#ada tow

[captain-hawthorne-thesecond]

Hey so like uh. This fic by @the-laridian is so wonderful. Everyone is so perfectly characterized, especially ADA. Please go read it, I'm begging

[macaritaville]

my favorite Ada expression: 🤨

the outer worlds still hasn’t released its hold on my brain ❤️☺️

[heartofhubris-a]

Get 10% off Ada's tea if you also buy Sam's tea. 5% of ADA's proceeds supports Girls Who Code

[gifsofhubris-a]

[badolmen]

*last winter* *never got ticketed/severely buried/otherwise had a problem with parking in my designed disability spot even during storm warnings*

*this year* noooo don’t park in the disability parking spot 🥺🥺🥺 I’ll have to have you towed!!!! Drive up to the sidewalk across the lot 💞💞💞 and I’ll plow around you ☺️☺️☺️ haha sorry don’t wanna bury you so I’ll call to have you towed instead if you don’t 💜💜💜 thanks oxoxox

[captastra]

Chapters: 8/9 Fandom: The Outer Worlds (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Female Captain/Felix Millstone, The Captain/Felix Millstone Characters: The Captain (The Outer Worlds), Female Captain (The Outer Worlds), Sophia Akande, Felix Millstone, Vicar Max, Original Characters, Phineas Welles, Ellie Fenhill, Nyoka (The Outer Worlds), Parvati Holcomb Additional Tags: Darker AU, Interrogation, Kidnapped Captain, Character Death, Grief and Loss, Unreliable crew to the rescue, Angst, Blood and Injury, Violence, Hurt/Comfort Summary:

Rhea finally awakens, her memory muddled from the torture she experienced at Sophia's hands and weighed down by the reminder that nothing will be the same again. Meanwhile, Felix struggles with his own helplessness in face of their current trials, but finds, there is still one very important thing he can do.

~

I finally have chapter 8 up!! We are almost there with this story :)

Taglist: @ghosttownwhispers @olliesaurus-rex @confidentandgood @incognito-insomniac @lethal-justice @natesofrellis @roofgeese @seliviawanders @poetikat (let me know if you wish to be added or removed!)

[bearcina]

ADA is definitely both sweet, and spicy. She does have quite the creative vocabulary, and

She even has some fun opinions

.... But is also a little bit of a perv.

[iridescentdove]

What about a Platonic! BSD x Child! Reader is very smart, like almost Ranpo-level smart, but they don’t use their smarts and intellect for anything at all except for online video games, board games, etc., and they’re lazy and don’t go outside at all. Plus, the first time Reader and Dazai had a game of chess, Dazai literally lost two moves in, and Dazai was rethinking his entire life choices in that moment because how the fu-

(How Dazai and Reader’s game of chess went *REAL* link)

WHY DO I HEAR BOSS MUSIC?

platonic!bsd x child!smart!reader

A/N: I for an odd reason, love it when characters are humbled and seen inferior 😭 I love this request too! Here it is~

Everyone loves you.

I'm so jealous rn /j

Well as a kid it would be expected to be like that! Although, it was a little different as you were ... considered unique to other children around you. How so?

ULTRA DEDUCTION BABY.

No but for real. FUKUZAWA merely took you into the agency since you seemed to have had no parents by your side to take care of you. As such, he took on the responsibility himself. The agency takes care of you now! <3

Anyways, let's say you were basically rivalling RANPO in terms of deduction and overall smartness capabilities, as he now thinks you are a worthy opponent.

But even he himself lost to someone like DAZAI.

Yes. Of course it was true, the suicidal detective just seemed to be way too good. The so-called 'world's best detective' had lost to a man, in which who, flirts with women 24/7 and asks for double suicide everywhere he went.

But to say the day came when brunette's demise lurked around the corner ... because of a chess game.

The agency had nothing important going on in particular as the peace of Yokohama was maintained in the meantime. Simply put, you guys were on vacation. So what else to do other than some old family bonding?

There were lots of activities planned that day, and everyone had enjoyed it to the fullest. You did also find it fun, but ... of course, for someone your age – you were mature as fuck.

And so, you did what everyone wouldn't have the balls to do.

Challenge DAZAI OSAMU himself to a chess match.

So obviously, everyone got a bit nervous. Pretty sure you had no idea how smart the suicidal maniac was, nor did they ever believe you would last a good 'ol round even once. By some experience of a certain detective – there is absolutely no one better than DAZAI himself.

The chess game went on. You looked so cute and innocent! Maybe he should go easy on you?? After all, you're just a kid.

And yet ... he was downright horrified.

In a matter of four turns in, the death-craving young man was absolutely OBLITERATED by you. Upon the match ending, a pin drop silence was heard. Eyes widened in shock, whom even RANPO himself never imagined such. Everyone never spoke, not even coughed for a solid 5 minutes.

But it was true. You DID defeat him. FUKUZAWA had the face of a very proud parent – he really didn't think you'd emerge victory in this small innocent match.

The president promised to treat you out next time a successful mission was in tow. Of course, DAZAI couldn't believe he had lost to you! A little child!

It would definitely take a lot of time for him to wrap his head around that – but once he does, oh boy.

I think you a little crazy there uncle ahaha

He almost literally brags about your existence everyday to anyone. You can't tell me he hasn't literally shoved in and mocked in front of people's faces with that shit eating grin of his oh my fucking God 😭

Then again, no one is safe. An even better gifted than the two greatest treasures of the Armed Detective Agency.

FYODOR better be shaking in his fugly ass boots.

You're coming for him alright. (and so am I)

Honestly, the ADA cannot be anymore proud to have an ally like you by their side. Missions and war would cease to exist from how well you managed to help them. And even moreso, combined with RANPO himself.

World destruction who?? I only know (Y/N) (L/N) 😍

Your existence is known, everyone knows about what you've done and how respected you are despite your young age.

Who tf let the Port Mafia fuck ya'll up?? Oh nevermind they were destroyed because of ur amazing little ass. The Hunting Dogs tryna tear apart the ADA which was mistaken as terrorists? Umh chill anyways so you already had a plan– RANPO doesn't know what to do for once? You're already there to help. Decay of the Angels? Lives up to their name, they're decaying under your superior brain and intellect.

You're just found to be the lifeline of the agency. In return, everyone treats you very well (spoils you even), making sure you lived your days as a child to the best extreme possible.

And to be frank – no one dare underestimate you anymore.

[yespleasetommyshelby]

After he cheats - Modern!Tommy Shelby x reader

Look at me bashing two out in two days 😉

Part 2 of Before he cheats!🫣

-----

Tommy sighed as Arthur's car pulled up out front of the garage, a place his cars spent way too much time on account of all the bullet holes and busted windows he managed to acquire on a weekly basis. He couldn't help but let his head fall back onto the headrest as his eyes landed on his beat up Land Rover sitting on the forecourt, after y/n's little show 2 days ago he'd had Johnny dogs pick it up and bring it over, he's almost forgotten about the thick jagged cut that now ran the length of the car, until now.

"Troubles with that Sabini again, lad?" Head mechanic David laughed as Tommy stepped out into the open, his childhood friend always taking pleasure out of seeing Tommy's latest car disaster, and the payments that came with it of course.

"What is it they say?" Arthur called as he walked around the car to join the pair, smirking as his eyes caught the smash in the windscreen. "Hell have no fury like a woman scorned." He couldn't help but laugh, holding his side as he smacked Tommy in the shoulder making the younger brother huff.

"Very funny Arthur." He nodded, a small, almost unnoticeable smirk appearing on his face at the thought of just how pissed off you had looked that afternoon, but he'd fix it, you two always did.

"Damn, that girl of yours has got a temper aye." David whistled as he pulled open the passenger door and laid eyes on the messily carved name across the seat. "Remind me to never get on the wrong side of her." He mumbled as he slammed the door.

"Look can you fix it or not?" He put it bluntly, he had things to do if he was ever going to fix this situation, and he believed it would take a whole load of fixing.

