#@ val i'm sorry i always tag you when i tell the story i just feel your contribution should be acknowledged!!

[liamlawsonlesbian]

f1 tag game!!! thanks eve @bright-and-burning <33

Who is your favorite driver?: Charles, by a fairly large margin. him!!

Do you have other favorite drivers?: I am fond of most of the grid to varying degrees, as is probably obvious from my blog! but top-tier are Alex, Yuki, Max, Oscar, Liam

Who is your least favorite driver?: I would prefer not to name names! (but I have named names before lol)

Do you pull for drivers or do you like teams as well?: I mostly root for drivers. It's probably partially a consequence of coming to the sport through rpf, and also I feel icky about the teams as corporations. And yet (!) I do find the narratives compelling

If you like teams, what team do you pull for?: I am fond of Williams (although a lot less fond of James Vowles for what he's done to Logan recently); Ferrari and I are in a love-hate relationship

How long have you been into F1?: The year anniversary of the inciting incident is in three days!!

What got you into F1?: ro @oscarpiastriwdc had started reading f1 fic on a whim bc a podcast we both like had mentioned it and we'd talked about how we'd both picked up a little bit of knowledge from Being Online; I was having a tough day and they sent me the objects in mirror series by val @drivestraight and I was totally hooked. I started watching/reading everything I could get my hands on about the sport and then it was Monaco the weekend of my birthday and I discovered that I did, indeed love to watch the cars go vroom

Do you enjoy Fanfic/RPF?: alsdfj;akj answered by the "what got you into f1 question" but yes, I both read and write (allegedly, sometimes) f1 rpf

How do you view new fans?: I am a new fan! and I got in via rpf so I have not a single moral superiority leg to stand on. I feel like this question is aimed at "DTS fans"? And while I haven't actually watched it I don't think there's any reason that people who got into F1 that way are any way "lesser" or "fake" in terms of the way they view the sport

If you could take over as team principal for any team, who would it be and why?: oooof. I....do not think I would be good at that job. I am not terribly organized, for one. I'm going to say Alpine, just for a few days, because I don't think I could make Worse and I am a terrible gossip and want to know whether Pierre and Esteban are at each other's throats behind the scenes

Are your friends and family into F1 as well?: Well, ro is my irl* (met them at a rainbow alliance meeting on the second day of freshman orientation — we both introduced ourselves as "allies" lollll). A couple of other friends from college and an old friend from 1D fandom times are also into F1 independently, and my dad has started really following along since I got sucked in (he is very sweet).

*tried to think of a noun to go after irl...friend doesn't really cover it

Are you open to talking to other fans/making friends?: Yes!! I love friends!! I'm a little bit shy about messaging people but I love love to talk <33

no pressure tags: @omigodyall @oscarpiastriwdc @drivestraight @piastrisms @mcl38 @vegasgrandprix @blorbocedes @kazoologist

[i-smoke-chapstick]

Okay I think I’ve finally come up with a plot for that jervis story I was telling you about. This is pretty long- I’m sorry 😭

Basically could follow the same plots as the ‘come on Eileen’ story with an age gap but obv themed for Jervis’s character. For the sake of everything, since this could be already dark-ish, instead of Alice being his sister, she’s his coworker. Very similar story tied with the btas version. Anyways continuing that, let’s say reader is Jim and Barbara’s kid all the way from episode 1 when they were still in there couple era (I miss it 😔). Jim had custody over reader when Barbara was sent to Arkham but once she’s out and running the sirens club, her and Jim come to an agreement for the sake of the reader to co-parent. Reader is about 10-13 during that time and then jumping to like season 3 with jervis being introduced, reader is around 17-19 (I’m not sure if this is the realistic time jump but whatever). During the first episode with how Barbara introduces tabby to jervis, imagine that same scenario but with reader also present. Jervis realizes how much reader reminds him of the book version of Alice with their curiosity, ambition, etc. I’d like to imagine Barbara finds it cute in a way similar with that one fix you did when jervis was leaving stuff for the reader while tabby is like “Stay away from the baby 😡”.

Now when Alice gets killed, we know jervis makes him go through all these games of killing and stuff and then he has to choose the one he loves. Instead of Val, it’s reader. As much as Jervis doesn’t want to hurt his current crush, he tries to be nicer about it and shoots them where the bullet won’t damage them as bad?? Idk where else I’m goin with this lol. I’ll let you come up with whatever else you wanna do. Be creative if you’d like.

I’d say basically it follows the plot of season 3 but without Alice and reader is present.

Thank you Cupid 🙏🖤

'DON'T BLAME ME, [PART ONE]

-GOTHAM!JERVIS TETCH X READER-

⋆ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 ; Everything's always the same in Gotham. Hard to imagine things changing.

