#i want no more bonnie chats for the rest of this season | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lilahisntsadanymore · 2 years

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People have the right to move on, but Y/n doesn't seem to want it. Traumatic past still bothers her, will revenge be enough to ease her mind?

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x reader and brief mentions of their previous marriages

Words count: 2.5k

Warnings: death, mentions of a season 5 death, age gap (reader is about 25 and Tommy is about 40), some changes of Peaky Blinders' original plot, implied reader is an atheist

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House of Broken Hearts

(gif not mine)

"Don't go easy on him," Y/n recalled Tommy's words in her head, "he didn't hesitate to kill your husband."

He was right. Jimmy McCavern didn't deserve to be shown mercy. However, this was Y/n's first time taking revenge, so unexpected things could happen. Nevertheless, Y/n promised she will do it. And she will try her best.

Y/n hasn't felt peace for the whole past year. With her husband gone, a piece of her was missing. As much as Y/n despised any bloodshed, she could never be at ease knowing McCavern still walks this earth unbothered.

The need for revenge led Y/n into the woods, where she met with her husband's murderer. He didn't know what's gonna happen. He thought it's one more 'casual' business chat Tommy sent Y/n to deal with.

"I hope you know," McCavern spoke, "that if you try to trick me in any way, my people will take you down. You can't see them, but they're here."

Well, this complicated Y/n's plan.

What's the best way to make someone think you aren't going to do the thing you're going to do? Tell them you were going to do it.

"That's a shame," Y/n forced a nice voice, "I was just about to shoot you."

Y/n thought about it once again. Even if it was going to become a suicide mission, it was worth it. Finn and Isaiah, who were keeping an eye on the situation from a hideout, would take her body back to Birmingham where Y/n would have a funeral and be remembered as the woman who avenged her husband's death.

Jimmy's cynical laugher rang in Y/n's ears. The man thought she's trying to scare him. "When was the last time you shot someone?"

Y/n wasn't the kind of person to seem violent. She wasn't violent, not at all. But Tommy Shelby had an effect on her, she changed after a year of interacting with him.

Thomas was different from everyone she knew before. After Y/n's husband died, everyone treated her delicately, as if she was a damaged porcelain doll. Don't talk about it, because it will upset Y/n. Smile compassionately, ask how she's feeling, give her time to heal.

But Tommy knew time doesn't heal. Time only makes you used to the pain. And the pain ruins you slowly from the inside.

"In three seconds from now on."

Don't let the pain kill you. It was the time to use all the knowledge Tommy gave Y/n.

Another laughter coming from McCavern's mouth was cut off suddenly with a gunshot.

Y/n's heart sped up, she could feel her blood flowing extremely fast. The hand that held the gun shooting the enemy was now shaking, still pointed at the body.

The old Y/n would have started crying right now. But the new Y/n didn't see a point in it. What she had done was morally wrong, even sinful if she was religious, but McCavern deserved it.

With her eyes still glued to the body on the ground, a quiet whisper left the girl's mouth. "It's for you, Bonnie. You may now rest in peace. Hopefully."

But...something wasn't right. McCavern promised his people are watching and would take Y/n down. Now it seemed as if he only tried to scare her to make sure she won't do anything inconvenient for him.

Y/n hid her gun back where it was before - hanging behind the waistband of her trousers, covered with a black jacket. Still in some kind of a shock, Y/n looked around and backed away to where Finn and Isaiah were waiting.

"Honestly, we didn't think you'd do it," Isaiah confessed.

"You didn't think," Finn emphasized the 'you', "I told you she's capable."

"And when exactly did you say it? I didn't quite catch it."

"Shut the fuck up, boys." Y/n huffed, as if she forced words out of herself. She walked past the younger boys and entered the back seat of the car Tommy provided.

Isaiah and Finn gave each other a look and shrugged, then followed Y/n's actions. They decided not to say anything else for the rest of the time.

"Take me to Arrow House." Was the only sentence Y/n said.

She wasn't angry with the boys and didn't want them to think she was, but she felt suddenly so drained. It was supposed to bring peace to her mind and currently Y/n had mixed feelings about this. Maybe she needed to cool down. Maybe it was going to stay like this, but something inside her switched the moment she pulled the gun's trigger.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

It was late, somewhere around nine in the evening. Y/n, Finn and Isaiah walked inside the Arrow House and straight to Tommy's office. It wasn't surprising to see him there, still taking care of some papers with a glass of whiskey within reach.

When he saw the trio, he stood up and talked to the front of his desk, leaning on it with his arms crossed, waiting for a report.

"The job's done." Y/n announced, not even a single emotion in her voice. "McCavern is dead. You won't have to worry about business with him...and I finally avenged Bonnie's death."

"That's the most she's said ever since she did it." Isaiah partially joked.

Tommy moved his eyes to the boy. "What did you do with the body?"

"What do you mean? Were we-"

"Yes, you were supposed to get rid of it. Hide it somewhere Billy Boys can find it, but only them. We don't want unnecessary attention."

"It's in a forest, Tommy, who could find it?" Finn asked. Tommy eyed him, his gaze expressing more than a thousand words. "I'm guessing we have to go back and do something about it, don't we?"

After the boys left, their nagging could be heard through the slightly opened window. Tommy chuckled almost inaudibly, his lips barely moving.

"I wanna talk to you about it." Y/n demanded. It wasn't supposed to sound like that, but the girl felt as if she didn't have full control of herself.

Thomas gestured for Y/n to sit on the couch as he poured her a glass of whiskey. "So, what did go wrong?" He took a seat next to the girl and passed her the glass.

"Nothing, I suppose, but..." Y/n sighed, struggling to find words, "I should be relieved."

"Are you not?"

"No." A short pause for thoughts to flow through Y/n's head. "In fact, I feel like the wound is open again. It's been over a year since Bonnie's death and I've came to terms with it. But since I pulled the trigger, I feel like he...died once again. If that makes sense."

"Avenging one's death is like removing sutures, Y/n." Tommy paused to pull out a cigarette.

The girl observed as the man rubbed the cigarette over his lips to eventually take a match and lit it. He inhaled the smoke, having Y/n wait impatiently for the rest of whatever he was going to say.

"Sometimes a drop of blood comes out and you might feel like the wound is fresh," he exhaled the smoke as he spoke, "but once the sutures are gone, it's healed. It leaves a scar that will remind you of the incident, but it's good to remember."

He was right. The skin will never be the same as before, but it's healed. Bonnie's death was a life changing experience for Y/n, tearing a huge, invisible wound. Tommy was like a doctor, who stitched the wound and prepared Y/n for the moment the stitches are ready to be removed. Now that Y/n took revenge on McCavern, the stitches are gone, leaving a scar. The wound is healed, but the scar will always remind Y/n of Bonnie, because he should never be forgotten.

"Will I ever be the same?" Y/n asked.

When Tommy looked at the girl, he could notice a spark of hope in her eyes.

"No. You'll never be the same. You have to...move on."

Move on and live as a new person. That's what Y/n has been doing for over than a year now. The loneliness was awful. Even if Y/n was surrounded with people during the day, she was lonely at night and that's when it hurts the most.

Nights have that special power to make you overthink. The lack of sunlight takes away the ability to think straight. And the worst is you can't run away from it. You have to lie in bed and wait until the night ends.

"I tried to move on." Y/n confessed.

"And?"

"And none of them was..." none of them was you, Tommy, "good enough."

Y/n couldn't say that, she would die of embarrassment. But if there was any man Y/n wanted to move on with, it was Thomas Shelby. He was very different from her late husband, but something made Y/n want him.

Maybe it was the fact they grew so close the past year. Maybe it was because Thomas helped Y/n get back on her feet. Maybe it was because he helped her plan revenge. But it didn't matter, because he didn't want her like this. She was too young for him, he wouldn't ever see a romantic partner in her.

"I understand the struggle. After Grace I thought I'll never find anyone...right."

"And did you?"

The man clicked his tongue, visibly hesitating to answer the question. He considered telling the truth or brushing it off.

"I did." He decided to say, but then added. "But I don't think she's interested in me." I don't think she needs nor wants a broken man while she is broken herself.

"Oh, alright." Y/n stood up awkwardly. "It's pretty late, I'll be going to sleep." As she walked to the door, she could feel her legs not wanting to co-operate with her. But she forced them to.

"Goodnight, Y/n." Tommy said when the girl was just by the door.

She turned around to look at the man. "Goodnight, Thomas." And with it, she disappear behind the door.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"...and you say I should tell her?" Thomas questioned his brother.

Arthur told him he should have a talk with the woman he was interested in, especially now when her avenge plan was completed, but Thomas wasn't so positive about it. He hoped Arthur will maybe talk him out of it.

"Absolutely, Tom," the older Shelby nodded. "If God sent me an angel like Linda, maybe it is his plan to give you your own angel."

Thomas lightly chuckled and shook his head unbelievably. "Don't give me that God talk, Arthur."

"I'm just giving you advice," he raised his hands defensively. "All I'm trying to say is, maybe Y/n is worth a shot."

Maybe she was. Thomas wouldn't know if he didn't try telling her about his feelings...as much as Thomas Shelby was capable of talking about his feelings.

The man sighed walking into the betting shop. Y/n was talking to Finn. He seemed like a better match for her. But if there was something between them, Finn would have already told his brothers about it.

Y/n looked better than on the day before. The shock was washed out of her head and she really felt better. The peace finally came to her.

"Y/n, I wanna talk to you in private." Thomas announced, causing the girl to look at him.

"Alright, sure," she stood up, "I'll be back in a minute, Finn."

"No, it's fine," the younger boy got up as well, "me and Isaiah were supposed to go somewhere anyways."

"Okay then. And sorry again for maybe being a little harsh yesterday."

"Nothing we aren't used to. See you two later."

Finn left the shop with a smile. Isaiah had some other job to do today, so Finn wasn't meeting up with him. There was a girl. Finn was seeing a girl during his working hours, but that was fine by everyone. Well, everyone who knew about it, which were Y/n and Isaiah.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Y/n asked when she was with Tommy in his office.

He closed the door and said, "nothing. Just wanted to ask how you're feeling."

"Good, actually," a smile was visible on Y/n's face for the first time in a while, "I talked to Bonnie and-"

"You talked to him?" The man raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yeah, we often meet in my dreams. Used to, I mean. Last night he told me his soul can rest in peace now, so he won't visit me anymore."

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Good...relieved." As much as a part of her hated to admit it.

But that was what Bonnie wanted for her. They had a short, but beautiful life together. Now that one of them was gone, the other one had to live on.

"I'm sure he...looks at you from the heaven above and...and wants to see you happy."

Y/n smirked. "You're not religious and neither am I, no need for religious references."

"Good, I've never been good at those."

"Thank you for everything, Tommy," Y/n walked closer to the man and placed a light kiss on his cheek. "If it wasn't for you, I'd most likely be with Bonnie right now."

"And that's good or...?" He acted unbothered by the kiss, but secretly he enjoyed it. He enjoyed it and wished it wasn't just a quick peck on the cheek.

"If I was dead, I wouldn't be able to take revenge on McCavern, would I?" Y/n laughed. "My point is, Tommy, I was in a really dark place over a year ago. And you saved me. The old me is dead, but you gave sense to the new me."

Y/n was seriously surprised by all her sudden courage. She hoped she wasn't blushing.

"Does the savior get to take you out?"

Y/n's heart pounded hard, almost wanting to jump out of her ribcage, when she heard the question. She didn't speak for so long that Thomas thought she won't agree.

"Yeah," the girl said eventually, "sure, why not. I mean, like, on a date?"

"Yeah, like on a date. If you don't want to, it's okay. You can say no, Y/n."

"No, no, I want to. It's just...you surprised me."

"I'll pick you up when you finish work today. You're free to go now."

"See you later, Tommy."

Y/n leaned in to kiss Thomas' cheek once again. He didn't hesitate, he even gently grabbed her waist. Y/n pulled away, but still kept her face a few inches from Tommy's face. After a second, they delicately pecked each other's lips.

"I didn't expect Thomas Shelby to kiss like that," Y/n said playfully.

"Like what?"

"So...softly. You seem like a rough man in everything you do."

"It's only the beginning, darling. I just don't think you're ready to see the rough side."

Y/n smiled and crossed her arms on her chest. "You think I'm that innocent? Cute." She walked to the door and turned around to give Thomas one last look.

Two broken people, so different in many ways, so similar in some, who found what they needed in each other.

Deep, or not so deep, down the both of them knew their late partners would want them to move on. It was the right thing to do.

#Thomas Shelby #Thomas Shelby x reader #Tommy Shelby #Tommy Shelby x reader #Peaky Blinders #Peaky Blinders x reader #Peaky Blinders imagines #Tommy Shelby imagines #Cillian Murphy #Tommy Shelby fanfic #Peaky Blinders fanfic #Peaky Blinders one shot

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total-drama-takes-takes-2 · 11 months

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tti episode 3

“Last time on Total! Takes! Island! An Awake-a-Thon tested the patience of every camper, and left a few with some pretty wicked injuries. Caesar won the victory for the Flying Fujoshis, and Joner hit the hay and left his buddies Michael and McLovin behind. Will any alliances stay intact for more than just one episode? Will Frollo recover from his blunt force trauma? Find out today on Total! Takes! Island!”

---

The mess hall feels more crowded than usual today as every camper huddles around their table. Most are still sleepy from the past challenge, but some are in full gear.

“We need to get our act together,” Max insists, drawing out a little game plan on his plate of mysterious brown slop, only pausing to glare at Frollo as he speaks. “We can’t afford to lose over petty personal differences.”

Frollo glares back, his eyes cold and gaze icy. Julia responds with a sigh, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. “So what’s your plan, then, Mr. Man?”

“I don’t appreciate your tone,”

“I don’t appreciate your face!”

“Woah, let’s cool down, alright?” Austin says, holding out his arms between them as if they were to pounce on each other at any moment. “Take a chill pill, baby!”

Max pushes his arm down. “I’d ask you to kindly keep your peace and love away from me, thank you,”

Austin sighs and sits back. “Only trying to keep us together, mate. We’re on a team, aren’t we?”

Only Kelly seems to agree as everyone glares daggers at each other. Max sighs. “As much as I hate to admit it, the hippie is right. As I said, we need to put our personal differences aside if we want to keep winning,”

“He’s right,” Scruffy chimes in, swallowing a spoonful of slop without a second thought. Everyone winces. “Speaking from the lens of a TDI historian, the most successful teams, alliances, and friendships are built off of practical cooperation.”

“Thank you,”

Julia rolls her eyes.

Things are looking much more peaceful over at the Fujoshis table as they chat merrily. Courtney is wedged at the very end of the table, using McLovin as a shield to keep them away from Mal, who’s surrounded by Ass and Patrick.

“And I’m covered by the company health insurance, so if I sustain any lasting injuries, it comes straight out of McLean’s pocket,” Caesar chuckles, using his spoon to form the breakfast gruel into pancake-shaped patties, somewhat fit for consumption.

Bonnie shakes their head in bewilderment. “And you got all this stuff, how, exactly? Threatened to sue?”

“Not exactly,” he smiles. “Back home, I run a very popular Total Drama-themed Hunger Games simulation show on local cable and online. It got so big, the execs here threatened to sue. I sent my fans after them and they issued a formal apology, which included an invitation to their newest season.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve seen that!” Peter says, nodding enthusiastically. “It’s so awesome, my friends and I take bets on who wins!”

Bonnie scoffs, shaking their head with a smile. “Lucky,”

“I threatened to sue, but the court dismissed my case,” Patrick chimes in. “On the grounds of not actually having been on the island.”

“If only the courts were evil,” Bonnie jokes.

“If only the courts were evil in my favor,”

Bonnie chuckles. Kitty reaches into their apron pocket and pulls out a handful of candy and hands it to Patrick. “For your troubles,” they whisper.

Patrick blinks. “Thank you,”

“Alright, campers!” Chris shouts. “Your next challenge starts in ten minutes- be prepared to bring it!”

“Corny. Same line he used in the original,” Scruffy mutters.

---

The dodgeball emporium is already set up, a shiny glass athletic center that puts the rest of the island’s amenities to shame. That can only mean one thing- Chris is very enthusiastic about going all out for today's torture.

“I still feel exhausted,” Kelly sighs, stretching. “I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night, either.”

“Bad dreams, baby?” Austin asks.

“One of the girls was snoring,”

All of the girls and such on the Inane Anons turn to Michael, who looks back, confused. “Wasn’t me. I was up all night, too,”

Kelly shrugs. “It’s no problem. Just a bit tired,”

“Today’s challenge is everyone’s favorite: dodgeball! The first rule is don’t get hit. Second is that if you catch the ball, the thrower is out and the catcher gets to bring another team member out onto the court! And some other stuff,”

“Great. Okay, we only need five players,” Max says. “Who’s gonna sit this out with Kelly?”

“No, no- I’ll play!” Kelly insists. Max raises an eyebrow, but shrugs. "I guess it makes sense to save the best for last. Get in under the radar and then surprise them last minute. Frollo, Staci, you're on. I'll go too, and-"

“If Kelly’s going, I am too, baby!”

"Whatever. Just don't try to "make love not war" them to death,"

Courtney, Mal, Patrick, McLovin, and Peter stand opposite to them, not looking very happy. Courtney turns to the rest of their team. “Just focus on dodging for now. If you see an opportunity, take it, but no one get themselves hurt,”

“But if you do-” Mal interjects, much to Courtney’s annoyance. “There’s no shame in losing!”

“Yes there is,” Patrick says.

“Alright, ready? Set? Play ball!” Chris blows into his whistle.

Courtney sighs. “Just focus on keeping in the game!”

A ball immediately flies from the opposite side and tags Peter directly in the neck. Staci and Austin high-five. He wheezes on the ground for a few minutes as his teammates stare in shock, and then Chef drags him off the court.

“What did I just ask?!”

Another ball flies by and Patrick barely dodges, though it bounces off the glass wall and smacks McLovin in the back of the head, flattening him on the ground.

Courtney sighs as Chef scrapes McLovin off the floor with a shovel. “Alright, it’s on!”

They aim for Frollo- the easiest target, since he’s still all bruised from his earlier divine encounter- and toss the first ball from their side.

Frollo holds out his Bible like a shield. “The Power of Christ compels y-”

The ball hits him in the gut and he wheezes, drops to his knees, and then curls up on the floor. Max groans and puts his head in his hands.

Kelly yawns and weakly tosses a ball, which simply bounces across the floor and lands at Patrick’s feet with a weak squeak. Patrick picks it up and in one throw, takes out Kelly and a poor, derelict Austin trying to help them stay awake.

