#This brought to you by a conversation with my wife yesterday

[talaricula]

Things I've seen tumblr memeing about James Somerton doing à la "How did no one see how bigoted he was!" as if those things haven't been a significant part of tumblr culture for over a decade :

Presenting untrue and bordering on conspiratorial versions of (queer or otherwise marginalised) history without any sources

Completely disregarding and disrespecting any expertise on socio-cultural topics/humanities and distrusting academics and historians (incl. acting as if no academics or historians could be queer or marginalised)

Downplaying the role misogyny played in the historical oppression of queer women and concluding that queer men must have been more oppressed than queer women

Bi women are, at best, not as queer as "real" queer ppl, and at worst, simply equivalent to straight women

Despite nominal trans inclusivity, transmasculine ppl are functionally women when convenient (combined with the above, bi transmascs are functionally straight women)

Despite nominal trans inclusivity (bis), shamelessly attacking, threatening and actively endangering any trans woman who questions them or smth they find important (often by unfairly presenting her as violent or as a threat)

Having absolutely fucking wild and reductive takes about ace ppl, the oppression they face and their place in the queer community

Stating that marriage equality is an assimilationist fight while completely ignoring its direct roots in the horrifying consequences of the AIDS crisis for partners of ppl who died of AIDS

Praising western media creators from the past for queer coding even under censure and in the same breath condemning current non western media creators for being homophobic bc their representation isn't explicit enough

Blaming China for all existing homophobic censoring in western media

Assuming all queer media would be better told by western creators and by western standards

Only out queer ppl get to tell queer stories

Heavily criticising almost all queer media created by women or ppl they see as such (see above points about trans ppl) or involving/starring a significant amount of women for any perceived or real amount of "problematicness", but fawning over and praising and negating criticism of queer media created by and starring mostly or even functionally exclusively men (even when it could be argued that, you know, not involving/seriously sidelining women is a pretty clear example of misogyny which should probably be considered "problematic")

And I'm probably forgetting stuff or there's stuff I have internalised myself and don't recognise as an issue

Like idk but I feel like the takeaway from Hbomberguy and Toddintheshadow's videos should maybe be "be aware of such patterns in your communities bc they definitely exist" and not "this guy is uniquely awful" and I feel like a lot of the discussion I've seen surrounding this has been severely failing at that. Most ppl who've spent any significant amount of time on tumblr prob either have internalised at least one of those thought patterns, have had to de-internalise them, or have had to be extremely vigilant to not internalise them (which is done by, you know, seeking out other sources, which also seemed like an important takeaway from the videos)

[weeknd-ogoc]

BEGGING lll ˳ ׄ ⟡  . CARLOS SAINZ JR.

SUMMARY: in which carlos suffers the consequences of liking an influencer who is younger than him. (ft. lando norris & vinnie hacker)

(part one / part two / part three)

FACE CLAIM: kelsey calemine

CONTAINS: reader is 21, turning 22; 8 year age gap, jealous!carlos, lando still crushing on reader, ex!vinniehacker, a few arguments, & angst due to a breakup !

AUTHOR'S NOTE: the timeline is all scattered so try to pay attention but if you still have questions about it just ask lol and sadly it's going downhill from now on so anyways most of this is in carlos's pov! i'm sorry if you guys end up hating me for the ending! 🤭

ynusername

liked by carlossainz55, landonorris, and 2,221,343 others

ynusername 💋

view all 5,432 comments

username stoppp she always looks so good

francisca.cgomes TAKE ME IM READY

ynusername i sadly can't, im engaged now if you haven't heard! pierriegasly trust me we heard you the first hundred times you told us

username looked at my bf and sighed

carlossainz55 my future wife ❤️

ynusername always and forever ❤️

username who else is here after their breakup announcement

vinniehacker 🙋🏼 username i can't believe they're broken up!

posted on: february 14, 2024

⟡

maybe the two of you had been moving at a fast pace which is why you called off their engagement yesterday morning.

carlos figured that was what was going on these past few months and it all started just a month after you guys got engaged — you had agreed to move to spain into his house but just a few days before moving out, carlos noticed most of your things weren't even packed.

"i'm not mad." carlos quietly said as he helped you cook dinner. "i just would've liked it better if you had told me that you weren't ready inste-"

you hugged him from behind and nodded. "i'm sorry love, i should've told you the truth instead of leading you on..."

then when the new year started, once again you had told him you weren't ready to leave your place on the day you were supposed to leave and he wouldn't have gotten upset if it had just been you and him but he had brought his parents along that week to help you pack.

so the next morning when you had gone to take a quick shower, his mother was bombarding him with her usual questions and concerns about his engagement with you.

"carlos she hasn't even moved in with you yet and you've guys been engaged for four months now." his mother said as she mixed the egg yolks for their pancakes.

his father sighed as he turned the tv off to face the pair. "otra vez con esto?" (again with this)

carlos knew his mother wasn't too fond of you and even though you tried your best to get along with her, he knew you also weren't very fond of her.

"she's just not ready yet..." he shrugged as he wiped his wet hands on a rag. "and she's just turning twenty two soon so she just wants her own space right now which is understandable."

"then maybe you shouldn't have rushed to buy her a rin-"

you had cleared your throat not wanting to hear anymore of their conversation as you walked into your kitchen and went to hug carlos. "i'd like to move in with you still so this week coming up i should have everything ready."

⟡

f1wagupdates

9,832 likes

f1wagupdates just a few weeks after y/n and carlos's announcement of breaking off their engagement, he has been seen at a club celebrating his australian gp win with rebecca donaldson who he was dating before y/n.

view all 762 comments

username omg was he cheating???

username what in the upgrade to downgrade

username at least he's dating someone in his own age range

username someone check on y/n, she's probably so heartbroken!

f1wagupdates check our recent post, she's been seen with her ex boyfriend at the same club! username WHAT username ?????!!!!

posted on: march 24, 2024

⟡

just a few days before you had called off the engagement, you had realized that you missed your period by two weeks and carlos was a little over the moon about it but you were not.

"i mean i do not want kids right now..." you had told him as carlos watched you pace around your shared room, waiting for the test results. "you won't even be able to be here much for the baby due to your jo-"

he finally stood up and stopped you from pacing. "i'll take a break next year obviously amor, i'm going to be here every step of the way for you and our kid."

before he could go on with his plans you interrupted him.

"what about me going back to college? i only took a year off and now i won-"

he looked at you with a confused face trying to think of a time you discussed this. "school? you never told me you wanted to go back."

you scoffed and sat on the bed with piñon who was resting on your side of the bed. "that's because you never listen to the things i tell you..."

the next two minutes the both of you remained quiet and while carlos was trying to come up with a plan to keep you happy, you were praying that the test would come out negative so you wouldn't have to stop your life or let carlos stop his life for a baby.

"it's time." you quietly said as you went to grab the test.

at times you found yourself thinking that maybe getting married at this age would be a mistake or maybe getting married to him would be the mistake — carlos was almost everything you wanted in a man but when he agreed to wait you thought maybe you'd be able to fall in love deeper with him and be ready to get married.

you let out a shaky breath and handed the test to him. "negative."

that following week after the negative test you had already moved out so the next month while carlos watched the saudi arabian grand prix due to him being on bed rest because he had gotten his appendix removed, he kept going back to that day.

"i'm begging you, please do not leave me amor." his voice broke as you had started packing your things. "i'm sorry for not listening to you when you tell me stuff, for not being around as much and we don't even have to get married if you don't want to anymore and we don't even need to have kids ever i-."

"carlos, i need time to decide what i want because this whole time i've been doing everything you want in this relationship..."

you guys were still talking every once in awhile but that was only because he initiated all those texts so when he saw your face in the background of the mclaren's garage on his screen, he finally decided to stop answering your messages.

"what? of coarse not carlos, she's just my friend and i invited her to come to the race and that is all." lando reassured him.

lando had been there to visit him to see how he was doing so carlos nodded, going on to tell him about joining him for the next race.

from y/n ❤️: hey i haven't heard from you in awhile and i heard about your surgery, i hope youre doing well!

to y/n ❤️: i'm doing good, thank you for thinking of me.

and that was the last message you guys sent for a good while.

⟡

f1wagupdates

12,221 likes

f1wagupdates y/n has been seen saying goodbye to her ex boyfriend vinnie hacker at the same club that carlos sainz and rebecca donaldson were seen at.

y/n was seen hanging out with lando norris inside but he had left moments before this interaction with her ex boyfriend, insiders say she actually ended up leaving with vinnie but it is unclear right now.

view all 762 comments

username oh i missed them together!

username was carlos and her's relationship a pr?? this is just weird.

username thats what i'm thinking

username i had so much hope carlos and her would get back together

username she's such a bop and carlos deserved better!

username girl what??? that man is with his ex girlfriend too

posted on: march 24, 2024

⟡

carlos felt like a real dickhead practically drilling questions out of your ex boyfriend after seeing those pictures on that stupid wag profile especially because he had been with his ex girlfriend that same night.

he had only brought her because he had heard from pierre that you were going to be at the club also.

"well i swear she didn't leave with me man." vinnie said before grabbing a bite of his food. "i've hung out with her a few times since you guys-" he stopped himself but when carlos gave him a nod understanding, he continued. "but nothing happened, just friendly chats."

they stayed there a few minutes and ate their food, vinnie felt totally awkward in this situation but then he thought back to when you had broken up with him and he felt what carlos was probably feeling right now.

"i know it's not my business but why'd you guys break up?" vinnie spoke up. "seems like you guys were real happy."

carlos shrugged. "i think i was moving too fast for her."

vinnie knew you were one to run when things were getting too serious which is why you guys always broke up and didn't end up working out.

"i had never loved someone as much as i had loved her." carlos went on to tell him. "even though we were so different, she understood me..."

vinnie nodded. "she loved very hard which always made everything feel so easy with her."

they both had given their all into their relationship with you but at the end of the day it just wasn't enough to keep you around and instead caused you to run when it got too serious.

once they had finish their food and conversation, vinnie was about to leave but stopped himself to turn back to carlos. "but maybe you should have had this conversation with your friend..."

"which friend?"

⟡

ynusername

liked by landonorris, francisca.cgomes, and 3,984,322 others

ynusername 22. 🫖

thank you to my love keeks and her pesky love pierre for throwing me a beautiful birthday party, thank you to everyone who showed up!

view all 6,212 comments

username omgg enjoy your day!

francisca.cgomes i love you my lovee!!

ynusername i love youu 🩷

pierregasly i think you're just as pesky but you're welcome or whatever

username HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLY !!!

username the hair is so cute!!

landonorris i think i gave you the best gift 🙂

ynusername yeah whatever norris, your gift was nice! 🙄

alexandrasaintmleux prettiest girl!!

ynusername you!

carlossainz55 happy birthday! 🎈

liked by ynusername

posted on: march 13, 2024

⟡

"will you stop walking so fast..." lando called out to you trying to catch up.

you had just found out that lando paid for most of the things at your birthday party but told kika and pierre to keep quiet about it.

he huffed when he finally reached you and held onto your arm. "look i'm sorry we should've told you or i should have but i know you love celebrating your birthday and you didn't want to do anything this year so i just wanted to make you happy!"

he knew you weren't upset about him paying things for your party but basically confessing his love for you moments after and you telling him that you did not want to ruin your friendship with him due to you never knowing what you want which led to you running out of his house.

"if you think that your crazy life is going to make me run in the other direction, you are so wrong..." he gently grabbed your cheek and admired the very faint freckles on your face. "we can take it slow like slower than a snail, now don't make me beg!"

you let out a small laugh and rolled your eyes at him.

"you see now you're not taking me serious..." he began getting down to his knees. "i'm going to start beggi-"

"alright fine you goofball, we can start with a lunch." you quickly grabbed his hand and tried your best to pull him back up. "you do not have to beg."

he wiped the dust off his knees and chuckled. "great, it's going to be the best lunch with a friend you have ever had, it'll top all those weekly lunches you have with kika."

a few weeks later after a few more lunches with lando, you had agreed to a dinner - lando made sure to tell you it was just a friendly dinner.

"i'm glad you don't like fish also because i think i would have lef-"

"don't let me run." you interrupted his little rant and held onto his hand. "if i try to run, don't let me alright?"

he nodded grabbing onto your hand just a little bit tighter. "i'd never let you."

⟡

ynspam

liked by francisca.cgomes, alexandrasaintmleux, and 1,462,433 others

ynspam who would've thought

comments limited

username what is going on

francisca.cgomes i approved✨

username is that..?

username im afraid it is

maxfewtrell 🤠

username norizz got the girl???

username FINALLY

carlossainz55 not me

username oh lando is so dead 😭

posted on: june 20, 2024

𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭!

© 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐧𝐝-𝐨𝐠𝐨𝐜 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒. 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐲, 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.

[itssliyahhxoxo]

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡

(𝐁𝐖𝐖𝐖)

(𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐆𝐄 𝐗 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐑)

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: Paige dose an interview were she gets asked about her celebrity crush’s and your name comes up

You were out with some friends when you got the message from you agent she had sent you the video of Paige. You read the comments and saw all the fans going crazy for no reason at all.

You’ve heard of Paige but never really paid any attention to her. “Yo look at this” you’re friend yelled over the loud music she showed you a picture of you and one of Paige’s pictures together on some fan page “damn they fast” you mumbled.

You looked back to your friend “I’ll deal with it later” you walked away to get another drink.

It was now the next morning you were back stage getting your hair and makeup done before your interview with jimmy Fallon for your new movie that’s coming out next week.

“Soo what going on with you and Paige bueckers” you’re makeup artist smirked looking at you in the mirror “what” you looked up.

“Everyone’s talking about you too like you the next big thing” she giggled “no their not,it just happened yesterday” you shook your head “go on twitter and see for yourself” she told you before she left finished with your makeup.

You paused And thought for a minute before giving up and going on twitter. There were pictures of you and her everywhere you couldn’t help but laugh going through the comments.

User18: they would be so good together

User3649: y’all are crazy they don’t even know each other like that.

|

User65: so you never know 🤭

Show more

You laughed to yourself before getting up and leaving your room to head on stage. You waited to be called out standing to the side as jimmy started talking about you and your appearance tonight.

After his speech you were brought out you waved to the crowd smiling. Before taking your seat you and jimmy hugged and and shook hands.

“So how do you feel about your movie coming out next week” he asked “nervous” you softly laughed “why” he laughed “well it being my first movie I’m kinda shitting my pants” you laughed everyone laughed with you “any spoilers, you can give us” he smirked.

“spoilers” you thought out loud “not really but there is a Sean where things get a little..” “spicy” he finished for you “yeah” you laughed blushing.

“I hate to get off topic buttt,you and Paige bueckers” he dragged out. The whole crowd went crazy making you roll your eyes with a soft smile.

“Anything you have to say about that” “unfortunately no I’ve never really had any conversation with her nor met her in person I would love to one day though” you answered.

The interview went on and on some questions about the movie and your music and some about you and Paige again.

A few weeks went by your movie was off the charts everyone was talking about it, you would have thought the Paige thing would have went down but no it got worse.

You were laying down on your phone when you’re friend cam in “guess whatttt” she sang “what” you looked up.

“I got us tickets to a basketball game” she smirked “cool what team” you got up and walked past her not paying attention “come and find out” she smirked .

You walked into the stadium looking around confused recognizing all the colors, you froze when you heard the crowd screaming the teams name..UConn.

“Why the hell would you bring me here” you softly shouted towards your friend “what don’t you wanna meet you future wife” she smirked pulling you to your seats which were in the front.

You grew nervous as you noticed some people in the crowd noticed you,they started talking pictures and videos you softly smiled and waved at them.

“I’m going to kill you” you mumble as the game started.

It was almost half time when Paige’s eyes caught yours you softly smiled at her,she looked away softly blushing “ouuu” your friend laughed “shut up” you laughed.

The game went on and on it wa the last round UConn winning with 113 points and the other team losing with 87. The ball was in Paige’s hands,with only 10 seconds left she threw the ball making it into the net

You smiled clapping happy they won.your were on your way out when some fans came over stopping you for some pictures,you sighed as they walked away.

“Hey” you turned around only to be met with the bluest eyes you’d ever seen “hi..Paige right” you nervously smiled “y-yeah” she answered “you were great out there” you pointed out “thanks,you to-I mean” she mumbled.

You smiled watching her blush “I’ll see you around bueckers” you slowly walked away as she watched mouth slightly open speechless.

(𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥🌚)



[lightlycareless]

Okay but im so curious

how would the zenin household react to seeing naoya become affectionate/simp for y/n?????? the thought of it already makes me kick my feet in the air

I will start with the fact that everything Naoya does with you is like a huge shocker to the whole clan.

From him finding a partner that willingly wants to be with him, to demonstrating affection to said partner… yeah, no one believed Naoya could actually care for anyone else but him, at least in a way that doesn’t denote making fun of them or something.

But he does, and when you came along, it brought out that side many wished he would’ve kept hidden.

I never envisioned Naoya to be very fond of PDA, at least not with people he knows, because he gets somewhat embarrassed (lol). Even holding hands with his wife when his relatives are nearby is like a big no-no. He feels like he needs to uphold this untouchable image of heir before them, demand their fear respect and so on.

However, as years go by, he’ll eventually just stop caring, especially if the two get married. He just… doesn’t give a f*ck lol.

And the thing he’ll do though at this point, oh, they’re going to be far from sweet. Let’s say that Naoya is a huge pervert when it comes to you lol. I don’t have any other way to put it, he’s just obsessed with you.

Naoya is the kind of person to slap your butt when passing/approaching you. He doesn’t care if you’re in the company of your staff, or if his uncle/cousins are there, or anyone really—he just had to do it, couldn’t hold himself, and you absolutely hate him for it because it makes you go through embarrassing moments!! Having to apologize in his name in order to do some damage control, people looking at the two and immediately looking away because they can’t remove that mental image!!! Oh boy.

You’ve talked to him about it and agreed to at least… keep it to a minimum, be more discreet if possible. Of course, that only applies in public places. In the bedroom… that’s a completely different story 😏

And let’s not forget he’s known to be a loudmouth, so the things he’ll tell you are not short of indecent either. This is probably the thing you dislike the most out of his affection. The other you could tolerate, act like no one saw anything (even play the fool if someone alleged they saw something) but THIS???? Nah, it’s just too much—and childish too.

“I don’t think it’ll fit, Naoya” you say, probably about something mundane like a new couch you got for the house.

“Really? But I saw how well you fit me yesterday.” And the way your face turns red is almost comical, more so when the mover was right there, listening to everything, Naoya just had to laugh.

“Shut up!!”

“What? I was referring to the conversation about the couch we had last night, pervert.” lies. The sneaky bastard will act like you’re the indecorous one out of the two for having understood his words like that!! As if you hadn’t known him for years now!