⋆ tags/warnings. GOTHAM!jervis x female reader. SLOW BURN!!! Not sure how many chapters this will be yet! LOTS OF PLOT SET-UP!! AGE GAP ROMANCE! (reader is Jim and Barbara's daughter) Readers got trauma. Reader's also a cynic and dissociating. She fell first, he fell harder. Writing this kind of artistically and as character studies for everyone. Jervis being an obsessive freak, per usual. Jervis and reader are soulmates, not just in his head but in real life! More about reader is revealed as the story goes on. I'm taking canon out back and beating it with a stick until it stops twitching.

⋆ tag list (tell me if you want to be removed!) @adalwolfgang @jervis-tetch-my-beloved @honestmrdual @moonlightnyx

⋆ 'PART ONE, - 'PART TWO, - ‘PART THREE, - ‘PART FOUR, - ‘PART FIVE, - ‘PART SIX, - 'PART SEVEN, - 'PART EIGHT, - 'PART NINE, -'PART TEN, - 'PART ELEVEN, - 'PART TWELVE, - 'PART THIRTEEN,

Special thanks to @adalwolfgang for giving me the idea for this fic <3 really really excited to make this multichapter !!

♫ “Echoes of your name inside my mind / Halo, hiding my obsession.” Don't Blame Me by Taylor Swift

You feel like your ten again, staring into space, watching the passerby's from inside a Gala. You're mother used to take you there, when you're dad wasn't available.

You sometimes miss it, even though you used to complain. You hated just sitting there, hours on end, seeing rich people dance; like there weren't people being murdered on the street two blocks down. Maybe you took after your father in that aspect. It was a curse.

Your mom used to do your hair. You remember the way she finger-twirled your curls, gasping as she looked in the mirror. Eyes wide, she always said the same thing.

"Look at you, you're gorgeous!" You'd laugh and hit her on the shoulder, young and innocent. Sometimes, you'd make a mess of her lipsticks and bronzer. You'd try on her dresses which were far too tall for your young stature.

The sound of yelling rips you away from your thoughts.

This place isn't a gala. It's a club. And you didn't get ready with your mom, you got ready in the morning, waking up alone in your dads house.

You watch the two men argue from across the bar. You're cradling a drink; unsure what to do with it. Selina had stole it for you, somehow. You didn't ask questions anymore. You'd known her since you were eleven and she was eight. You didn't really like to drink. She knew that. You don't know where she ran off too.

Mindlessly stirring your glass in your palm, you can't help but squint under the bright blue lights. This place...it's not your first choice of where you'd like to be right now. Never is.

You hear a feminine voice calling you to the front of the club, and you can already guess who it is. You haven't seen her in a little over a week, not that it matters.

You decide to down your drink anyway. Who cares.

Pushing your way through the crowds of Gothamites, you notice the stage light up. Your mother and Tabitha stand in grand dresses. Tabitha's resting, one arm on the bar, looking effectively bored out of her mind. Your mother, on the contrary, looks utterly pleased. You fight the urge to snort.

There's a man on the stage. Long hair, cat-like smile. Your eyes follow the contours of his cheek bones. He's spouting something about waking up from an animal-identity. You're frankly lost, staring into his dark eyes. They look pitch black.

Sounds of clapping arise from the back. You simply suck your teeth. Someone new comes into the club everyday with a different act. This guy certainly wasn't any different.

"A magician? Really?" Tabitha asks, interrupting your thoughts. She sounds displeased and confounded, unsure what to make of Barbara's smile.

"Hypnotist." Your mom answers, correcting her. Ah, so thats what he is. You think. Couldn't hypnotize himself to have a better act? You almost make yourself laugh. Barbara mistakes it for agreeance.

"See! I like him! Y/N likes him!" Barbara chimes, smile lighting up to be a bit more genuine at your laugh. "Like mother like daughter. Plus, the place is packed. Be happy." She waves her drink around. Tabitha still looks peeved.

You want to correct her, but the words 'like mother like daughter' make bile rise in your throat. You don't speak.

"Just a taste, ladies and gentlemen." The man purrs, pulling your attention to him. That dark stare of his never once leaves the crowd. "But now...let us venture into something more arcane."

His eyes drift to you in the crowd, and it feels like a jolt of electricity. You wonder if he feels it too. He must have, since he cocks his head, pausing in his words for a little too long. His brows furrow, until the crowd begins to murmur. It's awfully intense.

You tear your gaze away to look at your mom, wondering if she was who he was looking at instead. It would certainly make more sense, given they must've been around the same age. But as soon as your gaze leaves his, the man clears his throat, and goes right back to speaking.

"The hell was that?" Tabitha whispers to me, and my mind goes blank.

"...No clue."

We watch the rest of the act, intrigued. He makes a man stand on the back of a chair, which definitely does not obey the laws of physics whatsoever. I can see why some people might find this amusing.

Your mom does bring up a good question though.

"So you could get him to do anything you wanted?" She asks, abet too excitedly. You want to roll your eyes. When you were younger, she would've made fun of this guy with you.

The man looks between the two of us, and you squint your eyes.

"Did you have something in mind, Ms. Kean?" He asks, and her gaze darkens. You feel a little sick.

