Orchid|She/Her|20s|18+ MDNI|Library Blog| Writing Blog: @Bouquet-and-pearls|
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Note
I love these 😍😍😍 ahhh my deranged husband 💕
more jonathan crane content pretty please♡
Excellent timing, babes.
I just finished some headcanons I had about Jonathan being sent to Arkham.
Jonathan Crane x Reader Headcanons
When Jonathan gets locked up in Arkham, he fully believes that you’ll abandon him. Not because he believes that you’re unloyal, but because in his mind, “Why would you stay?”. Why would you put yourself at risk of danger and ridicule, for him? Because he is insecure and cynical, and he refuses to believe that someone would care that much for him. He’s not angry, but he does feel a strong bitterness for his predicament.
So, when he is brought into a visitation room to see who he expects to be a lawyer or a detective, he is surprised to see you.
He’ll sit there, not saying anything, as he studies you. The look of worry and relief that is written plainly across your face confuses him. However, he’s not about to get his hopes up, so he gives you a smirk and asks if you’ve come to say your final goodbyes to him.
He arches a brow when he’s met with a simple, “Don’t be ridiculous, Jonathan”. When you start your questions of “Are you alright? How are they treating you? Is there anyone I can call? Can I bring you anything? What can I do?” is when his walls crumble.
Because no one has ever shown him such concern or care. Not his neighbors when his grandparents abused him. Not his teachers when he was viciously bullied. But you do. You are sitting in front of him, fretting over him.
He won’t verbalize or outwardly express the relief he feels that you aren’t abandoning him. Except how he looks at you. The way he watches you during the remainder of your visit can only be described as pure adoration and affection.
When the visiting hour ends and he’s forced away from you, you hastily wrap your arms around him before the guards can tell you off. He melts. Still locked in his straitjacket, all he can do is lean into you and soak up your warmth. When your fingers tangle into his hair, he almost whines groans. All too soon he is dragged out and his mood quickly sours.
Two things happen that night. First, Jonathan finalizes his plans for escaping Arkham. Second, he decides on the kind of ring he’s going to get you.
My Friendly Neighborhood Tag : @lau219
#jonathan crane#jonathan crane headcanons#jonathan crane x reader#scarecrow x reader#cillian murphy scarecrow#nolanverse scarecrow
156 notes
·
View notes
Text
Hope
Part 3
Previous part here
**Warning: mention of weapons, trauma, injury, attempted rape**
…………….………………………………………………………………

It was several hours later when Josef was finally able to return to the apartment. In true form to the unpredictability of everything, he’d waited at the park for over two hours before their contact had finally arrived.
The entire time he’d waited, the tension in his body never subsided as he kept reliving what happened on the bus. His body pulsed in anger at the fact that this entire situation meant that he couldn’t protect her the way he wanted to, needed to, and he cursed the bitter fact that, afterwards, he couldn’t go to her immediately. The image of her fallen to the ground — terrified, injured, and crying — was on constant replay in his mind. Hours later, when he finally left the park, he walked back to the apartment in controlled haste, his heart pounding with every step.
On his way up the stairs and then down the long hallway, he noticed that the entire building seemed oddly quiet, a somberness seeming to be looming over everything. When he reached the door of the apartment, he quickly let himself in, entering the kitchen. All was quiet, and it was immediately apparent that Jan and Marie weren’t there. He felt the tension rush back to him when he thought that she may not be there, either. As he removed his coat, he thought he heard a noise, and he stopped to listen again. Shortly, the sound of a few soft sobs came from the direction of the bathroom, and upon hearing them, he quietly made his way towards the sound.
The door to the bathroom was slightly ajar, and he placed his hand on the panel and slowly pushed it open. The sight he was met with caused a physical pain to his heart.
There she was, sat huddled in the bathtub, naked and shivering as she hugged her knees to her chest. Her head hung low as she released another quiet sob, not noticing his presence at the door. She shivered again, the water barely reaching her waistline and tinged pink from the blood that still slowly dripped from her knees. Her arm had already formed a blue-violet bruise from the grip of the soldier’s hand, and the sight of her injuries caused a fresh surge of anger to course through him. But as another shaky sob came from her, his emotions quickly shifted back to pained concern and the instinctive need to take care of her.
Gently, Josef said her name, and, surprised, she lifted her head. She’d lost track of time, not knowing or caring how long she’d sat there, and she inhaled a shaky breath as their eyes met. Her tear-stained cheeks were soon refreshed with new tears as she briefly held his gaze before sobbing again, the look of worry on his face causing her heart to ache.
It was unfair. It was unbearable. And it was no use pretending anymore. What happened earlier that morning had solidified the harsh reality of their situation that she’d been trying desperately to look beyond. There was even more to come, though, and now, she felt foolish for ever being hopeful. What good was hope when all around them were countless reasons to expect that they wouldn’t come out of this, at least not together? Her light had been extinguished, and she felt broken.
As she released another small sob, Josef stepped further into the room and pulled a towel from the bar on the wall. He saw the goosebumps covering her skin as he moved next to the tub and lowered the lever, allowing the water, which he could feel had long since gone cold, to drain. He then wrapped the towel around her and gently smoothed the damp hair from her neck.
“Let’s get you out of here,” he said quietly.
Bending over, he reached into the tub, slipping one arm under her knees and his other around her waist. Carefully, he lifted her out of the tub and carried her into the bedroom, where he softly set her down on the edge of the bed before grabbing several blankets and wrapping them around her. He then crouched down in front of her and slowly lifted the blankets from her legs, pushing them back enough to reveal her knees. When she sniffled and took in a shaky breath, he looked up at her and reached for her cheeks, cradling her head in his hands for a moment and wiping her tears away with his thumbs. Their eyes locked for a moment before he gently released her and stood up, going back into the bathroom and returning a moment later with supplies to bandage her knees.
Kneeling on the floor before her, he silently tended to her, carefully cleaning her skin before tenderly covering each wound in bandaging. He then stood and walked to the dresser, pulling out one of his own long shirts and sweaters before stepping back to her, slowly and gently removing the blankets and towel from her body. He helped her slip the shirt on and then wrapped her up in the sweater before encouraging her to get into the bed and rest back against the pillows. Once she did, he removed his shoes and vest before slipping into the bed beside her and lifting the covers over her. Immediately, he pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. As soon as she tucked into him and her cheek rested against his chest, she couldn’t contain the new wave of sobs and tears that suddenly escaped her body.
He tried to comfort her as her body shook against his, softly hushing her as he stroked the back of her head with one hand while the fingers of his other hand laced together with hers.
“I am so sorry,” he said quietly as he rested his chin on the top of her head before repeating himself. “I am so sorry.”
When she sniffled again, he lifted his hands to her face and cradled her cheeks again, making her look at him.
“We’re together now,” he said to her.
Another sob escaped her as she dropped her chin, unable to look at him, her face falling from his hands.
“It doesn’t matter. None of it does,” she said quietly before she paused, shaking her head. “I can’t do this anymore.”
Josef immediately grabbed her face again, once more forcing her to look at him.
“What are you saying?” he asked as he searched her eyes, which were now void of the vibrant life they usually held.
“How could I have ever believed there was hope for anything?” she said as she looked back at him, the tears still silently falling from her eyes. “For so long, I tried to believe, for myself and for everyone else, but I know now how foolish it was, and I can’t do it anymore. I want to, but I just can’t. How can I believe when no one else does? When we’re trapped among all this and face death every day? You’ve been right all along – it’s hopeless.”
The sheer sadness and defeat in her voice was unbearable for him to digest as he looked back at her. He felt an unspeakable guilt as he realized that he was one of the reasons she felt as if her hope was pointless, that her efforts had been futile. He’d thought she could see the sliver of hope she’d planted in him, thought he’d conveyed his desire to make their future a reality. Yes, uncertainty was still all around them, but they shared hope, and he couldn’t let her abandon it.
“No,” he shook his head as he looked into her eyes. “You have been right all along. We have to believe – until we reach the end of this, and we will. Your hope is what called me to you. You are my reason for everything now, and I won’t let that go.”
Still facing each other, Josef shifted slightly and reached into his pocket. Bringing his hand before her, he opened his palm to uncover a beautiful, delicate wedding band. He met her eyes again before speaking once more.
“Because of the hope you’ve given me, I now have this. And when this is all over, it will be on your hand, and I will be the one to put it there.”
Simultaneously, her heart suddenly felt a million times over both heavier and lighter. Looking at him, tears once again fell uncontrollably from her eyes as the hope he declared and the promise he was making to her slowly began to rekindle her own hope and determination. She had reached him. Slowly, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her forehead to his temple.
Tucking her back into his chest, he pulled them back to rest against the pillows once more. It was silent for a while, but as she moved slightly and his shirt shifted on her body, the tops of her legs were visible, her left thigh bare and the scar she’d revealed that morning now as obvious as anything could be. He held her tighter before quietly speaking.
“Is it true?” he asked, tenderly running his fingers along the raised line on her skin.
She inhaled before answering him.
“Yes. And no.” She laid a palm on his chest, speaking quietly. “A man attacked me on my way home from the market one day. After pushing me down, he lifted my dress and pressed the knife to me. He tried to...to do it, but a shopkeeper came out to the alleyway just as he’d pulled down my clothes. The knife dragged across me as the shopkeeper pulled the man away.” She paused for a moment and took another shaky breath. “It was over 6 months before I could bring myself to go back to the market. It all came rushing back to me this morning.”
As she finished, a combination of anguish for her, as well as relief, washed over Josef. Anguish for the fear, pain, and countless other things she’d gone through at the hand of the incident, and the fact that she’d had to relive it all today. Relief from the fact that she hadn’t been hurt more than she had, and that another man had not taken her in any forceful, harmful way. She was never meant to be anything but cherished, and as he placed the ring back into his pocket, he prayed for the day he would slip it on her finger.
“I will never let you be hurt again,” he swore to her.
@nyxxie-pooh @fuseburner @hannibellector @febris-amatoria @neonpurplestars89-blog
28 notes
·
View notes
Text
Hope
Part 2
Previous part here
**Warning: mention of weapons, war, trauma, injury, implied rape**
…………………………………………………………………………….

With each passing day, they found it more and more difficult to part from one another. Their feelings for each other now revealed and an ember of hope now glimmering, separating each morning with the uncertainty if they would be reunited later on made for the ultimate test in loyalty and dedication towards their duty.
Over the last several weeks, the months of spending time observing, evaluating, and gathering information had given way to nailing down concrete facts and timelines, and discussions of actual plans and actions. To a certain degree, things seemed almost surreal, but the harsh reality sunk in for all of them more and more every day as final decisions were made and they all discussed specifics. They each had their role to play and there was no room for error. Pressure and tensions seemed to increase daily, sometimes even hourly, and it made each peaceful moment together sacred – touching, talking, hoping for the future.
