#also the best dressed in the shaw pack

[slushiepizza]

Marie and Mother Mary

Relationship : Marie & Milo Greer

Tags : Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Post-Partum Depression, Gender Roles, Catholicism, Motherhood, Italian American Marie Greer

Word Count : 1,510

ao3

Notes and Warnings:

this fic kind of surprised me because I'm not super into the Shaw Pack. But I do find Marie Greer's presence and bits and pieces we know of her character fascinating. I wanted to explore Marie's mind and feelings about being a mother when she's dealing with a gambling husband; and for her to raise someone like Milo Greer- she must've done a great job as a parent.

I took inspiration from my own experiences growing up with Catholicism and specifically in relation to the biblical Mary as a religious figure; and how mothers often find comfort in the thought of a figure who related in their struggles of motherhood and womanhood. It also has a theme of gender roles/ alluding to rigid gender identities because of the circumstances that Marie grew up in.

This fic isn't really... religious per se, and it takes more of a neutral standing while still criticizing how religion could be used to provoke feelings of personal guilt and trauma in someone who grew up in it, while also giving comfort to anyone that needed the universe to say that everything will be okay. If any of the themes may cause distress in you, I do implore you not read this fic, as consuming writing is a vulnerable activity.

The year was 1993. Marie Greer walked into the empty church lot with her baby in her arms. It had been decades since she last stepped on its stone floors. The security guard stationed outside looked at her strangely, but let her in once she asserted that she was there to pray.

She passed the main building for a small garden in the back. There were rows of wooden benches but nobody to be found. Good. Marie didn’t want company at the moment. To call it a garden was an overstatement- it was tiny and cramped, overgrown with vines. In front of the benches, the centerpiece of all the foliage was a statue of the Virgin Mary. Mother Mary, she thought, the double entendre not escaping her. 

As soon as she sat down right in front of the statue- Milo wailed inconsolably like he always did. 

The baby’s loud cries echoed disturbing whatever peace that was left from the place. Marie sighed, tired and weary, of this. He was an especially sensitive child, smaller than other babies his age. Marie was used to catering to people who’d fuss over the littlest things, Colm had a particular affinity for order and cleanliness whenever he came back from blowing his month’s earnings in a night, after all. The addition of Milo to the family just added more on her plate- she had to catalog every single one of his many allergies, and make sure that the room was never dusty because he’d have a coughing fit otherwise. The replacement of their popcorned ceiling had not been cheap, either, not with Colm leaving barely anything left after his trips to Vegas.

She did this all for love. For him. For her husband. But oftentimes, she felt like there was nothing left of her to give. Dry. Hollow. 

She shushed Milo and lightly rocked him in hopes that he’d calm down but to no avail. He thrashed and turned, his nails accidentally scratched her in the arm. Marie winced and tried to soothe him, lightly patting his back. It took thirty minutes of rocking and soothing Milo until the baby went back to sleep. 

St. Mary’s weathered ivory-colored face looked down at her, her expression blank and unmoving. Her lips were sculpted into a serene smile. Her pupil-less eyes gazed back at Marie. 

Just like any other Italian-American family at the time, church was a routine for Marie growing up. Her mother would dress them in their Sunday’s best and wrangled her and her seven unruly siblings into the building. “Quit fussin’ your pigtails, Marie. I did that real pretty for you,” she’d chide. They’d sit in the back of the church because tardiness ran in that family’s blood like a curse. 

Past the twelfth and thirteenth pews, God felt distant. 

Marie would follow everything diligently. She stood up when everyone else stood up as the priest lifted the circular white wafer, the body of Christ, above the altar. As a child, her height wouldn’t allow her to catch a single glimpse of it. She’d comfort her younger siblings whenever they’d make a ruckus. But the whole thing- it went one ear out of the other. 

She could’ve sworn she tried her best to listen and followed whatever the adults did. 

I have greatly sinned, escaped past her lips as she did the same thing she had now, rocking her baby sister in her arms. At the time, she hadn’t even lost her milk teeth. 

She stopped going when she married Colm. He was the opposite of the man her mother wanted her to marry, and in retrospect, she felt that it was one of the many reasons she liked him. His mind was raucous, his eyes wild and unmoored. Like nothing was holding him back. Colm used to be an ambitious man- the thrill of being an Investigator for DUMP perfect for his unrested soul. 

Marie loved that part of him, the fact that he’d question everything, unbelieving in anything unproven. 

He said that he wanted to purge the world of assholes- the unjust, those who hurt others for their own sake. As he turned in empowered criminals in the pursuit of it, he became one himself. 

Marie met St.Mary’s gaze- almost challenging her hollow stare. Something surged through her, from the ache in her back settling to her tight diaphragm.

After the birth of her boy, Mary couldn’t cook or clean. All she did was stay in bed. Her sister came by to help take care of the house while Colm stepped outside as usual. She said that it was normal, her body had been through hell, after all. But the heavy feeling, the heaviness that settled in her chest persisted for the next two months.

 Marie hated feeling helpless- her house a mess, and her baby cried constantly. She was a woman of action, and stagnation shackled her, leaving her trapped. Her visit to the psychiatrist- and the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual- had told her that it was depression with a postpartum onset. She told the doctor that she refused to accept that she was a ‘bozo who was sick in the head’ and that she will cure herself with a margarita and a sorely needed hair perm alongside a fresh coat of manicure. 

And look where that got her. Crying in front of a statue in church.

She still stared at the other Mary, the statue’s size and height caused her to look like she was looking down on whoever prayed in the confined space, guiding them iin a time of need. With that, for once, Marie realized that she was angry. 

She wasn’t stuck to her mattress, fatigued, and lacked energy because of sorrow- she was so angry, the weight of her job description as wife, mother, woman, wolf, dog, bitch- Marie weighed down on her like anchors. She was angry, at the fact that Colm was nowhere to be found throughout all this, angry at her mother- for making her a mother to her own siblings when she was barely a child, angry at the fact that she couldn’t even love her child properly because she no longer had any love left in the hollow of her heart. 

The emotions had clawed the insides of her ribs and caused her to let out heavy breaths- she was a dog panting for air when there was none. 

“When does it get easier,” she demanded to the Mother of all Mothers through gritted teeth. “Tell me, Mary,” she begged, desperate, as tears started to roll down her face. “Tell me!” 

“When does being a mother ever get any easier?”

Her voice was a whisper, barely audible, as she started to sob and heave quietly. 

A soft breeze blew past the branches of the trees that surrounded her. It moved the leaves and allowed them to move gently back and forth. The statue still looked down at her, hand slightly outstretched in a supposed kind, helpful gesture. Ants crawled from the crack in the marble, they moved past Mary’s dress down to the hem, circling around her exposed foot, past the head of the sneak that was crushed triumphantly under her toes. 

Marie sank into her seat, tired. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffling. Unbecoming of her, she thought. She’d rather die than let anyone see her like this. But there was a comfort between women, she supposed. Damage from rain stained Mary’s cheek like tears- not unlike the thick mascara that currently ran down her own. The air was comfortable, easy, and Marie felt light. It reminded her of the 80s. Of girls in the bathroom of the disco, talking someone out of calling their past lovers as they applied lipstick and passed cigarettes between one another.

“I guess,” she sniffed. “I guess you know better, right?” she stared into a picture that hung on a distant wall. In it, St. Mary cried as she held Jesus' dying body. “He didn’t give you a hell of a good time either,” her voice cracked pathetically. 

Girl, tell me about it, Marie imagined the statue said. The Virgin Mary had the voice of her best friend in college. Is that not what being a mother is? The pain so bad, it feels like you’re splitting in two? Going through all seven hells for your baby’s sake?

“Why do we even put ourselves through this,” she chuckled sardonically. “If I wanted to go through pain, I’d rather just listen to Colm talk about whatever fish he caught on the weekend.” 

Mary didn’t answer, and Marie understood. Milo opened his big eyes in her arms and reached up to her with tiny hands. He giggled, light and oblivious to the puffiness of Mary’s face and the swell of her eyes. She cooed at him and held up a finger. Milo wrapped his hand around it, gentle. 

St. Mary’s serene smile was still plastered on her face, her hand outstretched in the air between them. 

[professionallyyappinabtangst]

Shaw Pack Flowers

flowers I'd give to each member of the Shaw pack and why

David - Red Hydrangea and Black Roses. the color red can mean passion love and anger which Davey has a lot of. but Davey has a lot of passion for the people he cares about especially his pack and his annoying adorable mate. While black roses mean death, elusiveness, and farewell. david has let the death of his father haunt him. and it shows a lot. while he also hides behind these high walls. He doesn't want to remember the hard stuff. but at the same time, he has to say farewell to all the bad moments to get to the good moments!

Angel - yellow and blue Irises as well as some asters of the same color! In this case, yellow means Spontaneity and hope. while the blue is Calm, trust, and intelligence! Asters mean patience and variety! because let's be real here Angel had to be really patient and calm with Davey because of the walls he built around himself. Variety part comes from whatever comes out of their mouth when their alone with David. Irises mean Eloquence and wisdom. angel can be really persuasive with their words as well as wise. like telling David to use more words instead of being quiet. they encourage David to and inspire David to be better.

Asher - Green Pansys with a mix of orange roses! in this case, The color green means Growth and harmony. because Asher had to take the mantle that David lacked. they both had to grow up earlier than they expected. But Asher has come to terms with this. of course with the help of Baaabe. if that makes sense. Orange roses however mean enthusiasm and passion, his passion to protect and make sure the others around him are okay he's been doing it to David for the longest. so sometimes he forgets to be happy for himself.

Baaabe - I'll narrow it down to 2 roses. because I love them too much- Peach and a deep purple but in the cases of the roses, peach means sincerity, gratitude, and sympathy. they are grateful for the people they have met thanks to Asher. they can be very sympathetic to Asher.. (and a really big shit-talker when they wanna be )they listen to him and comfort him through his imposter syndrome moments. while with the dark colored rose in this case it means admiration. they have grown to admire the things about the new life they've embarked in (as well as the gossip). They've grown to admire themself with Asher's help. after all, he makes it clear they are his muse.. his monarch.. his everything.

Milo - Red Lakesuprs and Purple Carnations- now Milo can be a very prideful man and he has every right. so in his case, Red means Passion love, and anger. because he can be a very passionate man.. wether it's about his height or his body. he's gonna tell you about it. ( he's also gonna brag about his mate. he's also gonna yell at you if you insult his wolf form-) And Lasksuprs mean almost exactly that. Levity and haughtiness. (I still love you though) While purple Carnations...the color purple can mean Luxury in this case. why? this man has dress socks. he only wants and likes the best. and he's not going to deprive himself of that. after all, beauty likes beauty. and surprise surprise Carnations mean pride and beauty

Sweetheart - Pink Black-eyed-susans! sweetheart is an overworking person with the best intentions (even if it means scaring the shit out of your mate or even breaking into their home! ) but none the less The color pink can Mean Playfulness, fun, and youthful but in this case, were only gonna go for playfulness and fun. because when they're not scaring their mate. they can be a joyful person to be around. though they can be hesitant to reach out for help. while the flower itself means Justice and Encouragement. they have a strong sense of justice and will keep it that way. if 2 wrongs don't make a right. they find a way. and they encourage the people they care about to speak up for themselves. like they've started to do.

Samuel - Black roses with a mix of blue asters much like David sam has been surrounded by death ( he literally died ). but also rebirth and sprinkle a little bit of courage. Sam has been through a lot. and he knows it. And tries to move one for it. he's not as clean as the standard he can hold others too. and he knows that. he tries to work on that. now for the blue asters part- the color blue in this case is going to mean calm and intelligence. after all, when taking care of someone who lacks/ doesn't care to take care of themselves take calamity and patience ( throw in some southern love too ). and asters mean patience and variety.. remember what I said about that calamity part? yeah patience is important here too.

Darlin - Red Snapdragons with matching red Alstoemrias.. in this case, red means passion, love, and anger. with Darlin has a lot of. they have a passion. hell, they chased their ex for almost 2 years after they had to let go of a friend. they love everyone but themselves at times. a lack of self-preservation will do that to you. and snapdragons in this case mean strength and resilience. you can take a look at them and tell they've been through shit. but they keep going. it takes strength and a passion to. ( and a cowboy who will scold you for not taking good care of yourself if you don't ) and the Alstoemrias means friendship in this case. darlin cares and takes friendship very seriously. ( they were willing to kill a vamp turned by old blood. they care a lot ).

and now the other things everyone gets In their bouquets! green gladiolus, basil, and white birds of paradise. in the case of the green gladiolus the color green means growth. they've all grown in one way or another. basil because they all deserve some love and good wishes! and white birds of paradise. the color white can mean purity most of the time when you talk about it..but right now it means simplicity. because of the simple life they want to live. with the joyfulness their mates give them.