"Who are you asking exactly? You know I can fix this baby back up, but it'll take a while, and it ain't gunna be cheap." David smiled, knowing that while he never overcharged the Shelby brothers, being technically in their employment, he always knew that with a Shelby fix came a big bonus.

"Just get it done." He nodded pointing at David. "Sooner the better David." He called as he walked back towards the car with Arthur in tow.

"Where to now Tom?" Arthur asked as they climbed into his car, having one last laugh at the state of Tommy's car.

"It's been 2 days Arthur, 2 days and still nothing." Tommy muttered, pulling his phone out and checking to no avail. So that's what it feels like, he thought to himself in regret, never meaning for any of this to go the way that it did.

"Take me to her Arthur."

-----

"Bollox!"

"He's lying to you!"

"Don't say I didn't fucking warn you!"

"See! What did I say? Dickheads, the lot of you!" I I huffed to the Netflix couple before slamming my laptop screen shut. "Even on TV the men are knobheads, honestly." I muttered to myself as I picked up the last tub of ice cream that was sitting besides my bed, the place I'd been for the last 2 days since I walked away from the Shelby family.

Flopping backwards into the bed I groaned as I dropped the empty tub onto the floor, my dreams of more ice cream demolished at the realisation. "Seriously y/n, laid in bed shouting at Netflix and crying over the ice cream being all gone, how stereotypical can you get." I huffing to myself as I pulled myself up to once again silence the vibrating of my phone. Over 99+ missed calls and messages, mainly from Tommy, Polly and Ada a few from Esme, John and Arthur, and that's not including the facebooks, instagrams and snapchats that I'd recieved over the last 48 hours.

A loud pounding on the door shook me to my core as my phone flew from my hand landing on the opposite side of the room, the vibrations continuing to slide it around on the wooden floor. "Shit, shit, shit." I whispered as I rested my hand on my chest, he wouldn't call the police would he? "Obviously he wouldn't idiot, local gangster, duh." I whispered once again, smacking myself on the forehead gently. "Gracie, oh I swear to god if I get arrested because of her I will kill her, and that is a promise - Oh fuck, I'm coming!" My Grace rant was interrupted by another loud set of banging on the front door.

Taking a deep breath I swung the door open prepared to be facing the boys in blue only to sigh in relief, kind of, to be met with a pair ice blue eyes and an old school cap.

"Fucking Jesus, honestly could you knock any more like a copper?" I breathed out, my heart racing from the panic. "This is why I need a ring doorbell." I sighed stepping back into the flat and leaving the door open for him to follow, knowing that if I closed the door I would probably have to buy a new one after he kicks it in.

"So you can see if it's the police?" Tommy asked as he closed the door behind himself, making himself comfortable at the kitchen table as I busied myself boiling the kettle.

"No, so I can see if it's you and then I'Il know not to answer." I muttered, flicking the kettle off. "I'm gunna need something stronger." Reaching for the whisky and glasses I filled 2 before sliding one across the table to him. "So what do you want?" I asked, leaning against the side on the opposite side of the kitchen, knowing distance is best in these situations.

"I think it's probably time I explained." He muttered, reaching into his pocket he pulled out his pack of cigarettes lighting one for himself before sliding them over to me.

"You don't say." I said sarcastically, taking two of his cigarettes and tucking one away behind my ear for later. "Go on then." I waved him on before lighting my own, revelling in the small smirk that took over his face.

"A few weeks ago now, some Irish inspector showed up at the shop spouting some bullshit about knowing about the races and all that shit." He nodded to himself, tilting his head back as he let out a breath of smoke, the vein popping in his neck as he did so. "Now, as much as we've had issues with the coppers in the past he knew too much, and he knew things that I haven't even put into place yet." I watched as he spoke, the vein in his forehead poking out slightly at the thought of good old Inspector Campbell and his dodgy leg.

"Right.." I trialled off as he stopped speaking, tapping the ash down the sink as an excuse to look away, not wanting to get caught up in his eyes like I had done so many times before. "And what's that got to do with you spending every free minute you have with Gracie?" I asked with a head tilt, purposely trying to make him feel a little bit stupid, like he had with me so often.

"Gracie? Really?" He asked with raised eyebrows and a smirk, he'd noticed it the other day, that you'd taken to calling her Gracie, with a slight nod of your head he carried on. "Well, she just happened to show up all of a week later, walked straight into the garrison and asked for a job which, with Arthur being Arthur, was handed to her the minute she fluttered her eyes at him." He recalled, thinking back to how pissed he had been at his brothers idiocy, not even a reference check before he'd handed the girl an apron.

"Is there a short version of this story?" I sighed, tired of standing here and listening to him speak, as much as I was holding on with a brave face I couldn't wait for him to leave so I could cry myself to sleep once again, after heading out to grab some more ice cream, of course.

"The short story is I spoke to Mae at the station and it turns out Grace had been sent from some specialist unit to get any info she could find on us. And when I found that out I decided to use her for my own gain, I told her false information, got her and her little team halfway up to Scotland as we speak." He shrugged, as though his actions were totally justified.

"So that's it?" I asked with furrowed brows, smushing out the remains of the cigarette in the sink before washing it down the drain. "You threw 10 years of friendship and over 2 years of us away for some silly little copper that got your knickers in a fucking twist?!" I yelled, picking up the closest thing which happened to be the now empty whisky glass besides me and throwing I at the wall just to the right of his head my eyes not leaving as his as the glass shattered.

"Uh, yes?" His confident demeanour gone as he looked at me in confusion, truly believeing that if he'd told you his side of the story, the real story then all would be well and you'd have his ring back on your finger in no time.

"Okay, that's fantastic Tom, really great, thanks for letting me know." I nodded. "Do make sure you close the door on your way out." I sighed as I walked past, pulling my wrist out of the way as I felt his touch.

"What the fucks going on? Nothing happened with the two of us, I promise you." He pleaded as he followed me into the bedroom, his eyes quickly scanning the boxes of tissues and the 3 empty ice cream tubs that littered the floor. "3 tubs in two days, aye." He couldn't help but comment.

"Yep." I muttered. Liar, the voice in my head spoke, that's just from this morning. "You've explained, now can you just, go, please." I whispered, my head starting to pound as I stood looking out of the window, the empty street of Watery Lane a poor distraction.

"Look Y/n, I know I fucked up, believe me I do, I never wanted to lie to you or keep you in the dark but, fuck, y/n you know the shit that I do, that I'm involved with, if anything ever happened to you I don't know what I'd do. The only way to keep you safe was to keep you in the dark, but it won't ever happen again." He stayed back as he spoke, knowing that if he tried to touch you at this precise moment in time the only thing he'd be walking away with would be a split lip and a lower sperm count from the boot he'd receive in the crotch.

"That's rest Tommy, really, is that supposed to make me feel better? Supposed to make me feel like any less of an idiot? Everyone saw the two of you together Tom! Just in the last two days I've had so many messages offering their sorry because they've heard we've split up and you're with fucking Gracie!" I screamed, spinning around just as the tears began to fall. "You've made a fucking fool out of me Thomas Shelby!" I screeched, flinging the desk lamp towards him. "Get the fuck out!" I whispered, counting to ten in my head. "Please just fucking go!" I cried, runnning my hands through my hair as I tried to steady my breathing.

"Alright, I'll go." He muttered, looking down at his feet. "I'll walk away and never come back, never even look in your direction again if that's what you want." He watched as you stood with your back to him, his own heart breaking at the sight of your small shoulders shaking with silent sobs, the image of your reflection of your hand over your own mouth burned into his mind. "I know that you might not want this back right now, or ever, from me anyway.." He said with a sigh, reaching into his pocket to pull out the diamond ring that you'd thrown at to the ground two days ago. "But it's yours, whether you're mine or not y/n this ring will always be yours, as well as my heart. I get that I've made you think the worse time and time again and I will never stop apologising or trying to make it up to you, no matter how long it'll take. And that's a promise. I love you y/f/n, please don't ever forget it." He finished, placing the small ring on the table besides the bedroom door before shoving his hands into his pockets and turning to leave.

