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dr3amlab · 1 year

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5. wicked games, dm.

SUMMARY — Y/N Gorgon and Draco Malfoy have a long history of mutual hatred. You see, the two of them have been pulling pranks on each other since their 1st year at Hogwarts, to the dismay of their close friends and supervisors. However, after a prank left Y/N completely out of her mind, she decides that she'll pull her cruelest prank yet on Draco by pretending to be his secret admirer.

PAIRING — Draco Malfoy x reader

GENRE — series, enemies to lovers, rival, comedy (?)

WORD COUNT — 1894 words.

AUTHOR’S NOTE — sorry for the wait, uni is killing my ass 😭 I CAN'T FIGURE OUT TUMBLR FOR MY LIFE IM SORRY GUYS

PARTS. 1 2 3 4 5 6 finale

TAGLIST — @hopefulfuturenovelauthor @charlenasaxen @johnmurphys-sass @alittlebitofinsanitea @islayedyourmom @dramatic-long-coats @slashermadness @marplest @whosyourgnomie4 @makhaia @louieblue2 @born2222die @nikki-89 @jamlessgucciswegsunshineot7

V. WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?

Quiet. Everything was oddly quiet. Nothing or no one was bothering you, and everything seemed to go your way for the past week. Peaceful and quiet. Just how you like it. You knew you should be enjoying these peaceful moments as long as they lasted, but why do you feel so unfulfilled?

It was saturday and most of the students, including Athena, were enjoying their afternoon in Hogsmeade. with company of their friends. As for you, you decided to stay in your dorm for, even if Athena begged you relentlessly, you didn’t really feel like going out as last week’s events drained you mentally. But, no panick! You were not completely alone : Boredom and the heavy feeling of emptiness were so nice that they decided to grace you with their presence.

To anyone who would set eyes on you right now, you looked like you carried the entire world’s burdens on your shoulders : you were sitting lazily on one of the couches of the common room, arm resting on the couch and your cheek resting on your hand all while looking at the floor with empty eyes.

Though, who could blame you? You were bored out of your mind : for the past weeks, sending anonymous letters to Draco Malfoy was your only source of entertainment and now that you had to stop, for your own sake, you felt like time refused to pass by.

In the best of worlds, you would still be having the time of your life by taunting Draco and you wouldn’t be having romantic feelings for anyone.

However, this was not the case. Without you even realizing, you were beaten at your own game. You fell for draco during the process of writing him letters and you fell hard.

Still, something was tormenting your mind : Why was Draco being so lowkey? It’s been a week since you had stopped giving him the letters and he didn’t do anything. You thought that it was weird ; His secret admirer bid him farewell and he didn’t even react. If this ever happened to you, you would travel the world and the seven seas to find them but Draco didn’t manifest any interest in looking for them. Zero interest. Nada.

His strangely discreet demeanor was confusing you : Was he mourning the loss of his secret admirer? Did your prank scar his heart? Or, did he somehow find out that you wrote the later? If so how did he find out ? What has he been up to? Those questions kept repeating over and over again in your mind and, honestly, you felt like you were about to go insane. You were almost about to tear your hair out of your scalp. Literally.

Something was going to happen, you felt it. And it was not a good omen. Something was about to happen and it was not going to be to your advantage. In a way, the ball was in Draco’s court. You have no control of his next move and that was making you sick. But did Draco even receive the said ball? Did he even get the ball you passed to him? Did he even know about the ba— "Snap out of it, Y/N!" you mumbled to yourself.

You’re looked away from the ground to take conscience of your current state : You were biting your nails while slightly shaking your leg. In other words, you looked like a complete maniac.

"Y/N." A hand softly touched your right shoulder and you snapped your head towards the said direction, "Are you okay? Is something bothering you?" You let out a sigh of relief when you saw Fides, your fellow Slytherin. "Oh—hey Fides!" you exclaimed, "you scared me!" you said as you put your hand on your heart to feel your racing heartbeat. Fides’ lips curled into an apologetic smile, "my bad, I didn’t mean to!" She sat next to you, "are you okay? you don’t look so good."

For a moment, your mind wandered to Draco and the worries he drowned your mind with. You slightly opened your mouth ready to tell her what was really bothering you without omitting any detail but after a second of reflexion, you gave her a closed lip smile, "no, Fides, nothing is bothering me," you said softly, "thank you for your concern." Fides smiled at you, "If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here," she beamed. You squeezed her hand, "thank you."

"So, what's the latest news?" You asked to change the subject. Fides was always aware of every single thing that was going around in Hogwarts. She knew everyone's business from the teachers to the first years. Fides probably even knows your family's deepest darkest secrets and you'll never know how she had found out. It was pretty entertaining to hear her gossip unless she knew your secrets.

Fides' face lit up as soon as the question left your lips. It seemed as if she had been waiting impatiently for you to ask her, "okay, so you'll never guess this. I promise you'll have the time of your life with this information!" Fides got comfortable on the couch, "There has been rumors than Draco was receiving letters from a secret admirer right. I'm talking about actual love letters," she began explaining, "it has been going on for like⏤ I don't know, months and he never found out their identity," fides said, "shit, I've been trying to find out who the hell they were and I didn't even find out."

Discreetly, you let out a sigh of relief, if Fides ever finds out first that you were the 'secret admirer', you were done for. First of all, the entire universe would be aware that you wrote letters to draco. And, even though Fides was a nice girl, she had tendencies to run her mouth ; She would not hesitate twice to spread rumors about anyone, even her closest friends.

"Oh. My. Merlin! Draco has a secret admirer? please tell me it's a joke!" You pretended to be shocked, "Girl, even I was flabbergasted! like⏤ Who in their right mind would genuinely like Malfoy?" Fides laughed, "pff! yeah, right⎯ for real." You let out a forced laugh, "so what happens next?" you stopped laughing immediately and coughed.

"You're going to need to brace yourself for this part." She came closer to you, "Apparently, Draco found out who it is and is about to confront them soon," she whispered, " I heard he got the info from a first year. Somebody saw Draco extorting the information out of the poor boy," she pursed her lips, "this is exclusive news, you're the first one to know this." Your heart dropped and your mouth hung slightly open, "I know right! I had the same reaction!" she slapped your shoulder, "I wonder who it is ! do you think they'll end up together? »

Draco had found out. Draco had found out and knowing him, he probably found a way to bring the gossip to Fides’ ears for he knew damn well that she would tell you and therefore, inform you that he knew. One thing is for sure, Malfoy's revenge was going to be violent and you only have to shelter yourself from the storm that was coming.

You were probably thinking so much about him that you manifested his presence accidentally : you felt like you've summoned a demon for, suddenly, you saw his dark silhouette come through the door of the common room and his eyes immediately found yours as if the first thing he had planned to do when he would step foot into the common room was to find your eyes.

Draco didn't walk further into the room. Instead, he stood tall not so far from the door with both of his hands in the pockets of his black pants. Malfoy did not break eye contact with you as he slightly tilted his head to the right while giving you a smirk.

As you maintained eye contact with him, you felt like your entire world was burning, but you didn't seem to mind because you were only thinking about one thing : did you always notice how handsome Draco is?

Draco saw how your face decomposed at the sight of him. He saw how you didn't even care about any of the nonsense that was probably coming out of Fides' mouth and how your focus was solely on him.

Draco's smirk only grew bigger when he saw you get up off the couch and he almost laughed out loud at the sight of Fides' confused face. Malfoy stood on his ground with his head held high as he watched you lope towards him with a rather angry expression on your face.

'How cute,' he found himself thinking as he stared at your face. You were probably as angry as ever, but how did you manage to still look so cute. Did Draco always notice how cute you were? Perhaps he always did or perhaps he never did but that's something he'll sort out later for right now, he needed to be focused on taunting you.

"So, you found out." You crossed your arms. "Yeah, I did." Draco mimicked your body language, "I honestly didn't know that you would stoop this low Y/N, really. Playing with one's feelings? Even I didn't think about pranking you like that," he fake pouted, "Oh come on Draco," you scoffed, "you're talking about morals? Don't act like for the past six years, you didn't do something equally as bad," you retorted, "You're just mad that you didn't come up with this idea before me. Admit it." Draco shrugged his shoulders while displaying a stupid smirk on his face, "Maybe I am," he said nonchalantly.

"What now? Are you going to get back at me or did I win the game?" you asked, "I'm not going to get back you Y/N, don't be silly," he said as if it was the most obvious fact in the world, "I gotta admit that you won," he started, "but at what cost?" Draco bended slightly so his face would be closer to yours which startled you and made you take a step back, "what do you mean?" you asked again confusedly.

Draco smirked, "you fell in love with me Y/N," he said in a singsong "Why would I get back at you? isn't that enough torment for you?" he asked, "Me? In love with you? Plea⏤" Before you could even finish your sentence, Draco cut you off, "Y/N, I know that you smelt my scent in that potion," he laughed, "Books, expensive cologne, green apples?" he emphasized on the last words, "That's what you smelt and, oh⏤ What a coincidence! that's also what you wrote in that letter." You frowned your eyebrows, "Do you seriously believe in that stupid shit Draco? What are you, five years old?" Draco quirked an eyebrow, "Are you implying that Slughorn is a conman and amortentia is bullshit? Or, wait⎯ that magic doesn't exist?" Draco's face came even closer to yours.

"Darling, you fell in love with me. You can't deny it," he said slowly in a suave voice, "so, who's the real loser now?" he whispered to your ear. Your eyes widened, you tried to say something or anything to deny his statement but you couldn't because it was true : you are utterly and irrevocably in love with Malfoy.

Draco adjusted his posture so he could look at your face clearly. A victorious smile graced his lips as he watched you open and close your mouth to talk but words wouldn't come out your mouth. Without saying any other word, Draco left to go to his dorm and he left you freezed like a statue.

Draco should be celebrating his victory: you didn't deny any of your feelings for him, so that makes him the true winner, right? Though, Malfoy felt a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach and he felt completely confused. Why was the scent of vanilla, violet and strawberry cake lingering in his nose?

It took a long time to Malfoy, but he finally put two and two together. Vanilla, violet and strawberry cake: that was the same fragrance he smelt in the envelopes, the amortentia and on you when he came close to your neck as he whispered to your ear. Draco stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes widened as he realized what it meant, "Fuck, I'm in love with her."

It's funny isn't it? Malfoy was too engrossed on taunting you for having feelings for him that he didn't realize that he reciprocated your feelings.

So, who was the real loser?

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the0retically · 3 months

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The Suckening thoughts-#6 Meet Your Maker:

Spoilers below but my god that was a cool episode

- The intros get crazier and crazier and I love it

- Part 2?? Oh!! Goodness I have no idea how many episodes there will be of this and I’m so Scared because they all said it emotionally destroyed them

- …why are they spending this long on this intro,,,,please

- GOD THE MUSIC SLAPS SO MUCH NATHAN HANOVER THANK YOU FOR MAKING AN AMAZING SCORE

- GREFGORE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CHARLIE PLEASE

- Emizel’s “I HAVE QUESTIONS!” makes me So sad

- “Arthur do you see Grefgore anywhere?” SHILOOOOOOO :((((((

- “Arthur please just wait for like 45 minutes” “….is there a pet store nearby” PLEASE??

- SIBLING BONDING EXERCISE!!

- God why are they going back in????

- Ok yeah cat emizel, he has claws

- This is a nightmare what the hell, but good! Go get Grefgore!

- SHILO?? GO WITH YOUR BROTHER

- They’re just redoing it??????? Y’all pleaseeeeee…Charlie’s just like “yeah this will be Exactly the same!!”

- “What is another life for Grefgore!” Shilo I love you, thank god you’re going to try and get him

- And god emizel is Alone what the hell

- And they had to leave Condi alone goodness

- NO! THATS THE QUESTION HE WANTS ANSWERED?? brooooooo

- Ok that entire exchange made me so sad, he lost when him and the demons got their hideout, sure he was able to get Grefgore back (LETS GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!) but he Still does not have an answer to why he was abandoned and Shilo got to stay :((((( emizel buddy :(((

- Rip Arthur Petco is closed

- BIZLY IS SO HAPPY ABOUT GREFGORE BEING BACK!

- ……….weird digital glitching?? Excuse me?

- Also god why is Shilo’s aura mortal

- Awwwwwww shilo goes to hug grefgore!!

- “Can vampires regrow their heads?” “……………….what?” Oh god Grizz please don’t cut grefgore’s head off

- “Permission to hug you back my prince?” “Of course!” “Big day for grefgore!” PLEASE :)))

- “You still have many hours for the night” “is that true?” “….yeah?? No! You caught me in one of my DM lies!” iconic exchange

- Oh my god what is happening with this poor nurse, just let her go!!

- Oh god now this has become a sitcom bit what is happening, shilo is just concerned for this woman’s life but emizel and Arthur are trying to get her to get Vanya’s schedule

- :( Arthur telling the boys they don’t have to come with is Very sad

- “If Grefgore is truly a burden to you then I shall go get blood” GREFGORE NO YOURE NOT A BURDEN

- No vents? Damn rip

- Thank god no Arthur frenzy

- LAZARUS????? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE

- He’s in the toilet???

- Oh a little family reunion!

- ……….why is this sus, is that really Lazarus?

- WHY IS HE PUSHING A PHEASANT THROUGH THE TOILET PORTAL?

- Charlie’s curse as a DM is just making insane animal noises

- …..is shilo allergic to birds?? Why is he sneezing bizly please let him enjoy the bird

- “Well it is what it is!” LAZARUS PLEASE

- The chaos of the twins to the seriousness of Arthur is Such a juxtaposition

- Oh…Arthur killed his family, god this is heartbreaking

- “Why did you use me?” “Because it was the most effective way” GOD PLEASE

- God props to Charlie and Grizz for this whole interaction, I love this

- OH STAKE RIGHT THROUGH HER HEART

- Arthur popping off, it’s incredibly sad but good for you! Burn her!!!!!! She’s the reason your family is dead, kill her!!!!

- Arthur I love you I’m so sorry your life has been this tragic

- EMIZEL DID NOT ANSWER AND SAY “YELLOW?”

- Jonny???? Oh god, why is there a hit on the demons??

- Thank god soda isn’t there! Please Charlie say soda isn’t there

- HA GRIZZ REALIZING THAT EMIZEL FORGOT THE GANG WAS SO GOOD

- But emizel remembers Theo at least!! That’s good!

- SHILO IS GETTING THE OLD PEOPLE TO BEAT UP EMIZELS SIRE????? IM CRYING OH MY GOD

- What???? Metal???? What is up with this vampire

- Please tell me emizel isn’t going to die again

- Why did they leave Grefgore behind???

- “YOU SHOULD’VE JUST LET ME SUCK YOU MAN!” “WELL I’M SORRY I SUCKED BACK!” ????????

- SHILO RALLY THE OLD PEOPLE!!!!!

- Charlie is that old man Earl????

- EMIZEL IS DEAD AGAIN??????

- “The Wylan twins send their regards” ??????? HUH??