Mal swerves across the court, dribbling her ball and dodging throws from the remaining Inane Anons before throwing it, hitting Max with such a force he’s thrown into the glass behind them. She turns to smirk at Courtney, and is promptly hit in the head with a throw from Staci.

Patrick aims straight for Staci’s face, but they catch the ball and use it to take both Patrick and Courtney out. The Inane Anons win the round with a cheer.

“We need to get in gear,” Courtney says, rubbing their sore side. “Not to live up to my namesake, but I’m gonna go all Type A on this team if we don’t start working together!”

“I agree completely,” Mal smirks. Courtney glares at her.

Kelly falls asleep on the bleachers, and Michael takes their place. Julia, O, and Scruffy also step in, and the Fujoshis come up with Courtney, Ass, Caesar, Bonnie, and McLovin.

"You sure you can handle this?" Ass asks Caesar. "Getting hit in the hair will still count you out."

He chuckles. "If I can swerve paparazzi and desperate fans on an average trip to the grocery store, I can handle this, easy. Bonnie? Care to join?"

Bonnie jogs over and the two stand back to back.

---

BONNIE: "I mostly do online gaming now, but back before I had access to my computer setup and my tablets, I used to go to the Chuck-e-Cheese's," they smirk. "Not to brag, but you're looking at the regional skee ball and Pop-a-Shot champion."

---

Bonnie and Caesar give each other a smile before team up sweeping the game in the blink of an eye, taking out three Anons and leaving the rest to Courtney and Ass. Only McLovin gets tagged out by a seemingly very-determined Michael, to which he glares.

Courtney grins, some hint of assurance on their face. “I’m gonna step out to save energy. Ass and Bonnie, stay in,”

“I’ll Sha-Go too!” Sha-Mod bounds forward.

“Erm, no offense, but…” Caesar gestures to the picture taped over their face. “Aren’t you a little visually impaired?”

“My other senses are heightened,”

Caesar shrugs. “Our funeral,”

"If I may?" Mal asks, smiling sweetly. "Peter hasn't gotten a chance to play again."

Peter looks up from where he'd been watching a bug crawl around on the floor with big eyes.

"No offense, but this isn't exactly taking turns on your brother's tricycle," Caesar says.

Courtney nods, glaring at Mal with a suspicious stare. "Yeah... I don't know if he's really up to the task,"

"I have faith in him," Mal smiles confidently. "Go take a breather, Caesar."

Caesar rolls his eyes and walks off as the game begins, much to Bonnie's and Courtney's dismay.

Julia takes out Sha-Mod almost instantly, and barely misses Peter. “Ow!”

A flash of anger crosses Mal’s face. “Come ON! AIM!” Everyone raises an eyebrow at her, and she catches herself, changing to a smile and a nervous laugh as she pretends to help Sha-Mod up.

Peter is taken out seconds later, and as Mal stifles a grin a stray ball catches her in the stomach and she collapses. Peter groans and is dragged off court. Sha-Mod follows. They leave Mal on the floor.

Ass and Bonnie aim for Michael, but Julia tags out Bonnie just in time, distracting Ass long enough for Kelly to swoop in and steal the lead.

“One more game, one more chance!” Courtney insists. “Patrick, you’re in. Anyone else who thinks they can-”

“I- I wanna try,” Peter wheezes.

Ass and Courtney raise an eyebrow in sync.

“I don't think that’s such a good idea, little buddy,” Patrick says, smirking slightly.

“I have… to prove my worth,”

"I say we give him one last chance, huh?" Mal smiles.

Courtney starts to say something, but the rest of the team cuts in. Ass shrugs. “Whatever, just don't get hit!”

Patrick, Peter, McLovin, Caesar, and Sha-Mod stand against Kelly, Austin, Max, Scary, and Scruffy.

“Piece of cake!” Sha-Mod grins directly before Kelly aims straight for the jugular.

Patrick dodges a ball from Scary, watching it bounce against the glass wall and fall to his feet with a chuckle. He picks it up and looks forward just in time to see a coordinated attack from Scruffy and Max coming straight towards him.

“Not that face,” he whimpers before both balls hit him square between the eyes.

Caesar dodges a throw from Austin, catching another from Scruffy as he stands at the line between the two sides of the court. He tosses a ball, missing Kelly, before hearing a faint giggle and looking up towards the ceiling where Scary is hanging from on all fours with a ball in their teeth. They drop it- it hits Caesar, bouncing off his hair, and then ricochets on McLovin, leaving Peter alone on the court.

“Come on, Peter, you got this!” Ass shouts.

Peter swallows a nervous lump in his throat and looks back at the Anons.

“Do you really think he can make it?” McLovin asks, holding an ice pack to his jaw.

“No, but it’s a nice thought, isn’t it?”

Peter trembles, the ball in his hands shaking violently as he stares down the opposing team, who aren’t looking too concerned at all. Max gives a slight I told you so look to the rest of his team, then a smile Kelly and Austin, and then all three of them part, allowing Scary to walk through. Peter quivers and weakly throws the ball. It bounces a few paces forward and stops at Scary’s feet.

He picks it up, grins wickedly, and then tosses it directly upwards.

Max cups his face to shout. “Seriously?! He's right-”

As it falls, Scary does a tight, neatly performed spin-kick and launches the ball with her heel, sending it out with such a force that when it hits Peter, it sends him directly through the glass and onto the beach below.

Max's jaw drops. Everyone falls silent. Even Chris looks mildly concerned. The Flying Fujoshis stare in shock, all looking at each other as if to say, “So, who’s gonna get the body?”

Then, the silence lifts.

“And with a sweeping victory, the Inane Anons have won the game!” Chris shouts against the cheers of the winning team. “Chef, bring Peter to the medical tent and call in a chopper, he’s outta here! No elimination ceremony tonight!”

The Fujoshis stare in complete dead silence before a few interns force them out of their seats.

“That was rough,” Sha-Mod says, shaking his head as they walk back to the cabin. The picture of Lightning quivers in the wind, but stays put.

Patrick shrugs. “Eh, he had it coming. It’s the law of the wild on this island- natural selection. The weakest go first,”

Sha-Mod frowns, but doesn’t respond further.

The Anons, on the other hand, seem to be doing just fine as they gather for lunch in the mess hall. “How’s this, baby: you, me, the Christian square, and the history square?” Austin asks, walking alongside Kelly.

“Are you sure? I mean, Frollo is kind of…” they gesture to Frollo, who’s standing over Peter’s cast-covered body and sprinkling holy water on him while he tries to weakly protest.

“That’s why he can’t say no, baby!”

“Ok, I guess that makes sense. What about… Staci? Staci is nice,” Kelly smiles, gesturing to Staci as they growl at Michael for staring.

“Sure, baby, whatever you say. Yeah!”

Staci sits back down on the bench and huffs. Scary emerges from under the table as if she were rising from underwater and sits next to them. “I liked your technique today. Brutal!”

“Thank you,” Staci grins. “My great-great-great cousin twice-removed Bertram actually invented the earliest version of dodgeball, so I’m pretty good at it.”

Max rolls his eyes. “Oh, brother,”

“I heard that!” they snap, brandishing their grimy spoon like a weapon. Scary giggles with delight.

“Good job out there today, campers! And good work Scary- only three episodes in and we’ve already had to lift someone off the island in a full-body cast!” Chris chuckles, entering the mess hall. Scary smiles wickedly. “Really makes you wonder who’s gonna sustain a life-threatening injury next time- and there’s only one way to find out- here, on Total! Takes! Island!”

#tti #total takes island #sorry for the delay sundays are busy

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sometimesiwrite · 2 years

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Oh, Ugly Sweaters, please 💙

Thanks, love! I'll bring @tumbleweedtech in on this too since Bex asked for the same one ^^

This was supposed to be for 21 days of Decembert, but it got too long and there were other ongoing pieces I wanted to get finished so it got backburnered. BUT I'm hoping to bring it back this holiday season as I do love it.

I'll give you two snippets, one for each ask :)

As far as he was concerned, Lambert felt about as dumb as he knew he looked. His finger reached for the doorbell just as Rudolf’s nose—a plastic hemisphere held to his sweater with hot glue and a prayer—began its rhythmic cycle, LED blinking in time to the piezoelectric speaker nestled in Santa’s bulging, cotton-stuffed gift bag. Jingle Bells. More like Jingle Hell. The muffled bing bong! of a doorbell sounded from somewhere in the middle of the duplex, and the four carolers stamped their feet in the cold, waiting for the door to open.

“Julian!” A bright faced, petite blonde woman in bunny slippers opened the door. Lambert rolled his eyes. Great, time for chit-chat.

“Poppet!” Julian beamed, his pink cheeks glowing almost as red as Lambert’s sweater as he swooped in and scooped the woman into his arms. She kicked her feet and wriggled as he spun her around, setting her gently back on the stoop.

“Oh, how are you? I wasn’t expecting to see you until the summer! You’re supposed to be at Oxenfurt, you sly dog. What was the matter? Not enough people to plagiarize?”

Julian gasped, “That’s a low blow… though you would know enough about that, I’m sure.”

“Oi! Either quit flirting so we can sing, or go inside with her already so we can go home,” Lambert grumbled his hands shoved deep into his pockets as the wind picked up. It was nearly dark, and the damp air was getting colder.

“Ah, no. Although generally speaking your assumptions would be founded, Lambert, I’m going to have to correct you on this occasion. I have never, nor will ever, have any interest in anyone whose primary talent is charming people out of their copyrights along with their trousers.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “Oh, stop it,” she hissed, elbowing Julian in the ribs. “Don’t be rude, introduce me to your friends.” She glanced around at the three grizzled-faced men standing behind her cherubic acquaintance, looking as though they’d rather be anywhere else. The silver-hared man, she recognized from Julian’s descriptions—Gerald, or something like that. But the other two were foregin to her. A rounder-faced man with a strong jaw, slightly shorter than (she swore his name was Gerald). He had medium-short mahogany hair, warm amber eyes, and overall kind features. He seemed quiet and good-natured.

And...

Lambert flicked on the stove and pulled a large soup pot out of the refrigerator, “Chilli! Best batch yet, and three days old. Should be fucking perfect.” He heaved the pot onto the burner and set a timer to stir it. “Want something to drink? Hey, Bonnie Tyler, I’m talking to you.”

Two slender fingers snapped in front of her and Essi jumped, “Sorry?”

“I said, ‘want something to drink?’ We’ve got eggnog with apple brandy—good batch this year, too—I’ve got hot chocolate, can add some peppermint oil, I’ve got red wine, sparkling water, stout, porter… got a Belgian dubbel…

Essi's eyes narrowed as they scanned the clear glass door of the liquor cabinet, "Sambucha with a twist? On the rocks? Or an herbal liqueur with an orange twist if you have that."

The witcher reached for the clear bottle, hiding an impressed grin inside the cupboard.

"Bold choices. Comin' right up."

The flavours would work perfectly, and the fact that she talked exactly like she knew what she was doing struck a pleasant nerve that Lambert hadn't anticipated.

"Careful, Essi. You keep talking like that, Lambert might never let you leave." Eskel's wink drew a scowl on the younger witcher's expressive face as he set down a stylish shot glass, a twist of lemon peel resting on the bottom.

"Oh, you're a mixologist, too!" the musician smiled up from her drink, her eyes sparkling again and making Lambert's collar feel too tight.

"I dabble," he answered shortly, sitting on the far side of the kitchen table next to Geralt with a half pint of dubbel. "You know your flavours."

"I dabble," Essi shrugged, taking a sip from her glass. "Music rarely pays for itself, and bartending is better than waiting tables. Spend a lot of time playing around with things when I'm bored."

Lambert grunted into his beer, holding off the urge to talk about cocktail recipes. She didn't want to hear all that. Probably flighty with her hobbies anyway

Another round of drinks, and Essi decided she wanted to introduce them to her favourite holiday songs. "You can join in on the chorus!" she said, excitedly. Great. Probably from some high school choir recital. Better yet, from fucking Frozen.

To say that Essi wasn't Lambert's preferred social type was a massive understatement. She was excitable, bubbly, enthusiastic, highly sensitive, and her big blue eyes suggested a level naivety that made the youngest witcher vaguely uncomfortable. Above everything else, though, she had invaded. Nevermind the fact that she knew her drinks and held them even better. Nevermind the witty banter and her seeming unshakeable demeanor, the way she looked right into his eyes and asked direct questions. By all right Lambert should have been annoyed by her, and the fact that he wasn't was, well, annoying in and of itself.

Love to you both!

#wips #ask game #wip game #Lambert #Essi Daven #Eskel #Geralt #Julian Alfred Pankratz #Modern Witcher AU

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lovecolibri · 2 years

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Things that did NOT Spark Joy-4x03

Oh besties, I hope you are ready for the high sodium content this post has because this episode was A Lot, and not particularly in a good way. The little sparks of joy can be found here, but this is gonna be some pure, uncut salt straight from the mine.

WHERE IS ROSA ORTECHO?! IS SHE OKAY?! IS SHE THRIVING AND DOING HER ART?! IS SHE HAVING A GOOD TIME?! IS SHE ALLOWED TO WEAR THE CLOTHES SHE WANTS?! SOMEONE TELL US WHERE SHE IS!!

Also, NO ALEX. 0/10 do not recommend.

But for real, please stop trying to make us believe Michael would not be anxious about not hearing from Alex when Alex is doing nothing but driving around looking for stuff, the most boring thing imaginable, and could easily spend the driving time chatting on the phone with Michael because they are absolutely Like That. Alex going missing again would be so much more interesting if we got to see Michael worrying, and thinking that maybe he’s being too clingy and talking about it with everyone else at different times and then finally going to Kyle and Kyle validating that this is Not Like Alex and yes Michael should be worried. I think that would be a great bonding moment for them and I’m holding out hope we get Michael and Kyle working together to find Alex since they’re the only ones we’ve gotten to see actually care about Alex as a person. But still, totally ignoring Alex and not allowing that worry to build up over a couple of episodes is just like, such a dumb choice. This show continues to set up emotional beats the size of a fucking barn and then proceed to somehow entirely miss hitting them.

This leads to my next point that having Michael being worried about Alex missing and hoping to get some answers from the new aliens which we already know he wants to do is a MUCH better set up for Michael going to talk to Bonnie at the bar than...whatever that mess was. Like, women can’t just take themselves out to a bar and taste test drinks without it being a symptom that something is deeply wrong? Let women be! Let women drink alone! It’s not a crime! 🤬 ANYWAY, that was the dumbest set up when they establish that Michael already wants to talk to these newcomers first instead of just assuming the worst. Whyyyyy go with some weird savior complex thing that Michael apparently needs to guide lost souls or something and that being tied to a woman just living her life? If they want to go the “Michael and a mentor” route it should be with Alex and them working with foster kids and struggling teens because THAT’s actually important to both of them. Deciding for yourself that someone having a couple drinks alone must be in crisis is a weird stance for this show to take given that they brought up Rosa’s drinking and substance abuse issues, tied them to mental health issues Liz specifically worries about having as well, and then spends the rest of the show with Liz almost always having a drink in her hand, smoking with m*ria, and having Rosa spend 90% of last season hanging out in a bar. Just saying...

While we’re talking about Michael and Alex, can we talk about the show constantly taking important things to them and giving scenes about them to other people? We already had Echo using the “cosmic” line last season, but mostly I’m currently focused on the show establishing in season 1 that music and the guitar is tied to Malex with the picture in the pilot episode, Michael stealing Alex’s guitar then Alex giving him one in 1x06, and then Jesse breaking Michael’s hand so he can’t play anymore, only for ever other moment of Michael and the guitar to be with someone other than Alex. Like WHYYYYY?? HOW does this show constantly undercut it’s own narrative?! We have been begging to see Michael playing guitar again since season 1 when they for some reason decided he needed to play for fucking m*ria while Alex was waiting for him, and now he’s played TWICE in this episode and both times were NOT with Alex, and NOT with Alex there to at least SEE it and give Michael heart eyes about it. It’s RIDICULOUS. (This shade is not directed at Bonnie, it’s not her fault the writers room is a mess and otherwise the scene made sense and was sweet. But STILL. 😤)

Apparently at least both Dallas and Liz agreed with Michael’s plan, but god forbid anyone stand up for Michael to Max’s face in front of the group 🙄 and to make it worse, Michael’s plan was good and Max’s worry was because he’s having issues with his powers. That is NOT a reason to lash out at MICHAEL about a GOOD PLAN just because he doesn’t think he’ll be able to help if things go wrong. Maybe telling everyone about that issue would have allowed Michael to rework the plan a bit to make Max feel more comfortable about it. But we are once again having Max hiding what is going on with him and his powers from Michael, Isobel, and Liz because we see him tell her for the first time when it’s made clear he’s been struggling for the last 6 months since Jones died.

Given that this is the last season I was already tired of wasting time for Kybel but I am REALLY, REALLY over this “intrepid reporter” narrative and I am side-eyeing Chris HARD for saying “what happens when you have two good choices” and immediately showing us Anatsa getting someone drunk and probing them for information that clearly could get them in trouble with their work. Like, everyone knows you can’t comment on an open investigation? I’m not saying Anatsa is totally at fault because clearly this lady does not take her job seriously but that whole scene was SO uncomfortable and SUCH a waste of time. We had to spend time with Kyle meeting this woman, and then MULTIPLE scenes of them together at this winery, just for Anatsa to see the video of the bank robbery? They couldn’t have had it leaked or something? Or had her and Isobel waiting for Max at the Sheriff’s office for something and Isobel stepping away and Anatsa seeing the view queued up on his computer? Still shady of her but more palatable to watch and not a giant waste of multiple scenes just to get to that point. GOD Kyle deserves SO MUCH BETTER than being stuck in all these scenes with these rando women just to get to some tiny plot point in the most convoluted way possible. We already did this in season 2 like STOOOOOP. Kyle deserves better and him and Isobel deserve more than a half-assed love story thrown together in a few episodes at the end of the season.

