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justalonelyslytherin · 8 months

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Legacies | Thirteen

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Pairing: Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x Kazansky!OC

Summary: The evening of their return the dagger squad meets at the hard deck for a celebration worthy of the mission they just finished. Ana has the chance to come clear but not everyone is in agreement with her actions. Can Jake finally get a moment alone with Ana and will Ana give him the chance to talk?

Warnings: mentions of alcohol and drinking, mentions of parental death, grieving a parent's death

Wordcount: 7.6k

If you enjoyed reading this, please consider leaving a comment or reblogging. I don’t allow for my content to be copied, translated, or reposted on other websites/apps. I ALSO DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR THE USE OF AI IN ANY OF MY WORKS! Please don’t steal my work.

A/N: After the longer-than-anticipated break that this story took, finally the next chapter is here. The reason for the long break was me writing my thesis - as of today it is handed in and to celebrate this is getting posted! Also congratulations to everyone who voted in the poll if this would be over 10 pages. You were right, the chapter measures 15 pages in my writing document! And because I had so much fun, I decided to have some more polls going, giving you a chance to interact and influence the story a little bit. You can find the current poll here.

Taglist: open, message me or comment to be added, will be put as reblog

Everything was different now.

Memories. Places. Her.

Ana looked at nothing with the same eyes anymore. The world around her was coated in a different light since her father had drawn his last breath.

Even stepping into the familiar bar felt like stepping into a different world. What had not long ago been a place where she felt at home, surrounded by happy memories was now a place that left an uneasy feeling in the pits of her stomach and conjured up painful recollections.

Every memory of her father hurt. The happy ones more so than the ones of his last moments or even the ones from his first round of treatment against the illness when it was still new. Now the joy of those moments was temporarily tainted with pain and grief. One that would never go away. It was the permanent kind, a loss never to be undone. With time it would get easier. It wouldn’t hurt less but she would learn to cope, to move on with it, with her life. But right now the pain was still as strong as the loss was fresh.

The bar was much fuller than three-ish weeks ago when she’d just arrived back in San Diego. There were patrons littering the bar and filling the many spaces inside. It was a strange sensation as if she’d somehow crossed into a parallel universe, the moment then repeating like a nightmare.

Booming music streamed out of one corner where the jukebox stood, the melody distinct even over the constant chatter of patrons. It wasn’t too busy yet, as Ana quickly spied Penny leaning with her elbows on the counter, talking calmly with none other than her godfather.

Maverick sat there at the bar on the opposite side of the counter, a half-finished beer in front of him, his fingers toyed with the edge of the glass. This time his phone was nowhere to be seen. At least he had learned from the last time. Maybe tonight Penny wouldn’t have him thrown out either. Now that things between them seemed to have come to a conclusion.

Ana was truly happy for her godfather. He’d deserved the happiness and the stability of a relationship. Penny was exactly what Maverick needed. Maybe now he’d have a chance at settling down.

Penny’s eyes, likely sensing her spying on the two of them, landed on Ana not a moment later, mouth pausing as her lips tucked into a smile. Ana wanted to return it but her lips failed to raise.

Now that they had noticed her though, she slowly walked up to the counter. Perhaps it was a good distraction first before she would venture further into the establishment to seek out her colleagues. In the pit of her stomach, an uneasiness had settled over the fact she had agreed to come.

It was inevitable for her to have to come clean, even though all of them already seemed to know her secret. There was a distinct difference between her assuming and actually knowing. Ana just hoped they wouldn’t outright confront her about it and instead leave her time to bring it up and more importantly explain it in her own ways.

Maverick turned around as Ana stepped up beside him. His eyes trailed over her body, they gave her a once-over before settling on her face. His features softened, there was a gentleness in them that she would have scoffed at any other moment. Usually, Ana hated to be coddled and taken to be this vulnerable, frail thing. Her godfather had always been incredibly good at seeing her as the little girl she’d once been, forgetting she’d matured into a young, strong, and self-sufficient woman years prior.

Right now the softness in Maverick’s eyes soothed Ana’s nervous turmoil. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her to his side. She slacked against him, leaning into his sturdy frame with a small sigh.

“Do you have a way home?” Maverick murmured against the side of her head into her hair and Ana nodded against his shoulder. She lingered in the hug, only tentatively pulling away to stand beside him. His arms dropped, one remaining loosely wrapped around her waist.

“Yeah, I got mom’s car.”

He hummed, “If you want to have a drink I can drive you home later on.”

“No it’s fine, I… I don’t want to drink much, if all.” Drinking her sorrow away was the last thing she wanted to do. A short, swift alleviation it would be, albeit the pain would come crashing back only tenfold afterward.

“Alright,” Mav nodded, glancing at Penny who had watched the two of them quietly. Ana looked over at the bar owner too, nodding at her.

“One drink?” Penny asked, not in any way trying to coax. She would never try to persuade her into drinking, Penny the least of all of them. Ana nodded, agreeing to one.

As Penny dove behind the bar to get the bottle of her favored brew, Maverick brought Ana’s attention back to him. He tucked at the back of her shirt, just like he had done when she was little to tease or rain her in.

“I’ll join you up later.”

“I bet they’ll like that. You know they will try to get you to buy a round or two.” Maverick grimaced at the thought, remembering the money he spent that first night in the bar. His grimace quickly turned into a sly grin and a short laugh and Ana knew that he had come up with something.

“There you go.” Penny reappeared with Ana’s bottle in tow, handing it over the bar to her.

“Thank you, Penny.” But the bar owner just smiled at her and shooed her off, head cocking behind her toward the back of the bar.

Two pairs of eyes trailed Ana’s retreating form, concern for the young woman shimmering in them.

“Do you think she’ll be alright?” Penny asked, turning her eyes towards Maverick. He had watched her grow up. There was scarcely anyone here who knew her better.

“I’m not sure,” he answered with a sigh. Doubt carried in his voice. If Ana felt even just a shred as lost as he still felt about the loss of Ice, he really couldn’t say. The hole that had been ripped open by the loss felt bottomless. Like a black hole it continuously tried to suck every bout of hope, of living out. What would be stronger in the end?

“He was everything to her.”

Ice had been everything to him as well. “I’m not sure if she’ll ever recover from this loss.”

Penny eyed him in heavy contemplation. Looking back at her, Mav recognized the thoughtful gaze and so he added, “There was always something special in their bond. Ice was close to every one of his children but I don’t think anyone can come close to the bond they had. It transcended everything.”

Swallowing Maverick glanced back at his beer, fingers restlessly fumbling with the glass from which he set on to take another gulp of. He wasn’t one to drown his sorrow in alcohol, not that he hadn’t come close to it when he lost Goose. It was Carole and then also Ice and Sarah that had kept him from developing another destructive habit. Even though Maverick mused – even now – that one more really couldn’t hurt more.

“I just hope she won’t be hurt any further,” Maverick spoke after a long breath of silence between them, once more looking up, this time glancing past the bar to the two crowded tables in the back.

Penny followed him, her eyes turning to rest on a certain blonde as she hummed. “There is hope.”

“You think so?” He was surprised by the determination carrying in Penny’s voice, a mix of a sigh and laughter leaving his lips. It was hard for him to believe, even if he had gotten close to each of the aviators in those three weeks. Perhaps not close enough. Penny rendered him silent with one disapproving look.

She ought to know them better than Maverick did, he realized. Working behind the bar Penny had likely watched some of them - maybe even all - go through Top Gun, spending many a night in this bar.

Maverick wasn’t wrong with this assumption. Penny knew Jake like no one else from the dagger squad did. Not even Coyote. The flirty, suave blonde was entirely different in the sole presence of her, quieter and more reserved, more vulnerable. She’d seen through him the moment he’d set foot in front of her bar counter that first time, trying to have his way with her by throwing one of those flirty one-liners at her.

She knew that deep down Jake was different from Hangman, who had tried to flirt with her that day. Those big words and that even bigger grin were a front to hide beneath a decent and sweet man who had been hurt, hit one too many times, and now too cautious to show his true emotions.

“He’s just as broken as all of us are.” Pictures of him after his kill resurfaced in her mind. Pictures of the broken man, forever separated from his colleagues, unable to process what had happened, unable to process his own guilt and nearly breaking beneath it.

Maverick hummed, quietly murmuring. Maybe they’d be able to heal together.

Ana’s heartbeat picked up as she walked around the bar in the middle of the room, eyes sweeping over the patrons in the back half of the establishment. Beside the jukebox in the far right corner and the pool tables straight forward, she couldn’t spy the others. Only when she looked to the left, where there were more tables and even a couple of booths could she spy a large group of civilian-dressed people that looked oh too familiar.

Not that it quelled her rapidly threshing heart. No, in actuality it made it even worse, a knot materializing in her throat. There was still time for Ana to turn around this instant and walk back out of the door.

This hesitation. This fear. Was entirely unknown to Ana. She wasn’t like that, she barely recognized herself. Had she not faced worse challenges? She’d learned to fly a jet, shoot ammunition, and throw bombs off with it. She had learned how to fight in combat, she’d deployed to active zones of conflict and risked her life in her service over and over. Why then did the thought of stepping up to her colleagues, her friends, frighten her so much more?

“Ghost, you came!”

At her side, Omaha appeared suddenly, hands full with bottles of beer as he smiled friendly at her. It startled her, the abrupt appearance of him. But just as quickly as he had appeared she recovered.

“Hi,” Ana murmured, focusing on the many beers precariously balanced in his hands. They were quite full.

“You already found the table?” He asked her and she nodded, motioning to pluck some of the beverages out of his hands. “Let me help.”

Omaha nodded and once they had evenly split the bottles she followed him to the table.

A chorus of happy shouts and other kinds of greetings awaited Ana. They were all clustered around two tables, shoved together and even then it seemed like quite the tight fit. The tables in the bar weren’t designed for such big groups.

Ana’s steps faltered when her eyes met a pair of electrifying green ones, turning around towards her. It was the first and only time she looked over at Hangman during her approach. Even if she had wanted to look at him again – which she didn’t – there would have been no way.

