#columbo is already actively doing that. let him be

[columboscreens]

#columbo #season 5 #a matter of honor #who doesn't #columbo is already actively doing that. let him be

[readatrix]

*****(5 out of 5 stars.)

I purchased A Socialite's Guide to Murder through Aardvark, a book of the month style service, and had an absolute blast! Evelyn is the daughter of a hotel owner, and the story takes place in the late 50s. She is spoiled and pampered, and carries her little dog (Presley) everywhere. She could be mistaken for a "Dumb Blonde," and in some ways she's naive, but she has hidden depth. She gives me a very Elle Woods/Paris Hilton/Marilyn Monroe vibe -- intelligent, but knows how to play dumb. Easily underestimated, but you really shouldn't. She explicitly emulates Monroe's style in the beginning. A nice, somewhat subtle, thing is when someone says she has no personality other than emulating Marilyn Monroe, and a few scenes later she changes her lipstick color and eventually considers becoming brunette. I think she's finding herself. She wonders how being called Miss Marple could be an insult. As a child, she found her mother's body -- and I bet that'll be explored -- and it left her with anxiety, agoraphobia, and PTSD, which her therapist calls shell shock as a reflection of the time period. She rarely leaves the hotel, and part of her growth is her tentative efforts to go places. I laughed A LOT and loved her love for her dog. I kissed Presley's wet nose. "Do you want to find the real thief, sweet boy? Come on, let's get you in Mommy's bag." "No. No." Mac was on his feet after a few more stretches. "We can't bring the dog." "And why not?" I already had Presley's purse open on the counter, his little tail wagging at the sight of it. "He's a helper!" "A helper?"Mac wiped his face with the palm on his hand, his stubble whispering at the connection. "Evelyn, we're going to break into a crime scene. You can't bring a dog into a crime scene." "I can." I put Presley in his bag, slid it onto my shoulder. "I am. Look, I can even put flashlights in there with him! He'll keep them safe." Mac opened his mouth, closed it again. "Safe from what? Evelyn, what if he barks? Or pees in the middle of the crime scene?" I gasped. "Presley would never. He's a good boy, Mac." Spoiler alert, they take Presley. Also: She has an exchange with a lift operator where she proclaims Presley her favorite. The lift operator seeks clarification, and asks if she means favorite dog. No, her favorite of anything in the whole world. Her love interest, an employee of the hotel with a somewhat shady past, good-naturedly aides and abets her investigations. He can pick locks. She also has a Hollywood star she pretends to date in order to help quell rumors around a confirmed bachelor. I won't go too much into the mystery beyond saying it worked well for me, and there were a lot of suspects. I did pick out the murderer, and I don't actively try to do that, preferring to let the story go where it will. I guess I'm saying it might be easy, but I've also been watching a lot of Columbo. LOL! Anyhow, it's 5 stars for me because I simply had a good time, and want to spend more time in this world. I appreciate that a mystery with a sleuth who owns a pet, and the pet has more than a cameo with a spot on the cover. More dog. Always more dog.

#mystery #cozy mystery #1950s #historical fiction #legally blonde #paris hilton #dogs are my favorite book characters #readatrix review #anxiety rep #PTSD #marilyn monroe #socialites guide to murder #socialite's guide to murder #sk golden #s.k. golden

[autodiscothings]

Hello! I am quite new to your page and I love how you draw Kolyat. ♥️ Also, would you care to share some details about your characters?

I’d love to, thanks for asking! Funnily enough, I did a personality quiz for them recently, so I can just copy/paste the results here. Most of my content for Mass Effect is centred around Kolyat Krios and Oriana Lawson: 

I write them here: [AO3] I draw them here: [ART TAG]

Everything I do with them is post-war, and them as adults in their 20s navigating the shit heap that is a broken, post-destroy galaxy, and how they cope with their own traumas. They both want to help rebuild, but do it different ways.

KOLYAT KRIOS

Kolyat Krios has a lot to live up to and change, but prefers to do it on his terms.