- Shilo is just a sweet boy :( but GET OUT OF THERE

- SHILO GETS HIT TOO?

- “Next session is going to be the adventures of Arthur and Grefgore!”

- Shilo please get out of there

- GOOD RUN!! GET OUT OF THERE

- SHILO PLEASE YOU CANNOT DIE

- WHAT THE HELL

- TAKE GOD FOR REFLEXIVE HEALING

- MINUS FIVE TO EVERY ROLL??

- HE MADE IT! HE SACRIFICED THE OLD PEOPLE HES BLEEDING OUT BUT HES OK!!

- EMIZEL HI??

- Get out of the sun my boy!!

- Oh,,,,,,,oh no?? He has no arms or legs oh my god, he’s tied to a chair and his mouth is sewn shut????

- HORROR HORROR HORROR

- CHARLIE WHAT THE FUCK

- WHAT THE HELL??

- I don’t know why this encounter with the twins and emizel is the most terrified I’ve been with Charlie dming, holy shit

- WAIT EDWARD TWILIGHT?????? WHAT THE FUCK?????

- Emizel I love you, biting off your own tongue to spit at them is amazing he’s so iconic

- Viv and Vex,,,,,interesting

- GOD EMIZEL I LOVE YOU YOURE BADASS

- 7! God please don’t lose more I’m getting scared

- BUT GOD A GREAT EPISODE

#jrwi #jrwi thoughts #jrwi spoilers #the suckening #the suckening spoilers #emizel tucker #shilo bathory #arthur bennett #jrwi grefgor

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friendly-neighborhood-furry · 1 year

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@anothertawogsideblog its been a while, but i still wanted to respond to this! first off, thank you for your compliment on this post, it really means a lot! second of all, yes! although whatever song you have to recommend, it might already be on here! (however if it isn't, dm me!! i have something for that ;3c)

i've actually been waiting for an opportunity to share this, so thank you so much!

this playlist follows Rob's character progression through the original series (wiiiith some gaps filled in ;3)

below the cut are my insane ramblings explanations of why i picked the songs on the playlist, where/how they fit into the timeline of events, aaand a couple of headcanons i have that were inspired by the songs :D i tried to be quick and concise and only talk about lines that REALLY stood out to me

WARNING: don't click on it unless you are prepared to do a bit of reading. legitimately i'm warning you here, there's well over 3K words on this (not counting the lyric transcriptions)

wow, really? okay, strap in!

Self- by Will Wood and The Tapeworms

this and -Ish were recommendations from my partner, so thank you to him :3

the respective opening and closing songs to SELF-iSH tied the og album together, so it was only natural that they serve the same function here.

the SELF-iSH album already deals with themes of identity, and i personally find Rob to be so interesting because of his complex relationship with his identity. or i guess the relationship that i perceive him to have

this song is short, but it's one of many songs that represents something we didn't see happen onscreen. for this one, its Rob getting zapped into the Void.

"well i don't remember 2012, but i heard the world would turn to hell, and compared to that, well, i'm doing well, so i pray to God it really did"

2012 was the year the show began, but its also a year where people believed the world would end. the connection is sort of paradoxical in relation to the show

"so when all my friends forget my name, no, i wont come back and be the same, no, i wont come back and be the same, and i'm gonna be myself again"

this part in particular is not only representing him being erased from the mind's of people who knew him, but also foreshadowing his eventual transformation...

the last line haunts me, because in my head animatic, its something he's saying to reassure himself that he'll be okay. that he'll get out of this and still be himself. which,,, i'm sorry, excuse me (UGLY CRIES HARD INTO A PILLOW) okay next song

Turn the Lights Off by Tally Hall

AUTISM JUMPSCARE

so this song is basically the ensuing panic and chaos from being brought to a place where mistakes are kept. most of my head animatic is just him wandering around in the Void and being chased or frightened by all the weird shit in there.

"eyes of yellow scales and feathers tails in tethers turn the lights off"

more foreshadowing,,,, how the white of his eye changes to yellow after the Void,,,,,,, how he gets a pig tail in The Future,,,,,,,,,,,,, yeah

Sweet Hibiscus Tea by Penelope Scott

Penelope Scott is a recurring artist on this playlist :3 (foreboding sense of doom)

"and i am not your protagonist i'm not even my own i don't know anything i don't even know what i don't know"

local boy achieves sentience, more at 11

"and if you look outside you'll see disintegrating trees the artificial way the sunlight bounces off the waxy leaves"

these lines perfectly paint a picture of a world that is not real, again tying into him becoming sentient

"and if you look outside you'll see disintegrating trees the artificial way the sunlight bounces off the glitching leaves"

do i even have to say it.

"my wet heart catches on every thorn you're already halfway out the door"

Rob calling out to Gumball and Darwin and then seeing them ignore him in favor of Molly........

"and i'm so tiny and so old and god its never been so cold and it is 85 degrees i don't know what i need"

the ending to this song feels so hopeless and frustrated. which sadly, ties in perfectly.

ECHO by Crusher-P (feat. GUMI)

this is like. the ultimate Rob song for so many reasons. here are my takes!!

"the clock stopped ticking forever ago how long have i been up? i don't know"

reflecting on how long he's been in the Void. has it been a day? or has it been years? it's impossible to know

"why cant i see, why cant i see all the colors that you see? please can i be, please can i be colorful and free?"

so in this instance “seeing color” is a sorta metaphor for being important or interesting. things which he wasn't, based on being put into the Void.

then him longing to be important, to be interesting, to be out of this god-forsaken place

"what the hell's going on? can someone tell me please? why i'm switching faster than the channels on TV I'm black, then i'm white no, something isn't right my enemy's invisible, i don't know how to fight"

in reference to his surroundings being screens of TV static. realizing that his real enemy is whatever decides who’s important and who isn’t, but not knowing how to fight back against it

"the trembling fear is more than i can take when i'm up against the echo in the mirror"

at this point the "echo" is the boy he was when he was brought here. young and naïve, hopeful that somebody would remember him and care enough about to come rescue him.

"i'm gonna burn my house down into a ugly black, i'm gonna run away now and never look back"

this is him running after the van and leaving this fucked up place behind. the fact that these lines repeat and overlap each other really sells the amp up towards the climax that is him grabbing onto the side of the van and holding on until we flash to the other side.

"what the hell's going on? can someone tell me, please? why i'm switching faster than the channels on TV I'm black, then i'm white, no, something isn't right, my enemy's invisible, i don't know how to fight,"

this,,,,, this is after the memory wipe. this is the "who am i? what happened? whats… wrong with me?" that happens as soon as he's spat out the other side.

"the trembling fear is more than i can take when i'm up against the echo in the mirror"

now the echo is a ghost of his former self, before he was transformed. i headcanon that his pre-Void self's appearance haunts him like a ghost, never being fully visible or tangible in any way, but still undeniably there.

from this point on when he tries to interact with it or remember who he was, its like trying to grab fog. it just slips right through his fingers and dissipates into nothing.

Eighth Wonder by Lemon Demon

FIRST and ONLY silly song!!! this one is him sneaking into and hiding in the Watterson's house almost entirely undetected :3 (DON'T look at his body dysphoria look at him he’s normal he’s NORMAL)

Projections by CG5

hey hey hey hey hey DON'T look at the Bendy and The Ink Machine character on the cover of the song—look at me! this song is a PERFECTLY NORMAL CHOICE-hey hey! stop looking at The Projectionist look at me-LOOK AT ME! this is NORMAL.

just. hear me out, okay. just listen. to the song.

"in the dark i see everything there's no place that i'd rather be"

he's just some poor amnesiac hiding out in a basement. he isn't happy about it, but he doesn't have anywhere to go. no memories, no family, and goodness knows California isn't particularly kind to the homeless. he has nowhere else to go. this is what he has and he has to deal with it.

"way back in history, you could say i was very bright, but now i'm drawn to the deepest darkness, and that's where i find my light”

and now he's alone in the dark, where the only light he has is the light that emits from his body.

"everywhere that i look, all that i see is projections of what i used to be"

he sees the ghost of his former self so often, and he knows that it's a clue to his past, but he can never get a good enough look at it to jog his memories.

in the original song, the change in vocalist signifies that Norman Polk, (the soul trapped inside The Projectionist) is the one singing now. i though that was cool, so that format carries over here as the former self begins to sing!

"but i guess it'll always be like this cant change anything about this infinite abyss”

infinite abyss is the Void that lurks just beyond their world, all powerful and unchanging

“i cant believe that this is happening, not at all i'm literally a walking thing singing 'bout my downfall i can still remember the day that i drowned, but i never even died"

this is the part in The Nobody when he got his memories back and decided to pursue vengeance

"start the show and look up at the screen watch from the beginning to the end of the scene if you want to learn more about me just watch the projections of what i used to be"

the rest of the song is his acceptance of the villain role and the ghost abandoning him for it

Again by Crusher-P

the first song for The Nemesis!!!

okay so quick thing before we start: there's a cover of this song by Jayn and The Living Tombstone (MAJOR FLASHING LIGHT WARNING FOR THE VIDEO). this version changed the lyrics in some places which offered some SUPER awesome opportunities for angst stuff. i would have put this version on the playlist, but it sadly isn't available on Spotify :( so for simplicity's sake i'll just talk abt the original here :)

i sort of see this song as an argument between his current self and the one he left behind. how much this anger and resentment has changed him from what he was. some parts of the song are sung by his past self and others are sung by the present.

"i haven't been myself lately i don't blame you for not wanting to stay saying things that i don't mean not meaning what i say"

(lines 1 and 2 are present self, lines 3 and 4 are past self)

i think that after he accepted the role of antagonist, the ghost of who he was before just vanished. i like to believe it was afraid of him, and perhaps ashamed, too.

"when its good, its so good when its bad, its so bad even when i knew what i had what am i supposed to say when i end up driving everyone away?"

(present self)

wanting revenge can change you. you were hurt, or something was taken from you, and you want to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. when you have all of that anger festering inside of you, it can distort whatever idea you have of who you are—and that is what happened here. the anger and resentment not only permanently changed who he is now, but scared away what little of himself he had left.

"every inch of me is charred god, what happened to my heart? i'm about to fall apart again, again and you're never coming back and i'm not okay with that! and i should have never let myself get attached!"

(present self speaking about past self)

he's never getting back what they took from him. he'll never be the same, because of them. who he was — that's not him anymore, and its their fault.

"and its like every day is a fight for my life to get some self control and when you've forgotten who i am, it just feels, it just feels like i'm nobody at all"

(present self talking about past self)

again, the ghost disappearing after he accepts the antagonist role making him lose touch with who he was

"i lost myself hitting the ground i held my breath in case i drowned"

flashback to when he got spat out of the Void without his memories. when he got his memories back, he also regained self-awareness.

"i should have known when to let go and when to see who i was being"

maybe it was a mistake. but its still their fault. now he's REALLY mad.

Enemy by Imagine Dragons

i think you and i know each other pretty well at this point. you're reading my analytical mini-essay about this cartoon character. we’re being cringe together. you won’t make fun of me for choosing the jerma meme song.

the first part of this song is for The Bus. think of it as an internal monologue while he does his villain shit. this one also kind of touches on how he’s taking the nemesis thing a lot more seriously than Gumball is

the second part of the song transitions into the events of The Disaster.

"they say pray it away i swear that i’ll never be a saint, no way”

this is Rob reflecting the role he’s been given as antagonist because he wants to be the main character. he’s not content to be a good little character and stay in his assigned role, he wants freedom!

“a chair in the corner is my place i stay i shake and i think about the powers at play, the powers at play”

the powers at play are exactly what they sound like. it’s the show runners and the audience — the people who are watching and controlling his fictional world.

“and the kids in the dark that were doomed from the start,"

i've done a little digging into what the show creators have said about Rob, and from what i can gather it was planned for him to have had this happen to him from a very early point in the show. so. yeah. doomed from the start indeed

"love is a constant, love is a basis, he cannot be, she cannot be, they can not be changed goodbye..."

everyone in this story is powerless to change it. everyone... except him, now that he has the remote

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Set It Off

a classic villain rage song! most of this is him fucking up Gumball's life in The Disaster

"baa baa, black sheep, have you any soul? no, sir, by the way what the hell are morals?!"

fun fact! early prototype versions of Gumball made him a black cat to tie into his unluckiness :3 they didn't end up going with it because he was too hard to see against black backgrounds, but still. i like to imagine Rob knows stuff like that,,,,

"maybe you'll change abandon all your wicked ways make amends and start anew again maybe you'll see all the wrongs you did to me and start all over, start all over again"

this is that moment in The Disaster where Rob tries to reveal the nature of their world to Gumball

"oh, who am I kidding? now, let's not get overzealous here you've always been a huge piece of shit if I could kill you, I would but it's frowned upon in all fifty states having said that, burn in hell, yeah!"

but Gumball doesn't understand. so Rob gives up and decides to finish what he started.

"karma's gonna come collect your debt!"

at the end of the song its Gumball jumping in after the remote, Rob closing the AV portal like curtains, and Gumball managing to press the rewind button, transitioning into the next episode

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land by MARINA

holy fuck i love this one okay lets go. now we're in The Re-Run, but these next two songs are replacing the ones that were there in The Disaster

"you don't have to be like everybody else you don't have to fit into the norm you are not here to conform"

again, rejection of the role he was given and what the universe wants him to be.

"i am here to take a look inside myself recognize that I could be the eye, the eye of the storm"

now that he has the remote, he can be the center of it all. the eye of the storm, the main character.

"i am not my body, not my mind or my brain (ha) not my thoughts or feelings, I am not my DNA i am the observer, I'm a witness of life"

i like the interesting position that sentience puts him in. he's watching the world with the context that none of its real, so he's watching it with us, the audience. but he's still living through all of these experiences like they are real because they’re happening in his reality, so he’s still part of the show and,,, yeah you get it.

"i live in the space between the stars and the sky"

line is in reference to how he's caught between worlds. he doesn't belong in Elmore, but he doesn't want to go back to the Void

Dr. Sunshine Is Dead by Will Wood and The Tapeworms

ooooh this one’s good. let’s get started.

"if we can't see each other, then there's no more use for hiding I've decided I'll abide it; why deny the color black?"

why shouldn't he have what he wants? he has all of the power to get it. who's going to stop him?

"i'm not a flower, not a solar-powered calculator Damn my eyes for seeing what's not there"

these lines are in reference to Leslie and Bobert, who get to be important and interesting and not having their lives ripped apart by the universe. god fuck those guys and fuck him for ever wanting to settle for being a cute side character when he could have THIS

"the future must know where you've been the past predicts the state you're in the present did and will not last is, isn't, was, have, hasn't, has"

this is the part where Gumball starts to get the upper hand and it starts to dawn on Rob that he's fucked

"all that i ask is, keep those empty frames if nobody's in them, then no one is to blame for your self-portraits, sign another name well, who should I be then, if I'll never be the same?