@dawnofiight here you go (this took longer then it felt-)

[sheawritesstuff]

Wolfzilla

[I don't even know how to tag this,, but it's decently fluffy David being a groomzilla with a bit of anxiety comfort from Asher and Angel - 1089 words]

[Also I wrote this all on my phone so sorry if the format is off]

David Shaw was strong, confident, courageous. A leader through and through. He trusted not only himself, but his pack with every fiber of his being. 

But today, the day of his wedding, he was anxious - almost nauseous.

The photographer was asked to confirm their plans no less than five times. The caterers were grilled on exactly what food was going where and when. He insisted on supervising the placement of the decorations he chose personally. David tried his best to stay calm and polite, but his nerves were shot days ago and everyone was half-consciously walking on eggshells around him.

Right before the ceremony, the alpha ran around his dressing room, closely inspecting every groomsman from head to toe. Ties were quickly straightened, stray hairs were brushed into place, and every shoe was shined.

Even he'd admit it was a little much, but in the moment it felt like his whole nervous system depended on everything being perfect. He was damn near running on auto-pilot, barely even registering who's flowers he was pinning in place.

Until he got to Asher.

He stopped the other groom in his tracks as his face twisted with a mix of offense and disgust. He grabbed Ash's shoulders hard and gawked at the mess of fabric he donned.

“This,” David motioned at Asher's full body with his hand. “Makes you look like a hungover mess. Did you wake up in this or something?” The beta tried to mumble out an excuse but was quickly silenced. “No, no. I'll fix it just-” He sighed heavily. “Just stand still.”

David tugged on both ends of his best friend's bowtie, evening out the soft blue fabric. He gently adjusted the lacy blue collar against Asher's neck and tugged his suit jacket into place. David's hands made quick work of the little details, expertly gliding across Ash's torso and smoothing any wrinkles they met on their way. He carefully retucked his shirt and adjusted the waistband against his hips.

"C'mon Davey, it's fine! We gotta go," Ash laughed. "Wouldn't wanna miss our own wedding." David snapped his head up to glare directly into his friend's soul. 

"Fine is not fine today." He went back to subtly readjusting the beta's suit. "You are going to look perfect. If not for your sake, then for mine." Once the suit met his standards, he turned his attention to the multicolored curls atop Asher's head. He carefully ran his fingers through it and fluffed the hair up in some places while tamping it down in others. 

As David's hands reached the base of Ash's skull, his second in command stopped him. With two hands wrapped around his best friend's wrists, Asher directed David's eyes to meet his own.

"Hey, buddy." He pushed his head forward slightly to bump his forehead against David's. "You've gotta breathe for a second, ok? Just take a breath and calm down." The immediate reaction was another glare accompanied by a twitch of the alpha's eyebrow. "Come on," he continued, squeezing David's wrists lightly. "In." He dramatically inhaled and waited for the other to follow suit. "And out." They exhaled together, the tension filling the groom-to-be's body eased just enough to get him back in working order.

“Thanks, Ash,” David sighed. “I'll take a second and just…” His voice trailed off as he shut his eyes, still holding his best friend close. They took a few more slow, deep breaths together before finally pulling away and continuing where they left off. 

David continued putting everyone where they needed to be, lining them up and making sure they knew their cues. The tiny details were less important this time around, though. He needed to trust his pack, not just his plan.

As their entry time grew nearer, the little ball of anxiety reared its head again. He took his phone from his pocket and absent-mindedly dialed his mate's number. By the time he remembered he was minutes away from seeing them, they had already answered.

“Davey? Is everything ok?” Angel sounded nervous and a little winded on the other end. “Why are you calling? Did something happen?”

“No, nothing happened. Everything is ok,” He paused for a second to smile. “The nerves were just getting to me a bit and I wanted to hear your voice.”

Angel sighed, half with relief and half with annoyance. “Well then, hello,” They giggled. “How are things over on that side of the aisle?”

“They're… fine. As long as everyone makes their entrance at the right time we'll be good. Is everything ok over there?”

“It's been a little chaotic, but I think we worked it out. We'll make it through one way or another.” The sound of fabric shuffling was clearly audible along with unintelligible chatter in the background. “Alright, baby, I'm gonna have to let you go so I can finish up, ok? I love you.”

David smiled at his phone and relaxed his shoulders. “I love you, Angel. I'll see you in a bit.” He ended the call and breathed the vague nervousness out of his system. He flexed his hands a few times, checked his pockets, and gave everyone one last look over before he officially lined them up outside the door.

“You ready to become a married man, buddy?” Asher asked, draping his arm across his best friend's shoulders. David nodded.

“Are you?”

“Absolutely. If it was up to me, I would've been locked down months ago. But somebody needed to be a total control freak.” He squeezed David's shoulder, earning him a solid groan and an eye roll. “But this wedding is definitely better than whatever I could've whipped up on my own. So I think it balances out.”

“Control freak, huh? I'll remember that.” 

The song starting up pulled them from their riveting conversation and led them to their places at the end of the line. There was no backing out now. Once he stepped foot in that room, he wasn't leaving without his spouse by his side. In less than an hour, he'd be a husband. How surreal. His mind raced as he walked down the aisle to where he'd finally marry the love of his life.

The sight of his mate walking through the door was enough to make it all worth it. He'd go through the planning, the nerves, the late nights all over again just to see them all done up and glowing like that on the other end of the room. Even if it wasn't perfect, they made it all worth it.

[definitelynuwonhere]

2nd Gen Shawpack Pookies

I’ve had them in my notes for AGES and I’ve still yet to finish a design, but i do intend on creating little skits of them cuz of how much I’ve invested giving them all personalities and pinterest boards. (If this isn’t me exhibiting my deep love for the Redactedverse idk what is)

Some descriptions are longer than the others, I’ve obviously put more thought into certain characters

•Shaw Twins

- both children are sadly ungifted in the kitchen, despite the fact that David has made them his little helpers when since they were little. Multiple flames have been put out because of them.

-Both do share a love for nature like their father.

Gabriella Shaw (Gabby)🫶🏻

- Angel carbon copy with a dash of Gabriel’s silliness and courage, which always made David smile.

- Natural born Leader. Despite being the eldest child (4 fucking minutes) David has never burdened them with the responsibility or thought of inheriting the business. She stepped into the leadership role on her own, with more brighter approach, personality wise.

- Rollerskates, Angel started taking her to roller rinks since age 6 and she loves taking Lyss and KC with her

Callum Grey Shaw 🌱

-Yes he’s named after the sweet Caelum. David wanted to commemorate his childhood friend.

- Inherited David’s resting bitch face, if you point it out he’ll even growl like he does.

- Great Observer. Because his sister was the more outgoing one of them, he was always the listener, making him more emotionally aware, noticing things most people miss.

- Loves sitcoms. He’s probably watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine so many times he can name episodes in order. This also translates his love for the security company his dad runs. Always begging David to take him to work with him. (I think we know who inherits the company)

•Talbot Troop

-Asher is the only one I picture having multiple kids with a range of age gaps.

-No doubt the most outgoing ones of the pack.

August Talbot (Auggie) 🍕

- Foodie

- Life of the party, stealin’ hearts with his million watt smile

- DDR is his sport

Kelcee Talbot (KC/CeeCee) 🧠

- Designated driver of the group

- Straight A student. When she was young she’d share all the interesting facts she’d pick up on to her parents and it always astounded Asher, how she can command a room, especially being the SOMEWHAT, mellow one among the three.

Oliver James Talbot (OJ/Ollie) 🪲

- Very inquisitive

- Youngest of the pack (the only 7yr old in a group of 17 year olds)

- Has a special bond with Alyssa

•Greer Icon

Alyssa Marie Greer 💥

-Now while i think of Milo and SW as the D.I.N.K (dual income, no kids) couple, and i will somewhat always think that, but— this name crossed my head and I just cannot let it go. IT HONORS MARIE OK—

-Unsurprisingly is always the best dressed. Milo is very proud.

-Has a very ‘takes no bull personality’ making them the most intimidating out of group.

- Plays archery competitively

- Straightforward

-Weirdly great with babies, explains her close bond with Oliver

•Collins

Sean Riley Collins 🥐

- aka Peace Officer Collins

- The code name speaks for itself, he is very much like his old man when it comes to ensuring his friends don’t do anything stupid, and in the very common occasions they do, he of course serves them with a patented Collins lecture.

- He may be half vamp, but that doesn’t mean he has to have a mundane food pallet, this man can COOK and bake, a soft, crispy shelled sourdough being one of his specialties

•Solaire

Hugo Solaire 🎭

- theater kid

- sarcastic, confident, somewhat frivolous, despite his royal status, which gets him in trouble for

- May or may not have a thing for the alpha’s daughter.

- Like Vincent, he’s mostly only close to the Collins’ but has occasionally hanged out with the shaw pack.

[fedorabender]

The Shaw packmates and Darlin'

Alvaro, Chadara, Javonie and Karthris

Alvaro(baaabe)

they/them(amab)

anxious mess.

childhood best friends with Chadara(Angel)

Afro-Latina, they speak fluent Latin

5'6 wish they were a little bit taller... they wish they were a baller

Alavaro and Treasure(Porter's listener) are siblings for oc lore reasons

You can't be straight if you have no definite gender silly, idk what you are, though

Chadara(angel)

She/her(trans fem)

A ball of chaos.

Childhood best friends with Alvaro(Asher's mate).

5'2- she did not win the gene lottery gng

Indian heritage. She's pretty disconnected from her culture but she's been reconnecting with her roots, expressing it without shame because there was nothing to be ashamed of. can speak Punjabi-not well but it's getting there

Guy and Chadara are siblings!!!

Chadara does free-style ice skating and wishes to go professional one day.

It took Chadara 15 years to grow out her hair. She rarely ever cuts it

She used to dress very feminine because she had the assumption that if she wasn't as feminine as possible, she wouldn't be seen as a woman. So she didn't go to the gym, didn't wear pants, and didn't speak much, neither was she sexuality active(she hasn't gotten surgery). But when David came into her life, he helped her ease some of that anxiety, letting her know that whatever she does, she will always be a woman.

as straight as the pansexual flag pole

Javonie(Darlin')

he/him(trans masc)

isolated and weary

Trying to get Chadara to leave him alone, but that woman won't budge. if she wants a friend, she will get a friend. Chadara also takes Javonie Ice skating with her, and he is surprisingly good at it. they are a dynamic duo on the ice.

6'3-tall, dark and beefy, awwoga

Nigerian!! moved from Abuja to Dahlia (I seriously have no clue where this is) when he was 5 and was in the foster system frequently. The longest family he's stayed with was the Shaw pack. He speaks Yoruba and Igbo but not as often anymore since he barely knows anyone who speaks those languages.

"Are you a home essential?" "....a what? "..a homosexal"

Javonie is David's awkward foster sibling!!! (in my oc lore)

Karthris(sweatheart)

genderfluid in a magical way(switch between similar forms effortlessly) he/her/them

Ethiopian-fluid in Somali. whenever they meet up with Javonie, they try to convince him to cook something cultural. Still, Javonie doesn't budge, so they cook their cultural foods for him instead.

Extra for no reason, whatsoever.

developed their powers from a ~trauma response~(more lore, but i don't know if I'll have the energy to post)

6'4- humungous jugaloos in every form(enby, masc, fem, all)

beeee whoo youuuu arreeeee! He saw, she conquered, they came

[verrverii]

@cindertooth as requested, here's the prom headcanons :) Highschool AU (prom edition) Shaw pack bois Asher would definitely make a stupid pickup line but be rlly shy but adorable about asking Babe out to prom,, He would get them flowers and everything and Dance in the rain with them because the prom inside was getting kind of boring I like to think Angel's the one that asks David out and obvs with his tsundere personality he'd probably say no but then Angel goes "aww okay,, I'll just go with your best friends then" then David regrets it and agrees to go to prom with them whilst being a blushing mess,,,,, I bet he gave them flowers from his dad's garden.. he also DEFINITELY has a car and drove Angel to the prom.. Milo will dress up so perfectly with his dress socks and everything. I bet he'd get along with Sweetheart's dad and already has his blessing or something ((Milo and Sweetheart wedding when???)),,, Milo taking Sweetheart to the dance floor and they both have so much fun Darlin and Sam probably wouldn't wanna go to prom so I bet Darlin would take Sam somewhere not insanely romantic but quiet with not many people,, Imagine them just laying on the grass whilst looking at the moon and not having to worry about a single thing

[moon-blanket]

Waking up to the Monarchial Summit video dropping was the scariest notification of my life.

