#WAY HARSH TAI

[coquelicoq]

i complain a lot about how wordy dumas is but i must admit it was very funny when he took two pages to say that albert thought he was gonna get so many chicks during his tour of italy and it's been four months and he has gotten zero chicks.

[delightfullyatomicfest]

What an amazing summary at the start - how Paul was seen in 1993.

[margot-le-snail]

For the uninitiated, ao3 stands for “Archive of Our Own,” a very large virtual dumpster where people share their fan fiction. As with an actual dumpster, you can occasionally dive in to rummage for goodies, but only if you’re brave and have little self-respect.

New York magazine (vulture.com), 28 Oct 2021

[livvyofthelake]

damn michael. imagine you almost died. this man who you have an incredibly fraught relationship with pulls you from the water onto the floating debris of your raft and desperately performs cpr on you until you can breathe again. he (in his kind of asshole way but still) reassures you that your son is likely not being harmed and the situation is not beyond hope despite you being stranded in the ocean in the dark on the floating debris of your exploded raft. he is now desperately calling out for your third companion on the raft, while also telling you not to shout to conserve your energy. you then get mad about one thing he says and tell him to get the hell off your raft. michael…

[violentdevotion]

I had multiple dreams last night.

I had a bf </3

someone in my family got bit by a zombie </3

some guy made me explain narrative structure to him </3

[navybrat817]

Sorry that anon sent that post. Your writing is a gift and should be treated as such. I will fight them with my bare hands.

Appreciate you and thanks for the laugh. 😂 Still love Clueless. And I'm not letting it bother me since I'm working on some fun things for October. 😈

Love and thanks! ❤️

[resmarted]

not to be this guy but have you ever considered the people whose opinions you fear couldn’t impress the lowest common denominator if they bent over backwards to do it? seriously we could die tomorrow and you will have to explain to your ancestors that you betrayed their honor bc some mediocre fraggle rock made you 2nd guess your place in an obsolete social pyramid

[nataliescatorccioapologist]

Let’s talk about one of the most underrated dynamics in Yellowjackets: Nat and Tai

Nat and Tai have such a troubled little sister/protective big sister dynamic that is not talked about enough.

Before the crash, there is clearly a lot of tension in Nat and Tai’s relationship. Their personalities clash a bit, as Tai is driven and ambitious while Nat is more reckless and directionless. Tai doesn’t understand Nat’s drug use and promiscuity and openly criticizes her for it. Tai is focused on the success of the team and she sees Nat and her behavior as an obstacle to this success.

However, I think there is some care behind her harsh statements. We can see her tough love approach towards Nat starting to develop. She wants Nat to get better, she just has a gruff way of showing it.

We see Tai begin to develop more of a softness for Nat after the crash. I think, as Tai begins to experience what it feels what it’s like to be in survival mode (and starts to lose control of herself) as Nat has been for most of her life, she begins to understand Nat and her coping mechanisms more.

Another important part of their dynamic is that they were the last two skeptics remaining in the Wilderness. When Natalie would challenge Lottie, Tai was often the first (and only) person to back her up. They are both grounded in pragmatism and logic.

Nat and Tai also have the shared experience of watching their partners “go the the dark side” (AKA join Lottie’s cult). Van and Travis are arguably some of Lottie’s most devoted followers towards the end of Season 2, and both Tai and Nat struggle to grapple with this and the rift it creates in their respective romantic relationships.

After they are rescued, Taissa manages to pick herself back up while Nat falls apart, and their little sister/big sister dynamic grows even more as a result. Tai pays for Nat’s rehab, tries to keep her away from Travis because she knows he’s bad for her, keeps pulling her back up and trying to keep her on her feet. I think it says a lot that Tai is the first person Nat thinks to call when she’s arrested.

And then, of course, there’s the scene where Tai defends her decision to pay for Nat’s rehab and continue to try to keep her clean. This scene breaks my heart and shows the caretaker role Taissa has taken on for Nat after the crash. She understands why Nat copes the way she does, and she knows that, unlike Shauna and herself, Nat doesn’t have a support system to rely on.

Even when Nat is being crowned as the new AQ I feel like you can see the concern on Tai’s face. Tai pledges her support of Nat’s new leadership, but you can tell she is also wary of the burden being placed on Nat, and how that might affect her.

Tai’s face is somber like she’s worried about her, but she gives Nat’s hand a small little squeeze of reassurance.

Anyways, I just love how Nat and Tai’s relationship transforms and grows over time. Tai has an empathy and care for Nat that the other survivors just don’t seem to have. I can’t wait to see more of their dynamic post-rescue as Tai struggles to keep Nat afloat and pick up the pieces after her toxic stints with Travis.

This has been way longer than I intended it to be, I’ll just leave y’all with this last clip of Nat giving petulant little sister vibes with Tai that I absolutely love…

[periwinklemoonlight]

little sunshine ⋆ boatem knights au

my second short story set in bee @applestruda 's boatem knights au and canon to the plot written by zera @hopepetal !! also make sure to check out bee's bkau gem and etho designs <3 !

cw: decapitation, murder, blood

if you prefer, you can read it on ao3!

⋆⋆⋆

“-And you’re sure this is the man responsible?” The room was spacious, more than big enough for hundreds to fit in, yet the tension in the air filled it with an undeniably claustrophobic atmosphere. Precious artefacts lined the walls and occupied the floors, meticulously positioned in a perfect pattern to suit the path of a would-be museum goer. Now, however, one was missing. And only the most ancient and irreplaceable of the lot, of course.

“Completely.” An odd chill ran up the spine of the curator as she spoke. It shouldn’t have been possible, she thought, she had barely taken her eyes off of that corner of the room for a second before the amulet had vanished into thin air. All she had caught a glimpse of in the aftermath, she was sure of, was a man with stark white hair and a mask darker than the deepest night sky, fleeing the scene with a swiftness she could only ascribe to a seasoned thief.

She had only ever seen that man once before, yet something in her gut was absolutely sure it was him. A few years back, she had stayed at an inn just out of town on a business trip. Her stay had been all-around pleasant, the owner undoubtedly a delight to talk to, full of cheerful stories and helpful advice for travel. The same couldn't've been said for their companion, however. 

He had brooded in the corner of the inn, shooting her occasional unreadable glances as she conversed with the owner, any emotion beyond ice cold eyes concealed by a mask of blackest night. His back to the wall, practically blending in with the shadows around him, she had nearly cancelled her stay the minute she spotted him. 

The only thing that had convinced her to stay despite her better judgement was the owner’s utmost insistence that that man was nothing to fear, that she’d be completely and utterly safe at the inn. Something in their tone had been so, so earnest, she couldn’t help but be inclined to believe them. They were right, she had been entirely safe after all, yet she never could quite shake the cold chill that permeated her body every time the man passed her by. 

“Then it seems we’ve got a bounty on our hands.” The guard concluded with a severe nod.

“Bounty, you say?” A cheery voice asked from across the room. The curator whipped her head around to watch as polished hooves clicked onto the museum flooring. 

“How did you-?” The curator asked, before cutting herself off to fully take in the person before her. There stood Gemini Tay, adorned in finely crafted emerald silks and lightweight armour, wild red hair expertly contained in a sweeping braid, and absolutely armed to the teeth in various weapons hanging lazily across her waist. It wasn’t a bad look for the most notorious bounty hunter in the land, all things considered.

“Word gets around,” Gem replied with a grin, absentmindedly twirling an intricately carved knife in her hand as she approached. “And I’m always down to lend a helping hand!”

She paused, then eyed the curator’s own ostentatious outfit. “...For a fair price, of course.”

“Of course,” The curator repeated, a keen smile worming its way to her face. 

⋆⋆⋆

If there was one thing she relished in being known for, it was that once she had her target in her sights, Gem wasted no time.

It wasn’t hard to spot him, after all. The description the curator had given her was one of the most interesting she’d gotten in a while. A man known only as “Etho”, with a harsh red scar blinding him in one eye and never once seen without a dark mask obscuring half his face. During her journey, Gem had learned that nobody in the area could quite recall when he’d started working at the inn, or even if he actually worked there at all. In fact, it was a popular local rumour that the man was simply a vagrant that the kind innkeeper had taken pity on during one particularly frigid winter and never thought to kick out afterwards.

Regardless of whatever his backstory might have been, Gem couldn’t really care less. All she really cared to know about him was that he was the only thing standing between her and a ludicrously lavish payout. 

It was only a lucky coincidence that the innkeeper wasn’t in when she arrived. There was her target, standing far too nonchalantly behind the counter and looking as if he was preparing to greet her. She wasn’t about to give him the chance. Instantly she swung at him, hard and fast, looking to get a clean kill. To her astonishment, however, he suddenly disappeared within a blink of an eye, reappearing once more just as fast and now on top of the counter. Gem watched as a dark, smoky substance wafted off him as he jumped down and dissipated as quickly as it appeared. 

When she looked at Etho now, it was as if he were slightly transparent, blurred at the edges. She blinked, and he was whole again, no trace of anything amiss. She growled and swung again with impossible force, heaving as her sword broke the floorboards where it landed. Again, she could have sworn that some dark substance was following him, aiding him in his escape. 

“Hey, hey! I don’t know what I did but, uh, I’m sure we can settle this some other way?” Etho offered as he slid backwards on the wooden floors like they were an ice rink, smoke trailing off him and weaving through the air. 

“No can do sir!” Gem replied as she swung once more, again missing him by a fraction of a centimetre. “You got a hefty bounty on your head, and I intend to take it!”

The fight escalated with Gem’s frustration. She spun herself around and leaped at Etho, sword high in the air and aiming to plunge it deep into his skull. Instead, she hit the inn’s counter, splitting the wood and knocking several small objects astray. Her hooves skidded against the floor as she reeled backwards, and wasted no time forcefully wrenching her sword free. 

Wood chippings now scattered across the floor, Gem paid them no mind in her pursuit. The action seemed to distract Etho somewhat, discontent flashing across his heterochromatic eyes, and she took the opportunity to strike. 

Finally, with a lucky stab, she managed to pin him down against the inn’s wall, plunging her sword into his shoulder with a devastating crack and watching as what must have been blood seeped out from it. He gasped, eyes darting to the wound. A wild grin found its way to Gem’s face.

“You’re a tricky one, aren’t you?” She asked, using the moment to catch her breath before unsheathing a second, smaller sword from around her waist. The sharp blade glinted in the deep, warm light of the inn. The reflection didn’t make it to Etho’s eyes. “Shame I’m gonna have to take you out like all the rest of ‘em. I’ll make it quick, though. You’ve earned it.”

It was odd, she thought briefly. Despite the sword driven straight through him, he didn’t appear to actually really care about it all that much. His breathing was as steady as ever, and he barely moved at all beside a futile effort to scoot away from her intense gaze. His eyes were calm, watching her every move in something almost akin to silent fascination rather than the fear she had grown accustomed to. No matter, though, Gem decided as she made clean work of him, lopping off his head in a single swing. 

It fell to the ground with a solid thunk, rolling slightly before making its stop like any old head should. A tenseness she didn’t know she was holding finally released, and she breathed again. Blood was splattered all over the inn’s floors, and she grit her teeth as she imagined the cut from her paycheck she’d have to give the keeper to get it cleaned. All this for some measly priceless artefact? Still, it was over. 

She picked up his head by the hair, and stepped back in shock as she felt just how cold it was. Instantly, it called to mind the way it felt to grab a fistful of snow with no gloves for the first time, fingertips fully immersed in the unadulterated icy chill. For a brief moment, it reminded her of… home. Gem had never considered herself the squeamish type, especially not with an occupation such as hers, but the realization gripping hold of her in that split second was enough to make her gag.

Her grip on his hair loosened for a second, but she caught herself before the head could drop. On a second examination, she noticed what looked like snowflakes scattered in his white hair and decorating his long eyelashes. It was then she finally heard the faint crackling sound that had been slowly spreading around her. The blood that had been flowing freely from Etho’s body was freezing up, and fast.

Gem could do nothing but watch in horror as the blood on the walls and floor turned to thick ice, cracking and shattering into pieces around her as soon as it solidified. Within no time it had spread to his severed head, and she gasped as the blood that still dripped from his neck froze midair and fell to the floor, fragmenting into dozens of tiny pieces. 

She broke her gaze from the head in her hands just long enough to witness a mountain of ice emerge from what remained of his body’s neck, accompanied by a low hissing noise that made her stomach churn. Gem realized then the shape that it was forming. Fractals of ice packed in and around each other, working in tandem to sculpt out a new head identical to the one in her hands. The only difference being, there was nothing to cover the lower half of his face. If she could even call that half a face.

Once the hissing had stopped, that same dark substance she had seen swirl around him in their fight began to seep out from the wound, covering the newly formed head in a thin black layer and obscuring his features. Her heart dropped as she watched the shadowy liquid be absorbed into the ice, revealing a brand new head on Etho’s shoulders, indistinguishable from the first and complete with a new mask. His eyes fluttered open. 

“That wasn’t very nice of you, now was it?” Etho asked as he turned his head to look over at her, an amused smile painting his voice. Gem screamed.

⋆⋆⋆

Gem had never fainted before. With the amount of blood and guts she spilled with a smile on a daily basis, she hadn’t thought it was even possible for someone like her. Evidently, though, everyone had their limits. 

More confusingly, though, was that she had awoken tucked nice and neatly in a warm bed, with at least a dozen pillows cushioning her head and antlers. With a slight turn of her head, she could see a still-warm cup of cocoa resting on the table next to her and causing a sweet scent to waft through the little room she now found herself in. 

She groaned, sitting herself up in the bed and trailing her hand up her forehead, where she could feel a piece of gauze sticking out. Another glance around her surroundings revealed that her weapons were nowhere to be seen. Gem cursed under her breath. 

Her eyes darted around the room. It was quaint, with wooden walls and flooring and a decorative carpet in the center. Faint light streamed in through a window, accompanied by the warm glow of a candle. Must be early morning, she thought. 

Oddly though, the corner across from her seemed to be completely wrapped in shadow, defying the soft sunlight that should have illuminated it. Gem found herself unable to tear her trembling eyes away as the shadowy corner suddenly warped in her vision, the dark matter collecting and solidifying together as a familiar figure materialized before her. 

Etho drifted nonchalantly towards her, stopping by the table to eye the mug, something almost disappointed flashing in his expression as he noticed it hadn’t been touched. Gem faintly spotted a stitch in the shoulder of his tunic. He turned his attention to her.

