate the sophisticated literature he so much enjoyed

But no

That was not the reason

It was just nap time

When MC awoke, they found themselves still in the chair, Satan nowhere to be found.

They grabbed the book, taking it with them as they ventured to find him

Why did he leave them?

MC eventually found him in his room, sitting on his bed with the same book he had in the library. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, and it took a few tries before MC finally got him to look up

“What’re you doing in here? I thought you were asleep?” he said, rather coldly

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to! I --”

“If you thought it was boring you could have just said so.”

“No! That’s not it at all! It’s actually very good!”

“Don’t patronize me,” he scoffed, then turned his head to his own book again

MC stared at him, before walking up and stealing his own book from his hands

“HEY!” 

“I’ll have you know, that I really do enjoy your book! Anything you give me to read is amazing and I cherish each one! And I fell asleep not because I didn’t like it, but because I’m just prone to falling asleep when I get too comfortable. Also, it was the time of day when I usually fall asleep. I’m sorry. I should have told you.”

He stares at them for a moment, then his face softens.

“I’m sorry too… I shouldn’t have assumed things so easily…”

MC smiled, and nodded, then handed him back his own book. They sat next to each other on the bed, soon venturing off into their own worlds as they comfortably read next to each other

Asmo ~~~

So basically… Asmo took MC to go shopping. Whether MC was forced to or not is a mystery, but in the end, they came home with Asmo and too many bags to carry

By the time they got home, MC was exhausted. Shopping all day with Asmo is very tiresome, especially when he’s always looking for a way to get reactions out of them through outfits he puts on and outfits he insists they try on (most of the time the clothes being rather provocative)

And, even though MC protested that they were going off for a nap, Asmo insisted they come to his room so that he could put away all of his stuff, along with potentially retrying a few things for outfit creativity’s sake. 

MC found themself on his bed, lying on their stomach as they tried their best to stay awake and give their humblest opinion on Asmo’s fashion choices (which mostly resulted in a short nod, just because they were too tired to really pay attention)

It wasn’t until he had exited into his closet to change yet again that MC finally succumbed to their much needed rest

He came back several minutes later to enter while striking a model pose for MC to see, and yet, he noted their inability to see at all, since, yah know, MC was unconscious 

He sighed to himself, knowing that this was bound to happen. He wasn’t blind to their clear exhaustion, but he wanted to see just how long they would stay awake. And yet, here MC was, asleep

He made a move towards the bed, seeing as perhaps this was a perfect opportunity to take a peek at what they were hiding under their clothes, and yet, just seeing their peaceful face made his attempts falter into nothingness

He couldn’t bother such a beautiful form, and that was saying something, since he himself was the most beautiful of them all 

So instead, he smiled and laid down beside them, placing both hands to wrap around their sleeping form and easily pull them towards him. 

Beel

This man. THIS MAN.

He might have just put MC in a food coma

The two had gone out for dinner, venturing through the market of the devildom trying foods at all of Beel’s favorite vendors. I mean, come on, MC hasn’t tried any of them, so might as well take them 

By the time they had gotten home, MC had eaten too much to even care about dinner. All the food they had eaten made MC much too tired to even do anything

They hadn’t even been able to make it to their own room, settling for the couch in the lounge, since it was closest to the foyer. 

Beel had left them to go to the kitchen (of all things) since, yes, of course this man was still hungry, even after ALL OF THE FOOD he had just eaten

He soon had more snacks than he could carry in his arms, and ventured his way to MC’s room to spend more time with them

But, what’s this!? MC isn’t in their room?!

Beel ventured through the rest of the House, going upstairs and even aking his brothers where he may find the human

None of them knew, that is, until he recalled seeing MC walking into the living room upin their arrival

He scurried down the stairs, his snacks still in hand, when he finally made it into the living room

Once he found MC lying on the couch, asleep, just the thought of his snacks had been forgotten

He now had a more fulfilling need in his hands

That was gathering MC and taking them to their room, which would most definitely end in him cuddling into them as they both lied on MC’s bed

Bonus:

MC wakes up to fluffy orange hair in their face

They easily figure out its Beel, and pet his soft locks, making an effort to glance down at his peaceful face.

MC feels content in Beels arms, and easily is lulled back to sleep, with the thought to thank him later for taking them to their own room to sleep (Beel just didn’t want anyone else to see his angel sleeping so peacefully)

Belpie!

So basically

Nap time is WELCOMED with this man

MC had their own nap schedule? Well, Belphie can adjust to it too

Once that special time hits the clock, the pair can be seen heading off for their nap. 

Sometimes it varies

Sometimes they can be found in Beel and Belphie’s room, snuggled up in Belphie’s bed

Perhaps they were too comfy to move out of the couch

Maybe they even fell asleep together while watching a movie in MC’s room

Regardlessly, I think their most favorite spot to fall asleep in is up in the observatory

It’s just so peaceful there, with the brothers rarely venturing into that room

Plus, I’m sure Belphie and MC had created their own place to sleep, the pair bringing up as many pillows to lay on as they nod off while looking at the stars above

Belphie never really looks at the stars though

He’s much too transfixed on MC’s glorious face

If only he could keep them to himself for forever

Perhaps he can, since the world of dreams can also be a plausible place to spend an infinite amount of time with his human 

He loves his nap time, and will never miss out on it.

Even if MC isn’t too tired, they will never say no to spending time with Belphie as he himself falls into his own slumber.

#obey me #obey me boys #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me x mc #obey me! one master to rule them all

[zumpietoo]

So I’ll Do the Rest of Snorty’s

drivel tonite, but in the meantime, here’s what I can read.....and all the utterly hilarious notes....

Sooo...Snorty legit can’t walk and chew gum at the same time? Got it.....

While, yes, the shit about his career WAS dull (and he came off as whiny and entitled, a lot like PP, in fact), he WAS asked and this WAS meant to be an interview largely focused on the writing process of the show. 

I didn’t notice much on this....probably cuz I didn’t care. And if your point is that yes, Brian’s a hack (to the point of where in his own “backstory”, I was left wondering if peeps who don’t make it thru the program are really legit THAT bad or actually maybe that good---considering most other CW/Warner shows suck ass, too)....in fact, I’m mystified Snorty paid attention to the Hymen shit, it was boring....

It isn’t remotely “confusing”, you peeps iz dummm

I legit wasn’t paying full attention, but it seemed moar like what he said was “really powerful” was about KokeJ singing that dumb fucking song? In any event, none of it was---and he spent FAR less time blathering about it than either side led us to believe. 

Oh good lord, Snorty, “but Barfie Evan saaaidddd...” used to be your battle cry. And all the writers are assholes. The end....

Why is she being thanked for belatedly detailing something once they could listen to it anyway? After spending the weekend self importantly gate keepering?

It was a sort of parting gift for Mark---since the network clearly no longer can afford him. And the point wasn’t about “humanizing” him, per se, just giving him an interesting sideplot/a job for his son...

I don’t think he remotely said that....but it wasn’t meant to give you any spoilers, dumbasses....I do love their endless circle jerk of reassurance....while they piss themselves and one another

Whelp, tells me those are stupid and I’ll go laugh at them next....

Blah, blah, blah (and I haaatttteee Barfie Evan. Actually both his and Brian’s eps suck ass.

Sooooo bitter.....also, Pete (as a means for disparaging them) was the one who said this....not Brian. He was all “sharing is caring”---with Alex chiming in about how Cole “seemed really excited, too” from his prior interview (cuz Mr. 58 Seconds still seems reallyyyyyyyy jazzed that he got to interview/be on the press call for Cole). 

And what “roots of their (what) problem”???? Nobody’s cheating or treating Jug like he’s a subhuman.....also, VALE

Noooo....Snorty, again, you really ARE dummmmm...huh? Plus, no, it’s fine and PP caused it....suck it. 

And who TF is this VD noobie sock?

And the whole 8 accounts they follow???

And yes, Barfie, again, will be withering fast enough.....it’s why there will be “exploring” the VD/Slagey quad and somebody’s gonna suck some Pickens’s dick....(TBF, perhaps I was too hasty, maybe Gossip Ghey will do the honors!)

OML....Snorty, you should never, EVER point the finger about lying. Plus, not sure where or what they’ve exaggerated or flat out lied about??? And if they do? They DGAF....you continue to fail to grasp how ANY of this works...

Again, all detailed. That you prefer to not accept it, is not my problem!

Actually 17, Snorty---I see your math skillz are as fab as your other abilities---

Nobody gAF about Hymen and Vermin....

No, again, all detailed....you just refuse to grasp it

Fine by me if they love Jabi moar....

Yes, she’s literally jeebus....

Whelp, the only peeps who hate Jabi are you racist assholes, so nope. And Barfie’s fanbase isn’t all that significant....tho bigger than VD’s....and again, they DGAF.

Also, no, still didn’t address that and Hymen was always meant to be cartoonish...

Ummm....I’m not going to lie: nobody made you read it and you’re still gonna get the story lines that happen!

Umm.....again, this idea that Brian “went out of his way” (per Snorty) is utter bullshit---he was asked direct questions and then demurred. Plus OFC he isn’t gonna tell dick. 

And no, that isn’t remotely what “the main idea” is....even when they were “exploring new types of relationships”, they really didn’t/weren’t----and sent the clear cut message you’d do better to be in a nice, committed relationship. 

Awesome job pearl clutching----and you ARE aware they all are adults themselves, right?

Errmmm....we were never going to have a “great conversation” about that or anything else, moron---that’s always been your fanfic. However, it did cause Jughead to slip and illustrated further the difference between Tabitha and Slizzy (to the point of Tabs in sunlight/Slizzy in darkness with creepy music!)

And you also continue to not remotely grasp what the show’s about, anyway...

[let-it-raines]

Black Velvet (1/1)

1919. The War is over, but life is far from normal. While the imminent danger is gone for many, it is not gone for Emma Swan. Her secrets have always been dangerous and had the ability to control her, but they have never been more dangerous than now as she is forced to work undercover as a barmaid and keep her true intentions hidden from the most notorious gang leader in England. 

Her life depends on it, but unfortunately for Emma, Killian Jones can read her better than anyone ever has. 

Rating: Mature 

a/n: I was going to wait to post this next week since I’ve been catching up on posting other things this week and flooded you all with words, but I am sooooo excited for this one! Like, I haven’t written a big one-shot in awhile, and this one is a little different for me. But I love it, and hope that you do as well! For my Peaky Blinders fans, I think you’ll recognize some similarities because this is def based on it😘

Found on AO3 | here | 

-/-

There is a sudden crash of glass shattering against the battered wood floor, stains of alcohol, blood, and the scuff marks of boots covering it to make it a darker wood than it originally was. She’s scrubbed that floor until her hands were dry and cracked, but the stains are as imbedded in the wood as the Jones family is in this place, their place. The stains might well be purposeful, and really, they could have been, a sure sign that the Joneses are not scared to let anyone know they do not mind getting blood on their hands or mind leaving the evidence behind. In fact, they are likely proud of it.

Loud cursing fills the usually subdued pub, arguments over whose fault it was for the spilling of the whiskey, but Emma knows that it doesn’t matter whose fault it was when she’s the one who has got to clean it up and scrub the damn floors clean when all is said and done.

Damn drunk men and their damn petty fights over what always amounts to being about a woman who has no interest in either of them.

Sighing, she turns on her heels behind the bar where she was polishing tumblers and other glasses and walks back into the storage room to retrieve the broom and dustpan along with some cloths. She is not supposed to leave the bar and the alcohol unattended, but she has been working here long enough to know that anyone who stumbles into this particular pub is smart enough to know not to steal from the Jones family.

They’ll be dead faster than the rum can pass their lips, and the Joneses don’t give out the good stuff to just anyone so that would be one pathetic last drink.

Twisting on the lights in the closet, her eyes scan over shelves of supplies and half-empty bottles that have somehow made their way back here, until she finds the broom, unattached from the pan.

Of course. Why would the broom ever be stored away with its matching set?

“Fuck,” she mutters, adjusting her trousers. They are too large around her waist, but she hasn’t had time to buy any new clothes lately. From what she’s gleamed, trousers on women are not widely accepted in Birmingham, but some days she cannot be bothered to wear a dress that squeezes the breath out of her. Today was one of those days, but unless she wants her knickers on display for everyone to see, she is going to have to buy new clothes soon.

“That’s no language for a lady.”

Immediately, she twists around to look at the other side of the room where the deep, accented voice originated. He’s standing with his gray suit clad legs crossed over another, arms stretched over his chest so that his shirt tightens around his muscles, and there is a bloody smirk plastered on that ever-handsome face under the dark brush of his facial hair. He’s without his cap and suit jacket today, but he’s never without his vest and the shirt that stays indecently unbuttoned. It is the one thing that never changes about his appearance, and the day she sees his shirt fully buttoned, Emma knows shit will start flying in every direction.

“Well, as you know, I’m far from a lady. I work here after all.”

Blue eyes flicker up and down her body, taking in the curves of her hips and her breasts even under her loose clothing, the bastard, and if possible, the smirk intensifies, curling from one side of his lips to the next.

“Now, darling,” he croons, uncrossing his legs and taking three strides forward to stand in her space, hovering just enough above her to make her feel smaller than she already is, “you and I both know that is not true.” “Do we?” she argues, raising a brow in his direction.

He chuckles, something dark that heads straight between her thighs, and then warm hands are on her hips, rough fingertips brushing against the skin at her waist, and hot breath brushes over her ear and down her neck while whiskers prick her skin.

“Did you miss me, love?” Killian whispers before pulling back, putting space between them as quickly as he closed it off.

“Were you gone?”

His head tilts back with laughter, and she watches him roll his shirt sleeves up, revealing angry red scars and marks on his left hand. She’s heard the rumors of how he received those scars, but when it comes to Killian Jones, rumors are not reliable. He’s done things the average person could never dare dream of, and fiction and reality toe a thin line, both of them crossing until everything is blurred.

“I was in London for two weeks, love. I cannot believe you didn’t notice my absence. I would have thought it would be at the forefront of your mind.”

“Well, I know this may be hard for you to believe, but my thoughts do not revolve around you.”

His brow lifts, lines on his forehead moving with it, and he cocks his head to the side, disbelieving. “A woman as fascinating as you must have too many things to fill her mind other than me, so I can actually believe it if you must know.”

“You flatter me.”

Killian clicks his tongue. “I intend to.” He moves around her, footfalls quiet, and presses open the hidden door in the closet he must have walked through to be in here. “My brothers and I will be in our dining room today. Get the good stuff from the safe.”

Emma mockingly bows. “It would be my pleasure.”

He stares, blue eyes bright compared to the darkness of the rest of him, and then he slips out, moving through the back hallways and compartments that were installed during the War but are now used for the family to avoid their enemies and the coppers, who are usually paid off but can sometimes still question the Joneses’ business practices, especially when there’s a new hire for their more questionable ventures. It is a fascinating thing to watch how a family who supposedly manufactures automobiles and distills rum has such a varied number of enemies. Maybe that is simply how it is for all businessmen, but Emma wouldn’t know.

She is simply a barmaid after all.

When she exits the closet with both broom and pan in hand, the argument is over, but the shattered glass remains. She quickly cleans it, dumps the glass outside, and gets back to tending bar, talking to the men who wander in and out of the place. Half of them fancy her, she knows. It’s obvious in the way they speak to her, even more obvious in the way they will often attempt to touch her, but Emma does not get paid to appease the baser desires of the patrons of My Fairest Lady. If she did, she would be in an entirely different type of business where her purse would be full for once.

As the day passes, men come in and out in their tailored suits and carefully curated ties, and Emma watches all of them, seeing where they go and what they order. She watches as some walk up the stairs and only appear again hours lately, but mostly she watches the ones that walk into the pub and immediately turn right into the private room the Joneses sit in when they decide they are going to conduct business at the pub instead of in one of their offices. When the rest of the place quiets, she can often hear them, especially if she decides to rest near the small trap door through which they order their drinks.

Tonight, they are talking about needing new men, but she cannot hear well enough as to why. This has been her problem for weeks. She gleams a little information, but not enough, and if Killian Jones wasn’t so in tune to every noise in the place, she’d sneak through the back tunnels and listen from there.

That would surely get her killed.

The sun sets early, the smog from the factories outside aiding in the darkening of the world, and when her shift is over for the night, Emma grabs her things and leaves, walking through the streets of Birmingham until she is at her flat, a small, dingy little place that reminds her of the homes she grew up in. It wasn’t her first choice, but so often, things aren’t.

Emma twists the key in the lock and walks inside. For all of its faults, the place has electricity. That makes her life much easier since she does not have to go about striking matches and blowing out fire every few hours.

“Hello, dearie.”

Emma’s skin pales, and heaviness settles in her stomach, weighing her down to keep her from moving. Sitting at her kitchen chair is Robert Gold, and no matter how long she has worked with him, she will never feel comfortable when he decides to show his face without notice.

She will never feel comfortable even when he gives notice.

“Gold,” Emma nods, straightening her back. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Slowly, he stands, using his gold-encrusted cane to prop himself up, and Emma shuts the door behind her. She has a knife in a strap around her thigh, and while she technically works for him, she doesn’t trust Gold as far as she can throw that knife.

“Have you located the guns?”

“If I had, you would know.”

“That doesn’t work for me.”

Emma tilts her head back and scoffs, her rapid heartbeat calming as her skin heats, rage and fire and disbelief settling in the bumps of her skin. “Oh, my deepest apologizes. It is obviously a simple bloody task to infiltrate the most notorious gang in the city and gleam where they keep stolen guns. They don’t talk so openly about their business!”

Gold walks closer, beady eyes reflected under the lamplight, and Emma stays steady. “We hired a woman to do this because women are Killian Jones’s weakness. Get to know him, get in his bed, and then you will be in the inner circle.”

She spits. “I am not sleeping with him for your cause.”

“Is my cause not your cause? Getting rid of undesirable gangs and criminals that disrespect the Crown and steal from our arms factories?”

Emma laughs, her heartbeat racing again. “I work for you because I have no other choice. It was this or death.”

He shrugs, tapping his cane. “You shouldn’t have made a deal with me, and we wouldn’t be in this position. Alas, we are, and you must deal with the consequences of your actions, dearie. All deals have a price. I’ll be returning.”

Gold steps around her, making Emma move to the side, and then he exits her flat. His presence, however, lingers, and she feels as if grime and smog are coating her skin. That is a feeling that never goes away, but it is especially present after one of Gold’s visits. Emma curses and stomps her foot, despising her situation. She is only twenty-three years of age, but she has lived the life of an elder. Growing up in orphanages does not set a woman up for a good life, and seven years ago when she fell pregnant but couldn’t afford to take care of the baby, she went to Gold for help. He was known to be able to do anything, especially find homes for children without charging the birth mother exuberant prices, but no one told her the price of his services would be to work for him and the government in backhanded deals. It was this, death, or harm done to a child she has only held once but loves as if she was allowed to raise him.

She couldn’t be a mother, doesn’t know if she ever will be able to again, but she will not let harm fall on that child.

So, now, she is shipped across Europe, putting her life at risk every day. After all, what is the potential of death when compared to certain death?

-/-

Days pass, and Emma learns of no new information. She works long hours, taking extra shifts and standing behind the bar until her feet bleed from blisters, her heels too small with swollen feet. Every day, Killian and his brothers Liam and Lee walk inside, often with William Scarlet and Rob Locksley following behind them, but they say nothing more to her than greetings and drink orders. Killian will spend additional time leaning over the bar, his voice deep with his flirtations, but she pushes them away. She will not sleep with him to get information, and she will not sleep with him because he thinks she is easy prey.

Men like him, no matter how enticing, do not lead to good things.

Knowing he’s the head of a gang doesn’t reassure her.

Knowing one day he will have a price on her head, well, it does not give her any confidence that she could ever be anything more than a warm body in his bed. Most likely, he wouldn’t give her the curtesy of taking her there, instead taking her behind the bar.

If only she had been born into a family with means. Maybe then she could live a life where death did not linger so closely.

“Swan, darling,” Killian calls from his private room, “can you come in here?”

Emma stills, gripping on her glass, but she quickly composes herself. It’s not often she is called into the room, and while she would like an invitation to the inside, she knows it comes with risks. Slowly, she moves around the bar and heads toward the door. Liam opens it for her, nodding, and she steps inside as Liam closes the door behind her. Killian, Lee, William, and Rob are sitting in the cushioned booths, and Killian pats the seat beside him. She nods and sits next to him, keeping her posture straight and face neutral.

“Emma, love,” Killian starts, “you’re educated, are you not?”

