#bex is a stage manager

[beck-a-la]

I’m really interested in where the line is re: when an SM should make the call for whether or not an actor should go on. Like, if the actor says they want to go on but we have the understudy/swing in the building and prepared, where is the line between letting the actor go on because they say they’re ok and the SM saying “no, I’m making the call that you shouldn’t perform.”

(And yes I am posting this on tumblr because while I do want other people’s opinions, there are a handful of people in the SM FB groups that make me want to pull my hair out every time I interact with them LMAO)

[beck-a-la]

Me as we run Act 1 for the first time today 🙈🙉🙊

fuuuuck that is my circus. are those…? yep… those are my monkeys….. goddammit.

[dragon-in-a-stew]

Hi! I have more angst for you all. As usual, here are the previous parts.

Now read! Enjoy! Cry, maybe hopefully! Also, please reblog this. It helps. A lot.

Edaline’s POV:

It had been 16 years since she’d worn this gown. It was a long, flowing dress the color of emeralds. Green was the color of life, so elves always wore green to funerals. 

But for the second time, Edaline was attending her own daughter’s planting. She studied her reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror: puffy red eyes, trembling hands, and a pale face streaked with tears.

As she turned away, Grady entered the room. He was wearing dark pine-colored pants and a matching jacket with gold thread embroidered along the seams. His bloodshot eyes met hers, and he attempted to smile. “You look lovely, Eda,” he said, taking her hand and walking to the door. The pair climbed up the stairs, past Sophie’s room, and to the gleaming Leapmaster. 

“Are you ready to do this?” Grady asked, hugging her tight.

“Yes,” Edaline barely whispered. “The Wanderling Woods,” her voice was raspy, but the crystal still dropped down and made a shimmering path of light. 

Together, Grady and Edaline stepped forward, letting the light whisk them away.

The crowd at Sophie’s funeral was surprising large. Hundreds of elves were crammed in between the other Wanderling trees, all clad in green. Sobs rose throught the still forest. Edaline and Grady walked around the sides of the group, heads down. Along the way, they stopped at Jolie’s tree. It was so beautiful, and Edaline whispered, “Stay strong. I love you,” before continuing. 

When they got to the hill that Sophie’s tree would be planted on, they saw Kesler, Juline, and the triplets all embracing one another in a hug, crying. Juline looked up, met Edaline’s eyes, and raced to hug her. Grady walked over to Kesler and they exchanged sad, solemn-sounding words. 

After a moment, the air lit up and all twelve councilors appeared on the stage set up behind the planting sites. 

“As I’m sure you’ve all heard, the disspearences of two young elves  have been tearing at our hearts for nearly two weeks. After days of careful consideration and hope, we were forced to admit that Miss Foster and Mr. Dizznee are dead. The lost cities will mourn their loss forever. But now, it is time for the plantings,” Councilor Emery said, his voice carrying over the silent ground. 

Kesler pulled a small seed out of his suit pocket and carefully wrapped a strawberry-blond hair around it while Juline dug a small hole in the grassy hillside. Bex placed the seed in the hole, and Rex gently filled the dirt back in. When it was done, Lex poured a vial of green liquid over the planting. The liquid sank into the soil and a sapling immediately sprung from the earth. 

It had a slightly twisted trunk and spikey red leaves. Edaline even noticed a few periwinkle berries on the ends of the tiny branches. The whole Dizznee family was crying by the time they stepped away, and they sat against the stage, dazed, with tears streaking down their rosy cheeks. 

Now it was their turn. 

Grady prepared the seed while Edaline dug the hole. Grady filled it in, and Edaline sobbed as she opened the vial. Drink up, little one, she thought as the elixir disappeared into the ground. When she stepped back, a pale truck pushed its way up from the dirt. Soon, golden-yellow star-shaped leaves were unfulrling and tiny brown seed pods were sprouting. 

Grady cried and hugged Edaline.

She was devastated. It wasn’t fair. She already lost one daughter, why did the world insist that she lose another? 

She barely registered all of the families coming up to them and giving thier condolences. 

She was numb. 

Emotionless. 

Empty.

When they got home, Edaline barely managed to crawl into their bedroom before she collapsed onto the bed and slept. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to wake up. Not without Sophie by her side.

Tag list: @myfairkatiecat @alaydabug2 @ham-cheese-toastie @stunning-mess @sophie-pleasant @lisalovesapplesauce @ilov3b00kss0much @siennamakeschaos @mushroom-snake-coding @sophiefostersno1stan @upside-downish @aspenaspenaspenaspenaspen @permanently-stressed (Isa & Aspen I'm tagging you because we're moots now and it's my job to bother you)

[xmads-omensx]

CHAPTER 1 - I SIT HERE AND SMILE DEAR

MASTERLIST

Word Count: 4,091

Content warnings: Swearing, angst, fluff, violence f you squint (pushing and shoving in a malicious way), mentions of alcohol, Ronnie Radke, blood, descriptions of a small wound

Tag List: @concreteangel92 @lma1986 @dragonfly92 @thisis--mj @bloody-delusion-expert @girlagainstg0d

(Please message or comment if you would like to be added to the taglist, or if I forgot to add you <3)

WARPED TOUR 2011 BECCA

My knee bounced up and down as I sat on the leather sofa in the tour bus. We had never had a proper tour bus before. The closest thing we had was Theo’s Dad’s old van that kept breaking down. Nerves shot through my body as I tried to slow my heart-rate and regain my normal breathing.

Warped Tour was by far the biggest tour we had ever done. Sure, we were still supporting other bands, but we weren’t performing in a small, run-down dive bar. This was real. Bring Me The Horizon. Pierce The Veil. Sleeping With Sirens. All Time Low. Motionless In White. Our favourite bands were playing alongside us. We were one of them.

“Quit bouncing your leg Becca, I feel like I’m experiencing a fucking earthquake right now, jeez.” Johnny, our bass player, complained.

The rest of the guys erupted in laughter.

“Calm your tits, Johnny! Leave me alone.” I laughed in reply.

I had never been this nervous for a set before. We only had one album out, Arachnophobia, that had been doing reasonably well, but I was still so nervous. What if we get booed off stage? What if we fuck up the timings? What if I trip and fall flat on my fucking face? Worst-case scenarios flashed through my mind at lightning speed, corrupting whatever positive and confident thought that I still possessed.

“I need some air.” I said to the guys in a small voice.

“You good?” Kevin, our lead guitar player called out to me from his seat at the opposite end of the sofa.

“No. I just need a minute of fresh air.” I tried to reassure him, ultimately failing miserably.

“You sure?” Luke, our rhythm guitar player asked from his bunk.

“Yep. I won’t be long.” I mumbled, just loud enough for them to hear.

I walked around the festival site for a little while. The tents where bands were stood meeting fans and selling merch were absolutely packed. We had been selling merch and meting some fans as well, but nowhere near the scale of any of the bands situated near our tent.

This was our first ever festival. As I said, we were a small band. No one really knew who we were. That could also be said about some of the other bands on this tour as well to be fair. Warped Tour seemed like a brilliant opportunity for new fans to start listening to us when our manager, Nick, pitched it to us. But now it seemed like literal hell on earth. God, what if people left our set?

I tried to push those thoughts down, but nothing worked. As soon as I forced out one doubt, another just popped up in its place. It felt like my mind was the hydra from ancient Greek myth. Equally as venomous and persistent. It was going to be difficult to keep those negative feelings at bay for the rest of the tour. I had always struggled with not feeling good enough, and this tour was just amplifying those ideas. If nobody came to our set, everything would have been for nothing.

My phone started ringing in my pocket after about twenty minutes of my walk. It was Nick. I stared at the screen for a second. Breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth.

“Hey.” I said straight after answering the call.

“Hey yourself! Your set is in five minutes Bex. Get your ass to the stage right fucking now before I either lose my shit or lose my job. Whichever comes first.” Nick yelled down the line over the band who were finishing up their set before ours was due to start. I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Yep I’ll be there in a sec. I lost track of time, sorry.” I replied hurriedly.

“Great. Thanks. See you in a sec then.” Nick finished.

I started running back towards the stage when I bumped into something. It felt like a lamppost or something tall and thin like that. Except there weren’t any lampposts here. I looked up to see a tall, heavily tattooed man with long, black hair looking down at me with a slightly pained smile on his beautiful face.

I didn’t have time for this. I called out a quick sorry as I kept running towards the stage.

By the time I got there, I was doubled over and panting trying to catch my breath. “She’s here!” Luke shouted as I rounded the corner to the side-stage area. I was handed a microphone by Nick

“Good luck you guys. You’ve got this.” Nick encouraged with his arms round mine and Johnny’s shoulders. I took a breath in through my nose and out through my mouth as the rest of the guys walked onto the stage to begin the intro to the first song on our album, Make me Wanna Die, “Give ‘em hell kid.” Nick whispered in my ear with a pat on my back. I closed my eyes for a second then stepped out onto the stage.

The world around me seemed to slow down as I lifted my mic up to my mouth to start the song. My lyrics flew out of my mouth with a natural ease. This wasn’t as hard as I thought. A large crowd had formed at the stage. Not too bad for our first show of the tour. Some people in the crowd were singing along to the song, which filled me with pure joy and unrivalled confidence. I started to move and jump across the stage which excited the crowd even more. By the time we were halfway through our set, the crowd had grown significantly and even began singing even louder to the words that they knew.

I had never experienced such a buzz from the crowd. It felt electric. Looking at the rest of the band, it looked like they felt the same. Wide, beaming smiles were plastered on their faces. I was sure I wore a similar one on my own face. In fact, my face hurt because of the smile that covered my face.

Up until this point, the largest show that we had ever played was to only about eighty people. But now, we were performing to a crowd of about two hundred and fifty. It wasn’t a massive crowd by any means, but it was huge to us. All of our favourite bands started out like this, playing for much smaller crowds. It gave me hope that one day we could be as big as those bands. Someday.

“How is everyone doing?” I shouted into my microphone.

The crowd cheered in response. Holy shit.

“You guys having fun?” I asked.

The crowd cheered in response again. This felt so surreal.

“That’s good. We are too. You guys have been a great crowd.” I began. “This is our first Warped Tour, so thanks for making our first show sop fun because we are having an absolute blast up here.”

The crowd cheered and applauded.

“As you have probably gathered, I’m not exactly brilliant at this whole crowd work thing, but I’m not really used to crowds as fantastic as you guys.” I said with a huge grin on my face.

The crowed roared with cheers and applause.

“So anyway, this song is our last song of the set, and if you don’t mind we would like to play r for you.” I began. “I mean, it’s not like you really have much of a choice, we pre-decided the setlist before we came on stage.”

Laughter erupted around me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a tall, skinny guy with long dark hair cascading over his shoulders with tattoos on his arms, at least I thought they were tattoos. I couldn’t tell if it was black paint or tattoos. Either way, they looked good. He was standing backstage with four other guys who were all fitted in similar outfits. They must be the band following us. The man who caught my eye was the tallest of the group. He looked familiar but I couldn’t place it.

“This song was written by one of my favourite bands and are one of the bands who inspired me to pursue music. We hope you have had a great time here watching our set. We have been The Magpies and this is ‘Call Me’ by Blondie.

The intro started and an immense sense of joy coursed through my veins. Since I was a kid, Debbie Harry had been one of my heroes and I was so proud that we got to play one of her songs to a crowd of people.

And that was the moment that I knew we were going to make it.

 “Holy fucking shit guys, you crushed that.” Nick yelled out at us with an impossibly huge grin  plastered on his face. He clapped us each one-by-one as we came off of the stage. “The crowd fucking loved you guys.”

“That was kickass.” Luke exclaimed with a look that I can only describe as pure joy.

“Dude what the fuck just happened.” Johnny exclaimed.

“Fuck that was sick!” Kevin yelled directly into my ear as he swung his arm over my shoulder.

“Damn I’m pumped!” Theo laughed.

“How the fuck did we pull that off?” I laughed along with the rest of the guys.

“Because we are hot shit Bex. Hot fucking shit.” Kevin shouted back at us as he followed Nick away from the stage and towards the bus.

I paused for a moment and watched the guys, my family, walk ahead of me. I never thought anything like this could happen to us. Let alone at such a young age. I was only 18 when we did our first Warped Tour.

“Come on slow coach we want to go hang before the barbeque.” Nick called back at me. I laughed and followed after them

Every year, there was a barbeque on the first day of tour. It was mainly so that everyone in all the bands and crew could meet eachother. Kind of like an icebreaker night I guess. This was going to be the most nervous I had been so far, including the show. Because now, I had no choice but to meet all of those bands who were practically the reason that I made music. Plus, I was pretty confident in saying that meeting Oli Sykes in person might literally kill me.

The fact that we would be meeting our heroes in such a short space of time was seriously starting to make me freak out. How were we worthy of all of this?

We made it to the bus and all sat down to play some Xbox together before the barbeque. Luke had flung himself onto the black, leather L-shaped sofa opposite the door.

“I don’t give a fuck what the rest of you want, I’m playing Call Of Duty.” He said whilst signing into the game and running a hand through his short blonde hair.

“What the fuck man! We play that all the fucking time.” Johnny complained.

“Let me be play too and you can do whatever you want.” Kevin laughed whilst grabbing the second controller and joining Luke in the game.

“Fuck you guys I’m going to have a nap before we have to go.” Theo sighed with a yawn, tying his shoulder length, curly brown hair into a low bun as he walked towards his bunk.

