#a hat in time sequel

[kingpagie]

Hatstache Week - Day Extra

Originally this was supposed to be the prompt of dreams for Day 5 but fucked myself with crunch and schoolwork. Hat Teen has been having weird dreams recently about her adventure. They all have this same ideas of selfishness and regret. This is one of the catalysts for her going back to the planet for Mu in my Sequel AU.

For those who saw this before: No you fucking didn’t this is the first time you’re seeing this post.

[ashfluffys]

@kingpagie you ever seen static miku? I had a dumb idea from it

“So just don’t touch that dial and stay here a while with me”

Anyways HSHSSHSHSHS I suck at not humanoid characters so let’s focus on the suffering child

Idk it made me think of tens which trickled down to aster so I just did. That. Idk HSSHHSSHSH

[cosmicwhoreo]

.... Okay, so I might have made a ahit oc during my downtime. Based on the idea of "yeah the idea of hat kid being a little space orphan doing a job is sad.... But what if they were separated from their family and needed to get back home instead?"

And what if their worried mother came to the planet they were on, looking for them after they'd JUST LEFT like a month ago?

SOOOOOO HERE'S SUMMER!

I may have gotten carried away with myself on this idea-

[starlightshore]

You know. There's something that's really entertaining about how both of your iSaT AUs are polar opposites of the same spectrum. It just makes me giggle a little.

On one hand, we have the two having friendly banters with one another as they debate what they should do.

And on the other, we have homicide.

(Tag In/Tag Out)

(Place Your Bets on Winning Hats)

I know, it's a lot of fun! (kicks my legs cutely)

[brian-in-finance]

Hmmm . . . . interesting. 🧐

First the movie's director says this:

The Amateur stars and director break down that twist ending — and plans for a sequel.

https://ew.com/the-amateur-rami-malek-laurence-fishburne-explain-ending-future-sequel-plans-11711665?taid=67f96833376780000163cfc9&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+New+Content+%28Feed%29&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Then Cait says this:

https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/the-amateur-prequel-spin-off-inquiline-catriona-balfe-interview-best-new-action-movies-840411

Thanks for the message, Anon. 😃 (This is a long one, folks.)

The Amateur stars and director break down that twist ending — and plans for a sequel

"There is room for many of these people to come back and for us to see what lies ahead for Charlie Heller," Rami Malek tells EW.

Rami Malek in 'The Amateur'. / Credit: John Wilson/20th Century Studios

Key Points:

The Amateur stars Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne, along with director James Hawes, break down the movie's twist ending.

The trio reveals that the final scene between Heller and Henderson was not in the original script and was shot later to set up future movies.

The actors and filmmaker confirm they all want to return for sequels.

This article contains spoilers for The Amateur.

The Amateur stars Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne, along with director James Hawes, are ready to get back in the field and turn their espionage thriller into a franchise. But if Malek's CIA decoder Charlie Heller returns for a sequel, it's going to need a new title.

While the introverted, risk-averse, desk jockey starts off as a true amateur when it comes to spycraft, by the end of the film, he proves he's got what it takes to be a professional secret agent.

Based on the novel by Robert Littell, the movie follows Heller as he embarks on a quest for revenge against the terrorists who killed his wife (played by Rachel Brosnahan). After he discovers the CIA covered up more than 1,000 casualties in illegal operations, Heller uses that information to blackmail Deputy Director Moore (Holt McCallany) into approving his mission. Still, the data analyst knows he needs combat training, so he also demands lessons from Col. Henderson (Fishburne) — known by "Hendo" to his friends (which does not include Heller).

Rami Malek in 'The Amateur'. / John Wilson/20th Century Studios

Against all odds, and to everyone's shock, Heller actually succeeds in getting his revenge. He kills three out of the four terrorists responsible for his wife's murder — accidentally causing Gretchen (Barbara Probst) to get hit by a car, intentionally dropping Blazhic (Marc Rissman) 16 stories by cracking a glass-bottomed pool, and blowing up Ellish (Joseph Millson) with a homemade IED. But when it came to the fourth and final terrorist, their leader, Schiller (Michael Stuhlbarg), Heller threw everyone for a twist.

At first, it seems like he's going to shoot Schiller point-blank, but he ultimately decides he doesn't need to kill him to get his revenge. Instead, Heller outsmarts him by secretly luring Schiller's ship into Finnish waters after tipping off the Finnish Navy and Interpol, who promptly commandeer the vessel and arrest him. This way, Heller kills two birds with one stone, getting his revenge on Schiller while also exposing his illegal dealings with Deputy Director Moore. By the end of the movie, CIA Director O'Brien (Julianne Nicholson) announces in a press conference that Moore has been arrested and that Charlie "is safe and will continue to serve with the agency."