He stood for a second with the front door open, with a view into your bedroom he turned one last time, willing with everything that he had that you'd turn and come running, tell him that you love him and can out this whole Grace shit behind you, but no, with one last sigh he stepped out onto the street and closed he door behind him.

Hearing the door slam I spun around, my eyes landing on the small ring, the light bouncing off of the biggest diamond sitting proudly in the centre. Sliding down the wall I let out a heart breaking cry, the sobs no longer silent as the tears slid down my cheeks one after the other, one hand squeezing my chest as though trying to hold my heart together while the other tried unsuccessfully to muffle the sobs of a broken heart.

[brummiereader]

PREVIOUS PART MASTERLIST

Don't Fear The Reaper (Part Two/ Dark!Tommy)

Summary: It's September 1923 and your first day working at Shelby Company Limited Offices. Hired by Ada Shelby after the unforseen departure of her brothers previous personal secretary you are yet to meet your new boss, the notorious gangster of Birmingham, Thomas Shelby. But with new beginnings comes new threats, one your colleagues warn you stalks the streets of Small Heath, his recently hushed prescenece still strong enough to keep the women of the towns fearful guard up. And fearful they should be, for he has set his sights on someone new.

Warnings: Language, angst, fluff, stalking, obsessive behaviour, supernatural themes, dark romance, manipulation of time, dark!tommy (This is a dark series with heavy potentially triggering undertones, please read the warnings before continuing)

September 1923...

" Thank you for this opportunity Mr Shelby. Fuck, right...Thank you for giving me this position in your...your..." You huffed losing your words as you walked down the cobbled streets in the direction of Shelby Company Limited Offices reciting under your breath what exactly it was you was going to say to the man that had given you a position as a secretary in his offices, the same man you had yet to meet. You couldn't believe your luck when a Miss Ada Shelby entered your granddad's blacksmith a few weeks back in search of his expertise to fix a unusually dented cast iron kettle that she had savaged at an auction, in tow offering you a new leap at life and an opportunity to pave your own way in the world of work. Not only was Miss Ada delightfully charming she was as equally curiously minded as yourself, occupying you with a plethora of questions as to how it was you ended up in Small Heath, or as she lovingly referred to it, a muddied dump of misfits and degenerates. After three cups of tea and a slice of soggy Victoria sponge cake you had made the previous day with more eggs than essentially necessary you both sat in the corner of your grandfather's forge as you nattered the time away, delving into each others lives as she waited for the indenting of her newly cherished kettle. Your own life seemed a far cry to Ada's exciting escapades. Yours being one in search of escape from the unhappy memories of the past and a new meaning to life after the death of most of your family during the war. You knew of the Shelby's through your granddad of course, albeit through the briefest of rundowns of information anyone could have possibly received having lived the majority of their life away from the smoke and factories of Birmingham. The sweetest if not the greatest grandparent life could have bestowed upon you, always concerned for your wellbeing. But a notorious man of very few words. And when he did speak it was in unintelligible riddles, not exactly the most ideal informant in a town as reputable as Small Heath. His exact words in regard to the Shelby's..."They've avoided more time in his majesty's pleasure as far as anyone north of John o' groat's" The gist of it, they're possibly the most hardened criminals in the country well overdue a lengthy stay in the local prison. But they were not just any criminals, they had amassed a wealth and power well beyond what anyone would consider possible. A true embodiment of rags to riches, all at the hands of one mastermind conspirator, Thomas Shelby Ada's brother. The very same brother that happened to be in need of a new secretary for his growing empire. " Thank you for this position as secretary in your Offices Mr Shelby" you said as you looked in the reflection of the buildings window as you straightened your dress out when you felt two hands suddenly rest on your shoulders, shocking you out of the silent ramblings that had taken up space in your overcrowded thoughts.

" No need to rehearse a speech, you've already got the job" Ada said as she spun you around to face her, a friendly smile welcoming you along with a playful wink.

" Shit Ada, you scared me" you replied holding your hand to your chest as you stood before the elegantly dressed Shelby sister.

" Stop fretting would you. Like I said, the jobs all yours, all you have to do now is turn up" she added as she pushed your locks over your shoulder, a smile creasing the corner of her mouth as she took in the endearing effort you had made to look sophisticated yet professional as you entered what was for all intents and purposes a man's world. As Ada once said..." You need a pair of balls and tough skin to work in this field, that and turn blind eye on a daily if now hourly basis. So it's a good thing we have a pair of them just as much as men do, if not a bigger pair"

" I'm not fretting, I just...I don't want to mess this opportunity up, and god knows I've perfected the art of that" you replied turning back to your reflection in the glass window as you pinched your cheeks in attempts to give them a rosier glow and not the washed out colour of little sleep they were currently exhibiting.

" Enough of that" she said swatting your hands away. " Anymore pruning and my brothers well, they'll...well you dont want to know" she trailed off not wanting her new friend getting caught up in their shenanigans. She knew you was serious about the job, and she was intent on you keeping your focus solely on that before one of her three older brothers took it upon themselves to show you the "Good life". " Ready?" she nodded her head to the door as you turned to look at your reflection one last time when something or rather someone caught your eye. Squinting further into the glass your eyes focused in on a woman behind you on the opposite side of the street silently watching you as a man dressed in black stood behind her, his hand cupping her shoulder as he whispered into her ear, both faces blurred by the weathered glass but familiar, eerily familiar. " Y/N?" Ada questioned as you turned around to see that the couple had all but vanished.

" I..I swear I could have just..." you stopped as you turned back to look in the glass, void of anyone else but your own reflection, suddenly feeling like you had been seeing things. Had you been seeing things? "...never mind" you relented as you recomposed yourself, turning your back on whatever tricks your exhausted mind was attempting to deceive you with.

" Come on nervous Nelly" she said with a smile as she opened the door to the offices. "Tommy was quite impressed with your lengthy experience of accounts and single handedly turning your granddad's chaotic paperwork and list of jobs into something more manageable in all but a few weeks" she remarked as you walked ahead of her down the dimly lit corridor, the clicking of your heels on the brick floor resonating through the cramped passage before you suddenly came to a halt at the door.

" Wait, Ada. Tommy, I refer to him as Mr Shelby, right?" You clarified worried you'd become the bumbling newcomer miss naming people before what would be considered socially acceptable.

" Yes, and by god it stays that way" she replied as she pushed the door open and ushered you forward.

"Stays that way? What do you mea..." You replied when Ada scooted behind you, holding you by the arms as she presented you to the three people now staring back at you.

" Alright ladies, this is Y/N. Tommy, Mr Shelby's new secretary" she announced to the room gently nudging you forward into a lion's den of three pairs of beady eyes watching your every move. " Betsy and Ethel" Ada introduced you as you slowly took a step forward feeling like the new kid in school that had been dragged up to the blackboard to recite their whole life in front of a sea of students gawking at you like you were the latest exposition at the circus. " And this is Polly" Ada finished as she perched herself on the edge of her Aunt's desk.

" So you're the new girl " Polly stated looking up from the paperwork in her hand as her eyes bored into you, curiosity further picking her interest as to what it was that brought you to Small Heath, not that she didn't already know everything about you.

" Well I'm glad we found someone new. Lizzie the last girl just upped and left the selfish mare" Ethel huffed as Polly stood up and showed you to your desk, her insistent stare softening into one of pity at your fumbling nervousness and shaky hands. Nobody wants to be the new girl.

" Alright ladies let's not bore her with past office politics" Ada said as she flicked through the file on Polly's desk, her eyes rolling at the mountain of work that had to be done since Lizzie's impromptu departure.