IT'S TIME !!!!! IT'S TIME IT'S TIME IT'S TIME IT'S TIME !!!!!!!

FIFTY ONE MINUTES ???? Holy fuck this is going to be the longest post in the world i'm so sorry.

Shaw Pack Boys gettin' ready to head off !!!1 YIPPEE !!! I love hearing all of the Pack and their mates interacting oh my god it fills me with glee every time.

----

William still isn't answering calls ?? Hey dude you NEED to get some kind of act together. Vincent needs you !! His silly little music bit was very heartwarming though :') HE GAVE LOVELY A CROWN !!!! OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO SOB AND CRY ON THE FLOOR FOR EONS. He's so nervous about if they like it or not oh my god. oh my god. HE PUTS IT ON THEIR HEAD !!!!!!! CALLS THEM BEAUTIFUL !!!!! WELCOMED TO MONARCHY !!!!! SAYS THEY WEAR IT WELL !!!!!!! HOW CAN I BE NORMAL !!!!!!

"You're my heart, and it is such a privilege that i get to stand at your side. Thank you, for being a part of my life, baby. The best part." I AM WEEPING PLEAAASE WHEN IS IT MY TURN.

----

Please tell me Samuel Collins has dressed for the occasion. Please tell me it's to the Nines. Remember my big post about doing Anything in the world to see it. Yeah hi hey. Let me see it.

Sam being a Butter Pecan Ice Cream lover makes all the sense in the world and more. Of course he would dude.

----

Porter flipping on Vincent and Not bringing Treasure to the Summit is a low blow. Babygirl you can't keep doing this.

Vincent asking Lovely if He can be the one to punch him this time. What a slay. Love you forever.

----

VINCENT WELCOMING THE PACK IN WAHEEE !!!! I can hear the awkwardness because he didn't know beforehand. He called them enjoyable !! moreso than other people !! David saying that Vincent and Lovely both having a spot at their table i'm falling to my knees.

Uhoh, they're already getting job offers !!

Asher asking him to blink twice if he needs help, and Milo saying that he looks like he has a gun to his head. LMAO. Help this poor man.

----

Vincent's reassurances that Lovely is being a good host :(((

House of Bennett !!! The king seems. So.... nice. wow.

The prince calling him "A kid in his dad's suit." UHOH. And asking for Alexis immediately. That isn't unassuming at all.

----

ALEXIS ?????? ALEXIS SOLAIRE ????? THE ALEXIS SOLAIRE ??? IN THE PRIME UNIVERSE ???? HELLO I SUPPOSE !!!! NICE TO MEET YOU !!!

Alexis asking if they'll turn into a vampire or die and leave sam without them !!! Hey what the fuck !!!! That's kind of sick and twisted !!!

Darlin' being like "I can solo her" is SO REAL. I can do it too. Let me at her ! LET ME AT HER !!!!

Alexis's reasoning for turning Sam from her own mouth !! That's fun to hear. Fuck that !

PORTER HERO MOMENT ? Oh my god their back and forth. I'm LIVING FOR IT !!!! THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING !!!! Calling her a family disappointment made me choke on my water.

Him asking if they're alright, even if it was to stop a fight from breaking out. SAM IS BACK WAHOO !!!

SAM IS ABOUT TO GO OFF ON ALEXIS !!!!! GET HER BABY !!!! AND DARLIN' FOLLOWS !!!!! LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE WOOOOO !!!!!!!!

---- HOW ARE WE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH DUDE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN ----

David getting a message about being Careful of William. Saying that Quinn had to have come from Somewhere, somewhere with Friends. That William is a horrible judge of character. And dragging all of the fuckin' clan members LMAOOOO.

Man the House of Solaire is a mess huh !!!!

----

SAM LETS FUCKING GO !!!!!! GET HER ASS !!!!! God while it's raining also. It's like a scene from a movie. God I could just IMAGINE the hard stare the two of them exchanged before Alexis finally gave in (in her own way). and the IMMEDIATE zip off from Sam after he heard what he wanted. What a work of art.

----

ASH AND MILO !!! YIPPEE !!!! AND PORTER IS TALKING TO THEM ?? I am going to go fucking crazy oh my god dude I'm going to go NUTS.

(Hey off-topic, but this background music is something that shows up in someone else's videos that I watch and I got So Fucking Confused for a second LMAO. Okay we can carry on)

Immediately asking Sweetheart if they're an investigator for the Department, as well as having a Time Crunch-- is VERY SUSPICIOUS.

HEY HE KNOWS ABOUT CLOSEKNIT ??? PORTER YOU CAN'T ALSO BE IN TOWN FOR CLOSEKNIT. HEY YOU CAN'T ALSO BE INVOLVED.

ONE OF CLOSEKNIT'S CURRENT BACKERS IS HERE ?? THE HOUSE OF BENNETT ?????

Okay Porter you're maybe a fuckin' hero. Even if you have potential strings with this.

Telling Sweetheart to get in and listen and get out seems SCARY !!!! HEY THIS COULD BE A SETUP FOR SOMETHING !!!!! HEY UHOH !!!!

Milo being worried for his mate !! hey me too !!!!

Oh my god it's been almost two years since Inversion. oh NO Ash doesn't know what Milo did that night.

Even through his worries he immediately stands up for it when Ash is a little wary about it. :')))

----

SWEET SAM AND DARLIN' MOMENT IN THE RAIN !!!!!!! I'M GONNA EAT THIS UP !!!!!!!!!

Sam stickin' around Alexis even after showin' her true colors, saying there is a heart in her somewhere deep (deep, deep, deep) down in there somewhere. Even if he hates her with everything he has.

He found one of her "real person" moments from her when they talked. Just like a movie dude, i'm tellin' ya.

Him reassuring Darlin' that they can absolutely handle themself, but she is a problem that He "brought" in to their relationship-- so he wanted to at least Help. And deal with his own problems.

HE CALLED HER A BITCH DUDE LET'S GOOOO !!!!! COMMON W.

Darlin' saying that their problems are shared :'))) what if i just scream into the night.

---- HOW ARE WE STILL NOT DONE ----

Uuuuuh-oh. Asher pulling David and Angel to the side. Telling the what's-up.

David and Asher exchanging some kind of look about it oh my GOD what another scene from a movie. I'm so proud of Asher for asserting his decision. He's grown so much !!!

David saying he Knows that Asher can do this. THAT'S BEST FRIENDS RIGHT THERE !!!! WOOOOO.

----

OH MY GOD SWEETHEART EAVESDROPPING.

"We risk losing ground" Closeknit ? The House of Bennett ?? Why are they against demons ? Why did they put their stakes (no pun intended) into CloseKnit ?

SWEETHEART ARE YOU MAKING NOISE ??? SWEETHEART BABY WHAT ARE YOU DOOOOING !!!!!!! HEY YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

WHY ARE WE CUTTING IT HERE PLEASE ARE THEY OKAY.

----

Oh my god Porter starting a fight with Vincent so that they can take away attention from whatever Sweetheart is doing with House Bennett.

I understand that Vincent can't know because of time constraints, but i can't imagine how he feels when it's Suddenly happening in front of EVERY important person in the Vampire circle of Dahlia. At least that makes the fight convincing. .... hahah ......

HEY KING BENNETT IS DEAD ???? HEY WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED ???? SWEETHEART ???? HEY SWEETHEART WHAT HAPPENED ?????? ARE YOU OKAY ????? PLEASE DON'T TELL ME YOU DID THAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW DOES ALEXIS KNOW ??? HEY HOW DOES SHE KNOW BEFORE SOMEONE FOUND OUT.

----

THAT'S WHERE IT ENDS ????? HEY WHAT THE FUCK ??????? WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT ????

I AM GOING TO GO BERSERK DUDE !!!!!!!!!! HOW LONG UNTIL THE NEXT VIDEO ???? HEY ARE WE OKAY ???? SWEETHEART IS CHILL RIGHT ????? WE'RE COOL ?????

how can I carry on normally after the events that have transpired. Hey i'm in shock and awe. What a great video, by the way. Giving it all of the flowers it deserves and more. But i'm So !!!! afraid for what happens next !!!!!

[nonbinarycringe404]

@angelcactus this one is for you buddy :}

Don't worry I'll make more bread and pasta for your tears.

Angel woke up alone in her bed, the sheets were comfy and warm, her pillow soft.

She rolled over to find another cold spot in the bed only to be met by two smiling green eyes.

“Morning bestie”

Angel screamed.

“VIN WHAT THE FUCK!?” she shouted at her freelancer best friend.

“Brother you are SLEEPING IN on your WEDDING DAY.”

“Oh shit for real,” Angel looked at her phone and checked the date,” IT'S ALREADY 10?! WHY DIDN'T MY ALARMS WAKE ME UP?!” She rushed to the bathroom and began her daily routine.

Vinnie looked down at her phone, “you had your phone on silent dingus,” they laughed and grabbed Angel's dress out of the closet right as she came out of the bathroom.

“Ok, I need hair, dress, uh shoes? Should I shower or smell?” she started a spiral of rambles until vinnie shushed her.

“Stop. First, you need food. I made you some pancakes, I can bring them up so you and David don't see each other but that's also not going to be a problem since he woke up early as hell to help him start getting himself and the venue ready.”

Angel took a deep breath.

“You're right, let's get this show on the road so Davey isn't kept waiting.'' Angel smiled brightly, and Vinnie chuckled.

“Alright, you get your clothes laid out and I'll grab your breakfast,” Vinnie said as they walked out.

Angel got to work, grabbed her shoes, and started looking for a hair curler. Vinnie came back with strawberry crepes, bacon, and a big glass of orange juice. After she ate, she took a quick shower, and then got into her dress while Vinnie quickly did her hair. 

While they were working on Angel, Asher was down at the venue with David who was nervously watching everyone set up everything. The venue was taking place indoors so the vamps could join and since William was officiating. The shaw pack, Solaire clan, and everyone who was friends or family were helping set everything up. Now with 30 minutes until it started everyone was finding their seats and taking their places.

“Vin just texted me, they're on their way,” Asher said, texting back and ‘I love you’ to his mate.

“Are they on their way now? With 30 minutes left? “ David sighed and sat down in a chair.

“Hey buddy, it’s okay! Look everything is done and you both are ready to go!” Asher smiled, resisting the urge to mess up his hair.

David sighed again, “true. Well, we should get down there so we can start when they both get here.” Asher nodded and texted his mate.

*time skip brought to you by max’s rustic pizza*

Angel and Vinnie got to the venue 10 minutes before it started. Angel was dressed in a pastel pink strawberry dress that matched her short red hair perfectly, while vinnie was in a tuxedo dress with a pink bowtie to match the bride.

Marie and Asher met the two at the front. 

“Oh, angel darling, you look great! You both look great! Don't they look great asher?” she asked in her heavy Italian accent. Asher however was attempting to pick his jaw off the floor after seeing how amazing his mate looked.

“Babe- you- i- '' Asher couldn't speak, his brain was fried.

“Hush puppy boy. Angel, “ vinnie took angels hands in their own,” you're gonna do great out there.`` They smiled and gave their best friend a hug before walking away to their spots.

“You ready?” Marie asked.

Angel took a look at the crowd in front of her.

“Born ready.”

**

The music started, everyone rose and watched as the groomsmen and bridesmaids walked down the aisle. Milo walking with Marcel, and Asher walking with Vinnie. David walked down with Gregory from the Keaton pack since his father sadly passed. Once they were at the altar, Gregory went over to his chair up front after sharing small words with William. 

The music slowed and soon came Angel, being walked down by Marie.

Even from a far distance, everyone could see how happy she was despite her tears, Asher looked over at David and saw he was crying silent happy tears. Once at the altar, Marie sat down and William began the ceremony. The two traded vows, promises, and rings with a simple ‘I do.’ 

[helloalycia]

lose you [three] // leigh shaw

summary: just when you think Leigh is finally listening to you and giving you space, she happens to do the opposite

warning/s: mentions of loss and implications of death/grief

author's note: so this is the final part! this was fun to write ngl – i hope you like the conclusion! :)

part one | part two | masterlist | wattpad

"I think the colours look great like this, don't you?" I asked Jules, pointing to the screen of her laptop

She hummed in agreement as she sipped her smoothie.

"Or maybe this...," I said, preoccupied with trying out something different. "Okay, hold on, let me see."

We were both sat in this smoothie place a few stores  down from her workplace, working on some more promotional material for another set of classes she was setting up.

"You know, we could easily do this at the studio," Jules commented in a knowing tone. "Or even at my house."

I glanced at her before looking back to the screen. "It's better this way."