It's the kind of ending that perfectly sets up sequels — and Malek says that's "of course" their ultimate goal. "We would love for people to appreciate this film on its own as a standalone feature — if it resonated with people, that would be enough for me," he tells Entertainment Weekly. "But to take Charlie’s story into further iterations would be an absolute joy."

Laurence Fishburne and Rami Malek in 'The Amateur'. / 20th Century Studios

Malek "would love to continue" working with Hawes "and this extraordinary cast we assembled, so many of which I have been dying to work with," in the future. "There is room for many of these people to come back and for us to see what lies ahead for Charlie Heller," Malek adds. "He is a battered, broken soul with so much vulnerability but an immense amount of strength that we could find avenues to venture into again."

Hawes says that any decisions about future movies lie with 20th Century Studios but adds that he's extremely interested in making sequels. "The best thing for me to come out of this was the fact that, at the end of it, people were going, 'I have to see what happens to Charlie and Hendo next,'" the director says. "And that was almost by accident — that last scene where they re-meet again was additional photography.

That final scene sees Henderson reunite with Heller after nearly dying towards the end of the film. Henderson pops up in the backseat of his former pupil's car to say he's proud of his success. He also seems to tease more adventures together, leaving him with, "See you around, Charlie."

That [scene] was not in the original script, but we felt that there was something so satisfying in that kind of tutor-mentor relationship that we could take that further," Hawes reveals. "And we wanted the rounding off, we wanted the bookends, we wanted the satisfaction of learning that Hendo was still definitely alive, not just a question mark at the end of the movie. The studio will think about it, obviously, and it depends how people respond to it, but it just felt like that connection had much more traveling to do."

Fishburne tells EW that "it was lovely" to have that final moment. "As we were shooting the movie, they realized that there was something really, really special about Rami and I being on screen together and that people would want more of it," he says. "[Henderson's original ending] was left up in the air, and I think that was deliberate. It was not clear one way or the other how it was going to play out."

If a sequel is greenlit, Hawes already has ideas for what it could entail. "The eventual development has got to be, and this is epic and classic, and it's in mythology, and it's in Star Wars, it's the gradual development of the teacher and the pupil, and the point at which the two reverse," the director says. "Some element of that is already happening. But first of all, you'd want to see them as sidekicks — the least likely sidekicks ever. And it would be the strangest kind of buddy spy movie."

Fishburne is absolutely down to return to the character to make that happen. "Of course," he says. "I mean, if the fates allow that to happen, that would be wonderful, wouldn't it? We certainly have the desire [to work together again]."

The Amateur is playing now in theatres.

Entertainment Weekly

• • •

Caitríona Balfe opens up about possible prequel to her new spy film and Irish action heroes

Four-minute 📹 available @ Joe

‘We should have an Irish action hero, shouldn’t we?’

Irish actress Caitríona Balfe (Belfast, Outlander) is among the stars of the new action spy revenge thriller The Amateur, which is in cinemas today (Friday, 11 April).

The movie sees Oscar-winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) play Charlie Heller, a brilliant but deeply introverted techwiz and decoder for the CIA whose life is turned upside down when his wife (Rachel Brosnahan, James Gunn’s Superman) is killed in a London terrorist attack.

When his superiors (led by Holt McCallany, Mindhunter) refuse to take action against the people behind the murder, Charlie uses his access to CIA intelligence to blackmail his bosses into giving him training, cash and a new identity. This is so that he himself can trek across the globe to find and kill those responsible.

Balfe, meanwhile, plays the enigmatic Inquiline – a long-distance acquaintance of Charlie from Russia, who winds up helping him on this quest.

We here at JOE enjoyed The Amateur – writing that it mined plenty of thrills from its tantalising premise, which is basically: “What if Q from the James Bond films went into the field on a vengeance mission?”

Another great aspect of the film is Inquiline, a character that Balfe describes to JOE as both a “hero” and a “champion”.

Without spoiling, over the course of the story, the character reveals herself as being not what people expect of her at first. This is as the audience comes to learn her fascinating backstory about how she came to be involved in hacking and spycraft.

As such, when we spoke to the Irish actress, we had to ask if there could ever be a prequel film or series about Inquiline if The Amateur is a success.