“I am not.”

Killian twists and looks at her with wide eyes. “You speak like you’ve been educated.”

“Natural intelligence,” Emma shrugs. Gold gave her an education, but she refuses to give him any credit when most of it has been of her own doing. “I attended school as a child, but not much else. Everything has been self-taught.”

“See,” Lee sighs, “I don’t need more schooling.”

“You damn well do if you want to be a part of this business! We are educated men, and you will be no different.”

“Where did you go to school?” Emma asks, not able to help herself.

“Oxford. Though, my studies were interrupted by my needed service in the War.”

“It’s a shame.”

“I think I’m doing well for myself, regardless, love.”

“You should go to school, Lee,” Emma tells the youngest Jones brother, a bastard child of their father they brought into the family business. “You have the Jones Corporation to fall back on, but if you want to be a true asset, you should better yourself as much as you can.”

“Oi, am I bloody well supposed to take advice from a woman? A woman who is a barmaid no less? What could you possibly know?”

Killian slams his hand down on the table, glass and silverware shaking. “This woman is far more competent than you, lad, and I suggest you respect her. Everyone is your equal, no matter what dear old dad told you to make you believe otherwise.”

Lee curses under his breath, and Emma slinks back into the booth as the room stills, the air heavy with unspoken words waiting to be set free. She doesn’t know if she should stay or walk out of the room and back to her job, but Killian makes the decision for her. “Why don’t you all go? Get back to work.”

“What about what we were discussing?” Liam questions, but he still grabs his cap and his coat.

“We will discuss it later.” The men nod and then begin to shuffle out of the room. Emma moves to join them, but Killian reaches out and grabs her wrist, the warmth of his hand spreading over here. “Stay, Swan.”

She doesn’t dare deny him as she cannot give up any opportunity to learn more about him, so she turns and takes the seat opposite him, smoothing out her skirt and her hair. “Is everything alright?”

“The horse race is this weekend, as I’m sure you know, and I’d like to bring you as a guest.”

Emma blanches. “Excuse me?”

A smile creeps onto his face, and he reaches into his pocket to slide a bag of coins across the table. “I’d like to take you to the races as my companion. You should use this to buy a nice dress and hat.”

“Are you trying to buy my affections?”

“I think we both know you cannot be bought.”

If only he knew.

Emma studies him, trying to read past the smile and the friendly invitation, but she sees nothing of any use. “Why me?”

Killian leans forward, elbow pressed to the table and chin resting on his knuckle. “I fancy you from time to time when you aren’t ignoring me, as I have made no secret.”

Emma thinks to all the times where she’s forgotten herself and has allowed Killian to get close in the way she doesn’t want, all the times he has lingered close to her and pressed his lips to her neck before she pulls away. She will not sleep with him for money or for Gold’s cause, but she would be telling a lie if she said she has never considered it for her own personal reasons. Her mind is constantly contradicting her there, and Emma has never been able to settle her thoughts one way or another.

Getting into bed with dangerous men leads to getting into bed with dangerous things.

Emma has already put on the sheets and started slipping out of her shoes despite her best efforts not to.

“So, you expect me to buy a nice outfit and spend a day away with you as nothing more than an ornament on your arm because you fancy me?”

“I expect nothing of you. Every choice is up to you.”

Emma reaches her fingers across the table and takes the purse of coins. “Any color in particular you’d like for my dress?”

“Surprise me.”

-/-

Her dress is red, and when she walks into My Fairest Lady on Saturday morning, she can feel the eyes of the entire place on her. It’s made of a delicate lace and flowered accents and flares out at the hips, but the corset makes her breasts push up, cleavage showing where she usually hides it. Her heels were dyed to match, her hat too, and it is the nicest thing she’s ever worn. It feels foreign on her skin, and while Emma would prefer comfort, she doesn’t mind feeling elegant for once. Anna, the woman who lives next to her, saw Emma carry her dress home, asked where she was going with it, and insisted she allow Emma to roll her hair with hot curlers and apply paint to her lips. She thinks the redness of her lips along with the cleavage may be the thing that brings down the Jones Company, and if she’d known that, maybe she would have dressed like this earlier.

“You look,” Killian begins.

“I know,” Emma finishes, taking his hand as he helps her into the carriage. “You look nice as well.”

“And much like you, I did know that.”

The drive to the races doesn’t seem long, but Emma knows they’ve traveled for at least two hours. Killian doesn’t talk for much of it, but when he does, it’s to point out something on the side of the road. He’s able to tie everything in with a story from the War or something William Scarlet has done, and Emma chuckles, seeing the lighter side of them. She knows how they spend much of their time, and it is not taking all of Killian’s suits out of his closet and replacing them with Lee’s so they’ll be several sizes too small.

When they arrive at Cheltenham, it is like nothing Emma has ever seen before. The building around the track is glamourous and obviously newly built, and everyone around is in their nicest clothes. To Emma, this is foreign, every bit of it. Her life is a life in the shadows in tattered clothes and normal things. Her life is not spent betting on horse races and wearing dresses worth more than her flat to accompany the head of a gang while she secretly attempts to discover where he’s hiding the guns Gold wants.

She does not even know why Gold wants those guns so badly when the factory can surely produce more, but her entire life is about finding them.

She should have never stepped foot in his house had she known these would be the consequences, but she needed to give that kid the good life he has.

“This is spectacular,” Emma says as the carriage stutters to a stop amongst all the others, motors slowly dying out.

Killian takes her hand and guides her out of the carriage, placing his hand on her lower back when they set foot on the gravel. “You haven’t seen anything yet, love.”

Killian is right in that she hasn’t seen anything because when they walk inside, the floor is lined with black and white tiles, and the ceiling is home to ornate paintings and chandeliers that look too heavy to stay there. Emma shouldn’t feel overwhelmed by it all, but she does. Killian knows every other person they pass, some greeting him with reverence and some greeting him with fear, but they all greet him just the same. His hand stays steady on her back as he moves her though the hallways, and he introduces her to several other women before disappearing into another room. She wants to follow him, to see what business he’s doing, but she knows she can’t.

“How do you know Killian Jones?” a woman with long brunette hair asks. Emma thinks her name is Ruby, but she cannot remember. It was too much talking at once.

“How do you?” Emma counters.

“I was his lover years ago.”

Emma arches her brow. “Well, that does not shock me.”

“Oh, you don’t know, do you?”

“Know what?”

Ruby steps closer to her, whispering so no one around them can hear. “He had an affair with the wife of a powerful man, and the man killed his wife in front of Killian and burned Killian’s hand. After that, he slept with anyone who so much as looked like his lover because he was often too drunk to realize the difference. So, you, you’re different. I have never seen him go with a blonde.”

“Well,” Emma steadies, trying to keep her heart from racing after what she heard, “I am not his lover, so I imagine you’ll have to keep waiting to see that.”

“Not yet,” Ruby tells her before stepping away, dress trailing behind her.

“You ready to watch the races?”

Emma jumps at Killian’s returned presence, and he chuckles, placing his hand on her back again while looking down at her, amused. “You alright?”

“I’m fine,” Emma lies. “Just fine.”

She flashes a smile that reaches her eyes, making it as genuine as possible, and before Killian guides her to their seats, she sees a spot of blood on his shirt. She doesn’t know if it is his or someone else’s, but she does know that whatever business he had at the races has very little to do with horses.

-/-

Emma’s feet ache when she settles into her seat in the carriage, and she immediately toes out of her shoes and tucks her feet underneath her. Killian eyes her with curiosity, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he shrugs of his jacket and lays it over her lap.

“You may not have been able to move, but you cut quite the figure in that dress.” Her cheeks heat, but she doesn’t say anything, simply smiling at him. “Did you enjoy the races, Swan?”

“I did. Though, not as much as you.”

“What makes you say that?”

Emma hums and taps her fingers over Killian’s suit jacket, moving it to cover more of her. “Well, your purse is fuller. Your horse won, and if I heard correctly, you are now in charge of all bets.”

He turns to look at her, and if she were talking to any other member of the gang, she would back away. For some reason, however, the leader doesn’t scare her tonight, not like he should. She had one too many glasses of fine wine.

“How exactly do you know that?”

Emma points to the small blood stain on his shirt. “I’m assuming that is the blood of someone from the Mills family, who all mysteriously went away before the races even started. Everyone came to Rob and Liam to make their bets. It does not take a genius to figure things out once the pieces begin to fall into place.”

“Not a genius, no, but someone with an observant eye.” He leans forward, invading her space like he so often does. “You, love, know a little too much.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Emma whispers, breathless.

He leans closer, until her air and his air are the same, and Emma closes her eyes to brace herself, not knowing what is coming next. His lips ghost over hers, but they do not firmly touch. Instead they linger, and Emma feels every move he makes. “Keep you close,” Killian finally says. “I believe you would know too much for me to let you go.”

Enough but not what she needs.

“I believe you may be right.”

Killian rests his hand on her thigh before pulling back, their air separating into their own entities once more. “Lee would have a bloody fit if he ever knew you so quickly figured things out. The boy has potential, but he is too much like our father. I believe that will be his downfall.”

“I believe underestimating women will be his downfall.”

Killian clicks his tongue and nods. “You see, that stems directly from our father, the bastard of all bastards, and you are correct. Many a man was brought down by the kiss of a woman, but few of them have the smarts to know it was her brain that truly brought them down.”

“And you know that?”

“Aye, I do.”

Emma wants to ask about the woman Ruby mentioned early, but she doesn’t dare. She’s already toeing the lines of danger tonight, and mentioning the deceased woman Killian used to love seems ill advised.

So, she stays quiet and keeps her place, knowing she is one step closer to where she needs to be. She is gaining his trust more and more each day, but she also feels herself slipping into a place from which she cannot return.

Fuck.

-/-

Weeks pass, and the weather chills, Birmingham’s winter quickly creeping upon them. Emma freezes every day on her walk to the pub, but one day a coat appears in a box with her name on it. It is long and warm, and besides her red dress, the nicest thing she owns. Killian never confirms it is from him, but she knows it was. She knows the coat, the gloves, and the scarves are all from him, and while she tells him thank you, he never accepts any of her words. Instead, he invites her more into his life. She knows about the gambling and the illegal businesses of the Jones Corporation, and her knowledge gets her foot in the door.

Everything that happens inside is up to Killian.

He brings her in from the pub to settle arguments, to help with the numbers after he discovers she’s better with them than Rob ever has been, and when Liam goes away for some time to take his wife to visit her family in France, Killian often has Emma sit in Liam’s seat with his hand on her thigh underneath the table.

Killian Jones is not a man who takes his time courting women, but Emma cannot help but feel like that is exactly what is happening with her. It is surely not proper, but there’s too much lingering between them for it to be anything else.

Though, it does always stay lingering, never crossing the line, and Emma finds herself thinking more and more about the woman he loved and the string of women who followed.

She finds her resolve to keep her heart away from him teetering over the edge of no return.

She also thinks of Neal, of how much he promised her, of how much he let her down. He was going to give her a better life, but then he disappeared into the wind, never to be heard from again when she realized she was pregnant.

Surely she must take some blame for her situation, but Emma always remembers that so much of it is because of Neal.

Tonight Killian is allowing singing in the pub. He never does, says it makes the place too cheery when that is not his style of pub, but once a week, he allows the men to sing after she leads them off in whatever song she knows. The joyous mood leads to more drinking, which is more money for them, and she imagines that is the only reason Killian allows it.

If she were a conceited woman, she would say he allows it to hear her sing.

The Joneses and their associates march into the pub, some of them disappearing into the back room, but most come to the main part of the pub, moving around the crowd and disappearing into the thick of it. Emma watches Killian, and she can feel his eyes on her no matter where he is.

He never does come to the bar for long periods of time, not while the place is full of people at least, but then when Arthur Pemberton’s hand gets a little too close to Emma, suddenly Killian is there, standing with her, hand possessively on her hip while he warns Arthur not to let his libations get to him.

“I can handle myself,” Emma hisses when Arthur has stumbled away. “I do not need you.”

“Of that I have no doubt.”

“Then what was that? You wanted to show off who had the bigger cock?”

“Darling, I know that would be me.”

Emma’s head tilts back with feigned, exasperated laughter, but Killian does not seem amused. She waits for him to laugh, for the blue of his eyes to light up, but instead his jaw clenches from beneath his whiskered chin.

“Fancy a song then, sailor?” Emma asks to change the subject and keep them from getting into a row. For all the nights they have spent talking about small little details of their lives and their wishes, so, too, have they spent nights arguing. She knows when they’re on the verge of both.

“Why would I fancy a song?”

“To make you smile.”

“Alright then.” He taps his hand on the bar top before helping Emma up to her new vantage point, arching his brow while he looks at her. “Sing me a song then, lass.”

Emma nods and inhales, knowing the entire room will be listening, but she only focuses on the one man with blue eyes as clear as the ocean on a sunny day.

“In a neat little town they call Belfast, apprentice to trade I was bound. Many an hour’s sweet happiness had I spent in that neat little town. A sad misfortune came over me, which caused me to stray from the land. Far away from my friends and relations, betrayed by the black velvet band. Her eyes, they shone like diamonds. I thought her the queen of the land. And her hair, it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band.”

When she finishes, the room is silent, her voice echoing between the four walls, and when she looks at Killian, she can see water in his eyes, a new ocean amongst the blue.

“Another!” someone in the crowd yells, but Emma doesn’t turn away from Killian.

“Oi, the lady sings one song. If you want a new one, sing it yourself!”

Emma chuckles and allows herself to sit down on the bar top, Killian helps her to the ground, her heels clicking against the hardwood. His hand lingers, warmth spreading through her, but as soon as it warms her, it disappears as Killian walks away, disappearing upstairs.

“Are you truly not going to sing us another song?”

Emma rolls her shoulders back and turns around, Leroy standing in front of her. She smiles softly and takes his glass, pouring him another drink. “If you ask me nicely, I just might.”

The night passes quickly, My Fairest Lady filling as it does on this day every week, but eventually everyone leaves, the place emptying as the streets quiet outside, the drunks all returning to their homes or their mistresses. Emma takes her time sweeping up, toeing out of her heels to let her feet rest, and she hums all of the songs sung today, their lyrics filling her usually tired mind.

She doesn’t hear him come in, and it would startle her if he didn’t step directly to her, taking her hands in his and pulling her close, joining in the songs she was singing. She didn’t think he could sing, but he carries a tune almost better than she does.

“I don’t dance,” Emma whispers.

“That is because you have never had a partner who knows what he’s doing.”

“And this partner is you?”

“Aye.”

Emma hasn’t danced in years, and she doesn’t know any of the traditional ones. She would be out of place at a ball for many a reason. She could wear the dress, have the nice man on her arm, but her footing would give her way. One wrong step, and everything would be over.

One wrong step here, she could be dead.

Once more, she has no interest in thinking of the real reason she’s here. She wants to stay in this moment, allowing Killian to sing sweet melodies to her, and she wants to forget about Gold and her mission and everything else.

Emma wants to pretend that for now she is nothing more than a woman dancing with a man she has come to fancy despite herself, no darkness and secrets between them.

What a world that would be.

Emma tilts her head up, looking at Killian, at the softness of his lips and the length of his dark lashes. He is different in this light, softer than his usual hard edges, but Emma knows they are still there, just below the surface.

“I took a stroll down broadway,” Killian sings, continuing her song from earlier, “meaning not long for to stay. When who should I meet but this pretty fair maid come a-traipsing along the highway. She was both fair and handsome. Her neck, it was just like a swan.”

Here, he runs a finger down her neck that ricochets into a tremor down her spine.

“And her hair, it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band.”

“I thought you didn’t like music,” Emma whispers as his fingers toy with the ends of her loose hair. She’s enchanted by him, and for once, she isn’t afraid to admit it.

“That’s because not everyone sings like you, love.”

Slowly, Emma presses up on her toes, and her lips go gently over his, feeling the softness that resides there. He lingers, not pushing her forward, but before Emma can do just that, his hand comes to cup the nape of her neck, tilting her head for him to control the kiss. She never did imagine Killian Jones wouldn’t be the one to take charge of a kiss, so no part of this surprises her. He tastes like rum, the alcohol burning her tongue as heat overwhelms her, and Emma is so consumed by him that she doesn’t notice the way he’s backed her across the room until the edge of the bar is pressing into her lower back, leaving a mark that will linger longer than the burning of this kiss.

When Emma gently bites at his bottom lip, he growls, moving his hands to pick her up until she’s resting on the top of the bar. Emma cups his cheeks, the prickle of his beard scratching her palms, but she pays no attention to that when her legs wrap around his back and she feels his hips roll into hers, the firmness of him pressing into her in ways she hasn’t felt in too long.

It feels damn good, and if Emma were a proper woman, she would have stopped this and kept it from going too far.

She is not a proper woman.

Killian, however, seems to be a proper man, because he pulls back, sweat slicked forehead leaning against hers, and then he moves away, putting more space between him than Emma wants now that they’ve finally closed the gap they’ve lingered near since her first day on the job. All she wants now is to feel him pulsing inside of her, creating a rhythm that matches with the beat of her heart and brings her the pleasure she so craves.

“I am not having you on this bar,” he grumbles, his voice deep and hoarse. His hand falls down her back, grabbing onto her hip and pulling her closer to him. “You deserve more.”

“I wouldn’t mind.” And she means it. She once thought that he wouldn’t care enough to take her to a bed, but now she finds she’s the one who doesn’t care. Her blood is running hot, and she would be fine with it right here even if the countertop digs into her arse. “This is fine.”

He kisses her again, all teeth and tongue and rough determination, and she thinks he’s given up on his sense of chivalry, especially when he encourages her to wrap her ankles around him, but then he’s stumbling with the kiss and lifting her off the bar. She gasps at the sudden movement and circles her arms around his neck to keep from falling.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Emma protests, pulling away as Killian runs his mouth down her neck.

“I said I wasn’t having you on this bar, and I meant it. I have a private room upstairs for when I can’t sleep at home.”

There’s a dark hunger in his voice, one that thrums between Emma’s thighs, and while she’d much prefer to walk herself to the room, she allows him to have this moment. Her legs are likely too shaky with desire for her steps to be steady.

This is not what she intended to do when she kissed him, but she should have known. It’s been building for months, and Emma has shown enough restraint.

She is tired of convincing herself that she wants anything other than this. s

When they get to Killian’s room, he lays her down on the bed, and Emma immediately starts unlacing her dress at her breasts as Killian undoes the buttons on his shirt, pulling it off before he leans down to assist her, his tongue and teeth tracing her exposed skin and leaving red marks with all of his kisses. The heat between her thighs is a sharp throb now, and Emma writhes underneath Killian has his mouth touches the hollow of her throat and his hand reaches behind her knee, pulling her up until he drags against her in the perfect way that has them both moaning.

“You have tempted me since the moment you walked in this damn pub asking for a job.”

His mouth is eager with its ministrations, especially when he finds her nipple, and Emma is left searching for words as her heart threatens to beat out of her chest. Snow falls outside, cold white flakes coating the ground, but Emma is nothing but warm. Parts of her feel like she is on fire, and even as things progress and clothes no longer lay on her body, she might as well be wrapped in down blankets with a fire burning next to her and a hot drink in her hand.

Instead, she’s pressing into the mattress, Killian’s hand palming her breast while his mouth goes lower and lower until her back is arching into the air and she’s dragging her nails down his back and up into the soft tresses of his dark head of hair. Sweat is beading down her chest and collecting at her hair, and Emma never thought it would be possible to sweat in December in Birmingham.

“Killian,” she moans when he does something sinful with his tongue. “Oh fuck.”

He doesn’t say anything back, simply keeps working how he’s working, and for a long while, it’s like the pleasure is never going to end. It’s a constant working up and up and up until she’s dangling off the cliff, ready to let go.

Killian barely gives her any time to recover from her fall before he’s working his way back up her body, settling over her and settling against her so she can feel him bare where she wants him. Emma licks a stripe up his neck, salt on her tongue, and he grunts in response, rolling his hips against hers until both of them are messes.

Shifting beneath him, Emma moves until Killian is face to face with her, his lips lingering over hers and his wild, sweat slicked hair in front of her. She imagines her hair is tangled as well, and it’ll likely never be the same.

“Hello, beautiful,” he whispers, cupping her cheek with his hand.

“So, this isn’t the bar anymore,” Emma jokes, looking for levity in a moment that seems heavy.

“No, no it isn’t.”

They’re both quiet as he presses into her in a slick stretch of heat, and Emma immediately spreads her legs wider for a better fit, allowing him to settle. He’s thick and heavy inside of her, and Emma digs her nails into his back, holding on tight as she moves her hips to get a more perfect fit.

