#for the longest time

[anbaisai]

jamil's an overthinker and overpreparer so I believe he researches everything in advance, including this

[zeketarion]

[banabiohazard]

Thought tumblr might appreciate this too

Please go read it

[buttercatrho]

Some For the Longest Time fanart for Monitober day 7

[writedreamlie]

MUSIC REC TIME

It's been a hot minute since I was a menace about VoicePlay here, have a new song that was supposed to be a short but they didn't want to chop it up for YT and dropped it as a whole video instead 💙

The bit is: One song, five genres. And yes, all of them slap.

Aaand the music-only version for those who aren't into acting, antics, or a cappella singers doing "the hand thing"

[cosmickid-inmotion]

LaL Universe

(Leather and Lace Universe)

Hi guys! Many of you know I have a ongoing universe within Triple Frontier that I have put a lot of time and effort into. It started with Leather and Lace with Santi and Laci's story, then Take Your Time with Frankie and Jana, now with For the Longest Time with Will and Lorelei, and then next with Benny and Cameron in No Surrender.

I decided to make a cohesive master list for the complete timeline, as with bonus chapters it can get very confusing.

Remember, each man's individual story runs as its own story you can read separate, but it's better all together. Especially with Santi and Laci, we follow the full story of finding Laci beaten and bloodied in a basement, through her recovery, wedding, pregnancy, family life. Also with Benny, his spiral down and building back up.

This is NOT a reader series. All the guys have partners that are named, described, and have extensive backgrounds. All of them come from diverse backgrounds with varying socioeconomic backgrounds, races, mental and physcial disabilities. You may be able to see yourself in many of their trauma's, ethnicity, personalities, etc, but they are not meant to be you.

All stories at 18+ and contain themes of sexual assault and sex trafficking, alcoholism, addiction and others.

Part 1. Leather and Lace (Santiago and Laci)

Summary: Santiago and the guys find a woman tied up in a drug lord basement, a victim of sex trafficking. Santi takes Laci into his home when they get back in the states, and as he and the men help her recovery and provide a safe home, Santiago can't help but fall in love with the sensitive girl. Always conscious of her trauma and always in his own head, Santi learns to navigate her, himself, and his friends as Laci turns to trust again.

Main warnings: Sex trafficking, rape, physical abuse, addiction, violence, PTSD

Chapter 1: Santiago Garcia finds a girl tied up in a basement. They get separated from his friends, can they make it back okay? Chapter 2: Santi and Laci walk back to the meet-up point. Santi tries to break the ice, but even his charm struggles to break through to Laci. Chapter 3: Santi and Benny board a plane back to the US. Santi reflects back on his last day with Laci. Will is being an ass. Bonus Chapter: Vengo a Cantarle a Mi Amada Chapter 4: Santi and Laci settle in Santi's home and share a brief, tender moment. Benny and Laci get along. Frankie has a cookout, Will keeps being an ass. Chapter 5: Laci and Santiago find a special space for them. Santi has a night out with the guys, allowing Laci some much needed independence. Bonus chapter: Sick fic Chapter 6: Benny and Laci spend the day together, must to Santi’s chagrin. Laci and Santi share a special moment. Bonus chapter: Will’s perspective Chapter 7: after a day in the park with Frankie and his little girl, Santi and Laci spend the evening in the woods, Laci suddenly very open. After things go further than Santi plans, things escalate. Chapter 8: Santi makes his round of apologies. Later, Frankie has an emergency and Santi has to take Laci to Will, where Laci, Ben and Will have their own adventure. Chapter 9: Santi takes Laci to one of Ben's fights. Later, Santi takes Laci on their first real date Chapter 10: just a lot of smut, fluff, and hurt/comfort. That’s it Chapter 11: Santi has to leave for a few days with Frankie and Will, leaving Laci with Benny. Bonus Chapter: Santi’s revenge Chapter 12: On a cabin trip, antics ensue, and Laci and Santi spend a special night together Friendsgiving: Laci and Santi invite the guys over for thanksgiving, and I made it as sweet as pecan pie. Santiago can’t skate: Santi takes Laci ice skating with the guys, quickly realizes his mistake. Christmas Tree Hunting: Frankie wanted a Christmas tree for Rosie, enlists the guys to help as he reflects on the past.

Part 2: Take Your Time (Frankie and Jana)

Summary: 15 years ago, Frankie visited Santi while they were stationed separately and met Jana Fernadez, a confident, laid back, fun loving woman in the Army to pay for school and fell in love. After years together and falling into addiction and chaos, Jana got clean and got pregnant with Rosie. Frankie could not sober up, and after the fated Colombia trip, things only got worse and Jana left with Rosie, but never stopped loving him. 6 months into sobriety, with the help of his team, Laci and Jana, Frankie is still struggling. Jana refuses to give up on him, and neither do any of his found family.

Main warnings: Addiction, self harm (act is not shown, but the cuts, blood, and first aid are.), alcoholism, extreme self loathing, avoidant behavior.

Chapter 1: Francisco calls Jana late one night, trying not to relapse. She comes to him, finding him in a deeper emergency than she anticipated. Chapter 2: The next day, Jana and Frankie deal with the fall out of the night before, and Frankie begins spiraling. Chapter 3: Frankie gives up, but those around him don’t. Chapter 4: Frankie talks to Rosie, apologizing for not being the dad he wanted to be; flashbacks to Frankie leaving for Colombia. A Little Game: just some extra LaL smut Chapter 5: All flashbacks to periods of time in Frankie and Jana’s relationship; meeting, Frankie’s relationship with Jana’s family, and finding out they were having a baby. Leather and Lace and Daisies: Valentines Day special, Laci shows Santi just how much he means to her Chapter 6: Jana and Frankie decide the time is right. A Reluctant Addition: Laci has a little request. Bonus Chapter: Learning to let go Chapter 7: Frankie feels insecure, but Jana is always there for him. Laci and Santi take a big step

For the Longest Time (Will and Lorelei)

Summary: Will and Lore keep running into each other in town. Despite the fact she's with someone else and he gets on her damn nerves, that doesn't stop Lorelei from stalking him through her boyfriend's yearbook. When Will finds her outside her apartment one night with a slap mark across her face, he invites her to stay the night, and she ends up staying on a roommate while she figures out the next steps. An ER nurse and highly independent, Lorelei has one weakness. Crippling loneliness she fills with sex, sex that ends with her pregnant with Will's baby, a man she only really got to know a month ago, and whose friends are not her favorite people.