She knew what I meant, so I knew I didn't need to elaborate. Ever since Leigh had finally gotten the hint and left me alone for the week, I'd been keeping away from her as much as I could, still trying to figure out what I was feeling. This also meant not going to her workplace or her house in case I bumped into her.

"So, you're not gonna tell me what happened between you and my sister?" Jules asked curiously, for the millionth time, leaning forward.

I scrunched my nose as I shook my head. "Not this time, Jules, sorry."

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips. "Leigh won't say anything either, so that's no fun..."

Not knowing how to respond, I simply kept quiet and continued to play around with the colour palette of the designs I'd put together. Jules watched over me, inputting her ideas every now and then and explaining her 'vision', before our time was interrupted with her phone ringing.

"Hello," she answered it casually, before continuing to speak to whoever. "...No, I've got one... no need! I'll pick one up for you."

I gave her a sideways glance as she looked the other way quickly, as if hiding something.

Her voice lowered as she continued to speak to whoever. "Yes, we're here..." She sighed. "She's fine, Leigh."

I rolled my eyes as I looked back to the laptop, trying to distract myself.

"Okay, I'll see you soon, bye," Jules mumbled before hanging up and looking back to me.

It was quiet for a moment, neither of us speaking as I clicked away on her trackpad. Figuring she wouldn't speak, I chose to.

"Was that Leigh?"

Looking down at her smoothie awkwardly, Jules nodded. "Er, yeah."

I shot her a look. "You know you can have a normal conversation with her. She is your sister after all."

Jules ran a hand through her hair. "Yes, I know, I just... I don't want to make you feel awkward."

"It's fine," I reassured her with a small smile, before looking to the screen. Unable to stop myself, I asked, "How is she?"

A pause, then: "She's good."

I nodded nonchalantly, though I was glad to hear. I wasn't heartless – I still cared about her. But my stubbornness, as Taylor liked to constantly point out, was keeping me from hearing Leigh out. Her words still rang clear in my ears, the implication louder than the words themselves. And then that made me angry all over again and I found myself in a constant cycle of needing space from Leigh and wanting to hear her out.

Trying to ignore my conflicting thoughts for the girl who wasn't even present, I continued to work on Jules' designs before she had to get back to work and so did I.

"Are you okay to come over tonight to finish those off?" she asked as I packed away my things.

I hesitated, chewing on my lip. The whole point was to avoid going to her house.

"I'll make sure Leigh isn't there," Jules promised, noticing my silence, before adding with a playful smile, "Or is that new promotion of yours too time-consuming for you to spend time with me?"

"You know that's not true," I told her with a suppressed laugh, before relaxing my shoulders and nodding slowly. "I... I guess I can come around for a little while."

"Only a few hours," she promised me.

I nodded. "Okay, sure. I guess I'll see you tonight, Jules."

She grinned. "Awesome! See you tonight."

—

I probably should have figured out that Jules was lying to me. I'd known her long enough to tell when she was playing me, but I must have been so distracted by everything that I failed to realise what she was doing until it was too late.

When I got to the Shaw residence that evening after dinner, Jules answered and let me in, promising that her sister and mum were out on a girls night so wouldn't bother us. That was the first major hint – Leigh hated spending 'girls night' with her mum.

Then, when I set my bag down in the living room, waiting for Jules to join me, I heard the front door slam shut.

Spinning around and staring into that direction of the house, I called after her. "Jules? You still here?"

Instead of Jules, Leigh stepped in the doorway, dressed in a jumper and joggers, hair messy but small smile on her lips. That's when I realised I'd been tricked.

"I'm out of here," I said instantly, grabbing my bag to go.

"No, please stay," she said pleadingly, taking a step forward, but stopping when she saw how much I didn't want to be near her right now.

"I can't believe you'd resort to such childish methods of trickery," I admitted with disbelief. "And just when I thought you were finally listening to me and giving me space."

She pressed her lips together firmly as I spoke, before saying, "You wouldn't have come if I'd called, Y/N. It was the only way to get you here."

"Of course I wouldn't have!" I said with frustration, hand on my bag strap tightening. "I didn't want to see you!"

"I know you didn't, that's why I left you tons of messages!" she exclaimed, before rolling her eyes bitterly. "Your stupid, love-struck assistant is clearly terrible at delivering said messages."

"You mean the assistant with the boyfriend?" I retorted with a glare.

Her eyebrows creased together with confusion. "She has a boyfriend?"

I groaned loudly before moving forward to leave. "I'm going."

Leigh's bitchiness dispersed as she realised what was happening. "Wait, Y/N– just wait!"

Ignoring her, I continued my approach to the door and pushed past her without sparing her a glance. I was afraid that if I did, I would say something I'd regret.

"Please!" she called after me. And I was a mere few centimetres from the door before she shouted, "I love you!"

I widened my eyes with surprise, wondering if I'd heard that right. Stopping in place, I turned around slowly and saw Leigh standing in the living room doorway with teary eyes and a quivering lip.

"I'm in love with you," she repeated, confirming my hearing. Green eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she continued, "I was stupid how I acted and I– I've treated you so horribly and you always put up with it. But not this time."

She paused, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks as she raised a shaky hand to move her hair from her eyes.

Swallowing hard, she said, "I p–push people away and I've pushed so many friends away, but y-you never left. You stayed this whole time a–and I've already lost so much, but I can't take losing you. I c–can't lose you, Y/N."

Forgetting my anger for a moment, I felt my heart ache in my chest as Leigh broke down before me. I'd seen her at her worst before, but this was different. She was choosing to be vulnerable and that never came easy to her.

"Leigh, I'm not going anywhere," I said gently, frown on my lips. "We're in a fight right now and I'm angry, yeah, but I would never leave you. Not for good."

"You say that!" she snapped, clenching her fists as more tears streamed down her cheeks. "You say that, but then blocked calls and wanting space turns into leaving because you can't take it anymore. You can't take me anymore. And I can't take it, I can't take pushing you away. I can't lose you."

She clenched her jaw, eyes piercing through me with sadness and guilt and anger all at once.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," she said, her voice softer and very unlike herself. "The kiss it– it scared me because I wanted to do it for a long time, but you're my best friend and best friends don't do that. So, I tried to forget about it, but I ended up blaming you in the process and it's not you who's at fault here, it's me. And because of that, you're going to hate me and leave and I'm going to be a–alone again and I can't do that again, n–not again, n–not–"

I drew closer to her and pulled her in for a hug, unable to take her hysterics any longer. It hurt too much, seeing her pour her truth out in such a volatile way that had clearly been building up for a while.

She cried as I held her close, pressing a kiss to her hair and rubbing her back slowly. I never meant for it to get like this. I didn't know that she was going through all of this turmoil and now I felt bad, even if she'd hate that I did.

"I'm not going anywhere, Leigh," I promised her, my own tears burning the lids of my eyes. "I swear. you're not going to lose me and I could never hate you. Don't even think that for one minute..."

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I led her to the bench by the front door and held her close, not caring that her tears were soaking my shirt or that she was clinging so tightly that I would never be able to pry her off, not unless she let go by choice.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there, but her cries eventually turned into sniffles and her head found it's way onto my shoulder. My arms wrapped around her torso, still rubbing circles onto her back, and hers clung around my shoulders tightly.

"I'm so sorry," she muttered guiltily into my neck, her warm breath tickling the skin and sending shivers down my spine.

I swallowed hard. "I know you are. I forgive you, Leigh."

She didn't say anything and I wondered why she was unable to let go and meet my eyes. Maybe it was easier to talk when we weren't looking at each other.

"I would never leave you, you know," I told her quietly, letting her know again. I'd let her know forever if it meant she'd believe me. "You can be such a bitch sometimes, but I put up with it because I love you, too."

She sighed. "But not like I love you."

I tried not to smile. "You're kidding, right? Of course like you love me. Why do you think I got so upset at your stupid date the other week?"

Finally pulling away from my neck, she faced me with confused eyes. "You said it was because I didn't reply to your messages."

I rolled my eyes. "It was because I thought that you didn't care about kissing me. I was scared that you didn't like me like that. That you thought you'd made a mistake." 

Her eyes flickered between mine, as if trying to understand what I was saying. Realisation passed through them as she stroked my neck with her finger, arms still laced around my shoulders.

"So, the kiss. You didn't– you don't hate me?"

I shook my head, squeezing her waist gently. "I don't. And if you'd given me a chance, I would've kissed you back. Properly. Like–" I sucked up a nervous breath. "Like you deserve."

She didn't say anything for a moment, eyes merely reading mine intimidatingly. For once, a rare instance between us, I couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Now's your chance," she finally spoke, before capturing my bottom lip between hers in an instant.

Unlike last time, I got over my surprise quite quickly and closed my eyes, pulling her closer by the waist and returning the kiss. Her lips were soft and salty and addictive, and when she rested her hand on my chest to gently push me away after a moment, I immediately chased her lips down again, refusing to let her go so quickly. Not when I'd waited so long for this moment.

She gasped as I swiped my tongue across her bottom lip, asking for entry. Using that as opportunity, I slipped my tongue between her lips and met hers in the middle, revelling in the taste that was Leigh Shaw. It didn't go beyond that and that was okay, as I was too busy focusing on how perfect she fit next to me, my one hand on her waist and the other on the back of her neck.

Finally pulling apart for air, she rested her forehead against mine and I opened my eyes to be submerged in pools of green. Licking her lips, she breathed out slowly.

"I don't want to lose you," she admitted in a whisper.

Pushing her hair behind her ear, I rested my hand on her jaw and caressed it. "You won't. I told you. I'm not leaving you. Not now. Not ever. I promise."

She closed her eyes, lips trembling ever so slightly. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

I realised she was probably thinking back to her late husband and I didn't blame her. She'd suffered through so much and I couldn't imagine the fears she had.

"I'll keep it for as long as I can," I told her, kissing her  forehead. "But know for sure that you won't be getting rid of me that easily."

She cracked a small smile through her teary eyes, nodding slightly. "I'll try to be less of a bitch."

"Hey, be as bitchy as you want," I told her playfully. "I'm not going anywhere, remember?"

She let out a small snort through her nose, barely a laugh, but it was music to my ears and it brought a smile to my lips. Finally opening her eyes, she looked to me with adoration and it made my heart beat a little faster.

"I love you," she said with the utmost sincerity.

I wiped away a stray tear of hers with the pad of my thumb and met her gaze. "I love you, too, Leigh."

Glassy eyes watched mine, content for the first time in a long time, before she pulled me in for a hug, tucking her head into my neck like it was her favourite spot in the world. I knew the feeling of her there was definitely mine.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked quietly, not wanting to break the peace we'd created.

"I'm really tired," she admitted, lips brushing my neck as she spoke.

I pressed a kiss to the side of her head, mumbling into her hair, "Let's get you to sleep then."

She hummed in agreement and I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd closed her eyes already.

"I want you to stay," she added. "To sleep with me."

Pausing, I tried not to laugh, which she realised and nudged me in the gut lightly.

"Not like that, idiot," she said, definitely giving me an eye roll even though I couldn't see her. "I mean, yes, eventually like that. If you want. But not now. Now, I just want you next to me."

Smile of adoration on my lips, I squeezed her gently. "Hmm, I'm not sure. I've got work in the morning. Early start."

She pulled away from me suddenly, frown on her lips and eyes flickering between mine disappointedly. I sighed, raising my hand and stroking her cheek.

"I'm kidding," I told her with a knowing look. "I mean, I do have work, but I'll stay if you want me to."

"Jerk," she mumbled, before standing up and pulling me up with her. "You're staying."

I kept ahold of her hand and intertwined our fingers, tugging her closer to me. She still seemed disgruntled from my joke, so I kissed her cheek, lingering for a second longer than usual, before smiling.

"Come on, grumpy pants."

She narrowed her eyes at me childishly, but continued to lead me upstairs and to her bedroom. As we walked, I remembered something.

"So, does Jules know about us? Since she helped you to trick me tonight?"

Leigh didn't bother flicking on the lights to her room when we entered, instead closing the door behind us and letting the streetlights from outside her window guide us to her bed.

"She knows we argued," she answered delicately. "I didn't know how to tell her about how I felt when I–" She sighed. "When I didn't even know how to tell you."

I nodded, not bothering to ask her about if she wanted to tell her tomorrow, or tell her mum tomorrow. Or if she wanted to wait and tell them later when we were settled into our relationship. I trusted her to talk to me when she was ready and there was no rush anyway.

"Jules is out with a friend tonight and my mum is working late," she explained their absence. "And you've slept over before so this is no different."

"True," I agreed.

A yawn escaped Leigh's lips and I couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked when she stretched her arms and scrunched her face tiredly. When she finished, she opened her eyes and saw my expression.

