#will be thinking about colin and michael for a long time

[safesoundxswift]

now that colin is canonically queer his repetition of “i am a strong and capable man” hits so much harder. he repeats it when he leaves michael’s house and when he’s made a sub. he has to constantly remind himself that having a relationship with a man does not make him a worse footballer (and he’s likely spent most of his career feeling like less of a man because he never saw other out, queer football players). i can’t stop thinking about his possible reaction when dr sharon first says that line to him. it was never just a throw away bit of comedic dialogue, it was his mantra, put there by the writers to anticipate this storyline

#that’s why he needs trent as the queer elder mentor figure #will be thinking about colin and michael for a long time #ted lasso continues to wreck me #ted lasso #colin hughes #trent crimm

[storiesforallfandoms]

favoritism ~ pete davidson

word count: 2171

request?: yes!

@absstark​ “Hi! Ik your requests are closed atm but if u are able to, would you please be able to write me a Pete Davidson x female reader where they are dating and she’s a writer at SNL? Thank you 😊”

description: in which he’s dating one of the writers of his show, so the cast often jokes about her favoritism for him

pairing: pete davidson x female!reader

warnings: swearing

masterlist (one, two, three)

It was actually quite ironic how everything started.

Pete was out at a bar with a couple of his SNL friends when he noticed a pretty girl sat by herself. He didn’t want to seem like a weird guy by just staring at her, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

He felt someone nudge him and he looked up to see they were all looking at him. “Sorry, what were you guys saying?”

Colin smirked at him. “Go talk to her/”

“What? No, I can’t.”

“Why can’t you?” Michael asked. “She’s alone over there.”

“For one, we don’t know if she’s actually here alone. She might have a date who’s in the bathroom, or she’s waiting for him to show up. She might even have a boyfriend who’s not here. And two, girls don’t like being approached by strange men in bars. She’ll probably think I’m a fucking creep.”

They were all giving him a similar look before Devon grabbed his shoulders, turned him towards the bar, and gave him a shove. He stumbled slightly, almost bumping into another person along the way. He regained his footing and glanced over at the woman to make sure she hadn’t seen. With the encouragement of his friends, he took a deep breath and made his way across the bar.

“Hey,” he started, very lamely. She looked up and gave him a polite smile. “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, but my buddies kind of peer pressured me to come talk to you and I’m mainly doing this to get them off my back. If you just want to reject me, I’ll happily back off.”

She chuckled and glanced over Pete’s shoulder. “Are they the group very obviously staring at us right now?”

Pete followed her gaze to see his friends watching them like a pack of hawks. They didn’t even have the decency to look away when they were caught. Colin even smiled and waved his fingers at them.

“Yeah, those are my asshole friends,” Pete confirmed.

She smiled and waved at the group before turning back to Pete. “Here, sit with me. Give them something to talk about.”

Pete pulled up a stool next to her. He extended a hand towards her. “I’m Pete.”

“(Y/N). Nice to meet you.”

They talked at the bar for hours. They hardly noticed the other patrons starting to clear out or the blaring music starting to die down as the bar did its last call. Pete didn’t even notice his friends had left until the bartender had come to give them the last warning before closing. Before they parted ways, (Y/N) gave Pete  her number and told him to text her the next day.

“Just so I know you’re actually interested,” she had said before walking away.

And he had. The moment he woke up, he texted her, “Hope texting you this soon doesn’t seem to desperate, but I’m very interested - Pete.”

Near seconds later, he got a response. “I’d be a hypocrite if I called you desperate. I’ve been waiting for you to text me since I woke up.”

They texted back and forth all day. Pete was almost late to work because he was too busy texting to realize the time. When he arrived on set he was radiating with happiness. He hadn’t felt hits way in a long time. He had a really good feeling about this one. A strong feeling he hadn’t had before in any of his relationships. There was no doubts this time around.

His castmates noticed his good mood and asked what was up, but he just responded with a shrug and played it off. The guys who had been out the night before knew exactly where his good mood was coming from, but Pete decided to keep it to himself. He didn’t want to get too ahead of himself and tell everyone about (Y/N) just yet.

“Hey, Pete!” Lorne called as he spotted Pete making his way to set.

“Hey Lorne,” Pete said. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to introduce you to our new writer. She’s starting today, so try not to scare her away just yet.”

Pete chuckled, but it died off when Lorne stepped aside and gestured to the newbie. “(Y/N)?”

Her eyes widened, too. “Pete?”

“You two know each other?” Lorne asked.

“We met last night,” (Y/N) responded.

Lorne looked between the two of them. “You...met last night?”

“Not like that,” Pete assured him. “We met at a bar and just talked all night. We exchanged numbers, that’s it.”

Lorne had a skeptical look on his face that made Pete’s heart drop to his stomach. He knew how this was about to go: he would have to delete (Y/N)’s number and their messages, and he’d have to forget their would be romance before it even started. It was a HR issue, one that they would definitely not be allowed to explore.

This was the quickest broken heart he had ever gotten.

“You know, technically I should be sending you to HR to discuss this,” Lorne started. Both (Y/N) and Pete winced at the idea. “But that’s a lot of time and paperwork, and all that bullshit. So, I’m going to take both of your vocal promises that whatever this is will not interfere with either of your jobs.”

The two of them happily agreed. Lorne nodded and muttered something about leaving before he witnessed something he shouldn’t. That left (Y/N) and Pete alone, a slightly awkward tension in the air.

“You didn’t mention that you’re working for SNL,” Pete said. He meant it to come out lighthearted, but he winced when he realized how accusatory it actually sounded.

“I...actually didn’t know you were on the show,” she admitted. “You never mentioned it. You just said you were an actor.”

Pete chuckled. “Okay, we were both a little untruthful. Maybe we start over on the introductions.” He held his hand out to her. “Hi, I’m Pete. I’m a main actor on  Saturday Night Live.”

(Y/N) giggled and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Pete. I’m (Y/N), and I just got hired to write for Saturday Night Live.”

“Well, congratulations. And good luck on it. I heard the cast are all assholes, except for that Pete guy. So make sure you give all the funniest jokes to him.”

(Y/N) giggled again, looking down at the ground between them shyly.

It was the start to an amazing relationship. Pete could honestly say he hadn’t felt this happy in a very long time. They kept their personal lives separate from their work lives, which seemed to be the big key to making things work. Nothing was ever discussed about the show unless they were on set, and the minute they walked on the lost their relationship was put on the back burner until they left.

But the moments they had outside of work were some of the best moments of his life. He loved being with (Y/N) and spending most of his free time with her. He was trying not to go too fast with their relationship the way he had in past relationships, but it was hard not to be a bit optimistic with how well things were going.

Of course, dating a co-worker came with some teasing from other co-workers; especially when the other co-workers were fellow comedians. The main joke that the cast liked to tell was that Pete was getting favoritism from (Y/N) when it came to being given the best jokes.

It started during the table read for a skit. They were about halfway through when Punkie cut Pete off mid-joke to proclaim, “No fair, he’s getting the best jokes!”

Everyone stopped to look at her in confusion. They couldn’t tell if the look on her face was serious or not, so Pete asked, “Excuse me?”

“Your jokes here are so much better than mine,” Punkie said. “Must be nice sleeping with one of the writers.”

Punkie laughed, but Pete looked horrified by her “joke”.

“(Y/N) didn’t even write this sketch,” Kenan pointed out.

“That’s a very serious accusation, Punkie,” one of the producers commented.

“Come on, guys, it’s just a joke,” Punkie said. “I’m not mad. Just keep reading.”

Once they finished the table read, Pete decided to approach Punkie himself. “Hey, Punkie, listen. I know what you said was a joke, but...can you maybe be mindful of the way you say it? You could get (Y/N) into a lot of trouble if the wrong people heard what you said.”

“Pete, I didn’t mean it. Everyone knows (Y/N) isn’t actually giving you favoritism in the sketches.”

“I know, I’m just saying to work on your delivery. I really don’t want to have to deal with HR.”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll try to be more funny about it next time.”

And that was truly the wrong thing for Pete to say; for him to agree that if it was clearly said as a joke, that it was fine to say that (Y/N) favorited him. Because once he made the distinction that it was okay to do it in a joking matter, it was like the entire cast had decided they wanted to joke about Pete and (Y/N). It wasn’t anything new for the cast, they joked around with each other all the time. They were all friends, and you had to have a sense of humor if you were gonna be on SNL.

But man, after some time, Pete found it so much more annoying than his castmates meant it to be. He was trying so hard to separate his work life from his personal life, like Lorne had wanted, but now it was like his personal life was open season for all of his friends.

And it was definitely something (Y/N) had noticed. The jokes were never made to her face the same way they were to Pete’s, but she heard the whisperings or the aftermath of certain jokes when approaching Pete. She never said anything at first, which made Pete hope that maybe it didn’t bother her as much as it bothered him.

But one night, as they were leaving set, Pete noticed that (Y/N) seemed distracted. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him as they walked through the doors onto the lot.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” he asked.

(Y/N) nibbled on the inside of her cheek before she spoke, “Do your castmates really think I favorite you when writing?”

Pete stopped walking suddenly, causing (Y/N) to stumble a little. He turned to face her and she did the same.

“Baby, of course not. They’re only joking when they say that shit. No one actually believes it,” he assured her.

She shrugged. “I guess, but they say it so much. I’m starting to worry that they actually mean it but don’t want to say it, which could get us both in a lot of trouble if it ever comes back to HR.”

Pete put his hands on her shoulders. “Baby, I promise they do not mean it. If it ever got to HR, they would all swear up and down that they’re joking. They just like to poke fun at me because I had to fall in love with a new writer on set, out of all people. But it’s not serious, I can promise you that.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “You fell in love with me, huh?”

Pete couldn’t help but smile too as his hands ran down her arms to take hers. “I would think that’s pretty obvious by now.”

“You haven’t said the big L word before,” she said. “So, I don’t know, I thought maybe this was all just for fun.”

He chuckled, knowing that she was joking about the last part. They both knew they were in this relationship for the long run. There was nothing “just for fun” about it.

But she was right in saying that he hadn’t said the big three words to her yet. Although he knew deep in his heart that he did love (Y/N), he hadn’t been ready to say the words to her just yet.

That big L word was out there now, though. So, realisitically, he was part way there.

“I love you,” he said.

He didn’t think the smile on (Y/N)’s face could get any wider, but it did. She lit up like Times Square and leaned closer to him.

“I love you, too.”

They closed the gap between them to kiss. It was meant to be a sweet, romantic moment for the two of them, but it was quickly cut off by someone calling, “Get a room you two!”

They pulled apart, chuckling at the reaction, before deciding to go home and do just that.

#pete davidson #pete davidson imagine #pete davidson x reader #imagine #request #fanfiction #fanfic #fandom #one shot

[ashironie]

I don’t have a good feeling about Celia

I tried to post this earlier but it got deleted so fuck

But from so many standpoints she just irks me

-She has the same character archetype as Alice. Many have pointed out their similarities and while this by itself isn’t much (as is everything on this list) with everything else it makes me weirded out

-She just came out of the blue. We had no warning in the episodes before no build up. We were introduced to the concept she was coming and then she came with little fanfare.

-Her introduction to the rest of the cast is a lot different than Sam’s. A lot understated. Maybe Jonny and Alex just didn’t want to do the same thing again but it felt really rushed and weird.