She is going to leave her mark with him tonight, red scars from her nails stretching across his back.

“You are wonderful.” He kisses her again, muttering soft words while his hips start moving, creating a rhythm that might just burn Emma alive, especially when Killian’s hand slides down to her arse and helps himself slide in deeper. “So fucking wonderful.”

“You are too.”

He groans above her, and his hips become that little bit more frantic as his chest hair creates friction against her breasts. This is the best Emma has felt in months, maybe even years, and she wants to chase this high for as long as she can, even as she feels herself tumbling over with each thrust of Killian’s hip and swipe of his thumb as his lips devour hers, only stopping to mutter filthy encouragements.

This is not how she expected today to go.

She wouldn’t change it for a thing.

Her skin is boiling now, and if the curtains were closed, Emma wouldn’t know it was winter outside. Sweat is slicked everywhere, but she doesn’t care.

She doesn’t care about anything except how good it feels when Killian engraves her name into the side of her neck as he succumbs to pleasure as well, his bodyweight pressing down on her, melding them from two to one.

After, Killian is gentle when he helps her clean up, and they settle underneath the blankets. Emma presses her right leg between his and rests her cheek against his collarbone as her fingers tread through the dark hair on his chest. She moves it around from where sweat has matted it, and she traces the red scars that make up so much of him. They look almost silver in the moonlight.

They look stunning.

Emma feels lips press to her temple, and she smiles, burying her face in his neck and breathing him in.

Happy. This is what happiness feels like. It’s been so long that it surprises her.

“I have to go.”

It’s like she’s been slapped.

“Sorry?”

“I have to go,” Killian repeats, but Emma can’t quite come to terms with the words. “I have…business to attend to.”

Her walls immediately come back up, brick by brick.

“You have business to attend to? Seriously? What the fuck kind of excuse is that? What? You fuck me and then leave? Were you using me because – ”

Emma pulls back away from him, sitting up and pulling the blankets with her, and Killian stays settled against the headboard, hands behind his head. “I had this business before I slept with you. Believe me, there is nothing I would rather do than stay in bed with you until I’m bloody dragged out of it, but I have to do this tonight.”

Emma scoffs and crawls out of the bed, getting finding her undergarments. “I’m coming with you.”

“Swan.”

“If I’m jumping into bed with you, I want to know the exact details of the man I’m jumping into bed with.”

He arches his brow, mouth curling into a smirk as his head nods to how exposed he is. “It may be a little too late for that now.”

Emma should be flustered, but she’s not. She’s determined that she won’t be left behind.

Her hands fall to her hips. “That depends on if you let me come with you.”

“Grab your damn coat and a scarf. You’ll freeze without them.”

“Are you a gentleman now?”

He clicks his tongue. “I’m always a gentleman.”

They take Killian’s carriage, only with him driving this time instead of the two of them sitting in the back, and they don’t speak wherever it is they’re going. Anticipation courses through her veins, gooseflesh spreading across her skin wherever it can reach, and a lump permanently lodges itself in her throat. She doesn’t know what to think, what to feel, and when they drive to a graveyard, Emma is certainly confused. When Killian grabs a shovel out of the back and leads her to his mother’s grave, her skin crawls for a reason entirely unrelated to the cold.

“She’s not buried here.”

“Oh?”

“No. I had a stone made, but she is closer to the ocean. It’s the place she loved the most.”

“Then what is – ”

Emma doesn’t bother finishing her question when she sees the gleam of guns underneath the moonlight. Her heart drops to the pit of her stomach, and for all that Emma has pushed away her thoughts of Gold and his threats lingering over her, there is no denying them now.

She found the guns.

Rather, Killian showed her.

She knows where they are, and by sunrise, she could be out of this place and out of this damn deal.

But Emma knows better than to think she’ll truly be free from Gold. He’ll find her again and bring with him new threats, and she’d be a fool to think otherwise.

Life as a moll has not seemed too bad lately, especially now that she knows how Killian feels when he kisses her, but she’s still torn between two places.

If she tells Gold where the guns are, she’ll be under his control for the rest of her life.

If she tells Killian, he’ll surely kill her.

For a moment, she contemplates a third option, one where she both keeps her breath and is able to truly live. It would never work, however. Gold would manipulate her, and she’d spend her entire life leading a double life, betraying the man who has obviously given her his trust.

The strange thing is, she has given him the same.

It’s not enough, and Emma, surrounded by all these graves, already knows she will have no headstone. There will be no one to mourn her.

She needs time to figure things out, and she’s running out of time.

Emma floats through the rest of the night, not knowing what she’s saying or doing, and when Killian leaves her at her flat with a resounding kiss that shakes her to her core, she thinks of running away with him. It should be easy. She’s been doing it her entire life.

“It’s late,” Killian whispers, “You should go inside and get some rest, but tomorrow, I have different plans for you.”

“Oh?”

He kisses her again, warming every bit of her body that is chilled. “Goodnight, my love.”

“Goodnight, Killian.”

Emma exits his carriage and walks into her building, a smile on her face until she unlocks her door.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Fuck,” Emma mutters, her senses coming back to her as Gold stands across from her. She hasn’t seen him since the last time he broke in, but he’s here now.

It’s too late for her to run away.

She is no longer floating through tonight.

“Where have you been?” Gold asks, his voice as cold as the snow outside.

“Working.”

“I noticed that Killian Jones himself drove you home.” The floor creaks underneath him, and his cane thumps against the floor at the same beat as her heart. “Interesting that. You didn’t come from the direction of the pub either.”

“We went for a drive.” Emma takes off her coat in an attempt at nonchalance.

“To where exactly, dearie?”

“Around the town. Nowhere in particular.”

“Is that so?” He steps closer and taps his cane. Emma doesn’t have a gun on her. She can’t risk anyone finding it at work, but she knows Gold has one on him. Fuck. She doesn’t even have her knife today, and they’re both across the room where Gold is. “Would your drive happened to have gone near the cemetery?”

Emma’s skin goes colder than the outside weather could ever make it, and it is difficult to keep her breath from shallowing.

She’s been caught, and Gold is most likely going to kill her for her disloyalty to him.

“The guns are in Allison Jones’s grave.”

She had to tell him. She had no other option.

She hates herself for it.

“That is what I needed to know. Meet me in Nottingham in a week. I’ll have a new assignment for you then.”

Emma nods and backs against the wall as Gold moves around her, his hand turning the knob on her front door. “What are you going to do with the guns? Return them to Churchill?” she asks against her better judgment.

He laughs, and gooseflesh appears on her arms and down her legs, pebbling her skin as nausea settles in her throat. “Well, I’m going to return them to Churchill, of course, but not before I have a little fun with Killian Jones. Wouldn’t you know that a gang leader was mysteriously shot in his home in the middle of the night? Must have been one of his many enemies that did it.”

“Why?” Emma whispers.

Gold smiles. “Jones is known for sleeping with another man’s wife years ago, and well, I was that other man.”

And then he’s gone, limping out of the room with that slow, aching walk of his. Emma feels as if she’s been slapped across the cheek by his cane, and she immediately turns to her sink, releasing her insides and heaving, waiting for her breath to come back.

It never truly does.

Gold’s carriage sputters to life outside as Emma heaves once more, and even though her brain is functioning at half of its capacity, she knows what she needs to do.

She has to tell Killian.

Everyone in town knows what he does is illegal, but there’s no proof of his family’s crimes. They make it all as legal as possible through their legitimate businesses, and often the local coppers are on their side.

Gold, Churchill, and the Constabulary on not on their side.

Gold is going to murder him just like he murdered his wife.

Emma grabs her coat, shrugging it on as she runs out the door, and she wishes she had a carriage. She doesn’t however, so as snow falls down around her, Emma runs through the streets of Birmingham, taking the alleys she frequents so often, to get to Killian’s home. She’s only been there a few times, nearly all of it for business reasons, but she knows the way.

Her lungs are heavy, her breath short, and her feet ache from the heels of her boots. She imagines frostbite is hitting her toes, but she can’t stop. She was foolish and allowed herself to develop feelings for this man, to fall in love with him in the midst of all her protests otherwise, and she can’t let him get arrested.

She certainly cannot allow him to be murdered. Gold has an agenda against him, and Emma knows the only reason Killian isn’t dead is because he wanted the guns first to cover up his crimes.

Fuck.

When Emma comes across the house, she runs into the door, banging her fist against the wood before picking up the clapper and hitting it. It seems like hours before anyone comes to the door, but eventually someone does, Lee opening it with his gun in his hand.

“What the bloody hell are you doing here?” he grumbles.

“Where’s your brother?”

“If you’re here to fuck him, you’ll have to get in line.”

“What?” Emma gawks, her heart still pounding. She knows he’s fucking with her, but of all the people she doesn’t fully trust, Lee Jones is near the top of the list. She’s heard Killian talk about his similarities to their father too much to think of him as trustworthy. “No, it doesn’t matter. I need to talk to Killian.”

“If it’ll get you to be quiet, fine. First door on the right upstairs.”

Emma nods and hurries up the stairs, her steps as loud as a heard of elements, and while she does hesitate to enter his room because of Lee’s words, she still does. He’s sitting in his bed, alone, and now is really not the time for her to be focusing on how Lee is constantly trying to fuck with her because he spent too much time with their arse of a father.

“Swan? Bloody hell. What are you doing here?”

She may get murdered for this, but she’s trusting that she won’t. Maybe he’ll understand that she’s done him wrong in the past, but she’s trying to save his life now.

“Robert Gold.”

Killian immediately sits straighter and moves the blankets off him until he’s standing in front of her, looming. “How do you know that name?”

Emma rolls her shoulders back, the adrenaline pushing her words forward.

“I got pregnant when I was sixteen, and I didn’t have a job or a family. I had nothing. I heard of this man who could help with discreet adoptions, get the baby into a good home, you know? So I went to Robert Gold, and he took care of me and my baby, and he found the kid a family who could love him. I believed I didn’t owe him any debts, but he’s threatened to hurt me and my son if I don’t do what he says. I don’t think he’d hurt the kid anymore because I now know the kid’s parents are in the government, but I know he’ll hurt me.”

Emma starts pacing. She can’t look at Killian. She cannot look at the blue she loves so much because it is surely about to turn black while looking at her.

That would break her heart.

“I’ve been working for him. This entire time. He had me gain employ at your pub to learn the location of the guns you stole from the arms factory. All this time I thought it was because Churchill wanted them so they could send them to where they were intended. But tonight Gold was in my flat after following us to the cemetery, and he told me you had slept with his wife, which means the man who shot his wife and your lover in front of you was Gold. He’s going after the guns, Killian. He’s going to get them, and then he’s coming here to either kill you for your crimes against him or arrest you for your crimes against the Crown. Either way, he’s going to kill you.”

Emma doesn’t notice the silence between them as her heart is still pounding like the loudest of drums, but the silence is surely there, being filled second by second with Killian’s rage toward her and toward Gold.

She gained his trust, and then she betrayed him.

“Why are you telling me this?” he whispers, his voice as even keeled as she’s ever heard it.

She nearly falls to the ground at the sound of it.

“Pardon?”

“Turn around and look at me.” Emma braces her shoulders and turns, having no idea what she’s about to see, but she imagines it will be a low-burning fury. She’s wrong. “If you were anyone else in the world, I would have your head for this. I don’t take betrayals lightly, and I will not take this one lightly even though I understand what it is like to be under Gold's thumb. Do not be fooled. But for fucks sake, Emma, I love you. I haven’t loved a woman since Milah was taken from me, but I love you. I also believe all sins can be forgiven when you love someone, but that does not mean I forgive you tonight.”

Emma doesn’t know what to do or think.

There are too many thoughts stampeding in her mind, and she isn’t caught up with it enough to process it all. For now, all she can think is she isn’t dead.

But Killian may be soon.

“What are you going to do about Gold?” Emma asks even when she meant to say something else entirely. She meant to say the three words that reside at the tip of her tongue, but they keep being pushed back.

More important matters are at hand.

“How long ago did he leave your flat to go after the guns?”

“I don’t know. I ran here as soon as he left.”

Killian nods and cups her cheek, kissing her soundly, before he turns around and starts pulling luggage from his drawers before quickly grabbing onto clothes. “Find a few warm things for you. Quickly.”

“Why? What the hell is happening?”

“It’s not safe for us here. We have to go until I can figure something out. There isn’t time to ask every bloody question.”

Lee comes rushing into the room at the same time that Emma grabs a thick blanket and some of Killian’s shirts and what she can only assume are clothes women left here. She doesn’t have much time to process that particular fact. “What the fuck are you two doing?”

“We have to go. Gold is coming after us. Pack a bag and start the carriage.”

“What about Liam? He’s in France. We have to warn him.”

“Liam isn’t set to come back until February. We’ll have time to get him a message. Gold is only coming after me for now. Go, go, we don’t have much time.”

“I thought we didn’t run from a challenge.”

Killian’s jaw clenches, and he turns to face his younger brother. “We’re not running. We’re allowing me to conjure a plan so we don’t get our heads blown off. Fucking go or I’ll leave you here!”

Lee nods, and then he’s out of the room, his footsteps echoing in the hallway for a quick moment before he’s heading out the door and the carriage turns on with a rumble. Emma’s collected enough clothes to last her weeks, and she watches as Killian stashes money into his suitcase before handing some to her.

“For if we get separated,” he explains.

“Where are we going?”

“I have a place in mind, but I can’t tell you yet. Now, come on, go get in the carriage. He works fast, and he shows no mercy, as I’m sure you know. Don’t worry, love. We’ll be fine. I’m a survivor.”

Killian’s hand finds Emma’s back, and as they walk down the stairs, she takes in the beauty of his home. A lot of love has been put into it, and by all accounts, it looks more like a house than a home.

Emma would have liked to have this place as a home. She’s still aching for that place she can call her own.

Now is not the time to think of that.

The cold hits her when they walk outside, and it doesn’t fade away when she climbs into the carriage next to Killian, Lee sitting behind them. Emma clutches onto her luggage, her knuckles white but her fingers pink, and Killian quickly reaches down and hands her a pair of gloves. She takes them without protest, and in the dead of night, she begins moving with the Jones brothers, leaving a white-covered Birmingham behind them.

She doesn’t know what’s going to happen to anyone, not to William or Rob or any of the other Jones Corporation associates. Gold will surely go after them to try to learn of Killian’s whereabouts, hers too, but there’s not time to drive to their homes and tell them. They’re smart and resourceful. They’ll figure things out. At least, Emma hopes so.

There’s no way for them to avoid Gold forever. Emma knows firsthand that he has connections across Europe with his ties to the government, and he’ll never stop until he gets to Killian. She has so many questions about what happened between Killian and Gold’s wife, a woman he obviously loved, but now is not the time for questions when she’s being driven to who knows where, every breath she bringing her one closer to her last.

Now is not the time for a lot of things, but since she didn’t say it earlier, Emma whispers a quiet “I love you,” not knowing if Killian or the wind catches it.

When he places his hand on her thigh, the comforting movement he’s been doing for months now, she thinks she knows.

Emma’s exhausted, but she dares not fall asleep. Instead she sits silently, Killian’s hand still on her thigh, and she watches the sun rise, bright lights reflecting against the pureness of some of the snow. In some places, it is nothing more than slush, but in others, it is beautiful. She can smell water around them, the salt of the ocean becoming clearer with each passing minute, and eventually, she can see the budding activity in a port, a large ship waiting in the water as people walk on board.

“Where are we going?” Emma asks.

Killian turns to her and flashes a tired but bright smile. “America, my love.”

-/-

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#black velvet #cs fic #cs ff #cs fanfic #captain swan fic #captain swan ff #captain swan fanfic #captain swan

[tasloveskk]

Some folklore thoughts 💭🌲✨🏳️‍🌈 

Part 1

 I’m going to take it song by song while also tracking key themes in red! Please also feel free to add in your thoughts in the comments, I’m curious to see what else people think folklore is about...

folklore

‘folklore’ is defined as “a body of popular myths or beliefs relating to a particular place, activity, or group of people.” or, by Steve from Taylor’s IC,”the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.” Taylor herself in her introduction/prologue says  “A tale that becomes folklore is one that is passed down and whispered around. Sometimes even sung about. The lines between fantasy and reality blur and the boundaries between truth and fiction become almost indiscernible. Speculation, over time, becomes fact. Myths, ghost stories, and fables. Fairytales and parables. Gossip and legend. Someone’s secrets written in the sky for all to behold.”

the 1

- firstly, it’s the best opening track she’s ever had! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

- “I’m doing good, I’m on some new shit” = sounds to me like a conversation you have with an ex, like someone is saying “yeah I’m doing great, I’m dating/doing ‘x’” the first time they run into their ex in a while.

-“I thought I saw you at the bus stop” has BIG “this city screams your name” energy but is also very clever by Taylor because Miss Karlie Kloss is ALWAYS on advertisements on bus stops/literal buses around the globe 🚌

- “I hit the Sunday matinee” to me seems like an inside thing, because obviously as the world biggest pop star, if taylor is going to go to the theatre or cinema, she’ll pick the least busy and most filled with older people which would be the Sunday matinee.

- “you know the greatest films of all time were never made” —> the greatest love stories never get told? happen behind the scenes? There’s something deeper here but I’m still forming the cohesive idea!

- “if you wanted me you really should’ve showed” = showed up or showed for the world, either way Taylor wanted KK to chose her not Josh so they could work but that didn’t happen so now she’s left to wonder.

- “roaring twenties” evokes two clear images for me! 1. They were both in their 20s for the entiretyof their relationship, the best years were spent together and 2. The Roaring 20s were a time of independence, pushing boundaries and breaking the rules of prohibition - which is basically what Taylor and Karlie were doing behind the scenes.

- “if my wishes came true, it would’ve been you” = let’s say, ONLY FOR ARGUMENTS SAKE, that Taylor really IS with Toe, that still means that this song is her yearning for someone else who she always loves more AND had to lose at some point. Looking at her past beards “relationships”, there are only two plausible options - Joe (which seems unlikely seeing as they’re still “together”) or CH who she supposedly wrote “you would’ve been the one if you were a better man” about. Either way doesn’t seem like it fits. However, if you look at it as Karlie is the 1, it becomes clear - it would’ve been fun being best friends and lovers for ever baking cookies and dancing around the kitchen, it would’ve been forever if Karlie hadn’t “married” jerk, it would’ve been her and it still is. 💗

- “in my defense I have none, for never leaving well enough alone” & “I know that I went psycho on the phone, I never leave well enough alone” are about the same moment with the same person = she didn’t leave well enough alone because she kept writing about Karlie and re-engaging us Kaylors as well as I’m sure, she kept up with seeing Karlie or keeping tabs on her to the point where it forced someone to reach out to the other.... she can’t apologise or defend her actions because you can’t explain the things you do for true love.

- “I have this dream you’re doing cool shit” aka starting a podcast, expanding businesses, making headway as an entrepreneur and being a highly-paid and respected international model? Seems straight forward 👀

- “you meet some woman on the Internet and take her home” = 1. Karlie is specifically interested in tech and the internet, it is literally her entire business and 2. if Karlie and Tay did break up, then because Karlie is actually NOT married to Josh, she hooked up with someone she met through the internet somehow (probs social media not an app) and Taylor found out this is probably a snarky comment about that from a jealous ex. Could possibly also be about the dream mentioned above. 💔🔐

- “another day waking up alone” = lost her lover, sleeps alone? Bold claim on opening tack.

- “persist and resist” = very famous feminist saying, civil rights/political echo?

- “the temptation to ask you if one thing had been different, would everything be different today” = this what if mentality continues through the album but personally, I think this is about Kissgate.

- “Rosé flowing with your chosen family” = repeats later, your chosen family could refer to Karlie’s group of friends like Derek and Jourdan etc.

- “would’ve been sweet if it could’ve been me” = flipped perspective, wishes Karlie chose her.

- “dragging up the grave another time” = firstly, THAT pin on her EW jacket now makes more sense. second, Taylor has written about Karlie for 4 straight albums now, she hasn’t let their love story die even if they did.

-

cardigan

- “brand new phone” = this is not some story, this is current reality. Taylor hides behind era-specific language and imagery in some other songs but this one is clearly about here and now, and her.

- “sensual politics” to me stands out because only really here and in TLGAD is politics explicitly mentioned and sensual politics to me screams sleeping with someone for political gain or with political connections which certainly sounds like someone...