It’s safe to say that it’s really hard to have important meetings when the two are present, so his family would often try to get you or Naoya alone.

But… it wasn’t all that bad, because even when Naoya can be mildly infuriating, he’s also capable of being sweet.

That is something that mostly happens when in private, away from the prying eyes of the rest of the world, more so when he’s spent a long time away from you.

Naoya will reach out for you first thing upon arriving back to the estate, gently cup your cheeks and pepper your face with kisses, telling you how much he missed you and your pretty face.

He’d wrap his arms around you, rest his face on the crook of your neck, taking in your scent as he relishes the fact that he’s finally back to your embrace.

Another thing I think he’ll enjoy doing (you as well) is when he rests his head on your lap, telling you of his day as you thread your fingers along his hair.

Bottom line, Naoya is overly shameless confident when in the eyes of others, but vulnerable with you :>

As for the reactions of the Zen’in clan….

Ogi, Naobito, and Jinichi would stare at him in complete silence/shock as Naoya goes on with his supposed displays of affection. I think that out of the three, Ogi would be the one more comfortable when showing his distaste for it, scowling whenever seeing you and Naoya together, quickly leaving the room as soon as he gets the faintest idea Naoya is to do his usual nasty shenanigans. The rest wouldn’t really care that much, asides from a “Really? Naoya? Ooookay” (and they know better not to interfere at this point 🤪 he's crazy protective of you)

Ranta would remain speechless, face completely red as he catches Naoya’s innuendos. He definitely feels a whole lot of empathy (pity) for you. But when his friend isn’t being nasty, he’s happy that he’s found someone to be vulnerable/happy with 😊.

Junko, Mai and Maki’s mother, is just the same as Ogi, only that she’ll openly tell both of you to “stop it”, and to “hold some decorum” for that’s no way the future leader of the clan should behave. Naoya just laughs it off, you apologize to her in private. At the end she knows it’s futile to even hope to change him—the two were young, after all, (IMAGINE IF HE WENT ON LIKE THAT EVEN WHEN OLDER? Hahahahah, Oh poor Junko) and contrary to her marriage, this was one made out of love so… good for them, she guesses.

Naoya’s brothers would be the ones to openly, even more than Ogi, show their disgust whenever catching his PDA. Naohiko would be the one to exclaim “EWWWWWWWWWWWW” as loud as possible when he sees them, maybe do some puking noises too? haha

Naofumi would initially not understand what the hell Naoya is going on about and why you’re so embarrassed all the time, but when he does get it, oof, he’ll disappear as soon as it begins.

And Naoaki… well he’d just try to avoid the two as most as possible in general lol. He never liked seeing people making out anyways... (uh who does???)

At the end, Naoya’s behavior would worsen become more and more obvious, especially when the two have their first kids 😊 He just loves you too much, he needs you to know that—that the others have issues with it he doesn’t care 🥺 all that matters to him his you and his new family.

ajgfakghagk Thank you so much for sending in this ask!! I hope it was to your liking ❤️

[mrsbarnesxxx]

Bill Weasley x Malfoy!reader. Met at Hogwarts, dating since graduation. Bill brings reader home and Weasleys hate her/treat her like flour until bill snaps them they get to know her. End with fluff

Warnings: slurs/general unkind words (nothing too serious), fighting, angst, Bill being an absolute sweetheart

It wasn't easy growing up a Malfoy. Everything you did was under scrutiny. Everything was about blood status. Your parents barely spoke to you anymore now that you had "betrayed" them by dating Bill Weasley. You two had met at Hogwarts, you'd had classes together every year, and eventually, the two of you bonded about being the eldest in your family. Eventually, one summer day, Bill had asked you to marry him. Of course, you said yes, however, you were regretting saying yes to spending time with his family. You had gotten to the burrow yesterday afternoon and no one had said a word to you. Maybe they thought you'd be like your family, but they clearly weren't interested in getting to know you. They would look at you and scoff before turning away. You expected a bit of apprehension from them. Bill had told you this was the first time he had brought a girl home and your family didn't exactly help, but you hadn't expected them to be this bad. Over the last day, they had escalated from ignoring you to saying blatantly rude things. They would call you a blood supremacist, a snake, and all sorts of other things.

The second night you were there you had enough at dinner.

All of his brothers had been making subtle comments since dinner started, you'd expected one of his parents to say something, but it seemed they agreed with them.

"J'aimerais y aller, s'il te plaît." I whisper leaning over to Bill after his mother's latest jab.

"What? English is beneath you, princess?" Bill's brother Ron jeers.

"Alright, that's enough," Bill says standing up from the table. "All of you have been nothing but rude to my fiancee since we got here. None of you have bothered to get to know her or even ask her anything about her. You haven't even bothered to make polite conversation that anyone could tell was fake. What is wrong with you? You used to be the most loving people. I get the world is messed up, but that's no excuse for your behavior. Come on, let's go." He says, finally turning to me and extending a hand. I take it, offering a polite smile at his family before we leave the room.

"You have to understand that we never expected you to bring someone like her home." His mother exclaims. That seems to stop Bill in his tracks. He turns around to face his family.

"Someone like what? You don't even know her. You always said that you never cared about blood, but it seems you care about her's." He says. "Let's go."

He turns back to me, taking my hand and leading me upstairs.

"I'm so sorry, darling. I can't believe they acted like that tonight." He says pulling me into a hug.

"Bill, you can't be serious?" I ask pulling away from him. "They've been acting like that since I got here. You haven't heard your brothers' comments about my 'murderous heritage'? Or your sister asking me to pull up my sleeves to check for a snake on my left arm? Or your mother calling me 'one of those people'? The only person who has been remotely kind to me is your father and he just hasn't said anything to me."

"I'm so sorry. I should have paid better attention. I have no idea why they're acting like this." He says softly, caressing my cheek. "We'll go first thing in the morning, okay?"

"We can't go, Bill. We're supposed to be having the wedding here. In the backyard with your parents and the rest of your family." I explain.

"I don't care. If they're treating you this way, then they don't get to come to our wedding."

"Bill, they're your family!"

"And you are too." he says caressing my cheek. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want you to be the mother of my children, and in 16 days, you're going to be my wife, so that makes you the most important person in the world to me, okay?"

"Okay." I smile leaning up to kiss him.

As soon as our lips meet there's a knock on the door. We pull away from each other, Bill running a hand over his face before turning to his mother in the doorway. He doesn't say anything, simply looks at her waiting to see what she has to say.

"We're so sorry, Bill. We never meant to treat her like that...we're just...we're sorry. Please come back downstairs. We can start over." His mum offers.

I smile and take Bill's hand, "Please." I whisper trying to relax him.

"Okay." He nods looking at me.

I smile, interlocking our fingers before we head downstairs.

As we reach the table, anxiety fills my chest at what his family might say or if they never like me, but I know that none of that matters because I have Bill.

[imtryingbuck]

Family Photos

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC!Theo

Summary: Bucky has to marry a woman who surprises him more and more as their story goes along.

Word count: 1,837

Warnings: angst. swearing, divorce mentioned, Eliza being awful. Anymore let me know.

Masterlist   Series Masterlist

His head pounds and his stomach aches, he sits in front of the toilet just in his boxers.

"It's your own fault Buck" comes the voice that belongs to his best friend.

"I know Steven. Stop talking"

"Nope, what you did yesterday at dinner was wrong and uncalled for-"

"What are you talking about?" He grumbles.

"Do you not remember?"

"No"

Which was true, after Bucky pushed himself away from the door after hearing Theo's conversation with Wanda he went straight to his office and started drinking. He remembers Martha coming in and telling him that dinner was ready and then him leaving.

He listens in horror as Steve tells him what he had said, his heart ached when he found out Theo had cried.

"Shit! Fuck I need to talk to her"

"You need to shower first Bucky"

"Bu-"

"No buts, have a shower and then you can talk to her".

Doing as Steve says he waits until the blonde leaves before getting into the shower. It wasn't true what he had said, he wasn't going to Dots. He didn't want to see her again not now that he was married, he wanted to do right by his wife and his non-existent vows.

Thinking of how he was going to fix an already awkward marriage he honestly was coming up empty.

One thing for certain though was he needed to thank Wanda for being the only person to stick up for Theo.

Getting dressed a knock came from the door.

"Buck it's me"

"Come in"

"We've, well you, have a problem"

"What now Steve?"

"Your whores here and Theo's just seen her"

"Shit! And Dots not my whore"

"Sorry. Mistress is here"

"Steve she's nothing to me! I didn't see her last night I swear"

"Yep and the sky's green" Steve rolls his eyes and walks back out of the room.

"Hi Bucky" Dots voice caused him to groan, he wonders was her voice always that annoyingly loud when he was with her.

"What are you doing here Dolores?"

"Dolores? I've always been Dottie to you"

"Not asking again."

"See someone's woken up on the wrong side of the bed, what isn't your wife satis-" Nat promptly cuts her off by wrapping her hand around the woman's throat and slamming her in to the wall.

Before Bucky would have demanded Natasha to let her go but there are two reasons he didn't, one - he wasn't going to allow a nobody like Dot say anything about his wife and two - the fire in Nat's eyes scared him.

"B-Bucky tell her to get her hands-Bucky help!" Dot wheezed out.

"Dolores why have you came to my home?"

"Need your help"

"Not happening"

"Please Brocks being nasty to me"

Rolling his eyes he walks over to the two women, telling Nat to release her which makes Dot fall on to him, which then makes him push her away.

"Don't touch me. I don't care what Brock says or does to you. I want you to leave my house and never come back, never come near me ever again. Me and you Dot are finished." Turning to Clint "take her outside"

"Gladly, come on" Clint pulls on the woman's arm as she screams at Bucky, who ignores her completely.

"Where's Theo?" He asks Steve.

"She's left with Wanda" Nat says with a smirk.

"Where?"

"I don't know"

Taking his phone out of his pocket he rings Wanda's number. "First she slaps me and now she's not answering her fucking phone"

"You're lucky it wasn't me. I would have sliced your balls off and forced them down your throat" Nat says walking past him.

Leaving Bucky to gulp at the threat.

On the other side of town Theo and Wanda sit in the back of Wanda's Range Rover as Vision drives.

"So what are we going to your parents for?" Wanda asks.

"I need to ask my father something"

"What?"

Theo was brought up to never lie so lying to Wanda - the one person she trusted more than any other person, makes her want to be sick "I need to ask if I can have some family photos"

"Oh, do you think he'll give them to you?"

"Hopefully. We're here, Wanda you'll need to wait outside though. I'm sorry"

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Yeah"

The car pulls up and Theo jumps out. Walking up the steps she knocks on the front door.

"Hello Miss, I'll get your father" One of the maids says before leaving.

Theo hears her father's heavy footsteps then the door opens wider. "Theo? What are you doing here?" Pulling her into the house by her arm "permission to talk"

"I-I need to ask you something sir"

"What? And hurry up I don't have all day"

"Ca-can you marry one of your daughters to James instead of me sir". She speaks in a low tone.

"Why? You're already married to him"

"We can divorce an-and you can marry one of your daughters to hi-him sir"

"Theo I can't do that-"

"What is that wretched thing doing here?" Eliza walks up to Michael and Theo with disgust written all over her face.

"She wants James to marry one of the other girls instead"

"Brilliant, oh that's fantastic. I'll get the papers read-"

"Eliza stop, she's married to him and that's final"

"But James would be so much happier with one of our daughters instead of the runt, he'll be able to have legitimate children this way"

"What are you talking about?"

"I've told the girls that one of them will get pregnant by James so he can have an heir since his married to the bastard the kids too will be bastards"

Sighing heavily Michael looks at Theo and then at Eliza. "No. My decision is final. Theo go back to your husband and make sure you address him by his title and Eliza do me a favour and fuck off" he walks off leaving the women alone.

"You should have come to me you stupid girl! You know your father wouldn't have changed his mind, saying that I'll be nice and help you. Here's what you'll do my dear, you show him the filth that is your body and he'll divorce you"

"H-how ma'am"

"Tell him you want to have sex, he won't want to touch you after he sees your body" Theo flinches as Eliza's hand comes into contact with her cheek.

"You thought I was going to smack you? No darling you're helping me, now leave"

Theo scrambles out of the door and down the steps, Vision jumps out of the car to open the door for her.

"Theo? You okay?

"I-I'm okay"

"Did you get the photos?"

"N-no. I would like to go back to Mr James's home now"

Wanda sits there puzzled by her friends behaviour and decides against asking, not wanting the woman to shrink back into her shell again.

“Okay let's go home"

Bucky paces his office, checking his watch every few seconds. His heart was beating faster than it should have been the longer time went on, it had been well over three hours since Theo and Wanda had left the house.

Nobody knew where the two had gone, the regret seeped further into his veins as the memories of the night before became more clearer. Trying Wanda's phone once again he practically growled as the call was dropped.

"Buck they’re back" Steve says from the doorway.

Coming out of the office he moves to the front door where is sees the pair.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Mainly looking at Wanda with his arms crossed.

"Theo wanted to get something from her parents' house, calm down"

"Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"It's dead"

Looking towards Theo, his voice suddenly a lot softer "Did you get what you wanted?"

"N-no Sir"

"What did you just call me?"

“Sir. I'm sorry" her head bows even lower.

"I-don't call me that again"

"B-but your my husband sir"

"Stop!" Regret washed over him as he saw her flinch. "Just, just get inside both of you".

Wanda pulls a face to Bucky who just rolls his eyes at her. "Come on Theo let's get something to eat" taking the woman's hand and leads her inside the home.

"What the hell was all that 'sir' shit about?" Sam asks.

"Fuck knows, l'm gonna have to talk to her. I still need to apologise for last night" sighing as he rubs his face with his hands.

"She's a bit strange isn't she?"

"Shut up."

Walking into the house and heading into the kitchen he watches from the archway as Wanda makes them some food.

"Theo, when you're finished with your food I would like to talk to you please"

"Yes Mr James"

Sighing for the umpteenth time he nods and leaves the kitchen.

Theo knocks timidly on Bucky's office door, waiting patiently for him to answer.

"Hi, take a seat" He smiles softly. Watching as she moved to sit on the floor he stops her "Theo no sit on a chair, please"

"Sorry sir"

"I want to start off with saying I'm so sorry about last night, I didn't go anywhere other than my club I didn't sleep with anyone I swear"

"It's okay sir"

"Please stop with the sirs and mr’s and it's not okay I shouldn't of spoken about you like that, I had been drinki-“

"It's okay sir"

"Jesus Christ. Stop saying it's okay when it's not and I've told you to stop with the sir shit"

"But you're my husband"

"And? Look it doesn't matter whether we're married or not, you don't have to call me tha-"

She cuts him off, the words that come out her mouth pains him. He's surprised at how his heart turns to lead, they've been married for a week and he still knows nothing about her other than what Wanda has told him. In that week he's made no effort to try apart from telling himself and everyone that he'll do it.

He's already treated her like shit in a sense he's very much like his father which makes his skin crawl.

This isn't how things were supposed to go.

"I have asked my father for a divorce sir"

His blood runs cold, his heart goes still. The confession hangs in the air as he stares at her blankly, trying to figure out if what she had said was real or not.

Truly Bucky thinks his ears are playing tricks on him but noticing the look in her crystal blue eyes he knows that it's not a trick and she's being serious.

Just as he opens his mouth to speak Steve comes barging into the room.

"Buck one of the warehouses is on fire"

"Shit. Fuck" looking at Theo "this conversation isn't over okay, please just give me a chance please that's all I'm asking"

He doesn't wait for a reply as he walks away with Steve.

<Previous   Next>

Tags: @sapphirebarnes @bellabarnes1378 @unaxv @skulliecadaver-blog @mrsnikstan

[onlyonetifosi]

Hii babes could you do Logan x reader and it’s his first Father’s Day or Oscar if your comfortable with it thanksss

The sound of engines roared in the distance, blending with the cheers of the crowd that filled the Formula 1 paddock. It was a scorching day in July, and the world's fastest drivers were preparing for another thrilling race weekend. Amongst the bustling chaos, Y/N Sargeant, wife of renowned F1 driver Logan Sargeant, navigated through the lively atmosphere with their adorable son, Parker, cradled in her arms.

As they walked toward Logan's team garage, Y/N couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness. It was Parker's first time attending a Grand Prix, and it happened to coincide with Logan's first Father's Day. The couple had been looking forward to this day for months, eager to share their passion for racing with their son.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the grid, Y/N held Parker in her arms, gently rocking him back and forth. "Are you ready for your first race, Parker? Daddy's going to be amazing out there," she cooed in German, her voice filled with love.

Logan approached them, his race suit zipped up, and a proud smile on his face. He wrapped his arms around Y/N and Parker, kissing their foreheads. "Guten Morgen, meine Lieben," he greeted them, his voice filled with warmth. "Are you excited, Parker? We're going to have so much fun today."

Parker, with his chubby cheeks and bright blue eyes, gurgled in response, his tiny fingers reaching out to grab at the colorful lanyard around Y/N's neck, which held their paddock passes.

Logan, clad in his racing suit, approached them with a beaming smile. His eyes lit up when he saw his wife and son, and he eagerly scooped Parker into his arms.

"Hey there my champion" Logan greeted his son "Ready to cheer Daddy on today?"

Parker responded with a toothless grin, seemingly sensing the excitement that surrounded him.

Y/N leaned in and pressed a kiss to Logan's cheek. "Happy Father's Day, Liebster. You're an incredible dad, and I'm so proud of you."

Logan's face softened as he held his family close. "Thank you, princess. I couldn't ask for a better gift than you and Parker"

Their tender moment was interrupted by the arrival of other F1 drivers and their families. Charles Leclerc approached with his girlfriend Emma and his son Marco, in his arms. He grinned at Logan and Y/N.

"Happy Father's Day, Logan!" Charles exclaimed, extending a hand to Logan while Marco curiously observed Parker. “It's a special feeling, isn't it? Seeing your little one grow up in this world of racing"

Logan nodded, his eyes shining with pride, Logan shook Charles' hand warmly. “Happy Father's Day to you too. How's Marco doing? And absolutely, it's a whole new level of joy and responsibility. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Parker is excited to be here today," she said, glancing over at their son who was squirming in her arms. "It's his first time attending a Grand Prix"

As if on cue, Parker giggled, his tiny hands reaching out towards the colorful F1 cars lining the grid

"Look, Marco, this is your new friend Parker!" Emma exclaimed, smiling warmly.

"He's growing up so fast," Charles replied, his voice tinged with awe. "But I suppose that's what happens when you're born into this racing world"

Y/N nodded, understanding the sentiment. "I can't believe how quickly Parker is growing too. It feels like just yesterday we brought him home"

Daniel Ricciardo joined the conversation, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "So, mate, how does it feel to have a mini-you cheering you on from the grandstands?"