I get that Anatsa is going to keep digging and Isobel wants to be around to try and keep her from finding out anything because she isn’t sure if she can trust Anatsa with their secret but is guilty about dating her and keeping secrets and dating her after doing the mind whammy to keep Anatsa off the trail for a night, with the implication that it’s going to keep happening since Anatsa won’t let this go. There’s also the implication that the guilt is related to using her mind powers on someone Isobel is in an ongoing relationship with because it’s similar to Noah controlling her in their relationship. SO I’m still not sure why Isobel wouldn’t break up with Anatsa and then do what she did with Liz and send her away. She might not feel great about it, but it WOULD keep Anatsa safe as well as all of the aliens and the people who help them safe, and wouldn’t be Isobel keeping everyone safe by constantly messing around in her gf’s mind to keep her out of things. This could have happened last season or in 4x01 and allowed the rest of the season to explore Kybel without both of them being paired off with other people. I’m just tired of another pointless love triangle when Isobel working through what a “destined soulmates” relationship would mean after Noah, if she feels trapped by that idea and give us some great moments of him just causally respecting her autonomy and without even trying, proving that he’s not Noah. We might get some of this but it’s not going to be the epic build up both of those characters deserve and undercuts the “alien soulmates” mythology the show introduced in the first episode.

I’m not a scientist but that whole scene with the ENORMOUS bit of skin that’s somehow THAT BIG and solidly flat, but not like, an actual chuck of bloody skin you would get if you actually ripped off a bit of yourself on a cactus was a bit too much suspension of disbelief for the show to ask of me right now.

Also, I want to care about Shivani’s plight with her daughter, but this is like, the umpteenth time we’re doing the “person has been working to save someone sick and dying by researching alien stuff” and I’m tired.

Which, speaking of, how have we not heard about Heath in 3 episodes when his whole thing last season was “become a brilliant scientist to save my best friend since childhood, Dallas”? And having Dallas say these new people he just met 6 months ago are all he has was....such a slap in the face. And since Dallas was apparently also dying last season, is he not also getting the same treatment m*ria is that took away her powers? Or was he magically healed in some way that they couldn’t do for m*ria? What about Mimi? Did they try the treatment on her too? Who knows! Not us, they just had to invent yet another reason for m*ria to be in the middle of things because her character has actually served no purpose beyond the planned relationship with Michael as an obstacle for Malex to overcome.

Annnnd here’s were we get to the REAL salt about this episode.

I am literally BEGGING the show to not give Dallas the Gregory Manes treatment and make him pant after m*ria for the rest of the season instead of bonding with his triad, letting Michael be there for him as a support system (since Heath apparently fucked off to who knows where) like he’s been for Michael, and maybe getting to have scenes with Alex. But already this episode we saw that instead of Dallas working with his bestie Michael to help with the new aliens since he's understanding and supportive of Michael's plan, or helping Max and Jenna because he's great with people and getting them to talk to him like we saw with the homeless man last episode and with Graham Green, he's shifting to being the one getting stuck trying to make m*ria likable and relevant to the plot this season 🙄

They had to go back and retcon her having alien heritage to give her something to do, and now Mimi has been almost entirely forgotten by the narrative (was she even IN last season?) while they invented a grandparent with ties to Caulfield and now supposedly having all these alien artifacts but it would make far MORE sense for that to have been Alex or Kyle’s storyline! Both their dad’s worked at Caulfield far more recently, Jim was already confirmed to have been taking shit and giving it to Eduardo over at Deep Sky (but don’t forget, that organization does NOT know about aliens 🙄), or it could have been something Tripp took to help Norah before he was killed. So once again, Kyle and Alex and a sensible narrative are being pushed out of the way to wedge her into the story because they have too many characters and have never known what to do with her.

And look, I know I hate on m*ria but it’s so telling that they never knew what to do with her so she’s always stuck with the guest star characters to work with instead of ever being able to work with Liz her supposed BFF after season 1, or share scenes with Rosa after season 1 made it seem like she was closer to Rosa than Liz. Or they try to pair her up with Alex or Michael while refusing to address what she did to them, and hoping the audience just forgets about that, or the way she talks down to Michael and forces both of them to also praise her for being sooo wonderful. It’s sickening.

The show is also continuing to push the narrative that she’s a “saint” while actively showing us a person doing bad things and being a bad friend! I made a post about it already but the absolute tone deaf writing to have her steal medical supplies from the go-bag of a working doctor and then not be able to think of a single bad thing she might have ever done, ever is BEYOND ridiculous. You would think after ruining Greg from the sweet teacher he was and refusing to let him have scenes with his brother Alex which was 90% of why people fell in love with him (the rest was his heart eyes with Isobel which would ALSO have been a great story to explore) in order to prop up m*ria, that the writers would have learned their lesson. Here’s hoping they don’t sacrifice the Dallas we know and love and his beautiful relationship with Michael to the alter for Saint m*ria. But given what we saw in the 4x05 synopsis, I’m not holding my breath.

Just like last season, we NEED more information and more time for important things and conversations to happen on screen so why are we again wasting time propping up m*ria as a character when she’s STILL doing none of the things they keep praising her for (like being selfless, being “too hard on herself” or being any kind of good friend in any capacity), and is AGAIN, actively being the opposite of those things? Every time I start to get sad this show is ending, we get scenes like this that remind me this show will NEVER live up to the potential is has because they will always sacrifice the better and more logical story and emotional beats to cater to a character they made superfluous from the start.

Okay folks, that’s about all I have the energy for. But here’s your salty reminder that Alex is in a hole somewhere out in the desert and we likely won’t see him for a month and who knows when him and Michael we get to have scenes together again! Plus, next week is probably going to be m*ria and m*ria/Dallas heavy 🙃Lord, beer us strength.

Link to previous episode posts: 4x01, 4x02

#roswell nm #roswell spoilers #things that did not spark joy #4x03 #anti maria deluca #anti maria x dallas

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cancerian-woman · 1 year

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I posted 6,111 times in 2022

That's 3,355 more posts than 2021!

501 posts created (8%)

5,610 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@taureanluver

@dayas

@noanichols

@maiasclary

@lazyspeedy

I tagged 5,053 of my posts in 2022

Only 17% of my posts had no tags

#bonnie bennett - 364 posts

#tvd - 217 posts

#dria rambles - 158 posts

#the originals - 135 posts

#twdg - 135 posts

#writing - 131 posts

#atla - 129 posts

#klaus mikaelson - 121 posts

#the vampire diaries - 120 posts

#black women - 120 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#but then again if it’s not about bonnie i’m not checking in i do wish y’all stop tagging her tag knowing she’s not in the fic at all though

My Top Posts in 2022:

Y’all will like every tvdu ship but get to bonkai and wanna talk about morals

92 notes - Posted June 29, 2022

I only trust Bonnie being written well by Bonnie fans. As for the rest of y’all? You make me nervous.

101 notes - Posted June 19, 2022

The magic of white witches in tvd. Freya slept for a thousand years and woke up super powerful without a struggle to perform a spell or even having some self-loathing due to her history with Dahlia.

As for Davina who faces a lot of similar struggles Bonnie did. But she gets her “fuck you, this my agency moment..”

Meanwhile we had to watch Bonnie physically be in pain when it came to performing harder spells. Not including her dying every season. Every black witch that was in the show eventually had some traumatic death on-screen that was never addressed.

Every time someone likes my older posts/asks I have more to add each time.

115 notes - Posted March 2, 2022

certain tvd fans: oh my god Bonnie deserved so much better it makes me want to cry. let me proceed to write her 4 words of dialogue in my fanfic.

130 notes - Posted April 20, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

A rough draft of an excerpt that belongs to this au:

“Good morning,” Bonnie whispered, peeping her head out on the back porch. Of course, this is where Klaus would be. Sitting on the deck, listening to the birds chirp while chatting with their daughter. “I was wondering where you two went. You know I hate the silence of a empty room.”

Klaus was rocking an active two-month old Hazel. “Sorry, my love, the littlest witch had awoken and I couldn’t resist. She’s exquisite company.” After easing the infant gently inside her bassinet. Klaus’ sped from the rocking chair and back with Bonnie on his lap.

Klaus could list a heavy amount of things he missed with Hope. All of her firsts went to Rebekah. On and off fighting with Hayley upon Hope’s return. Missing four years of her life from Marcel’s prison. Now, he’s adding onto that time because of the hollow. Those are secrets and anguish from another life that he will hold until he can properly explain it to Bonnie.

“Sometimes I still can’t believe she’s real.” Bonnie replied, resting on Klaus’ torso as she holds Hazel in her arms examining her features as usual. She’d never be this tiny again. Brown skin, just like her mother’s. Green eyes inherited from her great-grandfather on her mother’s side. Maybe, the next will take up after Klaus.

“Yes, I carried her for months. Made plans with you for her nursery. The shopping—but that doesn’t matter! She’s here and perfect. Is it weird that everything I’ve ever done seems insignificant compared to her? I always wanted a full home so I didn’t feel alone.”

“No,” Klaus said, admiring the warmth that filled his body watching Hazel smile and coo back at her mother. “You were always saving the day. That doesn’t mean because you saved the day it gave you joy. Hazel, was and is your choice.”

Now that held some truth. Servant of nature is what a witch was supposed to be. Not everyone could be a Bennett witch even if Bonnie willingly gave her powers up.

“Caroline and Stefan emailed me. They want me to write the real history on Bennett witches for the boarding school.” Bonnie shrugged, lowering Hazel down to her breast to feed. While Klaus tugged her tank-top off her shoulder. “While Alaric is requesting talismans and other Bennett artifacts to show the students.”

“And, you don’t want that at all.” Klaus said, raising a brow. Not that he blamed her. A Bennett grimoire and a vial of blood in the wrong hands suddenly becomes a wild card for a supernatural.

“Absolutely not.” Bonnie agreed, cradling the curly head of her daughter. “I don’t think anyone else is deserving to write my family’s history but me.” She declared. “Giving up Bennett artifacts just sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Pictures exist for a reason.”

Kissing at Bonnie’s temple. “They could make a statue in your honor. I think that is just as fitting.”

“It is, since I’m the reason Mystic Falls isn’t a wiped out town on the map. A statue and plaque should’ve been made when the school was.”

“I could build one for you in our backyard,” Klaus remarks. “Right, in the center.”

“Can we put a raincheck on that statue? There’s a ritual Bennett witches perform after an infant is born. We do it during celestial events. I never had mine but I need Hazel to have hers. She’ll be sheltered by the spirits in all ways.”

Klaus’ eyes go wide for a moment. “I wasn’t aware those occurred. Ayana had four daughters and never practiced those.”

“You didn’t know she did those. It’s really private event. Witches of the past and present attend. The bloodline wants each off-spring prepared. All our daughter has to do is show up and be cute.”

“We can do anything you want.” Klaus agrees. Hope never had a coven of witches to shelter her upon birth and accept her immediately with open arms. If the ritual is performed on Hazel that can restrict the Hallow or anyone else for that matter from chasing after the Bennett’s.

“Our daughter should meet my wolf form.“ Klaus blurts out after.

“I think she’d like that.”

164 notes - Posted September 24, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #Niceee 😁.

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beauenfer · 3 years

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𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬;

· * · ✦ fandom: The Vampire Diaries

· * · ✧ pairing: Elena Gilbert x male!Reader

· * · ✦ warning: I put male reader because that’s Elena’s sexual orientation, but in reality it’s not very gender specific except for one or two lines, Mentions of wounds

.｡.:*★.｡.:*★.｡.:*★.｡.:*★.｡.:*★.｡.:*★.｡.:*★.｡.:*★

✦. Elena was a sweet soul, and she loved to be coddled. you always cuddled her, complimented her, held her hand. all that sappy shit

✦. but with dating Elena came competition. and a lot of enemies

✦. all you wanted to do was protect her, especially knowing everything she’s already lost

✦. you loved her even more for that. you thought she was strong for it

✦. you always tried to read her diary entries to no avail, but she let you read some anyways

✦. speaking of, she wrote about you all the time. she wrote her favorites things about you and things that were special about you

✦. she didn’t let you read those, but you still did and teased her endlessly about it

✦. you always had to make sure Damon wasn’t trying anything with Elena. you didn’t like when they were alone together because you didn’t trust him

✦. you trust Elena wholeheartedly though and never believed she would do that (lol I thought that too but then she smackin on Damon lips in the hotel room) (then again I guess she wasn’t technically with Stefan so it’s justified 😒)

✦. you guys always teased Jeremy together, but you also had a soft spot for the kid

✦. you made sure he never got hurt, and considered him your own sibling

✦. whenever you guys are in school, you leave notes for each other or pass notes to each other

✦. you can’t stop staring at each other so the teacher says something

✦. “oh, I’m sorry, is class interrupting your time?”

✦. “uh, no sir. Sorry.”

✦. you stick up for her during arguments because she’s usually too nice to say anything particularly mean

✦. you hate to see her cry, but your always there when she does

✦. you hate that she’s so ready and willing to kill her self to help everybody. you wish she would just sit down and shut up instead of trying to sacrifice herself

✦. Katherine has tried to get with you to hurt Elena multiple times

✦. you two knew everything about each other and shared all your secrets

✦. you guys always stayed up late and ate popcorn, always enjoying the domestic moments that didn’t involve vampires and death

✦. you two loved to go on dates as much as you could, or anything that didn’t involve anybody else

✦. Elena always told you she loved you, and she always gave the warmest hugs

✦. Elena always planned the best parties for you, with Caroline’s help. Valentine’s Day, your birthday, Memorial Day, earth day. You two took those days to be alone and have fun without a worry (but that was probably due to all the vodka you’d drink)

✦. Elena got up before you most of the time, staring at you with a smile before she kissed your cheek and got up to make breakfast

✦. you and Elena danced around the living room for fun, completely in love and wishing the moment would never end

✦. you were the type of couple who got into food fights when you were baking, flour staining your clothes and hair, icing sticking to your faces

✦. she loved to make jokes about your exes, and wasn’t one to be jealous that easily

✦. unfortunately, because of Elena’s life you were kidnapped and used as leverage against her all the time

✦. so much so she wanted to break up with you for your safety

✦. you weren’t having it

✦. you got a hurt a lot, and Elena always patched you up with tears brimming her eyes and doubts in her heart

✦. “all you do is get hurt around me... why do you even stay?”

✦. “because I love you.”

✦. totes using that in a fic

✦. when you and Elena argued, it was usually about her always hurting herself and putting herself in danger, or you always trying to protect and her keep her away from it all

✦. which you wanted to do. you wished you and Elena could disappear somewhere and be content. no vampires, no doppelgängers, no death and despair

✦. she wanted the same, which resulted in you guys always going on little trips for a few days

✦. Elena could be wild at times, so you were always the one who had to take care of her because she was hopping on a table with her top off

✦. Elena loved the forest and anything woodsy, so you always skipped school and took her to the lake

✦. she’d sit between your legs and lean back on your chest while you two talked about your future together, which you often did

✦. you both wanted kids, a lot of them. but with your lives you weren’t sure if that would ever happen

✦. Elena was very open about her emotions with you, she wasn’t ashamed of crying in front of you or telling you her worries and stresses

✦. you were a little more private because you didn’t believe Elena needed your problems on top of her own. you were her support system

✦. because of this, Elena could read you like a book. she became an expert in reading your body language and expressions when something was wrong

✦. “hey, what’s wrong? you know you can talk to me about anything.”

✦. “it’s nothing I can’t deal with, Elena.”

✦. she always blushed when you’d stare at her, a small smile on her face when she’d tuck a strand of hair behind her ear

✦. “what? what are you staring at?”

✦. “my beautiful girlfriend.”

✦. but you guys liked to take things slow. I love you wasn’t even said until a few months into the relationship

✦. she gave you her scrunchies and you wore ‘em like a medal

✦. she took a lot of pictures of you two and framed them. her favorite is you two sitting at the lake, framed on her nightstand so she can look at it every night before bed

✦. she also hung them in the rim of her mirror that she got ready at, looking at them with a smile on her face

✦. “why do you have pictures of me everywhere?”

✦. “because... they make me happy.”

✦. you two always said pickup lines to each other even though you were dating

✦. she loved to hug you from behind, resting her head on your back and saying she loved you

✦. whenever she looked at you, she always had a soft moment where she realized she really loved you and that you were her best thing

✦. Elena went to the cemetery and talked to her parents, and Jenna, about you, but she couldn’t stop herself from crying

✦. “he’s a good guy... you’d like him, dad.”

✦. you always made sure Elena took time for her friends, often going behind her back to set up sleepovers with Caroline and Bonnie so she can have some friend time (she was grateful for it)

✦. you’d make sure to leave her her favorite ice cream, then leaving to hang out with Stefan and the boys

✦. saturday’s were for the boys

✦. whenever you and Elena were in a car you were always the designated driver. you knew about her anxiety in vehicles

✦. whenever you first started dating you and Matt had a chat. Matt said you better protect her and treat her good, which you promised

✦. you and Elena went on double dates with Stefan and Caroline a lot

✦. you guys took showers together, but it wasn’t like that

✦. you washed each other’s hair and giggled a lot

✦. you helped Elena study for college, and pretended you were a sick patient so she could doctor you

✦. hehehehe

✦. you two were jogging buddies and went on morning runs together

✦. you guys sat on the roof and stared at the stars, content in each other’s arms

✦. you guys binged watched tv series together, and was the type of couple who watched episodes together so you’d be at the same place

✦. but Elena was the one person in the relationship who watched it when you were asleep and was two seasons ahead of you

✦. you guys volunteered together at shelters, or just did anything that helped other people

✦. and basically, y’all were goals

#elena gilbert #elena Gilbert x reader #elena gilbert imagine #elena gilbert headcanon #tvd #the vampire diaries imagine #the vampire diaries

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peakyxtommy · 4 years

Text

First Date

Summary: First Date

Fluff Prompt List: @otp-promptly

A/N: Happy October! Fall is underway!! It’s my favorite season.

Here is Day 1 of the OTPtober prompts. They will come out around the same time each day and I will mix up the characters. (Tommy, John, Arthur, Finn, Michael, Bonnie, & Isaiah) enjoy! Credit to all gif owners!

Characters: Tommy, Arthur, & John

Tommy:

He would be nervous, but on time. He would knock on your door and be breathless by how gorgeous you looked. He would help you out to the car and hold your door open, being a gentleman ™ all night long.

He would take you out to a nice restaurant and you two would enjoy your favorite drink. You wouldn’t talk business but talk about the arts and a little politics in good nature. He would tell you about his horses and gin. You would tell him about your job and upbringing.

He would ask you for a dance, you would feel the butterflies in your stomach. His hand would enclasp yours as you made your way to the center of the floor. His hand would touch the small of your back, sending shivers down your spine. You wrap your arm around his back, hand resting on his shoulder, as your other two hands are guiding the movements between your bodies as your feet move to the rhythm. His warm blue eyes on you the whole time and you even made him smirk a little when he dipped you and spun you around a few times.