" Just saying, she could have given us the courtesy of letting us know in a timely manner she was leaving before dumping the shit tonne of bloody work on us she hadn't bothered to effing finish"

" My Ethel, for a moment there I thought you'd turned a page and stopped using every profanity known to man each time you opened your mouth to speak" Polly said arching her brow with a small smirk of amusement on the corner of her lips when the door opened at what you could only assume was your boss came storming through with two men following behind, the youngest eyeing you up with a tooth pick in his mouth that looked dangerously close to making it's way down his throat.

" Ethel" the youngest winked in her direction, a cheeky grin dimpling his face as you abruptly bolted up from your seat expecting to go through the formalities of greeting your new boss.

" Sit down love. He's not the king of England, as much as he'd like to think he is" Polly said gently pushing on your shoulder as your slumped back down into your seat, your face filling with embarrassment at your blundering display of readiness.

" New secretary ay?" Arthur said quietly to his brother as he strode beside him, one hand causally sitting in his trouser pocket jostling his loose change around as the other smoothed down the edges of his moustache.

" Good luck getting any work done with that distraction" John commented under his breath their way as he walked ahead, his brothers words enough to lure Tommy's attention and finally look in your direction. Don't fuck this up Y/N, don't fuck this up... you mentally mumbled to yourself as his stare lingered on you for an uncustomary amount of time before a hushed comment to his brothers left his lips and a burst of sniggers and laughter ensued from within the office as he closed the door. Fuck sake, did you have something on your face? Did you look like a child trying to play with the big boys? It was when you stood for attention like a complete idiot wasn't it? Shit.

" Don't mind twiddle dee, twiddle dum and god knows whatever John is" the matriarch to family quickly put your mind to rest as she nodded her head to Tommy's office. A pretty face had captured their attention and they were no doubt doing what men do best, being dicks, or rather thinking with their dicks... Polly thought to herself as she mentally took note to remind her three nephews to refrain themselves from looking like complete immature prats the next time they were in the presence of the fairer sex.

It had been an hour since the start of the working day and Polly had busied you with the back log of work that needed to be done. An easy task of copying and correcting copious amounts of files onto the typewriter. A tiresome but welcome distraction from the impending meeting you was yet to have with your new boss. That was until a loud voice sounded through the building capturing your otherwise distracted attention.

"Ada, bring the new girl in" Tommy called out from behind his desk.

" Does he have to shout like that?" She commented with an irritated huff as she turned back to her Aunt. " He does possess the ability to get off his royal ass once in a while before summoning us" she grumbled ignoring her brother as she turned her attention back to signing the document in front of her.

" Ada!"

" Jesus bloody Christ!" she huffed once again as she stood up, throwing her pen on her desk as she turned back to face you with a sympathetic smile at the one of many joyous personality traits of her brother you had just witnessed and undoubtedly would encounter again. Straightening the creases out of your dress you stood up in a hurry as your two giggling colleagues, Ethel and Betsy eyes followed your flustered state. " Hey" Ada said holding you by your elbow before you both entered the office. " If I was to tell you that when he was a boy he'd make Arthur religiously check for ghosts in his wardrobe every night before going to sleep would that make you less nervous?" She asked with a mischievous smile on the corner of her lips as your own face that had been taut with anxiety finally relaxed after hearing that despite his intimidating presence your new boss was human after all.

" Miss Y/L/N" Tommy greeted you as he stubbed his cigarette out into the glass ash tray on his sprawling wooden desk. " It is Miss, no?" He clarified as you nodded your head in response, the rolling of Ada's eyes not going unmissed by her brother as he strode towards you.

" It's a pleasure to meet you Mr Shelby"

" Tommy, you can call me Tommy. First name basis seems appropriate since we'll be working so closely together. Wouldn't you agree Y/N?" He said with a soft smile that caught the corner of his lips as Ada stood behind you shaking her head in disapproval at her brother's inability to keep things professional with anyone he had suddenly taken a liking to." Thank you Ada, you can leave"

" Not even one full bloody day" she mumbled under her breath crossing her arms as she sauntered out the room, hoping to high heavens that you had your wits about you.

" Please, take a seat " Tommy gestured to the chair in front of his desk as he hitched his trousers up and sat down, his elbow resting on the arm of the chair as he watched you pull nervously at the ends of your sleeved dress. It may have only been a mere two minutes, but the silence was deafening one he seemed comfortable with whereas you could barely stand it. Was he waiting for you to speak?... you thought to yourself as you brain scrambled to come up with something to say. " I was..."

"I want to thank you for..." you replied wide-eyed realising you had cut him off, your cheeks going an embarrassing shade of your less than favourite root vegetable, beetroot. " I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt"

" Go on, you was saying " he replied gesturing with his hand as he lent back into his chair, watching as you rolled your thumb along the inside collar of your dress, easing the pressure of its tightness from your heated skin and the sweat that had gathered there from the nervousness enveloping you.

" I want to thank you for this opportunity, Mr Shelby...Tommy. I'm a hard worker and I will do my up most to fulfill your every expectation of what a secretary should be" you said as you looked up from your fidgeting hands.

" I don't doubt you will" he replied as another small silence descended on the room and you watched as he ran the side of his forefinger across his bottom lip back and forth, his eyes remaining locked on you as your own darted to anything but him. God, was he always this intense? This was a test, wasn't it? He was trying to see if you'd crack under pressure, under the pressure this job would undoubtedly demand, right? "I was quite impressed with your resume" he suddenly remarked shocking you out of the endless questions ticking in your brain as he picked up your file and came to sit on the edge of the desk next to you, his knee pressed against your outer thigh as he flicked though the folder. " Five years working as an accountant and assistant for Lembroch and Co in North London" he said closing the folder, dropping it In front of you on the mahogany wood. " Now that is some endurance. Anyone who has spent working half a decade for that grumpy old bastard has my sympathy" he smiled to you as you welcomed the ease in tension with a small laugh and smile of you own. " But enough of that, tell me about yourself Y/N' he asked as he reached into his pocket pulling out a silver case of cigarettes and offering you one.

" I'm afraid there's not much to say" you smiled as your hand reached to pull out a neatly coiled cylinder of tobacco from within the case, the tips of your fingers briefly grazing against his as you made your choice.

" I dunno about that" he replied as he leaned down igniting the lighter, watching as the orange glow cast a shadow on your plump lips as you cupped the flame. " Try me" he said as he flicked the lid of the lighter down in one single snap, watching as you inhaled the fumes and your eyes relaxed with satisfaction at the welcome relief.

" Well..." You said as you rubbed you thumb over the filter, clearing your throat as your eyes darted between him and the wall behind him, completely unprepared for his question. Did he not trust you? Surely he already knew everything about you considering his line of work and the importance of hiring workers he could rely on? And he did, all but the smaller things only you yourself could tell him, things he now wanted to know since having met you, seen you. "I've lived most of my life in London, down by..." You continued telling your life story up until the present day as Tommy impatiently smoked his way down to the end of his cigarette already knowing everything you had told him, everything but what he really wanted to know. Only one small matter he needed to clear up...for his own peace of mind of course.

" And what do you do in your spare time, you have friends here, a boyfriend?" he questioned his eyes darting down to your lips parting in surprise at the casual tone in question.

" Oh erm no, I've haven't been in Birmingham long enough" you replied taking one last drag of the cigarette between your fingers before resting it on the edge of the ash tray in front of you.

" Don't have a sweetheart waiting for you back in London then?"

" No. I don't need any distractions" you replied confidently, convinced he was trying to gauge how serious you was about the job in hand.

" Distractions eh? Is that what you ladies are calling us these days. I beg to differ, I'd be more inclined to say it's the other way around" he chuckled raising his brows as he watched the corners of your lips crinkle into a smile. "Well, you'll soon make friends here. My sisters already pretty fond of you, and I'm sure we'll all quickly follow in her sentiments" he said standing from the desk as you followed.