Kolyat is a methodical man, and gentle and patient with the people who need it most. He possesses an unexpected depth of emotional intelligence, and becomes a protector of the small and the strays, from a galaxy that often forgets about them.

While Kolyat can be even-keeled, if he is left to stew in his feelings, his anger will get the better of him, and he will react. He has a reputation for salt, and for his surliness; he also has a tendency to hide himself from others as a defence mechanism, and is slow to trust.

ORIANA ‘ORI’ LEE

You might know her as Oriana Lawson, but she’ll introduce herself as Ori Lee.

Ori is a warm, compassionate soul who loves to be around other people and enjoys her work as a colony developer/civil engineer for Kellam Industries. She is quick-witted and smart, and funny with it; her taste in fashion and makeup is impeccable, as is her comic timing.

She is very good at getting to know you, but you don’t get to know her. Ori keeps her cards to her chest, and only lets her guard down around people she trusts completely, and has a tendency to care too much about what others think about her.

FISH (the cat)

Queen of everything, ruler of them all- well, maybe just Kolyat’s apartment for now.

Fish is a foul-tempered gremlin of a tabby cat, with white socks and a white belly. Her iron paw rules the roost of her home; she graciously lets others share it. Fish loves her food, her nap spots, and her soft piles of things to sleep on. She likes listening to music, and watching the traffic outside of her window.

She is a former stray with both PTSD and trust issues, and for this reason she lashes out without thinking, and needs her own space. When she trusts though, she really trusts. It will take her forever to do it, but once you win her heart, she’ll love you forever.

BATESEDA ‘Bats’ T’LORI

The man, the myth, and the almost legend- at least, in his mind.

Bats was always told he had potential, and rather than stay with the Huntress squad who trained him, Bats left for the Citadel. He is a firecracker of a man who makes everything he does seem fun, always ready to crack something- a joke, his glass, a skull. Pour another one out, he has stories to tell, and they’re mostly true- if he remembers them right.

He has a tendency to go through frequent bed partners, and never keeps anyone around for long. Despite the crooked smile and easy living, there is an air of melancholy around Bats he is reluctant to explain, but something shows through the cracks every now and then. He will take things too far -the jokes, his drinking, his anger- and fall down the holes he put himself in. One day he will struggle to get back out of it.

ARJUN PATEL

A man who borders the line between squad dad and gross uncle, Patel is a treasure for any crew to have.

Patel is content to stay in the background, and is more savvy than he lets on, willing to play the bumbling, easy-going fool if it’ll get him what he wants. He is essentially Columbo with a cooking habit, but is willing to share his snacks- if he likes you, and that doesn’t take much. He is a man with quiet passions, and they shine brightly when he gets talking; his food, his wife and daughter, his interest in history… ask him about them, and his enthusiasm will be boundless- much like his appetite.

He has a tendency to be lazy, if he can get away with it. Patel can also overspill the TMI details of his life even if you’ve heard them before, without a clue he’s crossed a line.

SISO VITACUS

Like most of the squad, Vitacus came to the Citadel for a new life, and another shot of something. He recently split from his bootcamp boyfriend, and is really not looking for anything serious- at least, not at the moment. Vitacus is neither as funny as Bats, as serious as Kolyat or as happy as Patel, but he fits right in as the jack of all trades of the squad, content to play everyone’s middle man and all rounder.

He has a reputation for awful, neon suits, a love of dancing and shitty action movies, as well as a fondness for lurid drinks, despite looking like the kind of man who likes none of these things from first glance. Vitacus is a tall, stocky bruiser of a man, even for a turian.

Vitacus can also be a pushover and too laidback for his own good, and can drift along with the crowd than go against it. He’s unsure why he’s like this, but as far as he’s concerned, ending up in law enforcement is already an oddity- all his family are engineers and scientists.