I sat next to Luke and laughed at their childish bickering as they played their game. Johnny sat shouting commands at the two other boys.

“If you want to sit there and yell at us then you should have joined the fucking game asshole.” Kevin laughed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as they had begun to slip down.

“Fuck you, there’s only two controllers dipshit.” Johnny argued back.

I started to block out their arguing as I picked up the book that I had been reading and snuggled further into the corner of the sofa. I had found comfort in books during the very short time that we had been touring. Sure, performing on stage was an escape from real life, for both us and the crowd, but that was still work at the end of the day. Reading, however, had the power to transport you to a different world entirely, a different dimension even if that’s what you wanted to find. It allowed my mind to escape the cage that it was trapped in and explore the endless possibilities that life held. It allowed me to hide from my problems. To escape reality. To run and never stop running, not until I was happy, not until I was free. And that freedom was the greatest feeling in the world.

 Before I knew it, my eyes had started to droop and I drifted off into a peaceful sleep. The best that I would probably have on this tour. My dreams were surprisingly pleasant as I fell deeper into my slumber before a pair of hands grasped my shoulders and began to shake me awake.

“Rebecca…. Beccaa…. Bex…. Beckyyy…..” A deep sing-song voice chanted as he shook my shoulders. My eyes fluttered awake, and leaning over me stood Theo. “There she is.” He said once my eyes had fully opened.

“What?” I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes.

“We have to go in like forty minutes, and we thought you might want to get ready.” He went on.

I stood up and stretched my arms over my head before letting out a yawn and making my way to the bathroom so that I could re-do my makeup and brush the birds nest that had formed in my hair.

I decided not to do anything crazy and to just touch up the makeup that I already had on, which was a more natural look with dark brown eyeshadow lining my upper lash line just a little bit. I tied up the top half of my long, brunette hair into a bun at the back of my head, letting some face-framing pieces hang loosely around my face. I changed into a white tank top with spaghetti straps and some black wide-leg ripped jeans with fishnets underneath. I grabbed an old, red Flash hoodie, that previously belonged to my ex but I liked the hoodie too much to return it, and tied it around my waist just in case it got chillier later in the night.

“Okay I’m ready.” I announced to the guys who were all sat on the sofa arguing over what movie to watch later. Unsurprising as they usually had this argument, then would watch a movie that wasn’t even part of the equation to begin with.

“Great, let’s go.” Nick said as he stood up, rubbing his hands together.

We all nodded in agreement and followed him out of the bus and towards the barbeque. There was an opening in the middle of where the buses were parked in which a large fire pit, surrounded by mismatched deckchairs, had been set up. The barbeque itself was positioned next to a staff bus, that the Warped Tour management team were staying in. They were the ones who essentially ran the tour and wanted to ensure that it went as smoothly as possible.

Straight away, a British accent caught my attention as five guys started approaching us. “Hey! You guys must be the Magpies.” One of the men asked us with a huge grin on his face.

Holy fucking shit. Danny Worsnop from Asking Alexandria was talking to us. THE Danny Worsnop from THE Asking Alexandria was talking to us. Us? We were nobodies here. He fucking knew who we were. Holy fucking shit I must still be dreaming.

“Yep that’s us.” Johnny said with a smile on his face, sticking out his arm to shake Danny’s hand. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to introduce yourselves, we are big fans, Becca especially. But I’m Johnny and I’m the bass player, this dumbass is Theo our drummer, Luke and Kevin here are our guitar players, and this shy bitch is Becca, our singer.” Johnny introduced. We each raised our hands in a wave when Johnny said our names.

“It’s so nice to meet you all. It’s about time a new band joined the lineup.” Ben laughed.

“Well, the Black Veil Brides guys are new here.” Cam said.

“Yeah, obviously, but I mean a band we haven’t met before.” Ben laughed at his bandmate and rolled his eyes at Cam playfully.

“We toured with them last year for a while. They’re great guys.” James said to the rest of us.

“Hey, you should totally meet them later if you’re up for it.” Ben enthusiastically suggested.

“Yeah, totally.” Theo said with a smile. “But let’s eat first, I’m fucking starving.”

“Agreed.” Danny laughed. We all started walking towards the barbeque and Ben fell into step with me. We fell into easy conversation. I could tell immediately that we were going to be good friends.

“So how did your first show go?” Ben asked.

“It went fucking amazingly. We’ve never played to a crowd that big before, and they actually seemed to enjoy our set which was fucking brilliant.” I gushed.

“Yeah, I caught some songs towards the end of your set. You guys fucking crushed it. Andy said he saw the last few songs and thought you guys were pretty cool.” He said.

“Andy?” I asked.

“Yeah. Oh shit you haven’t met him yet. He’s the singer in Black Veil Brides. He’s super cool, I think you’d like him.” Ben explained.

“Cool. It’s weird having this many people on a tour together.” I continued. “It’s only ever really been us supporting another band. Never any more than that.”

“I remember when we started out like that. We thought we’d never make it, but look where we are now.” He laughed. “Once you get used to it, it gets less weird.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I replied.

Before I even realised it, we had reached the barbeque. People from various different bands and their crew mingled about as they all socialised with eachother. It seemed as though most of the people here already knew eachother from previous tours.

Ben introduced me to his friends on the tour, which was already a shock to be hanging out with Ben fucking Bruce. I tried to push my nerves down as he introduced me to the likes of Vic Fuentes, Kelin Quinn, Oli Sykes, Chris Motionless and Ricky Horror. I surprised myself with how ‘normal’ I managed to act around them. After all, it’s not every day that you meet your favourite musicians. I tried to remind myself that I would be touring with these people, so it wouldn’t be the best idea to fangirl and embarrass myself the first time I met them.

Ben and I grabbed a burger each and sat down on some of the spare deck chairs to eat them.

“Have you just put gherkins in your fucking burger?” I asked Ben in utter disbelief.

“Yep.” He grinned, popping the p. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Of course I do that’s disgusting! I don’t think we can be friends after this.” I gasped at him in mock offense.

“Wow. You’re one of those?” Ben chuckled.

“One of what?” I laughed at him.

“Someone who doesn’t have taste.” He laughed.

I threw my dirty napkin at him in response.

“EW!” He screamed dramatically, throwing his own napkin right back at me.

I laughed hysterically at him.

“Okay. I’m glad you two are having fun, but I was sitting there, so if you could just move that would be great.” A deep voice tore through the bliss that I was experiencing with Ben.

“Oh fuck off Ronnie, we both know you weren’t sat here.” Ben rolled his eyes.

“Seriously, Bruce? You’re gonna start shit on the first day of tour?” The man, who I assumed was called Ronnie sighed back.

“Just fuck off Ronnie, the no one has to start shit.” Ben said through gritted teeth.

“Seriously man, why do you have to make everything so damn hard all the time!” Ronnie shouted at Ben.

“I’m not the problem here man.” Ben raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Take your pretty friend here, and go suck each other’s faces somewhere else jackass!” Ronnie yelled.

“Woah, woah.” Ben started, raising his voice at Ronnie, “We both know that’s not what was happening here okay. Let’s just move on.”

“Move.” Ronnie said through gritted teeth.

“No.” Ben said with a laugh, as he leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs, relaxing further.

Before I could even register what was happening, Ronnie lunged forward and shoved Ben out of the chair backwards. I jumped up and pushed Ronnie backwards so that he couldn’t lunge towards Ben anymore. Instead, he only stumbled back a few steps before he shoved me backwards too, nocking my beer out of my hand, making it spill all over me. I put my hands below me to try and stop the fall, when I felt a sharp pain in my hand. I lifted my hand up to get a look at it, only to be greeted with a shard of glass poking out the palm of my hand and blood dripping from the wound.

I winced as I slowly tried to pull the broken glass out of my hand, completely oblivious to the fact that Johnny and Luke had ran over and dragged Ronnie away before punching him in the face, knocking him to the floor. The shard of glass wasn’t anything massive, but once it was out of my hand, more blood pooled in the palm of my hand.

From behind me, I felt a pair of arms snake underneath my armpits and begin to pull me up to my feet. Once I was standing again, I turned to see who had lifted me up. I was greeted by a chest clad in a black t-shirt with the Batman logo on. The shirt hung slightly loosely on the skinny frame of the person, who I assumed was a man, who now stood in front of me. I had to crane my neck to see his face, which was obscured by long black locks of hair. I could make out an array of tattoos on his arms that I hadn’t noticed before.

Holy shit. This was the guy that I had literally ran into before my set earlier.

“You okay? That looks deep.” He said, concern plastered all over his face as he took my hand in his much bigger one.

“Y-y-yeah.” I stuttered out, still in shock from what had just happened.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” He led me gently away from where Johnny and Luke were being held back by Asking Alexandria and Ronnie was being dragged away by Jacky Vincent and Ryan Seaman.

The man led me to a tour bus where we met another man, who also had long black hair.

“Hey man, what the fuck?” The new man said with an incredulous look on his face as we got closer to the bus.

“Ronnie is back on his dumbass shit.” The first man, who was still holding my elbow, said in reply.

“Of course he is.” The second man scoffed while going into the tour bus, holding open the door for myself and the first man.

Their tour bus looked pretty much the same as ours did, except there was lots of makeup all over the place and various items that looked like they were made of leather. It was messier than ours too which I liked. It made me feel better about how I left things when I was getting ready.

“This is Jake.” The first man gestured to the second man. “I’m not too sure where the others are though? Probably still at the barbeque. It’s Becca right?”

“Oh, yeah. That’s me.” I said quietly with a weak laugh.

He stared at me for a beat as I looked at him expectantly. It felt like he was looking right into my soul with those blue eyes of his.

“Who are you?” I asked timidly.

“Me?” He pointed at his chest.

I nodded my head. I could tell he wasn’t very good at talking.

“I’m Andy.” He said with a beautiful smile. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Chapter 2

WE DON'T BELONG MASTERLIST

MAIN MASTERLIST

[1mnobodywhoareyou]

Okay but serious question: What's your favourite dinosaur? and Reggie?

Thank you! This got Bex versed because of @narcissusbrokenmirror who also asked for it: 11."Okay but serious question: What's your favourite dinosaur?" For the bex verse

Reggie is delighted as he pushes Bex on the swing. She’s giggling as she soars through the air.

“Higher! Higher!”

He grabs the chains on either side of her and runs underneath the swing as he pushes. She screeches with glee. His cheeks hurt from smiling so widely. 

Normally Alex gets to take her to the playground so he doesn’t get this time with her but he cherishes it when he gets the chance. 

“All done!” Bex calls down to him. He catches the swing and helps her out. He sets her down on the ground, watching as she runs toward the small slide at the other end of the playground.

“You’re new,” an unexpected voice says from beside him.

He turns to them, a confused look on his face. “Hi?”

“Sorry, normally she’s here with someone else,” they nod toward Bex who is now digging in the gravel with another kid about her age. “I’m Candace. That one’s mom.”

“Ah, yeah,” he replies with realization, “normally her dad brings her but I’m the lucky one today!”

“It’s nice, right? Watching them be free?”

Reggie nods, “Yeah.”

The two of them watch the kids play while they chat. They’re interrupted occasionally when one of the kids calls for their attention or help, but they manage to hold a solid conversation. He learns that she’s a stay-at-home parent and the playground offers a bit of a reprieve. She learns that he’s a part-time student, soaking up his Bex time when he can. He doesn’t divulge anything about the band or their family, treading carefully around those topics. They had decided that the public didn’t need to know the details of their relationships or Bex’s parentage and while most of them aren’t recognizable in public, especially alone, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Though she doesn’t miss the way Bex calls him Papa.

“Okay but serious question,” Reggie says during a lull in their conversation. She turns a raised eyebrow his way. “What’s your favourite dinosaur?” 

Candace laughs. “That’s a tough one. He’d want me to say a T-Rex, of course,” she says, pointing toward her son. “But I think I’m fond of the plesiosaur.”

“That’s not a dinosaur,” he responds cheekily. 

She rolls her eyes playfully, “Okay, what’s yours?”

“She’d not care at all what my favourite is, but spinosaurus is my current top answer.”

“Oh, did you manage to somehow escape the dinosaur fascination stage?”

Reggie pouts, “Yes. Unfortunately. The little weirdo is into bugs and plants.”

Candace chuckles. “Well, what’s her favourite bug, then?”

“At this exact moment and other than the house fly?”

Another laugh, “Yeah.”

“Ants.”

Candace shakes her head with amusement. “And yours?”

“Well, based on the books we’ve been able to get from the library so far? The Brazilian Treehopper.”

“I’ve… never even heard of that.”

Reggie laughs, “Yeah, it’s a new one for me too. There are some cool bugs out there! Who knew?”

“Entomologists, probably.”

“You just… know that word off the top of your head?”

She offers a sly smile, “You have your secrets, I have mine.”

He lets out an involuntary chuckle, “Fair, fair. Well, I’ve got to get the little munchkin back home. Nice to meet you, Candace!”

“You too, Reggie. See you around.”

He walks over to the kids and crouches down to speak to Bex. It only takes a moment, and a casual reminder that her Unca ‘Uke is at home, for her to agree to leaving. They wave goodbye as they walk down the street hand in hand.