Gumball ejects him. and now he's falling…

"and if dreams can come true, what does that say about nightmares? i'll stay awake tonight..."

if he can come so close to his perfect life, if he can wield the power of a god and still fail--is there any point in continuing to think he can be anything else? anything but a mistake to be cast aside and forgotten?

there's nowhere to go--no point in trying to be anything else. this is the end.

Bad Apple!! - English Remaster by RichaadEB and Christina Vee

STOP LAUGHING

okay so this cover is metal as fuck and i love it a lot but anyway- we're still in The Re-Run at this point. just for fun we're going to pretend he was in there a lot longer than he was in canon

"and maybe its a dream, maybe nothing else is real but it wouldn't mean a thing if i told you how i feel"

oughhh imagine trying to pull the wool away from someone's eyes only for them not to understand and leave you more isolated than you've ever been before.

"you could tell me what to say, you could tell me where to go, but i doubt that i would care and my heart would never know"

so what if he's a mistake? does any of it really matter in the first place if none of it’s real?

"will tomorrow ever come? will i make it through the night? will there ever be a place for the broken in the light?"

will things ever get better for him? will things get better for anyone trapped in the existential nightmare of their own fictionality?

will the mistakes of the world ever find peace, or comfort, or solace in what they are--toys to be ripped apart and cast aside by greater beings?

"if i find a way to change, if i step into the light then i'll never be the same and it all would fade to white"

imagine holding infinite power in your hands--the ability to rewrite reality to your liking, to step into the spotlight you've yearned for for so long, only to be sent back to the buzzing white hellscape where everything terrible began?

ramping up towards the climax of the song is when Gumball enters to rescue him from this place. Rob is running from him stubbornly because he's being overwhelmed by hatred and hopelessness- convinced an eternity of loneliness is what he deserves.

"this time you're not hurting me! this time i will take a stand! all the hatred in my eyes building up an evil plan standing lonely in the night, with the darkness by my side"

he finally gets ahold of the remote again. Gumball is utterly defenseless--and Rob has the chance to finish what he started. but...

"looking deep inside myself, and revealing only fright"

but standing behind Gumball is the ghost. his ghost.

"if i make another move, if i take another step then it all would fall apart, there'd be nothing of me left"

the person that he was- the person who would have done anything to even have the chance to be rescued, is right there.

if he does this--if he takes Gumball's life in favor of an eternity of loneliness--then he'll lose what little remained of who he was.

so he cant do it. he cant bring himself to do it. so he goes back

"so i'm back here once again, so i'm back here once again! will i ever make a change? will my heart begin to mend?

this one simple action, where Gumball goes back into the Void to save Rob even though he's won, it lets Rob forgive him in a sense. the two of them are friends now.

"would you love me if i go?"

but it cant last, even if he wants it to. he has to fix the mess he's created.

"it feels like a heart attack! but still everything's the same-"

so he rewinds, fixing all of the problems he caused. he finally stops just after he first got the remote

"and it all just fades to black"

he smashes the remote and the world goes dark as the credits roll and the music fades out...

Amygdala’s Ragdoll by Ghost and Pals

this is another song that takes place during some offscreen time, specifically the time between the rerun's end the ex's beginning.

there's a general theme of guilt and anguish in this song. he reason he “breaks up” with Gumball is tied to what happened at the end of The Re-Run. Rob feels bad about ruining Gumball life and he’s still struggling with the guilt of his actions along with everything else.

"an eye for an eye that's how the game works i'm losing my autonomy, a mutilated part of me"

being aware that you are fictional character and therefore losing what autonomy you had because somebody is making all of your decisions for you & having a mangled, broken body that's a distorted version of who you are or used to be.

"today something changed i figured it's true the frontal lobe placed me behind my own strings 'cause i defy the way the game works i'll say it again, i'm only getting worse"

yet another reference to Rob being sentient and trying to go against the show's narrative

"the dull assumptions that I've tasted decency waiting for the embers to lose their glow and I, and I dunno oh, all I've ever seen before were clusters of holes"

he's really been put through the ringer for like. genuinely no reason. what was the point.

“the fire and i, alone again the guilt and i, alone again”

ough this one hits. after everything that happened in the re-run can you imagine the kind of guilt he felt? like. friendly reminder that The Re-Run was an infinitely more fucked up episode than The Disaster because one character CEASED TO EXIST and another literally DIED onscreen.

jesus. being somewhat responsible for that happening has GOT to fuck you up.

Be Nice To Me by The Front Bottoms

this one is a breakup song that i put on here just for The Ex because there is no heterosexual explanation for it. anyway

the themes of hating someone you’re in a relationship with and trying to get them out of your life but they just keep showing up despite every attempt you make to push them away,,, yeah

“i got boulders on my shoulders collarbones begin to crack there is very little left of me and it’s never coming back”

CRYING

"you say i'm changing sorry, i didn't know i had to stay the same could we talk about this later? your voice is driving me insane, driving me insane!

you get it. you see the parallels.

"you're a werewolf and i'm a full moon all your very worst enemies will be gone soon"

oh boy, more foreshadowing! but yeah that's it for The Ex. moving on!

Infinitesimal by Mother Mother

this is one of the few super mentally ill songs that i let stay on the playlist.

this song has a general theme of feeling like an idiot for being upset about seemingly minuscule problems. its also a song about existentialism, which i thought was fitting

All The Rowboats by Regina Spektor

this ones for The Future! starting with him kidnapping Banana Barbara and ending with him being erased, then painted back into existence.

like. listen to these lyrics and TELL me it cant be tied to the paintings predicting unchangeable futures.

"all the rowboats in the paintings they keep trying to row away and the captains' worried faces stay contorted and staring at the waves they'll keep hanging in their gold frames for forever, forever and a day all the rowboats in the oil paintings they keep trying to row away, row away"

Rät by Penelope Scott

i imagine this takes place when Rob wakes up after being painted back into existence.

now he's dealing with anger and resentment over Gumball again, but now its different because he was TRYING to do a good thing but he STILL got FUCKED OVER ANYWAY.

"i fell for circuit boards rocket ships pictures of the stars if you could only be what you pretend you are"

if only Gumball could be a somebody who's worthy of being the main character

"let me level with you, man as someone guilty of the game i took the help, I took the cash i would've taken your last name"

in reference to Rob trying to replace Gumball using the remote, but ultimately choosing not to

This Is Home by Cavetown

this song is where i introduce one of my favorite headcanons inspired by this playlist: that Rob was the one who built the transformation machines from The Inquisition.

in this song, he's starting to work on his plans to save everyone as well as reflecting on his life and the decisions he's made up until now.

“i’ll cut my hair to make you stare”

okay so. you know that cluster of polygons on Rob's back? it’s supposed to be a backpack, but the fans (myself included) always draw it as a ponytail.

in The Inquisition, its missing.

i'm serious, go and watch that episode back. it's just gone.

this was probably a purposeful choice during production so that the audience wouldn't see his model clipping through the floor in the shots where he's lying down, since that would break immersion.

but in conjunction with the ponytail headcanon? oh man.

i like to think that after the events of The Future, Rob cut his hair. mostly because i just LOVE the trope of a character cutting their hair to symbolize change/character growth. not sure how it would work with his whole... whatever he has going on, but i digress

"are you dead? sometimes i think i'm dead 'cause i can feel ghosts and ghouls wrapping my head but i don't wanna fall asleep just yet my eyes went dark i don't know where my pupils are but i'll figure out a way to get us outta here"

i don't think Rob knows about the painting, but what he does know is that the world is ending, and he doesn't want to disappear before he can have a chance to save everyone.

"get a load of this monster he doesn't know how to communicate his mind is in a different place can everybody please give him a little bit of space?

reflecting on how he handled the confrontation in the Future. he was so fixated on finding answers and getting rid of obstacles that he hadn't thought to explain the reasons behind his actions to anyone.

"get a load of this trainwreck his hair's a mess and he doesn't know who he is yet but little do we know the stars welcome him with open arms oh..."

little does Rob know that while he works on a solution, the Void is waiting for him.

Moonsickness by Penelope Scott

getting all of the machines to work right is an arduous task. he's building all of them from scratch, conducting all of the necessary tests, dealing with all of the bugs and problems, and its all on a time limit. the world is set to end any day now and he feels like he's failing, but he has to keep going for the sake of everyone in Elmore.

Who We Are by Imagine Dragons

we've finally made it to The Inquisition!! think of this song sort of like an internal justification for his actions as Superintendent Evil (goofy ass name btw, there's no way he didn't come up with that because of the Dr Wrecker persona)

“it’s who we are, doesn’t matter if we’ve gone too far, doesn’t matter if it’s all okay, doesn’t matter if it’s not our day,”

its for the greater good.

"oh, wont you save us from what we are?"

"up in the attic, down in the cellar lost in the static, coming back for more oh, for more"

they need to do this. they need to change. there's no other way.

but things never go his way, do they?

7 O'Clock by Penelope Scott

after he gets knocked out via t. rex clobbering, in my head there's an intense dream sequence that this and part of Some Nights takes place in.

"a glitch in the game, i loop like a bug and all that i ever wanted was a really tight hug"

REMEMBER WHEN HE AND GUMBALL HUGGED IN THE RE-RUN? BECAUSE I DO

"a glitch in the game, i loop like a bug and all i ever died for was a really tight hug"

SCREAMING AND CRYING ANS SOBBING AND WAILING AND BANGING MY FISTS ON THE FLOOR

"the future is static, it drips on the floor and makes its way underneath my bedroom door"

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME ARHARGGARRAFHRASFASGA (<- INSANITY)

Some Nights by fun.

oh my god we finally made it to the reason i made this post. if you've made it this far you have a problem (<- WROTE ALL THE SHIT)

so. this song is already about reflecting on your past. but my GOD its like they made this song for Rob because so many lines just fit him perfectly. lets get into it.

"but i still wake up, i still see your ghost"

when he started working on a way to save everyone, i like to imagine the ghost started appearing more frequently, eagerly watching him work on a solution and rooting for him to finally become a better person

"oh Lord, i'm still not sure what i stand for what do i stand for? what do i stand for? most nights i don't know anymore"

i'm. sorry guys i need a second. (UGLY CRIES SUPER LOUD INTO A PILLOW)

at this point he doesn't know who he wants to be. first he didn't know who he was. then he decided he would be someone driven by anger and vengeance. then he wanted to turn over a new leaf, but was dragged back into villainy.

so who should he be? the frail and scared amnesiac? the malicious and cunning villain? or... maybe, once all of this is over, he can finally choose for himself.

"well some nights i wish that this would all would end 'cause i could use some friends for a change! and some nights i'm scared you'll forget me again some nights i always win (i always win)"

I'M SOBBING JUST LET HIM BE HAPPY

"so this is it? i sold my soul for this? washed my hands of that for this? i miss my mom and dad for this? no, when i see stars- when i see- when i see stars, that's all they are"

this whole bit is him waking up and monologing about why they stopped him. if he's failed, what was the point of all of this? what was the point of anything?

"well, that is it guys, that is all five minutes in, and i'm bored again ten years of this, i'm not sure if anybody understands"

in reference to how people sometimes tune out in the middle of a show's the runtime and also. the show turned twelve this year. (kubrik stare)

"the other night, you wouldn't believe the dream i just had about you and me i called you up, but we both agree

the ground starts to shake under him and the floor caves in. we hear the final lines of the song as he falls in slow motion, deeper and deeper into the abyss.

"its for the best you didn't listen its for the best we get our distance, oh its for the best you didn't listen its for the best we get our distance, oh"

-Ish by Will Wood and the Tapeworms

in his final moments, Rob reflects on his life for a final time. falling through the air, he realizes that who he is, who he was, who he wanted to be never mattered anyway. because no matter what he did, it all ended the same.

with the world devoured by static and nobody left to defend it.

#I'M NORMAL #DON'T LOOK AT THE WORD COUNT LOOK AT ME I'M NORMAL #please read the notes tho it legit took me like a week to put together #also shoutout to the two random people on spotify who found this playlist and saved it before i posted it on here #no clue who you are but youre the real ones #the amazing world of gumball #tawog #rob tawog #tawog rob #dr wrecker tawog #tawog dr wrecker #blorbo posting #tomothy rambles

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ryuzatodraws-archive · 8 months

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It'll sound weird I know and I'm sorry that I come anonymously but with how things are, I dont want to get bullied by others for saying it. But as much as I do not appreciate your art, I've had the opportunity to talk to you and you're one of the nicest people in this fandom. You really distinguish yourself like that. Im on multiple platforms so I see a lot of the harassment you go through. Truth is, what makes me mad is that people are getting bullied for having anything to do with you, for *fictional characters*, but I've never seen anyone invest this energy for the actual bad stuff that happen and that are perpetuated in this community. Only a small community of fans raises their finger when there's blatant misogyny or racism for example. And those concern real people, the band itself or other fans that fall victim of them. I do not personally support your art, but I find it very easy to not follow you. And if I was severely offended by it, I'd simply block you. Also how are you responsible if people repost your pieces ?

Ghost fandom will make a fuss about someone they don't like instead of just blocking, but will turn their eyes when there's a bigger problem. The fiction is somehow far more important for ghost fans than actual problems that affect real breathing people. The hypocrisy and audacity are disgusting. They're here doxxing people and threatening them on platforms while acting like they're on the right side.

Major respect for you, still being there after all of that.

I gotta agree with the whole “fiction is more important” aspect that they have.

What irks me is that when I was on Twitter again some time ago , I followed my friends like what a normal person would do right? And they would actually harass my friends. Who did nothing but just followed me.

Like they didn’t even post art, or anything. It’s just that they see that I’m one of their mutuals and the attack starts. I deactivated Twitter because I don’t want anybody to attack my friends just because they have something to do with me.

It’s a weird place isn’t it that when people didn’t get their priorities straight and think that what they are doing are good when in fact it’s straight up harmful.

I really don’t mind if people didn’t like my art, I’m not the one going into people’s DM and start sending hate messages.

I just wish they stop hurting others just because of the “oh you know that guy? Well you’re a terrible person” that’s insanity

I stayed because there are people who matters here and I just want others who don’t follow their style of HCs to know that hey it’s ok if you don’t follow canon, not everybody in the fandom is like that.

Also because I’m stubborn as fuck lol and no teens are gonna throw me off a fandom because of hate mails

#tagging this as #the band ghost #nameless ghouls

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autistichalsin · 4 months

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hello, i'm the anon who shared about my creepy coworker and old boss. i'm sorry for the word vomit earlier, all i wanted was to say how halsin makes me feel safe to say 'no' without fear of getting lashed out.

...but my mind went haywire, all the feelings and memories i held deep inside broke the proverbial dam securing it in place.

i appreciate everything you said, i truly do. i cried so much tears i never bothered to shed for the longest time, just letting everything go. it scared me, acknowledging the reality and all the emotions attached to that incident.

for once i am finally seen and heard, and i feel a little better... yet of course i know i wouldn't be able to truly move on unless i go to therapy.

unfortunately where i'm from, it's a little expensive to seek therapy for things like this, and there's a lot of stigma towards individuals seeking help/counseling and even talks of mental health itself.

i could never confide any of this horrors to my parents, my childhood home isn't a safe place. my own mother always had scathing words towards people who aren't mentally sound. she'd never understand me, and with how she speaks ill about others in unfortunate situations, i'm sure they'll blame me too just like how my old boss blamed me for the misfortune that happened to me.

perhaps someday i could step forward, go to therapy and unpack all this baggage to truly heal...