As the act finishes, the man takes one too many bows, but the crowd eats it up. That blinding blue light still bounces off his face. Something about it is...unsettling. You notice it more as he stalks towards the three of you.

"Very impressive, Mr. Tetch." Your mom compliments. Mr. Tetch, huh. Well, you finally have a name for the man. "You have quite the gift. But you didn't answer my question. Can you make people do anything you tell them to do?" She speaks, slowly. Mr. Tetch looks flattered at the praise.

He clicks his tongue. "Only things they secretly wish to do," he remarks, eyes falling on me once more. "It's surprising what people will wish for," His eye contact remains on you, voice getting quieter. "Secretly. Deep down." He repeats.

Your mother makes a sound akin to a pleased hum. Tabitha looks between the man and you, and she looks less than amused.

"True," Tabitha speaks, pushing you to the side a bit. You watch as his gaze leaves yours, and snaps up to her. There's a ghost of a scowl on both of their faces that suddenly makes you confused. "You must be a very popular man."

She takes a swig out of her drink as she says the words, a bit sarcastically. Mr. Tetch, or whatever his name is, doesn't falter in his resolve. He instead offers a polite chuckle.

"Oh, I wish. Parties like this help pave my way, so, thank you."

"And you're new to Gotham?" Your mom asks.

"Yes...just arrived from up north."

"You have a place to stay?" Tabitha asks, head cocked. You begin to feel a bit embarrassed, heat rising in your clothes. They're asking the guy way too many questions. And he's a new comer. Poor man probably doesn't know a thing.

Before the man can answer, you butt in.

"Let the man breathe." You huff, and all three of them look at you in unison. Eyes-narrowed on you, the man blinks. Barbara looks at you, surprised, and Tabitha glares daggers.

Silence surrounds the four of you, and you shiver uncomfortably.

"Just saying." You mumble. Barbara raises an eyebrow.

"You'll have to excuse her. This is my daughter, Y/N."

Jervis's face lights up in realization.

"Ah, I see." He remarks, taking your hand. Tabitha instinctively steps close, watching the way he takes it. He presses a soft kiss to your knuckles. "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Y/N."

"Thank you," You say, softly, looking into his eyes. It really does feel like time stops. You can understand why people are hypnotized by him.

Tabitha finally steps in between you two, as Barbara watches the interaction with vague intrigue. He drops your hand with some reluctance. You don't blame him.

"I think you should get going." Tabitha says, firm. The man simply nods.

"Very well. Enjoy your night." He speaks. "Ms. Kean, Ms. Y/N." He bids one last nod of goodbye, before turning on his heel.

[writercole]

Leaving

Summary: It's not what she thinks.

Squares: Unwanted @anyfandomangstbingo

Words: 2034

Warnings: Angst, misunderstandings

A/N: I'm kinda sorry for this part, actually. It hurt like hell to write.

Tag list is done. Please follow @coleslibrary and turn on notifications for story updates.

Jake was furious that Suze had had the audacity to show up. Her parents were friends with his, but still she had some nerve thinking she was welcome there too.  But when she started insulting Valkyrie, that was the last straw, and it took all his willpower not to let his ire explode from within.

“We aren’t together,” he told her calmly, pointing between himself and his ex for clarity., “There’s nothing between us, so you don’t need to be jealous. Hell, even when we were together, you were barely present. It was a mistake the first time and it’ll never happen again.”

Suze stood staring at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “I didn’t mean -”

“I don’t care what you meant or didn’t mean,” he spat. “Y/N is my best friend, and we may not be official, but  I’ve found everything I was missing in her. She’s the one I want by my side, always has been.”

Suze’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped, regret flashing over her features.

“Do me a favor and forget I exist. Forget my family exists. And if you’re ever invited to another party, respectfully decline. No one wants you here, it was a courtesy to your parents.”

Jake stormed off, forgetting the drinks the bartender had just finished making. He was on a mission to find Valkyrie and get out of there. Suze ruined the entire party for him but he knew it was a situation easily remedied by an impromptu road trip to their favorite lake with a bottle of whiskey. 

“Val?” he called as he searched the crowd, stopping to ask his siblings and his parents if they’d seen her, only to be grabbed by the party planner and dragged on stage for a speech. 

She was grateful that Admiral Simpson was sympathetic to her pleas. Maybe it’s because he heard the sniffles or the lump in her throat. Either way, he told her he would do his best to get her duty station changed sooner than the rest of the Dagger team. 

She packed her bags and ordered a car to take her to the airport. Waiting in the room until she got the notification of the cab's arrival she tried her hardest not to cry.  Her phone buzzed and she steeled her nerves as she set her suitcase down on the floor. The crowd outside applauded as if they agreed she was doing the right thing. One deep breath later and she was rolling it down the hallway towards the front door.

“You’re leaving?” Jake said from behind her as she reached for the knob.

“Fuck,” she whispered, straightening her shoulders and turning around. “Yeah, Simpson needs me back immediately. My flight’s already booked,” she lied, her hand still around the handle of her suitcase.