- “when you’re young, they assume you know nothing” = sounds to me like a lot like a) love story and b) “you don’t know you’re gay, it’s just a PHASE! you’ll grow out of it!” 🏳️‍🌈

- “chase 2 girls, lose the one” = supposedly, when KK and TS met, Taylor was still in love/entangled with Dianna so perhaps she’s reflecting on making the wrong choice?

- CIWYW links: my baby’s high above the whole scene—> heartbeat on the high line, tidbit:as is clear in both Lover & 1989 New York is a sacred place for TS and KK’s love story, the high line is a) a beautiful NYC icon and b) right in between the girls’ two places...

- as mentioned, miss Karlie ELIZABETH Kloss was the brand model for Levi’s and definitely has worn some sequins and black lipstick on cobblestones sooooo.... 🤷🏼‍♀️

- “you drew stars around my scars” = see Drake’s birthday party and the infamous third Polaroid mystery 👀

- “stepping on the last train” could mean one of two things to me; 1. The last resort for KK was marrying J*sh or 2. the last train could represent some goodbye the girls had where KK chose something/someone else over Taylor.

- “peter losing Wendy” is such an interesting metaphor on so many levels but specifically, Wendy loses Peter because she wakes up (from nearly dying but nvm) and grows up and stops believing in Neverland and magic, basically Wendy loses an attachment to Peter because her reality shifts and that’s what gets remembered especially in the Disney version of the story. HOWEVER, the opposite is also true meaning Peter Pan loses Wendy because he can never co-exist with her again, he can never grow up or bring her back to Neverland without either killing her or ruining her. So this idea that someone wanted to change the ending from peter losing Wendy because he had to do what was best for her because he loved her echoes as Karlie didn’t want to marry Jerk or hurt Taylor but had to in order to protect her. Right? 😅

- “leaving like a father, running like water” = Taylor’s parents got divorced and there’s SOME thoughts Scott left the house and Taylor lives with her Mom in Nashville in her teen years.

- “I knew everything when I was young” - Taylor has always know she was LGBT+ 🌈 and also, baby VSFS vibes because as we all know, “we were both young when I first saw you...” send tweet.

- “I knew you’d come back to me” hopefully, HOPEFULLY foreshadows the girls being together/coming out soon !!!!!!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

- music video wise, I’ll do a break down soon.

TLGAD

- ‘Rebekkah’ refers to the previous owner of Taylor’s Watch Hill, RI house, Rebekah Harkness. She was a divorcee until marrying Standard Oil heir William (aka Bill) Hale Harkness, a new-money dynasty was formed in this time from their profit. There are MANY wild, whimsical stories about ‘Betty’ (which is obviously an extended metaphor of folklore)  that this song tries to re-create/recapture.  

- Taylor is also known as ‘Becky’ due to the popular meme so this is quite literally a play on her own character as well as the previous inhabitants of the house.

- St Louis is not only Rebekkah’s hometown, but also Karlie Elizabeth Kloss’. 

- “the wedding was charming, if a little gouche” seems like a direct shot fired at Karlie’s woodsy photoshoot of 2018 😂😂(ironically, folklore’s key aesthetic is the woods!!)

- “it must’ve been her fault his heart gave out” refers explicitly to William dying of a heart attack in the house, but subtly I feel like this is a dig at the media who constantly blame women for things they cannot control, as they have done with Taylor too many times to even count. 

- “who knows if she never showed up, what could’ve been” seems like Taylor is stuck thinking about what may have happened for her and Karlie if things had been different, see the 1. 

- “she/I had a marvellous time ruining everything” is such an incredibly provoking lyric on two fronts, 1. obviously taylor buying her RI house had a massive impact on an otherwise sleepy holiday town that is now more famous for Taylor’s july 4 parties than anything else and 2. seems introspective or personal, as if the things that ruined everything for Karlie and Taylor were the best and most marvellous parts of their relationship (big sur, kissgate etc.) 

- “flew in all her bitch pack friends from the city” is not only about the friends and celebs Rebekkah was notorious for hosting but also Taylor’s ‘bitches and model’ girl gang circa 2015 which includes one Karlie Kloss. 

- “blew through the money on the boys and the ballet” refers to Rebekkah’s love of wasting her fortune on things, including a ballet company that went under not long after she created it BUT also refers to Taylor paying so many boys to be her beards and PR stunts whilst also spending her money on a certain ex-Ballerina. Also remember her AMA’s performance of Lover/ bts of Shake It Off? 😉😉😉

- “50 years is a long time” - 50 seems deliberate, a bit of a reach but note it WAS the 50th anniversary of Stonewall last year. 🏳️‍🌈

-  “free of women with madness, their men and bad habits and THEN IT WAS BOUGHT BY ME.” - this clearly shows that ALL the songs are being narrated by Taylor, some of the lyrics are about her, some are about these fictional or fantastical characters she’s created but there is her truth behind all of them too. 

- “the loudest woman this town has ever seen” = Taylor is undoubtedly the most famous woman in the town who regualrly causes uproar there (see the Sea Wall debacle and the Taylor Swift Tax)

- in all, the two famed women owner’s of Holiday House have many overlaps and are forever intertwined. 

exile

- “i can see you standing honey with his arms around your body” as the opening line is LOUD. to me, feels like this is about ALL those staged photos of Josh and Karlie uncomfortable/fake as hell on social media. 

- “laughing but the joke’s not funny at all” is something we’ve all thought about Karlie’s marriage before and is about that moment where if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry at the situation. 

- “it took you 5 whole minutes to pack up ... holding all this love out here in the hall” to me is about someone moving out of a shared home, like Karlie from Taylor’s NYC apartment, after a break up or fight. We know it is MORE than likely that the girls’ broke up, for a while or for good, in 2017/18. 

- “I think I’ve seen this film before, and didn’t like the ending” is a lot like “Cause cruelty wins in the movies, I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you” / “All of my heroes die all alone.” which makes me truly believe that delicate > the archer > exile are all the progression of the same love story.  ❤️

- “now I’m in exile seeing you out” = both of them have lost their home, exiled from the relationship.

- “I can see you staring honey, like he’s just your understudy” has a lot to unpack. Firstly, see this photo. Second, as a beard, Joe is quite literally Karlie’s understudy - stepping in only to fill a public void or play her part when she can’t. 

- “like you’d get your knuckles bloody for me” is basically this tweet

- “second, third and hundredth chances” - hopefully this means the girls WILL be together again soon!!! 

- “those eyes add insult to injury” - Taylor has often made explcit reference to her lover’s eyes, but this could also mean the eyes of the public on her every move and relationship not allowing her to properly grapple with break ups. 👁️

-  “i’m not your problem anymore, so who am i offending?” - homophobes love to say wlw or mlm relationships “offend” them or their beliefs, so who could taylor be offending if she’s publicly in a straight relationship? 

- “you were my crown”, Taylor was/is Karlie’s princess, if Karlie is gone, Taylor doesn’t feel like she’s a princess anymore. Likewise, Karlie is Taylor’s sunshine which makes the moody, misty, dark aesthetics all the more relevant to this album. 

- “so I’m leaving out the side door’ - this side door? the other side of the door?

- “all of this time, we always walked a very thin line” between outing themselves and being happy? 

- “I gave so many signs” - Taylor has queercoded EVERY album since her self-titled, she has been dropping hints and signs for years that she is LGBT+ so it must be exhausting to have to keep hiding who she loves. This is repeated so many times - it means a lot. 

- written with William Bowery who nobody can quite identify, but Karlie and Taylor have been to the Bowery many times together and William is mentioned earlier in TLGAD

- this whole song is a duet, a two-sided conversation between lovers - her and karlie both without each other. 

my tears ricochet

- Track 5 is, as per usual, deeply confessional, personal, emotive and moving. 😿😿

- there are lots of theories and layers to this masterpiece of a song, including that it’s in reference to big machine. I personally think every single song of Taylor’s is made up of layers that reflect multiple things in her life and experience so plausibly it can be about multiple things all at once including Sco** and Scumbag as well as Karlie, who was under Scumbag’s management for the majority of the decade. Another theory which with every new listen I think is more and more possible is that this is alternating between Taylor and Karlie’s perspectives. 

- ‘if i’m on fire, you’ll be made of ashes too” whoever is associated with Taylor will ALWAYS be dragged down with her. If she’s being attacked, they will be too. Big 2016 energy. 

- “even on my worst day, did I deserve babe, all the hell you gave me?” could be directed at a lover, or at Big Machine, or even the public for all the shit they’ve said about Taylor over the years. 

- “I swear I loved you ‘till my dying day” seems a lot like the 1, as well as could be about the music and the label she helped build. 

- “I didn’t have it within myself to go with grace.” Taylor was LOUD about her split from Big Machine, she called them out (rightly) and made noise which is not a ‘graceful’ split. 

- “you’re the hero flying around saving face” very easily is about S+S jackasses but deeper than that, while Taylor was under immense attack and criticism, everyone who actually like her music pretended suddenly to hate it and her to stay ‘cool’ 

- “cause if I’m dead to you why are you at the wake?” this lyric becomes especially important in the final verse but essentially those who publicly distanced themself from Taylor still showed up when she was thriving again and/or because they actually truly loved her *uhmm karlie uhmm* 

- “cursing my name, wishing I stayed” either at Big Machine or with Karlie/Taylor. 

- “some to make a diamond ring” > firstly we still have never understood the ring image from the LWYMMD and ME! videos, it is entirely possible this is a continuation of that same symbol/image. Second, I think this hints to Karlie getting ‘engaged’ while still being with Taylor, the rock for the ring in the song was found by the two people gathering stones after all. 

- “you know i didn't want to have to haunt you” both Taylor and Karlie have big reputations all over the world that follow them everywhere. For either one, they will always be haunted by reminders of each other. 

- “you wear the same jewels that I gave you as you bury me” - on the Big Machine side, Taylor made the label professional and big, she is literally the sole reason it succeeded in the music industry so she handed Sco** his fortune and reputation which he still had when he sold her music to Scumbag and got into a very dirty bed with him. From the Karlie side, many people have noted that not only does she wear her black cartier necklace, which is assumed to be from Taylor, but to her ‘wedding’ wore a necklace she’d worn before with Taylor. 

- “when I’d fight you’d tell me I was brave” could refer to Sco** encouraging her in 2016 to defend herself. Could refer to Karlie supporting her behind the scenes. 

- ‘and I can go anywhere I want, just not home” seems like a continuation from exile, as in she’s lost the place she called home because her lover is no longer there but could also mean she can’t go back to her other albums and the house (see the lover music video) that they created as her musical home.

- “you will still miss me in your bones” could be about Sco** losing his money and label without her there to physically support and carry it or about the fact that the love Taylor and Karlie had is so ingrained it’s in their bones forever. 

- “and i still talk to you when I’m screaming at the sky” this lyric has a lot of possible interpretations (i’ve seen one about cursing out God?) but i think it’s similar to “asking the traffic lights if i’ll be alright” as in, it’s Taylor asking the universe to help her make sense of things. 

- “when you can’t sleep at night, you hear my stolen lullabies” suggests a) sco** + scumbag is still haunted by the music they stole from Taylor because it was literally the backbone of the business which is now practically worthless and b) that Karlie is kept awake by the songs Taylor has written for and about her over the years which again were stolen away by the jackasses at Big Machine.  

- “you had to kill me, but it killed you just the same” again, same idea - big machine will never be profitable without her/while they hold her masters hostage. BUT Karlie wise, breaking up with Taylor broke her too? 

- this is where the song changes. it shifts from Taylor’s story to someone else’s, personally I think Karlie. 

- “you turned into your worst fears” as in she settled for the money and sold her values off by marrying Josh. Also, Karlie was under Scumbag’s management for years (part of Taylor’s hatred of him was him keeping the girls’ from doing as they pleased) so by being completely controlled by him, she turned into this completely fake person. Contrast 2014/15 Karlie with 2017/18 Karlie and it so much more all about PR and money. 

- “you’re tossing out blame, drunk on this pain, crossing out the good years” - sco** and scumbag have made so many false excuses for their behaviour and completely erased the good relationship between the Swifts and sco**. Not sure yet what the Karlie side is here but it’s here somewhere. 

- in conclusion, this is about Big Machine and Karlie. As the first song Taylor wrote for the album, I think it’s clear just how incredibly multi-faceted this album is. ☕☕☕

mirrorball

- first off, we can never forget about this and this look from both girls. ✨✨

- “I’ll to show you every version of yourself tonight”, the public and the private sides to them both. this is big glass closet energy in my opinion 

- “and when I break it’s in a million pieces” is so personal and heartbreaking. 2016 and Kaylor breakup vibes. I cannot elaborate at this time. 

- “when no one is around my dear” = the secrecy, forbidden love motif returns and again, if she’s in a hetero relationship, what’s to hide? 

- “you’ll find me on my tallest tiptoes”, Just an fyi, Karlie, a giraffe, is 6′2″, Taylor is 5′10″ -- thats a big difference. 🦒🦒🦒

-  “i know they said the end is near” = end of the relationship or the end of hiding it, either way, it’s a romantic last private moment together, swaying as the room burns down. 

- “i can change everything about me to fit in” = Taylor when she was starting out was forced to create this all innocent, american-girl image of herself. She has had to hide herself to succeed, as she said in Miss Americana, she was muzzled. 

- “you are not like the regulars, the masquerade revelers” = Karlie is different to everyone else, or any other ex, ‘masquerade’ implies masked or hidden figures at a party, very Love Story 

- “and the called off the circus, burned the disco down” = the ‘circus’ could be the media/public, or all the illusions Taylor has cast in order to appear straight. The ‘disco’, and Taylor is the ‘mirror ball’ to her lover means that this isolated existence of just the two of them. 

- “I’m still on that tightrope, I’m still trying everything” for now, she’s still closeted, she’s still trying to have the best of everything. 

- “I’m still a believer, but I don’t know why” believer in everything working out perhaps, or perhaps believing it’s better if she’s in the closet and it’s only the two of them. 

- “never been a natural” = she has completely created herself through years off trying to be what people want, not who she naturally is. 

seven

- “picture me” implies this is retrospective of Taylor, she’s reflecting on her childhood/youth. 

- “I hit my peak at Seven” could either refer to the age 7 or album 7, ‘Lover’ which many critics argued was her best work. 

- “Over the creek I was too scared to jump in” = fear of jumping is something Taylor has discussed in many songs but this is different, the creek represents something she fears will drown her.

- “High in the sky with Pennsylvania under me” = obviously, Taylor was born and raised in rural PA, so this truly is a childhood memory unearthed and explored. It’s personal to Taylor, it’s her story. 👏🏼

- “Are there still beautiful things?”  Recognizing the world isn’t all daisies and rainbows 

- “cross your heart, don’t tell no other” = again, secret keeping and hiding something is a big queer image, ‘cross your heart’ is a quite childish phrase but it’s adult equivalent in Taylor’s world is an NDA, ie swearing people to secrecy is something she's always known... 🔐

- “Although i can’t recall your face, I still got love for you” = this childhood love has faded with time to memories, this girl simultaneously forgotten and remembered. 

- “Your braids like a pattern” = definitely about a girl (1996 rural Pennsylvania was not the kind of place where boys had braids), specific use of YOUR pronoun not ‘my’ or ‘our’ suggesting again it’s about a girl. Very obviously about a first girl crush. 🌈 

- “passed down like folk songs, the love lasts so long” = firstly, reference to Neruda’s poem Taylor used in the red prologue. second, folksongs change slightly from generation to generation but the heart/melody remains the same meaning that in Taylor’s mind, the story of her first girl love has changed but it’s still the same song/story all the years later. also, clearly a reminder of the setting of the song and the album as a whole being folklore. 💛

- “your dad is always mad and that must be why” feels a lot like Love Story and forbidden love, also again rural Pennsylvania in the mid-1990s was not the most liberal place so I can imagine a lot of homophobic ideas that perforated Taylor’s childhood.

- “I think you should come live with me” is such an innocent image of someone in love and wanting to just fix things by bringing them home, it also is like a baby gay version of uhauling 

- “we could be pirates” = pirates are not just a childhood image/motif but also one historically seen as gay, gangs of pirates often had ‘mateolage’ agreements that basically were like widow’s benefits. See John Swann. ☠️

- “you won’t have to cry, or hide in the closet.” = I think this one is explicitly clear but just to be sure, Taylor could’ve said “hide when he lost it, hide if you wanted, hide in the woods too” etc. Read this for a full understanding of why it such a LOUD image to use.  It is VERY DELIBERATE PEOPLE. 🌈🌈🌈

- “just like a folk song, our love will be passed on” = different from the first bridge but deliberate again. Their story, aka Taylor liking girls from a young age will always be talked about, AND their love lives in this song she wrote.

- “picture me in the weeds before I learned civility” = again, given the homophobic attitude, ‘civility’ and straightness should be read as the same so Taylor is saying when she was a child, free in the grass and herself, she wants to always be. 

- “I used to scream ferociously any time I wanted” = she wasn’t muzzled as a child, she could say and be who she wanted, screaming it aloud for everyone to hear but that changed as she grew up. 

- “pack your dolls and a sweater, we’ll move to India forever” = ‘dolls’ again would imply it’s two girls running away together and India is this exocitc far off place to a child, a place where they can be together without anyone knowing them or controlling them. 

August

- Karlie Kloss is born in August. Karlie Kloss posted yesterday about being a Leo (an August born). August belongs to Karlie Kloss. 🦁♌

- “rust on your door” = image of something well-worn, perhaps someone who’s been here too a few times before?

- “whispers of are you sure?” = obviously there is the sexual connotation, but beyond that, what if it’s about Taylor and Karlie going public etc. 

- “never have I ever before” = see above but also the game ‘never have I ever’ evokes youthfulness and sounds almost like a reminder of a fun night with friends. 

- “I can see us lost in the memory” = implies they’re still together, losing themself in the memory together

- “I can see us twisted in bedsheets” = again, sexual imagery but also the intimacy of sharing a bed with the person you love after sex 

- “Like a bottle of wine” = matures the song a bit, the youthfulness of earlier is now more adult. 21 is America’s drinking age, 20s were mentioned early etc. 🍷

- “Cause you were never mine” = the whole of Taylor and Karlie’s relationship, Karlie has publically been dating Josh so she was never solely Taylor’s. 

- “Will you call when you’re back at school?” = Karlie attended NYU in 2015, the height of Kaylor. 

- “back when we were still changing for the better” = instead of changing to adapt/survive or keep up appearances. 

- “wanting was enough” = wanting Karlie without labels was enough, rather than having to go public etc. Many have said for a long time that Karlie and Taylor fought about coming out or not. 

- “cancel plans in case you would call” = sounds like a very love-sick Taylor Swift thing to do. Also waiting on a lover’s call when they constantly are travelling like both Karlie and Taylor do makes sense. ☎️

- “so much for summer love” = cruel summer echo? Summer 2015 was again, peak Kaylor so this could be a specific reference to that period

- “Do you remember? Remember when I pulled up and said ‘get in the car’” another specific reference, comes up again later in Betty, clearly is something personal. 

- “Back when I was still living for the hope of it all” = back as in the past when everything was happening, hope of it all being the hope they’d still end up together. 

TO SUM UP PART 1:

BENEATH ALL FICTION OR MYTH IS FACT & FEELING. Taylor is no longer hiding. Yes, some of these songs are about stories and people not her but there is so much of herself and her own story layered in too. PAY ATTENTION!!! Obviously, these are just my opinions, I’m not Taylor so I cannot know exactly what these songs are about but I think, after years of analyzing her music, these images/themes and deliberate word choice are well-versed in this part of the fandom. It is entirely possible this is the beginning of Taylor’s full, public coming out journey. 

I’ll be back with Part 2 tomorrow.  Stay Tuned!

#ts8 #taylor swift #taylor swift gay #taylor swift karlie kloss #Kaylor #kaylor proof #gaylor swit #Gaylor #GAYLOR RISE #karlie kloss taylor swift #Karlie Kloss #karlie what you want #tasloveskk #folklore #folklore taylor swift

[theraputicwritings]

Poker Faces & Mistletoe Kisses

A/N: Wow! Two stories in two nights! I am officially on a roll! I wasn’t planning to write a Christmas story, but I got a lovely anonymous request to write a Secret Santa story. So without further ado, enjoy!

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Reader

Word Count: 1,686

Warnings: None really except for some almost cotton candy sweet fluff

Request: Hey, could you do a Spence request? Since your masculinity one was sooooo gooooood. It's Christmas at the FBI, and the team has done Secret Santa and you got Spence, your best friend. Presents are exchanged at Rossi's mansion, and you end up being under the mistletoe with Spence when he asks you out on a date. 🎅

“One thing even a poker face cannot hide is love.”

