#and i also think lucas is aware of this. he loves weddings and the idea of being married is romantic and beautiful to him and he loves that | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

whatisreggieshortfor · 11 months

Text

My Brother’s Keeper

Rohan x MC

Foster just wants to care for her autistic brother. Her parents are so sure she needs them to set her up to find someone that will love her that way. Too bad they don’t understand her or her brother.

@justtuesdays @csmicletters @rebelrayne

I hope I did this justice 😭

Foster had been described a lot of ways by people in her life.

Her mates described her as protective, softhearted, witty, sharp tongued. She was who they turned to when they needed someone to listen.

Her parents called her hardworking, social, driven, compassionate. She was who they turned to when they needed help.

Her exes complained she was closed off, too narrow focused, stubborn, a type A personality. They would say she never let herself rely on them.

Her exes and her parents had one thought in common- they believed she used her little brother as an excuse, a shield to keep away intimacy and vulnerability, a way to keep people- and romantic prospects- from getting too close.

Her mates had a different line of thinking. They believed that Stevie was more Foster’s final test for a companion. Not out of a place of malice, or even awareness. None of them thought Foster had any idea she did it, but if someone wanted to be in her life and they thought Stevie was a problem or obstacle in the way, then they were never around long enough to matter.

Because Stevie is autistic.

He had needs special to him that had to be met, and Foster was never nervous or agitated about meeting those needs. Their parents tried, they really did. But she was twelve when he was born and sort of just became his person. Like he was a baby duck and imprinted on her. When she was old enough and got a job that required her to relocate, her parents couldn’t handle the meltdowns he’d have not seeing her every day. So she offered, filed the paperwork when they agreed, and became his guardian.

Foster’s mates had been taken aback when they had visited her flat and her younger brother was suddenly taking up residence in the second bedroom, but her best mate wasn’t. Rohan had been the only one she told before the paperwork was filed, and he had volunteered to assist in moving Stevie’s belongings. None of them were bothered, they had met Stevie several times and adored him. Even when he struggled, they were understanding. Her mates understood that she was his lifeline, the only other person he was ever comfortable around was Rohan- they joked it was the hazard of knowing Foster as long as he had.

Their parents would visit, video call, phone them- they tried to make sure Stevie knew that he was still their son, whether they understood him or not. For him it was just part of the routine Foster helped him establish.

But their mum and dad were also convinced that she would never end up married if Stevie always depended on her- they didn’t pay attention to the fact that she didn’t care what they wanted for her. Convinced it was the only way she’d end up happy, her parents decided they needed to set her up. And what better place than their cousin’s wedding? He was a good man, marrying a well-to-do woman. They were sure that her friend would be perfect.

Foster hadn’t wanted to go. Not only did Stevie have trouble with traveling, but she didn’t care for their cousin.

Or more specifically, she didn’t care for his bride.

Lucas was a gentleman through and through, he never pressured her or got annoyed for choosing to care for Stevie and take his comfort into account rather than to go out and have fun. But his bride-to-be had always made it known that she didn’t care for children, especially those that could misbehave. Foster’s parents never saw an issue with her, only seeing her at family events where she had her best face on, but Hope never went near anyone under fifteen.

Where Lucas never flinched at hearing or seeing Stevie stim, Foster had seen his fiancé glare silently in her seat. She wasn’t sure what the woman would do if he couldn’t stay quiet during the big day. Regardless of her parents wishes, she was going to stay home. Lucas and Rohan had convinced her that it would be okay, Lucas would help her where he could, and Rohan would take care of things at home for them.

So she prepared. Stevie’s headphones were put in his bag, the spare set put in hers. Stevie rechecked the bags she packed three times, once each day leading to their departure. Foster watched as he did his best to remain calm as they started the drive, they had gone over everything they needed to know, and Rohan was taking care of the plants Stevie cared for every day.

Waking up at the hotel Lucas had booked for them, Foster sighed to herself. Stevie didn’t like new places- he had thrown the pillowcase off his pillow, he didn’t like the way it felt. His bag was emptied, his things set in the closest relative places they would be at home. But he was awake, he wasn’t unhappy, and he let her help him prepare for the wedding.

They sat near the back though they were early, she knew he didn’t appreciate crowds, and she would much rather be at home with Rohan than to watch her stuffy aunt and uncle parade her cousin around, but she didn’t get a choice. Nearly as soon as they sat down, a man occupied the seat next to her, essentially ignoring the large number of empty seats. “You must be Foster.”

She blinked, glad he at least chose to sit on her side away from her brother, but confused how he knew her name, “I am. If you’re looking for Lucas-“

“No,” the man grinned, he almost looked like it was the most natural thing in the world for him to do, but it was obviously strained after a moment when she didn’t seem to recognize him through his posturing, “I’m Reese. Your mum wanted us to meet.”

She cringed internally, remembering how her parents demanded she give him a better chance than she had her exes. They kept emphasizing she couldn’t stay single forever. If only they knew, “Right. Good to meet you.” As more people filled the room, she became more aware of Stevie shifting uncomfortably next to her, so she directed her attention to him. Ensuring his noise cancelling headphones were in place, she turned back but Reese was gone. She couldn’t dwell on it as the wedding began, she had to focus to keep him calm.

But the room was crowded.

Stevie’s clothes made him itchy.

The seven or eight year old girl of the couple next to him kept trying to take his comfort toy- a stuffed triceratops Foster had bought him as a toddler.

She tried to calm him down, muttering lowly as to not disturb the others in attendance as she helped him count out the windows, focus on the patterns he could observe as he usually did to relax-

But then the girl finally slipped his toy from his hands, and Stevie had let out an instinctual yell as it slid from his grasp.

Foster didn’t think twice, snatching the dinosaur back and letting him tug it into his chest, eyes narrowed when the couple tried to glare her way at the disturbance.

The minister had halted his speech, all eyes in the room shifting to look at the two of them and she wished they would stop. Stevie hated having eyes on him. Lucas, bless her cousin, cleared his throat and insisted that they continue, but his bride had other plans.

“Not until that’s over.” Hope snapped, sneering at the groom, “I told you I wasn’t a fan of kids attending fancy things, they don’t care.”

Lucas pulled back like she’d slapped him, repulsion clear on his face, “Stevie is doing his best.”

“Sure, whatever.” She pursed her lips, “You promised me this would go off without a hitch, it was the only reason I let you invite them.”

Several of the guests were still turning to look at Foster as Stevie began to rock in his seat, she finally got him to look at her, “Want to go outside? We can watch the clouds.”

He didn’t nod exactly, but he jumped to his feet with his toy still clutched to his chest, and she followed him out, shooting Lucas an apologetic look as they went.

She hadn’t been sure how the rest of the ceremony went, finding a field for Stevie to lie in with a clear view of the fluff drifting over their heads. Eventually people started drifting out of the church, some glaring at them as they went, but some seemed to be shooting grateful looks their way. She noticed the former must’ve been from Hope’s side, while the latter she recognized from Lucas’s side. Their parents emerged eventually, both nearly red faced as they started to stomp their way over, but Lucas flew past them and scooped Foster into a hug, “Bloody hell, thank you so much.”

She blinked, entirely unsure what she was being thanked for, “For interrupting your wedding?”

“For giving me the reason to cancel my wedding.”

“I’m sorry- what??” Her eyes widened, disbelief flooding her features as he smiled far too largely for the news he shared.

Lucas just shook his head, “You know I don’t want kids, neither does Hope, and I thought that was a good sign for us. But she actually just can’t stand to be around children- especially any like Stevie, and I love the little guy too much to marry someone that talks about him the way she was.”

She nodded, still not understanding exactly what happened, “So what now?”

Lucas shrugged, “Reception is still paid for. We go have a drink and dance- I’ve got a room set up for Stevie in the hall we rented. Standard things he likes- food specified for him, those history channel shows on the Telly he loves on dvd.”

Foster had just finished listening to a forty five minute ramble on the intricacies or pro wrestling when she felt a tug on her sleeve, turning to see Stevie, “Every day at three o clock.”

“What?” Reese cocked his head, somehow looking annoyed that someone was stealing his limelight, “What does he mean every day at three o clock?”

She shushed the man beside her, redirecting all her attention to her younger brother, “Were you supposed to do something today at three?”

“Every day at three o clock.” The boy fidgeted, glancing around like he was looking for something, “Every day at three o clock! It’s nearly three- I’m gonna be late!”

“I understand.” She offered firmly, but softly, understanding without the strength to scare him, “I know you don’t like questions, but you need to help me understand what happens every day at three o clock.” She had schedule memorized, but Lucas had talked her into a drink, and then she needed two or three more to deal with Reese’s non stop ego talk.

“Cat. Every day at three o clock. I need to feed the cat- the cat is always there! I need to feed the cat.”

She smiled, hands hovering in front of her to show she wouldn’t touch him, before she gave him a gentle reminder, “Someone is feeding the cat, remember? We wouldn’t let that poor stray starve just because you aren’t home.” Pulling out her phone, she realized the time was two fifty eight as she opened a video call, the flat they shared immediately coming into view, “Hey, Rohan! You know what time it is, right?”

The dark haired man’s beaming smile didn’t fade as he laughed at the check up call, “I am opening the cat food right this second,” he flipped the camera to show the can opener latched onto a half opened can of wet cat food, a familiar dish sitting next to it, “I have the bowl Stevie bought for him, I’m going to put it exactly two feet away from the wall centered behind the rubbish bin under the fire escape. Stevie, you are welcome to stay on the call and watch it happen.” He didn’t ask if he wanted to watch the simple action of a cat being fed. He gave him the option, open ended, and left it up to Stevie to decide.

Neither were surprised when he didn’t take the phone, but watched with an intensity as Rohan put the food into the bowl and began carrying it outside. She resisted the urge to reach out, as she would for anyone else, when his shoulders started to rock forward and back, the time was two fifty nine. At exactly three o clock, they watched as he set the bowl under the fire escape, centered behind the rubbish bin, measured and marked two feet from the wall. And they saw the stray cat edge out from behind forgotten scrap piles in the alley, cautiously approaching the man he didn’t know, before recognizing the bowl and hurrying forward. “Thanks, love.”

“Thank you.” Stevie echoed.

“No problem, little dude. Enjoy your day, if you want to call again at seven, I’ll be here to water the plants. Swear, I’m following the schedule to a T. You can catch me up on the big day.”

As soon as the call ended, Stevie was directing himself back out of the crowded room they were in, and she watched him meander down the corridor to the room Lucas had set up for him.

Only for an annoyed voice to cut into her attention, “Love?” Reese scoffed, “Bit familiar to address a friend, innit?”

Foster snorted, “Maybe, but how else do you address the person you’ve been dating for two years?”

Reese was gobsmacked, staring at her like she’d grown two heads, “Wha-“

She waved her hand, “Yeah, yeah, my parents wanted to set us up. But it’s not because of me being single, it’s because they refuse to acknowledge that my boyfriend understands my brother and loves him as much as I do. They think I need to find someone that loves me despite Stevie. Not including him. And that’s where we differ.” She shrugged stifling a laugh as the man stomped away. She didn’t feel the need to explain, even though she would when prompted. Lucas understood, because he loved Stevie just as much. Her mates understood, because again they loved Stevie just as much. But Rohan had always been her best mate. Despite the feelings she had spent years smothering inside, she never let them bubble to the surface until she had seen it one day.

Stevie had been having a terrible day. They needed to take the tram because her car had died, people kept getting too close and bumping into him, his dinosaur had gotten wet when someone spilled juice on it at the café they had stopped at for lunch, the waitress had given him mango slices instead of apple slices and he bit into it without looking as he counted the tiles in the ceiling. He hated the texture of mangos, too slimey. She wasn’t sure what she could do, what could be done.

And then Rohan had gotten the text about it, showing up at her flat without her ever uttering the request. He distracted Stevie with the DVR’d episodes of How the States Got Their Shapes he’d recorded for them to watch together, giving Foster time to wash his triceratops and prepare food that he would eat. And when she finally made it back to the living room, she saw Stevie- eyes still focused on the tv- reaching and gently resting his hand on top of Rohan’s. She had nearly dropped the plate, surprised to see him touching anyone else. Rohan had stiffened, imperceptible to Stevie, and glanced back at her with nearly teary eyes.

That was when she knew.

Because yes, admittedly she used Stevie’s attachment to her as a shield, a test, but not to keep people away.

But to keep him protected.

Foster always knew that she would go to the ends of the Earth for Stevie, so anyone that wanted to be in her life needed to be able to be in his.

Rohan had been in her life nearly as long as Stevie had, ten years compared to his twelve, and he treated her brother like his own. He helped her find everything she needed for guardianship, he would babysit during the seldom times she needed to go to the office for work, and he learned the boy’s schedule by heart so that he could help him get through the day.

So when he made a move that night, after Stevie had fallen asleep holding his hand, Rohan had originally only given her a hug and promised to always be there when she needed a shoulder to lean on.

Somehow the lines got blurred in that talk and they ended up confessing to each other in the same breath, but she would never look back.

Because Rohan was exactly what she wanted, exactly what her brother needed, and everything in between.

