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Aurora felt like the words hang in the air between them and the woman was scared that they would be too much for Zaria. They were also too much for herself. Rory knew she was in love with her friend, had for a while now, but it was different to say it out loud, to hear it. Thankfully, the other woman didn't run away, instead her fingers tightened around hers and Rory breathed a little easier. "But I could loose you. If things change between us, they become something new and it's risking it all, even if I want to take the risk." It wasn't easy, Rory wasn't daring or impulsive. Of course, it hurt to be in love with Zaria and see the woman with other people but did it hurt less then the woman not being in her life at all? Rory was convinced that it hurt less. Except that now, everything had changed, even if they didn't became something else, there was no going back. They had crossed a line. "Of course I want it," she said as if she couldn't belief that Zaria doubted it. The other was the most amazing person she knew and it would have been impossible not to fall in love with her. "I've wanted you for so long too Zaria. Even before I fully realized it. I think I've fell for you the moment we met." It had been a friendship that consumed her entirely and she told herself that it was normal for best friends to be like that but she knew it wasn't the case, that there was more to it. Her free hand moved to cup Zaria's cheek, a touch so soft and gentle, as if she was afraid to burn herself on the other woman.

zaria's heart stuttered at the words—in love with. they echoed in her chest, louder than anything she'd ever dared to imagine. her fingers instinctively tightened around aurora’s, like holding on could somehow make it all stay. "you won't lose me," she whispered, and this time there was no hesitation in her voice, only the kind of fierce softness that came from loving someone too long in silence. "i'm still yours, the same way i've always been. just... not in the way we've been pretending." she leaned in slowly, forehead gently pressing against aurora's, her free hand brushing against the curve of her cheek like she'd been memorizing it in secret for years. "we've been walking this line for so long, rory," she breathed, her voice barely a tremor between them. "and maybe we're scared. but i'd rather risk falling with you than keep pretending i'm not already halfway gone." her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, the closeness overwhelming in the best way. "tell me you want this too. not just now—really want it. because i've wanted you for so long."

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Sofia didn't know if Eden was serious about being final girl materials or not but it did make her mind wander to certain places. "You'd make a great final girl," she teased. If anyone had to survive, Sofia wanted it to be Eden. But hopefully, this wasn't that sort of situation. Closing her fingers around Eden's, Sofia laughed softly, the idea of this being an horror movie amusing her. "If something grabs you, I'm going to fight it. No one and nothing is getting you tonight. Except maybe me." The words were said as her free hand tickled Eden. "We can skinny dip if you want, I'm sure no one will bother us." Truthfully, Sofia wouldn't be surprised if others got the same idea but the woman was hoping she'd have the other all to herself.

eden arched a brow at sofia's comment, the corner of her mouth twitching with amusement despite the chill crawling up her spine. "bold of you to assume i'm not the final girl material," she whispered, a teasing lilt in her voice—though her hand subtly found sofia's in the dark. the laughter from the others felt miles away now, swallowed by the dense trees and the uneasy stillness that followed. "let's go then," she murmured after a beat, tugging sofia gently toward the lake. "but if something grabs me from the water, you better at least scream dramatically."

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"For the best," she echoed. There was disbelief in her voice but then again, Sofia wasn't certain what else she expected. They had been done and over for a while, had moved on. At least, Sofia thought she had but now she wasn't so sure anymore. There was a part of her that was deceived, that had wanted Harper to declare his undying love to her. But would it really have changed anything? Would it mean that they would suddenly be good together? They had broken up for a reason, or so she told herself. "I guess I thought it meant more to you, that we meant more than that," she finally said with what she hoped was a casual shrug. "It wasn't all bad Harper. There were some really good things but maybe you forgot about all that."

Harper locked his eyes with her for a moment and simply studied her for some time. His eyes narrowed for her and all he could do was focus on her for some time. A soft scoff left his lips as he shook his head at her for a moment to respond. "What do you want me to do ? What do you want me to say ? I care about you deeply yes but sometimes things don't work out for the best and as much as I wanted it to that's just the reality of it all." He said to her with a soft smile.