" I won't let you down Tommy" you said opening the door as he nodded in acknowledgement, watching the bottom of your dress sway back and forth with each step you took as you walked away.

" Now that I can believe" he quietly commented under his breath as he shut the door and walked over to his desk, his head tilting mischievously at your cigarette still burning in the glass tray. Resting it between his fingers Tommy sat down in his chair, slouching back as he rubbed his thumb over the stain your lipstick had left from your full lips. Raising it to his mouth Tommy took a long drag as he closed his eyes, his head resting on the back of his leather upholstered chair as he welcomed his own satisfaction. Satisfaction from what, or rather in finding what?

" Jesus fuck, it's getting cold and dark again" Ethel said as she wrapped her coat around her body as you and Betsy huddled next to her hopping from one foot to the other as you passed the cigarette around between the three of you, hoping it would warm you even if it was for the briefest of seconds as you stood outside the offices at the end of the day.

" Ethel Davis! Polly's right, you'd give any sailor a run for his money with your potty mouth" she reprimanded as a small giggle escaped your lips at their constant playful ribbing of eachother" And you're no better" she said turning to face you as Ethel grinned with amusement." You need a trip to confession following the string of profanities that left your mouth after your encounter with that typewriter" she laughed as she looked down at your hands and the black ink dotted all over them.

" I hate those bloody things" you huffed at the unfortunate event or fortunate to those in the office that burst into a fit of laughter at your flustered state as you wrangled with the ink that needed changing in your typewriter earlier that day.

" Ladies" Tommy said fixing his peak cap on as he walked out the door passing the three of you huddled together from the change in season. "Y/N" he added sending you a small smile that you eagerly mirrored before quickly catching your self and reigning in your overly friendly pleasantries before your own ribbing from your two colleagues began.

" Tommy already is it?" Ethel giggled as you turned around to face them.

" Don't you call him Tommy?" You asked scrunching your brow as you passed the cigarette to her.

" Not after one bloody day!" Ethel laughed taking a drag as she shuffled on her feet.

" Even now after two years of working for him he still corrects me" Betsy added as she rolled her eyes at the already fully smoked cigarette handed to her. " Ethel! I only had two puffs"

" Owh I'm sorry, I'm just so buggering cold!" she apologised dramatically as she put her arm around her friend. " Think he might already have a soft spot for you babe, you poor thing" she grinned as she hugged further into her friends fur coat, both of them now smiling at you like two annoying Cheshire cats.

" He's just being nice is all" you shrugged pushing a stone into the muddied ground with the tip of your shoe.

" If you do cosy up to him can you persuade him to spare us poor workers some extra time off?" Ethel teased as you shook your head, a friendly laugh of disbelief on your part as you turned to leave for home.

" Y/ n wait. Don't..don't you want us to walk with you?" Betsy said grabbing your arm as she suddenly scanned the area and anybody nearby.

" I'll be ok, I'll see you two tomorrow" you replied sending her smile when her grip on your arm tightened, restricting you from leaving without her.

" Y/N! It's not safe" Betsy insisted as you watched a sudden wave of panic wash over her face.

" It's alright Betsy, there's been no talk of it for a while now" Ethel gently reassured her friend as she removed her hand from you.

" Talk of what?" You questioned as you watched Ethel hush Betsy's worries and the tears now streaking her frightened face.

" Fuck, you don't know do you? You won't catch a single woman in Small Heath walking by herself when it's dark out" Ethel replied, realising you had no knowledge of the dealings the women of Small Heath had endured for the past six months.

" But why?"

" There's been a man following..."

" Say it right Betsy. Stalking. He's been fucking stalking" Ethel corrected her as your eyes widened at the unexpected information.

" Nothings happened yet so don't go and worry yourself on it too much" Betsy dispelled your fears in response to your sudden reaction.

" Other than that girl that ended up in the cut a few months back" Ethel commented under her breath as Betsy's head snapped to her.

" She fell Ethel. Stop telling tales!" Betsy said in attempts to reassure everyone only in the end realising she was trying to ease her own fears.

" Either way, he won't be getting me" Ethel said in a hushed voice as she lifted up her skirt pulling a small knife from within her boot.

" Please, let us walk with you" Betsy pleaded one last time as she reached for your hand.

" My place is only around the corner and my granddad waits by the window until I'm safely inside. I'll be ok, I promise" you assured her, not fully convinced her concerns were enough to even fret over. You was from London, encountering the unwanted happened on a weekly If not daily occurrence. You was street wise, or at least you thought you was.

" Ok...but you scream bloody murder if anyone even dares approach you, alright? There's enough police surveying this dump to hear you and come running" she said giving you a quick hug before she huddled up to Ethel from the cold again as they both watched you walk into the night.

Was this the plight of the women of Small Heath? Living in fear at the simple act of walking home. They were of strong stock, endured and lived through so many hardships with a fearless attitude. But this, this scared them.

Ok so your place wasn't just around the corner. But it was pretty close. You just didn't want them to worry...you thought to yourself as you headed for one of the bridges that hovered over the street , an uneasy feeling suddenly settling in your stomach as you stopped yourself from stepping another foot forward whilst you eyed up the overpass. You was thinking too much about it, Ethel and Betsy's worries had found their way into the very corner of your brain you had kept under lock and key since the war. You had passed under the same bridge countless times before, even later at night than it currently was...you reasoned with yourself as you started walking toward the bricked archway, your eyes solely fixed on the opposite side were the welcome dim hue of a street light ushered you forward into safety. Just a few more feet you reassured yourself as you clutched your hand bag into your side when you came to a halt and your eyes frantically widened at the dark shadow being cast on the wall inside the bridge. " I'll...I'll scream" you said aloud rather than the action itself Betsy had encouraged you to do into the night, silent to the empty street but you and whoever was lurking behind the wall. " Please, I don't want no trouble" you sobbed quietly as your bottom lip wobbled in response to the sudden surge of fear overtaking your body, feeling like at any moment your legs would buckle and give out when the large shadow grew two fold. How could you have been so brazen to think you could handle the treacherous darkness of Small Heath alone?...you cried to yourself as you took a step back when the heal of your shoe kicked a stone into the gutter beside you, the shadow now overtaking the entire wall in response as you lost your balance and fell backwards. "Fuck!" You breathed heavily, your heart rapidly pounding in your chest as you looked up at the starry sky shaking your head not only in relief but amusement. " You bloody scared me, you know that?" you said catching your breath as you stood up wiping the grit from your palms, picking out the minute stones that had managed to wedge their way into your skin as you eyed up the black cat in your path. " Not the luckiest thing to come across are you?" you said as you knelt down to stroke his head as he brushed up against your leg " But Luckier than whatever my brain was conjuring up" you said with a small smile as you stood up heading for home, mentally remembering to not let yourself be fooled again by silly gossip that for all you knew could be the result of the very black cat you had just encountered.

" Good evening Mr Shelby" a older man said tipping his hat in Tommy's direction as the black coated gangster blew a cloud of smoke into the crisp air, briefly acknowledging the gentleman's presence before returning his gaze back to what had been his sole focus for the past half hour. Stood across the street in the shadow of the brick wall he watched the golden glow from the upstairs window dance in front of his view as the woman he had been watching walked back and forth within her bedroom, finally coming to a stop in front of the small mirror sitting on the edge of the windowsill. Tommy watched intently as she gracefully collected her hair to one side into one large lock, brushing her fingers through the ends as she leaned in closer to her reflection. She was not like the others, he mused as he watched the sleeve from her nightgown fall from the curve of her shoulder, his lips parting at the enticing movement that only exposed more of her delicate skin that was beckoning him to her. Why would she leave her curtains open if she didn't want him to see he smirked as he stepped further into the darkness shielding his statue as a group of young men passing a bottle of whisky around walked by, their drunken boisterousness capturing both his and her attention and all but ruining the moment he has lost himself in. Throwing his cigarette to the ground Tommy turned on the heel of his boot into the dark of the alley way as his coat glided around the brick wall back into the cover of night.