Main warnings: Domestic violence, child abuse, eating disorders, racial issues, daddy issues, domestic violence, addiction, alcoholism, parent death.

Chapter 1: Lorelei meets Benjamin Miller’s older brother and is not impressed…. Yet she finds herself obsessing enough to stalk him through high school year books. Chapter 2: Lorelei and Will spend the night together; Lorelei unexpectedly meets one of Will's friends. Chapter 3: Will and Lorelei make a choice on the baby. Lorelei meets the rest of Wills friends. Chapter 4: A beach day to celebrate Rosie's birthday eases some tensions and reveals others Chapter 5: At the funeral, Will and Lorelei find common ground. Chapter 6: Will and Lorelei find out what they are having. Chapter 7: Ben is in trouble, and Lorelei is able to be there for both her Miller boys. Bonus Chapter: Because of you: Lorelei finds her dad again, but it only sets her and Will back. Chapter 8, part 1: It’s time for the ball. There’s some ups and downs for everyone. Jana is a queen Chapter 8, part 2: Confessions and fucking.

Chapter 9: Happy announcements turn into arguments. Alice’s true colors are revealed.

Bonus chapter, scenes: snippets of life between the fight and the wedding

Chapter 10: Garcia-Dumas wedding, Lorelei is a part of the family.

Coming soon… No Surrender

Ben is trapped in an abusive relationship and Cam might be the only person who can get him out

Oc's

Lacina Marie Dumas (Laci)

29-31 depending on the timeline, 5 feet tall, petite, underweight most of the series but how severe depends on when. She has straight, thin, blonde hair she usually keep quite short. Shy, sensitive, empathetic, emotional. When overwhelmed or overstimulated, she doesn't talk, so she and Santi learned sign language from Ben. She adores Santi with everything in her, he is her center and the love of her life, and he adores her right back. Laci is French, her dad marrying her mom and immigrating. Both her parents are dead, as is her older brother. Laci had no family left at all, making her an easy target for sex trafficking she was victimized by. Later into the universe when she's doing better, Laci volunteers at the women's shelter Jana works at, and her and Santi do respite foster care.

Jana Abeda Fernandez

35-37, Jana is 5'9, long legs and thick thighs Frankie is obsessed with. She had big, beautiful curls she inherited from her fathers side, as she did her dark skin. Jana's father is Ethiopian, and her mother is Cuban, just like Frankie. Jana grew up in a loving, stable household with her brother Jacob and sister Katie, and as a result is a confident, kind patient person with a heart for helping others. Jana can speak Spanish fluently, as some Somali. She is a social worker at a women's shelter as is highly educated. Despite this, Jana became addicted to coke and had to drop out of her doctorate program during her party era. She got herself clean, and helped Frankie sober up. She is a loving mother to her daughter, and a loyal and protective friend. Jana is bisexual

Lorelei Ngoc Giang

A tough exterior built up over years of disappointments, Lorelei is a a deeply caring 34 year old with a strong sense of right and wrong, and if you're wrong, you will hear about it, and her height of 5'3 will not stop her. When her boyfriend slapped her, she knocked out his tooth. Although her pregnancy was unplanned, she loves her daughter more than anything, and refuses to continue the cycle of abuse in their families. Herself a child of unplanned pregnancy from second generation Vietnamese parents, Lorelei's father left when she was young, and her step-father and mother treated her poorly. She has 2 younger siblings, Rene and Alex from her mother and step-father. Lorelei is an ER nurse, tough as nails and pretty as a princess. She loves everything classic and 50’s, especially Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. She had black hair she sets into large curls or waves, and outside of scrubs dresses in classy, beautiful clothes. Her red lipstick is a must.

Cameron Andrew MacDonald

A free spirit even at 35, Cameron has lived on hell of a life. Originally from Utah, he left to live with his older sister, Bella, in Florida after causing enough problems for his Mormon family, where he met and fell in love with Ben Miller in high school. In small town South in 2003, there way no way to be out and proud and survive, so they fell in love under the night skin on Ben's barn roof. Cameron left Ben after graduation, needing to escape and travel, while Ben was a hometown boy at heart. Laid-back, stoner hippie with an obsession with "the greats" (Springsteen, Petty, Melloncamp), Cam is blunt and honest, easy-going, and happy. 6 foot and broad as all hell, under the chunky exterior is incredible strength coming from a farm hand. Cam is deaf, has an implant for work but prefers to sign, so Ben learned sign language in high school.

Alice Mcarthy

Benny’s girlfriend during part of Take your Time, through For the Longest Time and part of No Surrender. Alice knew Ben and Will in high school, Will not being a fan of her. Alice is judgmental, does not like Laci and picks on her in a mean girl way the guys don’t pick up on. She has no filter, and this causes issues with Jana especially.

[ner5y]

Well, would you look at that! Old ddlc art. I think it still holds up pretty well.

I actually made this in preparation for a project I was doing based on the DDLC fanfiction "For the Longest Time". It never went anywhere, but I still have so many notes, I might just re-explore this idea.

Bonus: Some himari sketches!

SPOILERS FOR "FOR THE LONGEST TIME" BY SOCIAL_COYOTE!