“How’re ya’ holding up?" He asked, his tone both concerned and casual at once. “You took a pretty nasty fall back there! Never seen anything like it, it was crazy.” A small laugh punctuated his last sentence.

She blinked, then blinked again, but found herself unable to erase the image of what she had just seen from behind her eyes. It was the kick she needed to jog her memory though, and she leaped backwards away from him, nearly hitting her head on the wall behind her. 

“You… What in void’s name are you!?” She squawked. Etho furrowed his frosted eyebrows quizzically. 

“Well, I was hoping maybe you’d be a little bit more appreciative of the setup you’ve got going on here. I even made you a hot cocoa! Iskall told me you guys love that stuff!” There was something genuine in his voice that made Gem calm somewhat, even if his words only added to her bewilderment. She turned back to look at the mug, and slowly reached a hand out to grab it.

Pulling it close to her chest, she spoke, “You made this? For me? Why? I tried to kill you! I did kill you! At least, I think? I’m… still not entirely sure what happened back there.” She stared down into the mug, feeling a weird sense of shame bubble through her. Having the man she’d killed standing right there in front of her, it felt like talking to a ghost. The bounty hunter wasn’t used to having to think about the aftermath of her career beyond what minor property damage could ensue from a struggle, nevermind like this. Her grip on the handle tightened.

“What, this old thing?” Etho asked with another laugh, pulling up his own severed head from the ground next to Gem’s bed. “I left it here for you, since you seemed to really be after it. Figured it could make a nice souvenir from your stay here, you know?” Etho seemed to pick up from Gem’s appalled expression that she did not, in fact, know. 

“Okay, okay, uh, well, you can take it with you when you leave if you want.” A pause. “This… is what you’re after, right?” Gem could make out tiny frozen droplets still connected to the head’s neck, suspended in time and ice. Momentarily, she considered being alarmed at the notion that she’d been sleeping soundly next to a severed head, or grilling him on why exactly he thought putting said head in her room was a normal thing to do in the slightest. The thumping pain rattling around in her skull made the decision for her.

“Partially,” she replied curtly, evidently still attempting to win her staring contest with the mug. Finally, she broke the one-sided tension, and dared to take a small sip. 

It tasted… cold? No, that wasn't right. The liquid was sweet, if a little watery, and at a comfortably warm temperature. It was more as if the ethos of the mug itself refused to be hot. Like it had reluctantly taken to the liquid, yet refused to be any more than a temporary vessel for its warmth. Or, perhaps even more strangely, as if the liquid itself wasn't quite sure it knew how to be warm. 

Despite Gem’s own lukewarm reaction, Etho lit up. 

“Do you like it?” he asked, his normally chill and steady voice brightening with excitement. An amused look found its way to Gem’s face at the sudden change. 

“It’s nice,” she replied simply. She took another sip, then paused to close her eyes. She swore she could hear a triumphant noise from beside her as she tried to calm her searing nerves. Having the head as proof was good, sure, but the curator had expected — and promised payment for — much more. Gem needed that artefact back. She turned back to face him.

“To be honest, Etho,” She began, “Your head’s not all I’m here for. You don’t just get a bounty on your head for nothing, you know. I’m also here to retrieve that artefact you stole.” 

Etho blinked. “The what?”

Now it was Gem’s turn to furrow her brow. 

“You know. The amulet of the ancient Sun people? The last surviving of its kind? You took it from a museum just a few days ago.” She tilted her head, not even trying to hide her bafflement. Etho squinted at her. He tapped his fingers on the nightstand beside him thoughtfully.

“Ancient amulet… ancient amulet…” He mused. “Oh! Is that what that shiny gold necklace was? It was just lying around on a shelf at that ‘museum’ place Iskall took me to! I don’t know why nobody else thought to take it, to be honest. Here, check it out!” He tugged at something unseen underneath his mask for a minute, before producing the very artefact Gem had been seeking. He handed it to her casually as her shaky hands returned the mug to its nightstand. 

“You’ve been wearing it this whole time!?” She exclaimed, yelping when the item made contact with her skin and reeling backwards at the sudden burst of heat running through her fingertips. 

“Ah, yeah.” He didn’t appear too upset at its departure, though Gem couldn't help but notice his lively attitude had faded somewhat. She brushed her thumb over the deep amber pendant, briefly fascinated by the perpetual heat emanating off of it. 

“It’s neat, right? I’ve never seen a necklace like it. I wasn’t planning on taking it, at first, but I really wanted to figure out why it made my fingers melt like that.”

“You really are something,” Gem muttered. “But, I’m afraid I’ll have to take this back. A job’s a job.”

He gave her a nod. “Yep, yep, fine by me. Is that all you need?”

“Oh, I have one more thing, actually,” Gem replied, tucking the amulet away safely.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I want my weapons back.”

⋆⋆⋆

The curator grinned and clasped her hands together as she spotted Gem, a full-looking satchel and small brown bag now decorating her waist alongside her clanking swords and knives. The bounty hunter approached her desk with a matching smile, untying the smaller bag and placing it before the curator.

“I see you’ve returned! Remarkably fast as well. This is?”

“The amulet, back safe and sound without a scratch. Very pretty, might I add. Anyone would be able to see why it’s the prized jewel of your exhibit. And why a rotten thief would want to take it.” Gem placed the satchel next to it.

“And this…?”

“That deplorable thief’s head, just as you asked. I can assure you, he won’t be any more trouble for you now.”

“Excellent. Then, I believe you are deserving of your reward.”

“Yes,” Gem repeated. “Excellent.”

[babysukiii]

fallingforyou (1)

lottie x fem!reader enemies to lovers au <3

// lottie matthew’s does not like you. you’re annoying, preppy, and way too nice. lottie doesn’t fail to show you time after time just how much she hates you. you finally get the message and steer clear of her, until senior year, when you both get paired up for a science project. //

i’ll never make it right (if you don’t want me ‘round)

you don’t really know why lottie matthews hates you, but she does. she has since freshman year, and up until senior year, nothing changes. lottie isn’t known for being a mean person… in fact, she’s actually very nice. but for some reason, she just hates you. you don’t really know what you did, or why she treats you like you’re absolute garbage… but she does. you aren’t really the type to beg or try to make someone like you, especially someone popular and rich like charlotte isobel matthews.

you’ve never really been popular at all. your best friend is natalie mary scatorccio, and you’re mostly friends with the ‘nerds’ and ‘dorks’. you’re even friends with a few theater kids. everyone at school knows who you are, but you aren’t really interested in your social status. in fact, sometimes in lottie’s opinion it was almost like you didn’t care at all. you walked around so carefree and unapologetically yourself… lottie for some reason hated that. she hated that while she had to take her meds, and act like someone she’s not; you get to be whoever the hell you want.

today though, everyone around lottie matthews was feeling her wrath. it wasn’t unusual for lottie to be catty, or snappy when someone deserved it, but today it seemed as if the yellowjackets sweeper was angry at everyone and everything. you were steering clear of her since this morning and natalie noticed the way you had been avoiding her as well. it wasn’t unlike you to try and avoid lottie; she was unnecessarily mean and always had a sardonic response to whatever you had to say, but you never avoided natalie.

“jesus christ, what the fuck is wrong with you today, matthews?” mari asks in frustration after falling right on her ass. lottie had just knocked her out of the way in order to get the ball during practice. mari was currently glaring up at lottie from the grass she had landed on. “get your head in the game, and maybe this wouldn’t be a problem.” lottie responds in a way that everyone recognizes. she’s clearly in a mood and it causes the girls to exchange looks of uncertainty. coach scott blows his whistle as soon as mari stands up.

“alright, that’s enough practice for today. everyone get changed and go home.” he dismisses the girls who all sigh in a bit of relief. as everyone begins to get off the field, tai makes her way up to natalie; jackie not too far behind. “hey, what’s wrong with lot?” tai asks in a whisper, as they all rush into the locker room. “she’s just being an ass because ms. weinstein paired her up with y/n for a chemistry project.” natalie says, and mari groans. “what does that have to do with us??” the raven haired girl complains.

“why can’t she just ask ms. weinstein for a new partner?” jackie asks and natalie smirks, “y/n already tried. i think that’s why lottie’s pissed.” natalie states, and jackie throws her head back and lets out a laugh. “oh wow, that’s a new one. y/n wanting to switch partners? she’s gonna get lottie an easy ‘A’ and lottie’s being a di—“ jackie cuts herself off as soon as lottie begins to walk up to them; a scowl etched onto her face. “you assholes do realize that my locker is right on the other side of yours right? i can hear everything.” the taller girl points out.

you used to always try to talk to her. you’d smile at her, and compliment her outfits. yet she’d always scowl at you or have a clear expression of annoyance, and say something harsh. she noticed you stopped smiling at her in the middle of junior year. this year, you’ve barely even spared her a glance. lottie didn’t even think you realized you were both in ms. weinstein’s class together, but apparently you did. “you’re not the only person who’s unhappy about who you got paired up with. it’s just a few weeks. try not to be such a cunt about it.” natalie says seriously, and lottie rolls her eyes in response.

“i can’t help it if she’s insufferable.” the taller girl mumbles under her breath, causing mari to shake her head and make a face. “she’s insufferable?” mari asks sarcastically as she finishes getting dressed. “i think y/n is nice. she let me copy off all her notes in trig last month.” shauna shrugs as she brushes her in the mirror inside of her locker. “yeah, she remembered my dog had surgery during the summer and she brought me a bag of treats for him when the year started.” akilah pipes up, causing lottie to scoff.

“okay, so she remembered a few things you said, and she let you cheat off her work. who cares? she’s still annoying.” lottie states before swinging her duffle bag over her shoulder and walking out. natalie shakes her head, slamming her locker shut. “i swear if she so much as makes y/n shed a single tear, i’m kicking her ass.” natalie says in a tone so serious, nobody dares question it. though, most of the girls knew how sensitive you were; everyone did. it was only a matter of time before lottie actually did hurt your feelings.

the next day at school, you and lottie have yet to discuss anything about the project. you two haven’t even decided on a topic, and you’ve never been unprepared for a school assignment before. but right now, your pride was too important to you. you didn’t want to be the bigger person and cordially talk to lottie. you’ve tried that; you’ve done nothing but try and be polite or nice. yet all of your efforts have been rewarded with rude comments or bratty behavior. so you were done trying.

“okay i want you all to get into your pairs and talk about the project you should’ve gotten started on yesterday.” ms. weinstein announces, causing you to nearly sink into your chair. you can feel a pair of dark eyes on you, and you look over in lottie’s direction to see her already staring at you. as if she’s waiting for you to make the first move. you internally sigh, realizing that you’re probably going to have to be the bigger person again.

finally, you get up and hesitantly make your way over to the empty seat beside lottie. “hi.” you greet her a bit quietly, and she nods, “hey.” she retorts in a low, uncaring manner. you take a breath, “maybe we could do a study of saponification reactions. it’s just an option, i honestly don’t care what topic we do.” you admit and she nods, thankfully not saying anything rude yet. “we can do that. i don’t care either.” her voice is curt and the answers are short. you nod slowly as you open your notebook to the next blank page, and label it.

lottie notices you use a blue color pen to label it, and then a black one to take actual notes with. you have a whole bunch of colored pens in different colors for your notes, and how prim and proper your writing was seemed to irk her too. then her eyes seem to dance up to your face; the way your brows creased together in slight concentration. your hair was a bit frizzy during this time of day because school was almost over, and lottie could smell your overwhelmingly girly perfume. it smells like vanilla.

“did you want to work on this at your place or mine?” you wonder out loud, the pen never leaving the paper. “yours.” lottie answers way too quickly, but thankfully you don’t say anything about it. you nod, “okay. here’s my address and the number to my landline in my room.” you say as you turn to a new page, and write your phone number and home address down. you tear the page out when your done, and hand it to lottie who says nothing as she takes it.

lottie pauses for a moment, thinking about how much she hates her house. she wonders if maybe you hate yours too. “we could work in the library if you don’t want to work at your place.” the noirette actually sounds considerate as she says this, and you look surprised for just a second, before offering this shy smile that she hadn’t seen directed at her for nearly a year and half now. “it’s okay! i don’t mind working at my place. my little sister practices the violin after school sometimes… but she’ll be quiet if i ask.” you assure her and lottie only nods in response.

“anything else you wanna warn me about?” she inquires a bit sarcastically, and you nod. “my older sister is kind of a bitch.” you say bluntly, taking lottie by surprise. she’s never once heard you curse. at all. you can’t help but laugh lightly at her reaction, “she’s not that bad though…” you trail off before the bell rings, and you immediately start putting your things into your backpack. “wait, when did you wanna start?” lottie questions, and you shrug. “whenever your free after school just come over.” you assure her and she furrows her brows as she stands up.

“but your debate club—” she starts and you cut her off, “i quit last month. i’ll see you later!” you rush out of the room before lottie can say another word. she huffs; this was going to be a horrid few weeks.

[nexysworld]

Mission: Safeword

Read on AO3 🖤 Make a Request 🖤 Masterlist

Summary: Leon has many methods of getting information while on missions, especially from pretty girls like yourself.

Pairing: Infinite Darkness!Leon x Fem!Reader

Tags: NSFW, MDNI, Dubcon (but reader's into it), Face sitting, fingering, slight knife play, light bdsm, overstimulation, no use of y/n, not proofread

Your fingers quickly scattered across the keyboard, desperately trying to transfer the data and lock the system down. Silent alarms had been blaring and security had given the signal that an intruder – likely a government spy – had invaded  the compound. 

Whoever it was they had been lying low, no obvious break-ins, no knocked out staff, like a mouse. “Come on, come on.” You groaned, bringing your fist down onto the desk in frustration. “Faster you stupid thing. Billion dollar research company and you can’t even afford computers built after 1998?”  Pinching your temples you leaned back in your chair with a sigh, the transfer had been initiated, there was nothing else you could do now but hope that it went through. 

You tapped your fingers on your chair as  you watched the timer continue to recalculate the transfer time. Suddenly the screen went dark, along with the overhead lighting, leaving only a few of the lamps scattered around the office. “What the fuck? No, no this can’t be happening.” You banged the side of the computer, willing it to work again. The backup generators should’ve prevented the lights and systems from going out – this wasn’t making any sense. “Sorry Sweetheart, but I don’t think hitting it is going to fix the issue… on account of me pulling all these plugs here.” The voice pulled you out of your confused rage as you whipped around to see a man leaning back against the wall casually, he lifted the bundle of wires in his left hand to make a point.. ‘When did he get in here, I didn’t even hear the door open?’ You thought to yourself, backing up a little instinctively. 