Rooster stood up the moment he saw her, moving to take the bottles of beer from her hands, and handing them out. Her own bottle remained in her hands as the mustached man motioned for her to take his seat.

There was one more empty seat, presumably Omaha’s, and even if it wouldn’t have been his, Ana would not have taken it. Fritz might have still been sitting between her and Hangman then, but Ana wasn’t quite comfortable with the thought of being so close to the blonde.

Earlier – at the hangar – had been a different story. An Exception. She’d been too caught up in her relief seeing everyone but especially Rooster and Maverick back alive and well. Hangman too. Her traitorous heart had leaped at the sight of him, soaring in happiness, the looming sword of uncertainty over her head had been sheathed at once.

And then reality had set back in.

Rooster grabbed another chair from an empty table, bringing it over and Ana took his previous one, in the middle between Phoenix and Halo. She was still closer to the blonde, who hadn’t looked away even once since his bright green eyes had snapped onto her. But now with Halo, Omaha, and Fritz, not to mention two tables, between them she felt a little more at ease.

“How long have you been here?”

Halo smiled at her, blindly grabbing over Omaha to grab his arm and draw it into her lap. She peered down at his wristwatch, eyes furrowing together in a way that had Ana wonder how much they already had to drink.

“Not long,” Halo determined soon after, letting go of her pilot’s arm.

“You haven’t missed anything if that’s what you are wondering,” Phoenix added, smiling at her. They surely hadn’t waited for her to arrive, had they? Curious, Ana wanted to know. The question however she was denied to ask, as Harvard cleared his throat pulling – almost – everyone’s attention toward him.

“We’re all here now. Time for a toast. To everyone coming back in one piece. To our team effort. To everyone gathered here today.”

“To a successful mission!” Fanboy added cheerfully, beer in hand that he raised high over his head. The others followed him, grabbing their beers if they hadn’t already and lifting them into the air. Ana fell behind a couple of seconds, her beer the last one to raise.

“Cheers!”

High-pitched clinks reverted off the touching glass where the bottlenecks were tapping together, mixing into the voices around Ana. One after another the bottles sank back, meeting their holder's lips. The beer was cold and fizzy against her lips, bubbles prickled against her lips and the roof of her mouth as Ana took her sip. Left behind was a fine sheen of foam, which she licked away.

All around her, the buzz of cheering had transformed into multiple, smaller conversations. She got caught up in listening to Phoenix, Rooster, and Payback chat, content to simply sit back, not having to talk herself. Ana had had to talk too much in the last couple of days.

Countless phone calls, thanking people for the flowers and condolence cards that even now kept pouring into their home. She held correspondence with her superiors, the people who had been her father’s colleagues and subordinates. They were planning on further honoring her father and his life's work in the Navy. Not only that but other people, journalists and others, kept inquiring too. It was exhausting.

As much as she focused on the conversation to her left, there was one thing – or rather one person – to her right, that made it almost impossible to listen attentively. She could feel Jake’s eyes on her, burning two distinct holes into her side. Even trying her best to look in the opposite direction, out of the corner of her eyes she noticed the blonde. He did a good job feigning to listen to Fritz and Coyote, throwing in little quips here and there but mostly Jake sat there, his knee bouncing up and down, bottle clasped in his hand tightly as he stared at Ana across the table. No way the others would grant him even a minute alone with her, yet all Jake wanted was a chance to talk to her.

“Yo Rooster, what do you think? You suppose the brass will give you a medal or a write-up for defying direct orders?” Omaha’s voice drowned out the other conversations around the table.

“Whatever it is, it’ll be a while until we’ll know. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’ll take forever ‘till they reviewed the mission considering the higher brass is in quite the disarray.”

And suddenly the group turned quiet, their eyes zeroing in on Ana. Uneasiness blanketed her. It was obvious why the brass was a little too out of order right now. Which was exactly the prompt they’d needed to remember just who was sitting with them.

“Sorry, I–”

Ana shook her head, “No, it’s alright.” Even if her voice didn’t sound as sure as she wanted it to appear. The moment of truth had arrived. Worry had consumed her, the uncertainty of her friend's and colleagues' stance on the big reveal plaguing her. Ana had never thought to believe any ill reaction of them prior to the funeral but then Jake had happened and the axis of her world had been tilted. Now she couldn’t be sure about anything pertaining to her name and identity anymore. She had become anxious as well as careful about it.

Words failed her, her mouth and lips suddenly drier than the sand of the Sahara desert. How did one break this news that technically they all already knew? How did one come clean without making it awkward? How could she state what everyone already knew without sounding insincere?

“You want to re-introduce yourself to us?” There was no malice in Phoenix's words. No scrutiny or judgment. Instead the dark-haired woman, the second closest friend Ana had in the squad after Rooster, looked at her with warmth and an encouraging openness.

Her words were a careful ask, a gently prodding prompt meant to ease her into a confession if Ana wished so. She was grateful for it, wanting nothing more but to come clean to her friends and colleagues and have the topic off the table so she didn’t have to worry about the unspoken, the unknown perhaps.

Having not known how to explain herself to them, Phoenix offered an easy starting point. But even then Ana felt choked, not by any expectations but once more by the reality that had plunged her life into darkness.

She tried to smile but it came out skittish and uneasy and so Ana quickly turned to nodding. They were all looking at her, more or minder directly, attentively but with a warmth that eased her into speaking.

“Yeah,” Ana mumbled, clearing her throat as she shifted in her seat. “I think it’s long overdue now. I never meant to lead any of you astray and I certainly didn’t hide this out of maliciousness. It just..,” she trailed off, leaving the end unfinished.

There had been no good time to spring it upon them, no moment in which she could have uttered an ‘Oh by the way guys, I’m actually Admiral Kazansky’s daughter’. Anyways.

“Uhm, it’s Ana–” her voice wobbled, threatening to give out. No amount of preparation could make it any easier. Ana was forced to take a rattling, shallow breath to keep the tears at bay.

“Ana Kazansky.”

The words barely left her lips without a stutter but once they’d finally been uttered a weight dropped off her shoulders. It felt freeing.

Everyone was looking at her with compassion and sympathy, every eye she met showed nothing but understanding. As she looked over at Phoenix, the one to ask in the first place, the woman opened her arms in a silent invitation. Ana gladly took the offer for a hug, needing it more than anything else, second most perhaps something stronger than beer.

Bob’s arms slung around her from behind, sandwiching Ana between the flight duo. Melting into the embrace, some of the weight she’d been carrying for so long lifted off her shoulders. Ever since her father had died, she had gotten into conflict with her own decision, feeling that the choice she’d made so long ago didn’t fit the her of today anymore.

The first step was made and for the rest of them here were the days going forward. But tonight, nothing of that mattered anymore, at least not for the moment. Gradually Ana calmed down enough for her breath to become steady and her tears to dry.

Bradley's hands clasped her shoulders after the hug, nodding at her with a lopsided smile. It was his way of saying ‘Good job kiddo’.

“But Ana is your actual first name right?” Payback asked jokingly, beer in his hand as he grinned over at Ana. His attempt at lightening up the mood once more was successful as Ana chortled.

“Yeah, it is.” Thinking for a moment, the hint of a smile tugged at her lips, “Although it’s not my full name and you guys have been butchering it.” The latter part – of course – wasn’t meant seriously and was more to egg them on.

Fanboy left out a surprised “Eh?” but it was Yale who leaned forward on his elbows and asked smiling, “Care to share?”

“It’s Ana Theodora Kazansky.”

“Can you repeat that?” Fritz asked her, “The way you said that.”

“Ah-na, it’s uh–”

“–a Russian name,” Bradley butted in, sounding playfully annoyed as he nursed his beer.

“Well, you sound like you’ve heard that one too many times,” Harvard nudged him with his elbow.

“If you only knew,” Bradley scoffed just as teasingly. “Been getting corrected on that all my life by the entire family.”

“And yet you still can’t seem to do it right.” To everyone’s surprise, Ana butted in, snarky and in the most outgoing, carefree way she had been since the funeral. The closest to the old Ana she’d been displaying ever since.

It didn’t last long, her mood quickly dampened by the scoff Coyote let out. Suddenly all eyes were on him. “Everything alright pal?” Payback asked.

“I think it’s just a little hypocritical don’t you think?” Coyote's eyes zeroed in on her, narrowing in a frown that had Ana’s stomach drop. “So much for comradery.”

“Yo dude, come on, that was obviously a joke,” Omaha frowned beside him while Ana just stared, the ground ripped from beneath her feet.

“No. You are just as hypocritical. She gets a free pass for her actions while she’s allowed to give others shit for theirs?”

Oh. So that’s what that was about. She’d almost forgotten how she’d laid into Hangman. Of course, as his best friend Coyote was going to be on his side. Ana simply hadn’t thought it was that much of a problem, since it had been between Hangman and her and the moment had been heated.

All around the table voices erupted but the words were reduced to mere noise in the back of her mind. It shouldn’t surprise Ana, until the moment she sat down at the table she’d anticipated – feared – everyone would react like Coyote had. Still, him reacting like that had sent her spiraling nonetheless.

“Enough!” Silence settled over them. Ana glanced up in surprise at Hangman, who had broken the discussion. Briefly, their gazes met across the table before he glanced away, looking around at all of them but mostly at Coyote.

“I appreciate the sentiment ‘yote but shut up. No reason to attack her like that, she did nothin’ wrong. You and I will never know what it’s like but we may try to understand it.” Her heart fluttered, only a fraction from the Texan drawl bleeding into his voice and mostly the serious, defending way with which he said it. He was defending her?

“Understand what? That she gets a free pass?”

“What’s it like to be a family legacy, what’s it like when everyone knows who you are and there are impossible expectations on you from the moment you are born because of your name. You and I can't imagine what it’s like to have everyone either look down on you for who you are or put you on an impossible-to-achieve pedestal. What it’s like when everyone thinks you haven’t worked hard enough to earn something even if you did your damn hardest to earn it.

I couldn’t imagine what it’s like to be reduced to my last name and for people to not see me for who I am but for my parents' son.