Masterlist

#litg #litg season 1 #litg rohan x mc #litg rohan #no villa au #autistic characters

12 notes · View notes

singingaboutwishingx · 3 years

Text

the west wing professor au

i feel like this has been done before, but i can’t find it if it does exist. if this is your au, please know that i did not intentionally copy any ideas because, again, i’m not sure if this really exists.

also before i start, i don’t know how other people’s colleges work, so just in case: a capstone class is a sort of cumulative class for seniors (i’ve also heard it called a senior seminar). it’s usually a very small class size and either discussion-based or research-based. what’s required for the class varies by major.

dr. joshua lyman (ratemyprofessor score: 4.5): chairman of the political science department. also teaches one capstone class per semester. it is the single most sought-after class in the department (which strokes his ego. also, he literally does not have time to teach a second section).

dr. josiah bartlet (ratemyprofessor score: 4.7): the only econ professor anyone likes. his classes fill up very quickly, given that he’s a nobel laureate and all. he’s kind of a hard grader, but he’s very kind and enthusiastic.

dr. claudia jean cregg (ratemyprofessor score: 4.9): teaches communications. she loves her capstone classes because they give her more one-on-one interaction with the students. she’s taught several influential people who cite her as one of their sources of motivation and inspiration.

dr. tobias ziegler (ratemyprofessor score: 3.7): teaches comp. you either hate dr. ziegler or you love him. no in between. praise in the margins of your papers feels like winning the lottery.

dr. samuel seaborn (ratemyprofessor score: 5.0): teaches english and creative writing. if you’re attracted to men, it’s practically a rite of passage to have a crush on him. he’s so sweet and enthusiastic and encouraging that it’s nearly impossible to not.

dr. leopold mcgarry (ratemyprofessor score: 4.5): teaches psychology. fairly universally beloved for his dry jokes and in-depth lectures. he gives a little half-smile easily, but sometimes he smiles with teeth and it’s enough to make everyone want to cry.

professor donnatella moss, m.a. (ratemyprofessor score: 4.9): teaches music theory and choir. sweet, encouraging, knows how to foster talent. don’t disappoint her or make her mad. she’ll break your heart and you’ll never forget it.

professor charles young, j.d. (ratemyprofessor score: 5.0): adjunct professor of civil procedure, also practices human rights law part time. every student loves him to pieces (he’s a genuinely good teacher, but the weekly bonus point opportunities certainly don’t hurt).

dr. abigail bartlet (ratemyprofessor score: 4.2): teaches biology capstone classes and anatomy. a little bit of a hardass, but she really does want students to succeed. even if her classes make you want to die and reconsider your major, you can’t help but love her.

dr. william bailey (ratemyprofessor score: 4.3): teaches astronomy, and his eyes just light up when students ask thoughtful questions. a little bit of a mess, but he’s pretty endearing (and a pretty easy grader–if you get the concept, you get most of your points).

ms. katherine harper (ratemyprofessor score: n/a): head rotc coordinator. has personally visited high schools across the country to speak on her experiences with rotc. when students come to her, she takes them very seriously. has made many a girl wonder if they liked girls (spoiler alert: they usually do).

dr. annabeth schott (ratemyprofessor score: 4.3): adjunct professor, teaches public speaking and advises the student theatre group. makes her students do silly exercises to loosen them up. fairly well-liked. does some media consulting on the side.

dr. amelia gardener (ratemyprofessor score: 4.0): teaches women’s studies. tough as nails, but clearly knowledgeable and passionate about her subject. not very good at answering student emails, so it’s best to go to her office hours.

dr. josephine lucas and mr. kenneth thurman (ratemyprofessor score: 4.3): joey is second chair of the political science department and teaches statistics for political science. she generally uses power points so she can click to the next slide and have both hands free to sign while kenny interprets. students adore both dr. lucas and mr. thurman.

dr. matthew santos (ratemyprofessor score: 5.0): teaches humanities with a specific focus in government and global relations. is just the most enthusiastic, fun guy on campus with so much passion for his subject. includes corny jokes in his power point slides.

professor ainsley hayes, j.d. (ratemyprofessor score: 4.2): teaches constitutional law. loves nothing more than civil debate in class. a tough grader, but leaves lots of constructive feedback. she only wants her students to be better.

professor daniel concannon, m.a. (ratemyprofessor score: 4.4): teaches journalism. enjoys teaching well enough, but takes semesters off at every opportunity to go cover stories worldwide. his assignments seem hard, but he helps the students work through them.

margaret hooper, carol fitzpatrick, ginger webster, and bonnie parikh (ratemyprofessor score: n/a): grad students working as ta’s. margaret teaches psych under leo, carol teaches comms under cj, ginger teaches chemistry labs, and bonnie teaches creative writing under sam.

bonus:

everyone knows that dr. and dr. bartlet are married--they’re the campus power couple who literally promote their spouse’s classes (”and if any of you are biology/econ majors, you’ll probably have my wife/husband”).

however, it’s somehow several years before any student figures out that there’s something going on between dr. lyman and professor moss.

they both have wedding rings on, but they don’t necessarily talk about their personal lives in class, so nobody really thinks much of it until a particularly gossipy student runs into them (holding hands, no less) at a local theatre’s production of a tennessee williams play and it spreads like wildfire.

so now everybody knows they’re married (and have impeccable taste in theatre).

cj and toby have been having an ongoing affair ever since his divorce, but they keep it very quiet.

sam is painfully aware that his students have crushes on him, but he keeps it incredibly professional (besides, he has one eye on that cute astronomy professor).

one of the girls who met kate and wondered if they liked girls was ainsley (and, spoiler alert: she did). there was a faculty/staff mixer at the beginning of ainsley’s first year teaching, and when they shook hands, ainsley forgot how to breathe for a second.

josh and joey went on one date during josh’s first year after he started teaching at this university, but it didn’t really work. however, they remain close friends.

#in my heart their ratemyprofessor scores are all 5.0 but we have to be realistic i guess #i think kate's full name is just kate in canon but i very much like the idea of it being short for katherine #i have this weird obsession with full names #also as far as i can tell ginger and bonnie don't have last names in canon so i'm just using their actresses' last names haha #and normally to keep up the pattern i would have ginger teaching under toby but she just gives me such a strong chemistry vibe #i honestly love sam/will so much #my disaster speechwriters <3 #also yes i'm projecting about leo's smile what about it #bianca spills the tea #the west wing #tww #west wing #josh lyman #jed bartlet #cj cregg #toby ziegler #sam seaborn #leo mcgarry #donna moss #charlie young #abbey bartlet #abigail bartlet #will bailey #kate harper #annabeth schott #amy gardener #joey lucas #kenny thurman #matt santos #ainsley hayes

178 notes · View notes

hawkland · 3 years

Text

Destiel fic recs (round #4) + commentary

Time for another (mostly) Destiel fic rec round-up post before my bookmarks get out of control! This one’s a mix of longer and some shorter fics (or series thereof), no particular theme except I guess a lot of angst, hurting Cas, and all the other things that tickle my Id. Several Season 9 human!Cas divergence fics, plus some later season angst-fests and rewrites.

In the Shadow of your Wings by Enochian Things (Salr323) (52k) The first of two fics by this author which I absolutely fell in love with! Canon-divergence from the end of Season 11. Cas finds himself blasted to Naples, Italy by the banishing sigil in the bunker and he stumbles — almost literally — into a sexy, delightful Italian Man of Letters, Luca. When he makes his way back to the bunker and finds Dean still alive, he tries to confess his feelings but Dean panics and shuts him down. Cas goes back in Italy soon thereafter and ends up beginning a relationship with Luca, much to Dean’s chagrin. Meanwhile Sam is still missing and it turns out there may be some dangerous individuals who are out for Cas more so than even the Winchesters.

I loved everything about this fic so much - Luca is an amazing OC, the Naples and London locations are wonderfully evoked and took me straight back to places I’d been. The angst, the pacing, the plotting and the eventual Dean/Cas getting together are all amazing and this is definitely on my re-read in the future list.

The rest of my recs below the cut!

My heart is beating from me by Enochian Things (Salr323) (55k) The other fic by this author that I literally inhaled in one day! Season 9 Human!Cas canon divergence. It’s been months since Sam and Dean have heard from Cas, and when they do, it’s in the form of a wedding invitation. Cas is getting married to Daphne - the woman who “rescued” him and named him Emmanuel when he’d lost all his memories post-Leviathans. It seems Cas went back to her while on his own and they’ve rekindled their relationship...whatever it is. Dean just knows something isn’t right about her, so he sets out to investigate and try to figure out WTF Cas is doing before it’s too late.

This story is so, so good! The case Dean gets Cas to come along on is unique and provides a neat investigation subplot, but what’s so especially wonderful is the explanation the author gives of who Daphne really is — and why she’d been so cool about just having a strange man with no memories move in to be her “husband” (and then want to marry him for real a couple years later, after he’d vanished from her life!) In fact it’s so brilliant I’m basically accepting it as my Daphne headcanon from now on and I don’t want to spoil it. The fic is also great in exploring Cas still struggling with understanding human emotions, customs and etiquette, Sam is A Very Good Friend, and Dean is, well, Dean. (I’m just sad this author hasn’t written more SPN fics because what they have is just brilliant.)

The wilderness. by orange_crushed (8k) Wonderful, shorter Season 9 canon divergence fic by an author who consistently makes me happy. Human!Cas leaves the bunker with a few things to get off the ground from Dean and directions to connect with Garth...but he ditches that plan to try to find his way on his own. It’s wonderfully detailed about the basic struggles of survival, finding work, making ends meet and trying to make some new friends...and why it’s important for him to prove he can make it on his own before he’s willing to welcome Dean (back) into his life.

I Through My Window See by deHavilland (26k) This is an interesting one, written well before we had canon human!Cas in Season 9. Canon-divergence in which Cas remains human after they avert the apocalypse in Season 5. Sam and Dean set him up in an apartment in Sioux Falls and then...just kind of abandon him there. He spends most of a year just barely existing before a visit from Sam finally stirs him out of his inertia and depression, to eventually get a job and also start hunting on his own. This is an interesting read, if just to see an author exploring the idea of human!Cas abandoned by Dean a few years before it actually...ended up becoming canon! I love how Cas is written in this (it’s a story much like the next one on my list that I thought does an amazing, realistic job of capturing what depression feels like), but I do have some issues with Dean. It’s never fully resolved or explained why Dean was being such an ass so I honestly wasn’t totally sold on the ending - I wanted some more out of Dean, some more explanation or apology or something. It’s a story that would have been great to have a sequel from Dean’s POV but after all this time, that will just have to exist in my brain, I suppose! Still worth a read because it’s excellently written, Cas becomes totally bad ass again by the end and it’s always fun to read early SPN fic speculating on future developments.

I Shall Not Want by domesticadventures (20k) I found myself inhaling a bunch of wonderful short ficlets by this author the other day, but this is the one I had to stop at to rec. It’s another Season 9 divergence fic, of a sort - Cas is newly human, for the sake of the story there’s no Abbadon to worry about, Sam is healed...and Sam wants to move out and get on with his own life. Cas and Dean are both struggling with adapting to their new lives and it’s a hauntingly rich and stark portrayal of depression, inertia, and the slow healing process of accepting and adapting to change. I also liked that this story gives us a Dean who is a little more aware of his feelings for Cas and they both struggle to reach out to each other - for once it’s not sexuality causing a crisis of identity but all the other shit they are coping with.

Don't Sing Love Songs by ireallydidthistomyself (17k). I’m not normally a big fan of baby/toddler!Jack fics - I like the angst that he was forced to grow up too quickly, and in general I’m not big on kid!fic in fandom. This author’s work is a big exception to that. They’ve written several stories along a similar theme: Cas raising Jack on his own/in secret for years, Dean only finding them or coming back into their lives later on. But this is the version of that idea that really packed the most punch for me and was incredibly emotionally satisfying. Dean finds Cas after 6 years, where he’s kept Jack mostly isolated and safe from the world. But with Dean allowed back into his life, Cas may be inviting grave danger upon Jack as well. This one ripped my heart out but managed to make it all better by the end.

Better Ways to Kill Our Time by always_a_birthday_girl (8k) I don’t know why I torture myself reading Dean-in-the-Ma’lak-box AUs, but I do. I think because it’s pretty much my biggest nightmare/horror and for some reason it’s cathartic while terrifying? Anyway here’s one where Dean goes through with his plan, Cas crashes and burns for most of a year, until Dean finally starts doing what he promised he wouldn’t: praying to him. Cas figures out a way to communicate back and over the distance, they manage to have certain conversations they should have years before. It’s painful but lovely and there is a happy ending, so it’s well worth the read!

Time Flows Like Water and We're Drowning by triedunture (7.9k) A little break from the later-seasons stuff I (mostly?) read, featuring a seriously hot (but angsty) Cas/Endverse!Cas/Dean threesome. When Zacariah’s plan to show Dean the future doesn’t change his mind about taking on his “responsibility”, he sends Endverse!Cas back in time to try to convince Cas instead, showing him what he’s to become. I don’t think Zac expected it to turn into a threesome, but it’s hot and beautiful and sad and wonderful all at once.

hachikireru by vaudelin (23k) At one point I went on a wallow-fest of reading a bunch of sad 14x20-15x03 divorce-arc fics. Just to hurt myself more, I guess. I know this fic’s been recced around a lot (at least on fail_fandomanon) and I can see why! After leaving the bunker, Cas ends up in Sioux Falls to visit Claire. She’s busy tracking down leads to find Kaia’s killer and he decides to go along with her on one such hunt. But what they find is an unexpected supernatural threat targeting those with broken hearts. Well. I think you know where that might be leading. This is a wonderful casefic with lots of character moments between Cas & Claire and then Cas & Dean, working through their pain and angst and just...it’s a very satisfying read.

Moriah Codas: A Trilogy by Toomanyfandoms99 (11k total) A series of 3 shorter fics spinning off the events of 14x20, developing a slightly divergent universe the author’s written where Cas does have his wings back and has helped resurrect a few of the angels (Balthazar, Gabriel, and Samandriel in particular). This series is absolutely heartbreaking — Cas is completely broken by Jack’s loss, has “fallen out of love” with Dean after he was ready to kill Jack, and sees no way back to what he’d had and felt before. He’s determined to just let the Empty take him...but not until he and his assembled squad of “avenging angels” clean up the mess Chuck has created, smiting zombies and taking out super-powered monsters across North America.

Cas’s motorcycle gang/angel squad is so fucking awesome (I want a happy fic where they do this!) and this is BAMF!Cas at his finest. I just have to include a quote:

He set down the empty glass, and Gabriel said, “well, dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to kick some zombie ass. Since they have chosen to amass in Carthage, we are here to take out as many as we can without causing this town to flip the fuck out. Are we in agreement?”

“I expect,” Balthazar grinned, “a full-on bar brawl. Do not disappoint me.”

“Cassie, Driel,” Gabriel addressed the duo, “how are we with weapons?”

“I have enough machetes in a storage facility uptown to film a Jackie Chan movie,” Castiel said.

But it’s also utterly and completely heartbreaking, so don’t read this one if you need a happy ending. If you do read, check out the author’s other later-season coda fics and fic series as they are all really great.

to mend what is not broken by gothyringwald (2.6k) This last short one I’ve mentioned before, but I just have to rec it again! It was my gift for the 2021 Hurt Comfort Gift Exchange and it’s everything I wanted, and more. Sweet and caring Dean, wounded but still prideful Cas, and some lovely wing!kink/wing!care that pushes all of my button just right.

Anyway, that’s it for now as I think this is long enough. If you enjoy my recs, could you let me know? I try to not just list titles but give some commentary...as it helps me re-find stories I enjoyed the most, too!

#destiel recs #my fic recs #deancas fic recs #my destiel recs

20 notes · View notes

hopevalley · 3 years

Text

Season 8, Episode 7: Before My Very Eyes

This episode sure was a rollercoaster, wasn’t it?

Let’s dive right on in. :)

Plotlines:

The Love Triangle & Allie’s Adoption

Ned & The Canfields

Christopher’s Performance

Clara and Jesse

I guess you could say the plotlines were better written together/integrated in this episode than in previous ones. There’s a lot going on but most of the filming and plots just...rolled together?

For example, the saloon as the “gathering place” where multiple plot points take place simultaneously was really cool IMO. It helps the town feel livelier.