She felt a responsibility in her as never before to help him believe that he could have the future he desired with her, that happiness and a life beyond this truly was possible. And while she would have it no other way than to be that beacon for him, there was a weight that came with doing so. She felt that she now could not show even a speck of fear, not a single hint of uncertainty about what could happen. She could show no weakness at all, for if she did, she worried that the tiny fraction of hope she’d sparked in Josef would disappear. In every other aspect, he was unflappable, but when it came to hope, she had to be his rock.
He was unaware of this weight she carried, of course, because never did he expect or ask of her to keep her fears from him. While she was the reason that he finally allowed himself a glimmer of hope, never had he intended for her to feel that she couldn’t be scared or have doubts of her own, or that she couldn’t seek solace from him, too. As optimistic as she tried to be, she was still human, and he tried to silently reassure her with every embrace or look that they shared.
If he knew the extent of her inner turmoil, he would have done anything he could to ease the burden. While her promise of hope was what brought him out of his own darkness, he never meant for her to feel as though she was alone, and with each added fraction of hope he adopted, he tried to also transfer it to her in some way, to show her that she made him believe. Every night, they made love, a passionate display of emotion and desire in which he tried to convey to her that she was his reason for everything now. And if, God forbid, their days together were truly running out, neither of them wanted to waste a single chance to be together. The nights were when they could indulge, if only for a short while, in each other and the idea of a future beyond all this, before being brought back to the harsh reality in each morning. Yet, the spark of hope, however faint, was still shared between them whenever they parted.
That morning, after forcing themselves out of each other’s arms, they’d joined Jan and Marie in the kitchen to discuss plans. Everything needed to be nailed down to the second, and they had to ensure that nothing they did aroused any sort of attention or suspicion. With that in mind, Jan and Marie had exited the apartment building 20 minutes before them and had each stationed themselves at their spots – Marie on a bench near the clock tower to compare the accuracy of their timepieces to the tower’s, and Jan at the newspaper stand to observe pedestrian traffic and the impact it had on vehicle traffic.
It was she and Josef who would be assessing things from onboard the public bus, which always had a German soldier boarded to keep order and monitor passengers, as well as command the bus to stop for any reason they found valid.
Very recently, a new occurrence had begun taking place – Heydrich’s vehicle now occasionally coming down the same morning route the bus followed, instead of going its typical route several streets over. Heydrich would have the vehicle stop in order to converse with the soldier onboard the bus, and then would head into the building nearby for a brief period before returning to his vehicle.
Today, they planned to deduce whether or not Heydrich taking this alternate route was dependent on the day of the week, on which particular soldier was manning the bus, or both. They believed it would be happening today, as an educated guess based off of observations from the last several days told them it would be. But this would be the first time they would be focused solely on this new occurrence to confirm anything with any certainty.
Although they wouldn’t be taking any action today, she was still anxious, everything suddenly seeming so unpredictable and causing her nerves to feel shot. Josef, however, seemed as calm and as stoic as always, and she swallowed the lump in her throat as they paused briefly near the entryway of the apartment building. Releasing her hand, Josef looked into her eyes as he reviewed their plan a final time.
“Sit as close to the front as you can,” he told her. “Once we reach the fourth stop, you will get off. You will wait at the benches to time how far behind the bus his vehicle is. I’ll stay on and then get off near the intersection. Once I see which turn he takes, I will go to the park to meet with our contact. I will meet you back at the apartment once I’m done. You understand?”
Looking at him, she silently nodded her head, not trusting herself to speak in fear that her voice would reveal her nervousness.
Holding her gaze, Josef lifted his hand to her face and gently stroked her cheek, but then dropped his hand almost just as quickly.
“Let’s go,” he said.
They then headed through the entryway and stopped at the door, Josef looking at her a final time before stepping outside first.
In order not to arouse suspicion from getting off at different stops, they exited the building separately so as not to look like they were together. After waiting one minute, she stepped through the door and out into the sunlight, silently crossing the street and trying to appear as casual as possible. Glancing briefly down at her purse, she saw the small pistol tucked inside before she pinched the bag closed with a click of the snaps. She had yet to ever need to use it, but it was something she’d been instructed to carry with her at all times long ago, and Josef now always made her promise to have it as well. Lifting her head again, she saw Josef already stood at the curb, and she finished crossing the street and slowly approached the bus stop, standing several feet away from him and silently waiting as the seconds ticked by.
In their peripheral, they could see Marie sat casually at the bench near the clock tower, and across the street, Jan stood at the newspaper stand, pretending to be engrossed in the day’s paper. Soon, as the clock tower struck the hour, the bus slowly lurched around the corner down the street, making its way to where they stood at the curb and coming to a stop.
Taking a deep breath, she waited her turn before boarding the bus behind Josef and others. Once onboard, she quickly spotted a seat towards the front of the vehicle, behind the driver’s side, Josef at a seat on the opposite side and several spaces down. Calmly, she sat, placing her purse in her lap and looking straight ahead out the window. Soon, the bus gave another lurch and slowly began to move.
There was minimal talking on the bus, as always, and the bit that there was, was spoken in whispers. The soldier stationed at the front near the driver always put every passenger on edge, and today was no different. As inconspicuously as possible, she assessed him.
It was a soldier she recognized from previous morning rides, and he had in fact been the one Heydrich had beckoned for discussion when he’d last been on duty. Marie had confirmed that Heydrich had not stopped to speak when, earlier that week, a different soldier was monitoring the bus.
A machine gun on a strap around his chest, he always had one hand on it as he alternated from surveying passengers to looking out the window. At his hip, a handgun rested in a holster, easily reachable on the waist. He stood with more authority and control than some of the other soldiers did, and it was clear right away that, rather than being bored with the assigned task, he took it extremely seriously.
True to their suspicions, the soldier ordered the bus to stop as it approached the building that Heydrich would enter. A German army vehicle idled at the curb ahead of them, and the driver of that vehicle turned around in his seat and signaled something through the window to the soldier on board their bus. He signaled back to him through the bus’s windshield before barking an order to the driver not to move. He then descended the steps of the bus out onto the street and walked over to the car.
Silently, she and Josef watched through the windshield. Her heart pounded and she felt her entire body heat with fearful tension as she saw Heydrich rise from the passenger seat of the vehicle and turn to greet the soldier as he approached. As the driver of the vehicle occasionally scanned the area for anything alarming, the other two men spoke animatedly as they exchanged information. This was the confirmation they needed that it was whenever this soldier was on duty that Heydrich wanted a conversation.
Now used to their commute being interrupted, the passengers on the bus simply sat and waited quietly. After several minutes of talking, the soldier and Heydrich finally gave each other parting handshakes and Heydrich then crossed the street and entered the nearby building. The soldier once again boarded the bus and barked another order for the driver to resume their commute, scanning everyone on the bus with what seemed like a renewed wave of suspicion. She turned her head back to the window, narrowly missing his gaze as he looked down her row of seats, her heart pounding.
Finally, they approached the fourth stop on the route, and she, like the others also getting off there, slowly rose from her seat and gripped the handle above her as the bus came to a stop. She didn’t look to Josef, instead only keeping her gaze straight ahead. As she followed behind the other passengers to get off, she began to exhale in silent relief as she got near the steps, but her breath unexpectedly became a shriek of surprise when the soldier reached out and yanked her back by the strap of her purse.
“What is this?!?!” he shouted loudly in a thick German accent.
In shock, she tried to recover from stumbling backwards while simultaneously trying to understand what had just happened. When he yanked on her purse strap again, she cried out, and the pain in her shoulder was so intense that she thought she’d dislocated it. The soldier then roughly grabbed her upper arm and forced her to turn to face him, his grip so tight that it would no doubt leave a bruise.
“What is this?!?!” he demanded again, shouting in her face as he lifted the body of her purse to within her line of sight. Lowering her eyes to the bag, she saw that it was open, the snap having separated and the small pistol visible inside. Immediately, she began to panic, her heart pounding and her lips parted, meaning to respond but not being able to form words.
As the scene unfolded before them, the other passengers remained silent and still, knowing that they shouldn’t dare interfere unless they wanted to put their own lives at risk. Those who watched showed expressions of fear and concern for her, while others behaved as if nothing was happening at all.
Josef, however, felt panic course through every vein in his body as he saw the soldier grab her while pulling on her bag. It took absolutely everything in him to resist interfering to protect her, but they both knew that if he did that, they risked being outed or even killed on the spot. But when he saw the soldier thrash her around again, he clenched his fists so tightly that his hands were completely white. When she cried out moments later, he was a second away from abandoning logic and interfering when the soldier turned her again and shoved her down.
She cried out again as she hit the rough, dirty surface, her knees slamming painfully into the floor as he threw her down. She was vaguely aware of the warm sensation of blood seeping from her knees beneath her as she braced herself with her palms. Tears streamed from her eyes from the combination of fear and pain, and she winced as the soldier shouted again above her.
“What is a woman doing carrying a pistol?!?! Explain yourself!” He pulled the small gun out of her bag before throwing the purse to the floor beside her, causing her to wince again. Still in shock, she couldn’t speak, and when she felt him press the barrel of his gun to the back of her head, her heart stopped.
Logic gone, Josef shot up from his seat, but the soldier quickly shifted his aim towards him and shouted again.
“Sit!” he ordered.
She raised her head slowly and met Josef’s eyes, and she silently pleaded for him to obey.
“Now, or I will shoot you both!” the soldier shouted.
The look in her eyes was a stab to Josef’s heart, but he slowly sat back down, silently praying that she wouldn’t be harmed further.
The soldier returned his gaze and his gun to her, still demanding an explanation.
“Why do you have this?!” he questioned again, but she felt as if her throat had closed up.
“Speak!!!” he demanded, nudging the back of her head with his gun again.
“Be-Because,” she started shakily, her voice raspy and laced with fear. “Because I...I was attacked before...by a man. I keep it now for protection.”
She prayed that her answer would satisfy his questioning.
“Lies!” the soldier responded. He grabbed her again and roughly pulled her up from the floor, shaking her as he once again squeezed her arm.
“No! It’s true!” she said. “You see?”
With her free hand, she reached down and lifted the skirt of her dress, bringing it to her hip and spreading her legs to reveal a scar on the inside of her left thigh. It was reminiscent of the mark left by a blade, and her entire body flushed with shame and embarrassment as the soldier looked down to her thigh.
A new wave of alarm ran through Josef as he saw the scar she revealed and heard her admission. Was it true? And how had he not noticed it before? His only reasoning being that he’d been too lost in her to ever notice it when they made love.
Still holding her by her arm, the soldier narrowed his eyes upon looking up from her leg. He assessed her for another moment before lowering his gun. He turned her around again and pushed her down the steps of the bus, shoving her through the door and out onto the sidewalk, causing her to land on her hands and knees once more.
"Hure,” he muttered in German as he looked at her in disgust.
As he turned around and resumed his position on the bus, she let out a shaky breath and a sob before rolling over onto her bottom, sitting on the ground. Her face stained with tears, she looked up at the bus. Her eyes met Josef’s through the window, his expression a combination of barely controlled fury and immense concern. Once again, every fiber in his body was calling for him to go to her, but they both knew that he couldn’t.