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The laugh that came out of Mateo was sincere and unbothered. They both knew it wasn't acting that made his now ex scream. But it was also true that outside of that, Mateo didn't care that much about his ex. She had been a distraction and there would be another one soon. If Rory didn't chase her away. "We both knew what made her run away Rory, pretending won't change that," he said as his thumb grazed his bottom lip. And then he pulled away. "It's fine, already have a few other girls rushing. Got a date tomorrow, unless something better comes up."

rory shrugged, like she didn't care how much he seemed to care about the break up, or about any of it in general. " could have just been a good actor. " she did her best to remain unbothered by it all, to not show the slight spark of jealousy that came with hearing it. " or maybe it just still wasn't enough for her to stay. better luck next time, though. i'm sure the next one won't be so eager to run away. "

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@intheaftcrglow

MY FAULT: LONDON ( 2025 ) dir. Charlotte Fassler, Dani Girdwood

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There was the faintest of blush on Nico's cheeks, Mateo was certain of it. Or maybe he wanted to have that effect on the other. There were two things in his life that mattered, music and Nico. And the both of them were so closely intertwined that Mateo didn't know if he could have one without the other. "You say that now but when it comes to that, you might be too caught up for it." It wasn't that he didn't believe that Nico would be there, that he would help him. But Mateo was so blinded by his own fears that it was hard to see anything else. "I'm coming back Nico, I'll finish the album. Honestly, I was dumb to think you could do it without me," he said with a teasing smirk. Nico could finish the album all on his own, Mateo had no doubts about that. He was the one with the vision, or so he always thought. But maybe that vision was only there when Mateo was there. Not that he wanted to think as himself like a muse, but they were better together. "Come on, you know it's going to land big. That album will launch the band and it won't be seedy bars anymore Nico." And it hurt to hear Nico plan how the band could tour without him, after having just said he wouldn't let Mateo drown. "That album is magic Nico, we both know it. It's new and exciting and it feels dizzying." He knew how Nico felt, understood the words he was saying. It was already haunting Mateo to have walked out on the album, on deciding to not finish it. "But yeah, we'll figure it out. Just don't let me drag you down when I drown, I would hate myself for that. I care about you too much Nico."

Nico's cheeks flushed in a way that that he hoped would be concealed from the cool dark night around them. While Nico was a shameless flirt, it somehow felt more charged around Mateo. They've been friends for so long, their histories were so intertwined sometimes he didn't know where he ended and Mateo began. It's what made the other man walking away so painful. It was like losing a losing a limb. Nico softens some, heart still pounding as Mateo breaks down what was at the heart of him leaving. "I won't let you drown, Mateo," Nico promises, but more than anything he understands where he's coming from. It was a whirlwind, and Nico could only hope he'd remain the same person on the other side. "We'll figure it out, man. Just come back to the studio, yeah? That's all I'm asking. It should be you finishing the album. It should be your name on the credits." Touring the album was a whole different animal. One Nico hadn't even begun to start wrestling with yet. Deep down he knew Mateo was doing the smart thing and wanting nothing to do with that aspect. "We'll figure out touring. I can play your parts and I can teach Xavier mine. We can hire one of the session dudes to pick up bass," he offers. "We haven't even signed a touring contract yet. We'll figure it out. I just can finish this album without you, and if we don't finish it's gonna haunt me forever."

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✦ ― WANTED PLOT― ✦ craving summer camp vibes plots, possibly even retro ones. smutty, angsty, gimme people sneaking around, queers relationships exploring feelings and sexuality.

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There was a limit to how much Val could push the other away, a limit to how long she could go before crumbling down. And this was near that limit, probably had been passed it for a while now. The truth was, Val never wanted to push Salem away but she didn't want to be hurt again, and to hurt the other woman. "It's messy," she agreed. "We're not good for each others." Or maybe it was more that Val wasn't good for herself and neither was Salem. It was hard to tell. She wanted the other so much, craved her every minutes of every day and yet, she couldn't let herself have her. "You've handed me chances?" The words were said with a dark and dry laugh. "Even if I still wanted you, it wouldn't change anything. The door has been open for so long that it doesn't mean anything anymore Salem." Val looked away and bit on her lower lip, a clear sign that her walls were tumbling down. "What do you want from me Salem? Would things really be different this time around?"

salem didn't flinch this time. she just looked at her — really looked at her — and felt that familiar ache settle beneath her ribs, the one that always came with val's voice and the way she pulled away while asking to be held closer. her tongue pressed against the inside of her cheek before she finally spoke, calm but cutting. "unlike you, i can own up to wanting you still," she said, every word deliberate. "i'm not dressing it up as guilt or calling it some reflection of who i used to be. i want you, valentina. even now. even when it's stupid and messy and completely one-sided." her arms dropped to her sides, vulnerable for the first time in the whole argument. "but don't act like i'm the only reason you're stuck. you've had chances. hell, i've given them to you. so if i'm the ghost that keeps haunting you, maybe it's because you're still leaving the door open."