The Love Triangle & Allie’s Adoption

The love triangle is...an enigma. I’m probably in the minority of not really being that invested in who Elizabeth ends up with, but I doubt I’m in the minority regarding my general feelings on the love triangle: I want it to end.

I think we’re at a point where it’s just super frustrating for everyone involved, and we’re stretching the limits of suspension of disbelief when it comes to the audience.

I don’t think we’d be as harsh on the triangle if we had double the episodes a season. We get a whopping 12 this season, more than we’ve gotten in a long time, so space is limited, and time is limited, and we know she’ll reach a decision toward the end of this season, so there’s that...I don’t know...pressure I guess, on the characters and the episodes to showcase things in a manner that feels natural and moves well.

For what it’s worth I’m fine with Elizabeth’s turtle-pace, but with only 6 episodes left (5 after this episode aired), knowing she’ll pick someone soon (and it will probably be Nathan)... It makes it really difficult to stomach the Lucas scenes—not because I don’t want to see her with Lucas if she won’t end up with him, but because I feel really bad for Lucas!

Especially with the intense fourth-wall-breaking level of awareness Lucas seems to have regarding the situation. Yes, I’m talking about the line he quoted.

“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not.”

That’s only half the quote. This is the full quote:

“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.”

—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sure, it’s applied to Henry, but it seems almost...too knowledgeable to me?

So, the quote is from the novel Hyperion: A Romance, published in 1839. Longfellow’s wife Mary died in 1836 after a miscarriage. Overwhelmed by grief Longfellow took trips to Europe and spent seven years trying to woo Frances Appleton. She eventually agreed to marry him.

Hyperion was inspired by this. Paul is the main character. He travels through Germany after the death of a friend, and falls in love with an Englishwoman named Mary Ashburton. She rejects him.

To say this was a thinly-veiled autobiography of sorts is, uh, an understatement. To have Lucas quoting it in When Calls the Heart feels...odd. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was an omen of sorts, but...we can’t forget Lucas’s parents’ history: his mother refused to marry his father for years, just like Frances refused to marry Longfellow.

It’s not a bad quote or anything...it’s just...frustratingly on the nose.

I did appreciate Elizabeth’s admission of not wanting to be one of Lucas’s “secret sorrows.” They’re courting publicly anyway, everyone knows it. It’s time for them to be a little more open about it, at least in little ways. Him squeezing her hand on the saloon table shouldn’t be a big deal at this point.

If this was the storyline we were getting for Elizabeth (her slowly working her way toward something with Lucas) I’d be happy with it. I’m still Team Nathan but I like Lucas a lot this season and would be content with a storyline for him.

THE THING IS...I don’t think that is going to happen, and it makes me feel terrible to see him getting strung along like this. Elizabeth doesn’t come off as “has feelings for Lucas and is just nervous about showcasing it” for multiple reasons. First, she was very PDA-like with Jack, and secondly, that’s just...not how the scenes seem to be written. You can assume her reasoning but she never once is the one initiating and then backing off. He always initiates. She always backs off. It’s unbalanced and makes me feel bad for Lucas.

I really hope we get to sit inside his head a bit longer/more seriously at some point. Maybe he’s aware of her feelings for Nathan and is willing to try anyway because he believes that to some extent love is a choice? That would be really interesting tbh.

As it is, I just feel sorry for Lucas. Not that I think Elizabeth wouldn’t have hangups with Nathan, too, but I just feel like Elizabeth’s hangups with Nathan are more fear of what she is feeling/fear of what could happen to him in the future/fear of her heart being broken again, whereas with Lucas it’s almost like she’s not feeling it and trying to force that kind of affection with him makes her feel weird/gross/bad.

I definitely think she has a good friendship base with Lucas, but if the feelings aren’t there, they aren’t there.

Sorry, my thoughts are muddled. There wasn’t a lot going on with the triangle in this episode in terms of...triangley things. I just wish Elizabeth would choose so that the plotline could go away. I’m tired of seeing people strung along.

Nathan was pretty good in this episode. I appreciated his talk with Allie a lot; choosing to be kind and want good things for someone you like is a good example to set. I feel like in the café Allie’s dialogue about Elizabeth smiling at him was off; she probably should have said something more like, “If she doesn’t like you like that, then why does she smile at you that way?” might have sounded better. (He could have said “what way?” and she could have batted her eyes at him lmao.) Allie already knows Elizabeth is courting Lucas...and if we’re to believe the smile directed at Nathan is what tips Allie’s invite consideration to her adoption ceremony, then that would have been a better way to approach it (instead of “Did you see the way she smiled at you?!”).

I really loved that Lucas got Nathan and Allie a little gift. Honestly I just want Lucas and Nathan to be friends or something because the actors have good chemistry together and there’s a shortage of good male friendships in the show that feel Good. I wonder if we’ll find out what the gift was at any point?

The end with Allie only inviting Elizabeth to the ceremony was hilarious. I wanted to actually see the ceremony (because Nathan promising not to leave her was SUCH a good line, I almost got emotional over that and I wanted to see it put into play again) but the imagery it left us with (it looks like a wedding...) was clear enough haha.

Poor Bill, stuck in the middle of that.

Speaking of Bill, the adoption being “on him” was really sweet. And then of course Bill can’t keep the moment tender because he’s always so Uncomfortable with Feelings, but it’s still very sweet.

Ned & The Canfields

I don’t have a whole lot to say here, but I really appreciated this storyline. It wasn’t the best-written surgery-medical-wise, but it felt heartfelt and that’s what matters.

Florence running around trying to do everything herself while also stressing out about Ned really felt...real. And then of course Rosemary getting appointed to the phones and gossiping forever...hahah.

I’m glad I saw the writing on the wall with Joseph; of course he’s a former pastor! I really am intrigued by what his “plans” are that are not church-related. I like that they tried not to make him exactly like Frank, but boy what I wouldn’t give to see them both pastoring in Hope Valley. Then Joseph could pursue his dream while also pastoring a bit, and so could Frank. It’d be nice, and they’d probably get along swell.

Seeing more faith/prayer in the show has been great. Also, Joseph and Minnie are so cute together... I adore them.

Christopher’s Performance

And here we are, talking about the man of the hour... Christopher. Henry’s “secret sorrow” or the product of Henry’s secret sorrow? It almost makes me think he got over Nora with Christopher’s mother and she cut off ties with him and married Jerry the banker.

Henry’s opinion of Jerry is obviously not great, but he’s respectful enough to not talk badly about him. It makes me wonder if Jerry is a worse man than Henry is, though. Maybe so? I wonder if we’ll get more information about it.

They really did a good casting job with Christopher; he manages to look similar enough to Henry and kind of...mimic his way of smiling and movement that’s almost uncanny.

Of course...as Rosemary says, she knows a performance when she sees one.

I’m wondering if Bill feels similarly...

But boy do we know how Lucas feels! Lee tells Lucas that his pocketwatch has been missing “about a week now.”

Lucas confronts Christopher and instead of Christopher being like, “Oh no! I’ll keep my eyes open in case he dropped it somewhere or maybe the chain broke!” he’s really sarcastic about it?

He then tries for the second time to control Lucas (treats him like...he can order him around/bully him) by asking if Lucas found him a bigger room yet. This dude has a serious ego. The sound of Lucas intentionally shutting the door after this was delicious, though.

“If I find that you’re picking pockets, I don’t care who you are or why you’re here. You’ll be on the next stage out of town.”

Christopher just...almost smiles and stands up. “I didn’t steal any watch.”

Lucas says, “And I should believe you?”

Christopher responds with, “That’s your choice.”

Lucas leaves, and then Christopher pulls the watch out of his pocket.

He seems to feel a little guilty when he reads the inscription...but still. He’s so skeevy.

And then he takes the flowers Jesse drops off the ground...to give to...Rachel... Honey, you got a big storm comin’... She knows he’s bad news but I guess she’s into it. Yikes.

And then we have the scene where Mike comes to Henry with a great idea he has, and is interrupted by the arrival of Christopher. Henry tells him he wants him to teach Christopher everything he knows. Mike’s enthusiasm dries up right away.

I think Mike also realizes Christopher is bad news.

And Henry’s just so excited to be “looked up to” and “seen as a father of sorts” that he can’t see what’s right in front of him. Normally he’d be attuned to bullshit just as clearly as Bill and Rosemary and the rest, but...his bias is in the way. He wants to fix his past so bad he doesn’t realize it might not be worth it...

I hope Mike keeps his idea to himself but I have a super bad awful feeling he’ll admit it to Christopher and then Christopher will pitch it to Henry as his own idea. I feel sick just thinking of it!

Clara and Jesse

Clara and Jesse were starting to repair things juuust every so slightly and then he gets mad that she’s shortening her skirt and...it all goes to hell.

It’s not that I don’t love a little drama but this is just...I don’t know. Maybe too much? I liked Clara’s discussion with Joseph because he tells her the honest truth (and he’s full of advice, for better or worse, just like me HAHA): you can’t repair your marriage if you’re not around one another to even begin to heal the wounds/talk about things.

I’m not very invested in these two as characters these days, and I’m not sure what would fix it, but this spat being dragged out for ages ain’t it right now. I’m keeping an open mind, though; it could go somewhere interesting...and at least it didn’t get resolved in one episode.

Also, I appreciated Clara venting to Bill in that “I still care about him very much way” while Bill tries (somewhat awkwardly) to support her choice(s). He’s in a bit of a tough spot; he can’t offer advice freely because not many people are going to take marriage advice from a divorced man who didn’t marry for love in the first place anyway. It’s just good to see him trying to act supportive for Clara.

Other thoughts:

I see we’re getting more of the plotline where Bill has to give up his uniform, but he actually made a really good point in this episode about that. He did earn it! And then insult to injury...trying to make him give up his horse, too?

It’s cute that his horse’s name is Hero; I feel like that was stated much earlier in the show (maybe S3 or S4?) but I’d forgotten it, tbh. How wholesome.

“Am I being prideful?” I think this was a good question for Bill to ask, and honestly it probably took a bit of courage for him to even ask Lee about it/admit that maybe he was being a bit prideful. But like, it’s okay to take pride in your work/the work you’ve done. He did earn all of it and it’s not really fair to ask for him to give it all up. The jacket is one thing (it’s a physical item; yes it shows all the hard work he put in but it’s just an object), but the horse? That’s an emotional bond and it’s rather cruel to break it.

Lee excited to try on the jacket was literally the cutest thing, and I loved that Bill folded and let him try it on. Honestly? Lee looked pretty good in it!

That scene was the definition of BOYS WILL BE BOYS, hahaha.

Also, Elizabeth’s line: “Haven’t you ever lost someone so close to your heart that it tears you apart?” was SO CRINGEY. I don’t know how that made it into the finished episode. Please, writers... read this shit aloud before you film the show. READ ALL YOUR WRITING ALOUD TO HEAR THE CADANCE. I’m literally begging you.

But also, the whole concept is still cringe. You don’t know Dylan, Elizabeth. You didn’t know Colleen. You don’t know if he loved Colleen or not. You don’t know why he ran out on Allie. You’re projecting? Maybe? But even if he did fall to pieces over Colleen’s death, that was no reason to hurt poor Allie who had nothing to do with it and did nothing wrong.

They should have edited the line to say something slightly different. “Tears you to pieces” would have sufficed. And not rhymed on accident.

Last thing for now...the lack of Carson and Faith in this episode was amazing. I know the surgery with Ned will push Carson to either take the fellowship and return to Hope Valley to be of more use there and/or push him to just stay where he is because there’s no one else in the area with his skill level.

I think I’ll be happy with it if he becomes an area surgeon more than a regular doctor... it would help him and Faith both feel necessary for different reasons. And also, he was a surgeon when he arrived in Hope Valley in S4, so it’s clearly his strongest point (and best training/experience).

So uh, how ‘bout that preview for next episode, though? WHOA.

Hopefully this isn’t too scattered; work has gotten a lot busier since the weather got nicer, so I have less time to write without interruption lmao.

#when calls the heart #season 8 spoilers #season 8 shenanigans #analysis and meta discussion #character studies and information

13 notes · View notes

yikesharringrove · 4 years

Note

So I have this theory that Steve and billy would take a long time to get to each other. They both have so much damage. They know they would be amazing but they also know they aren’t ready yet. So they go with their separate ways. They grow up, they get better. 10 years later they are both back home for a wedding (let’s say Dustin/Erica because I personally think they would be awesome. She would run his life and he would thank her for it) And S/B realize they are ready now. The timing is perfect

Read on Ao3.

“It looks good, buddy.”

Steve was sitting bored in the leather armchair. His hand was propping his chin as he stared at Dustin. He had tried out 18 suits and Steve was tired.

“I don’t know, Steve. I don’t think I like the blue.” It was his sixth navy suit. Steve wanted to bash his head in.

“I still maintain I like the first one.” Dustin took another look in the mirror before nodding.

“I’ll put the first one back on.” Steve groaned at the ceiling.

Steve was Dustin’s Best Man. They had kept in close contact even as Steve moved to Chicago, worked entry-level jobs until he went to college, studied, and became a special education teacher.

Dustin had recently graduated from MIT, was living in Indianapolis with Erica. He worked at an engineering lab, was designing already. Steve was very proud. The past few months he had driven to Indy every Friday and staying through the weekend, helping him with plans, the registry, and addressing invitations. He nearly shit when he wrote Billy Hargrove’s name and address.

“Okay, I think this is the one.” Dustin was back in the first one. Steve wanted to hit his head against the wall until he fucking died.

“Okay, so we’ve got me and your mom, and the Sinclairs, and Marnie, and Robin at Table 1. Table 2 is El and Mike and Will and Seth and Reggie and Max and Angie and Lucas, which, shouldn’t he sit at table one? Family and that. Table 3 is Nancy and Jonathan and Mrs. Byers and Hopper and-” Steve choked on the next name. “Billy? Why didn’t you tell me he was coming?” Dustin looked up from the huge board they had been using to make the seating chart.

“Does it matter?”

“Yes. You know he’s the love of my fucking life.” Steve was gawking at Dustin who rolled his eyes.

"He's not. You've just been gross and hung up on him for ten years, Steve. That's lame."

"We could've had something! We were getting close and I kept-"

"You were getting closer and you kept feeling electricity and then he died and then he was fine and then he ran away to California I know, Steve." Steve felt his face heat up He looked back at the seating chart. "Stop pouting."

"I'm not pouting." He was totally pouting. "It's just, I haven't seen him in ten years. It's gonna be, what if he's moved on."

"He's not bringing a plus one."

"Maybe they couldn't come." Dustin rolled his eyes.

"Just fucking talk to him when you see him. Don't know why it has to be such a big deal."

"I can't talk to him, Dustin. what would I say?"

"Start with hi, Billy. And just see where it takes you."