To this, Caitríona Balfe replied:

“I mean, who knows right? You’ve said it now so maybe, we’ll just have to have words in somebody’s ears. But yeah, it would be cool to see her whole backstory.

“It’s somebody who when you meet her, you realise that there’s been a whole life there and it sounds very interesting. So, you never know.”

Also, given Balfe has played a Russian action hero in The Amateur and a British action hero in the hit series Outlander, JOE had to ask if we will ever see her play an Irish action hero someday.

“Oh, I mean, we should have an Irish action hero, shouldn’t we? That would be fun,” she responded. “Yeah, I don’t know, we need to create one, don’t we?”

The actress, who has also been doing more producing and directing in recent years, then added, laughing: “Maybe that’s what I need to do.”

The Amateur is in cinemas now.

Remember… if a sequel is greenlit, (James) Hawes (the film’s director) already has ideas for what it could entail.

[ganondoodle]

(idk if anyone wants to keep hearing my opinions on totk book stuff but-)

apparently it says that rauru DID have kids, multiple even, which yeah... is kinda necessary for zelda to even be connected to them so much so that sonia can SENSE a blood connection (which, even with all the excuses with magic, is just a little too far for me to suspend my disbelief bc its over, OVER, ten thousand years worth of generations that seperate her from them that one lil touch of the hand can sense that (feels more like an attempt to make you care about them or .. see them as zeldas "better" parents just bc they exchange a few nice words, i never got the feeling they were 'better' parents and its also kinda disrespectful to her actual parents, like sure rhoam wasnt the best but i wouldnt call rauru better just bc he was polite)- i could see maybe the light power of hylia or sth but since its the coolest dude that ever lived rauru now that had it which still doesnt make sense and makes me unreasonably annoyed and she can sense BOTH of their powers in her? nah) the fact theres NOTHING about them in the game itself is just so ... no way they planned any of this

i dont think theres anything they can do or say that wont make be believe they either

are making it up alla 'fix it in post' mentality trying to hastily explain stuff the game never bothers to do to try and appease fans or let it appear as if they thought about it at all

something went really REALLY wrong during development, which kinda seems likely given how the game turned out (im sorry i cannot let go, its not just the writing, the game design too and how little was changed in the map while being so damn expensive, i dont know how people dont feel scammed q_q)

given that they (allegedly) spent the last entire year of development on polish (where??? where????? huh??? like it would make it more understandable (EXCEPT for the price) if there was alot of trouble, which was also bc it got delayed and ... turned out like this, but they dont want to say it, especially given their reputation, with that quote i have heard way too many times 'a delayed game blah blah') i just??

are they just gonna go and do it like they did with kashiwa (kass)? "they uuuh where flying around the whole time ony cool sonau tech maschines, you just dont see or hear from them ooooorrr they were uuuuh out of the country at the time" (sending invitations to other continents to join their glorious kingdom ;) )

(bet they are also gonna say they did all the stuff like ... moving the shrines around (lol?) and lifting the islands up into the sky- which is still weird bc ... didnt they also say they were living in the sky before coming to the surface?? so where?? did they park all their islands on the surface and the mystery kids had the keys so they had to repark them back into the sky after they returned off camera?? xD also why are the islands so different as an environment if they where from the surface? like even the STONE up there is different- and if they were first in the sky then on the surface and the nback in the sky .. why is there not a single yellow tree or grass in the past- you cant really argue that it changed bc they were up there so long bc .. nothing else changed, the suddendly and totally always there sonau buildings are largely in prime condition, only some slightly moldy, and what we see of the glorious past looks barely any different from the present, aside from like ... some standard trees shuffled, no castle yet and that glowy uwu filter DESPITE that stupidly long time frame between it)

[ventresses]

Star Wars + Moodboards

Codywan + Pirates of the Caribbean

Inspired by this post by @this-is-gonna-hurt-me-inside

[ravensroleplays]

Okay, mentioned this before, but I'm...kind of on the cusp of finishing my AHIT fanfic; so I figured what the hey, I'm going to promote it again, and hopefully get some more readers/followers before officially ending it.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/36755893/chapters/91690726

And yeah, I locked the fanfic for registered users only, for personal reasons, but if you don't have an AO3 account, DM me and I'll unlock the story for a limited time (again).

But yeah, please give SoTF a look, if you haven't already read the fanfic?