Everyone around his table has had to work their hardest to get where we are now but there is no question that some of us had it harder than others,” Jake made the briefest glance toward Phoenix, Halo, and lastly Ana. “You’d do well to remember that, perhaps asking and listening in on their hardships would help you not look as stupid as you are right now. ”

“And lastly it’s none of our damn business if she decided to keep her private information private. Or do you go around sharing your lineage and heritage with everyone?

No one’s getting a free pass here.”

Ana was left speechless. Jake jumping to her rescue surprised her a lot, even more so at how reflective and open he was. While it was clear that the others had caught some part of what happened at the funeral, she was sure they weren’t in on it all.

Most likely Rooster had told them the gist of it, otherwise, they wouldn’t have jumped between Jake and her at the Hangar. But there was no way Rooster would dish out the entire story when it wasn’t his to tell.

She had no idea what had gone down after the funeral or during the mission, but something had happened. At least something had changed in Jake. That being sad she wasn’t sure if she was ready to deal with it all, no less ready for it than she had been at the hangar earlier that day. Just because he came to her defense now didn’t mean Jake understood all of it or could see his faults.

While Ana deep down longed for nothing more than resolution, a big part – and the loudest of it all by far – still wasn’t ready for confrontation. Her mood was soured and once more the walls seemed to come down all around her. Her breath hitched, the tension around the table suddenly too much for her. Grabbing her bottle, her chair screeched loudly against the floor.

“I’m going to get a refill,” she muttered, squeezing past Bradley, who had taken a seat narrowly behind her and Phoenix.

Much later that same evening Ana found herself outside on the back patio, where the air was crisp, the sky dark and the world a little quieter.

Lonelier.

Ever since Coyote’s more than snide comments, the atmosphere had been off, the mood tainted with those burdensome words. Ana didn’t want to dampen the fun of the others, doubts of coming in the first place rampaged wildly inside her. She’d tried to put on a brave face, to smile through it and drink a little more. To loosen up.

Ultimately however she felt like a pretender. Never wanting to be one ever again - even with her brave face - she’d opted to go back to Penny. But Penny had been busy, the later the night the more patrons to serve.

With Maverick joining the lively group Ana briefly had been able to relax, to forget a bit for a while. Only for the time being until her gaze crossed Coyote’s at the table again. Then she was back to square one.

And so, at some point and entirely unnoticed, she’d gone off on her own, to find some quiet and solitude out here. Her forearms braced against the railing, both hands wrapped around her bottle of beer, she stared out at the waves, barely discernible in the dim light of the night.

Emotions bubbled under the surface, beneath the carefully maintained mask. Cracks had formed along its smooth form, crumbling the more time passed. Ana had truly thought she’d be able to stomach an evening away already, to throw herself back into the routine outings.

“I tried to,” she whispered into the quiet, voice lost in between the sways of the faraway waves and the summer breeze caressing her hair. “I’m trying so hard to be strong, Dad.” Her lips trembled, voice turning wobbly and weak.

“It’s just so damn hard,” she whimpered, closer to a sob, closer to breaking down.

This horrid wave of pain became laced with anger and that familiar bout of resentment cooking up inside her. How weak was she that she couldn’t even manage one evening? One silly night? Angry tears burned Ana’s eyes, her stubborn refusal all that held them back from spilling. Her nails scratched against the bottle's smooth glass, catching the edges of the label, fingers tightening their hold.

Nearly swallowed in this silent fight with herself, Ana could have – would have – missed the backdoor swinging open if not for that one old hinge at the bottom creaking under heavy strain.

Startled out of her pain and self-misery she hastily wiped over her face as discreetly as possible before she glanced back. It was those green eyes she noticed first – and perhaps only – in the dawn, causing her to straighten her back, carefully guarding herself. Ana swallowed, curiously just as hesitantly eyeing the blonde, waiting for him to move. It took Jake a long breath to close the door behind him, the hinge screeching a second time before he took a step forward but not yet coming toward her.

All throughout the evening, Ana had watched him out of the corner of her eye trying to get close. Only for one of the many daggers – she’d been told that’s how Hondo had dubbed the bunch, promptly turning into their unofficial name – to block him off. Be it changing his seat to one closer to her or being able to address her. Not even looks they had outright permitted, one of them conventionally and just coincidentally shifting so they couldn’t cross eyes. Not that he had tried still, stolen glances slipping past the vigilant guards, which Ana noticed.

Jake had been progressively growing more frustrated until some time ago when he had left the group table to stalk off to who knows where to do who knows what.

Now he stood here, watching her as the light from inside the hard deck illuminated his back. She might have stood in the dark but the little light filtering out toward her was enough for him to notice the motion of her hands.

Two hearts rapidly beat on the opposing sides of the deck. Jake hesitated. Just then he had been so determined to approach her, to finally get a moment alone with her. Now he wasn’t so sure if he still should. If he wouldn’t do more harm than what he was trying to repair.

He couldn’t move, stuck in his spot, in this position. Torn between stepping forward and leaving again. Torn between his want, his need, to mend a situation – possibly unfixable – and going to preserve an already thin enough tolerance or to admit defeat.

Failing to move in what could have been merely heartbeats but also minutes Ana turned away, facing the beach again, her back now turned to him. While this gesture might have been a sign for anyone else to leave, for Jake it was the permission to approach, albeit slowly and carefully.

Once more Ana found herself staring into the dark, the waves ominously glistening in the distance, no different from the waves of emotions crashing in her stomach, their sounds sweeping up the dunes toward them. But now their sound was mixed with Jake’s boots, with the slow yet sturdy steps as he drew closer.

The railing creaked under his forearms as he leaned against the barrier not far away from her. Some might even call it beside her. There were but a few feet dividing them. Quiet was the chosen ambience, at least for a while in which they dwelled on their thoughts, each one stuck in their own complicated world of mind.

There came a point when the silence became too much for Ana, too glaring, too grading on her nerves. Looking over at him at first was a quick glance, then another one until not long after she turned her head entirely to him, watching with careful eyes. In the dark, she thought to notice a reddish tinge to his tan skin, almost unintelligible.

“Are you drunk?” She asked, quietly, words carrying an accusing sting with them.

“No,” he answered, adding a few contemplative moments later, “Maybe a little.”

Her instinct to flee his proximity kicked in, no longer able to bear the pain still residing inside of her, to tolerate this silent existence between them. The jerky, jittery movement, not quite a stumble but also nowhere near graceful had Jake now eyeing her intently.

Against all her instincts his gaze held her there, gluing her to the spot like no one had ever been able to do before.

“Listen, I–” As fast as her instincts had been blanketed by his gaze, his words brought the innate need for her to leave right back.

“–Don’t! I don’t want to hear…” And with the sensation came another wave of bite to defend, to guard herself. Ana had learned her lesson at the funeral and she wouldn’t be a fool once more.

But she wouldn’t let him out of her eyes either, at least not for the first careful steps backward, her hand skirting along the edge of the railing until finally, in one swift motion, she whirled around and bolted down the steps.

“No, Ana, that’s not– Damn it!”

It was all she could hear before the rush of blood replaced any other noise. Ana’s heart hammered in her chest, the sudden bout of adrenaline taking her by surprise. She stumbled in the sand, wondering what she was even doing.

To no surprise it didn’t take long for her to crumble once more, adrenaline replaced by all the pain she’d shoved to the back in favor of guarding herself against the blonde. With him no longer around everything swept back. Like a tsunami, it now came crashing over her. A sob broke out from between her lips, knees buckling as she squatted down in the sand, forehead resting against her knees.

“Shit,” she whined, hands shaking as she tried to keep her balance, just like her emotions the world wanted to tilt around her, spinning out of control.

Muffled steps on sand hit her ears but there came no second wave of flight, no instincts to tell her to flee. She was too tired, too in pain from it all. What difference would more of it even make?

“Coyote had no right to say that to you,” Jake blurted, huffing as he reached her. He’d feared she’d just up and bolt again, not sure if catching her a second time was something he could do. Exhaustion; his lack of sleep during the mission on the carrier and now the added stroke of the alcohol coursing through his veins were catching up on him, heavily.

“And it’s my fault he said something in the first place. He’s protective of me like the others are of you, which doesn’t make it okay. I…I don’t know why he thought to say that, to do that in front of everyone–not that in private it would have been any more acceptable.”

With a sigh, Jake dragged his hand over his face. Ana had the most unusual reaction to this. She chuckled, shaking her head in a moment of displaced amusement, a laugh bubbling deep in her chest, barely held back.

“What– What’s so funny ‘bout that?” Jake puffed out in confusion, slowly blinking through the foggy tendrils of alcohol wanting to cloud his mind. He wasn’t that inebriated was he?

“You defended me,” she muttered, rising to her feet. Her eyes, landing point blank on Jake, were the brightest damn thing in this solemn night. But they weren’t as bright as they had been that night in the Hard Deck three weeks ago. Dimmed unmistakably now. Jake hated himself, knowing he was a part of the reason her flame had lost its spark.

“You defended me.”

He should have been insulted at the way she made it sound like it was the least possible thing that could happen, but he couldn’t. Not after what he had done to her. He deserved it. Deserved all of her mistrust.

“Even I can admit when I’m at fault.”

“You can? What changed?” There it was, the anger he had been expecting to surface back at the hangar already. She’d spared him then but now he was ready to take whatever she would hurl at him.

Shrugging he looked down at his feet, “I learned some new things. Things that gave me a new perspective.”

“For example?”

Sucking in his breath, Jake glanced upward. There she stood, in all her hostile, defensive glory. The waning crescent moon illuminated her from behind, the soft dim of it gave her an otherworldly glow. She looked like his best dream yet where he stood felt closer to his worst nightmare.

It took him off-guard that question of hers. Even though he had been the one to bring it up, he realized now how unprepared he truly was for her to ask. Gathering his witts usually came as easy as breathing. Not now. Trying to find his way to the start of his story was harder than Jake anticipated. Especially when the alcohol in his system chose now to ensnare his mind further.