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Running away was not in her habits but this time, a complete change of scenery was needed. Rory had felt burnt out back in the city and the summer heat was like walls closing on her, making it impossible to breath or even think. So she had ran away, emptied her bank account, or nearly emptied and found herself the perfect place to heal and breath. Lots of art, lots of good food and no one she knew. It was exciting and partly terrifying, to do this on her own but she was loving every seconds of it. What she didn't expect was for her ghosts to follow her all the way here and she she was speechless for a second, looking at Gabriel in disbelief, as if he was nothing but a figment of her imagination, something she had conjured because she wanted it so much. "Gabriel? Wow, this is...unexpected," Rory said flustered. "Who's to say you're not the one following me?" It was a very faint and weak attempt at being casual. "I don't believe in fate, or at least, I didn't believe but this might change that. What are you doing here?" What a ridiculous question to ask, when was she really wanted to know was if he was here alone or not.

plot inspo: gabriel runs into their ex by chance on the same holiday muse: gabriel mikaelson (he/him), late 30s, panromantic pansexual (enm/poly friendly), adjunct political science professor & philanthropist

          summer vacation was exactly what gabriel needed—a break from lectures, committee meetings, and the relentless rhythm of the city. just peace, good food, and old books. he turned a corner on the cobbled street, his thoughts adrift in the gentle hum of the afternoon, and then his heart tightened as he recognized a ghost he once adored. he could’ve kept walking. pretended he hadn’t noticed. but that wasn’t gabriel. so instead, he straightened, let an easy grin take over, and approached with a half-melted gelato in hand. "mon dieu, do you follow me across continents, or is this fate trying its hand at irony?"

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✦ ― OOC ― ✦ kind of want to redo my blog but don't know if i want to summer-ish or southern gothic.

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"Well at least I didn't ghost you," Jude said, knowing full well that it meant nothing. Yes, he had been an ass to end things that way but he could also just have vanished. Still, he sort of regretted it now. "Look, it was shitty on my part."

open to : m / f / nb !

" you broke up with me over a text so god forbid , i don't want to hear what it is that you have to say . "

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There was always some relief when her husband left. Their marriage was not one of love, Catalina had been nothing more than a prize for him and he made sure she knew that she belonged to him, that she was his play thing. Their wedding had been a blur, the woman almost too stone to remember it. But their wedding night, that she remembered and not in a fond way. So when he left, she breathed easier. And she hoped that he wouldn't come back. At least tonight she didn't need to walk on eggshell, her husband being in a particularly volatile mood right before he left. Cat was certain the night would be a hell but instead she was gifted with the little peace she could have. Her heart jumped in her chest when she heard the knock, so soft that it scared her. No one that came here was that soft and part of her wondered if it was news reaching her. What kind, she didn't know. But instead Dom stood on the other side of the door when she opened it and she almost cracked a smile. "I'm great," she said as she caught her breath. She had probably been white as a ghost. "You?" Catalina saw the way he stumbled in the small apartment, knew he wasn't sober. "Yeah well can't turn a shithole into a castle." Still, she had tried, sort of. Kept the place clean, the furniture in as good condition as she could, which was hard considering her husband was prone to breaking things in fits of anger. Her husband controlled their finance, allowing her to have barely enough money to go by. He controlled everything so making the place more to her liking was near impossible. His comment about something being new through her off, not that she let it show. It felt strange to think that Dom paid attention to anything around the place, even if he had always been so nice with her, even if he always checked out on her. "You knew I'd be alone," she simply stated. He had walked in without expecting to see her husband, meaning he came here for her. "I'd offer you a drink but you smell like a whole bottle." There was something soft in her voice, almost teasing. With a spat of her hand she moved his feet, making some space for her to sit down. Cat looked at Dom, who seemed so at ease, as if he belonged there, on the couch with her. "What are looking for Dom?"

open to: ladieees (age gap more than welcome) connection: y/m’s been in the family since she was 19—married off to a marino foot soldier to keep peace between crews. her husband is abusive, controlling, and dom knows it. he checks in more than he should, always when y/m's husband is not around. tonight dom shows up drunk and solely with one thought in mind, to have her. m: dominic bellomo ; 45+ ; the uncle/street smart fixer ; bio