[beck-a-la]

Me when I’m talking to someone on headset and that actor with no social skills keeps trying to talk to me anyway

[sprintingfox]

idk if this will make sense bear with me

how would the mikaelson sister gang react to your klaus' love interests over the stories? like who would be their favourite from them? does that make sense? would vivalda and maddie get along, stuff like that? who would get along best with yara (i'm biased she's my favourite)

Ok so Klaus love interests were: Beatrix, Esmeray, Maddy, Ibeth, and Yara. The sisters were: Hilda, Eisa, Vivalda, and technically Amaris.

EISA: Would probably have thought Beatrix was a ticking time bomb from the start and would've wanted her to enjoy her life instead of being tied to the Mikaelsons. Beatrix was sort of a mother figure to Marcel but not as much as Yara so honestly Eisa would've talked her out of even being with Klaus (cause honestly Beatrix and Klaus were so toxic to each other which is why they didn't last) and had her go explore the world. She also wouldn't really have encouraged Elijah x Beatrix either. With Esmeray, I think Eisa would've tried to free her from a much earlier point like if Klaus is clearly not treating Esmeray right in the earlier stages (expected cause he was such a prat) then she probably would've given Esmeray the resources to do her ritual early on then sent her on her way cause having those two powerful beings together is chaotic and she would've wanted Esmeray to take care of herself instead of trying to help Klaus through his stuff. She would have liked Maddy's fire but probably also warned her about being too attached to Klaus... in the end this one would probably go better 'cause Maddy was actually Hope's mom so Eisa would just protect her. With Ibeth, I think she would have teamed up with Kol to figure out a way out for her the moment she saw Klaus wasn't treating her right. Like, Klaus was super abusive in that story and Eisa hates abusive people so she probably would have made them go their separate ways, too. She totally would love Yara from the beginning (ngl in this universe I think maybe Yara would've had a crush on Eisa but I don't really see the reverse being true only 'cause Yara was more concerned with being a mother to Marcel and Eisa would have gotten bored of that).

HILDA: I think she would have shipped Beatrix x Kol so hard, like finding the idea of Beatrix so cool and wishing she'd been able to do the things she did. She and Kol probably would've teamed up to find a more permanent solution for Beatrix so she wouldn't eventually die. With Esmeray, honestly Hilda would probably want to keep her close too which wouldn't really be all that holly jolly for Esmeray. Hilda would teach her a lot more magic though and I think they'd be really close. Hilda might still talk her out of trying to shoulder all of Klaus's baggage but she'd be good friends with her and probably want her associated with the family even if she would probably manage to convince her to be with someone else. Hilda would love Maddy the most out of these, I think, cause they'd have fun together. Maddy could help Hilda through her mental health troubles plus if Rebekah doesn't really like Maddy then that's better for Hilda cause then Bex can't steal her bff. She'd be so happy when Maddy would announce that she's pregnant, like seriously Hilda would be so ecstatic. With Ibeth I think similar to Eisa she'd find a way to get Ibeth out of that arrangement cause no way is she gonna tolerate the way Klaus treated her. She'd be so much more vicious in her defense than her siblings were in Ibeth's story cause she's dealt with that same abuse and the self-image issues that Ibeth really struggled with that kept her falling back in with Klaus even when she wanted to hate him so badly. With Yara, I think Hilda would be meh about her cause she didn't really like Marcel thus she wouldn't care about Yara being there or not, but she'd probably encourage Yara x Klaus for the sake of getting Klaus to actually make good on his promise to make the city better and take care of the kid he adopted then also if Klaus is busy with someone as charismatic and healing as Yara, then he has less time to bother Hilda and Kol. Hilda would probably not have gone looking for her when she disappeared only because she'd understand why Yara did it and probably tell the others like hey if she left, it means she's sick of our bs and we shouldn't pressure her into rejoining us. But when Klaus brings her back she'd just be like ok whatever life goes on and simply be okay with her but probably not so close cause idk I feel like they just wouldn't really find all that much in common.

VIVALDA: This is the messy one lol. She's so meticulous about preventative measures and preventing future threats to her family by snuffing people out early on that I lowkey feel she would have killed Beatrix and Esmeray hellaaa early on. Like oh, Beatrix is slowly dying 'cause of dark magic and she's trying to be with all of my brothers? Yeah let's kill her cause she's not useful really and she's just gonna cause more problems down the line. Oh, Esmeray is this super-powerful hybrid and has done her part to help Klaus? Goodbye, why do we need her? Vivalda is not one to care that people are nice or that her siblings care, she is gonna think she's seeing what they can't through their little rose-colored heart-shaped glasses and she's gonna say better safe than sorry. She's killed so many people for less. She doesn't like anyone who poses a threat and I highly doubt she'd change her mind based on the way these two immediately come off, given they are so freaking powerful. Also I don't see Beatrix or Esmeray liking Vivalda, either. Beatrix would probably only vibe with her when she's in her no-humanity phase (in which case her and Vivalda would be besties but Vivalda wouldn't even let it get to that point) and with Esmeray, I feel Vivalda would be like ugh you're so boring trying to be super sweet all the time, you're a super powerful being and you're supposed to be more assertive than that. With Maddy, I feel Vivalda would struggle fighting the urge to kill her, too. Cause she hates Damon and Stefan but I guess she'd see Maddy's devotion to Klaus as a good thing cause she knows what her brother needs and also if Rebekah doesn't like her, that's also good for Vivalda. She'd also think the reason Rebekah dislikes her to be so stupid cause she'd probably end up admiring Maddy's loyalty to her family. I can't see them being very close but I can see Vivalda definitely protecting her a lot especially once she gets pregnant with Hope. With Ibeth, I don't think Vivalda would have let Ibeth even pose the idea of marriage. While Eisa and Hilda might've gotten her out of it once they noticed the signs, I think Vivalda would've seen the abusive relationship coming from a mile away. She doesn't really like how Klaus acts with werewolves so she wouldn't really want him to marry one 'cause there is just no understanding between them. She'd warn Ibeth of what is to come and offer other options if possible. If Ibeth still married Klaus, Vivalda would probably have gotten daggered so quick trying to beat Klaus's ass for laying a single hand on Ibeth, which wouldn't have really accomplished much. She'd probably feel so frustrated with Ibeth for staying cause Vivalda really just doesn't have any concept of sympathy or understanding someone stuck in an abusive situation since she herself has always been so firm in what she wants and believes, she'd never let herself be stuck like that with someone so she wouldn't understand why Ibeth does it. With Yara, I think Vivalda would like her only cause she keeps Marcel occupied. She'd think her backstory cool and want her to drag Klaus away so she can do her own thing. I can see her getting close with Yara if Yara were to recruit her help killing conquerors— then Vivalda would really vibe with her and probably help her. Yara may annoy Vivalda if she tries to help her process her emotions but I'm sure Vivalda would eventually come to see Yara the way she does Antonella, this like girl boss she relates to and thinks successful in many of her own ways. I think she'd have mad respect for Yara having made the most of her vampire experience especially after the way she unfortunately got into it. Vivalda would see her as a fighter.

AMARIS: Uhh given where she comes in the timeline, she would meet Beatrix in a very awkward position and probably distrust her cause she'd have seen her while watching her fam from the other side and not like that Beatrix was jumping from brother to brother. Amaris wouldn't really judge her for it but she'd think it a sign that Beatrix might not be able to stay loyal to the fam. Lowkey I feel Klaus would like Beatrix more just for the sake of it pissing off Amaris. But in the end Amaris would want Beatrix to be happy elsewhere. Amaris x Esmeray would be such an unstoppable duo, I think Amaris would love Esmeray to bits, they'd bond over the times they grew up in (similar ish packs, the Paxons and Poldarks) and they'd probably grow more attached to each other than their respective love interests... I could totally see them getting together romantically because they'd understand each other so much, they'd share in traumas of how they were raised, and I think they'd really respect each other wholly in ways their respective partners didn't always. Amaris would like Maddy a lot, I think they'd be bffs too. Nothing much to say about that one since again Amaris would appear once Maddy is already pregnant so she'd have to just get to know her regardless. With Ibeth, no way would Amaris let her marry Klaus, either. Amaris would probably rather talk Jackson into marrying Hayley than let Ibeth be with Klaus cause... well, the way Klaus treats Amaris is a degree less than how he treated Ibeth but in the same family, sort of. Amaris and Ibeth would bond as victims of that abuse but that's still really sad to even think of. Amaris would love Yara a lot too, probably look up to her in a way and admire how much Yara has been through while not letting it get to her the way others do.

[early20sfailingplenty]

Home cooking, homicide // final(est) girl Bex x Buddy Swanson

A/N: Happy happy birthday @bisexual-horror-fan!!! Writing this for you was sooooo much fun and I can't thank you enough for all of the films we've shared, the discord chats, the streams, the writing, the commissions, just... everything. You have helped me make me braver and bolder and louder and prouder and you influence me every day in your teachings. You make this world a brighter, better, gentler and wiser place and I don't know what I'd do without you!!! I'm very proud of you and how far you've come and will continue to go.💖So here's to you, Bex, happy fuckin' birthday!! You're the final girl to end all final girls! Just as well you have a slasher to complement you on your journey...😉👀

Also, fun fact! The title of this gift is from Motörhead's song Eat The Rich, which is one of my favourite song of theirs! I was listening to it while writing this introductory note and got inspired by the lyric

"Get a sweet thing on the side Home cooking, homicide"

And here we have it! I hope you enjoy!! If not, I'm happy to write you something else.🥺💖

Word count: 2, 543.💕

You wondered how many people could say that their work shifts doubled as a date with their partner... not many, you would wager. Not that you could afford to, even if you wanted to, what with the meagre wages you and Buddy were paid for the incredibly demanding and repetitive work you did. You practically ran the entire kitchen between yourselves; both of you doing double the work listed in your job descriptions. Camilla was also hired to work here, but with her now working on the next production, she was rarely if ever on a kitchen shift. You and Buddy had been picking up where she should have been, so it was more work for the same money... typical capitalist bullshit. Even at summer camp.

But still... The point stood.

How many other people could say that their work shifts doubled as a date with their partner?

For you and Buddy, food was an every day guarantee and a joint staple in your daily routines. It was a joy to cook, a wonder to be able to eat what you wanted while you were on shift so long as you had the ingredients. Sampling dishes to make sure that the food tasted good wasn't strictly a necessity but you always said that doing so was for 'quality assurance purposes'; and it never failed to make Buddy smile at you fondly over industrial cans of food. To be able to take care of one another while you worked as best and as fast as you could as you got swept off your feet trying to feed the tens of kids at camp, the managers, actors and cast members, the musicians and everyone else who worked behind the scenes to make the magic happen on the modest stage, was a gift. You loved the life you and Buddy had built together and you loved the way you loved each other. You loved food, trying new recipes and dishes, eating and hanging out, and even doing the dishes was fun when you had Buddy standing shoulder to shoulder with you. He would sometimes flick bubbles over at you, trying to distract you, but you would only grin and swat at his ass with a sharply aimed towel the next time you walked past him. He always saw you coming. Sometimes he allowed you to do it, a smirk on his face with the sharp crack of the towel, and sometimes he simply dodged. It depended on his mood and how playful he felt.

It was just good to share the camp kitchen with Buddy, and your own passion and love for food and eating only made everything all the more richer for you. Buddy could take or leave cooking, he didn't care. Hell, he couldn't wait to get the hell out of dodge, but you made the kitchen what it was for the both of you. Your presence made everything brighter and more hopeful for Buddy, and he showed his appreciation for you through physical affection and food.

Buddy was always fun to watch in the kitchen. He cared little for the 'freaks' you both cooked for every day and yet he never allowed his emotions to get in the way of the role he had to play in the kitchen. The food itself was never affected by his hatred for his job and the person he was employed by. It was a hard slog in the kitchen daily for people he cared not for, but it was also a chance to spend the day with you. The both of you knew what you were doing in the kitchen and you knew the layout of the camp kitchen like the backs of your hands, so it was little more than a dance around one another to make the daily menus happen and even come up with some dishes which were rare treats; something you cooked just because you loved it. Or, if the budget allowed, just because you could.

Like oven done ribs.

It was a low effort meal (most of the things prepared in the camp kitchen were as the palettes of children and teenagers could be somewhat... limited, as could be the assigned budget) but it tasted so good – it was one of your favourites for a reason and Buddy loved to surprise you with it on special occasions; such as your birthday. He had squirrelled away some of the budget so that he could get you the ribs without anyone aboveboard finding out. You could have bought the ribs yourself, they were often on your grocery lists, but where was the fun in surprising you with your own food?

When asked, you could rattle off the ingredients like it was the back of your hand, and this was how Buddy had gotten the recipe from you. Emphasis had always remained on the apple cider vinegar being applied before the rub, which involved so many herbs and spices it had initially made Buddy's head spin, but now the gathering and application of these flavours to the ribs had become second nature to him. He wasn't as quick about it as you were, but he was close.

It always made your heart fuzzy to watch him, his dark curls hanging over his blue eyes, his eyebrows reaching for each other in concentration as his hands moved over spice bottles and herb packets, pulling one out and then either using it or putting it back with a slight shake of his head when he had picked out the wrong one.

Sometimes you helped him, sometimes you didn't... It depended on how bored you were, how busy the kitchen was and how evil you felt. Buddy always found the right one eventually, and watching him struggle could be fun. It wouldn't be fun for the food, though, so more often than not, you helped even when Buddy was more than capable of doing it himself.

You just liked to be close to him.

"You think these ribs will take long?"

Buddy's voice was quiet, his tender blues fixed on you as he asked a question he already knew the answer to just to hear your voice. He was soft like that sometimes, but only for you. His final girl.