-I cannot see how she can possibly contribute to the plot in any meaningful way if she is just another victim coworker. She was introduced too late to have her death feel like anything but fridging (when you make a character just to kill them for momentary character drama), once again she shares a character archetype with Alice so the only thing that they could give Celia could be given to Alice perfectly fine, and she once again feels forced

-Celia was also too comfortable too quick for me. She just instantly trusted none of her coworkers would report her for talking shit about their boss. She seemed too genuine about everything even though she was in a completely new environment. And she was just so laid back with everything, like sure she might not know the full scale of things but she seems like she’s been their for as long as anyone can remember (something that might be due to the fact I associate this trait with Alice who has been there a long time)

-idk if I’m reaching or going crazy with this one but Alice seemed off. She moreso just said “I’m Alice” and and Aliced all over the place. But as soon as Celia left she said ‘yeah’ sorta suspiciously? Maybe I’m crazy. Then she’s back to herself replying to Gwen, who we can assume is only less interested in what Celia has to say due to the situation she’s found herself in during ep 4 was it? with Lena. The only time we really get to know her thoughts about Celia when she isn’t in front of her is when she’s bugging Sam about his crush on her, and also literally all conversation she has with Celia she also has with Sam and shifts the conversation (aside from just meeting Celia) to Sam (imo). The only time we get her opinions on Celia away from other characters is the little ‘yeah’.

-We don’t see Colin’s reaction to Celia either, which would mark the third episode in a row where Colin is only mentioned (to my knowledge). Though we don’t have any mention that he’s been hostile to her. The only characters that truly talk to her and that we can see their reactions to her are Alice and Sam. One who I’m convinced is suspicious of her and the other who’s ’in love’ with her (I was completely caught off guard by this due to not even thinking about any of that in the very beginnings of a horror podcast, I’m autistic and demiromantic, and because I was half listening the first time I listened. I sense it more but it still feels like a stretch to me before Alice mentions it though makes a lot of sense due to Sam’s reaction to her mentioning it)

-I feel like I’d be amiss to not mention the fact this is the episode we truly have an Avatar in it. Needles is the first avatar we tma enjoyers know as an avatar (in Norris’s statement in ep1 we have the maybe scammer but it’s unclear weather that’s an Avatar, someone being possessed, or something else entirely). Thematically, this would be a great way to establish a connection with Avatar and Celia. She was introduced exactly when Avatars were. Also the episode name could also be a reference to the fact we are having our “introductions” to Avatars thought this episode, but that’s unrelated.

-People has also pointed out Celia is in Tma, same name and same voice actress (so no Michael situation or helen and Mel’s therapist situation [I think I remember them having the same voice actress and that being a problem] here). Although I don’t know what the could mean but that’s actually the reason I decided to rewrite this mini-notsomini-rant.

I could be wrong about all of this and am prepared to be wrong but still, needed to get this out there.

#the magnus archives #tma #the magnus protocol #tmagp #celia ripley #I personally think she’s an Avatar #but I may have just connected dots that aren’t there

[its-time-to-write]

please don’t be - ch. 4

table of contents go your way

“It’s the south of France,” Jamie says. “The fuck am I supposed to do there?”

“Brooks is throwing a wicked party,” Colin says. “Michael’s been begging me to go, so we’re going.”

“You have to go, lad,” Jack adds. “Maybe then you’ll stop being a broody prick.”

Jamie doesn’t know what to say. It’s off season, Colin’s in Manchester, and somehow he and Jack have taken it upon themselves to ruin Jamie’s self-loathing.

Because he loathes himself right now.

Yeah, football’s great as-fucking-ever, but fucking off season is making it shit in his head.

He hadn’t expected to feel anything, not when he’s usually so empty in his mind.

But you… you were a giver. And it was a problem because Jamie, always so love-starved, took everything you had. At some point something changed though, because he felt guilty always fucking taking and never giving.

He couldn’t stand the way you looked at him, as though he hung the moon, and it felt like a deception even though you knew it was temporary.

That’s what he hated the most, the fact that you always, always knew, and you still stayed.

It’s a problem. It’s summer, and he’s on his way to the south of France.

—

Jamie is losing his mind. Is this how you felt that one afternoon? He wishes he would have been kinder. He can’t really smile, he misses Richmond and he misses Roy (the prick) and Keeley (what an angel). He misses you most of all, but he won’t insult you by trying to get you back.

He keeps seeing your face everywhere he goes, but it’s impossible because you’re somewhere in London.

It’s far too quiet inside his own body, and he misses the buzz that came with being near you. The world turned electric when you entered a room.

The silence echoes louder as the night progresses. 

Jamie steps outside for air and sees Jude snogging someone under a tree. He shakes his head with a chuckle as they break apart.

There’s a crackle, one only he can feel, and the world goes red.

Jamie ducks behind a pillar as Jude passes him, presumably to grab something from inside and before Jamie can think of what to do, he’s watching you press your palms over your eyes.

“I promise this is the only time I’ll ever ask you for something,” you tell him, head in your hands.

Jamie can barely speak. He’s grinning like an idiot, completely enamored with the way you can’t bear to burden him. 

You’re not a burden, and he can’t say the exact words but he’ll try to show you.

“You think too much,” he says.

“I know,” you groan. “I just know this is not at all what we talked about.”

“I think it’s sweet.”

Your head shoots up. “Sweet? That’s what you’re going with? This is awful. I’m only asking because I have to. I promise, I wouldn’t if I didn’t.”

Jamie’s still grinning as he says, “I’ll be there. I’m great with nieces, just ask Roy. Bring her a birthday present and everything.”

“You sure?” you ask hesitantly. “My whole family will be there.”

Jamie shrugs. “Not a problem, love.”

He would have promised you the whole world just to see your eyes light up like they did then. Would have given up his god-given footy talent just to feel your arms around him like they were in that moment.

So Bellingham’s inside and you’re alone, so in a haze of poorly-exchanged pleasantries, Jamie says, “I fucking love you, and I’m fucking stupid for leaving.”

Once again, he watches your face shutter through a million expressions at once as you carefully consider and catalogue his words.

Instead of your face lighting up like he hoped it would, it shatters. Just for a moment, but it breaks into a thousand pieces.

In between one moment and the next, he sees you pull yourself together.

It’s fast, too fast for it to be real, but he’s not going to say anything about it as long as you’re his again, you have to be his again. 

There’s no other way this can go.

table of contents

#jamie tartt x reader #jamie tartt fanfiction #jamie tartt imagine #jamie tartt x y/n #jamie tartt x you #jamie tartt #ted lasso

[sea-owl]

I LOVE THE OTOME AU SO MUCH I swear, the sound of excitement that came out of me when I saw the new post 🙈🤭 Already love seeing Colin fall for Penelope, they’re my faves

Aw thank you!

For this au I was thinking that things really kick off for the Bridgertons during the first night the spouses play the game. Everything starts out as normal. The Bridgertons get the screen in front of them that the game is loading and oh it's multiplayer! They haven't had that in a while, and eight players? Even more of a rare occurrence for them.

As the eight friends go through their character quizzes and building their avatars for the game the Bridgertons take time to study them. Something felt different about this group and they didn't know why.

Then the prologue before routes are chosen starts up, and each Bridgerton gets into place. As the group of friends continue to play the Bridgertons find themselves genuinely laughing and having fun after who knows how long. The real reactions that the Bridgertons can see through their screens are joys to watch, as are watching them choose which dialogue options.

Anthony can't help the smile on his face when Kate once again chooses the option that supposed to take away his love points.

"Kate you know you're supposed to romance the characters?" One of her friends will ask her.

"Yeah but this one," Kate would point at Anthony on the tv, "is aggravating and I will take him down a peg!"

Benedict knows he should be conversing with all the avatars in the prologue, but he finds he can't tear himself away from Sophie. He even went off script a little bit, which earned him a glare from Anthony, but seeing the real Sophie pause with a small blush made it worth it.

Colin was so thankful that Penelope got childhood friend with his family because now he doesn't have to make up an excuse to hang around her more than the others like his siblings would. It helps that real Penelope doesn't seem to be moving her avatar away either.

Daphne is having so much fun with Simon. Most players find Daphne to be the boring one of the sisters so her route isn't played as often and she finds herself being a support more often than not.

Eloise likes listening to Phillip when he tries to pick the academic options and then she gets to hear the real him go off on how that wasn't the real science. It's nice to have a player with a brain.

Francesca also doesn't get her route played much. Second chance loves aren't usually a route players want but the options that Michael picks when he's playing, that flirty style like he's unafraid has her blushing. Especially with how sincere he seems about it to.

Hyacinth and Gregory both found themselves laughing watching the team up between Gareth and Lucy. Oh were they fun! Nothing like the other players from before!

By the time the group of friends finished the prologue it was late and they agreed to pick the game back up in the morning. But first they lock in their routes.

The Bridgertons were ecstatic about the choices. They were even more when the friends fell asleep with the TV on. These players feel different, they make the Bridgertons excited to be a part of the game again. Could this lead to love?

They were going to find out.

When the group of friends woke up they were surprised to find themselves separated and in completely different style of bedrooms. As they went looking for one another, they realized they were in the world of the game they were playing the night before.

Uh oh.

#bridgerton #otome au #kathony #benophie #polin #saphne #philoise #franchael #hyareth #grucy

[oh-surprise-its-me]

You guys deserve to know I listened to Not Strong Enough by boygenius on repeat the entire time I wrote this. So you know. Keep that in mind.

-

He just keeps running. He can’t help it. Knows it will throw off his run at 4am with Roy.

Roy.

The point of his current problems.

Jamie’s worked a lot in therapy in the past two years. He knows he has self worth issues. Some days he wishes he can’t look into himself and see what’s wrong.

What’s broken.

What’s been tossed around for years and handled without the care it deserves.

He keeps running.

He’s always run when things get complicated. Sometimes literally sometimes not. He’s not running with a plan. He’s in Colin’s neighborhood though.

He thinks fuck it and runs to his house.

He knocks without thinking.

A light flicks on. Shit he woke them up. The door opens and Colin is standing there. “Jamie? You okay?”

Jamie opens his mouth, he thinks about lying. Michael comes up behind Colin, “hey Jamie? Wanna come in?”

God bless Colin and Michael. They’re incredible.

They are all sitting in the living room, Jamie keeps shaking his legs, “can I ask you guys something?”

Colin and Michael look at each other, “Jamie if it’s about knowing your sexuality-” Jamie laughs. “No mate I’ve known I’m bisexual for years but thanks.”

Colin nods, “okay go for it then.”

Jamie takes a deep breath, he looks at Michael first. Less scary then seeing Colin react to this. “How did you two know you were it for each other. Like that you wanted forever.”

Michael smiles at him. “It was like waves, it hit me one day and then kept hitting me stronger until I was swept up into it.”

Colin blinks away what look like tears, six months married and they are still sappy as hell.

“It wasn’t really a sudden thing. It was like I adjusted everything in my life so that he came first. There wasn’t a question about seeing him in my future plans. He was just there.”

Michael looks a little surprised. He leans over and kisses Colin.

“You wanna explain more Jamie?”

Jamie blushes. “I think I feel forever about Roy but we aren’t even together. Fuck I don’t even know. It’s like I’m an Angel and he’s a God and want to worship him.”

Michael has slowly started smiling more, “Jamie if I may?” Jamie nods, can’t get much worse. “Roy has been worshiping you and in love with you for as long as I’ve known you both.”

“What??” “Michael!”