Logan's gaze softened as he looked at his son. "It's indescribable, Dan. Seeing him here, witnessing his first Grand Prix, it means the world to me. I can't wait for him to grow up surrounded by this incredible sport"

Parker wriggled in Logan's arms, reaching out to touch Marco's face. The two babies giggled, their laughter filling the air as their fathers exchanged stories and advice.

Y/N gently placed him on the ground, and he wobbled his way towards the other drivers' children who were playing nearby.

Max Verstappen's son Noah, Marco and Parker were already engrossed in painting the paddock with colored chalks. Parker’s laughter blending with the cheerful voices of the little ones. Meanwhile, Y/N and Logan watched, beaming with pride.

Max Verstappen's daughter, Sofia, giggled as Parker tried to catch up to her. The two children toddled hand in hand, their laughter contagious.

"Looks like we have future racers on our hands," Max said with a grin, watching the two children.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Y/N replied

"I think our little racer is making friends," Y/N said, her eyes never leaving Parker

"Logan, do you remember when Parker tried to imitate your victory celebration?" Max Verstappen chuckled, recalling a recent race weekend. "He's already a natural-born racer"

YN grinned, watching as Parker clumsily attempted to mimic his father's podium jump. "He definitely takes after his father. I have a feeling we'll be seeing him on the track in the future"

Logan's heart swelled with pride, his gaze alternating between YN and their son. "Maybe one day, he'll even surpass me"

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice. "Logan! Y/N!" It was Lando Norris, his own son, Oliver, perched on his shoulders.

"Hey, Lando!" Logan greeted with a grin. "Happy Father's Day, mate"

Lando grinned back. "Thanks, mate. Looks like our kids are having a blast together" Lando was accompanied by his girlfriend, and together they admired Parker with adoration.

"Thanks, Lando!" Logan grinned. "By the way, congratulations for the last race. You're on fire this season!"

Lando shrugged modestly. "Just doing my best” he was saying before being interrupted by Oliver as he was chasing after Parker, their laughter echoing through the paddock, and he and his girlfriend, Lauren, laughed at their son's antics.

"Y/N, how are you finding motherhood?" Kika, Pierre Gasly's partner, asked with a smile

"It's an incredible journey," Y/N replied, her voice filled with warmth. "Watching Parker grow and discover new things every day is a blessing"

As Y/N they exchanged pleasantries, the other drivers and their families joined the growing circle of camaraderie. Sergio Perez's sons Carlota, Sergio and Emilio, toddled around with a mischievous glint in his eyes, followed closely by Daniel Ricciardo's son, Leo.

She noticed Lewis Hamilton with his own bundle of joy, Amelia, and approached him.

"Good afternoon, Lewis. How is Amelia doing?" YN inquired, her voice filled with warmth.

Lewis grinned, holding his daughter close. "She's doing great, thanks. Can't believe how quickly time flies. Before I know it, she'll be asking for her own racing car!"

"Happy Father's Day, Logan! And Y/N, little Parker is growing so quickly. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with, just like his dad."

Y/N chuckled, gently bouncing Parker. "Thank you, Lewis. We're excited to see what the future holds for our little racer."

It was a scene filled with laughter and joy—a glimpse into the future of the F1 paddock.

The warm camaraderie continued as more drivers stopped by to offer their well wishes. Yuki Tsunoda playfully ruffled Parker's hair, while Daniel Ricciardo shared a humorous anecdote about his first Father's Day.

As the time for the race drew near, Y/N and Logan exchanged a meaningful look. They both knew how much this day meant to them—a celebration of their love, family, and the shared passion that brought them together.

"Let's make this a day to remember, Liebster," Y/N whispered, her eyes shining with anticipation.

Logan tightened his grip on Parker, his heart full of love and determination. "Absolutely, sweetheart. Today, we race for more than just victory."

With their spirits lifted by the support of their F1 family, Logan and Y/N walked hand in hand toward the pit lane. As the cars thundered past, leaving behind a symphony of speed and power, Logan revved his engine, ready to give it his all on the track.

For Logan, Y/N, and little Parker, this would forever be remembered as the day their racing hearts beat as one—a testament to the strength of their love, their devotion as parents, and the unbreakable bond that tied them together.

With renewed determination, Logan kissed Y/N's forehead before heading towards the briefing room. The race weekend had become an extraordinary blend of joy, love, and the thrill of competition

Later, as the engines roared on the grid, Y/N, holding Parker in her arms, joined the other F1 families in the spectator area. Logan's car lined up on the grid, the anticipation palpable. Y/N whispered to Parker, who stared wide-eyed at the colorful spectacle before him.

"Parker, mein kleiner Champion, look at Daddy go. He's going to show everyone what he's made of."

As the lights went out and the race began, Y/N's heart swelled with pride for her husband and the father of her child. The adrenaline rushed through her veins, mirroring the intense energy on the track.

Parker, sensing his mother's excitement, clapped his hands and babbled happily, the echoes of his laughter blending with the roar of the engines.

Hours flew by, and as Logan crossed the finish line in a respectable position, the crowd erupted with applause. Y/N, carrying Parker on her hip, joined the cheering, her voice ringing with pride.

"You did it, Logan! Happy Father's Day!" she exclaimed, her words mingling with the cheers of the crowd.

The F1 families gathered once again, celebrating the successful race and Father's Day. As they shared stories and laughter, the children played together, their young spirits echoing the joy and unity of their parents.

"I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day," Y/N whispered, leaning into Logan's embrace.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. "Neither could I, love, this is what racing is all about. Family, friendship, and the love that keeps us going."

When the paddock quieted down, the Sargeant family made their way back to their motorhome. Logan cradled Parker in his arms, gazing down at his son's peaceful face.

“My little man," Logan whispered, his voice full of tenderness. "One day, you'll know how much joy and purpose you bring to my life. I'll always be there for you"

"Parker is lucky to have you as his mom," Logan whispered, his voice full of adoration.

Y/N smiled, feeling a surge of love for her husband. "And he's lucky to have you as his dad, Logan. Happy Father's Day."

Logan's eyes shimmered with emotion as he held Y/N's gaze. "Happy Father's Day, Y/N. I couldn't imagine a better partner and mother for our son."

In that moment, as Logan sped away, adrenaline surging through his veins, he couldn't help but feel grateful—for the privilege of being a father, for the support of his teammates and fellow drivers, and for the incredible woman and son waiting for him in the pits.

Together, they embarked on a race not just to the checkered flag but to a future filled with love, happiness, and the indomitable spirit of the racing world.

[king-bumis-armpit]

Separation Anxiety

Written for Maiko Week 2024 - Separation

Summary: Mai takes Izumi to her family’s reunion, and Zuko stays home. It's a horrible time for both of them.

Author’s Note: I really thought I was going to stick to the prompt this time, but then the first part sort of got away from me. And I really had to hold back because my inner Kataang was about to unleash. I was about to write a whole mini-fic about them inside of this one, but I exercised restraint. I did not however exercise restraint on my thoughts about Mai’s upbringing. As a result, this is way longer than I intended. Oh well… I hope you enjoy! :)

TW: Anxiety about being parents and misogyny from Mai’s family members. I made Michi kind of awful. But there’s a happy ending, I promise!

WC: 4,276

Zuko took a deep breath and stared at his large empty bed. It had been a long while since he had to sleep alone. He sat down slowly, as if the bed might vanish at the last second before he made contact. He leaned back and tried to get comfortable, but he ended up tossing and turning until his memories overtook him.

— — 

When he and Mai were newlyweds, they agreed never to spend more than a week apart at a time. Sometimes the obligations of royalty made this vow difficult to keep, but they had managed. In fact, Zuko had been in Yu Dao when Mai found out that she was pregnant. They had been trying for some time, so Mai was ecstatic when she told him. 

Her excitement was contagious, but anxiety quickly infected him as well. He couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened to her while he was away. What if she had fallen ill? Or what if an Ozai loyalist cell re-emerged and attacked her? Thankfully, most of the organized movements had died down after Azula had willingly turned herself in. But that was another consideration, what if Azula tried to get revenge on Mai while he was gone? He knew that Mai was more than capable of protecting herself, and normally that was enough to allay his fears, but the new worry for their child fractured his restraint. 

Zuko doubled Mai’s guard and silently promised himself to stay by her side for the rest of her pregnancy. He knew that his actions would probably annoy his wife, but surprisingly she was not the first to complain.

“Zuko, she’s pregnant, not helpless,” his mother chided him. She had cornered him in one of the hallways about a week after his return from Yu Dao. “There are always going to be circumstances beyond your control, but Mai is fully competent to go about her daily life without a small army. You need to give her space to breathe. Give your baby space to grow.”

Zuko relented and recalled the extra guards he had assigned, but then he added a pair of covert guards to keep watch without being stifling. For her part, Mai found the incident somewhat amusing. 

As they ate dinner together, she commented on the change: “Yesterday, I had a whole coterie. Today all I get are a few extra shadows.”

Zuko sighed. “Mom told me I was being overbearing. But I’m worried about you. What if something happens? You’re my whole world Mai.”

Mai turned red. “I’m impressed that anything you say can still make me blush after you impregnated me, but here we are.” Zuko chuckled, and Mai continued, “Normally I wouldn’t be cool with extra guards out of nowhere. I’m your wife and your equal, so I would like to be included in the conversation the next time you think about changing up my security detail.” 

She gave him a pointed look, and Zuko took her hand. “I’m sorry. I should have asked you first. We can ditch the elite guards if you want.

Mai’s eyes softened and she brought his hand to her cheek. “No, it’s okay. I’m not angry this time, I just want you to talk to me about things like this in the future.” She kissed his palm and set their hands on the table.

Zuko smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I didn’t want to upset you. I’ve never seen you so happy. And I’m happy too! I’m just…”

“Zuko, I’m scared too. I really want this baby to come out healthy. I’ve been carrying this list of foods I can’t have anymore, and I read it at least five times before I eat anything,” she admitted sheepishly. Mai produced said scroll from one of her dart holsters of all places. Zuko felt himself fall even more in love. The whole thing was just so Mai.

After that conversation, the pair discussed their concerns much more openly. In the worst moments, they both feared that they would take on the worst qualities of their parents. Zuko started to feel phantom pains in his scar that hadn’t plagued him since he was a teenager. They made pact after pact to hold each other accountable and to love the baby no matter what and to keep them safe. 

But even talking about their fears in the open helped to lift the burden. The anxiety didn’t dissipate, but it became easier to bear. Zuko loved talking to Mai’s bump when she began to show. Mai teased him for being silly, but he knew she secretly loved it. They redecorated the palace nursery to be less austere and more inviting. And Aang and Katara often visited with their son Bumi. 

When Mai went into labor, Katara helped her through the whole process until Princess Izumi had safely arrived. Aang was on babysitting duty. Not for Bumi, who Aang considered to be his full time sidekick, but for Zuko, who could only watch his wife’s agony for so long until he needed a dad to dad pep talk. 

Thankfully, Zuko managed to collect himself in time to meet his baby girl in her first moments. Mai had suggested the name Izumi, and Zuko immediately knew that it was right when he saw her tiny red face. She captivated his heart from her first breath and– after a brief embrace from Mai– Zuko was the first person to truly hold her. When the nurses took her for her health check, Zuko almost refused. Looking at her perfect little face, he realized that he could never become his father. He swore to himself on that day to always be by her side when she needed him.

— — 

Zuko gave up on trying to sleep and began to pace in his room. Without Mai, his bed was too cold and too big. Michi, his mother in-law, had insisted that she and Izumi attend her family reunion. Zuko had been invited, but his advisors had already scheduled the large annual conference of the provincial governors for the same weekend. He didn’t want to sabotage Mai’s opportunity to see her family, but he had desperately wanted her to stay.

And little Izumi was only four. Would she be sad when he wasn’t there to wake up with her at sunrise as he had been for the past four years? Since his job and his nature as fire-bender necessitated early mornings, when Izzy was a baby they decided that Mai would be in charge of bed time and night-time feedings and Zuko would take over in the wee hours of the morning. This arrangement worked surprisingly well, and continued long after Izzy started eating solid food. Zuko loved that he always had a few hours with his daughter. In the early days, he had a crib installed in his office so he could get a start on the his work after she fell back asleep. Now she was big enough to run through his forms with him. Zuko didn’t want to put any pressure on her to be bender or not, so he would alternate between Firebending forms and other martial arts. Would she practice them without him? She didn’t have any of them committed to memory but she would often try to show off to Mai with gusto. He smiled at the thought.

But he quickly frowned again, knowing he wouldn’t be there to see. “Ugh!” he grabbed his hair and berated himself: “Don’t be such a coward! You’ve slept on the road with nothing but a stolen ostrich horse. You can handle two nights with them.”

He walked over to Mai’s vanity and sat. He picked up a book that she recently finished reading and thumbed through the pages. Then, he picked up her jar of perfume and sprayed it experimentally. He inhaled her signature scent and sighed. 

Truthfully, he was worried about her well-being away from him too. He wasn’t arrogant enough to assume that she couldn’t go-on without his presence for a few measly days, but he knew how her mother and grandparents could be. Even when she was little, he recalled how Michi would nitpick at her posture or her expression or her word choice. He was ashamed that it took him so long to realize just how conditional her parental affection was. 

In retrospect, it made sense why she loved her uncle just as much as he loved his. When he first met the Warden of the Boiling Rock, he didn’t quite see the appeal. The man was terrifying and brutish and he had a nasty power-complex. But it all fit into place when he saw them together at the wedding. Michi had been chiding Mai for getting her wedding slippers dusty during their first dance, and Zuko was about to ask her to leave. He couldn’t believe that she chose that moment to undercut her daughter, but the Warden stepped in. “Oh knock it off! This is her palace, not a prison yard. How about you go get a drink while I dance with my niece.” And just like that, Mai’s super traditional and stuck-up uncle led her in the camelephant strut. They were both a bit clumsy, especially Mai since her robes were constantly in the way, but their rare and radiant smiles made the moment perfect.

Aunt Mura was another advocate for Mai, but her support was more quiet and diplomatic. A hand on the shoulder here, and words of encouragement there. Mura was so much more gentle and less acerbic than Michi, that it was easy to forget that she had been raised with the same unfair expectations. She approached her sister with more empathy than Zuko was willing to extend.

Zuko hoped that the pair of them would keep Michi in line. Unfortunately, from his limited contact he knew that Mai’s grandparents might also pose a problem. He had a sudden and unpleasant vision of Mai’s grandmother and Michi making comments about Izumi’s behavior. He gritted his teeth. He knew Mai wouldn’t stand for it, but it set him on edge. 

Mai had really come into her own as a Fire Lady. She was always very calm in a crisis, but she spoke passionately about the issues that moved her. She would let her excitement show when her projects came to fruition. She learned how to be vulnerable in order to build trust with their citizens.

His biggest fear was that she would return, and, after their separation, some of that precious progress would be undone. And that Izumi’s light would shine a little dimmer in turn.

He stood from the vanity and shook his head, as if he could dislodge the poisonous thoughts. Normally when something caused him to worry, he would talk about it with his wife. Now he was at a loss. Maybe a nice walk in the cool night air would clear his mind. He could visit Druk in the stables. He muttered to himself as he made his way, “She’s an adult. She doesn’t need you breathing down her neck.” 

— — 

Mai was on the verge of tears. She needed Zuko desperately. 

They had left early that morning in an airship for the Southern region of the Fire Nation where her grandparents lived, and Mai was cautiously optimistic. Since she woke up so early, Izzy slept for the two hours of travel time to the house. It was a lovely opportunity to talk to Tom-Tom, who– at the age of 17– was often busy with school these days.

But everything changed when they landed. Her grandparents greeted her formally, but more warmly than they ever had. And she soon discovered why: this was her first visit to their hometown as the Fire Lady. When she entered their home, she was dismayed to find a throne and a receiving line! Thankfully, Tom-Tom offered to watch Izumi and get her some food, while Mai was forced to meet the Mayor and all of her grandparents' friends. After an hour of accepting well-wishes, backhanded compliments, and personal requests, he uncle arrived. He walked up to her confidently and insisted that she and Izumi take tea with him and Mura. Apparently being the Warden of the Boiling Rock gave him the authority to terminate her indentured servitude.

Tea was a brief affair. However she re-entered the gaggle of distant relatives and vaguely important people with her uncle on her arm, and Tom-Tom again stepped in to watch Izumi as she played with the other children. Mai loved her little brother to bits, but this experience made her appreciate him all the more. She was thirteen when he was born, so she felt fiercely protective of him when he was little. And he was thirteen when Izzy was born, and she could see him return all of that love and shower it on her. The thought made her emotional. 

Dinner came late, well past Izumi’s normal bedtime, but it was a blessedly private affair. Her grandparents; her mother, aunt, and uncle; and herself, Tom-Tom, and Izumi. Oh, and the Mayor, but he spent a significant portion of the night wooing Aunt Mura so he was easy enough to tune out. Uncle showed Izzy magic tricks with his napkin, and Mai smiled. She had nearly forgotten how he used to do the same for her. He would have been a good father if he hadn’t chosen such a demanding profession. She regretted that she had only seen him a handful of times since her wedding.

Mai’s grandparents kept her in conversation. To her surprise, they praised Zuko and his reforms highly. At first she was pleased, but then her mood began to sour. 

“I don’t know how you pulled a match like that. You were always so sullen as a girl,” her grandfather remarked.

Mai felt her mother’s keen stare and tried to laugh it off. “Well… he always said he liked how I hated the world.”

Her grandfather frowned and she worried she misspoke, but her grandmother interjected, “Oh happiness is overrated. True contentment comes with status. You did well to act in a manner pleasing to him.”

Mai felt her stomach turn. She never acted differently for Zuko. He challenged her preconceived notions sometimes and helped her see different points of view, but she didn’t blindly follow him like an animal. Was that how she appeared? Izumi wasn’t hearing this was she? She looked at her daughter, but, no, Uncle was telling her a story about a prison riot. Somehow, that was probably a healthier message for her impressionable child.

Michi joined the conversation, “Oh mother, it’s all thanks to you! I took your advice and got her into the palace early. Her friendship with Princess Azula was most beneficial. She was the natural choice to be Zuko’s consort.”

Mai felt suddenly nauseous. Her friendship with Azula was strained in a lot of ways, but it was built on a genuine foundation. They had both loved sparring as girls, along with Ty Lee of course. They would sneak from the stuffy functions her mother dragged her to. Michi couldn’t take credit for any of that, and she certainly couldn't take credit for her love with Zuko.