"I just, it's been a while since I've dated and-"

"But it's time you moved on from Taylor. I told you that guys was bad news, and lo and fucking behold, he ends up sucking." Steve shifted uncomfortably. That relationship had ended over three years ago, ended with Steve spending two months on Robin's couch. He was still in therapy over it.

"Yeah, I know." Steve was talking to his arms, folding tightly over his chest.

"Buddy, I'm not trying to be an ass. Just saying. You're doing much better after that. And Max says Billy's really good. That he's got his life on track and is happy."

"Then he probably has someone. And he might not even be into guys!"

"Okay, then get over your lame self, and be his friend." Steve huffed. "But whatever you do, just help me finish this fucking seating chart."

Steve was fucking running.

He had been in charge of the rings, and he had, misplaced them.

Because of course he fucking did. Of course, he held onto them for weeks only to lose them on the day.

He was sweating through his white shirt in the Hawkins heat. Running from room to room in the upstairs of the old house. His parents kept the Hawkins house, just in case they were ever passing through. Steve doesn't think they've spent more than three hours in it since he was nineteen, but it gave him a free place to crash whenever he was in town.

He was tearing through rooms, anywhere he could've been these past few hours. He knows he had the rings when he put on his shirt, had them in his pocket when he realized he needed cufflinks.

He flew downstairs, rummaging through the drawer in his father's side of the bathroom, finding the rings exactly where he had stolen the cufflinks from. They were thin, gold bands. Erica's had a small diamond set into it. They were engraved on the inside, quotes for Star Wars, Dustin's holding Princess Leia's I love you, Erica's with Han Solo's I know. Steve had made fun of them endlessly when he had picked them up from the jeweler's.

"Steve, you're a fucking idiot and also a genius." He scrambled to his car, driving well over the speed limit to the venue, a historic house in the old part of Hawkins. It was grand and beautiful and much cooler than the summer air outside. Steve was so focused on delivering the rings he didn't notice the Camaro sitting out front, still in its pristine condition. He opened doors at random, getting screamed at by Erica's Maid of Honor, Marnie, when he burst into the wrong room. Marnie fucking hated Steve, and he didn't really know why. Apparently it had something to do with the engagement party. But, he got blackout fucking drunk at that thing, so he had no idea what she was so pissed about.

Well, now she was quite obviously pissed that he had slammed open the door to find her and Erica in robes, getting their makeup done. She threw a shoe at his head.

He was fucking sprinting down a hallway when he crashed right into a fucking wall, solid and steady. He was knocked back on his ass,

"Oh shit, sorry!" He looked up, finding Billy Hargrove staring down at him. "Steve fucking Harrington. As I live and breathe." Billy's hair was long, was wild and big. He was wearing a well-fitting suit, looked thick and muscled, more than he had in high school. Steve's mouth went fucking dry. Billy had his shirt unbuttoned to the bottom of his sternum, showing off a large chest piece, gorgeous flowers weaving around and through the scar on his chest. Steve could see it was healed, but still raised, pink and shiny in a few areas, the skin pulled and puckered where Billy had been stitched back together.

Billy extended a hand, a scarred tattooed hand, and heaved Steve off the floor.

"Hi, Billy." Billy grinned at him. It was softer than he remembered. "You look good."

"You seen yourself? You're still as pretty as I remember." Steve fucking giggled like a fucking schoolgirl. He had let his hair grow out some since high school. Some of the kids liked his long hair.

"What have you, what have you been up to?" Steve was overly aware of his arms. Was trying to find a way to hold himself that didn't look stupid.

"You know, California. USed my government hush money to go to culinary school. I'm a sous-chef now at a restaurant in L.A."

"Oh, wow. Congratulations. You've really, you've come a long way. You look, happy." Steve flushed a little more.

"What are you doin', Pretty Boy?" Steve's heart tripped over itself at the old nickname.

"I'm in Chicago, now. I teach special education at an elementary school. I'm actually, I'm in line to become head of the department when the current one, when she retires." Billy's eyes crinkled at the corners with his smile.

"That's so perfect for you. What made you choose special ed?"

"I went to college and learned I'm dyslexic." Billy barked a laugh, one Steve had never heard before, a fucking real one.

"You didn't know? I could've told you that!"

"I mean, I just thought I was fucking stupid, but once I learned what the problem was, the university gave me some resources to help. I was actually in the nursing program, but I kept thinking about how the university helped me so much, that getting a real diagnosis was fucking life-changing, not only for school, but just in the way I thought about myself. I don't want kids to grow up like I did, convinced that their literal disability is just, just stupidity." Steve met Billy's eyes, saw them glow with fondness.

"I'm so happy for you, Steve. I'm so proud you found such an amazing calling, you seem like you've come such a long way." Billy squeezed his upper arm, made Steve melt.

"Thank you, that, that really means a lot to m-"

"Steve! I have been looking for you for hours. Where have you been, Asshole?" Dustin was stomping down the hall

"Doesn't matter. I'm here, I've got the rings, I'm ready to go."

"Did you not have the rings?" Dustin looked like he was going to explode.

"I have them! See!" Steve pulled them out of his pocket, clinking them together. "All engraved with your nerd shit and ready." Billy was watching them, an amused look on his face.

"You are a nightmare and the worst best man in the history of-"

"Can you not be dramatic for one fucking da-"

"I'm allowed to be dramatic today, I'm getting marrie-"

"You're never allowed to be dramatic you little-"

"God, you two really are brothers. You fight like siblings." They both whipped to look at Billy, giving him the exact same pissed off-glare. Billy laughed at them.

"Look, I'll get outta y'all's hair." He clapped Steve on the shoulder. "It's good to see you, Stevie. Hope we can catch up more. Congrats, Dustin." He trotted down the hall. Dustin grinned at Steve.

"It's GOOD to see you, STEVIE. He's totally into you. It's exhausting being right all the time." Steve slapped his arm.

The ceremony was short and sweet.

Steve stood behind Dustin, handed him a tissue when he got all misty, took one for himself when he began tearing up. He noticed Billy sitting a few rows back, noticed how his eyes were always on Steve whenever Steve's trailed over to him. He was smiling softly at him, even fucking winked at Steve, made him go red and look away. Robin noticed something off about him, noticed the way he was flushed, raised her eyebrow for her spot in the first row with Claudia. He shook his head.

The cocktail hour took place outside in the oppressive heat as the large ballroom was altered from ceremony set-up, to dinner and dancing. Steve was overseeing the transition, as Dustin was extremely specific, and someone needed to deal with it.

"You've been weird all day." Robin knocked her shoulder into his. "It finally catching up to you that one of your kids is married?"

"Mike and El have been married for like, years."

"Yeah, but Dustin is your baby." Steve rolled his eyes.

"It really doesn't bug me. I just, Billy's here. We like, talked earlier. And he kept, lookin' at me." She sighed.

"You know what I've always said about Billy. When he was coming into Scoops like, every day and being all flirty. But just, be careful he's been through a lot and, I just don't want the whole Taylor situation to happen again." He shuffled his feet.

"It won't. He seemed, happy. Like he was all bright and was, was laughing, and I've never heard him laugh like that." Her eyes were soft.

"Just be careful, Dingus."

At dinner, Steve had to give his speech.

He was a wreck, had dropped his cards, and started fucking crying a couple different times. But he got laughs in all the right places, and Claudia had cried loudly so he was feeling pretty alright about it.

He had made a point not to look at Billy the whole time, couldn't fathom looking into his bright eyes as he talked. As dinner winded to a close, the bar opened, and the music began.

Dustin and Erica's first dance was so sweet, they had chosen At Last, the Etta James number that made Steve and Claudia tear up. Lucas took Erica out next, swapping with Mr. Sinclair as Claudia took Dustin.

And then the music devolved into upbeat dance numbers, kept everyone on their feet for hours.

Steve was taking a much-needed break. Nancy had worn him out during Rio, arguably the best Duran Duran dong to ever exist according to Steve.

"You're really tearing it up out there. Nice to see your taste hasn't changed at all." Billy was leaning against the bar, was nursing an amber-colored drink. Steve sipped his pink wine.

"I stand by Duran Duran." Billy laughed, leaning forward enough for Steve to feel his warmth.

"Your speech was nice."

"Thank you! I was so fucking nervous, you have no idea." It was easy talking to Billy. Felt like not a day had passed since they were sitting on the hood of Steve's car at the quarry together, throwing rocks into the water and passing a joint back and forth.

"I wanna know everything about from these past ten years." Steve took in a big breath.

"You pretty much know it all. Took me a good while to get my shit together and get through school, finding something I'm passionate about."

"But there has to be more. A lot can happen in ten years. You dating anyone?" Steve's heart lodged itself in his throat. He blinked down at his wine.

"Not right now. Last one was, uh, it really fucked me up." Billy's hand was so warm when he placed it on Steve's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I asked. You don't gotta explain." Steve blinked, shaking himself.

"Are you, are you with someone?" Billy chuckled. He ran a hand through his hair, through the wild curls Steve was obsessed with.

"Nah. Hard to find guys that don't get weirded out by the scars. I've got a whole lotta baggage."

"Sorry, guys?" Billy gave him an odd look.

"Yeah, Harrington. Guys. I'm gay. That a problem?" It was the closest Billy had looked to his old Hawkins self, puffing his chest up.

"No, that's not a problem. Just didn't know is all. I'm, uh, I'm bisexual." Billy's eyebrows shot up.

"No shit?"

"No shit." Billy smirked at him.

"You know I've always had a thing for you." Steve choked on his wine, coughing harshly as Billy laughed, thumping him on the back.

"Don't say that shit to me. I've had the biggest stupidest fucking crush on you since I was seventeen. That summer before everything when to shit, when we were, like, hanging out, I kept thinking something was gonna, was gonna happen." Billy's smile fell.

"I know. I'm sorry, Stevie. I just, I wasn't good back then. I was so fucking angry, about moving to Hawkins, and everything with my dad, and then getting possessed, I wouldn't've been good to you. And you deserve good, Stevie. You wouldn't have grown like you did if you were always trying to take care 'a me."

"Sometimes, the growing hurt, and I, I wish some of it hadn't have happened."

"I know how that feels, Pretty Boy. But the growing, sometimes it has to hurt. Everything that happened to me, everything with that thing, it made me who I am, and for the first time in my whole life, I really like who I am." Steve took a breath.

"You know, I never got the story from you. Why you actually moved to Hawkins. You'd say something different and ridiculous every time I asked." Billy looked down at his drink.

"My dad. He caught me with a boy in my room. He said, he told me living in the midwest would straighten me out. I think he thought either I play straight or I'd get hate crimed."

"I'm sorry, Bill." He smiled at him, just one side of his mouth ticking up.

"Honestly, Pretty Boy. Like I said, everything really happens for a reason. That's what I live by now, because all that horrible shit, it led me here, and I'm okay."

"Good for you, Bill. I really mean that. You've made such a great life for yourself." Billy pressed in closer to him, made Steve's breath catch.

"Thank you, Sweet Thing. That means a lot comin' from you." He leaned even further into Steve's space. "You wanna get outta here? I've got a nice hotel room." Steve felt warmth spread down his spine. He hooked a finger into one of Billy's belt loops.

"You know, I've always loved that car 'a yours. First time I saw you get out of it, kept thinking about getting fucked in that back seat." Billy groaned, his head falling onto Steve's shoulder.

"It's parked right outside." Steve leaned to Billy's ear.

"Race ya."

They ran, giggling like little kids all the way to Billy's vintage car. Billy fumbled with the keys, dropping them twice before Steve yanked open the door, diving in the back seat.

They were still giggling as they struggled outta their clothes, making out in between items. Steve flopped down once he was undressed, pulling Billy down on top of him, laughing as Billy knocked the wind out of him.

The giggles turned to moans when Billy latched onto his neck, sucking and biting. He finally put his hand in those curls, the other trailing down his back, ghosting over the scars there.

"I love all your tattoos. So gorgeous." Billy pressed kisses down his chest. He stopped at the large scar running from the inside of Steve's collarbone a few inches down his arm.

"What's this from?" Steve stiffened under him. He sat up, brushing some hair off of Steve's forehead.

"It's, it's from a surgery I had."

"What happened?" Steve pushed his hand away from the scar.

"Shattered my collarbone." Steve was sitting up, was tugging his pants back on.

"Shit, Stevie, I'm sorry. I won't, you don't have to talk about it." Steve huffed, flopping back into the seat.

"It's okay. It's just-" He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Billy tugged his own slacks back on. "The relationship I told you about. The last one I was in." BIlly's eyes went big. He took Steve's hand.

"Stevie, I'm sorry." Steve shook his head."How long were you two together?"

"A little over four years."

"Holy shit."

"I ended things over three years ago. Packed my shit and left when he was at work. Lived with Robin after that." He crossed his arms over his middle. "I should've known too. There were, there were so many red flags, but I didn't, I never really ever felt loved, and he told me that he loved me, and so I stayed. Through everything."

"Was he your first relationship since Nancy?"

"Like, full relationship. Once I moved to the city, I let myself go wild a little bit, fucked around with a lot of different people. I thought he was it for me, thought he was the one. We moved in together after about six months." Billy placed a hand on Steve's thigh.

"I'm sorry, Baby. I know how you feel. I know how painful it is to live like that."

"I know you do. And I'm, Robin and Dustin really helped me. They helped me find a support group for queer abuse survivors, and, and Robin drove me to therapies, and I'm so much better, but it's, especially the scar, it's a painful reminder." Billy leaned over, pressing a light kiss to the center of it.

"Stevie, I really like you. I'd like to do this properly. I want to take you on a date." Steve looked at him with wide eyes.

"You, really?"

"Yeah, Baby. Been gone on you since I was sixteen years old." Steve took Billy's face between each palm, kissed him softly, smiled into it, into how right it felt, these two broken boys, these two healed men finally finding one another again.