Their eyes remained locked for a moment longer before the bus began to pull away. As soon as it was down the street and out of sight, she released another shaky breath before squeezing her eyes closed, trying but unable to stop the sobs as they escaped her body in wracking shudders.
Part 3
@neonpurplestars89-blog @hannibellector @nyxxie-pooh
37 notes
·
View notes
Text
Fandom: Inception
Pairing: Robert Fischer x Mermaid!OC
Summary: When he storms out of his home one evening after yet another fight with his father, Robert Fischer makes a discovery amongst the waves that may just offer him an escape from the unhappiness of his current life.
Word Count: 5,132
Notes: I wrote this awhile ago, and only just realized that I never posted it. So here you go. This was just a fun little AU idea I had. Warnings for references to past child abuse.
Robert burst outside, the back door slamming shut with a clang behind him, abruptly cutting off his father’s voice still shouting after him. But Robert kept on walking, and there was no sound of the door opening for his father to try to follow him, that in itself causing a sharp sigh of relief to whistle from his lungs.
He stormed around the pool that took up a good share of his backyard, then down a small hill, the springy grass giving way to soft sand. His expensive, shiny black shoes sank in with each step, little granules finding their way into his socks to rub irritatingly between his toes.
He walked all the way down to the end of the pier that stretched out into the deep blue water, hands shoving deep into his pockets while he sighed. Staring out at the sun, slinking low in the sky to just kiss the horizon of the ocean that stretched out every which way around him, he sighed, lowering himself to sit down on the edge of the pier. With unsteady hands, he undid his shoe laces and pulled off his socks, balling them up and stuffing them into one of his discarded shoes for safekeeping. Then he rolled up his pants’ legs, and let his legs dangle until his feet submerged in the chilly water.
Closing his eyes, Robert drew in a harsh breath of air, tasting of saltwater and smelling of seaweed. The tears that had been pricking at the corner of his eyes finally started to overflow, rolling down his cheeks.
He always cried when he got upset. It was a reflex reaction that he couldn’t control. And his father had never once passed up the opportunity to make him feel ashamed for it. Even when he was little, and scraped his knee or bumped his elbow and came to his father crying in pain, Maurice Fischer would simply sneer, and call him every demeaning name in the book.
Wiping at his eyes furiously, Robert pressed his trembling lips together. The wind, chilled from the sun’s descent but still smelling of the ocean, seemed to kiss at his cheeks. As if it could wipe the tears away for him.
The ocean had always been his greatest source of comfort. Of freedom. They used to have a yacht that his mother would take him out on. And then she died, and despite Robert’s pleas, his father sold the boat. Looking back on it now, he realized that every time his mother had taken him out on it for an extended period of time, it was following an incident where his father had upset one of them.
Perhaps the ocean had been her refuge as well.
There was a harsh splash, near the jagged, obsidian colored rocks to his left. They were great for looking at tidepools when the water had retreated, but treacherous on the feet. When he was little, he’d managed to cut his foot open by trying to walk on them barefoot, and Uncle Peter had to carry him, crying and bleeding, back to the house.
Another splash sounded, but Robert paid it no mind. It was probably just a fish or something. But then it happened again. And again, this time followed by a straining noise. Frowning, he swiped the remainder of his tears away and stood, picking up his shoes and yanking them back on, not caring that his feet were drenched in saltwater that would likely ruin the interiors. Picking his way back up the pier and along the beach, he made his way to the rocks, half having to crawl to maneuver some of them. It had been so much easier when he was a small child, he mused to himself.
He pulled himself over the ridge of black rocks, and stopped dead.
She was laying half beached on the rocks, tangled up in a brown fishing net, rolling from side to side, jerking, trying to break free from the twine prison.
At first he thought she was a woman. But women didn’t have huge, blue scaled tails where their legs should have been. Or webbed fins sprouting from their backs. Or gills in their throats. Or webbed fingers.
For a moment, he was pretty sure that his brain completely broke. Because he knew exactly what was lying in front of him, and yet it was not possible. It couldn’t be.
Because mermaids weren’t real.
Robert rubbed a hand along his forehead, frowning, trying to make sense of what was in front of him. Had this latest fight with his father finally been the one to cause his mind to irretrievably snap?
The mermaid twisted so that she was facing him, and their eyes locked.
She was beautiful, with round, dark brown eyes and equally dark, long hair that fell to her waist, sticking wetly to her back and forehead. Light freckles dotted her nose and cheeks. He could see the strong muscles in her arms and stomach flexing as she struggled against the net, and with a burst of color blooming across his cheeks, he realized that, very un-Disney-like of her, she was not wearing any sort of top layer in the slightest, her small breasts barred and on full display.
Her tail looked heavy, thick as two legs bound together, dark blue scales shimmering in the fading light of the setting sun. In the back of his mind, Robert wondered if the blue coloring helped with camouflaging her while in the water.
He didn’t know how long he stood there, gawking at her with his mouth half open. It couldn’t have been but a few minutes, though it felt like much more than that.
The spell was promptly broken when she started hissing at him.
Her teeth bared to show canines longer than any human’s should be, the tendons standing out in her neck, eyes narrowed to slits. Her back curved, as if trying to back herself look bigger than she actually was. Robert flinched back instinctively, hands held up to try to show that he meant no harm.
“It’s okay.” He had no idea if she could understand him, but it felt like he needed to say something. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
She just hissed again, thrashing against the rocks. The aggressive noise in her throat quickly gave way to a yelp of pain, and he could see where the net had started to dig into one of the fins at the bottom of her tail, drawn tight enough to cut into the flesh, blood pouring from the wound.
“Let me help,” he immediately took a step forward. The mermaid hissed at him again, but her attention was quickly once again overtaken by the net biting into her tail. She was clearly distressed, and Robert wondered what it would mean for her if the net severed that part of her tail. Would she no longer be able to swim? Would she drown?
“Here,” he approached her slowly, fully ready to jerk backwards if she tried to swipe at or bite him. He was so close that he could see the droplets of water beading on her skin.
A ferocious snarl left her chest when she realized how close he had gotten, and he instinctively shrank back. The mermaid wriggled against the rocks, trying to get away from him, her big eyes bulging with terror. Robert could make out red scratches against her skin where the net and the rocks had scraped it.
“Shh,” he spoke to her like he would a frightened animal, creeping closer until he could hook his fingers into the net. “I’m gonna help you, okay? I’m not gonna hurt you.”
She finally seemed to quiet, though she was still wriggling a little against the net. Carefully, Robert followed the lines of it, pulling experimentally, starting to loosen the tight material.
Fucking fisherman, he thought irritably to himself while he worked. The poor thing could have died.
Despite all the hissing and snarling when he’d been approaching her, the mermaid was surprisingly helpful as he worked to untangle her, moving her body as much as she could to assist him in getting the net off of her. His breath caught in his throat as his hands ghosted along her strong tail. The blue scales were smooth, almost soft, but he could feel the absolute power of the muscles encased within. There was no doubt in his mind that if she had wanted to, she could have knocked him on his ass with one swipe of it.
He worked particularly carefully around her injured fin. On closer examination, it didn’t look like the net had managed to fully sever it, but it was definitely injured. Worry coursed through his veins as he gingerly worked the net loose around it. The mermaid whined a little.
“I’m sorry,” he stroked her tail without even really thinking about it, just trying to soothe her, and she settled. “Almost there.”
With a final light tug, he pulled the net away, and the mermaid was free.
She immediately rolled, not seeming to care about potentially scraping herself on the jagged rocks around them, and flung herself into the deep blue water with a splash. Her tail breached briefly out of the water as she dived, and then she was gone.
Leaving Robert standing there, half soaked, wind pulling at his hair and clothes, with the net he’d just freed her from dangling from one hand. He stared at the space in the water where she’d disappeared, a seed of disappointment blooming in his chest.
With a sigh, he started to pick his way back over the rocks and to his house.
∗ ∗ ∗
The next day he went back out onto the pier, a martini in his hand while he sat with his legs dangling in the water. He sipped at his drink while watching the sunset, eyes scanning the surface of the water for any distinctive fins or tails breaching the surface.
The mermaid had been on his mind the entirety of the day. It had been hard to focus at all on work. He kept wondering if she was alright. If he’d ever seen her again.
Bright orange, yellow, and pink beams cast out across the sky as the sun sank lower beneath the waves. He ought to go back inside soon. His glass was almost empty.
Just as he was moving to stand, he spotted something in the water, near the rocks where he’d seen the mermaid the day before. The top of a dark head of hair and two big brown eyes peering up out of the water at him.
The second that their gazes met, her eyes widened and she dropped back down under the water, out of sight. But it was enough for Robert, a smile playing at his lips, a spark of joy sizzling in his heart.
“Hi there,” he called out, but to no reply. Not that he had really been expecting one. Casting one last longing look at the waves, he went back inside.
∗ ∗ ∗
On the second evening after his first encounter with the mermaid, he once again went out to the pier, hope renewed at maybe getting a glimpse of her. He sat for a long time with his legs dangling in the water, hands folded in his lap, just watching the steady rise and swell of the waves. Disappointment once more grew in his chest with every passing minute. He was just about to give up and go back inside when he spotted a ripple in the water, steadily moving in a line towards him.
The mermaid’s head broke from the water when she was a few feet from him, the top of her head and her eyes popping up first. The ripple he’d seen was made by the webbed fin at her back just brushing the top of the water.
She came to a stop right in front of him, bobbing in the water, eyes darting around, clearly unsure. Robert’s lips were partially parted, eyes wide. Despite spending the past two days thinking about her, he had neglected to really think about what he’d actually do or say if she came to him again. It had seemed like too fanciful of a thought to even consider.
The mermaid seemed almost as surprised as he was, full bottom lip caught between her teeth, looking like she was trying hard to muster up the courage for something.
In a sudden burst of movement, she pushed herself up higher out of the water, reaching out and grabbing one of his hands where it was still settled in his lap. For one terrifying moment, Robert thought she was going to yank him into the water with her.
She instead pressed a large, white, orange, and pink conch shell into his hands, and then turned around and disappeared back under the water again.
Robert stared down at the huge seashell, cradling it gingerly in his lap. It was pristine, not broken off in any areas, the surface barely even scratched. He rubbed his thumb up and down along one of its smooth edges, a grin pulling at his lips. Looking up at the waves, he was unable to see her, but he was sure that she was watching.
“You’re welcome,” he said to the waves.
∗ ∗ ∗
The next time that he went to the pier, he was crying.
Sitting down with his legs pulled up to his chest like he would as a child, arms hugging them. He was sure that his face was red and blotchy, eyes red and the skin under them swollen.
It was going to rain that evening. He could see the storm clouds building in the distance.
It was the anniversary of his mother’s death. It had happened over ten years ago–he had only been eleven at the time–but the grief still stung just as potently as it had then.
His mother had been his best friend. Hell, he often thought that she may very well have been his only friend. The only real one he’d had his entire life.