“Well, I’ll drive you to the airport,” he offered as he fished his keys from his pocket.

“No, you stay here with your family,” she declined, “I’ve already called an uber.”

“I really need to talk to you,” he implored, the desperation in his face breaking her heart.

“My car’s already here,” she announced before she spun on her heel and rushed out the front door, ignoring Jake calling her name. She was in the backseat telling the driver to just go before he could catch her.

Jake stood staring after the car, his heart shattered as he tried to figure out what just happened. He really needed to talk to her, for his best friend to know that his words had been true; that she had always been by his side and he wanted to make it official that she’d be there forever. But it was more than that.

He had never felt this way about anyone before. He’d watched people walk in and out of his life for years without this aching feeling in his chest, without feeling like the world had stopped spinning. When tears started falling down his face, he wiped his cheeks and stared at his glistening fingers with his head tilted and his brows furrowed, unsure how he even got to this point.

The one person who could help him figure it out had left. So what did he do now? He tried to call Val’s cell, but it went straight to voicemail. He couldn’t have this conversation with a robot so he hung up without leaving a message.

After standing in the road for what felt like hours, he walked back to the bar and swiped the first full bottle of whiskey he could find, taking it with him up to the garage loft where he used to hide when he was a kid. He had finished half of the bottle with his back against the wall, staring out the small window and watching the party dwindle. 

His vision started to blur as the light in the room waned. Jake didn’t know how long he'd been there, drinking his sorrows away, but he knew he’d be content to stay there for the rest of his life. A clicking sound began to echo closer and closer, the overhead light flipping on moments before his mother’s head peeked above the ladder.

“Twenty years later and you’re still using the loft to hide away when you’re upset,” she observed as she hoisted herself up across from him. 

“Good spot,” he slurred as he took another swing from the rapidly emptying bottle.

“Are you gonna talk to me about it?” she pressed as she settled back against a stack of boxes.

Jake sighed shakily as he put the bottle down next to him, drawing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Why don’t you tell me why your girlfriend left?” she prompted.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he scoffed.

“We’ll come back to that,” his mom smiled. “But why did she leave?”

“I don’t know why,” he admitted as tears started falling down his cheeks. “I came in after my speech and she was at the door with her suitcase. She said that the Admiral wanted her back but that’s a lie.” He swiped at his face angrily, a futile effort to dry the tears that were falling steadily from his eyes.

“How do you know it was a lie?”

“Because she was different. She wasn’t herself,” he told her, his voice raising as he spoke. “She was leaving without saying goodbye. She’s never done that.”

“So you just let her go?”

“I tried to stop her,” he said quietly, voice cracking. “I ran after her but…” He was cut off by a sob escaping his chest. He buried his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking as he sat in his childhood hiding spot and cried quietly.

A pair of arms wrapped around him and his mother’s voice hummed the old lullaby she would sing when he was a boy. She pulled him close to her chest and he leaned into her, letting her warmth and her familiar scent wash over him. 

As he calmed, he sat straighter, his head clearer than when his mom found him. He wiped his face with his sleeve and looked at her. “Oh, Mom, I ruined your dress,” he said as he looked at the wetness on her shoulder.

“My son needed me. That’s more important than a swath of fabric.” She looked at him with a softness reserved for a child, the way a mother looks when she knows her child is hurting and is unable to take the pain away. “Now, you said she’s not your girlfriend. But I noticed her bed hasn’t been slept in.”

“I, uh, um…” he stuttered.

“Jake,” she sighed, taking his hands in her own. “I want you to listen to me very carefully. I’ve seen the way you look at that girl. I’ve seen it since you first brought her here for that physics project in 9th grade. And I don’t think you even realized it yet, but you’ve been in love with her since you were fourteen years old.

“I have watched you grow into probably the best man I’ve ever seen, and that includes your father. You’ve got the career you always dreamed of, son, but you’re not happy unless she’s with you. I have never seen you smile and laugh as much as you have in these last two days. 

“Whatever you have to do to prove that she’s it for you, do it. And fast. Because that girl,” she stressed, pointing in a random direction over his shoulder, “that girl is not going to be lonely for long.”

It wasn’t often that she missed her parents. They’d never had a great relationship and when she told them that she was joining the Navy, they lost it. She hadn’t spoken to them since that night. But it was taking every ounce of willpower she had not to call her momma. 

The one person she would normally call for motherly advice was busy at her anniversary party, probably congratulating her son on getting back with his supermodel girlfriend. She refused to take her away from an important day like that just to listen to someone - who wasn’t even family - whine about her broken heart.

She sat on the uncomfortable mattress and picked at the threadbare comforter and watched as her phone rang and rang, Jake’s photo on the screen. She couldn’t bear to talk to him right now. 

The ringing stopped and she began receiving texts, one after another, all from Jake. The ringing started again and she reached over to turn it off, pausing when she saw who was calling. She swiped to answer and quickly put the phone to her ear.

“Valkyrie,” she identified, her voice rough and ragged.