When it was time to go home. He would give you a kiss on the cheek with the promise to do this again soon. “I had a great time with you tonight, (Y/N). I’ll call you this week. Goodnight.”

Arthur:

He would be nervous just as much as you. You met him while he came to buy a cake for John’s birthday, while you were working your shift at the bakery. Even after he picked up the cake, he would stop by to get pastries from you twice a week, slowly working up the courage to ask you out after about a month.

You would accept enjoying seeing him come to the bakery to make light conversation with you. Wishing he would continue to come back so you could get to know him even better. So when he asked you out, you were quick to say yes.

He shows up a little early with your favorite flowers. You invite him in, apologizing for the small mess, while you continue to get ready.

“It’s no problem love, take your time.”

He would take you out to a small but nice restaurant in town. He would pull your chair out for you and pour you more water and wine during the dinner. He would tell you about his family, a few jokes, and compliment your baking skills. You would tell him about your family and how you got into baking.

“It was great this evening with you Arthur. Let’s do this again soon.” You speak, giving him a surprise as your lips close around his just enough to leave you both wanting more until next time you meet again.

John:

You would be a little nervous but excited. You were the one who asked John out after working for his family for over a year. He would come by your desk to chat and flirt with you. You two became friends first. It wasn’t until he took you home after a late night in the office doing work that it was raining when you went to leave, that you began to fall for the lad. John was just as excited as you were because he did indeed like you, but was a little nervous because this was his first serious date in a long while.

It was a Saturday evening when he showed up on your doorstep, smitten with joy to be having an evening out with you. You two go to an all you can eat rib night at a pub with live entertainment. You knew John loved to eat, drink, and dance, so what other way to enjoy all three than this pub.

You two enjoy your ribs, you not being shy at all, but almost as confident as John. You two laugh over jokes shared, he tells you about his kids, and you tell him about your family. You two shared a fun few rounds on the dance floor and John couldn’t stop smiling the whole night. It was the best time he had in the longest time.

When he drops you off back at your doorstep, his cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

“Tonight was amazing, I had a grand time with you. I’m hoping that next time you let me pick where we go.” You could feel your heart beat faster at the mentions of a next date.

“Yes, that sounds good. I’ll see you Monday John.” He grins, enjoying that way his name rolls off your tongue.

“Can’t wait, yes. When you see me, I'll be greeting you with one of these.” His face leans into your as your lips connect tasting the sweet drinks and smokes you both had. Enjoying the feeling of his lips on your, entranced by him. When he breaks away, there’s a small trail of saliva, but neither of you mind. When you close the door to your home, watching him drive away through your window, you would go to sleep dreaming of Monday to come sooner.

Taglist:

@captivatedbycillianmurphy

#peakyblinders #tommy shelby imagine #peaky blinders imagine #thomas shelby #tommy shelby x reader #arthur shelby x reader #john shelby x reader #peaky blinders preference #peakyxtommy #thomas shelby x reader #thomas shelby imagine #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders fanfic #mags’s otptober

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mymelodyheart · 3 years

Text

All I Want For Christmas Is You Chapter 1 ~Sparks Will Fly~

Notes

Hey guys, I'm back with a Christmas Ficlet, "All I Want For Christmas Is You," starring our favourite couple, Jamie and Claire.

It won't be my usual long story, but it's my wee gift to my readership who'd been following my journey in writing and always encouraging me with their insightful comments and kudos.

Please don't be disheartened when I don't always reply back to your comments, as I spend every spare time I have writing. When I'm not writing, I'm dealing with this thing called life and taking care of my loves. But I promise you, I always look forward to reading your feedback, and if you have any questions of any sorts, I will answer them. If you see any mistakes or you wish to impart something I'm doing wrong or give me some ideas, please bear in mind I welcome constructive criticism, and I welcome opinions. I would even thank you for it, and I promise you I won't take it personally. The reason I say this is because I wholeheartedly wish to improve my writing and what a better way when my readers can share their thoughts with me.

Without further ado, I wish you all happy reading.

If you wish to read this on AO3, here is the link.

James Fraser stepped into the pub followed by his older brother Willie. Although it was still early evening, there was already a small crowd all hyped up into a party mode. The multiple flat TV screens on the walls were showing world championship darts without the sounds. Instead, the speakers blared with Wham's Last Christmas song with the random interference from the resident DJ. While a handful of men milled around the bar holding their pints, the women sat at the table chattering animatedly and sipping long drinks and port. With Christmas Eve only two days away, there was a sense of excitement and goodwill in the air, typical of the festive season.

"Check out those birds at three o'clock."

Jamie cocked his head at Willie's words.

Two wide-eyed bonnie lassies stood next to the pool table sipping cocktails as if awaiting their turn for a game. Living in a tight community where everyone knew everybody and their business, Jamie immediately discerned the girls were visitors.

Willie unzipped his jacket. "I saw blondie first."

Jamie followed his brother's line of sight, but his eyes darted back to the dark-haired lass with the palest skin he'd ever seen, her tresses done up in a messy bun. Her long legs, accentuated by tight black jeans, grabbed his complete attention. She had a cropped red cable-knit sweater on and boots caked with mud which meant she must have been watching the shinty game earlier along with the rest of the village folks.

"Bloody hell, look at her," Willie murmured.

Blondie wore a purple turtle neck top that showed off her nice breasts, and jeans that hugged her hips snuggly. Jamie grinned. "Och, ye like 'em curvy, but I like her mate more. Shall we talk to them?"

"Aye, let's do that before one of those lads get there first."

Jamie made a move forward.

"Hang on a minute," Willie's hand slapped across Jamie's chest, stopping him mid-saunter. "Yer ex ... she's back here for the holidays. She's sat at the bar with her mates. Are ye sure ye're ready for this?"

"Aye, aye. It's been over between us for ages," Jamie replied, not taking his eyes off the dark-haired lass. He hadn't thought about his ex for a long time and whatever he thought he'd felt for her back then, was nothing but a distant memory.

"This is just a bit of fun, alright? Dinnae get to attached. Blondie and her mate are probably tourists."

Willie had seen him go through hell over a year ago with his ex, who he thought had been the one for him. She had turned his life upside down, affecting his job, and his ability to stay sober after she'd cheated on him. Once Jamie got his act together, he'd sworn off serious relationships and decided to concentrate on work.

"Fun. Fun sounds good," Jamie muttered. When Willie didn't release him, he looked at his brother square in the eyes. "How about ye?"

"What about me?"

"Ye haven't chatted up a lass in a very long time. Are ye sure you still know how to?" Jamie asked, trying to keep a straight face.

Willie shoved his shoulder and feigned offence. "Ye cheeky git! Cannae chat any lass up when I know everyone here, now, can I?"

Jamie nodded toward the two girls. "Weel, what are we waiting for?" He took a deep breath and kinked his head sideways to the left and then to the right. "If we're just gonnae stand here like a couple of numpties and discuss, we'd be too late by the time we get there."

"Mmm, never seen ye this eager to meet a lass before," Willie grinned.

Jamie looked back at the women and noticed they were beginning to garner attention from the lads nearby. The dark-haired one made a move around the pool table followed by her mate, and he was powerless to stop his gaze wandering down to the gentle curve of her arse.

Willie straightened his posture. "Let's go," he exhaled as he made a move.

Jamie followed suit and lined up next to his brother. As they got closer, he watched as the dark-haired lass skirted past a group of pool players with a polite smile, then wrote her initials in chalk on a blackboard mounted to the wall, claiming the next game. CB, she scrawled.

She wrinkled her nose and laughed at something her friend said as she started moving towards the bar. Jamie's frown deepened when the lass didn't see the sports bag put into her path. A few steps more, and she would trip and fall flat on her face. But not if he could help it.

"Hey!" Jamie shouted, abandoning Willie's side. "Hey, ye!"

She took another step, looking over her shoulder to acknowledge what her friend was shouting at her.

"Ah, fuck!" Jamie gritted his teeth and hurried towards her in quick long strides. He had no choice but to jostle a couple of bodies out of his way as she showed no signs of hearing him. He caught her as her foot connected with the bulky bag, his arms sliding under hers and pulling her up.

Her forehead bounced off his chin. "Oh, Lordy, Lordy." She let out a lungful of air and dug her fingernails into his forearms, her breath on his neck feeling like a double shot of heat warming his insides. "I'm such a clumsy oaf."

"Hey mate, shoved that bag under the table will ye, before someone breaks their neck," Jamie shouted over the top of her head at the owner of the bag, his voice sounding a tad harsh. With her front plastered against him, Jamie could almost feel her shock subside, giving way to the vibration of her laughter. Still holding her close, he puffed out a sigh and whispered into her ears. "Next time, ye should look at where ye're going. Ye could have landed on yer face, and that wouldn't have been a pretty sight."

Still laughing, her shoulders shook, presumably finding the situation hilarious. "We left our Airbnb earlier in a hurry, and my contact lenses are at the bottom of my suitcase. I'm farsighted, you see, but I'm too vain to wear my specs."

"Enough to fall flat on yer face? "

A few heartbeats passed. "If I say yes, are you going to start yelling again?"

"Aye."

"Alright then ...no."

Realising he still held the lass in a firm grip, Jamie let her go slowly to reassure himself she was steady on her feet. She kept her head down as she took a step back to rummage through the handbag slung on her shoulder. When she got hold of what she was looking for, she put on a pair of specs and blinked up at him through round, black-rimmed eyeglasses. As their eyes met, he felt something crank in his chest. He must still be wound up from the shinty game earlier because, on a sucked-in breath, an uneven sound passed through his mouth. A Dhia. She had the most beautiful amber eyes, and they reminded him of the colour of the finest heavily peated single malt whisky, Islay had to offer.

"Oooh!" she whispered.

Aye, tell me about it. "What's yer name?"

"You're one of the shinty players from earlier."

"Uh-huh." He tamped down the urge to laugh. "Yer name?" he repeated.

If the spellbound look in her eyes meant she was stunned by what she saw, she wasn't the only one. "Oh, yes. Sorry. I'm Claire. Beauchamp. Claire Beauchamp."

"Claire." For some reason, colour bloomed in her face when he said her name. "I'm Jamie Fraser."

"Hi." After a few seconds of just staring at each other, she recovered first and slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, shoot, where are my manners? Thank you. Thank you for saving me from an undignified fall." Her lips twitched, and her eyes twinkled. "If I had died of embarrassment, at least no one would care since nobody knows me here."

"I would care." Someone collided into him from behind, making him close the distance between them and her head tilt back to maintain eye contact. She was a tall lass, but still, he was a head taller than her. "So ... ye're here on holiday?" he asked.

"Yes, I am ...until Boxing Day. And then we're going to Edinburgh for Hogmanay. And then flying back to London on Three Kings from Glasgow." He heard her swallow. "I have a thing for Christmas in Scotland, you see."

"Is that so? What else do ye have a thing for?"

"Probably a lot of other stuff," she whispered, clutching her handbag in front of her. "But I'm having difficulty thinking of them right this minute."

"And why is that?" God, she's breathtakingly beautiful.

"I guess I'm still rattled by that near fall." She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Or have you forgotten all about that already?"

Jamie couldn't stop his grin. "No, not at all." In his periphery, he saw his brother and Claire's friend chatting. He wondered if he could whisk Claire away. This lass is something else. She wasn't staying here for very long, and he wanted to get to know her and make every second count.

He cleared his throat. "Look, Sassenach ..."

"Sassenach?"

He felt heat glid at the back of his neck. "Sorry ... it's a Gaelic word. It means an outsider or someone from not around here. In case ye misunderstood, it's not my intention to make it sound like ye're not welcome here. Let's just say I meant it as a pet name. Endearment, if ye will."

He regarded her as her eyes searched his face, and she made no effort at all to hide her perusal of his lips. When a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and her eyes lit up into a wicked glint, his chest expanded a hundred-fold. "I like the sound of that ...Sassenach," she breathed as she rolled the Gaelic word in her tongue.

"Mmm, so, you're from London, huh?"

She shoved her hands in the back pocket of her jeans and rocked back on her heels. "Yeah. I'm originally from Oxford. But I live and work in London as an editorial assistant for a publishing company. How about you? What do you do, besides playing shinty?"

"I'm a tree surgeon. My brother and I run an arboricultural business."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, wow! I've never met a tree surgeon before. So I guess you must love your job to make it into a business?"

"Aye, I do," he smiled, basking in her open interest in his life. "I love the outdoors and the fresh air, whatever the weather. How about ye? Do ye like yer job?"

She paused and frowned in contemplation. "It's alright," she shrugged. "It's a job that will bring me closer to fulfilling a dream, I guess. I want to be a fulltime writer one day ..."

It was his turn to be surprised. "Maybe ye should move to the countryside if ye want to be a writer. Far too many distractions in London, don't ye think?"

She grinned. "Yeah, I suppose so. But I'm enjoying London at the moment, and I'm not quite ready to give up the city life. Just yet. Maybe one day." She glanced at her watch. "Umm ...you must have somewhere to go."

He wasn't ready to let her walk away, so he forced a worried cast into his face. "Eh, ye look still shaken up. We should probably get ye something stiff to drink ...and my phone number."

Her eyes widened, and after a tense split second, laughter burst out of her lips, loud enough to turn heads in their vicinity. She brought her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggle but failed. The sound was so infectious, his own low rumble accompanied it, and he couldn't help but think, there's never been a time he felt such a powerful connection with another person.

"Actually I'm with my mate here," Claire said finally, jerking a thumb over her shoulder and twisting around to the direction of where her friend stood. "She's my French flatmate. But it looks like she's already found someone to talk to." She paused and squinted her eyes. "Oh ...I recognise that bloke she's with. He played shinty too, didn't he?"

He waved at Willie and signalled him and Claire's friend to come over. "Aye, that's my older brother."

Claire's gaze shot right back to him. "Really?" With a smile that showed off perfect teeth, she pushed her specs higher on her nose. "I wouldn't have thought. I don't have a sibling, and I just presumed your whole family would have the same gorgeous auburn hair like yours. Well, alright ..." She crimsoned to her hairline as she looked at his approaching brother. "I see some similarities now ...height, broad shoulders and the colour of your eyes."

Jamie felt a pinch of unease. Even though her vivacity was endearing, he wasn't ready to feel drawn to anyone this deeply or to care at such an alarming rate and intensity. After his last relationship broke down, there hadn't been anyone that piqued his interest ...until now. And she would be leaving in a few days. Chatting to her was only meant to be a night of enjoying the company of a beautiful lass or perhaps a diversion in whom he could lose himself into for a short time. But the moment he'd looked into her eyes, warm feelings drove into his heart while burning urges grew low in his tummy. This lass was a breath of fresh air and sexy and exactly what he needed. He mentally shook his head to clear his brain. Looking beyond the top of her head, he blurred the image of seeing this as something more. The long-distance relationship was a no-go. He was a country lad at heart, and she belonged to the city.

"Jamie?" She was staring at him as if he'd lost some of his ability to think clearly.

"I'm sorry ...still listening. It's just that I'm not used to a beautiful lass pointing out my physical attributes," he reassured her with a smile.

That beautiful blush blew across her face again. Jamie found it adorable. How could she be direct and shy at the same time? "I didn't mean to sound so bold. It must have something to do with me living in the city for so long ...you know, us Londoners tend to have no filters."

He winked at her. "Dinnae fash, lass. I kinda like it." And he meant it.

She was about to respond when Willie and Claire's friend reached them, huge smiles painted across their faces like they'd hit it off.

The blonde girl took a step forward towards Jamie. "Hi! Claire and I enjoyed watching you guys play shinty earlier. I didn't realise it would be so aggressively physical. By the way, I'm Annalise," she smiled warmly, holding out her hand.

Jamie took it. "Aye, that it is and difficult to play when the grounds are too soggy. It could get pretty messy in this dreich weather." He shook her hand. "I'm Jamie ...please to meet ye."

"Likewise," Annalise replied, glancing at her friend.

Willie introduced himself to Claire, then brought his attention to their situation. "Looks like yer glasses are empty, ladies. Can we invite ye both to join us for a drink?"

Jamie saw Annalise elbow Claire with a conspiratorial look. When Claire nodded, Annalise batted her eyes at his brother. "Sure. That would be nice. I'd like a vodka and tonic please."

Willie grinned like he'd just received an early Christmas present and Jamie understood the feeling.

"Sassenach, what would ye like to drink?"

Before Claire could reply, Hugh, one of the lads in his shinty team, tapped her on the shoulder. "It's ye against me now, lass."

Claire swung around and looked at the cue stick being handed to her, and her eyes lit. Turning back to Jamie, she grinned. "This won't take long, but I'll have a single malt, neat, please." Then she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the cheek. "This is for good luck."

He froze. It was an innocent kiss, but it packed quite a punch.

"Oh ...and yeah, it's a belated thank you again for breaking my fall," she quickly added, suddenly, appearing unsure like she doubted the gesture.

A slow grin roused to form on his lips. "Ye can thank me by going out with me ...tonight," he said, without thinking.

She blinked.

"I'd like to show ye something."

Her brows wrinkled as she studied his face.

"I'd really like to get to know ye better and take ye out," he said. "Please allow me." If she said no, he was quite certain he was going to beg.

"Alright."

He smiled as relief surged through him. "I'll wait for you until ye finish yer game," he said. "We'll leave after we've had a drink with my brother and yer friend."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere Christmassy."

She gave him a wary look, and he laughed.

"Listen." He leaned in close. "I'll get yer friend to take a picture of my driving licence if that will make ye feel better."

He was about to pull out his wallet to retrieve it when she stopped him with a wave of a hand. "I trust you."

"That's a good start."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

Slowly backing away from him, she smiled. "Let me play this one game first, and then I'll be with you."

With his heart in his throat, he watched her progress as she walked towards the pool table and swapped a few quick words with her opponent, who seemed to be humouring her. After the lively exchange, Claire pulled up the sleeves of her sweater to her elbow and rubbed her hands together. Before she began chalking the cuestick, she gave him a wink. That mere display made the muscles in his belly clench, literally whooshing the breath out of him.

A slap on his back tore his gaze away from Claire. "Easy now lad," Willie said in a low, amused voice. "Ye look like ye could use the same drink as her."

Jamie glanced back at the subject of their conversation. "Aye, but make mine a double," he whispered.

"On it," Willie replied, laughing as he walked off.

What the bloody hell? He should be withdrawing himself away from this attraction because this mad instant bond between them was like an overloaded electrical fuse, capable of incinerating him alive. He'd already learnt his lesson from his last relationship. He'd been there and done that, but yet he didn't have the will to stop himself from finding out how their connection would play out.