"Nah," you shook your head, eyeing Buddy with a gaze almost as hot as the heat coming from the preheated stove. "Two, two and a half hours max. Want the meat falling off the bone, get it all nice and tender."

Buddy nodded his head. He was becoming increasingly distracted, quiet, while Camilla was becoming louder, more annoying. You had never liked her. You wondered what was happening to the Swansons, but you figured things would reveal themselves in all good time. And if not, well... Buddy was private, he kept things to himself, but if he felt the need to talk to you, then he would do so when he was good and ready and not a second before. It wasn't your place to push. Buddy knew you were there for him as surely as he knew he had curly hair, and you felt comfort and security in that knowledge too. The love which existed between the both of you was as natural and as easy as breathing. You didn't have to think about it.

It just was.

Buddy was a rather affectionate man. He didn't seem that way, but sometimes instead of flicking soap suds at you at the kitchen sink when the both of you were washing up, he would instead shuffle to stand behind you so that he could rest his forehead on the back of your shoulder, or he would wrap his arms around your waist and pull you flush against him. There were no intentions other than giving and receiving love in equal measures. He had been so deprived of touch and love; the upbringing he had received after his mother's murder wasn't love, not really. It was walking on eggshells and sitting on a secret so callous and cruel that it had twisted him into the man you knew him as; childhood trauma left to fester turned into a wound that never healed and instead ripped open and bled more still every time he had to face the man who ran the camp and the Swanson siblings' lives: Roger McCall.

It was a wound which never stopped bleeding, but you did what you could to help Buddy patch himself up.

You could have only ever suspected that patching Buddy up so that he could begin to heal was not what he wanted. No, what Buddy wanted was revenge. On Roger, on the industry, on his sister for becoming an actress... The Metal Killer was bloodthirsty and if revenge was what he wanted, then... it was revenge which he would have.

But not yet... the timing wasn't right. The place was, but the time had yet to pass. The much anticipated opening night of The Haunting of the Opera was when Buddy would get his revenge and Camilla would most likely end up being collateral damage. Buddy didn't want that for her, he really didn't, but he had chosen his path and she had chosen hers. It seemed that their life path, which they had always walked through together, had a fork in the road and they would be going their own ways. They were twins. Buddy and Camilla had always lived life together, but somewhere along the way did the fates show Buddy that they were to die alone, separated from one another in all ways but blood.

Never to meet again, if Buddy's own show went to plan. He was devastated to potentially lose his sister but if that was the way it had to be, then so be it. She had made her bed by deciding to follow her mother's footsteps to the letter. Buddy had dug the graves he needed, since he had failed in his plans to stop his sister from becoming an actress. All that was left was for the sands of time to turn their tricks, as they do on everyone. Buddy had accepted the way things would go. You were kept in the dark, your suspicions rising but otherwise left unattended, but your own role would show itself in time.

Until then, though, he was cooking oven done ribs for his final girl's big thirtieth birthday. And, oh, what a filthy decade it was to be. You and Buddy had plans to make money. Both of you had employment history with food, so it wouldn't be too difficult for you to work with Buddy in the restaurant he wanted to open one day. Probably in New York - that's where the money was. With money came power, and with power came the ability for Buddy to get out from underneath Roger's nails. Camilla too, if she wanted. It was looking increasingly like she didn't want to; she wanted fame, she wanted her mother back and she thought that pipe dream lay in following her mother's path. She was wrong, Buddy knew that, and so did you, but Camilla hadn't quite caught up yet to the fact that the industry she had dreamed of participating in ever since she was a child would eat her alive.

By the time she woke up, it would be too late.

The oven beeped, preheated to the correct temperature, and Buddy cast his eyes over the ribs to check them over before he slid them into the oven, smoothly kicking the door shut as he flipped a heavily grease stained white towel over his broad shoulder. It was one smooth movement; he had had years of practice. The mountain of dishes which had accumulated during the making of lunch made him scoff in derision. It was becoming harder and harder for him to take this job seriously. His dark ambitions were so important, his rage and trauma bigger than he. He just wanted Roger and the freaks to shut their faces, he wanted to get out, to get away, he wanted his own money and his own place, Buddy wanted freedom with no one remaining from his previous life except you, especially after spending most of his life living out choices which were made for him by a man he loathed.

As the ribs cooked in the oven, baking in the spices and the meat's own juices, you and Buddy entertained one another with jokes, miniature food fights (conducted using only waste products like bell pepper hearts or bits of spaghetti which never made it into the pot from where Buddy had thrown it in the general direction of the pot of boiling water without a care for where the uncooked pasta landed), and generally working hard to feed the entire camp. No matter the situation, you fought hard and somehow always made things work. Watching you in the kitchen, watching you go between cooking and cleaning up, always humming and singing, often made Buddy wonder how you would handle The Metal Killer. He knew beyond all shadow of a doubt that you would handle it and him with grace.

When you decided to do something, nothing and no one would stop you. It was what made you a final girl. It was what made you the final girl. You would survive the camp but all others around you would fall - the ones on Buddy's Wall, anyway. The rage within Buddy was strong enough that he could bring down someone twice his size, he could bend limbs and appendages with little effort; the kitchen had given him more skills than just time management. It had given him muscles, it had given him the weapons and the means with which to protect himself and his sister, to protect his final girl even though she could and would protect herself. Buddy admired the way you faced a situation with the seriousness it required and did everything you could even when it felt wrong, because you knew it was right. It was a distinction observed in few people. Buddy had only ever been able to keep quiet about the things he had seen, the things he knew, but you spoke up, you used your voice, and Buddy felt comfort in knowing that you lived for yourself in the way he had never been able to, no thanks to Roger.

The last hour of cooking the ribs involved basting the meat with its own juices every ten minutes, and so entertainment slowed, but the affection between you and Buddy remained as strong as ever. While the camp's menu for the various departments and age ranges had been fully catered to as per Roger's instructions, you and Buddy had somehow managed to find the time and ingredients to make your favourite sides to accompany the oven done ribs. It was to be a fire birthday meal, but the plans didn't end there. Not today, not with so many years of your life to celebrate alongside the promise of many more to come. More often than not, Buddy had more plans than actions, but on your birthday, your birthday, Buddy had more actions since the only real plan was to celebrate his final girl. His.

[stagey-bex]

Hellooooooo

I’m Bex

Long story short (great Taylor Swift song!):

I’m a British theatre kid…

I’m 18…

I made the decision to work in technical theatre at 12…

I chose stage management at 14…

I have been working in a regional theatre for the past year, as a casual technician…

I am now at the point of starting drama school to study stage management…

I want to share my experiences and my journey in this industry, and I usually have a lot to say so this is going to be a bit chaotic and long winded

I’m afraid this won’t just be my career rambles, I also like rambling about shows I see, and I see quite a few

I hope you enjoy :)

Ooooooh so you stuck around

Thank you 🥹

The long story:

I’m 18 (for a couple more days)

I’ve grown up just north of London, giving me perfect access to the west end whilst also being near receiving regional theatres and seeing most shows possible.

I have always been involved with the performing arts in some way, but went from performing to crew after a massive confidence break when I was 12.

I was crew for many school productions and accidentally fell into the role of stage manager as my school did not have one…someone pointed out to me that’s what I was kind of doing so I looked into it and tried to learn best I could online.

At 14 I made the decision I was going to be a stage manager, and begun researching drama schools and how to get in and get the training

At 15, a month after I had stage managed an amateur panto for the first time, the country went into lockdown and I thought I had lost my dream and the industry would not survive or that there would not be an opportunity for me (oh how wrong I was!!)

At 16 I was researching drama schools, having my eye on a particular one, and working towards hopefully getting in, building up my experience and learning through school shows, using what I had learnt in a practical setting. I reached out to a stage manager who came from my town and had a similar route in to me, who was at my dream drama school, and she begun giving me advice.

At 17, I visited the backstage of a professional theatre for the first time. And I found out about the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), applying to ASM with them over my summer holiday…and so I did, having a great time and working a show where I was able to learn and use skills I already knew. That experience gave me the confidence to apply for a job at my local theatre, which I got, and have been working at for the past year.

18 has been a fun one…

18 has given me west end experience, working professionally, getting into drama school, doing NYMT again, and it’s given me the harder side of the industry, which have assured me I’m good here and I don’t want to leave even through the rude crew and unsociable (LONG) hours.

I’m so close to doing exactly what my dream has been…so close I’ve already had a taster

I want to share my journey and tell my story, to people who might be interested, and to people who might relate or be able to offer advice.

Thank you for reading all this!!

Bex off comms

:)

[beck-a-la]

There is a fucking bootleg of my show on this godforsaken hellsite. And not only that, it’s FOR SALE. Some little shithead is SELLING an illegal video of my show. Not only did they record it and post the video without permission, but they are MAKING MONEY off of MY WORK. I am fucking furious.

[killerlookz]

eddie with other 12?? omg??

a/n: ahhh this is so cute, lowk gave this a sort of similar premise to my blood kink eddie fic which is *wiggles eyebrows* coming soon... but its not rlly the same... tysm for the request bex!

PROMPT LIST: Other #12: "Be more careful next time. I don't want to bandage you up again."

Kiss It Better | Eddie Munson x gn! reader

warnings: mentions of injuries/blood briefly | word count: 1148

"I still don't understand how this happened," You scoff, shaking your head in complete and utter bewilderment at the injured frame of your boyfriend looming above you.

"It's not funny- it just did." Eddie prattles before letting out a pained groan, "Everything hurts,"

You puff out your lower lip, forming a pout at the sound of your boyfriend's whining.

"I know baby, I know," You console, half in mockery - rubbing your thumb against a bruising cheek- Eddie's skin was blooming a deep red, it was tender, and warm underneath the gentle touch of your thumb. Eddie winces slightly under the soft touch- urging you to quickly remove your hand from the injury. "I just- you fell off the stage?"

"You were there," He whines, "You saw." Eddie swallows down hard, his Adam's apple pushing against the flesh of his neck as he lifts his head away from you, trying to hide his embarrassment.

You were there, and still, you couldn't quite figure out what happened. One moment you'd been watching Corroded Coffin play on some dingy stage at a run-down dive bar, and the next the music stops, the whole place is silent and your boyfriend is on the ground, guitar still in hand as he groans in pain.

"I did see," You sigh, "Do you have- I don't know, any band-aids or anything?" You ask.

"They're under the sink," Eddie grumbles, lifting up a hand and rubbing at his forehead.

"Which one?"

"Bathroom."

You mumble a quick okay before turning around to head to the bathroom that lies just mere steps away from Eddie's bedroom. You duck into the small bathroom, flicking on the lights before bending down and grabbing a crumpled box of band-aids and a wash cloth from under the sink. You huff, feeling the almost non-existent weight of the box as you lift it from its spot- fearing that there's either none or very few left in the dilapidated cardboard. You stand up and pour the box out onto the ledge surrounding the sink four- there were four regular-sized band-aids in the box. It would have to do. You turn on the faucet, running the water until it came out a nice lukewarm temperature- and you run the washcloth under the gentle stream. You ring out the cloth to rid it of any extra water after shutting off the tap and quickly dispose of the crumpled box before moving back into Eddie's bedroom.

Eddie lies back on his bed, his hands over his eyes, his legs bent and hanging off the bed.

"Eddie," You call, announcing your presence in the room.

Eddie rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands, grunting as he struggles to sit up from his laid-back position on the bed. You try not to let Eddie's obviously pained noises hurt you too much as you head over to the bed, sitting down next to him.

The flimsy mattress dips under your weight and springs back slightly making you and Eddie bounce ever-so-lightly.

"You don't really have many band-aids," You say, holding up the four you'd managed to scrape up.

"Don't really think I'll need them anyways- m'pretty sure I'm just bruised."

"Well," You flash a small smile, "I just want to make sure- c'mon- take off your shirt."

Eddie smirks, "Don't have to tell me twice," His hands slowly make their way to the hem of his now dirty Black Sabbath T-shirt, cautiously pulling it over his head with a pained grimace at his face.

He lightly flings the discarded material off somewhere in his room, his now slightly undressed figure revealing the soft, pale flesh of his chest and tummy as well as the small tattoos that had dotted the now-exposed area.

You were relieved to find there wasn't much that needed bandaging, only a few spots of broken skin on his arm where you'd assumed he took the fall, and the slightly more severe gash in his forehead where the headstock of his guitar had bounced back and hit him when he fell.

"It's not bad," You sigh, running a hand across his chest. There was some more bruising to his side and his arm- but, there wasn't much you could do about that besides wait the injuries out.

You shuffle closer to Eddie, pressing the damp washcloth against the dried patches of blood on his forehead. He moves with a wince as the cloth lands on his injury,

"I'm sorry," You mumble, cleaning the area as quickly as you could, trying to ignore Eddie's pained vocal expressions. You top the injury off with a band-aid, and repeat the steps on the two minor spots of broken skin on Eddie's arm- this time he seems a little less pained.

"All done," You nod, wishing you could do more for the clearly still pained Eddie. "Do you feel alright?"

"Hurts like fuck," He groans, "Pretty metal though, right babe?" Eddie asks- "I mean, playing so hard I get hurt."

"I guess," You shrug, "But, like, be more careful next time. I don't want to bandage you up again."

"It's the lifestyle sweetheart- you just wouldn't get it," He snickers sarcastically which makes you let out a small breath of laughter.