Colin lightly taps his leg. “What he’s trying to say is that we think you’ll be okay if you tell Roy you want forever.” “I said what I said.”

Jamie nods again, if feels like he’s been nodding to a lot of things recently.

“Thanks I’m sorry I woke you guys up. I’ve uh. I’ve gotta go.”

Colin and Michael hug him before he takes back off running.

-

He makes a detour to the park. It’s empty at this time of night. He sits on a bench. Curls his legs up. He can’t do this. He can’t be this person.

He was never allowed. His dad tried to ruin everything for him.

What if Jamie ruins this.

His phone lights up. Roy’s texting him.

Where are you.

Christ what time is it how long did he run for.

Sorry took off early for run. At the park near my house?

Be there soon stay in place.

Okay.

God. Now he has to see Roy.

-

When Roy shows up he sits on the bench next to Jamie. “Where’s your head at Jamie?”

Jamie shrugs. Tucking his arms over his knees curling himself as close to a ball as he can while sitting up. “It’s here, just loud.”

Roy slides closer, he puts an arm around Jamie’s shoulder and pulls him closer. Jamie didn’t realize how cold out it was until he felt Roy’s body heat.

“Can I say something and you not be mad? Let me finish talking before you say anything?”

Roy nods, “course you can. It’s hard to be mad at you when you look this sad.”

“I’m in love with you. Want forever with you. Ran to Colin and Michael’s house to talk about how they knew. They just did. Roy I don’t know when it started but I just know I can’t stop it. I’m in love with you and it’s fine. It’s fine if you don’t feel the same. I just needed to tell you.”

Roy brushes the tears that fell off of Jamie’s face. “Good thing I feel the same then huh?”

Jamie felt the tears flowing down his face when he was talking but didn’t realize Roy saw them, let alone cared enough to remove them.

“The same? Roy you can’t. That’s crazy.”

Roy laughs. “Jamie I’m crazy, I haven’t done anything about it because I’m your coach. Didn’t want you to feel pressured. But I love you, I want forever with you too.”

Jamie risks a look at his face. He’s smiling. “Seriously?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Jamie nods, and suddenly he’s being kissed by Roy Kent. It’s maybe the softest kiss he’s ever gotten. He melts into it.

He pulls away. “You love me?” Roy touches his cheek, “I love you.”

Jamie leaps off of the bench, he starts spinning around he lets out a shout. “ROY KENT LOVES ME!”

Roy starts laughing and stands. “Jesus baby. Come on let’s go back to your place. I’ll cook.”

Jamie spins right into Roy’s arms. “You’ll cook for your.. boyfriend? Partner?”

“Future husband?”

Jamie smacks Roy. “We can’t just skip straight to that.” Roy takes his hand and holds it, there’s starting to be people out but clearly he doesn’t care. “Fuck straight, be my fiancé. We’ve known each other long enough, know everything about each other.”

“You’re going to kill me.”

Roy kisses him again. “I’m trying to worship you.”

Jamie blinks. Maybe this time he’ll be the God and not the Angel. “Let’s go home then fiancé.”

It’s Roy’s turn to whoop. He picks Jamie up with a spin and sets him back down.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

#ted lasso #jamie tartt #roy kent #jamie x roy #royjamie #jamie tartt x roy kent #roy kent x jamie tartt #this got a bit out of hand #get together to fiancé speed run #they aren’t normal about each other #michael colin’s boyfriend #colin hughes #colin x michael #mac writes ted lasso

[multifanrae]

Maybe I’m reading into this because I haven’t seen anyone talking about it, but Alice seems so Spiral coded. The “time isn’t real” and the personification of technology and the milk line and honestly everything she says seems to have something underneath it. Which leads into my idea that she’s also web aligned. This one is much less based in actual evidence and is possibly due to confirmation bias, but I’ve seen a lot of ideas discussing how she seems to know more than she lets on. And I’d say that’s pretty likely. But I can’t for certain tell if the things she says to Sam are a genuine warning, or reverse psychology. Here’s my argument for the latter: she and Sam have known each other for a very long time and she appears to have a decent understanding of him so she would probably know about his apparent proclivity for questions and mystery. So did she know that immediately warning him away from the Magnus Institute would make him more likely to look into it? And she’s the one who got him the job, knowing the type of shit they work with and how dangerous it is and how much Sam would be drawn to solving any puzzle or mystery (like how he tried to “solve” the organization system, she has to know about Sam’s compulsion to understand) even with the cases, did she emphatically warn against them because she knew it would make him more likely to listen to them? I want to believe she’s innocent because I love her, but making her evil also sounds like something Jonny and Alex would do, and also I want her to be evil because I love her.

Also her relationship with Colin I think furthers my point of her being spiral aligned. This might be reaching way too far, but the way she talks about the computers with Carl, does kinda seem like she’s trying to convince him he’s the one who doesn’t know what he’s doing, and that there isn’t actually anything wrong with Freddie. Also come on you can’t tell me her general vibe doesn’t just scream spiral. It’s probably just a crack theory with confirmation bias, but I swear since I thought of this, every time I hear her speak, all I hear is the spiral and the web.

So maybe (because I don’t think they’re going with the same 14-15 fears classification and maybe the fears haven’t separated or whatever) this all make her essentially predominately web and secondarily spiral aligned? Like instead of manipulating the way Annabelle did, maybe she’s using a bit more of a direct approach like the spiral tends to?? Because the web usually likes to be behind the scenes, but the spiral seems to really enjoy being up close and personal and doesn’t have much of an issue (not even with ‘special people’, Helen and the woman from “insomnia” both saw Michael in person) because it seems like she uses the tactics of the spiral with the intelligence and foresight of the web. That’s my theory anyway

#the magnus protocol #alice dyer #tmapg #tmapg spoilers #tmapg alice #the magnus archives #fan theory

[tarttheart]

PRECIOUS LOVE: CHAPTER 9 - JAMIE TARTT x YOU

summary: you receive an offer of help.

word count: 660 words

warnings: language

-

chapter 9: its teaching me

You: Jamie knows.

Keeley: I’ll be there in half an hour.

Rebecca: See you both soon.

You: I’ll leave the door unlocked.

For the first time in months, there were no tears. You had no tears left to shed about this entire saga. Was it a good thing? Was this progress? You were not sure but Keeley and Rebecca had wrapped you up and cuddled you to bits anyway.

“I should apologise first for ghosting the both of you the last couple of months,” you piped up and the two shrugged it off.

“Babes, you were dealing with a lot and sometimes we sort our shit out with people and sometimes we don’t. We knew you’d come around eventually.”

“What she said,” Rebecca said, raising a glass.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” you replied graciously, peeping out from under your quilt.

“So, out with it then, how’d it all go? You wouldn’t have us here if you didn’t want to tell us.”

You groaned, hiding under your covers again.

“It was awful. Michael started at my workplace a few months ago and we hit it off. He convinced me to go on a blind date with his boyfriend’s teammate and when he said teammate, I thought he meant like an office team. Like the marketing team, you know? Not a fucking premier league team,” you ranted from under your covers.

“Right, Colin’s Michael is your colleague.”

“Yea, Colin. I don’t know. Michael doesn’t follow football so I assumed he wouldn’t be involved with someone whose entire livelihood depends on football. And then, Jamie of all the fucking people on the team has to show up.”

“Babes, you ever considered why that might be? Maybe you guys are better suited for each other than you think,” Keeley asked gently as she stroked your arm.

“It’s not that I don’t like Jamie. Wouldn’t have slept with him if I didn’t. I just…” you sighed, fiddling with your quilt, “I just can’t see us being together now.”

Rebecca huffed, pausing for a moment before she started, “darling, we love you, you know that. So, it really fucking hurts to watch you punish yourself for something you had no control over. I know what you went through was fucking hard and it must hurt like a son of a bitch. I’m not going to diminish your pain and I admire your strength to even get to this point but you have been suffering for a long, long time. Maybe it’s time to let the wound heal? It might leave a scar but scars are beautiful. It shows everyone how strong you are and it makes you you.”

“Yeh, I’ve got one from when I stepped on a sea urchin during a photoshoot.”

You and Rebecca laughed at Keeley’s input and Keeley smiled, “fina-fucking-lly, a smile.”

You heaved a long sigh, “I need help, don’t I?”

“Well, I was thinking about this. Why don’t you see Dr Sharon? She’s the club psychologist,” Rebecca held up her hand when she saw you about to interrupt, “let me finish. She can see you online so you won’t have to go anywhere near Nelson Road if you don’t want to. And, if you don’t feel comfortable with her, I’m sure she will be able to find someone who you can talk to.”

“I appreciate the offer, Rebecca, but I don’t work for the club or do anything related to the club.”

“Well, in a way, it’s related to Jamie and he’s at the club, so as boss, I’ll allow it.”

“I—I…”

“Think about it. You don’t have to say anything right away. When you’re ready, the offer is there if you’d like it.”

“Thanks Rebecca.”

You held out her arms and Rebecca moved from her seat in the corner of the room to give you a squeeze, you and Keeley shuffling to give her room to join you two on the bed. Your bed and heart have never felt this full.

-

< chapter 8 | master list | chapter 10 >

#jamie tartt #jamie tartt fanfiction #jamie tartt x ofc #jamie tartt x reader #jamie tartt x y/n #jamie tartt x you #jamie tartt fic #jamie tartt imagine

[thekatebridgerton]

How do you think Modern day Bridgerton brothers and the spouses of the Bridgerton would each react to their wife telling them their water broke/the baby is coming/their going into labor? I think they'd be varied.

Anthony: oh he panics, paces, and pulls his hair out, this man cannot keep his cool he starts throwing around money like there's no tomorrow has a team of doctors on retainer anytime Kate has a contraction he feels her pain and shouts of people to make her stop hurting he's kicked out of the delivery room at least five times and he keeps coming back in still bonus points for Anthony unlike Colin he doesn't need to be sedated while his wife is giving birth Anthony is there all the way panicked as hell but he's is there all right 8/10

Benedict: acts like the miracle of birth is the best thing that could ever happen to him. Films the whole thing, plays Vivaldi for Sophie on his phone to time contractions, he's super happy that her water broke Sophie is screaming in pain with contractions and Benedict is giving her Gatorade, drying up her sweat massaging her feet, all while he is smiling because he is going to be a dad. Telling her all sort of cringy peotic words about how beautiful she is. his wife looking like she hates him the whole time for how happy he looks and has bitten his hand a couple of times in between contractions. 7/10

Colin: oh yeah this one screams when Penelope tells him her water broke has no idea what he's doing did read the books did not understand the books no he's running like a headless chicken around the house while penelope, quietly counts her contractions and times them because her husband seem to have forgotten the number of the taxi they hired to take her to the hospital. Colin is too busy running around panicked. This man actually had to be sedated with his wife was giving birth because he kept screaming at the hospital staff to just make her pain stop. He couldn't stand knowing that Penelope was suffering and was ready to punch someone for trying to drag him out of the hospital room until the baby was out. 5/10

Phillip: boy scout, the moment she tells him that her water broke he reacts with complete calm, since Eloise is panicked already for both of them combined. he's memorized all the routes to the hospital read all the books probably went to a midwifery seminar while his wife was in her last trimester. this man is the height of zen for the moments his first child with Eloise comes into this world. His job is to make sure that everything is under control so that every time his wife so much as blinks with anxiety. He can reassure her that absolutely nothing it's wrong. (Even if he absolutely IS panicking about it on the inside) It is very possible that Philip has helped deliver at least one of Benedict's children before this. 10/10