Mai gripped the edge of the table, prepared to tell her off. “Actually!” she began confidently, and all of the eyes in the room turned toward her. Apparently her Uncle had finished his story and Mura had politely rebuffed the Mayor. But it was the full and undivided attention of her grandparents that got to her. She remembered why silence and falsity were her friends. Mai quickly thought of an excuse for her outburst. “Zuko wanted me to tell you how sorry he is that he couldn’t make it. He sends his love.” 

“Darling, told us that before.” her grandmother replied. “He is the Fire Lord, you should not expect him to attend your family affairs.”

Mai wilted. “Of course, grandmother. But he asked me to tell you, so I wanted to relay his words.”

Her grandfather smiled, “Yes, a good wife echoes her husband.” 

Mai snuck another look at Izumi, praying that she was not listening. Luck seemed to be on her side, as the little princess was absorbed and– covered in– the noodles on her plate. 

Mai got them out of there as quickly as she deemed socially acceptable  and washed the noodles off of her little girl.. She cursed herself for her cowardice. She was the Fire Lady! She could have left whenever she damn well pleased, but she turned into a child the second she entered that house. 

To make matters worse, as soon as she and Izumi entered their chambers the little girl began having a meltdown.

It started innocently enough: “Where’s dada?”

Mai pursed her lips. She had tried explaining to Izumi before they left that daddy couldn’t come with them this time, but the thought was unimaginable to her. They had always traveled as a family, and she had never had to sleep without a goodnight kiss from daddy before Mai began the bedtime routine.

Mai tried again to explain, “I’m sorry turtleduck, but he’s not here right now. He had to stay at the palace and run the country. We’ll see him in two more sleeps.”

Izumi teared up. “Not here?”

Mai held her, “No. He’s not here, but he’s safe and so are we. You’ll see him soon.”

Then the wailing began in earnest and it did not stop for what felt like hours but was probably minutes. Mai tried to be soothing, but firm. For better or worse, she couldn’t capitulate to her daughter’s request this time. No airships or secure transports were running at this hour. And Zuko would probably spontaneously combust if she rented an animal and attempted the overnight journey alone. 

Mai felt the tears prick in her eyes too. Since her parents were so strict, she had no gauge for how to react to this situation. Was she being too indulgent by letting her daughter cry? How could she stop it? What could she say to make her happy again? All at once, the floodgates of self-loathing had opened. She was the co-ruler of a country, why did she let her grandparents walk all over her in front of her daughter? And how could she foist Izumi on to her baby brother all day? It was his family reunion too. 

She needed Zuko. He would calm Izzy down. Spirits, he would calm her down. 

There was a knock at the door. Shit! Their rooms were in the farthest part of the manor to give the Fire Lady privacy, but someone had obviously overheard and complained. There would be rumors all over the town about how bad of a parent she was. Or it was her guards checking in. The poor guys probably wanted to make sure she was okay. She tucked Izumi behind her, and palmed a knife– just to be safe– and opened the door.

For a second, she thought her brain was deceiving her into seeing what she wanted to see.

“DADA!” Izumi screamed happily.

She ran around Mai and jumped into his arms. “Hello turtleduck.” He laughed and kissed her head as he made his way into the room. “I hope I’m not intruding on girl time.” He smiled at Mai.

She took a deep breath to try to compose herself and smiled back at her husband. “Of course, not. Our princess was just demanding your presence.” 

“Oh!” Zuko seemed genuinely surprised. “Well then, I’m glad I arrived just in time.” He tucked Izumi into her bed, across the room from Mai’s– and now Zuko’s– larger one. She must have been exhausted from her early travels, because, as soon as she knew that both of her parents were in the room, she fell asleep. Mai marveled at her instant calm.

Zuko stroked her hair a few times and then turned his attention to his wife. He walked over to her and delicately pulled her into an embrace. “I’m such a loser,” he whispered, face buried in her neck, and it felt so out-of-the-blue that she nearly snorted.

“What on earth are you talking about? I need more information to know if I disagree,” she retorted.

“Hey!” he protested quietly, and pinched her arm, but she could feel his smile on her skin. His breath tickled as he spoke: “I couldn’t handle one night away from you both. Let alone two.”

Mai caressed his cheek, and guided his face so they were looking into each other's eyes. “Then I must be a loser too because I was about to cry before you got here. Izumi was sobbing because she missed you so much and my family–” she stopped abruptly.

Zuko took hold of her hands and she could feel the fire in his eyes. “What did they say?”

Mai slumped her shoulders and allowed herself to lean against him. “It’s not important.” That dreaded touch of apathy colored her voice, but then, but a glimmer of broke through. “It’s really not important because you’re here now.”

Zuko wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. He finally pulled away, “At least give me a list of names.”

Mai chuckled quietly, she didn’t want to wake their daughter. “The usual suspects.”

That told Zuko all he needed to know. The pair went about their nightly routines, before climbing into bed. Zuko longed to kiss her more, and fill her with reassurance, but he was prevented by the presence of their daughter. He settled for wrapping his arms tightly around Mai and burying his face in her hair.

But suddenly she broke away and sat up. Zuko pouted up at her.

“Wait! Wait a minute! How did you get here?” she looked at him in awe. 

He smiled cheekily. “You know I’ve been practicing flying with Druk.”

Mai crossed her arms. “You did not fly him all the way here from the Caldera! His previous flights were twenty minutes at most. My poor baby is probably exhausted.”

Zuko laughed. Druk may have been bonded to him by the sacred fire, but the dragon was bonded to Mai by something else. The two were so protective of each other that it was almost comical. 

“Oh don’t worry,” Zuko reassured her, and pulled her back into his arms. “Your big old baby loved it, and your family’s servants gave him the best room in their stables.”

Mai huffed. “Okay, but if he’s sore tomorrow, then I’m using you as a pin cushion.”

“It would be my greatest honor.”

Mai rolled her eyes, but she snuggled in closer.

— — 

The next day, Mai checked on Druk first thing. To her own surprise, she was the first member of her immediate family awake. She left Zuko a note. (Her notes always began, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but I’m leaving,” even if she was just taking the five-minute trip to her favorite fire flakes stand. It had become an inside joke between them.) 

Druk truly was in a great mood. Mai’s family ordered the finest cuts from the butcher as a special treat. If there was one thing she could count on her grandparents to do, it was suck up to royalty.

She stopped by the kitchens and put in a special request, and then she made her way to the airship service. By the time she arrived back at the house, breakfast had begun. She slowly took her seat, allowing her mother's glare to linger.

“Young lady,” he grandfather began. “It is bad form to arrive late to a meal. “Especially when royalty is present.”

Mai pretended to be chastened. “Oh, I’m so sorry grandfather. But I wanted to put on a surprise for my dearest husband.” She strongly emphasized the word. “As you and Grandmother were saying, such a visitation to my family is quite beneath him actually.” Zuko whipped his head to his in-laws. Mai could tell he was seething, but this was her moment to reclaim power. She knew he would follow her lead, and so she continued, “As such, I thought it would be a lovely surprise if we all took a trip to the nearby southern beaches.”

Mai’s grandmother scoffed. “Those aren’t nearby. You’d have to take an airship to get there.”

Mai nodded, “Yes and I chartered one. Unfortunately, it’s quite small. They only had ten open seats.”

Mai’s mother tried to cut the tension. “Oh well… That’s still enough for all of us, and we can even bring the Mayor. Perhaps the day can be salvaged, but you really should have asked your grandparents before doing this.” 

Michi didn’t want to look bad in front of her parents, and Mai almost regretted what she was about to do. She replied: “You’re not taking into account the guards. We’ll need four to be safe I would say. I’m so very sorry. I assumed that grandfather and grandmother would be too weary to travel so far, so I didn’t list them on the tickets. And Uncle and Auntie have so few opportunities to see Izumi. I hope you understand, Mother.”

Michi flushed red, but she wouldn’t dare have a dramatic and drawn out argument with Mai so publicly. The Warden chuckled to himself, “Now this is an escape plan I can get behind.”

Zuko looked at his wife with a newfound admiration. He knew there would come a time when they were separated again, but he did not want to dwell on it. In this moment, they were together. And they were stronger because of it.

[fenricken]

You Keep Slipping From My Grasp 2/7

AO3

Ship: Spirit Halloween

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He felt arms wrap around his chest, pulling him up and out of the water. He gasped as his head breached the surface, and he came face to face with a young woman.

“Sir! what is that creature you came on!?” the woman asked him. He turned to where she was pointing, and saw a tentacled creature rearing back to attack them. He grabbed a sword that had been lying on the ground, and charged forward, ready to defend.

————

“Daaaad,” Dani groaned, hanging off Danny’s arm as he flew towards Clockwork’s lair. “Can I pleeease go with you to see Batman? I’m an expert on him!”

“First of all, you’re an expert in Robins and the best way to annoy them, and that’s not the same as being an expert in Batman. Secondly, you and Jazz have been quizzing me nonstop about the guy, I think I’m prepared!”

Dani pouts, “I just think he’s super cool. Besides! I know you’re a coward and you’d never actually talk to the guy without someone pushing you.”

Danny stops to turn to face Dani.

 “Sweetie, I know you have a lot of experience hopping between dimensions and multiverses, but this situation is a bit different. Clockwork’s said he specifically sent me because I’m more resistant to the ill-effects of dimension-manipulation magic as an Ancient of Doors,” he takes a breath, making sure Dani’s full focus is on him.

“I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

Dani is still pouting, so Danny reaches out to take her face in his hands.

“I promise when this is settled you can drag me to meet Batman or annoy one of the Robins– whatever you want.”

Slowly, Dani turned wide, watery eyes to Danny. He was only able to keep looking into her puppy eyes for a short while before throwing his hands up in exasperation.

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll ask Clockwork if you can at least watch, but I don’t know how much you’ll actually be able to see due to whatever’s blocking him.”

“Yes! Good enough!” Dani whoops, before speeding ahead towards Clockwork’s Lair.

Danny chuckled before following after.

————

Mordecai had been set to investigate what witch lived in Gotham nailing bats to Church doors. But his eyes were not as clouded as his brothers’, for he knew witches were less common than they liked to believe.

For example, this bat was nailed to the door with a knitting needle Goodwife Tyler had been using just yesterday. Mordecai knew too that Matthew Tyler would often beat his wife and had gone missing not long ago.

Of course, when he brought this to the attention of his fellow witch-hunters and peace-keepers, Brother Malleus had just insisted that Goodwife Tyler must be a witch and sent her to be dunked in the river until she confessed or drowned. Until Mordecai stopped him, that was.

Frustrated with the events of the day, Mordecai set out for the woods to meet with Annie. Many suspected her of being a witch, but she was the only one whose company he found solace in.

They talked of many things together–the accusations of her being a witch, their mutual distaste of Malleus, and Mordecai’s struggle to remember anything before waking up in Annie’s cabin almost 2 weeks ago.

Annie told him too of losing her parents, and being shunned to the woods. Of feeling a bit lost in the twists and turns of life. Mordecai had said then, “We have something in common Annie… both of us lost in our way.”

————

Danny leaned against a tree, watching Batman and Annie embrace. While he had watched Batman walk around Gotham, using investigative techniques to uncover the lack of witches, he had been mostly impressed that Batman had stayed so committed to his morals even without his memories.

Danny was entranced watching Batman insist on finding a different path forward beyond just declaring anything odd as witchcraft. It was exactly the kind of behavior Danny sought to promote as Ancient of Doors.

But the conversation he overheard between Batman and Annie was like a bucket of ice water over him. The reminder that Batman was separated from everything he knew, and everything that made him Batman. While he knew he could not actually do anything in this situation, and that even trying would probably lead to something worse, Danny yearned to help the hero he had grown so fond of, both from his own observations and the stories from Dani and other ghosts.

————

“The dragon’s been sighted in the woods! All witch-hunters fall in!”

Mordecai climbs on his horse, preparing to follow. He may not believe in this dragon, but clearly something is going on. The witch-hunters head into the woods, in the direction opposite Annie’s cabin. 

But when they arrive, there’s no dragon—only the bones of seven men. 

Mordecai hops off his horse to examine the bodies. 

“Do you say now that witches and dragons don’t exist, Brother Mordecai?” Malleus asks. 

“No, these men were dead before their flesh was eaten. See there— Matthew Tyler, his head caved in with what was probably a kitchen ladle.”

“Enough! You blame a ladle for this? When there’s a witness?” Malleus turns to face a villager that had come with them, “Tell Brother Mordecai what you saw.”

“It was a great beast, with seven heads and ten horns, just as the scripture tells. Each head was feeding on a different man…but when the bats came out to hunt, it fled.”

As the man spoke, Mordecai felt a sense of familiarity. In his mind, the image of a maw surrounded by thrashing tentacles arose. 

Malleus continued, oblivious to Mordecai’s mental turmoil. “I will protect this town, as is my duty to god! They say an eclipse of the sun will come tomorrow, and by then, we will be ready!”

“An eclipse? There was something about an eclipse…” Mordecai muttered.

Malleus kept talking, but Mordecai was no longer listening.

With nothing to hunt, the witch-hunters left back to Gotham. Mordecai left to find Annie, to warn her of what was coming. 

“You’re not safe here Annie. Malleus is a fanatic, and he doesn’t care about logic. I fear it’s only a matter of time before he sets his eyes on you. There’s something else too… something in these woods. The creature that attacked me, that night you found me. I remembered a bit more when I saw the traces of its destruction. It wasn’t the Church that sent me here, Annie. And I remember a dead man was with us… wearing these clothes.  You took them from him and gave them to me, didn’t you? These are Mordecai’s clothes!” He grabbed on to her arm to keep her from fleeing. She didn’t answer for a moment, but he held her gaze.

“I saw you rise from the water myself. You came when I called. That’s all I know.”

“Called? Where did I come from? I need you to take me there, Annie!”

“Fine. It’s private, hidden. It belonged to the Miagani who were here before us. It means bat-people.” She stood to lead him to the cave where she met him, “I’ll tell you more when we get there, but we’ll have to travel through the night.”

“Always bats…” He mutters.

————

“I thought Danny said you couldn’t actually see much of what was happening? This is actually pretty clear.” Dani asked from her suspended upside-down position in front of the gear that followed Danny and Batman.

Clockwork turned to her, a small but smug smile on his face. “Well, it’s not totally clear…”

Dani narrowed her eyes at him. “You have some ulterior motive here don’t you, gramps…”

Clockwork turned back to the screens. “Well, I doubt it’s dissimilar to your motivations in encouraging your father to try talking to Batman. He could do with some… companionship.”

Dani looked horrified for a brief moment, thought for a bit, before an evil smile spread across her face. “While I feel like I should be grossed out that you’re trying to set dad up with someone, I think it’d be hilarious to show up at the Robins’ house as their new stepsister.”

“Then, we’re in accord, young Dani?”

“Oh yeah, I’m excited to see where this is going, gramps.”

Clockwork turned to another gear, and pressed his staff to it, showing a different image. “If you’re interested, I might have a mission you can undertake that would make this more… ‘fun’ for you.”

“I’m in!”

————

The cave was dark, illuminated poorly by the torch Annie carried. And yet, he couldn’t help but note there was something about these caves that felt like…home.

“It was you, wasn’t it? You weren’t out gathering herbs as you told me. It was you who summoned the dragon that killed the real Mordecai, wasn’t it?” he asked, watching Annie.

“I only wanted to chase him away. They sent him to hunt me! All those witch hunters playing at saints, but they don’t shy away from destroying the land and slaughtering animals and other people. The Miagani who were here before us had the right of it, so yes, when Mordecai was sent to hunt me, I prayed to their gods and asked for someone to save me. And then, you came, riding on the back of that thing they call the dragon. If you want to say I’m guilty of being a witch because I worship gods that are not theirs, then I’ll confess to you. My gods are not their god or their devil.” 

Mordecai heard something in the quiet after she finished speaking.

“Annie, we have to get out of this place right now. There’s something down there-”

On cue, the tentacled creature rose from the water to attack.

“Run Annie, run!” he yelled, pulling out his swords to fend off the tentacles. He managed to cut one off before he was pushed back by two more. He stumbled, and reoriented himself, preparing to charge back in, but was distracted by quick footsteps approaching. Fearing Annie had returned, he turned to tell her to run again, but stopped short at the sight of a white-haired man in dark leather armor running toward the monster with his sword drawn.

“Look out!”, the other man shouted. Mordecai turned and ducked under an incoming tentacle. He heard a slashing sound as the white-haired man fended off more tentacles heading towards them. The two quickly fell into a rhythm as they fought the dragon, green tentacles and water falling around them as they danced and wove together.

Finally, Mordecai saw an opening at the creature’s mouth. He launched himself forward, sword aimed ahead.

His head breached the water, and he could only splutter and scrabble to keep his head above the water. He made his way to the beach ahead.

“Can’t forget this time… Man of Bats…”

————

Batman was gone now, and so was the tentacled monster. The residual energy from Batman’s jump felt the same as before. 

Danny stepped out of the cave, noting that the eclipse had occurred, and the sun was now peeking out again.

He opened a portal, stepping back into Clockwork’s lair, sighing heavily. He set his sword down, and stretched out his shoulders.

“So…” he started, staring at Clockwork’s back, nervous.

“I’m not mad, Danny. I think you did the right thing.” Clockwork turned to face Danny, smiling slightly. “Come here, and give me your sword.”

Danny came to stand next to Clockwork in front of a lab he must’ve set up while Danny was gone. Danny put his sword on the table. Clockwork got to work taking a sample of the monster’s blood that was still on it.

“I asked your parents to come, as I thought we may be able to make use of their expertise in figuring out what is causing Batman to travel through time. While we’re waiting, we might as well check to see how the monster might be related to what’s happening. I assumed you didn’t read the energy of the monster for yourself.”

“No, I’m sorry Clockwork. Everything happened so quickly, and I just-” 

Clockwork put his hand on Danny’s shoulder to cut him off. “I think you handled everything just fine, Danny. It was a stressful situation, and you jumped in to protect Batman, which was good. In any case, we still have the blood from the creature, so we can still just examine that. You made the right choices in the situation, Danny. I don’t want you getting stuck thinking that you could’ve been better when you did what was needed. Now, we just need to focus on next steps.”

“Thanks, Clockwork.” Danny said, smiling slightly. He held out his hand for the blood sample, which Clockwork gave him. 

“Now, focus, and see if it’s similar to the energy you detected off Batman before.”

Danny did as Clockwork directed. The energy from the blood felt faint, but Danny was still able to feel it. “It feels the same,” he told Clockwork.

Clockwork nodded, taking the vial and setting it down on the table. “Let’s leave this for your parents to study when they get here.”

“CLOCKY! GRANDPA! I’M BAAAACK!” they heard shouting from below, before Dani, in her human form, popped her head through the floor, her tongue sticking out.