Jake’s eyes lost their focus, skidding to the path of sand behind her leading to the tip of the beach where the waves came in from the vast open of the ocean. Their rhythmic movements had something almost calming.

Almost.

Beside his body Jake’s fingers started to twitch in wanton, one movement kickstarting the cascade of nervous notions that were entirely his own. His foot began tapping the sand beneath his sole in an erratic, uncontrolled cluster of muffled thumps.

The motion sent a flashback through his mind as much as it did little vibrations through the loose ground. One involving the very woman before him, a pen, and a sharp pain as said pen had been rammed into his thigh not long ago.

“That I’m more of a fraud than you could ever be,” he shrugged once more, shoving his hands into his pockets as he kicked at the sand beneath his feet. His words caught her off guard, abruptly halting her in her growing anger, stealing the roll she was building towards.

“What?” Her words were quiet, nearly lost over the waves, that suddenly sounded so much louder. And this time it was Jake who nearly laughed in surprise. Even when he had hurt her so badly and she had all the reason to hate his guts, she found it in herself to listen to him and perhaps even to muster some sympathy for him. He truly didn’t deserve it.

“I had to talk to someone, so I called my mother. She gave me an earful…” His hand flashed in her attention as he produced something from the pocket of his pants. Ana couldn’t tell what it was at first, his fingers nimbly spinning it between them. “She’d have flown here to whoop my ass no question if we didn’t ship out a couple of days later. She, uhh, put some things into perspective for me..”

Ana watched him now, attentive and with a poorly concealed hint of curiosity for which she would have liked to kick herself in the ass. She cursed him for having such an impact on her. Cursed herself more that even now she couldn’t resist this natural pull. Cursed her traitorous heart for beating faster, stronger.

How could it not when Jake was opening himself up to her? It reminded her of him showing up in her room with hot chocolate and snacks. When she had glimpsed the real Jake beneath the mask he made everyone believe was him.

One more thing sparked her memory. That little pick of wood between his fingers, flashing briefly in the moonlit space between them. Cursed be the toothpick, the little annoying thing that sent a shiver down her spine. He’d had it that morning in the hangar too, annoying her to no end.

Then she’d accounted it as a tool of superiority, for him to tease and show off. Was it true or had her own subjectivity turned it into it? Had it perhaps been nothing but his way of managing his nerves?

“From the first time I can remember I was always obsessed with planes. There was nothing more fascinating for me than those huge feasts of engineering. These beautiful man-made birds of steel, giving a mere human the ability to conquer and explore the skies.

Growin’ up my father always put it before me that I was to inherit the family business one day, continue and grow it. Like he had done and his father and his father’s father before them.”

His hand reached upwards, one pointy end rubbing along the flush of his bottom lip. How ironic that little thing was now when he was about to mention him. “It was my grandfather who showed me that my dream could become my reality. That my future was my choice. My mother’s family always lived far away from us and looking back on it now I realize why she kept us away so much from them.

Nonetheless, my grandfather became my hero. My role model from the moment I met him and found out he’d not only been in the Navy his whole life but been no less than an aviator.

To a twelve-year-old obsessed with everything aviation, he became the coolest person on earth. Even more so when afterward I found out he was highly decorated and considered a hero.”

Quietening down Ana almost missed his next words, “Guess I never realized how much of a hero he was considered until now. Or how much influence he earned through that.”

In a brief moment, Jake’s mask slipped, revealing the conflict warring inside of him. It was gone as quickly as it had, the iron mask back stronger.

“You see I always thought what got me into the academy was my hard work alone. And I was damn proud of it since it's no easy feat. I always thought everything can be done if you just put in enough effort and don’t quit.”

“Can’t stand quitters ya now? Those who give up because it’s too hard or those who let the difficulty and fear stop them from even trying, who can’t seem to put in the effort it would take to reach the end. I was full of prejudice, thinking that all legacy children always got in easily and without working for it.”

“Like me.” Hesitantly he glanced over at her, a cautious and nearly hidden look before his eyes drifted once more toward the ground where his feet shuffled around the sand. Rather harshly he cleared his throat, shaking off the lump in it and rushing to babble on.

“My mother used the ample opportunity to give me not only a lecture but also a lesson in what it was like to grow up for her. And I know I can’t compare that, likely yours and her experience won’t have many similarities but it..,” once more a heavy sigh cleaved his lips as Jake found himself lost for words. His hands tightened into fists, the toothpick between his fingers creaked under the strain, slowly bending until it snapped. The two broken pieces slipped beneath his fist, landing in the sand.

“She, uhm–,” he cleared his throat, “–she told me what it was like for her to grow up as the daughter of a navy hero. As a legacy child herself, even if she never wished to pursue the same career path.” A sad smile broke upon his lips, weakly twisting the corners of his mouth upwards. Ultimately the heaviness of his guilt brought them down again.

“My view on it all has been altered.”

There was no time to ponder about his words or what had been revealed with them, as Jake left no pause. He shrugged once more, hands shoved back into his pants as he spoke on, “I can’t let it slide when something untrue or incorrect is said. As you might have noticed I’m more blunt. Pretty sure everyone else thinks I’m just a mouthy asshole, who says what he thinks without regarding other people’s feelings.”

A rush of guilt swept through the hightide of her wavering emotions, like a little boat out in rough sea. She’d thought just the same. The more Ana learned of him, the stronger she felt that there was so much more to Jake. So much more behind those acts he put up and the brash way he spoke with others. And here she was, getting to see another part of him unraveled, another piece put into the puzzle that was understanding him.

“Don’t like to hide things. There is no point in sugarcoating things.” For a moment it looked like he wanted to say more, to add something. He looked over at her, their eyes met once more through the night and something glimmered in Jake’s eyes—a brief shine of something Ana couldn’t name or even describe.

And then he left. Simply turned around, walking back the way he had come to follow her. A couple steps away he turned around once more, “I won’t bother you any longer as you clearly wanted to have your peace in the first place. Apologies for disrupting.”

#legacies #hangman x oc #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin x oc #hangman x reader #jake seresin x kazansky!oc #jake seresin x kazansky/reader #hangman seresin imagine #jake hangman seresin x oc #jake hangman seresin x reader #hangman top gun #hangman seresin #top gun maverick fanfic

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cassiopeiacorvus · 2 months

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Playchoices MCs - Part 11

Previous | Next

artist notes under the cut

Niobe Chase (TPA) | She puts James Bond to shame. I gave her a different stealth outfit because I'm tired of PB drowning female MCs in crop tops. There are other shirt types, thank you very much. Also scars and ✨muscles✨ because MCs deserve to be shredded too.

Gwyneira (GUIN) | If PB gives me a historical book, I will look up historical outfits and throw out every outfit PB gave me. It is a fact of life. Gwyneira's gown is a combination of Eleanor of Aquitaine's tomb effigy and some inspiration from 12th c. English queens. I went with 12th century fashion because that's when Guinevere is first mentioned in literature.

Fumie Ueno (KOD) | I cannot tell you the annoyance I felt after having lightly researched the Yakuza because I wanted to use the new Asian face in the book, given my MC a well though out Japanese name, only for me to open the book and see that her father's name is Beckham and her brother's name is Clyde. Her default name is Diamond. Make it make sense. I changed the gold to silver in her outfit because if goes better with her skin tone. I also gave her F!Trystan's snake earrings.

Maxine "Max" Thompson (GG) | Listen, I did the math. I'm declaring that Max's parents named her after Maxine Shaw (Attorney at Law) from Living Single. Max takes Type A personality to a whole new level and I love her for it.

Amika Fuller (RWB) | I was contractually obligated to put a red solo cup somewhere in Amika's portrait. I clearly decided to I wanted to practice rendering patterns for this set of MCs because I just noticed that 5/6 have a pattern somewhere on their clothes.

Cheyney Latimore (FCL) | Miss Steal-Your-Girl herself. Listen, she's messy, but she's my mess. The pins on her hiking bag are as follows: the flag for the state of Georgia (because I headcanon that the characters when to Clark Atlanta University instead of just Clark University), a pressed penny, the symbol of Uranus (it's a Sailor Moon reference), the lesbian pride flag, and the pin for Arches National Park.

#playchoices #the phantom agent #choices guinevere #kiss of death #getaway girls #roommates with benefits #first comes love #cassiopeiacorvus draws #cassi originals

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imaginedreamwrite · 2 years

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Here’s Your Perfect: Part 1

The plain and dark dyed fabric was nothing significant and neither was your state as you slipped it over your head and tightened the stays in the front, the laces are as plain and ordinary as the dress you are given.

Your father, mother and brother are expecting you down in the sitting room of your homely chateau, the previous week’s ball in which most women were matched or at the very least given offers, had produced little excitement for you.

The only exception was the news that your mother and father had found someone for you, two men who were older than you had anticipated and had refused a dower. Instead, they had given your parents a great lump sum of money to take you off their hands and it was with that news that the rumours started.

The ladies you should have been in social circles with started talking amongst themselves about the fate you would meet as a wedded whore. That was your fate one way or another, for a woman like you with no other prospects, you would either become a whore to any man who would dole out some pennies for your warmth or you would become a whore in the marriage bed.

It was what was expected of someone like you, someone who had not been declared a bountiful beauty with men fawning over you. Your mother and your father should have been, and truly were, elated to even be rid of you. The offer was accepted and you were as good as sold to two men you had never met, cast away upon two men whose tempers or natures could have been uglier and more devastating than even you could have imagined.

Since you had learned of the arrangement, and you had been given little hope to run anywhere from your fate, you had spent more time with your mind between pages of novels than you had with other people. You would often find yourself escaping to a world where everything was set in ink and contrived between thick stock with sturdy bindings.

It was obtuse of you to think that you could forever escape the world around you with that of fiction, just as it would have been a disservice to your mind to think that you could have remained a spinster your entire life.

Your mother and father would just as rather cast you off to be rid of you as they would have been to send you to the workhouse. They didn’t see the value in a woman who was as unjustly triggering as you, even if you were their only daughter.