Simon: is it wrong for me to think that Simon would be the most normal out of all of the future dads. Daphne has wanted a baby for so long that she has Simon well trained for the moment she starts feeling contractions and her water breaks probably made her husband run a couple of rehearsal runs just so he could get it right. So I think Simon would be the one husband who has his grit together, he doesn't panic, he doesn't scream he just calls the hospital ahead of time, takes his wife to the hospital all while stoicaly being her rock. Because this is the moment fatherhood begins and he's got this!! Daphne believes in him, he's not going to let her down. He's going to be a better father than his dad, starting from the moment Daphne water broke and all the way till this baby is grown up . 10/10

Michael: okay so seriously this one also panics but he tries to distract Francesca by flirting with her all the way ever since she began labor. His love language is words of affirmation but he takes it up a notch when his wife is pregnant. Probably traumatized a couple of nurses and doctors with the filthy things he was saying to Francesca while she was having contractions but hey it served to make her laugh and it served to get her to relax a little bit so could I see you Michael whatever you're doing it's working 7/10

Gareth: traumatized by Hyacinth herself because her idea of a bedtime story is to read him the most traumatizing part of the baby books and all the ways things could end badly. Just to see Garrett lose it. It backfires on her when she's actually in labor because her husband faints in the delivery room. Also knowing Hyacinth she is probably laughing trough the pain at the sight of hospital staff dragging her unconscious husband out of the delivery room 5/10

Gregory: the first thing this one does is call his whole family to give them the great news. probably a certified pediatrician. He most likely went to med school because with all the kids in his family, he figured he might as well make a career out of it. Top notch insurance, he's delivering his own child, he did a second internship In obstetrics just for this moment. For bedside manner? He's your man. Lucy has the best of the best room, best care, and as the baby of the family Gregory has to endure every single person in his family trying to give him advice while he tries to film the birth. so by the time the baby has actually been delivered Gregory is ready to kill everyone and tell them that he can handle this, because he's a doctor. His family obviously doesn't believe him 20/10

#bridgerton #bridgerton modern au #Kanthony #Polin #Benophie #philoise

[heterophobicmaxanne]

sending you an ask cause you've sent me some <3 when do you think royjamie get together do you think it's during the time of the show or?

awwww, thank you, that is sooo nice!

i think there are honestly a bunch of ways they could get/could have gotten together but i think i'm going to focus on the canon compliant ones - and i think it largely depends on roy and on when and how he stops repressing his feelings for jamie and how much angsting he does about his role as manager and the ethical implications of dating someone on the team

i'm going to put this under a cut because it's def going to get long

so sort of the most obvious/maybe healthiest one is roy does some therapy and with the help of dr. sharon realises that he deserves to be happy and that the way he's repressing his wants and needs because he's afraid of the pain that would come from not getting them met is not in fact at all healthy and directly tied to his anger issues. i think then he'd probably need a couple more sessions until he could actually recognise the affection he has for jamie as what it is, namely a big fat crush - i think the fact that he's low key miserable about not getting to do one-on-one 4 am training with jamie anymore because he's to busy as manager plays a pretty big role in that realisation, and the whole fight over keeley thing also plays into it, like he'd recognise that seeing jamie and keeley hug made him afraid that things were changing and because he's a repressed idiot he concluded it was about keeley when in truth it was about jamie - and then he'd probably need to like lie down for several weeks to recover from the shock and the horror agonize about how to handle the situation ethically for a while, call in the diamond dogs for help and make a plan with them that he then presents to rebecca. and only then would he talk to jamie about it, low key expecting jamie to laugh in his face or tell him to fuck off, and i think he'd be genuinely shocked when jamie is immediately like "yep this is happening i am now Roy Kent's boyfriend"

and that's sweet and healthy and good but it's a little too hinged for me, like as good and sweet as that is, it lacks that certain je-ne-sais-quoi that makes their relationship so fun and fascinating, which is why i prefer a bunch of other options!

one option that i see that is also canon compliant is that jamie does in fact go to see his father in rehab. it goes well for a while and then james tartt turns out to still be an abusive piece of shit because it was never the addiction that made him abusive, james tartt is just like that so he says something shitty and terrible to jamie, maybe something homophobic about colin who's post-match kiss with michael has gone viral or maybe something shitty about jamie becoming a midfielder and no longer dominating on the field. jamie stands up to his father but doesn't feel entirely good about it - he's supposed to be forgiving him, helping him become a better person, the way people have forgiven and helped jamie and what does it say about him that he can't do the same thing for his father? he spirals out about it in a way that's similar to the start of mom city, roy notices, finds out what's going on, including about ted's advice and is just Absolutely Enraged. Completely And Utterly Furious. Cannot Speak Will Commit Murder Livid. he gives jamie the best advice he can give him through the rage blinders he gets, and then he facetimes ted and almost murders him through the phone screen. and ted realises his mistake, apologizes to jamie for the advice and for just walking away after the man city richmond match in s1, and the next time ted talks to roy he makes a suggestive comment about roy's feelings vis-a-vis jamie, maybe something about how he never could've seen roy and jamie's relationship developing into that direction when he got to richmond, and waggles his eyebrows and that does not go over well with roy. not at all. but jamie's doing better and roy's absolutely delighted about it and he can't stop thinking about ted's comment and finally, considering how intensely angry and protective he was and how delighted he is to see jamie happy again, he realises it's true and probably needs to like lie down for several weeks to recover from the shock and the horror again does the same "figuring out how to make a move on jamie that's ethical enough for him to do it"-spiel as in the first option

(leslie higgins voice) another one: jamie gets hurt pretty badly towards the final minutes of a match and roy's brain just short-circuits and only barely reboots enough for him to force himself to make it through with some semblance of composure because he's the gaffer and he cannot fall apart about jamie getting carried of the pitch on a stretcher. the second the whistle blows, roy essentially barrels into the treatment room and pulls jamie into a hug that is so fucking tight that jamie has to essentially tap him on the shoulder at some point because he's about to black out from lack of oxygen. and that leads to jamie making a dumb joke about how he's not dying "jesus grandad get your crap together you're going to make the medics think you're in love with me" and roy's brain is still rebooting which means the repression mechanism hasn't fully come online yet so he can hear that sentence, put it into the context of all the other emotions he's been feeling and realise that yeah that is essentially why he is reacting the way that he is reacting and even say "what if i am" which leads to a very passionate kiss, a number of death threats if any of this gets out and some vaguely traumatized richmond team medics

i can also see roy just being absolutely fucking miserable about no longer getting to do one-on-one training with jamie because 1) he does not have the time anymore (now that he actually has to read the fucking scouting reports and all that other shit he lied about as assistant coach) and 2) it would be way more unethical and favouritism and so on than it was when he was an assistant coach. but he doesn't make the connection because why would he, he barely even likes jamie no matter what phoebe said and no matter the fact that he looks at the kunt shirt and smiles like the biggest fucking idiot until phoebe points out that he's managed to swear so much in just a week that he owes her what he usually owes her after like two months and asks whether it's because he's no longer seeing jamie every day? and roy wants to say no fuck off but because it's phoebe he can't and unfortunately that moment of hesitation he has while he tries to find a nicer way of phrasing it is enough for him to realise that yeah actually she's right and that's not normal why is that happening and it triggers a chain reaction that ends with him realising his feelings

and for the fourth canon compliant option, we have jamie getting a little too drunk at the post-match celebration because he's no longer in training so vanilla vodka here he comes and then drunkenly telling roy that actually it was a fucking dick move to invite him for a beer and to butter him up only to then bring up keeley and ask jamie to "step aside" especially considering the giant fucking torch jamie's carrying for roy and roy is like "the what" and jamie tells him again that yeah he has always had a pretty big fucking crush on roy and how did roy not notice despite the poster and him pulling roy through richmond on a leash and amsterdam? and jamie admits that yeah he did act a little like a dick about it, esp to keeley, but roy was being a much bigger dick not just to keeley but also to jamie and roy is like yeah you’re right i was a dick and i’m sorry but I did mean the proud of you stuff I said and jamie tells roy nice cool good and he'll see roy once they start 4am training again in the preseason and roy's like "wait why do you still want to train with me don't you think this is awkward as fuck" and jamie's like "nope this changes literally nothing" and then fucks off to brazil for a bit and again roy is miserable but once the preseason comes closer he gets more and more excited about the prospect of seeing jamie again and at some point he internally scolds himself for acting like a schoolgirl with a crush and that's when he realises that whoops yeah jamie is not the only one carrying a torch

but also i think there are a few moments in the show that open up fun little avenues for canon divergent royjamie, for example:

jamie does not come back into his childhood bedroom when he does in the show, keeley summarily rejects roy, roy wallows in it a little but realises it doesn't even hurt as much as he thought it would and there's even a part of him that's relieved which is weird why is he relieved and why is that relief so tied to nothing changing between him and jamie and whoops yeah there it is the realisation he has a Feeling

there's the slightly more angsty option where roy only realises he has feelings for jamie when jamie gets hurt during the match against man city (which i'm SUCH a sucker for!)

roy is in the room for the "everyone looks at jamie after beards comment about there being more people in this locker room who are gay"-moment and when jamie says i'm flattered roy feels something like excitment and maybe even hope and like why is he feeling that those feelings make no sense there unless he was interested in ja - whoops okay he is interested in jamie someone kill him now

and of course, amsterdam! i can imagine like a very deeply cute moment where after learning how to ride a bike roy just looks over at jamie and feels deeply content and comfortable and happy and realises wait that's how it felt with keeley why does it feel so similar with jamie is it because - yes it is jesus mary and fuckface joseph and then he falls of his bike and when jamie's standing over him laughing his ass off about it he just either pulls him down into a kiss or lets jamie pull him up and then uses the momentum to barrel into a hug with jamie and during that hug he pulls back a little and just gives jamie a look and jamie immediately fucking kisses roy

and then there's the option i'm playing around with in my fic, where roy and keeley break up way earlier than they do in the show, roy drunk-dials jamie on accident and then things develop from there

#jesus christ this got LONG #but i had SO MUCH fun #i meant to write other stuff but thinking about the different ways these two idiots could get together is just so fun #the royjamie brainrot has my tiny little brain tight in its hands #so thank you for asking this! #royjamie #ted lasso

[drunkspacearchivist]

okay now that we’re on hiatus let’s talk about the parallels between the season one mag crew (and beyond) and the season one magp crew

If we take out Lena and Collin (and we’ll get back to them, I swear), we’ve got a gender flipped one for one version of the original Archive crew. I’ve seen a lot of comparisons between Sam and Jon, and also Collin and Jon, but I don’t think either of these are necessarily meant to be narrative parallels.

Let’s remember what the Archives crew was like in season one. Setting aside everything they become, everything that happens to them, remember what they were like at the beginning.

Jon was trying to seem as professional and official as possible. No one (save for Martin) actually looked at him as the boss of the situation, but he really wanted to be. He was trying to project confidence and control, tied to the Institute for an unclear purpose. Season one Jon wasn’t paranoid, wasn’t focused on the greater mystery, but wanted to be very good at his job. It was only at the end of the season that he started to realize that the job he wanted to succeed at wasn’t what he thought at all. That’s the position we left /Gwen/ in over the hiatus. I think that Gwen is meant to be the Jon stand-in, as much as any of them are supposed to be stand-ins for the old crew, and I think we can probably follow a lot of his character growth to make theories tied to where Gwen will end up: pursuing the power until it changes her irrevocably.