...for now i'll just enjoy the moment where i get to imagine Halsin being so kind and understanding towards me. a little solace and safe haven for my heart and mind.

again, thank you so much for being a safe space to share my little obsession with Halsin and for everything else. i look forward to reading more of your Halsin analysis, your headcannons and fanfics, it's always a joy seeing you around here.

[i word vomited again, i'm sorry.]

Hello again, anon! First of all, this is for you and for anyone else who might be reading: when I said my inbox and DMs were open for anyone who needed to talk, I meant it. (Yes, that goes for you, whoever is reading this and thinking I don't mean you. I mean you too.) I have gotten such an insane amount of kindness from this community- more than anything, I want to repay it. Both because it's the right thing to do, and because it's the Halsin thing to do. (Well, and for one other reason, but honestly that's another post, I don't want to derail your ask.) All that to say: you have nothing to apologize for, word vomit or not. I said my inbox was open, and you needed someone to talk to, and I'm so happy that you trusted me with this.

I'm sorry you had to have that moment alone. That moment of letting go is such a scary thing, and I'm so angry that everyone in your real life isn't being what you need. You deserve to have someone there to take care of you while this happening, and I'm so sorry you don't.

Therapy is important, but it isn't hopeless without therapy. There are ways around it. For example, here's a fun fact that I know because I'm studying to be an epidemiologist, and mental health epidemiology is a big interest of mine. Did you know that when you do statistical studies on who develops PTSD after trauma, one of the biggest protective factors- things that makes it less likely- is having a strong support system from friends and loved ones? Like, we can literally quantify this with numbers. Having friends and family around makes it less likely to develop PTSD. It is never too late to build that support system, and if you're in a place where mental health is stigmatized, well... that's the great thing about making online friends. It may not change what happened, or the environment you physically live in, but it can give you a place where you can be heard. And that can help you a lot more than you would think. If you can't get therapy, it's not hopeless; it just means you do the work of healing differently.

I'm sorry your family isn't safe to be with. But there are people out there, in this community and otherwise, who are. It's not hopeless. And just know that you deserve better than being blamed for this by people you love and trust.

I hope that one day you can have therapy and the healing you deserve, but until then, just know that Halsin is on your side and rooting for you, and so are those of us who also love this character. We all want you to heal- and we would all happily shank the bastard who hurt you given a chance.

I am glad I could be safe for you, and thank you so much for your kind words. They truly mean everything for me.

And you never, ever have to apologize for "word vomiting", friend. Let it all out. If my inbox is the only place you have that you feel safe to do it, then I am gonna take that seriously and I want to hear every word! I don't always have the right things to say, but I can always "listen", and who knows? Maybe someone else will read this and have something to say too.

I may not be able to change how shitty the world treated you, but the least I can do is give you one place where you can be treated with the dignity and kindness you deserve.

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neverwritewhatyouknow · 9 months

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I’ve been wanting to make this post for a while now, but I decided to make it my last RWRB related post. It’s clear the production will never give a statement about why they changed Nora’s character from Jewish to not, and there’s other shows and movies and productions I need to focus on. But before I switch gears, this needs to be said.

I was wrong about something and I need to just make it very clear how sorry I am to Rachel Hilson for involving her in the discourse around the movie to the degree that I did.

When I first started this blog the day the cast was revealed (over a year ago), I had no more information than anyone else. The only thing I knew about Nora that she was a Jewish character (along with everything else obvi) (book) and that Rachel was rumored to be Jewish (TikTok). In my quest to point out the antisemitism in Hollywood (a very true thing), I allowed logical thinking to guide me down an incorrect path.

That path was thinking that since Nora was Jewish in the book that of course she had to be in the movie too. It wasn’t an insane assumption, since the two options were A: A non-Jewish actress playing a Jewish role, or B: totally erasing Nora’s ethnicity. For some reason, the second option felt impossible for the longest time because to me Nora being Jewish was a part of who she was and for a good chunk of time I didn’t consider that they could separate it, plus the first happens literally sooooo much (especially on Amazon) that I was certain it was happening again.

But I was wrong. Nora’s canon Jewishness was erased very early on in the adaption and Rachel was at fault for none of it. She did an amazing job (like I knew she would), but I need to apologize for what I’ve posted. In my attempt to call out Hollywood for once again casting a non-Jewish actress for a Jewish role, as they do all the time, Rachel got caught in the cross fire and that’s not fair to her. It’s the fault of the movie’s creative team, not her. I always knew that, but I’m human, I make mistakes, and I own up to them when I do. I let the emotional impact of seeing Jewish roles played by non-Jewish actors again and again influence my posting here, and while nothing I said was incorrect regarding Hollywood’s constant erasure of Jews and even the erasure of Nora’s own Jewishness, I was wrong to loop Rachel into that the way I did. I wanted to settle the rumors that she was Jewish, and I did that, but I wish I had known that Nora was just not going to be Jewish period from the start. I should’ve focused more on option B for this movie and not A, but how was I to know when it all started? Regardless, I’m going to be going through my account this weekend and deleting anything that’s directly tied to Rachel, but it’ll take a few days.

So, to Rachel: I doubt you have tumblr, you’re an extremely busy actress and this place is a time wasting hellhole, but I know you or your team knows this account exists. If you see this or hear about this, I want you to know that I really am sorry. You don’t have to forgive me, but you deserve an apology. To anyone connected to Rachel who also feels as though they were caught up in this too, I also apologize to any and all of you.

I don’t use Instagram anymore, but I know Rachel does. If anyone DMs her this apology post, this is the disclaimer that the sender didn’t write this. She’s owed an apology and I just hope she sees it somehow.

Was my calling out of RWRB’s Jew-erasure wrong? No. Was the way I did it wrong? Yeah. I focused on the wrong things based off prior knowledge and assumptions. Truly my only regret is involving Rachel, I wish I hadn’t done that. At the time it all made sense, but even then I should’ve had the restraint and waited until I knew more. So anyway, I’m sorry about that. Hopefully Rachel will someday, somehow, someway hear about my apology and understand that I was upset about the circumstances in this movie and how often it always happens, and that she just honestly was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And for that, I’m immensely sorry.

This is my last RWRB post. Unless something crazy happens. So keep following me if you wanna hear more about antisemitism and Jew-erasure in Hollywood, but I think I’ve exhausted all the things I can say. Thanks to anyone who’s supported me calling out the movie about their erasure, what they did wasn’t okay, but I’m ready to move on unless they say anything else about it.

#rwrb movie #red white and royal blue #red white royal blue movie #rwrb cast #rwrb #red white and royal blue movie #nora holleran #red white royal blue cast #rachel hilson #red white royal blue #rwrb film #nora rwrb

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slaythespire · 30 days

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im sorry my tumblr followers who dont know me im mad rn, im just rambling mad under a readmore again thanksss

listen its not that i need to be dating someone im just chilling. in fact rn i would not want to date anyone.

but i HATEEEE HATE seeing people say shit like "You dont need anyone, you should learn to be happy without someone else in ur life! why do you need someone else! just be happy without that!" well damn sue me for wanting someone to deeply love me who i deeply love back!! why is that such a bad thing to want!! obviously if you cant function without being in a relationship that's not good, but people always say that shit to someone going "i feel unlovable and like no one will ever want me" and it feels so meanspirted!! damn!!

its been like almost a year since i got ghosted and i know its annoying to hear people complain abt the same thing over and over again. but its just HARD bcus i feel stupid, and used. i really thought my ex was like, THE person, we talked abt getting married and how we'd combine our last names, abt moving in together, supported each other through everything. when i was in inpatient this person called me almost everyday i was there to say hi and check in on me. i thought my future involved them and then they just dropped me without even an explanation. never in a million billion years did i think that would happen (outside of my bad brain telling me it would, which, well i was right so LOL) bcus they were my best friend of 8 years!!

and its scary bcus it makes me think there must be something wrong with me/"how could anyone ever love me when even the person who dated me for 6 years didnt". and people always say things like "you haven't met everyone who will care about you yet" but what if i have, and my one chance at having a relationship i was so happy in was ruined bcus the other person is a self-obsessed asshole who lied to my face abt so much for who KNOWS what reason. WHATEVER.

i feel like when i make posts like this i come off as an insane person in the "no wonder they broke up with you" way, but i promise im actually normal ive just been very emotionally ripped to shreds by a very bad breakup. barely a breakup bcus it was over TWITTER DM. whatever im just gonna be one of those people that obsesses over fictional characters so much i think were in a relationship.

i just rlly rlly wonder what their reasoning for doing this to me was and if they feel bad abt it. or if they think its funny, or if they just dont care. i also wonder if they think they can just message me one day and apologize and think itll be okay (i dont think this will happen, i used to but i dont anymore)

i lean towards they just dont care, i doubt they even think about what they did lol. i mean i HOPE they feel bad, but i dont think thats true. id be shocked if i ever heard from them again which is just, crazy. 8 years of knowing someone and it ends like that through no fault of your own. i wish i had a screenshot of the break up dm id post it in a heartbeat so anyone who actually read this far would feel whiplash like i do. (filled to the brim with "i love you so much" "i feel horrible for hurting you and i hate that im doing it" "i really care about you" "i hope you stay in my life bcus youre my best friend").

and it makes me really sad bcus OFC we would have stayed friends, i loved them so much that while id be sad abt breaking up i would still want them in my life. (WE EVEN TALKED ABT HOW IF WE BROKE UP WE ALWAYS THOUGHT WE'D STAY FRIENDS). but even in my fantasy world where they reach out after a few years all apologetic and guilty i just couldnt do it anymore.

one more but i don't understand what would compel someone to say all that knowing theyre lying and dont give a fuck about you, like it only comes off as evil and fucked up and cruel to me, so how else am i supposed to take that.

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mitsies · 10 months

Note

Hi!! Hello—I hope you don’t think I’m stalkerish, but I’m the author of Intrinsic Warmth and I came across your tumblr and oh my gosh I just wanted to say thank you ??? This is insane

I am so incredibly honoured (???) that you think so highly of my silly little Gojo fanfiction. Like, genuinely. Its description in your rec list nearly made me cry—it is so flattering and so ridiculous to me that people actually enjoy my little side hobby (which is IW)?? I write it with nowhere near the dedication that some ao3 authors do—I’m a hobby busybody as well as a school neek, which is why updates take so long!!!—and so I literally do not expect people to stick around to follow it, like, at all. And the fact that people do?? And that they look forward to updates??! I feel like I’m repeating myself but I’m genuinely in shock.

I’m trying to think of coherent things to say but I am struggling so hard, oh my gosh. I genuinely cannot convey how baffling it is to see people talking about IW in a way not directed specifically at me, like comments, or something (which is another thing!! The fact that someone—like, *you*!!—has put my fic on a REC LIST?!?! INSANE!!! *I* use rec lists! All the time!! Wtf?!?! Being put on a rec list, that’s for real ao3 authors, and I’m just someone who writes on ao3, man! Insane. Truly insane). So you know, this has been sent to the girls’ groupchat because I needed someone to freak out about it to.

I don’t even know what to say. I saw a post you made about saving IW in case ao3 went down again?? Firstly, I can assure you that ao3 is in no danger and that it’s not going anywhere—but dude, if for whatever reason some random bloody nuclear disaster doomsday apocalypse happens and it does go down, I will literally send you the latest chapters direct >:) Do not fear. Truly the least I can do, my lord.

Jesus, I feel like I need to do something! Like, is there something you want from me?? LMAO. I feel like a poser. It’s like at the end of 2013 wattpad stories where the author would host a q&a with their characters / themself. Can I answer some cool elusive question over here on tumblr?? IDK. I have no idea but I just want to show my thanks for genuinely making my week, good lord.

I think I’ve conveyed how bloody insane this is for me. I’m truly so grateful. This is wild. You’re the best. Thank you so much.

oh my GOSH. i just want to start this off by saying .. this is so embarrassing for me. holy SHIT this is embarrassing — and insane, of course, and shocking, and so so many things but i am so sorry you had to watch me fangirl 25/8 over your work.

right now how i'm feeling could best be described as a cult leader (because i think i've started a small cult in your name.. sorry) whose like deity has come down in human form to speak to them for the first time. like this is so insane, i can't fully verbalise how crazy getting this ask is 😭 in case you havent picked up im a big fan!! i know i sound absolutely insane rn and i sincerely hope i don't sound as big of an idiot as i feel but i have quite literally sent voice notes upwards of 20 minutes to my friend about your work like i am SUCH a fan

i have received so many asks, messages, dms of people who have read IW at my recommendation and it is so fully deserved :,) you are such an insanely talented wordsmith and i don't think i've ever read a fic that conveys characters in such depth and with that level of emotional complexity. i admire you and your writing so insanely much, honestly in the least weird, least crazy, least stalker way possible you are such an inspiration to me in my own writing — you are so eloquent and verbose, in a way i aspire to be !! so you're not only a fantastic writer but you're a baseline, inspiration, & motivator, and i can't thank you enough for that

i genuinely believe that intrinsic warmth is one of the most amazing things i've read on ao3, and my fav fic work overall like ever forever and ever like honestly i could be dead in the ground 6ft under and halfway to hell and i'd still find time for my monthly reread 😭😭 it's absolutely insane that you say this makes your week because oh my gosh, i will be thinking about this for the rest of the month. might even add "thatdesklamp noticed xx" to my bio for good measure ! honest to god in my silly little head u are a celebrity and im like a crazy fangirl jumping at ur feet like a chihuahua or something .. would literally jump off a bridge if you asked me to !

with all that being said, i don't think i am graceful enough to convey the absolute adoration i hold for you and your writing. like wow. like holy shit like woooow wow. that's all i've got left in me — you are amazing, i hope you know that . welcome to tumblr, trust that this will likely not be the last u hear of my fangirling :,) SO MUCH LOVE!

#don't even worry because this ask went straight to my gc so i could rave abt you even more #you ARE a real ao3 author are u kidding and in my humble unbiased opinion u are one of the best #im still in shock and will take 3-7 days to come out of a catatonic state rn so excuse this half-hearted response u deserve the world #mitz asks #TLDR: im ur biggest fan.

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the1975attheirverybest · 9 months

Note

I get that it upsets people to think about Matty possibly falling out with someone he was (seemingly) close with, but if I got online and saw people pitying me like that I’d commit a crime. Like you said, it dehumanizes him. He’s so patient and respectful with us, all he expects is the same patience and respect back. He already gives so much of himself to us, through his art and just daily interactions, no one should think they’re entitled to anymore than he’s willing to share. He’s literally talked multiple times about how he struggles with fame and how much the press fucked with him as a child, he was famous before but one month hanging around TS and suddenly he’s everywhere, it’s just sad to think that his own fans are participating in it.