“OH! Dad’s here! Great! Pops and Nana are on their way up too.” Dani finished pulling her body through the floor before running to squeeze between Clockwork and Danny. 

They heard the clomping of Jack Fenton climbing the stairs, and a moment later they saw Maddie’s red hair.

“Dann-o! Clockwork called us to say you found something new and mysterious! Tell us everything!”

Clockwork chuckled. “How about we sit down for some tea and hot chocolate first. I see Mrs. Fenton brought fudge, and I should be able to find some cookies I got from an old friend.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Danny said, smiling.

A/N:

I'm not exactly trying to shy away from "darker" themes, but yeah if I'm not in the mood, I'm definitely going to keep away from things I think are over a certain line.

On that note:

Deliberately didn’t include what happens to Annie in the end, because I felt like it would change the overall tone of this story considering how serious that matter is. Similarly, tried to cut out most of the bible talk, but honestly considering where my biases lie and also just embodying Annie when writing her great rant, I gave up cutting all of it out. I'm hoping it's not too bad.

Spoiler-ish of what happens to Annie if you are planning on reading Batman: Return of Bruce Wayne:

It's not good, but definitely not as terrible as I fear I'm making it out to be. Think 'typical violence against witches'

[cilil]

Fëanor and Nerdanel for 27 (pegging) please :D

Gentle June

AN: Good one! I hope you don't mind that I also threw in some praise kink and gentle dom, it felt right x) @tolkienpinupcalendar here I go!

❀ Prompt: Pegging, praise kink, gentle dom | Fëanor x Nerdanel ❀ Synopsis: Nerdanel finds that Fëanor has been rude, and rude Elves get pegged. ❀ Warnings: Smut, the prompts, Fëanor has mommy (and daddy) issues ❀ Short oneshot (~850 words)

"You are a naughty boy, Fëanáro." 

Nerdanel embraced him from behind, trapping him against his workbench and caging him with her strong arms. Fëanáro turned his head to receive a kiss, his project swiftly forgotten and his tools slipping out of his shaking grasp.

"Y-yes," he agreed, uncharacteristically docile. 

Nerdanel rewarded him with a giggle and another kiss. "I wonder what your mother would have to say to that."

She said it in a casual, teasing tone, yet they were both aware of the effect such words had on him. The blush on Fëanáro's face was deeply red like this tunic, extending all the way to the tips of his ears, and he instinctively leaned forward the second he felt his wife gently pushing against him. He loved the sensation of her weight on him, loved forgetting about pride and status and simply melting to be moulded by her strong, capable hands.

"Where is your toy, Fëanáro?" Nerdanel asked, calm and serious as if it was a normal, innocent conversation. 

Fëanáro, however, knew exactly what she had in mind and pressed his lips together to stifle a moan. "There's one in a box right here, second drawer next to my right knee. I made it earlier, just as you asked." 

"And the strap and oil?" 

"Also in the box." 

Nerdanel patted his backside appreciatively. "So you can be good."

"Only for you."

"And only for me will you improve your behaviour in other areas as well." 

Fëanáro opted to not talk back, instead listening to his wife retrieving the desired items, unceremoniously undoing his apron and pulling down his breeches. Here he was no crown prince or master smith, here he was but an unruly Elf waiting to get fucked with a toy of his own making. 

Nerdanel didn't bother undressing. She skillfully placed the strap around her hips and attached the toy before beginning to rub oil over it, her free hand resting on her husband's lower back to hold him down in the meantime. 

"What was that with the queen yesterday?" she began her brief interrogation.

"My father’s wife was disrespectful towards me," Fëanáro grumbled. He had known this would be brought up and prepared himself, though his anger had long since been extinguished by the far more pleasing prospect of punishment for his actions. 

Nerdanel's judgement was swift. "She wasn't. You were. And you knew your mother would be as disappointed as I am."

"Maybe."

"Fëanáro."

"Fine. I was..." He swallowed. "I was bad." 

His reward was a warm hand rubbing oil all over his entrance. 

"Well done, my love. And now you will make it up to me." 

Fëanáro nodded. "Yes, my lady." 

When it was his turn to be disciplined, he didn't receive further preparation, but he knew Nerdanel's intention wasn't to hurt him and the toy had been designed accordingly. Instead of the usual bulbous tips of more phallic designs, it had a tapered end and only slowly increased in circumference, interspersed with rounded, bead-like sections that served both as a more pleasurable texture and a scale of how much he managed to take. 

He lowered his head and did his best to relax. Nerdanel took her time pushing into him, the tip sliding in easily, then progressing bead by bead. The first two he barely felt, the third made him moan, the fourth proved to be a bit of a challenge, but she gently rocked back and forth a few times until he managed. 

"Good boy," she praised. "I knew you could do it." 

Fëanáro glowed with pride. Ambitious in all things, he wanted to show her just how good he could be, but Nerdanel decided it was enough. Instead, she took hold of his hips and began to thrust, decisively this time. His hole clenched around the toy, his mouth fell open. It felt so good, with its texture rubbing against his rim with every movement and its tip reaching deep inside, just where he wanted it. He could hear himself moan, but barely registered it as his own voice, his senses focused on that delicious sensation. 

There was no unnecessary flourish this time, no slowing down. Only raw physicality, driven by Nerdanel's strength and determination. Her goal was clear, and she handled him with the same precision and expertise as she handled her statues. 

It was impossible for Fëanáro to resist her for too long. He felt his muscles contract and the wet sensation of come spilling all over his stomach and workbench before he knew what happened. The toy being swiftly pulled out of him nearly prompted a needy whine, yet he knew better — he wasn't going to be rewarded until later, when she decided he had behaved himself. 

Nerdanel leaned over him, reddish-brown hair falling over him like a curtain. "You will go clean yourself up and then apologise to your father and his queen," she said calmly. "I will see you in the evening. Until then, be good." 

Thanks for reading! ♡

taglist: @asianbutnotjapanese @elanna-elrondiel @i-did-not-mean-to @numenhore @urwendii

[my-heart-beat-for-anime]

HIS BELLADONA treech x mentor reader

Pt.1, Pt.2, Pt.3

The coolness on my skin was what woke me from a pleasant sleep. I roughly rubbed my eyes and sat up on the bed. With a yawn, I decided to quickly cross the small apartment to the bathroom. I tried to go as quietly as possible so as not to wake my father. Father, I still didn't know if the man sprawled across the old couch was still the same a smiling man who raised me with love. The war destroyed everything, the war took my mother, the war took my father. I slowly wash my face with cold water and stare at myself in the cracked mirror and all I see is the same face as the woman who gave birth to me and loved me, the face of the woman I watched as she slowly died next to me due to lack of food and illness. I remember the helplessness that her death brought because not only did I lose my mother, but her death destroyed the man who had once been her father. After the death of his wife, he began to seek refuge in morphine and alcohol, leaving the weight of the world on the shoulders of his eight-year-old daughter. The only thing that kept her and her father alive was her father's meager salary, the salary was high but father would rather buy morphine than make sure I had dinner and gifts from my father's friend Casca Highbottom. I tried to buy on the black market, I bartered what I could and thanks to that we survived. I was now in my final year at the academy and planned to study at university.I noticed a bruise on my hand in the mirror, my father had another rough night yesterday. Today was one of those days when it didn't fit today was a big day today was harvest for the 10th hunger games. I quickly got ready, chose my mother's favorite dark blue skirt, on which stars were embroidered with yellow thread, on top I took a black turtleneck, which very well covered my bruised arms and neck. I let my hair flow freely on my shoulders and assessed whether it was enough. Unfortunately, there was no time for any shortcomings, so I just grabbed my school bag and headed for the exit from the apartment. Just as I was closing the door to the apartment, I heard the door of the apartment above us close, it meant that Coryo was leaving, so I waited for him to run downstairs, where I joined him on the way to the academy.,,It's a miracle what Tigris did with that old shirt, you look very elegant." I complimented his appearance. Coryo just laughed, "You know snow closets are bottomless." I was the only one who knew about his situation and he knew about mine. I have known Coriolanus since I was a child, our mothers were friends with each other in the days after your mother's death, I lived with the Snows for a while, who helped me a lot at that time. On the way to the academy, we had a pleasant conversation, but when you walked in, Coryo took Clemensia away and I was left alone, but not for long because Lysistrata spotted me. "Hey (Y/N) you look beautiful." Lysistrata was the only one of my classmates that I would believe this compliment.She was very quiet but she was one of the nicest and fairest people I've ever met.,, Well miss Lysistrata it's harvest day of course I have to represent the Capitol." I said with a sneer in my voice. She rewarded me with her smile in return and we left to the hall where the harvest transmission started in no time. I sat in the back row together next to my friend and we waited patiently. But what I didn't expect was the news that each of the top 24 students will be assigned a mentoring tribute. We are going to turn them into a show for entertainment , that made me sick to my stomach. I exchanged a disgusted look with Lys next to me.,, As if it wasn't enough that they are going to die, we're going to force them to make puppets here." I whispered in Lys's ear and she just nodded in agreement. The dean began to read the names and the screens showed each tribute.,, And the male tribute from the 7th district belongs to Miss (Y/N) Belladon.” My breath hitched as I stared at the face of the boy I was to lead to his death. He was tall with dark curls and gorgeous brown eyes.

Treech was the name

Treech was the name of my tribute

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

A Gentleman Boyfriend

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors.

Blank, ageless, and suspicious blogs will be blocked.

Mai: "Huh?"

(No way. Why?)

(Why is my sketchbook in here!?)

I couldn't help but break into a cold sweat as I noticed my sketchbook, full of compliments about Kicho, had somehow found its way into the bag.

If someone saw me bringing it to our client's mansion, this would turn into a big problem.

(How did this happen?)

I frantically retraced my memories.

(I remember taking it out the night before yesterday.)

------------Flashback-----------

(I have to write this down before I forget!)

I took the sketchbook off the shelf and started writing.

Mai: "Let's see..."

I relied on my memory, but after spending the entire morning together, there were some details I couldn't recall.

(What a bummer. I wanted to record everything about him in detail.)

(Oh, I know! I just need to carry it with me and find opportunities to take notes.)

Without giving it much thought, I put the notebook into the bag I usually use.

---------Flashback Ends---------

(Stupid Mai! It's me! I'm the culprit!)

Kicho: "What's wrong, Mai?"

He saw me standing there, frozen, and peered into the bag.

Mai: "Actually..."

Kicho: "Don't tell me you forgot your designs."

Mai: "Of course not. Look, they're right here!"

I pulled out my designs and quickly organized my bag.

He then took the designs from my hand and examined them.

Kicho: "You're right, everything is here."

Mai: "Yup, everything is all set."

Kicho: "Then why are you panicking?"

Mai: "It's not that I'm panicking. I'm just a little nervous."

At that moment, I sensed someone approaching from behind the sliding door.

Darren: "Kicho, Miss Mai, I apologize for keeping you waiting."

Kicho: "No worries, we've just arrived as well."

With the arrival of our business client, the conversation shifted, making me sigh in relief.

(Phew. It looks like he won't ask me about the sketchbook now.)

Kicho: "We'd like to discuss the designs Mai brought with her."

Darren: "Oh, I'm looking forward to it! Let's take a look right away."

I gathered my designs, and the negotiation began.

Darren: "All of these ideas are fantastic! I can picture my wife wearing some of them."

Kicho: "What about this one? Considering your original requirements, this one might be closer to it."

Darren: "You're right. Both are wonderful!"

(Great, it looks like the negotiations will go smoothly.)

I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw Darren's happy expression.

Kicho: "What do you think, Mai?"

Mai: "Me? I really like this dress in particular."

Darren: "I see. It's elegant, but if I were to suggest something, it could use a bit more flair."

Darren: "Is there something with a similar design but larger patterns?"

Mai: "Ah, in that case..."

(I think there's another dress with an elaborate design.)

I was about to respond when I suddenly realized that the only other design I had with larger patterns was in the sketchbook.

(What should I do? That page is full of notes about Kicho!)

I reached for my sketchbook but hesitated to show it to them.

Darren: "Is something wrong? If it's in there, please show it to us."

(As embarrassing as it is, I have no choice but to show it!)

Just as I was about to open the sketchbook, a piece of blank paper was smoothly handed to me from my side.

Kicho: "Use this."

(Eh? Kicho?)

He turned to Darren and spoke in a composed tone.

Kicho: "As an artist, she's hesitant to show an unfinished design publicly."

Kicho: "Let's have her redraw the design on this paper."

(I see. He's helping me out.)

Seeing Kicho's dignified side, I managed to regain my composure.

Darren: "I apologize for not noticing."

Mai: "No, I'm the one who should apologize."

Kicho: "Mai, can you draw it?"

Mai: "Yes, of course. I'll redraw it right away."

Darren: "I look forward to it!"

Darren's eyes were gleaming as I looked down at my hand holding the brush.

Thanks to Kicho's help, I was able to get through the situation and successfully conclude the business negotiations.

That night, I visited Kicho's room to express my gratitude.

Mai: "Kicho, do you have a moment?"

Kicho: "What's the matter? You don't need to be so formal."

Mai: "I came to thank you."

Mai: "I really appreciate what you did today. The business meeting went well, thanks to you."

Kicho: "I was just there as an interpreter. I didn't do anything special."

Kicho: "Your success was because of your skills."

After saying that, a feeling of pride swelled in my chest as the person I loved recognized me.

(But it's not just that. I couldn't have handled those negotiations on my own.)

Mai: "You helped me when I hesitated to show the sketchbook."

Kicho: "You mean by giving you the paper?"

Mai: "Yes, I was saved by that. So, it's thanks to you."

Kicho: "It's only natural to help when someone you love is in trouble. I've said that before, haven't I?"

(He really is a gentleman.)

My heart started beating faster as I felt the gentle love in his eyes.

Kicho: "I'm just happy I could be of any help to you, even if only a little."

Kicho: "But there's one thing I'd like to ask."

Mai: "There's something you want to ask?"

Kicho: "Yeah, I remember the other day you hid that sketchbook from me when I came into your room."

Mai: "You noticed?"

Kicho: "Normally, you leave your sketches out in the open, but at that time, you deliberately covered them on your desk."

(So he knew I didn't want anyone to see that sketchbook, and that's why he helped me.)

Kicho: "You were trying to hide it, so there must be something important written in there."

Mai: "That's..."

Kicho: "Don't worry. I won't pry into your secrets."

Kicho: "I was just a little curious."

With that, Kicho turned his gaze away.

The moment I saw his lonely expression一

Mai: "That's not it!"

I hastily tried to explain.

Mai: "I don't have any secrets that I want to keep from you."

Kicho: "But that was..."

I saw a hint of confusion in his eyes.

(I don't want to see him with that expression again!)

With these feelings in my heart, I grabbed the sleeves of his clothes.

Kicho: "Mai?"

Mai: "It's not like that at all!"

Mai: "Come with me."

I guided him and led him to my room.

Mai: "Please have a look. I don't intend to hide it anymore."

I took out the sketchbook and boldly handed it to Kicho.

Kicho: "That sketchbook…"

He nodded as if he understood.

Mai: "I use it as a sketchbook, but I also write down my feelings on it."

Kicho: "So you mean it's also a diary?"

Kicho: "But are you sure I can take a look?"

Mai: "Yes. Go ahead and take a look."

Kicho: "----?"

He tilted his head curiously but then decided to open it.

Kicho: ".........."

Mai: ".........."

(This is so awkward!)

Enduring the embarrassment, I watched as Kicho read through the pages.

Eventually, he closed it and placed it on the desk.

Kicho: "Mai."

Mai: "Y-Yeah--"

Before I could finish my sentence, he wrapped his arms around my back.

Kicho: "I understand the feelings you have for me."

Kicho: "And this is my answer to you."

Mai: "Huh? Mmm--"

His lips pressed against mine, and I quickly realized what was happening.

His deep and tender kiss conveyed feelings of love, leaving me breathless.

Mai: "Haaa..."

Our lips parted, and he gazed at me, smiling gently.

Kicho: "You not only see me clearly but also appreciate every little thing I do."

Kicho: "Thank you. I love you just as much."

Mai: "Mmm..."

Lost in his blushing smile, he planted another kiss on my lips.

I responded to his kisses and felt my body floating momentarily, realizing he'd placed me on the bed.

Kicho: "Mai."

Kicho: "I want to touch you more."

(I want to touch him more, too.)

While receiving his sweet kisses, I anticipated a blissful night and closed my eyes in a daze.

Part 1 ╎ Part 2 ╎ Premium ╎ Epilogue

[raspberryfingers]

A Lion in the Garden -Tywin Lannister x Reader- (Part 8)

WARNINGS: Tywin being the largest asshole ever

Word Count: 6.5k

—————

Ever since I’d given Lord Tywin the ring, things had changed between us. And despite what one might assume, our relationship hadn’t changed for the better. In the last two weeks, Lord Tywin had been cold, flippant, and arrogant whenever I’d tried to talk with him. At first I’d just assumed he was having a bad day, or was frustrated by politics and war, the sort of thing men will let themselves be frustrated by. Then I remembered that it was Tyrion’s name day, and naturally thought that it must’ve been a rather painful anniversary for him. But no, even after that had passed, he did not warm up to me. 

It became incredibly apparent to me that I was somehow the problem, and what was most annoying was that I had not a single clue as to why. He’d seemed overjoyed when I’d given him the ring, I mean for the gods’ sake, he’d even called me by my name alone. 

But now he was dreadful, always grumbling and making excuses whenever we saw one another. They were not even good excuses either, and some had just been outright lies. I had been meaning to confront him about his behavior anyway, but I snapped today. 

It had started perfectly fine, a bit dull at the worst, but fine. My grandmother had other business to attend to—which, in reality, meant she did not want to do anything—and so I took her place in the great hall. Though it was ‘unofficial’, there were certain days where the lords and ladies would gather to gossip, plan, and learn unnecessary information about each other. Today was one of those days, and I found myself enveloped in an extremely boring conversation with several noble ladies. 

“Lady Trysta was seen flirting with Lord Darren in the gardens yesterday, can you believe it?”

“Gods, isn’t his wife pregnant with their first child?”

“I don’t believe such nonsense. Lady Trysta is a very noble woman, surely she wouldn’t do something so insulting.”

I wondered how my grandmother managed to survive such droll conversations, though I understood that this was why she had sent me in her place. She might’ve sent Margaery if not for the fact that she was with King Joffrey today, and that thought at least provided some reassurance.

But still, I was not the politician that either my grandmother or sister were. I supposed I just preferred real politics to court gossip, though usually the two must go hand in hand.