"What's got you all smiley?" she asked with a quirked brow.

I shook my head dismissively as she grabbed some pyjama pants from her drawer. "You're too cute is all."

Groaning loudly, she said, "God, Y/N, don't do that. Don't be all couple-y already. Especially not when it's–"

"What?" I cut her off with amusement, as she threw the pants in my face. "Complimenting you?"

"Exactly," she said like it was obvious, before waving her hand with irritation. "Just take your pants off so we can go to sleep."

I chuckled. "Eager much?"

She groaned again, but I saw a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. As I changed out of my jeans, she got under the duvet and got comfortable. I joined her soon enough, just about pulling the duvet on top of me before she grabbed my arm and forced me to roll over and spoon her from behind.

I stifled a laugh as she entwined our hands, resting them on her waist, and sighed contently.

"So, guess I can't be little spoon tonight then?" I teased, making her kick me with her foot.

"My bed, my choice," she muttered, voice heavy with fatigue.

Settling in behind her, I put my leg between hers comfortably and pressed a kiss to the exposed skin of her neck where my head lay.

"I don't mind being the big spoon," I reassured her, though I knew it wouldn't make a difference. If Leigh wanted to be cuddled, that was the end of it.

It went quiet as I appreciated how pleasant it felt with her in my arms, her body pressed closely to mine and her self radiating a comforting warmth only she seemed to possess. I could definitely get used to this.

"Y/N?"

"Yeah?"

She stopped, breathing out slowly. "Thanks for staying."

"Well, you asked so nicely and–"

"No," she cut me off quietly. "Thanks."

It took me a second to realise that she wasn't talking about just now. I smiled to myself.

"Always, Leigh."

[milucas]

birthdays

a/n: first oc story let's gooooo @cottagecorexboy

characters: emerson shaw (oc), david shaw, asher, milo

cw (there's a lot y'all be prepared): mentions of an abusive/neglectful family, severe panic attack/sensory overload, talk of abandonment

Emerson yawned and looked to the clock on his bedside table. 9:15 am on Thursday, June 24th. He'd been staying with David Shaw for almost two months now.

A pit grew in his stomach. June 24th.

He sighed and got up to get dressed for the day.

Walking downstairs, he was greeted by the smell of waffles and David standing in the kitchen in his pajamas.

"Hey kiddo. How'd you sleep?" he asked.

"Fine." Emerson grabbed some waffles and started eating.

David looked over his shoulder skeptically, "Is something wrong?"

Emerson said nothing.

"Is it something you can't talk about?"

He nodded, mumbling, "Sorry,"

"Don't be, it's fine. If you don't want to talk, you don't want to talk. Just know I'm here if you need me."

He nodded again. "Thanks."

David grabbed his own plate of waffles and sat down at the table. "I have some, uh... pack matters to deal with this morning, so Asher and Milo offered to pick you up and hang out with you today."

"Okay." Emerson glanced at the time. 9:27 am. He tried to ignore the date.

A few more minutes passed before someone came knocking at the door, and he grabbed his phone before opening it.

Asher grinned. "Hey Em! Do I get a hug from my favorite nephew?" He held out his arms.

"Not today, sorry." Emerson forced a smile.

"Okay then, let's get moving."

***

David had three hours to set everything up after Emerson left.

He knew Emerson didn't want a big party. But he also knew that he'd never had a real birthday before. And he knew he wanted to make him feel loved, and cared for.

He wanted his son to be happy.

And he was determined to make that happen.

***

Milo knocked on the door, which Emerson thought was weird.

"I have a key," He said, "Is it locked?"

Milo looked panicked, "No! I- I'd just rather wait for David."

As if on cue, the door opened to reveal David, covered in flour and frosting.

Emerson looked at him. "What happened to you?"

The wolves glanced at each other.

"You guys are all acting weird today. What's going on?"

Asher finally spoke up, "Let's just tell him, David."

Emerson felt the anxiety start to build up in his core. His mind filled to the brim with everything he thought he'd done wrong. They were going to kick him out again. They were leaving. They were leaving, they were leaving, they were leaving-

"Woah, Em!" David caught him as his knees buckled and he almost fell to the ground. Everyone was talking but he couldn't hear them anymore. All he could hear was the cacophony of voices in his head, shouting at him.

David brought him inside and sat him on the couch. The tears finally escaped from his eyes as his brain screamed at him. He wanted them to be quiet. He begged them to be quiet.

He hadn't realized he had started hitting his head until David took him firmly by the wrist, but it was still so loud. Asher was trying to talk to him, so was David. His head was still screaming. It was too much. Too much, too much, too much-

David finally started to realize what was going on and grabbed his headphones from the table, making sure the noise cancelling was on before placing them gently over Emerson's head.

In an instant, he switched from David to Pack Alpha and gave some orders to Asher and Milo, who scrambled to do whatever David had asked. He sat there with Emerson for a moment, presumably making sure he didn't start hitting or scratching himself again.

Soon, all three wolves were back and Emerson had a weighted blanket around his shoulders and his favorite plushie in his hands. His head finally started to quiet down, and his eyes began to dry. He leaned into David, who was instantly doing his best to comfort the kid in front of him.

***

Eventually Emerson took off his headphones, and David motioned for Asher and Milo to wait outside before trying to talk to him.

"Hey kid. Are you feeling any better?" he asked softly.

Emerson nodded.

"Do you think you can talk at all?"

He hesitated before nodding again.

"Okay. Do you think you can tell us what happened?"

Emerson's breathing was still shaky, but he nodded. "You were just-" he sniffled- "you were trying to get me out of the house and then when I came back and you wouldn't tell me what was going on, I just panicked, and..." he felt sick to his stomach again.

David still looked concerned. "And what?"

At that point, Emerson was clinging to David like his life depended on it. He was close to tears again as he spoke, "I really like it here and I really like living with you and this is the happiest I've been in a really long time and I get that you probably don't care about me but I really don't want to be alone again," He began to cry again openly, "please- please don't leave me. I don't think i can take it if anyone else leaves me again,"

David was practically in shock as Emerson hugged him. He hated the thought that he might've made him feel unwanted. "Hey, listen to me for a second." Emerson looked up a him, brown eyes full of tears. "Why would you think I don't care?" David asked.

"What?"

"Why would you think that I don't care about you?"

"Well, because most people don't. It's okay, I know I'm too much and I'm too annoying and I can't control my magic and-" David cut him off.

"Hey. You're not too much. You're not too annoying. You're a person, and you deserve to be loved." He held his son closer. "Anyone who told you otherwise is wrong. They told you that because they were selfish and manipulative, and they didn't realize how lucky they were to have you in their lives."

Emerson looked up at him with big brown eyes. "So you're not... you're not leaving? Or kicking me out?"

"I'm not. I'm so sorry I made you think that,"

David wasn't used to giving apologies. He was the stoic pack alpha, and he prided himself on making good decisions that made most people happy.

But he'd fucked this one up pretty bad.

Emerson wiped his tears on his sleeve, "Then why won't you tell me what's going on?"

"I'm so sorry, kid. I didn't want to tell you because it was supposed to be a surprise," David sighed. He made a mental note: no more surprises.

"What are you talking about?"

David got up and motioned for his son to follow him to the kitchen.

Emerson followed, still dragging his blanket around his shoulders.

"Ta-da," David ruffled his son's hair. Emerson looked around the room.

There was a sign hanging from the ceiling that read "Happy Birthday" in big cursive letters. On the counter he saw a chocolate cake decorated with baby blue frosting flowers. Emerson's favorite snacks were on plates around the room, and streamers decorated the walls.

"You... you did this all for me?"

"Of course we did, kiddo."

"Why?" He looked bewildered, almost confused.

David's chest tightened as he stared at Emerson. His son. "Because we care about you. A lot. We did it because we love you and we want you to be happy,"

"Well, yeah, but..." Emerson rocked back and forth on his heels, "this is too much. I- I'm not sure I deserve all of-" David sat down on the floor in front of his son.

"You deserve it. I know you don't think you do, and you're not used to it, but you deserve it." he took Emerson's hand. "I know that you have a lot of bad memories associated with today, so Asher and Milo and I wanted to help you start making some good memories too,"

Emerson felt his eyes water again as he laughed, "God, please don't make me cry again,"

"Ok, sorry," David smiled. "If you're too overwhelmed, we can stop talking and just hang out. Or if you want Milo or Asher to leave and have it just be you and me, that's okay too. Everything is up to you, kiddo."

Emerson wiped the stray tears away from his eyes. "Can it just be us?"

David nodded, "Of course. So what do you want to do first?"

"Can we eat first? I'm kinda hungry,"

"Of course, kid."

***

By nine pm, they had just barely finished a movie when David glanced over to see Emerson, focus drifting and eyelids heavy with drowsiness.

"Hey," he nudged his shoulder, "are you getting tired?"

Emerson nodded, blinking slowly.

"Okay, kiddo. I think it's bedtime for you." David stood and scooped Emerson up in his arms, carrying him upstairs to his room.

By the time he tucked him into bed, Emerson was already half asleep.

David was about to leave when Emerson called out to him, "Hey, dad?"

Dad. He called him dad.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you,"

"Of course, Emerson. Happy birthday."

David Shaw wasn't an emotional man. He was an alpha wolf. Emerson and his pack was his family, and he would give his life for any of them.

David Shaw didn't know if his surrogate son was going to accept him as family too, but there he stood, smiling like an idiot, still processing the fact that his son just called him dad.

David Shaw wasn't an emotional man, but right then he felt tears well up as he looked at his son.

Emerson was his son, and he would do anything to keep him happy and safe.

[peralta-guaranteed]

hc of jake and amy hand holding before dating (i’m convinced they did a few times before they ever dated) and also in the beginning of their relationship + getting teased by the squad 🥰

(this has definitely turned out far more emotional than you’d probably thought, anon, but I don’t make the rules when it comes to fic inspiration)

Amy Santiago is sitting in a booth at Shaw’s, laughing at something one of her friends has said, and she feels a warm hand slip into hers under the table. Jake Peralta is laughing next to her, too, but then he’s also smiling at her only, and his hand wrapped around hers squeezes three times. It hits her like a brick to the face, those three little squeezes. She finally understands them.

-*-

He’s lying in a hospital bed, and Amy thinks she’s never seen something more unsettling than a quiet Jake Peralta. The only sound in the room is the beeping of some monitors he’s hooked up to, and the only movement is his chest rising slow and steady. Something it didn’t do about two hours ago, when she was kneeling over him in some alley and screaming while the medics finally arrived and brought him back. It was a fairly ‘minor’ injury in the end, one bullet wound that the doctor’s had to close up, but it had hit some sort of vein that was important and that lost a lot of blood and that stopped his heart for the few moments she remembers stretching like hours in her mind. She doesn’t remember much else, especially not the medic’s or doctor’s explanations. They’d taken her along in the ambulance, because she was his partner, and she was allowed to sit in the hospital room he was recovering in now, because she was his emergency contact, too. She could’ve been nothing after today. Because the bullet from that gun wasn’t aimed at Jake before he pushed her to the side.

Amy looks down at her hands, folded in her lap, pinching each other to remind her she’s awake, she’s here, and so is Jake. Not awake, but here. Still here. They’re squeaky clean, her hands, because she’s spent a good fifteen minutes in the hospital public toilets scrubbing them free of his blood after he was rushed into surgery and she was left behind, alone in the waiting room, her sensible grey pantsuit coloured red all over her arms. She had a list of things to do in her head - contact Captain McGintley to follow the chain of command, and Terry so something would actually get done. Figure out how and who can transport Peralta home and take care of him, if he gets to go home. (He will. He has to. She will take him.) Call Rosa to find out if they booked the perp properly, and that they add assault with a deadly weapon to his rep sheet (not murder, although that’s what he did, that’s what happened). But she couldn’t do any of that, because she was still shaking, her heart was still racing, and all she could see was his blood on her hands, warm and sticky and dark and drying into a rotten brown shade already. So she washed them clean, and then scrubbed some more, and some more, until she felt as red and raw as the wound in his chest had looked in the ambulance when they got his shirt off. (The jacket of her suit is rotting away in the toilet trashcan now, and she’s shivering ever so slightly in only her short-sleeved blouse, but it is clean and there is not a hint of Jake’s injury anywhere anymore, except in his gaunt cheekbones and the pale colour of his face, and the silence of the room.) His hand twitches while she’s staring at her own, and if it’s instinct or reflex of whatever that makes her reach out and grab it immediately, she doesn’t care. His hand is warm under hers, and it twitches again and then wraps its fingers around her and holds her, steady and calm. He blinks awake, a little disoriented, but then he focuses on her and - smiles.