Dominic stood outside her door, the weight of a half-empty bottle of bourbon pounding in his head. His knuckles hovered near the wood, paused in a moment of hesitation that felt foreign to him. He wasn’t a man who questioned himself often. But tonight—tonight was different. The knock he gave was soft. Too soft for a man like him, but just loud enough for her to hear. Not him. Her husband was gone—Dom made sure of that. Watched the bastard peel off with a carload of Marino muscle an hour ago. Wouldn’t be back for hours. That gave Dom time. Time he shouldn’t take. But here he was. “You good?” he asked when the door opened, voice rough like rusted metal. He brushed past her and stumbled into the apartment, into the stale stillness that screamed of too much silence and not enough peace. It smelled like bleach. And lemon. And something under that—something he didn’t like. Something like fear. His boots thudded heavy on the floor as he made a straight line for the couch—that couch, the one he’d patched for her after her husband busted it during one of his tantrums. Dom dropped into it like a man clocking out after a long shift in hell, legs sprawled, arm slung across the backrest like a king in exile. He smelled like cheap bourbon, cold smoke, and the night air—too much of everything. “Place still looks like shit,” he muttered, more out of habit than insult, letting his head fall back against the cushion. “Cleaner than before, though. That new?”

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It was obvious what she was doing and Sofia knew it. Her friend wasn't home, the girls had a sleepover and she knew the other had to leave but she had been told she could stay for as long as she wanted. Which was exactly what Sofia wanted. Lounging in the backyard, she was barely focused on her book, more of a prop than anything else. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Dante, the way he couldn't help but glance her way, which only made her pull her skirt higher, exposing almost all of her leg. When Dante finally decided to come see her, she smirked, slowly putting her book down. "I do but it's not quiet like this," she said as she looked at him. And that was true, her siblings was running wild during the summer months, making it impossible for Sofia to have a second to herself. But it wasn't why she was here. "I can leave if I'm making you bothered." Her wording was deliberate, not if she was bothering her but if she was making him bothered.

open: fem 21+.

plot: inspired by this. daughter's best friend or best friend's daughter. secret hookups in private sorta vibes.

replies will be moved to a new post.

there she was again, lounging about in the summer heat of his backyard like she damn near owned the place. admittedly, he can't help but glance over to her every now and again while he worked, glimpsing her smooth legs being propped up while she had her nose buried in some book. he knew that he wasn't being all that discreet no matter how hard he tried to be. and she knew that too, because the next time he glances over, she's pulling the bottom of her skirt up higher along her thigh. it's evident what she wants. equally annoyed and amused by her coyness, dante shakes his head before he places down his shovel and starts making his way across the lawn over to her. "don't you have your own house to be at?" he asks with playful exasperation.

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She knew how deep her words must have cut and Val wanted to take them back, partly. There was a part of Val that believed what she had said to be true, to think that the only reason she wasn't moving on was because Salem didn't let her. Val hoped that her words and the confidence she had said them with would make the other woman believe in them, would convinced them both. "I..." the woman started, not knowing what she could even say to what Salem had just throw her way. "And why can't you stay away? Because of me or because of you? Do you see me or only the version of yourself you are with me?" It wasn't what she wanted to say, didn't really want to push Salem away but letting her close, letting her in after everything just felt too scary. She had already lost Salem, that part couldn't hurt more than it did. But if she let her back in, if she allowed herself to have her like she wanted, then Salem could be lost all over again. And that, Val wasn't certain she could survive.

salem didn't respond right away, didn't flinch even as the words cut deep — because she'd heard them before, in her own head. but when she finally spoke, her voice was low, steady, almost careful. “if you really wanted to move on, val,” she said, stepping just close enough for the truth to sting, “seeing me wouldn't stop you.” her eyes held hers, unwavering. “you think I came here to pull you back? no. i came because i couldn't stay away. you can hate me for that if you want — but don't pretend it's only me still holding on.”

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There was a moment of disbelief as she looked at Rhys. First, she couldn't believe how easy it had seemed for her to basically say Avery needed to want something else and now he was softer, vulnerable. Scared. "I don't hate you," she said softly as she uncrossed her arms and exhaled deeply. Avery passed a hand over her features, trying to change her own energy and let go of the anger she felt. "You're the only one who hates you Rhys." Avery didn't think he would be happy to hear her say that but it was also true. "Do I want more than to be with the only man I've truly ever loved? No, I don't want more than that. You make me happy, even if we fight. Why can't that be enough for you?" Avery would never be enough if he didn't think he was enough, it was that simple.

It didn't matter what amount of work he put in to be nothing like his father, he would still default to the guy who wouldn't properly express how he was feeling when upset. It always pushed them into a fight. The words he said were said out of a place of his own deep seated self loathing, but after everything they've said he couldn't fault her for reading it any other way. "Don't you want more than this for yourself? I'm scared one day we're gonna fight so bad everything is just gonna bottom out and you'll wind up hating me. Im scared of how close you are to hating me right now."

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MIMI KEENE for the 2024 BAFTAS