In fact, let me share my notes, why not:

I'm not gonna share every last one of these, cause it's mostly keeping track of what outfits they're wearing at what points in the story.

I'm sure you've noticed by now the multiple references to animal's roles in Japanese folklore.

Social_Coyote (The author) would often use animal motifs to describe Sayori (Pheonix) and Monika (Wolf). I thought it would be interesting to assign an animal to each of the major characters in the story, as well as add it to their design.

There's also a shit ton of notes on the descriptions used for all the different locations, but I won't be sharing most of those because they are boring as sin.

[uncannydevotion]

Hoodie and me kissing ig.... <3

out here living everyone's dream frfr

[vellatra]

Ohhhh wow

I was today years old when I realized I've been misunderstanding Billy Joel's For The Longest Time for... well, the longest time lol. Not mis-HEARING, but completely misunderstanding!

...But now it makes more sense too haha.

My version: If you said goodbye to me tonight / There would still be music left-to-right

CORRECT VERSION: If you said goodbye to me tonight / There would still be music left to write

~ Feeling very dumb hahaha

[buckysgrace]

Idk what booping means and now I’m too afraid to ask

[banabiohazard]

"Left my ukulele at home, or I'd try and lullaby you to sleeps."

This fic has consumed my thoughts.

[capitalisticveins]

I know you wanted me to stay But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA And I heard that there's a special place Where boys and girls can all be queens every single day

I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee Hear Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me Won't make my mama proud, it's gonna cause a scene She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream

God, what have you done? You're a pink pony girl And you dance at the club Oh mama, I'm just having fun On the stage in my heels It's where I belong down at the

Pink Pony Club I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club I'm gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club

I'm up and jaws are on the floor Lovers in the bathroom and a line outside the door Blacklights and a mirrored disco ball Every night's another reason why I left it all

I thank my wicked dreams a year from Tennessee Oh, Santa Monica, you've been too good to me Won't make my mama proud, it's gonna cause a scene She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream

God, what have you done? You're a pink pony girl And you dance at the club Oh mama, I'm just having fun On the stage in my heels It's where I belong down at the

Pink Pony Club I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club I'm gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club

Don't think I've left you all behind Still love you and Tennessee You're always on my mind And mama, every Saturday I can hear your southern drawl a thousand miles away, saying

God, what have you done? You're a pink pony girl And you dance at the club Oh mama, I'm just having fun On the stage in my heels It's where I belong down at the

Pink Pony Club I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club I'm gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club

I'm gonna keep on dancing I'm gonna keep on dancing

i love chappell roan :3

❣️

I opened this thinking it was a racist anon yall stay ruining my day/j

Would yall believe me if I said Ive nevee listened to Chappell Roan?

[no-bones-disease]

Thought crimes aren't real! Your thoughts DO NOT AFFECT REALITY. Is it good practice to examine your thoughts and thought patterns from time to time? Yes! But that's more about identifying unconscious biases and learning about yourself.

Periodic rent-lowering-gunshots:

Fiction is not reality.

You can enjoy things in fiction that would be awful in the real world. Like playing a murderhobo in a game! In the real world, being or supporting a murderer-thief would be pretty damn awful, while in the game it's just good fun. Same with anything else you choose to do with the pixels on the screen, like kinks that don't affect anyone real, so they're okay in fiction, but would be pretty damn bad in real life.

No one else is responsible for your online experience. They are required not to harass you, but they are not and never will be obligated to not post about ships, kinks, or tropes you dislike just to avoid you seeing them. It's up to you to blacklist words or phrases, block tags, or even block users as needed to avoid seeing content that upsets you.

No one can force you to read anything against your consent. Any content you don't like seeing can be instantly avoided by closing out of the offending post/fic.

You are not owed an online experience free of discomfort.

Nothing that happens in your imagination can ever make you a bad person. Words you write or read about fictional characters will never make you a bad person.

The claim that media consumption influences real-life behavior is intellectually dishonest and serves only to excuse the behavior of real offenders.

Fiction is a safe way to explore horrifying or confusing concepts. Therapists agree that fiction, even (or especially) about taboo topics is a good coping mechanism, especially, but not exclusively, for trauma survivors. Fiction is to adults what play therapy is to children. This doesn't stop being true if the work in question is of a sexual nature.

Sex isn't an inherently worse or better motivation than anything else. A work written to create feelings of arousal isn't dirty, shameful, or in any way less pure than works written to entertain, provoke moral questions, or for other reasons. And worth noting is that multiple purposes can exist in the same story, especially fanfiction.

You aren't entitled to an explanation for why someone reads, writes, or otherwise enjoys certain works, kinks, tropes, ships, etc.

[cosmickid-inmotion]

For the Longest Time: Scenes (From an Italian Restaurant)

Santiago Garcia x Lacina Dumas Francisco Morales x Jana Fernandez William Miller x Lorelei Giang Benjamin Miller x Alice McCarthy Special Guest: Cameron MacDonald

Masterlist : Triple Frontier Masterlist :Playlist

Join my taglist!

Summary: Individual scenes from the perspectives of all the characters with a sneak peak to someone yet to be introduced.

Warnings: Mentions of domestic violence, pregnancy, potential for miscarriage but it doesn't happen. Mentions of sexual abuse, hinting of bulimia. Usual themes.

A/N BONUS CHAPPY. I tried by very best with vietnamese but I don't have any vietnamese friends so ask, but i took a good amount of googling and tried to make it sound natural.

Once again, Romana's fics do not pass the Bechel test. I need help. I am a horrible feminist.

Santi

When Santi reached the ER, he took off his jacket and wrapped it around Laci's waist. She was wearing a short pink skirt, and he knew she wouldn't want her underwear out for everyone to see. Laci hadn't said anything the whole ride, nor the whole doctors visit, and that was expected. She was so checked out, in shock... it had been a long time since Santi saw her like this. The 1000 mile, dead-eye stare and the blood on her pretty face reminded him so much of the day he found her that he found himself having flashbacks.