Where men had liked full bosoms and gentle curves that could be cupped in a man’s hands, you were too gifted in the vivacious manner of your appearance, with heavier breasts than were desired and more weight around your hips and backside.

You were a woman with fuller curves that could not be hidden in your everyday life given the style of fashion and the emphasis on looking sleek and feminine. And your mother and father had contained enough pride not to sully their namesakes by sending you to a poor man to be married.

They would rather you be a whore to any common man than a wife to a peasant.

“You don’t carry great wealth either, father.” The comment was made, the barb had sunk into your parent’s reputations while they had clung to the societal ladder they were placed on with every possible ounce of their strength.

They were just important and dignified enough to be allowed in their society, to be allowed to attend balls with the nobles and hope their children would marry up. Having you, their rather beastly daughter married off was an added bonus to them.

Your father and mother could then focus on your brother by having him seduce as many eligible noble daughters as he could. It was their goal to rid themselves of their greatest disappointment and win over nobles higher than themselves with their son.

“You are nothing desirable, you will be made a whore and you will die a whore.” There was no great effort extended upon you, there was no small measure taken to make you appear to be something you weren’t.

You were given a plain and dark blue dress that was woven with familiar dark thread, there was nothing to impress with the stays and the belt that was made to cinch your waist. The corset was bound comfortably, not in comparison to some other ladies’ personal choice, and yet despite the cut of the dress and the corset’s design, the size of your chest was not hidden. Neither were the curves of your waist and your backside.

“You’ll finally be rid of me, mother.” The comment you had made in regards to your mother had echoed on the staircase as you descended the stairs, there wasn’t a moment of regret over the way she had treated you, neither was there regret when she had the audacity to look appalled over your comment.

It was only when you had seen the surprise in her eyes that you were made aware of your future husbands talking quietly amongst your father and brother. Then you had understood that not only had your comment been heard by your company, but it had raised questions about their familial circle.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Y/N. I am your mother-“ She reached for you, she set her hand upon your shoulder and you rebuffed her with a swift smack to her hand, the crack of her knuckles against the wall stirring more curiosity from the guests.

“You never wanted me to be your daughter, don’t bother showing care now mother.” You lifted your skirts so as not to trip on the stairs and hurried down the remaining steps, scurrying around the corner before coming to a direct stop.

Both men were settled in the small sitting room nearest the fireplace, both of them staring your father down with contrived suspicion and mild disbelief. They were looking upon him and your brother as if they were trying to piece together the men and woman who had spent the greatest portion of their respective lives trying to gain favours from people who did not want them and had no need for them.

They were dressed in fine cloth and tunics, a touch of furs on the darker-haired man who had a knife set across his lap, and the regal stature of the man whose hair could have been considered dark blonde or light brunette. Both of their beards had been speckled with grey and white, a few streaks that had rendered them wise with age and still beautiful enough to steal the hearts of any one dame they had come across.

“Y/N,” your father had cast a look over his shoulder, nearly grimacing while his hands had shaken, “there seems to be a mistake. The men who offered for your hand-“

“Do not make us fools.” The brunette had spoken with ice in his voice and a mean sneer forming on his face. “You do not want to push us past our limits.”

“The men who offered money for that whore-“

“Watch your tongue boy, or it may be removed from your mouth.” The regal-looking man had stood.

He had risen to his feet and straightened out the tunic that was well formed across his chest and shoulders, the tapered edge toward his hips and thighs bringing your attention to his height that was more substantial than your father and brother combined.

“Y/N,” he stepped toward you, stood in front of you and addressed you first with the bow of his head as if he was speaking to royalty before his eyes, and then he grasped your hand to place a kiss against your knuckles, “you are more breathtaking than I remember.”

“I don’t…” your eyebrows had become furrowed and your lips had pursed, “forgive my confusion but I don’t remember ever meeting you.”

The tunic he wore was rich in colour, well suited to the colour of his skin. It had brought out the depths of his eyes and was paired well with dark breeches and tall riding boots. His hair was brushed back, long enough to dust his shoulders and his hand was warm as it held yours. He was a man that would always remain beautiful, time had only aided his natural charm and attractiveness.

“I could never forget someone like you, but I suppose your lack of knowledge about me is hardly your fault.” His words were sent as barbs toward your father, mother and brother. “I’ve made my fortunes far from this hellhole, in the north where I own portions of land-“

“Lord Levinson,” you had finally hit recognition, reminiscing over the conversations you had heard months ago about the wealthy lord who had provided most of the allocated food resources for the kingdom, “my apologies-“

“You do not bow your head for me.” He cupped your chin and tilted your head up, studying you with warmth in his eyes. “You heard of me, but you don’t remember how we met?”

You remembered hearing of him although you didn’t recall personally meeting the man who was now here to wed you. Well, one of the men who had paid your father and mother for the right to have your hand.

“I’m sorry-“

“Don’t apologize, dewdrop.” He smiled, soft and charmingly. “I don’t suppose you remember hearing of a mercenary’s reputation-“

At his words, the other man had stood and approached you, the one who had been wearing furs along with his tunic.

His hair was longer than Ari’s and had been plaited in a simple braid to keep it out of his face, like Ari his hair was streaked and littered with silver and grey. His eyes were far bluer than Ari’s, the unrestricted azure depths were just as captivating. He had a few scars on his face, none that took away from his beauty or ruggish charm, and there was a glove on one hand that made you wonder if there was some kind of injury to his appendage.

“James Buchanan Barnes,” he had grasped your hand and kissed your knuckles like Ari, the two of them revelling in the intake of air and the steady rise and fall of your chest, “but please call me Bucky. Ari was right, it has been too long since we have seen you.”

“We didn’t agree to this! If we had known that it was you offering for her hand-!” Your father stood abruptly, and with anger had raised an accusatory finger toward the two men. “You have cheated me out of a fortune-“

“We made an offer and sent representatives of our business to have the offer accepted. If you didn’t have the good sense to recognize the wax seals on sturdy letters then it is your fault and your fault alone.” Ari had communicated with a calm nature, not backing down for a moment as your father’s sneer and rage increased.

“You stole property-!”

“Continuing to address your daughter as property is done with distaste.” Ari had stepped forward while ushering you with a steady hand toward Bucky, briefly watching you until you were in between himself and your other future husband.

“If you won’t refrain from addressing our future wife with the kind of respect you would lavish upon us then like your son, your tongue will be removed from your mouth.”

“You have no right-!” Your brother had stepped forward, believing that the two of them together could have stood against the two men come to gather you.

“I have every right to tend to my wife as I see fit. I have every right to defend my wife as I see fit.” He squared his jaw and his shoulders, rising to his full height. “You set a price for your daughter and it was agreed upon. She is no longer your ‘property’, at this moment she is mine.”

Silence fell upon your father, nothing was said and no one had moved until the door to your familial home had opened and a sturdy trunk had been carried inside. Ari had stepped out of the way as it was set upon the wooden floor, keeping himself between your father and yourself, and then he nudged the edge of the trunk.

“Your payment for your daughter, under the condition that if you should ever try and test me or our wife again, I will have your head.” The threat was made, and then Ari had slipped his arm in with yours and cast his eyes upon you, studying you. “Is there anything you need to retrieve?”

“I’d rather burn it all.” Your eyes grew wider when there was nothing less than stalwart devotion and adoration, protective instincts at the forefront of his eyes.

“Good. We have things ready for you at our home, you’ll need and want for nothing.”

“You whore!” Your brother screamed at you, he lashed out at you as you were escorted out the door by Ari and Bucky, his comment met by the sharp sting of your father’s hand upon his cheek.

“Shut your mouth, boy! Lest we all have our heads clean cut from our bodies!”

Permanent Tags List: @jennmurawski13-writes @beardburnsupersoldiers @daydreaminginthechaos @rebekahdawkins @supraveng @bookfrog242 @old-enough-to-know-better73 @valsworldofcreativity @rainbowkisses31 @loveitorleaveit20 @alexakeyloveloki @socalgem1124 @mogaruke @dreamlessinparis @frisky975 @dispatchvampire @hereforbuckyandsteve @jesgisborne @fairybnha3 @hallecarey1 @tang082646 @mrslokibarnesrogers @deputy-videogamer @posionivy0061 @loving-life-my-way @kaylamcd2000 @mercyy98 @undecidedsworld @rootcrop @whatinthestyles @slutforsteve @cornmousequeen @rededfoxy @yagurl-snow @glimmering-darling-dolly @patzammit @buckymydarlingangel @missusbarnes-rogers @andy-is-gay @nervousfandom @rileyloves5 @emi11ie @carelessreadersstuff @readingandwritingandreading @cynic-spirit @inkedaztec @gh0stgurl @mansaaay @cats-and-sheep @pono-pura-vida @seitmai @teambarnes72

#Silverfox!Ari Levinson x reader x silverfox!Bucky Barnes #landowner!ari levinson #mercenary!bucky barnes x reader #Silverfox!Bucky Barnes x reader x silverfox!Ari Levinson #ari levinson imagines fluff #ari levinson imagines angst #ari levinson imagines smut #ari levinson x reader smut #bucky barnes x reader fluff #bucky barnes imagine #Bucky Barnes x reader #historical au #mercenary!Bucky Barnes #lord!Ari Levinson #here’s your perfect #here’s your perfect series #here’s your perfect masterlist #here’s your perfect part 1

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potatoes-tomatoes · 2 years

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cringe ass older south park headcanons

top is what I personally envision for the boys, bottom is designed following canon designs and colors (down to hair, nose shapes, and types of clothes that appear on show):

Stan was easiest to design, I simply copy pasted Trey's 90s look and the type of casual sweaters he'd wear. If not that, then bomber jackets (bottom) his canon leg shape is weird, but meh, what can ya do. Kyle, I think would keep wearing an ushanka and wear the nicer clothes of the boys-- he'd still wear normal clothes like pants and a jacket, the thing is his jackets are from places like Nordstrom bc he's arguably the richest of the boys (I guess stan's a close second, maybe tie?). With his hat off, it's his crazy Matt 90s hair. I'm very fond of it. So fun to draw hgjfkd

Cartman likes to present himself nicely, but is paradoxically lazy. So he styles his hair neater than the other boys but wears a simple hoodie or jacket and onea those ugly calf-high cargo pants. Bottom design tho is his nicer clothes (also the one that has his full palate on display) Funny enough, he's the only one with a zit free face thanks to a rigorous skincare routine that would put Patrick Bateman to shame. I'd like him to keep those sharp, thin eyebrows his child design has as opposed to the canon designs which are fuller. He looks more evil and frees up space in his face

Kenny I had an absolute blast designing! I loved hawaiian shirt Kenny from PC, and wouldn't ya know it, there's a ton of hawaiian shirts out there adorned with promiscuous women and gore. Very south park. Very Kenny. though, that shirt cost a pretty penny so he'd most likely wear a cheap sweater and a puffer vest (the orange one is literally the cheapest thing you can buy on walmart hgjfkd). I wanted to spice up his pallet and gave him cool orange cargo pants!! No changes to his footwear. Literal genius move on the crew's end.

ummm yeah anyways yeah this was so funnn except for choosing cartman's nose shape bc fuck that. he's got like 3 canon noses to choose from and each nose gives him a new vibe wtf. I can't decide which to choose, I might make that it's own post. anwyays glasses cartman supremacy!!