Oh, Christ, this is bad. So, so bad, I'm in so much big trouble. Taking a huge sigh, he found himself a stool nearest to the pool table and watched Claire steal the show from the best snooker player in Broch Mordha.

#melodyheart #all I want for christmas is you #claire beauchamp #jamie fraser #Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser #outlanderfanfic

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d-criss-news · 4 years

Text

Royalties Soundtrack Listening Event | Darren Criss Chat (July 7th, 2020)

Darren Criss 18:02:04

wait ha

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Darren Criss 18:02:08

sorry yall

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Darren Criss 18:02:12

this is confusing me of course

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Darren Criss 18:02:29

this is new for me too friends

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Darren Criss 18:02:45

well i'm here but I can't hear shit so gimme a sec

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Darren Criss 18:04:00

well I'll just keep typing here guys

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Darren Criss 18:04:04

bro

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Darren Criss 18:04:07

wilma

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Darren Criss 18:04:15

i'm tryin

Darren Criss 18:04:57

21kxuv372ubcprrbpiefadt6i

What was your favorite song to write for the show?

They each were really fun so that's hard to say but Hate That I Need You surprised the hell outta me

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Darren Criss 18:05:30

bettic72

darren non capisco un cazzo

anchio pero sti cazzi siamo qui

Darren Criss 18:05:49

genevievephillips

point and laugh at darren

yes let's laugh at him

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Darren Criss 18:06:18

2162bkuccm7xje6yfgmuzrnyq

You inspired me to write my own songs 🥺👉🏼👈🏼

thanks for writing the first positive thing I've seen on this. That's wonderful! I hope to hear them!

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Darren Criss 18:06:43

clo :)

i love that we are all grandparents when it comes to this

thank you for using the appropriate WE pronouns ha yeah this shit is confusing

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Darren Criss 18:08:44

zcvmtsgee5mom80oxeesa4v11

Darren how do you deal with stage fright .... i’ve been preforming in front of people for a while and i i still get scared . Does it ever go away ?

i guess it depends on how big the crowd is. everybody's different but I will say any kind of fright means you care, which is a good thing! Also the thing people forget about performing, for the most part, is you can't SEE the audience, most of the time they're in the dark. That's why performing for friends or in a small space where you can see everyone is much more nerve-racking

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Darren Criss 18:08:57

Dana

Darren can we have a royalties tour once rona is over???

wouldn't that be fun!

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Darren Criss 18:09:15

emilybutcher30

darren can you start streaming on twitch please haha i love you

ha can't compete with King Urie man

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Darren Criss 18:10:06

jake2000w

Darren, I know it’s all weird right now, but do you have any idea when we might see Nerdy Prudes Must Die?

what a good question. I have no idea but I've been wanting to see that show for almost as long as I've wanted to make Royalties. The boys have been talking about that one for a while now.

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Darren Criss 18:10:16

jesiqseigle56

Can you like respond .

like yeah

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Darren Criss 18:10:27

abbyforsmark

has Darren even said anything on this?

nope nothing

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Darren Criss 18:12:39

u6iczx4gua0att2g4kd2vdzwe

Did you write each of the songs with the performers in mind or did you cast them afterwards?

great question. Except for "Also You," which was written with Jackie Tohn for Jackie Tohn, we had no idea who would sing each song. I did the demos for almost all of them and then we had to pitch actors/artists to see if they'd be interested... which wasn't as hard (luckily) as seeing if they were AVAILABLE... which many weren't given the short time we had to make the show. Hopefully we can get some of those folks on for the next season IF THEY'LL LET US HAVE ONE!

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Darren Criss 18:13:52

delfi

darren royalties is so good i'm fucking proud of you

thanks for watching it, truly. I know the Quibi thing is strange for people so I appreciate you giving it all a chance : )

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Darren Criss 18:14:04

Caitlyn A :)

if you see this kick your shoes off

I would but no shoes

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Darren Criss 18:14:27

t59glm18dkw84n64l72jcuvpc

come to the uk challenge

god i wish.

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Darren Criss 18:15:39

damn someone said "travel to UK challenge" and I meant to respond "find a vaccine challenge"

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Darren Criss 18:17:08

i can't hear any of these songs but I"m just gonna start saying random shit about them

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Darren Criss 18:17:16

first off, i really wanted a theme song

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Darren Criss 18:17:23

that was a whole thing

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Darren Criss 18:19:18

Had to cut through a lot of red tape to make sure we had that silly song in there. We were already in the middle of post production when I finally got it approved, but it had to be under 15 seconds. I wrote 3 diff versions. So glad it ended up working. Theme songs accomplish so much in such a short period of time. Establishes tone. Gives the audience an almost Pavlovian response to the familiarity of the characters... I'm happy with it

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Darren Criss 18:20:12

also the "doo doo doo" lyrics are meant to sound like "scratch vocals" when songwriters record vocals with temporary gibberish lyrics with the intent of filling them in with real ones later

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Darren Criss 18:22:29

Just That Good was a concept that started the entire 1st season, and it was one of those instant-songs where Nick and Matt told me the title and I immediately had the hook just from those words. That only happens every once in a while and I was so happy it did for that song. The tricky part was writing the rest of it, but the back half of the song with the chorus repeating that one refrain over and over- that was the melody from the get go

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Darren Criss 18:23:08

I'll get back to Break it In, kick your shoes/let your hair, and kong later... i'll just go off on this one

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Darren Criss 18:23:48

so I wanted to nod to the grandeur of everyone's favorite vampire elf, Jared Leto

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Darren Criss 18:24:05

not HIM specifically, but 30 seconds to mars' very BIG music videos

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Darren Criss 18:24:29

i dont jared is a buncha self centered nutcases like our guys in SWITCHBACK JACKET

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Darren Criss 18:24:37

* i don't think Jared...

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Darren Criss 18:25:38

anyway yeah "so much better..." comes from a lot of the 90s alt rock that I grew up on, and the mix of that sound with a bit of electronic production was an effort to contemportize it as much as possible

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Darren Criss 18:26:26

but the rhythm guitar, lots of power chords and high octaves were all harkening to my fave bands like Lit and Eve 6... but put through a strange bizzaro nickleback/creed performance filter

—

Darren Criss 18:26:55

"make you come true" is obviously a very salacious play on words

—

Darren Criss 18:28:27

so the only way to make it feel earnest is if we made the track itself sexy as possible. A lot of the songs, even without being written, leant themselves to a certain genre just by the title, and this one was kind of a no-brainer. Sexy mid tempo r&b. And I didn't even know we'd get Jordan Fisher to do it- who SMASHED the vocal.

—

Darren Criss 18:29:42

lauraacampbell-12

DARREN CHORDS OR LYRICS FIRST WHEN WRITING A SONG?

it's different every time but for this show specifically it's always title/idea first, and then the song comes from there. But that's because we're writing a show, so we have the luxury of getting to write from a specific place. It's much harder to do that in your own life when you just want to pull a title/idea from your own experience of life. I commend people that do that all the time.

—

Darren Criss 18:30:06

what's NUTS about prizefighter is...

—

Darren Criss 18:30:24

it was originally a song called LONG RANGER that BONNIE MCKEE sang, who I wrote the song with

—

Darren Criss 18:30:38

and in the video we had CHRISSY TIEGEN lipsynching

—

Darren Criss 18:30:44

it was bananas

—

Darren Criss 18:31:26

we ultimately couldn't use the song because of some complicated writers shit- not too dissimilar from the things we explore in our own show, which is just totally ironic.

—

Darren Criss 18:32:56

we were so bummed that we couldn't use the song but I'm actually really really happy with PRIZEFIGHTER. I love the song, and I love how it turned out production wise. I love how much of a massive influence latin x rhythms have had across the entire spectrum of mainstream music, so I wanted try my own hand at nodding to it!

—

Darren Criss 18:33:08

Lara :)!

Ahhhhh so was that the pilot song you were talking about last week?

that's the one

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Darren Criss 18:33:45

hbz3jctrg5rwwma640hahffvt

You have inspired me to learn piano I already know how to play teanage dream now

you can thank Bonnie Mckee aka Kimmy Kelly for writing that song!

—

Darren Criss 18:34:01

ok then there's the k pop song

—

Darren Criss 18:34:08

honestly i had no idea where I was gonna start on this one

—

Darren Criss 18:34:22

full props to the brilliant CJ Baran who I wrote this song with

—

Darren Criss 18:34:39

we were just toying around with very industrial-sounding samples

—

Darren Criss 18:35:21

and I started singing Edvard Grieg's "in the hall of the mountain king"

—

Darren Criss 18:35:33

and he was the guy that was like YEAH JUST PUT IT IN THERE

—

Darren Criss 18:35:46

and i realized, oh yeah, that song is public domain

—

Darren Criss 18:35:59

and kinda ties perfectly to the nature of Elia Peck and his songwriting... huh.

—

Darren Criss 18:36:05

So we went for it from there.

—

Darren Criss 18:36:17

based the lyrics off of what the Neals say in the room.

—

Darren Criss 18:36:34

and then just wrote a bunch of ALMOST nonense lyrics about things that you could HATE that you NEED

—

Darren Criss 18:36:40

things like available wifi...

—

Darren Criss 18:37:01

artistinal mai-tais.... yeah I guess if you really really liked those you could HATE that you NEED them...

—

Darren Criss 18:37:04

etc etc

—

Darren Criss18:38:16

but the idea was to have Mariam Hale's character hardly do ANYTHING on the track, since she, as the audience sees, doesn't really have much to offer... so we just built it around this huge track with crazy lyrics that just tees up a tag for her to say without even having to sing: I HATE THAT I NEED YOU

—

Darren Criss18:38:43

2235n5s2qk5hjsujbhk5ilpva

I have classes in 10 minutes, and I'm not leaving until you dedicate a Royalties song to me.

looks like you're gonna miss calss

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Darren Criss 18:39:09

"calss" ha. which is like "class" but like... different.

—

Darren Criss 18:39:32

alrighty PERFECT SONG

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Darren Criss 18:39:38

i really love this song as well

—

Darren Criss 18:40:02

the reveal of this song is that they keep talking about this "perfect song" they've written

—

Darren Criss 18:40:26

in other words we're teeing up a pretty big expectation of what a perfect song could possibly sound like

—

Darren Criss 18:40:36

the reveal of course is that the song itself is in fact just called "perfect song"

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Darren Criss 18:40:43

which is ABOUT a perfect song

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Darren Criss 18:41:07

and about TRYING TO WRITE a perfect song, and how that's not necessary when you have someone that IS the perfect song

—

Darren Criss 18:41:20

when we wrapped our heads around that idea, I really loved it

—

Darren Criss 18:42:10

you'll notice we reference a lot of incredible songs, almost citing them as perfect songs themselves

—

Darren Criss 18:42:14

ain't no mountain high enough

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Darren Criss 18:42:55

of course leonard cohen's seminal Hallelujah

—

Darren Criss 18:44:05

and of course Britney's Oops I Did It Again ha ;)

—

Darren Criss 18:45:00

the Oops being a layered joke of being annoyed with oneself that they AGAIN unwittingly wrote a lyric for already massive song, but in doing so citing yet ANOTHER already massive song... if that makes any sense

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Darren Criss 18:45:27

sorry for the typos yall i'm moving fast, i'd never let this shit slide if it wasn't a casual chatroom vibe

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Darren Criss 18:46:37

emzlolly1234

Did you know you wanted there to be a romantic thing between pierce and Sara?? :))))

yes that was actually our original "pilot presentation" episode. the one with the song LONE RANGER and Chrissy Tiegen. It was a longer version of what would become episode 7. We THINK it's a romantic thing but you realize that Sara is just playing Pierce to get the song she needs. That was always the premise yes.

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Darren Criss 18:46:51

luzmargotramos

if you reply with a single dot I'd probably die

then I better steer clear of any dots

—

Darren Criss 18:47:04

ALSO YOU was an amazing lightning in a bottle moment

—

Darren Criss 18:47:09

FULL CREDIT TO JACKIE TOHN

—

Darren Criss 18:47:22

i always enjoy giving credit where credit is due

—

Darren Criss 18:48:24

and I came in pretty hot for most of the songs- concepts, chords, style... but this one literally was a simple as Jackie Sitting down and just playing "It's you I love but also you and also you and also you."

—

Darren Criss 18:48:37

we all just looked at each other going, welp, yup, that's it, jackie you fuckin rule

—

Darren Criss 18:49:28

the song would have ended up very differently if she hadn't brought that to the table. the original episode and song was "one true loves" which isn't nearly as good of a gag/title as "also you"

—

Darren Criss 18:49:50

i ended up squeezing "one true loves" into the bridge, but of course, kept ALSO YOU as the main event

—

Darren Criss 18:50:02

i will say I was also trying to spoof my brother's old band, FREELANCE WHALES a little bit

—

Darren Criss 18:50:26

if you guys know the song "generator first floor" where they sing ay ay ay ay ay a lot...

—

Darren Criss 18:50:35

... as a lot of bands and songs had featured at the time...

—

Darren Criss 18:51:00

i wanted to put them all in one joke. where a band sang not only hey hey hey but ay and EE and AYE and OH and basically all the vowels

—

Darren Criss 18:51:10

which was where the joke of,

—

Darren Criss 18:51:20

a, e, i, o, and also u

—

Darren Criss 18:51:21

came from

—

Darren Criss 18:51:32

which i'm particularly proud of

—

Darren Criss 18:51:56

ok let's talk about BREAK IT IN

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Darren Criss 18:54:16

lxucxthxrxnx_

I’m a musician myself (not that great lol) what was it like coming up with the melodic side did you play any instruments for the songs?

i played instruments on all the songs except Break It In and I Hate That I Need You, since those were all electronic. That's not to say i played EVERY instrument but I definitely played AN instrument of some kind for the others.

—

Darren Criss 18:55:34

as for break it in... anyway... yeah that was a blast. Nick Lang and I collaborated with my buddy Kendo who goes by the artist name KingJet.

—

Darren Criss 18:56:54

Kendo has worked on a lot of legit songs in the hip hop space. For each song I wanted to make sure there was a level of authenticity to what we were doing. I didn't wanna SPOOF the songs. I wanted the songs to sound rock solid and that it would be the LYRICAL CONCEPTS that would be the source of satire. So Kendo was a great guiding light to keep the track as authentic as possible.

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Darren Criss 18:59:47

We explained to Kendo the whole joke concept of the song, which is basically just turning the idea of toxic masculinity on its head, and he was on top of it immediately- when we told him that there's this guy that's really concerned that people think he "fucks too soft" he immediately started spitting out lyrics like the hilariously defiant "I'm the KING OF THE HARD FUCK"

—

Darren Criss 19:00:35

which just killed me and Nick. It was just so juvenile that it was adorable to me

—

Darren Criss 19:00:57

emzlolly1234

Darren you’ve been here for an hour? That’s the length of royalties man xxx

yeah aint it great

Darren Criss 19:02:21

sophie :)

i personally think you should try your hand at writing a drill song, a british genre of rap that centres around rapping unrelated lyrics in front of chicken shops, personally think it has the right tone for the show for a season two

drill would be siq. I mean, opening the incredible pandora's box of UK based hip hop in general is its own magical wormhole of nuance and history and regional culture. it's amazing. i'd really have to do some homework if I wanted to pull that off!

—

Darren Criss 19:02:49

cd2gu4ceqx4am9otf9hzwzivs

he’s talking again guys be worried he might write another essay

ok sorry i'll stop

—

Darren Criss 19:02:51

—

Darren Criss 19:03:03

cd2gu4ceqx4am9otf9hzwzivs

he’s talking again guys be worried he might write another essay

kidding!

—

Darren Criss 19:03:39

fsheldens

when darren actually cares about us 🥺

awww i always do! I just wasn't built for internet stuff.

—

Darren Criss 19:04:20

alpermehdi

speaking of nick how was it to work with nick??

the best. Nick is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

—

Darren Criss 19:04:51

chloe :)!

what would be ur karaoke song choice from the show?

mighty as kong

—

Darren Criss 19:07:32

isa.kowo

How much music theory goes into your songwriting? And did you learn all of it from playing the violin? In what way does it go into your songs?

all GREAT questions. I mean, music theory isn't something you CONSCIOUSLY employ when writing something, it's just that it really helps to know the rules or music when shaping it and trying to maximize its production. And as a matter of fact, yeah, I DID learn most of it playing violin. But when I was playing violin I was ingesting music from the perspective of a student ingesting information, not as a proactive creator putting anything of my own out into the world.

—

Darren Criss 19:08:07

Honestly I really didn't start UNDERSTANDING music theory until I started writing music for other people, and noticing certain things and chords and shapes had names and that they could be manipulated to accomplish certain things

—

Darren Criss 19:08:35

so most of my academic musical knowledge came in my 20s when I tried to start doing it professionally

—

Darren Criss 19:08:52

Nick

first instrument you ever learnt?

violin

—

Darren Criss 19:09:07

andyruiz080

I'm castin' my love net wide And fillin' every hole in my schedule

ha love that line

—

Darren Criss 19:09:29

missweggy

Darren are you a big queen fan ( the band lol ) 😂

is the pope catholic

—

Darren Criss 19:12:00

ChloeOmelia

Now its available, would you change anything?

jesus so much. but such is the nature of creating stuff. there's a great Hayao Miyazaki quote about always having to make new stuff to escape the woe of all the mistakes you made in your last thing... I mean, that's a bit extreme, I feel like we did the best we could given the circumstance but I totally get where Miyazaki is coming from. And in many ways that's everything we do in life. Do your best, know what you coulda done better and carry on

—

Darren Criss 19:12:36

dj._.quackers

who or what was your biggest inspiration growing up

the beatles. the uk. the 60s.

—

Darren Criss 19:13:02

Astriddd

Your first original song was "Not Alone". I'm right?

no it was actually a song i wrote in the third grade when I got a guitar for Christmas called "Save The Whales"

—

Darren Criss 19:14:29

hiiqsbo9358wvfkcjcsgsu4lb

Darren I need an answer it’s been annoying me for days. So was everyone fucking everyone in Pierces old band or was she just fucking everyone seperately??

ha that's a really great question. I figured she was just fucking everyone individually, which is why the band was so contentious but then again I'd rather let your imagination run wild...