[potionpeddlerpatchy]

It's CRAZY to think oh how much I wrote when I joined the writing community/fandom in 2021!! Like, tons and tons of fics!

And now I'm lucky to write a fic every few months 😅

[ashfluffys]

It's okay guys with a lil duct tape, hope, and lying to ourselves about how a sequel that will probably never happen will make things truly go places and actually include mu in the story more, we can fix it :D👍

A Hat in Time is such a WEIRD game.

-Incredible gameplay and platforming

-Charming characters but the story is VERY undercooked and this is a huge detriment to the main antagonist. And yeah you could say the story doesn't really matter but also like. it still really makes the ending weird for the antagonist

-One of the fandoms favourite characters is a character who was scrapped from the game entirely

-There are SO many scrapped characters, and the fandom still plays around with them

-Old development stuff for A Hat in Time is super mysterious and strange due to supposed plot points that were conceptualized which would have implied much darker things

-A program for DLC's to be made by fans for the game was set up years ago, we got one, and then we've heard nothing since then

I say all of this in a /aff /pos way as someone who was in the fandom years ago, AHIT is such a funny thing, one of a kind in how it exists. It looks so average but below the surface is just rabbit hole after rabbit hole

[kingpagie]

Random sketches I did for fun

And for those who’ve been wondering: Yes, Rumbi is still with Hat Teen.

[ashfluffys]

@kingpagie as promised a shitpost of these two cause of that painting

Well you fumbled the bag m’lord /ref

[spam-monster]

Just rewatched A New Hope and I have to say the energy between the main trio is absolutely bonkers; like they switch between "you are the most annoying person I know" to "omg bestie hugs!" at the drop of a hat.

- Han and Luke are arguing the whole way from the cantina to the detention center.

- Then Leia comes in and she's yelling at both of them.

- Then they get stuck in the trash compactor and Han desperately tries to save Luke from the tentacles, and then when the compactor goes on and they're all panicking he's trying to help Leia get to higher ground.

- Trash compactor goes off, they all celebrate, Han and Leia freaking HUG...and next scene we're right back to the Sass.

- Leia kisses Luke on the cheek for luck right before they swing across a gap.

- Han and Luke bond over shooting tie fighters away.

- Han admits he kinda likes Leia even though they've basically done nothing but bicker (when not in immediate danger).

- Luke gets upset when Han wants to take his money and leave even though he's know him for like a day. Han pretends he doesn't care but then leaves Luke with a completely sincere "May the force be with you." Despite thr fact that he doesn't believe in that stuff.

- Luke continues to be upset so much that he complains to Leia about Han leaving and she kisses him on the cheek AGAIN as comfort.

- Han comes back and must have been tapping into the comms the whole time because he swoops in specifically to save Luke.

- When they return to the base Leia runs to hug Luke, and then Luke runs to hug Han, and then they all just end up in an excited group hug.

And maybe it's because Leia just lost her planet and Luke just lost all his parental figures and Han is just lost but they absolutely speedrun found family in a way that critics nowadays would find completely unrealistic, and yet the energy between them is something neither the prequels or the sequels were able to match. Just "nope, these idiots are mine now".

Anyway the point is Star Wars is good when it's good.

(Luke doesn't get a braincell until RotJ, Han has no braincells but is very good at making it seem like he does, Leia has braincells but they are angry.)

[alienssstufff]

This Should've Been an Email

His mouth moved without it telling it to, then closed like whoever was possessing him didn’t know what to say either. There was something going on, something Etho could feel but didn’t understand. They were standing on the edge of the world, and Etho didn’t know how to tell Bdubs he was out of time. Was he out of time? Maybe he was just going insane again. Maybe-

“Etho, there’s a lot of void energy going on right now, can you focus-”

You can’t outsmart a god. You can only run.

-

[ READ HERE ] Latest addition to the Should've Could've Would've series and sequel to the YCAOverse byyyy incredible great @goingdownorup cinemaaaa is HERE and we are BACK IN THE BUILDING!!!

[rambling undercut]

you've fallen for my trap card, ramblings not about the actual fic yet sorry - I'm going to talk about art technicalities at you now :]

Ver without the text:

I drew this up on a whim immediately after finishing the first chapter. Other than it being fanart, this year I want to think smarter when making elaborate pieces - this being the one of the first experiments on it.

sketches have always been my starting foundation I usually go through a few iterations gradually building off the rough thumbnail all the way to lineart. Here I'm establishing perspective and rhythm (movement), using background and props to better frame the emphasis (focal) rather than overwhelm the eye with unnecessary detail.