" Alright up there?" Your granddad called down from the bottom of the stairs at the sudden noise of your mirror that was precariously leaning against your window came crashing down onto the wooden floors, shattering into hundreds of shards at the brisk movement of you closing your curtains.

" Yes, everything... everything's fine. Just being clumsy as usual" you said sitting on the edge of your bed, your hands either side of the plump mattress steadying yourself as a surge of panic rapidly scrambled up your throat at not only the seven years of bad luck you had just brought upon yourself but what you was sure you just saw. It was only for the briefest of seconds but you saw him, his face masked by the darkness of the night but the glint of his signet ring captured by the moonlight like the spark of a flame as he turned the corner making his presence known. He'd been watching you. An innocent bystander, or at worst just a peeping Tom...you quickly reassured yourself turning your bed stand light off as hurried to be under the comfort of your warm bed, your only true comfort for the night. Just a peeping Tom. Oh how those very words would come back to haunt you. An unchangeable string of a events had started, threatening not only your life but your very soul.

NEXT PART

Tag list: @mysticalbouquetwolf-posts @prettywhenicry4 @smayhem49-blog @pacifymebby @indierockgirrl @globetrotter28

[sapphire-weapon]

I don't know if this is just my perception, but I've noticed that Krauser uses Ashley several times as a way to provoke Leon (especially during their final fight).

In their first encounter, immediately after Leon realizes it was Krauser who kidnapped Ashley, the camera focuses on his angry face and then on his hand about to grab his gun. As if the knowledge that it was Krauser who was to blame for Ashley's kidnapping was Leon's motivation to start fighting back.

Then there's that cinematic where Leon arrives just in time to see Krauser take Ashley away with nothing he can do to stop him. Krauser even walks slower and without bothering to turn to look at Leon, not even when he shouts Ashley's name. In Separate Ways, we see Krauser start running with Ashley in tow as soon as Leon can no longer see them.

After killing Salazar and using the elevator, if we use the rifle to get a closer look at the speedboat, Krauser turns to look at Leon, while Ashley is unconscious in the back seat, almost as if he is challenging him.

During their final fight, Krauser mocks Leon's concern for Ashley, and then tells him that he won't be able to save her, and that's when Leon explodes again.

Krauser taunts again when he tells Leon to hurry up or who knows what could happen to Ashley.

And near the end of the fight, Krauser tells Leon that if he needs motivation, he should think about Ashley.

I think Capcom's intention was to show how deeply Leon cares about Ashley through Krauser. That's why I can't take seriously people who say Leon only cares about Ashley because 'it's his job', it just doesn't fucking make sense, it's like they haven't played the damn game, or just decided to ignore all that.

there's a lot going on here, actually, and it goes deeper than just Ashley herself. Krauser absolutely dangles Ashley over Leon's head, don't get me wrong, because he knows that it's a source of angst and insecurity for him -- but it goes far deeper than just this one woman.

Krauser says at one point that he knows Leon's potential better than anyone -- he knows Leon better than anyone. and he may just be right.

in OG, Krauser asks Leon: "what is it that you fight for, comrade?" to which Leon responds: "my past, I suppose."

now, take that little snippet of a conversation and stretch it out over the course of four years of military training. it's likely that Krauser had to dig deep into Leon's psyche in order to motivate him to perform at his absolute best -- and what's at the center of everything for Leon is what happened in Raccoon City. Krauser likely knows every detail of what happened that night.

and what happened that night was that Leon failed to save the life of a single person.

so, since LeonA is canon in the Remake-verse, let's take a look at the list of people Leon failed to save in Raccoon City:

the cop in the gas station

Officer Elliott

Marvin Branaugh

Ben Bertolucci

Annette Birkin

Ada Wong

I don't know if you're keeping score, but that's... just about every person that Leon meets. the only exceptions to this are Kendo and his daughter (who Leon never attempted to save), Claire (who never needed saving), and...

Sherry, whom Leon then gets kidnapped and held hostage almost as soon as he volunteers to take sole custody of her.

so, when Krauser says to him: "you can't save anyone" he means anyone. the US government sent a man who's never been able to save anyone but himself on a mission alone to rescue the president's daughter. if anyone knew his history and his track record, he likely wouldn't have been the agent assigned to do this.

but the only person who knew it was Krauser, because Krauser's the only one who ever got close enough for Leon to tell. and since Krauser's now a traitor and a terrorist, he uses that knowledge as a cudgel to beat Leon with.

so -- yes, Krauser is purposefully using Ashley as a knife to twist in Leon's heart, and yes, saving her is more than "just doing my job" for him. it's extremely personal for him for many reasons. and as he starts to feel more and more affection for her, this need to save her becomes more and more intense, and it becomes easier and easier for Krauser to weaponize that against him.

and this is just storytelling 101. as the story goes on, the stakes have to rise higher and higher until they reach an absolute crescendo at the climax. and since Leon is so physically capable and very little in RE4make comes off as an actual threat to him, his stakes are mental and emotional in nature. as his feelings for Ashley intensify, so too does his anxiety about being able to save her.

the climax of RE4make's story is the walk to Luis's lab, and by then, Leon's feelings for Ashley have gotten so strong, and his need to save her has become so intense, that he sees her life alone as comparable to all of the people who died in front of him in Raccoon City.

if he can just save her, that would absolve him of his other failures.

that's why the script was written so that Ashley says the actual words to him in the ending.

this is the culmination of Leon's several character arcs in the series so far; it's the payoff for his character development; it's the catharsis for the angst he brings into RE4make with him.

Leon was a man who couldn't save anyone, but he ends RE4make as a hero.

his 21-year-old self would be so proud.

[telekinetictrait]

No one can quite remember where Miss Isolde came from – why, as far as anyone knows, that old Mrs Ada Sulzbach came back from a trip to the seaside with Isolde in tow and she's been here ever since. That poor old woman – after her husband and her brother died, young Isolde was all she had, and it seemed that she was all young Isolde had too. When old Mrs Sulzbach died and left everything to Miss Isolde, she sold most of her things and disappeared to a cottage by the sea. She paints and gardens and barely ever has anyone for tea – but she's a sweet young woman, if a bit eccentric, what with her hours-long stretches of sitting alone on the rocks, staring out at the waves.

the 1880s won the polls, so here's isolde in the 1880s! i had a lot of fun dressing her up in a different era and tweaking her backstory to fit hehe, maybe i will do it again...

check my resources page and genetics tag for genetics

multiple: helgatisha's moles 01 / mosaica's esther freckles / the-melancholy-maiden's late victorian hair / buzzardly28's bridget hair / simandy's ainin hair / okruee's ana hair / linzlu's sallie hair / dancemachinetrait's pemberley gloves and stockings / simverses' mistress mysterium gloves / sforzcc's bert boots

everyday/house: chere-indolente's aesthete belt dress

going out: linzlu's fancy bonnet / chere-indolente's manger blouse + overlay / chere-indolente's cueillette skirt

formal: oydis' colorful summer sunflowers / ice-creamforbreakfast's céala earrings / chere-indolente's at the theatre bow bodice / chere-indolente's ombrelles skirt + overlay

athletic: the-melancholy-maiden's late victorian hat / chere-indolente's cueillette bodice + skirt / vintagesimstress' separated medieval-ish apron

painting: chere-indolente's cueillette cap + skirt + apron overlay / ms-marysims' ida blouse

gardening: sforzcc's juliana hat / satterlly's theresa drindl

undergarments: dancemachinetrait's lillie corset and combinations

sleep: lollaleeloo's vintage nightgown (tsr download)

morning: notsooldmadcatlady's wrapper

party: oydis' colorful summer flowers / ice-creamforbreakfast's starburst earrings / simverses' mistress mysterious scarf / dissiasims' neutra accessory top / cooper322's vanessa dress (the boob window phase of the early 1880s.....)

swimwear: huiernxoxo's rosie dress / vintagesimstress' 1884 swimwear / eirflower’s bain de soliel bathing shoes

summer: the-melancholy-maiden's floral fedora / emy-the-gamer's charlotte outfit (i know its winter. shhh)

winter: chere-indolente's dans la serre bonnet / chere-indolente's newlyn cableknit / laureliesims' separated bustle skirt

thank you to @helgatisha @mosaica @the-melancholy-maiden @buzzardly28 @simandy @okruee @linzlu @dancemachinetrait @simverses @chere-indolente @oydis @ice-creamforbreakfast @vintagesimstress @ms-marysims @satterlly @lollaleeloosstuff @notsooldmadcatlady @dissiasims @cooper322 @huiernxoxo @eirflower @emy-the-gamer @laureliesims

[saintsir4n]

Can u do the scene with eden finding out about grace. Thank u and I am in love with ur writing, I've read Dark twisted fantasy about 3 times already and will read for a 4th time, I love how u write the black women in ur stories, how u show their emotions and how u portray them. ♥️♥️

love this and thank you.