BRATHAN ‘Brath’ SEKET

If ever there was a man you were unsure of -even after knowing him for years- it’s Brath. The usual rags to riches story, heavy on the rags; Brath fled the grasp of his abusive family as soon as he was able to, taking on jobs across the Terminus until he built up enough of a reputation as a gun for hire.

He got his money from less than savoury sources to begin with, but absolutely no slavery. He has a personal honor code he will hold the rest of the galaxy to, even if you don’t know the rules. Brath might give off the appearance of loving luxuries and living well, but to him it’s just greasepaint and stage costumes; he’s learning that on the Citadel, a Terminus boy like him will never fit in, anyway- the four eyes see to that.

He will hold a grudge for decades, and it will smoulder, too. Brath can be incredibly petty and keep receipts, and if things don’t go his way, he will make them- for better or for worse.

LAETITIA PHALIA

A woman with a firm grip of the ins and outs of both her work and her neighbourhood, Phalia is the person to know when you need something, and if you don’t she’ll soon tell you, anyway.

She looks strict, but only when she needs to be. Phalia is just busy! There’s always some charity, pot luck, clawball practise, afterschool homework club, Galactic Scout cookie drive, donation pickup and volunteer work activity happening in her life. Phalia is always doing something, despite a full-time job and being a single parent. She gives and gives, because that’s what she expects people to do, the kind of person who will give you her coat and freeze.

There is only so much of herself she can give away. Phalia has had the very worst happen to her in her life, and she survives by constantly moving, not looking back. She just needs to remind herself from time to time she deserves to be taken care of too, and can rest every now and then. Sometimes Phalia also has a tendency to hold people to the same standards she has, but is getting better at learning the difference.

DEREK

It's Derek, innit? Just Derek. Not his real name of course, but he thought it sounded fancy. He has a full salarian name, but his clan mostly ignore his existence - except when they want money.

The eponymous Derek has a fairly sweet soul, but it’s one slowly corrupting under a mantle of the music industry and celebrity. He has an addict’s personality, and bounces from fixation from fixation- but music will always remain a constant. He is good at what he does too; his production skills are perceptively complicated, and he is an absolute master at looping and finding rich, interesting samples; there is a reason he is in demand both as a DJ and as a producer.

Derek doesn’t have the best social skills, despite befriending people easily. He’ll pick them up and drop them, and will often self-medicate his mistakes. His ego can get him into trouble too, but finding real friends -and not hangers on- will help him realise he’s not the centre of the universe.

***

(The quiz is [HERE] f you want to see which one you got.)

#oriana lawson #kolyat krios #salarian oc #turian oc #mass effect #asari oc #batarian oc #fish the cat #bats #patel #derek #asks and prompts #Anonymous

[365days365movies]

March 19, 2020: Wings of Desire (1987) (Part Two)

Hey, look, we’re back in A-Little-Over-My-Head-Land!

Hi, Dreamfinder. You as confused as I am? No? Yes? Imagination? Got it.

Kidding aside, this is definitely a helluva film, and an artistic effort on par with Orpheus or some of the other films I’ve seen this month. It’s not quite as oblique as other some movies I’ve seen or will see, of course. Lookin’ at you, Experimental June. Or you, The Holy Mountain. Ocleotits.

Y’know, I forgot about this movie for a hot second. And then...then I remembered it.

I remembered all of it.

BUT THERE’S NO TIME FOR FILM PTSD; let’s get back to the movie! Part One is right here!

Recap (2/2)

Damiel and Cassiel talk on the first time they came to Earth, before humanity even existed. Cassiel reflects upon their first laugh, and positive moments in their time watching this curious land. Damiel remembers the first time that war saw humanity, however. But despite this, Damiel wants to “invent a life for himself”, and is tires of standing outside of the world.

We wants to do something as simple as hold an apple, a real apple in his hand. He wants to leave his outside perspective for an internal one. Which is interesting, and I can’t wait to see what comes of this discussion.