Shirahama's Witch Hat Atelier manga panels were an inspiration for the lineart (reoccuring character. WHA changed my life)

I even started actually putting base colours instead of skipping to shading... BASE COLOURS. BASE COLOURS WITHOUT SHADING? Crazy world we live in. Above were me testing which colours worked best for the background and purpose. Ethubs look a little out of place atm - this changes in solid filters

Shading itself was a lot of back and forth in constant fumbles to maintain the rhythm instructed in the lineart, adding emphasis how values needed to carry the visual communication of this piece especially with a line heavy background because of the wheatfields. Everything uses either cel shading, filters, or gradients - I wanted to find a way to add complexity to my regular rendering style without needing to manually blend/paint (takes too long)

During this stage, Heikala's watercolour art was the study in crowd control (backgrounds with organic repetition)

Smaller misc details that couldn't fit anywhere in the previous pages. Overall while there are some things I still would change/redo, overall very pleased as a first (second) attempt ^_^

[redflagshipwriter]

SNITCHES THE CAT SEQUEL pt1 and masterpost

Part Two/Part Three/ Part Four/ Part Five/ Part Six/ Part Seven/ Part Eight Part Nine Part Ten Part Eleven

Part One

“This you?”

Danny pushed the newspaper down without looking at it, revealing Sam’s shitty grin. “That lost cat is not me, no.” He rolled his eyes. They had been showing him lost pet ads ever since he got back from Gotham. “Isn’t that joke getting old, guys?” He kicked his way further into a slouch in the booth as Tucker came back with refilled drinks.

Tucker laughed, and then there was a silence. “Danny? Are you sure this isn’t you, man?” He sounded uncertain.

He felt his jaw twitch and he had to tell his friend off. “Is it that funny that there’s a sad kid out there? Honestly, guys-” Danny opened his eyes fully to roll them and then saw the lost pet ad being brandished in his face. He blinked at it. His brain did a full reboot and he reached out to take the paper. 

It looked like him, sleeping on the cushion in the batcave. Had they gotten that photo from the security footage? “It’s me.” His voice came out way too high.

Danny pulled the paper over in disbelief and realized that it was a two page ad. “Oh wow,” he said faintly. There he was, leaping across the kitchen. And there, that must have been taken by Damian when he fell asleep on the bed. There was a cat toy partially in the frame.

Sam’s snorting laughter cut off. “Uh.” She kicked him lightly under the table. “Is.. Is that little kid going to be okay?” She asked in a small voice. She sounded like she felt bad for poking fun. 

Danny felt guilty. He stared at the evidence that Robin was missing his cat terribly and felt like the biggest jackass possible. “Should I go back?” he wondered. He squirmed, pulling a foot up onto the bench to perch on. “I mean… How long does a cat live? A few years?”

“Try about twenty,” Tucker said flatly. “I feel bad too, man, but you can’t defer admission that long.”

“Though Snitches was clearly not a little kitten, so you could really just give it a couple years,” Sam mused. Both boys stared at her. She blinked. “Not that I’m suggesting you do that!” She waved her hands at them. “The longer you stay with him, the harder he’s going to take it when his pet ‘dies’,” she said with finger quotes. “You did the right thing by leaving as soon as you could.”

“Maybe we could answer it, do a photoshoot, tell him that Danny was your cat or something and he’s come home,” Tucker mused. “He’d be sad that he couldn’t have the cat, but surely it would be better than worrying the cat died, right?”

“What are you losers talking about?” Star said, giving their booth a wide berth. “You’re not hurting cats now, are you, weirdos?” She eyed them like they were gross. “It would figure.”

“Fuck off,” Sam said pleasantly. All three of them gave Star a rude gesture in unison, just like they had practiced. “That shit’s uncalled for.”

Star sniffled and turned away on her heel, cheer skirt flouncing behind her. A few moments later she clearly reached her table because the sounds of popular kid conversation got a lot louder.

“She should be a reporter,” Sam said darkly. “I would love for her to get sued for slander.” She snapped open her clutch and began applying even more black eyeliner, as if that would differentiate her from the other girls in the restaurant.

Tucker groaned and pulled his hat down over his eyes in despair. “That’s gonna be a bad rumor,” he complained. 

Danny couldn’t find it in him to care as much as he usually would. He was still stuck on the fact that Damian had put an ad in the Illinois Times. “Do you think he realized that Snitches got on a highway bus to Illinois?” he hissed, now aware that other people might be listening in. “How would he know that?”