“Lieutenant, we have switched you back to your old squadron. You’ll be going back to New Orleans,” Admiral Simpson explained. “Transport will leave at 1200 tomorrow.”

“I can make that work,” she agreed, “thank you, sir.”

Jake landed in San Diego at 2 PM on Sunday afternoon, having switched to an earlier flight to try and fix whatever he had done to make her leave. He got back to Miramar and headed straight for the dorms, ignoring the calls of his friends.

He skidded to a stop in front of her door, finding it wide open, the room completely cleaned out. He checked the number and confirmed that it was her room, running his hand through his hair as he tried to figure out his next move. 

An idea came to him and he took off to the administrative offices. Admittedly, this was a hail mary of a long shot but maybe he’d be able to get some information.

“Admiral Simpson, sir, do you have a moment?” Jake asked as he stood in the doorway of the his superior’s office.

“What is it, Seresin?” he barked without looking up from his paperwork.

“I was just wondering if you could tell me where Valkyrie is,” he said as he stepped into the office.

Admiral Simpson sighed and set down his pen, turning his attention to the lieutenant standing before him. “Even if I were permitted by the Navy to give you that information, which I am not, I have been asked by your former team leader to keep all of you in the dark in regards to her whereabouts.”

“What are you,” Jake snapped but remembered his place quickly. “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t understand.” he corrected, hoping the Admiral would forgive the attitude, while his stomach flipped and threatened to jump out of his throat.

“She called me and asked to be reassigned immediately with the stipulation that I tell no one, including you, where that would be to. She mentioned you by name, Seresin. Care to take a guess at why that would be?” Admiral Simpson looked at him with raised eyebrows, folding his hands in his lap as he maintained eye contact.

“I don’t know, sir,” Jake replied quietly, “thank you for your time, sir.” He turned and walked out of the room, going to the only place he could think of that might take his mind off of his predicament.

Everything: @thelastpyle @deangirl93 @evergreencowboy @katelyn--renee @fictional-affairs @paintlavillered @buckys-zomdoll @polireader @b3autyfuldisast3r @welcometothefandommultiverse @mlovesstories @supraveng @xoxabs88xox

Top Gun: @princessmisery666 @evansrogerskitten @bradshaw-fanclub @saiyanprincessswanie @luckyladycreator2 @princessphilly @ahockeywrites @clints-lucky-arrow @wildbornsiren @shanimallina87 @fuckyeahhangman @blue-aconite @hope-love-equality2 @peachiicherries @marvelousmermaid @therebeccaw @green-socks @imjess-themess @jostystyles @callsignaries @a-reader-and-a-writer @ahopelessromanticwritersworld

[bumblesimagines]

Helpful

Part 2

Request: Yes or No

Miguel turned, looking at him.

"This is Valeria. Val, meet daddy's friend, Toby." He hated admiting it but his heart fluttered at the word 'friend'. Valeria waved at him, smiling. One of her front teeth was missing. She looked adorable though.

"Go pack your stuff, princess." Miguel put her down, watching her run off. A tired looking young woman approached them.

"Who's this? Your new boyfriend? Miguel, I swear to fuck if-"

"He's a friend." Miguel cut her off. She sighed, nodding.

"You're taking Val? She has school and the teacher wants to talk to you." She said, crossing her arms. Toby glanced at Miguel who nodded. He seemed around twenty and Valeria seemed to be five or six. He must've had her in high school.

"I'm finished!" Valeria said, smiling brightly. She brushed some of her wild brown curls away from her face. Toby smiled, taking her to the car.

"How old are you?" Toby asked.

"Five! I turn six in two months." She informed. Valeria definitely had a slight lisp considering how she pronounced her f's and other words. Miguel finally walked over after a few minutes.

"You excited about the storm, princess?" Miguel asked. Toby glanced at him as he entered the car.

"Yeah!" Valeria cheered.

"She loves storms." Miguel quietly informed him.

"What'd you do at school?" He asked. Valeria's eyes lit up and she started to ramble. Miguel actually listened to her. Toby found it nice. Some students had parents who never listened or brushed them off.

"Ooh, daddy, can you make me sweet potato, please?" Valeria asked. Miguel glanced at Toby and nodded.

"Sure, princess." He smiled.

Toby and Valeria peeked into the kitchen. It smelled heavenly but Miguel kicked both of them out.

"I can feel you staring. Stay out of the kitchen." He huffed. Valeria and Toby giggled, going back to the livingroom.

"Auntie Cat says that daddy gets it from grandma." Valeria said, drawing on a paper.

"Do you think daddy will let me meet grandma?" Toby asked. Valeria shrugged.

"Grandma's with her mommy and daddy up in heaven." Valeria replied. Toby frowned.

"Oh..." He glanced towards the kitchen. He stood up.

"I'm gonna go see if daddy's done yet." Toby said and headed into the kitchen, closing the door.

"I said to wait." Miguel glanced at him. Toby smiled, leaning against the counter.