When I spotted Lord Varys exiting a conversation across the room, however, I took my chance. It would seem far less rude to exit the conversation if it appeared as though I was going to speak with someone else. 

“Excuse me, ladies,” I said softly, moving back from the circle and making my way across the room. I did not stay close enough to hear anything they’d said, nor did I look back to see their faces. I quite honestly did not care enough.

Lord Varys saw me coming and brought his hands together in expectation. I gave him a subtle smile, and he raised his eyebrow in response. When I reached him, he bowed his head.

“Lady (Y/N).”

“Lord Varys, how are you?”

“Perfectly fine, my lady. And how are you?” He asked, lowering his hands to his lap. I’d always found Lord Varys to be an agreeable man. Of course, he was still one to be cautious around, but he was infinitely better than Littlefinger, and the short interactions we’d had were enjoyable. 

“I have been better and been worse, my lord,” I answered truthfully, knowing it couldn’t really do me any harm. The Spider gave a low chuckle.

“I hear there is news of the change in the wedding plans,” he mentioned, to which I huffed out. There was another thing I needed to discuss with Lord Tywin, as he had not been willing to give Sansa Stark to my brother. She was now to wed Tyrion, and Loras was to wed Cersei. My grandmother had agreed out of fear of Loras being appointed kingsguard, but I would sooner rot in all seven hells than watch my brother marry Cersei Lannister. 

“That arrangement certainly does not make me feel better, but it is not that. May I unburden myself to you, Lord Varys?” I asked, hoping for someone wise and reasonable to listen to me. It was not as though I could talk about it to any of my family members, for I feared they would tease and ask far too many questions. They of all people would be surprised to hear me complain that Tywin Lannister was being rude to me, or at least surprised to hear that I wished to remedy the situation.

“Is it something that can be used against you?” he asked, taking a breath and tilting his head. It was good of him to at least give me that warning, even if I already knew better. 

“I highly doubt it. I wouldn’t have even brought it up if it was.”

“Smart of you, Lady Tyrell. By all means, go ahead.”

I smiled, and so did Lord Varys. To say that we were friends was a false statement, but I preferred his company to quite a lot of people’s in King’s Landing.

“Recently, I believed Lord Tywin and I to be having an improving relationship. It was rather nice, because being allies with a man you hate is quite frustrating, as I’m sure you can imagine. But, these last two weeks, he’s distanced himself from me more than is anywhere close to reasonable, and I cannot think of anything I may have done wrong,” I explained, sighing and glancing up at the throne, which sat directly over Lord Varys’ shoulder.

The Spider nodded, contemplating and looking down. I saw a smile tug at the corner of his lips, but it disappeared just as fast as it had come. I might’ve asked about it had he not replied so quickly afterward.

“Don’t worry yourself with it, Lady (Y/N). Lord Tywin can be unpredictable at times, I’m certain that whatever reason he has for being a bit colder than usual is a good one,” he assured me, reaching out and placing a hand on my shoulder. I sighed, gazing across the room where Lord Tywin himself was engaged in a conversation. He was not saying much, but it was clear that everyone in the circle spoke as if they needed his approval. 

At that instant, however, he looked over and met my gaze. He only held it for a moment, though, as his eyes then looked Lord Varys over rather thoughtfully. His face twisted bitterly, and he focused on the man speaking again. Lord Varys removed his hand from me, giving me a rather sympathetic look.

“I- I have considered speaking to him about the subject, though I’m not entirely sure if that would be a good idea considering that Lord Tywin is… well, Lord Tywin,” I said, finally turning my head to look at the man in front of me again. He blinked a few times with contemplation and then sighed out.

“The Hand certainly is a complicated man, but I think if you approached him about it in the right way he might be receptive. I do hope you will figure it out, my lady. It would be quite nice to see you and Lord Tywin getting along for a change,” Lord Varys replied, giving the gentlest of smiles. I looked over at the group of men with Lord Tywin again and got the sudden urge to go over.

“Would you come with me, Lord Varys? I’d like to hear that conversation, and I think being on your arm would seem a more natural reason to join it.”

“Of course, my lady.”

I took the Spider’s arm, and we found ourselves wandering across the hall and joining the circle in a matter of moments. The Master of Whispers was never out of place in any conversation, and beside him, neither was I. Lord Tywin gazed at me for a mere second and then returned his focus to the man talking. I was the only woman in the group, naturally.

“Robb Stark wants to behead Rickard Karstark now. The man went and killed two Lannister boys all because he’s bitter,” one of them said, scoffing out as if the notion was utterly ridiculous. Another man glared and shook his head.

“You’d be bitter too if someone killed your boy. Of course, the man’s a bloody fool for doing it, but the anger is understandable.”

“Well, I hope ‘the King in the North’ does the honorable thing like his father would’ve. He’ll lose all the Karstark bannermen if he does. The war will be over five seconds after the man’s head is gone.”

“And he’s got no substantial allies then.”

Feeling the urge to speak up, I let go of Lord Varys’ arm and cleared my throat to grab all the men’s attention. “Robb Stark is a great strategist if nothing else, gentleman. It would be unwise to underestimate him simply because his numbers are small.”

I expected to meet resistance from a few of them, just as women always do in such a setting, but I had not expected it from the Hand of the King himself.

“His numbers aren’t small, he does not have numbers at all. Robb Stark is just like his father, too honorable, and the second Rickard Karstark loses his head, we win,” Lord Tywin spoke, giving me a somewhat condescending look. Everyone seemed surprised, as he’d been very quiet for most of the discussion. My annoyance grew. Why challenge me in a circle of already skeptical men? It depleted my credibility and made me look foolish. 

“I’ve heard whispers that Robb Stark has received a request from Walder Frey. Though the boy is already married, Lord Frey wishes to have his uncle, Edmure Tully, marry one of his daughters,” Lord Varys added, and I appreciated his conscious aid, for Lord Tywin was feeling particularly ‘cunt-ish’ this afternoon. 

“And if that were to happen, that alliance could be worrisome and a threat,” I said, proving my point as my eyebrows furrowed with anger. The circle grew awkward as the aggression built between Lord Tywin and I.

“Walder Frey will never make an alliance with Robb Stark.”

“And how do you know that? Did you become all knowing since the last time we spoke, Lord Tywin?”

“I know that because I’m not a fool.”

The circle went utterly silent, and not a single man released or took a breath. I felt my eyes twitch. No, I would not stand here and let Lord Tywin embarrass me. We’d always had conflicts, but how dare he insult me so harshly in front of others?

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” I said sharply, removing myself from them. As I did, Varys gave me a soft look of apology, and I would thank him for it later. As I walked away, however, I heard Lord Tywin say one last thing.

“Forgive her, gentlemen. Lady Tyrell is young and naive, nothing more than a girl, really. She’s under the impression that commanding her father’s armies gives her far more power and influence than she really has. It would be unfair to judge her knowledge of real politics.”

 I heard laughter coming from the group, and only for a second did I stop walking. I felt my heart shatter at his words, though it did not take long for anger to replace the hurt.

How dare he? 

How dare he embarrass me so publicly? Because his testing tone and his insults had merely been aggravating to my face, but behind my back and not directly to me, they were unforgivable. After every conversation we’d had? After he’d directly confirmed that he did not view me as childish or stupid, he dared to insinuate that I was both things to a group of men that did not know me?

He was well aware of the fact that I did not like to be discredited, and yet he had said such a thing anyway. Perhaps I had overestimated both how truthful and how understanding the Old Lion was.

Despite this feeling of disgust, I continued to walk out of the hall, though anger and possibly even heat were omitted from every step I took. It would stay that way until I confronted him that afternoon, when it would only get worse.

—————

When I entered Lord Tywin’s office, I thought I might explode. He did not even look up at me when I entered, acting as though I simply wasn’t there. He just went on answering letters, completely unaffected by my presence in the room.

I heard the double doors shut behind me, and even more angry about the fact that he was not acknowledging my presence, I made purposeful strides towards his desk. When I reached it, he still would not lift his head.

“Lord Tywin, I wish to speak with you,” I said, balling my fists at my sides to try and contain my fury. I was also trying so hard not to sound rude that I instead sounded like something was stuck in my throat.

“You already are,” he replied curtly, still scratching something down on his parchment. I scowled, reaching across his desk and ripping his stupid quill from his hands. He did not seem shocked, he simply looked at me with boredom. It was as if he was asking me ‘are you done?’.

“I want to speak with you, not at you,” I clarified sternly, placing the quill down on the wood now that Lord Tywin had at least bothered to look at me.

“And what is it that you wish to discuss?”

I could only gape at him for a moment, raising both eyebrows to ask if he was being entirely serious. When he said nothing, I scoffed and clenched my jaw. “What is it that I wish to discuss? I don’t know, perhaps the atrocious way that you treated me today!”

“I don’t know what you mean, Lady Tyrell,” he replied, giving me the most condescending look I’d ever seen. I, however, was in shock. Lady Tyrell?

Lady fucking Tyrell?

“Lady Tyrell, Lord Tywin? Are you serious? And don’t play stupid with me, you’re above that. You embarrassed me in front of all those lords. You made me look like a desperate fool and an idiot,” I hissed, glaring down at him with more anger than I even knew I possessed. I’d suffered quite a lot of insults in my life, but none so degrading as the ones I’d heard from him today.

“You were behaving like one, Lady Tyrell,” he replied, making my knuckles go white on his desk. In all the time that I’d known him, he’d very seldom called me by that title. Many did, but not him. Not when speaking to me, at least.

“Stop fucking calling me that! I’d rather you call me an insufferable cunt than Lady Tyrell!” I shouted in a rare moment of utter frustration. Somehow, him referring to me that way was even more upsetting than him saying that I was childish. I hadn’t a clue why that was.

For just a moment, there was a flash of surprise in the Lord Hand’s eyes. It had been quite some time since I’d yelled at him that way, and I supposed he hadn’t been expecting it. It seemed that my words had gagged the man, for he merely stood up from his seat to be at a more even level to me. Had I been anyone else, his height would’ve been intimidating, but I knew exactly what he was doing and it only made me more bold.

“You crossed a line today, Lord Tywin. Embarrassing me to my face is one thing, and perhaps you believe I deserved that, but when I’m not even present in the conversation and you have the audacity to call me desperate and witless, that is entirely another! You ought to have had the decency to at least try and defend me as Lord Varys did. No, instead you actively opposed me like my sentiment was somehow the most foolish one you’d ever heard, and if you’re honest with yourself, you know that what I was saying made sense,” I ranted, glaring at him and slowly making my way around his desk as I did. I was taking slow, furious steps, and eventually I was standing right in front of him. There was unbridled anger on his face now, and I was at the very least satisfied to have broken his unbothered facade. 

“And what would you have had me say? Whether you believe yourself to be clever or not, I don’t agree with your sentiments about Robb Stark and Walder Frey,” he replied, only addressing the most trivial part of my frustration. I sighed, shaking my head at him.

“I’m not asking you to agree with me, but forgive me for wanting you to have at least not embarrassed me. Is that so unimaginable to you? I mean gods help me, Lord Varys! How is it that Lord Varys, a man I hardly know, made me look more credible than you did? Have I overstated our friendship? Do you truly care for me that little?” I went off on him, taking a step forward so that I was practically looking directly up at him. I was unbelievably angry, though more than anything I was hurt. 

“We are not friends, Lady (Y/N)! We are allies. Allies! I have no obligation to defend you anywhere but the battlefield. Nor do I have to honor your image, especially when you are so prone to foolishness. Most importantly, I have no obligation to be kind to you at all. Perhaps if you’d had the sense to remind yourself of that, you wouldn’t be so upset in the first place,” he shot back, nose wrinkling with his anger while he spoke. I was relieved to—at the very least—hear him use my name, but also hurt at his sentiment. Although, I was not just going to accept that. I was not one to overstate relationships, and I would not let him treat me like I was groveling for his affection. After all, it was I who had struggled to see him as anything but an enemy.

“Merely allies, Lord Tywin? Be honest with yourself. You have saved my life during the battle, and you helped me back to my room when my stitches split. You had a new pair of armor made for me which was far more elegant than any reasonable person would’ve asked for, and you paid for the smith to fix my Valyrian steel sword. We quite literally hunted, dined, and slept outside together! You want to tell me that we’re not friends? Even after all that? You’re currently wearing a ring that I had made for you and you truly want to believe we aren’t anything more than just allies?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows and searching for any hint of emotion in his eyes. I was only trying to clear up where he’d gotten lost, or maybe where I had. 

Lord Tywin only glared at me, and after a moment he lifted his hand. I watched him grab at the ring, twisting it back and forth to loosen it from his skin before pulling it off entirely. He grabbed my hand then, opening it up and placing the Valyrian steel inside my palm. Looking at it, my heart sank all the way into my stomach. Tears suddenly began to prick at my eyes, but I looked down. The Lord Hand would not see me cry.

We stood there in silence for a minute, and even though he couldn’t see my eyes, he could obviously tell that he had hurt me. He decided he might as well put the nail in the coffin.

“You really still are that naive and foolish girl from all those years ago, aren’t you-“

As I heard Lord Tywin say it, my hurt suddenly turned into fury. How dare he behave like this? I couldn’t contain myself anymore, even if I’d wanted to.

Though my left hand was holding the ring in it, my right hand was completely free. I slapped Tywin Lannister across the face with all the strength I had in me. My hand was stinging, and he let out a choked noise as I did it. His cheek already looked flushed, and I was rather satisfied with it.

Though, my satisfaction did not last long. Lord Tywin’s eyes filled with hot rage, and he gripped my forearms before pulling me into him harshly. I was pressed up against him, glaring up at him with defiance.

“I will not hit you, Lady Tyrell, but be careful,” he warned, tone low and threatening. My chest was heaving, and so was his. 

“It won’t be a problem, Lord Hand. I never wish to speak to you again, civilly or otherwise.” I broke free of his grasp, giving him one last glare and turning my back to him. I made my way out of the room in silence, and only once the door had shut behind me did I permit myself to cry.

—————

Lord Tywin sighed, slumping back in his chair and gripping the arms of it. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to ignore the guilt that was chewing away at him. Gods, why had he said all that to you? 

His cheek still stung, but he was not bitter. He had pushed you so far you’d felt the need to do that, and that hurt more than any physical pain he was experiencing. And truthfully, he couldn’t stand the lack of weight on his left hand. 

“Stupid…” he muttered to himself, sitting up straight again and attempting to return to writing letters. He reached for the quill you’d left on the opposite side of the table, his lips pressing together as he dipped the tip of it into his inkwell. He needed to get his mind off of you, that was all.

The Lord Hand began scratching down words on his parchment, but he got no farther than a sentence. He could not get the image of you out of his head. The way you’d frozen when he’d insulted you in the Great Hall, the way your head had refused to lift when he’d given you back the ring. It was gut wrenching. 

He could only scowl to himself, pushing his chair back with such force that it scraped against the stone floor and created an extremely unpleasant noise. Lord Tywin stood, going over to the cabinet at the side of the room to pour himself a cup of wine. He downed it much quicker than he normally would’ve.

Gods, he shouldn’t have grabbed you the way he did. He shouldn’t have said any of what he had. But this was what he’d wanted, wasn’t it? To drive you away? He reflected that it had been a simple concept to consider, but now that you truly didn’t wish to speak with him, it hurt so much more than he’d ever imagined. 

The sound of thunder distracted him from his thoughts, and it made him flinch. He hadn’t even realized that it was raining outside, if he was honest. Going over to the window, though, he realized he could smell it. He couldn’t recall the last time it had rained in King’s Landing. 

No, Lord Tywin could not bear this. No amount of time or distraction would solve this aching. He needed to speak with you, even if you yelled and hit him. He didn’t care; you looked beautiful when you were angry. Perhaps that was what had caused this… affection to form. He did not like that he couldn’t control it. 

Firm in his decision, the Old Lion found himself exiting his office and rushing down the stairs in the Tower of the Hand much faster than he probably should’ve been. He couldn’t have cared less, though. All that mattered to him was clearing things up. What if you couldn’t forgive him?

He pushed these thoughts away, walking through the Red Keep with an unmatched pace. His only objective was to reach your room, it did not matter who he passed by. He would speak to you if it was the last thing he did.

“I’d like to speak to Lady (Y/N),” he said to Ser Elias, having arrived at your door and seeing the abnormally tall man standing in front of it. The knight only shook his head.

“She’s gone out, my lord. She- She went to the stables in quite a rush,” he explained to Lord Tywin, making the older man raise an eyebrow and tilt his head. 

“And you did not go with her?” He questioned, perhaps glad that he hadn’t but simultaneously furious that you intended to go out and had no protection. Was this knight the stupidest man in all seven kingdoms?

“I- I attempted to convince her, my lord, but she did not want me. I fear she- she requires some time alone,” Ser Elias answered with embarrassment, knowing that he ought to have done more convincing than he actually did. You were sobbing, who was he to argue with you and make it worse? He regretted it now, though.

“And you’re certain she went out? Do not lie to me, Ser,” the Lord Hand warned, trying to make sure that the knight wasn’t merely covering for you. 

“Yes, my lord, she did. You may take my tongue if I'm lying,” he replied, to which the Old Lion nodded. Though, he suddenly realized that you were going out in the rain. Gods, he had to go find you. He did not want you to get sick.

Lord Tywin glared at the taller man in front of him before rushing away, needing to get to the stables as soon as he possibly could. The rain had begun to come down quite hard, and if you had been eager to go out you would still be in the dress you’d been wearing all day, and that was not suitable attire for rain like this. According to many ladies at court, it was not suitable attire for anything. Well, perhaps it worked in one situation.

When the Lord Hand reached the stables, he was practically breathless, and yet he was shouting at the men there to saddle his horse as quickly as possible. They did so, and one of them offered him a cloak for the rain. He considered turning it down, but he figured it might be useful to wrap you in the thing once he found you.

As he mounted his horse and began riding through King’s Landing, he realized there was that problem too. You could be anywhere in the city or in the Kingswood, how was he to figure such a thing out? He tried to recall if you’d ever mentioned anything, perhaps a certain spot that you enjoyed. Thankfully, it did not take long for one idea to come to him. He just had to pray that you were actually where he thought you were. 

The rain was a heavy downpour as he made his way through the city, and Lord Tywin felt awful. Had it not been for him, you would not have felt the need to ride out here in such weather to begin with. He was thankfully rather protected by his tall boots and his leather coat, but his hair was drenched. He could not even begin to imagine the state you were in.

The Old Lion was riding as hard as his horse would let him, especially now that he had reached the Kingswood. He was searching desperately, trying to find the location he suspected you would be. His eyes were constantly going back and forth in an attempt to find any sign of you as quickly as he could. Even despite the tree cover, the rain was still coming through with a violence.