Sam frowned. Tucker lifted his head and pulled out his phone to search. “That’s a good question,” he said to himself. He hit buttons rapidly. “Uh, same ad is in…” He trailed off. “Hold up, hold up, lemme search this backwards…” Whatever he saw had him raise his eyebrows high, look at Danny in disbelief, and then shake his head slightly. “You must be a really good cat. I'm kind of jealous.”

“What?” Danny hissed. “Just tell me.”

“Hey, hey, paws off.” Tucker moved his device further away. “Uh, this poor kid- well.” He paused. “Poor is the wrong word. He’s put ads in newspapers all the way up to Ontario and down to… Well, in Mexico at least.”

Danny and Sam stared at him in disbelief. “You’re fucking with us,” Sam said after a long moment.

Tucker silently shook his head. “There’s a nationwide Greg’s list ad,” he said grimly. “20 dollars an hour to print and staple missing cat photos to telephone poles. And a private detective’s agency on the case, asking for witnesses to come forward.”

Danny put his head in his hands. “I have to go back,” he said, haunted by the responsibility. “I can’t let him be this sad.”

“Danny, no.” Tucker said. Sam nodded her agreement. 

“…Yeah, that’s crazy,” he said unconvincingly. He gave a fake laugh. “He’ll get over it.” Danny stared into his drink, watching bubbles. Robin was not going to get over it. That kid loved hard.

“I could use 20 dollars an hour,” Tucker said in a thoughtful tone.

“No,” Sam said flatly.

Tucker shrugged, smiling slightly. “I wonder how much I’d get for bringing you back.” He shrugged theatrically. “You could send me to college, man! Don’t you want me to go to college?”

“No…” Danny said weakly. “I… Is that fraud?” Still. Money would be nice.

“Guys, no.” Sam knocked them both in the head with the pile of napkins. “You can’t do that to this little kid. He’s clearly not well.”

“Exactly,” Tucker argued passionately. “Imagine how happy he would be to get his cat back! We could reunite him with his pet!”

It was tempting. He felt, like, so bad about how sad Robin was. The little guy had been so proud of his pet. Danny could spare a few years to make a little kid happy, right? It was kind of greedy otherwise.

Danny stared at the bubbles in his drink again, really thinking it over. “I think I would have to fight crime with him,” he said dully. “That’s a minus.”

“Danny?” Sam rapped the table with her fingers. He looked up to see her pointed eyebrow raise. “What are you talking about?”

He hunched his shoulders up. “Nothing, nothing,” he lied hastily. He forgot they didn’t know. He couldn’t dox someone’s crime fighting identity, though, it would be really unfair. 

“You could buy me a house,” Tucker wheedled. Sam hit him.

[verricherri]

If you still have slots available for req I would love a little sequel to "yours officially" about like a public date at a dinner or bar or smth (sfw)💋💋

(P.s. I'm the one who requested that one!!)

Yours, Out Loud

A/N: This one’s a follow-up to “Yours, Officially” — written from an ask that absolutely demanded a proper date night 🍒 consider it a sequel, but yes, it can totally be read as a standalone if you're just here for soft, flustered Rhett. Warnings: Prepare to cut your chest open and let soft Rhett stomp all over your heart. you will not emotionally recover. you will crave more, Rhett saying things he means. Masterlist Feedback and reposts are appreciated  ☀️

It started with a knock on your door. A real one. Three short raps and a deep breath on the other side like whoever was doing it had spent the last half hour talking themselves into it.

You opened it.

There stood Rhett Abbott — thumbs hooked in his belt loops, a bouquet of wildflowers clutched in one hand like it might bite him. He looked clean, like too clean, shirt tucked in properly for once, hair doing that slightly-too-perfect swoop like he’d combed it more than once and hated himself for it.

You blinked. “Well, hey.” He nodded. “Hey.” You eyed the bouquet. “I see someone raided a garden.” He glanced down at the wild mess of daisies, dandelions, and something vaguely purple. “Amy said I needed somethin’ rustic. This count?”

You reached out, taking them from his hands. “Very rustic. Especially the dandelion with half its fluff missing.” “I was gonna swap it out,” he muttered. You smirked. “But you didn’t.” “Nope.”

He cleared his throat. Looked at the flowers. Looked at you. And then, a little too fast:

“Would you wanna go to dinner with me? Like… a proper one. In town. Just us.” You tilted your head. “Like a date-date?” He nodded. Then quickly added, “If you want.” You tapped a finger against the stems. “Well, since you brought emotional support flowers…”

His brow furrowed.