"Do you need anything?"

"You know what would really make me feel better?" Eddie asks, his eyelids lowering with somewhat of an intensity as his eyebrows furrow above them.

"What's that, baby?"

"Think you should kiss me better," Eddie smirked.

"A kiss?" You smile, "That's what'll make you feel better?"

"Not just A kiss, but I really think your lips on my bruises would make them feel better."

"You're so easy to please, Munson," You smirk, "Here, lay down," You urge, patting a spot behind him on the bed.

With a content smile, Eddie leans back, groaning slightly as his body falls against the mattress. Once Eddie is settled, you climb a little further onto the mattress before swinging a leg over Eddie's mid-section, straddling his waist. Slowly, you lean forward, propping yourself up by your forearms on either side of Eddie, careful that you were only hovering over him and not laying on top of him so as to not irritate any of his injuries any further.

You lower your head against Eddie's chest, pressing your lips to his collarbone where you'd noticed a particularly vibrant patch of red. You hear Eddie sigh, a breath released in complete and total pleasure as your lips melt against his tender skin. Slowly, you begin to place sloppy kisses among the blooming red and purple patches that litter Eddie's skin with Eddie groaning below you as your tongue danced across his injuries, soothing the throbbing pain.

Eddie's hands find your waist, holding you tight as you continue to kiss at his injuries. A blissed out smile sticks to Eddie's bruised-up face, mumbling,

"Shit, baby, I feel better already."

[make-me-your-animal]

Sirens and Leppards

Part 1: opening night

"I think I'm gonna puke" Harper stated as the girls finished getting ready in the small dressingroom.

"Please for the love of god Harp do not" Bex hissed fluffing up her brunette hair and checking out her make up.

Rebel handed her counterpart her guitar giving her a soft reasuring smile. "What Bex ment to say is there's no reason to be nervous."

"No reason to be nervous?" Harper laughed humorlessly as she checked to make sure her guitar was in tune for the hundredth time that night. "We opening for def fucking leppard. This is like a wet dream come true. I mean they were half the reason we started this fuck show... my God do you think they'll watch our set?"

"Tenner says she'll pass out if she sees Joe" Gemma snickered adjusting her tits in the leather bralette. "Or suck his dick"

The guitarist turned the same color as her fiery hair and she opened her mouth to speak but Bex interupted her. "She will do no such thing"

"Ah yes your stupid rules"

"They aren't stupid Gemma" Bex insisted.

Before anybody else could argue anything diffrent there was a knock on the door. "Lets go ladies" their manager chris' voice rang out. The girls looked at each other for a final time before standing up.

They walked down the hall slowly. Each one by one taken to another location. When a tech handed Gemma her bass she turned to Amaya her bestfriend and the drummer of the band a final time. "Ready for this mate?"

"Are we ever ready?" The shy drummer grinned slightly.

"Nah, See you on the otherside"

Nobody ever really paid attention to the opener.  But the band played hard and some of the die hard rockers seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Everything was a whirlwind of lights and sounds. It was always an adrenaline rush being on stage. The crowd screaming as the girls finished the 4th song in their set. The leadsinger moved to the egde of the stage smiling down at the crowd from beneath the curtains of her teased up brunette hair.

"Is everyone having a good time tonight?" She asked into the mic earning a deafening roar from the crowd. "I know we're having a good time. Let me take this moment and introduce you to the band. For anyone who hasn't figured it out yet we are the Sirens. To my left over here on guitar we got Harper reign." She gracefully gestured to the short redhead who took a quick bow. "On my right we have Gemma bell on bass guitar and rebel star also on guitar" the tall lanky blonde and curvy ravenette waved to the crowd.

"Back there hiding behind the set is our lovely amaya storm"  amaya stood up  blowing a kiss before flipping her wild blonde hair and sitting back on her stool.

Gemma strolled up to the front of the stage stooping slightly too speak into the mic. With the 7 inch platforms she wore she was atleast 6'9. "And last but certainly not least the voice of the siren herself Ms. Bex fox."

When the finished the last song and took their bows condom balloons and a few stray roses littered the stage. They darted off stage.

"Hold on ladies" joe elliott stated. He stood at the bottom of the stairs leading off stage. He was poking one of the stray inflated condoms with the toe of his boot before kicking it away . "Take a look out there again. Remember this moment" 5 faces turned back to the stage there was a few cheers and whistles still sounded out. They continued to watch as the curtain rose to block the stage and techs could start swapping equipment "This is your guys first big tour right? Finally out of the clubs and out in the world. Can only go up from here right?"

Gemma scuffed decending the stairs carefully. Joe had to look up at her even when they her on level ground.  "No it could go down hill real fast" handing her bass off too a tech.

Harper bolted down the stairs and  hugged Joe unphased by gemmas words. Her head barely coming up to his biecepes. He chuckled petting her hair for a second before pulling away. "Now go get cleaned up. We are taking you ladies out for drinks after the gig. Our treat"

Gemma had to bend down to kissed Joe on the cheek  but he had to bend down to recieve pecks from the others. Bex just rolled her eyes when Joe look at her. "You'd have to pay me to lay my lips on you mate" she scowled before walking off.

Harper gave him a shy grin. "Shes not as bad as she seems I promise she's just very.... Bex"

" 's alright now go shower"

"Trying to tell us we stink?" Rebel teased.

"Nobody could put that much work into a set and not" He said shooing them away.

"Joe looked pretty chuffed" Gemma stated stripping off her leather top. It stuck to her skin making it hard to pull off. Then when  she thought she was free It caught up on all her jewelery making it impossible to pull off.

"With what our proformance or harper hanging on him" Amaya stated helping the tall blonde untangle herself.

"Both"

"Would you two stop" Harper blushed.

"Come on harp you know we do it out of love" Gemma snickered finally free of her prison of chains and leather. She slowly peeled off her jeans leaving her in nothing but black lace panties as she headed for the showers. The other two followed her. Bex and rebel were already Showering.

"Yeah and what about phil" Harper snapped the grin on her face letting them know it was all for show. "You and him seemed to get pretty close during sound check"

Gemma shrugged. " He's a nice bloke. We kinda bonded over being vegetarian."

"And willing to flirt with a brick wall" Bex called from the other side of the showers. Gemma just flipped her the bird.

"Joes nice too. I think hes kinda charming" Harper stepped under the spray of water.

"Yeah if you like cavemen I supose" Gemma snickered everyone watched Bex tense up. She wasn't happy about all this talk about the headliners.

"You know what's nice about Showering in the venue?" Amaya stated lathering her hair in soap trying desperately to change the subject before Bex exploded.

"Horrible water pressure?" Rebel asked. Her thick dark hair had a horrible tendency to hold soap in it forever.

"We don't have to worry about our hair clogging the drains"

All the girls shuttered in unison at the idea of the matted hair and soap scum they had to pull out of the shower drain in their one bathroom apartment they shared just to take a shower But the tension was gone.

After Showering the girls all went about blowdrying their hair and putting on decent outfits. Then it was a game of sit and wait. Rebel even fell asleep for a couple minutes waiting for the guys.

Chris joined them after awhile handing out their room keys for the evening and congratulated them on a show well done. Gemma pocketed her and amayas key listening as the man rambled on about how proud he was of them. He was a great Manger but he was alittle more emotional then the average. Finally he left telling the girls his room number and to Just knock if they needed anything.

It was late when def leppard came off stage. Even later when they finished Showering and changing. But as promised all 5 of them showed up to the girls dressing room. Escorting them to the loading docks where they would beable to sneak out with out the crowds noticing.

Walking of course wasn't an option do to the amount of people swarming the area.  So the bands were loaded into 3 diffrent black suvs.  Gemma, Amaya, phil and steve in one. Both Rick's Bex and rebel in another. As per Gemmas suggestion leaving Joe and Harper alone in the final vichele. Bex complained about it but rebel pulled her away. Ensuring that nothing would happen in the 10 minute drive.

Phil and Gemma shared the back of the suv while Steve and Amaya rode in the front.

"Alright spill" phil stated the second the door was shut.

"Spill what?"

"Why were you so insistent that Joe and Harper share a vichele?"

"Because Harper has a thing for Joe" Gemma said. 

his whole face lite  up with child like joy. "Really?"

"Yes really so me and Amaya are trying to kinda Nudge them together a bit"

"That's brilliant" Steve grinned pulling a cigarette out and popping it in his mouth. He patted around his jacket  before sighing. "Anyone got a light?"

Amaya handed him the zippo she carried in her purse. Steve thanked her with a soft smile.

"Bex will absolutely throw a fit about it" Amaya stated.

"Only if Joe sleeps with her" Gemma corrected.

"It's Joe. He'll atleast try to shag her" Steve grinned cracking the window and breathing the smoke out.

"You guys have a vow of chastity or something?" Phil asked resting his arm on the back of the seat. He eyed her curiously.

"Pretty much" Gemma sighed batting her eyes at phil.

"Shes being dramatic. We all decided it would be best to avoid sleeping with... well you lot" blush apeared on amayas face again as she avoided eye contact with everyone. Poor thing was always shy around people she didn't know very well. The second she was alone with her bandmates it was a completely diffrent story.

"Fuck that we stuff I had no say in this shit" Gemma stated.

"So you wouldn't be apposed to sleeping with one of us?" Phil grinned his hand brushing against the smooth material of her jacket. 

Gemma just batted her eyes at him.

Amaya coughed awkwardly. "If you two are going to shag please don't do it here"

"And break Bexs rule?" Gemma gave her best 'who me' eyes. "I would never"

"Yes you would"

"She has a point" Gemma grinned turning her head to meet phils gaze. "I would"

"You would or your going too?" Phil raised an eyebrow holding her gaze.

"I guess that depends"

"On?"

"You"

"Would you two cut it out!" Steve and Amaya cried at the same time.

Harper sat silently watching Joe out of the corner of her eye. He was watching her with the upmost curiosity. She wanted to say something but what. She had posters of this man on her wall since high n dry came out 6 years ago.

Def leppard as a whole had really inspired the girls to become serious about their music.   In the beginning the covered alot of their stuff.

"You ladies sounded great tonight" Joe said after awhile. Harper could kiss him just for breaking the awkward silence that surrounded them.

"Thanks" she smiled feeling more self conscious then normal.

"Are you alright luv?" He asked his green eyes narrowing. She seemed so bubbly and friendly earlier. Why was she acting so strange now?

"Oh yeah I'm just tired. It's kinda late."

Joe seemed content with that answer, turning towards the window and watching the traffic around them.

If you made it this far thank you -jasper

[illputabexonyou]

Bex shied under the compliment, her face growing hot as she fidgeted with the fringe on her dress. "Thank you," she managed to mumble back. She looked up at Poppy came over to her, noting the empty mug in her hands, and the supposed pitcher she was supposed to be carrying around. Bex hadn't even wanted to have one title in the court and now she had two thanks to those jerk friends of hers at Sinners. She knew they were just trying to help her but she was getting tired of them surprising her with random contest entries. "As excited as I can be! I'm trying to pretend I don't have stage fright but I'm not sure it's working," she admitted with a sheepish smile as she reached up for the mug and pitcher. "Oh, um-- water is fine." She wasn't a big beer person, or alcohol at all, really. It'd been important to stay sober while she lived on the streets. "It-- it's going! Um, Anna's been helping me, like, meditate and learn how, like, feel my magic and stuff. I-is that okay? And-- yes! I mean, if it's okay. I would, yes."

Who: @illputabexonyou

Where: Backstage

“Don’t you look beautiful.” Poppy complimented as she stood in the doorway with an empty pitcher and beer mug. Walking into the room once she made her presence know to Bexley and she put down the pitcher and beer mug on the table. “Congratulations on getting into the court! That’s a big honor. Are you excited about it?” She asked with a hopeful smile. “I brought your pitcher and mug, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted beer in it or water.” Giving a small chuckle. “We can always fill it with whatever you choose to go with costume.” Offering to the other woman, it would be no problem to get anything she wanted. "Also how has the magic stuff been? Still interested in lessons with me? You know after all of this." Gesturing to the Ren Faire atmosphere around them.

[bisexual-horror-fan]

bex 💖 this post has been in my brain since you said it and i have been *waiting* for this day !! cam boy!bo, baby !! if you do this one, just go ham, do whatever you want !! and most of all thank you for your service ✌💖

Annabel! Holy fucking shit, I went uh, much harder on this than expected but what else is new? I always do this shit. But I mean COME ON! This kind of prompt fucking DESERVES something like this! I hope you love it, I worked really hard on it, super pleased with it. Get ready and buckle up for just 5K of straight up Bo Sincilar Camboy! AU! PWP! Let’s goooo!

—

Rating. Explicit. Length. 5K. Bo Sinclair X GN! Reader. No Pronouns Mentioned. Warnings: Cam Boy AU! PWP. Sex Worker Positive Fic. Exhibitionism. We Love And Support Sex Workers In This House And If You Can’t You Can Get The Fuck Out. Praise. Bo Being Bo. Masturbation. Sex Toys. Cock Ring. Denial. Begging. Needy Bo. Multiple Orgasms. Forced Orgasm. Overstimulation. Anal Fingering. Pre-mature Ejaculation.

—

Tip Me And See.

—

How he got started into it wasn’t really important. Why he was still doing it should be obvious, the money was a big motivator, but let’s be real, he also loved the attention and the way it would stroke his ego.