"Valeria said her grandma isn't with us anymore. I'm sorry about that." Toby said. Miguel paused.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asked. Miguel licked his lips.

"Later. When Val's in bed." He replied quietly. Toby nodded.

"Go tell Val that I'm done." Miguel said, getting plates. Rice and sweet potatoes with bacon. Toby poked his head out.

"He's done!" Valeria rushed into the kitchen. She sat down, smiling as the plate was placed down in front of her. The food smelled amazing. Toby never had sweet potatoes so he wondered how it would taste. Miguel watched him intently while Valeria ate her food happily. Toby ate a piece of the sweet potato. His brows raised.

"Woah." He mumbled, eating more. Miguel relaxed and started to eat. The bacon and sweet potatoes mixed perfectly and the rice was delicious.

"I have some bread that has chocolate in it. You can have some after you're done." Toby told Valeria. She sipped her juice and nodded. Once they were done, Toby gave her some bread and showed her where the bathroom was. Toby sat down at the table, glancing at his water.

"Daddy.. Tell me a story." Valeria said, rubbing her eyes. She wore bear pjs. Miguel nodded, taking her to the room she was staying in and reading her a quick story. He returned and sat across from Toby.

"When did you have Val?" Toby asked.

"I was sixteen. Her mom refused to take care of her so I tried to balance school and a baby. It didn't work out so I dropped out. Gwen gave me a job and it lasted for a while but their café wasn't getting many customers so I left. They needed the money. My sister took Val but she already had a toddler so I stayed on the streets. Sometimes a friend took me in." Miguel told him. Toby listened to him.

"Our mom passed when I was in middle school so Catalina had to work three jobs during her sophomore and junior year." Miguel sipped some water, finally looking at him. Toby hesitantly reached over and touched his hand. He offered a smile.

"You and Val can stay here for as long as you want. I don't mind the company. I'm always open if you want to rant or just chill." Toby said softly. Miguel nodded, glancing at his hand.

"Alright. Sappy moment over. I'm gonna go take a shower." Miguel stood as Toby snorted and rolled his eyes. He watched Miguel leave with a soft smile. He totally had a small crush.

"Remind me why you tagged along?" Miguel asked.

"Moral support." Toby replied as Valeria led them to her class. They entered.

"Colorful." Miguel mumbled, earning a nudge from Toby. The teacher smiled at them.

"You two must be Valeria's dads!" Neither bothered correcting him.

"I'm Mr. Evandelista but please my students call me Mr. E." The man said. He motioned for them to sit as Valeria looked through her desk.

"Valeria is a smart and amazing girl but she's really quiet. She doesn't socialize." Toby glanced at Miguel.

"She gets that from you." He mumbled. Miguel rolled his eyes. The teacher chuckled at their interaction.

"Valeria is a great student. She has some things to show you." Valeria walked over, showing him her drawings and projects. They were as good as drawings by a five year old could get. Miguel cooed and looked over them as Toby watched with a soft smile. He realized why people thought they were together.

"Come on, Toby has to get to work soon." Miguel said, taking some papers from the teacher. Toby picked up Valeria and left the classroom with him.

"You're not bothered when people say or ask if we're together?" He asked as Valeria dozed off. Miguel shrugged.

"It's whatever." He replied, glancing up as it started to rain. Toby fished out his phone as they quickly got to the car.

"Cancelled school. There might be a bad storm." He said.

"We'll stop by the supermarket real quick." Toby said, driving away from the school. He stopped by the market and Miguel watched him go.

"Daddy..?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Toby my dad too?"

[bitchfromthecrypt]

So....

I’m just gonna start posting chapters of my book here, cool? Cool.

Anyway this is my first chapter, I’m gonna post them in order with headings and shit.

Hopefully you all like it! And sorry about clogging up the tags!

Criticsm is always welcome and greatly appreciated!!! I’m a new author and 99% of this I’m just making up as I go lol

A widdle synopsis:

Sometimes, life doesn't go quite the way you’d expect.

Death however, never goes the way you’d expect.

Melody Adler; daughter, mother, widow.

She was a woman of many words, and even more talents, a kind soul who strives for the very best at every turn.

She longed to one day move her mother and daughter out of her rundown apartment, far away the hustle and bustle of the city.

Unfortunately, none of that matters because she's dead.

Melody woke up in the middle of an empty field, left with nothing but her new diary, her memories, a whole lot of questions and no one to ask them to.

At first she couldn’t tell if she was in hell or heaven.

Then she met Her.

And it all went down hill from there.

———————————————————————

Anyway, here’s the second draft of the book that has taken me five years and probably one more to write,

This Book Belongs To: Melody

Entry One

My dearest Valerie,

Let me begin by saying this, you are the love of my life, my heart, my soul.

The day I had you was the best day of my life.

You, my love, matter to me more than anything else in this world and I know grandmama would never let you begin to think such a thing, but regardless, I need to tell you, I would never willingly leave you.

Baby, sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Sometimes, there’s no real rhyme or reason and all you can do is take what god has given you.