― Tapan Ghosh

“Alright my lovely crime-fighting superheroes! Gather around the Christmas tree! It is time to open our Secret Santa gifts! And this year we’re adding a fun little twist!”

Penelope Garcia couldn’t have been more excited for the annual BAU Christmas party and it was infectious. You’d only been going for two years, but they were amazingly fun. It helped that the BAU team was such a tight-knit group, but they were also just a lot of fun. It was a good distraction from the otherwise dark world that tended to surround the team weekly.

Everyone slowly made their way to where Rossi had set up the beautiful Christmas tree. (You were fairly positive he had paid for it to be set up, but you weren’t complaining.) The room was cozy and warm, exactly how Christmas should be. It smelled like a mix of mulled wine, apple cider, and the Italian spices Rossi always used to make his traditional Italian Christmas meal.

You carefully balanced your cocktail on one knee as Spencer sat on one side of you and Derek on the other. It was the perfect you sandwich on pretty boy bread and you couldn’t have been more pleased with your couch buddies.

You smiled to yourself as you noticed that Spencer was particularly close to you. It was how you normally sat next to each other. Whether it was on the seats in the jets or each other’s couches during your bi-weekly Doctor Who marathon. It made the cozy atmosphere that much more cozy knowing he was sitting close to you.

“So what’s the twist this year, Baby Mama?” Derek asked a flirty smirk on his lips. “I know it’s going to be fun if it came out of your beautiful mind.”

Penelope practically bounced with each movement as she paced in front of the group who had all sat down on various couches, chairs, and floor cushions.

“It is going to be more fun than bingo night at the Rotary Club. Which is quite fun if you believe it or not,” she quirked. “So, the rules are each person will be presented with their Secret Santa gift. Once it’s been open, everyone will try to guess who’s gift it is. If the group is right, the gifted drinks. If the group is wrong, then the group drinks. Makes sense?”

Everyone nodded in response so she turned and started to rummage through the pile of gifts under the tree.

“First up is none other than Boy Genius, Dr. Spencer Reid himself! Here you go.”

Carefully she placed in front of him a small Christmas stocking and everyone leaned in to see what was in the gift. An awkward and shy smile crawled across Spencer’s lips as he removed the tissue paper and pulled out a deck of poker cards and a tie wrapped in ribbon.

“Oh wow, poker cards! I’m guessing someone wants to try their hand at besting me,” he remarked. You could tell he wasn’t nearly as excited for the gift but was doing his best to hide his lack of enthusiasm. Everyone else however had already started profiling the gifts to guess who they were from.

“Both gifts have a certain whimsy, playful quality to them,” Emily said as she looked up at Penelope.

“Yeah, but the cards look vintage. Maybe even antique. Some thought was definitely put into them,” Morgan added on, reaching across you to grab the box. It did look vintage and you looked over his shoulder in interest.

After a few more seconds of everyone deducing who could have given the gifts, the conclusion had been made that they were from Rossi.

“Nope,” the older man said, popping the “p” and taking a sip of his scotch.

“Well, then who gifted them?” JJ asked, looking around as everyone took a sip from their drinks.

Everyone that is… except you.

When they realized it was you who had gifted the poker cards, everyone looked shocked and it didn’t surprise you. Traditionally you were ah-mazing at giving gifts. It was your love language and you had a knack for giving thoughtful and personal gifts. A tie and a box of poker cards didn’t seem like you. Especially after last year when you’d personally made Rossi a leather-bound book full of the recipes he’d taught you that year.

After shrugging it off, everyone wondered if maybe it had just been a fluke and continued with the game. You knew better though. You had an ace up your sleeve that you planned to play later that night.

Not too long after, everyone had been given their gifts and everyone was starting to get tipsy. You weren’t too bad yet but the vodka in your drink was starting to give you the type of warm fuzzies you generally avoided. After graciously thanking JJ for the beautiful pair of boots she’d given you, you quietly stood up and escaped to the kitchen for a glass of water.

While you were helping yourself to the iced water and a few cubes of fancy cheesy you felt someone behind you. Turning, you discovered it was exactly who you thought it would be.

“Hey, Spencer.”

Spencer smiled and walked up to you so you two were close.

“Hey. What are you doing in here?”

You shrugged and held up the glass with water in it.

“Just hydrating. Trying not to get too drunk.”

Spencer nodded before starting, “Actually drinking water doesn't prevent a hangover. In fact, studies have concluded, the only way to prevent a hangover is to drink less alcohol.”

He finished his little factoid with a quirky smile and it made butterflies erupt in your stomach. You didn’t know why, but sometimes you felt like you were the only one who actually enjoyed it when Spencer quoted one of the many facts that he knew off the top of his head. His intelligence and passion for knowledge and learning made him uniquely him and you loved it about him.

“Well, it’s a little late on the drinking-less-bit, but staying hydrated during a party has never hurt someone,” you responded with a shrug.

A comfortable silence fell over the two of you as you popped another cheese cube into your mouth.

“You know, I’m kinda surprised at your Secret Santa gift. It’s not what I expected a gift from you to be like.”

Spencer’s face turned red and you hoped your poker face hid the laugh you were failing to suppress.

“That’s because it’s only part of the gift, Spencer.”

“There’s more?” Spencer asked, raising his eyebrows.

Nodding, you put your glass down and took his hand. “Here, come with me.”

With your best sneaky, flirty smile, you slowly led him out the backdoor and to a spot you’d scouted when you’d first arrived at the party. Rossi’s property was massive, but you’d taken notice of the invasive plant covering a tree near the garden and knew it was the perfect location. Christmas lights had been strung throughout the yard and it held for quite the romantic ambiance.

Once you’d gotten settled under the tree, you turned to Spencer, pleased to see he was oblivious to what the two of you were standing under.

This was it. This was the moment you’d been planning on. You were going to reveal to Spencer your feelings. There were some anxieties about if he didn’t like you back, but you were confident Spencer reciprocated those feelings. His poker face wasn’t nearly as good when it came to relationships.

“That deck of cards is more than just your typical poker set. Yes, they’re vintage, but they’re more than that too. Open the box and see for yourself.”

Spencer tilted his head in confusion as he pulled the box out of his jacket pocket. Carefully he pulled the lid off of the tin box and read what you had written on the first card.

“52 Reasons Why I Love Spencer Reid.”

His head popped up and his eyes went from confused to bewildered to shocked to pleased to uncomfortable in a matter of seconds. It was a whirlwind for you to watch and try to interpret his emotions.

“You love me?” he asked as he took the cards out of the box. Slowly, he shifted through the cards which listed the various reasons why you had started to fall in love with Spencer over the two years that you had been working together.

“I think I do. Yeah. I don’t know if I actually know what love is, Spencer, but the feelings I have for you are more than just attraction.”

When you didn’t get a response, you started to panic.

“I’m sorry. It’s a stupid and unprofessional gift. I shouldn’t have done all this… especially if it’s going to ruin our friendship. I just needed to tell you how I feel and—“

You were cut off by a pair of lips pressing into yours. You could feel yourself practically melt but as soon as they were there, they were gone.

You opened your eyes and looked up at Spencer.

“I think I have feelings for you too, Y/N. I have for a while now, and I’ve wanted to ask you out on a date, but I didn’t want to ruin our friendship if you didn’t feel the same way,” Spencer explained as he tucked a piece of hair behind your ear.

His hand came to rest on your shoulder and you hoped the smile on your face was cute and didn’t feel as big and goofy as it felt.

“So you like my gift then?” You asked hopefully.

Spencer chuckled as he nodded. “I do.”

“That’s good then. Otherwise, I would have felt awkward placing us under a tree full of mistletoe.”

Eyes wide, Spencer tilted his head up to confirm that what you said was true. Sure enough, the parasitic plants were covering the tree. Some of the branches were low enough to be right over your heads.

“Well, I guess we should kiss again?” Spencer suggested as he stepped closer to you and leaned in.

“I guess we should,” you agreed before pressing your lips into his.

“She was in the only place she wanted to be right now.

She was home.” Tilly Tennant

#theraputic writings #spencer reid x reader #criminal minds #spencer reid x you #reader insert #fluff #derek morgan #penelope garcia #imagines #criminal minds fanfiction #fanfiction #anonymous request #christmas #poker #mistletoe

[amazingphanisnotonfire-imagines]

Sweet Pea//maybe that’s the most heartbreaking thing of all

Request: i requested this before but idk if it went through may I please request an imagine where the reader is Jug's little sister by a year and sweet pea goes out with her because of a dare but actually falls for her but she finds out and breaks up with him but he goes to her begging for forgiveness but she refused and ends up dating someone else but they break her heart and sweet pea is there and she is crying about not being good enough for anyone and he tells her how perfect she is how much he loves her and she forgives him admitting to still being in love with him and they get back together maybe it could be the first time they say they love each other

hey!! i hope you enjoy this! i struggled at the beginning to get in the flow of it but i got there! also. this goes right back to the beginning of imagine writing. its got all the abbreviations, so just in case you’ve forgot, or you’re new...here’s a quick guide: 

y/f/c - your favourite colour 

y/l/f/c - your least favourite colour 

y/f/a - your favorite animal 

Couples having their first date in Pop’s is nothing new. Its somewhat of a tradition in Riverdale, even more so after the drive-in closed down. Everybody either has or will have a date in Pop’s. With great food, cozy booths and neon lighting it makes the best backdrop to love. 

And tonight was your turn to experience the magic of it. 

Three days ago, Sweet Pea had approached you out of the blue while you were sat with your friends in the lunch hall. 

At first you thought he was going to give you a not very nice message to pass on to your older brother. Despite Jughead being a year older than you, he often got involved in very childish rivalries. The main one being between him and the very tall serpent in front of you, and even though they’d kissed and made up by now, there was still always something bubbling under the surface. 

But to your surprise and secret delight he’d asked you out on a date, and you of course said yes...probably too quickly. He then nodded towards your friends, all of which were trying and failing to hide a smile as they watched the interaction, before sending you a quick wink and leaving with a few of his friends. 

Once you were sure he couldn’t see you anymore, you let the blush on your cheeks fully take over and a small squeal left your lips. 

Tonight, you’d let out the same small squeak before you left your house. Saying a quick goodbye to your dad and Jughead, both of which suspicious as to why you were so happy and dressed up. You told them you were just going to see a movie with your friends and although you’re sure they hadn’t really bought it, to be honest you didn’t really care. 

You were going on a date! 

With Sweet Pea!! 

There are so many girls that would quite literally kill to be you right now, and if it weren’t for your brother being serpent leader, they probably would have by now.

As you turn the corner into Pop’s parking lot, you can see Sweet Pea pacing just beside the steps. He’s on the phone to someone and a small smile appears on your face as you hear him laugh. 

He doesn’t notice you’ve arrived until you’re tapping him on the shoulder making him jump a little. His laughter stops once he see’s you and your smile falters a little. He had been worried that you wouldn’t turn up. The only way his dare would count (and he’d get paid) was if you:

1. Actually turned up to the date 

And

2. If the date lasted at least an hour. 

He had one of those things, now he just had to get you to stay. 

Easy. 

His smile returns as he figures out the best way to get you as interested in him as he can. 

“Wow.” He mutters as he looks you up and down. A blush appears on your cheeks making you look at the pavement. “You look amazing.” He adds and the blush grows. Smoothing out some invisible wrinkles in your outfit, you force yourself to look back up at him, but soon realize just how much of a mistake that was when you feel your knees go weak from the way he’s staring at you. 

“Do you want to go in?” You change the subject and he nods, opening the door and letting you walk in first. 

There’s an empty booth right at the back of the diner and the two of you rush towards it. He lets you sit down first before joining opposite you and you send him a shy smile. 

“Sooooo.” He looks around awkwardly. “What are you getting?” 

“I’m not sure.” You say while scanning the menu. “I don’t know whether to get my usual or try something new.” 

“Try something new.” He replies quickly and you look at him a little surprised. “We both can. Its a special night after all.” He watches you decide what you want, a small smile on his lips as you read all the options out loud. But then he remembers what this is supposed to be. 

A dare. 

Nothing more. Nothing less. 

Easy money and a chance to piss off Jones. 

His smile completely disappears as he tries to tell himself not to get caught up in you and you frown when you notice his expression. 

“Are you okay?” You reach out to him and gently squeeze his hand. “We can go if you want?” 

“No!” He says rather too loudly and you stare at him confused. “I mean. I’m fine. Have you decided what you wanted?” 

“Yeah! I think I’m going to try this.” You lean over the table slightly, pointing at the food on his menu, but he’s not listening. Because the close proximity is doing something to him and if he breathes he can smell your perfume and its surrounding him, making him feel overwhelmed. “What about you?” You look up at him, your faces mere inches apart and you have to take a second to get your head to stop spinning before you sit back down properly. 

“I-I think I’m going to decide on the way there.” He stutters a little while standing, grabbing both menus. 

“I think they come and take your order if you’re sitting in.” 

“Its fine. It might be done quicker if I go up and order.” He shakes his head.

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Your tone is playful as he walks away, but it makes him anxious anyway. He needs to keep you here for another 55 minutes, and the fact that Fangs and a few other serpents are hiding in the other corner of Pops, spying very badly on the two of you, isn’t making him feel any better. 

Once he orders he slowly makes his way back over to you. As he approaches he notices you texting, a soft smile on your face as you type and he has to push away the feelings of him being an awful person before he can sit opposite you again. 

“Do you know how long its going to take?’ You ask, locking your phone once you notice him. 

“About twenty minutes I think.” He replies. 

“So, about the same time if you’d stayed?” You say teasingly and he rolls his eyes in reply. 

“Whatever.” He huffs. He looks cute when he huffs. He always looks cute, but when he pouts like, you just want to kiss him. Woah...calm down. This is just the first date. Keep it in your pants Y/l/n.

“So. What do you want to talk about?” You change the subject before your thoughts become slightly less PG. 

“I don’t know. What do people usually talk about on first dates?” He asks and slumps a little while you think. 

“Oh!” Your eyes light up. “What’s your favourite colour?” 

“Really?” He sends you a look, making a soft blush appear on your cheeks. “Thats what you came up with?” 

“Hey. I have so many better questions but I thought I’d start off easy. So, are you going to answer or are you one of those people that ‘like all colours the same’?” You mock him and he rolls his eyes playfully. 

“Fine.” He shrugs. “I’ll answer your question, but you’re not allowed to laugh. My favourite colour is yellow.” He mumbles the last part and your eyes widen in surprise. “I told you no laughing.” 

“I’m not laughing.” You hold your hands up. “I’m just a little shocked. You do know yellow is a happy colour right? I don’t I’ve ever seen you wear anything brighter than dark blue.” 

“Thats because you don’t have to wear your favourite colour.” 

“I’m wearing my favourite colour.” You reply and motion to your outfit. 

“So you like y/f/c?” He asks and you nod. “It suits you.” He adds making your cheeks heat up. Thankfully the corner you’re sat in is quite dark, so you’re hoping it covers up just how much you’re blushing. Frankly its embarrassing just how much he makes you blush. But then again, this is Sweet Pea. Thy boy you’ve been crushing on for years.

“Thanks.” 

“So if we’re doing favourites. What’s your favourite animal?” 

“Really?” You raise an eyebrow and he looks at you offended. “And you complained when I asked about colours?” 

“Animals are living things. A colour is just something you paint your walls.” He replies and you just stare at him for a few seconds, a completely bewildered look taking over your features.

“You have some very strong opinions.” You take a mental note not to ask about his favourite food because god knows what reaction you’ll get. “But my favourite animal is y/f/a.” 

“Yeah. Thats a good choice.” He nods. “Mine is a dinosaur.” 

“What?” 

“My favourite animal is a dinosaur.” 

“How old are you exactly? Because I could have sworn you were the same age as my brother.” 

“Ha. Ha.” He replies sarcastically. “Dinosaurs are cool. They’re diverse. They’re old as hell-” 

“They got taken out by an asteroid.” 

“They look badass.” He glares at you. “There were some the same size as chickens. Can you imagine how cool it would be to have a dinosaur as a pet?” 

“Again, taken out by an asteroid.” 

“They also had two holes behind their eye sockets. And jaw muscles went through the holes to attach directly to the top of the skull. Which made the jaws able to open wide and clamp down with more force.” 

“Well, isn’t that lovely?” You grimace, although there’s a smile threatening to appear and you have to force it away. “Its like you’re a walking national geographic channel.” 

“Actually I learnt that from The Natural Museum website.” 

“Sorry.” You tease. “Wherever you learnt it though, I’m very impressed.” 

“I’m a lot smarter than what your brother might have told you. Speaking of, whats it like being related to Jones?” 

“Not as bad as everybody makes out.” You shrug and he sends you a look. “Its not. Sometimes he can be a bit annoying, but all older brothers are.”

“Sure.” He replies. “Blink twice if you need help.” He says making you laugh.  

“Here’s your food guys. I hope you enjoy.” Veronica smiles as she places the plates down. She sends you a wink before leaving you both alone.  

“You’ve really never had a burger and fries before?” You raise an eyebrow at him while you sip your drink. 

“What?” 

“You said you were going to try something new.” You giggle and point to the food in front of him. 

“Oh.” He looks down. “I er. I must have forgot.” 

“Are you sure you’re alright? Because if you’re not we can leave.” He looks away from you, trying to find Fangs in the now very busy place. He finds him, eventually and he’s already looking at him, holding his phone up and shaking his head. He then checks the time on his phone and notices you’ve only been in here for less than half an hour making him sigh. “Sweet Pea?” 

“Huh? What?” He looks back at you quickly, shoving his phone in his pocket. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Yeah. I’m er. I’m just tired. I’ve had a busy day.” 

“Hey. I have a new favourite question.” 

“Go on. Impress me.” He challenges. 

“Whats your favourite memory?” 

“A picnic when I was 8.” He answers almost instantly. “My mom was at work so my grandma was looking after me. It was only in the back garden but I had so much fun. She never had anyone really look after it so it was full of really tall weeds that I used to play in and pretend to cut down with a plastic sword. She let me pick a spot and we managed to flatten enough of it to lay a blanket out and she’d gotten all my favourite food. It was really nice. And when my mom came to pick me up we were still out there so she joined us and the three of us shared the last cookie while I told them both terrible kid jokes.” 

“Thats really sweet.”  

He shakes your comment off, smiling bashfully as he watches you eat. He’s never told anybody that. If he’s being honest he really didn’t want to tell you that, but there was something about the way you looked at him and the happy tone in your voice that made him crumble. The way you asked him, and then listened, a smile growing on your face the more he told you. It was the first time anybody has really, actually, genuinely wanted to hear about his life. 

And that terrifies him. This isn’t supposed to be real. He isn’t supposed to feel real feelings. Its not real. He reminds himself. 

“What about yours?” He asks, desperately wanting to get the attention away from him because he’s scared if you continue looking at him like this he’s going to tell you his entire life story and he’s never been that vulnerable with anybody before. 

“Hmm.” You think about if for a few seconds. Your eyes sparkling as you go through every memory you have. “When I had my first kiss.” You chuckle at the memory and he looks at you confused. 

“What?” 

“Hear me out.” You laugh. “It was with Archie.” 

“What!?” 

“Yeah. And it was a dare.” 

“What?” His blood runs cold. Is he really that obvious? Have you figured it out? Of course you have, you’re clever and funny and smart and pretty an-

“It wasn’t like that though.” You shake your head. 

“Like what?” 

“Like, I dare you to kiss her and I’ll give you $1 for it.” You explain.

Change kiss to date and $1 to $50 and its almost the same. 

“I was 13 and he had just turned 14. He still hadn’t kissed anybody and he was worried. At the time I didn’t really know why, but when you look at all the girls he’s dated since, I can understand why he was worried. So I dared him to kiss me and he did.” 

“What was it like?” 

“Awful.” You laugh loudly and he feels himself relax again. “But at the same time it was nice. It was sweet. Plus, I always have that I was the first person to kiss Archie Andrews. When I’m feeling down about myself I like to tell myself that the reason he’s dated so many people is because he’s trying to find someone that can kiss as well as me.” 

“You should never feel down about yourself.” He says sincerely, and there’s not enough darkness in the world that could hide your blush. 

“What made it even better was that Jughead walked in on it and him and Archie almost got in a fight.” 

“I would have payed to see that.” He laughs. “I still would to be honest.” 

The two of you continue to eat, exchanging small conversation every so often. After you’ve both finished eating, he checks the time while you laugh at something he’s said, and notices that its almost been an hour and he’s happy that its nearly over. 