“You’re okay.” He says, and that’s what breaks her in the end.

She doesn’t outright sob or anything, but she does let her head drop so her hair is hiding her face, hiding the tears he doesn’t need to see first thing after waking up from literal death. She feels his hand pull on her to make her look at him, though, and she can’t deny him, even if her tear-streaked face is probably not a good view.

“Hey, no- don’t-” He rasps, his voice still coming back, “I’m okay too.”

She laughs through her tears, a short little snort, but it helps calm her down - and him too, it seems, because he smiles again.

“You’re far more than just okay, Peralta.” She smiles back, and feels his hand tighten around hers, three little, but distinct squeezes.

-*-

She shouldn’t feel this nervous. She’s a cop, a detective. A good one. She’s done this before, and it’s never been nice, but it’s always something she’s gotten through.

But she fears tomorrow’s court date more than anything else in her life right now, which is why she’s trying to drown the thought of it at Shaw’s. The hangover will probably not be helpful with her witness statement that could possibly make or break this ruling, but her panic demands more alcohol. However, the next beer she orders at the bar is intercepted by a larger, more calloused hand than hers.

“Alright, Santiago, that last one was your sixth, and I really don’t need to deal with Seven Drink Amy tonight.” Jake says as he settles down next to her, hands the beer over to Rosa, who leaves them alone at the bar before Amy can whine and complain.

“I need that drink, Jake. It’s my only friend right now.” 

“We both know that’s just Six Drink Sadmy speaking.” He pats her arm as she spreads out over the slightly sticky bartop and whines some more.

“You’re worried about tomorrow.” He continues, reading her thoughts like he sometimes does, which is such an annoying thing he can do. His hand is still on her arm. “You don’t have to be.”

“That girl’s entire life is at stake. And the gang boss is going to kill me and her if he gets off-”

“He’s not going to get off. Not if you tell them exactly what you told the lawyers taking your written statement.”

“Says you.”

“Says Sofia.” There’s a weight to those words that hits her stomach, and it’s only partially the fact that a damn defense attorney is on her side. The other part of why those words from the woman Jake started dating just recently hurt her, she doesn’t want to think about. “Look, I’m gonna drive you home, you’re gonna take a hot shower to detox, then you’re gonna get your perfect 8 hours of sleep, show up at court tomorrow in your best, darkest pant suit, and rock this like you rock everything else.” His hand has wandered down her arm to her hand, now, flips it over to hold it, and it’s pure coincidence that their fingers spread and interlock, surely. “Okay?” He asks one more time, and she sighs.

“Teddy can pick me up-”

“Teddy’s at that conference, remember.”

Oh, right. Something that had been lost to memory between drink three and four, the fact that her boyfriend had booked himself into a seminar the week the court date was announced. It’s a really good one, he’d said, if she wasn’t already busy he would’ve asked her to join, too. Already busy. Regular Amy doesn’t get punchy a lot, and maybe it’s her closeness to Seven Drink Amy right now that makes her want to knock him out for that, but she felt that way when she helped him pack his luggage two days ago too, and she was stonecold sober then.

“Okay.” She nods and tries to get off of the barstool, wobbles quite heavily. “Take me home, Peralta.”

He snorts a laugh and obviously swallows down some sort of joke as he pulls her into a standing position, their hands still locked together. She thinks she imagines it at first, but even after she’s sobered up the next day, she remembers those three short, tight, almost painful squeezes before he let go and steered her to his car.

She doesn’t have much time to think about it, or about how she basically held hands with her best friend while both of their partners were out of town, either. Or how he helped her into her apartment and waited until she was showered and had downed some water and aspirin before tucking her into bed. She can’t think about any of that, because she has to get ready for court.

And when she sits down in the witness’ chair, the gang boss on the bench before her staring her down with murder in his eyes, she notices a set of dress blues in the otherwise thin crowd of people who were allowed in to watch the trial. Three rows down, Jake gives her a silent thumbs up when their eyes meet, and she feels the phantom of his hand again, squeezing hers three times before she begins to speak.

-*-

They’re gonna die. She’s certain. They’re gonna die in here, in this cramped little closet, wedged between some industrial shelving and a broken down sink.

Jake had pulled her in and locked the door behind him, squished her against the wall and himself against the door, and killed the radio on her shoulder as well as his own. The last thing they’d heard crackling through it was “four officers down”. Someone had fallen behind her when she ran for safety, and for a second she thought it had been Jake. That he was standing here now, almost pressed against her in the tight space she would usually panic in, that she could feel his erratic breath on her ear, his racing heart under her hands, was pretty much the only comfort she had left.

She wonders how long it’ll last.

The mission had been an absolute bust. They had expected a gang. They had not expected a well-armed mafia. And now officers were wounded, or dead, and they couldn’t use their radio to find out anything, for fear of being discovered. She can hear gunshots and shouts from further away, and it’s only her paranoia that make them sound as if they're getting closer, but Jake is listening just as intently. Amy thinks of Rosa and Charles, who were on the other side of the building. She thinks of Terry, who’s probably trying to reach any of them by radio from his station in the surveillance van. She thinks of Holt, and can’t see where he might be right now, still next to Terry or commanding whatever backup might be coming in or-

She feels Jake’s hand wrap around hers, still pressed against his chest, and realises that she’s been hyperventilating. If she gets any louder, she’ll give away their position. His forehead against hers is cold, colder than he usually is, clammy with sweat, but the simple pressure of it helps her focus. She can hear him breathe deep, slow, exaggerated, and understands that he’s doing it for her. He probably thinks she’s having a panic attack because of her claustrophobia, or maybe all things at the moment combined. He’s not that far off. She breathes with him, feels the air from their exhales swirl between the few spaces were they don’t connect. There aren’t many. If she looks up, she could kiss him. She’s not quite that sure that she’s going to die in here anymore, but she would definitely hate herself if she did and never found out what that felt like, or if her last kiss on Earth was really from Teddy the night before they broke up. But when she moves her head, she meets his eyes instead, pupils blown wide in the darkness around them. He looks scared and terrified, and his heart under their combined hands is still racing, and the last thing he needs is for Amy to confuse him before they go out in a hail of bullets, action-movie-style, which he’d probably love if it wasn’t so real right now. She wants to say something, anything to calm him down, but she can’t speak, and not just because there are footsteps approaching outside their door.

She feels his hand tighten around hers, three times, faster than before. And then he pulls her into a close hug when the door behind his back opens to reveal blinding light, and she realises he’s shielding her, has been ever since he pushed her first into this storage space. He only lets go when they both hear Terry’s voice, and the Captain’s, the first telling them they are safe, the second immediately trying to update them on the situation with the SWAT team. He holds her hand a second longer than the rest of her, and the three squeezes that follow are far softer and slower than the ones before.

-*-

Amy Santiago and Jake Peralta are sitting in a booth at Shaw’s, laughing at something one of their friends has said, and she feels his hand slip into hers under the table. For only a split second, she’s tempted to pull her hand away. It’s still so new and shaky and unsure, their whole thing, yet at the same time it isn’t. It’s been growing for so long, between them and around them, it feels like it’s always been there. But the rest of the squad is still pulling excited faces whenever they get a little closer, Charles still squeals at every mention of their ‘evenings together’, and Rosa has rolled her eyes so hard she almost strained a muscle the first time she heard Amy refer to Jake as ‘babe’ in front of her. It’s all a little bit embarrassing, and sometimes she wishes they’d stuck to just one of their rules, of not telling anyone until they figure it out. But then she wonders, what was there left to figure out? She was with Jake, and she wanted to be with Jake, and deep down, she could see none of that change at any point in time. Forever, possibly.

Charles is still talking, riding the wave of getting their laugh, but then Jake’s smiling at her only, and his hand wrapped around hers squeezes three times. It hits her like a brick to the face, those three little squeezes. She finally understands them. She remembers them from before, from tense moments and situations of fear, from where he’s been there for her at the worst parts. Holding on tight and feeling the three little bursts of pressure, only wondering a long time later if he did it on purpose, or if it was some sort of reflex.

She feels it again now, and she can finally hear it.

I. Squeeze. Love. Squeeze. You. Squeeze.

[among-starz]

Can we have the mlqc boys as dads

I'm gonna be honest with y'all, I was very hesitant about writing this one because I cannot see myself ever having kids in the future, and putting myself in the shoes of someone with kids is kinda difficult. But, somehow, I managed to write something I really don't hate, so enjoy!

MLQC/MLDD boys as dads

Gavin

-Initially very lenient with his kids.

-His father wasn’t a good man, and he doesn’t want to be anything like him.

-Only when one of his kids gets into a small skirmish at school over a swing does he realize that, while he shouldn’t be harsh like his father, he also shouldn’t let his kids do whatever they want.

-He knows what it’s like to be a violent kid, and that’s another thing he doesn’t want for his kids.

-His kid gets punished for the fight, and Gavin starts dishing out more punishments, but only when necessary.

-When you two have your first child, he immediately gives up going on missions in favor of becoming either a standard city police officer, or someone who does work behind the scenes.

-He wants to be as present in his children’s life as possible, and that means he can’t up and leave unexpectedly for days, maybe even weeks at a time.

-Will definitely want to play all sorts of sports with his kids, but if they’re more into arty activities, he’ll try to join in, even if he’s horrible at it.

-Is the dad to coach his kid’s little league team

-If they want to, he will let his kids dress him up to their liking “Daddy’s a princess now!”

-Kept the star lamp he bought on the furniture city date and puts it in the kid's room.

-Flies the kids around a bit, much to your horror “Gavin! Get down here now!” “Higher daddy! Higher!”

The rest of the boys are under the cut :)

 Kiro  

-Dad jokes galore.

-“Hi hungry, I’m dad!” “Dad, shut up.”

-As soon as you tell him you’re pregnant, he’s stepping down from the spotlight.

-He knows what it’s like to grow up with thousands of eyes watching his every move, and he doesn’t want that for his kids.

-Will probably do freelance coding work from home.

-Stay at home dad!!

-Gonna be honest, probably let himself go a bit did anyone say dad bod?

-Don’t get me wrong, he still works out and keeps himself in okay shape, but without the whole world watching and Savin breathing down his neck, he’s allowed a little more freedom the extra pudge is a good pillow anyways, I’m not complaining.

-When his kids start school, he may be tempted to change his legal name so no one treats his child any differently.

-Will do anything so his child can grow up normally.

-Packs the best lunches for his kids. Like those cute bento boxes with cute, themed picks and sandwiches cut into fun shapes.

-He can put his foot down when he needs to, but he usually feels really bad about it.

-Constantly singing and playing music to his kids, you’ll play the piano, he’ll play the violin, and the kids will sing to their heart's content.

-Will enthusiastically watch their concert put on in the basement, will cry, and demand an encore.

Victor

-Harsh dad.

-He’s a complete tsundure to his partner, no way is that changing too much when he has a kid.

-Despite that, he always puts his kid before his work. Your kid has a soccer game while he’s supposed to be on a business trip? He’s sending a representative in his place.

-And will make time in his busy schedule to play with his child, anything from playing in the yard to letting his kid pretend he’s a pony is fair game.

-Cooks the best food but is a little annoyed with the picky pallet of a child “I’m not putting ketchup on your eggs and that’s final.”

-Will relent when his kid refuses to eat, but cringes at their every bite.

-Doesn’t say I love you often, but when he does it’s so full of emotion his kids know he means it.

-Is less shy when dishing punishments than Kiro and Gavin, but never gives unfair punishment.

-He knows his kids are growing up in a privileged household and will instill the actual worth of money in them so they don't go into adulthood thinking everyone can just up and fly to Dubai.

-Is pretty strict when it comes to grades but encourages his child to take the classes that interest them.

-Isn’t about to try and dictate what his child does with their life, not matter what they end up doing he’ll be proud.

Lucien

-When you give birth, his work habits don’t change much.

-The only thing is, when work can be done at home, he’ll likely bring it home.

-He usually has a lot of paperwork to do and, if he were to do it all at work, he’d never be home.

-Best tutor in the world.

-Will help his child with any homework they have, is the king of helping them with their science fair projects. “No, you’re not making a baking soda volcano.”

-Is pretty strict about grades too, like Victor, but since he’s always there to help with homework/studying grades probably won’t be too much of an issue.

-He’s pretty much involved in every hobby his kids might want to pick up I mean, photography, painting, reading, I wouldn’t be surprised if this man learned to build rockets in his free time

-Is very open to sharing his hobbies with his kids, and on the off chance they want to try something he doesn’t know how to do, he’ll be right there learning beside them. “Dad I wanna skateboard,” Lucien, in all the skater boy attire, “Way ahead of you.”