#south park #cel speaks #eric cartman #stan marsh #kyle broflovski #kenny mccormick #character design #lmao lookit me taggin that as if i know what im doin #I feel it's a sin to not obscure kenny's face or at least his mouth but I couldn't figure anything out :(#I thought of him wearing a scarf but that along with his crazy hair disrupted his silhouette...#idk maybe a teen kenny is his Clarity Era hfgjks #i don't have to point it out but i will anywayyysss I kinndaa changed the boys' body shapes on the top iteration bc I have Thoughts #Stan seems like he has broad shoulders #Kyle's got a rectangular body with long proportions #Cartman's grown out of his hunch (i kinda dont like his canon hunch fhhj) and has a pear shape body #indeed there is truth in his childhood moniker #but the canon complient designs I kept that hunch dont worryyyy #Kenny's twiggy bc of his rancid diet (he gives most of his food to karen anyways)#cels doodles

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pennydoe · 1 month

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would i get shot if i drew penny with tanner skin and fuller lips would i get publicly executed and burned 3 times like joan of arc

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she-likesorchids · 4 months

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Designs On You: Chapter One

City Life, Apple Pie Made Just Right

Pairing: Human AU Lestat de Lioncourt x Louis de Pointe du Lac

Summary: Lestat de Lioncourt leaves France for New Orleans to get away from his life and his demons. He falls in love with the city and buys a townhouse in the Quarter. But, what happens when he also falls in love with the contractor he hired to renovate his house?

Louis de Pointe du Lac is trying to find his way as a business owner after his father dies and leaves him the family contracting company. He takes a job from a French man new to town offering him a disgusting amount of money to renovate his townhouse. He knows he's hurting, but can he fix more than his house?

They both have demons, but can they tame them? Can Lestat really run from what he left behind in France? Can Louis be everything his family needs? Can they fill in the cracks in each other's hearts? We'll see when the paint dries.

Word Count: 2.5k

Author's Note: JUMPING INTO THE DEEP END HERE. We're starting from the end and working backwards! That's right! We'll get a happy ending, but how do they get it? Well, you'll see.

Big thanks and many smooches to @mythicaltzu for beta reading, editing, and being my cheerleader in DMs!

ENJOY!

Louis and Lestat had just celebrated their first anniversary as a married couple, and life was absolutely blissful.

Louis had taken on the role of business owner full time, and no longer did any actual contracting work. He had an office, but he worked from home quite a bit, which made Lestat very happy. The house Lestat bought on a whim now felt like a home, and it was about to get fuller. They had started the process of adopting a child, and they had their first meeting with the social worker at the adoption agency today. Both of them dreamed of this life, but they never thought it would be possible until they met each other. They were nervous about becoming parents, but they were both buzzing with excitement.

Lestat came downstairs freshly showered and dressed to find Louis sitting at the kitchen island drinking a cup of coffee, and a second cup waiting for him. Louis knew just how Lestat took his coffee, and it was those little things that made him fall deeper in love with him every day. Even though Louis was off work for their appointment today, he was still aimlessly scrolling through work emails on his phone. Lestat could feel the nerves radiating from him, and even though he was just as nervous, he knew he had to comfort Louis.

He took a seat at the island next to Louis, took his hands in his, and quietly asked, “Penny for your thoughts, mon cher?”

Louis turned to face his husband, and let out a long sigh before answering, “M’just nervous. Are we really ready for this?”

“Oh, my beautiful Louis. I’m nervous too. We may not be ready for this, but I want to do it with you. Just think, mon cher, a beautiful little child to fill our home with joy and laughter. Doesn’t that sound lovely?

“It does. But there’s also sleep deprivation, dirty diapers, spit up, and all that.”

Lestat barked out a laugh, which made Louis chuckle as well. He cupped Louis’s cheek with his hand and smiled, “I know, I know. But there’s no one I’d rather suffer through a newborn with than you.”

Louis smiled and stood up from his seat at the kitchen island and wrapped his arms around Lestat’s neck. Lestat put his hands on Louis’s hips and pulled him closer so he could share a sweet kiss with him. Once they broke apart, Louis leaned down to rest his cheek against Lestat’s head, and Lestat hugged him tighter. They stayed in the embrace for a moment before Louis finally pulled away to say, “Well, we better get going. Don’t want to be late, do we?”

—--------------------------------------------------------------

The two of them smiled brightly at each other before walking through the door of the adoption agency hand in hand. They checked in with the receptionist and before they could even take a seat, the social worker that had been working with them was coming out of her office to fetch them. Her name was Julia, and she was a very smiley young woman with her hair up in a messy bun, and comically large framed red eyeglasses. They had met briefly to drop off paperwork and they had spoken to her several times on the phone, but today was the day they were actually going to get the process in motion.

Holy shit, they were going to be bringing a baby home soon. Hopefully, anyway.

“Lestat! Louis! So wonderful to see you both,” she sing-songed as she shook their hands. “Well, if you’ll both just come with me to my office, we’ll get this show on the road! Follow me.”

She led them into her small office, which was decorated with lots of band posters, pastel stuffed animals, and various vinyl figurines of superheroes. They took a seat in the chairs in front of her desk, and Lestat grabbed Louis’s hand, gently rubbing the back of it with his thumb to ease his husband’s nerves. This was really happening, and they were both a mess of emotions.

“So, all of your paperwork looks great! We should be able to get this filed with the courts no problem and complete your family! How are y’all feeling about it?”

Lestat and Louis glanced at each other before Lestat finally spoke. “Well, Julia, we’re incredibly nervous, but we’re both very excited. Both of us have dreamed of having a family, and we just want to thank you for helping us realize this dream.”

Julia laughed and blushed. “Oh I’m just doing my job! So, the next step is to find a baby! I realize this is a bit weird, going through prospects, but it is part of the process. Now, do the two of you have any-”

She was interrupted by a soft knock on her doorframe, and the three of them looked up to see another young woman holding a manila envelope in her hand.

“So sorry to interrupt,” she said. “But, I have that paperwork on Baby Edwards at Oschner’s NICU. Her parents signed over all their parental rights, so she is officially in our care now.”

Julia motioned for her to step into her office and she took the envelope from her as she thanked her. Lestat swallowed a lump in his throat at the thought of this tiny premature baby being abandoned by her parents. Louis could tell his husband was getting emotional, and he knew he wanted to know more about the baby in the envelope, so he gently squeezed his hand and gave him a nod to ask Julia about her.

“What about baby Edwards? We’d like to know more about her,” he said as his voice cracked.

“Oh, she’s new to us, and the world for that matter. She’s only 4 days old, but she was born at 30 weeks, so she’s currently in the neonatal intensive care unit at Oschner. Her parents hated to give her up, but they just didn’t have the financial resources available to take care of a premature baby, so they decided to give her up for adoption. I’ll let you look at some photos of her, but I must warn you: she’s on oxygen and she has a few tubes sticking out of her, but she’s doing great.”

Julia handed Lestat the photos, and Louis scooted his chair closer so that he could get a closer look at them. Lestat’s breath hitched at the sight of this tiny baby that was connected to several lines and wires like Julia said, but at the same time, she was the most precious thing he had ever seen. His eyes started to well with tears, and Louis put his arm around him to hug him close as they both gazed at the photos of the tiny baby girl. They exchanged another glance, and they wordlessly decided that she was going to be their daughter.

“Can we meet her?” Louis asked Julia as he continued to comfort his emotional husband.

“Well, they are very strict about visitors in the NICU because the babies are so delicate, but I’ll make some phone calls and see what we can set up. I’m assuming this means you’re interested in adopting her?”

Lestat handed the photos back to her and wiped his eyes. “Yes, we would love to adopt her. I can’t believe someone would just abandon such a tiny helpless baby.”

“It is hard to imagine that, but we really try not to judge here. They loved her enough to make sure she would be taken care of, so they made the very difficult choice to put her up for adoption.”

“And we can take her home and love her, mon cher,” Louis interjected.

Lestat gave him a watery smile, and squeezed his hand. Louis always knew just what to say to make him feel better. He wiped his eyes once again and told Julia, “You’re right, I suppose. So, when can we meet her?”

—----------------------------------------------------

After three agonizing days of waiting, Lestat and Louis were finally in the NICU with Julia to meet their future daughter. A nurse guided them through washing their hands thoroughly before she led them to the incubator where the baby lay. Even though they had seen photos of her at the adoption agency, the mere sight of her before their very eyes took their breath away. Lestat gripped Louis by his waist as they inched closer toward her, fearing his knees might give out.

“Oh, mon dieu. She’s even more precious than in the pictures,” he whispered. He bent down until he was eye level with her in the incubator, then turned to ask the nurse with tears in his eyes, “Can I touch her?”