But the other part of him is sad that it might be ending. So he ignores time and the real world, in favour of pretending with you. He doesn’t even come back to reality when Fangs and the rest of the serpents leave, subtly dropping money on his seat. 

The next time either of you check the time is when Veronica comes over after a few hours and asks if you want anything else. Thats when you realize its almost 11, and that your dad is going to kill you. 

“Oh shit.” You panic. “I’m supposed to be back at 11.” 

“Fuck.” He stands up, quickly noticing the money and slipping it in his back pocket while you’re busy putting your jacket on. “Okay, I’ll pay and then I’ll give you a lift home.” 

“Sweet Pea. I can pay for my own food.” You argue. 

“I know you can. But I want to. And we have ten minutes to get you back home so you can’t afford to argue with me.” He replies and you roll your eyes but agree anyway. 

“Fine.” You huff. “But I’m paying for the next one.” You add and he freezes. “Thats if you want another one I mean. No pressure.” You back track, while he just stares at you. 

“I-er-” 

“Here’s your bill.” Veronica hands you a receipt and Sweet Pea lets out a breath. 

He pays quickly before leading you out into the dark parking lot. 

“Here.” He hands you the helmet and you take it, carefully placing it on your head. The ride back home seems far too short for you’re liking and the next thing you know he’s walking you up the steps to the front door. 

“You didn’t have to give me a lift you know?” You say. The two of you are stood on your porch. You’re sure if either your dad or Jughead look out the window they will definitely be able to see who you’re with and where you’ve been, but right now, you don’t care. You can deal with that later. 

You’re just enjoying spending time with Sweet Pea. You’re also glad you didn’t die on the journey back. Riverdale may have strict driving laws, but Sweet Pea does not stick to them. However, if you did die, you would have died happy with your arms wrapped around his chest and a bright smile on your face. 

“I know.” He shrugs, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “But, I’m going that way anyway soooo.” 

“You’re such a gentlemen.” You tease and the two of you giggle lightly. 

“What’s it like living in Coopers old house? Do the ghosts of her messed up family haunt the halls?” He asks and you roll your eyes, nudging him a little. 

“No.” You deadpan. “Its weird. Especially if you’ve lived in a trailer for the majority of your life. And even weirder now that Betty and her mom live with us. But I wouldn’t say its bad. Its kind of nice to have some sort of normal...ish family for a change.” 

“Your definition of normal and everybody else’s definition of normal are too very different things.” 

“Shut up.” You punch his arm lightly and he feigns hurt. 

“This was nice.” He says, now feeling more awkward than he ever has in his entire life. 

“It was, yeah.” You nod. 

All he has to do is say goodnight and leave. He’s completed a dare, he’s made some easy money and he’s had some great food. Plus it was nice to go to Pops with somebody other that Fangs. 

“Night.” He gives you one last look before turning around and starting to walk down the steps. 

“Sweet Pea?” You follow after him. “Tell me another dinosaur fact...please.” 

“The word dinosaur comes from the Greek language and means ‘terrible lizard’.” You laugh and a soft smile comes to his face.

Your eyes flutter closed as you slowly move towards him. Kissing him nervously, he freezes for the second time in one night. However he doesn’t stay like that for long, his arms wrap around your waist as he kisses you back.

Never has Sweet Pea been kissed like that before. So gently and like kissing him any harder would break him. 

But now he has a problem. 

Because he liked it. 

And he definitely wants to do it again.

“Goodnight Sweet Pea.” You kiss his cheek before jogging up the steps and through the front door. 

What the hell is he supposed to do now? 

----

Sweet Pea has been trying so hard to avoid you. No matter how hard his heart protests. 

It was one date, for a dare. Thats what he keeps telling himself. 

But deep down he knows that it wasn’t just that. He had a genuinely nice time with you. 

You’re sweet, pretty and kind. And despite the fact that you’re related to Jones, he knows there’s so much more to learn about you. 

“Hey!” Your smile is bright, and he can’t help the smile that appears on his face as he watches you sit beside him. Despite the fact that his heart is racing, either due to the fright you gave him, or the mere presence of you, he manages to reply. 

“Hi.” He mumbles, finding anything but you to look at. Only now has he realised how bland the walls are in the school cafeteria. Who paints a school cream? Cream is the worst colour in history. “What’s your least favourite colour?” 

“What?” You laugh.

“Well we talked about your favourite colour the other day. What’s your least favourite colour?” 

“Err.” You think for a moment before scrunching your nose up. “Y/l/f/c. Yours?” 

“Cream.” 

“Wow. You were very quick to reply. What’s cream ever done to you?” 

“Made everything boring.” He replies making you laugh and shake your head. 

“I was wondering.” You take a glance at your friends who are all giggling and whispering to each other while they watch you, which surprisingly doesn’t do much for your confidence. But you fight through it and decide to just get straight to the point.  “Do you want to go out again?” 

His eyes widen a little as he searches the room for Fangs or literally anybody. He’d even settle for Jughead coming over. Just anybody to get him out of this because he know’s he’s going to say something stupid like...

“Yes.” dammit. His mouth moved before his brain even had time to comprehend what he was saying and now he hates himself, and more importantly Fangs for being late. What the hell where all the serpents even doing? 

“Great!” Your face lights up and his entire body sinks. “I’ll see you tonight at Pops again? At 7 maybe?” 

“Ye-yeah.” He nods. “That sounds great.” 

“Great!” You repeat and you seem even happier than before. “By the way, you do know there’s a serpent meeting going on right?” 

“Shit.” thank god. he can get out of here now. 

He somehow seems to be digging an even bigger hole for himself and now he has no idea how he’s going to get out of it. Definitely not with the help from any of his friends. 

----

The second date you and Sweet Pea had, was definitely different from the first. 

You’d met at Pop’s. But as soon as he saw Fangs sat by the window he decided that maybe going in there wasn’t the best option. 

Thankfully you didn’t notice the sudden change of heart, so didn’t think it was too strange when he suddenly shouted about going to see a movie. 

And to his surprise. He actually enjoyed himself. Well, he knew he was going to enjoy himself anyway. But it was better than he could of imagined, despite the slight crushing feeling in his chest. 

Plus he got to kiss you again! 

After the movie you walked around town for a little bit and talked about life and dreams and more favourite things...no matter how much he complained about that part. 

So maybe this isn’t such a bad thing. I mean, yeah, it started out bad. But plenty of good things come from bad experiences. He can’t think of any every time he tries, but he’s sure there is some and thats good enough for him. 

Plus, its not like he’s going to tell you about the dare. He likes you and he doesn’t want to hurt you. And he can’t imagine the rest of the serpents mentioning anything. Weirder and crazier dares are done by them everyday, this is ancient history by now. 

So a week after your first date, he decides that he’s going to make his first proper move. He’s ready. He’s only really known you a week but he knows your special. And you’re definitely worth putting up with Jughead for. He just needs  a milkshake first to collect his thoughts. 

Once he walks through the doors of Pop’s he’s hit with two things. 

One. How empty it is. Its Friday night, he should have to fight to get through the amount of people in the place. But there’s barely anybody here and he has to try and remember if he heard of any parties happening tonight. There’s none that he can think of, but it might be a last minute thing. Yeah, its probably a last minute thing. 

The second thing he notices is you, sitting in the corner again and his breath hitches as the sight of you. But then he see’s you crying and his heart aches. 

“Whats wrong?” He asks, sitting beside you as quickly as he can. As soon as he sits down his arms are around you, pulling you close. 

A part of him is scared that you’ve found out and that all of this is going to be over before its even began. But when you cuddle further into him he lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, relief flooding every part of him. 

“Its nothing.” You shake your head. “Its not important.” 

“Clearly it is.” He says and slowly pulls you away from him so he can look at you properly. How do you manage to still look cute despite crying? “Come on. You can tell me.” 

“I just feel a little left out.” You sigh. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Just, when we were younger me and Jughead were really close. But now it feels like he’d rather hang out with anybody but me. And that really sucks you know? I know we can’t do everything together, he has a life, I have a life. But I just feel like I never see him again. Plus, all my friends have gone to a stupid party and they didn’t invite me.” 

“I understand.” He says, your eyes meeting his making you feel a little breathless. “And it does suck. But just because you don’t spend all of your time together, doesn’t mean he loves you any less. I mean, he almost fought Archie for you.” 

“That was years ago.” Your roll your eyes. 

“And I’m sure he’d still do it now.” He replies. “He’d probably lose, but still. Its the thought that counts.” 

“Hey.” You shove his arm. “Thats my brother.”

“I know. And everyday I feel sorry for you.” He says sincerely.

“And as for your friends? Idiots. Because that party is going to suck without you.” He reassures you.

“Thanks for making me feel better.” You kiss his cheek softly before leaning your head on his shoulder. 

“Well, thats what boyfriends are for.” He replies, eyes widening once he realizes what he’s said. This was not how he was going to ask you. 

“Boyfriend?”  

“I er-” 

“I’d like that.” You smile. “I’d like it a lot.” 

“Yeah?” He looks down at you. 

“Yeah.” You agree before kissing him sweetly. “At least now there’s one person who’ll never forget about me.”

There’s something about that sentence that doesn’t make him feel right for a few seconds, and he can’t help wonder if he did the right thing. 

----

“Just a few more steps.” You say while looking over his shoulder. You didn’t think guiding a giant into your back garden would be this difficult, however you’re now regretting not giving something to use as a blindfold. He’s practically dragging you along behind him and you’ve never met a clumsier boy. “Mind that stone.” You say but he’s already stumbled over it and you roll your eyes at him, despite the fact he can’t see you. “Okay. Stop.” You say and he stops walking abruptly. You groan as you bump into his back making him chuckle. “Ass.” You mumble and shove him a little. 

You move your hands away from his eyes and he gasps as he looks around. 

“Whats this?” The two of you look at the blanket and basket sat between the surprisingly long weeds that surround you and slight blush dusts your cheeks as you kick your foot about. 

“A picnic.” You reply, moving to stand in front of him. “Do you like it?” You look at him hopefully and he nods quickly, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you in for a kiss. 

“Hey!” You hear Jughead bang on his bedroom window and the two of you pull away, flipping him off as you do. 

“I remembered the story about your grandma and thought I’d do something like it.” You explain while sitting down. “I even made sure my nobody moved the lawn for a few weeks to get the desired weeds.” You explain making him smile. “And I got your favourite.” You pull food from the basket and hand it to him making his smile grow. 

“You’re just the best.” He replies, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“I know.” You mumble. “And, I have even upgraded the whole favourite series of questions, because I know how much you hate them.” 

“I love you.” You know he’s only joking. He knows he’s only joking. But the sentence takes the two of you by surprise and you quickly scramble to think of something else to talk about. 

“Whats the best thing you’ve ever done?” You ask and take a bite of a strawberry. 

“This.” He laughs as he watches some of the juice dribble down your chin. “Here.” He wipes it away and you smile at him thankfully, despite the reddening of your cheeks. 

“What about you?” He asks, stealing a bit of chocolate from you and you glare at him playfully. 

“This.” You nod.  

“Whats the worse thing you’ve ever done?” 

this. “Probably the time I convinced one of my friends that he didn’t exist.” 

“What? How did you even do that?” He looks down embarrassed and you can’t help but admire the cute little bashful smile on his face as stares at the blanket beneath the two of you. 

“I got all of our friends in on it so it wasn’t just my fault. But I made him believe that I was the only one that could see him. When we’d hang out just us I’d be normal, but if all our other friends were with us, we’d all pretend he was invisible. One day I convinced our entire class to do it and he ended up crying so hard his mom had to come and pick him up.” 

“Holy shit.” You whisper. “Thats awful.” 

“Yeahhhh. I know.” He shakes his head. 

“But I suppose I still love you.” You add and he looks at you quickly. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah.” You nod. Both of you know the ‘i love you’s’ were silly. Far too soon to be saying, but even if they weren’t real, they made you feel something you’ve never felt before. And you’re excited for when they do have meaning behind them. 

“What about you?” 

“Who said that?” You tease and he shoves you playfully causing you too fall backwards. Your about to sit up again, when he appears beside you and so you decide to stay. Who needs to see the world when you can just look at him.

He moves to lie on his side, his head resting on his hand while he looks down at you. His free hand caresses your cheek and a soft breeze flows makes a piece of his hair fall in front of face. You move it gently and the next thing you know he’s leaning down to kiss you. Its so full of love and happiness that it makes you a little dizzy, so when he pulls away you’re glad you’re already lying down. Especially because your legs would not have been able to keep you stood up. 

“I once called my mom a bitch when I was 10.” 

“Ouch. What did she do to deserve that?” 

“Not cut the crusts off my sand-which.” You mumble making him snort. “That was so cute.” You tease and pinch his cheeks. 

“Nope.” He moves out the way. “You can’t change the subject after you told me you called Gladys Jones a bitch. How are you still alive?” 

“Believe me, I was very close to death.” 

“What saved you?” 

“The fact that I needed to go to school. I didn’t come home until about 8 that night. She was so worried that something had happened to me that she kind of forgot about the whole name calling thing.” 

“I don’t believe you could ever be that mean.” He kisses your nose. 

“I can prove it if you want.” 

“Yes please. I’ve very excited to see this.” 

You think for a moment. What’s the meanest thing you could say to him? 

“Ass.” really? growing up with gladys and fp as your parents and thats all you’ve got?

“I have a good one? Thank you.”

“You really are unbelievable.”

The first time you say this to him its said playfully, to annoy him with a soft smile on your face. The next time you say it, there’s nothing sweet or happy about it. Its said angrily, with tears running down your face instead of the smile that he’s grown to love.

However, at this minute, you have no idea what coming. You don’t know that all of this is going to end in tears and heartbreak. And maybe that’s the most heartbreaking thing of all.

----

“Please. Just let me explain.” Sweet Pea pleads. 

His trailer has never felt so small, despite the distance you’ve put between the two of you. You’re looking at him like he’s a stranger and he’s never felt so horrible in his life. 

You’d only gone on his phone to find a specific picture of the two of you. But when he’d gotten a text from Fangs asking if he’d let you down gently yet, you’d actually found a whole group chat title ‘dares’, the biggest one being your entire relationship with him. 

“I was just a dare. A stupid, idiotic dare?” 

“Yes.” He nods. “It was stupid and idiotic and I’m really sorry.” He walks towards you but you back away, closer to the door and he really doesn’t want you to leave. He’s gotten so used to you being around the past six months he doesn’t know how to cope when you’re not with him. 

“Our entire relationship was a dare?” 

“No, no. Just the first date. The rest of it was real.” 

“Oh, so that makes it alright then if it was just the first date? What the hell Sweet Pea. Why would you do that?” 

“I really don’t know.” He shakes his head. 

“I think that makes it even worse. Even if your excuse was just about getting back at Jughead, I think that would make me feel a little better because hey, its not just me. You didn’t just see me and think ‘she’d make a good target for a dare. she’s liked me for ages so she’ll obviously say yes’. But you just did it because? Because of what? You were bored?” 

“I’m so, so sorry.” 

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” You cross your arms. “Did you also make a bet? Are people betting on how long we’ll be together?” 

“No, of course not.” He argues. 

“So you’ve made no money from this?” You ask and he goes silent, looking at the floor. 

“You’re really are unbelievable Sweet Pea.” You sigh, grabbing your jacket from the sofa and storming out. 

How the hell did he not see that coming? 

----

*three months later*

“Jones? I know you said never to come round here again but there’s a problem with a few of the serpen-oh hey Y/n.” Sweet Pea has only been in the Cooper/Jones’ house a handful of time, practically all of them because of something bad, but this is by far the worst.

He’s never seen you like this, and he never wants to again. 

And the worst thing about it is that he’s the reason. He’s why you’re sat in the dark with a blanket wrapped around you and tears streaming down your face. 

“Whats wrong?” He takes a few careful steps towards you, completely forgetting the reason he came round in the first place. His only focus is you. He needs to make this right. This may be the only chance he has seeing as though Jughead is doing everything to keep the two of you apart. 

He did manage to get you alone one time, but it was only for a few minutes and they were the second worst few minutes of his life, the first being when you broke up with him. He’d tried to say sorry, to explain it. But you’d just told him to leave you alone and that you were seeing somebody knew. 

He wonders if they’re the reason you’re so sad. He isn’t sure if that would make him feel better or worse to be honest. 

“Y/n?” You continue to ignore him so he decides to just sit beside you. He makes sure he isn’t too close to you, no matter how much he wants to wrap his arms around you and tell you everything is okay. 

“Go away Sweet Pea.” You mumble and his heart cracks. 

“No.” He argues and sits back a little. He hears you huff in reply and wrap yourself further in your blanket. 

The two of you sit in silence for a while. Before you could sit together for hours without speaking, and be in total bliss just enjoying each other’s company. But as each minute drags on you find it harder and harder to breathe. 

“I thought I finally had everything figured out.” You eventually whisper and he sits forward, placing a careful hand on your shoulder. He’s expecting you to shrug him off, but you don’t and he’s almost certain you relax a little. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean. I thought I finally had everything figured out.” You glare at him and he gulps a little. 

He doesn’t really know what to say to that, so he just sits and lets you talk. 

“And now everything has gone to shit.” 

“It hasn-”

“I loved you Sweet Pea! I actually loved you.” You stand up and the sudden movement startles him. “The first boy I’ve ever loved, I was just some stupid dare to. And then when I try to move on. When I think that maybe I should try and forget about you and the way you made me feel...both good and bad. The next boy I end up with dates me for a few weeks and then breaks up with because I wasn’t what he was looking for. What the hell does that even mean?” 

“Y/-” 

“Is it me? It must be me. There must be something wrong with me. Or maybe I’m just not good enough for anyone. Maybe thats it. Maybe I’m going to go through life dating a string of disastrous boys who just use me to find something else. I don’t want that. I want love. I want all the stupid stuff you see on TV. Is that so hard?”

“Y/n?” 

“Why?” You drop back onto the sofa, utterly defeated and all he wants to do is go back in time. If only he’d never agreed to that stupid dare. You would still be happy and sweet and not totally broken. “Why would you do this to anybody? Why would you take their heart and smash it like its nothing?”  

“Because I’m an idiot.” He replies and for the first time in three months you actually agree with what he’s saying. “And so is that other boy.” He adds. “You are far too good for this world Jones, and you deserve somebody that loves you and treats you the way you deserve. And I haven’t done that, even though I should have. I never should have agreed to that stupid dare, but I thought nobody would get that hurt from it, but I’m definitely an idiot. I’m really sorry Y/n.” He rambles while you sob beside him. He pulls you into a tight hug, stroking your hair softly as he tries to find the right words to say. But there’s only one thing he can say. “I love you Y/n.” 

“What?” You pull away and look up at him. 

“I love you.” He repeats. More sure of this than he ever has been of anything. “You’re perfect. And I love you.” 

You so desperately want to tell him to leave. To go away and to never talk to you again. To never think of you for as long as he lives because he hurt you, more than you’ve ever been hurt before. 

But you love him. 

Despite everything. Despite the fact that he is an ass. 

So instead you say something probably very stupid, but it feels right. 

“I love you too.” 

And this time it has meaning behind it. 

Something you’ve been waiting a while for.  

#sweet pea #sweet pea imagine #sweet pea x reader #sweet pea x you #sweet pea x y/n #riverdale #riverdale imagine

[seijorhi]

asks :)

once again, i’m terrible at answering things :)

First off, your newest Kuroo story WRECKED ME. OMMMMMG LIKE IT'S SOOO FUCKING GOOD. You are one of the most incredible writers ever, like professional style writing. These should be books and you should get paid for it, honestly. Your skill is totally unmatched, my friend. I just adore everything you write. I had two questions thou about the story, just because I am totally obsessed by it- so has Kuroo been obsessed with her since he saw her, I'm like curious how his obsession started 

like is it because she's young and he's interested? Cuz I totally got the vibes at the party that he was showing her off like she was his girlfriend and he seems like he has been wanting her for awhile. I was just curious about how it started cuz god I'm a simp for yandere kuroo- boss man Kuroo would make me weakkkkk. My second question is so is he like obsessively in love with her or is it like just a this hot piece of ass is mine to fuck kinda thing? Like does he want a relationship?

anyways, I love you and I love your writing. Everything you write is legit perfection! Thank you for all your beautiful stories you share with us! - Kai

first of all, whomst gave you the right to be so damn sweet???!?! dsgsjkl thank you, bby!

so, like with all my fics i kind of have a ‘read into it how you want’ thing going for it. whether or not kuroo actually has ‘romantic’ (i use that word loosely) feelings for the reader or whether he just enjoys fucking her because he’s in a position of power and she’s easily manipulated is left a little up to your interpretation and how you’d prefer to imagine it. however, having said that there are little hints throughout the fic that imply that there’s a little more depth to kuroo’s feelings. you’re not wrong with the whole ‘showing her off’ vibe at the party, and there’s mentions of confessions that kuroo gives while he’s fucking the reader - also the title of the fic, invidia, means envy in latin. so take that how you will 🤷‍♀️

and as far as how it all began, i like to think that it was kind of a slow build. again it’s implied that kuroo has met the reader (however briefly) a few times before - at games as nekoma’s manager, when she initially was introduced as his girlfriend and she has stayed over at their place in the past. it wasn’t so much a singular moment, but kuroo’s definitely been paying more attention to her than she realises. 