My biggest stretch out of the four is tying Celia to Martin, but hear me out. We don’t know much about either of them in the first season, and we still don’t know a lot about Celia. But the little we’ve seen shows that she’s a relatively sweet person, generally rolling with the horrors, and knows more than she lets on. We know that Martin had the potential to belong to the Web, but ended up towards the Lonely instead. I think we’ll see kind of what we could have had with Web!Martin.

Then, of course, we’re down to Sam and Alice. I’ve predicted that they would be our Tim and Sasha since the first episode, but it honestly hurts how much they’re living up to it. Sam, ignoring logic and reason to pursue the greater mystery like how Sasha followed Michael, how Sasha approached the thing in Artifact storage. Alice, who knows more than she lets on, barely hiding her anger and hurt under flirty jokes and jabs at her friends, and so close to her brother. The way that Tim loved Sasha, really loved Sasha, but she didn’t love him in the same way, the way that Sasha changed and Tim didn’t notice until it was too late, the way that Sam has changed and Alice hadn’t noticed until Sam had already left her behind.

Finally getting back to the two I put aside, it’s easy to draw comparisons to Lena and Elias, but they’re also very different. Sure, they’re both creepy bosses with secret power, but I don’t think people acknowledge how… incompetent Lena is? Sure she’s creepy, and vague, and everything she says feels like a thinly veiled threat, but she also is easily blackmailed by Gwen, and failed to kill the only person we’ve heard her attempt to kill. (And yet, Elias made a copy of the tunnel key for Jon, pretended not to believe the worms to suit his own needs. Is it a long con? Or is Lena like the fears, something familiar and yet undefined?)

Now, here’s my biggest thing. A lot of people have compared Colin to Season 2 Jon, but again, I think they’re forgetting what it was like to hear Season 2 for the first time. Jon didn’t know what was going on. He was lost, scared, and confused. He’d started to figure out the evil was real but his hatred was misplaced. Colin recognizes there’s a mystery, and he also seems to have a firmer grasp on the source of the issues. He’s not paranoid, per se, because he’s /right/. The computers are listening, and there probably is something more going on. He’s angry, and scared, but not because he doesn’t know the threat. He’s angry and scared because he does know what’s causing this, but he’s alone in it. His anger and exhaustion are driven by a need for this all to be over, one way or another. He seems to know that there is something evil here, and he doesn’t want to be a part of it. He wants to end it. Collin isn’t Jon. Collin is Melanie.

Now, do I think all of these characters are meant to be foils? No. Do I think we’re supposed to make predictions based on the past? Not really. But I think the parallels are where it’s really going to hit hard in the future

#the magnus protocol #tmagp #character study #long post #kinda rambling but #i love them all #cannot wait for april

[bridgertonbabe]

I can just see the two years of Sophie being at school without Benedict in the Meet me at Midnight AU poor Ember is knackered from sending owls along with Benedict’s constantly and him sending her flowers and treats weekly as she gets through the week and rewards for her amazing marks

Colin trying to point out other guys for Sophie and Mike and Phillip being all “dude… Cavender really? Never gonna work.” And Mike already claiming godfather dibs on their babies and asking to officiate their wedding and Colin just wanting to cry at the talk

And then Benedict turning up on Hogsmede weekends

Colin finally coming to his senses and finally realising that they’re clearly made for one another, but I can see it being something like a freak accident in Potions or something (Colin accidentally putting the entirely wrong ingredient into the potion and it blowing up on Sophie or someone deliberately trying to compromise her NEWT project) and shes rushed to either the hospital wing or it’s so bad she’s took to St Mungos (cause we know I love a bit of angst) and Benedict turning up, having been in the middle of painting completely frantic and heartbroken at it all and Colin finally getting it…

And actually it being Colin who asks Benedict if he wants to come on their interrailling tour because he doesn’t want Sophie to be sad and away from him for too long

Colin had been really looking forward to starting their sixth year of Hogwarts, specifically because with his older brother now graduated he no longer had to endure Sophie and him being besottedly lovey-dovey 24/7 as they had been throughout the second half of fifth year and all summer long. At long last there would be semblance of the Awesome Foursome as they used to be before Sophie and Benedict got together, and Colin hoped thinks would revert to normal.

However Benedict still continued to annoy his brother without being physically present as every single damn morning Sophie would stop listening to whatever Colin was saying as soon as Clement had swooped in or Ember had crash-landed with a letter in tow from her boyfriend. Eagerly she'd open it then and there and turn all heart-eyed as she read through his correspondence, which caused Colin to roll his eyes because what could they possibly have to write about to each other every single bloody day? And it wasn't just letters; Benedict would also send her packages containing treats every Friday as well as photos and small paintings he had done just for her.

As annoying as the couple was, Colin thought he at least had until Christmas before he'd have to suffer the ordeal of playing third-wheel to them back at home; but much to his chagrin on the first Hogsmeade weekend of sixth year he came to an abrupt halt as soon as he laid eyes on Benedict when the gang entered The Three Broomsticks Inn. Sophie had squealed in delight from her boyfriend's unexpected appearance and had jumped into his arms before they grabbed a table and Benedict bought them a round of butterbeer. Colin simply couldn't believe that his brother would go so far as to encroach on their Hogsmeade weekend just to spend time with Sophie, and spent the rest of the day grumbling under his breath in a sulk, which the rest of the group paid no mind to as they enjoyed their trip in the local town. For the rest of the year Benedict met them on every Hogsmeade trip and while he would happily hang out with them as a group, for a couple of hours at least he and Sophie would break off by themselves to spend some time alone, something which Phillip and Michael (like the absolute traitors they were) affably encouraged them to do.

Sophie and Benedict were still going from strength to strength heading into seventh year and while Colin had at this point become accustomed to the fact that they were very much an item, it didn't mean his exasperation caused by their relationship had eased any further. Fortunately for Colin, on the first Hogsmeade weekend of the new school year Benedict was away, and so the friendship group remained in tact without any hangers-on and it felt nice to have Sophie's undivided attention within the group again after so long. However, it didn't go unnoticed by other students that Sophie's boyfriend hadn't made it to their regular Hogsmeade meet up as he had done for the previous year.

"Oi, Bridgerton." Cavender sidled up to Colin just as they had left Charms. "Is it true Sophie and your brother are on the rocks?"

"What?" Colin asked, not having anticipated the line of questioning.

"Well he was a no-show at the weekend, wasn't he? So it's got people talking that they've broken up, and on top of that apparently he's stopped sending her letters; so have they?"

Colin opened his mouth to clarify that the reason behind Benedict's absence was because his brother had gone abroad with Henry and Wetherby to visit several European art galleries, and as a result his correspondence with Sophie had been reduced to every third day compared to their daily back and forth.

"I'm not sure." were the words that ended up leaving Colin's mouth instead. "It's between them." he shrugged and tried to ignore the growing feeling of unease forming in his stomach due to his fibbing. "Why'd you ask?"

"Well if she's been dumped then I'd be the first in line to offer her a shoulder to cry on." Cavender smirked darkly. "So if you're saying there's a chance,"

"Look, I wouldn't know." Colin interjected. "He's my brother and she's my best friend so I just stay out of it."

"No, I get you." Cavender winked at him before giving him a pat on the back and sauntering off.

Colin decided to shake off the gnawing in his stomach that he had just done something wrong, and instead opted to think that the conversation was perfectly harmless and wouldn't lead to any far-reaching consequences further down the line. And everything seemed that way until several days later when during break time in the courtyard where he was hanging out with Phillip and Michael, Sophie stormed up to him with a furrowed look of consternation across her face.

"Why did you tell Cavender that Ben dumped me?" she asked point-blankly in lieu of any greeting.

Phillip and Michael whipped their heads to Colin as disbelief contorted their expressions.

"I didn't tell him that!" Colin spluttered, since those words had never actually left his mouth.

"Well then why did he have that impression after talking to you?"

"I... I don't know." Colin swallowed, even though he knew exactly the reason why.

"Really? So you didn't give him the go ahead to hit on me and offer to show me a good time?!"

"Colin, what the fuck?!" Phillip swore as Michael closed his eyes and shook his head exasperatedly.

"I never fucking said any of that!" Colin argued, frustrated by whatever yarn Cavender had spun to Sophie.

"Well why did you let him think he could?" Sophie exclaimed.

"Look, he was just asking if you were single because he was interested-"

"And did you put him right?" Sophie interrupted. "Did you tell him that I'm in a loving relationship with your brother, or did that slip your mind somehow?"

"Sophie, I didn't encourage him!" Colin insisted - ignoring the fact that he did nothing to discourage his peer either. "But is it so wrong for someone else to show interest in you?"

He wasn't too surprised by the bewildered expression of fury pulling on Sophie's face in response to his question.

"I have a boyfriend!" she stated.

"Exactly, and he's all you've ever known." Colin replied. "All this time you've had tunnel vision for Ben and Ben alone and you've never thought to look around and consider anyone else, that there might be others out there who like you just as much or maybe even more than Ben and you're missing out."

Sophie stared at him like his head had just shrunk to the size of a pygmy puff. She glanced to both Michael and Phillip before staring incredulously at Colin once more.

"I'm in love with your brother, Colin! Why the hell would you want me to be considering anyone else?!"

"Oh so you think Ben's back home holed up in his room pining after you hour after hour? You think he isn't going out with Anthony or his mates and checking out other girls, being tempted by other girls, having fun with other girls as he waits for you to graduate school? Because if you think he isn't then you're far more naive than I thought you were. So excuse me for trying to help you realise that there's plenty of other fish in the sea for when Ben outgrows you and ends things!"

Sophie stared at her best friend, her mouth open ajar and her eyes glistening with upset from what he had just thrown back at her. Colin maintained her gaze, if only to ignore the daggers Phillip and Michael were glaring into him in his periphery. He was expecting a rebuttal, for Sophie to scream something back at him; but instead she shook her head miserably, turned on her feet, and marched off. Phillip glared at him and strode straight after her, catching up to her in seconds as they went back inside.

Colin wasn't shocked when he received a smack around the head a second later.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Michael growled at him. "Why would you say any of that to her?"

"I'm just preparing her-"

"Preparing her for what?! When has your brother shown anything other than utter love and devotion to her?"

"They're too young to be this settled-"

"Oh what, you mean like Anthony and Kate? You mean like your parents were?" Michael retorted. "Face it, this has nothing to do with you looking out for Sophie's best interests! This is just you being a massive fucking prick for no good reason!"

Michael began to storm off too before turning on his heel to face Colin again.

"And Cavender? Really? Of all people to stand back for and let them have a shot with her, that's who you gave the go ahead to? You really are a fucking idiot." Michael swore before kissing his teeth and shooting Colin a dirty glare before stalking off.

For the remainder of the term Colin had to lie in the bed he had made for himself as only Michael maintained his companionship (and Colin was sure that was only reluctantly since they shared a dormitory and sat together in most of their classes). Sophie went out of her way to avoid him at every single turn and Phillip aligned himself with her while making it clear to Colin he wasn't going to forgive him until Sophie had, judging by the stony-face he was always met with from him whenever he looked over in their direction.