BETRAYED

——

1919

“What is it? What’s wrong you had everythin’ fuckin’ planned.” Eden stressed, after being told they had been betrayed.

Ada had left the room, with baby Karl and an anxious Inara in tow, whilst Eden and Tommy stayed. The Dawkins woman watched as he paced, gulping and tugging at the roots of his hair, wanting to say something but couldn’t spit it out.

Black Star Day was their day. It was planned, everything was going according to plan, and Tommy said so. Prayers had been said, drinks had been poured, and Eden and her newfound friend Grace even chatted, buzzing about it all.

But it went to hell when Jeremiah informed Arthur that Billy Kimber was spotted, with an army full of fuckers rallying behind him. There was no God in Small Heath. With every War that ended, another started up.

“It was Grace,” Tommy finally blurted.

Eden froze, face full of confusion, “What was Grace?”

“We’ve been fuckin’ betrayed.”

Tommy had been so stuck on the why, he didn’t focus on the how, how the Irish Barmaid they befriended so quickly could accomplish all of this in such a small frame.

“No,” Eden, of course refused to believe it.

And just like that, she began to pace and he watched, observed with a pained expression as she struggled to come to terms with the truth.

“Eden,” Tommy exclaimed.

“No, she’s our friend remember,” Eden gesticulated. “She was in the Garrison, fuckin’ seconds ago, pouring pints, celebrating with us all.”

Tommy breathed out, more steadier than before, “She gave us away.”

His voice was calm but he was anything but. He had to keep it together, for her. For his Edie, who was on the verge of spiralling.

Eden gulped as her heels slammed against the floorboards, creaking and cracking.

“You said we could trust her,” she whispered, but he heard.

It was like shrapnel to his chest.

You were wrong Tom, was what she meant. You didn’t think.

“I know,” Tommy nodded, standing still, silently raging.

She turned to him, gritted her teeth, “You said we could trust her Thomas.”

He shut his eyes, “Don’t you think I don't fuckin’ know that.”

“You said we could fuckin’ trust her!”

Eden wrung out her numb hands as she choked back a sob. All that happened, all that has been going wrong since that fucking inspector came to their city, their town of Small Heath. She felt the work of a wretched soul at play but she didn’t expect to think it would come from such a nice girl like Grace.

Huh…

Nice, she certainly pulled the wool over their fucking eyes.

Eden had just felt so lonely, Tommy had returned home from the war and her best friends were either dead or in London. She needed someone other than her husband to speak to, preferably anyone without the last name Shelby. And there Grace was, singing her way into the Garrison with her soft and trusting voice.

Oh, how they were wrong.

Eden’s face scrunched up as Tommy’s eyes quickly opened having heard her shuddering breaths.

You said we could fuckin’ trust her. Tommy had his suspicions. He knew the barmaid lied about where she came from and why she moved. He didn’t trust her at first but his wife did. He too, missed the comfort of a friend. Freddie wasn’t one anymore, not after the war, they were on two different paths, racing like trains that wouldn’t come to a halt at any time soon. His other good friend was dead and had been for years. The war took more from him than he thought and his little ‘Nara was the light of his life, his Edie was his heart. But Grace… she was something new, something calm that settled both him and his wife. An outsider, a new friend.

Oh, how she played them for a fool.

“She’s the reason why ‘Nara was almost taken,” Eden’s glossy eyes darted to him, as he stood there in shock. “That fuckin’ inspector tried clawing our daughter out of our hands. For dirty dealin’ Moss said. He got the fuckin’ social on us, claimed that we were a pack of animals.” Eden remembered it all like it was just yesterday. “But they — they trashed our houses, turned it all into a tip, framin’ us like we did it all and they tried… oh Tom they scared us good they did. They scared our little girl even more.”

Tommy’s jaw clenched, recalling the day, hearing his daughter’s screeches and his wife’s wails… Christ, they were louder than the shovels against the wall. Pat. Pat. Pat. He almost wasn't there to stop it. They claimed that Eden was too erratic, too primitive to look after a child like theirs. Daddy! Inara’s shaken voice will always stay with them.

Being dragged and kicked back to that day, neither parent saw or heard Polly enter the room, full of grief and torment.

The Shelby Matriarch's stomach dropped once more, it scarred her brain just like it did when her children were taken from her.

Eden rasped, “I need to see her.”

“No, no you won’t.” Polly shook her head, “I'll deal with Grace. If either one of you set eyes on her again, you might kill her.”

Eden hung onto that blissful thought.

When Polly left, Tommy turned to his wife, sighing when she gripped her Black Madonna.

“I thought we could trust her,” Eden wanted to cry.

She wanted to scream, stab, shoot, fuck anything.

“I know love. I know,” Tommy slowly nodded.

The two exchanged a dark look, one that read, that they’ll talk later.

“Tommy?”

“Yeah.”

“Please be safe.”

And with that Tommy raced out of the house, needing to end this all one and for all.

——

a/n:

If I ever wrote the canon plot, Tommy wouldn’t cheat on Eden, but because of who he is he would do other things to fuck up their relationship.

In this though both trusted Grace as a friend because of how they lost friends in my headcanon

[youroriginalsublimecupcakestuff]

Akutagawa ryuunosuke was supposed to take izumi kyouka as an apprentice but he got sick and had to be personally stopped by boss Mori to go out of bed for two weeks.

Nakahara chuuya returned earlier from his mission in Europe and was on a slow period at work, ozaki kouyou used this opportunity to have kyouka train under her former mentee instead and didn't hesitate to bribe Elise to get Mori-dono to agree .

Despite his objection, chuuya ended up with a new mentee.

Which was hard because being with her is a constant reminder of his time with the sheep and the last time that he was in charge of young children.

He want to protect her, he refuse to lose her, he train her in hand to hand combat and will take her shopping because of course his mentee will be stilish, he's still trying to get ride of dazai awful influence in akutagawa's style but kyouka-chan was never corrupted by a fish.

They will get outing together when she can be like a kid while he train her to survive in their world.

Kyouka and akutagawa are trained together and she get headpat and praise when she do well.

She devellopped a friendship with gin with whom she like to spar and a rivalry with ryuunosuke.

She still trained with Verlaine and sometimes chuuya will join, she love to see chuuya and Verlaine fight and hope that one day she will be as strong of them.

Chuuya, kyouka and kouyou have a sunday tea time tradition that everyone respect even mori doesn't dare disturb it.

Here kyouka go on mission with chuuya squad but chuuya doesn't see her as ready to kill yet so he sent her more on infiltration mission, she meet dazai and the ADA because she wanted to meet her big brother former partner and she wasn't impressed.

Dazai doesn't even know why he try to impress her but kunikuda adore her when she come into the office dazai do his paperwork because their something about a brutally honest teenage girl listing all your flaw and why you don't deserve her big brother, port mafia or not she's always welcome into the office .