Santi could not believe he let this happen. All the times he promised her he'd never let anyone hurt her again, and yet he had. It was who he had least expected, a member of his own family laid a hand on his wife, and Santi was going to make him pay. Will and Lorelei couldn't protect him forever.

The hospital was especially hard. Santi was reminded, as he stood by the bedside holding her hand of when they first took her to the embassy, how she had to endured interview after interview and exam after exam, retraumatizing her over and over.

To his extreme relief, it seemed she and the baby were okay.

"You here that, Lacina?" Santi spoke gently, squeezing her hand. "He's alright, our son is okay... everything is alright...." He caressed her soft hair. Laci didn't speak, but her eyes began to fill with tears, and soon Santi's did too "I'm sorry for everything, princess. I'm sorry for how it's been, but babygirl" He kiss her forehead, right on the scar she always tried to hide. "Nothing matters more than you, nothing matters more than our family. Last name, baptism, everything, it's yours."

They had to answer a few questions with a police officer, given the nature of what happened. Once it was clear Santi hadn't hurt Laci, Laci giving her statement via notes app, the officer asked if she wanted to press charges against Ben. Santi assured her she could, that he'd support her the whole way. He loved Ben, hell he still did. That was his brother. But he hurt Laci. Laci, of all goddamn people while she was in the stage of pregnancy most venerable to miscarriages from falls, and he knew, he fucking knew she miscarried before. After Santi, Ben knew the most of what she endured, outside of her therapist.

But Santi knew before she ever answered that she wouldn't press charges.

When they got home, Santi carried her to bed, and went to get her some water and food. He knew she didn't really want to eat, anxiety always surprising her appetite, but he knew she'd try for their baby, sweet thing that she was. She's already such a good mom.

He brought her pizza rolls, and climbed into bed with her, keeping the lights on. She didn't like the darkness when she was triggered.

Laci's small hand grabbed, and he turned to see her pale blue eyes pleading.

"What is it, baby?"

It was then she explained. Laci signed, and where she couldn't she typed. Ben didn't hurt her. Alice did. This, of course, made a lot more sense than Ben slapping Laci, but the other part of what she saw was far more shocking. Alice was abusing Ben. Santi had to admit, he was in a little disbelief at first. Ben was 6'2, strong as hell and well... a man. Alice was short and...

But slowly it started to make sense, all the pieces. Of course, she wouldn't start out hitting him, she'd have broken him down like they saw her do over and over again until he was at the point where he wouldn't fight back. It all became more and more clear... and more and more painful.

Their family was in shambles, and Santi felt embarrassed for threatening Ben when he was already going through so much... but fuck, how could he just let Alice do that to Laci? And how could he tell Laci he doesn't want to be at their wedding, the wedding of two people who were his best friends. This wasn't the Ben he knew, the Benny that would die for Laci...

Santi held her close and fed her pizza rolls until he finally saw her smile again.

When she fell asleep, he went to call Will.

Will

Ben was pouting on his couch, and Will was now wishing he'd let Lore join, but he didn't want to give her the added stress this far in to her pregnancy. She was sitting in the car right now, on the phone with her sister who she was trying her damndest to rebuild a relationship with. Rene would be the only aunt Chloe had biologically, and she wanted them to have a relationship, even if she was a pain. Lorelei had offered to come with Will, she wanted too, but Will said he needed to do this by himself. So, they compromised with Lorelei in the car.

Will and Ben are no strangers to physical altercations with each other. He wasn't sure why he was yelling at his brother who he just found out was being abused by his girlfriend and frankly, he didn't get it. At all. It wasn't because Ben was a man, it was because he didn't understand how Ben could stay with her. Hadn't he been through enough? Hadn't he seen how much their mom suffered with Paul, why would he put himself through that?

Couldn't he see how loved he was by their family? He lost Laci, and for what? Getting his ass beat?

Ben argued he didn't know what he was talking about, that Lac was unreliable and 'always was overdramatic', which made Will yell more. Laci was emotional, yes. She was also very sensitive, but Will refused to treat those as bad things. The implication of her being 'dramatic' about the things that happened didn't sit right when talking about a girl who until recently, her entire life had been defined by nonstop tragedy.

Will heard Lorelei yelling outside the front door.

Quickly, he went to open it to find Lorelei, face to face with Alice. He had never moved so fast in his entire life, placing himself in front of his pregnant girlfriends. They were a few feet above the ground on the wide front step, and after learning what Alice did to Laci, he wasn't letting Lorelei take a fall again.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Will seethed at the much smaller woman glaring up at him. He wanted to hit her, he wanted to hurt her so goddamn damn for what she's done to his brother and to the woman who is no different than a sister to him. For the anger and fighting that her actions have caused with everyone in their family. But Will didn't hit women. He didn't care if it wasn't equal treatment, it wasn't who he was. It wasn't who Ben was either, which she probably knew. Someone who wouldn't fight back.

Alice scoffed. "I live here, Jackass."

Will knew Ben wanted her to move in, he told Will, Pope and Fish 2 months back. They all said he was insane, moving his girlfriend in after 3 months but Ben said he didn't want to here it from Will and Santi. Will said his living situation with Lorelei and Santi with Laci was completely different than Ben and Alice, but Ben wasn't listening. What didn't know was she already lived there.

"Well, not anymore, get the fuck out." Behind his back, Will tried to nudge Lorelei to move down the stairs, but instead she moved towards the house. No doubt ready to protect Ben like she had before. It made him worry, but he also knew Lorelei did not have Laci's softness. She would throw hands right back, 8 month belly and all. He'd make sure it never got to that point, but goddamn did the idea of it make him love her even more, and he didn't think that was possible.