#yikes writes #harringrove #steve harrington #steve harrington x billy hargrove #billy hargrove x steve harrington #billy hargrove #harringrove fic #harringrove ficlet #harringrove drabble #harringrove au

133 notes · View notes

offtopicoverload · 3 years

Note

Howdy there!! Who are the li’s you fancy the most from LITG??

hi! thanks for the ask!

i honestly dunno who’s my top answer, cuz they’re all interesting in their own way

I’m only going to talk about female LIs cuz the only male routes I’ve finished are Bobby and Jake, and I tapped through most of Jake and only ended with Bobby on my first run cuz I never unlocked Marisol, so I’m not the best source lol

Talia:

She’s just so chill but has no problem standing up for MC, she has her back no matter what

Which, like, what a queen

She’s the original and only one of 4 LIs, which maybe it’s just me, but for a game based on an incredibly heteronormative reality show, allowing representation for queer audiences from launch is such a big deal and so cool to me, so Talia’s kind of special in my mind

She was also my first LI so nostalgia points

And she’s such an easy LI, not much drama on her route outside of Lucy, just her having MC’s back as the boys make themselves look like idiots

And she has so much potential, like I know some people think her only personality trait is fancying MC, which I mean, is a little fair, but there’s so many opportunities for her in fics and headcanons to develop the good amount of information we got on her in 13 days

I absolutely love how self-aware and confident she is

She just went for what she wanted, struggled a bit with commitment at first, because who wouldn’t, but after that it was smooth sailing

Like obviously what she said in the Beach Hut at the beginning of the season wasn’t great for MC, but she knew exactly what she wanted out of her time on the show

She was confident in herself and her sexuality so much so that she was just down to have a fling with a girl and not worry about how it would effect the show

And then she *coupled up* with that same girl, not even giving a shit about the rules or anything

A queen

Allegra:

I know she’s not an official LI, but her arc is what got me into writing so she gets a million points for that

I love what could have been done with her progression if she was given an actual route, I’m a sucker for some good enemies to lovers, but alas, she’s canonically a bad bitch with a lot of internalised homophobia yet enough confidence to ask MC out

I still love her

Marisol:

I know so many people hate her, and I get it, but I do really like her growth

Maybe it’s cuz I’m pretty analytical too, but her analyses never bothered me or anything, and now that I’ve played her route so many times, it’s pretty obvious that that’s a defense mechanism, and I understand that

She very much so has a “figure their weaknesses out before they have a chance to figure mine out” attitude, and I’m 99% positive it’s because of the ex that Elisa reminded her of

So not only has she been burned in the past, I’m willing to bet it was by the only woman she’s been in a serious relationship with

I really have no problem with her commitment issues, it’s understandable, and I can really empathise with her fear of coming out, it’s absolutely terrifying even if you’ve accepted it and bought a flag, saying the words can be really difficult

My biggest issue is her entitlement and immaturity, I guess?

Like her using Graham to make MC jealous just feels like an excuse to crack on with him and still have MC available for when she’s ready

I understand her being scared to couple up, but playing games to distract herself just made things with MC worse

And unless youre on her route, and sometimes even when you are, it’s clear to me that she expects things and has no problem saying what they are, but going after them is a problem?

Like her going after Lurik even though they don’t have a connection, or Gary even when he’s with Hannah

But then it never works and she gets sad and I melt because I’m weak

ALSO, can I just say how awful it is that Lucas and Henrik don’t pick her unless they have to???

Like cmon she deserves MC after that

And when they finally couple up? And she’s all soft? The GROWTH ohmygod

Anyway I love who Marisol became, maybe not everything she started out as, but definitely the person she ended the season as, more confident and self assured and willing to be vulnerable

It’s precious

Elisa:

I still haven’t done an Elisa route

I tried to a couple months ago, but dumping Marisol felt so cruel, what the hell was Fusebox thinking with that??

I do really like that they learned from their mistake though, even if they went in the opposite direction

From what I’ve seen of Elisa, she can be pretty sweet, I’ve seen her described as a Lucas-Bobby hybrid, and while that’s not the most interesting personality to me, I will say that she’s a really cool character that FB messed up on

Why did they make her a straight up villain???

And why ONLY her???

None of the other female LIs have been villains or had such a complete 180

Like her going from shouting at Chelsea, who is literally meant to be MC’s ride or die and the person outside of your LI that youre supposed to want to defend and avenge, to “i cant even sleep because im pining so hard”

I know the treatment of black women has been discussed before, specifically in regards to Hope and Erikah, and it is by no means my place to speak on it, but I definitely think something’s going on with Elisa

Anywayyyy, I love her archetype

The celebrity and influencer has so much potential, to the point that I wrote a one shot without even knowing her lmao

And she’s so confident in a way that’s so different from Marisol

She doesn’t even care if MC’s happily coupled up, she WILL get in her pants and I respect that

In conclusion, Fusebox did her dirty and I’m probably going to try and retcon some canon for her in the future

Lottie:

Ohmygod

Lottie

A goth babe

Lottie

Yeah, anyway, so I love her

Her growth is just unbeatable in my opinion

Yeah, she still has her flaws by the end of the season, but she went from ready to rip everyone’s throat out to biting her tongue around Hannah

And her and MC???

And the development between them???

Ugh

No matter what way you swing it, you’ve either got best friends to lovers or enemies to lovers and I adore both

And her aesthetic is one of my favourites, I’m alt myself and having a character like that is just so cool

My Runaways MC is a ball of sunshine with some hidden darkness specifically because Lottie’s such a dark cloud but can start shining with the right person, and that’s my absolute favourite trope

But man were the wedding episodes a cop out

Why couldn’t they give her the Noah treatment? Or the single treatment? Where they just get together after the show? Same with Hannah, why are they giving such an intense confession after who knows how long of literally nothing, like no communication even????

Don’t get me wrong, I kinda simultaneously love it for the angst and yearning, but it just… makes no sense?

So yeah, amazing bat lady that I seriously vibe with and wish my MC could have wifed up

Hannah:

I know this is a little controversial buuuut

I fucking love Hannah

But only OGHannah, Returning Hannah was butchered and I will never let that go

And it was such a toxic message too, that she needed to change herself and her appearance just to get a guy to like her?

Fuck that, Original Hannah was amazing and perfect exactly as she was

I love her trope, too, the naivety and how obvious and clear it was that she’s still learning about the world and relationships, to the point that it’s going to get her in trouble

And her obsession with fairy tales?

Fucking adorable ohmygod

I started a fic a while ago that I think I’m gonna scrap, that just indulged in the fairy tale metaphors and stuff because I just love how cute it is lmao

If she wasn’t dumped, I think she could have had amazing growth alongside Lottie, and their friendship/kinda, probably, most-definitely-if-MC’s-not-there-more-than-a-friendship growing together would have been so good

In an alternate reality Hope was dumped instead, and that helps me sleep at night

I firmly stand by the fact that Noah should have been the deciding factor between Hope and Hannah/MC, where Lottie said something that screwed with his head earlier in the day to make sure her friends were safe

Noah should have saved Hannah/MC and Hope should have returned with Rocco, hellbent on revenge and proving herself

That would have been so good for Noah stans and such good drama, that actually made perfect sense

Hope was fully expecting that she’d get picked by Noah because they’d spent three days attached at the hip and then to just… not have that happen. It would have driven her insane and if there was then a scene with MC where she just like, gives up

Like she’s spent the past two days grafting Noah but he won’t make up his mind and she’s just done and MC can comfort her or fight with her and you just get to humanize her make her vulnerable and hurting and I fucking WISH they did something like that, even for RHannah

And Hannah’s growth in the Villa would have been so amazing

I think her idea of a perfect guy is definitely too much, and I’m not advocating that she settles by any means, just that she could have learned that there are things more important than money

That conversation on day 1 where you choose between money, kindness, and intelligence still baffles me

Like why are you a gold digger Hannah?!?!

Why don’t you just want a Prince/ss Charming???

Her and Hope should have swapped and I don’t understand why they weren’t

I mean, I do really like Hope, but Hannah’s just so cute and has so much to learn and her struggling in the Villa just to have a lightbulb moment with MC would have been precious and now I want to write it dammit

Anyway, Hannah is adorable and had so much potential and she never should have returned if they were just going to scrap everything that made her Hannah, except for snooty literature

I wanna listen to her rattle on about Belle and Mulan and every other Disney Princess and what they meant for representation and progress in media and then compare them to their original stories like a dweeb and I would have melted on the spot

Like yes, please tell me more about how gruesome Cinderella is

She should have shown up at the finale and hugged MC and been innocent and sweet so I could have just lost my shit for like a half hour

But stan OGHannah, burn RHannah

AJ:

Adorable, precious, denied an arc outside of coming out

I am not exaggerating when I say that I cried at 4:30 in the morning at her blushing face when playing the first two days

It’s just so fucking cute and I’m a sap and I don’t know why it made me cry, but it did okay?!

And her coming out was such good representation!!! By far the best thing in Boat Party, and I’m so proud of the progress FB’s made in queer representation at the very least

I know she’s pretty one dimensional, but most of S3 is unfortunately

Her being available right off the bat was also such a win, I’m positive it’s the reason she had so many stans

If her and Yasmin had switched or her and Lily, they would have been the ones that were dominating Reddit polls and stuff

And I know she’s written as masc but I just can’t really see it? Like I can’t see her in a dress, but outside of a few clothing items, I guess I just can’t see it? Maybe androgynous is more the word for my image of her, like definitely a mix

She’ll wear a skirt under the right circumstances, but never a dress, a crop top with a flannel, her prom outfit that’s like a frilly jumpsuit, stuff like that? idk im not a lesbian

Her route for me was so glitchy, but I know that if MC’s stolen from her by Yasmin, Tai, or Ciaran, she has some really cute scenes and I wish I could have seen them

And I know some people were ragging on her for the eyelash at the end of the scene but I thought that was just a perfect callback - maybe it’s the writer in me

Basically, AJ’s adorable and why did Ciaran have to split her and MC up, not cool dude

Yasmin:

I forgot I was doing a Yasmin route a while ago, but from what I’ve seen and played, she’s really sweet

I hate that she’s almost nonexistent outside of her route

Give us a mysterious musician friend, you cowards!

I saw that she sings to MC on the final date and damn is that cute

Her eyeshadow kinda throws me off, but her stuffed animal makes up for it

And I’m salty that Yasmin the Lamb disappeared too, that was such a nice detail that made me start a Yasmin route

She’s distant and self-assured, but has a soft, gooey, nostalgic center and I wish we saw more of that, even if we weren’t on her route

My final thoughts on Yasmin: An artsy indie icon that I really need to stop getting distracted from and finish her route

Lily:

Again, don’t know much about her, but she seems really cool

Her shaving her head between the finale and Boat Party is such a flex and I wish she did it right before Boat Party so we could see her in all her bald glory

She’s into cars, right? And… architecture?

Idk, I barely remember my own name, let alone a 10 minute date from months ago

But I’ll definitely get around to doing her route at some point, maybe just to write for her, we’ll see

Elladine:

I know she’s not an LI, but MC so should have been able to run away with her

I missed that option in S3

I kinda get why they didn’t do that, but Boat Party’s just so messy in general

And I would include Genevieve here, but she’s so cute with Seb that I’d feel bad splitting them up

But Elladine had actual problems with Nicky!!!

Why did they mention it for it to never pay off??

And I’m so mad that the hype around her died when it was revealed she wasn’t an LI or the badass of the season, because I still adore how sweet she is

I also want to brag that before we got a name I was calling her Emma and that’s just on example of my almost psychic-ness

But yeah I wanted Ell to be a run away option and I’m salty that she wasn’t

Know what, fuck it, Viv too, she’s smart and cool as hell, let us love these awesome women FB, you cowards!!!

I have no idea who would be my number 1 based on canon, but if we’re talking hypotheticals, I think my answer, as strange as it is, is Hannah.

I just love what she could have been, but by no means what she is.

It’s so awkward to know her for three days, not see her for three weeks, then spend a couple more days with, a couple weeks at most, just for her to write a whole ass book about MC?? And tell her about it with that hair????

No thanks, I’ll stick with closeted sapphic horse girl nerd Hannah because I guess that’s somehow my type??? Oh god what the fuck I swear I’m not a total weirdo

#asks #can it kc #okay but im loving doing this they're so fun wtf #but thanks so much for the ask!!!!!#litg

13 notes · View notes

mariequitecontrarie · 4 years

Text

Pistachio

Summary: While secret newlyweds Belle and Leland Gold are on their Saturday hamburger date, Gold’s estranged mother pays an unexpected visit. Rating: T+ Notes: Secret marriage AU in which where Gold's mother is her horrible, extra self and Belle stands up to her on Gold's behalf. Written for the @a-monthly-rumbelling prompt: “We accept the love we think we deserve.” Thanks to @galactic-pirates and @maplesyrupao3 for the help.

On AO3

“Sweetheart, are you sure you don’t want to eat someplace different?” Leland Gold asked as they settled into their usual booth at their usual place.

Lunch at Granny’s Cafe was their Saturday ritual, but he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before Belle grew restless with him and his obsession with routine. His new wife was spunky, bright, and adventurous. He, on the other hand, would be more aptly described as a murky pond. Stagnant, dark, and stuck in his ways.

“It’s Saturday,” Belle replied, as he knew she would. “Do you want to eat somewhere else?”

His thoughts traveled back to the new Italian restaurant they’d spotted on their drive into town and he hesitated. Maybe next week.

“No,” he confessed, shaking his head. He unfolded his napkin and smoothed it across his lap. As long as he was with Belle, he could eat anywhere. Nothing else mattered.

In the eight weeks since they’d met, dated, and decided to marry, today wasn’t the first time he’d wondered if he could make her happy for a lifetime. Their courtship had been short, but he’d known since he first touched her icy fingers in the freezer aisle of the grocery store that Belle French was the perfect woman. To his utter amazement, she told him almost every day how lucky she was to have him for a husband. Yes, he had a brilliant, stunning wife who adored him beyond all reasonable comprehension.

Perhaps his worries were only newlywed jitters. He pushed them aside, declared himself a lucky bastard, and broke a hot biscuit open with his fingers. Since Ruby Lucas had taken over for her grandmother at the beginning of the year, the cafe had started serving complimentary biscuits to every table.

“Granny’s is my favorite. You know that!” Belle closed her menu with a grin and swatted his arm with it, teasing a snorting noise out of him. Reading the menu was a mere formality. They both knew what they were going to order.

“Was that a laugh I heard just now?” Belle asked, her eyes dancing with mirth at the running joke between them. “I’m writing this one down,” she said, pretending to rummage through her purse for paper and a pen.

The corner of his mouth turned up in an indulgent half-smile. “As you wish, my love.”

“Hey, lovebirds.” Ruby Lucas flipped open her order pad and pulled out the sharpened pencil tucked behind her ear. “Usual for you both? Extra pickles for Belle?”

Their usual was hamburgers all the way with fries and iced tea. Ruby knew the double order well after serving it every Saturday since Belle and Gold had met.

Gold nodded. “Thank you, Miss Lucas. I mean, Ruby,” he amended quickly with an embarrassed smile. Although he was new to marriage, he was not new to Storybrooke. After so many years of eating here and calling her Miss Lucas, it was hard to remember to drop the formalities. However, Ruby had not only attended their wedding, but she also happened to be Belle’s closest friend.

Marriage to her best friend made Gold her friend too, Ruby had informed him.

“Like it or not, you’re gonna get used to me, Gold,” Ruby had insisted at the wedding ceremony, then softened her sass by straightening his tie and kissing his cheek.

“How’s Granny enjoying retirement?” Belle asked. Everyone called Ruby’s grandmother Granny whether they’d known her all their lives or had only heard of the no-nonsense widow who’d founded the cafe.