-Doesn't like punishments, is much more into lectures about why what they did was wrong, and trying to figure out why they did that.

-His child will grow up very emotionally mature.

-Punishment is the last resort, and his kids know they really fucked up when they get grounded.

-Is at every game or event of his child’s. 100% the embarrassing parent yelling his kid’s name. “Daaaad, please never do that again.” Sorry, but he will be doing that again.

Shaw

-Does not want kids.

-Will adopt a few weird animals like a lizard and a ferret and call himself their daddy, but that’s about it.

-Kids are loud, smelly, and gross, no way does he want to go within 10 feet of one of those fuckers.

-If you really want kids, Shaw isn’t your best option.

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | Miracles (Chan, 1989)

I understand that Miracles was Jackie Chan's attempt at prestige picture, gunning for the Hong Kong Film Awards he felt he'd been overlooked for in the past. When we think of the Hollywood equivalent, it brings to mind some unfavourable associations, suggesting a leaden, self important quality. But that couldn't be further from the truth here, as Chan displays a lightness of touch totally absent from the worst examples that come to mind when one brings up prestige pictures. I'd previously assumed that Lau Kar Leung was largely responsible for the relative tonal cohesion of Drunken Master II, as Chan's other efforts I'd seen up to now felt more concerned with individual moments than in how they complemented each other, but based on this, I suspect Chan had a bigger hand in devising the overall tone of that film than I'd previously given him credit for.

The story starts off Jackie narrowly avoiding death after buying a rose for good luck from a poor flower seller and unintentionally becoming a mob boss after getting caught in a gunfight. Mob-related shenanigans ensue, until Jackie decides to help the flower seller by setting up an elaborate con to impress her daughter, her daughter's fiance, and his father. (And yes, I'm now calling him Chan when speaking of him as a director and Jackie when speaking of him as a performer. It's too confusing otherwise.) Because this is a comedy, the con threatens to go awry at every possible opportunity, and much of the humour comes from the thuggish methods Jackie's goons employ (kidnapping, intimidation) to essentially carry out this good deed. Playing a '30s gangster, Jackie gets to wear a lot of fancy suits and does most of his fight scenes in suspenders, and sports maybe his best haircut ever (or at least one of his only good ones). There's plenty of classic Jackie shtick, although I winced a bit more frequently as the period-appropriate props getting destroyed looked more expensive than usual, but a lot of the fun comes from the well balanced cast. Joining Jackie for the fun are Anita Mui as the underappreciated nightclub singer whose expensive-looking dress Jackie tears systematically while pleading with her to stay, Wu Ma as Jackie's advisor who gives him highly questionable advice at every opportunity, Bill Tung as the inveterate ripoff artist employed to play the flower seller's husband, and Richard Ng as an incompetent cop who has a series of near mishaps in Jackie's office in one of the funniest sequences in the movie. There are also a ton of cameos, including even the "fried rice" guy from A Better Tomorrow II. If one must quibble with a casting choice, it's that the movie stars Lieh Lo but doesn't let him fight Jackie at the end.

The most common complaint I've seen brought up about this is the runtime. At 127 minutes, it's longer than any of his other movies that I've seen. It also isn't as action packed as some of his more beloved efforts, but Chan makes up for it with some pretty ambitious comedy direction. The movie takes place in Hong Kong in the '30s, which it depicts with meticulous art direction and a sense of controlled chaos. It has the feeling of a living, breathing setting, as opposed to the more stagey mise-en-scene of Shaw Brothers productions set in the same period. (Not a knock on the latter as I quite enjoy those, but I think of them less in terms of their specific settings than an overarching studio aesthetic.) The camera moves are increasingly complex, a mixture of bold steadicam work (Chan apparently insisted on learning how to operate the rig himself) and elaborate crane moves (he imported the equipment from Hollywood as it wasn't available in Hong Kong). Are these for showmanship? Probably a little (and a few of the steadicam shots bring to mind the famous one from Goodfellas, if without the same thematic resonance), but they're also marvels of visual storytelling and comedic staging. Take one crane shot through a nightclub under renovation and see how many comedic asides Chan sneaks in, using the movement of the camera to complement the timing. Or notice the way the moving camera ties into the beats of the lavishly staged musical montage. And lest you think he's forgotten about the action, Chan caps off the movie with a maddeningly complex fight set in a rope factory, featuring the usual fast-paced Jackie-vs-everybody-and-all-props-are-fair-game dynamic but in a set that moves like a giant Rube Goldberg machine. I understand that Miracles is Chan's favourite of his own efforts, and it's easy to see why.

Is there a message here? I think so, and it's surprisingly cynical. Hong Kong is depicted as a corrupt, unkind place, with Jackie getting immediately ripped off as soon as he arrives. What good is done in the film is largely achieved through lies and corruption, while law enforcement is either incompetent or undermined from above. But I'd hate to make this seem like a downer. This is a complete delight from beginning to end. These days I think a lot about spending time in movies as opposed to getting through them, and with the delicate comedic tone and intricate direction, this is a great example of that concept. Is it a little long? Sure, but that just means more time to hang out with Jackie and friends.

[46inpm]

MLQC Housemates Going on a Disney Cruise

I want more chaos!! Also I’ve had my fair share of Disney cruises

The pandemic made our Disney cruise get cancelled so I’m sad😶

Part 1

Victor - Red, Lucien - Purple, Gavin - Blue, Kiro - Orange, Shaw - Green, MC (You) - Pink

There’s a good time every year where everyone got a chance off work so you guys decide on a vacation

When searching through places you discovered cruises and Disney was the best to go on

Kiro and you made a PowerPoint to get everyone on board

“If we go on a Disney Cruise not only will it suit all are likes but there’s bonuses that other cruises don’t have. For example, their private island, Castaway Cay.”

“Their food is top notch. You won’t eat the same food twice since there’s different places to get food. For dinner we rotate restaurants with high quality dinner and dessert.”

Gavin and Lucien were easily convinced and Shaw didn’t mind as long as he wasn’t bored

It was mostly to convince Victor since he wasn’t the biggest Disney fan but once Kiro showed him the adult lounges and food, he’s on board

Their destination would be tropical like Jamaica and Cozumel

Everyone packed and made sure that they checked everything off the list

Victor had to practical pack for Kiro since he was forgetting EVERYTHING and remind you

They flew to one of the ports a few days before boarding and had fun

For some reason Victor woke everyone up at 3 in the damn morning at the hotel

“We’re going to be late.”

“We don’t board until five hours.”

“That’s my point.”

Kiro and you were amazed at how big the ship is when driving towards it like little kids

When you boarded the ship, lines of employees announced a welcome to the...Li Family? Victor registered everyone as his family

Lucien took photos of everyone as you waited for them to let you to your rooms

When going to your separate rooms next to eachother you couldn’t help but put magnets on other’s doors

You decorated yours with princesses, Kiro had all his favorite characters, Gavin had a sky and ocean theme, Shaw was rock and roll with a few characters, Lucien was the most aesthetically pleasing

Everyone’s door had a different mickey logo with your names

As annoying idiots you put a whole bunch of magnets on Victor’s door because he didn’t want to put anything on it...let’s just say that only the door handle and room number was visible

It took him awhile to take off the ones he didn’t like and you couldn’t help but burst out laughing

The send off party was a blast Shaw was enjoying the music, Gavin and Kiro were dancing with you, Lucien was watching the ship move, and Victor was drinking some alcohol

Dinnertime was awesome as your servers were amazing at what they did and the food was to die for that even Victor was highly impressed

A bunch of girls kept coming over to your guy’s table to ask Kiro for a photo or an autograph which he didn’t mind but a table of hot men did get a lot of attention

At destinations Lucien made sure that Victor didn’t jam pack the schedule which caused a lot of tension between the two

The beaches were fun but a lot of women kept trying to cuddle close to the guys who just weren’t interested (I mean a group of abs🤤)

Lucien and Gavin shown that they did their research as they would give fun facts on a few places mostly to impress you

When you went on tours you would sleep on one of their shoulders back to the ship because the heat and walking was terrible

“You better not do anything to her while he’s asleep.”

“Geez, you’re such a stick in the mud. Why would I do something on a bus full of families?”

Fun fact you almost didn’t make it to the ship in time due to the guys mistaking a girl who was already on the bus instead of you

Kiro was freaking out, Shaw was like “dang”, Lucien believed you would make it back in time, Victor had to stop Gavin from flying off the boat to find you because a whole bunch of people will see him

There was so many activities that you split your time between each boy like bingo, trivia, cooking class, character meets, comedy shows, baby races, golfing contest

Gavin, Shaw, Kiro went on the slides on top deck while Lucien and you watched a movie on the big screen near the pool

Took a while for Victor to join everyone from the adult pool since he won’t admit it but it was boring and he was lonely

Each night was a different dress up so everyone dressed their best for professional photos

When everyone dressed in their suits and dresses, all moms and dads couldn’t help but look in envy at your gorgeous, handsome bodies

For pirate night you ate dinner in your costumes but Victor, who may not say, was a little bit embarrassed as almost the entire restaurant were already dressed up

The party on deck was a whole lot of fun with the show and the fire works

Gavin liked pointing out which one you should look at while Shaw was hammering down on the alcohol, Kiro was telling Lucien the time he was in a pirate show

“MC, look at that one to the left. Looks like the sun.”

“The sky is full of colors. It’s funny because I tried looked at the water and I couldn’t see anything.”

“A few months ago I stared on this short special called ‘Sailing Forward’. Maybe in the future I can be on a Disney show or movie!”

“I remember watching it with everyone. You were quite convincing for the character you played.”

“Shaw, stop drinking. You’re going to look indecent infront of little kids.”

“You can’t stop me, old man. I’m getting as much as I can.”

You all huddled together to watch the colorful sky in the night with nothing but water surrounding you

At Castaway Cay everyone snorkeled with Lucien taking photos underwater as you looked at the fishes and sunken statues

Victor would probably be in the adult side of the island for awhile until he gets lonely is just sitting around while the others are sliding down a water slide

Gavin leads the way when you bike around the island and Kiro even fell from his bike but wasn’t even bothered

You guys are booked for a group spa treatment and it is heavenly to hear the waves

Kiro cries when he has to say goodbye to the staff and the characters

They all asked to take a group photo with him since they obviously know he’s a huge celebrity

You guys brought home an album worth of photos even though Victor didn’t think it was needed

“Digital copies aren’t enough! We should put this in the living room.”

“Fine, whatever you say. At least I got some photos of you and the others being dummies.”

[nitrateglow]

My god-tier Audrey Hepburn movies

I just realized I’ve technically seen all of Audrey Hepburn’s movies-- or rather, all the movies in which she was given star billing.

So, because I’m bored, here’s a list of my top ten personal favorites of her films. The criteria is simple: 1) she had to have starred in it, so nothing from her pre-Roman Holiday career counts nor does 1989′s Always, and 2) this is based on my level of enjoyment of the movie in question.

1. Wait Until Dark

Wait Until Dark possesses many merits, but Hepburn is one of its key strengths. For me, the most interesting performances are the ones able to balance seemingly opposing elements of the character in question. Here, Hepburn balances vulnerability with inner strength, insecurity and terror with courage, angry frustration with budding confidence. She makes her character seem like such a real, vital presence, like someone you would know. Also, having someone as sweet as Hepburn as the target for the cruel mind games and brutal violence of the villains makes the horror all the more terrifying.

Beyond her performance, this movie feels like it was tailor-designed to appeal to me: an intelligent and formidable villain, the everyday setting juxtaposed with a menacing atmosphere, scary scenes that don’t rely on gore, eccentric criminals, dark humor, a tight script without an ounce of fat on it. But you’ve heard me go on, so I’ll leave it there.

2. Charade

Charade is a prime example of how to mix suspense and comedy. The mystery at the heart of the movie is very clever, with twists and turns every other moment, constantly keeping the audience on their toes. Best of all, the film holds up after repeat viewings because of the delicious chemistry between Hepburn and Cary Grant, and the witty screenplay, which has such an elegant and tight structure that I seethe with envy as a writer every time I revisit this glorious thriller.

As in Wait Until Dark, Hepburn is concerned for her life as she’s terrorized by criminals, only here, they’re mostly more humorous in nature, sometimes even lovable (except Scobie, he can just jump off a cliff). She mainly gets to exercise her comedic chops, throwing off quips, sarcastic lines, and screwball banter with wonderful finesse. It makes me sad she never made more films with Cary Grant-- the two have a spark that belies the large age gap between them.

3. Roman Holiday

The character-building, naturalistic performances, and humor make Roman Holiday one of the best examples of romantic comedy. The film has both a gentle touch and a grounded maturity that make it more than just a remix of the earlier and quite similar screwball comedy It Happened One Night. To get a bit literary and pretentious, it reminds me a bit of Romeo and Juliet-- not because of the romance, but in how the movie starts as a standard screwball comedy and ends on a lyrical, wistful note you might not have expected.