Benny

He couldn't sleep. The night was long anyway, Alice and him arguing back and forth. He wasn't his best, he yelled at her, she said he scared her... that broke his heart. He was becoming his dad. He watched Laci fall to the floor 5 months pregnant and did nothing about it. He let Alice tell Jana, the best mom he's known since his grandma, the woman who saved Franks life that was a bad mom and girlfriend.

His face hurt, but more importantly he felt disgusted in his skin. Nothing felt like his. His face felt numb from the ice pack Alice put on his lip. She was good like that. Everything ached. He didn't want to get undressed, he didn't like the way his body looked, but when he wanted to just go to bed, Alice accused him of not being attracted to her. She said withholding affection was an abuse tactic, so Ben made love to her, hoping to god he could prove to her he wasn't gay. He wasn't. He wasn't. None of that in the past was real.

So now, she was lying next to him, both were naked and all he wanted was to get redressed... but first, he needs a release. Pulling on his sweats again, Ben headed to the fridge.

Frankie

"And then, and THEN!" Frankie shouts, raising his hands in frustration as he washed the dishes. "Kyle said 'per my last email' can you fucking believe that! He said that, OUT LOUD, not in an email, not in a meeting, but at the fucking water cooler!"

When Jana, who was laying on the couch after eating too much and watching Blipi with Rosie, didn't respond, Frankie turned to look at her, scrubby in one hand, and plate in the other and his tan shirt sleeves rolled up. Rosie was on the carpet, half-watching and half playing with GI-Joe dolls, but if you tried to touch the TV she'd scream. Normally, Jana loved listening to his work gossip. She had no skin in the game, and since it didn't really cause Frankie any genuine stress she liked listening. Frankie could quit anytime.

The money from Lorea paid for the house, their cars, a good savings and a college fund for Rosie as well as 10 year CD's. Those were Jana's idea when it was clear how much Frankie was spending on coke. Frankie didn't have as much left as Will or Santi, but they were stable. Jana moving back in back in March and her recent promotion left them in a good spot. They'd be able to start a college fund for this new baby and provide a life that Frankie never had for their children. If work became too stressful, Frankie could leave, and he probably would when the baby was born, but right now it provided him stability and a sense of normalcy he had craved. He also found out that off coke and booze, he was pleasant as hell and was highly liked at work. He liked it.

When he turned, he knew immediately something was wrong. Jana was laying on the couch in her bonnet, having just gotten her hair done for Laci's wedding. Bohemian box braids, mostly her real hair since it was so long but had some fake blue locks. Jana's bridesmaid dress was blue, so she wanted to match.

"Hey mama." He said down the dishes, drying his hands as he walks over, "What's wrong? Nausea?" Alfredo usually made her stomach hurt, but she was craving it so Frankie was happy to cook for her. Between that and early pregnancy, it could be a lot of things.

She shook her head.

"Is it your braids?" He knew how much fresh braids could hurt.

She shook her head again.

Frankie frown, kneeling beside her. "Well, what's wrong then?" Whatever it was, he'd fix it. Can't have his precious girlfriend crying, especially not while pregnant with his baby.

Her lower lips quivered when she met his eyes and soon enough Jana was crying. Jana was not a cryer. Laci? Laci cries for everything, soft thing she was. Jana? The last time he saw Jana crying was when she was chewing him out for abandoning her and Rosie for a week.

"Oh, bebita, come here!" Frankie sat on the couch and pulled her into his arms, careful not to touch her tender head. "What's wrong?"

Jana sobbed into his shirt, making Rosie pause her play. Rosie stood up, rushing over to Jana and climbing up on her moms lap to give her a strong hug. "Mama don't be sad!" She put a little hand on Jana's face and kissed her cheek. "I love you! You're so pwetty!"

This made Jana chuckle, pulling her daughter tightly into her arms as she snuggled against her boyfriend. "I love you, and you're so pretty too." She kissed the crown of Rosie's puffy hair. "I love you so much, baby girl. Daddy and I ain't ever gonna let nothing happen to you, okay mami? Estás a salvo con nosotros. No dejes que nadie te haga daño, nena. Solo mereces amor suave."

Frankie understood what was hurting Jana so badly now. She was worried about Ben. Of course she was, Jana had known Benny since before he could legally drink, she loved him, often proclaiming he was her favorite. Since dating Alice, Ben pulled away from them all, not just Laci. It was subtle at first, but the damn if his presence wasn't missed. What Frankie failed to realize was how it affected Jana. Yes, Ben pulled away from Laci and everyone knew how badly it hurt her, but Jana missed Ben too. She just didn't have space to grieve.

Frankie had said that he'd fix whatever it was that was making her cry... but he didn't know how to fix this.

Lorelei

She rolled her eyes.

"Không, mẹ, chúng ta sẽ không kết hôn. Mẹ, con đã biết anh ấy một năm. Oh my god. MOM. Jesus- mom do you- moooooom. đéo. Oh, for fu- no, me, I wasn't swearing!."

Lorelei was on the couch, trying to explain to her mom that she was dating Will but they weren't getting married. Not right now anyway. Will was massaging her poor swollen feet, but smirking. He knew that Lorelei would get riled up and they'd end up fucking out that frustration here in a minute.

Lorelei sighed. "We don't know right now, but it's looking like we're going to work the harvest, then try to sell it after." She was talking about the farm. "Well no, I'm not gonna be a farmwife- well I could! Just because I like make-up- Okay, no, I don't want to deal with cows- oh my god."

Lorelei her phone on the swollen boobs and put it on speaker, looking to Will with an annoyed but over it expression, eyebrow raised. She was so exhausted from her mom, and wanted to make sure Will understood what it was like with her. Will was always empathetic, but now was a great chance for him to see the bullshit himself.