His father and Uncle Peter had come by for dinner. He was sure that it was Uncle Peter’s idea and that he had meant well, not wanting Robert to be alone during what was easily always the worst day of the year for him. But he could not understand that having his father anywhere near him now was the last thing that Robert wanted.
So lost in crying his heart out into his knees, he didn’t hear the subtle sound of something rising up out of the water, not until a gentle hand touched his cheek. He nearly jumped out of his skin as his head was pulled up and forward, and he promptly met the mermaid’s big, worried eyes. Her brows furrowed at the sight of his tears, thumb moving to stroke them away, head cocking curiously.
Robert didn’t say anything; not until she’d tenderly brushed away the remainder of the proof of his grief from his face. Her touch was as light and careful as that of a lover’s, wide eyes shimmering with genuine concern.
“Can you understand me?” he finally croaked out. He still had no idea if she spoke English–or any human language for that matter.
She hesitated, then nodded.
“My name is Robert,” he said. “What’s yours?”
She opened her mouth, and he braced himself for the first sound of her voice.
“Robert!” Uncle Peter’s voice boomed out across the backyard from the door.
In a flash, the mermaid had disappeared back under the water, leaving Robert with nothing but the memory of her soft, small hands on his face.
“Robert! What are you doing!? It’s about to start raining. Come back inside,” Uncle Peter continued to holler, and he let out a soft breath of relief that he hadn’t seen the mermaid.
“I’ll be there in a minute!” he shouted over his shoulder, looking mournfully out over the water before standing and shuffling back towards his uncle.
Later, after his father and Uncle Peter had finally gone home once the rain died down, he went back out to the pier, despite it being mostly dark out.
And there, spread on the wooden planks of the dock, spelled out in the form of dozens of tiny little seashells arranged into letters, was one word:
ALICE.
∗ ∗ ∗
He returned to the pier, as always, the next evening, but this time, he wore his swim trunks.
She was waiting for him, arms crossed over the pier and her head resting on them. He could just see the outline of her tail under the water, swishing lazily back and forth.
She looked so beautiful that it momentarily took his breath away.
Head raising when he approached, Alice pulled back from the pier, head still remaining above the water as she floated backwards. Robert kicked off his sandals and sat down, moving to pull his shirt over his head. He caught her watching him, head cocking in that curious way again, her eyes glued to his chest. When she noticed that he’d caught her staring, her cheeks flared pink, dipping down until the water came all the way up to nearly her eyes to try to hide it. He bit his cheek to hide a cocky grin.
“If I get in, you aren’t gonna try to eat me, are you?” he asked, hesitating before he jumped off the pier to join her in the water.
Alice giggled, a soft, musical sound that made his heart skip a beat. Her head raised back up out of the water, shaking back and forth. He pushed off the pier, hitting the water with a small splash. Alice glided smoothly towards him, so close that their chests nearly brushed. He could count each dark eyelash surrounding her eyes. Being so close to her had his throat momentarily going dry.
“Can you talk?” he asked finally. It had seemed like she was about to before Uncle Peter interrupted them last night, but he still wasn’t entirely sure.
“Yes.”
His eyes nearly slipped closed at the sound of her voice, soft and sweet. As musical as her laugh had been. He wanted to save the memory of just that one word coming from her lips for forever.
Alice cocked her head again. “Why were you crying yesterday?” Her voice was quiet, and had he not been right in front of her, he may not have been able to hear her.
“It…” he paused, wetting his hips. “It was the anniversary of the day my mother died.”
“I’m sorry. Did she die recently?”
“No,” he suddenly felt rather foolish. “We were…we were close.”
She nodded. “My people mourn for life too.”
“You do?”
“Mhm. My pod leader’s mate died a while ago. We all still miss her very much.”
“Pod?”
“A group of merpeople like me. We’re like a…what do you humans call it? A family. We live together. Hunt together. Travel together.”
“Where’s the rest of your pod?”
“This time of year, we always swim up north. We meet up with some other pods. Trade goods. I couldn’t make that long of a swim right now. Not until my finn is fully healed,” she pointed to her tail. So the net had hurt her more significantly than he’d thought.
“They left you here?”
“I told them to go. They’ll be back. By then I’ll be healed enough to swim in the rougher waters.”
A lump formed in his throat. “So, when they come back…you’ll leave with them?”
She looked at him, a sadness entering her eyes. “Yes.”
“Oh.” The disappointment and loneliness that suddenly washed over him was nearly crushing. But what could he do? It wasn’t like he could just ask her to stay, separated from her family forever so that he didn’t have to feel lonely.
Alice moved a little closer to him, reaching out to brush a few locks of hair out of his face. He fought back the urge to lean into the touch of her hand.
“When will you leave?”
“They’ll be back in a week or so.”
That’s so soon, he silently mourned. Alice studied his face, and he focused all his effort on not letting her see how heartbroken the revelation had left him.
“Thank you for saving me from the net,” Alice said.
“Oh, that was…” he looked down, clearing his throat. “That was no problem.”
He felt the fins of her tail brush against his leg and sucked in a sharp breath. Her eyes danced. He wondered if she’d done it on purpose.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, head bobbing in the water, he hoped that she wasn’t fully aware of just how strong of an effect she was having on him. She could probably have dragged him down into the depths with her, and he would have let her with zero complaint.
“Why did you keep coming here?” he asked. “Not that I’m complaining of course.”
“The rocks help shield this part of the beach from the rougher currents while I heal.” She pointed. Those dark eyes glimmered again, looking him up and down. “And you interest me.”
“Do you…often find humans interesting?”
Her lips pressed together, a small smile pulling at them. “Not usually.”
He allowed himself to feel a small pulse of pride at that.
∗ ∗ ∗
The next few days, he spent every free moment that he had in the ocean, swimming at Alice’s side. She had giggled when she first saw his snorkel gear, taking his hand in hers to pull him along with her. Even wearing fins on his feet, her tail was significantly more powerful when it came to moving through the water.
“I want to show you something,” she had said on the second to last night before her pod was due to return, taking his hand as soon as he had his goggles situated over his eyes. She pulled him along until they came to a wall of rock. “We have to dive here,” she explained, letting him come up for air. Robert frowned.
“I can’t hold my breath for very long, Allie.”
Alice smiled kindly. “Don’t worry, I won’t drown you. Just hold onto me and I’ll pull you along.” She swam closer to him and grabbed his arms, looping them around her back, then wrapped her own around his waist. “Like this.”
Robert swore that his heart stopped for a moment. “O-okay.”
She grinned at him in a way that suggested to him that she very much knew the effect that she was having on him. “Deep breath, now.”
He sucked in a huge gulp of air, and she plunged them both down into the water. As they dove down, down, down, he pressed himself in closer to her and felt her give him a reassuring squeeze in response. He could feel the strong beats of her tail knocking against his legs, her bare breasts pressing into his chest. She guided them through a forest of kelp, and then under a wall of rock, where it gave way to hollowness, and then they were ascending, his ears popping a little with the sudden change in pressure, lungs just starting to burn when his head finally broke the surface and he drew in great gasps of air.
“Alright?” Alice asked, guiding him over to a ledge he could cling to as he caught his breath. He nodded, looking around as his lungs filled themselves.
“Whoa.”
She had brought them into a little cave, half filled with water, the blue of the water reflecting off the dark walls, giving the entire area a mystical blue glow.
Pushing with his arms, he hefted himself up to sit on the ledge he’d just been clinging to, looking around. Alice hopped up alongside him, huffing a little when she pulled her heavy tail half out of the water so she could sit next to him.
“This is so pretty, Al,” he said, still looking around.
“I thought you would like it.”
He spotted a seashell washed ashore in the space next to him. Carefully, he picked it up, examining the swirling patterns and little ridges.
“Robert?”
“I don’t want you to go.” The words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them. She reached out to touch his hands, and when he forced himself to shamefully meet her eyes, it was to find them filled with tears.
“I have to,” she said softly, and leaned in to touch her forehead to his. “But I don’t want to leave you behind.”
A stutter went through his lungs, and he realized that he was dangerously close to crying.
“I could still come and visit. When my pod is in the area.”
“When will that be?”
“I…I don’t know, exactly. We move around a lot. We’re nomadic.”
“I know,” he remembered her telling him. He remembered everything that she said to him. She touched his cheek tenderly. “It’s okay,” he told her, even though it really wasn’t. But he wasn’t about to ask her to give up her family just so he could see her whenever we wanted.
It really would be just his luck that he finally managed to make a genuine friend, and she turned out to be a mythical creature whose entire existence was spent traveling from place to place.
“Robert?”
“Mm?”
“You…you really don’t seem happy with your life.” There was something in her voice. Like she was feeling things out. Weighing a suggestion in her mind.
He opened his mouth, intending to give the usual excuses and half truths, then closed it again. “I hate every bit of it.” There was a weight that seemed to lift from his shoulders at finally admitting it, a lightness growing in his chest. He could feel Alice watching him.
“We should get back before it gets dark,” was all she eventually said, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it tightly.
∗ ∗ ∗
On the last night before Alice was due to return to her pod, he barely could bring himself to go down to the pier. As if the lack of his presence would somehow delay her departure.
He didn’t know how he was going to bear even looking at the ocean once she was gone. Already it felt like a hole was opening up inside his heart. Never to be filled again.
She was waiting for him as she had been every day since they’d told each other their names.
“Hello.”
“Hi,” he sat down on the end of the wooden dock, looking down at her, trying to memorize her face. “So I guess that this is it, isn’t it?”
A strange look crossed her features, lips parting, then pressing together. He could see her weighing something in her mind again. “Maybe…maybe it doesn’t have to be.”
A spark of hope flickered in his chest, but he didn’t dare let it ignite. Not yet. “What do you mean?”
“There’s a way that I can take you with me.” She swam a little closer to the edge of the pier. “But it’s permanent. You’d have to leave everything and everyone behind. Forever. You can never go back.”
He stared at her, the spark in his chest catching flame and beginning to burn brightly. Go back to what? A father that hated him? A company he despised? A life that he hated? Friends who had only ever gotten close to him for his money and status?
“Yes.” The word fell from his lips easily. “Whatever it is, yes. Just take me with you.”
She smiled, entire face blooming brightly with it, eyes shimmering happily. She rose up a little higher out of the water, and he leaned forward so that their faces were closer.
“You’re sure that there’s no one you need to say goodbye to? Nothing left that you need to do?”
He thought of his father, who would more than likely be relieved at his disappearance. Even Uncle Peter, who at least did a better job than his father ever had when it came to pretending to care about him, would probably be pleased at him vanishing. Without Robert around, it was likely that everything Maurice Fischer owned would pass to Uncle Peter upon his death.
“I’m sure.”
She rested her hands on his knees, her face so close to his that their foreheads nearly touched. “Close your eyes,” she whispered. He did as she said without question, and then she rose up out of the water, and kissed him.
At the same second that their lips touched, she grabbed tightly onto his shoulders, and dragged him down into the water with her, plunging them under the waves. Robert grabbed onto her strong back, closing his eyes, and thought that even if she did drown and devour him down there in the dark depths of the ocean, that would be alright. At least he’d die happy.