It’s literally just gossip, but if it’s true, it doesn’t concern us. Friendships end all the time, people grow apart, shit happens. If all this TS stuff never happened no one would be questioning why he didn’t make it to the wedding.

It’s also disappointing because he JUST came back to socials. All this shit (starting with the TikTok) starts up and suddenly he’s gone again. Yeah, I’m sure it has to do with the breaks they’ve had and him spending time in LA, but part of me wonders if he just doesn’t feel like interacting with fans online when he doesn’t have to. I know he comes and goes all the time, but either way, he sees all of this bullshit and fans know it. Theories about his personal life should be kept in DMs (or preferably in their heads).

I know people send you dumb shit but you’re one of the few people I’ve seen actually shut it down, or give a logical, reasonable explanation. I’m also loving Reddit right now since the mods delete any speculation about his personal life.

Anyways, this ended up being way too long, and it’s also me being a hypocrite for speculating, but these past few months have been exhausting, I thought it would let up after May. I know he’s a celebrity but he’s not like most celebrities. He interacts with us like we’re on the same level, he willingly spends time in online fan spaces, he goes out his way to make us happy. Sorry for ranting in your inbox, but this all just bums me out.

Yes I strongly agree with this, especially his social media presence because I’ve seen the shit that people tag him in. And it’s insane. He’s got thick skin and a healthy detachment from peoples views of him but he’s still a human being. It can’t always be easy.

I don’t think we appreciate his love for his job and his fans enough. Some days in May were REALLLYYY hard for him. Twice he had to go onstage and perform less than an hour after some nasty articles were being published about him. I love my job and my students more than I love myself. I would do it for free if the university didn’t pay me. But I don’t know if I would be able to keep it together if I were in Matty’s shoes. And sometimes he was the one talking us down. “I’m still here and I love you guys.” “Some people they have people. I have you guys.” C’mon! How does it not feel awful participating in behavior that hurts him or is in any way shape or form harmful towards an artist like that? He’s so good to us and goes above and beyond all the fucking time. And he’s spoken so much about how important it is to him that he connects with people and builds this sense of community cuz it’s a way to combat the doom and gloom of our current state. He’s always open and generous and kind. He’s given stage props to fans. He’s had a fan onstage to play guitar for robbers. He’s played songs that were not on the setlist just cuz people have requested them and he’s humble enough to feel that the show is about the audience not about him, so he will go out of his way to give the audience the best time that he can possibly give. and his own fuckin fans are doing this to him??? Unacceptable. and I’m so tired of it. This fandom is way better than this. We never used to do this kind of thing. We should cut this shit out before it becomes permanent.

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skepticalarrie · 1 year

Note

Can I be honest? As a football fan ( who's also a queer woman btw ) it's quite sad on how Louis isn't tweeting about the World Cup, some people here with LITTLE knowledge of what FIFA does and made a literal discourse on why Louis shouldn't tweet about the WC like it's one of the biggest problem in the world. The fact that England won and how they play is quite great GOD I WISH TO HEAR LOUIS' EXCITEMENT AND COMMENTARY ON THAT, like babes, Louis is JUST supporting England, not the whole movement of what Qatar is doing and two, some takes people said about the WC was so Xenophobic in so many ways and I swear- the fact Harry was also watching the WC and what happened 🦗🦗🦗🦗🦗🦗, like there's no day that this fandom wouldnt hate Louis for being Louis and it shows, quite sad actually in so many ways. The fact some of them who said he's a toxic masculine person and hated him for tweeting about England had the audacity to say "I miss Louis 🥺" like babes stfu. Really hoping that Louis isnt tweeting because of the amount of stupidty some people enforced him to do.

Hey, anon! I agree with a lot of what you said there and I very much respect your opinion. I think there are a lot of issues concerning the world cup this year (I mean... there always is, but this year specifically the human rights discussion is very relevant). There are 1000% a lot of xenophobic takes and I absolutely understand where you're coming from because I've seen some shit that left me baffled, it's unbelievable.

I'm not into football myself but since I come from a country where football is such a massive cultural identity, I really tried to educate myself (and I'm still trying, so if anyone wants to talk about it my DMs are always open) about all the shit that was going down in Qatar. I think a lot of things are just heartbreaking and should be dealt with empathy and sensitivity. For me, it has been important to be vocal about it and to support the things I personally believe as a human being. So if I were Louis, I'd probably choose to comment on that, maybe very vaguely, but I don't think he's indifferent to any of it and I do think he has a lot of opinions about it. And it's just his cup of tea, so that would be a good opportunity. But since he didn't say anything we obviously think differently and I mean- that's fine, I'm sure he has his reasons, I still think he's a good guy. But again, that's what I would do. Which is different from what he *SHOULD* do, and that's the bottom line for me. I'm going to say he needs to shut the fuck up about football at any time of the day because he's super obnoxious 😂 because England is not going to win, because I don't like football, because it's hilarious how much he stresses over it! But like, come on.... actually thinking I'm entitled to say what he should or should not be doing sounds absolutely insane to me. He can do whatever he wants to do.

There are a few corners of the internet these days (especially twitter) that ppl don't know how to suck it up, so they think they can tell people what they should or shouldn't post, what they should or shouldn't talk about. And I'm sorry but I can't interpret that any other way than targeted harassment, oppression... it's so mindblowing on so many levels. So, like I said, although I would deal with it differently, I was shocked when I saw the comments under his tweets and people were dead serious saying he needed to stop tweeting. So I'm not surprised he's not tweeting about it. I'm not going to pretend I'm sad about the lack of "it's coming home" but yeah... it's for all the wrong reasons and it really sucks! So I imagine that since you're a football fan you're probably a hundred times more frustrated. It sucks. People suck.

#ask

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heronchildlove · 1 year

Note

does me feeling like the writing of kits death was too jarring and rushed and unfinished mean that im stupid, an asshole, annoying, and can't read? it was just my first impression when i read it, it felt very off and i assumed it was okay for me to feel that way, im sorry if that's hurting people's feelings

You can feel however way you want, but feelings being "valid" doesn't mean they are always right and justifiable, that's not how that works, and it specially doesn't mean you get to make it anyone else's problem or hurt others because of them.

Specifically, in this case, it means that if you have a negative or hateful opinion about something other people love based on your own arbitrary preferences, then you either keep it to yourself or you discuss it in your private DMs/group chats with your friends. You do NOT post it on the tags where people go to find content and art about things they love and which make them happy.

Do you go up to a stranger on the street wearing a band tshirt and just randomly tell them the band sucks and that you hate all their songs and that they did x and y wrong because you think they should have done a and b instead? Or do you climb the stage on a theatre after everyone clapped to talk in front of the audience about how the play sucks and the actors are bad? No, because that would be insanely rude, uncalled for and an asshole move. So why do you all think it's ok to do it online?

I hate plenty of books or authors or a bunch of anything too and you will never know, because I make a point of not being an asshole and not ruining the fun of others and not ruining things for people which they love and which make them happy.

So, you have all the right to be sad a character died, that is not the problem, but if you are one of the people that have been pestering and flooding the tags with negativity and hate and stupid inflammatory takes, then, yes, I do think you are a stupid asshole and I hate you, actually, and no amount of "but my feelings :(" is gonna make me think otherwise, because you all hurt OUR feelings (the feelings of people that just want to be happy with something they love) first, and constantly, and unnecessarily, because you could have kept your negativity and hate to yourselves, but no, you made a conscious choice to be assholes about it instead.

And then you say "sorry if that's hurting people's feeling"? Of course it is! What else did you think was going to happen? How many more people have to post about being upset or taking a break from tumblr because of all the negativity for you all to get a clue and stop?

And yes, I do think the content of those posts is stupid, because if you: a) somehow missed the whole point of tlh (and tda, its connected story) being about the pointless destruction and pain brought on by revenge quests, grief turned into madness, and war; b) expect a narrative to change povs or halt completely to acknowledge every-single-person-that-was-close-to-a-character-that-died's thoughts and feelings; and c) somehow missed all the on the page shown examples of the characters grieving over kit AND all the subtext of the way his death completely altered the narrative and all the character's actions from that point on (for example, what do you all think Anna being so Determined To Die to beat the shit out of all the possessed brothers and sisters herself was if not her being unable to process her grief and powerlessness to save Kit and channeling it into rage, revenge and self-destruction instead?), then the only conclusion I can come to is that you don't know how books or stories work and don't know how to read or to interpret text.

And, again, that's not anyone else's problem, it's a you problem, so we are back to: keep your hateful and negative takes to yourself/your friends and stop bothering everyone else and ruining good things for people that love them.

So, to reiterate my tags: can you all annoying assholes shut up with your idiot posts about this now?

#that's all i'm gonna say about it because again i have a 0 negativity policy #but you all going to cassie herself to complain to her about this pissed me the fuck off #ask #anonymous

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khoicesbyk · 1 year

Text

The Royal Romance.

Love Everlasting.

A/N: I had a different name and plot for this fic over a year ago. But after being in the RP community for more than a year, I've decided to write the current Royal Life of my favorite OTP.

Rated: Mature (at times can and will be Explicit. I'll be sure to change the rating when and if that happens). | Contains sexual content and strong language. (You know? The usual. Y'all should be used to this from me by now 😁) | Bolded and/or italicized words are conversations and thoughts of the characters. | Main Characters: King Marquise Rys (LI) and Queen Shanelle Miller-Rys (MC) | All Characters and names: (except MC and original characters created by me and/or other authors [their characters have been mentioned and/or used in the story with their permission] ) are property of Pixelberry.

Current Word Count: 9,717 words. (may be slightly more or may be slightly less. Look, I stop counting after editing and re-editing and driving myself insane. 🤷🏾‍♀️)

If you’d like to be added to my tag list. Just reblog or dm me and I will gladly add you! 😁😘

This series is rated Mature and/or Explicit. It is NOT reading material that is safe for those under 18. Reader discretion is STRONGLY advised!

Missing a chapter or want to read a chapter again? I got you covered! Click ——> Here!

Tag List: @txemrn @peonierose @twinkleallnight @shewillreadyou @choicesficwriterscreations

Chapter 8.) Mortal.

It had been a couple of weeks since the disaster of a state dinner with Shanelle's cousin and uncle. She didn't mean to lose her temper but, there was only so much of her sniveling uncle’s snide remarks that she could stand to hear. And when he came for her, Marquise, and her father she’d had enough.

She didn't feel bad about throwing her water glass at him. He deserved it. What bothered her was the fact he’d gotten under her skin.

She is the Queen Of Cordonia. There is a standard that she has to maintain. Not just for her, her husband, or the kingdom, but for her daughter. She knows that Khari will one day eventually become the next ruler of Cordonia. And she wants to be able to set an example for her. She never wants Khari to be perceived as someone who doesn't know how to control themselves in the face of an adversary.

But she was thankful that Marquise didn't hold it against her. He knows how she feels about the former King, and even he knew there was only so much she would've been able to stand before she snapped. She is human after all. Just like anyone else.

Which is why he had Damien get her out of the dining room as fast as possible. He knew she would've strangled him. But because she's pregnant with their twins he couldn't afford to have her lose her temper.

Shanelle was staring out at side garden next to her office, so lost in thought that she didn't notice her husband behind her.

“You look like a woman with a lot on her mind,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Sorry. I'm just distracted,” she says.

“Oh? What has you so distracted, my love?” he asks.

“That disastrous dinner. From what I understand, Edward has been claiming for the last two weeks to be the victim of Cordonia’s vindictive queen.”

Marquise rolled his eyes.

“If anything the palace is the victim. Ever since he stepped foot in it it's felt icky as Khari says.”

Shanelle snickered.

“I shouldn't have let him get under my skin.”

“It's not your fault. You’re human my love. I'm just happy that you didn't go hopping over the table at his neck.”

“I thought about it. I wanted to.”

She felt him kiss the back of her shoulder.

“Again, I'm glad you didn't. It would've been a tragedy for me to have to sentence Edward to death.”

“A tragedy or charity?” she asked.

“Both,” he replied.

Shanelle made a face.

“Don't worry about Edward. If he becomes a problem I will deal with him.”

“How?” she asked.

“There's a reason why I chose that specific dining room. On the off chance, Edwin would show his ass it's on video with working audio,” he replies.

Shanelle smirked.

“That's why I love you.”

He kissed the side of her head while he rested his right hand on her growing belly.

“How are you, my Queen? How are my little ones treating you?” he asked.

“Ugh! The indigestion is about to be the death of me,” she replied.

“Be sure to bring that up when we go see Dr. Ramirez tomorrow.”

“I can't believe we'll find out what we’re going to be having tomorrow.”

“I know. It doesn't feel real. But it is.”

“What do you think we'll have?” she asked him.

“With my luck, I'll be stuck with two more girls,” he replies.

“You're not complaining, are you?” she asks.

“Not at all. It's just one of you is bad enough. My blood pressure doesn't need three of you.” he replies.

“I'm not that bad.”

“You're not always that good either.”

“Fair enough. Now I'm hungry. Wanna grab a bite to eat?” she asked him.

“With you? Always. I'll have lunch brought here.” he replied.

“Good. And while we eat you can help me strategize this meeting.”

“Which meeting?” he asks.

“The one I'm gonna have to have with Edwin,” she replied.

“Ahh yes. The budget meeting. Very well I will be glad to be of service to you my Queen.”

“You always are.”

“Indeed. Now let's order lunch and then get down to business.”

“To defeat the Huns?” she asked.

“You watch too many Disney movies,” he replied.

“You know how much your daughter loves her Disney.”

Marquise shook his head with a smile.

After making a quick phone call to the kitchen, lunch was served. The two decided to eat out in the garden.

“What did you get?” she asked.

“I decided to treat myself and get a Grilled Chicken Taco Salad. What did you get?” he replies.

“Two Croque Monsieurs with extra ham and Gruyere and Espresso Chip Ice Cream,” she replies.

Marquise made a face.

“What?” she asked.

“Those sound like cravings.” he replies.

“I mean well yeah. Baby A likes Croque Monsieurs with extra ham and Gruyere and Baby B likes Espresso Chip Ice Cream.”

“Translation: you like Croque Monsieurs with extra ham and Gruyere and Espresso Chip Ice Cream and are blaming my children on your cravings.”

“Well, it is their fault that I'm craving them.”

“Terrible.”

They two dug into their lunch and began to strategize about her meeting.

“So what is this meeting about?” he asked her.

“The Comery Isle Budget. He wants to finally sit down and discuss it,” she replies.

“What's in the package?” he asked.

“So far, an increase in the disaster fund in case of bad storms again, he wants to allocate money to working on infrastructure and the roads, he wants an increase for maternity leave pay, he wants the new Nintendo plant to be built there, and he wants to start having more hospital and clinic inspections,” she replies.

“That's the good part. What's the bad part?” he asked.

“He still wants me to sign off on a severance package for Neville and his family as well as be okay with the exclusion of the tax incentive program,” she replies.

“Okay. So now I want you to explain to me why you want the tax incentive to stay.”