Meanwhile, on set, Falk continues to draw people around him on the set. Homer’s still in his field, waxing poetically once again. And finally, we see a man on a building, noting that he’s “finally doing it this time”. Uh oh. Cassiel is there as well, and the man sits on the edge of the building, as he reflects on his life. And...

Whoof. Goddamn, that’s seriously a heavy moment. And Cassiel agrees, as this act greatly pains him, as seen when he walks away bereaved. Let’s transition from that dark scene to a more colorful one...literally, as Falk is watching an interview, and the scene is in full color. But that quickly ends as...oh, Cassiel’s reflecting on the previous experience, and...

Well, he’s gonna be fine. But that transitions into a frenetic sequence of shots, as Cassiel observes more unhappiness throughout the human experience. Goddamn, this is NOT a movie to watch if you’re depressed, I’ll tell you WHAT.

With that, we go to Damiel, who is watching Marion on the night of the circus’ last performance. She waxes poetic in a mirror before the last show, then goes out to perform as planned. And again, Damiel is continually fixed upon her presence. The performance goes well, and the circus troupe celebrates with song and booze afterwards, which Damiel observes. He also observes Marion getting on with a fellow troupe member, and seems jealous of this, especially as her inner monologue notes that she “has a story”. Of life, of course.

Back at the library, the angelic host seen earlier gathers in full, Cassiel included. But Damiel isn’t there, as he’s followed Marion to an underground club performance by Crime and the City Solution, to which she dances alone as Damiel looks on. But he attempts to dance with her, reaching his hand out and grabbing her hand, even though she cannot feel it. And Cassiel looks on, having left the library to look for Damiel.

That night, she has a dream, in which an angel appears, and she recites the recurring poem that serves as a theme of this film. Damiel is also there, inher room as she sleeps, hearing her thoughts once again. Cassiel leaves in a bus, not sure what to do.

The next morning, Peter Falk walks past a train station, and is also discovered by a group of youths. He walks to a food stand, where he is met by Damiel...and Peter Falk talks to him. He can’t see him, but he talks to him, and wishes that he could tell him directly how good it is...to be mortal. Oh. OH!!!

PETER FALK WAS AN ANGEL??? HOLY SHIT!!! He must have been in the same position that Damiel is now, and he chose to become mortal! Hot damn! And that knowledge in and of itself inspires Damiel to “take the plunge”, and experience life on the mortal realm. He tells this to Cassiel, and once their conversation is over, he enters the color mortal world. Damn. DAMN! THAT’S COOL AS SHIT!

Damiel agrees, and now that he’s human, he experiences a world of color for the first time. He bleeds, and tastes his own blood. He drinks coffee and smokes a cigarette, he sells his angel’s armor and buys new clothes, he gives a kid directions, he runs, he whistles, and he just enjoys his brand new life.

He also sees Peter Falk, and he introduces himself to him. They speak to each other, and Falk confirms that he was an angel once upon a time, having come down thirty years ago in New York. There are a lot of them, apparently, which...damn, that’s interesting. Falk asks what’s next for him, and Damiel says that he’s off to find a girl.

Said girl is currently saying goodbye to the circus, as it disbands and takes off. And she has nowhere to go. So, she sits in the empty lot, and we go back into black-and-white as Cassiel comes down to watch her. Damiel also comes by, but too late, as the circus has taken off already. As he grieves the lost opportunity, he is found by Cassiel, and speaks to him through his thoughts.

Peter Falk, meanwhile, meets Marion first, at a food stand on the street. Marion, recognizing him as Columbo, somewhat jokingly asks for his help finding someone to love. Cassiel watches, and once Marion leaves...Falk makes the EXACT. SAME. SPEECH to Cassiel, the same one he made to Damiel. And it’s the exact same speech...which makes me wonder what Falk’s true motives actually are. But Cassiel doesn’t appear to take the bait.

Meanwhile, Damiel happens upon a show by a real-life man named Nick Cave, with his real-life band “Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds”. Dude performs his own emo poetry to a music backing, and that music backing sounds like circus music. Which I guess is actually fitting, given that Marion is there as well. So is Cassiel, and we hear the thoughts of Nick Cave as he walks onto stage, ready to perform one final song.