He wasn’t wearing a standard uniform, instead clad in a black leather jacket, blue jeans, and boots. His well groomed gray-blonde hair framed his face in a way that let you get a good read on his chiseled features – he looked more like a model than a government agent – but you didn’t have time to think on that further. “You’re the spy!” You accused, trying to buy time to decide your next steps. 

“Spy? That’s pretty harsh – I’m just doing my job y’know.” He dropped the plugs and used his right hand to click the lock on the door before making his way towards you. “I didn’t expect that my target would be such a pretty girl.The name’s Leon by the way, nice to meet you.” “St-stay back!” You backed up further, trying to disguise the embarrassed flush as anger. You grabbed the closest lamp to you and lifted it as if it were a bat. ‘Wait – did he just say I was his target?’

He chuckled at your response. “C’mon, you don’t look like a fighter. Just relax and we can get this over with quickly, ok? It’s not my style to hurt pretty women if I don’t have to.”

“I said, s-tay back!” You tried to reaffirm again. When he ignored you, you swung hard, he easily caught you by the wrist and spun you so your back was to his chest. With one arm tucked behind yourself, he squeezed the remaining wrist so tight your hand was forced open sending the lamp shattering at the floor. 

“Knew you weren’t a fighter.” He purred in your ear, you could feel the stubble on his jaw rub against your neck, making you shudder. “Now that that’s out of your system, I don’t suppose we could hurry along to the part where you give me the info I need?” 

“Absolutely not!” You replied, squirming as much as you could against his grasp. He didn’t budge, grip like a vice. A disappointed sigh and hot breath on your neck stalled your movements for a moment as a shudder ran down your body, hyper aware of the muscles under his thin shirt, the smell of his cologne. If this had been some action movie instead of real life, it almost would’ve been seductive – right now though you were frustrated and scared. “So it’s going to be like that, huh? Well, don’t say I didn’t try to play nice.” He cooed before manhandling you over to the office couch that was pressed to the far wall. In a final attempt to get away, you threw your weight to the ground before he could get you on the sofa, and took off to run. 

It was short lived as he grabbed you from behind by your waist, hoisting you backwards and

tossing you onto the couch. Before you could try again, he was straddling your waist with his weight and gathered both wrists into one hand, pinning them above you against the wall. “You really wanna do this the hard way, don’t you princess?” He didn’t wait for your answer as he used his free hand to unbuckle his belt, removing it from his jeans in one swift movement, before latching it around your wrists and tightening it, hooking it to the metal peg built into the wall for keys and coats.

He moved off of you when he latched your hands, leaving you stuck there, hands above your head, wrists sore. “Fuck you! I’m not telling you anything.” There was a noticeable tremble in your voice, especially as he pulled his gun from the holster – which did not go unnoticed by him. 

He tilted his head with a little smirk.“I think that might be a great idea actually.” He set the weapon down on the small side table along with his knife before shrugging himself out of his leather jacket, revealing a tight button up and rolled sleeves. With the jacket off, you had a better sight of just how fit he was, muscles everywhere. You swallowed a gulp, not sure what great idea he was referring to and not fully deciding what emotion you were feeling now – fear, lust, both?

Your body made the decision for you as heat panged between your legs along with wetness. You squeezed your thighs together to alleviate some of it – a small gesture he also picked up on, the smirk on his face growing wider. “I’ll be honest, I’m used to a different kind of reaction when I meet women at work. Gotta say, I’m not complaining.” He separated your legs slightly and dipped two fingers between them under your skirt,, rubbing you gently through your panties. A gasp escaped your lips and you squirmed against the movement. “Atta girl.” He praised, using his free hand to hold you by your chin, making sure you were looking directly at him. 

The coiling pleasure between your legs had your head going a little hazy, eyes locking with his. ‘Fuck he’s handsome.’ Your nipples began to harden under your work blouse, as you took in his features further. 

His fingers sped up their pace, and he tightened his grip on your chin so he could lean in, whispering just against the corner of your lips, teasing a kiss. “Such a pretty, pretty girl.” His lips met your cheek softly, before he slipped his fingers into your panties, dragging slick from your hole up to rub against your clit more easily.

The change in sensation coupled with his words had you spilling over the edge, whining as your orgasm crashed into you, leaving your legs shivering. Leon pulled back, giving you a moment to catch your breath. He crossed his arms over his chest and flopped back against the couch casually. “So….now that we’ve established some rapport, are you ready to answer my questions about project D?” 

In a moment of post-pleasure clarity, your brain had finally processed the situation, leaving you shameful, embarrassed, and aggravated. “Of course not!” You said between pants.

His face morphed into thought before a realization overcame him, like a light bulb went off in his head. “You’re lucky I like ‘em hard to get.” He moved to unbutton your blouse, grabbing the knife off the floor to slice your bra open, both breasts spilling out. “So here’s how it’s going to work.” He made his way down to your skirt, unzipping the side and slipping it down your legs. “I already told you, I don’t like hurting women – but I never leave a mission without getting the intel I need..” He used the knife to make quick work of your panties as well, leaving you in nothing but your button up, slung open and dangling off your arms along with what was left of your bra. “So I’m gonna use another method to get you to talk.” 

You had a good idea of what his plan was going to be, and if you were honest the primal part of your brain was turned on in anticipation.  The working part of your brain still kept your lips sealed. “Try whatever you want, I won’t speak.” “We’ll see about that.” He unhooked you for a moment so he could flip you around, face to the wall. Expecting to hear the sound of his pants unzipping, you were surprised when instead he moved to lay down beneath you, and then it finally clicked what he was planning to do. “The safeword is ‘I’ll tell you.’ The catch is Princess, you gotta actually tell me what I need, otherwise I may have to keep this up.”

You didn’t get the opportunity to protest as his strong arms wrapped around your legs, pulling your wet cunt down against his face, tongue already darting out to lap at your sensitive clit. The sensation of the stubble rubbing against your thighs along with the wriggling muscle against your most sensitive spot made you whimper and moan, wanting to grab hold of something but being unable to in your bound state. 

Already more sensitive than usual from your first orgasm, it didn’t take long before you were grinding down onto his face riding out a second one. Unlike before though, he didn’t give you a moment to rest, holding your thighs in place tightly he continued to lap at your sensitive bud, making you scream. Your wrists yanked against their confines fruitlessly, your legs desperately wiggled, but he kept you exactly where he wanted you, as he continued to eat you like you were the last meal he’d ever have – third orgasm quickly being ripped from you faster than the previous one. “N-no can’t, too much.” Tears spilled from your eyes and stained your cheeks as he didn’t let up, your legs were quivering, muscles tight and sore, his belt digging into your wrists. “P-please….can’t….can’t any–” you were cut off with a choked whimper as your fourth erupted from your aching pussy. Never having had so many back to back, your body felt exhausted, brain not able to come up with any  more coherent thoughts. 

Luckily, he stopped this time for a moment, releasing the bruising grip on your legs and adjusting you so he could talk. You could see the upper half of his face, looking up at you between your legs, which wouldn’t stop shaking with aftershocks. “Look at you, only four in and you’re already sobbing and begging. Such a sweet-tasting girl isn’t made to be so stubborn, are you ready to say the words?” His voice was silk as he rubbed your leg softly adding to the temptation. 

You defiantly shook your head, lip jutting out in a pout, as tempting as it was, you weren’t ready to lose your life or career over this – but your will was wavering, especially between the different sensations of pleasure and pain from the ache in your arms. “Suit yourself.” He said, tucking himself between your legs again, returning to his position underneath you. One arm wrapped itself back around  your leg, but he had different plants for the other one, working it around so he could line his fingers up at your entrance, sliding two of them in until it reached the leather of his fingerless gloves, as he started sucking on your clit. 

Your velvety walls clamped down over the digits, the sensation beyond overwhelming as he began to pump them in and out, pleasuring new spots within you. Your brain finally short-circuited and began to imagine what it would be like with someone else inside of you, stretching you open. “L-leon…” you moaned out his name for the first time as he continued to work your hole, and suck on your too-sensitive pearl of nerves. Skilled fingers easily found that special spot that sent you reeling, curling them upwards to make sure each movement stimulated it.

In tandem with the external pleasure of his mouth, the last of your resolve crumbled. You came for the fifth time, head flung back, chanting his name like a prayer. This time when he didn’t stop, you couldn’t take it anymore, too tired, teary, overwhelmed, and exhausted. “St-stop…stop……I can’t……I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you.” You sobbed out. 

As promised his movements ceased immediately. “You sure?” You nodded in confirmation between sniffles. He slid out from under you, wiping his mouth with his sleeve before unhooking your sore arms from the wall, lying you down on your back, facing him. He removed the belt while you caught your breath, before he massaged the reddening marks on your wrists. “See? I knew a girl like you couldn’t be that stubborn. Now….ready to talk about project D?” You nodded again hesitantly. The next smile that graced his features seemed genuine, and while it was likely a trap you couldn’t help but fall for it, much too empty-headed to think about any potential consequences. 

Immediately you were answering every question he had to your best ability in your dreamlike state, he nodded eagerly and praised you for each good answer as he continued rubbing your body in a massage working from bottom to top, pressing small kisses against your skin as he went. He stopped after placing a brief one to your lips, which you pressed into without thinking.  The actions were effective, so much so you hadn’t even noticed you’d fallen asleep. 

When you woke a while later, the lab was still dark but the computer had been turned back on casting a light over to you. You could see Leon, sitting in front of it, a harddrive plugged in obviously canceling and copying the data transfer. Once Leon noticed you were awake he made his way back over to you, sitting on the end of the couch. “Sleep well?” You didn’t immediately respond, not fully ready to process everything that had just happened – like directly handing over intel to the enemy. “It won’t be safe to stay here now. Why don’t you come with me out of here – with my connections come certain protections. I’ll even buy you dinner so we can discuss keeping you safe.”

“Dinner, really? Do you offer that to all the ladies you go down on during missions?”  

He chuckled, “Only the ones I like” He leaned forward to rub his thumb over your cheek, causing your face to flush again. “Besides,I am nothing if not a gentleman and would never leave a damsel to distress.”  You rolled your eyes at the corny comment, but upon realizing he was right you agreed. “Fine. Dinner.”

“Atta girl.” He gave you a chaste kiss before returning to grab the harddrive from the computer and giving you a chance to fix your disheveled state.

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[orphicdreamers-wp]

No Caller ID — Travis Kelce

Summary: In which you find your phone ringing at 3 in the morning

Content Warning; drunken phone calls, mentions of Christmas 2023 Chiefs Vs Raiders game, mentions of the Jan 21st Bills Vs Chiefs game, mentions of Travis and Taylor, moving on fast, breakup, Travis being a shitty boyfriend, angst, emotional cheating if you squint, physical cheating(Travis and reader kiss while in diff relationships) , reader moves on with Dylan O’Brien

Pairing: Travis Kelce & Model! Reader

December 26th 2023.

A small yawn emitted from your lips as you sat up in your bed. You reached your freshly manicured red nails on your beside table for your ringing cell phone. You finally grasped the phone as a new call began to filter through. It was an blocked number which caused you to frown slightly as you pressed the phone to your ear, “Hello?” Travis’ familiar voice filled your ears, “Hi pretty.” You frowned at the football players drunken slur, “Why are you calling me Trav?” Travis hummed softly as he glanced down at the blonde woman sleeping in bed next to him, “I miss you angel.” You sat up as a frown tugged at your lips, “You have a girlfriend Trav. A beautiful girlfriend who adores you.”

Travis slowly moved from the bed to avoid startling Taylor awake as he moved from Taylor’s bedroom to her living room, “She’s not you angel, she’s great but she’ll never be you.” You shook your head as you pulled your sweater closer to your body, “Dude, every news outlet is reporting you two are looking at houses together, talking about kids and marriage. I cannot be the girl who takes any Taylor Swift’s happy ending. I won’t be that person.” Travis sighed as he leaned into the couch further, “I had a really shitty game tonight. I wish you could have been there for me.”

You awkwardly smiled at his change of topic, “I watched the game. You played fine Trav. You aren’t the backbone of the team. No matter how well you play on your own, you can’t impact the entire team’s ability. It’s not on you.” Travis hummed, “Are you excited for Fashion Week?” You hummed as you took a sip of your water, “I have a Vogue event the first week of the new year. I’m also hosting the Golden Globes so I’m pretty excited about where my career is now.” Travis hummed as he stroked Meredith’s fur, “So no one special?” You frowned slightly at the hint of amusement in his tone, “I’ve gone on a few dates. I’ve been seeing a guy for about a month.”

Travis hummed, “I saw. What was his name, Dylan something? I saw some paparazzi photos.” You hummed, “O’Brien. I’m surprised your girlfriend hasn’t said anything she and Dylan are pretty close.” Travis let out a harsh sigh, “Whatever, there’s no way he’ll be good enough for you.” You scoffed under your breath, “Well, this was a refreshing conversation. Goodnight Travis.” Travis stammered as you were about to hang up, “I’m sorry I called. I shouldn’t have.” You hummed slightly as you heard Taylor’s muffled voice on the other side of the call, “You’re right Travis you shouldn’t have called.”

Taylor yawned softly as she emerged from the bedroom to find her boyfriend engrossed in a phone call, “Trav what’s going on?” The football player smiled kindly at her, “Don’t worry. It was my dad, I forgot how late it was. Go back to sleep.” Taylor smiled down at Travis, “Come back to bed with me.” Travis pressed a kiss to her lips, “I’ll be in soon.” Taylor retreated to her room as Travis opened his instagram to your page.

Instagram!!

yourusername; a good ending to this year💕

dylanobrien; the prettiest model ever

— yourbrother: dyl has top tier rizz 😆

user3929; dylan and y/n is almost as iconic as travis and taylor

— user493: i love this bc travis and y/n broke up like 2 months before trav and tay were spotted out together and dyl was in the atwtmv mv

taylorswift; iconic couple!!

kendalljenner: mom and dad?? is that you?

— yourusername: i miss you kenny💕

haileybieber: noo!! my wife has a boyfriend?

— yourusername: my girlfriend has a husband??

zendaya: my girl🥹🥹

— yourusername: my z💕💕💕

sydneysweeney; your so beautiful y/n

— yourusername: i love you syd!! so grateful to know you💕💕

January 22nd 2024

A small groan elicited from Dylan’s lips as he rested his arms across your waist while the two of you tried to sleep. Dylan had grown up in New York and you had grown up in Buffalo so he practically begged you to go to the Chiefs vs Bills game the night before. You reluctantly agreed, as it would be the first Chiefs game you went to since you and Travis broke up. You’d been with Travis since his rookie year in the NFL so it was hard for you to go from being at almost every game to none.