The nurse smiled as she replied, “You can, but be very careful not to jostle any of her lines.”

She opened the small door to the incubator and motioned to Lestat to come closer. He slowly put his hand inside and stroked her fuzzy little head with his fingertips. He was surprised by how soft her hair was, and she seemed to lean into his touch, which made the tears finally fall from his eyes. Louis bent down to join him and he whispered, “Hey baby girl. You wanna come home with us?”

They stood there for several moments, taking turns gently stroking her hair or holding her tiny little hands until she started squirming and whimpering, which upset Lestat because she was clearly uncomfortable. The nurse came over to assure them that she was fine, but then caught them off guard by asking if they wanted to hold her. Both of them nodded vigorously, and the nurse rolled over a recliner for them to sit in so they could hold their baby. Louis let Lestat go first, and he was overcome with emotion yet again at being moments away from holding his daughter.

“Unbutton your shirt,” the nurse told him.

Lestat’s face quickly turned from amazed to confused. “What? Why?” he asked.

“Skin to skin, or ‘kangaroo care’. It’s great for all babies, but especially premature ones. It promotes bonding, helps regulate their body temperature, and other things babies need. She’s also never been held, so you’ll be the first.”

He felt like he might cry again, but he did as the nurse asked and unbuttoned his shirt to expose his chest. Louis couldn’t help but admire his husband’s pristine form as the nurse situated the baby on his bare chest and covered them with a blanket. She snuggled into his chest as he gently rocked her, and Lestat felt an overwhelming rush of love for this tiny baby in his arms. He made a silent promise to her, and to himself, that as long as he was around, she would know nothing but comfort, safety, and love. Louis kneeled down at the side of the chair and placed his hand over Lestat’s on her tiny back, stealing his husband’s lips for a chaste, loving kiss.

Once they both broke the kiss, they gazed down at the now sleeping baby and knew their family was complete.

“Claudia. Her name is Claudia,” Lestat whispered as he traced her cheek with his finger.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Louis, mon cher, what are you doing?”

“Just taking a video of you doing the ‘hot new dad walk’. I wanna remember this forever, “ Louis replied as he walked behind him, recording him with his phone.

“Your daddy is incorrigible, my darling,” Lestat laughed as he walked down the hallway to the hospital exit, baby Claudia in tow, fast asleep in her carrier.

All of the paperwork had been finalized, and she was officially theirs. More importantly, she was finally well enough for them to take her home. After weeks of visiting her in the NICU every day, she was finally breathing on her own, they were able to feed her with a bottle, and thanks to the nurses, they were comfortable with taking care of a newborn baby on their own. They got her safely buckled into the backseat of their shiny new SUV, and Louis sat in the backseat with her while Lestat drove them home. He didn’t care that people behind him were honking at him for going under the speed limit, he was going to get his precious cargo home safely, everyone else on the roads be damned.

Once they were parked in the driveway of their townhouse, Louis carefully unbuckled her from the carrier and she fussed in protest of being woken up from her nap. Lestat couldn’t help but smile as he got her bags out of the car and watched Louis try to soothe their cranky baby girl. Their baby girl. He couldn’t believe he had a family of his own to love and care for.

“I know, sweetie, I know,” Louis crooned as she continued to fuss.

“We’re home, ma cherie. Would you like to see your new home? You even have a room of your very own,” Lestat whispered to her before kissing her head.

Louis gave Claudia the grand tour of the townhouse, starting with the courtyard in front, then continuing with the downstairs portion of their home. Lestat took the bags upstairs to put away her things from the hospital in her nursery, and he was taken aback at how beautiful it was. After they first met Claudia and decided to adopt her, Louis had spent quite a bit of time sequestered in the spare bedroom they decided would be her nursery, and Lestat was worried that he was having second thoughts about the adoption. A week later, he was pleasantly surprised when Louis showed him the new room with hand painted Azaleas and Magnolias on the wall, and the most beautiful baby furniture he had ever seen. He remembered breaking down in tears at the thought that this is where his daughter would grow up, in this gorgeous room her daddy designed just for her.

He was soon pulled from his thoughts by Louis walking through the door, Claudia held tenderly in his arms as he told her, “And this your room, I hope you like it. I did this just for you.”

Lestat crossed the room and took Claudia from Louis’s arms and propped her up against his shoulder so she could see the room. “Yes, your daddy made this beautiful room just for you ma cherie. He loves to make things beautiful. He made my life beautiful.”

Louis had tears in his eyes as he gazed at the two loves of his life, his beautiful husband and his precious daughter. He came behind Lestat to wrap one arm around his waist, and the other around his arm holding Claudia. Here was his everything, his whole life, right here in his arms. He stole a quick kiss from Lestat as they stood there together holding Claudia, who was growing sleepy. They both laughed softly as she let out a yawn and buried her tiny face in the crook of his neck, and Lestat pressed a kiss to the top of her head, lingering there a moment to take in her sweet baby smell.

“A nap sounds like a great idea, don’t you think, mon cher,” Lestat asked Louis.

“Amazing idea. Let’s get all the sleep we can before the real fun starts.”

#mandy writes #interview with the vampire #louis de pointe du lac #lestat de lioncourt #the vampire chronicles #iwtv fanfiction #tvc fanfiction #loustat #louis x lestat

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jonquilyst · 3 months

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Ty all for the makeover suggestions!! I had a lot of fun making my own versions of the townies, which I have never done before.

As you can see their appearance is pretty faithful to their original. I consider my style to be a more realistic and enhanced version of the EA style. While it's not super obvious (aside from Baby Ariel), I did tweak their facial features and bodies a bit since frankly... EA can make their sims look pretty wacky.

Anyway, I hope you like them!! Full-body screenies and explanations for each townie are below the cut.

Nancy Landgraab (suggested by @plumbobpaparazzi)

I never really liked Nancy's OG look. I feel like she doesn't look classy enough for her status as head of the Landgraab family/company, so my goal for her was to really make her live up her to status. Her hairstyle pays homage to her sims 3 incarnation and frankly, I think she looks better with her hair up than down.

As for her facial features, her eyebrows her tweaked to be less janky-looking but still looking like she could fire you any time. They were also darkened because you cannot for the life of me see them in her OG look. Her nose, lips, and chest were also tweaked to look extra perfect/plump to really emphasize that she's had some procedures done 🤭 I also redid her makeup.

Maaike Haas (suggested by @micrathene-w)

Maaike is seriously an underrated sim and I wish they did her better. I started off by tweaking her facial features because they looked really janky (esp her eyes, I gave her a new preset entirely), so I softened them up and now she looks so much better (while retaining her overall OG look) I also widened her waist because it looked too narrow for her body shape.

I think EA wanted to go for an academia look for her, but the problem with that back when Get Together released was that there really wasn't a lot of academia-esque clothes. The blazer she wears made her look older and the skirt she had was frankly a little too long, so my goal with Maaike was to really give her that cute academia look. I think she turned out amazing and I like her a lot more because of it! I hope you think so too 💖

Baby Ariel (suggested by @akitasimblr)

My biggest problem with Baby Ariel is that the sim looks nothing like her, so she got the appearance biggest tweaks out of everyone. I did a total revamp for her so that Baby Ariel could look more like her real life self. Besides that, I updated her look so she could look more like her present self.

Catarina Lynx (suggested by @chaoticpixls)

I think my goal for our favorite cat-lover here was to make her less... tacky? I still wanted her to be recognizably herself; bouncy and obviously a cat-lover, but cuter and more put-together, if that makes any sense. I also wanted her to appear a bit younger.

I think the biggest sin EA did with the cats/dogs pack is not include a cat/dog beanie. This girl totally rocks it and although that brimmed cap she wore was cute, I think she looks a lot better with a hat that has makeshift cat ears (and not that hair that has the cat headband).

I also made her lipstick a lighter, because her OG shade is just way too dark for her. Sorry.

Knox Greenburg (suggested by @mustanoita)

Ok, my biggest question about how EA did Knox was why he looks so trashy for someone who is big about climate change, going green, recycling, etc. So my goal for Knox was to make him look less trashy and more outdoorsy. I also wanted to make him look younger because he just... looks really old lol. So I gave him a new eye preset, made his cheeks fuller, and gave him a slightly different hair color. I also gave him a new hairstyle that's similar to his OG to really give him that handsome flair because... honestly, EA did him dirty.

Penny Pizzazz (suggested by @ashubii)

Penny's OG look is alright by itself, but I don't think it works that well for Penny since she's meant to be a fashionista who knows what's trending. Also her earrings and shoes did not match with that dress at all. So I gave her a cute trendy outfit that still screams "classy." I also changed her hair because I never liked it and I HC her hair texture to be wavy/curly and not straight so I went with a curlier and more voluminous hairstyle with braids because Penny absolutely slays with braids.

#townie makeovers #sims 4 #ts4 #simblr #sims blog

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phoenixculpa · 6 months

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sniping bots, don’t feel insects innocuous as leaves’ movement in sunset, sustaining rain with every overcast,

dying in snow to bloom again somehow like a balayage trample driving down the cold, driving in squares with[out] you while we hit our black jazz, thunder, with a plastic tip,

paper filter, or thinning lines between our manes ever fuller, patchy pirating my every whim, every ounce of self control hijacked like it

never was, like no prior relationship existed before titles meant a word, meant a severance, a sore thumb, long nail expunged

like i’ll take anything if it’s from you, with love, when you know it, just for a moment, and thoughtfully

thoughtless in happiness trickles doubt of yours, thanking us twelve hours prior, for being adults,

limboed low like a game gone foul, stuffed mid dunk, blue jordans you could sell for a rack, ice melt or

bust treasure for a look, a drive to the airport off twenty milligrams of michigan’s finest, wind blowing air colder than indecision down my spine

the way you stroked it, held me tighter before being late for work, all i could do was admire you before your last job

in shoplifted banana republic, wondering what made you excited, smiles, theatrics,

bellinis you bought, royal crown, wasn’t that, but the concept,

wasn’t slashed but residual moreso neurotic, uncalled for,

psychic handshake, curly hair, darling eyes always so comfortable when i showed you opera,

adjusted pennies off and had your madison back without question, always will

#tbd #💔

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missmonkeymode · 9 months

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Imagine being a child in a home that doesn't love you. Of course, people DID love you, but the first person that did died during your creation and the second person that loved you died and left you in the care of someone whos supposed to care but doesnt, and 2 children that should care but don't. You love them, oh so dearly, you love them with all your heart just as your father asked of you to do. And they steal that kindness and lord it over your head for something that should be freely given. If you really love me, youd cook me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you really loved me, youd do the dishes and wash my clothes. If you really love me, youd clean the cinders of fireplace. Whatever they ask of you, you do it, because it is true, you do love them you promise, you'll do it right away. When you ask for help, they chide you and ask if you really do love them, because if you did you wouldn't ask them to help, you'd be able to do it all on your own. And so you do it all on your own. Because you love them. You never hear them say I love you back. You're waiting for a "thank you" that never comes, but you don’t know that, you just hope that this time they'll say it.