Fun fact about Nick Cave, by the way: dude’s an Australian singer with his band (which is STILL ACTIVE TODAY), and was a MASSIVE HIT in West Berlin at the time, and Wenders knew that a film in Berlin ABSOLUTELY HAD to include one of his performances. Is that not pretty neat?

Cassiel is listening to this, and turns away from the music, as if trying to shove away this experience, as well as Damiel and his pursuit of Marion.

Speaking of those two, Marion walks to the bar of the concert venue, where she meets Damiel. And the two instantly bond, as if recognizing a connection. Marion waxes on her past emotional connections, including that of her lost family. She wants and needs a true love, one that can fill the empty void within her. And as much as I want to tell her to love herself first, that’s not the point of this. This is simply her acknowledging what she wants in her life, and in relationships.

And this is a LOT of dialogue, dense and strong in symbolism and meaning. The conversation ends with an acknowledgement that Damiel is the man that she saw in her dreams, and that he is the only one that she could open up to like this. And the two kiss passionately, which leads to their prolonged love affair. This leads to sex, which leads to a relationship, which also leads to Damiel’s final monologue: he has been amazed by her, and she has shown him new things that he never would have experienced as an angel. This is exemplified in a letter, which was begun in the beginning of the film.

Cassiel looks on, and the voice of Homer speaks over it, saying that the next generation will need him to tell stories in the future. And then...a “To be continued” screen. Huh! And this movie did get a sequel, which is interesting! But, uh...nah. NAH. 365 needs a BREAK from all of this.

But yeah, that’s Wings of Desire! And dear Lord, that was...that was something alright. Something extraordinarily good, but also...definitely something. I’ll get into that more...IN THE REVIEW! See you there!

#wings of desire #sky over berlin #Der Himmel über Berlin #wim wenders #bruno ganz #damiel #otto sander #peter falk #curt bois #solveig dommartin #fantasy march #user365 #365 movie challenge #365 movies 365 days #365 Days 365 Movies #365days365movies #365 movies a year

[indescribablechoices]

let me go home (part one)

Pairing: Sonia x MC (Nina), Damien x MC (Kai) x Hayden

Word Count: 1890 

Fic Tag List: @brightpinkpeppercorn @kennaxval @thehonorarybeaumont @emomoustache 

Listening Suggestion: Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Synopsis: Eighteen months after the events in Monaco, Nina brings Sonia home to meet the family.

“Are you okay?”

Nina let out a soft breath, fingers flexing against the wheel of her car. She glanced across at Sonia who was sat beside her, concern in her eyes. They had been pulled up on the side of the road in silence for a long few minutes, neither making the first move to get out of the car.

“Yeah, I just…” Nina rested her head against the glass of her window, eyes flicking to the familiar suburban house that they were now parked in front of, “It’s been a while since I’ve been back here.”

A frown crossed Sonia’s face, “I thought you said you and your family stayed in contact.”

“We do,” she said, “It’s just very different talking to them on the phone where I can lie about what I’m doing and actually being here in person.”

“Do you want to leave?”

“No,” she reached across and took Sonia’s hand in hers, eyes trailing to the diamond ring that Sonia now wore, “I can’t wait to marry you, baby. I want my family to celebrate that with us. I am never happier than when I’m with you.”

“Even when you’re rolling naked in money?” Sonia cocked an eyebrow.

Nina smirked, meeting Sonia’s eyes, “That activity, like everything else in my life, is better with you.”

Sonia bit back a laugh with a scoff, “Sap.”

“Your sap,” Nina reminded her, happily receiving the kiss that Sonia leaned over to plant on her cheek.

The anxiety that had been resting heavily in her chest felt lighter by just the small interaction. Today felt like the first day of the rest of her life. The Monaco job felt like a breeze compared to the gut-wrenching nerves that had been eating at her for weeks at the thought of this visit, at finally bringing all of the parts of her life together. If she was going to spend the rest of her life with Sonia, she didn’t want to be hiding half of herself away.