Something had gotten leaked to a media outlet about you and Dylan attending the game. So Brittany, who’d become one of your best friends during your relationship with Travis, invited you guys to sit in the box with her and some other friends and family of the Chiefs players. Which was how you ended up in the suite with your boyfriend, your ex boyfriend’s girlfriend, his parents, brother and sister in law. You found yourself easily conversing with Taylor which you hated because you felt guilty about the call you had gotten from Travis a month earlier.

Your phone blared through the serene air in your hotel room. You reached for the culprit of the blaring noise and pressed it to your ear without checking who was calling, “Yeah?” Travis’ voice sounded a lot more clear compared to the last 3 am call, “Hey, can we talk?” You frowned as you pressed a kiss to Dylan’s arm and excused yourself, “Sure what’s up?” Travis awkwardly rubbed a hand across his face, “I meant more so in person? I’m staying at the Marriott Hotel in Buffalo I can meet you for a late dinner there?”

You frowned slightly as you looked at your boyfriend who was half asleep in the bed, “I’ll give you an hour. I’m staying at the Marriott too. I have to get dressed but I’ll be down in a few.” Travis looked at the blonde woman sleeping in the hotel bed, the woman he’d grown to truthfully believe could be the one. He just needed to make sure the chapter with you was closed for good. He nodded, “I appreciate it.” You pulled on a pair of jeans and one of Dylan’s hoodies. Dylan stirred in the bed, “Where are you going?” You smiled softly, “I’m gonna go talk to a friend for a bit. I’ll be back soon Dyl.” Dylan hummed as he kissed you, “Okay. Love you.” You smiled to yourself as you left the hotel room.

You slid into the booth seat across from Travis, “Hey T.” Travis looked up from his phone at your voice, “Hey, I ordered you a Dr Pepper, mozzarella sticks and the grilled chicken strips I hope that’s okay.” You nodded, “That’s fine. I’ll pay you back.” Travis waved you off, “Don’t worry about it. How’d you like the game?” You laughed softly, “You played pretty well. Jason was off the walls. I swear I thought your mom was going to pull out a leash for him.” Travis laughed as heat rose up your cheeks, “He’s something else sometimes. Did the boyfriend have a good time?”

You smiled fondly at the mention of your boyfriend, “Dylan’s not super into football but he seemed into it today.” Travis smiled as the waiter brought over the food and set it in front of you guys, “He seemed to be getting on with Kylie and Britt.” You nodded as you took a sip of the soda, “Yeah. I’m sorry I haven’t been to many games this season. Kinda doesn’t feel like my place anymore.” Travis smiled widely, his natural charm taking over for a split second, “I always want beautiful models cheering for me.”

You buried your head in your palms, “You’re awful Kelce.” You and Travis fell into casual conversation about your work and his hopes for the Super Bowl this year. Eventually you found yourselves walking to the elevator to go back upstairs to your rooms. As soon as the elevator door shut Travis’ lips were on yours. Before it could register to you, you were reciprocating the kiss. You pulled away almost immediately and stared at Travis in silence as the elevator continued it’s crawl to your floor. Travis opened his mouth, “You can’t tell me that meant nothing.” You cut him off as the elevator dinged and opened, “Don’t.” You walked away before he could get another word in.

You opened the door to your shared hotel room with Dylan and tears filled your lash line. You pulled off the jeans and slipped into your pajama pants and laid on the couch in the room. You couldn’t find it in your heart to wake Dylan up to tell him, so you laid on the couch and waited for him to wake up. He eventually stirred awake and sat up, his vision noticing you on the couch watching him, “What is it beautiful?” You shook your head, “I’m so sorry. It was a mistake, I love you.”

Dylan furrowed an eyebrow as he raced to your side to console you, “What is it Y/N?” You burst into a sob, “I don’t know why I agreed to meet with him. We can never be friends. I’m a horrible person and an even worse girlfriend.” Dylan placed either of his hands on your cheeks, “You shouldn’t have met who baby?” You sniffled, “Travis, that’s who called me. He wanted to talk and I figured it would be as friends but when we were in the elevator we kissed. I’m awful how could I let myself do that to you? Your perfect for and I just screw it up like I always do. I don’t think we should be together anymore. I’m no good for you.”

Dylan wiped your tears, “Did it mean anything to you? The kiss?” You shook your head as you turned away from Dylan, unable to look at him anymore, “No but that doesn’t matter I still did it.” Dylan shook his head as he pulled you into his arms, “I love you and I know that whenever I kiss you here.” He pressed a soft kiss to the side of your neck which earned an unexpected laugh from you. Dylan smiled, “You giggle. I know that whenever I kiss you I feel like I can’t breathe. I know this and every kiss we have ever shared means something. I don’t care about a stupid mistake you made.” You sniffled as you melted into his arms, “I’m so so sorry Dylan. I shouldn’t have met him tonight.” Dylan shrugged as he pulled you off the couch and carried you to the bed, “Maybe so. We can fight about that tomorrow. Let’s sleep.”

February 14th 2024

Travis hadn’t heard from you since the awkward kiss in the elevator. He had told Taylor about the kiss and they’d fought over it and eventually made up. So when Travis was sat beside Taylor on Valentine’s Day as she scrolled through her instagram page. A certain post made Travis open his phone himself and find your instagram account. Your most recent post earned a heart warming smile from him.

Instagram!

yourusername; mrs dylan o’brien sounds ok i guess🤷‍♀️

user392: elopement?!?!

dylanobrien; official vogue first man

— yourusername: someone get my husband off of tiktok😒

taylorswift; i love love💚

— yourusername: we love you tay💚💚

killatrav: y/n o’brien has a ring to it!

— yourusername: thank you mr kelce🙂

— killatrav: of course mrs o’brien🙃🙃

user8713: tayvis & dylan and y/n is my roman empire, like imagine if travis and y/n never broke up. would this be dylan and tay?

[no-saints-around-here]

Yesterday's Cage for Tomorrow's Prison: Chapter 1

Yandere Shiba Family, Yandere Sano Family with BabyShibaSister!Reader

Masterlist

‎‎

heavily inspired by @sinreader 's Promise, and many thanks to @trashybandit for the bigbrain ideas!

tw: heavy incest, pseudo incest, explicit smut, yandere, drugging, sexual assault, heretic religious themes, afab reader, female pronouns, dead dove do not eat

“Our Father who art in Heaven.” His words bounced off the ornately decorated walls of the church, echoing back amidst the crackle of flickering lit candles dancing carefree atop their wax prison. At this time of night, it was only his single large figure that towered over the pews, his head of slicked-back blue hair bowed respectfully in prayer. Despite it not being Christmas quite yet, Taiju found himself having wandered back to the familiar, comforting environment of this holy place. Maybe it was in search of divine guidance through these difficult times, or perhaps it was somewhere he could think and ponder without distraction; God only knew he could use whatever help he could get.

Silence fell once more back over the otherwise lifeless building, blanketing the atmosphere with a heavy grandeur as the figure of an angel simply watched on from the altar, stone eyes devoid of any mercy of the inner turmoil Taiju was going through. The man sighed, dropping his clasped hands, yellow tiger-like eyes turned up towards the ceiling, a silent plea to the heavens. Where to even start? 

You were gone, missing from the penthouse he had called home ever since he had parted ways with Hakkai and Yuzuha twelve years ago. You - their baby sister, the single knot left that still held their broken family together - had vanished during his watch, and had failed to turn back up at the Shiba family home like you usually did. You, the only reason why your three older siblings were still in contact despite everything that checkered their past, the one person they would move the sun to keep you safe and secluded away from the harsh outside, the sole being Taiju held above all else in his heart right next to God. 

And you had abandoned him. Left him and his protection for a godless world. A dark and violent reality.

“Forgive me, Lord, for it has been a-” His usually formidable voice cracked, though the hitch in his tone was quickly swallowed. “A long day.”

The soft silk scarf wrapped around large shoulders was lightly perfumed with the fragrance you always wore, the gentle scent only serving to remind him of your equally kind touch. The last of the Shiba siblings to be born, Taiju had been the one to raise you from the beginning, though you were spoiled rotten by all your older siblings. And having promised his mother on her deathbed to always watch over you, he had always allowed you to do as you will, with you never once having been the target of his discipline. Was it his softness towards you that led you to decide to rebel? Was it his reluctance to ever discipline you like he did Yuzuha and Hakkai? Were you taking advantage of his continued goodwill?

Tai-nii! Up! The memory of your giggle from a time past reverberated in his ears, and if Taiju closed his eyes, he could still see a younger, tinier you - arms raised towards your oldest brother, insisting on being picked on and swung onto those broad shoulders. Your chubby, happy face as you dug into a burger he had bought for you, stopping to offer your big brother a bite of what was supposed to be your treat. Tai-nii, stop moving! You’re going to ruin it! Adorable doe eyes that held all the innocence of a lamb furrowed in concentration as you braided his blue-streaked hair into many tiny braids as he laid there and let you thread flowers right before his gang meeting. And any anger towards you that had begun to surge up into his chest instantly melted away, replaced with a nagging emptiness that felt wrong. He needed to find you, and soon.

But where could you have gone?  “She’s out there, all alone. Cold, hungry, dirty-”

That was an answer he still lacked after a week despite his best efforts, though perhaps all the search parties he had sent out would not return empty-handed this time. After all, Yuzuha, Hakkai and him had been so careful that you were allowed to see, meet and know all your life - he couldn’t think of anyone that you would be able to seek shelter with off the bat.

All his life, every second he had watched over you, your oldest brother had worked so hard to keep you pure, both of mind and body; it was what any good Christian father would have done for you as the Bible had demanded within its blessed pages, and in the absence of their own who was too busy working, Taiju had done it in his stead. And you had been so good for him as well when you were younger, listening obediently to everything he told you and learning eagerly from the person you looked up to the most in all the world, that bright and unsullied gaze filling him with joy. But then you grew up, and with your growth came the questions. The doubt. 

“Tainted.”

He couldn’t keep you home from school, not without arousing unwanted interest from the authorities, but with every passing day, Taiju could only watch as your once pure eyes were clouded over. Fouled, dirtied by filth spewed forth from dirtbags. He had tried his best to keep them away from you in the only way he knew how; the blood of sinners that coated his hands, that splattered across his face and stained his clothes was a low price to pay to warn everyone else away from you. Yet you still continued to stray from the light slowly but surely, first asking why you couldn't watch the television, to why your siblings were so insistent on keeping you at home and in sight when everyone else could ‘go and hang out with friends’, and then slowly progressing to why they were 'ruining your life’. 

Sighing, Taiju stood, dusting off and adjusting his tailor-made suit, handcrafted Italian shoes barely making a sound as the giant of a man made his way across carpeted floors towards the empty altar. It hurt him as much as it hurt you, but he was just doing what was best for his baby sister. Coming to a pause right before the wooden candle-laden table, those beastly eyes turned up longing to gaze upon the angel sculpture. Virtuous, sinfree, divine; you were once his little angel. “I pray that you lead me to my lost lamb, Lord, like how you shepherd your flock to the promised lands.”

‎‎

Despite all his protection, you just kept getting older by the day, and the day that he caught the gazes of scum lingering on your behind as he walked you out from the Shiba family compound was the day Taiju had had enough; mere beatings dished out to your unwelcomed company weren’t going to keep you on the right path. The time had come to solve the problem at the root. And even in his memories, Taija had to remind himself that it didn’t feel good. It couldn’t feel good, because it wasn’t like Taiju wanted to do it to you. But he had to do it to you, for your sake. 

Just the sheer thought of some sinner would have their slimy hands touching your delicate skin, fingers dipping into your panties as they touched your lips with that dirty mouth, soiling the purity that your brother fought so hard for- Such a detestable thought that he had to shower again just to remove the ick from his skin. No, he would never let you be taken advantage of, to be tarnished by demons. 

He remembered that he had kept you home from school that day without explanation, instead dressing you up in his favorite white dress and taking you to church. You didn’t question it of course, your head bowed as you listened quietly to his prayer, before compliantly following him home. Neither did you question the drink that the oldest of the Shibas passed over to you, simply drinking it down, washing the glass and putting it away. The sleeping pills didn’t take long to take effect, and it was the first time in a long while since Taiju had seen you in such a peaceful state, your face relaxed as you cuddled into the warmth of his chest, bundled safely in his arms as he carried you upstairs to his room. 

A twinge of guilt prinkled at his chest as the unusually silent man lifted your skirt up to reveal the pristine pair of panties, framed between your silky thighs, though it was mercilessly squashed down - there was nothing to be ashamed of. Because there was no pleasure to it, he told himself: a union under the eyes of the Lord. His unglamorous task of taking your virginity that your oldest brother was undertaking was all for your sake, Taiju reminded himself again and again. To preserve your virtue, to save his little angel from the sinners of the earth, he must.

You were wet between your legs, Taiju had grimly noted, the sticky liquid stretching to form a glistening trail that snapped as he finally peeled your underwear off, the cloth surreptitiously slipped into his pocket instead of being tossed to the side with the rest of your clothes. It was a worrying sign to your god-fearing brother of your slipping righteousness. Where have your thoughts been going? What have you been doing alone? Was he already too late? His distress was somewhat alleviated when he pressed your lips apart to find an unengorged clit, and a quick dip of his finger into your slit alleviated his concerns as you tried to wriggle away from the intrusion into your privates. Good, you weren’t used to the sensation.

Pulling his erect cock out from his boxer, the man lined himself up between your spread legs. But for all his mental preparations, for all the praying he had done in the week leading up to this day, every last thought was lost, ripped away in a sudden violent wind in his mind as he finally slipped the thick head of his cock into you, as he could only concentrate on biting back the satisfied groan that threatened to rip from his throat as he forced himself past your tight muscles. He was stronger than this, stronger than the immediate siren’s call of your warm walls that instantly began to squeeze around his member, adding to your tightness that surrounded him like the demons of the earth. Pressing through and deep into the tunnel of muscles, he finally bottomed out in you, the hairs that decorated the base of his cock like a halo tickling your soft skin.

He didn’t remember it being a particularly hot afternoon, the memory of a cool wind that gently brushed drawn curtains still strong. Yet the beads of sweat clung to his forehead as he began to thrust, pulling out slightly before gently pushing himself back in as far as he could go - a small mercy he granted you for you to be able to adjust to his size. Even in your sleep, you winced, your brow furrowed as tears welled at the corners of your eyes, your legs subconsciously attempting to close around him in an effort to push away the pain though you failed to wake, the sleeping pills keeping you pliable.