“She’s great. Been into axe-throwing lately, believe it or not.” Ruby rolled her eyes and laughed. “What a hobby, right? I know she’d love for you guys to come for a visit, so I’ll set something up soon?”

“We’d like that, wouldn’t we Belle?” Gold said. His wife was nodding eagerly and he was proud of himself for accepting the unexpected invite with grace. He sat up a little taller in his seat.

“Great! So two burgers and two iced teas, extra lemon slices, and no seeds.” Ruby scribbled a note on her pad. “Should be up in a jiffy.”

“Actually, Rubes...” Belle flipped the menu open again before Ruby walked away. “I’m gonna go chicken parm and white wine. And make it the bottle, please.”

Gold furrowed his brow. Belle didn’t care for wine in general and never during the day. His face must have registered his surprise because she burst out laughing.

“Darling, I’m kidding,” she said. “The usual, please, Ruby.”

“Ruby, please bring us the usual, as well as the chicken parmesan to share. Also a bottle of white wine. The pinot grigio should do nicely with both, I think.” He winked at Belle, delighted by how the smallest concessions made her happy. “It’s Saturday. We should live it up.”

Ruby scribbled on the pad again. “Anything for one of my favorite couples.”

“We live it up all the time, Leland,” Belle said after Ruby left to put their order into the kitchen. “My idea of living it up is being with you.”

He rubbed his fingers together, an absent, nervous gesture he’d acquired sometime back in law school. “I meant doing something spontaneous.” Maybe he should have pushed for them to try the new Italian place after all.

“You planned us a two-month honeymoon in Europe beginning with Paris, my bucket list city,” she said. “That will give us plenty of opportunities to be spontaneous--in public and in private.”

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and his face grew hot, his imagination running wild with all the ways they could get into trouble together if his wife had her way. Being arrested by the Paris police for sexy shenanigans at the Eiffel Tower wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

“A proper honeymoon is the least I can do for you,” he countered. “Seeing as we didn’t have a proper wedding.”

“You being you is more than enough for me.” She caught his hand where it rested on the table and brought it to her mouth, placing a quick kiss at the juncture of his thumb and forefinger. “Besides, since when have we done anything the traditional way?”

The gentle reminder made him smile. It was true.

They’d been married in a quiet, candlelit ceremony out in the forest by the old, moss-covered well. Archie Hopper, the town psychiatrist who also happened to be an ordained minister, had officiated and Ruby had been a witness. Two weeks later, word hadn’t made it around town about their nuptials yet and he was secretly glad. They weren’t hiding the wedding or the marriage, but they weren’t publicizing it, either. Love shouldn’t be a spectator sport, Gold reasoned. People would find out in time, and the longer it took, the better. Small and intimate was what they both wanted. Rather, it had been what he wanted and Belle hadn’t argued. Although Belle had claimed to be fine with their quiet wedding, doubts tugged at him. What he knew about women could fit into a teacup, but the grandness of the wedding industry said otherwise. There had been no wedding cake, no reception, no confetti thrown at the blushing bride. Women liked to make a fuss, especially over happy occasions.

Two months ago, he’d met Belle on a Saturday evening in the freezer aisle at the Storybrooke Grocer. Both of them had opened up the ice cream case and put their hands on the last container of pistachio gelato. He could still feel the brush of Belle’s cold fingertips against his like an electric jolt. Awareness sparked in her eyes, an immediate connection forming between them. It was a memory he would never forget.

They tugged the carton back and forth in a playful tug-of-war, falling into a good-natured argument about whose day had been harder and therefore deserved a treat more. Belle, a librarian, argued that she’d completed and turned in two grant applications, and on a weekend. Gold, a shop owner, countered that small businesses worked every weekend. In addition, his shipment of jewelry for his antique shop had been delayed and wouldn’t be on time for an advertised sale.

“Sounds like what we both need is some company,” Gold had suggested in a rare moment of boldness with a woman. They collected their groceries and went back to his house to share the cold, nut-studded confection. Usually, he was terrible at talking to women and even worse at asking them out. With Belle, he never ran out of words to say.

They both loved books, listened to classic rock, and shared a fondness for Candy Crush. Both lived in Storybrooke alone with no family. Belle’s parents were back in Australia where she was from, and she saw them only once every two years. Gold’s father was reliving his teenage years by backpacking through Europe, while his mother lived in a New York City high-rise on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Fiona was too busy running the family commercial real estate business to make time for her son, but that was nothing new.

After talking long into the night on their first evening together, Belle and Gold had fallen asleep on the sofa with Belle’s head on his shoulder and the empty ice cream carton cradled between them. They became inseparable from that day forward. Pistachio gelato, preceded by lunch at Granny’s Cafe in the center of town, became their weekend ritual.

Melting into a life together seemed a natural next step. Six weeks to the day after their impromptu date in the freezer section, he brought Belle to the well at sunset. And in the serene glow of late afternoon light against the backdrop of a brilliant pink sky, he’d asked her to be his wife.

She leaned back in the booth and sipped her iced tea, the same serene look of contentment on her face today as when she’d said yes to his marriage proposal. Sometimes there were blessings like this, he mused. Two lonely people who found love and happiness on a trip to the grocer for a carton of ice cream.

Ruby delivered their food with her usual efficiency and a broad smile. He inhaled the comforting aromas and took a bite of his piping hot hamburger. Delicious as always.

“Mr. Gold,” Belle said with mock sternness, “we talked about the timing of our honeymoon. You had inventory at the shop to finish and I wrapped a writing workshop at the library. Alice is helping at the shop today and now that it’s May, she'll be finishing college for the term. Why doesn’t she run the store while we’re gone?”

He brightened at the suggestion. “Robin Mills might like to help. Give those two kids an excuse to spend some alone time together.”

Belle nodded in eager agreement. She’d been wanting to play matchmaker for Alice and Robin for months. “Think of it, Lee. Paris in the summer. The Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées--there are so many places and landmarks I want to see.”

Her face was wreathed in joy, her travel dreams reflected in her bright blue eyes, and it tugged at his heart to see her so excited. “Anything you want, Mrs. Gold.”

He’d tasted the burger, now it was time to give the chicken parmesan a try. He cut into the juicy meat with gusto, forking it up with a twirl of spaghetti when disaster struck.

“Love, what is it?” Belle asked, her face draining of color. “You look like you’ve seen—”

“My mother.” He dropped the forkful of parmesan and it clattered onto the plate, splattering bits of sauce onto the tabletop.

“Your mother, what?” Belle mopped up the stains with her napkin.

“She’s here.” He gripped his cane with both hands to stop himself from shaking. There she was, wearing her usual sleek black trench coat, breezing through the front door of the cafe like she owned it.

“In Storybrooke?” Belle squeaked.

“At Granny’s.” He dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. Belle had yet to meet his mother and with good reason. Fiona Blackwell was a raging bitch. His preference, if given one, would be to keep her as far away from Belle as possible for the rest of their lives. It seemed he didn’t have that kind of luck.

Belle smoothed back a wayward lock of curly auburn hair and chanced a look toward the door. “Your mother is here right now?”

“Now, and coming this way.” Gold lurched to his feet, grabbing his cane and moving to Belle’s side of the table to stand beside her. He laid a protective hand on her shoulder and braced himself for the oncoming storm. When Fiona paid one of her rare visits, it was always unannounced and always with an agenda. What would it be this time? Must be desperate if she was seeking him out at Granny’s.

Belle tugged on his sleeve and bit her lip. She knew something of his lonely home life, of course, but his mother hadn’t been a major topic of conversation beyond Gold confessing they didn’t have a strong relationship. “What if she doesn’t like me?” Belle murmured, her eyes wide and worried.

“Don’t trouble yourself, my love.” He soothed her with a tender stroke of his fingers against the underside of her face. “She doesn’t like anyone.”

Helpless, that was how he felt. If only he’d had time to warn Belle, to prepare, but his mother’s heels clicked against the floor at record speed. Frankly, he’d never expected her to show up in his town anyway.

“Hello, Malcolm.”

He glared at the woman who’d given birth to him, rendered speechless by her rudeness within seconds of her arrival. According to his birth certificate, he was Malcolm Alexander Leland Gold III, but no one ever called him by his father’s name. It had always been Gold or Leland. Only his mother found calling him Malcolm to be some glorious joke.

When he didn’t respond, Fiona arched a black eyebrow. “I believe the greeting you’re looking for is ‘hello, Mother’.”

“Fiona.” He leaned stiffly into her light hug and air kisses without returning either. “What’s it been? Three years this time?” He shook his head at her supple, glowing skin. Here he was, 42 years old, and his mother appeared to be a solid ten years younger than him, making her look closer to Belle’s age than his. “Must be tough to find a moment to visit between facelifts.”

Annoyance marched across her face to wrinkle her perfect brow and he smirked, satisfied the barb had hit its mark. May as well enjoy getting his digs in while he could. “However did you manage to find me? I don’t think this place even appears on most state maps.”

She sniffed in disdain. “Well, it wasn’t easy. Dove dropped me off at that musty little store of yours and I walked here.” Dove was the chauffeur and the one person from his joyless upbringing that he missed.

“On your own two feet? Surprised you made the two-block hike down Main Street without stopping for a latte.” He sat down next to Belle and patted her knee under the table.

“I’m a New Yorker,” Fiona said archly. “I can handle anything this podunk town throws at me.”

“Not without your Peloton and one of those Mirrors,” he muttered into his iced tea.

“Now, now. Retract your claws, dear. We shouldn’t be arguing here in public in front of this…who is this?” She gave Belle a quizzical look as if finally noticing someone else was there.

Then again, why was he surprised? His mother always did believe she was the center of the universe.

“This is Belle French,” Gold said, his mouth tight at the corners. The moment he introduced her by her maiden name, he realized his mistake. Belle stiffened beside him but she didn’t falter.

“Mrs. Gold, a pleasure to meet you,” Belle said smoothly, offering her hand across the table.

Fiona frowned at Belle’s proffered hand like it was covered in dirt. “Mrs.Gold? Pet, no one’s called me that since the day in court when I took that bastard for every cent I could squeeze.” She tittered at her own cleverness. “The name’s Blackwell. Fiona Blackwell.”

“That’s her fourth ex-husband’s name, sweetheart,” Gold supplied.

His mother did a double-take at the endearment but didn’t comment.

“Mrs. Blackwell, then.” Belle smiled, always willing to give people a chance, even in the face of blatant mockery. Some called it naivete, but Gold knew Belle’s extraordinary patience came from a generous, loving heart. She gestured toward the empty side of the booth. “Won’t you sit down?”

“Charmed, pet.” Fiona tossed her long, dark brown hair and settled into the bench across from them. “But you should really scurry along now. My son and I have things to discuss.” She ran a finger over the Formica tabletop with a distasteful shrug and looked at him. “Unless you have someplace more upscale where we can have a decent meal?”

“Perhaps Granny’s isn’t much to look at,” Belle said, “but I never judge a book by its cover. These are the best burgers in town.” She took a large bite for emphasis, making it clear she had no plans to go anywhere.

“I’m vegetarian.” Fiona exhaled sharply through her nose, regarding their hamburgers and shared chicken with disgust. “This indulgent display of animal fat is most unwelcome.”

Gold ground his back teeth. “Speaking of unwelcome, Belle and I were in the middle of a pleasant lunch. Why don’t you head back to the city, Mother?”

“Oh, dear.” Fiona’s mouth puckered. “I thought perhaps she worked in your little shop. I had no idea this was a date.”

It was a shameless fish for information and he wasn’t allowing it. He squeezed Belle’s hand under the table in a wordless apology.

“There is zero shame in working in Leland’s antique store,” Belle said crisply. She lifted her chin, daring his mother to contradict her. “It’s a charming place filled with treasures. I, however, am a librarian.”

“How quaint to play with books all day for a job,” Fiona said in a saccharine voice. “Can’t be much of a moneymaker, though.”

Gold fisted his free hand under the table, the insinuation that Belle’s profession was a waste of time making him see red. And God forbid anyone would work for the sheer joy of pursuing a passion. His refusal to work in Fiona’s commercial real estate business in favor of ‘tinkering with his toys’ was a sore point for her. With his mother, all of life came down to dollar signs.

“Belle is brilliant,” he gritted out. “And universally adored. Children wait weeks to join her reading groups and every book she recommends is in immediate demand.”

“I’m sure she’s very talented.” Fiona’s tone was cool and appraising.

“Everything okay over here with my newlyweds?” Ruby rushed over, her arm covered with steaming plates from shoulder to wrist. “Oh! You have a guest,” she said, her alarmed gaze settling on his mother. “I’ll be right with you, ma’am.”

Fiona gasped. “Did that girl just call you newlyweds?”

“That’s right.” Not caring for the attention his mother was drawing, Gold glanced around the restaurant and lowered his voice. “Belle is my wife.”

Although after today, Belle would probably demand a divorce.

His mother picked up his wine glass and quaffed the contents in one gulp.

“God, I needed that.” She set the glass down with a thump and upended the half-full bottle until the glass was filled to the top, then she drained it, too. “You’re married?” she demanded, her voice loud and shrill. “You’re married and you didn’t tell me.”

“What’s to tell?” he shrugged at her wounded expression.

“I’ve never heard of the name French.” Deciding she would get no information from him, Fiona set her shrewd sights on Belle. “Do your parents get out into New York society much? Surely they expect a reception. At the very least an announcement in the Times. ”

“My father is a florist and my mother is in market research,” Belle replied in an even voice. “But they’re back in Australia. No galas at the Met, I’m afraid.”

Fiona leaned back against the back of the banquette looking crestfallen. Her attempts to bait Belle weren’t working, so she turned back to him. “What about Milah? I always thought you and she would--”

“Mother, you are positively delusional.”

Belle crossed her arms. “Excuse me, who is Milah?”

“She was my prom date.” He threw his mother a level look and turned to Belle. “Back in prep school. Last I heard, she married another one of our classmates, Killian Jones. There’s nothing between Milah and me and hasn’t been for a long, long time. I couldn’t even tell you where she is.”

“Back to the point at hand, you’ve yet to explain why you’re here.” He glanced around the cafe again, hating the idea that they were on display. This wasn’t the way he intended to announce his marriage to Belle, in the middle of a crowded restaurant with his estranged mother wailing and rending her garments. However, he refused to give Fiona the satisfaction of more privacy. He had nothing to hide.

“What is it you’re after this time?” He pretended to study his nails. “Money? Surely you haven’t run through my father’s entire estate?”

“Really, Leland.” His mother cast Belle a shriveled sideways glance. “This is a family matter.”

“What do you know of being a family?” he bit out.