Sharp tingling erupted all across his skin. His legs were paralyzed. The sides of his neck were burning, like the skin was splitting apart in places. But none of that mattered when Alice’s lips were gently parting his, the kiss deepening.
When she parted from him, hands still resting on his shoulders, her long dark hair floating around her like halo, he drew in a rattling breath, staring up at her dreamily.
It took him a moment to realize that they were still underwater, and yet he could breathe.
Alice’s face split into a grin, brushing a thumb across his lips, eyes looking him up and down approvingly. “It suits you.”
“What–” she kissed him again before he could finish the question. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. When they parted, she rested her forehead on his while he finally looked down at himself, jaw dropping open when he was greeted not with his two legs, but a tail, light blue scales shimmering against the light. Webbing had sprouted between his fingers, and when he reached one hand up to feel at his throat, it was to find that three slits of gills had opened up on either side.
“Come on,” Alice said, still grinning. “I want to introduce you to the others.”
He dove forward to kiss her again, and she giggled against his mouth, cupping the sides of his face. Her tail coiled around his, the movement seeming deeply intimate, causing a groan to rumble from his throat.
“Thank you,” he told her sincerely, cradling both sides of her face. Alice smiled, taking his hand, beginning to pull him along towards the deep, wide ocean.
“Shall we go?”
Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!
19 notes
·
View notes
Text
Welcome!
My name is Lily. I am 24, use she/her pronouns, and am a fanfiction writer as well as a self-admitted film snob. I am obsessed with Peaky Blinders, and all of the fanfiction I write is focused on my OC Lucy Winters and her relationship with Tommy Shelby.
18+ ONLY. Minors do not interact.
You can also find me on Archive of Our Own.
I am always happy to chat, so please feel free to send me an ask or DM anytime! Mutuals are welcome to ask for my Discord!
Embers in the Frost
(IN PROGRESS)
Prince Thomaryon Targaryen had resigned himself to a life of nothing but politics, until a trip up north saw him finding warmth in the coldest, darkest of places.
Love Me Where I'm Most Ruined
They call him the Devil. They tell her to stay clear of him. They warn her that he'll steal her soul. But Lucy Winters came to Small Health fleeing monsters and unspeakable trauma. And her soul seems but a small price to pay in exchange for the things that Tommy Shelby has to offer her.
Nocturnal Me
There’s something sitting on the edge of the bed, and it wants her husband.
If you read my work, please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!
144 notes
·
View notes
Text
I reblogged a post from this on my other blog but I wanted to reblog the whole thing here, such a good read 📚
Welcome!
I'm going to update this list as I post more. So make sure to check periodically!
Anon Office Hours: Wed 12:30pm - Friday 6:30pm. (EST)
PLEASE CAPITALIZE THE IDENTITY OF "BLACK" IN YOUR ASKS TO ME ☺️
"Your posts are too long"- Teacher's Note
Feedback Rules
FAQs!
Lesson 1: "White Man Painted Black"?
Lesson 1.5: "Hair for Thought"- how visualizing affects your writing
Lesson 2: “That One Hairstyle? RETIRE IT!” Black Hair is an Art (pt.1)
Lesson 2.1: Addendum to Hair pt 1
Lesson 2: "It Takes HOW LONG?" Black Hair is an Art (pt.2)
Application! Examples of Protective Hair Coverings
Application! Ice's Lazy Loc Wash Routine
Application! How to: Simplified Braid
Application! Daisy E's Simplified Hair Drawing
Lesson 3: "Defying the Default"- Skin Tones and the Presence of Black Characters
Application! What are Black fans looking for in Commissions?
Lesson 4: "Do Black People Blush?" Bringing brown complexions to life
Application! Humanæ- Resource for Skin Palettes!
Lesson 5: "The Same Place As the Music" Lighting & Color
Lesson 6: "Let's Have A Talk, First" Stereotypes, pt 1
Lesson 6: “Why’s she so rude?” (She’s Not)- Stereotypes, pt 2
Lesson 6: "Is He the Threat (Or Are You?)"- Stereotypes, pt 3
Application! How to Spot a Stereotype: An Example
Lesson 7: "That's the Black one!"- Imagery and "Black-Coded" Characters
Lesson 8: “Across cultures, darker people suffer most. Why?” Multiethnic and Multicultural Blackness
Lesson 9: “Romance Will Not Solve Racism”- Interracial/Biracial/Blended Black and White Relationships and Families
Lesson 10: “The Ambiguously Brown Character™”- The Attachment to Eurocentric Beauty Standards
Lesson 11: “No, That’s Not ‘How Color Works’.” - Whitewashing
Lesson 12: “The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth” - Violence, Violent Imagery & Black Horror
Lesson 13: “It’s Giving” AAVE, and the Denied Yet Undeniable Impact of Black Culture
11K notes
·
View notes
Text
If you guys are like me, and you struggle a little with describing locations, can I suggest…

as a lifesaver.
6K notes
·
View notes
Text
This gif was sent to me by my dear friend @novashelby for the gif-inspired drabble requests I encouraged readers to send me. Thank you for the request, Nova! Once again, this turned into a one shot rather than a drabble. 🤦♀️
Upon seeing this gif, I immediately couldn’t help thinking of another situation where Tommy is chasing his woman. Therefore, I ended up writing this with the idea that it’s a little prequel to It Can Wait, the other gif-inspired request I just wrote for my friend @runnning-outof-time.
So, here’s Tommy and Y/N from It Can Wait several years earlier. Notice any behaviors that haven’t changed??? 😉👀😉👀
Come And Get It
One shot: Tommy Shelby x Female Reader
No smut. Mildly suggestive.
•.•.•.•.•
Thomas Shelby never chased anything.
Or anyone.
No. Anything he wanted, he obtained through influence and power, making it happen. It was all brought to him, acquired through other means and tactics under his direction. His status? His power? His reach? He hadn’t chased it; he’d crafted and created it. He’d never had to chase anything, and he assured himself he never would.
And as far as female company went, he never had to chase that, either. The women, they all came to him. Willingly and earnestly, practically crawling to him with the yearning of an eager kitten. He could have his pick of any one of them, and he never chased a single one.
Until her.
For months now, it had been a game of cat and mouse, yet in this case, Tommy was in the previously unfamiliar position of being the eager feline.
From the moment he’d met her, Y/N had captivated Tommy in a way no other woman ever had. Something about her sparkled from the inside out, a vibrance and warmth that won over everyone she encountered. But what called to Tommy more than anything was that she was also a charming troublemaker, witty and sassy with a knack for pushing his buttons in the most frustratingly enticing way, and always leaving him wanting more. She knew the power, the influence, the status Thomas Shelby held, and yet, unlike all the other women, she hadn’t just fallen at his feet.
For months, she’d dangled the carrot, keeping Tommy on his toes and him thinking about her constantly. She’d teased him with plenty of close calls, but always pulled back, taking pleasure in his obvious frustration and always looking for new ways to push his buttons.
But, surprisingly, Tommy had discovered he very much enjoyed the chase, particularly because he knew that, despite her tormenting him, Y/N was just as drawn to him as he was to her. And with every new close call, it was clear she was closer and closer to the brink of giving in, and her little games had become unspoken foreplay between them, her playing hard to get on the verge of an ending that coincided with Tommy’s last threads of patience.
The next time he chased her, she wouldn’t get away.
And that’s exactly what he’d been doing. Chasing her.
Outside the Garrison that night, a large group of them had lingered as they chatted and smoked, the group of friends Y/N was with having finished their drinks for the night and preparing to head home. But while everyone else was milling around in the street, Tommy had remained near the door, leaning against the building as he silently smoked a cigarette. Ordinarily, the last thing he’d be doing was standing around like this, but he wasn’t going to let Y/N out of his sight when surrounded by several other men who’d been served one too many, Arthur and John included amongst that group.
Upon turning around after laughing at something her friend said, Y/N’s gaze landed on Tommy, his cap pulled low and his eyes zeroed in on her beneath it as the tip of his cigarette glowed between his lips. A mischievous smile on her face, Y/N approached Tommy and then stopped in front of him, holding his gaze as she spoke.
“Do you ever do anything other than brood, Mr. Shelby?” she asked him teasingly. “A bit of friendly mingling might do some good for that recurring moody glare of yours.”
Calmly lifting his hand to his mouth, Tommy pulled his cigarette from his lips and exhaled the smoke before replying.
“I don’t mingle, love,” he replied as they continued to look at each other. “I prefer to get right to the point.”
Rolling her eyes and giving another smile, Y/N then stepped even closer to Tommy, stopping right in front of him.
“Always so serious beneath that cap,” she said, her eyes briefly lifting to his hat before then looking at him again. “You need to learn to have some fun, Thomas.”
Flicking his cigarette away then, Tommy pushed off the wall and stood up straight, his chest just brushing hers as he did.
“I’m not sure that you’d be able to handle the kind of fun I enjoy,” he said to her then, his voice especially low.
The mischievous smile still on her face, Y/N ever so slightly pressed her chest more against Tommy’s.
“You don’t think so, hm?” she said.
“No,” he answered, his eyes burning into hers. “But trust me, love…” he fully pressed their chests together then as he paused for effect, “…I know how to have it.”
For the briefest of seconds, Tommy could see the flash of desirous intimidation in Y/N’s eyes. But once more, her beautiful orbs then twinkled with renewed mischief, and she smiled as she lifted her gaze to the top of Tommy’s head, along with her hand. Before he could stop her, Y/N reached out and quickly plucked Tommy’s cap off his head, and their eyes locked for a final moment.
“Prove it,” she said, and then she took off down the street.
It was with every slam of his feet against the cobblestones that Tommy’s determination and arousal intensified as he ran after her. Up ahead, he could hear Y/N giggling and calling out rushed apologies to the few others in the street whom she narrowly missed or bumped into as she darted between them.
Tommy’s hat still in her grasp, Y/N looked over her shoulder to see him several yards behind her, his brothers trailing him. While having no context of the situation, Arthur and John had enthusiastically followed after Tommy anyway, eager for a fight in their slightly drunken state and assuming Tommy was in pursuit of someone to beat up. But Y/N was Tommy’s only focus, and as he rushed past every spot and pedestrian that she’d dashed by just seconds before, he realized somewhere in the back of his mind that this was a woman he’d never tire of chasing.
Reaching the lively end of the long street where music was drifting out from inside the still open jazz club, Y/N had nowhere else to go but inside. Tommy still down the street about a half dozen yards, Y/N reached for the handle of the door of the club, hurriedly pulling it open with her free hand and darting inside. Pausing for the briefest moment to look around, she saw there was still a hefty amount of patrons throughout the large room and at the bar despite the late hour, and she did her best to quickly blend in amongst them, her eyes fixed on the door where she knew she’d soon see Tommy.
Having remained completely focused on Y/N up ahead, Tommy had seen her pause for a split second before rushing inside the jazz club at the end of the street. As he himself reached the door, he paid no mind to Arthur and John as they breathlessly followed behind him, still oblivious to their brother’s actual target.