Back at Aubrey Hollow for Christmas, Colin had anticipated some sort of showdown, having expected Sophie to tell all to Benedict about their falling out but much to his surprise his brother seemed puzzled by the recent division between the pair. Colin had thought he and Sophie would have to talk eventually since they would share his bedroom like they always had, but instead his parents had allowed Sophie to share Benedict's bed now that she was eighteen. It meant that there was little to no crossover between them over the course of the festive break and even if she wasn't with Benedict, Sophie surrounded herself with the rest of his family to keep Colin at arm's length. It was just as Colin was starting to think their friendship was beyond repair that there was a knock at his bedroom door and in walked Benedict and Sophie hand in hand, though the latter didn't look quite so thrilled to be there.

"Okay look," Benedict started with a sigh, giving Sophie's hand a squeeze as he looked to his brother, "I don't know what on earth has happened between you two since you both refuse to talk about it, but this can't go on. I know how much you mean to each other, you've been best friends all this time and I'd hate to see you fall out over... well, whatever it is you've fallen out over, okay? So, I'm going to leave you to talk things out and I just hope that you can make amends. Really, I hate seeing you both like this and I just don't see what could have gotten between you for this to even happen in the first place."

With one last squeeze of Sophie's hand and giving her a quick peck on the cheek, Benedict gave an imperative nod to his brother before exiting the room and closing the door after him. Silence hung between the two friends, with Colin sat on his bed while Sophie hovered in the middle of his bedroom with her arms crossed, both of them equally uncomfortable as the other.

"You didn't tell him anything?" Colin broke the pained silence.

"As much as I can't bear to be around you, I didn't want to see Ben beat you up or duel you for what you said." she replied.

He nodded, appreciative that in spite of her disdain for him that she still considered him enough to not want to set Benedict on him and upset the relationship between the brothers.

"I know you clearly don't like me and Ben being together, and I know we irritate you... but I never thought you were cruel enough to say the things you did. That you thought I was punching above my weight with Ben-"

"No, no, no, no, no!" Colin jumped to his feet, immediately concerned by Sophie's croaking voice. "Sophie, I never thought for a second you were punching with him, that's not what I think."

"Then why did you say-"

"Because I'm the world's biggest arsehole! Everything I said was just me being hurtful and pathetic for no other reason than... I don't even know why. Sophie, I really am so sorry for upsetting you and saying a bunch of things that had no weight behind them. You're right, I was cruel and I was not just a lousy friend but a lousy brother for painting Ben out to be like that just to be a dick. I don't expect you to forgive me and honestly I wouldn't blame you if you never did, but I miss our friendship so much. Ben's right, you mean so much to me and I hate not being friends with you. I just want to make things right between us again-"

He stopped short when Sophie threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, an embrace he immediately latched onto and hugged her back in equal measure, relieved by the physical show of forgiveness even if he didn't think he quite deserved it.

"I've really missed you too." she told him. "And I'm sorry for upsetting you-"

"Nothing you've ever done has upset me." he assured her. "I'm entirely at fault here, Soph. I'm just... I'm just a stupid piece of shit, really. And don't try to say I'm not."

"Well okay, if you insist." she exhaled with amusement into his shoulder and Colin was just relieved to have his best friend back and to be able to make laugh again.

Once they had returned to Hogwarts the Awesome Foursome were reunited once more, with Michael and Phillip both willing to move past the fallout now that Colin had Sophie's forgiveness, and the reunion arrived just in time as preparation for their NEWTs kicked off. Together they studied and revised and kept each other sane, though Sophie seemed noticeably distressed more than usual ahead of the exams, but that was understandable with the pressure weighing down on them all more than ever to do well.

A welcome break for the gang was Quidditch, with Colin and Michael as Hufflepuff beaters, and Sophie and Phillip as substitute Ravenclaw seeker and keeper respectively. While Colin and Michael helped their house romp to victory in their second game of the school year against Gryffindor, Sophie and Phillip were called up as last minute substitutes ahead of Ravenclaw's match against Slytherin.

When he wasn't playing for Hufflepuff, Colin was one of the student commentators and so his voice was echoing around the Quidditch pitch during the Ravenclaw versus Slytherin game, barely trying to conceal his bias for the former team with two of his best friends playing on it (regardless of his two younger sisters playing for the opposing team). Slytherin were being thrashed by the competition, with little to no chance of ever defying the odds, and their fate was all but sealed as soon as the snitch appeared and Sophie sped off to claim victory for her team. Colin boastfully narrated his friend weaving her way through the stands in her chase of the fluttering golden ball, watching her intently as she reached out to catch the snitch - but then in flew Cavender.

Cavender was one of the Slytherin chasers and yet there was a beater's bat in his hand. It would be understandable if one of his beaters had dropped it and he had managed to catch it for them, or even if he was using it to hit an oncoming bludger headed his way; but there were no bludgers at his end of the pitch. Instead he was soaring towards Sophie armed with a bat, his face red with a demonic grin; and while aiming for her, he swung.

Despite being on the opposite side of the oval pitch, Colin heard the crack as loud and clear as if he was right next to it. Gasps went up all around the pitch and across the stands and everyone watched as Sophie dropped instantly from her broom, falling like a ragdoll towards the earth below her. Someone's yelling was sounding all around, but Colin was too hysterical to realise that it was coming from him crying out into the microphone as he watched his best friend plummeting through the air - until Phillip snatched her up in his arms after making a desperate dive for her.

Colin barely even remembered how he got from the commentator's box to the infirmary, it was all a blur; all he could focus on was his best friend lying unconscious in the hospital wing as he clutched her hand. Phillip, still in his keeper's uniform, was clutching her other hand, and Michael was holding her ankle at the end of the bed; all three of them praying for her to wake up soon. Sitting on a free neighbouring bed also shaken up by the events were Colin's three younger sisters as well as Posy and Penelope as they worriedly held vigil for Sophie's health.

He didn't know how long they had been sat waiting there for any news when suddenly the doors to the hospital wing burst open and Benedict stormed in, followed after by his parents and Kate. As soon as Benedict caught sight of Sophie, Colin could see his blanched face pale even more, and Phillip swiftly moved out of the way to allow a frantic Benedict to take his place in holding her hand.

"What on earth happened?" Violet gasped as Edmund stared in horror at Sophie while Kate brought a hand to her mouth.

"A member of the Slytherin team hit her over the head with a beater's bat." Professor Danbury explained.

"By accident?" Edmund swallowed.

"No." Daphne, dressed in her Slytherin Quidditch robes, shook her head right away. "It wasn't an accident."

"He snatched Eloise's bat from her and just took off after Sophie." Posy said.

"Why would someone do this to her? Who could want to hurt her?" Violet shook her head in shock.

"Unfortunately Mr Cavender has been causing problems for quite some time now." Professor Danbury exhaled, and Colin watched the way Benedict kept his teary-eyed gaze focused on Sophie and gently caressed her face. "He's been reprimanded for several years for harassing some of his female peers, and sadly Sophie's been his most recent target."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked.

"Since the start of this term Mr Cavender has been reported for verbally abusing Sophie in the hallways, spreading false rumours about her around school, and making sexually inappropriate comments towards her."

Colin's face fell and he cracked his neck towards the headteacher, stunned by the revelation that Cavender had been targeting Sophie behind his back. Though, when he cast a look at his friends, both Phillip and Michael seemed just as taken aback by the news as he was. How on earth had none of them been aware of what was going on with their own best friend?

"What? If that's the case then why weren't we informed?!" Violet demanded to know, frowning at the headteacher for answers.

"It was other teachers and prefects who reported the harassment to me. Mr Cavender was warned and given punishments on several occasions, and I even called Sophie to my office to let her know we were doing everything we could to put an end to the situation. I told her I'd contact you as her guardians to inform you of what was happening but she begged me not to." Danbury explained. "She insisted she didn't want any fuss and that she didn't want to concern anyone undeservedly. I explained that we needed to let you know regardless but she pleaded with me not to and justified that if the situation was put to rest that nobody needed to be informed. She was so desperate for there not to be any trouble that I relented but I asked her if she was at least confiding in her friends about it, that she at least had people to talk about it with, though now I realise she really was trying to keep it all to herself, the poor thing."

Colin felt a pit burrowing in his stomach, an endless abyss of guilt that Sophie for whatever reason didn't feel comfortable or think it worthwhile to let anyone know about her ordeal by the hands of Cavender - a guy who he had essentially stood back to allow to go after her. When he looked to his brother he saw tears trickling down Benedict's face, utterly devastated that his girlfriend had been suffering in silence without telling anyone.

"Is she going to be okay?" Edmund asked despairingly to the matron as she joined them.

"She will be, though she'll be here for at least a week."

"How bad was it?"

"She suffered a fractured skull and swelling to the brain," Colin hung his head, clasping Sophie's limp hand in between his as he processed the severity of her injuries, "but I've already administered Skele-Gro and given her an elixir to ease the swelling. She'll be in quite a bit of pain when she comes round but I'll keep her medicated until she's fully healed and recovered."

As much as everyone who loved and cared about Sophie wanted to stay, the matron restricted the amount of visitors meaning the majority of them had to leave for the time being. With the matron estimating it would be a few hours at least until Sophie came round, Kate was able to encourage Phillip, Daphne, and Eloise - all still dressed in their Quidditch attire - to go change their clothes and she coaxed Posy, Francesca, Penelope, and Michael to get something to eat as well. As she shepherded them out of the hospital wing, Violet and Edmund followed Danbury to her office, wanting to witness for themselves Cavender's repercussions for his horrendous actions. It meant Colin and Benedict stayed by Sophie's bedside, sitting in forlorn companionable silence as they waited for her to wake up.

Colin kept looking from the state of his best friend, the bandages around her head offsetting the seemingly peaceful tranquility of her slumber, to his brother who was clearly suffering from heartache as he rested his face against the hand of hers he was clutching closely, intermittently pressing his lips against her hand as he willed her on to be okay. The guilt was eating Colin up inside, seeing what Cavender had done to his best friend, and all because he had been an immature brat over Sophie's relationship with his brother.

"I'm sorry." he choked out after they had been sitting there for who knows how long.

"What?" Benedict blinked a few seconds later, so fixated on Sophie that he barely registered his brother's voice.

"I'm sorry. For everything." Colin trembled. "This is all my fault."

"Colin?" Benedict frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"It's my fault she's lying here. That she's got a fractured skull and fricking swelling on the brain."

"Col," Benedict reached out and touched his arm, "this isn't your fault. It's that cretin's; he's the one who attacked her and has been harassing her. This isn't on you."

"He asked me if you two had broken up." Colin blurted out. "Back in October when you were away in Europe and didn't go to Hogsmeade, and I should have just shut him down then and there... but I was a prat, I was so stupid and thoughtless and instead of telling him you were still together I just acted like I didn't know. I never encouraged him to actually go after Sophie but I didn't discourage him either... and now he's done this to her and been harassing her all this time and it's all because of me, because I was petty and jaded for no fucking reason and... I'm the reason she's lying here." he sobbed, hating himself inherently for all the pain he had caused Sophie by giving Cavender and inch and thus letting Cavender take it to a mile.

He had never felt low, so pathetic, like the worst friend in the whole world - and then Benedict reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Colin, listen to me; this is not your fault." he intoned.

"It is-"

"No it's not. Cavender is the scum of the earth. He's the one who's inflicted his harassment on her, he's the one who battered her over the head; that is not on you." he insisted. "I remember him when I was still here and he's always treated girls horribly. I'm surprised he hasn't done something on this scale before to get himself expelled. I even remember when Sophie and I started dating, I caught him eyeballing us on several occasions, but now in retrospect he must have been zeroing in on Sophie. As much as it hurts to think about, I reckon he's had her in his sights for quite some time and was waiting for any opportunity to swoop in. He might have thought if we had broken up then she would have been easy for him." he shuddered.