—

Darren Criss 19:15:29

jphxxk5wjnaqnhuv806wmohdt

Darren, I love your taste in music. You should share your personal playlists ... bc everybody needs to know phantom planet 😉

if i actually shared my tastes in music, or actually shared the amount of stuff in my brain at the rate that I want to share, I would never work on or create anything because i would constantly be on the internet and you'd all be over me if you weren't already

—

Darren Criss 19:16:01

But yes, thank you for saying that, I love me my phantom planet oh so very much :)

—

Darren Criss 19:16:18

juli.nuttini

could you please answer me I don't speak English and I'm putting ALL my effort into asking you questions I'm going to cry

wow your english is actually pretty great

—

Darren Criss 19:17:08

I'd like to write a song with Howard Ashman

—

Darren Criss 19:17:23

dancebaby218

Was kick your shoes off inspired by your Hedwig shoes?

nah cuz that shit was actually comfy

—

Darren Criss 19:17:55

12169199549

i skipped my clarinet class because of you for the third time :) what can i say to my teacher?

that Darren says you should have gone to clarinet class!!!

—

Darren Criss 19:18:34

qalektvmexab6gfwibfihwu6b

Could you please answer me. We’ve supported you for years from the uk and we’re staying up for this but it’s totally worth it because you’re amazing!! Molly x

I wish so bad I could go to the UK!

—

Darren Criss 19:20:01

FUCK someone asked about Sam Farrar and I wanted to answer it but it disappeared... Sam is a homie. one of my very first songwriting sessions was with him and a very famous member of the pop universe... who if I get a season two, I'm putting in the show.

—

Darren Criss 19:22:00

9nc1yow3iwnp9p3fs4gcvdnsf

what other instruments would you like to learn in the future?

i just need to spend time trying to get better at the ones I've plateaued with. I feel like I got as good as I'd ever get on the guitar when i was like 19. So I've been trying to get better during the Quarantine. Picked up my violin and dusted off that Vivaldi, started doing drum rudiments on my drum pad, and started learning new licks and scales for guitar. Stuff I never got round to doing.

—

Darren Criss 19:22:27

harefraz

mr. criss sir, what is your top quarantine activity?

playing music

—

Darren Criss 19:23:26

actually lies. top quarantine activity is learning Japanese. 30 minutes a day. And it's been several months. Almost got Hiragana down, still got a few characters I'm questionable with but with any luck I'll start up on Katakana in the next few weeks.

—

Darren Criss 19:23:40

224abi6avvottcsacto7vx46a

What about working with Mark hamill ? Insane right

you said it

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Darren Criss 19:23:54

t7sxis7855cd329gaa6iyty8v

Any updates on American Buffalo? 🥺👉🏼👈🏼

it's opening next year!

—

Darren Criss 19:24:09

for the record this is really fun I'm enjoying this guys

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Darren Criss 19:26:26

Rachael

How different is it doing a show like Royalties where you're heavily involved in the creative process compared to other projects you've done in the past?

i'd say night and day but that's an understatement. When I did Glee all I had to do was act in scenes, record songs, and go to dance rehearsal. With Royalties, it's that AND casting, doing pre production, post production, notes, meetings, notes, writing and producing songs, location scouting, blah blah blah lots of the stuff that you don't have to worry about if you're not a creator. But make no mistake I absolutely love it.

—

Darren Criss 19:27:41

Aisha

learn spanish

I'll get there. I already speak a bit of Italian so I wanted the challenge of learning something that didn't use a writing system I already understood.

—

Darren Criss 19:28:23

rosieellenxx_

I take Music Technology as a subject at school and we have to make a whole song with the sole sample of glass breaking...

sounds fun. loads of things you can do with that.

—

Darren Criss 19:28:48

21ynx6niidf2amx5nzilihsga

What are your goals for once quarantine is lifted?

hopefully to feel like I used this very strange time well.

—

Darren Criss 19:29:14

Ok I should probabl get outta here right?

—

Darren Criss 19:29:41

I've talked a lot about mighty as kong in other places

—

Darren Criss 19:30:00

so I'll just leave you with a story about "Let Your Hair Down"

—

Darren Criss 19:30:14

which was the very FIRST song we wrote for the show

—

Darren Criss 19:30:37

I had a meeting with an artist at a dive bar in the middle of the afternoon

—

Darren Criss 19:31:10

let's just say I showed up to that very first writer's session very late

—

Darren Criss 19:31:17

and sober ENOUGH

—

Darren Criss 19:31:41

wktusw4mcjn910r3eq91zg4k5

darren did you watch hamilton??????

duh last night. so fun.

—

Darren Criss 19:32:17

anyway I was so relieved that we left with that song at the end of the day. The intent was always to write two songs with the exact same concepts just with different titles

—

Darren Criss 19:32:50

the chords are the same, just slightly different voicings played on slightly different instruments

—

Darren Criss 19:33:29

and the idea was that whichever song was funnier, or at least whichever song would be more fun to see in a music video... would be the one that Pierce & Sara write

—

Darren Criss 19:34:08

"Kick Your Shoes Off" ended up feeling more like a full music video than "Let Your Hair Down" but I LOVE that first song, and hopefully people get to hear the whole thing on Spotify since you don't get to hear the whole song in the episode

—

Darren Criss 19:34:51

with lines I love like "see my cheekbones, show off my clavicle, I bet you've never seen a ponytail to magical..."

—

Darren Criss 19:35:39

emilybutcher30

i love that u spelled it sara not sarah

thank you. if you don't already know it, check out Ben Folds' "Zak and Sara"

—

Darren Criss 19:36:01

OK i gotta get going

—

Darren Criss 19:36:12

but thanks to everyone from all over the world for joining

—

Darren Criss 19:36:17

i see you and i say hi to you!

—

Darren Criss 19:36:23

happy birthday to all the bday kids!

—

Darren Criss 19:36:33

thank you for spending a little bit of your bday with me

—

Darren Criss 19:36:39

thanks for checking out Royalties

—

Darren Criss 19:36:46

hope you enjoy the music

—

Darren Criss 19:36:53

and hope there gets to be a season 2!!!

—

Darren Criss 19:37:08

xo to all of you. stay safe, stay inspired. - Darren

#darren criss #royalties ost listening event #spotify #royalties #july 2020 #posting as text since it's soooo much easier than posting screencaps #royalties bts

79 notes · View notes

keeperoftheboys · 4 years

Text

Beautiful and Deadly (John Shelby)

John Shelby X Female Gold Reader

Warnings: Mentions of Death, attempted rape, murder, season 5 spoilers, cursing.

A/N: Pretend that that thing in season 4 never happened. Esme Who?

“John Shelby you BASTARD!” Everyone in the Garrison turned to face me, rain-soaked and furious. I pushed through the doors of the bar and marched straight up to him. People moved out of my way quickly, they knew a man standing in my path of rage was a dead man.

John looked up at me with a smirk

“Yes darling, how can I help you?”

“I asked you no- I told you not to buy me anything. So why did I find this when I got home?” I held the perfectly wrapped parcel in my hand. It was a necklace box with a now soaked satin bow. The wrapping still intact.

“Did you look inside?”

“I don’t want your poisonous gifts.”

“Open it, love.”

“Don’t call me love!” I slammed the box on the bar next to him and went to turn away but he carefully caught my waist turning me to face him with a flick of his wrist.

“Sorry, I can’t help but want to spoil you. I want to see you wrapped up in silver and gold and the world’s finest silks. You deserve jewels and castles and fine china.” He drew a circle with his thumb on my hip.

“I’m not some woman whose love can be bought. A toy for you to play with. A woman to bear your children” I tore away from his grip and stormed through the bar. “Get back to your drinking you nosey fucks!”

A few days later I was sitting at Tommy’s dinner table next to Ada and Finn. As the eldest Gold child, I had taken my father’s place after his death. Burdened with the task of carrying out the Gold and Shelby alliance. My people needed me to keep them safe and with the Blinders on our side, that was all possible. Of course, it hadn’t been my dream to be a gangster or part of a family full of lies and deceit. I wanted to go to school, I wanted to be a journalist. Tommy had asked me to join the family, whether it was out of pity or respect I didn’t know.

Bonnie and I stuck together like glue, thick as thieves. I have sisters and we get along well but they eventually married or settled into gypsy life in a way that was different than mine. I was close to my father, his little fox. He, Bonnie, and I did everything together.

John caught my eyes from across the table shooting me a dazzling smile. “Beautiful.” He mouthed.

“No.” I mouthed back.

He laughed and averted his gaze to chat with Arthur, leaving me alone for the rest of dinner. After a ride home form Johnny Dogs I decided to take a walk. I enjoyed the still of the evening when the street lamps were on and people were locked in their houses. I walked past the waterfront where the frogs called out in the warm summer air and the smell of coal subsided for a moment giving way to the musty smell of the water.

It was one of my favorite places, it reminded me of a secret walk John had taken me on after one of Bonnie’s fights when we were both buzzing on Gin and lingering glances. The night where he reached for my hand, his fingers ghosting over mine and I fell for him.

As I walked I noticed the footsteps behind me.

“I suggest you leave me alone,” I said, without stopping or turning to face the man behind me.

“What’s a pretty thing like you doing walking alone at night?” I ignored him continuing my stroll slowly reaching to make sure the knife hidden in my garter was still there. I knew this path well, if I made it to the tunnel ahead I could run through it and be only a few houses down from my door.

The man’s pace began to pick up, so I too walked faster, nearly making it to the tunnel entrance before he caught up to me. He was of average size and height, clearly not from here. Most people knew I ran with the blinders, most people knew not to mess with me for fear of retaliation from Isaiah or Charlie or worse —Arthur.

He pushed me into the brick wall of the building that lined the canal.

“Let me go,” I said, locking eyes with the man.

“No, I don’t think I will.”

To be fair to the idiot he didn’t know who my brother had been, and that I had boxed, wrestled, and trained with him for fun. That my father had taught me how to shoot and kill and strangle a man with a necklace. The man had me trapped between his arms, he left my hands free assuming that I wouldn’t fight back.

“Let me go.”

“No.” He laughed in my face, breath stinking of rot and cigarettes.

“Fine.” In one swift movement, I kneed him in the groin, pushed his left arm out of my way, and moved from his trap just in time for his head to smack into the brick wall as he bent forward cupping his manhood with a yelp.

“Bitch.” he spat, reaching for me. I dogged his hand hitting him with a mean right hook and a kick to the knee cap. He went down and I turned to run only to be caught around the ankle. I hit the ground hard. Skinning my hands and elbows as I braced myself. He pulled me toward him, roughly flipping me on my back and crawling over me with a snarl. He grabbed a fist full of my hair yanking it down. I grimaced in return but no sound left my lips.

“You’ll pay for that.”

“Don’t like it when your victims fight back?” I growled, spitting in his face. He released my hair to hit me. His palm was harsh against my cheek. He ripped my dress, buttons scattered across the cobblestones. I squirmed to get away and he dragged me backwards again forcefully gripping my thigh, his fingers digging into my flesh. As he moved to unbuckle his pants I pulled the knife from my thigh. “This isn’t your first time doing this, I can tell, but it will be your last.” I cut his throat. His blood splashed across my face and chest. He gargled for a moment then went limp. I heaved his body off mine leaving it there beside the canal.

I made it to my house two minutes later closing and locking the door behind me heading towards my bathroom to clean up.

“What the fuck happened.”

I turned to the voice in my living room, lifting my knife towards the intruder only to find John standing there with a terrified look in his eyes.

“Jesus Christ.” I tossed the knife on the hall table and continued to the bathroom.

“What happened, are you okay?”

“I’m great John.”

He caught the door to the bathroom before I could close it. His eyes were ablaze. “Whose blood is that”

“Some man attacked me near the canals. I left his body there.” I wet a rag and began to wipe the blood from my face. If John was shocked that I had killed a man he didn’t make it obvious, he turned on the bath filling it with warm water and oils.

“Here, let me.” He took the rag from my hand and gently wiped the blood off my face and chest. We stood in silence for a few minutes as he worked. I gripped the porcelain sink behind me as the pain from my fight began to sink in wincing as he cleaned my palms. “What were you doing out there alone?”

“Why were you in my house?”

“You forgot your bag in Johnny’s car, he asked me to give it to you. What were you doing out there?”

“That’s all you came here for? How did you get in?”

“I have a key, and I wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Doesn’t matter right now.” He stepped away to turn off the water in the bath testing the temperature with his hand. “Get in. It will help with your muscles. Give me your dress, I’ll take care of it.” I stared at him until he turned covering his eyes even though his back was towards me. I slipped out of my dress and underthings quietly calling his name. He held his hand out and grabbed my dress shutting the door behind him as he left, his eyes never opened.

After about twenty minutes I emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a robe. I made my way to my bedroom where John had laid out my nightgown. Once I was dressed he appeared in the doorway.

“Uncle Charlie is taking care of the body. Tommy is finding out who the man was. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I think so.”

“Why didn’t you call? I would have walked with you.”

“That would have been more dangerous.” I shook my head sitting on my bed.

“You do know who I am right? Nobody would attack us.”

“I’m not afraid of others.”

“I would never hurt you.” He took a step back in shock.

“John, I know that. I...never mind. What did you want to tell me?”

“I wanted you to open this.” He closed the gap between us, handing me the box that I had scolded him for in the Garrison a few days ago.

“John.”

“Please.”

I sighed, uniting the ribbon, pulling the box from its wrapping and removing the lid. There, in a bed of silk, sat a beautiful silver knife, its handle covered in beautiful filigree. It was a piece of art. The prettiest thing I owned. “John. It’s beautiful.”

“Beautiful and deadly, like you.” his fingers brushed over my cheek where a bruise was sure to appear tomorrow.

“Thank you.” I smiled, catching his hand with mine.

“Of course.” He let go of me and turned to leave when he reached the door, I stopped him.

“John. Stay with me.”

#peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #john shelby #john shelby x reader #peak blinders spoilers

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bisexualterror · 4 years

Note

All the even headcanons?

at first i was confused and then i made a noise and went ?? really!!?? now i’m blushing 😊 ok so!

1. Light sleeper

altheia for sure. they have to deal with a lot of abrupt attacks during the war so yeah 😔

2. Has non stop puns

nova does use a few. but mainly remy and her dad richard. omg they’re jokes are terrible together, dwight has to leave the room sometimes lajfjdjfhj

3. Will cut you if you hurt their loved ones

almost all of them?? except a few dick side ocs. but nova was the one who came to mind first so her the most. she does a lot for the people she loves.

4. Has a dysfunctional family

uhhhhhh the correct question would be who doesn’t have a dysfunctional family 😅 maybe spencer? they love their parents but.... yikes!

5. Likes rock music

so many!! but nova and bo listen to it the most!

6. Will give you the middle finger

dkjdjdh most of them tbh but nova and bo again for the most!

7. Is a sweet angel

a tie between remy and zephyr appleby!! remy is so precious and zeph is such a soft boy i love them 🥺

8. Can kill you with a pencil

nova would 100% wanna stab a vampire with one. but corvina is the one who would kill you with one.

9. Looks sweet but will murder you in cold blood

mmm probably my only anime oc akane! cause she’s pretty violent but she looks cute!

10. Looks like they will murder you but is a sweetheart

alex and mars! ive done so much rewriting for mars, made her softer on the inside than she looks on the outside, which is the cliche ice queen slytherin look.

with alex she has a pretty bad case of resting bitch face but she’s probably my kindest oc, loves helping people, esp people in pain, no matter how much she denies it.

11. Will eat everything if they could

ljshdsg nova, she loves going to other people’s houses and stealing their food.

12. Wants to run away from everything

alex is constantly running away from stuff until she finally embraces her new world and begins to run towards people.

also noor, she does sometimes dissapear/runaway from serious sibling arguments and her job is basically her running from being truly intimate with people

13. Knows random facts about everything

altheia!!

14. Owns a motorcycle

i think a few of them do actually? but alex is the one that rides hers the most and takes care of it herself very well. she just loves driving anything from motorcycles to cars to that one time she has to emergency land a plane!

15. Is book smart

a few but al came to mind first!! altheia consumes books with a real hunger for knowledge of all kinds. the moment they step out of gallifrey they begin to see that somethings are best learned through life experience.

16. Is naïve

says a lot that it took me a second to think for this one. probably zeph or reyenna in her pre s1 years, although their naivety is because of their young age

17. Would steal a penguin from the zoo

1000% mars!!

18. Has very exaggerated facial expressions

remy and nova but nova the most tbh she has so many different looks she uses on people and only bonnie and her best friends can read them all

19. Likes Harry Potter

a lot of them but zaria and nova make the most references kshshjs

20. To solve other peoples problems, they say to murder the problem

skhsjaksj a lot lmaooo but corvina is probably the only one that’s not joking

21. Is a nervous wreck

alex has a lot of anxiety so her def

22. Likes dragons

nova, mars and zaria. mars just a little bit more though, very enthusiastic over animals, especially ones that are big and can kill you

23. Will laugh as they kill you

hhhhdg corvina mostly just to scare you but yeah

24. Would bake a cake for a friend who is sad

nova and zaria! nova keeps her friends well fed and loves cooking at random hours. zaria is pretty good at baking, for the most part, if only because she loves sweets.

25. Is the comforting one

a lot. alex, nova, noor and zaria.

zaria is a full on empath so she’d probably be the best at it.

26. Acts like they don’t care, but do

a few! but elena and corvina the most in their first season(s). corvina is a bit better at keeping up the facade though.

27. Loves children

roma!! she’s really good with her baby brother and other kids too!

28. Gets lost easily

talia and mars! talia with driving anywhere cause she prefers portals and mars trying to figure out all the twists and turns of hogwarts. she will probably be playfully upset w Harry for keeping the map to himself for so long 😆

29. Likes to work out

alex for sure!

30. Will sends meme in the group chat

a lot for sure but remy will send the most, sometimes she’ll only express her emotions with memes

31. Knows every song ever

probably my only fully formed singer oc audrey! she likes rock, indie and classical more but tries to keep up with every genre for the most part.

32. Likes socks

the first that came to mind was al! they have a collection of weird and funny socks, but remy has some pretty great ones too!

33. Can’t sleep without something special

noor can’t sleep without the lights on. usually dimmed but still light on always.

34. Has a sweet tooth

zaria!! no competition.

35. Has amazing hair

most of them probably?? but dessa and nova’s hairstyles are the ones i would want the most personally

hey!! i love you!!! thanks so much for the ask!!!

#randomestfandoms #oc: altheia silverwood #oc: remy johnson #oc: corvina #oc: noor hargreeves #oc: zaria jackson #oc: dessa #oc: alexsandra king #oc: talia price #oc: marsilia zabini #oc: romana garcia diaz #oc: zephry appleby #oc: audrey kozma #oc: nova bennett #oc: reyenna stark #oc: spencer kane #lmaooo rip to anyone i forgot 💀✌🏽

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tvdoriginal · 5 years

Text

2x01 - I'll Never Give Up Hope

Well hello there witches!