“I’m saying yes,” you laughed. “Pick me up at seven?”

The smile that broke across his face — you wished you could bottle it.

---

You got ready at your place — alone, thank God — because the way you were fussing with your hair and second-guessing every outfit would’ve sent even the most patient man running. You’d cycled through at least four different options, each one rejected for crimes like too casual, too desperate, too “oops-I’m-just-hot-and-here”, or worst of all: too obvious you’re trying to impress a man who still wears shirts with pearl snaps.

Eventually, you landed on something soft. A little flowy. Not too tight, not too loud, but enough that if someone saw you with him — with Rhett — they’d know: this wasn’t a maybe. This was real.

Meanwhile, back at the Abbott ranch, Rhett was losing a very quiet, very personal battle with his reflection.

“I swear to God, if you change shirts again, I’m takin’ the truck and leavin’ you behind,” Perry grunted as he passed by, chewing on a carrot stick like it was a cigar. “It don’t look right,” Rhett muttered, frowning at his collar in the hallway mirror. “This one’s got a wrinkle.” “You’re the only one who sees it,” Perry deadpanned. “You’ve already ironed that shirt twice.”

From down the hall, Amy’s voice rang out:

“He’s tryin’ to impress her! Let him panic!”

Cecilia peeked out from the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel.

“You bringing her flowers again, honey?” Rhett rubbed the back of his neck. “Already did.” She smiled, soft and sure. “Then you’re doin’ just fine.”

He finally decided on a shirt. The same damn one he started with. Changed his hat once. Then again. Then put the original one back on because apparently the second one was his “stupid hat,” according to Amy, and now he was emotionally compromised.

By the time he made it to your place, he’d practiced what he wanted to say six times in the truck. Changed the station. Turned it off. Turned it back on. Took his hat off. Put it back on. Then decided he was being ridiculous and climbed out before he could talk himself out of knocking.

He raised his fist to your door — and you opened it before he got the chance.

Your hair. Your smile. That dress.

Rhett stared. Actually stared. And then forgot how to breathe.

“You alright there, Abbott?” you teased, leaning against the doorframe like you weren’t trying to survive his flustered little half-smile. He blinked. Twice. “Yeah. I just—” He exhaled like the air had knocked him. “You look real good.” You smirked. “You say that like you’re surprised.” “I am,” he said, voice low. “Every time I look at you.” You locked your door behind you, tucking your keys in your purse. “So… was that your official ask?” He looked confused. “What?” You tilted your head. “Are we going out, or am I just admiring your truck from the porch?” Rhett flushed. “Right. Yes. I mean—” He held the passenger door open like a damn gentleman. “Can I take you out tonight?” You raised a brow. “On a real date?” He nodded. “Real as it gets.” You slid into the seat, the scent of leather and cedar filling your lungs. “Then get in before I change my mind.”

He ducked his head, that crooked grin slipping back onto his face as he shut your door and jogged around to the driver’s side.

Once he started the truck and pulled onto the road, you gave it about three seconds of quiet before letting the grin take over your face.

“You know,” you said casually, “Amy told me you changed shirts three times and nearly forgot your wallet.”

He groaned like a man who’d just been shot.

“She wasn’t even supposed to be watchin’—” “She also said you combed your hair twice. And that you threatened to fight Perry for laughing.”

Rhett muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “traitor,” then sank lower in his seat.

“Remind me to ground her.” “You can’t. She’s not yours.” “Still. I’ll find a way.”

You reached over, brushed his knuckles lightly where they gripped the gearshift.

“You nervous, cowboy?”

He didn’t answer right away. Just glanced at you with that quiet kind of intensity, the kind that always made your heart trip a little.

“Not ‘cause of you,” he said finally. “’Cause I don’t want to mess this up.”

Outside, the sky was turning sherbet gold, the quiet hum of the tires filling the space between words.

---

The diner Rhett picked wasn’t fancy — far from it — but it was the kind of place with a cracked leather booth, a jukebox in the corner that only played country from before 2001, and a waitress who knew your name before you even introduced yourself.

“You’re the one sittin’ with an Abbott tonight, huh?” she said with a wink, refilling your water without asking. “Bout time.”

Rhett flushed so deep you thought he might actually melt through the floor.

He’d originally slid into the booth opposite you, hat low, hands on the table like he was bracing for a test.