He started out doing it casually, almost as a joke, he heard you could make some cash from it and figured why the fuck not? He wasn’t expecting to get such a rush from it, didn’t count on enjoying being watched by other people, even at the start when it was just a few people it made it feel so much better.

As the number of viewers climbed, so did his enjoyment for his little side gig. He found when he put in more effort he got more results, so perhaps some research, casual of course, he didn’t care THAT much, was done to make his little channel better.

Consistency is very important.

So he started having more regular streaming times where people could count on him being online, he openly engaged with the chat, especially people who came by regularly, made the place he streamed a little nicer.

Well of course when he wasn’t streaming in more "public" locations. At least what he let the general public believe to be more public than they actually were. He was careful, didn’t give any real info about where he was, but staging certain places to look more “risky” and “public” streams did big numbers, playing up the act was admittedly fun.

It was around this time that you found him. Cam shows weren't exactly your go-to choice of porn, you stumbled on him totally by accident but fucks sake how could you not stop and hang around when he looked and sounded like that? This almost smug and cocky kind of confidence that almost screamed, “Yes, I know I look this good.”

It wasn’t in a dickish or off putting way though, something weirdly almost approachable about him, attainable almost, could swear that his eyes clued you in to something deeper.

Or.

Maybe.

He was hot and you were horny and overthinking it, but hey, who really cares at the end of the day so long as you were getting off and you had to admit it, the orgasms you managed to have while watching his streams were so good that any real kind of thought wasn’t really an issue. Hard to think when you are feeling that much.

You were just a casual watcher at first, didn’t know his stream times and didn’t really tip, just if you were in the mood and went for a session and he happened to be online then great, and if not? Well if not then those sessions tended to be a lot shorter and a lot less satisfying.

That all took a hard turn when you came online to find him mid cam show one night, camera angled just so that he looked so big, almost looming over the camera, just so close to him.

His thighs spread wide, not a stitch of clothing on, that same confident and cocky kind of smirk, and best of all, a fleshlight, not just any fleshlight, a clear one that let you see it all. Let you watch how it swallowed up his thick cock and not miss a single moment. It was gripped tight in his right fist, hand rising and falling and hips bucking up a bit to meet in the middle, fucking into the soaked toy, his left hand resting on his inner thigh.

How can he look so casual doing this?

As if it wasn’t one of the hottest things you’d ever seen?

Just using that soaked hunk of silicone to get off, still talking with the chat and being so engaging, eyes crinkling at the sides as he smiled. The only thing other than the view giving it away would be his slightly laboured breathing and the wet squelch of him fucking that cock sleeve.

The one word you could think of to describe him was: Unashamed. Thoroughly and totally unashamed and fucking hell if it didn’t make you even more attracted to him.

That was the night you dropped some more real money on tipping him. It felt good to support him, felt weirdly kind of intimate, which sounds stupid almost but it did, it improved and increased the feelings and I mean you were an adult, you could spend money on whatever you wanted Goddamnit. And if you wanted to toss some cash and make it rain on the hot southern camboy that you had a crush on, that was your business, no one else's.

You were not his only fan and not the only one who regularly watched him, there was a little group who would make basically every stream of his and over the months you find yourself in that group too. The first time he said your name, okay, your screen name, it made your breath catch and your fingers falter, it felt good, really fucking good to hear him adress you.

So what if you were just a tiny bit addicted? You weren’t spending out of your means and it was his fault for being so fucking attractive and making you cum so hard so consistently.

Somewhere along the way, when he had a steady stream of money, a big audience and people regularly coming by, in addition to doing some more “personalised” streams. Those streams were something you’d been too cowardly to purchase yet, you don’t think you could handle so much close and focused attention from him without dying, he decided to start up a new regular thing to engage with his audience more.

He set up a PO box in a town a while out the way of Ambrose, he would come by and pick up packages and such when he had to go to that town on supply runs, typically about once a month. He had a lot of lovely fans who loved to spoil him and wanted to treat him to things he wanted or even better, things he could use on stream. That was how he got that gorgeous clear fleshlight you enjoyed so much, someone else sent it to him, and if his loyal viewers were going to be so kind as to spend their hard earned money on things they wanted to see him use he certainly wasn’t going to turn them down.

Tonight was going to be so good.

It was Friday, you had all weekend off, you had a good dinner, had an amazing shower and now you had settled into bed and were watching Bo’s current stream. He was doing something different. People expressed interest in actually seeing him open up the things they sent and he figured it was the least he could do, would be a nice way to hang out with the people who supported him without having to exert himself in any major way.

You loved the pornagraphic side of everything, naturally, but you liked this too. Seeing the less overtly sexual side, getting to listen to him talk and get to know “him” or at least the him that he was willing to show you, a bit better.

Mostly you could just listen to him talk forever, that voice did it for you and you considered all of this foreplay. The fact he wasn’t wearing much outside of that tight underwear that barely left anything to the imagination and a well fitting white t-shirt wasn’t hurting either.

He had gotten a few of the less sexy things on his wishlist and was having a good time so far, a decent group of people, not the usual numbers but it was early and he was still dressed. He knew once the show got going people would pour in, for now he was taking it easy.

“Thanks so much for that dalin’, V’ been wanting that forever.” You rested your cheek on your hand, reclined and relaxed as you watched your laptop screen, musing to yourself that he had to know what he did to all of you when he talked like that. He gushed more about how thoughtful it was and to quote him, how you all, “-spoil me so much, dunno what to say.”

It was times like this that remind you just how good he is at what he does, he has such a handle on this and you can’t help but eat it up.

He was picking up a new package, “Looks like this is the last one. I know! Already? Flies by so fast when I’m doin’ this, but y’all know what is up next…” he let the sentence trail off, implication more than obvious as he picked up his pocket knife again and used it to slice through the tape and open the package.

You did know what was up next and you seriously couldn’t wait for it. He read out the name of the person who sent this on and thanked them before it was even fully open but then when he did get it open, you watched his brows furrow slightly as he said, “Well what have we got here.”

He picked up the box inside the package and held it up, your eyes went wide with delight, it was a vibrator.

“Hope I got the right batteries for this.” He teased with that winning smile, turning the box over in his hands and reading the outside.

Your mind immediately went into overdrive imagining him using it, you hoped he would use it tonight, you wanted to see it so bad, and if how the chat blew up was any indication so did everyone else.

His eyes flick over the chat and laughs, “You all wanna see me use it that bad, hmm?” You adjust and your own hands fly to your keyboard, typing out a quick response of, “Yes, dear fucking God, yes, please Bo?”

He sets the box down, one hand coming to rest on the back of his neck as he rolled his shoulders, sighing out an “I dunno-” You knew just what he was after, everyone did, it was all part of the bit right?

You held off for the moment but the tips started to come in, the small message boxes attached all asking for the same thing. The summation of which was, “Use. It.”

“Well lemme ask who sent it, you wanna see me use it tonight?” and that lucky user, someone you recognized in that inner circle of regular watchers, tippers and fans, gave the go-ahead that they wanted the debut performance to be here with everyone as opposed to one of those private streams you knew they bought regularly.

God bless xXxSweet-Bird-69xXx.

Obviously he has no complaints about this, and says, “Well alright, the people have spoken.”

And after setting the notification that the real show was about to kick off to the people who subbed him but were not in the room yet, he talked to everyone for a few minutes more as he opened the package and took out his newest toy. It was pre-cleaned and charged, how considerate, no muss, no fuss, it would make this all run much smoother.

You then were treated to that all too wonderful view of him getting rid of what little he had on, that shirt taken off and then his underwear, releasing his already half hard cock. You had seen it so many times but you never got tired of it, his whole body was great but it was hard to look anywhere else when all of his clothing came off. Your eyes drifted over the long expanses of skin on display, strong hands, solid thighs, he looked so sturdy, like he could do some damage and you loved that.

He is making himself comfortable, sitting back, legs spread again, his hand came down, wrapped loosely around himself and you were listening more intently to what he was saying, “Hope everyone’s been havin’ an alright week and if not that I can help y’all unwind a little-”

You notice his grip tighten, slowly starting to jerk himself off, you watch as he gets harder and bite your bottom lip, deciding that you might be a bit too dressed yourself at this point. Your own shirt discarded and bottoms forgotten as you got yourself equally as comfortable to really enjoy this. “I really look forward to this, s’ much easier to get through my days knowin’ I get to come see everybody here.”

You smiled at that, you felt like he was being genuine, he certainly seemed to enjoy his work. Almost seemed to thrive as he talked and worked himself up to full hardness, enjoying the stream of compliments and you added on to that, “The filthy thoughts I have had about that dick…”

That started a stream of people agreeing and adding their own lewd comments and all it did was make him grin, a twist of his wrist as he said, “Everyone is real cock hungry tonight.”

He is right of course, you all were.

Could he blame you though? Of course not. He knew how good he looked doing this.

He finally picked that toy back up and that is when Sweet-Bird-69 clued him and everyone else on why they chose that particular toy, you could set it up to be activated by tips and let the audience pay to control it. They’d seen other cammers use it and recommend that exact one and it had Bo saying, “No shit, sounds like a good time, everybody in to spend some real money tonight?

It was unanimous, the chat became filled with variations on the word “YES!”, tons of punctuation and emojis encouraging this choice. “Alright, alright, we can.”

With some helpful instruction once again from Sweet-Bird-69 it was set up in two minutes and everyone was given access. There was a few tiers, a few bucks would make the toy run for ten seconds, for a few more for twenty and then forty and so on, the prices were honestly fairly reasonable all things considered, and with such a quickly growing crowd everyone could chip in a bit and you would have a hell of a show on your hands.

Speaking of hands you should get yours involved and soon especially when he does something else that makes your heart nearly stop. Some nights, like tonight, he would do something extra to spice up the stream, a particular goal to hit to make something happen, he’d already picked out tonight’s before getting on, he was going to use a cock ring and it wouldn’t come off until a certain goal was reached.

This meant that he wasn’t going to cum until that goal was hit.

The cock ring was gorgeous, black and made of buttery smooth and strong leather, well taken care of and also, tight, once it was on there was essentially no hope of cumming until it came off. And the best part about it?

Was that YOU sent it.

You worked up the nerve to when he first got his PO box and he’d used it a few times and you loved whever he did, it made you feel special. It made it hotter knowing he was wearing something you bought him, he would comment on it, seemed to really like it, you were glad you splurged and went with your gut and sent it to him.

You watch enraptured as always when he put it on. Hand back around his cock, a few strong and steady pumps to make sure he was totally hard and really ready before putting it on. You watched those strong fingers adjust it and close the metal snap tightly and you almost wanted to groan from the view, it looked so fucking good on him.

“Muuuuch better, amiright?” He asked and you sent a message with a tip, “Yes, yes, yes, so much better.”

He took notice and called you out, “Hey you. Course you are here, I swear I snap this on and you come a runnin’.”

Again, he wasn’t wrong at all.

Your hand finally began to travel lower as he told you, “Thanks again sweetheart.” and your hand made contact and you almost bucked your hips into your touch upon the nickname leaving his lips.

You had it so bad for him.

He had that toy in his hand again and once the go ahead was given the tips started to come in and it buzzed to life, eyebrows raised slightly as he tested it in the palm of his hand, he wasn’t sure exactly what he was testing. He hadn’t used a toy like this previously, nothing that was battery powered or with a running motor. Not to mention usually he liked to test out toys in private before using them on stream, liked being totally in control, knowing what to expect and having that edge but the people want what they want and he wasn’t about to deny them.

His gaze flicked back to the chat, half smile as he asked, “We all ready?”

Another stream of 'yes' poured in and he set to work.

He brought that buzzing toy down and ran it down the length of himself and he had breathed a hair harder, he tried to not to let it show, schooling his expression but that sensation was certainly something different.

His other hand was resting lower, palm cupping his full balls and fingers holding the base near that cock ring to hold himself up as his other hand dragged it around himself. The feeling of it is more of a tease than anything, he is enjoying it but he has this handled, he is still acting like his usual smug self, when asked how it felt he said, “S’ good so far-”

He was taking it really easy so far, it was still early after all, circling the head of his cock slowly and you moan at the sight of it. He is starting to leak pre-cum and fuck, you wished you could lick it up, you bet he tasted great.

You and everyone else were enjoying what was going on, but then, again, beloved Sweet-Bird-69, drops another exciting tidbit of info. That amazing piece of information is, “You know that toy is meant for internal use.”

Oh no fucking way.

He plays it cool however as he says, “You don’t say?”

Now he wasn’t a stranger to ass play, he’s fingered himself, hell even on stream and he’s used plugs before but never anything like this, this was new territory.

He wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. He wasn’t scared of this, if anything doing this on cam would make it better, make him bolder and urge him on further.

So he reaches for the bottle of lube and says, “Shoot, can’t disappoint all you lovely folks, now can I?”

You felt giddy. Positively alight with excitement and arousal as you were touching yourself, watching the scene unfold before you, watch as he pours a generous amount of lube on his fingers. You watch as he adjusts his position, one leg up and hand coming down, slick fingers passed over himself and he can’t help how his lips part or his head tips back.

You could watch this for hours. Taking in the view as his first finger breaches himself, sliding in with ease, the way his hand moves with practised ease, sliding in and out, deeper and deeper before a second slick finger joins the first inside himself and his gaze catches the camera again. You know he isn’t really but hell it feels like he is looking right at you and when he asks, breathy and quiet and pleasure laced, “You like that?”