The sudden neighing of a horse caught his attention, and he worked his way toward it as precisely as possible. The sound of thunder was quite prominent, and he found himself stopping for minutes at a time to listen for anything besides that.

Eventually, however, he found your horse tied to a tree. Right beside it was a much larger one, and he instantly recognized it as the one you’d tried to climb when the two of you had gone hunting. 

Lord Tywin pulled on his reins, stopping his horse and holding a hand above his eyes to block the downpour. He squinted as he looked up toward the tree’s branches, and he let out a sigh of relief once he did. Just as he had suspected, there you were, nestled among the tree’s branches. Thank the gods, you were safe. Now all he had to do was speak with you.

—————

I couldn’t recall how long I’d been sitting in this damned tree. From the moment I’d left the Tower of the Hand, I had begun to dissociate. All I knew was that I needed to be away, and this had seemed the most natural place to come, even despite the rain.

Speaking of which, I was utterly drenched. My dress was soaked, and so was my hair, and yet somehow I did not mind that half as much as I minded the emotional turmoil I was experiencing. It was unbelievably frustrating to feel this way, especially over Tywin Lannister. 

It was so degrading, for I’d despised the man for so long and the second that I’d dared to let myself feel anything other than hatred for him, he’d decided to do this. The worst part was I had absolutely no clue what had happened, for when we’d gone to the smith together everything had been fine. I couldn’t think of a single thing I’d done to make the Lord Hand so cold to me, and yet he was anyway. 

I found myself wiping tears from my eyes even though I shouldn’t have bothered, as the rain was ten times worse. I could taste them in my throat, and I loathed it. Surely this man was not worth crying over, so why was I? He was rude, overly confident, and the most immoral person I’d ever met. I felt pathetic, and I wanted the tears to stop more than anything. They just wouldn’t.

“Lady (Y/N)!”

I felt a chill run up my spine at the sound of my name, and when I moved my head over to look down, I found the Lord Hand on his horse. He was at the base of the tree, looking up at me with his hand above his eyes to keep the rain off of them. The sight of him was somehow both relieving and infuriating. I did not want to speak with him, but he’d come for me even in the pouring rain. 

That didn’t mean I was letting him off the hook, however, and after setting my eyes upon him I instantly turned my head the other way. I had told him I didn’t wish to speak with him and I meant it. 

“Lady (Y/N) I- I wish to explain myself!” Lord Tywin shouted up at me, trying to make sure that he was audible over the annoyingly loud rain. I had no intention whatsoever to let him know that I could hear him.

“I have- I have been cold to you these last two weeks, I am not going to feign ignorance. I’ve made excuses as to why I cannot speak with you, and I have actively avoided you. You did not deserve that treatment, and you most certainly did not deserve the things that I did and said today,” he said, straining his voice and pausing in between sentences to think through everything he was saying. He almost sounded breathless, and it struck me as odd. 

“I was cruel, and I cannot blame you for your anger. Even if I could, I wouldn’t. You- You have gone against your better judgment in associating with me, for I know that I make it quite hard. I’m simply… I’m hesitant, Lady (Y/N),” Lord Tywin continued, and I could sense a certain desperation in his voice. I finally allowed myself to look over at him, and though I could not see him particularly well from the top of the tree, I could certainly see that he truly meant what he was saying. “The last true friend I had was the late King Aerys, and he betrayed my trust in every way imaginable. And you… you already harbor quite a lot of negative feelings toward me, so when you gave me the ring, I- I became afraid. I did not want to permit myself to be hurt if you should suddenly regret tolerating me.”

“So you decided that pushing me away was the best option?” I scowled suddenly, no longer capable of holding in my anger as I turned to face him. Did he really think that his little ‘explanation’ was going to make me forgive him? 

“Yes, that is exactly what I decided. And I understand that it was foolish and selfish of me, that is why I am here. I initially believed that- that if I simply pushed you away now it would not hurt me, but the second that you left my office, Lady (Y/N)… even the second that you left the great hall, I understood the gravity of- of my feelings,” he said, grappling with his reins as a sudden clap of thunder startled the animal beneath him. I could only stare at him.

“Your feelings?”

“Yes, my feelings. I desire your friendship, let me be clear about that. Even if I- Even if I believed it was best to push you away, it is not what I wanted. You are infuriating, Lady (Y/N), and I crave it. You yell at me, you lecture me, and then you take my arm all the same. You’re a challenge, and it is invigorating. No matter how many gifts I buy, or how many compliments I give, you’re never complacent. You have made me work not just for your companionship, but simply for the right to be tolerated, so much so that I now yearn for it,” Lord Tywin replied, removing his hand from above his eyes so that I might actually see them. He ran it through his dripping hair instead, slicking it back and blinking hard as the rain came down. I could see the water running down his face, and I pondered that I was like a maiden in a song or a story. Though, Lord Tywin was not my lover, nor was he making a love confession. And unlike those maidens, I still found myself somewhat upset. 

“And what happens once you tire of this ‘challenge’, my lord? Why, besides that, do you want my friendship? Because as far as I am concerned, you currently have no problem rejecting my offering of it,” I pointed out, similarly moving the wet hair out of my face. The odds of me being sick tomorrow were almost certainly 100.

Lord Tywin blinked a few more times, wiping the water from his face with his hand and swallowing. He sighed out then, looking down for a moment before meeting my eyes again. “Because despite my insults, you are incredibly intelligent, not to mention kind—at least when you’re not angry. But more than that, you… you make me smile… and laugh… and I am not known for doing either of those things. I understand that when you granted me that ring, it was not simply an object, but an offering of your friendship. And I- I sincerely regret turning such a thing down. That is why I am here, Lady (Y/N). I am here because I need your friendship, and I am- I am sorry…”

 Even despite the rain, I could see that the Great Lion was looking at me with the utmost fondness in his eyes, and I felt my breath catching in my throat as I processed what he was saying. My head did not want to forgive him, but my heart was tugging at me, perhaps even begging me to.

Because I could not betray either of them, I simply stared at Lord Tywin. In all honesty, I hadn’t a clue what I would say even if I felt capable of speaking. The Hand of the King continued to gaze up at me, and when he realized that I had no intention to say anything, he said the only thing that was left to say.

“Lady (Y/N), please come down. You’re- You’re going to get sick.”

Although I could not reply, I certainly could do this. Even I had to admit that the feeling of being continually stuck in the rain like this was growing uncomfortable. Gods, the ride back to the Red Keep was going to be awful.

Carefully, I adjusted my grip on the tree and began to move my legs over to the side. Lord Tywin knew that I intended to come down, and naturally dismounted his horse to make sure that I was safe as I did. 

I held onto the different branches and crevices of the giant tree, and slowly began to work my way down it. The bark was rough and damp against my palms, but I felt sure footed even despite that. I made relatively quick work of it, and once I was close enough to the ground I simply jumped down.

I had not accounted for how slippery the leaves would be, however, and so as I hit the dirt I stumbled forward a bit and fell straight into Lord Tywin’s arms. He gripped me firmly, holding just below my shoulders and helping me stand up straight.

“Are you alright?” he asked, making sure I hadn’t accidentally messed up an ankle or something. I looked up at him, swallowing and then nodding in response to his question. He let go of me then, moving over to his horse and removing a cloak from his saddlebag. “Here, you’re absolutely drenched. We’ll go to the inn down the road, the Red Keep is too far for us to get to in this weather. I’m certain at least one soldier will give up his room for the right amount of gold.”

Lord Tywin wrapped the thing around me, rubbing my arms to warm me up and then placing the hood over my head. I had only now realized that I was shivering. He directed me over to my horse, helping me on before mounting his own animal. 

He looked at me once more, trying to make sure that I intended to follow him. When I gave him a nod, he spurred his horse and instantly started toward the nearby road. I started after him, eager to get anywhere that wasn’t outside in this wretched rain.

After about five minutes of hard riding, we thankfully came across the inn that he intended to stay in for the night. It suddenly hit me that Tywin Lannister intended to sleep here. I supposed there were a few nicer rooms, but still, it was hardly comparable to anything in the Red Keep or at Casterly Rock. Then again, he’d had no problem spending the night outside before.

I watched him approach a post then, dismounting and tying his horse to it. I did the same, though I was shivering so aggressively that it took me a moment to actually knot the reins. Lord Tywin was waiting for me, and I could see in his eyes that he was concerned for my health. I was certain it would be fine, I just needed to get warm. Now all that was left to do was pray that Lord Tywin and I could acquire two rooms, though somehow, I had a dreadful feeling that we’d end up stuck in one.

TAGLIST:

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@ladysindar @vesta-ro @exo-nova @paola-carter

@prettykinkysoul 

@fullmoonshadowwrites @kishie8 

@the-desilittle-bird @dianilaws @girlonfireice 

@muscari-fae @lostgirllulu 

@abigfanofgameofthrones @smalltownbigheart 

@frombloodandflesh @supernaturalismyreligion666

@thanyatargaryen @rey26 @hexandale @pkawaiidesu5394 @aimsro @gbatesx @lockleysgrl

[cherryxcadbury]

Idk if you write for TAA but I thought in which you’re famous maybe like a writer or idk. Not model or singer, something different because people are delighted that he didn’t choose a “fake” girl, because you’re smart and show in his games every time you can.

this is my oldest request, from almost a year ago. apologies anon.

y/n-your name

2nd person pov

Post match meant time to celebrate and relax. Usually anyways.

It was Sunday, the day after the champions league final, where Liverpool had lost to Real Madrid.

Since then, all the WAGs, players, and coaching staff had made it home from Paris.

And currently, a smaller group of you were gathered around the sitting room of the Van Dijk’s home. Virgil and his wife Rike, stood ready to get whatever anyone needed as hosts.

Captain Jordan Henderson & his wife Rebecca were seated, squished on a small seat.

Andy Robertson, your boyfriend’s best friend was on the floor with a beer in hand, with his wife Rachel seated right behind him on a chair.

As for you and Trent, you two were seated on a slightly smaller sofa, squished, but content.

Usually Mo and his wife, who you’d spent lots of time talking to, managed to find time to come to these gatherings but their daughter had fallen ill.

“I just dunno how the fans will receive us.” Jordan confessed, with his head in his hands.

“If I were a fan I’d want to physically assault myself after yesterday.” Andy groaned.

“I fucked up bad.” Trent mumbled into your ear.

You lightly slapped his knee, telling him not to think such thoughts.

“Heads up guys. We win as a team, we lose as a team.” Virgil comforted everyone.

“You lot have got the FA cup parade tomorrow. That’s something to look forward to.” Rachel brought up, trying to add cheer to the conversation.

“Not the same as a champions league trophy.” Trent groaned.

Rebecca stood up, beckoning Rike & Virgil to sit down.

“We need to change the topic guys. If we keep talking about the defeat you guys are going to moping all the way until next season and into the World Cup.” She suggested.

“So change of topic anyone?” Andy asked, taking another swig of his beer.

“How about that Y/N’s latest book has just won a Pulitzer Prize.” Trent offered the newest bit of information.

You whipped your head in his direction. You hadn’t thought that he’d remember or had even noticed with all of the matches and finals going on.

When your eyes met Trent’s, all you could see in his face was pure love and joy.

“I’m so so proud of you.” He said into your ear.

Your heart swelled with happiness. You felt on top of cloud nine despite yesterday’s events in Paris.

“Y/N that’s amazing!” Virgil exclaimed.

“Was it Life as We Know it?” Rachel asked, referring to the novel of yours which had been an international success in the last year.

You nodded, “Yeah that was it.”

“I need to tell the team.” Jordan got out his phone and started texting rapidly.

You blushed, these very public gestures always made you feel shy. Shy but appreciated.

“This calls for a toast. Let me help with the drinks.” Rebecca, Rike, and Virgil made their ways to the kitchen to get some more wine and beer.

“WOOOO Y/N IS THE BEST WRITER EVER!” Andy’s hands shot up in the air and he started dancing around.

You and Trent looked over at each other. You tried to hide your laughter by snuggling into his chest, but it was impossible.

Andy was Andy. The loud, hilarious Scotsman.

*** “A toast. To Y/N. For making our dark days, brighten with some light.” Trent raised his glass, as the others followed.

You did the same, giving everyone a grateful smile, especially Trent.

You looked at everyone around you, they were happy yes. But as you squinted further you could still see the sad looks in their eyes. The stinging pain of the loss didn’t just go away like that.

“Thank you guys. I appreciate it, I really do. But it’s okay to feel bad for yourselves you know. A champions league final is a big thing. You can’t just get over it in less than twenty four hours. Don’t let me be the reason you have to suppress your emotions.” You told them honestly.

“The channels did say that you guys had quite a few things you needed to work on.” Rike responded.

“The different in caliber between us and Madrid was incredibly large.” Jordan agreed.

“Let’s hear them then.” Trent started.

“Y/N. You go first. You always have the best insight and you never share it with anyone except us.” Rachel began, gesturing to her, Rike, and Rebecca.

Trent shared a knowing smile with you. He knew how analytical you were. How easy it was for you to immediately spot the flaw in the lineup and what’s substitutions needed to be made.

“Well,” You sighed.

This wasn’t going to be easy. There was a lot.

“Your defense was lacking for the majority of the match. When they finally stepped up, it was too late. You guys didn’t press enough until the match was basically over. And essentially, you let yourself be outplayed. It didn’t help that Courtois was a wall of steal either.” You explained.

“You have a good back line for the most part. Just need to strengthen the weak areas, like tracking back. And as for up front, you need to work on converting those shots.” You finished.

“This is better insight than what Klopp gave us yesterday.” Jordan murmured.

“I’m texting everything you said to him right now. Thank you so much YN.” Virgil smiled, his thumbs rapidly moving on his smartphone screen.

Trent drew close to you and pressed a kiss against your cheek.

“My beautiful, intelligent girl. I’m so so lucky to have you.” He whispered into your ear.

“Thank you for mentioning the Pulitzer Prize. I thought you’d forgotten to be honest.” You confessed.

He rested his forehead against yours.

“You’re too incredible for me to forget anything about you. You’re on my mind every second of everyday.” Trent smiled at you.

“You guys are gross.” Andy furrowed his eyebrows at you and Trent, a small smile playing on his lips.

this is a bit of a mess. thank you for bearing w me

[otherpeoplesheartachept-2]

day 1: A Record of You and I

A diary from the mid 1700s kept by a man named Simon Snow, a farmhand for the Grimm estate. He records the death and the subsequent vampiric transformation of his close friend, and heir to the Grimm estate, Basilton Grimm.

Rating: M

Length: 4,321

Warnings: main character death/undeath. non-graphic (maybe slightly graphic) depictions of violence/blood, mentions of animal death, implied sex

Read on AO3 or below the cut

September 3rd 1742

I've never had a journal before but Basilton tells me it will help with my reading and writing. He's taught me all my letters and wants me to practice on my own now. He says he’ll continue reading to me if I like. He’ll keep helping me with handwriting too, but Basilton insists that having a personal record will do me good. Even so, I do not know what to record. Though I must not waste this lovely gift. Basilton says to write about my day, my thoughts. He must have more thoughts within him than I, for I am already out of things to say, and Basilton adds to his journal at all hours of the day. 

September 6th 1742

Today I milked the cows and took them out in the field to graze. I ate fresh bread with a lot of butter.  I did some other chores. It is late. I do not wish to write more.

September 7th 1742

Today I had porridge for breakfast, and some tasty stew Ebb made for supper. Charlie, the cattle dog, found a new favorite stick out in the pasture today, he hasn't stopped chewing it since this morning.

September 8th 1742

I hope Basil will forgive me for my short entries. It's not as if he’ll read what I put down here. Personal journals are to be personal, he tells me. So I’m just meant to speak to myself? I will keep at it, if only to gain more surety in my handwriting. 

September 9th 1742

It is Sunday, I went to Mass. Basilton came to the cabin after the service. Brought me some scones Vera made. Sir Grimm does not approve of his son spending so much time with a farmhand, Basilton told me of another scolding he got earlier this week. I do not know why he spends time with me, against his father’s wishes, but I will not stop him. We ate lunch together. I enjoyed the food, and the company more. Basilton would call me a liar if he read that, my love of scones is rarely bested by anything, but Basilton is a good friend to me. 

Everything feels so easy with Basil. He can make me laugh no matter what, even when he's poking fun at me. We talked for hours yesterday, and he listened when I spoke about my days, my observations of the cattle. Basil worries I work too hard, but I don't do much really, and I enjoy the labor. Besides, what else am I to do with my time? We discussed a poem Basil had read to me a few weeks ago. I am not usually one for poetry, but Basilton speaks about poems in a way that makes sense to me. I thought him unbearably arrogant when I first started working for his family, speaking of literature constantly and looking down his big nose at me. He still is arrogant at times, but now that we are friends I know he is also kind and caring and truly intelligent. He speaks of his sisters often, and how he worries he won’t meet his father’s expectations. He remains unmarried and this troubles Sir Grimm. 

But Basilton has land to inherit and good social standing. He has many admirable qualities, and it goes without saying that he is handsome. He should have no trouble finding a wife. I said this to Basilton today but he became uncomfortable. Quickly, he brushed it off and picked up a new topic of conversation. This has happened before, I do not know if it’s the subject of marriage, or if he is too modest a man, but many times I have stated his good qualities, only for Basiton to blush and deny them, or leave the conversation. 

September 20th 1742

I ate Turkey for supper yesterday. One of the bulls charged at me today because I looked at him wrong. Bastard. Gareth made me help him till the field today. Another bastard. He said he couldn’t get it done in time without help, despite the crops being his and his sons’ job, and the cattle being mine. 

Went to the pub with Ebb, the goatherd yesterday. She told me a great joke about goats but I was drunk and can't remember it now. I might ask her to tell me it again.  

September 22nd 1742

Today was an easy day, I fiddled with my carving knife while out in the field. Made a little wooden Charlie but when I showed it to him the blasted dog chewed it up. I tried to stop him but then I just laughed. I suppose I’m glad he found my carving nice enough to devour. 

September 30th 1742

Basilton visited today. He brought me some of his books, said I could keep them, since I mentioned how much I liked the last one he read to me. I thanked him for the books, he is so kind to me. I do not know if I will ever read them though. Perhaps I should not have taken them. It’s not that I am ungrateful, I just didn’t know how to tell Basilton I mostly enjoy hearing his voice read to me, more than I care about the contents of the books. I am sad as this probably means he will not continue reading aloud to me. 

October 1st 1742

I’ve not been writing as much as I feel I should. I fear my life is just not that interesting. Basilton tells me it’s plenty interesting. He’ll listen to my stories about cattle and Charlie without complaint. Gareth tells me my stories are boring though. “Who cares if a calf was born with a spot that looks just like a field mouse?” he said to me when I told that story at the pub last week. As if throwing seeds on the ground makes for great stories. 