“We created the tax incentive program to help the businesses of the island. Comery Isle was damn near bled dry by the Vancouer family’s greed and embezzlement and Edward’s outrageous tax hikes on the region. The tax incentive program gives business owners relief for when they hire people who aren't native Cordonians to work for them. On top of the fact that the program has helped increase the population and the economic growth of the island has all but tripled in the last 3 years alone. It has literally been vital to the revitalization of Comery Isle and its people. Also, the people voted not to pay the severance package for the Vancouer family. It would look bad on Edwin and it would look even worse on the Monarchy if the people's wishes were not honored.”

“That's a good argument. You should lead with that.”

“He also submitted names for his and Naya’s advisory panel.”

“Let me guess, his father is one of their top advisors.”

“Yup. The former King has yet to come to terms with the fact that he's no longer in power.”

“And what better way to gain power than to ride his son and future daughter-in-law's coattails?”

“Now you see my dilemma.”

“Indeed it is. But I know you. I know your resilience. I know you won't let him or Naya push you around or bully you. You are their Queen. Not the other way around.”

“I just have to remember to keep my emotions in check.”

“My love, you are human. Always remember that. No one can blame you for reacting to being provoked. I know that it will be hard to hold your tongue but I know you are stronger than you’re giving yourself credit for.”

“You have always believed in me.”

“And I always will. I believe in your strength. I believe in your intelligence. I believe in your perseverance. So now that we have a plan for your meeting, straighten your shoulders, hold your head up high, and be the Queen I know you are.”

He kissed the back of her right hand.

“You're right. I am not just a Queen. I am their Queen. I am Cordonia’s Queen.”

Marquise nodded.

“Exactly. And if you do need me I will be there.”

“I know. I can always count on you.”

“Always and forever as you always say.”

Shanelle smiled at her husband. She knew he was right, she just had to get out of her head.

“Thank you for this babe. I needed it.”

“Of course my love. I'm always available for pep talks and lunch. And your terrible puns.”

“Whatever. You like my puns.”

“And your buns too.”

Shanelle snickered.

“You're such an ass.”

“Spank me.”

“You're impossible.”

He winked at her.

“On to better things. Like our appointment tomorrow.”

“I'm excited and nervous. I just want everything to go right.”

“It will my love. Then we can really begin to celebrate.”

“I haven't felt like this since we had Khari.”

“I know. I feel the same way.”

Shanelle sighed.

“A small part of me still feels sort of guilty though.”

He kissed the knuckles of her right hand.

“Don't be. You have nothing to be or feel guilty about.”

“I know. It's just…I miss him.”

He rubbed her knuckles.

“I know you do. I miss him too.”

“I'm not saying that I'm not thankful for Khari or our twins, I just feel like I'm betraying him. I feel like he should be here. He should be just as excited as our daughter.”

Marquise pulled her to her feet and into his arms.

“It's okay my love. I swear to you that he doesn't hate you for being excited. Wherever in heaven he is, I can promise you that he's smiling and is happy for you.”

“Us, Marquise. This pregnancy isn't just about me. It's about you too.”

“True but I’d rather the attention be all on you. You’re the one putting in the work of carrying and nurturing them.”

Shanelle shook her head.

“You always put yourself last.”

“When it comes to our family, I have to. I can't think of myself when I have you, Khari, and now them.”

He held her as close as he could, as he kissed her forehead softly.

“Just think as of tomorrow, we'll be one giant step closer to holding our babies.”

Shanelle snickered.

“They aren't ready yet.”

“No, not yet but they will be.”

He tilted her chin up and ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

“You're an amazing mother. You always have been. You are what keeps our family going, thriving, and growing. Never forget that.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, my Queen.”

He truly does. There is nothing Marquise wouldn't do for her and especially their daughter. And with their appointment being the next morning, he knew there would be nothing that he wouldn't do for the twins.

They were at her appointment bright and early the next morning. They even took time to speak to and visit the other expectant couples in the office. That's where Shanelle got the idea to host a communal baby shower at the palace. She wants to help those who need assistance with getting the essentials.

As they waited for Dr. Ramirez, Shanelle’s nerves started to get the best of her. She couldn't stop her hands from shaking.

“Are you alright my love?” Marquise asked.

“No? Yes? Maybe? I don’t know? I feel excited and scared and hopeful and terrified and anxious and antsy and everything else in between.” Shanelle replies.

Marquise gently took her trembling hands in his.

“It's okay to feel my love. I'm just as much of an emotional wreck as you are. But we're here. We're about to find out if these two are girls, boys, or one of each as you put on your Instagram poll.”

Shanelle smiled softly.

“Thank you, babe. I guess I'm just ready to know.”

“I am too, my love.”

There was a knock at the door.

“Well…here we go,” Marquise said to her.

“Yeah.”

In walked Dr. Ramirez and her nurse.

“Good morning Your Majesties! How are you this morning?” Dr. Ramirez said as she greeted them both.

“We're doing well Dr. Ramirez. Thank you for asking.” Marquise replies.

The doctor smiled at Marquise before turning to Shanelle.

“And how is mom doing? Any new concerns I should be aware of?” Dr. Ramirez asked Shanelle.

“Well, indigestion, nausea, and heartburn have really been kicking my behind as of late. And then there's my sporadic blood pressure. But other than that I think I'm okay.” Shanelle replied.

“Any pains?” Dr. Ramirez asked.

Shanelle shook her head no.

“Well, your tests came back and so far we're doing well. You’re on track as far as baby weight. As for the complications you've mentioned, I will adjust your medications and we'll see if that helps.”

“Okay.”

“Now in the meantime, are you two ready to know what you’re having?” Dr. Ramirez asked.

“Definitely,” Shanelle replies.

“More than ready,” Marquise added.

Dr. Ramirez nodded.

“Well, my Queen. Time to find out. If you'll just lay back and lift your shirt.”

Shanelle laid back with a small wince.

“Now I know you don't like this part, but it will be worth it in the end.” Dr. Ramirez said as her nurse applied the cold gel to Shanelle’s stomach.

Shanelle let out a breath as the gel hit her stomach.

“Ugh! Cold! Cold! Cold! This should be illegal!”

Marquise snickered.

“I'm sorry, Your Majesty. But it's going to be worth it for you and His Majesty.” Dr. Ramirez assured her.

After applying the gel the ultrasound machine quietly whirred to life, showing them a clear picture of the twins.

“Look at them,” Marquise whispered to his wife.

“They're beautiful,” Shanelle said with tears in her eyes.

Dr. Ramirez smiled at them both.

“Now, let's see what your two little ones are.”

Dr. Ramirez moved the wand around trying to get a good look but the twins decided to play hide and seek. Or at least that's what she let Shanelle believe.

“What's wrong Doctor?” Shanelle asks.

“The twins have decided to play a round of hide and seek. They don't want to show what they are.” Dr. Ramirez replies.

“Awwww!” Shanelle pouted.

“I'm so sorry, You’re Majesty. I'll tell you what. Why don't we give it a few minutes and we'll look again? How about that?” Dr. Ramirez asked.

“Okay. We can try that.” Shanelle replied.

“Now I'll give you both a few minutes.”

Dr. Ramirez walked out of the room giving them space.

“I'll be right back. I have to make a call right quick.” Marquise said to Shanelle.

“Okay. Hurry back,” she said to him.

He smiled at her before walking out of the room. Once outside he was pulled aside by Dr. Ramirez.

“Well. How was that?” Dr. Ramirez asked him.

“Remarkable. To be honest, I almost lost my nerve. I don’t know how you were able to keep a straight face.” Marquise replies.

Dr. Ramirez chuckled.

“Years of practice. Now, are you ready to find out?” she asked him.

“Yes. I'm more than ready,” he replies.

Dr. Ramirez smiled warmly at him.

“Congratulations my King. You’re having twin boys.”

The news hit him like a ton of bricks.

“Boys? You’re serious?!” he asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty. For the first time since you were born, there will be two little Princes running around the palace,” she replies.

“Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God! I can't believe it. We're having two little boys.” he said as if to convince himself.

“Again congratulations to you both. Now I do believe that you have a wife to tell the great news to.”

“Yes. Yes, of course. I just have to send this text. Thank you again.”

“My pleasure. I'll be back in soon.”

Marquise smiled appreciatively before texting Robin, Shanelle’s best friend the good news.

After sending that series of texts it was time to tell the Queen about her boys.

“Sorry, that took so long my love,” he said to Shanelle as he stepped back inside.

“It's fine. Is everything okay?” she asks.

“Yes, everything is fine. I have something to tell you,” he replies.

“What? What is it?” she asked.

He sat down next to her and gathered her hands in his.

“I did something that normally would've pissed you off,” he replies.

“What did you do?” she asks.

“I lied to you,” he replied.

“What? What do you mean?” she asks.

“Yesterday I called Dr. Ramirez and I asked her not to tell you what we're having,” he replies.

“What?! Why would you do that?!” she asked.

“Please let me explain. I didn't want her to tell you because I wanted to be the one that told you,” he replies.

“So you know what the twins are?” she asked.

“Yes, I know. She told me when I stepped outside,” he replies.

“Well don't just sit there Marquise! Tell me!”

Marquise closed his eyes and when he opened them, he had tears in them.

“My love…we’re having twin boys.”

“What?!” she asked.

“Our twins will be boys,” he replies.

“You're sure?” she asked.

“Yes. Dr. Ramirez confirmed it. Our son gave us not one but two blessings.”

“Oh My God! They're boys. My twins…our twins…are boys. We get to have…” she trailed off.

“Yes, my love. Our guardian angel has blessed us abundantly.”

When Shanelle looked at her husband, she burst into happy tears. She couldn't believe it.

“I thought he would hate me.” she cried.

“Never my love. He could never hate you. He loves you. Even more than I do. You are his mother.” Marquise said as he rubbed her back.

Shanelle dried her eyes and took deep breaths as the reality of the situation hit her.

“Oh. My. God! We have to tell Khari! We have to tell your mom! We have to tell my parents! Oh My God! I have to tell the girls! Quick! Where's my phone?!”

“Whoa! Whoa! Slow down, my love! We will tell everyone. I promise. Don't worry. One thing at a time.”

Shanelle nodded.

“Okay. It's just I'm…” she trails off.

“Excited? I am too. I can't wait to hold them.”

“We're having boys. Two boys. I can't believe it. But at the same time, I'm so happy.”

“I know you are. And I know he is too. He heard your prayer. He felt your love. He knew that you yearned for him. And now we will have not one but two little boys.”

Shanelle took a deep breath.

“This is one of the best days ever.”

“Indeed it is my love.”

She looked at him and smiled warmly.

“Thank you so much, baby.”

He kissed the backs of her hands.

“Anything for you, my love. You know this.”

Just then there was a small knock on the door and Dr. Ramirez stuck her head in.

“I take it the good news has been delivered?” she asked the couple.

“Yes. Thank you so much, Dr. Ramirez. I don’t know how he got you to do it but you did it.” Shanelle replied.

“As I told His Majesty, years of practice. I do apologize for the subterfuge.”

Shanelle waved her away.

“It's okay. I know now and I couldn't be happier.”

“Wonderful. Simply wonderful. And now that we're halfway there I have some signs and symptoms that I want you to be aware of. But so far, we're doing great. I'll have my assistant print out some information for you but other than that you both are good to go.”

“Thank you Dr,” Marquise said to her.

Dr. Ramirez bowed her head.

“My pleasure, Your Majesty.”

Dr. Ramirez closed the door. Once again leaving the happy couple alone.

“How are you feeling my love?” he asked Shanelle as he rubbed her knee.

“I'm so excited. I can't wait to tell Khari. She's gonna be all over the place.” she replied.

“Yeah. Namely climbing all over me.”

The two laughed.

“Are you ready to head home my love?” he asked Shanelle.

“Yup. I'm ready to tell our daughter that she's gonna be a big sister to our boys,” she replies.

Marquise smiled at her as he offered her his arm.

“Milady.”

She took his arm.

“M’lord.”

They smiled at each other before leaving the doctor's office and heading home. After getting home they ran into Margo and gave her the good news.

“Boys? Are you two sure?” Margo asked them both.

“Yes, Margo. You are about to be the grandmother to two boys.” Shanelle replies.

The joy in Margo’s eyes brought tears to Shanelle’s eyes.

“This is amazing news! I can not tell you both how happy I am for you.”

She hugged Shanelle tightly.

“Thank you, Margo,” Shanelle said as she hugged her.

Margo then turned her warm smile to her adopted son.

“This is everything I could ever want for you, son. I have prayed for this moment for you both. Especially you. I know how much you've wanted a big family. And now you'll have that family.”

Marquise hugged his mom.

“Thank you so much, mom. You've always been here for me. And I can not thank you enough for everything you've ever done for me. I can't thank you enough for loving my family.”

“Je t'aime mon fils. Je le ferai Toujours.” she said to him.

“Je t'aime Aussi maman,” he replied before kissing her forehead.

Margo smiled at him.

“Now you two have a little girl to break the news to.”

Shanelle smiled at Margo.

“Thanks, Margo.”

“Of course. Now I'll go get the little one and you two get ready for squeals, giggles, and excited claps.”

They watched Margo walk down the hall. Once she turned the corner they walked to Khari’s room. They sat down on her bed as reality sank in for them both.

“We're about to tell our daughter that she's gonna be a big sister to our boys,” Shanelle said quietly.

Marquise squeezed her hand gently.

“My love, I know you’re nervous. But she's going to be over the moon.”

“I just don't want her to feel like we'll be forgetting her when they get here.”

“Never. This is something she wants. Just like us. The only thing we have to worry about is making sure she lets us have time with them. Because you know she will not let anyone hold them but her.”

Shanelle snickered.

“True. Those two will wind up being her babies. Not ours.”

“Pretty much,” Marquise replied with a smirk.

Just then Khari walked in with Margo.

“Hi, mommy! Hi, daddy!”

“Hello, my love,” Marquise replies.

Khari climbed into her father’s lap.

“I'll leave you to it,” Margo said as she closed the door.

“How was your appointment?” she asked her parents.

“It was good, Peanut. We have news for you.”

“Did you find out what the twins are?” she asked.

“Yes, my love. We did find out.” Marquise replies.

“What did you find out Daddy?” Khari asked.

“Well…how do you feel about having a brother?” Shanelle asked.

“I'm having a brother?!” Khari asked.

“Two of them, my love,” Marquise replies.

They watched Khari’s eyes light up.

“Two brothers?! I get two brothers?!” Khari asks.

“Yes, Peanut. I'm having two boys.” Shanelle replies.

“YAYYYYYYYYYY! I GET TO BE A BIG SISTER!” Khari squealed.

“I'd ask if you’re excited about the news Peanut but…” Shanelle trailed off.

“Very!! I get two brothers! Wait, how many of us will it be?” Khari asked.

“Five of us. Plus Grammy Margo, Grammy Shantel, and Pop Pop, your aunts, uncles, and your cousins.” Shanelle replied.

“Yay! Our family is getting bigger!” Khari squealed.