“Shhhhhh,” Taiju had soothed you, running one big hand through your hair as he bounced you on his lap, your bare skin barely making a sound rubbed against the cloth of his shirt and pants. 

‎‎

A soft soft chime of his phone, and Taiju was shaken from his memories. The gaze of the angel seemed more ominous as the night grew older, surrounded and swallowed at the edges by the shadows as several candles expired. The blue-haired man turned, adjusting the silk scarf around his neck as he left, his footsteps thudding across the worn wooden floor. “Amen,” he mumbled, as the double doors of the church swung close behind him.

He needed to find you, and soon.

‎‎

‎‎

You let out an eep as you were yanked backwards by the strap of your bag, though you never did hit the floor like the scrunch of your body and outstretched limbs had prepared for, instead finding yourself being caught and slowly lowered to rest against a warm wall of muscles. “And where do you think you’re going?” He whispered into your ear, hot air tickling the nape of your neck as Izana’s unblinking violet eyes glanced down at you.

Letting out a sigh, you opted to allow yourself to relax, slumping back against the tanned man as his arms moved to wrap gently around your waist: caught again. Your dreams of a quick jaunter shattered once more. “I-I was just thinking of popping out for some snacks,” you admitted sheepishly. 

You hadn’t even seen him there despite his white, wavy hair being a perfect contrast against the black sofa and dimly lit room, and you could have sworn you looked several times before attempting your getaway. Yet against your mind still screaming for you to move, to flee, to grovel and beg for mercy like you always had to in the not so distant past, it was sheer relief that surged through your veins as you realized that his disappointed tone was all you had to deal with now. Receiving nothing more than a hum for your rebellion still came as an unexpected relief to you where formerly you would have had to bare your buttocks for a spanking, two thick unlubed fingers forced into your tight pucker to make the punishment that much more painful. You shuddered, forcing those foul memories back. Come to think of it, you were definitely glad that your older siblings had remained unaware of your secret…excursions out from under their noses - you would have never gotten to know Izzy if you didn’t, and you would have nowhere to go.

Izana pulled you closer to rest his chin atop your head while you pouted at your foiled outing attempt. No words needed to be exchanged: those empty eyes gazing down at you said everything that needed to be said. Even just across the road was too dangerous alone given what was at stake for you.

The glimmer of the polished front door just a stone’s throw away mocked you from where you now sat amidst the grandeur of the reception room, though you knew that nothing looked like it seemed - that door was heavy, much, much heavier than its wooden facade gave away, and almost too hefty for you to pull open yourself. And it didn’t open straight out into the world you knew, instead leading to the lift that would bring you down to a concealed door hidden within an inoperable freezer in the backroom of a Toman-owned club; it was a when, rather than if, you would have been caught on your escapee.

But still, you tried. "It would have been five minutes tops, just there and back."

The white-haired man barely blinked at your plea, cocking his head to one side. “You want to go back there?”

Wincing at his question, his usually harsh gaze seemed to soften on you; you didn’t quite need the reminder that you were just across town from where you had run away from, nor that your siblings were scouring the city for any sign of you. The four walls of this luxury apartment were where your safety and security was guaranteed, protected from your former Shiba family who seeked to return you to your cage, though the same guarantee couldn’t be extended should you choose to wander out alone. “No,” You mumbled, burying your face into his black jacket, his tanned hand soothingly running through your hair. “M’ sorry Izzy.”

‎‎

‎‎

“Don’t worry about it,” Izana reassured, pressing a kiss to the top of your head as he cuddled you closer. You smelled…soft, a hard-to-describe yet addictive scent that he couldn’t get enough of. He imagined it would be much like what a newborn would smell to its mother. “What was it you wanted to buy?”

You were the fresh spring rain to his cold, hardened ground, new life to his tainted world like the first seedlings of the year. It was a well-kept secret that Izana had always wanted someone to dote on after the tough life that he had led, someone unblemished by the horrid world who he could lavish his love on and in return receive unconditional love. Someone he could latch onto and leach off and pass on the burden of a purpose to keep living. 

No pet would make the cut, nor would the hassle of maintaining a significant other be worth the risks or cost. And the crime boss had also known exactly what he needed, the same thing that the rest of his adoptive family (no matter how much he resented them at times) also craved for deep down, but it was exactly what they lacked in every regard: a baby sibling. Someone to spoil, someone to light up their world with their innocent doe eyes and toothy smile, someone to simply appreciate their existence and their presence without expecting anything in return. The youngest of them, Emma, was way too old and hardened, and there were no untainted hands left. 

So when you turned up after all these years, anxiously loitering outside one of the many clubs he owned on that stormy night looking like a lost puppy, soaked with nowhere else to go and no one to turn to, Izana knew he had struck gold. Who better to fill that hole in his chest than a new baby sister who had been so sheltered from the dark, despairing world? But you were his, and he so despised sharing.

“I was- I wanted to buy ice cream.”

Izana raised an eyebrow. ‘Ice cream? Do the kitchens not have any more?”

The corners of your lips pulled down further, your voice dropping to a whisper as if to keep a secret. “I wanted to try the one I saw on the TV,” you admitted, burying your head further into his coat in embarrassment. “The kitchens didn’t have that brand.”

He had known you briefly all those years ago, Izana recalled, as he propped you up better in his lap; you had bumped into him outside of your school, striking up a conversation despite him being dressed in his Black Dragon uniform, only to turn white and hurry away abruptly as if realizing something. And it was those innocent eyes, the same that still looked back at him when you blabbered to yourself, that Izana could never quite scrub from his memories every time he convinced you to sneak out to see him, not even after he lost track of you for all these years. Learning of your family explained much of your disappearance for all these years, but still; he supposed he’ll have to thank them for keeping you this pure just for him. You hadn’t even realized you were simply trading one gilded cage for another.

Trailing one hand up your creamy thigh, slowly inching further and further beneath your skirt, it was a complete wonder that you failed to react negatively, if at all. You didn't register it as wrong or weird, Izana mused, violet eyes watching as you enthusiastically described the advertisement that so caught your attention, the solid gold tag engraved with his name hanging from the equally pricy collar around your neck jingling away merrily with each wave of your arms. But he stopped before he had wandered too far up and retrieved his hand - that was for a more suitable time.

Any sane individual would know better than to approach the insanity that was the Sano family, yet you had waltzed into their - his - lives without a second thought, recklessly trading one jail for another all for the possibility of the real family you craved. Bundling you into his deceptively lean arms, Izana stood, setting you carefully back onto your feet. “Come on, I’ll bring you to the store.”

Your expression changed in a moment, the sheer joy at such a simple request being fulfilled amusing to the white-haired man. “Really? I mean, I don’t need it…”

One tan hand came down to gently rap you on your head. “Unless you don’t want it anymore.” 

“No no!” You did a little jig, before shyly slipping your delicate hand into his. “Thanks, Izzy.”

“Just Izzy?” 

“Izzy-nii-san.”

He let out an approving hum, free hand reaching into his pocket to lightly touch the cool metal of his pistol, the other tugging you to walk with him. “Good girl.” 

Those doe eyes of yours were priceless, but he couldn't help but wonder if they would look any different broken.

[peaky-shelby]

New Romantics | Mbappé [5]

» summary: in which an arrogant and talented football player (the best of his time as some say) and a focused and harsh critic of a journalist are gonna have to find a way to co-exist.

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» chapter 5: tears of Mascara

» writer's note: i have two things for you. Except a 10k chapter which i hope you guys won't stop reading midway. First is this playlist. Dedicated alone to this chapter. Second Is the chapter trailer below. I'll try to do these videos for every chapter bc it's kinda fun 👀👀 alsoooooo i apologize for the angst and well... The ending.

» Taglist: @moonchildohh @formulahoe @princetongirlll818 @mavieesttriste16 @kiwisa @godessstela @hummusxx @kodzuvk @pink-manz @corbyns-smile @ippid @jayruiewo265738 @blueanfield @mrs-bellingham @sorceresski @sooblovebot @okayymochi @army7g @j-rbps @heli991113 @markhyucksmells @chaotic-taco-collector-blog @i0veless @photmath @http-isabela @rainytelevisionfilmwagon @formula101x @neymarloverxxx @cepolar @freespirit-51

TRAINING CAMPUS / PRIVATEL ROOM - DAY

“So that’s two T’s for Lottin then?”

Kylian leaned in looking at her notes “Is my full name really necessary for this?”

“Think I’ll just call you little lotte from now own” she smiled and he tried to snatch the paper right from under her arm but she held it down “keep your hands away, will you?”

“You are enjoying this too much.”

“Is it that obvious?” she asked and pulled her paper closer to her, writing his name on the top. Kylian kept glancing between her and her notes, leaning back on his chair.

He wanted to get out of the room, maybe even lock her inside. He thought about it, numerous times, thinking what way would be quicker and looking around for a key. “I want this to be over as quick as you do so just answer my questions and you’ll be out of here in no time.”

Had the two started getting along after their moment at the end of the match 3 days ago? Yes, kinda. During the next couple of days neither of them tried to kill each other or provoke each other, which was progress but her presence was still a threat to him and every time he saw her whispering away with Galtier he felt a sense of annoyance in his chest. Hakimi had to poke him or hit him to get him focused on the training.

“you’re staring.” He told him one day, throwing the ball on his face. Kylian caught it right before it hit his nose and held it down “if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you have a crush on her.” Kylian gave him a puzzled look.

“Tais-toi!” he said and Hakimi winked.

A crush on her? She was a stubborn, child-like girl that didn’t know when to shut up. He laughed at the thought, leaning his head back on the chair. Taylor noticed, raising her eyes at him “is there something funny I missed?”

“No.” Kylian said, shrugging his shoulders and sat straight “let’s get over with this.”

She studied him. He was obviously hiding something , she knew that smile all too well by now. The smile of a person that was thinking of ways to annoy her. But Taylor had started enjoying their banter. It wasn’t just yelling and offensive comments anymore, they teased each other regularly, almost like they were friends.

One day during the end of training, while she was sitting in her usual spot, watching over them like a hawk, Neymar took the initiative to call for her.

“Hey Taylor come see this!” he said and she looked at him confused. She was curious to know more so she made her to him. He was standing next to Ramos. Kylian and Hakimi were jogging behind them. Neymar had a ball under his foot.

“What is it?” she asked

Neymar pointed at the ball on his foot, like he wanted her to duck and take a closer look. Which she did. She was puzzled to say the least but before she could glance up at him and ask him what was going, she was being showered by the automatic water stations on the grass. She yelled, falling backwards by the surprise and the pressure. Neymar began running when she got up to chase him. She twisted the station of the source so it would target him but he ducked and instead it got on Kylian.

“Ah merde!” he yelled and looked at her, while he moved quickly away from the sprays of water, bumping on Hakimi. He looked at himself, his wet clothes and then up at her. He was pissed.

She was trying to hold in her laugh and apologize but she couldn’t hide how much pleasure she took by the accident. Kylian started coming closer to her, his dark eyes making her sweat and worry. She walked backwards, she didn’t know if he was teasing her or if he was actually mad but his glare was doing something to her. She was almost enjoying it until another station turned on automatically, this time behind her, the water hitting her on her back. She ran forward to where Kylian was but before she could pass him, he grabbed her, his arms tying around her and pulling her closer to the source as revenge. Finally laughing while she kicked her legs and tried to get away from his hold, screaming when the cold water washed her entire body. He let her down quickly in front of the source and they both sprinted away in different directions. Looking at each other while the spraying waters separated them. They were smiling in between their heavy breaths, bopping there heads. Almost like they liked one another.

Kylian had already moved on to a conversation with Hakimi when be very swiftly removed his shirt.

Taylor was still looking.

He caught it, grinning at her before moving inside the building. Giving her a wink of acknowledgment. That was her the first time she caught herself slipping.

A few moments later she rushed downstairs to the locker rooms, opened one of the closets with the spare clothes and took a sweatshirt with the PSG logo. She went to the showers and took her shirt off, using one of the towels to rub her skin and bra that was also a little wet.

“Freaking 5-year-olds-” she murmured but she was smiling.

She looked up in the mirror while rubbing her hair when she promptly saw a head peaking behind the wall. She turned around instantly, checking. Covering her breasts with her towel. But there was no one there.

She put on the sweatshirt right away, tied her hair up and left.

That little adventure was the reason why she had been sneezing all day and during the interview of course.

“Got a cold?” Kylian asked.

“Yeah, an asshole decided to have a water fight in the middle of January.”

“Ah, I’m sure he meant well”

“No-“ she sneezed “pretty sure it’s part of a big plot to get rid of me.”

Taylor began with her questions. Easy ones at first and things that he could answer with a yes or no. he preferred answering with one word, it meant he didn’t have to communicate with her too long but she started to take notice of his tactic, looking up at him.

“Do you believe your personal life influences the way you play recently?”

“No.” he said bluntly. She didn’t seem to believe him and her eyes remained on him, examining every line on his face, anything that would give away his lying. They lingered like that for a while, looking at each other, expecting for one another to say or do something.

“Do you feel like it has in the past?”

“no.” he said again. She laughed at his quick response and started writing on the paper. Kylian tried to peak and see what she was noting, whatever it was it was longer than his answer “what are you writing?”

“Your answer.”

“My answer was one word, not one paragraph.”

“was it?” she asked, her voice coming out in a high pitch.

“pute” he mumbled under his breath. “are you freestyling with these?”

“You know my high school French is not that good but I know that word you keep saying isn’t a kind one.”

“Too busy playing football in high school, right?”

“Excuse me?” she seemed worried now as she looked at him. He smiled.

“You said you learnt to play in high school, so I’m guessing you weren’t really paying attention in French. C'est une honte. J'aimerais vous entendre parler cette langue.“ [it’s a shame I’d like to hear you speak the language.]

“Excuse me?” she asked, not able to translate his last comment. He smiled because he had just found his new favorite game. “We are here to focus on you so lets not waste time on me or French lessons.”

“Why wouldn’t we? I mean I’m very interested to know where the journalist learnt to play like a pro.” He bent forward, placing his arms on the table and staring in her eyes. “Tu as eu un footballeur comme petit ami? Aimes-tu les footballeurs?” [Did you have a footballer boyfriend? Do you even like footballers?]

He was trying to make her uncomfortable and it was working. Still if there was one thing that taylor could do was hide her nerves in front of men like him. So, her eyes remained icy and her expression unbothered. “Je pense que oui. Et peut-être que tu as un petit béguin pour Marquinhos.” [I think you do. I think you might have a crush on Marquinhos]

“Enough with the french Kylian.”