He himself slightly winded and his hair disheveled from the way Y/N had pulled his cap from his head, Tommy was breathing unsteadily through his mouth as he entered the main room of the club. His eyes scanned the area slowly, carefully, intent on finding Y/N amongst the crowd and ignoring the several odd looks he was getting from the club’s patrons as he made his way through the room. Walking with slow intention, Tommy’s eyes looked everywhere and his head was turning in all different directions as he searched for Y/N, determination once again coursing through him as he did.
Already distracted by some other women who had caught their eyes, Arthur and John soon lost interest in Tommy’s endeavor, and they no longer followed him as he prowled through the room.
But as soon as Tommy had entered the club after her, Y/N had spotted him, and when she saw him making his way closer and closer to the bar as he searched for her, she subconsciously gripped his cap more tightly in her hand.
It was when a small group at the bar shifted and moved that Tommy finally spotted her, the group’s minor commotion enough to have grabbed Tommy’s attention. His cap still in her hand, Y/N stood at the bar, her cover now blown, and as Tommy spotted her and their eyes locked, his parted lips were suddenly forming into a predatory smile as it was clear Y/N realized she now had nowhere else to go.
Or so Tommy thought.
But as he was still holding her eyes and closing the remaining space between them, Y/N suddenly moved again, stepping away from the bar and making her way back towards the entrance, once again dodging people as she wove through the crowd. She and Tommy’s eyes remained locked the entire time, and as Tommy made his way back though the room as he yet again followed her, he was thinking about the one hundred and one ways he’d show her just what a big mistake she’d made by testing him once he had her truly without an escape.
Nearing the front door of the club once more, Y/N was walking backwards to keep her eyes on Tommy as he followed her, the two of them in a silent showdown. But just before she reached for the door, Tommy spoke, his voice heavy with threatening desire.
“I’m going to need that back, love,” he said, gesturing to his cap still in her hand. “And if you know what’s good for you, you won’t make me come after you for it again.”
Her smile unfolding across her face once more, Y/N lifted her hand that clutched his cap.
“You want it, Thomas?” she said seductively as she dangled the cap tauntingly in the air. She then used her other hand as well to grasp the cap and smugly tugged it down onto her own head.
“Then come and get it,” she finished.
His gaze unrelenting, Tommy replied.
“You’re on incredibly thin ice, darling,” he said in a warning tone. “Now, am I going to get what I want, or do you plan on running again?”
They both knew that they weren’t just talking about Tommy’s hat.
“What do you think?” Y/N replied with a smirk, and she pushed the door of the club open partially in indication that she planned to take off again.
“Alright, go on then,” Tommy said, and he jerked his head towards the door, “I’ll even give you an intentional head start this time. But keep in mind that wherever you lead us next, you’d better hope it’s warm inside.”
Her self-assuredness slightly faltering at Tommy’s words, Y/N furrowed her brow in confusion, her head tilting.
“What? Why?” she couldn’t stop herself from asking.
At that, Tommy gave her a look that would have stopped a lesser woman’s heart, and upon hearing his next words, Y/N was squeezing her thighs together and quickly trying to think of the next nearest place she could lead him that offered some secluded warmth.
“Because, love,” Tommy said, his voice lower than she’d ever heard it and his devilish smirk returning, “once I catch you, that hat is going to be the only article of clothing that I leave on your body.”
@novashelby @runnning-outof-time @xsweetcatastrophe @meister95 @toobusyshrimping
@ennui-whimsy-and-me @ryecosse @teawonderfultea-blog1 @febris-amatoria @allie131313
@garrison-girl-08 @beastofburdenxo @zablife @evita-shelby @wonderlanddreamer
@breakthestereo @mrs-bond @cillmurphyslover @cillianbabe @bleakmidwinter00
@bouquet-and-pearls @nyxxie-pooh @fuseburner @neonpurplestars89-blog @alltoowellbeneaththemangotree
@mischievouslittlecreature @fkmarrycill @vastcapacity @galactict3a @pkmonka
@birdaquarius @mostly-marvel-musings @hairica
129 notes
·
View notes
Text
😑
SIGH...
I ended up turning off "all connected experiences" because I have to use word :/ and the optional check box wasn't showing >_> hmmm....
Also, for anyone who uses outlook for email you have to disable it there too separately from the rest. Go to your email, click settings, general, privacy and data, scroll down to privacy settings and click, then scroll to connected experiences and turn it off.
Microsoft Office, like many companies in recent months, has slyly turned on an “opt-out” feature that scrapes your Word and Excel documents to train its internal AI systems. This setting is turned on by default, and you have to manually uncheck a box in order to opt out.
If you are a writer who uses MS Word to write any proprietary content (blog posts, novels, or any work you intend to protect with copyright and/or sell), you’re going to want to turn this feature off immediately.How to Turn off Word’s AI Access To Your Content
I won’t beat around the bush. Microsoft Office doesn’t make it easy to opt out of this new AI privacy agreement, as the feature is hidden through a series of popup menus in your settings:On a Windows computer, follow these steps to turn off “Connected Experiences”:
File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Privacy Options > Privacy Settings > Optional Connected Experiences > Uncheck box: “Turn on optional connected experiences”
38K notes
·
View notes
Note
The dad that's at the designated parent pick up 20 minutes early 😂
could u pls write girl dad cillian ?? its ok if u dont btw i love ur writing and i hope u have a good day . :)
I have two series where Cillian is a girl Dad. The Other Woman and Scandal. Link Here But a write this little one shot for you too.
The First Day
Pairing - Cillian and Reader ( Not based on his real life)
As Cillian drank the last sips of his tea, he placed the mug into the dishwasher. Standing back up, he gazed over at the table and watched his four-year-old daughter finish her breakfast. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach as today was a big day – it was her first day at school. Seeing her in her uniform was already too much for him to take.
He had been feeling emotional all morning. Quinn was his little sidekick, when he was home, she was attached to him. They did everything together. Now, she was going to be at school all day, and he would soon be away again to shoot the Peaky Movie. He was going to miss his family so much.
Walking into the kitchen carrying your new born daughter, you handed her to Cillian. Greeting him with a kiss, "How was gym?" you asked with a smile. He had left at 6am this morning, for an intense session.
"Mmm OK," he answered, watching you wipe Quinn's face, he adjusted his new born daughter Scarlett in his arms. She was only two weeks old and had been awake most of the night. Cillian knew you would be tired from feeding her all night, but you wanted to take Quinn to school with him.
"Right little miss, let's go and brush your hair," you announced, helping her down from the table. "You didn't get breakfast on your uniform did you?"
"No Mummy," she pouted, glancing up at you through dark lashes, her blue eyes sparkling. "Is Daddy taking me too?"
"Of course I am," Cillian answered, walking towards her. "You go with Mummy, while I put Scarlett in the pram, yeah?"
Nodding, she ran off rushing upstairs to brush her teeth. "You ok?" you asked, wrapping your arms around his toned waist. Pressing your lips to his, as his hat bumped against your forehead.
"Honestly..." he trailed off, "No.... I mean, she's too young for school, right?"
Hiding your grin, you maintained your composure. 'Cill, they are all four years old, and there are sixty children starting today. Two big classes. We can't stop her from going to school, she's ready for it,"
"Is she?" he countered back, with a frown, watching you walk away. He knew you were right, you always were. And he was so lucky, to be able to take his daughter on her big day. Luckily, his schedule had worked out well, with the new baby coming and Quinn going to school.
Minutes later, you were all walking to school, you pushing the pram, Cillian holding Quinn's hand. Still in his gym attire, dark glasses on and a hat pulled low. Luckily where you lived, people were very respectful. Didn't ask for pictures, or treat him as Mr Hollywood.
Rushing through the school gates, Quinn let go of Cillian's hand. "Orla!" she yelled, racing to her friend, as they embraced each other.
"Aw how cute," you smiled, watching the girls together. Feeling Cillian wrap his arm around your shoulder, glancing into the pram at Scarlett. He would have to do all of this again, in four years time.
"Morning, I haven't stopped crying since I woke up," Orla's Mum Stef stated, standing beside you both. "They seem so small,"
"See..." Cillian sighed, looking down at you over his glasses, "They are too young,"
Chuckling at his statement, you turned back to Stef. "Cill would just keep her at home if he could," you teased, nudging him.
"Watch me, Daddy," Quinn called over as she twirled around with her friend.
"Secretly, I am looking forward to some peace," she laughed, "I don't work on a Monday, but you have started all over again. I couldn't go back to the sleepless nights, you look great though, Y/n,"
"I don't feel it," you scoffed, your breasts were heavy, stomach still swollen, but it was all worth it.
Hearing the bell ring, you beckoned Quinn over to say goodbye. Bending down, you kissed her little cheek. Straightening her tie, "Now you be a big brave girl for Mummy, I cannot wait to hear all about your day,"
"I will," she smiled at you, letting Cillian take her hand, walking her over to the teacher. You had a lump in your throat, trying not to get upset in front of Quinn. She was so excited.
"Now my little Quinny, have the best day, yeah?" Cillian told his daughter, "Me and Mummy will come and pick you up, love you," Hugging her tight, he didn't want to let go.
"Love you, Daddy," she replied, skipping off into the classroom with her friend. Leaving Cillian gazing after her, slowly he turned shoulder slumped, walking back over to you. Looking like he was lost.
"Come on," you tried to smile, wiping your own eyes. Taking hold of the pram, Cillian walked out of the gates with you.
"She will be ok, right?" he asked, for the tenth time. Rubbing his fingers along his lips nervously.
"Of course she will, she will love it," you reassured, hoping the day passed quickly and it would soon be pick up time.
Tagging- @cloudofdisney @lauren-raines-x @being-worthy @janelongxox @ntmynouis
@thenattitude @katsav17 @answer-the-sirens @kathrinemelissa @queenshelby
@geminiwolves @lyarr24 @ysmmsy @margoo0 @mysticaldeanvoidhorse
@dolllol2405 @cheekybluefox @alreadybroken-ts @peaky-cillian @look-at-the-soul
@lespendy @cillmequick @raychhh @captivatedbycillianmurphy @castellandiangelo
@blondie-22 @midnightmagpiemama @elenavampire21 @camilleholland89 @cljordan-imperium
@peakyscillian @muhahaha303 @already-broken144 @pono-pura-vida @cillshot
@ietss @powerlvr25 @kmc1989 @nadloves @amberpanda99
@bernelflo @trixie23 @laylasbunbunny @lau219 @surfin-the-sun
@fiokw @in0320 @brummiereader @girlwith-thepearlearring
@neonpurplestars89-blog @ladyvenera @palomavz @hagarsays
@niktwazny303 @aprilsfrog05 @kxnnxy @missmomof3
256 notes
·
View notes
Text
Beautifully written!
Hope
Part 1
…………………………………………………………………………….