We are back in business, so let's get started shall we?

After the recap, we flash ahead to June where all the kids are leaving for summer break. Landon is narrating and we know that he's feeling confused and lost and we all know that it's because Hope isn't here.

Well ok then. New Legacies logo-intro.

Josie and Lizzie talk about the Ascendant and Aunt Bonnie💕

Dorian and Alaric are a little tense since Ric could not count on his vote.

Ric and Landon briefly speak about Malivore and Raf.

MG and Kaleb have a good friendship talk and cheers to the best summer of their lives.

Sooo like...Landon got cuter this season??

You didn't think we weren't going to see Hope, did you?

She's in the dark and a vortex-black hole thing appeared and almost sucked her in, but of course, someone saved her. Unfortunately, it's Landon's weird ass brother.

She's disgusted obviously and says she's supposed to be in peace and then tried to conclude that she's in hell.

Malivore is still a thing and he proposes that they can still escape but she passes it up. She repeats the mimic spell from 1x16 and they part ways.

JULY

Ric won't tell Josie anything about the Ascendant which we obviously know why - Kai Parker;)

Landon is shown "killing himself" Matt Donovan style for a second time to see images of a girl - Hope. When he comes out, Josie is there.

Really feeling weird about this whole Hope-Brother thing.

Josie and Landon call each other out on their actions and decide to live a little.

Lol oops so MG has a crush on Kaleb's sister.

Oops well that's hella awkward. As Josie and Landon begin to spend more time together and develope a friendship, Raf starts getting neglected.

AUGUST

Lizzie mentions Penelope when Josie tells her about her and Landon. And ok, all of Josie's outfits are so cute wtf.

Hope and Ryan still wander Malivore and he tells her he's never been a villian. He's just a kid trying to find a way to get away from his father. In turn, she produced a calming spell which he thanks her for. Then, a monster arrives.

Hope then casts a truth spell.

Landon is freaking out over Raf not showing up for his food. Josie and Landon hug.

Hope developes a theory that she's not a true Tribrid because she's never died, so her vampire side remains unactivated. The vortex only appears after she does magic anf Malivore does not want her there as she is toxic to him. Everytime the vortex comes, that's Malivore trying to get Hope to leave and Ryan always tries to leave with her. He begs her not to leave him and promises he'll leave them all alone if he comes with her, but she tells him that she can't take that chance. Wishing him good luck, she whooshes out of Malivore.

Josie shows Landon how a locater spells work. He tells her what it's like for him when he dies underwater and what he sees.

"Are you happy?" - Landon

Ric is at a bar and the new Sherrif talks to him and Josie comes in and calls Ric a liar. She tells him she gave up her summer with mom (Caroline:)) to make sure he was okay and demands that he tell her all about the Ascendant.

When he does, she tells Lizzie all about it in a frenzie. She tells her about the prison world, Uncle Kai, and how he did the merge so he most likely has answers to their questions. Lizzie is all for going to see him, but Josie tells Lizzie that she gave the Ascendant back to Ric and then tells her about how Kai killed Jo - his own twin. I feel like Lizzie will persist when she returns. Lizzie tells Josie how extensively she's trying to get better and asks Josie to promise her that she'll make the most of the rest of the summer.

Dorian is in the middle of driving out of the school when he stops because Hope appeared. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember her (but I figured that would happen). Once he leaves, she gets in.

Inside, Josie finds Landon watching movies and Landon gets sad over Raf and how Raf doesn't wanna be here anymore and how he doesn't know how long a wolf would need a human best friend. Josie gives him a mini speech and then they kiss but obviously, Hope saw the whole thing when she was almost there. She cries, and leaves.

She goes to the bus stop - and we all know that was a special place for her and Landon. She uses the the Crystal to see Landon and they have an eventful chat as always. Sadly, she asks him if he's happy and if everyone's happier now. Landon has no words, no response. She leans her head back and cries.

"Why do you always do that? Not speak your truth?" -Kaleb

A weird ass monster showes up when the bus was coming for Hope. Line of 2x01: Oh crap.

Ryan is all vengeful and desperate to leave Malivore and tells his dad that he should be granted a second chance and to trust that he will destroy Hope Mikaelson. At the same time, someone in a red cloak is going through the Mystic Falls Cemetry and uses a spell and creates a design thing.

Yeah I don't get it, but yeah. Until next week!

Wait I hope that Hope is going to New Orleans.

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aivaehdaevis · 4 years

Text

The More Things Change: Ch 2

The More Things Change

by Aivaeh

Disclaimer: Familiar characters, plot elements, and settings belong to L.J. Smith, Julie Plec, and the CW. The author of this work of fanfiction has made no money from it. Summary: I have no idea how it happened, but one morning I woke up in the world of The Vampire Diaries. Which, aside from the insanity of waking up inside a television show made real, might not be so bad—if I weren't stuck in the body of vampire magnet and doppelgänger herself, Elena Gilbert. Pairing(s): OFC x Damon, OFC x Stefan, OFC x Elijah, OFC x Klaus Rating: M Warning(s): Graphic descriptions of violence on par with the show itself. References to sex and drug use. Mind control and all the issues of consent that go along with it. Character death. Master List External Links: AO3 | FF.Net | Wattpad

Chapter Two

The rest of the car ride was filled with innocuous chatter on Bonnie's end. She kept everything light, as if she feared the talk of magic and witches had summoned the crow. Most of it was gossip based. Since I knew of none of these people, I kept my responses monosyllabic when I wasn't nodding.

It wasn't far to the school from what I'd mentally dubbed as 'downtown' Mystic Falls. Less than five minutes, max. Bonnie's Prius joined a mix of cars that looked older to my eyes, but the show had started years ago. For the teens themselves, they had to be nice. I knew there was supposed to be a poorer side of town, but I wasn't seeing much evidence of it in the Mystic Falls High School parking lot.

I grabbed my bag from the backseat and met Bonnie's smile with a less than enthused one of my own. Her brows lifted. "First day of junior year."

"Yeah."

She pocketed her keys before pushing her door open. "Wonder how many committees Caroline's already signed up for."

Bonnie's droll delivery startled a laugh from me as I followed her out. Well. A soft chuckle, really. But it was genuine. "All of them?"

"Please. She's probably started a few new ones." Bonnie shook her head as she paused at the trunk and pushed it open. Her own bag appeared in her hand a moment later. She closed the trunk before slinging it over her shoulder. "And you know she's going to rope us into each and every one."

"Yep." I fell into step beside her as she continued on the topic of Caroline and her obsession with planning committees. A lot of 'remember whens' occupied her side of the conversation as we matriculated with the growing tide of students. I again smiled and nodded, but kept my sights sweeping out across the Mystic Falls High School grounds.

I noticed a lot of curious glances tossed our way, along with a few smiles and the occasional wave that Bonnie—and belatedly me—returned.

Right. Elena had been that girl before her parent's were killed and she descended into vampire drama. My hand tightened on my bag's strap. I was not that girl. I was a girl. I blended. The prototypical wallflower. Which I liked.

Before I knew it, my eyes were sketching the seams between the sidewalk, Elena's long hair sliding past my shoulders and hiding my—her—face. I tried to remind myself to keep my head up. That would be more in character. But whenever I'd catch another person looking, and then turn to talk—ugh. Sidewalk it was.

Bonnie didn't seem to notice. Or, more like, care. She carried on the conversation as if she kept up one-sided chats with her quiet friend all the time. It was probably a more recent development, though. What had Elena been writing about at the start of the series? Convincing everyone she was fine? Which meant she hadn't been doing a good job of it prior to the start of the series.

I wondered how often Bonnie had to shoulder the bulk of their friendship since Elena's accident. Hell, going by how often she'd done it on the show, way too much.

The impromptu consideration of Bonnie and Elena's friendship, and how one-sided it had seemed, occupied me all the way into the main building. It wasn't until my feet struck tile instead of concrete, and I caught a heavy glass and metal door before it could hit my face, that I zoned back into my surroundings.

From the loud cacophony of teenage voices, the banging of lockers, the squeak of sneakers on linoleum—it felt like being thrust back in time. I kept close to Bonnie as the river of students parted around her. And me, I suppose. "Where—"

"Gym." Her brows canted. "For our schedules?"

"Oh." I fixed my sights ahead. "Right. Like last year."

"Mhm. So, Ashley was driving Caroline insane. Like, she just could not get the landing. Care being Care starts to think that, maybe, she's doing it on purpose. To sabotage her chance at getting captain, you know? Which is crazy talk. Which I told her."

The trials and travails of Caroline and Bonnie at Cheerleading camp continued all the way down an absurdly long hall. We weren't the only ones. Seemed like the whole school was headed in the same direction.

Eventually we all flowed into what could only have been the prototypical high school gymnasium. Big open room with a tall ceiling and a basketball court painted onto the floor. The bleachers were folded up, pressed against the wall into a giant wooden jigsaw puzzle. Several tables had been set up under one of the basketball hoops, each seating a couple of staff members. Long paper signs were taped behind them, each one proclaiming a year and a part of the alphabet. Lines of students were stretched out in front of them.

I looked for year eleven and almost hunted for S before remembering it was supposed to be G. Unfortunately, this was where Bonnie and I would have to part. The G's were mixed in with the F's.

"Meet you at the doors?" Bonnie offered as we both wandered towards our respective tables.

"Okay." She could probably hear the relief in my voice.

We parted at the lines and I stepped up behind a tall red headed boy dressed in a polo shirt and khakis.

I fiddled with my bag strap, waiting for the line to move, when there was a slight commotion further up the line. A blonde head of hair appeared around the side, and a familiar face from my television screen lit up. "Elena! Hey!"

Holy shit. Caroline.

I couldn't help but smile back, the blonde's enthusiastic grin was so infectious. "Hi," I called, though not very loud and immediately glancing to the side to see if anyone noticed.

Of course they had. Caroline wasn't head of the cheerleading squad for nothing.

A flick of her head sent her immaculate blonde curls over a shoulder before she waved me towards her. "What are you doing?" she laughed. "Come here!"

Another glance around me revealed considerably colder looks than before. I swallowed before aiming a far thinner, close-lipped smile back. "Don't want to cut in line."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "No one cares." She aimed the most potent Bitch Look I'd ever seen at the girl behind her. "Do you care if my friend stands next to me?"

The girl, skinny and pale with a bad case of acne—which gave me an instant connection of deep empathy with her—startled. She quickly shook her head. "No."

"See?" Caroline returned, dismissing her existence. She motioned for me to join her again. "Get over here, Elena!" That tone would brook no argument.

I glanced around me, uncertain, before sidling out of place and nervously moving up. I was careful not to look at the faces of the students I passed.

Caroline pulled me into a hug the moment I was within arm's reach. "Oh my god!" she squealed. "I can't believe it. Feels like forever!" She pushed me back before I could do anything but be shifted about like a rag doll. "How are you doing? You okay?"

There was something kind of… performative about the sympathy. Then I remembered that season one Caroline was still a slave to her insecurities. The most major of which being Elena Gilbert. Great. "I'm fine."

She gave me a pursed lip look of disbelief. "Really?"

I drew in a breath and adjusted the strap of my bag, which was now threatening to fall down my arm from all the jostling. "Yep."

She gifted me another big, bright, beauty queen smile. "Great!" Her voice went slightly lower—though that wasn't saying much. "Have you seen Matt yet?"

"No."

"Wait till you do. He's so obviously pining."

Okay. Not sure what to say to that, I nodded.

"I hear he's been like that all summer."

More gossip. Great. "Oh."

"Yep." Caroline seemed disappointed I wasn't more into this tidbit of information. But, never one to admit defeat, she rebounded with another smile. It looked forced. "We missed you at cheer camp."

"Bonnie was just telling me about it."

Caroline's smile wavered. "She was?" She blinked. "What about it?"

Crap. I searched through the dazed haze that covered my mind throughout the fog of madness that had been the entirety of my day so far. "Ashley? Sabotaging you?"

Caroline's eyes narrowed to slits, her arms crossed, and she leaned into her hip. "Either that, or she's completely incompetent. I have no idea how she got on the squad in the first place." She glanced off to the side in thought. "Maybe it was a pity thing."

"Pity thing?"

"Yeah. Because of the divorce." Her voice screamed, 'duh.' She scoffed. "As if that's so special. My mom and dad divorced. You don't see me fumbling every landing." A frightening sort of intensity lit up her face. "I actually practice so I don't look like an idiot."

"Practice is good," seemed like something neutral to respond with.

"Which is why I'm concerned about you, Elena," Caroline's transformation from wrathful bitch to anxious friend happened so quick, I got whiplash. "You missed so much." She gave another doleful put. "I'm worried."

Yeah. She ought to be. Running was one thing, and I enjoyed cardio. Jumping and spinning and being all 'Rah Rah!' though? Nope. Not happening. But didn't Elena quit cheerleading? In fact, wasn't this conversation supposed to happen with Damon around? And didn't Elena meet Caroline back at school for the first time at the lockers?

While the questions settled uncomfortably in the back of my mind, the student in front of Caroline finished. "We'll talk more later," Caroline promised. At my nod, she gave a final smile and turned around, striding up to the table with more confidence then I think I've ever experienced in the entirety of my life.

I mulled over the differences between what I remembered and what had just happened until Caroline finished receiving her schedule. She gave a rippling finger wave to me as she strode off to the doors. I smiled back. Already my cheeks were starting to smart from all the faux grins I was pulling this morning.

Stepping up to the table, I discovered all I had to do was give Elena's name and they were rifling through a stack of papers. I had my hands on her class list and a padlock for a locker before I could give much thought to the change I'd already wrought. So I'd run into Caroline early and had a minor conversation about cheerleading? What did it matter?

I returned to the doors and leaned against the wall as I waited for Bonnie to get her schedule. By the time she joined me, another ten minutes had gone by. Apparently our first period class wasn't going to do much in the way of work. Which was good, since it was Trig.

Nothing like math first thing in the morning.

On the positive side of things, Bonnie was in the same class. As we compared schedules, we walked side by side through the halls and searched for our lockers. Bonnie spotted hers first and dropped off her bag. Mine was next, not that far from Bonnie's, but I chose to keep my bag with me. Call me weird, but I liked having something capable of carrying all my crap around with me.

Task complete, we were on our way to our first class when Bonnie grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop beside her. "Hold up. Who's this?"

Bonnie stared down the hall through a set of open doors into what looked like some administrative room. I doubted she meant the woman seated behind the desk, flipping through a folder of papers. More like the tall guy in the leather jacket standing in front of it. Broad shouldered. Wide stance. Brown hair. Sunglasses…

I squeezed the strap at my shoulder, hard enough that the stiff leather bent with a creak. "No idea," I lied.

"Too bad." Bonnie's ran an appraising eye from top to bottom. "He's hot."

And with his enhanced senses, he'd heard that. Uncomfortable, I watched as Stefan took off his sunglasses. The shades dangled from his fingers as he stared down into the administrator's eyes. Still as stone, she stared back several seconds before starting to move again.

Compulsion. He'd compelled her. Mind control was an actual thing that happens here. That man was an actual vampire. And not just any vampire, but a Ripper. The hair on my arms rose.

Oblivious, Bonnie added, "I'm sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar."

She mustn't be witchy enough yet to pick up on his—aura, I suppose. If I remembered right, she'd have to touch Stefan before she felt anything off. "Not really into the grunge thing, myself," I muttered. And while vampires were fun to read and watch on the screen, standing a few feet away from one... Well. Ironically, my heart was starting to pound.

Bonnie grinned. "You're doubting me."

"Never." I mustered a wan smile.

"Jeremy, good batch, man."

The off-hand remark from a voice behind us that I didn't recognize, shouting a line that I sort of did, drew my attention. Searching over my shoulder, I found Jeremy. Apparently, he hadn't lied about the ride. He grinned somewhere into the crowd before ducking into the boy's bathroom. Frowning, I turned back around.

Right. Elena had followed her brother into the bathroom and chastised him. Tried to talk sense into him. It didn't work, because of course it wouldn't. But it was as she'd left the bathroom that she'd run straight into Stefan for the first time. Spoke to him.

Alone.

Yeah. No. That wasn't going to happen.

Bonnie was still studying Stefan's back. "Please be hot."

I shifted my bag further up my shoulder before glancing around at the other students still walking the hall. "Shouldn't we get to class?"

"In a sec."

Standing in front of a random doorway, staring at Stefan, waiting for him to turn around? Not weird at all. But I could hardly leave Bonnie. Not to mention I didn't know the way. So there I stood, awkward as hell, as the rest of the students streamed around us like we were rocks slicing apart the currents of some rushing river. "Isn't this kind of creepy?"

"Shh."

I pressed my lips together with a single, short nod. Right then. Creeping on the new guy it was.

Fortunately, it wasn't too much longer before he finished and turned around. He had his head tilted down, hooking his sunglasses to his collar. Of course, Bonnie had already started drawing in a startled breath. Even though I knew what he'd look like, that he was basically a supernatural predator, I was tempted to join her. He raised his head, putting the chiseled splendor of his face on display for all to see. Stefan Salvatore was a sigh-worthy sight to behold in person. Especially when those brooding eyes landed on me, widening slightly as his thick but perfectly groomed brows lifted.

His stare stayed pointed at me—or Elena—as he strode by. Going so far as to turn his head slightly as he passed us to keep me in his sights. I caught a hint of expensive cologne as Stefan came near enough that our sleeves almost brushed. The surreality of the moment almost sent me floating off into some mini version of astral projection. But all my nerves had woke up at his passing, anchoring me to my borrowed body as it tingled all the way to my toes. I did manage not to spin completely around, like Bonnie did, as he moved further down the hall. It was a near thing.

"Oh. My. God." Bonnie rounded back. "Worth it."

I swallowed. Why couldn't he look like a monster? "Class?"

She snapped her sights to me and stared as if I were crazy. "Your dedication to academics over ridiculously cute boys is inspiring, Elena." She shook her head. "But also? Kind of sad."

"Yeah." I shrugged, adjusting my bag's strap again. "So?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes but smiled. "If we must." Her arm threaded through mine and she tugged me back into the flow of students. "Let's go."