“I’m trying to help you practice.”

“I’m the one asking the questions in English. So, sit back and let me finish this so I can go home.” He grinned. Her icy exterior couldn’t fool him. She’d always get nervous when asked about her past or her boss. “Are you satisfied with your performance in the last game?” she asked again.

He twisted his tongue, biting it. The two could be in a staring contest the way that they were going. He didn’t want to answer the question. She wouldn’t stop until she got an answer out of him. And yet the longer she looked in his eyes, the more the warmth in her chest would grow. He angled himself even closer, a mischievous grin on his lips “how about this. You’ll answer one of my questions, I’ll answer two of yours.”

“that’s not how interviews work. You’re just trying to avoid the question,”

“Did you play professionally?”

“Did your performance in the last game leave you satisfied?” she persisted.

“I think you did.” He whispered “mais tu n'es jamais assez bien.” [but you were never good enough] He grinned, a suggestive grin “Mais tu étais sexy dans l'uniforme, je l'admets.” [Although you did look sexy in that uniform].

Her eyes found his in surprise. That word sounded the same almost in any language. “Tu l'étais aussi dans la salle de bain..” [you did in the bathroom too] If only she knew what he had confessed. She wanted to ask what he said but that grin of his was too annoying. She knew he wanted her to ask, to continue his little game so she didn’t. She took the initiative to lean forward as well, not calculating in her mind how much closer that simple movement would bring them.

“I think it didn’t leave you satisfied. You pretty much said so to me in the roof, remember? I think it hasn’t for a while.” She said in his face. He clenched his jaw, his eyes darting from her eyes to her notes. Sometimes stopping on her lips “I think you’re scared to admit it. Γιατί είσαι δειλός.” He tried to process what language she was speaking, thought he had heard wrong. She smiled. “Two can play this game.”

“What language is that?”

“My grandmother was Greek.”

He gasped in understanding “that’s why you’re so loud all the time.”

She scrunched up her face, taking his stereotypical comment as a compliment “Can we get back to the interview please? How do you feel your personal life impacts your performance?”

“Some nights you can’t give your 100%.”

“When was the last time you gave your 100%?”

He didn’t like that question. It stunk. How did she do that? Always found the one thing to say that would get him angry, that would mess with his mind. He felt the temperature raising from his stomach to his chest while her eyes pierced through his walls and he drew back. His expression changed completely, he didn’t want to play anymore, he wanted this godforsaken interview to be over. “How long do we have left? Ney’s interview was done in 10 minutes.”

“Neymar was answering the questions in english” She answered quickly, pointing out the difference “even Verratti was more cooperative.” Kylian laughed at that, crossing his arms “true it was because he can’t stand being in the same room with me for longer than 5 minutes but at least he was talking. Now-“ she paused, her expression getting stricter “do I have to repeat myself?”. His eyes drifted away, searching for an escape. He wasn’t going to answer her.

“What did Verratti say when you asked him that?”

“I don’t have the same questions for everybody.”

Somehow that hurt even more. She kept waiting for him to speak, say anything but his lips remained closed and she decided and she knew she wasn’t getting anything out of him. Nothing like the things he told her on the roof. So what was the point? She was over it. “You know what?” she got up, piling up her papers in a folder “we are done, you can go.”

“What?” his eyes darted while she was picking up her stuff.

“I got what I need. We are good.” She gave him a fake smile and moved around the table to get to the exit. When she passed in front of him, he jumped up from his seat, pushing his chair back and grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. She crashed on his chest, looking down before looking up, realizing how close she was when she could taste his breath on her lips. Seconds later and they were still looking at each other, standing in such close proximity that they could notice all the details in each other’s faces. His hand tied like a tight bracelet around her.

All of a sudden, he forgot the reason he grabbed her in the first place because all he could think of was her undressed figure, standing in front of the mirror, the day before. He hadn’t thought about it until now that she was as close to him and he let his mind imagine what was under her clothes.

“Let go of my arm. You have 10 seconds.”

He blocked out his inappropriate thoughts.

“you said to me every time you think you are getting close, I turn into a dick. Well, every time I think I can trust you; you turn into a bitch-“

She yanked his hand away. He licked his own teeth, biting his tongue and his lips. She didn’t say anything. She simply moved away and went for the door when-

“Wait for the game with RENNES. Send whatever these are after it.”

She stopped and faced him. He was like a kid begging for a second chance in the final exam because he knew he had failed before the results were out. She knew it wouldn’t make a difference in her report if she waited. She had already decided what she would write. But a part of her wanted to believe that she’d see something better, something that would change her mind and the conclusion of her report. A part of her wanted to help him.

“Why? You’re gonna give your 100% in that game?”

“You don’t think I can?”

“I wouldn’t know Kylian.” She opened the door “I told you the day I met you. I just write what I see.” She winked and walked out. He stood alone in the private room. Rubbing the back of his head and thinking. He looked at his palm, the palm that had fit perfectly around her arm. He breathed in deeply. A part of him wishing he could be as close to her more often.

GALTIER’S OFFICE – DAY

“I think it’s unnecessary. According to Marcos, you’ve already earned their respect.” Said Galtier standing in front of the wide windows. Marcos was sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk and Taylor was standing up, trying to look as calm as she could. Even though her heart always beat a little faster when she was in the room with Galtier.

“That’s exactly why I don’t think we should tell them yet. I know I agreed for a week but things are just starting to work out and I think I should be the one to tell them the truth when it’s right. Otherwise, it will backfire” She felt like she was being examined by him with the way he was eyeing her. She held tighter on her folders and tried so her eyes wouldn’t reflect her fear.

“How long are we talking about?”

“Just a couple of days after the game with RENNES.”

“And why aren’t the reports ready yet?”

“They are” she paused “sort off. I just haven’t a complete view of every player yet and I think it would be better if you let me attend one more game before I give them to you.”

“Ms. Wilock…” he unbuttoned his suit and sat on his chair, looking over at her “it sounds to me like you came here with a bunch of excuses. This isn’t high school-“

“I understand sir-“

“I’m not sure you do. And do me a favor, do not interrupt me when I’m talking.” She felt her pride shattering and shrinking. Marquinhos glanced at her, a sympathetic look in his eyes. “I offered you this job because I thought you were up to it. I’m starting to have doubts.”

She looked at him, trying to find the right words when she realized there are none so she just went for it “Sir with all due respect-“ she made a step forward “you trusted me with a very important and heavy position, for which I’m thankful, but if you lose faith in me just because I’m not doing it your way then I don’t understand why I’m here at all” Marquinhos smiled, his eyes now glancing at Galtier who seemed to be as surprised with her as he was. “I’ve gotten closer to the team already, and I think I proved my loyalty on the previous game with that yellow card- which is not gonna happen again by the way” she raised her finger nervously, let out a laugh which she swallowed just as quickly “but the point is that when they find out the truth, if it’s not the right time and the right way, I’m gonna lose them.” Her eyes almost got warmer like she was about to cry “let me do this my way and I promise you will not regret it. They boys are broken; they don’t need another coach to yell in their face-” she glanced over at Marquinhos “they need someone to be there for them.”

He didn’t answer which only made her more nervous. She really thought the next thing she’d hear was that she was fired. Why was she risking everything like that? Who was he risking it for?

“She’s right.” Marcos said, putting a momentarily pause on her thoughts. She looked at him, surprised for his support. “They boys have began trusting her so I don’t think there will be much protest when her position is revealed. However, when they find out she is JW, it will be a tough pill to swallow for some. They will eventually get over it, and I don’t think it will be a big deal but maybe it’s best we do it after the game with RENNES so they are focused on that. To trouble them with this now will be a mistake. We can tell them before the trip and friendly match in Qatar.”

Galtier looked like he was considering it. He kept looking at both of them, pouting his lips and it looked to Taylor like it had been hours before he finally nodded and gave them both his approval. “Alright. I expect everything to be sorted before we leave for Qatar then. But that’s your final chance. You hear me?”

“Yes sir!”

“And I want those goddamn reports before then.”

“You’ll have them.” She reassured and with a nod exited the office. Before she left, she mouthed and inaudible ‘thank you’ to Marcos and he smiled back at her.

When the two men were alone, they grinned at each other. Galtier reclined on his chair “You think they’re gonna eat her alive?”

“No.” he said “On the contrary, I think she is exactly what they need. She’s already bringing the team together in her own way. She’s nervous, yes…” he laughed “but she just needs time.”

“I told you before we hired her Marcos. All she’s getting is a month.”

“And that’s enough for her, trust me. She’ll prove to you her worth before then”

“She better.”

TRAINING CAMPUS / HALLWAYS – DAY

“Taylor!” Marquinhos called for her as soon as he got out of the office. She turned around to him, let out a gasp of relief and threw herself on him, hugging him as tight as she could. He chest vibrated in laughter and his face lit up as he patted her back.

“Thank you.” She mumbled in his shirt and pulled back to look in his eyes “You’re my savior.”

He laughed “don’t worry about it.” He rubbed her head, smiling. “You got this.”

“Do I?” he tilted his head “yes, I do. Of course, I do.”

“I do have a question though.”

“What is it?”

“This morning you told me you had your last Interview with Kylian and your reports would be completed so you wanna tell me what really happened?” She couldn’t lie to him. He had that look of the good teacher you had at primary school, that was never loud but was strict in a sweet way. That wanted the best for you and knew when you were lying before you even got the chance to lie.

She sighed “Kylian asked me to delay them-“ He raised his eyebrows and she pulled her hands up to stop him from making assumptions “He doesn’t know about all this but he figured out the interviews were for something important and he asked for one more performance before you know… I sent them over to JW.”

“You really think one game is gonna make a difference to his report?”

“No…” she whined, rubbing her head “But I’m trying to get on his good side so I figured that I could give him a second chance-“

“It could have cost you your job.”

“I know. Which is why I’m not really happy about it.” She explained, her voice trailing off as she spoke “I don’t know maybe it wasn’t for him. Maybe it was for me because I know that when the truth comes out they’ll all hate me anyway.” She groaned, hit her face with her folders and held them up to hide her expression “What was I thinking?”

“Taylor. Calm down. It’s ok.” He laughed while trying to comfort her, he pushed the folders down, away from her face.

“You think they’re gonna forgive me?”

Marcos gave her a careful look. Just as before, it resembled a teacher that knew more than he was letting on “Are you referring to all of them in general or do you have someone specific in mind?” He raised his hand before she could even react to his comment “Actually I don’t want to know.”

“Just for the record it was all of them-“

“Sure. Listen, half of them never cared about the articles. It was the ones you targeted most that you’ll have to deal with. Ramos, Neymar, Verratti… Kylian.”

“That last one is gonna bury me alive.”

“You’ll be fine. Just have those reports ready after the RENNES game.”

“Yes captain!”

“Tay!” Neymar shouted her name from the other side of the hall. She looked at him, her heart getting heavy because she already knew what this was about. Marquinhos patted her on the shoulder and she smiled at him before walking over to Neymar.

“Everything alright?”

Neymar glanced at his phone, handing it over to her. She held it in her palms, reading the article that he had opened for her. It was the one she had written. She looked up at him, a bit regretful, a bit scared.

“Did you know he was going to post that?”

She wanted to say yes, she wanted to tell him the whole truth and ask for forgiveness because she knew she had hurt him. God knows how much she had struggled writing in the last couple of days about any of the boys. Instead, she shook her head, because she couldn’t handle what the truth would do to him. “I mean…” she bit on her lips, sighing “I knew he was…” she gulped “writing something about you-“

“Neymar Jr. gives another mid performance after his return from the world cup in a team he clearly doesn’t want to be in-“ she tried to stop him but he kept going. She felt like she was being repeatedly stabbed. She closed her eyes while he read her own bitter words. She realized maybe she had been too bitter and it was because she was trying to cover up how much she had come to love them personally. “that’s a lot of criticism. Your boss is a piece of work- You should have told me.”

She didn’t answer him.

“it’s not your fault, don’t look at me like that.” She wanted to cry. “Just wish you would have warned me. Maybe next time?” she nodded silently; she didn’t dare to open her mouth because she knew all that would come out were sobs. Neymar pecked her temple and left to go back to his training.

She stood frozen where she was. She could feel waves rising on her chest, ready to drown her. There was havoc in her mind. Galtier’s warnings. Marquinhos words. Neymar’s eyes. Kylian’s touch. The happy memories she had so far mixed with the regret of poisoning them with lies. And all for what? Just to shut Kylian up the first time she met him. Blaming him was easy, it was almost an automatic defensive response. She searched or the nearest exit, storming out of the building and gasping for air.

TRAINING CAMPUS / FRONT ENTRANCE – AFTERNOON

Kylian saw Taylor sitting on the sidewalk just outside the exit of the building. He contemplated talking to her or letting her be.

“Waiting for an uber again?” he asked and she twisted her body to be able to see him. She turned back to her previous position without saying anything. “You never learnt how to drive?” he tried to make a joke, he sat next to her but she moved slightly away from him, sighing.

“Not everyone has the money for cars. Check your privileges.” She murmured.

“Are you ok?” Kylian searched for her eyes, tilting his head. She turned her face the other way, as far away from his as she could. “Taylor!”

“I’m fine!” she snapped, turning her gaze to him. He was baffled by her response. Still a smirk appeared slowly on his face, she wanted to slap it right of him.

“JW giving you a hard time?”

“Goddman it Kylian. What do you want? Hm? What do you want to hear?” She snapped, her eyes burning with a devilish kind of fire.

He observed her face. Her tired eyes, the circles under them. Her lips were dry- why am I looking at her lips? He looked at her neck instead just for a few second before the picture of her half naked figure flashed before his eyes again. He looked back at her eyes and shrugged “nothing.”

“Then leave, can you?”

He bit the corner of his mouth while her eyes lingered on him with anger. He had no reason to stay. He got up, pulling his backpack over his shoulder and walking to his car. He stopped midway. Looked back at her. She seemed… vulnerable. He didn’t think the woman was capable of that but apparently she was as human as the rest of them. There were two voices in his head. One of them wanted to help, genuinely. The other wanted to take advantage of it and sounded more like Verratti. He decided to listen to both.

“do you want a ride home?” She raised her head. Disbelief all over her face. She probably thought he was making a joke. So, he continued “Pretty sure you’ve wasted more money on ubers than food ever since you got here. It’s on my way anyway, so might as well.” She didn’t answer him, which was driving him insane. He spread his hands, awaiting for an answer.