It has you groaning and sucking on your own fingers, something about watching Bo finger himself always made you want to do the same. Your tongue rolls between your digits, desperate to get them wet and bury them inside of yourself already.

Once you have your fingers inside yourself he is pulling his out of himself, toy back in hand and you watch with bated breath, more lube spread, the tips are going off again making the toy in his hand do the same. He tightens his grip on it to keep a good handle of it, pressing it against himself makes his hips buck back involuntarily, and he tries to will himself to keep his composure. A small internal pep talk to keep it together, he can’t let himself lose it like this so early on, it is just pressed to the rim of his hole and the vibrations make him want to shudder.

He takes a deep breath and pushes it in, slow, steady and the chat is not letting up, yourself included, another tip, another twenty seconds of vibration time piled on. You had the briefest thought wondering how much time it was going to run for, the time stacks doesn’t it? If someone pays for some time and then another person pays before that time is done and so and so forth more and more time get’s added and it just keeps going.

Fuck, this is gonna be so good.

The view is amazing, the way he is splayed out, slipping that toy deeper into himself, cock is hard and leaking? God, so good. And how his face and neck flushed, almost down to his chest, body seems so tense, pleasure is clear on his face and you wished you could take a picture of him like this to have always.

His breathing is laboured, he knew he was in trouble, it felt so good. He isn’t even touching his dick for Christsake and it feels- he is struggling to even find the word for it but eventually in the haze of sensation he settles on the word intense.

He wonders if those watching notice but he tries not to think on it too hard, he breathes deeply and pushes deeper, even with it still vibrating he manages to keep his hands from shaking somehow as he keeps it up, begins to move it back and forth.

You are two fingers deep in yourself, eyes glued to the screen, drinking him up. He seems to be struggling, not to take the toy, but to handle how good it feels.

That usual confidence you had become accustomed to, that particular smirk, was very obviously absent.

You aren’t complaining but it is different and then, you see his hand twist and he seemingly finds that perfect spot inside of himself and he can’t stop the gasp that spills from his mouth. “Oh shit-”

It has you saying the same thing, you curl your fingers as you watch him as his eyes squeeze shut, thighs tense further somehow as his mouth hangs open, in two minutes he is already panting.

He's done for.

The chat is going fucking crazy at this point, yourself included. Heaps of dirty talk, praise and compliments and money a plenty. “This is so hot.”

“He is NEVER like this, I fucking love it.” and “He needs to take it up the ass more often.”

You agree with all of them, this is on another level. He is moaning openly, rocking back, almost like he can’t control himself. His hips and hand working in tandem, a litany of curses leaving him, sticky pre-cum staining the sheets and his stomach as he grinds onto the mattress as he works his hips. He is getting hit from both sides, from the toy thrusting in, hitting that sweet spot and then from grinding his shaft on the bed. He looks like the picture perfect image of a slut, you can feel yourself getting close as you indulge in your own hands and the sights and sounds of him.

He can't deal.

He cannot handle this, it feels unreal, the pleasure is different, so deep, distracting, all consuming, he can’t think straight, certainly can’t control his body. The pleasure keeps building, his cock is so hard it hurts, he needs to cum so badly but with the tight cock ring locked in place he won’t be able to till it’s off.

Problem is it isn’t coming off until that goal he set at the start of this is reached.

He looks up, tries hard to focus his eyes and check the money coming in and he isn’t there yet, close, but not close enough. He whines, he actually whines and you stare in near disbelief at that. He is a panting, moaning and trembling mess, he moves, rolls to better face the camera, still working himself, fucking into himself with that vibe, hard and wet cock resting against his stomach.

God, if you were there to run your fingers through his happy trail and grip his cock in your own fist and be the cause of him shooting his load all over himself you could die fucking happy.

Then you are pulled from your thoughts when he is speaking again, something that isn’t an incoherent string of curses and moans, he is…

No way, is he fucking begging?

“Mmmf shit! Please, please, fuc- cah-can’t take it. Need ta cum, help me out? Pleas-” his sentence breaks off with another moan and a similar sentence starts up, begs of please and how he needs it so bad he can’t think straight. You are loving it, as is the rest of the audience.

He looks so pretty like this, submissive and writhing around, begging and almost gasping for air, you want to do so much to him, wishing you could be there to take advantage of him. "Please, please, m' goin' crazy-"

For now? The best you can do is toss some more money at him and help him reach that goal so you can at least see him cum spectacularly. "S' too fucking good, how's it so fucking good?"

You contribute some more, not even close to the limit you set for tonight’s spending but hey, every bit helps and you are ready, close enough yourself, you want to see him cum, he seems to have suffered long enough.

Everyone else must be thinking the same thing because that goal is hit and he groans out loud in relief, “Shit, thank you, thank you, fuck, fuck, fuck-” his hand that isn’t holding the toy reaches down and unsnaps the cock ring, hand wraps around himself and he furiously jerks his cock, less than three strokes and he is cumming.

As are you.

Thighs tense and you gasp out his name, hand jerking as your orgasm takes hold, tearing through you so hard it steals your breath as you watch. Bo has his head thrown back, loud and long moan released as he does. He shakes as he paints his own chest and stomach, one wayward shot even reaches his chin, his hands trembling, hips stuttering as he cums.

He is panting, weak, boneless, he cannot remember the last time he came that hard or that fast. The whole thing front to back was less than five minutes once he got the toy in, any shame or embarrassment from cumming so early doesn’t have a chance to set in however. And not just because you are all praising the fuck out of how good this was, but mostly because that toy is still inside and still connected and there are still people paying.

The toy isn’t stopping.

He can barely move let alone remove the toy, it's still buzzing with that delicious pattern. And he shifts, starts to struggle a little but can’t get his arms working right to remove it, overstimulation is starting to set in and it makes his situation worse.

His hips buck, he is still hard, cum is cooling on his skin and he can’t do a damn thing about it. You watch in utter delight as he is panting out, “Goddamn-wait, sl-slow down y’all I need ahhh, need a minute!”

You could tell he was trying to sound more serious but with how much he was moaning it was hard to do that.

No one was listening. It was early, people had money to burn and were far too into this and entertained to stop it. You watch him continue to fight it for a few more minutes until something else of interest happens, even more interest than the current scene, not an easy feat but it happens.

Another goal is hit and the toy’s speed increases and his whole body is taut yet again, cursing and squirming and his eyes go wide, “No-nooo fuckin’ way-” you aren’t sure what he means until less than a minute later he is cumming again.

This load is smaller than the first but it is clear and unmistakable, especially from how he is gripping the sheets and grunting like that. He is cumming hands free and the mess shooting out over his hip and the bed and no one can believe it, least of all him.

Tonight is turning out better than you could have ever hoped.

He is dying.

He needs it to stop, get the toy out, make it all stop, it’s too much, overwhelming. He moves again on his side to try and get the toy out with fumbling fingers sticky with his cum and lube but then his eyes catch those numbers.

His eyes go wide.

Twice his normal viewership on a Friday night and three times the amount of tips after a normal full night of streaming and he was only half way through the time he planned.

Maybe he could push through and keep this going, maybe he can tolerate it, maybe he can get used to this.

[coffeeheartaddict2]

Requiem to a dream

Book: Open Heart (post series

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Casey Valentine

Category: NSFW 18+ Smut, language

Summary: Ethan has a sexy dream with Casey as the starting role and things escalate from there.

Authors note 1: consent. In this house, consent is number one. In Tashland they have discussed initiation of spicy activities in ones sleep. Of the other person does not want to continue they are to wake the initiator up and explicitly state No. They also agreed that these times are never to be rough as the sensations for both of them are more intense when in that waking stage. So in short the encounter is consensual.

Authors note 2: submission for September Monthly challenge. Prompt will be in bold.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Ethan and Casey were in bed, fast asleep. Work has been very busy lately with all the changes that Caroline was implementing and their new roles. They had managed to make time for each other but intimate activities had taken a back seat due to sheer exhaustion. They had not completely gone without but there was only so much intimacy that can occur in a quickie.

Ethan started to dream. Casey was looking like a vixen in red. “God, you’re beautiful,” he said. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he had said it in his sleep, which had caused Casey to stir. His hands gripped her waist as he was dreaming of kissing her. Hands started to roam and Casey rolled over to face him. Running her hand through his hair she kissed him. They continue kissing. Whilst Ethan is still asleep he says “I love you, I hope you know that.”

Casey replies, “Yes I do” and kisses him again. Ethan’s hands continue past her waist and towards her centre. Casey can feel how hard Ethan is and that makes her more aroused. He teases her clit briefly before inserting two fingers. Casey moaned as he slowly pumped her. He picks up speed and adds his thumb to her clit.

“Fuck” Casey mutters. “Don’t stop” she says a little more loudly.

This causes Ethan to wake and realise that it is no longer a dream.

He kisses her again and whispers in her ear

“You are so responsive” before kissing his way down her neck and to her chest.

He has Casey on the brink and starts to make his way lower but Casey stops him. Whilst stroking his rock hard cock she mutters “I want you inside me”

Ethan lets out a guttural moan as he repositions himself to enter her.

He slides in slowly, savouring the feel of being inside and allowing her to adjust to more easily. Once he is fully in he slowly starts to thrust in and out. He gradually gets more pace. Casey moves to place one leg around his waist which helps her to flip positions and her being top. This surprises Ethan but then he is greeted with the view. She places both her hands on his chest whilst his settle onto her waist. She starts to rock back and forth and arches her back. Ethan gently thrusts up causing Casey to moan his name. They gather more pace and he can start to feel Casey Clench around his cock. He knows she is close and so is he. He adjusts his position so he is partially sitting up and Casey leans forward, this change gives him a slightly different angle that makes Casey moan. He whispers in her ear, “Come for me, sweetheart” as his thumb teases her swollen nub. “I’ve got you” and with a final thrust Casey falls off the precipice, her

Climax triggers Ethan’s.

They ride out their respective highs and remain in each other’s arms basking in the afterglow.

“Hey” Casey quietly whispers.

“I love you, and I am sorry I woke you” whispers Ethan.

“It’s ok Ethan, you always make being woken worth it.”

They both go back to sleep, physically sated and both hoping that the next time will be just as mind blowing and that it does not start off in a dream.

Tagging: @jamespotterthefirst @genevievemd @jerzwriter @ofmischiefandmedicine @liaromancewriter @potionsprefect @schnitzelbutterfingers @binny1985 @tessa-liam @bex-la-get @a-crepusculo @crazy-loca-blog @lucy-268

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

@choices-september-challenge-blog

[lucy-268]

Birthday Surprise

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Lilac Allende

Characters: Marchia Bisognin; Natalie Cusack; Jillian Valentine; Genevieve McClure; Casey MacTavish; Cassie Valentine; Charley Valentine; Victoria Clarke; and Brooke Spiers

Ratings: T

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3,160

Author’s Notes: Bree, we love you and want to wish you a Very Happy Birthday. This was a joint effort between: @a-crepusculo​; @bex-la-get​; @danijimenezv​; @genevievemd​; @jerzwriter​; @liaromancewriter​; @lucy-268​; @potionsprefect​; and @writer-ish​

Birthday Surprise

Prologue

Dr. Ethan Ramsey had many talents; planning a birthday party for his partner, Dr. Lilac Allende wasn’t one of them. As much as it would hurt his ego to ask for help, she was more important. So, he found himself seeking assistance from the unlikeliest of sources: Dr. Casey MacTavish who was a close friend of Lilac’s and his teammate, Dr. Tobias Carrick’s girlfriend.

Casey, of course, took over and the idea of a simple birthday dinner snowballed into a surprise birthday party on the eve of the medical conference that Lilac was speaking at close to home. Before Ethan knew it, Casey and a flock of eight other women, all esteemed doctors from around the country that would be in town for the conference, took over the celebration.

Ethan had certainly heard Lilac mention them all before; apparently, they were all founding members of Future Women Leaders in Medicine, so they couldn’t really be bad, he thought. Right?

The ecstatic expression on Lilac’s face when she saw them after walking into the restaurant where the party was being held had certainly allayed his concerns. But the way they shared secret smiles with each other and spoke in code, told him that it was going to be an interesting night.

------------------------

Charley Valentine was having a conversation with Casey when she noticed that Genevieve had stopped talking and was smiling towards the doorway. Charley turned her head to see what, or rather, who had caught the other doctor’s attention.

She smiled and grabbed a glass of champagne and headed towards the door. Lilac was standing just in the doorway next to Dr. Ethan Ramsey, who was looking just a little bit satisfied that he had managed to keep this a surprise from Lilac.

Charley hugged her friend. Lilac hugged her back and pulled her to the side. “Except for Casey, you all said that you weren’t able to get away!”

Charley laughed. “We wouldn’t miss the chance to see your speech tomorrow! It was so convenient that it fell right in line with your birthday!”

Charley handed her the champagne and turned to Ethan. “Sorry, I didn’t pass any Scotch on my way over.”

Charley led Lilac away from Ethan and towards the other eight women who were all smiles and laughter.

One of them called out, “You didn’t think we’d miss this, did you?”

Charley tapped her glass.

“Now that we are all here, I’d like to propose a toast to Lilac. Youngest Director of Diagnostics at Edenbrook. First one of us to be asked to present the keynote speech at a major conference. I’ve been in awe of you ever since I read about how you stood up to big pharma in your intern year, and I’ve loved sharing ideas with you for the past few years in FWLM. Thank you for all you do.”