“Indeed my love,” Marquise said to her.

“With the twins being boys, does that mean they get to be Princesses too?” Khari asked.

Shanelle and Marquise looked at each other before dying of laughter.

“What's so funny?” Khari asked.

“No, my love. They'll officially be named Princes like I was.” Marquise replies.

“Ohh! Will they have a corinmation as I did?” Khari asked.

“Yes. They'll have a coronation. It won't be as big as yours though.” Marquise replies.

“How come?” Khari asked.

“Because you are the Crown Heir my love. Like uncle Leo and I were.”

“Oh okay. Can we have a parade for them?” Khari asks.

“We’ll think about it,” Shanelle replies.

Khari nodded but something in her eyes troubled the King.

“How do you feel, my love?” Marquise asked Khari.

“I'm happy. But…” she replied.

“But what?” he asked.

“Will you and Mommy still have time for me?” she replied.

“Of course, we will. What makes you think that we won't?” Shanelle asked.

“Because Grammy Margo says babies need a lot of attention, love, and care. And it's more than just me.” Khari replies.

Marquise held Khari close.

“She's right. They do. But that doesn't mean your mother and I will forget about you. You are our brightest star. We would never love you any less because of your brothers. You are the reason we are parents in the first place. The happiest day of my life is and always will be the day you were born. Do you know why?” Marquise said to her.

“No, why?” Khari asked.

“Because that was the first time I held you in my arms. You were so tiny. I was scared that I would drop you.”

Khari smiled at her dad.

“You promise, Daddy?” she asked.

“I swear to you. You will always be my number one girl.” Marquise replied.

“I thought that your number one girl was Mommy.”

“I conceded the title to you when you were born,” Shanelle said to Khari.

Khari thought for a second.

“We can share the title, Mommy.”

“I accept those terms.”

“Shake Mommy?” Khari asks with her hand out.

“Deal!” Shanelle replied, shaking her daughter's hand.

“So what happens now?” Khari asked.

“Well, we do have to decorate their nursery at home,” Shanelle replied.

“Oooh! Let's go!” Khari squealed as she hopped off the bed.

“Wait up!” Marquise said to his daughter as she ran out the door.

“You go after her, I have to go call the girls and tell them,” Shanelle said to her husband.

“Okay. Let me go catch up with this tiny tornado.”

Shanelle snickered.

“Good luck.”

“I'm going to need it.”

Shanelle shook her head with a smile as she watched her husband walk out and chase after their daughter. She couldn't wait to tell her girls the great news. This was about to be the greatest FaceTime call she’d have with them.

“Well do you know?” Nina asked.

“Yup. I know.” Shanelle replied.

“Well…don't just keep us in suspense! Tell us!” Bronwyn exclaimed.

“What she said!” Dee added while holding her daughter AJ.

“So bossy! If you two must know, the twins are boys. You women, get not one but two nephews to love and spoil.” Shanelle announced.

There was a moment of utter silence that scared Shanelle.

“Uh? Y'all gonna say something or do I need to start calling paramedics and spouses?” Shanelle asked.

Shanelle didn't have to worry because the girls broke out into cheers, tears, and excitement.

“Oh My God! We're having nephews!” Bronwyn cheered.

“Congratulations Nelle!” Dee quipped.

The girls couldn't be happier.

“Our family just got bigger,” Chut added.

“Now I have a reason to visit Cordonia more often,” Nina said.

“I'm so excited for you and Marquise Shan,” Aly said.

Shanelle wipes tears from her eyes.

“Thank you, girls. Your love and support mean the world to me.”

The only one who hadn't said anything was Robin.

“Alright, Jackie Robinson. Why are you so quiet?” Shanelle asked.

“Because I already knew,” Robin replied quietly.

“WHAT?! He told you before he told me?!” Shanelle asks.

“Yeah. He texted me after he found out. Because guess who's planning your baby shower?” Robin replies.

“Oooh!”

“Aht! You don't get a say in this!” Nina sniped at Shanelle.

“But it’s MY baby shower!” Shanelle pouted.

“And? What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?” Nina asked.

Shanelle huffed.

“Nina’s right. WE are planning this, not you.” Bronwyn added.

Shanelle sucked her teeth.

“Don't worry baby. You know we're gonna do right by you.” Robin assured her.

“I know. But y'all know how I feel about surprises unless I'm in on them.”

“We know. But this is one surprise you’re gonna have to sit out.” Dee replied.

“Fineeeee! In other FabBabes news: who's ready to head to the Maldives this weekend?!” Shanelle asked her friends.

The girls started excitedly talking all at once. This was about to be the girl's trip of a lifetime.

“Aly we're going to miss you on this trip. But we hope you have fun at Comic-Con. And oh! If you just happen to see my future ex-husband Dwayne Johnson…think you can put in a word for me?” Shanelle asked.

Aly snorted.

“I'll see what I can do,” Aly replied with a wink.

“Love youuuuuu!”

The rest of their video chat was filled with tears, giggles, excitement, and well wishes. Shanelle couldn't have been more blessed to call them her best friends in the world. The next day Shanelle was on a plane to London to pick up Dee before flying to Los Angeles to meet with the rest of the girls then it was off to the Maldives.

“One of the reasons why it's always good to be friends with a Queen is you get to fly private class like she does,” Bronwyn said as she reclined her seat.

“And she keeps the alcohol cold and flowing,” Dee added.

“Why do y'all always make me sound bougie?” Shanelle asks.

“Because you are bougie…Princess.” Nina replies.

“Fuck you, Keane!” Shanelle hissed.

The girls laughed just as the pilot announced they were about to depart.

“Next stop! The Maldives!”

The flight was smooth. The girls were excited to be able to spend time together. And Shanelle was excited to have them be the first guests at her new Rys International resort.

That entire weekend was a total #FabBabesTakeover. It was nothing but babes, beaches, and bikinis. They had an amazing time. They had sand, surf, sea breezes, and sunshine. Shanelle made sure the staff at her resort pulled out all the stops. Whatever her girls wanted at the resort, they got. It almost seemed unfair to leave but the girls did have families and lives to get back to. But they knew they'd be having a girl's trip again soon.

When Shanelle got home to Cordonia she had to deal with the cutest saltiest 4 years old in the world.

“Are you mad at me?” Shanelle asked her daughter who had her arms crossed.

“You went on vacation without me!” Khari replied.

“Baby I went on a girl's trip.”

“I'm a girl Mommy! I could have gone too!”

Marquise just shook his head while snickering.

“I know. And I'm sorry. I'll tell you what. Next time I go, you can go with me.”

“You promise?” Khari asked.

“Pinky promise.” Shanelle replied as she held out her right pinky.

Khari nodded.

“Did you have fun Mommy?” Khari asked.

“I did. Your aunties and I had a lot of fun.” Shanelle replied.

“What did you do?”

“We spent a lot of time at the beach, on the hammocks, going down the slides, we went to the spa, and we ate a lot of food.”

“Did you try anything from the kid's menu?”

“Yup. I had the Oreo sundae. It was so good!”

“I hope so. The menu is named after me, Mommy.”

“Yup. And I can tell you that the Khari’s Kidz Klub menu will be a resounding success.”

“What else did you do?” Khari asked.

“Well, I took a little time and named your brothers,” Shanelle replies.

“What did you name them?” Khari asked.

“Kylo Jeremiah and Zyon Shomari,” Shanelle replied.

“I like those names. They're pretty.”

“Thank you, baby. How was your weekend? Did Daddy behave while I was gone?” Shanelle asked.

“Barely,” Khari replied.

“Hey!” Marquise piped up.

“That sounds like your Daddy.”

“We went to Regent Lake and rode the boats. Daddy even let me drive.”

“Really?” Shanelle asks.

“Uh-huh! I even saw that they're building something near the lake. Some kind of big building. I don’t know what it is though.” Khari replied.

“Interesting. I'm sure we'll find out soon. In the meantime, I'm hungry. Wanna get something to eat?” Shanelle asks.

“Yup!” Khari replied enthusiastically.

Shanelle smiled as her daughter ran off toward the kitchen.

“I'm glad you and the girls had a great time,” Marquise said as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Uh-huh. You’re not off the hook sir.”

“What did I do?” he asked.

“You told Robin about the boys BEFORE you told me,” she replies.

“I had to. I wanted the girls to plan your baby shower and they needed to know what you were having so they knew how to plan.”

Shanelle shook her head with a smile.

“You're lucky that you’re handsome, sweet, and devilishly charming, Your Majesty. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise you'd be mad at me.”

“Mmhmm.”

She leaned into his arms.

“So our boys' names are Kylo and Zyon huh?” he asked.

“Mmhmm. You know how I feel about giving our children names that will stand out.” she replied.

“True.”

He rested a hand on her stomach.

“Can you believe that we're almost there?” he asked.

“No. But at the same time yes,” she replied.

“This will be an amazing time for our family. Not to mention our people.”

“I know.”

He kisses the side of her forehead.

“Now we have to go catch up with our daughter and make sure she isn't running around the kitchen.”

“Oh boy! Let's go.”

The two walked down the hall to the kitchen to see what their daughter was up to.

The next day was a big day for Shanelle. She would finally be sitting down with her cousin Prince Edward and his fiancee to discuss the new budget for Comery Isle. As she walked to her office, she was ready for whatever opposition her cousin and Naya had for her. All she had to do was remember to keep her emotions in check. She nodded politely to the doorman outside her office door. When she walked in she was greeted by her cousin.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty,” Prince Edwin said in greeting.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness,” Shanelle replied to Edwin before greeting his fiancee. “Good afternoon Princess.”

“Good afternoon,” Naya replied stiffly.

“You're looking well, Your Majesty.”

Shanelle smiled politely.

“Thank you, Edwin. As are you. How is your mother doing? I heard about her fall.” Shanelle asked.

Edwin smiled appreciatively.

“Thank you for asking. She's recovering quite well. Her fall was frightening but I am thankful for the Monarchy’s concern for her well-being.” Edwin replied.

“Of course. His Majesty always cares about his people, unlike some people.” Naya quipped.

Shanelle caught the swipe at her but decided to let it go.

“We also want to give our congratulations to you and His Majesty. We heard the great news. Twin boys are amazing. We wish you and your family the absolute best and lots of love.”

Shanelle placed a hand on her growing belly.

“Thank you, Edwin. We appreciate it. Now let's sit down so we can get started. I don't have the best balance when I'm upright.”

Everyone took their seats around Shanelle’s desk.

“Now we have Business Of State to attend to,” Shanelle said to them both.

“Yes, we do. Naya and I are here to formally submit the names of our advisory board as well as the new budget package.” Edwin replies.

“I got a look at the preliminary list. I noticed your father is one of the names on your advisory board list.”

Edwin sighed.

“I understand how you feel about my father from both personal experience and his time as King of South Cordonia. But he knows the area. Much better than any of us.”

“I see. And what about you Naya? What do you have to say?” Shanelle asked as she looked at Naya.

“I agree with my fiance. His father’s transgressions are of the past. He's an expert of the region and should be given a chance.” Naya replied.

Shanelle nodded.

“Very well. I will approve the advisory board but only if you swear to keep Edward in line.”

“I can assure you that my father will not be a problem.”

“Besides, it's not like he's you, Shanelle.” Naya quipped.

Shanelle raised an eyebrow.

“I'm not too sure what you mean, Naya.”

“What I mean is, Edward wasn't just blindly handed the keys to a kingdom like you were. He actually worked for his title.”

“For your information, I wasn't handed anything.”

Naya scoffed.

“Yes you were. You were literally gift-wrapped a golden package of my former fiance and all of Cordonia.” Naya hissed.

“I'd watch my tone if I were you. Also, you’re forgetting you were already married to Tariq by the time His Majesty married me.”

“Now let's not get off track. We're here to discuss business.” Edwin piped up.

“You're right my dear. I'm sorry for letting something like her distract me.”

“That's Her Majesty. Princess.” Shanelle warned.

“Whatever,” Naya muttered.

“Yes, well, back to the matter at hand. I assume you've had a chance to review the budget package as well.” Edwin said to Shanelle.

“Yes, I have Edwin. There are some great improvements and incentives in the budget.” Shanelle replies.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“But two key pieces are sticking out to me,” Shanelle said to them both.

“What is sticking out to you?” Edwin asked.

“You're still including the severance package for the Voncouer family, while not including the tax incentive program.”

“Yes, we are,” Naya said emphatically, “despite their shortcomings, former Lord Neville and his family deserve to be compensated for their time and hard work for the people of Comery Isle.”

“And what about what the people voted for Naya? Why you both insist on going against their wishes is beyond me. Giving the Vancouer family a severance package was on the ballot as well as the two of you. The people voted for you two and voted against the severance package. It would look bad, VERY bad on the two of you if you grant this severance package.”

“The people will understand.”

“Understand what? That you would reward the same family that misappropriated funds? The same family that stole from the island’s treasury to finance their lifestyle? Is that the message you want to send them? That yeah sure, they stole from the people, which is bad, but we still think they deserve compensation?” Shanelle asked.

Naya huffed.

“Okay fine, I see your point.” Edwin replies. “It would look bad on us as the leaders if we were to go ahead with the severance package.”

“Exactly. You campaigned as a better leader than the Vancouers. Do you want the people to think that you lied to them?” Shanelle asked.

“Of course not. Because we are better leaders than they were.” Edwin replied. “Very well I will exclude the severance package from the budget.”

“Good. Now as far as the tax incentive program is concerned.”

Naya waved her off.

“The tax incentive program is a waste of money.”

“Are you really going to be this difficult?” Shanelle asked.

“I'm not being difficult. You are being stubborn. The tax incentive program is obsolete at this point.” Naya replied.

“Let me ask you this, would you say any of that to my husband? Would you have this much of an attitude if he told you not to exclude it from the budget?” Shanelle asked.

Naya kept her mouth shut.

“That's what I thought. The tax incentive program is why and how Comery Isle has been able to come back to life. After years of dealing with the Vancouers and recovering from Edward’s sky-high tax hikes, the island is finally thriving. The population has increased tenfold, within the last two and a half years alone, since the implementation of the program, not to mention how it has bolstered the island’s economy. Businesses are no longer being punished for seeking outside help.”

“Fine whatever,” Naya said dismissively.

Edwin sighed.

“Fine. The tax incentive program will stay. But I want to be able to modify it if and when necessary.”

“That's fine.”

Naya scoffed.

“The spoiled brat gets what she wants again,” Naya muttered a little too loudly.

“If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were jealous, Naya.”

“Well, it's a good thing you know better. Because I would never be jealous of you.”

“Sure sounds that way.”

“Well, it's not! You have nothing for me to be jealous about anyway.”

“Except the King. We all know how you feel about our marriage.”

Naya rolled her eyes.

“The farce you call a happy marriage will end soon enough.” Naya sneered.

“And then what? He’ll come running back to you?” Shanelle asked.

Naya just glared daggers at her.

“I mean it's good in theory. There's just one not-so-tiny problem. You'll already be married. Again. Which was your problem the first time.”