WHAT WHAT WHAT???? RHI UHMMM WAS KUROO IN LOVE WITH THE READER???? 👀👀👀👀 HOLY SHIT. I'm honestly mind blown rn like I have a lot of questions like did Shin know? Was he also into it? Omg the idea of Father and Son sharing reader...

(also I def did not hope that Bokuto was also there cuz that would have be fun....oppsss)🙊

hehehe

no, shin didn’t know but oh can you imagine the betrayal if he did? if he willingly set up the reader to be fucked by his dad 👀god damn

adsfgdhjfkfl there was a moment i genuinely considered having something more happen at the christmas party where bo would stumble across and one thing would lead to another.... but i decided not to go that route. this one needed to be solo kuroo haha

Rhi, what can I say, amazing as always!

ahhh thank you sm, bby!

Hi i absolutely love the kuroo fic at first no one would actually notice he was into and then story actually rises nicely however i would like to ask like what happens later im sorry im a little burnt out from my mountains of assignments that i cant think of a possible aftermath since the story had an open ending but yeah what happens later after the whole scene does y/n stay there for the 7 days and get r*ped again or she goes home early and like what happens to kuroo and shinsuke im sorry for annoying you with questions its fully up to you whether u would like to answer or not :-)

aw, thank you! I hope your assignments and stuff are all done? And pls bby, you’re not annoying me at all 💕💕💕

Honestly again, it’s kind of left up to what you like to think would happen, but personally I think that the reader stays, because there’s no easy way to get out of that situation without raising suspicion - which means that she then has to spend the next week trying unwittingly playing cat and mouse with Kuroo who’s gonna use every damn opportunity he has to push your boundaries 👀

Duuuuude invidia fucked me up! Like fuck, lol! The build up was so spectacular! It makes me wonder two things: how did kuroo’s obsession start, and what would shin have done if he caught them (and why do I feel like he’d join in... I guess it runs in the family lol).

I loved it sooooo much and im also so creeped out lol. Can’t trust other people’s dads. Everything about it was perfect!

glad you liked it, bby!!

shin’s a good boy and he genuinely loves the reader, but i think if he did stumble across the two of them he’d just shut down and walk away. it’d be the biggest betrayal in his eyes - it wouldn’t matter if you were drunk or he was, who came onto who - the two most important people in his life going behind his back would just break him :( and i think he probably wouldn’t give either of them a chance to explain

but if we’re talking degenerate shin... 👀👉👈

imagine if invidia! reader gets pregnant and Shin thinks it’s his, but its actually his dad’s 🤭

oooh kuroo would be such a smug little shit - he’d get extra touchy feely with the reader, drop ‘casual’ hints, basically doing everything outside of straight up admitting it to him, just to see how far he can push until shin starts to doubt whether he’s actually the father - when it’s just the two of you though... i think he’d be a little softer - but equally as possessive - you’re his, and so’s the kid growing inside of you

Kuroo: son do you know what a cuck is? Shinnosuke: no? Kuroo: wOULD YOU LIKE TO FIND OUT - @south-korea-cakes

dagshjskl i snorted when i read this but you’re not wrong lmao

hi rhi! i have a question about Lion’s Den! did oikawa purposely set the reader up to witness his true nature? or was it chance that she saw him kill?

no - i think he’d rather have kept you in the dark a little longer and tried to let things develop ‘organically’ but he’s not upset that you did find out the truth - gives him an excuse to move things along and take what he wants 👀

hey rhi:) soo my boyfriend of two years just broke up with me and so far a major comfort has just been rereading your stories. something about feeling desired, ya know? anyway, thanks for making me feel a little better <3 - @theofficialhufflepuff

aw i’m sorry to hear that :( i’m glad my fics can help make you feel a lil better - sending love bby! 💕

omg i adore everything in the soulmate series hello !! would any of the soulmate pairings ever end up feeling lowkey competitive w/ the other?? like all of them seem to mutually respect the other but would there ever come a point where smth pushes them into trying to outdo ur other soulmate when it comes to ur affection?

also have i mentioned how much i love ur writing bc i love ur writing

hmmm, not so much with oikawa & iwa or ushijima and tendou because i think they have pretty rock solid relationships with each other prior to the reader coming along - if they did it would only be minor stuff

the twins on the other hand - good fucking luck with them because they’ll turn everything into a competition. the moment one twin thinks you’re favouring the other too much expect to get dragged across the room and forced to spend ‘quality time’ with the other. it’s all very petty and exhausting and there is no possible chance for you to win. but thank you sweetheart!!

tonight im thinking about The Final Girl! boys forcing you to share a bed with them for the first time. With Kuroo’s face buried in the crook of your neck, one big hand palming your breast for good measure, Bo holding onto your waist, and Kaashi’s legs tangled with yours. its suffocating, really😪😓

asdgdhjdkdl suffocating? yes. now where do i sign up?? 🥺

you are so talented in writing it's crazy!! just the way you articulate things is ugh *chef's kiss*. i hope you are doing well and not receiving hate 🥺 ily pls

ahhh thank you so much, messages like these always make me so happy! ily bby! 💕

more karasuno first years soon? 👀

who’s to say?? i don’t have any full fics planned but maybe some concepts and thirsts??

if you make a yandere msby fic i’ll literally lose it i love your writing

👀i am considering it

#ask #anon #BD answers #BD love #fic q's #tw pregnancy

[adhd-wifi]

MDZS Modern AU Fic Tips (Living in China)

So I asked a while back if anyone was interested in some fic tips for writing Chinese modern AUs, and y’all seemed enthusiastic. But…when I tried putting it all in a single post it got…really…really long…

So I split them into a bunch of posts (Yes I copy-pasted this intro on all of them because I’m lazy)! Here are the links:

Names & Stuff

Modern Chinese Cultural Stuff

Superstitions & Beliefs

Festivals 

Living in China (You are here)

Anyways, these are based off my experiences living in Singapore and China, and I hope these posts are helpful. On to it.

Living in China

Disclaimer: I mostly lived in Singapore during my existence, and thus I can’t give you extremely detailed info of what it’s like exactly, but I do visit my Chinese relatives fairly frequently, so these are general tips. Also, please keep in mind that the info here is biased towards life in Dalian & Harbin. I’ve been to Beijing but only twice so I don’t remember a lot. 

The currency in China is RMB, or “yuan”. 100 RMB is about $14 USD, and not considered a lot of money

Side Note: The above tip is also another reason why you shouldn’t ever write A-Yuan’s name as just “Yuan”. It makes him look like the local currency djsasldkj

Coin values are (with comparison to US currency): 

1 yuan (like a dollar) 

5 jiao (Half-yuan - 50 cents)

1 jiao (1/10 yuan - 10 cents)

5 fen (0.05 yuan - 5 cents)

1 fen (0.01 -  basically a penny)

Also related to money, in more urban areas, people don’t really carry cash or even cards around anymore. Practically everything is paid electronically, through WeChat Pay and other cash/bank apps, typically using QR codes on phones. You’ll have a hard time as a foreigner if you don’t have any of those apps in these areas (AKA me when I forget to re-download them before heading to China)

The exceptions to this would be places where tourists and foreigners are very frequent, such as hotels, airports, tourist buildings, universities (though my cousin’s old uni recently went full electronic payment I think???) etc, and more rural areas

Some Chinese social media and stuff:

BaiDu 百度 - Basically Chinese Google. We also use it the way we use “google” as a verb, saying 百度一下 (bǎi dù yī xià) - “Let me BaiDu it”

WeChat - Very similar to Whatsapp in general, also used for money purposes with WeChat Pay

QQ Mail - The most frequently used email platform in China. QQ Mail also has an Instant Messenger last time I checked. Also, I think QQ still uses number-based IDs, so the address would look something like: ([email protected]). Hotmail is fairly common in China too, particularly with those who need have to send international emails

YouKu 优酷 - The most popular video hosting site (most similar to YouTube out of the many video sites)

bilibili 哔哩哔哩 (yes, small caps) - Another video site well-known for animations, games, and comics especially

TaoBao 淘宝 - Cosplayers would probably know this. Something like a Chinese Amazon or Lazada.

WeiBo 微博 - Main Chinese social media platform. Feels like a FaceBook + Twitter fusion

LOFTER - Feels like a Chinese Tumblr

Even in urban areas, it’s easy to find entire streets of literally nothing but restaurants by the main roads (+ maybe a stationary shop, salon, or something in a corner, and you can often drive right up to the front door and park right there (in more populated areas and/or near malls/attractions, there will likely be extra open parking space nearby such restaurant streets)

Some larger restaurants, especially those with seafood specialties, don’t have actual booklet menus. Instead they have a wide selection of fresh ingredients (wrapped up safely in layers saran wrap) such as vegetables, cuts of meat, and tanks of living fish/shellfish/crustaceans near the entrance. They tend to have a list of dishes you can order by the corresponding ingredients, or a server nearby to tell you and take your orders. Apparently this is more common in the North.

You don’t tip in restaurants in China. You COULD slip a particular server or two some cash if you wanted to, but as an overall system tipping does not exist and also it’s not “one server one table”. It’s “whoever’s available to serve you IN THAT MOMENT will serve you” so you’ll likely see at least three different servers throughout your meal. Please. Stop with the “Hi I’ll be your server today” in China-set fics. It’s SOOOOO WEIRD.

I’ve never studied in China, but I checked this guide with my Chinese cousin and it’s pretty accurate about the educational system there

Speaking of schools, you wear uniforms up to Upper Secondary (some to Post-Secondary). As typical gender-conformity strikes again, girls will wear skirts and boys will wear pants. The exception is during the colder months, in which everyone will basically just wear full body tracksuits (school-issued) to school and it’s their uniform for the whole day. This is particularly common in schools with low or no heating systems, especially in more rural areas

Drivers sit on the left side of their vehicle in China. Typically, any foreign cars (such as from Hong Kong - which would have the driver on the right) will need a mainland license plate. (This might be changing in recent times though.) 

I don’t know much about the healthcare systems in China anymore, I was hospitalized once at 3 or 4 and don’t remember much, but in general basic healthcare from public hospitals is low-cost to free (depending on the region) for Chinese citizens with their basic insurance plans (individual and employee provided). You get charged (more) for hospitalization and more serious treatments like surgeries, physical/mental therapy, vaccinations (this is a pro-vax blog btw, just saying), and maybe dental. Most of these can be covered by insurance too though. If you go to a private hospital, it’s considerably more expensive of course. 

Okay that’s all the info I can think of to be potentially useful in fics lol. 

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #cql #chen qing ling #the untamed #chinese things #chinese fic tips #fic tips #modern au #my posts

[chaoticowlpost]

Hi GiRa, I don’t know if you do this, but do you have Captive Prince fic Recs? I’ve followed you for the Draco/Harry content, but Damen and Laurent looked like something I would enjoy so I’ve read all the books last week. It was sooooo good 😍 and now I need all the quality fic in my life. Please help!

Hello​ nonnie~ Yes omg I do have fic recs but I’m afraid they may be a little biased as of now haha. That’s because I leaned towards fics in the setting of the canon when I first started but then slowly began reading Modern AU fics as I went- and I haven’t gone through nearly enough fics yet,- so I’ll probably have to do another sweep of all the fics on AO3, BUT here are some fics I’d love to recommend to start with 

1. @mfingenius

That’s it, that’s the tweet. HBFSJDF okay no I’m joking but I absolutely love their works and they were the one who introduced me to capri. There’s a bunch of short fics on their account that I like to indulge in constantly and you should definitely check it out because there’s too many for me to just pick one!

2. itallends ( @goldencuffs )

For Better, for Worse (9.2k) - Laurent arches an eyebrow. “I am married, Jord.”

Jord blinks at him slowly. “…To your job?”

“To a man.” 

Jord’s eyes fall on Laurent’s bare left hand. 

”Right,” he says.

Or: five times Laurent says he’s married, and the one time everyone finally believes him.

Receipts and Reciprocity (9.5k) -  Damen has a thing for buying Laurent stuff.

I love their works with my whole heart nobody touch me hnfdgjg but seriously these are some of my favorite fics! They’re both Modern AUs if that’s what you’re looking for and partial reason as to why I started opening up more towards Non-Canon setting fics. 

3.  waywardwriter

Courts, Crowns, and A Little Game of Chess (55k) - In an attempt to diffuse the rising tensions between Akielos and Vere, Prince Auguste invites a group of Akielon ambassadors to the Veretian court. He expects many things to come out of this visit: trade agreements, festivities and celebrations, and perhaps the emergence of better diplomatic relations between the two nations. What he did not expect, however, was for his younger brother to take an interest in the Crowned Prince of Akielos.

AKA: The fic where Laurent is a reserved, bookish, hero-worshipping boy who meets Prince Damianos for the first time.

 Waking Up To You (1.7k) -  Damen wakes up from his wisdom teeth surgery only to find the most beautiful man in the world sitting beside him.

I couldn’t help but insert Waking Up To You  😞 It’s a weakness because why wouldn’t I want a high-as-balls Damen just being in love with Laurent in general. The first fic, however, is up among one of my favorites. Damen courting Laurent? Sign me the fuck up! This was so well written I just fell in love with all of the characters.

4. DisraeliGears 

Anything For You (39k) - Laurent will do anything for Damen. Including make friends with Nikandros…if he must.

The story of Nikandros and Laurent’s friendship.

A Party of Our Own (5.5k) -  Nikandros escapes Damen’s party for some alone time…and ends up locked in the wine cellar with Laurent. As one could probably imagine, some snarking happens. And some airing of grievances.

These fics are mainly Nikandros and Laurent building a relationship and getting to understand one another and I’m absolutely HERE for it! The characterization of Laurent was so well done and Anything For You is also among my top favorites because of how intense it was towards the end and just everything Laurent did in general, but through Nikandros’ eyes (even better!)

5. damnmads & The Librarina (tears_of_nienna)

Pawn Sacrifice (85k) - The war with Akielos has settled into an uneasy alliance, and Prince Damianos is sent to spend a year at Arles. Seven years later, he returns to Vere to offer condolences to King Auguste on the death of his father. But Auguste’s younger brother is much changed, as is the political climate in Vere, and Prince Laurent is the target of an assassin. When Damen returns to Akielos, an unexpected guest is sent with him—but danger follows, and the fate of two kingdoms hangs in the balance.

What might have changed if Auguste lived—and what was inevitable, even so.

Another Auguste Lives AU because I love him and yes (the best brother™)  . This is a slow burn fic about how the story might have gone if Auguste lived to become king and how Damen and Laurent’s relationship might have gone. It’s quite a lengthy read but I think it’s a great fic to immerse yourself in if you’ve got the time

6.  Just_Another_Day

Five Times Laurent and Damen Unintentionally Caused an International Incident (and One Time They Meant To) (28k) -  Everyone in the world knows for a fact that Laurent and Damen despise each other with a burning passion despite their countries supposedly being allies. Strangely, though, the two of them seem to have missed that whole ‘hatred’ memo. Nikandros really doesn’t get paid enough to deal with this shit.

The title says it all and it’s absolutely perfect! Pray for Nikandros and give him a raise in this Modern Royalty AU because Damen and Laurent can’t keep their feels out of view for anything so watch as these boys in love make Nikandros lose 10 years of his life.

7.  thewriterofperfectdisasters

kimihia (22k) - Laurent frowned and drummed his fingers against his laptop as he considered what to say. In theory, nothing was stopping him from going to Greece. Nothing was stopping him from maybe running into someone he met over Tinder. The only thing standing in his way was his own apprehension and mistrust about the whole situation.

A Modern AU with the help of online dating because why not. This is such a feel good AU and it just makes me so happy to read it so I hope you like it as well

8.  Entity_Sylvir

How Not To Court A Veretian Prince (13k) - “He was—” Damen breaks off, swallows hard, pauses in the manner of a man soundly failing to find an explanation in what he is trying to explain, “—really pretty.”

“What,” says Nikandros, “the fuck.”

-

The first time Damen meets Laurent, he mistakes him for a pet. It doesn’t go well.

No one lets him forget it.

Words cannot DESCRIBE how much I love this fic! The fanart, the way Damen’s actions come to haunt him, and Laurent being a little shit™ in the best way had me cackling and just everything about this fic had me in love.

9.  dawnofthursday ( @americancupsofbritishtea )

The Pitfalls of being Overprotective (2.2k) - Auguste makes a discovery, and then wishes he hadn’t.

Another fic that had me screaming because Auguste deserved whatever he got in this fic for being big brother™. I’m not sure what else to say without spoiling it because this is absolutely hilarious but you gotta read the tags (PLEASE READ THE TAG IT’S GREAT)

10.  LaLaCat1

The Oath (78k) -  Young prince Laurent arrives in time to stop the killing blow from falling at Marlas. A split second decision has Damen swearing Auguste an oath to protect his younger brother, and it’s not until he brings the Veretian princes back to parley with his father that Damen realizes how difficult that oath will be to keep.

Okay so this fic is also kinda intense but it’s another AU about what would happen if Auguste lived and the amount of feels and stress (good stress) that came with this fic was just.. damn. I’ve lost sleep on this fic and every moment was worth it so if you’re interested in this type of fic, definitely give it a read when you can!

There are probably a few more in my list somewhere that I haven’t been able to update but here are a few to get you started! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and I hope I was able to help

By the way, if anyone knows the tumblr accounts of the authors I tagged, could you please tell me? I’d love to give them a follow to keep up with them and help others find their accounts as well if they’re interested! 

#ask #anon #fic recs #captive prince #lamen

[sid471]

I watched episode 4 you know what that meeeeeans :3

RWBY Volume 8 spoilers you know the drill. TL;DR: Robyn’s funny, Qrow’s sad, JYR are... any synonym for upset, especially Ren, Harriet’s a bitch, but we been knew, Salem is a bitch, as well as a bad bitch, aaaaaand.... Shit >_>. Cool :3

We start off with the Birbs, Robyn telling a funny story about Joanna to try and lighten the mood ^_^... Doesn’t work but the thought that counts. Robyn says “Tough crowd. Maybe Ironwood shoulda gotten better in cell entertainment >_>” And Qrow laughs and Robyn is pleased with herself :3. Aaaand then Qrow gets sad again. Robyn says that she’s sorry for what happened and says it isn’t his fault, which it isn’t >_<, But Qrow says that it is his fault because he made a deal with the Dark and Clover paid the price for it. My Fair Game heart jumped when I heard Qrow say “I thought for once maybe I could...” but he finishes it with “Be around someone without my semblance making things... weird. And now I’m alone again. That thought... It feels like a dream.” And Robyn says “Believe it or not... I kind of know how you feel. When people are afraid you’ll spill their secrets, people tend to avoid you. And it makes making real connections... difficult.” Birb bonding we love to see it :3

And as Qrow is saying “Huh. I never thought about it like that” Harriet and Marrow throw Watts back in his cell. So I guess he fucked up. And those armed soldiers were just for show >_>. Harriet says to Qrow “You don’t get to keep that 😒” referring to Clover’s pin to which Qrow reiterates that he didn’t kill Clover.  And Harriet says “You keep saying that but it was your weapon that has it blood on it.” which... true but what happened to Tyrian’s fingerprints .-. Did they just... not try to scan Harbinger for finger prints? Well y’know what makes sense considering where Ironwood is >_> anyways. Robyn sticks up for Qrow, again as she should :3, and says “He didn’t do it and if you were so sure that he did you’d lower my cell and take my hand. 😋 “ And Harriet tries to be all confident and cocky but Robyn goes for the jugular, like the queen she is, and says “Right. Because you don’t actually care about the truth. You just want someone to be mad at 😒.” And Harriet ALMOST unlocks Robyn’s cell but Marrow stops her. But something tells me even if she did open the cell and use Robyn’s semblance she still wouldn’t believe it >_> Because Robyn is right she DOES just want someone to be mad at <_< But yeah, after Marrow stops Harriet from opening the cell they leave and Robyn lays back down on her bed and says “Well. That was almost interesting 🙄 “ and the scene changes

To Ren Jaune and Yang. They’re chasing after The Hound and they Ren manages to grab onto it with the help of Jaune and Stormflower. And Ren just kinda... Flies around for a bit, latching on the Hounds foot while Yang and Jaune continue to give chase. During the chase, The Hound stops carrying Oscar in his, sorry Summer Rose theory believers I’m gonna use he/him pronouns for The Hound lol, mouth and roars, resulting in more Grimm to appear. Kinda like how the Wyvern was able to bring about more Grimm. Which Yang expresses surprise by, not the fact that it was ABLE to bring more Grimm, but by the fact The Hound was calling for reinforcements. Which is also surprising, but he was able to call forth more Grimm by roaring .-. 