"I'm just saying, maybe if you put a little more effort into yourself you'd attract the right kind of man, instead of a farmer. Now, I know I know you said he isn't a farmer, military right? Does some motivational speaking? Well, I'm sorry, Yen but that's not a real job. Have you ever heard of keto? My friend Betty, remember her? Alex's friends mom? Well, she lost 40 pounds on it. I know your pregnant blah blah blah but I think if you start on the baby weight now, you can get a jump start. I saw your most recent picture on facebook honey. You know I never gained more than 15 pounds with you 3. You were my heaviest pregnancy. If you aren't careful, em bé is going to be-"

Will snatched the phone out off of Lorelei, taking it off speaker and away from Lorelei who was just sitting there listening to her mom rail on her very normal amount of weight gain.

"Hi, Mrs. Tran? This is William Miller, how are you? Yes, I'm so glad we could finally talk." He began to walk away, motioning for Lore to rest. He laughs. "Oh yes, that's so true!... We'd love for you to come visit-" Lorelei's eyes widened in panic, but Will understood her without even seeing her reaction. "But I think I'd love to visit where Lore grew up, so maybe we can plan a trip to Philly. Yeah? Wonderful, let's do that some time. Oh no, she didn't tell me about that, but I'd love to hear about how the book club meeting, I'm all ears... What, really?... Well that was rude... Yes, Pride and Prejudice is a classic... Debbie wouldn't know a good book if it hit her in the face..."

Lorelei heard her mom laugh over the phone, and Will winked at her. She rested.

Jana

"Listen, no to be gross." Lorelei started, watching Laci and Santi say bye. It was sickly sweet, but Lorelei was clearly over it wanting to get a move on. They had finished saying goodbye to Will and Frankie and Rose5 minutes ago, and they had to get checked in. Jana had long suspected Ben may not be in the wedding and he certainly wasn't doing any man of honor stuff with Laci so Jana stepped up, booking her, Laci and Ben a night away at a spa. Laci's wedding was going to be incredibly small, nonchalant. A cute little backyard wedding, something to not overwhelm her, but Jana thought she deserved nice things. When it was clear Ben wasn't coming, they had invited Lorelei. Luckily, Jana was able to switch the package to a prenatal one since all three were pregnant. It was well deserved on their parts, Jana thought, they all had been through a lot.

"Nothing is more gross than this." Jana replied but with no real edge. She was happy for not only Laci, but Santi too. As long as she'd known him, Santi had never been this happy, and after his mom and sister died within a few years... well, it was nice to see him at peace. Laci was good for him.

Lorelei leaned in, watching the mushy couple hug each other. "You ever wonder what their sex life is like?"

Jana laughed at that. "I know way more than I ever needed to." To be fair, Laci also knew Jana's sex life which involved whips and bondage. "You know she calls him daddy. It's his name on her phone."

Audibly gagging, Lorelei laughs. "That it does not surprise me that she's into that one bit, but I just don't see Santi as a daddy dom type."

"Oh it's not really a dom/sub situation. The actual sex is quite vanilla as you might imagine with her history. She just likes being taken care of, and Santi likes taking care of her.." She turned to Lorelei. "You don't call Will daddy?"

Lorelei laughed brightly at that. Goddamn she was pretty, a fucking sight to see. Lorelei was the kind of girl Jana would have perused when broken up with Frank if she hadn't remained so helplessly in love with the precious man. "I mostly call him annoying! Do you call Frankie daddy?"

"No," Jana giggled. "I mostly say sir in those scenario's. It's like I say." Jana pats her stomach, not yet showing. "I'm submissive and breedable."

"Are you?"

"Breedable? Obviously, neither thing 1 or thing 2 were planned, but those bad boy keep breaking through. And by bad boys I mean Frankie's jizz."

Grimacing, Lore continued to laugh while Santi and Laci talked to each other like talking to a baby. "Yeah, I got that! I meant the submissive part. You seem like a very... in control woman."

"Oh! Oh yeah, no, I am. Except in bed." Jana liked knowing her family was safe and in her hands. The burden of the day to day planning was in her hands, and it wasn't something she minded. It wasn't like she did everything physically; Frankie was a supportive partner and loving father, she was going to marry the fuck out of him some day. When they were separated, Jana could hand Rosie off to Frankie for a week or more and trust that her baby was safe, healthy, and on her normal routine (unless Santi was over). In fact, this night away all she had to tell Frankie was that Rosie's favorite stuffie was in the wash. Everything else, he was well prepared.

No, Francisco was capable, and if Jana was ever sick or needed him to take over more, he would, always. He cooked wonderful means for her to come home to and packed her lunch. In the end, it came down to want. She wanted to do this for her family, she wanted to take the stress of Frankie's pretty little head. She didn't want him to worry about Rosie's and his appointments, because and would tell him where to go and when. It was something Jana loved doing for her lover. And in return, Frankie would take over in bed, fucking her senseless with orgasm after orgasm and make her loose every single thought in her head that wasn't his mouth or cock or massive fucking hands.

Yeah, Jana liked control, and right now with Ben she felt out of fucking control and she hated it. She needed this weekend away.

"Alright, that's enough." Jana went over to the sappy pair. Normally, if neither were pregnant, Jana could just pick Laci up, but instead she settled for pulling her away. Laci pouted and playfully reached her arms out to Santi.

Joking, Santi glared at Jana as she dragged his fiancé out. "Awwww Jan Jan is so mean!"

With a "Shut the fuck up, Santito" they were out the door, all their luggage having been packed into the car by Will already.

As soon as they were out, Laci beamed and chatted excitedly about their 'getaway' on the other side of their town and hopped into her spot as passenger princess. Out of ear shot, Jana leaned into Lorelei before opening her car door. "Those two are just emo because this is the first time they've slept away from each other since Santi murdered her ex boyfriend."

She got in, leaving Lorelei standing outside the car when she closed her door. From through the windows, Jana laughs as she hears Lorelei shout "Aw, now, what the fuck!"