She got up, walked over to him. “if you kill me, Luna will die of hunger and that cat’s death will be on you.” She said, passing him. He stood still for a few minutes, laughing. Yep, there she was back at it.

“When the party’s over” by Billie eilish echoed in the car. The music was low enough to hear the raindrops as they tapped on the window and the top of the car but loud enough to allow both of them to get carried away by the melody and avoid conversation at first. He kept glancing at her, she had her head laid by the window, so he couldn’t really see anything except the back of her neck. He didn’t have to be in her head to know that she was lost in her thoughts. He could sense it in the silence and he was pretty sure she had her eyes closed for most of the ride. He reached to turn of the music, that’s when he got a reaction out of her.

“Don’t” she said, holding his hand. He looked directly at her, for a second forgetting he was driving until she moved her cold hand away. He looked back at the street, focusing on the road “I like this song.” She explained, her voice coming out a little louder than a whisper. He put both hands on the steering wheel to replace the sensation of her palm on his.

“Your hands always that cold?”

“Sorry.” She said bluntly. Looked out the window again. Way to make conversation, he thought and glanced at her. She started humming to the music of the song, turned her head by the window again. He tapped his thumb on the steering wheel awkwardly, he didn’t know what to say. He started kissing his own lips, little ‘tsks’ leaving his mouth repeatedly until she smacked his arm- “stop with that it’s annoying.”

“Ouch!” he complained, shifting his shoulder away from her like he had actually been hurt. “femme ingrate” he murmured under his breath. She snapped her head towards him, smacking him again. He gasped, moving his entire body closer to the door.

“Stop it with the french too, it’s even more annoying!” She raised her voice “If you have something to say to me just say it in a language I understand. There!” she pointed angrily at the radio “now the song is over. Thanks for that-“

“You know if you want you can walk out the door, walk back home in the rain.”

That shut her up alright. He let a very low scoff escape his lips as he looked at the street again, mumbling a “putain” under his breath as well. She crossed her arms, leaning deeper in her seat. Now he really wanted to know what was going on.

“Did he fire you or something?” he asked, not looking at her.

“What?”

“Your boss. Did he fire you is this why you are like this-“

“Why do we always have to talk about my boss?” she topped his voice, exasperated.

“I’m just trying to make conversation.”

“You’re just trying to fish for information” she murmured “I’m not dumb Kylian.”

“Hey I didn’t force you into this car. Alright?”

She bit on her nails, looking away. They didn’t say anything more. He started taping his thumb again, which was driving her insane and he knew by the way her eyes closed and her breathing got heavier. She jumped on her seat, sitting straighter “Alright I’m sorry, you are a hero for driving me home, can you please stop doing that now?” She asked and he moved his one hand away from the wheel, rolling his eyes. He placed it on his thigh instead. “thanks!” she said in relief and sat back again. Silence followed for a few seconds. He doubted she was going to say anything until-

“He didn’t fire me.” She whispered

He was surprised at her reply. His gaze darted between her and the street. He processed her answer, thought about what to say back. “You wanna talk about it?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” She said, biting her thumb, watching as the raindrops found their way to each other on the window.

“try me.”

“I don’t want to.” She answered quickly. “What do you care, anyway? I’m a bitch, right?”

He laughed, he didn’t want to but he couldn’t help it “is this what this is about?”

“You’re not as important to me. Believe it or not, I don’t care about what you think of me.”

“Good cause I’d have to feel really bad if you did.”

She looked at him “what did you say to me during the interviews?” she asked and he held back his own breath. He didn’t want to tell her.

“I thought you didn’t care.”

“I heard the word sexy, I’m not deaf. And there’s a line Kylian, alright? Those sort of comments go passed it. I won’t have any of it.”

He bit his lips together, so he wouldn’t smile. Didn’t say anything back. They reached her house a few minutes later. He stopped on the sidewalk across from it. She started picking up all her stuff, getting ready to leave.

“It wasn’t meant as an insult.” He suddenly said, making her look at him puzzled. For some reason he was tempted to pick on the strand of hair that was stuck on her lips. Push it behind her ear. He licked his lips while she stared at him “It was a bad joke about you in the uniform.” He explained. Her expression was confusing to him, he couldn’t understand if she was intrigued or annoyed or both.

“Well, don’t let it happen again.” She maneuvered her body to open the door but her grabbed her arm instantly, making her turn to him again, whispering a ‘wait’. And she waited, expecting him to say something, follow with an apology or something. He realized that if he wanted her to open up to him, he had to do so first. He looked away, he didn’t want to be able to see her while he spoke. So he kept his focus on a dumpster across from them.

“You were right.” He said. He was really struggling, closing his eyes and flinching just by the thought that he was answering her questions “About my 100% and my personal life affecting the way I play. I’m trying to work through it. It’s been bugging me ever since Qatar.” He said all that in one breath, part of him hoping she hadn’t even heard it. He had to look at her to make sure she had because she wasn’t saying anything back. He was met with an unfamiliar expression. Her eyebrows were downward, like she was going to start crying. He narrowed his eyes, afraid that she actually would “did you hear me?”

She tensed, like she had woken up from a trance “yeah, yeah. Sorry. Thanks for telling me.”

“You’re not gonna say anything? Not one of your advices or something?”

“I…” her voice trailed off. She coughed, it was a fake a cough, he could tell. She rubbed her forehead nervously “sorry. I’m out of advices for today.” She mumbled, letting out a deep breath. He unbuttoned his seatbelt to move closer to her, shifting his body so it would be facing her. He didn’t understand how close he had gotten until she raised her head to look at him, her hair almost brushing his nose. Their eyes locking together in the silence.

“You’re gonna tell me what’s going on?” his voice was barely audible. It was more of a breath. Her eyes made him believe she would, that she’d admit to him the whole truth, whatever the truth was. The temptation of touching her returned, maybe that would convince her. He followed her gaze as it moved around, studying all of his face.

“I think you were right too” she said, sorrow growing in her eyes.

“About what?” he asked, frowning.

“Me.” She said it like it was a dirty word. He wanted to know more. He was trying to focus on just one thing but the proximity was starting to dawn on him, just as the vulnerability of the situation. Too close, way too close, he thought. She moved slightly away, tilting her head and he would have held her face, make her look at him if they weren’t both startled by a knock on her window, making them both look behind her.

It was a woman, tall, black long hair, blue eyes, holding an umbrella. His mouth opened slowly “please god tell me that’s not Luna.” He mumbled.

“Trish?” She gasped and got out of the car, the sound of the rain getting louder as she opened the door. The two woman hugged and let out gasps and cries while the rain was washing them both.

“What the ‘ell are you doing here?”

“Wanted to surprise you girl!”

“is every one ok? Is dad ok?”

“He’s fine!”

He watched at them, confused to say the least.

“I can’t believe you’re here-“

“Hey, pardon-“ he tried to get their attention. The tall woman, Trish, looked at him, her eyes widening. “Hi-“ he said but the woman looked directly back at her friend.

“Babe” she said “there’s a hot guy inside that car.”

He smiled wide, laughing, biting his tongue and leaning back on his chair. He could just imagine Taylor’s face by now, throwing daggers at her friend.

“Hey cutie, come help with my bags-“

“TRISH! NO!” tried taylor. But Kylian wasn’t about to let go of this opportunity. He came out of the car, pulling up the hoodie of his jacket to cover his hair from the rain. Trish moved closer to him, keeping her hand out for him.

“Well, hey you.” She smirked “didn’t tell me Kylian Mbappe was driving you around town, taylor.”

“It’s a one time thing.”

“Hm. That’s what they all say” she said to taylor “I’m Trish by the way, a pleasure to meet you.”

Kylian smiled, brought her hand up to his lips and gave it a kiss. He caught Taylor making a vomiting face in the back, that made him smile more as he let go of Trish’s hand. “J’enchante.”

“Ah he’s french.” She gasped, practically looking at him with heart eyes.

“And I am getting wet, if anyone cares” taylor said, moving to the entrance of her house so she’d be covered by rain. Kylian was enjoying this more than he should.

“Is she always this grumpy?” he asked

“You get used to it” Trish smiled and walked with him towards Taylor. Who was struggling to keep all her folders and bags in balance “you don’t mind carrying the bags upstairs do you?” she asked in a singing tone. He could already tell she was the fun one of the two.

“why did you bring two bags? There’s no way Miranda gave you more than two days off.”

“Well what if I meet the love of my life and decide to move here, I had to be prepared.” She winked at Kylian “chances are already very high of that happening.” He laughed awkwardly. She was a flirt, a really good one. He ducked down and grabbed her bags, waiting for taylor to open the door. She had this look on her face, like she hated every minute of this. “Oh, come on taylor” her hands stroked his shoulders as she leaned closer to him “let the man in the building. Don’t tell me a guy like this, hasn’t already seen the inside of your apartment-“

“You are on a time out from on!” taylor cut her off, pointing at her with her keys “and you stop laughing. She’s clearly jet lagged or something.” She turned around and unlocked the door of the building. They walked up the stairs to the second floor and she opened that her apartment’s door. She held it open for both of them, letting Kylian in first.

The house was smaller than his living room and it was messy. It was like a studio, Brown warm colors on the wall, a bed for two, a small desk across from it, the smallest kitchen behind the desk and a separate small room which he could guess was the bathroom. It felt cozy.

Kylian left the bags down on a corner and Trish was next to him moments later thanking him “You’re a true hero. I have to say I’m a huge fan.”

“She’s never watched football in her life.”

“That’s not true” Trish complained “you’ve forced me to watch it repeatedly for your stupid articles-“ Taylor’s eyes widened, she put herself between Trish and Kylian pushing her friend back “have to say she’s very unfair with you-“

“I’m just the analyst.” taylor said, topping her friend’s voice. “JW writes the articles”

“Have you met JW, Trish?” Kylian asked, slipping his hands in his pocket.

Trish paused for the first time since he saw her. Smiling slightly “hadn’t had the pleasure. But he doesn’t sound like a very fun guy does he?” taylor elbowed her, making her groan.

“Don’t you have to go Kylian? We wouldn’t want to hold you here.” She started pushing him out of the door, forcing him to leave. He held on the door frame before she could close it on his face

“You know I was thinking I could drive you to practice tomorrow morning. We could start going together, I mean I pass by your house any way.”

“That’s a yes from me!” Trish said, raising her hand.

“He wasn’t asking you.” Taylor snapped. Looking at her friend and then back at Kylian “That’s nice of you but it’s not necessary. Driving for free with a millionaire while I could be helping the poor uber drivers of Paris-“

“be serious” he said, cutting her off. “It will save you money and time.”

“You know I really need to find my cat, I think she locked herself in the bathroom again so I’ll text you alright? Bye!” she shut the door on his face, leaving him alone on the other side. He smiled. He was so close to getting what he wanted out of her, he wasn’t going to give up now.

Trish walked over to the window, peaking through the curtain at the rain and the street and him. Kylian was walking to his car when his eyes searched the window. She waved her fingers at him playfully, smiling. He nodded and got in his car. That’s when Trish looked at her friend who was just coming out of the kitchen with a glass of water.

“Why haven’t you told him the truth yet?”

“No one knows. They still think I’m just an assistant.”

“Very convenient for you.”

“it’s not actually.” She raised the glass to her lips

“Do you have this sexual tension with all the players?”

She choked on the water, coughing and tilting her entire body. Trish moved closer, patting her on the back. “You can’t just say shit like that-“

“Sorry!” Trish laughed while her friend was regaining her composure when she stopped coughing and practically dying Taylor let down her glass and wrapped her arms around Trish.

“I missed you.” she said in her shoulder.

“Me too angel! Me too! Tell me all about the hot guys now.”

It was 3am and they were still awake. Well, Trish was half asleep under the covers, answering with mumbles mostly for the last few minutes while Taylor was rambling away about all her adventures ever since she got to Paris.

“Stop staring at that thing it will drive you insane.” Trish said. Taylor had been looking at her phone for a while now. Considering if she should text Kylian or not. “Just text him”

“What if he has malicious intends?”

“If his malicious intend is getting you laid then I’m all for it” she said in the pillow. Taylor pushed her.

“Enough with that. Me and him is never happening! Not with any of the players, I’m gonna be their coach.”

“Ah.” she sighed “love and hate such a thin line between the two, until there isn’t one at all.” With that she started falling in deep sleep.

Taylor continued looking at her screen, opening the messages app and clicking on his name. She bit her tongue, thinking about the worst-case scenario. Why was he so changed all of a sudden? She’s wasn’t dumb. He clearly wanted something. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer right?

Can you come by at 8?

She didn’t move her eyes from the screen, waiting for him to see the message. He did, just seconds later and then the bubbles appeared.

Your Uber drive has been confirmed for 8.

She laughed. God, he was such a dork when he wanted to. She closed the phone and left it on her night stand. Falling asleep next to her best friend.

TAYLOR’S STREET – THE NEXT DAY

“Your friend not coming?” asked Kylian while she opened the door to get in his car.

“She’s coming at the gathering after the game.” She sat down buckling her seatbelt “She was good for your pride, wasn’t she?”

“I mean. It was a breath of fresh air from your constant looks of disapproval.”

She laughed “I’ll let you enjoy it for as long as she’s here then.” She told him and he started the car.

TRAINING CAMPUS – OUTSIDE AREA

“you’re driving her to campus now?” asked Verratti, while he and Kylian were jogging on the pitch. Hakimi was running behind them half listening to what they were saying.

“it’s just part of the plan.” Kylian reassured him. Hakimi looked at his best friend, shaking his head. “I’ll keep an eye on her during the gathering after the game tomorrow. I have a good feeling about it” he smiled.

“I have a feeling you two will be getting your ass kicked soon, and I’ll watch.” Said Hakimi and ran passed them both. Kylian searched for her, finding her sitting with Galtier in one of the benches, showing him a document. He was nodding in agreement before his eyes looked up and landed on him. That’s how they knew, they were talking about him.

STATE DE LA ROUTE DE LORIENT – NIGHT

It had already started raining. At first it was slight drops and everone hoped it’d finish before the game. The true storm was happening inside the locker rooms. Kylian was throwing a tantrum after being told that he’d be benched for the first half of the game. They were fighting with Galtier but it wasn’t like he’d be changing his mind.

When he met Taylor in the hall, he didn’t even look at her. He knew that she had been a part of this choice somehow. He was scared of what would come out of his mouth if he said anything at all. So, he sat behind the benches while she was sitting next to Galtier and her friend Trish.

“You think you can stay calm today?” Asked Galtier.