From the moment he’d seen her enter the cafe, he’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t overreact or walk into her traps. Yet her very presence sank beneath his skin and rotted like a disease. “Unless you count the headmasters at the boarding schools you sent me to, I never had a family. Until Belle. She is my family, and anything you have to say can be said in front of her. We have no secrets between us.”

“Fine.” “Fiona pouted, wringing her hands. “I want you to come back to New York, son. I need your help with the business. Lily and Blue have left me and I can’t run things without you. I would make you General Council and we would share control of the firm.”

Lily Kaplan and Marianne “Blue” Azure were his mother’s business partners. Tough, calculating, and smart--the three of them had dominated the Manhattan real estate landscape for the last fifteen years. The only difference was Lily and Blue had scruples, and Gold had known it would only be a matter of time before they tired of his mother’s duplicitousness and insatiable thirst for power.

“Hell will freeze before I ever come to work for you,” he snarled. “I knew you wanted something but I never figured you would stoop to guilting me into returning to the city. To run your company? Utter madness. As I’ve told you on many occasions, I am a simple shop owner.”

“It’s your birthright, son. Your legacy. Everything I’ve created has been for you and someday it will all be yours. If you don’t want my company for yourself, think of your wife.” She turned to Belle, attempting to plead her case. “And now that you have a wife, your future children. You owe them--”

“Love is what I owe them, Mother. Which is far more important than anything money can buy, and more than you were capable of giving me.” He wrapped a protective arm around Belle’s shoulders. “Since I’m well aware you thrive on the possibility of scandal, let me save you the trouble of speculation. Belle is not pregnant, so don’t run off at the mouth telling people that’s why I married her.”

Panic flashed across Fiona’s face. “If you have no secrets, why are you so worried about our conversation being overheard?” Her look turned craven as she tossed his words back in his face. “Yes, I’ve seen you looking around the cafe like you’re being hunted. Don’t bother to deny it. Are you ashamed of your wife, Leland? Or is she ashamed of you?”

“Enough!” Belle said.

He’d felt her seething beside him while they’d confronted his mother, fierceness mounting with every harsh word, but until this moment he’d never seen her furious. Now her eyes were cold with rage and her lips were pinched. It was satisfying to see that his mother looked cowed, and maybe even a bit afraid.

“The only person who should feel shame here is you, Mrs. Blackwell,” Belle spat. “You have already spoiled our lunch, which has now gone cold. How dare you come here and try to spoil our happiness as well? Leland is a good, kind man and a wonderful husband. I love him, and I don’t care who knows it!”

He was awed by Belle’s courage. Awed and humbled. No one had ever come to his defense like this before. Pride and admiration made his heart swell and he put an encouraging hand on the small of Belle’s back, supporting her while she supported him.

“Despite what little acceptance you’ve shown my husband, he deserves love, and I intend to be the one to give it to him. You’ve missed your chance. There’s nothing here for you now, so please, tuck yourself back into your stretch limousine and return to where you came from. Leland Gold is too good for you.”

He wasn’t sure how long his mother sat there with her mouth open before she gathered her belongings and swept out the door in silent fury.

xoxo

Dinner that evening was a tense, pensive affair.

Too tired to attempt cooking after the emotional acrobatics of lunch with Gold’s mother, Belle had ordered pizza for early delivery. She wanted to eat and go to sleep--anything to bring this awful day to an end. There was a fresh carton of pistachio gelato in the freezer, the usual capstone to their Saturday evenings, but she doubted it would come out tonight.

After they ate, Belle curled up on the living room sofa under a blanket, the remnants of their makeshift dinner still littering the coffee table. She’d been trying to lose herself in a re-reading of Persuasion , but when she felt Gold hovering in the doorway she realized she’d read the same page five times. Abandoning the effort, she tossed the book on top of the pizza box and turned.

Having the mother-in-law from hell was reason enough to feel sorry for herself, but she was far more concerned about Gold. He looked battle-weary and drawn from his mother’s unexpected visit. Belle had lost count of the number of times he’d apologized.

“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

There it was again.

“No more!” she demanded, harsher than she intended. She threw off the blanket and went to him, lifting her hands to cradle his haggard face. “I won’t listen to you apologize for her behavior anymore.”

“The way she treated you was unforgivable.” His shoulders were slumped in defeat and he shook his head, as though he couldn’t quite distill what had happened.

“Come and sit, Lee.” She took his hand and led him to the sofa. She laid her head against his chest and tucked the blanket around them both. “She did what bullies do, love. She bullied us. But you are the one who has been hurt by her time and again all these years, so please stop worrying about me. I’m fine.”

It was no wonder that when they’d swapped stories about their upbringings, he’d been so tight-lipped about his mother. Her parents lived far from her now, all the way across the world, and she missed them. But his parents had been absent even in childhood, too busy building a legacy of money and power to give their son what he needed most--love and attention.

“We didn’t finish lunch. You barely touched your dinner.” Gold nodded toward the coffee table at the plate still holding her untouched pizza. “If you’re not upset about her, what is it? I can tell something’s bothering you. Is it me?”

Unsure of how to answer, Belle tucked her face into the nook between his neck and shoulder and closed her eyes. His cool, masculine scent gave her the most wonderful butterflies in her stomach and she sighed against his warm throat. Who wouldn’t want to feel this way every moment of every day? When they met a couple of months ago, she could hardly believe her good fortune--a handsome, charming, considerate man showed interest in her. Not only in her pretty face but in her ideas, what she had to say. In her experience, boyfriends were interested only in droning on about themselves and taking her to bed. Leland was her whole world, but she’d somehow failed to make him recognize how much she loved him.

When he’d proposed the idea of a quiet wedding, she’d readily agreed. He loathed gossip and she wanted to honor his wishes. Now she felt she’d allowed the secrecy to go too far. The presents, the fancy food, and the floor-length gown were pretty, empty nothings. Only Leland mattered. But a wedding should be an announcement, a celebration of mutual commitment.

After the way he’d behaved at the cafe earlier, though, whispering and craning his neck to see who might be watching and listening, she feared his mother’s barbs had hit too close to the truth.

Did Gold believe she was ashamed of him?

“Belle,” he said again, pulling back from their embrace to search her face. “Is it me? Am I the problem?”

“Do you want it to be you?” she asked in a careful, quiet voice.

“What?” His caramel eyes darkened with despair. “No. I don’t understand.”

She tucked her fingers into the soft hair at the nape of his neck, holding him close so she could stare into his face. “When you asked me to marry you, I said I was fine with our private ceremony and I am, I was. But it’s been two weeks now.” She took a deep breath. “Without counting your lunatic mother, no one in town but Archie, Ruby, and Alice know we’re married. Why is that?”

Worry flitted across the angled planes of his face, and he looked away, drumming the top of the sofa with his fingers. “I thought we were having fun keeping our relationship quiet.”

She lifted his chin to give him a sad smile. “At first, yes. There’s something to be said for a little private delight. After today, though, I’m starting to wonder if you want to hide our marriage because you think I’m going to leave you, hurt you the way your mother did. And if I do make that choice, you’re safe. You’re safe because so few people know the truth.”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No.” But the tremble in his lips gave him away.

“Have you ever heard the expression ‘we accept the love we think we deserve?’” she asked. “It means we only allow ourselves to receive as much love as we believe we’re worthy of. It’s silly, really, because it gives the impression that love is something to be earned, like a salary or a merit badge.” She shook her head. “You can’t do anything to deserve my love for you. It’s a gift, freely given. All you have to do is open your heart. Trust me when I say my feelings for you are real and true, and never going to fade. If anything, my love for you grows every day.”

He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers, his lips vibrating against her skin. “Belle, I’m so grateful to have your love. The day you said yes to marrying me was the highlight of my life. But I don’t want to trap you into forever if it’s not what you want.”

“It is what I want,” she said. “I love you. Today. Tomorrow. Always. And tomorrow, I’m calling the Storybrooke Mirror to announce our marriage in the newspaper.”

“Oh, Belle.” Light entered his tear-filled eyes. He took her mouth in a hot, desperate kiss that had her gasping and tearing at his clothes, needing to touch him and be touched in return.

“Belle.” He pressed her back into the sofa and gathered her to himself, cradling her close. “My sweetheart.” More kisses seared her throat, her shoulders, her breasts, their clothes melting off their bodies into puddles on the floor. “I love you,” he muttered between kisses. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

A long time later, he lifted his head from her chest. They were lying in a tangled heap on the floor, the room plunged into darkness. Belle guessed it was sometime in the middle of the night. They had spent hours making love, forgetting about his mother and other people’s opinions in favor of losing themselves in each other.

“There’s only one thing that could make this better,” Gold said, then pressed a kiss behind her ear.

Belle stretched beneath his body, feeling luxurious and sated. The nightlight from the adjacent kitchen illuminated his body, and his voice was raspy and thick with sex, making her want to pull down the blanket resting on his hips and shower him with love all over again.

“Gelato?” she guessed with a giggle.

“ Pistachio gelato.” He kissed her nose and groped in the dark for his boxer briefs. “Wait here, wife. I’ll be right back.”

“Leland?” Still sprawled on the floor in decadent laziness, Belle propped herself up on one elbow.

“Yes?” He paused in the doorway en route to the kitchen, his hair sticking up at ridiculous angles.

She was going to be able to wake up to that crazy hair and this beautiful man every day for the rest of her days. There was no more glorious way to spend a life.

“Don’t forget the spoon.”

###

#rumbelle #rumbelle fic #rumbelle au #mr. gold x belle french #secret marriage #the black fairy #a monthly rumbelling #rumbelle angst #rumbelle fluff #mqc writes

38 notes · View notes

nightwingshero · 3 years

Note

multiple of fives for dahlia?

Thank you hun!!! It’s under the cut!

Where did they grow up? What was it like? Were they happy there?

Dahlia grew up in Birmingham for part of her life and then in London up until she was of age. Her younger part of her childhood was poor, but she was happy. Dahlia was raised by her father Charlie Strong, and with help from Polly Grey alongside the Shelby children, growing super close to Tommy and Arthur, even Ada and John, but she didn’t stay too long after her mother died. Once she was taken by the Parish, she was put with an older woman, a rich widow who only took Dahlia in as a charity case and determined to mold her into her own image. Dahlia was a mix of the daughter she never had and a companion to keep her company, and the woman loved the idea of her taking in a poor child and giving her “culture”. Dahlia hated it, in all honesty, she missed her family and would rebel when she could (part of how she got into dancing burlesque and cabaret). But that all aside, Dahlia can’t say anything against the education she received, which she later uses to Tommy’s advantage for the family business. She wasn’t happy until she came of age, and snuck out, returning to Birmingham right before Tommy, Arthur, and John went off to war.

What did they dream of doing when they grew up? How and why did it change, if it did?

I don’t think Dahlia had particular dreams when growing up. She would run around in meadows when she was young, and would day dream with Tommy about their family having something more and being something bigger. But she mostly dreamed of freedom and doing what she wanted, being fancy and having more than what they had. After she’s taken, her main dream is to just return home to her family. Dahlia is a free spirit at heart, she hates being trapped and the society she was thrown into was exactly that: a gilded cage. I suppose her dream is just freedom and to have to power to have it.

What kind of people do they usually interact with? Who are their friends, the people they look up to/trust, and who are their “associates”?

Dahlia has a tight circle, she doesn’t trust easily, and that circle is mostly her family and Lizzie Stark. She does have a best friend named Charlotte “Cheri” (Arthur calls her Queenie, it annoys the hell out of her), a fellow dancer in London. She later also grows close to Ruth Solomons, Alfie’s sister-in-law. She does look up to Aunt Polly, seeing her as a mother figure and someone she learns from the most. She’s very social and charismatic, she does great in social gatherings and settings, but she keeps people at a distance with her boundaries firmly in place. With her being a member of the Peaky Blinders, her associates mostly come from their group, using the men to do whatever it is she needs them to, and a lot of times, she will take Isaiah (and even Finn) under her wing to keep them from getting into too much trouble. Once Alfie “dies”, the bakery is left to her, and so she works with Ollie and Aflie’s brother to continue to run it.

What do they always carry with them and why?

She always has a hat pin, just like Polly, so she can stab and threaten people if she is put in a situation. But soon, she just starts carrying a pistol to be extra safe after Sabini’s attempt on her life. Dahlia also carries a lighter because sometimes a woman needs a smoke or you never know, offering someone a light can open doors for opportunity. Dahlia is prepared for the worst, and is very well-aware of the dangers their line of work brings. Besides, Tommy doesn’t want her running around unprotected, and Dahlia has no issue with carrying firearms despite Ada’s disapproval.

Did they get married or have a family? Why? If otherwise, why not?

Yes, she marries Alfie and they have a daughter: Rosalie. Honestly, their wedding is a small thing, and its after Luca Changretta uses Dahlia as leverage to strike the deal with Alfie to betray Tommy. Alfie is pretty well aware that Tommy will come after him for it, so he proposes rather impulsively (in Aflie’s manner, of course, can’t be too sappy now), and it’s in the guise of offering Dahlia and her family protection (since they’ll be united and such), and of course because he does love her. The real reasoning behind it is that Dahlia will inherit his “bakery” and home with them being married, leaving her well-off and taken care of. Alfie promises a honeymoon (after the war is over with the Italian mob) in Margate together. After his apparent death, only then does Dahlia find out that she’s pregnant with Rosalie. She continues to help run the bakery with Alfie’s brother and sister-in-law (and Ollie, can’t forget him), taking the first few months to grieve, of course. It takes her months to speak to Tommy, only coming back around for the wedding between him and Lizzie, but eventually she does move in with them and helps with the kids. Alfie does reunite with Dahlia and meets Rosie, and Tommy leaves them with Alfie in Margate to keep them safe while he goes after Oswald Mosley. Rosie is raised Jewish, to respect Alfie’s religion and culture, Dahlia’s way of having Rosie as close to her father as she can get while she believes he’s dead.

How do they want to be remembered after they die?

Dahlia has never really thought of that, if I’m being honest. The only future she considers is the big picture in Tommy’s visions for their family and business, she’s rather ambitious. She doesn’t want to be a legend or anything, she just wants her family to be happy and comfortable, and to be able to have the power to own her own freedom so-to-speak (it was hard for women back then, you know?). Dahlia lives in the moment for many years, up until she becomes a mother and starts to focus on her own family. In which, she wants to be remembered as a loving mother, a good friend, and someone who cherished her family selflessly.

#oc: dahlia strong #my ocs #asks #peaky blinders

3 notes · View notes

ayellowcurtain · 4 years

Text

Can you please write something fluffy cute about elu? Maybe like... They didn't see each other for a couple of days and then when they finally are together again. // best friends elu please with Eliott overprotecting Lucas and Lucas like 🙄 but then they realized that they are in love

This is another very long one, hope you’re ready. Whoever was missing Elu, this is your time to shine!