Even though this was her first lead role in a feature film, I think Hepburn’s performance as Ann remains one of her strongest. Ann feels regal and dignified while also possessing the naivete and restlessness of a teenager on the brink of adulthood. It’s as fabulous a star-establishing movie as anyone could want.

4. How to Steal a Million

How to Steal a Million is pure fun. Not a moment of this caper comedy is to be taken seriously (which makes it the perfect quarantine movie if you need something to de-stress with). I always regard this movie as Charade’s even frothier spiritual successor: both films are playful, stylish, funny, and packed with romantic banter, plot twists, and colorful 1960s fashions. The main difference is that in this one, there’s no mortal threat involved and the humor gets a little more risque though not crass.

Also, how nice is it for Hepburn to be paired with a leading man closer to her age? Peter O’Toole was only three years younger than Hepburn when this was filmed. The two of them have glorious, cute chemistry.

5. The Nun’s Story

I hate the question of “objective best” anything, but if you put a gun to my head, I would say The Nun’s Story is features Hepburn’s most impressive work as an actress. For those who accuse Hepburn of being too affected, of being a mere clothes’ horse, here she is bare-faced, dressed in a nun’s habit, and playing a very reserved character whose dilemmas are largely internal. She plays her character’s spiritual conflict with an understatement that could only be considered skillful.

The film itself will likely be seen as “too slow” by most and there are a few colonial elements towards the Congo section that date it, but the film’s strengths, both from Hepburn’s performance and the mature way it presents its individual versus the system story, give it classic status. Few movies regarding organized religion are this balanced and lacking in propaganda, either for or against it.

6. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

While still Hepburn’s most iconic role, Breakfast at Tiffany’s gets called “overrated” a lot these days and fans of the original Truman Capote novella routinely dog it for making heavy changes to the source material. There’s also the, you know, gross yellowface a la Mickey Rooney that deflates every scene in which he appears. However, is the move bad? NO. It juggles zany comedy, tender romance, and rather heavy drama too well for me to consign it to the “overrated” bin. Blake Edwards was a fine director and this movie is one of his best.

And Hepburn gives a damn good performance as Holly Golightly, even if she is not the character envisioned by Capote. This character could easily be unlikable if played the wrong way-- she’s a “phony,” rather pathetic, and self-loathing despite her wit and charm. But rather than coming off as an unbearable loser, Hepburn’s Holly is a realistic, relatable loser we all love in spite of her own delusions and lashing out. She might even hit too close to home (or maybe that’s just me).

7. Funny Face

Funny Face took a few viewings to grow on me. It was one of the first Hepburn movies I ever saw (that was back in high school) and I was initially excited because it was directed by Stanley Donen who co-directed Singin’ in the Rain with Gene Kelly, a long-time favorite of mine. I expected this movie to be just as sublime and was disappointed when it didn’t hit that high mark.

Rewatching it later, I now find it very charming. It’s incredibly upbeat and relaxing, the sort of old-school movie musical that doesn’t get made anymore. Hepburn’s singing is a bit rough in the bigger numbers, but she is very sweet, a damn good dancer, and quite attractive to the point where she just takes my breath away. Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson are also wonderful and get a lot of great moments that show off their talent.

8. My Fair Lady

When considering what would go on this list, I was honestly shocked to realize how much I like this movie. I’m in the camp that considers Hepburn miscast, I find George Cukor’s direction rather stiff, and I really don’t like how the ending is changed from the original play. In spite of all this, I still really enjoy this movie for the songs, costumes, and what remains of Shaw’s brilliant satire on class and gender relations. Those three hours go by and the movie never outstays its welcome.

While I think Hepburn wasn’t the number one best choice for the part (I don’t really buy her as a crass flower girl in the beginning), she isn’t a disaster by any means. She’s still charming and sympathetic, and once she makes her transformation, you have to wonder how Higgins held it together, she’s so gorgeous. And I love the relish with which she approaches the “Just you Wait” song or the way she delivers the “move your bloomin’ arse” line at the races.

9. Sabrina

I think producers figured because of the fairy tale appeal of Roman Holiday, Hepburn would be perfect for this modern take on Cinderella, set in 1950s New York. Just like in Roman Holiday, Hepburn gets to undergo dramatic character development and show her comedic skills. It’s a cute movie, with a very charming William Holden and gorgeous black-and-white cinematography. It’s also shockingly uncynical for a Billy Wilder project.

About the closest thing this movie has to a flaw is Humphrey Bogart as Linus, the guy who Sabrina chooses in the end. This is a role Cary Grant could have played in his sleep, but Bogart clearly is not enjoying himself in some scenes. However, he isn’t movie-breakingly bad by any means. His character is meant to be a hidden softie and far more dependable than his handsomer brother, so I can buy that Sabrina would warm to him in the end.

10. They All Laughed

People tend to argue what the last “worthwhile” Hepburn movie is. Most argue it’s 1976′s Robin and Marian, while I’ve seen some go as far back as How to Steal a Million in 1966. They All Laughed, a Peter Bogdonavich comedy from 1981, gets my vote. This is a love letter to screwball comedies much like Bogdonavich’s 1972 classic What’s Up Doc, only with a far more melancholy edge.

Hepburn does not become a major presence in the movie until nearly halfway through. However, she approaches her role with a mature dignity that makes me wish she’d done more work along this line towards the end of her career. Her character comes off as an older, sadder Princess Ann from Roman Holiday. This makes the movie sound morose, but it isn’t: it ends with life going on and the characters accepting that with grace.

[tcm]

Team Leslie Howard By Susan King

Leslie Howard has gotten a bad rap over the decades. Ironically, it’s because of his most famous role as Ashley Wilkes, who is obsessed with and weakly indecisive over Scarlett O’Hara, and married to his sweet distant cousin Melanie in the Oscar-winning Civil War epic GONE WITH THE WIND (’39). In fact, when I first saw the film at 13 during one of the epic’s reissues, I said “ewww” when I first saw Howard on screen. The British actor was far too old for the part and seemed to be caked in make-up to look younger. And in fact, he was old enough to be the father of Olivia de Havilland, who played Melanie. I kept shaking my head when my mother told me Howard was quite the matinee idol in the 1930s.

He also seemed disinterested in the role. The performance isn’t awful, but he just seemed to be going through the motions. Truth be told, he didn’t want to be in the movie. He even wrote to his daughter: “I hate the damn part. I’m not nearly beautiful or young enough for Ashley, and it makes me sick being fixed up to look attractive.” Howard further said of the movie: “Terrible lot of nonsense. Heaven help me if I ever read the book.”

Then what was the reason he did the movie? Because GONE WITH THE WIND producer, David O. Selznick, gave him an associate producer credit on INTERMEZZO (’39), the romantic melodrama based on the 1936 Swedish hit. INTERMEZZO also marked the Hollywood debut of Ingrid Bergman, who had starred in the original.

Considering I was so unimpressed with Howard as a young teen, I have been a member of Team Leslie since the 1970s. (I can almost forgive him for playing Romeo at the age of 43 in MGM’s ROMEO AND JULIET, ’36.) Though his acting style is of its time, I love his romanticism and his glorious voice. I feel the same way about Ronald Colman, who, like Howard, excelled at suffering from the slings and arrows of love.

Though he made some silent shorts, Howard’s major movie career only lasted 13 years from 1930 to his tragic death in 1943 at the age of 50, when the commercial plane in which he was traveling was shot down by the Nazis. Growing up, Howard’s films were rarely shown on television. Thankfully, TCM and Warner Archive has changed all of that. He was so much more than Ashley Wilkes. Besides being a star on stage and screen, he changed the career of Humphrey Bogart, earned two best actor Oscar nominations and also directed and produced films.

Howard’s career was bookended by the World Wars. Howard, who was of Hungarian/German Jewish heritage, suffered from shyness growing up in a Forest Hill London neighborhood. And, this sensitive young man experienced shell shock during his World War I service. Acting was prescribed as a cure. The debonair, gentlemanly Howard quickly became a star on the London stage and made his Broadway debut in 1920 in Just Suppose. For the next 17 years, he would appear on the Broadway stage often not only starring in plays, but producing, writing and directing.

And he made his Hollywood film debut in one of his Broadway hits, OUTWARD BOUND (’30). With arrival of the talkies, Hollywood look to Broadway and the London stage for talent who, unlike numerous film stars, had had trained voices and could handle dialogue. He earned his first Oscar nomination for the film version of another Broadway vehicle BERKLEY SQUARE (’33). For years, the uber-romantic time-traveling fantasy was unavailable to be seen. I actually bought a bootleg DVD off of eBay, but the print was so bad it was unwatchable.

A few years ago, TCM aired a beautiful print. All I can say, it was worth the wait. It is stagey and creaky, but I just loved it and so will you if you have a romantic bone in your body. The lavish Alexander Korda production of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (’35) was the movie that changed my opinion of Howard. I watched it late at night in a horrible TV print that was riddled with commercials. But I was gob smacked. Howard seemed to be having a field day as a foppish British aristocrat, Sir Percy Blakeney, who is actually the brave and dashing Scarlett Pimpernel, a mysterious man who rescues French nobility from losing their heads during the Reign of Terror.

The actor returned to Broadway in 1935 in Robert Sherwood’s drama The Petrified Forest. He also produced the hit play in which he played the epitome of his disillusioned romantic. This time around he’s Alan Squier, a poetic but disenchanted Englishman hitchhiking across the U.S to seek the meaning of life. He ends up finding love and death at a café in the Petrified Forest. The play also starred Humphrey Bogart who electrified audience as “the world-famous killer” Duke Mantee. 

When Warner Bros. planned to have Howard reprise his role in the 1936 film version, Howard insisted that Bogart, who certainly wasn’t a box office name, play Duke or he would quit the film. Bogart’s career was changed because of Howard, who does take a back seat to the actor’s riveting performance. Though they have diverse acting styles, Howard and Bogart’s scenes together still pack a wallop 84 years after its release. The following year, they reunited for STAND-IN (’37), a kicky but rarely seen comedy about Hollywood. And nine years after Howard’s death, Bogart and Lauren Bacall named their daughter Leslie after the late actor.

Howard earned his second best actor Oscar nomination for the delightful British production of George Bernard Shaw’s PYGMALION (’38) as Professor Henry Higgins opposite Oscar-nominated Wendy Hiller as Eliza Doolittle. Howard also directed the film, produced by Gabriel Pascal, with Anthony Asquith.

With England at war with Nazi Germany, Howard left Hollywood and went home to London where he began working for the British war effort. He starred in, produced and directed my favorite film of his PIMPERNEL SMITH (’41), a rip-roaring exciting update of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. And it’s hard not to think of Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones watching the movie. Howard, the self-assured director, gets a wonderful self-assured performance from Howard the actor. And the final line is a real corker. He also starred with David Niven and directed the well-received aerial propaganda drama THE FIRST OF THE FEW (’42), which was renamed SPITFIRE when it opened in the U.S. shortly after his death.

Howard was on a commercial flight from Lisbon, Portugal bound from London on June 1, 1943 when the Luftwaffe shot the plane, which had 16 other passengers and crew, down over the Bay of Biscay. It would have been so interesting to see where Howard’s career would have gone after the war. Would he return to Hollywood? Broadway? Would he had abandoned acting for directing?

Over the years I have talked to some actresses who worked with him. Despite the fact that de Havilland appeared with Howard in the romantic comedy IT’S LOVE I’M AFTER (’37) and GONE WITH THE WIND and did the Lux Radio Theatre version of The Scarlet Pimpernel, she told me she didn’t get to know him well.

Celeste Holm got to know him maybe a little too well. Though Howard was married, it is no secret he had a wandering eye. She was appearing with Howard in the late 1930s in the touring production of Hamlet as a lady in waiting and Ophelia’s understudy. “I was wearing a gorgeous scarlet dress with a gold wimple and train,” she told me during a 1997 Los Angeles Times interview. “After my scene, I immediately exited to the first wing. I could see the show from there.” Howard soon entered the wing. “He took one look at me and before I could say anything, he took me in his arms and kissed me as beautifully as I had ever been kissed before or since. I was totally unprepared. I had only met him the night before.”

The actor was myopic and as soon as he kissed her, Howard realized it was the wrong woman. Holm went to the dressing room. “One of the actresses I was working said, ‘What happened to you? You look like you have seen a ghost.’” The actress started to laugh at the memory. “She said, ‘He was having an affair with the girl in New York who wore your dress. He probably forgot where he was.’”