It had been eight months that they’d been living like this, all together in the cramped little apartment, taking turns sleeping on the one bed, using the one bath, making meals each day. And as unnatural as the entire situation was, it grew to feel somewhat normal and domestic, like one big, mismatched family. They’d been thrown together without any prior knowledge of each other, but the time together had allowed for a closeness to form amongst them all. It served the situation well, as any onlookers and bystanders were easily convinced that the two couples were meant to be together. Little did anyone know that they were all a part of this harrowing situation.
But there was a big part of her that didn’t want it to be an act. She kept this a secret, of course, not even sharing with Marie how she felt. But over the course of the last eight months, a warmth and devotion towards Josef had grown within her, and that soon grew even more into what she was afraid was love. Every time she allowed herself to acknowledge it, she just as quickly admonished herself. How could she be so foolish as to let herself have these feelings? This situation was fabricated, and not permanent, and, in the most basic form, it was an act. She had been a part of similar situations before, albeit not quite as lengthy or involved, but never had she ever let emotion cloud her. Until now.
It wasn’t just one thing; it was everything about him. Quiet, stoic, and intense, he was always reserved and practical, but he was also thoughtful, kind, and ever the gentleman. He was dedicated and focused, and at first glance, one might think enough experiences had caused him to be hardened, as he gave little away. But over time, she had come to learn him, to understand his looks and his body language. He was hardened, in fact, but not by what he’d been through, exactly. Moreso, it was the fact that he’d had to go through any of it at all. He was sad. Sad that this was the life he had to live, that any chance of normalcy had been robbed from him long ago. She could tell that each day, he functioned somewhat on automatic, trying to ignore the fact that this was what his life was. And it hurt so much to watch because he was such a good man.
He didn’t deserve that, she thought. None of them did. When it came down to it, they’d all been forced into this life, unaware of how much it would consume them and chart their courses for them. Had any of them known, they’d never have agreed to be involved in the first place. But war brought about all kinds of scenarios that no one would have ever dreamed of, and it would be a safe bet to say that their former selves would never recognize the people they were today.
Yet, she always remained hopeful. Hopeful that this would one day end, that normalcy, or some sense of it, could be hers again – could be for everyone. She refused to let herself completely resign to the idea that her life could end this way. And she tried so hard to make others believe the same. As she and Josef would walk together, she’d insert a hopeful remark here and there, trying to lighten the weight he carried that was always felt but never seen. When he’d talk about things he’d hoped for as a younger man, he always said it with the finality that it would never be. She couldn’t bear to hear it, and so she’d do as much as she could to try and bring a smile to his face, to offer him hope. She willed him to believe it, but she had the fear that she hadn’t been successful.
At the same time, though, she did her best not to overstep. She knew she had no right to project anything onto him, and outside of the occasional times when they got more personal, she did her best to mind her own business. The less she provoked, the better, she thought. Just let them be, she thought. She again reminded herself that she had no right to be a part of their real lives.
However, no matter how much she’d reminded herself of that, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from falling for him, and she felt ashamed for letting it happen. He was everything she could want, and she found herself daydreaming of another world, one in which they’d met naturally, where his handsome face wasn’t always tinged with sadness, and where he chose to be around her because he wanted to be, not because he had to be. Of course, he’d never made her feel as if he didn’t want her around, but it wasn’t as if any of them had a choice. But there were times when, for the briefest moments, she’d catch him looking at her in a way that made her heart forget their situation, that felt like he saw her as she hoped he would. In those moments, she’d had to stop herself from reaching for him.
She had awoken that day with a new resolve to ignore it all and simply focus on the task at hand. It had been easy enough earlier in the day, as she and Marie had been away from the apartment all day to retrieve information from various intel sources. They’d even had a scare when gunfire had rung out at a storefront as they’d walked by, but it turned out to be from a disagreement between two shop owners, one of which apparently lost his temper. Her heart had raced as they’d thrown themselves to the ground, and it seemed almost comical now that she was unscathed.
When she and Marie had arrived back at the apartment, both Josef and Jan immediately jumped from their chairs where they’d been sitting at the small dining table, having heard about what happened. Marie and Jan had rushed to each other, meeting in the middle of the room for a heated embrace, yet she stayed at the doorway. After watching them for a moment, she felt Josef’s eyes on her, and when she looked to him, his expression was one she couldn’t read. He almost seemed to be, dare she say, restraining himself, and her heart pounded when he opened his mouth to speak. But almost immediately, he decided against it, and she simply gave him a small nod before turning back around to remove her coat and hat. She then went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face before excusing herself to go downstairs to the landlady’s apartment.
She was grateful she had agreed to watch the woman’s small grandbaby for a few hours, needing the distraction. She had hoped to have Marie for emotional support after all they’d been through that day, but as she carried the baby back into the apartment, she found her and Jan putting on their coats and heading for the door she’d just come through.
“There’s a band playing at the pub down the street,” Marie explained as they stopped on their way out. “Won’t you come with us?”
She said nothing, simply gesturing to the baby on her hip.
“Why on Earth did you agree to that?” Marie asked. “How long?”
“It’s only for a couple of hours,” she responded. “For all that woman has done for us, the least I could do was allow her a short time’s peace to visit her husband at the hospital. Besides, it will be nice to have a little lightheartedness around here.” She looked at all of them, including Josef, who stood in the kitchen, leaning against the sink. “I think I may cry if I have to spend another night around all of you.”
They all had laughed, but she noticed how Josef’s expression had quickly returned to a serious one. Although she’d turned away, she could still feel his eyes on her as she’d said goodbye to Marie, waving the baby’s small hand at her and Jan as they’d rushed down the stairs. She had then closed her eyes briefly and silently inhaled a deep breath, steeling herself before closing the door and turning around. Josef was likely highly annoyed that a baby would be disrupting his evening.
“You didn’t care to join them?” she’d asked him.
“No,” he’d replied simply, still standing across the room.
“Well, I’m sorry to do this to you,” she apologized. “I thought for certain that I would be alone, or at least that it would only be Marie and myself. I didn’t mean to disrupt your evening.”
“It’s fine,” he’d replied, and when the baby suddenly cooed and grabbed her finger with a squeal, the hint of a smile spread across his face as he watched her laugh.
“It suits you,” he said, looking between her and the baby.
Her eyes shot to him at his words, a blush dancing across her cheeks as their eyes met. The moment felt suffocatingly intimate, and she had to look away from him. Fortunately, the baby was making enough noise to keep away an awkward silence, and when he stretched his arms out towards Josef, she smiled.
“I think someone likes you,” she said to Josef, allowing herself to look at him again. “Would you like to hold him?”
A look of hesitancy crossed his face, and he didn’t move away from the sink. Nevertheless, she walked to him with the baby, stopping in front of him and smiling.
“Go on,” she encouraged him quietly. “It will be good for you.”
Josef glanced at her again briefly before looking down at the baby. She shifted him in her arms and then passed him to Josef, who gave one more look of uncertainty before awkwardly taking him from her. Their bodies brushed as she helped him adjust the baby, and she guided his hands to where best to hold him. After a moment of awkwardness, Josef seemed to (almost) happily surrender to the situation, and when she saw the two of them smile at each other, she physically had to turn around and look away, the entire sight being too much to take. But when the baby squealed again, she turned back around.
“Alright, let’s take you in the other room, shall we?” she said to the baby, not allowing herself to look at Josef again. Keeping her eyes lowered, she gently took the baby from him and turned around, walking into the sitting room and making the baby comfortable on the floor.
The few hours passed without incident, and she managed to keep the baby happy and entertained, singing to him and making him laugh, bouncing him on her lap or walking around the room with him. Not once did she let herself look beyond the room for Josef, and, in fact, he’d been so quiet that by the time the landlady had knocked on the door to retrieve the baby, she’d nearly forgotten he was there. She chatted with the landlady at the door for several minutes before stepping back inside and closing the door. As she turned into the kitchen, her eyes met Josef’s, who was standing near the sink again, watching her. Her heart pounded, but rather than indulging herself in foolish thoughts, she headed towards the bedroom, grateful for the distraction of the baby’s extra blanket that the landlady had left behind. She’d return it to her tomorrow, she thought, and she picked it up off the bed and carefully began folding it. But soon, the sound of Josef stopping at the door caused her heart to skip a beat.
“In another life, I’d make you my wife,” he said quietly.
Her heart completely stopped, and when she turned around and met his eyes, she briefly forgot how to breathe.
“What?” she whispered, hardly able to form the word.
He stepped the rest of the way into the room, stopping in front of her, his eyes never leaving hers.
“In another place, in another time, I would make you my wife,” he repeated. “You would be mine. You would have my children. And you’d let me love you.”
She could hardly comprehend what he was saying, her blood pounding in her ears as she looked at him. Yet, she couldn’t stop her own words that came next.
“I would never have to let you,” she said, shaking her head slightly. “I would willingly be yours...in an instant.”
Josef’s jaw clenched as he reached for her, his hand slipping behind her neck and gripping it firmly with possession.
“You would?” he asked.
“I am,” she replied. “I’m yours.”
He shook his head, stroking the back of her neck as he pulled her closer.
“Not here, not now. It’s been taken from us.”
“No, Josef,” she said as she shook her head, tears silently running down her cheeks. “It can happen. Here and beyond.” She raised her hands and gripped his shirt. “You speak so certainly about impossibility. What about the opposite? You have to have hope, Josef. Don’t live as if you’re already dead. Please!”
Looking down into her eyes, he slipped his hands to her cheeks, cradling her face. His eyes were full of love and heartache. With the direction his life had taken, never did he expect to find a woman like this. A woman so full of love and compassion, yet so strong and resilient. Someone who had every reason to be mad at the world, but instead was full of light and kindness and beauty, and who grasped at hope. Hell, he hadn’t wanted to find her, resigned to the fact that his life couldn’t be that way, and that it would in all likelihood be cut short at any moment. What was the point of love if it was met with death? But she had made her way into his heart against all odds.
Pulling her even closer, he closed his eyes tightly and rested his forehead against hers. For the first time, he allowed himself the tiniest sliver of hope for beyond all this. Hope for a life with her in his arms. A life where the good swept away the bad.
“I love you,” he whispered to her.
Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and stroked his hair.
“I love you,” she echoed back to him. “So much that it hurts. But we have to believe that there’s a future beyond all this. We have to.” She pulled back enough to look at him, touching his cheek as he continued to hold her.
“Make me,” he said as he looked into her eyes. “Make me believe.”
When their lips met, her knees buckled, and Josef held her against him as they both became lost in each other. Hope, love, and desire rendered each of them helpless, and as they made love, time seemed to stand still, their bodies and their emotions connecting in a painfully beautiful way. When the room fell silent, Josef held her against him as she drifted off to sleep. As the light of the moon shone through the small window and highlighted her beautiful face, he clung to her tighter. Clung to her, and to hope. The hope that, somehow, they would come out of all this on the other side. Together.
Part 2
@neonpurplestars89-blog
64 notes
·
View notes
Text

(Ongoing Series - Story is sans “Y/N”)
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
*While Josef Gabcik was a real person, this story is intended as fictional and was written with the idea of Josef as a character, embodied by Cillian Murphy. No offense or disregard to the real life people in this story is intended.