Together, they climbed out of the car, Nina leading Sonia up the footpath to the front door, waiting with bated breath after ringing the doorbell. Nina smiled to herself at the sound of her mother’s voice calling from within that she was coming.

The door swung open, revealing a woman in her late forties, dark hair cut into a bob, both Sonia and Nina towering over her short figure.

“Nina?” she asked quietly, tears glimmering at the corners of her brown eyes.

“Hi Mama,” Nina offered her a smile, and was swiftly yanked down into a tight embrace.

Her mom quickly began to fuss over her, asking if she had eaten, attempting to wipe a makeup smudge away with her thumb. Nina laughed as she did, Sonia’s heart swelling at the sight of one of the world’s most prestigious thieves receiving a maternal second-hand lick.

Another figure, taller this time, appeared behind her mother, a man older again by nearly ten years, his dark hair showing signs of greying.

“Nina!” he beamed, pulling her into a hug. She hugged him back before she stepped out of their arms, retaking Sonia’s hand.

“Mama, Papa, I want you to meet Sonia; my fiancée. Sonia, this is my mother and father; Kai and Damien.”

Kai’s face lit up with a wide grin, “Fiancée?!”

Sonia found herself pulled into a fierce hug by the small woman who began to fuss over her just as she had to her daughter just a moment before, saying how beautiful she was, how lovely her clothes were, and obviously how wonderful she must be for Nina to want to settle down.

Damien chuckled as he watched the exchange, “You might want to let the poor young woman inside the house, Peanut.”

Kai shushed him playfully, but she did release Sonia, stepping aside to invite everyone in. Nina mouthed a quick apology to Sonia as they went inside the house. The walls were lined with pictures from her childhood, showing an array of memories, from vacation shots, to official school photographs, candid shots of the entire family and two dogs; a brown collie and a German Shepherd.

“Oh Dipper and Columbo,” Nina cooed, looking at one of the pictures of the dogs, “They were our family dogs growing up. Dipper was dad’s dog before I was born. Columbo was an ex police dog, but he had the softest heart you’d ever met.”

“Just like Nina’s father,” Kai told Sonia with a laugh.

“I heard that,” Damien glanced at his wife with a smirk before looking to Nina, “Your dad is in the kitchen if you want to go surprise him.”

Nina’s smile grew even wider than Sonia thought possible as she was led further into the house, Kai and Damien heading on into the living room.

“I thought Damien was your dad?” Sonia asked quietly once they were alone in the corridor, heading towards the soft sounds of a radio playing and someone clanking around in a kitchen.

“Damien is my biological father, but I call him ‘Papa’. You’re about to meet my ‘Dad’ Hayden,” Nina told her, “My parents have been in a polyamorous relationship since long before me or my brother were born.”

“Is it just the three or is there another parent lurking around here somewhere?”

Nina laughed, “Just one mom, two dads. There is my Auntie Alana as well, and she and Mama are together, and she used to date Papa, but that was before they all really met each other… It can get complicated to explain to someone new… It’s not too much, is it?”

“It is… more than I was expecting,” Sonia admitted, but pulled her to a stop to wrap her arms around her and press a soft kiss to her lips, “But they are your family, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

“Thank you,” Nina said softly, “There’s something else you should know. My Dad looks a lot younger than Mom and Papa. He looks closer to our age, but he’s not. He… well…”

“Baby, whatever it is you can tell me.”

“I’ve never told anyone about him before. At least not like this. I wanted to keep him safe. You’re the only person I trust enough.”

“Nina you’re a highly wanted criminal and I have lied to several law agencies about you. I can handle this.”

Nina’s heart lifted with affection as she looked at this wonderful woman that she trusted more than anything. She let out a gentle sigh, “Did your parents ever tell you about Eros? The company that-”

“Released a bunch of human-like AIs into the world and are now at the forefront of AI technology? I’ve heard.”