Lilac hugged her and Charley looked around. “Who’s next?”

Silence permeated as the group of intelligent, fearless women, all masters in their field, looked at each other awkwardly and then — horrors — even giggled slightly. Apparently none were immune to the possibility of a little bit of stage fright.

“Oh, for Pete’s—” A tall redhead looked up from her phone and shook her strawberry waves. “Guess it has to be me, then, amiright ladies?”

Lilac caught eyes with Dr. Brooke Spiers, colleague and friend, and bit her lip as she held back a smirk, accompanied by a mock-disparaging headshake.

“Didn’t think you’d ever be one to say no to being the center of attention,” she called out as Brooke strode to the front of the group, wobbling only slightly in her heels.

Ethan, who agreed with his girlfriend’s assessment of the...outspoken Dr. Spiers, only snorted.

“You know me,” Brooke responded with a wink, holding her champagne glass high. “This is to Lilac. My first friend at Edenbrook during that tumultuous intern year—”

“—Yeah, until you ditched me to fast track to your cardiology fellowship—”

“—I said first friend, not last or only; god you’re a needy bitch.” Brooke paused as the room laughed at her snarky candor, Lilac the loudest of them all. “Also, I don’t think the words ‘fast track’ and ‘cardiology fellowship’ have ever been used in the same sentence, but thanks for the vote of confidence, babe.”

“Anyway,” she looked pointedly at Lilac, “what I was saying was, there is no greater gift in my mind than being able to toast this ultimate gem of a woman. The best and brightest in your field, the better half of one of the greatest medical partnerships known to man—”

Ethan rolled his eyes but, as he couldn’t dispute Brooke’s assessment, he simply pulled Dr. Allende closer instead.

“—and the most loyal and amazing person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.” Brooke smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling with mirth and affection. “Love you, girl. Thanks for all you’ve taught me and all you continue to do to have my back. To have all our backs.”

She raised her glass up in the air. “To Lilac!”

“To Lilac!” the room echoed, a unanimous affirmation of Brooke’s words, as the toastmaster in question downed her glass of champagne in one gulp, the other arm wrapped around Lilac, who had come in for a quick, grateful embrace.

“Alright!” Brooke turned to the group as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, one arm still around Dr. Allende’s shoulders. “Next?”  

“Eh-hrm,” a young woman with cascading, blonde hair caught everyone’s attention as she got up from her seat and sauntered to the front, taking her place where Brooke had stood previously. “I have a few words for our dear friend Lilac.”

An impish smile on Lilac’s lips grew wider while she gazed affectionately at her fellow friend, Dr. Marchia Bisognin.

“That’s my girl!” the birthday girl exclaimed loudly, hands clapping, unable to contain the tender pride expanding in her chest. Three years ago, Marchia wouldn’t even be able to stand in front of two people, let alone a small crowd. Yet, now, she found confidence, poise in herself—all thanks to Lilac.

“When I met you at that World Health Summit, I knew you were bound to get me into some trouble, babe,” Marchia shrugged, words laced with a hint of amusement, allowing a sheepish grin to spread across her face. “And I bet you’re going to get us into some shenanigans, too, tonight!”

A tide of uproarious laughter escaped the flock of beautiful women once again.

“But all of us wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, my dear,” she continued, a warm smile trembling to be released. “So, let me raise a toast to one of the most inspiring, brilliant, and thoughtful individuals I have ever known, Lilac Valentina Allende.”

Everyone cheered as Marchia raised her own glass, glittering under the golden light.

“May your life be filled with love, happiness, and of course,” she paused for a moment, a mischievous gleam evident in her eyes. “Lots of incredible, mind-blowing sex, because Lord knows you’re insatiable, babe.”

Lilac laughed out loud, while her handsome companion—the ever-stoic Dr. Ethan Ramsey—tried to hide the flush spreading across his cheeks that threatened to embarrass him.

Marchia approached the brunette doctor, lips curved into a beaming smile. Bodies crashing in an overjoyed hug, she leaned into her and added, “We all love you, babe.”

“Alright, who wants to go next?” Marchia asked, looking back at her friends and associates.

“Now that I’ve had a drink and I’ve loosened up a bit, I will.” Victoria stepped forward as everyone chuckled.

“This could take a while.” Lilac muttered.

“I’ve kept it short and sweet,” she quipped. “The first time I met Lilac, I nearly didn’t make it to the conference as my alarm didn't go off. I was running super late and only made it when someone held the door open for me to get into the lecture hall. It’s fair to say Lilac found it amusing which is why we sat next to each other and since then it’s been nothing but laughter and smiles.”

“You are the funniest and nicest person I’ve ever met and I’m so glad I am able to call you my friend. I can’t wait to move to Boston next year with Ben and I’m so excited that we’ll be in the same city. And Ethan, if you ever hurt her, just know that you’ll have to deal with all of us. Cheers!” Victoria raised her glass smiling.

“Wow, that really was short and sweet.” Lilac laughed.

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep.” Victoria laughed. “Who’s next because I really want to get started on that buffet.”

“I’ll go,” said a young woman with bright red hair.

Natalie stood up, grabbing a nearby glass of champagne as she began her speech.

“First of all, happy birthday, Lilac. I hope this one, followed by every one after, is memorable and full of happiness! I’m so lucky to be surrounded by some of the most incredible women I’ve ever met. And, while I already knew Gen, Casey, and Charley from school, I never would have met everyone else if it hadn’t been for Lilac bringing us all together.”

“Lil, you light up every room you walk into and you’re the most badass bitch to ever walk this earth.” Natalie raised her glass towards the birthday girl. “I’m so proud of you and I’m so grateful to call you my friend. Happy birthday, babe. To Lilac!”

Everyone else followed suit, echoing her sentiments with their glasses raised in Lilac’s direction.

“All right, who’s next?” said Natalie.

“I’ll go!” Another blonde stepped forward, holding her glass high in the air.

“My dear friend, it’s truly been an honor to know you and watch you become the amazing doctor you are. I remember the first day we met, when Patrick introduced us when I went to visit him at UCLA. He said ‘I know you two will get along great’. Which I admit, I wasn’t completely convinced, because you were so outgoing and confident. I was the opposite. But, he was right. A shock, to us both I’m sure. Because when is he ever right?”

Genevieve giggled, causing Lilac to laugh as well. A knowing smile on both their faces.

“And I’m glad he was. Because knowing you has changed my life for the better. You’ve taught me so much, inspired me with your bravery and strength to never give up. And I thank you for that. So today of all days, I am so happy to celebrate you, Lilac Allende. Happy birthday!”

Gen tilted her glass towards her friend, smiling brightly.

“Okay who wants to go next? Because if I keep talking I’ll start crying.”

Dr. Cassie Valentine was too busy flirting with her fiance, Jackson, to notice her friends looking at her with amusement. If it hadn't been for Brooke loudly clearing her throat behind her and Casey tapping her feet to capture her attention, Cassie would have missed the entire point of the evening.

Glancing sheepishly at everyone, she stepped up to join her friends near the front of the room, grabbing a glass of champagne on the way.

"When my fellow Hopkins alum Vic first told me about Lilac and how she'd make a great co-chair for the Future Women Leaders in Medicine initiative, I was skeptical," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Sure, I'd heard about her exploits as an intern and her appointment to lead the famous Edenbrook Diagnostics team. But internal medicine always thinks they understand the human body better than psychiatry does the mind, so I kept my counsel. However, one meeting was all it took for me to realize that she is everything that people said she was, and a whole lot more than they can even fathom."

"She would be perfect," said Cassie with a laugh, "if only she'd realize that running actually is good for you rather than complaining endlessly about it. I love her anyway and couldn't ask for a better co-chair. To Lilac and defying expectations, one giant step at a time. Happy birthday, babe!"

With that, Cassie raised her glass in a salute and smiled at the woman whose lifelong friendship she’d treasure forever.

“Jill, Casey?” she asked, glancing at the two women left. “Which one of you wants to go next?”

“I’ll go.” Jill grinned radiantly and walked confidently to the front.

“Jesus Christ,” Ethan muttered under his breath. Jill was like the little sister he never wanted, so he could only dread the kind of speech she had prepared.

Jillian ran a hand through her ginger bronze hair as she joined the group of women, took a deep breath and faced the crowd with grace.

“When I came to visit Ethan all those years ago, the last thing I expected was to see him completely enraptured by an intern. I had known Ethan for years, and the Dr. Ramsey I saw was nothing like the one I knew. It was like I was staring at the best version of his grumpy self. Because that’s what Lilac did to him, she brought out his best. They weren’t together then, but I clearly remember thinking, ‘I have to get to know her’. Of course, Ethan being Ethan tried to prevent it, but he should’ve known most of the time I get away with what I want.”

That earned a few half-hearted laughs among the crowd. Even Ethan’s lips were slightly curled upwards, “I hate you.”

Jill smirked, but refrained herself from teasing Ethan further. This was for Lilac. She shook her head softly and focused once again on her speech for her friend.

“The moment I met Lilac, everything just clicked in my mind, it all made sense; I understood why my brother’s best friend was so floored by her, and honestly, so was I. With her quick wit and undenying charm, Lilac has a warm aura that just pulls you in, whether you’re a patient, a colleague, or a stranger; she has a way to make everyone feel cared for. Along with her brilliant mind, she has a heart of gold.”

“It’s been an honor getting to know her professionally, but even more personally, and I feel so grateful for her,” the ginger-haired doctor sent her a dazzling smile, “Lil, my darling, you’re one of the best things to ever happen to all of us. You made us a family, one that I would never change for anything in this world. Without you, I wouldn’t have met these wonderful ladies, and none of us would be the women we are today. You’re an inspiration to all of us.”

“So, on this day, I want to toast to you, to celebrate all that you are, in all your wonderful glory. Here’s to Lilac Allende, the most brilliant and promising doctor her age, and the best friend a girl could ask for. I hope we get to celebrate by your side many years to come. I love you, Lil. Happy birthday,” Jill raised her flute and took a demure sip.

“Jill, amiga!” Lilac pushed through and gave her a huge hug, the gesture speaking enough for both of them.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Ethan looked relieved.

“Figured I would save the humiliation for your birthday,” Jill winked at him, causing him to scoff. “Besides, this is for Lilac, not for you. Wait for your turn, old man.”

“Hilarious,” he rolled his eyes.

“Don’t call victory yet,” Jill whispered, pointing covertly to the last blonde. “Casey still can. And you know she’s the… wildest of us.”

Liliac stretched her neck to survey the room, she raised an eyebrow and smirked when she caught Casey, giggling at something (likely inappropriate) her boyfriend Tobias was whispering in her ear.  

“OK, MacTavish, can you save that mierda for later and get on with honoring me?” Liliac winked, “Some of us want to get to drinking and dancing, girl.”

Embarrassed, Casey jumped up from her seat, straightening her dress as she made her way to the front of the room.

“Hey, they were just saving the best for last,” Tobias heckled.

“Oh, Jesus, she’s not going to let him speak, is she?” Ethan grumbled.

Both women looked at their partners and all laughed when they playfully chided “Shut up!” at the same time.

Casey looked at Lilac and smiled, “We’ve gotta keep them in line!”

Lilac raised her glass and smiled, “You know it!” she said before downing her glass.

“Hey, wait! We didn’t finish the toast yet!” Gen called out, a half-filled champagne glass in her hand.

“She’s the birthday girl, she can do whatever she pleases,” Casey winked, “but, uhm, waiter, can we get a refill over here… for her? Thanks.”

“Anyway, I met Lilac poolside, during a conference in Key Biscayne our last year of med school,” continued Casey. “I remember thinking, who is this woman trying to one up me in that hot red bathing suit she had going on? But I didn’t actually meet her until we both made our way up to the bar to get one of the Penicillin cocktails they had lined up…”

She shrugged. “Hey neither of us named it… we thought it was tacky too.”

“Back to the story, some obnoxious man saw us approaching and he ran over and grabbed one of the two remaining drinks just before we arrived. We stared at each other, torn between our good-girl sides that were telling us to be polite, and our ‘I’m a broke med school student here for the free booze’ sides that really wanted to fight the other for the drink. Fortunately, a very handsome bartender named…”

“Miguel!” Lilac yelled.

“That’s right!” Casey laughed. “Miguel came up and said ‘Don’t worry ladies, there’s more where that came from.’ He placed a tray before us and walked off. Lilac and I looked at each other and, at the exact same time, said, ‘You take the drink, I’m going to get him’.”

All the women hollered at the punch line.

“That’s right!” Lilac laughed.

“Well, who won?” yelled Tobias as Ethan covered his face with a groan.  

“That’s not the point,” Casey smiled.

“Ah, that means Lilac won,” Tobias winked.

“Oh, Jesus, Christ…” Ethan sighed.

“It’s OK, babe, it was a long time ago,” said Lilac, patting his knee.

“Be that as it may,” interrupted Casey, “That was the day I knew I met an exceptional woman. Someone who knew when to be serious, knew when to have fun, someone who knew right from wrong and was going to fight like hell to make this world of medicine, the world itself, a better place.”

Casey raised her glass.

“Since then I have been proud to call her a colleague, but it is an even bigger honor to call her a friend. So, ladies and gentlemen, if you would please raise your glasses to the woman, the doctor, the legend… Lilac.”

We want to wish you a very happy birthday, Bree!! @jamespotterthefirst​ @messrprongs​

@choicesficwriterscreations​; @openheartfanfics​