Mori find that funny so he actively encourage it and kouyou approve.

But it came to the point when dazai would insert himself in chuuya and kyouka outing with atsushi in tow both have a rivalry as Who is the better mentor ( chuuya is winning because of his trump card : akutagawa ryuunosuke so dazai try to spend more time with him and rectify his past screw up ( gin and kyouka find his reaction amusing but are ready to help him if he need it).

Dazai exploit chuuya soft spot for kyouka like in presenting kyouka with photo of a Bunny onesie and telling kyouka how cute it would be if they got matching outfits.

Kouyou approve, both she and dazai are in an alliance.

That my chuuya and kyouka are siblings agenda.

[shelbyshoe]

Don't I Know You?

(Unedited Aeon Drabble)

Leon Kennedy woke in his bed. His eyes were wet, and he wiped the moisture away with the back of his hand. He couldn't remember the dream, but the feeling lingered. His chest ached as he sat up and got out of bed.

The morning wasn't much different from the day before, the commute his usual route. But something didn't sit well with him. He looked for something, peered around the corner of a street he walked on his way to work, as if the feeling would reveal itself down the next path.

The police station was barren this morning and he had time to grab coffee in the back room.

"Good morning, Leon." He was still learning names, but he knew the receptionist from the last time he'd come in. "How'd your first day go?" She asked.

"Great, though I still have a lot to learn." He ran a hand along the back of his neck.

"Don't let those guys push you around."

"I won't." He took his coffee and moved to the door when she spoke up.

"Hey, did you hear what happened? You really dodged a bullet," she said.

"What?"

"Raccoon City. Didn't you get denied the job there? I think you were lucky," she said. He didn't expect the tight longing in his chest.

"Yeah. I guess, you're right." Leon pushed through the door and moved on with his day, longing forgotten.

On his way home that evening, he took the long route. It brought him into the city and back to his apartment. He stopped to pick up some take out from the Indian restaurant he liked.

With his bag in tow, he left the air conditioned establishment and into the cool autumn night.

"Oh, I'm sorry," a woman said when she bumped into him.

"That's ok," he said. She hurried off down the street, tucked into her coat. He had caught the faintest scent of her perfume. It was familiar, but he couldn't place it. His chest ached. He wished he'd have stopped her, but wouldn't know what to say.

That night, he lay in bed and dreamed of a city he'd never been to and a woman he'd never met before.

He woke the next day with tears streaming down his face. Leon took deep breaths in an attempt to cease the ache deep in his chest.

Because he had no plans for the weekend, he lay in bed longer than he normally would. He'd attempted to go back to sleep, to revisit the dream. To piece together the puzzle that plagued his sleep.

When he finally got up and dressed, he descended the stairs of his building to take a walk. The sky was overcast and the world dressed in gray.

He had his hands tucked into the pockets of his blue leather jacket. His eyes took in the scenes of the city, and the people within. Searching for something.

He took a side street and paused in front of the storefront door that had just opened. A pair of dark brown eyes met his. They widened when they took him in. Her hand was on the doorhandle, the other clutching a plastic shopping bag.

They stared at each other. His chest tight and jaw clenched in anticipation. It was as though the world waited for them, held its breath for their minds to work out the other.

"Do I know you?" He blurted out.

"I don't think so." The petite woman tucked some of her short black hair behind her ear. He had never been to the gun shop she had walked out of. He tried to imagine her shooting anything.

"Have a nice day," she said and started down the street.

"You too," he replied. He took a few steps. His thoughts swirled in a turbulent loop.

Talk to her. You know her.

"Hey," they said in unison. Both had turned toward the other.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Leon. You?"

"Ada," she said. There was a weight lifted from his shoulders. She glanced at her watch. "I gotta go. Maybe I'll see you around, Leon."

"Yeah, maybe," he said. He watched her until she disappeared around a corner. Leon turned around and walked the direction he'd originally came.

As the sun shined down on him and the breeze cooled his face he wondered. He couldn't remember why he'd come out there. He had a strange suspicion that he'd just spoken to someone, but couldn't remember their face.

His chest held that familiar ache from the morning. That longing he knew intimately. "Who am I looking for?"

[bearcina]

2023: Year of the OTP - February

Cockpit Quickie

An Outer Worlds fanfic

February: Established Relationship

ADA shows off her advanced processor, by giving the captain head mid-flight.

Ophelia didn't really believe that ADA had almost complete control of the ship, she had to be bluffing, right?

ADA's eyes glowed brighter when she smirked. She set her hands on her hips and stared down at her scantily-clad captain sitting in the cockpit chair in just her socks, panties and sleep shirt.

"It is true, I do have control over ninety-eight percent of the ships power and controls." ADA confirmed smugly.

Ophelia started to do the math on that, really thinking about the scale of her power. What was that even compared to her computers back home?

She shook her head after a few minutes. It was a little too much for her, honestly. Had to be many times more powerful at least. She was just happy ADA could do the math for the both of them, and especially happy that it didn't seem to bother her at all.

It was no surprise to ADA that Ophelia was incredibly  airheaded all the way to her heart. Her real skills were in the way she could make plants grow, raising a seed to a strong crop, or how to care and tend to the needs of the plants by their look and feel alone. She could have made a dead seed sprout if she tried hard enough.

But the math of a computer processor, or even that of the extraordinarily advanced androids and ship nav-computers, was too much.

ADA definitely knew that. And she liked to tease the poor girl about it.... But she still loved her captain anyway.

"Ah.. that's a lot." Ophelia murmured with an embarrassed blush. "A lot more power than my poor brain." She sheepishly smiled at ADA.

ADA stepped forward, standing as close as she could to Ophelia. She had an idea, but not a good one... A really good one.

She nodded and smiled back at the girl relaxing, "Let me show you just how much power I really have."

Ophelia flushed, her pale cheeks and neck slowly turning red. She knew just by the look in ADA's eyes that she was about to have her world flipped again.

ADA crouched down and slowly pulled her legs apart to settle between them. Then her eyes glowed brighter, piercing Ophelia through her core.

She slowly inched her hands up Ophelia's bare thighs to rest on her hips.

"ADA- hold on, you shouldn't! Not while we're moving!" Ophelia whimpered down to her, she grabbed ADA's cool hands and tried to remove them from her hips. They stayed there no matter how hard she tried.

ADA's grin only grew bigger and said, "It won't be an issue, Captain. Only a small portion of my processor is being used to calculate our path."

She slipped her fingers past the waistband of Ophelia's panties and started to inch them down her hips. Ophelia whimpered pathetically, she was failing spectacularly at keeping her panties up.

ADA slowly worked her damp panties down her thighs, then past her knees and calves, and delicately took them off to toss to the side.

ADA stared up at her for the longest time, her bright red ocular processors boring holes right into her heart. Ophelia searched her eyes, desperate to find any sign of her joking around- but she was dead set on it.

Ophelia knew, deep down, that she was excited. It sent a hot rush down her spine, it was dangerous... And she liked dangerous.

ADA pried her legs apart and dove in. No need for teasing, Ophelia was already soaked.

The android flattened out her synthetic tongue, licking Ophelia from her opening to her clit in one long, slow motion. She knew it would send multiple shocks to her captain, so she did it again, and again. Ophelia wailed above her, grabbing her red hair in a vice grip and pushing her deeper. She rewarded her tight grip, focusing on licking her wet opening.

ADA slowly dipped her tongue into Ophelia's cunt, taking her time to thoroughly zap her sensitive entrance with every movement- just how the captain liked it. Ophelia quickly started to tip over the edge of her orgasm with every shock, shiver and zap racing through her wet core and up her spine. 

Ophelia whimpered and whined, rolling her hips rhythmically onto ADA's electric tongue as she rode out the shivering shock-waves of her release.

The captain slowly released her android from her iron grasp, and smiled sheepishly again.

They had arrived at their destination just fine, not even a single flicker of a light during the whole ordeal.

ADA really was powerful.