“Hayden is one of those AIs. He and my parents helped save the president’s life when Eros tried to assassinate her.”

Sonia stared at her for a moment, eyebrows raised before she let out a whisper of, “Holy shit… how have you never been caught? You have one of the most high-profile families I’ve ever heard of.”

“Special favour from the Oval Office. The only reward my parents asked for was to go home and live out their lives. There was an undisclosed financial sum, of course, you don’t get a house like this in the ‘burbs on a cop, a decorator and a teachers’ salary. But my whole family is under the radar. To keep my dad safe.”

“So, he’s really an AI?” she asked.

“Apart from the non-aging, you would never know. I mean, he’s stronger than the average man, but when you’re a kid you think your dad is the strongest person in the world... But he’s as human as you or I,” she added quickly, a defensive edge to her voice.

Sonia took hold of her hands, giving them a squeeze, “Baby, I wouldn’t care if your dad was a toaster. He’s your dad, and I can’t wait to meet him.”

Nina leaned against her for a minute, “Thank you… This… All of this is a lot for you to hear in one go, I know, but I’ve never been able to really share it with anyone. It’s scary, letting someone truly see you.”

“I see you,” Sonia said, lifting one of her hands to tuck a dark curl behind Nina’s ear.

“You always have,” Nina smiled as their lips met in a gentle kiss. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, the floral scent of Sonia’s perfume setting her at ease, “C’mon. Dad’s going to lose his mind when he meets you.”

They headed further into the house together, and Sonia paused slightly behind Nina to let her begin introductions. Nina leaned in the kitchen doorway, smiling to herself as she watched her dad potter around the kitchen. The radio was blaring pop music, so it was no wonder that he hadn’t heard the commotion at the front door. He stopped to stir at something in a pot on the stove, and a delicious aroma reached her nose, nostalgia panging through her heart as she recognised the smell of her dad’s bolognese.

“Hey Dad.”

Hayden’s head whipped around at the familiar voice, tears already in his eyes as he took in the sight of her.

“Is that really my little girl?” he asked quietly, a smile starting to spread across his face.

They crossed the room and met in the middle, Hayden wrapping his long arms around her to hold her close. She held him tight, resting her face on his chest.

“I missed you so much,” she murmured into his shirt.

“I missed you too. I didn’t know you were coming home,” he admitted, “I would have prepared your favourite, and got your room ready and made a cake or something, I…”

She couldn’t contain her smile as he began to fuss worse than her mother had, “Dad, it’s okay. I wanted it to be a surprise, and you know I’ll eat anything as long as Mama doesn’t cook it.”

He let out a soft laugh, “That woman could burn water.”

She laughed as well, “Have you got enough for two guests?”

“Two…?” He eyes drifted to where Sonia was waiting in the kitchen doorway, “Oh! Who is this?”

Nina held her hand out for Sonia who moved to join her, taking her hand, “Sonia, this is my dad Hayden. Dad, this is Sonia… she’s my fiancée.”

His eyes went wide as tears welled up in them and he threw his arms around both of them.

“Oh it’s so wonderful to meet you,” he cooed, voice softened by tears.

“It’s wonderful to meet you as well,” Sonia laughed.

“Who would have known my ordinary Thursday would have brought me this, my daughter home and a new addition to our family?” he beamed, stepping back to take in the sight of them both, heart bursting with pride at the sight of his child all grown up and so happy, “This calls for a proper Nazario-Young family celebration. We’ll get your brother home for the weekend, and see if we can rustle up some Nazarios, Parks and Moussavis… you…” his smiled faded slightly, “You are staying for the weekend, aren’t you?”

Nina glanced at Sonia who gave her an approving smile before she looked back to her dad, “Yeah, we’re staying for the weekend.”

to be continued...

#the heist: monaco #perfect match #sonia alves #sonia x mc #damien nazario #damien x mc x hayden #hayden young #kai park #nina nazario-young #writing