Now imagine yourself older. Not a child, not a teenager, but decidedly not an adult either. In between stages. You do everything that is asked of you. They stopped saying "you'd do this if you loved me" because it is assumed that they said it, and it is true that you do. As they get fuller and happier, you seem to get skinnier and..... No, of course you're happy, you love your sister and stepmother, that's all you need. They tell you that's all you need. Not food, not new clothes, just their love. And you tell yourself that, all you need is their love, but love doesn't stop your stomach from growling. But it does help you scathe off your hunger.

There's a ball that's going all, a ball that the entire kingdom is invited to. In fact, the king WANTS everyone to come to. The reason why falls deaf to your ears, just the mere prospect of putting on fine clothes and leaving this house, only for a moment, makes your insides shake and your head buzz. You spend every waking moment thinking about this ball, saving up pennies and cents to buy the cheapest dress that the tailor offers, counting down the days until you can dance until you can't feel your feet. Your sisters are just as excited as you are, the chance to meet the batchelor prince and seduce him so thoroughly that she would make him marry a commonor is all that they talk about, and you listen to their talk. You aren't quite sure why that's the only thing they're excited for, but you don’t question them because you love them, obviously. Your step mother tells you to run around the town and buy the most expensive dresses that money can buy. She does not give you enough to buy 3 dresses, so you have to use some of your own money to get all 3. Thankfully the store gave you enough credit for you to afford your own dress, a simple plain thing that’s only slightly too big for you, and you ride this happy high all the way home.

The night of the ball comes. You help your sisters and step mother get into their gowns. They give you barely enough time to shimmy into your own, it's almost like they forgot you're coming with them.

They did forget. In fact, they were incredibly shocked when you emerged from the restroom in your dress. And extremely angry. They shout at you, demand to know what you were thinking. You? Going to to the ball? In fucking that?! Please. What nonsense. Someone like you doesn't deserve to go to the ball. Someone like you shouldn't be anywhere near the ball. If you really loved us, you simply wouldn't go.

You watch them leave, tears streaming down your face as you stand on their porch. You were looking forward to this dance.

You go to your mothers grave. Your blood mother, not the one that yelled at you. You cry at her grave, big, sobbing tears that dance over sacred ground. You tell her that you want to go to the ball, desperately. That you want to go, it's your greatest desire, but you can't, you just can't.

A voice on the wind tells you that you dont have to be "you" to go to the ball.

You look around and don't see anyone. You ask how.

The voice responds that you can be anything you want. You can be a Dani, a Alex, a lord, a lady, you can simply choose to be someone else for the night, not the child that your stepmother forbade from going to the ball.

You feel yourself shake. You ask, no demanded, no pleaded how. How can you change, how can you go to the ball?

The voice tells you that all you need to do is ask her to go.

And so you ask her. And the voice tells you that yes, Lady Isabelle can go to the ball, with her one of a kind dress, and a beautiful horse-drawn carriage, and wonderful glass slippers. But, she will only be at the ball until midnight. Do you understand?

And you do. Lady Isabelle understands. And do, Lady Isabelle goes to the ball.

The moment you arrive to the ball, you immediately know its everything you wished for and more. Food that makes you want to eat forever, bright blinding lights that make you forget to blink, music that seems to sweep you onto the dance floor, if you didn't accidentally trip into a very heavy statue you wouldn be sure that you were dreaming.

While you were busy trying to upright the aforementioned very heavy statue, a man walks up to you and asks if you're okay. You assure him that you're okay, you promise, just kinda hurts. He furrows his brow and asks if you're sure you're okay, he can get a doctor if you need one. You laugh, tell him yes, you're sure, but thank you for your consideration.

You and the other strike up a wonderful conversation that seems to go on for aeons. The two of you talk about everything and nothing, about your childhoods and the ball. You admit you have zero idea what this ball is about, and he is utterly baffled by that fact (not as baffled as when you asked him for his name). He tells you his darkest secrets (that he doesn't really like his current profession, and he'd much rather be a gardener). You laugh until you cry (you never knew you could be so happy that you can cry). He then asks you if you want to dance with him. He thanks you when you agree.

He leads you to the middle of the room, twlling you to ignore the whispers you two are getting. You tell him it's hard to ignore being the center of attention, and he shrugs and tells you that you get used to it. Once you get to the middle of the ball room, an announcer tells the crowd that the crown prince has chosen to dance with Lady Isabelle. It takes you a moment to connect the dots. You ask him why didn't he tell you that he's the prince?! He looks sheepish when he tells you that he didn't mean to bamboozle you, he promise, he just... it was a breath of fresh air to find someone that saw him for who he is and not what he was. You immediately forgive him.

You spend hours after that with the prince. Most of it was spent talking and dancing, though when the two of you got tired, Edward (that was the prince's name) would lead you to a hidden room. In one of these hidden rooms, he gives you a look that you've never seen before. He says that he thinks he's in love with you. You smile and wait for a request.

It suddenly dawns on you that he has no request. You ask him if that's all? You just... you think you love me?

He shrugs and says yeah. He thought... Did he misinterpret the signals? It's fine if you don't love him, really, saying it out loud it really does sound insane, to have fallen in love with someone you've known for a few hours, but he's sure he has, and oh god, he sounds like a creep, doesn't he?

You shake your head. No, it's not that, just... you don't want anything from me? Not a errand, not a demand, nothing? You just love me?

He nods.

Why does he say he loves you if he doesn't want anything?

The bell tower strikes 12 times. Lady Isabelle leaves the ball in a hurry, so much so that she doesn't realize she lost her glass heel.

Right as you finish shoving the last fold of your dress up the chimney, your stepmother and sisters come in. They loudly complain about how the prince was too preoccupied with some hussy for her daughter(s) to even talk with him, more or less seduce him. They tell you to help them undress, and they didn't thank you. Not once have they thanked you. You stop wishing for thank yous.

Once Edward discovers that "Lady Isabelle" isn't a legally documented person, he sends out the royal guard to find a woman that even vaguely matches the hazy description he tells them. They find many women, but not you. You've been too busy tending to your stepmothers house to be found. After a month, Edward starts to get desperate. He finds your shoe and starts traveling door to door, looking for the matching pair. Most just point to the fact that it fits their feet as proof she was Lady Isabelle. He never gets mad, but he does get frustrated, from time to time, on his bad days. He has eyes, ma'am, he can tell that you're not Lady Isabelle, though he does appreciate her romantic interest in him.

When Edward comes by your stepmothers house, the other three was in a tizzy. The prince is here, the prince is here! What are you DOING child, go start tidying up! Sweep the floors, dust the bookshelf, and for the love of god, make sure that we're using our finest china!

As the three hastily change into their best clothes, putting on their brightest smile, you ask them if you should get changed as well, since you're still wearing your day to day rags.

Your stepmother laughs. Wear what? That silly little thing that you were planning on wearing to the ball? Nonsense, he’s the prince after all, he only deserves the best! And you simply can't be the best that we have to offer. No go be a dear and go to the kitchen, prepare some tea for us.

You ask her if she loves you.

She has better things to worry about than affection, boy. If you really loved us, you would go make us some tea. Don't leave the prince waiting.

Why was your stepmother shocked when you walked into the room, wearing your simple plain dress, now covered in cinders as you hold your glass slipper in your hands?

Your stepmother tries her best to keep Edward's attention away from you, so does the other two, but it was too late. He saw what he needed to see.

He cries out "Lady Isabelle!" and embraces you, almost making you drop your very precious shoe. He's so, so, so incredibly happy to see you. Overjoyed, if you may. He gets a good, long look at you and smiles.

He admits that you look a bit different now that he can see you in proper lighting. Got your nose wrong. You tell him that he speaks for himself, he looks different as well. Shorter. He tells you that he was wearing heeled shoes, some silly tactic that his mother thought would 'make him more desirable to the ladies'.

He tells you that he's extending a invitation for you to join him at the castle, you and your family. You.... don't have to date him or anything, he just wants to get to know you better. What he said during the ball was true, his love for you hasn't changed, but he understands that you might not feel the same. He only wishes to try and keep an open mind, let him try. If it doesn't work out, that's okay, we can be friends and he will be 100% okay with that, but would you consider it please?

You look back to your "family". Your "home". Home is where the heart is, but you never really had a heart here. You had love, sure, but not a heart. Definitely not a heart.

You tell Edward that you'll accept his offer, but he doesn't need to extend his gift to the whole "family". You'll graciously take this invitation by yourself.

"Alright then Isabelle, right this way."

"Actually Edward, I'd rather you call me Ella, please."

Imagine being a child in a home that doesn't love you. You tried to, desperately tried to, but it hated you more whenever you tried harder to love it. Imagine spending so long in a home that hated you, when you DID find someone that loved you, you forsake everything you once knew for someplace new.

Ella will soon come to learn that you do not need to try to be loved. People will love you, tea or no tea. And she will soon come to know that her love will not be wasted on Edward, for all the years to come.

#sometimes. you go crazy and write a short story #ask to tag #edit: did not edit this like. at all. sorry if it makes no sense

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