October 8th 1742

I found some poppies in the field, the first of the fall. I picked a couple of the red flowers. Gave them to Basil when he came round my cottage in the evening. He tried to resist them but I insisted. I told him it was repayment for the books he left with me. That wasn't all true, I just wanted to share the beauty of those little things with him. Basilton accepted the flowers then, I do hope he likes them. I cannot offer him much more, though I wish I had more to give to my friends. 

October 10th 1742

I tried carving a flower out of wood but I cocked it up. I might try again with a thicker stick.

October 12th 1742

The cattle are well. The sun is shortening our days. I heard a bird song I did not recognize today, while out in the field. It was lovely. I must start saving up for a new winter coat, mine is threadbare and has not been keeping me warm enough as the world gets colder. Basilton tells me he’s going deer stalking with his cousins in a few days. He will be gone for at least a month. It will be their first hunt of the season. 

October 15th 1742

Basilton left today. I tended to the cattle. I tried to brush off the sadness that seemed to hang over the day. Perhaps the cloudy days are affecting my mood, or the cold weather. I might just sleep early today. 

October 30th 1742

He died. On that trip he

November 25th 1742

I went to Mass today. I sat alone. I tried to welcome the Holy Spirit but I feel so alone in this world. I grieve Basil every waking moment. I thought this would pass, it’s been nearly a month and still the wound is as fresh as the day I learned of his death. I’ve never had someone to lose before, like this. I loved him deeply, as if he were my own family I have come to realize. I find myself almost grateful that I did not know my parents, that I will not, one day, have to grieve them as well.

The Lord’s Day is the most painful, God forgive my soul for saying so. I cannot distract myself with work. I try to pray, but my mind wanders ever back to my lost friend. I grow tired of writing, but I will not put down this journal forever, Basilton wouldn't want me to.

November 27th 1742

I woke up this morning to something strange. I found one of the cows dead in the field. I hadn’t noticed any signs of sickness in the herd, but there were also no signs of an animal attack. There was no wound I could find, no blood. She looked strange, I cannot say why, though. It was as if something was missing, from beneath the skin. I told Sir Grimm, and the other farmhands, in case there is sickness in the herd. I’ll be keeping a closer watch on the cattle.

November 29th 1742

I visited Basilton’s grave this evening. It did me no good. I only felt the pain of loss much stronger standing there, reading his gravestone. It was as if there were a stake ran through my chest. I could hardly breathe through the sobs that came out of me. It was so strange, knowing Basilton was so close, only two meters or so below where I stood, and yet he was impossibly far. 

It does me little good to dwell on these negative feelings. 

November 30th 1742

I try to fill my days with actions. I inspect the cows twice, three times over, to check for any signs of decaying health. I pace the perimeter of the field while they graze. I help Gareth work the land when I should be resting. I chop enough firewood for this winter and the next two. I stay too long at the pub and drink more than I can afford. I imagine spots in my cabin that need cleaning, and I scrub and scrub and scrub until the pain in my hands is all that I can feel. And yet, I still ache for the companionship of Bailston. What am I to do with myself?

December 1st 1742

I cannot stop thinking of Basilton. Truly, I never stopped thinking of him, even when he was alive and with me. The Grimm family told us he was trampled by his own horse, fell off it while hunting. In quiet moments my mind creates imaginations of his last terrible moments. When I lay in bed, if I am not drunk as a lord, I cannot sleep for hours. I pray to God for a miracle, but my pleas are left unanswered. I know it to be foolish, but I cannot help myself. I would do anything for Basilton. Anything to see him again. 

December 4th 1742

I do not want to write this, but I feel I must. I saw Basilton last night. I know, I know that he is dead, and God willing, he is at peace in heaven. But I came home from the pub late last night, crawled into bed, then, I saw Basil in my room, as if he were alive. He did not look ghostly, no, he looked as if he had new life coursing through him. His skin flush. His smile wide. There were no signs he had ever been dead. 

I cried out, I could not help it. He came to me, to my bed. I sat up to meet him. And he held me. A hand pressed to my chest, the other wrapped around my back. His dark hair against my chin as he rested his face to my collar bone. We did not speak. I feared I would wake from the dream. And it must have been a dream. 

I woke up this morning half expecting to see Basilton about the grounds, as if his death was a nightmare I could finally wake from. But he was not here, of course not. My mind has been so fixed on Basilton it only makes sense he would creep into my dreams.

December 5th 1742

It happened again, last night, I was not asleep this time. I was changing into my night clothes, when Basil appeared to me. I did not hear him come in. My candle cast his shadow against the wall. He must have been standing there as flesh and bone, not as a ghost or a vision. He wore regular clothes, not the burial shroud–made from his own family’s wool–that he was laid to rest in. He had on his purple vest with yellow embroidered flowers. It was one of his favorites, he told me years ago. Again he did not speak, but he touched my hand. He was so cool. a welcome feeling; I was so hot. I pulled him into an embrace. I whispered his name, I did not know what else I could do. I swear to God, he spoke my name in response.

Suddenly I felt so tired, so drained. Likely the day’s work catching up to me. I tried to fight the urge to sleep, but my eyes closed before I could watch Basilton leave, or say anything more to him.

December 6th 1742

Another cow, and one of the bulls have died, for the same mysterious reason as the first cow. The herd was restless yesterday, as if they could sense misfortune in the air, but I could not do anything to prevent their deaths. I do not even know what I need to be protecting them from.  

I am worried, and unsettled.

December 8th 1742

The night before this last I stayed up, hoping to see my old friend again, though he never came. But last night I saw Basilton again. He spoke this time, only my name. My heart filled with joy to hear my friend’s deep voice call me Simon after I was sure we’d never be able to speak to each other again in this life. He sat beside me on the bed. I told him I had missed him. He placed a cool hand on my cheek, looked into my eyes. His were a familiar light grey, but he wore an expression I couldn't make sense of.

Then, he kissed me. I hesitate to write these words. He must be a sodomite. I have always heard such men are evil, but I could never think of Basilton that way. He's always been so lovely. 

And the worst part is that I kissed him back. The best part is that I kissed him back. I have not kissed anyone before. He was so soft against my lips. So cool. His hand held my jaw, and his tongue pressed against my lips. An elation sprung up within me that I cannot describe. I held him tightly, wanting more than anything for this moment to last forever. I couldn’t help but think he should have done this sooner. We should have done this when Basil was still living. 

Oh God! I weep remembering that he is dead. 

Basilton kissed farther down my neck, across my collar bones, left kisses on my chest so hard they hurt. I did not stop him. He didn't go farther than my bosom, but-

I wanted him to. I felt as if under a spell, wrapped up in a world of pleasure balanced by the slightest pain. I wanted more, wanted all of him , but before I knew it I was awake, and alone, as the morning sun shown through my window. 

I was slow in my work today. Gareth noticed, told me I should not be so lazy. My body betrays me, I feel so weak.

December 13th 1742

Basilton visits me nightly now. I welcome his touches, his hard kisses. I walk through my days now, dreaming of night. 

The cows have begun to distrust me, they put up a fight when I try to milk them, and a few are no longer eating. I do not know why. Sir Grimm, despite having experience with livestock, seemed just as perplexed as I when I brought up the strange deaths and behaviors of his herd. Though, I know his mind is elsewhere, the mourning clothes he and Madam Grimm wear are a constant reminder of their loss.

I hear whispers at the pub of ghost sightings. I hear gossip from the house servants that the Grimm children wake up screaming in the nights now. 

December 19th 1742

The weather gets worse. I feel frozen to the bone. My hands hurt daily. My work gets harder, as more animals under my care drop dead, and my strength seems to dwindle with each moment. The waking world has no joy, no pleasure left. But I go through each day, waiting for night. Only at night can I remember what happiness is. Basilton comes to me. He holds me, and we kiss for hours. Basil leaves marks and bruises on my skin but I welcome it. My hands praise the skin he uncovers for me. We commit sins I never knew could bring such pleasures. 

December 20th 1742

I admit, I have not allowed myself to consider how or why Basilton appears to me alive, when I know he was laid in his grave two months ago. I just cannot think of it, I cannot search for reasons to distrust this gift I have. I may be a fool, or a doomed sodomite, but I cannot find it in me to fight what is happening. I cannot consider this to be anything but good or I might truly lose myself. 

December 24th 1742

Last night was disturbing. Basilton came to my room as usual. We kissed, and lay together, and I felt so joyous, but quickly the tides turned. He pinned my naked body to the bed. He sat over me and tore at my flesh with his bare hands. I cried out but I could not stop him. Some dark part of me did not want to stop him. Basilton lapped up the blood that poured from my chest like a starved dog. The unGodly sight did things to me. As if possessed by something, I craved his bloodshed.

I do not know what is wrong with me. 

I awoke with deep wounds on my chest. A mess of horror and lust arose within me as I touched the raised flesh, the dried blood. I know this is not natural, this is not holy. I should seek out a doctor, or a priest, but I can't stand the thought of losing my dear Basil again. I would open up a vein for him. I would tie our hearts together for eternity if it meant Basilton could be mine. 

December 25th 1742

It is Christmas Day. A holiday that should be full of cheer. Basil once told me it was his favorite holiday, so it holds an extra special meaning for me. I wish he had been here, enjoying the day. I try not to be too sad, he will be here soon, arriving with the stars in the sky.  

Ebb spent the day with me. I gave her a small wooden goat I carved. She does not say it but I know she misses her brother most around this time of year. I tried to be there for her, as I pretended not to notice the tears running down her red cheeks. But I found it hard to care. All my thoughts were consumed by anticipation for my next visit with Basilton. I know that is terrible. I tried to fight it, to focus on the friend I had with me at the moment, but I struggled. My mind, and my heart are trapped in a world with only Basilton and myself. A world no one else could understand. 

December 26th 1742 

Basilton attacked me again last night. My neck, chest, and stomach are covered in signs of his violent affection. Oh my dear God, I try to feel remorse, to summon disgust at our actions, but it is just not there within me. My mind is a haze of painful pleasure, my thoughts, along with my flesh and blood, fully consumed by Basilton. He is a fallen angel. He is a monster, and I must be one as well, but I have no will to change that. 

I love him. I’ll love him no matter what we become. 

I found more cattle dead this morning. Now nearly a third of the herd is gone. This time they have markings to match the wounds on my chest. 

I told Ebb about the deaths, she told me a few goats have passed as well. I will tell the baronet tomorrow. 

December 27th 1742

I went to tell Sir Grimm about the dead cows this morning. 

In the manor I overheard the baronet and baronetess speaking of another attack last night. I stopped myself short of the doorway into Sir Grimm’s study. I stood in the hallway, slowing my breath to hear them through the door. 

“Mordelia saw Basilton again last night. He hurt her, picked her up and left scratches on her back,” Daphne said to Malcolm. Sir Grimm stated he’s seen their son some nights as well. I became jealous upon hearing these words, at learning I was not the only one Basil is giving attention to. A foolish thought, of course he would want to see his family. But they spoke of him in fearful tones. They do not know my sweet Basil is only full of love. 

“He is a vampire,” Sir Grimm said. I had to stop myself from crying out. Madam Grimm gasped, begged him no. Sir Grimm mumbled something comforting. “It must be done. He’s not our son anymore, Daphne, he is an evil creature.” 

A vampire. The livestock dying, the frightened children, and my nightly visits from Basilton, all signs of a vampire. Dear God, Basil did not deserve such a fate!! I know what they will do to him: dig up his grave, stake his heart, cut off his head, and burn him to ashes. 

He will be gone forever. 

I cannot bear the thought! 

I know now what I must do, and I must do it quickly. 

Later on the 27th

Hastily, I have made my preparations. I could not risk Sir Grimm getting to Basilton first. I am prepared to go tonight. 

December 28th 1742

I went to Basilton’s grave late last night. I was the only soul awake besides the owls. I brought along a lantern, a shovel, a small pack with all my coin and what few possessions I care to keep, and a small wheelbarrow I took from the barn. The light of my lantern guided me through the familiar trees and headstones, until I found the name Basilton Grimm carved into stone. 

The rain poured down endlessly. The wet earth offered little resistance to my shovel, but digging was not quick work. The wind put out my lantern thrice. I gave up relighting, nothing would stop me. I had a singular purpose. I felt as if I’d been guided here, to this moment, to save my love. 

After hours of labor, my shovel kissed the wood of a coffin, I nearly collapsed from relief, and exhaustion. Prying the lid from my Basil’s prison was harder than I had expected. Once I had it off, I threw it from the hole. 

I wept. There was my dearest Basilton asleep in his coffin. I relit the lantern. I fell to my knees, sharing the cramped space with him. The light revealed a blood-stained mouth and burial shroud. His hair was a little longer, more lustrous than in life, his skin ruddy and plump. I worried I would find his face smashed, his body mangled from horses’ hooves, but he was unmarked and as beautiful as ever. His hands were free from his shroud, also bloody. 

These are all signs of a vampire, but I could not care. I had to reach out to touch his cold flesh.

I had to kiss him. 

My lips met his, and in that coffin, surrounded by earth, over the sound of the attacking rain, Basil softly moaned. I swear I heard it. I swear his lips moved against mine.  

Elated with indescribable joy I tried to wake him more, desperate for proof he really was living. He did not open his eyes, or speak to me, or move. But when I pressed my ear to his chest I heard the drum of his heart beat steadily. 

My sweet Basilton alive! Now that I have him, I will let no harm come to him. I will keep Basil safe from those who want to kill him again. 

It is early morning now, the sun is just starting to peak over the land in the East. This will be my last entry. I shall leave my journal here, in my Basilton’s empty grave, in case anyone is searching for us. I care not who reads these words, they will not find us. I will be far away, with my love, finally happy. 

(A note placed in the back of the journal)

Dearest Simon, 

I hope this journal will be of use to you. I do believe keeping a journal will help you continue improving your literacy. And perhaps it will aid in other ways. I find it helps to have a private place for one's thoughts and feelings. My journals are a great comfort to me. 

Beyond that, I must admit I do enjoy the thought that there will be a record of you and of I. That people may know who we were, and that we were good friends.

Yours truly, 

Tyrannus Basilton Grimm

[anotherkindofmindpod]

Hello lovelies! I wanted to go back to another episode, Strange Bedfellows: Hiroshima Sky, and address a point raised in that episode. You all discussed Paul "bothering his dying wife" with the song credits switch issue, but I had the exact opposite impression. Here's Paul's quote to Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone in 2001: "But this is why we don't have a great relationship. That, and the fact that Linda rang her during the height of her chemo shit and asked her, and Yoko said, 'That's never going to happen.'"

I do agree with your conclusion that Yoko was not obligated just because Linda was sick and I was pleased you both eventually allowed that Linda may have been offended on Paul's behalf, because that's what I think happened. Let me backup.

Earlier in that same Rolling Stone interview, Paul said, "So when the [Beatles] Anthology came out, after thirty years of always having John’s name in front, I thought it should say, ” ‘Yesterday,’ by Paul McCartney and John Lennon.' So I rang up and asked Yoko. This is when Linda and I were going through our real horror times. I rang Yoko up and said, 'Couldn’t I, on the Anthology, just on this one song, put my name in front? Could we put, ‘Written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon’? It would be a great favor to me.' Linda actually rang her and said, 'Do this as a favor.'"

"Yesterday" appears on Anthology 2, which was released on March 18 1996. According to Keith Badman, Anthology 2 was originally slated for release on February 26, 1996, supposedly due to a track re-ordering (moving "I'm Down") and thus making the original CD booklets obsolete and needing to be reprinted (Paul supposedly footed the bill for that). I have wondered if that delay for Anthology 2 was actually due to Paul wanting to change the song credits on "Yesterday," as he later described (or maybe the booklets had the credits switched on "Yesterday"and Paul had to pay to put them back!).

Paul told DeCurtis that he and Linda made the request "during our real horror times." Linda allegedly started an intensive chemotherapy regime in January 1996 (diagnosed with breast cancer in December 1995), just a month before Anthology 2 was originally due to be released, before being pushed back to March at the last minute. Due to that timeline, it's almost certain that the "Yesterday" credits request from Linda took place in January 1996.

Per Badman's Beatles Diary, Paul essentially stopped working during the year 1996 to care for Linda. He only made two public appearances, both in support of LIPA, and three brief recording sessions for Flaming Pie (separated by months-long gaps) in the entire year. He also did the final Anthology edit approvals and promotional interviews working from home, which was unusual for him at that time, and cancelled a few other work obligations that year.

Now we have the context that Paul and Linda made the "Yesterday" credits request at a terrible time in their lives. Paul seems to have taken offense less at Yoko's refusal and more at the way she did it, which he perceived as insulting to Linda when she was going through an awful time. Whether Linda asked Yoko independently of Paul because she was loyal or protective of him, or whether he knew beforehand and/or urged her to do it? We'll never know.

Yet if you go back to the statement Yoko made on Linda's death, Yoko wrote without elaboration, "The last conversation I had with her was in January this year [1998]." Now why would Linda and Yoko have spoken that January? Did Linda call Yoko, or vice versa? What else happened that month? Well, it so happens that Yoko's "Paul was Salieri/Paul made the phone calls" interview was broadcast in a BBC documentary on.....January 6, 1998.

Putting the speculative pieces together, here's my wild guess as to what happened. While working on the Anthology, Paul realized he wanted to have his name first on "Yesterday." What if Paul brought up the issue in the run up to the Anthology launch, not when Anthology 2 was to be released? Then right after Anthology 1 and the miniseries premiered to much success, Linda was diagnosed with cancer. Right after she started intensive chemo in January 1996, Linda asked Yoko to allow the credit switch as a personal favor to her. Maybe she knew it would give Paul a life preserver during that time, or she thought Paul was right, or some combination thereof, or whatever. Anyway, Yoko said no. Maybe Paul learned about that, was incensed, and tried to switch the credits on the Anthology 2 CD booklets anyway, causing the delay of the album's release.

Then, in January 1998, Yoko gave the Salieri interview with the hurtful comments which cut Paul deeply and Linda, who was always fiercely protective of Paul, became angry. According to friends, Linda was deeply concerned about Paul's emotional state during her illness, and I could see another perceived insult from Yoko sending her over the edge. So she called Yoko to confront her. Paul learned of that conversation (at the time? at some point later?) and, knowing how sick Linda was, became incredibly angry at Yoko in turn.

I think that everything during this time has to be looked at through the lens of Linda's illness. The credits issue, the flaming pie kerfuffle and finally the Salieri comments must have been seen by the McCartneys as Yoko throwing blows when they were at their lowest.

Thanks for all this, very thorough! We're delighted you enjoyed Strange Bedfellows. :) Thanks for listening and writing in.