Anyways, Yang and Jaune continue to ride past the Grimm, Jaune using his tossy shield thing as a ramp, so that’s neat :3 But also did he get it back? .-. We didn’t see him use the Gravity dust in his shield ._. I hope he didn’t just... leave this advanced Atlas tech in the snow 😶 Nah I doubt he did but still weird we didn’t see’im retrieve it. I go off topic, so Jaune and Yang continue driving and evading Grimm until Yang almost drives off a cliff... Well... not almost. She drives off a cliff. But Ren comes by in the nick’a time and saves them ^_^ A clutch use of his Semblance keeps them from being Grimm food :3.

Buuuuuuut now they’re stuck, and lost, in an icy tundra with their Aura in the high 30s all around. So... wonderful. So they’re trekking through and following Ren because he said that he saw the compound when he was flying on the hound. And we FINALLY get some sense of what’s going on with Ren. Well, he said it at the end of volume 7, he doesn’t think they, and by they he means he, aren’t ready to be huntsman. Which Yang says exactly what I’ve been thinking this whole time “Were we ready at the battle at Haven? How about when we stole an Atlas airship >_>” the latter wasn’t the example she used but I couldn’t remember cause it’s been a few hours lol. But Ren continues on his tirade and says that “If we just give the staff to Ironwood everything would be okay”... Now listen I know he wasn’t really THERE when Ironwood broke, it was just RWBY, and he doesn’t know Ironwood shot Oscar, only Oscar knows that, but even so.... Ren, sweetie, honey, baby, that is SOOOOO far from the truth ._. Like even the last time he saw Ironwood he was still on the “Hey let’s ABANDON Mantle” train .-. and now he’s helping to evacuate Mantle... Technically illegally? So... Ugh Ren please don’t get on my shit list >_< He also called out Jaune for “Cheating his way into Beacon”, his exact words. Which brings the question did Jaune tell them about that? Cause last we knew only he, Pyrrha, and Cardin knew. And presumable the rest of CRDL. So did Pyrrha tell them while she was still angry at Jaune for hanging around Cardin or did Jaune tell JNPR in confidence? Either way...... Not cool to just bring up >_> Especially with how much Jaune HAS improved as a leader, a fighter, and a strategist. I don’t talk about it much but I’m proud of Jaune :3. AS proud as I am of Weiss with her whole arc ^_^... Heh... Arc. After Ren says that Jaune, obviously hurt, says “You may not think we’re ready, but I’m still going. We have a job to do.” And Yang says to Ren “Is your goal to push everyone away? 😒”

So then we see Oscar after and Salem is here... Lovely. She tries to coax information out of Oscar, namely the information about the relic of choice, which Oscar says he doesn’t know anything about, and then she asks about the “password” to the Lamp. And Oscar says that he’ll never tell her that. To which Salem promptly BLASTS him with Magic. So............. Oscar’s not doing well. And he’s REALLY not doing well when Hazel appears and starts beating his shit in. So.......... Farm Boi’s really uh... In a predicament. Salem leaves to let Hazel continue his beating, Salem comes across Cinder and Neo, Cinder asking “What is that? 🤨” Referring to The Hound to which Salem says “An experiment. I am quite pleased with the results. Did you need something? 🤨” Despite being uncomfortable around The Hound, Cinder still says her piece, that she should go back to Atlas and claim the Maiden’s powers and gain the Staff. But she stands firm and says no again and when Cinder tries to stick up for herself, The Hound roars in her face. So she backs off and says, for the second time, “Without you, I am nothing.” Which is very interesting that that’s a recurring thing between her and Salem. So, she leaves with Neo to an air ship and says “Salem doesn’t know those children like I do, they won’t ever stop their attempts to save the world.” and her plan is to go to Amity... Ya know... where Penny is, and Pietro is. And then Emerald steps up and says “Well if she [Neo] doesn’t wanna go, I will.” and says that she’s been working on her semblance and that she can help. Great. Just what Penny needs. Hallucinations and Illusions >_>. Cinder, sweetie, love you but I don’t think this is the plan Salem’s GONNA find out .-. she literally has eyes everywhere <_<

And then we see RNBW+May show up to the Schnee Manor so they can help Nora. Whitley isn’t happy to see them but seeing as he got Myrtenaster put in his face he quickly agreed to let them stay there 😊. While Weiss Nora and May are going to, presumably, a guest room, Ruby and Blake have a brief conversation with Blake saying “You know if you’re worried about Yang you can try calling her 🙂.” And we find out that Ruby DID try to call her, which is cute.

After that the scene changes to reveal team JYR found shelter, good :3 and that Yang found something to fix the damaged bike that she and Jaune were on, also good ^_^. Jaune TRIES to talk to Ren but it doesn’t work because Ren is too busy being angry at the world. Which... Don’t get me wrong, fair. I’d be angry too. But if my friend, practically my brother for how long? 2, 3 years? Was trying to tell me to try to open up, I’d open up to him. Like, maybe he was a little uncomfortable with Yang being there, but after Jaune said “Hey the more you bottle up your feelings the worse it’s gonna get.” Ren immediately went outside, so he could’ve gestured Jaune to follow him so they could talk. But they didn’t. Instead, Yang and Jaune talked ^_^ So I mean I’m okay with this lol. Yang asks Jaune “Do you think she thinks less of me? For not going to Atlas...” And Jaune says “Ruby is your sister. She’s gonna love you even if you disagree 🙂.” Which is true :3. But Yang wasn’t talking about Ruby. She was talking about Blake. Which is interestiiiing ooh bees :3

So the episode after the Jaune and Yang talk, Jaune saying he wants to go to sleep but can’t stop thinking about Oscar, and Yang says not to worry and she’ll be sure that Ren doesn’t “Brood himself to death” which I found funny lol. After she says that, the camera pans to the ground to some cracks in the ground. Which then rumble. So................. Damn it Ren your angst is gonna cause another giant Grimm to appear >_>

#RWBY #RWBY8 #RWBY Volume 8 #RWBY8 Spoilers #RWBY Spoilers #RWBY volume 8 spoilers #Yang Xiao Long #Lie Ren #Jaune Arc #Oscar Pine #Salem (RWBY) #Emerald Sustrai #Cinder Fall

[ayankun]

Got a lot done today, rewarding self with hsmtmts S1 (who am I kidding, this was going to happen regardless) just starting ep 3, thoughts that contain S2 spoilers below

It's not as awkwardly zany as I feared! I think its mockumentary style is certainly more stylized than it's become, but the jokes still land. Even though some of said jokes are based on their characters' archetypes rather than the people they're going to grow into. What can you do, it's only been an hour of runtime, everything's gonna be different by hour 10.

Gosh the kids are so young! But they're all doing so so so well. I've also now seen an hour or two of cast interviews, and the age differences of the actors is pretty wild. Like I think Frankie is one of the older ones, but for the first time I paid attention and found out Carlos is supposed to be a sophomore like Gina (but now it makes more sense that he's only just turning 16 lolololol)

I'm feeling really bad for Ricky, remembering that his home life troubles are specifically what are causing him to react and over-react and generally be a drama-maker on behalf of the plot. Like on one hand, it's such an interesting choice to have your leading man be the anti-hero of his own story, 'cause he hecks up ALL the time and is sometimes hard to root for, but taking a step back to observe that this is a fiction and everything is designed with intent, Ricky's character isn't really a hero or villain, he's a personification of a message, which is that sometimes you gotta dig deep and identify the root of your problems first before you can start applying beneficial solutions. And you might just keep hecking up until you get there. The stuff with his mom in 2x09 is sosososososo important and a long time coming, the character's going to have to be a different person going forward because he's finally been able to address some of his issues that have been festering since 1x01.

Semi-related, I'll always show up for a good redemption arc. Ricky, the hero, is going to need one! Nini might even get one (1000% I don't believe she needs one, keep self-actualizing, queen!), but anyway the S1 antagonist trio of EJ, Gina, and Mr. Mazzara is so fun/frustrating to watch, knowing that in S2 they're literally all going to become not just protagonists but also my favorite ones.

ALSO seeing evil!Gina and villainous!EJ interact keeps giving me chills. Those poor kids have NO IDEA what they're in for!!!!!

Similarly, Matt Cornett has grown on me a lot. Even first time through, I thought he was the weakest of the cast (lol he's the oldest, he's ridiculously old for that baby face) and just now in One Billion Sorrys I was like, isn't EJ supposed to be leading man material? Why is his performance so bad for comedy reasons? Oh... it's less comedy reasons and more Matt Cornett doing his best? Also why is he so white-washed this season! The makeup they've caked on him makes him look sickly. ANYWAY he's really come a long way, and especially with the stuff they've been giving him in S2, his scenes where EJ's successfully engaging with Gina as a human being are sosososo effective and I'm looking forward to getting back to that point.

Clocking some callbacks S2 has made to S1, like Kourtney talking to Nini about how she's avoiding talking to Ricky about something important and then Ricky comes up, or Nini needing to keep her phone out of the hands of her insecure clingy boyfriends so they don't jealously delete things. EDIT: just finished S1 and there was another major parallel I noticed but since noticing I have somehow forgotten :<<<<< OH COULD IT HAVE BEEN 1x08 is where Ricky and Nini rekindle things and 2x08 is where they call it quits????? (also Ricky getting earth-shattering home & family news on holidays and having to bottle it up b/c someone's on his doorstep and he has to perform Emotional Stability) (found another one, Miss Jenn's "Trust the process" vs Dean Patel's "Trust the outcome.") (Miss Jenn giving Nini a voice and YAC literally taking it away)

I guess also Ricky's mom problem and Nini's decision to put her dreams first were the inciting incidents for these two characters' arcs -- like, the narrative's inciting incident is "I think I kinda you know," and it plays out in the spaces where the Ricky/Nini romance storyline provides conflict for the success-of-the-show storyline, and vice versa, but the CHARACTERS' STORIES are about the mom thing and the dream thing, and are actually the root of all the interpersonal drama.

Not sure that I have a point, it's more of a comment of appreciation.

Another good thing about S2 is that it opens up to include more stories for the supporting cast, kinda like how HSM2 does and makes Ryan your favorite character. So even in retrospect, in S1 my faves are Gina and Mazzara and Seb & Carlos and Ashlyn, and Nini and Ricky are just Also There.

Different thought: my singular major complaint when I watched this the first time was that the show (accidentally? Due to unyielding adherence to the conventions of the genre?) uniformly conflates personal success with romantic success. As in, you know you've finally achieved your dream when you are handed a SO as a trophy. The sole SOLE exception to this in S1 is Kourtney, and look how that's played out in S2. :/ especially since one of my favorite favorite things was Start of Something New recast as Nini's romance-free self-actualization ballad, I really thought that was a premise that would make an appearance s o m e w h e r e in the show. SO IM SO HAPPY THAT'S FINALLY PAID OFF FOR NINI. LIKE IN 2x09 WHERE RICKY'S DROWNING IN HIS UNSHED TEARS AND THEN IT CUTS TO NINI SCROLLING COMMENTS IN HER INSTAGRAM HOLY SHIT. There's a read where she's the bitch or whatever for not being as broken up as Ricky is, but gurrrrrrl this has been her true character aim since day one!!! Her story is not! About! RICKY!!!!!

(I wanted my ace!Taylor HC to magically transfer into Kourtney, whose canon feminist self-affirming character core might prevent her from getting roped into a romance storyline. Like I don't want to begrudge a character a romance plot if that's what the character wants, but GOSH wouldn't it have been cool if this rom-com genre could find room to accommodate aspec stories. ALSO where my trans teens at!!! Fingers crossed, S3.)

In conclusion, I identify with Mazzara what with his autism and his robots and his AV club and his green gingham button-up that I also have; I love love love his look of consternation with himself when he sends that email. 10/10. But also, if we were in high school, I'd have been a grade ahead of his actor sooooo guess that means I'm just a crusty old grandpa

(Started writing this going into ep 3, now I'm headed into ep 6 lololol. HOMECOMING SEBLOS AND DONT WANT NO SCRUBS KOURTNEY CASTLES IN THE SKY MY BELOVEDS)

#hsmtmts #aya's hyperfixated

[floofsol]

a promise’s a promise

word count: 1.5k (i apologise, this is a lot longer than i usually do)

member: Joshua

genre: mafia!joshua. prosecutor!reader, irritatingly posh-is!hreader

summary/prompt: you and your best friend made a pact. you both agreed that if neither of you had gotten married by the age 30 then you’d marry one another. it’s now time to fulfil that promise, the thing is, over the years, your best friend has become the leader of mafia. you have become city’s top prosecutor

warnings: cursing, mentions of blood and violence

a/n: i got this prompt from an ig account called writing.prompts.re and the moment i saw it, i thought it was perfect to write about sooooo here it is :))) on a side note, i do try to keep my reader’s “character” as genderless as possible, but i finally realise that i can do more to be more accepting. so from now on, i’m going to use they/them pronouns for the reader and if you notice, i also try to keep the reader’s past relationships genderless as well so that i don’t stay too heteronormative. so i really hope that you won't mind and this will obviously change how i write but i hope that you can still appreciate it anyway!!

You were never known for a sloppy memory. But you have never wanted to forget anything more than this, considering the reminder was in your hand. Said reminder was in the form of a letter. Now that you look at the letter, you even remember writing it...you remember sitting at the cafe with your best friend at that time. And if you think even harder, you can roughly recall how the conversation went...

“This is just sad....”, you pouted.

“What is? The fact you get to spend time with your best friend???” Jisoo was starting to tease you about your mood. You felt the biggest eyeroll come out of you.

“No, you idiot. I’m probably gonna end up sad and alone...I doubt I’m gonna be married by 30...”A sigh came out of you. You knew it was still a little young to think about it but being an only child, your parents had always told you that you would need to carry on the family line. But how were you going to that when you barely had time to have a relationship in the first place? How would you even find som-

“Hmm how about this....if the both of us aren’t married by 30....we’ll marry each other.” Jisoo said it with such confidence that you almost agreed without actually processing the idea.

“The fuck? You complain that my crackheadedness is tiring already and you want propose a marriage?” Needless to say, you were at a lost for words.

“Well...it is sort of a last resort for the both of us. And I’m pretty sure that the both of us will find someone by then....soooo, deal?” 

You could tell that he was being serious about this, that this wasn’t a jokey “haha here’s a weird idea”. And you thought to yourself, ‘Why not? It’s not like Jisoo would be the worst person to marry if it came down to it..’

“Then, it’s a deal. If we are both lonely, sad losers at the age of thirty, we’ll marry each other. Let’s seal the deal with a letter...” You declared your decision.

Why younger you chose a letter you can’t remember well but knowing yourself, it would have had something to do with a letter writing phase at that time of life. It would get really stressful and writing letters were therapeutic for you. You had found one of those services that holds on to letters and that would send them out at a later date. Both you and Jisoo agreed for the date to be the first day of the year after since Jisoo was born near end of year so a few days wouldn’t hurt right.

And with the letter dealt with, the both of you had went on with your lives. You remember that you parted ways with him because you disagreed with some friends of his. They would sometimes get into trouble and with you studying law, you didn’t know how to feel about this and when you voiced your troubles to Jisoo, he had dismissed them entirely and said that if you didn’t like it, you could leave. And to his surprise, you actually did. 

With that letter in your hand, you brushed the thought aside. You knew long ago that it was a joke. And you left for work, knowing that with your recent promotion to the top prosecutor position, you would have a mountain of cases to look through. The blood, sweat and tears that took for you to finally be promoted to this esteemed position paid off. You knew that it was an honour to be where you wanted to be. This expectation stemmed from your own overachieving tendencies and the fact that your parents had also worked in law, along with several family members. Being an only child only fuelled that expectation further and as such, people who were close to you understood that sometimes you had to pour your free time into cases as well. You had lost many relationships that way, with your partners saying that you never spared them any time or that you loved your job more than them or the fact that you could always procure a solid point in any fight due to your experience in court. 

And with every failed relationship, you came to accept that with your work life, you would never be able to find a partner understanding enough. Although that meant that you having a lasting relationship was low, you were content. That feeling came from knowing that you tried and you could accept if it wasn't written in the book of fate for you to find a loving partner. 

The letter brought you back down to earth. You were shocked, to say the least, that you didn't even open it until you drove to work. You obviously knew what was written inside but weren’t ready to face it yet but you knew you would have to sooner or later. You heaved a sigh and read the letter;

Dear future me,

I know that this might be sudden and this might not even apply to you now but you made a deal. Do you remember it? The deal might not even apply ti you now and it might sound crazy but hear me -yourself- out okay?

If you aren’t married by now, well then you are kind of engaged to JIsoo...go give him a call or something

And if you are, well then, you can throw this or keep it for a laugh lol

Love,

Me

You recalled how close the two of you were. All the random hang outs and Netflix sessions at each others houses. All those sweet moments where you remembered why the both of you because friends in the first place. Those thoughts brought a grin to your face.

Until you remembered why the friendship broke off..

You were starting to worry about Jisoo. Especially about the company he was hanging out with. They were definitely not of the savoury type. You passed it off at first, until you realised that it was affecting Jisoo as well. And that was when you knew, you had to speak up about it once and for all.

You were nervous. This would obviously not be a very comfortable experience but you just knew it had to be done. You decided that it would be best to bring it up as nonchalantly as you could which happened to be during a platonic Netflix and chill session. 

“Hey Jisoo,” you began shakily.

“Yea?” He seemed to not expect anything, which was advantageous to you.

“Umm, about you know, Seungcheol and your other friends...are you sure it’s...you know...in your best interest to be uhh hanging out with them?” It took you a lot of effort to bring this up. 

He heaved a sigh.

“y/n, it’s really none of business and also not in your best interest to ask...Plus, it’s not like you know what’s best for me and you also do not know anything about them.. ” Jisoo was understandably irritated. This was not the first time that you had hinted about this. 

His comment had really gotten under your skin. What’s best for him?? He says that you would not know, even though you spent the better half of your lives looking out and taking care of each other. And yet, he now cites that you don’t know anything about them either...

“I know plenty about the riff-raff you are hanging out with. They are borderline CRIMINALS!” You don’t know why you had shouted that last word but it definitely took a weight off your chest. 

It also seemed to dislodge Jisoo’s surprisingly calm attitude. 

“You don’t know anything so don’t say shit that you will never understand! You were brought up with privilege you never knew you had. My friends didn’t so I don't see what’s wrong with me making sure that get that privilege now. And that’s all I’m going to say about it. If you aren’t happy, then you can leave.”

And you did. You left that day and never looked back on your friendship. And if you had physically turned around that moment, you would have seen the broken look on Jisoo’s face. But you walked off, towards the future that you never knew was coming. 

The memories plagued you sometimes and there were moments where you felt guilty, after all in your line of work, you knew that sometimes the accused were partly innocent but a job was a job. And with that memory resurfacing, you shook it off and continued your day as per normal. 

It was a long day, full of paperwork and meetings about new cases and everyone was blabbering about a group that was becoming dangerously powerful. It was a mafia at this point and you knew that one day, you would have to face them and try your best to put them behind bars. 

You were more than happy to reach home and take a nice long shower and just..relax for ten minutes. But before you could even put your bags down, your phone rang. 

It annoyed you. The probability of it being someone from work calling about a missing file was high. And you answered the phone with an annoyed, “What”

“Is that how you greet everyone, darling?” 

The voice was lilting and somewhat familiar and yet, you couldn't place your finger on it. 

aight imma end it here for now, this has been in the drafts for a while as i was slowly writing this

as usual, feedback is welcomed!! thanks for making it this far!!!!

#svt #svt joshua #svt jisoo #floofsol #svt angst #potential angst at least #svt fluff