“You nervous?” you asked, propping your chin on your hand. He gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Not nervous. Just… aware.” “Of what?” He hesitated. “That we’re not hiding anymore.” You smiled. “And you don’t like that?” “I didn’t say that,” he murmured, gaze lingering on your mouth a second too long.

You reached across the table and brushed your fingers over his wrist — lightly, deliberately.

He froze. Blinked. Then stood up so fast his knee hit the edge of the table.

“What are you doing?” you laughed as he rounded the booth. “Doesn’t feel right sittin’ across from you,” he muttered, sliding in beside you. “Feels like you’re too far.”

You blinked, startled by how earnest it sounded.

“So now you’re gonna sit next to me in public,” you teased, “like some kind of boyfriend or something?” Rhett turned slightly, resting one arm along the back of the booth. “Ain’t that what I am?”

You looked up at him — really looked — and caught the flicker of anxiety behind his grin. Like he still wasn’t sure if he was allowed to want this out loud.

So you nudged his leg under the table, just lightly, and said, “Took you long enough.”

The food came not long after — burgers and fries, nothing fancy — and Rhett tried to act like he wasn’t watching your every move as you drizzled ketchup in a perfect swirl.

“You do that every time?” he asked. “What?” “Make ketchup look like it belongs in a damn art gallery.” You raised a brow. “You planning to start a sketchbook of my condiment habits, or…?” He laughed under his breath, eyes soft. “I might.”

And for a while, it was easy.

The kind of easy that you didn’t realize you were missing until it settled in your bones.

You talked about little things — Amy’s obsession with ghost stories, how Perry once burned cornbread so bad the smoke alarm shorted out, and the time Royal got locked out of the house wearing nothing but a towel and a whole lot of pride.

Then it happened.

A man at the next booth leaned over, greasy baseball cap low on his brow.

“Didn’t think Rhett Abbott was the dating type,” he said, like he was trying to be funny. “Figured you’d die single and grumpy like your dad.”

You went still.

Rhett didn’t say anything. Didn’t move.

Just… clenched his jaw, fingers curling slightly at your waist where they’d been resting.

But instead of tension, something steadier came out of you.

“Well,” you said brightly, “good thing we’re not asking you to join us.”

The man blinked. Rhett… chuckled.

Just once.

Then he pressed his lips to the side of your temple.

“You handled that better than I would’ve,” he said. You grinned. “That’s why you keep me around.”

He let the kiss linger for a beat longer than necessary — not performative, not possessive. Just his way of saying he heard you. And that he wasn’t going anywhere.

---

The walk back to your place wasn’t long — ten minutes, tops — but Rhett insisted on parking the truck at the far end of Main, claiming it was “easier to get outta town that way.”

You didn’t call him out on it. Not when you both knew damn well it was just an excuse to stretch the night out longer.

The air had that post-rain coolness to it, ground still damp, the stars pricking the sky like they were strung up just for you. And Rhett — well, he kept bumping into your shoulder like his limbs forgot how to coordinate.

“You okay there, cowboy?” you teased, brushing your hand against his. He looked down, ears pink in the porchlight glow. “Yeah. Jus’—can’t believe we did it. Like, real date and all.”

You stopped walking. Turned to face him.

“Did you not want to?” His head shot up. “No—no, I did. I do. Hell, I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. Just didn’t know how to ask without messin’ it up.” “You didn’t mess it up.”

He smiled, just slightly. Then his brows pulled together, like there was still something heavy stuck behind his ribs.

“I ain’t used to this,” he admitted, voice low. “Feelin’ proud about somethin’. Wantin’ to show it off.”

You leaned into him, slow and steady, until your foreheads touched. His hands came to your waist like instinct.

“You can show me off whenever you want,” you whispered. “I’m yours. Out loud.”

He kissed you then.

Not rushed. Not uncertain.

Just sure.

Like he finally understood this was something he could have — not just want.

And when the kiss broke, he murmured it against your lips:

“You wanna do it again? Like next Friday?” Then a beat. “Or tomorrow?” You laughed, fingers curling in his jacket. “How about both?”

His grin softened, proud and a little stunned, like he still wasn’t used to this kind of happiness.

“Maybe next time,” you added, tipping your head with a smirk, “I can shout your name out loud at your next bull riding comp. Let everyone know I’m yours.”

Rhett blinked. Went bright red. Groaned into your neck.

“You’re tryin’ to kill me.” “You like it.” “Too damn much.”