"But if I hadn't told him I didn't know,"

"No, Col. You could have told him to get lost then and there; but does Cavender seem like the type to take no for an answer? It wouldn't have mattered if you had told him no or told him you didn't know; he was going to go after her no matter what. So please; don't you dare blame yourself for this. He's the only person I blame for this." Benedict swallowed as he sadly looked over to Sophie.

Colin nodded, accepting that Cavender was a nasty piece of work and knowing if the roles were reversed he wouldn't let Benedict or anyone else blame themselves for the awful actions of a reprehensible monster.

"But I am sorry for how I've treated you guys." Colin said, needing to make his apology known while he had the chance. "I have been such a dick towards you two when you didn't deserve it."

Benedict stewed on his brother's apology for a beat, rubbing his thumb against the back of Sophie's hand as he watched her pensively.

"Can I ask why you were so rattled by us being together? Do you think we're not going to work out or is it feeling like a third wheel,"

"I don't even know." Colin shook his head. "I was just shell-shocked when I found out you were together. I just never once thought you two might ever get together or considered anything of the sort, so it just threw me through a loop. I didn't know how to process it. Then I guess there was a bit of jealousy that you stole my best friend from me... but I was just being an immature brat, I know that now. I just clung onto that petty resentment even when everyone else was telling me to get a grip and chill out."

"Well, I am sorry for upsetting you." Benedict said sincerely. "If you felt betrayed we didn't tell you first, or even admit to you that we had feelings for each other before we got together. Maybe it might have been better if we had."

"It might have done... but I honestly think I was just... just being a child about it all." Colin admitted with a sigh. "Because when you two got together we came back to school and the dynamic changed. You two were always together, you were always tagging along with us, and then Phillip started going out with Lucy, and then Michael started dating anyone and everyone; and suddenly we were less of a friendship group doing everything together and everyone was doing what they wanted to do... except me."

"But you've dated people too." Benedict noted.

"Yeah but only because everyone else was so I thought I might as well. But all I wanted to do was hang out just the four of us, like it had always been... I think I was basically too scared of growing up and falling behind, and I think I placed that blame on you and Sophie because if you hadn't got together... I don't know, maybe we'd still be the Awesome Foursome and doing everything as a group, but that was unfair of me to view it like that. And besides, changes are going to happen no matter what, that's life I know... I've just got to deal with it better."

"It's okay, you know. To be scared by change. It's perfectly natural." Benedict told him, his tone as kind and brotherly as it had always been whenever he had given him advice. "Just talk it out. Whether that's with mum and dad, or your friends, or me; we're always going to be here for you whenever you get scared. You know that, right?"

Colin nodded and shot him a small smile. "Thank you."

"Any time." Benedict smiled back, relieved that they had at long last talked things out.

For several minutes they silently revelled in the progress they had made in rebuilding their relationship after nearly two years of the unspoken divide that had grown between them, both of them glad that they were united and had someone to lean on as Sophie rested between them.

"Um, did Sophie mention to you that us lot were thinking of travelling after we've graduated?" Colin gingerly asked.

"Yeah, she mentioned it." Benedict nodded.

"Did... did you want to come with us?"

Benedict clearly hadn't been expecting the question as his head snapped towards his brother and his brows sprung up.

"Wait, really?"

"I knew Sophie had been hesitant when we were talking about it, and I know she must have been weighing up her options figuring she couldn't ask if you could come to keep the peace; but it would be stupid of me to want to exclude you."

"I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable-"

"You wouldn't." Colin shook his head. "Truly you wouldn't. I might have been a dickhead and in denial for the longest time; but you make Sophie happy and she makes you happy. You've both been happier than I've ever known you ever since you've been together, and I don't understand why I tried to stand in the way of that - man, I've been such a dick." he huffed with vexed mortification of himself. "I love you both so much and all I want is for you both to be truly loved and utterly happy; and you're the happiest when you're together. So please come with us. It would mean the world to Sophie."

A soft smile broke out on Benedict's face and he nodded. "I'd be honoured - just don't get expect me to pick you up and take care of you when you're getting shit-faced."

"That's fine - but you've got to keep it down in the bedroom; I don't want to hear any of that for the sake of our relationship."

"Deal." Benedict chuckled.

Colin went to make another joke when their attention was stolen by the groaning from the bed - Sophie was stirring.

"Sophie." Benedict gasped and jumped to his feet, clutching her hand closer. "Sophie, are you okay?"

The groaning turned into a pained hiss and Sophie struggled to open her eyes properly.

"It hurts." she whimpered.

Without being asked Colin immediately ran off to grab the matron, leaving Benedict to reassure Sophie, gentle soothing her through the pain that must be affecting her head. When the matron accompanied Colin back to the bed she delicately explained to Sophie her injuries and told her she needed another dose of the potions that had already been administered, but warned her they had horrible tastes and would cause her some unease for a few minutes before the painkillers kicked in. Like a trooper, Sophie endured the medicines but as she settled again she winced in agony as the elixirs worked their magic.

"Squeeze my hand, Soph. As tight are you want." Benedict told her and rested his free hand on her shoulder to let her know he wasn't going anywhere.

"Same here." Colin added.

"Colin?" she wheezed. "You're here too?"

"Course I am. And the matron's gone to get everyone else. We've been so worried about you."

"But I'm going to be okay." she whimpered, half trying to comfort him, half uncertain that she would.

"You're going to make a full recovery, sweetheart. It just might hurt for a while longer." Benedict assured her and rubbed at her shoulder.

"Okay." she swallowed with a timid nod.

"Just think good thoughts, Soph. Look forward to all the chocolate we're going to get you to eat for your stay here." Colin said and smiled as soon as his mental image prompted a smile from her. "And you can also look forward to our interrailing trip. Ben's going to come with us, and we're going to have the best time, I promise you."

"Really?" she looked from him to Benedict. "You're coming too?"

"Colin invited me." Benedict told her encouragingly. "I wouldn't pass it up for the world."

"Oh I'm so glad." Sophie smiled, though winced again from the pain of the Skele-Gro affecting her skull.

"Take it easy, Soph."

"Well then, stop making me smile about what I've got to look forward to." she teased back, though it was then followed up by an involuntary cry as the potions continued burning their way through her system.

"It's okay, Soph. It's okay." Benedict tried assuring her, though Colin could see how awful it was for his brother to watch his girlfriend writhing in agony.

"I hate feeling weak." she croaked out.

"That's the last thing you are." Colin stated. "You're the bravest, strongest person I've ever met. So don't you dare think so lowly of yourself."

"Okay." she whined and when another wave of pain went through her she dropped a hold of Colin's hand and instead gripped Benedict's hand between both of hers. "Oh, Ben..."

"I'm right here, baby. I'm going to stay right by your side, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

Colin looked to his brother and in that moment he saw for himself just how utterly devoted and in love he was with Sophie; and after everything she had endured in life, that's all Colin ever wanted for her, and at long last he fully accepted that she and Benedict were meant for each other and that there could be no one else who could love her better than his brother could.

Knowing Sophie well enough, Colin knew she'd much prefer to not let anyone else see her like this because as much as she hated feeling weak, she hated being viewed as weak even more. He told Sophie he'd preempt the arrival of the others and get them to wait outside the hospital wing until she was ready for visitors, which she was gratefully relieved to hear. He gave her shoulder a reassuring rub and then made his way to the doors of the infirmary, but before he left he took one last look at Benedict comforting Sophie through her affliction, watching for a beat as his brother continued to soothe her as best as he could. Safe in the knowledge that his best friend was being cared after by the person who loved her most, Colin let out a sigh of relief and exited the room.

#asks #you wanted the angst door opened well here ya go lmao #meet me at midnight au #harry potter au

[themilkybarboy]

The Bridgertons Favourite in-laws

Anthony- Simon, they were best friends for years and that shouldn’t be over looked.

Kate - Lucy, she reminds her of herself and she feels very protective of her

Benedict- Kate, he saw how much of a change Anthony underwent when Kate came into his life and how much happier he became. Plus they are painting buddies and she has the best tolerance for listening to him talk about art for ages.

Sophie- Daphne, the fact that she is a whole ass Duchess but treats her as an equal makes her feel even more secure in the bridgertons love for her and their lack of care about her birth. She also finds her slightly gentler than the rest of them but they still both have that same good hearted sturdiness and backbone in them. She feels a kind of kinship with Gareth as well due to the whole bastard thing and is always willing to reassure him if needed

Colin- Michael, they are said in the books to be quite similar and have the same type of disposition and so they usually get along really well. He also is fond of Lucy. He thinks they are similar. Everyone but Daphne and Gareth disagrees. Gregory just doesn’t see it.

Penelope- Eloise (that goes without saying) She is close with all of the Bridgertons having spent so much time with all of them. But she is rather fond of hyacinth as she is felicity’s best friend and they both get along well with lady Danbury. And she gets along really well with Francesca as their sense of humour is the same and they are both really sharp and observant

Daphne - Gareth, he reminds her of a younger Simon with the whole daddy issues thing and so she feels slightly protective of him. She is also happy that hyacinth found someone who truly appreciated her as she was their for hyacinths other seasons and like Anthony was slightly worried. She was also fairly fond of Penelope due to the fact she knew her so long and because she managed to get her favourite brother to stay in the country.

Simon- Anthony (they were best friends for years) But also Phillip , he admires that he has a desire to further his academic interest (in the books it’s said that Simon came first in his university for maths and that he was really smart) he also likes that they are both comfortable in silence and so he doesn’t feel under any pressure to talk or perform the usual social airs.

Eloise - Penelope (obviously) she really admires Sophie though for how hard she worked. Also Kate for her independence and self assurance.

Phillip- Simon, they really connected over the whole my dad really sucked thing and he admires how Simon didn’t let it affect his own parenting. They are also both probably the least comfortable in social settings.

Francesca- Penelope, she always noted how observant and witty she was and wanted to be like her in that sense when she was younger, she also knew there was more to her than everyone else saw (I mean she even suggested her to Michael).

Michael- Phillip , honestly he just likes his vibe. They are both a bit less used to polite society than most people having been apart from it for quite a while and he finds him chill to be around.

Gregory- Michael, listen Gregory’s a total romantic and the repressing your love for someone for years because she is married to your cousin is like an act of double love for both Fran and John and honestly I think Gregory would think Michael is a really great guy for that. He is also quite boisterous and happy as is Gregory. Kate as well but that’s obvious.

Lucy- Kate, I mean it’s canon she thinks she is an absolute queen and like totally fair.

Hyacinth- Penelope and Sophie, she views Penelope as an older sister in a way, she was there so often growing up plus with how close she was with felicity it was inevitable. (She also has the lady Danbury stamp of approval) And Sophie she finds really comforting, maybe it’s because she was her ladies maid for a brief period of time but she always feel cared for in her presence and it makes her slightly calmer

Gareth- Simon and Penelope, both have the lady Danbury stamp of approval which he is surprised to find matters to him. He sees Simon as somewhat of a role model. He let go of his issues with his father he opened himself up to the family that the bridgertons offered and was also really smart. Penelope he just thought was soooo cool because of how crafty and sneaky the whole whistledown thing was like he was mad impressed. He is also super grateful to Sophie as she was really comforting about the whole bastard situation.