Laci

Laci sat nervously on the park bench waiting for Ben. Santi stood nearby, out of earshot but closely watching. Laci had reminded him that Ben didn't actually hurt her, so he didn't need to be worried and Santi said that Ben has made her cry repeatedly over the last new months, and he was going to be there to swoop in and rescue his princess. His words, words which she loved. Things were much better between them, and Laci was relieved. After the fighting but before she got hit, Laci was certain Santi would postpone the wedding and she thought maybe that would be a good idea too. She adored him, and she'd never let go as long as he loved her too, but maybe they needed to wait.

The morning after it all happened, Laci was worried Santi would treat her like he did when she first moved in. She loved that time in her life, she was allowed all the space and love and closeness and whatever she needed to get better, but that was the thing. She was better. The slap was extremely triggering and thinking she was miscarrying again was horrific but after being in therapy for over a year, she was equipped to handle it, with the reassurance and care Santi would always provide, she just didn't want to be treated like one of his porcelain dolls. She was stronger now.

But Santi knew her. He brought her breakfast, asked her how she felt, and they watched Friends reruns during the morning, cuddled up in their bed. It wasn't until after lunch Santi talked to her.

She explained everything, how Alice bullied her in that mean-girl way of subtle digs and jabs. She finally told him why she had been crying at the ball, something she previously refused to talk about knowing it would anger Santi. Laci had wanted to bad to fix things with Alice. She told him how she said that Santi was bored with her because they didn't have adventurous sex, how she bet he used to have threesomes with the guys and Laci couldn't give him any of that. Santi insisted he didn't want to have wild sex, as he had told her before. No part of him wanted to hurt her, especially during sex. Santi was explicitly clear he had never had a threesome with any of the guys, especially not with Jana like Alice implied, and although he had a threesome with two girls in the past, he had no desire for that with her. She fulfilled all his desires.

They talked about the baptism. Laci expressed that she had been wanting to start attending mass sometimes, and Santi agreed that he would join her, which made Laci smile.

"What about Leto?" She asked, voice small.

"Hm?"

"For his name"

Santi thought on it for a moment, but as he sounded it out, he started smiling.

"Leto Antonio... baby, I love it..."

Laci snuggled up to him. "Leto Antonio Garcia."

"Leto Antonio Garcia-Dumas"

In the evening, Ben texted her 'can we meet up?'

He sat on the bench, far on the other side away from her. Ben was looking over his shoulder in unrest, like he was on the look out. He spotted Santi from afar, and Santi gave him a little wave from where he stood. Ben waved back.

"I won't ask why you stay." Laci spoke, her high pitched voice already breaking. "I don't know why I always did either, really."

Ben sighed. "I love her, Lace."

Her lip quivered. "She doesn't deserve you. I know you don't think that now, you probably think you deserve what she does and what she says because I know you, I know how little you see yourself... but I love you so much, Benny! I love you and I think you are so amazing and you deserve someone who loves you as you are."

Ben turned away, looking back to the geese flying overhead. "You're, okay? Baby's okay?"

Laci sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to simple love him out of abuse. It didn't work like that. "Yeah, everything was okay."

He nodded. "I'm really sorry, Lace. That I didn't try to stop her, that I didn't stand up for you-"

"Please don't be sorry, I know what it's like-"

"But that's just it!" He raised his voice, then out of the corner of his eye saw Santi stand from leaning against the tree. "Sorry. Sorry. It's just... You of all fucking people. I'd be ashamed if she did that to Lorelei or Jana, hell I owe her an apology for how Alice spoke to her... but you? I can't get the sight of you on the floor with on your mouth out of my head."

They talked about it a little longer, but there wasn't much to say. There wasn't much to do.

"Benny..." Laci fidgeted with her blue dress. "Listen Jana took over the maid of honor stuff already...."

"I figured. I assume Lorelei is replacing me?"

"No!" Laci practically jumped out of the bench. "I mean, no, no I love her so much and she's family but, that's not what I'm saying... I mean, Benny I don't want to get you in trouble or hurt or anything but... I need you to know I still want you to be my bridesman... but again, don't put yourself at risk for me, I just want you to know I, we, we both want you there. We both love you so much and if-" Her voice cracked, tears pooling in her eyes. "I know Will can be a lot sometimes so if you need somewhere safe to be, no prying questions or fighting or judgement, I swear to you our home is open for you as it always has been. I want you as much a part of our and Leto's lives as possible."

Ben's eyes were tearing up too, not letting them spill. "I'll make it work, okay? I'm gonna stand with you guys."

Laci's smile appeared suddenly. "REALY?! Are you sure? We could always switch you and Will if it's better for you to be on Santi's side."

Ben almost said no, but then he realized no matter what, Alice was going to lose her shit that he was back in. Maybe it would help. "Yeah, okay..."

She squealed, turning when Santi approached them. "Is that okay, baby? If Will stands with me and Ben with you."

Ben stood and extended a hand to his brother, wanting to shake on peace but Santi pulled him in for a hug. "We're gonna be here for, Ben. Whatever you need. You've always been there for us so we're gonna take care of you now."

Alice

He was hiding something.

He was always fucking hiding something. How was she supposed to trust what he said, what he wasn't gay when he's constantly lying. Alice knows he slept with that little ditz, even though everyone denied it. God, they were all blind, or maybe she slept with them all too. Just look at how she dresses, all those short skirts and lowcut dresses and crop tops, and constantly hanging off one of them, pretending like she can't go anywhere herself. She was so desperate for attention; that's probably how she got sex trafficked, supossedly.

She acts like it was this horrible thing, she sure loved to milk it but if it was that bad, why was she dating Santi? He looked like the men who abused her, spoke their language. She should hate him and Frankie, honestly. If she was really abused, she wouldn't have jumped into bed with Santi so fast.

"Where were you?" Alice asked when Ben walked in, the sun setting. He looked tired, avoiding her eyes and for a moment Alice felt bad. But then he took too long to answer.