27 notes
·
View notes
Text
Other Words to Use (Emotions)
Carefully chosen words have the power to bring a person or story to life and impact the readers' impression. If you’re like most people, though, you often use the same words when writing about emotions. Here are some commonly used words to describe emotions and feelings as well as many alternatives that may help your readers better understand what you're trying to convey.
Happy
HIGH excited, thrilled, ecstatic, elated, intoxicated, captivated, euphoric, joyous, jubilant, overjoyed MODERATE cheerful, upbeat, optimistic, enthusiastic, lively, gleeful, joyful, peppy, delighted, tickled, hopeful LOW merry, light, jolly, up, glad, pleased, blissful, chipper, content, perky, playful
Sad
HIGH grieved, crushed, gloomy, hopeless, heartbroken, devastated, despairing, distraught, heavy-hearted, miserable MODERATE dejected, dismayed, hurt, hurting, disillusioned, downcast, forlorn, glum, cheerless, melancholy LOW down, disappointed, blue, discouraged, low, somber, sorry, unhappy
Angry
HIGH furious, raging, irate, hateful, incensed, hostile, outraged, indignant, exasperated MODERATE aggravated, irritated, irked, upset, annoyed, offended, sulky, ticked off, fuming, sullen, provoked LOW perturbed, hassled, bothered, fuss, fret, displeased, peeved
Scared
HIGH: terrified, overwhelmed, panicked, petrified, alarmed, fearful MODERATE: worried, tense, dread, shaken, anxious, afraid, panicky, panicked LOW: startled, surprised, uneasy, edgy, apprehensive, hesitant, uncomfortable
859 notes
·
View notes
Text
HOW TO WRITE ROMANTIC ATTRACTION FOR DUMMIES
For anyone who wants to learn, (especially aro/ACE, aspec, ect.)
Requested by the lovely @darkandstormydolls
Alrighty! Welcome back or welcome to my blog! I'm dipping my toes back into the category of posts that gained me my exposure!
So if you're here, you want to know how to write romantic attraction/romance!
Strap in and let's begin!

(Pls spread this to people you think would benefit from seeing it, or anyone who requested it bc I forgot, ANY ASPECS)
Step one -
Your characters must admire one another at the beginning, Romantic feelings usually do not present themselves as obvious until you really think them through, meaning your characters may not notice they have a crush until it's too late
These are general statistics and light stereotypes. So feel free to not use this tip:
Male characters usually tend to notice physical things first, like body shape, hair, skin, clothing, the way their lover moves, ect
And Female Characters Generally tend to notice more small things and personality-based traits first, like their lover's humor, speaking mannerisms, shifts in expression, ways they fidget, emotion in their voice, ect.
And someone who is in love will generally show more interest in this particular person's movements, actions, words, and anything in general.
Step 2 -
The character will show more interest in sharing their love language with their lover/crush
Physical touch - People with physical touch love languages may want to hold hands, cuddle, hug, or just lean on their crush whenever they are close to them moreso than they want to with others
Gift giving - Gift givers will want to get more gifts more often for their crush, probably thinking of them whenever they see little trinkets or wanting to get them big gifts for special occasions or signs of appreciation
Acts of Service - Acts of service people will offer to do extra favors and a bunch of extra stuff they don't have to do twice as much as normal
Words of Affirmation - Flattery, they will generally flood their crush with kind words and compliments
Quality time - Quality time people will want to spend time with their crush at almost every turn, and when they want company, will turn to their crush first
Step 3 -
After a while, these urges while become very prominent and more noticeable to the person having them
They may find themselves fantasizing about their crush or having them show up in their thoughts more and more, feeling nicer and happier when they're around, or when they're thinking about them
Smiling when they think about them, cutsey little fluff thingies like that
A crush is essentially: I want to date that, I want to be near that always, I want to marry that, I want that to snuggle me (or other love languages)
Or in simpler terms: if that asked me out, I would say yes (or at least want to say yes if your character is in denial)
Step 4 -
The character's urges to be close to this person grows strong enough that they do smth about it, whether prompted by another character. Or they just don't know I how to not anymore (like when you wanna eat candy and you don't want to, but you do anyway bc I JUST NEED THE CHOCOLATE OKAY?)
(Or for Aro/Ace, garlic bread)
People who are in love are generally very prone to be all dreamy and poetic and VERY EXTREMELY BIASED towards their crush
Then Yada Yada they kiss & shit
You're welcome, BYEEEEEEEE 👋
Happy writing!
Love you! Thanks for reading, And Ghost Tumblr Mother says go drink some water and have a snack, you've earned it, and you are beautiful <333
Have a good day! :]
@blue-kyber @thisisntrocket @cosmolumine @i-do-anything-but-write @paeliae-occasionally
@supercimi @the-letterbox-archives @sunglasses-in-the-bentley @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling @artsandstoriesandstuff
@corinneglass @wyked-ao3 @urnumber1star
4K notes
·
View notes
Text
MASTER LIST OF WRITING ADVICE
Compilation of advice, ideas, and miscellaneous that I've stumbled across and thought was neat and the original poster.
Key-📝- Link to original post, be sure to give it some love!
*still adding to this list!*
If you don't follow me or have stumbled across this page, please refer to my pinned post -> 📌(This pin here😂)
Advice
Creating Black Characters (Full list post) by @creatingblackcharacters 📝
If you can’t think of anything to say about a fic, writers also like to know... by @hazeldomain 📝
So you're stuck trying to solve a writing problem. By (Deactivated)
Types Of Writer’s Block (And How To Fix Them) By @byoldervine 📝
Reblog your own work by @messydiabolical 📝
Ao3 Coding Advice/Ideas linked by @rosemoonweaver 📝
How to make your readers Feel emotions for Dummies by @the-ellia-west 📝
How to write Romantic Attraction for Dummies by @the-ellia-west 📝
Some Things I Wish I Knew as a Baby Writer by @chaoschaoswriting 📝
Habits and quirks for characters by @writing-with-sophia 📝
HOW I TAG ON AO3 - A BEGINNER’S GUIDE by @lullabyknellficlets 📝
Words/Prompts
words to use when writing by @ladynephthyss 📝
words and phrases to describe a character in pain by @maccreadysbaby 📝
Words to use instead of ____ by @literaryvein-reblogs 📝
Commonly Confused Words by @literaryvein-reblogs 📝
Other words to use (Emotions) by @literaryvein-reblogs 📝
Other words to describe your characters instead of by @literaryvein-reblogs 📝
Colors list by (Deactivated)
Fear Elements by @writers-potion 📝
Hurt/Comfort Dialogue compiled by @pookie-and-cereal 📝
List of “sweet and intimate actions which make me go feral and have me folding like a folding chair” prompts by @dumplingsjinson 📝
"𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩…" 𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙛𝙛 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙨 by @delusionisaplace 📝
Sweet words by Firefly-(Deactivated)
Nonverbal Love prompts by @thelonelyempath 📝
How to write a Kiss scene by @youneedsomeprompts 📝
Misc. &Text Posts
Feed your writers by @frownyalfred 📝
How to make text in captions gradient or multicolored by @pixxiesdust 📝
My Ship in Five Minutes by Rosenkow (Deactivated)
Reblog vs Repost by @jplupine 📝
Write by @concerningwolves 📝
How to move your fics from Google Docs to Word by @evilwriter37 (Can't find original post to attach key)
casual intimacy by @elainiisms 📝
Yandere “MBTI” by @ddarker-dreams 📝
Writers Helping Writers books by Deactivated
Turn off AI in Microsoft by @meret118 📝
69 notes
·
View notes
Text
IMAGE, GIF, MOODBOARD
MASTER LIST
Key-📖- link to Original post, give them some love!
Here's a compilation of my favorite Gifs, Icon lists and Moodboards from a bunch of lovely people. Feast! 🍴
*still adding to this list!*
If you don't follow me or have stumbled across this page, please refer to my pinned post -> 📌(This pin here😂)
Moodboards
Neil Lewis
Stuck in a winter storm with Neil posted by @darlingsfandom 📖
Inside of Neil Lewis' House 📼 posted by @darlingsfandom 📖
Robert Fischer
Italy with Robert Fischer posted by @viesanterieures 📖
Multi
All Cillian Murphy Moodboards posted by @viesantewrites 📖
Matthew Joy
Song of Sirens - Matthew Joy posted by @viesanterieures 📖
Gifs/Videos
CILLIAN MURPHY as ROBERT FISCHER in INCEPTION 2010 posted by @christophernolan 📖
Peacock 2010 posted by @youremyvioleta 📖
CILLIAN MURPHY as Tom in The Party (2017) | dir. Sally Potter posted by @august-diehl 📖
Cillian Murphy as a hot teacher wearing glasses and making sandwiches in Broken (2012) posted by @cillianmurphyaddict 📖
PEAKY BLINDERS Season 1 | Episode 3 posted by @cilly-murphy 📖
Cillian Murphy as William Killick in The Edge of Love (2008) posted by @cillsmurph 📖
CILLIAN MURPHY as Dr. Jonathan Crane / The Scarecrow in Batman Begins (2005) posted by @thevelvetgoldmine 📖
CILLIAN MURPHY AS EMMETT IN A QUIET PLACE PART II posted by @cm-edits 📖
MADS MIKKELSEN in Viceværten (1997) posted by @hoom 📖
Mads Mikkelsen in ‘Viceværten: The Caretaker‘ (Short) 1997 posted by @thozaarmitage 📖
The Party clips in Color posted by @cillianhead 📖
THE PARTY (2017) dir. Sally Potter posted by @possession 📖
sweaty and unhinged posted by @scorpiussage 📖
Cillian Murphy as Jackson Rippner — RED EYE (2005) dir. Wes Craven posted by @filmgifs 📖
(I have no idea what to actually call this but click on it if you want) Text post posted by @tired-biscuit and photo addition posted by @no-1peakyfan 📖
Anthropoid (2016) dir. Sean Ellis posted by @ronsenthal 📖
Images/Icons/Photoshoots
Cillian Murphy in bed posted by @luluartpop 📖
Cillian Murphy 2014 shoot by Sarah Dunn compiled posted by @camewiththeframe 📖
Disco Pigs movie posters posted by @luluartpop 📖
Cillian Murphy as Neil Lewis from «Watching detectives» posted by (Deactivated)
Tom in The Party posted by @scorpiussage 📖
Cillian Murphy - Adrian Green photoshoot, 2003 posted by @cillianistic 📖
Maslow's hierarchy of needs-Pathetic men covered in blood posted by @scarecrowismybabygirl 📖
Cillian Murphy - portrait shoot in London, 2007 posted by @cillianistic 📖
Cillian Murphy - "Red Lights" Portraits, 2012 posted by @cillianistic 📖
Cillian Murphy - photographed for Flaunt Magazine, 2010 Posted by @cillianistic 📖
Cillian Murphy - "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" Portraits, 2006 posted by @cillianistic 📖
Cillian Murphy wearing green posted by @luluartpop 📖
10 notes
·
View notes