Just as Naya got ready to respond there was a knock at the door.

“Yes?” Shanelle answered.

The door opened to reveal the Princess.

“Hi, mommy!”

“Hi, baby.”

Khari turned to the doorman with a friendly smile.

“Thank you, Otto!” she said to the smiling doorman before giving him a fist bump.

“You are always fist-bumping people, little girl.”

“Well yeah. That's how you say thank you.”

“True. What are you up to little one?” Shanelle asked her daughter.

“Grammy is taking me to my ballet lessons. And she said you were in a meeting but I wanted to show you my new tutu. It's the sparkly unicorn tutu I wanted! See?” Khari replied with a twirl.

“I would hope it's the sparkly one. Your Daddy would be miffed if it wasn't. Come here for a sec.”

Khari walked over to her mother.

“Do you remember Pop Pop telling you he has an older brother?” Shanelle asks Khari.

“Yeah. Daddy said that I wouldn't be able to meet him.” Khari replied.

“This is Pop Pop’s nephew. My cousin, Prince Edwin Miller.”

“Pop Pop has a nephew?” Khari asks.

“Yes. Can you say hi?” Shanelle asked Khari.

“Hi!” Khari greeted Naya and Edwin.

“Hello, Princess. It's good to finally meet you.” Edwin said to Khari.

“It's good to meet you too,” Khari replied with a smile.

“And this is Naya. Prince Edwin’s fianceé. And just like you, she's a Princess too.” Shanelle said to her daughter.

“Really?!” Khari asked.

“Mmmhmm,” Shanelle replies.

“Whoa! Cool! Hi Princess Naya.”

Naya smiled stiffly.

“Hello, Princess. My my, you are a very pretty little girl. You must get your looks from your father.”

“Uh-huh. And my mommy. She's pretty too.”

“Oh really? And here I always thought your mother looked common.”

Khari shook her no.

“Mommy has always looked pretty.”

“Oh? Gee, I hadn't noticed. Thank you for clarifying.”

Shanelle took a deep breath and held her composure.

“You're welcome, Princess.”

“My! You know your titles, don't you?” Naya asked Khari.

“Uh-huh. Mommy and Daddy help me to remember.” Khari replied

“I knew your dad would help you. He is the King after all. But I'm surprised your mom would help you as well. I'm learning so much about her. Thank you, dear.”

“Well yeah, my mommy always helps. She is the Queen after all. A Queen always knows the stations and titles. Or something like that.”

“I guess I've always seen her as a commoner. But thanks to you Princess, I'm finally seeing her as Queen.”

Shanelle could feel her blood start to boil. She was thankful when Margo walked in.

“There you are, little one! Are you ready to go?” Margo asked Khari.

“Uh-huh! I just have to show my tutu to Daddy. Mommy was just letting me say hi to her guests. Did you know Mommy has a cousin who's a Prince just like the twins will be?” Khari replies.

“Yes, I did my dear,” Margo replies.

“Hello, Margo,” Naya said to her.

“Hello, Princess. It's been a long time since we've last seen one another.” Margo replies.

“You're looking well, Margo.”

Margo smiled politely at Naya.

“As are you, Your Highness.”

Margo turned her attention back to Khari.

“Come along now, dear. We have just enough time to show your Daddy your tutu before we leave.”

“Okay, Grammy.”

Khari hugged her mother.

“Bye, mommy! I'll see you later.”

“Bye, baby. I'll see you when you get back.”

“Can we have a snack when I get back?” Khari asked.

“Sure. We'll go to your favorite bakery for cinnamon rolls.” Shanelle replies.

“Yay! Thank you, mommy!”

“You're welcome, baby. Off with you now.”

Khari gave her mom one last hug before following Margo out the door.

“What a beautiful little girl she is! She's absolutely adorable. It's such a shame that you’re her mother though.” Naya sneered.

Shanelle steeples her fingers together.

“Bitch…I am about two seconds away from stabbing yo ass with a letter opener!” Shanelle hissed.

“Are you threatening her?” Edwin asked.

“Your fianceé just showed her whole ass in front of my daughter, Edwin. So excuse me if I don’t care that you're offended.” Shanelle replied.

“How very unbecoming of a Queen to threaten an unarmed woman.”

“Considering how your father had a man beheaded because he didn't like his taste in decor, not that I blame him, you have no room to talk.”

Down the hall, in his office, His Majesty was just ending a conference call when his little spitfire came bursting through the door.

“Whoa! Hah! Stuck the landing!” Khari said triumphantly although she was a little wobbly standing up.

Marquise chuckled.

“Very good, my love.”

Khari ran over to her daddy and climbed into his lap.

“Oof! How are you, my love?” Marquise asked Khari.

“I'm good. I'm going to my ballet lessons with Grammy but I wanted to show you and Mommy my new tutu. It's the sparkly unicorn one I wanted. Thank you for getting it for me Daddy. I love it so much.” Khari replies.

Marquise smiled at her.

“You are most welcome, my beautiful one. I'm so glad you love it,” he said before kissing her forehead.

Margo appeared in the doorway.

“You two would be absolutely sickening if I didn't love your relationship so much.”

Marquise smiled before walking over and hugging her.

“How are you mom?” he asks Margo.

“I'm doing good, son,” Margo replies.

“How was your doctor's appointment this morning?” he asked.

“It was good. I'm fine. No need to worry about me.” she replied.

“I'll always worry about you, mom. You know this.”

Margo wrapped him in a motherly hug.

“You're such a good boy.”

“And a good daddy too,” Khari added.

Marquise chuckled.

“Thank you both. You two are just the ego boost I needed.” Marquise said to both before turning his attention to Margo. “Now I understand Shanelle is in a meeting.”

Margo nodded.

“Yes. With Prince Edwin and Princess Naya.”

Marquise nodded.

“How bad had it gotten, mom?” Marquise asks Margo.

“It didn't seem too bad but I know your wife. And I know how Naya likes to push Shanelle’s buttons.” Margo replied.

“They were nice to me, Daddy,” Khari added.

“Good. I'm glad they were nice to you my love. Now did it look like Naya was behaving herself?” Marquise asked Margo.

“It seemed that way but you of all people know how she feels about your wife.”

“Daddy you know Princess Naya?” Khari asked.

“Yes, mon amour. Princess Naya and I have been friends since we were kids.” Marquise replied.

“Like me and Xavier?” Khari asks.

Margo snickered when Marquise winced at the name.

“Yes, my love. Like that.”

“I'd say it was a little more than that son.” Margo teased.

“Anyway…Shanelle is meeting with them today to discuss the new budget for Comery Isle.”

Margo nodded.

“That's right. Her cousin won the election to become the new Head Of State for the people there.”

“Yes and today they're meeting to establish the new advisory board and set the budget for this fiscal year.”

“I'm so happy the people there will never have to deal with the terrible family that was there before. They were snobby, inconsiderate, rude, and always thought way too damn highly of themselves.”

“That’s the Vancoeur family for you.”

Margo scoffed.

“I never did like that family.”

Marquise snorted.

“Ahh yes. Who can forget your utter disdain for Lady Beatrice, mom? Not to mention how much you couldn't stand Neville’s older brother Luther. And don't get me started on that one time where, if I wasn't standing in between the two of you, you would've whacked his father Gorman in the head.”

“Grammy you almost did what?” Khari asked.

Margo shrugged.

“He earned it! He insulted me and your Grandpa George.” Margo replied.

Marquise shook his head.

“And no one ever does that without paying the price.” Marquise teased.

“Exactly! I give respect because I expect respect to be given back. The Vancoeurs were never respectful of anyone they considered lesser than them.”

“But you're not lesser than anybody Grammy. You’re the best!”

Margo shook her head with a smile.

“Thank you my little love bug,” Margo said to Khari before checking her watch, “now it's time to go meet Jenna and Callie so we can get you two off to your ballet lessons.”

“Okay. Just one more thing.”

Khari wrapped her dad in the biggest hug she could muster.

“Bye Daddy! I'll see you later.”

He returned her hug.

“I'll see you later my love.”

“Mommy said we can go for cinnamon rolls after my lessons. Is that okay?” Khari asked him.

“Sure. As long as I get a Chocolate Croissant out of the deal. Because you remember what happened the last time,” he replied.

Khari giggled.

“Okay. I will make sure Mommy doesn't forget your chocolate croissant.”

“That's my girl.” he said to his daughter before giving her a kiss on her forehead, “Now go on. You don't want to be late.”

Marquise gave Margo a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

“I'll see you later mom.”

“I'll see you later, son.”

Marquise watched them disappear around the corner before catching the sound of raised voices coming from the direction of Shanelle’s office. He knew that it couldn't be good. He decided to go investigate what all the ruckus was about. The closer he got to his wife’s office the louder the voices got. With a quick nod to her doorman, Marquise walked in on a very heated shouting match between Shanelle, Naya, and Edwin.

“What is the meaning of this?” Marquise asked as he walked in.

“Good afternoon Your Majesty. I'm glad you asked. This is another prime example of your wife throwing a temper tantrum.” Edwin replied.

“And threatening me!” Naya added.

“Excuse me?!” Shanelle exclaimed.

“I see. So this was all unprovoked on Her Majesty’s part?” Marquise asked.

Edwin and Naya went quiet.

“Uh-huh. That's what I thought.” Marquise said before turning to Shanelle. “What happened?”

“Everything was going good until your ex’s jealousy reared its ugly head and she started taking shots at me.”

Naya scoffed.

“If you can't take a few criticisms every here and again, then maybe you shouldn't hold the title of Queen. You’re way too overly emotional anyway.” Naya sneered.

“For the record, if Shanelle shouldn't be allowed to hold the title of Queen because she's way too emotional, neither should you, Naya. A drunken Queen is way more unbecoming and disastrous than an overly emotional one.” Marquise shot back at his ex.

“Now see here! You may be King but you will not disrespect my fianceé!” Edwin snapped at Marquise.

“Edwin. You may be the new leader of Comery Isle but don't you EVER forget that I have the power to override the people’s vote and have you both removed.” Marquise warned.

“And then there's the part where the Princess here thought it would be cute to show her ass in front of our daughter.”

Marquise looked at Naya expectantly.

“What is she talking about Naya?” Marquise asked his ex.

Naya rolled her eyes.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” Marquise asked Naya.

“No,” Naya replies.

“Then what is my wife talking about?” he asked.

“I made a few jokes about her being common. It was nothing serious.” Naya replied.

“First of all, you made those jokes, as you call them, in front of my daughter. The same daughter who is the Heir to the Throne. Secondly, you disrespected your Queen by calling her common. Disrespecting her is the same as disrespecting me.”

“She's fine Marquise-” Edwin tried to say before Marquise cut him off. “It's Your Majesty!”

“Fine. Your Majesty, your wife is fine.”

That's when Marquise had heard enough and was ready to lay down the law.

“Edwin, I understand you don't like Shanelle as your cousin. That's fine. That's your prerogative. But you will respect Her Majesty and especially her authority as your Queen. Do I make myself clear?” Marquise asked.

Edwin swallowed hard.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replied.

Marquise looked over Edwin’s shoulder at Naya.

“Princess.”

Naya looked at him.

“Come here.”

“Be reasonable Your Majesty-” Edwin tried to say before Marquise held up a hand to silence him.

“Now!” Marquise commanded.

Naya walked over to Marquise with her head down. When she got to him, he tilted her chin up so she was looking him directly in the eye.

“Everyone in this room knows that you and I have a very complicated history. But no history between us, complicated or not, gives you the right to disrespect my wife in any way, shape, or form. Especially when you, yourself are already on VERY thin ice with me as it stands! And the more disrespectful that you are, the more that ice cracks underneath your feet.”

“But!” Naya tried to protest.

“Naya. Don't you ever forget that you walk free, because of the deal I made with your now-deceased husband, to keep you out of a well-deserved dungeon after the stunt you pulled!” Marquise growled causing Naya to flinch slightly.

“I haven't forgotten,” Naya replied quietly.

“Good. See that you don't.”

Marquise took a deep breath before turning his attention to Shanelle.

“Have you come to a decision, Your Majesty?” Marquise asked Shanelle.

“I have. There are a few adjustments to be made to the budget before I sign off on it,” Shanelle replied.

“Very well,” Marquise said to her before turning his attention back to Naya and Edwin. “Now I believe the people of Comery Isle have waited long enough for their new Head of State, so you both are to have the newly revised budget on Her Majesty’s desk, ready to sign within the next 72 hours. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Edwin replied.

Marquise looked at Naya expectantly.

“Yes, My King,” Naya replied softly.

“Good,” Marquise said before knocking on the door to have it opened. “I trust you two can see yourselves out.”

Naya walked out of Shanelle’s office without looking back and was followed by Edwin. Leaving the couple alone.

“Are you alright my love?” Marquise asks.

“I'm fine. Are you alright?” Shanelle replied.

“I'll live,” Marquise said with an exasperated sigh.

“I know that was hard.”

“Yes, it was. But it was absolutely necessary. I can live with that.”

Shanelle sighed.

“She will never get over us being married.”

“I know. But be that as it may, it doesn't give her the right to be disrespectful to you. The more erratic she acts the more she confirms my suspicions about her.”

“What suspicions?” Shanelle asked.

Marquise made sure to lock Shanelle’s office door before he walked over to her desk.

“It's still a hunch but I have long suspected that Tariq’s death wasn't due to natural causes,” he replied.

“What do you mean?” she asks.

“I think she might've killed him,” he replies.

“Wait! You actually think she killed him?” Shanelle asks.

“I'm not 100% sure. And I won't know for certain until his body is exhumed and an autopsy is done.” Marquise replied.

“You can do that without her permission? How?” Shanelle asked.

“King!” he replied.

“True. What makes you think he was killed?” she asked.

“Tariq was a lot of things. Most of those things were good. And he was good to her. But I know for a fact that she never loved him.” he replied.

“I mean she did try to kidnap me. But that's a far cry from murder.”

“I know. But I can't shake the feeling. Tariq was relatively healthy.”

“I mean to be fair, heart attacks can happen to anyone. Healthy or not.”

“True. But something about his death is bothering me.”

“So what are you going to do?” she asked.

“His body will be exhumed and an autopsy will be done. And that'll either confirm or deny my suspicions,” he replied.

“I never thought you of all people would suspect her like that.”

“I never thought she’d try to kidnap you but here we are.”

“True. So when are you gonna have his body exhumed?” she asked.

“Within the next 72 hours,” he replied.

“Well played, Your Majesty.”

“I have a few good tricks up my sleeve.”

“So let's say hypothetically speaking, your suspicions are correct. What then?” she asks.

“She will be stripped of her title and charged with murder,” he replies.

“Are you ready for that?” she asks.

“I have to be. Justice will have to be served and well…”

“You have to be the one to serve it.”

“Bingo.”

“I don't envy you.”

“I know. But it has to be done.”

“Good luck,” Shanelle said to her husband as he walks out the door.

“Thanks. I'll need it,” he replies.

Shanelle hoped that he was wrong. But if he was right, he knew heads were gonna roll.

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