I wish there was some reason for this.

I wish someone would descend from the heavens and tell me exactly what I did to deserve this.

I was raised well, that's for damn sure.

Sorry baby, excuse my language.

I've never done any drugs, I listened to mama, I read my bible, I went to church and I did everything I could to raise you right.

Why am I here?

Was I kidnapped?

I don’t remember it.

I don’t remember anything after walking you inside.

It's about 70 degrees, overcast here.

All day, every day.

Until the sun sets.

If the sun sets.

When the sun sets, this little world gets so much brighter.

It brightens until the dense pine needles on the packed together trees look like tiny black specks, until the dew on the grass glistens like stars that shouldn’t be as close to you as they seem to be, until the only way to prevent yourself from being blinded is to tuck your head in your knees and cover your eyes so tightly you see spots for hours, as you somehow still manage to feel and see the bright red heat through your eyelids.

I've no clue where the light comes from.

I haven't seen the sun, the moon, or so much as a cloud at all.

Not once.

It's all so empty.

The sky, the woods, the trees, empty.

The only live things here are the grass, about a football field's length around me, and the ring of trees surrounding it.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to smell anything other than pine again.

What really makes it harder to sleep at night is the silence.

Back home, at night, you hear car alarms and sirens, and loud jazz for each and every hour of darkness.

You never realize what sounds lull you to sleep until they’re gone.

Even then, I went to the countryside, once, I know that it isn’t meant to be so silent.

Why, I couldn’t sleep a wink down there with all the crickets, foxes, and raccoons and what have you.

They spent the whole night chirping, hollering, rustling through every bush they could find.

The country isn’t quiet.

Not like this.

See, that's why I know this place isn't human.

Isn't mortal.

This huge forest full of places to hide, and hunt, with admittedly strange weather, but no civilization whatsoever?

I should be fighting off wolves for a blade of grass to sleep on.

And yet, there's nothing.

No one.

It's just quiet, deafening quiet.

There's no animal on earth that can hide well enough to not be noticed for this long.

I hit my head the other day.

Three days ago, maybe?

I'm not certain, I didn't think to bring my calendar.

I had climbed to the top of a tree, I was trying to see if there was anything in the distance.

The trees are tall, frighteningly tall, why, they must be ten stories high.

They don’t touch.

It’s like they’re a barrier, surrounding me, caging me in.

Out in the forest it’s different, much, much different.

Their branches are all tangled together, like one big knot.

There’s barely an inch of light that squeezes past the wiry little needles.

A cage in every sense of the word.

I climbed as far up as I could go before the branches were too thin to hold my weight and still, all I saw was forest for miles.

And miles.

And miles.

I think that was the moment I knew I couldn't leave.

All I could think about was you, baby.

You’re gonna be six years old soon, you’re gonna be a big girl, Val.

Grandma will take care of you, I know that.

It doesn't stop me from worrying, I doubt anything would.

It didn’t stop me from picturing you, sitting there and staring at your birthday cake.

Thinking.

Wondering where mommy is.

I passed out.

I woke up as I was falling through the trees.

I saw the ground beneath me, getting closer, and closer.

I tried to reach out and grab a branch but I couldn't quite grasp any of them.

I could only feel my body hit the rough branches as the pine needles that had looked so close to normal seemed to pierce my skin.

I couldn't stop.

I knew I would die.

I thought of our last christmas.

The look on your face when you opened your present to see that doll you’d begged me to get you for weeks.

The way your eyes lit up, as that little gap toothed smile grew on your face, it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

The way your little arms wrapped around me as you screamed in my ear about how happy you were that Santa got your letter.

I knew you’d stopped believing in him a while ago, the fact that you’d pretended for my sake nearly made me cry.

I wanted you to be the last thing I thought about.

Then I woke up.

In the middle of the field.

Staring out into that circle of pine trees.

It was nighttime, and I didn't have a scratch on me.

I thought, for a moment, that I had hallucinated.

After all, I hadn’t eaten a decent meal in a while.

That’s when I realized, I hadn’t eaten since I got here.

I hadn't been hungry, or thirsty, or tired.

I hadn’t felt a thing, I hadn’t lost any weight, I’m completely and utterly unharmed.

Valerie, little valerian, I love you.

And I love you too mama, I’ll miss you both more than you can ever imagine.

But I’m not alive anymore.

And there’s nothing I can do to get back to you.

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

Tell me a story about night vale

The long summer afternoon.

Mary's parents had gotten divorced.

The smallest room in the house, Mary's childhood bedroom, had been converted into a larger living room. The atmosphere of the place was still electric, but it was probably because Mary and her friends were there.

"Me and my best friend, Val, we were talking about you. It might sound kind of silly, but we're kind of big fans of yours."

"My favorite color is green," Mary said brusquely.

"Oh, Mary, you don't have to be so formal. It's nice to see you, too."