#bridgerton #anthony bridgerton #kathani sharma #kate sharma #benedict bridgerton #sophie beckett #colin bridgerton #penelope featherington #daphne bridgerton #simon basset #eloise bridgerton #sir phillip crane #phillip crane #francesca bridgerton #michael stirling #gregory bridgerton #lucy abernathy #hyacinth bridgerton #gareth st clair #bridgerton siblings #Bridgerton spouses

[drywit-dimpledsmile]

BridgertonBabe Drabble/AU (in timeline order)

Literally no one asked for this, not even @bridgertonbabe​ but as someone who love Shinnie’s writing and for those who love to keep up with her non-official fics, I had some time to spare to get everything organized for her fics not on AO3:

Royals AU

Long Story Short (the entire summary of the Benophie love story)

RIP King Edmund May He Rest in Peace

ABCG Serves in the Military: a summary

It’s not a Bridgerton story without scandal!

How Sophie Met Her Teenage Crush

How Benedict Met The Love of His Life

Prince Benedict and Sophie’s First Date

Sophie and Benedict Learn to Compromise

House Bridgerton Finds Out

Benedict and Sophie Find Out that Everyone Else Found Out

Princess Sophie and her GNO

Popping the Question

Teenage Dream

Prince Benedict and Miss Sophie Beckett’s Engagement Announcement

Royals fight off the Media

Sophie’s First Royal Engagement

Sophie Sees My Cottage For the First Time

Queen Violet Gives Sophie a Wedding Present

An Interrupted Honeymoon Surprise

The Princess-ification of Sophie Beckett

House Bridgerton tries to take a Family Photo

Prince Charlie Gets Baptized and of course his cousins are up to no good

Princess Sophie and Queen Lucy and their no good, terrible relatives

Queen Kate and Princess Sophie Get Lady Boners for their husbands at a polo match

Baby Violet is Born

Prince Benedict is a Girl Dad (pt. 1)

Prince Benedict is a Girl Dad (pt. 2)

2 Little Girls and their Merry Rake Uncle

House Bridgerton Shenanigans

King Anthony is Tired of his Family

The Benophie (Royal) Babies are Ranked by their Parents

Long Live The Queen!

Harry Potter AU:

Violet Has a Vision 

Edmund Figures It Out

ABC Rescue Sophie

Ember’s Origin Story (Ember the Owl Adventures - in timeline order)

Ember Adopts Benedict as her surrogate father

Hyacinth’s obsession with Sophie continues in every universe and Ember is stuck in the middle

Ember Gets Attacked by Gnomes

The Gnome at Dinner incident

Professor Danbury Meets Ember

Edmund bonds with his first “grandchild” (*the grandchild is an owl)

The Benophie Babies with Ember

Pre-Yule Ball Bliss

Summary of Benedict F*&KING up (Pt. 1) :-) 

*BONUS: Summary of Benedict NOT F*&KING up (AN AU OF AN AU)

Benedict and Sophie’s Yule Ball First Kiss

Benedict finds out about Fletcher

The Menace Called Fletcher

Screaming the wrong name in bed (Benedict’s Version)

Benedict F*&KING up (Pt. 2) :-)

Screaming the wrong name in bed (Sophie’s Version)

Michael’s 23rd Birthday

The Panic Attack Saved In True HP fashion: with Love

Sophie and Benedict Struggle to Conjure their Patronuses

Anthony Fails at Being a Wingman

Best Man and Bridesmaid duties (ft. Kathony)

FINALLY!

Sophie’s First Time That In Retrospect She’s Glad it didn’t happen in a Greek Beach

Protecting their Love Bubble

Sophie Gets Moved In (and other stuff)

Colin attempts to Crucio Ben

The Lingerie Everyone Needs in Life

Benedict Thinks Sophie Beckett is the most perfect human on the planet (VALID)

Colin and Philip Reconcile after Baby Mama Drama and Sophie and Benedict Get Engaged

Sophie Has a Tumble (tw//miscarriage)

Little Charlie is Born

Colin the Cat crawls his way into the My Cottage Family

The Benophie Babies Get Sorted!

William Turns his Brothers into Weasels

William Gets a Howler 

Irwins AU

Long Story Short

Sophie is the Bridgerton’s Biggest Fan Girl

Edmund Becomes Sophie’s Dad

Benophie Loves Elephants 

The Benophie Babies are Introduced (LION KING STYLE)

The Umbrella Academy AU

Umbrella Academy Assemble?

Benedict Becomes the Man of Sophie’s Dreams...Literally

Bridgertons Assemble?

Sophie Forgets

All Hell Breaks Loose

Benedict and Sophie Finally Reunite....Then Time Travel Splits Them Up :( 

If I missed anything let me know! 

UPDATED (10/26/22): with the Ember the Owl Adventures

UPDATED (4/5/23): with 5 months worth of new drabbles and new fics!

#bridgertonbabe #benedict bridgerton #sophie beckett #benophie #luke thompson #fanfic #bridgerton #benedict x sophie

[sea-owl]

I have had a shitty day today.

What has put a smile on my face is your accidental marriage trope.

Tell me, what kind of a shitshow does Phillip walk in to ag his first family dinner?

How does he top the chaos with his twins?

Not going to lie, I kinda want it to end with Violet smoking a cigarette in the garage. Trying to recover

I'm sorry you had such a bad day lovley.

Let's see, I've been debating this for a while but what if the accidental marriage also happened in the Full House au. So now we got the Crane twins running wild but they're being horrible influences on their younger cousins. Meanwhile Penelope is trying to stay calm because holy shit the random man from London aka her baby daddy was also here.

The Bridgertons descend on Phillip's home so they can work out some sort of agreement for the anullment, and they're nosy. They need to see what kind of man Eloise married, even if it's only temporary. Plus, since they're trying to stay on the downlow, it would be more inconspicuous for the family to travel separately to an unknown location to the media than to one of their homes.

One by one, the Bridgertons started to show. First to show was Sophie and Benedict, who live the closest. Anthony, Kate, and Violet were next. Violet just had to scout out the new potential grand babies. She has a gut feeling this Phillip fellow and his family are gonna be around longer than what the others think, no matter what Anthony says. Daphne and Simon follow behind. Gregory and Hyacinth drove all the way from University to see this shit show, some good quality entertainment right here. Colin and Francesca are the last to arrive.

Michael can't tell who's tenser between his two friends. He can understand why Phillip is tense. The Bridgertons are a powerful family. Hell, he remembers when John first started dating Francesca how big of a deal it was. Now, here was poor Phillip who just accidentally married in on a drunken night. Penelope has a story with these people though, he can tell.

The meal itself goes well. The Bridgertons ask questions. They learn Phillip is a botanist and a part time professor. He's never been married. He's 30. Favorite color is green. His two friends live with him mainly because he doesn't know what to do with this big house he inherited, so why not let his friends live with him. Two of the four children living in the house are his. No one admits that those children are from drunken one night stands. Better to keep that quiet.

Michael and Penelope get asked questions too. More so Penelope than Michael since Michael already knows the Bridgertons.

Things start getting interesting when they discuss the plan for Eloise's and Phillip's anullment.

"We can't do the anullment right away. The media is in a frenzy right now from Eloise's posts," Anthony starts. "That being said, they'll also be in an even bigger frenzy should we do the anullment too soon or if Eloise is spotted living with one of us. Do you mind her staying here?"

Phillip looked from Michael to Penelope. While it was his house, they lived here too, and he was always fair about them getting their say. Michael shrugged, he didn't mind. Eloise could easily keep up with the kids, and it seems like she's developing a fast friendship with Penelope, too.

"That's fine," Phillip agreed. "Just as long as the children living here are kept out of the media."

Anthony nodded. If there was one thing the Bridgertons could do, it was control the narrative. If they didn't want someone to be known, they could do it. I mean, look at Francesca, no one could find anything about her online unless she shared it. "Our family would feel more comfortable if two of us could possibly check in and keep an eye on things."

Eloise raised an eyebrow. "Are you siccing a babysitter on me?"

"I'm sending damage control," Anthony shot back. "You know Colin and Francesca are some of the best at getting the media to calm down."

"Why can't it be Benedict?" Eloise questioned.

Everyone looked towards the said Bridgerton and his very pregnant wife sitting next to him.

"Very well," Eloise muttered.

"Besides," Colin said. "We'll only be checking in. Officially, Fran and I will be visiting Benedict and Sophie to help them prepare for the baby."

Michael watched Penelope tensed further as Phillip agreed to the babysitters. He really needed to get that story out of her.

Then Violet asked to see the children. "I brought some sweets for them."

Phillip and Penelope got up to go get their respective sets of twins while Eloiseled her family to the sitting. Michael follows his friends to give the Bridgertons some privacy, and he figured this was his best chance to talk to his own little family.

Once they were far enough away from the dining room and not in hearing distance of the kids, Michael pulled his friends to the side. "You two need to relax. I don't know who was tenser between the two of you. I bet if we had put some coal in your hands, we could have made diamonds."

Phillip sighed while Penelope shot Michael a dirty look.

Michael shrugged. "Hey the scary part is over. Now we get to watch Violet get the kids on a sugar high."

Phillip rubbed his temples. "Oh lord, Amanda and Oliver on sugar."

Michael laughed. "Oh, I can't wait for my nibblings' chaos. But before that," Michael turned to the short red head. "What was with you this evening? I understand why Phillip was tense. But you were just as bad."

Penelope let out her own sigh. "Do you remember the random man from London?"

"Your drunken one night stand baby daddy? Yeah, what about him?"

"He's in the sitting room."

Both boys jaws dropped. "Which one?!"

"The babysitter," Penelope answered.

Michael couldn't help himself, he really couldn't. He busted out laughing. "So let me get this straight. The Bridgertons, one of the most powerful families in the country, the same people who gave even my perfect cousin John a hard time. You," he points to Phillip, "accidentally marry one, and you," he points to Penelope, " have babies with another. All thanks to drunk nights!"

Oh this was perfect! Michael couldn't wait to see this shit show play out. Couldn't ask for better entertainment.

"Aren't you in love with Francesca? Who's the other babysitter?"

Oh now why did they have to be rude and bring that up?

#bridgerton #philoise #polin #franchael #accidental marriage #full house au #besties michael phillip and penelope #pray for them yall #they need the singular bridgerton brain cell to work in their favor #phillip crane #michael stirling #penelope featherington

[devoted-to-colin-farrell]

My friends and I often have conversations about actors who are cast in movies including why were they cast for that role, such and such would have been better in the role. Everyone has their opinion! I think it is particularly true of long standing characters like James Bond or superheroes like Batman, Spiderman, The Hulk. There’s always a favourite! In my mind’s eye, I can see my favourites. When you think of Batman who do you think of? (Michael Keaton!)

I think that Colin is very gracious. He says he works just as hard in all his roles and doesn’t know which ones will land with audiences but he hopes it is at least entertaining and has not wasted their time or money.

I put my money towards things that I believe in or will enjoy. I’d pay to see any movie that Colin Farrell is in. There are lots of leading actors that I would not do the same for. They could be great but not my cup of tea!

Colin said, “You can’t judge an actor’s ability based on their choices, you can judge an actor’s career based on the choices they make but you can’t judge their ability based on their choices.”

The photo of Colin Farrell is from the World Premiere of The Batman on 1 March 2022 in New York City.

#colin farrell #best actor #ireland #the batman #actors #the penguin