“Of course!” she smiled “it was just the first match excitement. I promise I’ll be chill.” She clicked her fingers today, trying to look cool.

20 minutes in the game and she had picked a fight with one of the players that were benched on the other time. She was loud, sometimes screaming. No matter her attempts to stay ‘chill’ she couldn’t hide the force of a nature that was coming out of her every time she thought the team was slow or the referees were biased. One of the players from the other team saw it too, he was laughing at her, mocking her along with his friend. Kylian knew the man was done for when she noticed it.

“What are you laughing for?” she yelled. It was the first time Trish looked up from her phone from the entire match. Kylian was watching everything unfold before his eyes. The man on the opposite team laughed at her reaction. Boy, was he about to get a beating.

“Is one off them your boyfriend?” he asked, making it sound like an insult. Kylian wanted to laugh, finally this was getting interesting for him. Trish got up, holding her friend’s shoulder like she knew what was about to follow. She whispered something in Taylor’s ear and taylor made a step back, returning her gaze at the game. Kylian thought that was gonna be it until the last minutes of the first half. The guy had gotten up now, eying her in an inappropriate way. Taylor was getting annoyed, he knew because she kept doing that thing with her fingers, tapping her nails on her thumb repeatedly. She was a time bomb.

“Hey you!” the man said and Kylian bent his body forward, listening or maybe preparing to jump in in case of a crisis. Taylor turned to look at him, it was a deadly stare. “You’re too loud for a woman. Footballs for boys-“

Kylian had jumped of his seat before the guy even finished the sentence. So had taylor who paced towards the guy, holding her head high and yelling in his face “You did you just say to me?” she asked. Kylian stood in front of her moving his body so she wouldn’t be able to go any further.

“Sit down Taylor!” he ordered. The deadly stare was now on him, she was gonna take it on to him.

“I’m not a fucking dog Kylian-“ she yelled. The man laughed louder, like he was enjoying this like he actually wanted her to attack him. Taylor tried to step forward, pointing at the guy “You wanna see how loud I can get?”

His teammates were now pushing back their friend so he wouldn’t go any farther with this. Kylian tried to hold her hand and pull it down but she slapped his away. “don’t fucking touch me!” Kylian wasn’t afraid of her warning, he seized her shoulders, forcing her to turn the other way and pushing her away. She tried to turn back but his grip on her shoulders would get tighter and force her to keep moving.

“You’re on the fucking screens!” he told her and when they were in front of her bench, he sat her down. She crossed her arms, dicing deep into her long and puffy jacket. Puffing the loose strands of hair away from her face. He looked at her, hands on hips like he was about to reprehend her for what she did but he didn’t say anything. Galtier walked up to him, patting him on the shoulder

“You’re in in 5” he said. Kylian nodded and looked at Taylor.

“Try not to make a scene while I’m away.” He warned, unzipping his jacket and taking off his scarfs and cap.

Trish came and sat next to taylor. “Are you ok?” she asked.

“No.” she answered coldly.

Kylian kept an eye on her from the field. She had gone awfully silent. The game was lost, psg lost. Everyone was angry and disappointed. He saw her sitting on the bench still, same way he had left her. Had she actually listened to him?

“Kylian!”

He turned around at the sound of his name. A wide smile spread on his lips when he saw who it “BELLINGHAM! AH!” The two men grasped each other’s hands in a clap and bumping their shoulders together. “How you doing men?”

“Good, mate!”

“What are you doing in Paris?”

“My mom wanted vacation. I wanted to find someone.”

“In Paris?”

“Her name is TJ, apparently she’s on your crew now.”

Kylian was lost “I don’t know anyone by that name.”

“It’s TJ Wilock.”

He froze. “You mean taylor?”

“Yes.”

He crossed his arms “how do you know her?” he asked

“She was on the under 8 team in Birmingham city. Lost touch after she was picked out by Chelsea.”

“Chelsea?” Kylian repeated in disbelief. He laughed; it was a bitter laugh.

“Yeah, she was the best they had in woman’s team. Almost joined national as well-“

He couldn’t believe his ears, he thought someone was pranking him and he kept looking around for the cameras.

“You didn’t know?”

“No. I… she doesn’t like to brag I guess.”

“Doesn’t sound like her.” Jude joked. Kylian pretended to be laughing as well. He wanted to punch something. “It’s a shame what happened to her.

Kylan raised his eyebrows. Oh, he really wanted to know more and he did, he learnt anything he could to find out.

She had seen him. It was one of the reasons she stopped reacting. When she saw Jude in the crowd, she knew she could get in trouble. She hadn’t met Jude in years, unlike her he had managed to build a huge career in football, loved by most and his performance in the world cup had made him the favorite new star. If the situations were any different, she would have gone and talked to him. Now she was trying to hide.

“Maybe he didn’t even see me. Why would he?”

“Your face was on the screens” Trish reminded her.

A few moments later Jude had come to say hi and while they were talking about old times Kylian was staring and she knew she was in trouble.

“I saw you on tiktok” he said “fighting that referee. It went viral.”

“Don’t remind me.” She groaned

“Still as badass as you were.” He joked.

“Always.” She smiled.

AFTER GAME GATHERING VENUE – NIGHT

She sat by the bar, keeping her distance from everyone. A glass of red wine in her hand. Everyone else was trying to forget about the game, she was already writing in her mind about how much of a shit show it was and how she still hadn’t proven to Galtier her presence made any real difference.

“Hold that any tighter and you’ll break it.”

She looked to her right and saw Kylian, leaning back on the bar like she was, a bottle of beer in his hand. “Your friend seemed to have fun during the game.”

“Yeah, she did.”

“Oh no, I mean the other one. Jude.”

She didn’t look at him. She had known this was coming sooner or later.

“Chelsea, hm?” he asked. She didn’t react “So just to be clear, when you said I was right about you, you meant that you were a bitch or a liar?”

She actually feared that she’d break the glass so she left it on the counter. She wasn’t going to stay around for this, at the end of the day she didn’t really owe him anything. She turned around to leave. Little did she know he was going to follow right back at her.

He caught her on the narrow hallways of the venue that led to the bathrooms, reaching for her arm. She tried to shake him off but he stepped in front of her and trapped her between himself and the wall-

“How can you do this to them?” he asked. How much did he know? “Ever since you’ve come here you’ve lied to their face, to all of us, climbing up the top like a spider-“

“Back of Kylian!”

“You pretend to be their friend while you feed your boss with information about us to write articles like the one he did on Ney.” So, he didn’t know everything yet “and you don’t even have the decency to be honest with them about who you are.”

“My past career is none of your business.”

“It is! when you’re not open about what you’re really here to do because you are clearly not just a journalist.” He stepped closer, she didn’t know how that was possible. She could feel his heartbeat on her skin. She placed her hands on his chest to push him away but he grabbed her palms, pushing her hands downwards. “You think I don’t know you were part of the reason I was benched today?”

“His next article is about you, you know?” she said, almost spitting the words at him. She wasn’t going to be intimated by him, she’d play along “just how broken is the golden boy of France? Perhaps a talent going to waste far too soon-“

“I trusted you- “

“No, you didn’t. you were trying to get close to me and for fuck’s shake you almost succeeded but I’m not an idiot”

“Really?” he looked down at her face, his whisper warming her cheeks whether she liked it or not. Another step forwards and now there was no distance between them “not even a little?”

“You’re fucking delusional.” She stared in his eyes, keep her expression blank “I’m not the one peaking in bathrooms.”

He was baffled for 2 seconds at most because afterwards he started laughing. He didn’t move though, he stayed as close as he was. Biting his tongue “gonna tell him about that as well?” he asked, his face moving closer to hers.

“You’re disgusting, get out of my face-“ she said but she didn’t try to move away. It was like he had put a spell on her, tied her where she was. Suddenly all she could think was his bare chest, his smile, the way he celebrated on the field. Love and hate, such a thin line between them until there isn’t one at all.

“Need I remind you; you were the one on the men’s lockers room the first day you got here.” That reminded her how great that slap had felt on the first day. She slipped her hand away from his to do it again, just as he deserved but he saw it this time and he caught it. Holding her wrists tightly in his hand

“Told you, you’d be in real trouble if you tried this again.” He growled, his voice coming out so raspy, so threatening. She wasn’t sure if it was his heartbeat or hers that she was listening to. She didn’t know if he was the one leaning on her or other way around and she certainly didn’t know why she hadn’t left. She looked at his lips while he spoke, told herself it was because his eyes were too dark. He got even closer, his finger tying around her wrist, pulling her hand down again. She could already imagine what his lips tasted like by the smell of alcohol. She could almost feel it and she almost wanted it. So close.

“Kylian!” A rough voice called from the end of the hallway. Marquinhos.

She almost had it.

FOR STARTERS,,, there is more Jude coming. I just couldn't add it in this chapter. He will be everyone's comfort character because we need it. PLS DO NOT ATTACK ME FOR RHIS ENDING. If you are smelling smoke it's the heat from the next chapter 👀👀👀 bc you know things are obviously getting heated And you haven't seen ANYTHING YET!! Very excited for you to read it 🥹 also clues are piling up. You think Kylian will be figuring out about Taylor soon? 👀

Next chapter »

[oceanbaby888]

What Big Changes Are Coming For You? Pick-A-Pile Reading 💥👑

Note: Please do not steal. Work of TarotLadyTalks LLC. Thank you!

Hey yall!

I'm back with another pick a pile reading. This reading is credited to @roseology and @Tay on YouTube. Two readers I really love! Enjoy and I hope it resonates with you. This is a general reading so if it doesn't it wasn't for you at this time and that's okay baby! Just a cute little pick me up reading about the changes coming for you, especially on the hills of this Full Moon in Capricorn. Paid readings are open on my shop. Link is here: https://href.li/?https://www.miiriya.com/store/callin-in-wit-claude/

Pile 1: Queen (Do not know where this is from)

Trine--6th House—Gemini--Uranus

Pile 1 you are becoming mentally sharp! This is the change of someone who really got their stuff together and is not afraid to go their own route, hence the Uranus card here. There could be some changes to your routine, or you are just exploring what your routine can look like here with the Gemini card. I'm getting for some of you there could be some changes to your diet, workout routine, and even skincare. I feel like my Pile 1 folks are really going with the flow of their own and not falling into trends & consumerism. YOU ARE THE TREND! What works for you works, and what doesn't, doesn't. You are definitely not going to be pressing yourself anymore about what you think you should do and just give yourself the permission to be childlike and free with your life. And there's nothing better than being that bitch on your own accord. It reminds me of Megan Thee Stallion. Hot, pretty, and doing it your own way. Go Pile 1!!!

Pile 2: (Halle Bailey as Ariel) Sun-12th House-

3rd House--Pluto

Pile 2, silence is about to be your power and biggest asset. I feel some strength coming in for this pile, but in a very subdued way. In a very quiet where people think you're not there type of way. I won't lie Pile 2 I do see some resistance, possibly coming from your closer circle (hence the 3rd house) but I'm getting that's a good sign. The Sun & Pluto are both extremely powerful planets. Many can't hang and it's lonely at the top Pile 2. Yet, I feel my Pile 2 folks are coming into their own source of light (that's funny with the Sun being here). If you get a chance, listen to "The Game Belongs to Me" by UGK. That's the change for you. You may not notice it right off Pile 2. Heck, you may just think you're just trying to better yourself, but boy are you in for a ride. A good one though (minus some fallouts, but hey, that happens when you upgrade). I'm excited for you Pile 2. Keep me updated. I'm getting for some of my Pile 2 you might start wearing makeup or you're into the fashion industry? If so, the things you put out that you've been working on in private is going to launch you into success! Get ready....

Pile 3: Tina Turner

Chiron--Sextile--Semi--Sextile--Capricorn

First off I want to say good job Pile 3. For not allowing your pain to become who you are. My Pile 3 is starting to recognize that there is no harm in protecting yourself with the Capricorn card. Capricorns do get a bad reputation for coming off as cold and harsh, but one must remember boundaries are not for pleasing others, it's for self-preservation. A big change I see with my Pile 3 is the act of opening up and trying again, but we have more knowledge this time. We are going slower this time. I really love this energy because it takes courage to get up and try again. And depending on the situation and how you react, the pain could have ran deep. I'm glad you're healing at your own pace. I'm glad you're not allowing anyone to control how you feel. That's very courageous of you. For example, let's say you married your high school sweetheart, but unfortunately they may have passed or you both may have divorced. But after some healing and time, you find yourself remarrying someone else, and there was one point in time you probably said to yourself, "Never again." But hey, you processed that pain and you allowed yourself to do it again. That's what's up Pile 3. Even though you may not be completely 100% healed yet, Spirit says that's okay. This change is a sign of a breakthrough for you. That light at the end of a dark, long tunnel. And no, things may never be the same, but things can be better. And I think you're recognizing that :). Good job baby.

Pile 4: Donna Summer

Opposition--Neptune--Sun--Saturn

This pile is screaming Saturn in Pisces lol with these cards. So check where Saturn rx in Pisces is doing in your natal/progressed/solar return chart. Also to include your profection month as well. This pile is starting to see that their dreams can in fact become reality, but then reality sets in LOLOLOL! That's not a bad thing Pile 4, but I can see you're like "Dang, I really gotta put in the work don't I?" Lol yes you do! Opposition and Saturn do not give free handouts Pile 4, but I do see that you're not going to shy away from it. I think quickly you'll realize you're cut off for what you really want to do. Whether it be art, business, drama, music, etc. You really are starting to realize that the only person in your way is....you. But that's okay! Because we are starting today (or whenever you choose to lol). I do think this is a start of a long journey, and it's not to scare you Pile 4, but Spirit is saying if you really want to do this, buckle up. And don't feel bad if you fail from time to time, it's only a learning experience & how can you get better if you don't try again. Yes it may hurt (the Sun is our ego after all), yes it may get frustrating, but there's this saying "To much is given, much is required." And to be even more honest Pile 4, I don't think the Universe is going to let you chicken out on this one. I feel like you're meant to do what you're thinking about, you may just be a little intimidated and that's perfectly a normal, human response. But one thing about Saturn is that it is patient, especially if you're actually trying. So just start. Don't overwhelm yourself. This project will take time. This chapter of your life will take time, but honestly it's worth it. Push forward Pile 4, you can do this.

Thanks again for reading! See you all later!

-Claude 🪐❤️🌙✨

[strawberrysturniolo]

matt has definitely pulled the “you’re a virgin you can’t drive” card on his brothers

"youre a virgin.. who cant drive"

"that was way harsh tai"