Mary, almost immediately warm, almost immediately pleased to interact with the warm part of me that hated to see Val – in a flash she realized without realizing how she had felt about the whole thing that this could be a blessing – said cordially, "You're right, Val. You have no idea how long I've wanted to meet you."

"I guess I thought your parents would want to meet me before they got the divorce," Val said.

"Oh, I love my parents too, but really, Mary. I'm so glad you're here."

"It's good to meet you, too," Mary said uncomfortably. She hadn't been feeling good today. At least, the warmth was distracting her thoughts from her unhappiness.

"Are you okay, Mary?" Val asked impatiently. "If you feel the same way, I can come over and talk to you."

"I'm fine, Val," Mary said dubiously. Val left the room, and a minute later, Mary, still undecided, said: "So, am I gay?"

"No, Mary."

"Okay. I'm gay, Val. You got me."

"Mary, I have to say, what you said about me is just flat-out ludicrous."

"You know I love you, and you had a choice." Mary ran tears into the couch. "The fuck are we going to do, Val? Come out to me then?"

"Mary, if you had a choice like that, you would have a choice, wouldn't you?"

"I'm not gay, Val. I'm bi." Val laughed. "I am really flattered."

"Mary, you don't have to pretend to be all about that. Think."

"I am really flattered, Val." When Mary couldn't take it any more, she blurted: "I feel really, really cornered." Val, who had been sitting alone in the living room, now looked up and nodded.

"I'm glad," she said. "I was kind of worried, at first." Val was a surprisingly good listener.

"I mean it's not like you're gonna literally be attacked or anything, right? Especially with me around." I had no idea I needed any more reassuring than I already was.

"I am okay, Mary." Val led Mary out into the kitchen. "Now, can I offer you a beer, or something?"

"Thank you, but I'm really not thirsty."

"Well, maybe I can bring some to you later?"

Mary started to protest, but thought better of it. There were certainly some things that did not so ordinarily need to be said.

"I'll be in my room," Mary said, which was a lie – Mary was not going to her room. In any case, to get into her room she had to walk past Val's room, and Val was there at the moment. "When are you going to give me that beer I asked for? It's late, and I have finals."

"I'm sorry, Mary. You're just so special to us."

There is an energy to Mary that Val doesn't know how to resist. The blonde doesn't really understand how little Mary knows of why Val can be the way she is. She is a madwoman inside to Mary, at least, to the point where very little goes right for Val at all.

"Listen, love, if you really love me, you'll stop being mad at me for so many things. Just once, promise me you'll just trust me, that this time will be different, this time."

Val's hands balled into fists in frustration. "Have you thought this over with your new girlfriend?"

Mary and Val have been together for over seven years. While the clones have been around, things have changed.

They are fighting now.

( …or are they? "The war against time" is a theme all through Convergence. Several of the clones fight or tag along against the UIW the DFW Kuranes behaved in this original, classic style. Stein justifies the collars and goggles by arguing that past interventions off the cuff are always inferior to impressive follow-up arrangements. Left to their own devices, the UIWs overexercise their bonds too quickly, add to the probability of an antagonist hijack, and get everyone killed in a showy and unconvincing turn of events. Apart from the stadium/ self-modification masks, I have always pictured Kuranes as having a learning disability affecting how they perform, and the veil ensures they never get to learn. "Over dinner". It doesn't have to be like that. Mustn't be that simple.)

"You know that is hardly transcendentally exceptional –"

"– to thoughtcrime, lying, blackhat/greyhat collusive behavior, beating people up."

There is a back and forth, in which everyone promises each other the moon, in the course of which Val continues her litany of curses.

Val is wrong. Mary can be an extraordinarily gentle spirit. She is uncure, and she would let your little kills be. "Kindness," Mary had said privately when Val launched in an infantile tantrum, reading off the "kill list" of someone best forgotten. They had spent many a night in disagreement and DFW Kuranes had been minimized in his Vagabond role ("Forget stupid DFW"). Mary has been to the island, and to the gorged stylist waiting in the wing at Bruges, and realized the core of their incompatibility in everything but phrase.

But she is open to a world of distinctions.

Mary is flashing, late at night, through a riot of memories in which her marriage to DFW Kuranes falls apart and they visit a circus and work odd jobs, and by the end – by the final importation of candy – everything is better no matter how much Mary agrees with itself.

Along the way, they get married when Mary is a child with an impoverished uptight _________ and then wait in bemusement for her to find her footing. They don't make a booming fortune from Science of Sex, but they build a life that DFW Kuranes couldn't live. And she, from the womb of an impoverished uptight _________.

Her classmates are genetically altered. The shut-in and the hacker sit in their elements, watching dead stuff slip out of their intestines, and the parents in the fullness of time crowd in with their snakes, their wellies and snow and bed-spun and their dust and hay and fuzzy coats and she becomes Danielle Dennett, a pink-clad deaths Magdalene, a kleptomaniacal tax evader who goes on and on and on, until she can still no longer tell, when the burst of poisonous coinages gives way to new words … and she is a ghost.

The veil is stable. It is this success which has allowed