My mind stayed stuck on Stefan Salvatore as I followed Bonnie to the classroom, and well into the start. So did Bonnie's, if her sighs and constant wondering about the 'new hottie' was anything to go by. Unlike Bonnie, I wasn't just musing over his insanely good looks. Not entirely. I was only human, and holy shit Stefan was a beautiful monster. But he was a monster. He wasn't an early Damon, Katherine, or Klaus, but he wasn't innocent, either. There was as wall with a list of names in Chicago. Not to mention the asshole he became after Klaus got his claws into his head.

And I was stuck in the body of the girl who looked exactly like the woman who'd turned him. Worse, the Amara to his Silas. Fan-freaking-tastic.

I tried to put my mind off it. I felt pretty de-whammied by the time our introduction to Trig was over.

So of course, there he was in my next class. English.

I scurried in because it'd taken forever for me to find without Bonnie backup. He was already seated near the back—next to a very pleased Caroline. He watched me hurry towards the only vacant seat left at the very front. To be fair, everyone watched me rush in and interrupt the teacher.

I swallowed as I sat down, kept my eyes staring straight ahead at the chalkboard.

I could hear him, though. Well, I heard Caroline mostly. Hard not to. Occasionally there would be that mellow voice answering. God, how did a person sound gorgeous? It wasn't fair. Serial killer wall. Eater of bunnies. Ripper of people.

Of course, reminding myself of all his gruesome deeds wasn't exactly helping me to keep calm, either. I was a mess however I chose to look at it. Either I was another girl drooling over his stupid perfectness, or I was terrified he was going to snap and eat the whole class—though that last was foolish of me. I knew he wasn't that bad. At least, he wasn't on the show. He wouldn't be now. 'Course not.

Maybe if there had been anything interesting going on in the class I would've had an easier time keeping my mind off the vampire seated in the back. But all that happened was a lecture on the syllabus and class expectations and blah blah. The most exciting thing was when the books were passed out. I'd always enjoyed any subject having to do with reading, in high school or college. But the problem with high school lit classes is the list doesn't change. A glance and I knew I'd be re-reading a lot of 'classics,' only a few of which I liked.

Great. Stuck in this world, and with a boring stack of books to boot.

I raced out of class as soon as it was over, letting Caroline manipulate all of Stefan's attention. Also, I didn't want a repeat of being the last one in again. This time I stopped someone in the hall and asked where my next class was. After dropping my books off at my locker, which was on the way, I managed to make it to Biology with minutes to spare.

Unfortunately it was a class I shared with Tyler Lockwood.

He was never a favorite of mine on the show. From my first impression in real life, he was even more of a jerk. The entire time he talked and laughed, even blew spitballs at one of his teammates. The poor teacher didn't do anything but smile and nervously laugh along. Being a star football player and the son of the Mayor, I guess no one besides vampire hunter Ric Saltzman was interested in disciplining the kid.

I was thoroughly annoyed by the end of the class and could tell it was going to be a regular occurrence if this weird—situation—didn't end anytime soon. On the plus side, I wasn't alternatively daydreaming and fretting over Stefan Salvatore while I was fuming about Tyler Lockwood.

It wasn't until fourth period that I met up with Bonnie again in History.

I was so relieved to be sitting beside her, listening to how her classes had gone so far, that I didn't pay much attention as the other kids trickled in and sat down.

Not even when a somewhat familiar voice said, "Hey, Elena."

Bonnie's eyes widened, chin jerking towards the space behind me. Blinking, I remembered Elena was now me and swung about. Matt Donavan hovered near my desk, a strained smile on his face. "Matt. Hi."

"Been a while." He spun a pencil around his fingers. "How was your summer?"

Seeing as he thought he was talking to Elena, I had no idea. Bad, if I had to guess. Given her parents had just died. Still, I summoned another smile. It was getting easier. Ironically, it seemed I was as stuck playing the 'I'm just fine and dandy,' game as she'd been on the show. "Fine. Yours?"

"Alright." He shrugged and glanced down before lifting his sights back up to me. He obviously had something on his mind. I waited. "You still on for the Grill tonight?" When my brows scrunched together, he was quick to add, "Y'know. Everyone's usual meetup after the first day back."

"Yeah. 'Course. Wouldn't want to mess with tradition." That'd draw attention. Something I was trying very hard not to do.

His smile turned more genuine. "Cool." He cleared his throat and nodded. I nodded back, smile growing strained as I held it for a longer beat than the usual. He seemed to decide to just leave then, moving back to sit behind Bonnie. The two shared their own hellos.

Drama. I blew out a breath, slipping further down the hard back of my chair, wondering if the day could possibly get more awkward. The universe chose to answer by having Stefan Salvatore stride into the class at that moment. Naturally, like the earth pulled by the inevitable gravitation of the freaking sun, his gaze flew right to me.

I straightened back up, trying to smooth away any traces of annoyance. Just like the hallway, his stare stayed rooted to mine. I had no idea how he managed to find an empty desk, given he kept staring at me rather than looking for a place to sit. Maybe some sort of vampire sense, like listening for heartbeats or pulsating necks.

I hardly had room to judge. Even after the class started, I watched him too. I did try to keep it to don't-mind-me-just-bored-and-gazing-around-the-room peeks. Hard to do, given his gaze was constantly directed my way. But I couldn't help but look for some sign of—inhumanness. Apart from being a shade or two paler from the rest of the class, nothing stood out.

No, that wasn't true. He stood out, alright. But as far as creepy vibes? Nothing. If one could manage the herculean task of setting aside his amazing looks, he seemed normal. Apart from constantly staring at me, anyway. That was definitely off. Or, rather, the real me. I suppose someone as gorgeous as Elena wouldn't be surprised by the attention. Not that I'd never been on the receiving end myself, but not by anyone who looked like a freaking model.

Just to hammer in the point of how obvious he was being, my phone vibrated. Checking that the teacher wasn't watching, I flipped the older style case open to find a text message from Bonnie.

HAWT-E STARING U

Yeah, thanks. I'd have to be blind not to notice. Or focused on the lesson. Which, for once in an academic setting, I wasn't. Right now, I couldn't give a damn about history. Another first.

Thankfully, the class was the same welcome back here's your syllabus do your homework etcetera that the rest had been. Bonnie caught up to me after the bell signaled the end of our torture. She shared a look of girlish conspiracy as we walked out ahead of Stefan. "The whole time," she said quietly.

"Noticed."

Bonnie grinned. "Lucky."

The insane urge to burst into tearful laughter swept through me. I held it back with a non-committal hum. "Lunch?"

"Lunch."

The rest of the day was Stefan free. I don't know where he went to eat. The woods that seemed to creep around every few blocks in this town? Caroline joined Bonnie and I at the table. A few other girls, Madison and Sarah, along with a guy named Aaron, sat with us too. Which surprised me. But when I thought about it, it made sense. Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline could hardly have only each other as friends. They were just the closest and what the show must've chosen to focus on.

I couldn't get much of an impression of the other three. I gathered the girls were cheerleaders and Aaron was on the team with the other guys. I did pick up that he and Madison were a thing, which explained why he was sitting with us rather than over with Tyler's wolf pack.

Either way, I was able to sit back and let the rest of the table control the conversation. They seemed fine letting me stay quiet, joking back and forth and listening to Caroline's plans for the upcoming festival. Which I was roped into—flyer duty. I didn't fight. Some fates are simply inevitable.

The rest of my classes were a rotation of the various other characters, but no Stefan. By the time the end of the school day had crept around, I was left loading my books into my bag, a light load of assigned reading to do for tomorrow but not a lot else.

Bonnie was back, leaning up against the neighboring locker. "Sorry I can't give you a ride to the cemetery."

I paused. What? Why the hell would I—

Oh, right. Grieving girl. "It's fine." Well, hell. No way was I going to the cemetery. I could find my way back to Elena's house. Sure.

I struggled to remember where all the turns Bonnie had taken were. Main street, as I'd come to think of it as, would be easy enough to get to. I could find my way from there. Probably.

I hoped I didn't look as freaked out as I felt as I smiled at Bonnie. This must've been one of those things the two girls had arranged before. "Thanks for taking me this morning."

Bonnie gave me a look that said, 'don't even,' "'Course." She gave me a one-armed hug before straightening back up. "Say hi to your mom and dad for me."

"I will." Nope. Not going to happen because you couldn't pay me to go to a cemetery with vampires lurking around every corner. Mostly because that's where Elena first 'encounters' Damon. And runs into Stefan. While bleeding.

Yeah. No. Nope.

Bonnie and I separated with waves and promises to meet up later tonight at the Grill. I was curious where she was off to but didn't know a way to ask without making it clear I didn't already know. I had a feeling it was one of those things Elena shouldn't need to ask.

Instead, I hitched my bag up and set off for the 'main street' of Mystic Falls. If I could get to the corner where Damon had scared the crap out of us, I figured I could find my way back. After all, I knew where he and Stefan were going to be. Exactly where I wasn't.

No freaky fog or bloody knees for this girl!

Fortunately, it was a nice day out, and Mystic Falls was a beautiful town—when it wasn't being overrun with supernatural creatures. There was a ton of greenery around, even in the paved business district. Granted, it was mostly maintained greenery, but it was still lovely. Especially with the woods never further than a stone's throw away.

I found the main road easily enough. Learned it was Washington Street. Following it, I found it led right to City Hall and the infamous clock tower. The park that had been featured on quite a few early episodes was only a few blocks down. And then, there was the Grill. Its green banner flapped in the afternoon breeze. I stood for a few moments to just—soak in the wonder. I'd actually be visiting later tonight.

Of course, since I wasn't going to the cemetery, that meant I wouldn't lose Elena's journal. Stefan wouldn't have a reason to stop by. Which means he wouldn't know about the gathering and have no reason to go. That was good.

It was.

Frustrated that I didn't feel like it was entirely good, I huffed at myself and sped up, no longer so enamored with the kitschy little town. But the longer I walked, the more I wondered if I'd missed the turn Bonnie had taken.

By the time the shops were behind me with houses sprouting up to either side of the street and the ever-present woods on the horizon, I wondered if I should just go back. Visit one of the stores and ask for directions. Wasn't everybody supposed to know everybody in a town like this? 'Course, if anyone should know the way to the Gilbert's house, it would probably be someone who'd lived there her whole life. Be odd to ask. Wasn't sure if I wanted rumors of Elena spacing out or acting weird getting around.

Blowing out an annoyed breath, I pulled the phone from my pocket. A vague notion that I might find someone to give me a ride. With the occasional glance up to make sure I didn't stray off the sidewalk, I navigated my way to the contact list. Most of the names were unfamiliar. Bonnie's was the first I recognized, but obviously couldn't call. I had nearly made it through the 'E's, wondering how on earth this girl had so many numbers—just my luck to Quantum Leap into an extroverted popular cheerleader—when a, "CAW!" startled me.

I spun around, sights sweeping around the street. Perched on a nearby streetlamp was the crow from this morning. Or so I assumed. I suppose it could've been an entirely different crow but—c'mon. What were the chances? It cocked its head at me, beady eye gleaming, before it cawed again.

My heart sped up, gut clenching in dismay. Damon. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be waiting at the cemetery! I know I remembered that part of the pilot. I looked around, wondering if I'd wandered near the graveyard by accident, but there wasn't a headstone anywhere nearby. Another insistent, "CAW!" demanded my attention. Giving in, I found the damn bird watching me.

Damon—if it was Damon, and I had no reason to believe it wasn't—had to be stalking me. Elena. Whoever.

And Stefan was probably lingering around the cemetery, right where he was supposed to be.

I swallowed. Like Stefan, Damon was the real-world equivalent of a serial killer. Unlike Stefan, at the start of the series, he didn't give a damn if Elena lived or died. Nor did he share Stefan's diet that only threatened small woodland creatures. Damon reveled in his violent nature, gave in to his murderous whims. A temperamental thrill seeker who had no fear of getting caught.

I turned, noticed how thin the traffic was. I'd managed to get far enough from the business district that I'd past the last of the shops a block back. Another, "CAW!" made me jump. I drew in a breath, lips falling into a frown, before I doubled back for the shopping center behind me.

He wouldn't attack me in broad daylight, in front of a store full of people. Right?

I hurried down the sidewalk, the crow's relentless caws chasing me the whole way. It felt as if I could feel someone's stare crawling over my skin. My heart rate skyrocketed and my blood pounded in my ears. It had to make for a siren song to the vampire watching me.

A loud flutter of wings beside me had me looking down towards a bench anchored to the sidewalk. The crow had perched on an armrest and cawed up at me. I turned away, fixing my gaze back to the approaching stores.

I sped up to a near sprint and rushed into the first shop I saw.

Once I was safely past the door, I spun to peer back through it's glass display. Heart still hammering, I pressed my hand to my chest, willing it to slow down as I searched for the bird stalking me. And fuck my life for making that a thing I had to worry about now. Finding nothing outside, I gulped down a breath and stepped back around.

Hands grabbed my arms. I gasped as I found myself staring up into pale blue eyes, freezing me in place. The corners of those eyes crinkled as Damon Salvatore grinned down at me. "Whoa." He let go, holding his hands up with palms out as if to prove he was harmless. I knew better and stepped back.

How? I'd just been at the door! I'd been staring through its damn window!

I risked taking my eyes off his long enough for my gaze to dart around the rest of the store. Antiques. Lots of places to hide but... No, there. Another door at the back of the shop, drifting shut.

It had to be over a hundred feet away!

I refused to believe that it was possible anyone could move so fast. Weirdly, it was easier to accept the man could control a bird than flash across the store in the blink of an eye.

My sights snapped back on him, watching every move he made. As if I'd ever get enough warning. Futile or not, I couldn't help it. It was if some primal instinct was in control. And right now, it was screaming danger!

His head tilted, eerily reminiscent of the bird he'd been puppeting. His bangs were long—and messy—enough that a bit fell over his eye. His handsome face fixed into a mien of nonchalance that didn't quite quench the excited sparkle in eyes. Like sunlight reflecting of a frozen lake, it was almost blinding staring directly into them. All of him was as picture perfect as a winter landscape, and yet, as remote. Cold and barren.

The sensation of wrongness I'd sought earlier in Stefan I found in Damon. In spades. I felt it right in my gut, where it squirmed like a tangled ball of worms. Made me itch to find an exit. Get away. Even as he asked, "You okay?"

I wasn't alone. The shop keeper, an older man, stood behind the counter. Unaware of the danger, he sent me a polite smile before turning back to the computer sitting beside the register. The rest of the place was a claustrophobic nightmare. Display tables packed narrowly together, covered in every kind of knick-knack imaginable. It'd be a mess to try and run through. Despair threatened to squeeze the air from my lungs. He was the only other human in the place. That wasn't going to stop a vampire who could compel him to forget. Or kill us both before we even knew what was happening.

Heart thumping so hard I was surprised my ribs weren't rattling, I summoned the steadiest smile I was able to and nodded. "Yeah. Just," a drew a breath through my nose, "startled. Should have been paying attention." Like that would've helped.

The bastard's mouth curled into a playful smile. "Sorry." He didn't sound it. At all. His tall legs brought him a step closer. Fully in the center of his attention, I couldn't help feel like a mouse under the bobbing head of a snake. "You ran in here so fast, I thought you were in trouble."

I squeezed the strap on my book bag, holding the smile on my face before shaking my head. "No." I lied. "It's—I'm fine. Really."

Damon leaned to the side, pleasure slipping into those animated eyes. Too animated. Like he was exaggerating his expressions. "That's a relief." He smiled as he took another step, putting him within arm's reach. "Pretty little thing like you," the curve of his lips turned thin and wicked before he added, "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something…bad…happened."

Knowing what I did about him, I couldn't help but hear an implied threat. The corners of my already brittle smile tried to slide right down. I willed them to stay up, though it probably came off as a tad bit rictus.

He didn't seem to notice. Or, more likely, care. "I'm Damon, by the way." He held out a hand.

I didn't want to take it. Would it set him off if I didn't? Make him suspicious that I knew more than I should about him? But the moment was stretching towards too long. My mind gave off an inner scream I slipped my hand into his. He had to have noticed my palm was clammy as it met his. He didn't seem bothered by it. On the contrary, his eyes darkened.

Bothered by the implications, I focused on the softness of his skin. I'd expected him to be colder. Stiff like my grandmother's hand had been when I'd tried curling mine over it as I'd stood by her coffin. Damon's felt very alive. The muscles and bones all shifted as he gave a gentle squeeze, the borrowed blood in his veins warming his skin. "Elena."

"Elena. Hm." His eyes narrowed. "Sure you're okay, Elena?"

"Yeah." I made to pull my hand back, relieved when he didn't try to hold on. "I, um. I saw a bird." His brows flew up. I inwardly cursed him to hell. Since magic existed here, I hoped it'd work. Recalling a line from the show, I said, "It was very Hitchcock."

"A girl who can make a classic horror reference. Nice." Seeing how well known The Birds and Hitchcock were, I didn't think it was all that impressive. I couldn't decide if he was trying to flatter me, or if his opinion of teenagers—of humans in general—was that low. "If you're worried, I'd be happy to walk you home." He leaned closer, and it took everything in me not to draw away. His voice lowered as if he meant to share a secret. "I make a great scarecrow."

Oh hell no. "That's... really nice of you to offer." My bag's strap let out a tortured creak as my hand flew to it and squeezed. "But, I'm—waiting. For my aunt. She's picking me up soon."

"Mm." His smile stretched a little wider before he looked straight into my eyes and said, "But she's running late, isn't she? It'll be a while before she gets here."

I blinked, glancing around towards the window as I realized, "Jenna's probably running late, though. I don't know when she'll get here." Especially as she had no idea where I was. Or that I'd need her to pick me up.

Damon smiled. Soon as our eyes met, he was speaking again with that same intense stare, "You want me to walk you home."

Given all the dangerous things lurking around Mystic Falls, who better to keep away the monsters than a psycho vampire that had already killed several people since coming to town? "I want you to walk me home." Wait, that didn't seem right. After a moment, I added, "If you don't mind." There. Shouldn't assume things. That would be rude.

Damon's answering grin was all sunshine. Cold, wintry sunshine. "Of course not." He swept out an arm in an old fashioned, gentlemanly gesture. "After you, Miss Gilbert."

Had I told him that? No. Damon must've been stalking Elena well before this morning. He'd know where she lived, then! I smiled at him before leading him through the door.

#fanfic #the vampire diaries #tvd #damon salvatore #stefan salvatore #the more things change #ofc #damon x ofc #stefan x ofc #elijah x ofc #klaus x ofc #elijah mikaelson #klaus #bonnie bennett #caroline forbes #elena gilbert #jeremy gilbert

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