"Just. Out. Walking."

He was lying. Alice stood up and the way Ben moved so quickly made her feel strong, like she had a hold on him. Ben was so much taller, stronger than her, and she still had control over him. "Tell me the truth."

He sighed, and right away Alice knew he was with that cunt, probably shoving his hands up her itty bitty skirt while sucking Santi's dick.

"You're with Laci, aren't you."

She watched Ben tense, avoiding her eyes. "Can we do this later? I gotta shower before dinner."

They were supossed to go to his grandpa's house for dinner. Gideon was nice enough, but Ben ruined her mood, and she wanted to punish him for seeing Laci.

"I don't think we're gonna go. I'm not feeling well."

Ben turned at that, looking at her in confusion. "What? No, babe it's an hour from now, we can't cancel again. I havn't seen him in months!"

Alice stepped back. "Don't raise your voice at me! I said I don't feel good, why would you want me to go somewhere when I feel sick? Are you trying to punish me? You're being manipulative."

He blinked at that, obviously confused by the turn around. "I- I'm sorry? Well, can I go at least?"

Alice forced the tears to come to her eyes. "You'd leave me alone I'm sick?"

There was a pause as Ben stammered over his words before sighing. "No, babe. I'll call him and cancel."

Alice went to lie down, asking Ben for some tea.

Cameron

"Goddamn it."

Springsteen songs didn't usually remind Cam of him, but this goddamn song about Bruce Springsteen songs did. Cam didn't listen to country if he could avoid it, but his phone died and the only station the tractor was country.

"When I think about you I think about 17 I think about my old Jeep I think about the stars in the sky Funny how a melody sounds like a memory Like a soundtrack to a July Saturday night Springsteen"

Yeah, actually, Cam did think about Ben, being 17, his jeep, staring at the stars in the sky as they lay on the roof of the barn... god fucking damn it.

Cam came home that night, he was exhausted from his 14 hour day but it was worth it. August to December he worked long hours and hard days on the field, then January to June had complete freedom to travel in and live out of his van, a hippie sort of lifestyle.

No drug tests.

It was technically his off season still but one of his connections had an old farmer who needed a bit of help spraying season. Cam was trying to put money away incase his van broke down. It was an old thing from the 60's, Cam was under no pretense that it was lasting forever.

Cam was bordered up in an old hunting lodge, and after cracking open a cold one he sat at the deck and lit a blunt, scratching his beard after taking a long drag. God that was nice.

The phone call irritating him, and he was going to ignore it just wanting his peace time but the area code stood out to him. Florida, middle Florida to be exact. Did Ben get a new number? He swiped right.

"Hello?"

"Hey, this Cameron MacDonald?"

"Um... yeah? Listen, if you're calling about my car's extended warranty, I drive a van from '69, it's way past-"

"No, Cam this is Will Miller."

Goddammit Bruce Springsteen, let this man go. "Hey Will... What's going on?”

If Will is calling, something gotta be wrong. Will... was not fond of him. Over the years, Ben and Cam went in and out of each other's lives for one reason or another, but never very long and understandably so Will was not happy about picking up the pieces. Cameron got it, he did. But Cameron also had to pick up every broken piece himself. Life and a rambling man left him with many friends but no one to call for a breakup.

"I uh, I got your phone number off Ben's phone, he don't know I'm calling you."

"Well, I'd think not, considering he'd pretty girlfriend." Cam chuckled good naturedly. He still had Ben on Facebook and saw his pictures on occasion when they popped up on his feed... or when he stalked Ben's page after a few bud lights too many. "Where you at right now? I hear music."

"You remember Pope? Or, I guess Santiago, who Ben and I served with? He's getting married."

"Oh shit, no way that's great!" He was genuine. Cam never met Santi, only Frankie and his lady a few times over the years Santi was always off somewhere. But Ben loved him dearly, and from Facebook stalking it looked like he was really close with the man's girlfriend- well, wife now. A win for Ben's family was a win for Ben, and that was a win for Cam. "Whadderya doing talking to me when you should be celebrating your friends and dancing with your girlfriend. Congratulations of her and the baby, by the way."

"Thanks. I called you now because I've had a few drinks and I had an idea, and it might be a bad one. Figured I'd better do it now because I chicken out."

A bad start. Was Will going to finally cuss Cam out for ditching Ben all those years ago?

"Oh. Uuuuuuh, okay?"

He heard Will sigh loudly over the phone, Stevie Nicks and Don Henly in the background. It was never good when he sighed like that.

"Ben's in trouble, and I need your help."

It didn't matter. His plans for the next harvest season, how far away he was. Cameron didn't even know what Will's plan was at all if there even was one. All Cam knew was that Ben needed help.

"What do you need, Miller."

*********************************

BENNY BOO WE'RE COMING TO SAVE YOU

Next chapter is the finale for FTLT!!!!! Laci and Santi get hitched <3 Happy day.

And we have a name for our little LaL baby!!!

Then, after the finale and after i finish up a few series, it onto my Ben series, No Surrender (after the bruce springsteen song bc duuuhhh)

@pimosworld @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @whatthefishh @missdictatorme @milkymoon2483 @poeedameronn @itspdameronthings @miraclesabound @babymills16 @rayslittlekitten @kirsteng42

[ramblesbiab]

I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear this until just now lol. I’ve been feeling awful that I haven’t been keeping good pace on my WIP fic with 50,000 words, but apparently that’s a lot more words then I ever would’ve given myself credit for.

When reading fanfic keep in mind that for professional literature: 

Short story: under 7,500

Novelette: between 7,500 and 17,500

Novella: between 17,500 and 40,000

Novel: over 40,000

Fics over 40k are literally a novel written and shared for free.  If you have written a 40k+ fic, you have literally written a novel.

[mythigal1966]

For The Longest Time - VoicePlay ft. Deejay Young (acapella)