-----

They’ve been friends for the longest time, even though they’re very different. Eliott is his complete opposite. Eliott is tall, way too tall, like a tree, but he’s also like a big puppy. Lucas can’t relate because he’s way too short, but from what he understands, not even Eliott knows how to deal with how tall he is, so he’s also very clumsy and a little weird, never knowing what to do with his arms and legs. Eliott has also had the sweetest personality ever since they were kids. He’s always more than ready to help Lucas in anything he might need. He was the one that Lucas called when his dad left and Eliott was there five minutes later.

Eliott is also very touchy. He always needs to be touching whoever he’s talking to, and when you’re talking to him, he’ll make you feel like you’re the only human in the world, he’ll look inside your soul and pay attention to every word and get so excited to be talking to you.

Most of the time, it bothered Lucas how Eliott was always touching him. The boys would tease them about it and Eliott wouldn’t care, but Lucas would feel so angry because of the stupid jokes. Even when he tried to avoid Eliott’s touch, the other one wouldn’t get angry or upset, he would just let Lucas be and the next day he would act just the same, putting his hands on Lucas all the time.

As the years went on and they all probably grew out of the teenage-dumb-years, Lucas started not to care about the extra touches, he would even miss it whenever Eliott didn’t do it.

Eliott always had Lucille, it was like a package deal, but Lucas never got used to it. He stayed away from their relationship as much as he could; Eliott seemed to like her and so Lucas didn’t want his opinion about the girl to change Eliott’s opinions about her. But Eliott was always smarter than him and he knew Eliott would like to hear his opinion about his girlfriend, so Lucas would always avoid the subject, only he didn’t see it coming this time.

They were alone at Yann’s place while he was showering and Eliott was constantly serving Lucas another drink like it was fucking water. Lucas didn’t realize it until it was way too late.

“So, you like Lucille?” Eliott was a little serious while asking, which was a miracle. He was looking deep inside Lucas’ eyes, really interested in what he had to say.

“Putain, you’re so fucking mean.” Lucas relaxed against the couch, wanting to run away to avoid answering. He knew he fell into the trap just like his best friend planned. Even if he didn’t want to, his drunk mind would probably say whatever it wanted, not caring for Eliott’s feelings or Lucille’s. Eliott just shrugs, still waiting and Lucas tried to think about something his sober self could get away with.

“You fall in love way too easily, Eliott.” It wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t the worst either so he managed to turn his head a little on the cushing of the couch, looking at Eliott who was still looking so deep inside Lucas, it made him a little uncomfortable.

“No, I don’t. I fall in love and then I never grow out of it and so I have to find someone else, hoping I’ll like them at least a little bit, enough for me to get over the person I really like.” Eliott wasn’t drunk, maybe tipsy and a little high, but Lucas knew he meant what he said. And that was part of what Lucas was saying.

Eliott feels a lot. It’s not his thing to not care, it’s not inside of him to don’t give a shit like Lucas does.

Lucas’ sleepy mind wanders around what it can remember of Eliott’s features.

He’s the most good looking guy Lucas has ever seen. Eliott could easily be an Elite model, hanging out with the richest people, traveling around the world, having sex with top models, and yet he’s the softest, most kind and pure person Lucas has ever seen. They know each other like nobody else, so Lucas knows he has something hidden very deep inside of him, besides what Lucas knows about his episodes, and maybe that’s what keeps him here, smoking weed, doing nothing with Lucas and the others, dating someone he’s not very interested in, but he should know how lucky the world is to have him.

“You shouldn’t be with someone if you’re not in love.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, but I’m tired of being alone and it’s not really my decision to make if the person I want doesn’t want me back.” Lucas has to look down for some unknown reason, he can’t stare at Eliott’s piercing blue eyes anymore. Yann finally comes back, more excited than ever, offering some more beers for both of them.

From that night on, something changed between them. Everything was the same, but it felt different inside Lucas. Eliott would leave them almost every day a little earlier. Basically every Friday night he would pre-game with them only to go out with Lucille afterward and she was starting to get on Lucas’ nerves. He misses having Eliott around. Yann seems to notice how grumpy Lucas gets whenever Eliott’s relationship becomes the topic of the conversation and so he has the amazing idea of asking Eliott to introduce his girlfriend to his friends. Lucas doesn’t want to actually meet her, not now, not ever, but he doesn’t say it out loud and so Eliott is supposed to bring her to the pre game later today. They’ve already seen each other a couple of times, but Lucille will always be a stranger to Lucas.

He had no choice other than to ask Chloe to go with him. It’s fucked up, he’s very aware, but he’s just asking the girl to go to a pre-game with him, he’s not promising a wedding afterward.

Arthur’s place was empty tonight so it was his time to host. He bought the best snacks and beers and there’s no end to the feast. He even has the biggest bag of the best weed Lucas has ever smoked.

Lucille is so fucking beautiful it pisses him off. Of course, Eliott would find the most beautiful and smart girl he could find. Chloe is just a girl from school, Eliott knows her, but he doesn’t seem to like her either. Lucas hasn’t even kissed her yet (tonight), but Eliott keeps staring at them, sitting side by side on the couch, right in front of him.

She’s only staying for the pre-game, Lucas said they were going to a friend’s birthday party and he couldn’t bring anyone, so she has other plans for the rest of the night. He makes sure to at least walk her to the door when she has to leave when she pulls him outside. He looks back inside only to see Eliott staring at him as he closes the door behind him before Chloe jumps on him, smiling as they kiss goodbye.

From what Lucas could understand from the conversation on their way to the party, Lucille and Eliott became official just now (“finally”, in her words), before that they were just...making out from time to time and so she doesn’t seem too bothered when Eliott goes back to being constantly around Lucas when they get to the party, always pulling him even closer, sometimes even kissing Lucas’ cheek or neck and Lucas has to avoid looking at her even though she doesn’t seem to care. His drunk mind wants her to care about how her boyfriend is leaving her alone to be with Lucas, kissing his neck, hugging him way too intimately.

But as the time goes by and as Lucas gets even more drunk, he’s starting to get bitter. Eliott left almost an hour ago, he was missing for a very long time until Lucas saw him coming down from the second floor with Lucille right after him, holding his hand and they went to the dance floor, always looking at each other with hungry eyes and smiles that had the dirtiest intentions.

The sun was starting to rise when they decided to leave. Basile was drunk, Arthur and Yann had to help him walk out and Eliott was hugging Lucille, but wrapped his other arm around Lucas’ neck, helping him get out too.

Lucas is selfish and bitter and that escalated quickly when he had to witness Eliott kissing a girl for an entire night instead of hanging out with him and the boys. As they’re waiting for a cab, Lucas gets on his tiptoes, whispering in his ear.

“I don’t like her.” Lucas is so tired and drunk, but as he looks at Eliott’s profile, he can see his smile slowly fading away and he thinks for another second, turning his face to look at Lucas.

“You don’t have to. I do, right?” And he’s looking so disappointed at Lucas that he just wants to leave now, to not look at Eliott to avoid having to see what he had done, but it’s too late, the cab is parking in front of them and Lucille opens the door, letting the boys get inside first.

He’s drunk and he knows Eliott and Lucille are just there because Yann had to deal with Basile and that makes him feel even worse. He’s just third wheeling and ruining their night now. Lucas is panicking, looking at the roof of the car, trying not to cry right there, thinking of the big mess he just made. Eliott gave the driver his address, but Lucas can’t go to his place, so he begs the driver to leave him at the flat. Eliott tries to talk to him, saying that Lucas is too drunk to be alone at the flat, but he just shakes his head, saying he needs to go home.

The mood inside the cab gets almost unbearable when Lucas almost gets into an argument with Eliott because he says he won’t leave Lucas drunk and alone at the flat. Lucille intervenes and quietly asks Eliott to let Lucas be and that only makes it worse because Eliott instantly stops arguing.

Lucas gets off the cab without saying bye, slamming the door behind him. It takes almost half an hour for him to go up the stairs and to open the door to his house, but he manages, lying on the couch and instantly passing out.

His head feels so heavy when he wakes up. It’s getting dark outside again, he heard Mika and Lisa walking by him a few times during the day, but he just turned his face to the other side, hiding against the couch. Someone was cooking something and just the smell made him nauseous enough to fully wake up. Lucas rushed to the bathroom, almost missing the toilet as he kneeled in front of it, throwing up for way too long.

Last night was a blur, but he remembers arguing with Eliott inside the cab. As he washes his face and brushes his teeth, he fishes for his phone inside his pocket, texting Eliott:

to Eliott: I’m sorry about last night. I was way too drunk and just being selfish. I hope I didn’t ruin your night or your vacation with her. Enjoy it and I’m sorry again <3

He keeps staring at his phone, waiting for a response that never comes. Eliott read the message instantly, but he doesn’t reply. Lucas keeps checking it anyway every two seconds during the entire night. Maybe Eliott is already busy with something or someone. He and Lucille were going away for the week to somewhere in the middle of nowhere, just the two of them.

It’s been almost two weeks. Lucas knows that where Eliott was had no wi-fi or service, but he’s back home already and he still isn’t responding. Lucas didn’t think his opinion about Lucille would make Eliott this upset. Maybe he ruined everything once again. He calls Yann in hopes that at least he’ll have some information and he does, at least a little more than Lucas.

Eliott is indeed back home. Apparently, his trip with Lucille was cut short, but now Eliott isn’t responding to him either.

So Eliott was purposely ignoring his texts. It’s very late and Lucas is tired of waiting so he sends as many texts as quickly as he can to Eliott, hoping he would get annoyed and answer for once, at least to ask Lucas to stop texting him.

He stops when he sees his messages being read: Eliott is finally online. He starts typing once, twice, and on the third try, Lucas finally gets a message that scares him even more.

to Lucas: I don’t feel well, Lucas.

I’m sorry

to Eliott: Eliott, please

I’m here, always

talk to me!!!

to Lucas: I can’t lose you

to Eliott: you won’t

come home. right now, please!

you’re worrying me

Eliott isn’t replying again, but he read all the messages. What does he mean he can’t lose Lucas? They’ve known each other since they were kids, there’s no way Eliott will ever lose him. It’s almost two in the morning and Lucas is still staring at his phone, waiting for any reply from Eliott, when he hears the intercom ringing and Mika picking up.

“Lucas, it’s for you!” He looks at his bedroom door, rushing out of bed to put some pants on. He can hear Mika opening the door and talking to someone, but Lucas isn’t really waiting for any visitors, especially at this hour. When he gets to the living room, Mika is nowhere to be found anymore. There’s only Eliott there, still close to the door, his shoulders shrunk against his chest, both his hand closed in a fist by his sides and he looks like he’s about to cry, swallowing a big lump in his throat.

It breaks Lucas’ heart to see Eliott so broken like this again, it’s been a long time since his last episode, but it feels worse now. Lucas rushes closer, throwing himself in Eliott’s arms and he holds Lucas with both arms around his waist.

“You scared the shit out of me, Eliott!” He holds him tighter around his neck, climbing him like a tree like he always wanted, wrapping both his legs around Eliott’s waist and Eliott carries him back to his bedroom, closing the door behind them.

“Can I sleep here tonight?”

“Yes! Fuck, of course.” Lucas kisses his neck without thinking about it, breathing him in, happy to see Eliott in one piece, right in front of him.

Even though he doesn’t want to, Lucas stands up again and they’re way too close, brushing their noses when Lucas steps back just to be able to see Eliott, touching his face with both hands, drying his tears with his thumbs.

Eliott doesn’t seem to have much strength in his body, so Lucas has to help him take his jacket off, his sweatshirt and his jeans too and it feels just a little too intimate and different from every other time something like this happened between them. Everything is different for Lucas. It’s so hard to be around Eliott and not kiss him. Lucas just wants to take care of him, make his pain go away, hopefully make him a little happier.

They don’t talk, but it feels like they do. When Lucas looks up again once he’s done with the clothes, they almost kiss again, but it’s just bad timing now. Eliott is not well and Lucas can’t just throw another curve ball at him like that.

“I’m not with Lucille anymore.” Eliott whispers and Lucas looks at him, but both their hairs are in his way, covering their eyes. They’re breathing heavily through their mouths, so close it’s hard not to think about it.

It’s so selfish, but Lucas can’t help the relieved sigh that comes out of his mouth and Eliott comes down a little closer, resting his forehead against Lucas’.

“I’m sorry, Lucas. For not telling you before.” Lucas’ heart is tightening and he doesn’t know what to do, how to help, but he knows they’re not talking exactly about Lucille. Lucas closes his eyes and lets himself come closer again, bumping their noses together one last time.

“There’s no reason to apologize. You just have to tell me what you want and when you want it. Tonight we can just lie down and sleep for a little.”

Eliott nods and kisses Lucas’ temple, quietly moving away from him, crawling into bed, lying with his back to Lucas and it looks too much like an invitation. Lucas takes his pants off again, gently lying behind Eliott, putting his arms around him, his fingertips drawing invisible lines on Eliott’s forearms, burying his nose against his neck, breathing him in again.

They’ll have a lot to talk about tomorrow.

#skam france #elu fic #elu #Lucas Lallemant #eliott demaury #thank you to the cutest girl to ever exist for helping me with this one <3

110 notes · View notes

nctzendreamz · 5 years

Text

Crazy, Rich, and They Hate Me :: Part Two

Jaehyun x Reader ft NCT

Angst, Fluff

Jaehyun finally takes you home, but he forgot to mention that his family is the richest in South Korea.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to get you some medicine, babe? I don’t want you to get sick.” Jaehyun questioned in a concerned tone, hand tickling the bottom of you chin.

“No, I’ll be fine! Trust me. How could I get sick when I can just look at you?”

“Cheesy…” he trailed off even though his ears became a flushed pink from your words. He assisted you out the taxi before you went to the trunk to grab your belongings.

You attempted to seize you and Jaehyun's suitcases, but a hand stopped you. You figured it was Jaehyun’s, but when you looked up you were met with another face. It was an older man who had a J symbol on his uniform. He smiled at you before taking all of your things.

“Good morning Mr. Jung.” he bowed, and Jaehyun bowed back respectively. “Enjoy your flight.”

“Thank you sir.”

What just happened? Mr. Jung?

[[MORE]]

You took Jaehyun’s hand that was waiting for you and began to walk towards the entrance of LAX.

“Mr. Jung?” you finally asked.

Your boyfriend didn’t say anything, instead opening the door for you to walk in before him. “You do know my last name, don’t you?” he chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of your head.

“I mean of course, but he said it like he works for you or something? Who was he?”

“It’s just a little favor I get from the airport. He’s a family friend and has known me since I was a little kid.” Jaehyun confessed.

“That’s so cool.” you trailed off, admiring the views of the large space. Usually you’d feel uneasy being in such a crowded area, but with your boyfriend beside you, you felt like you could do anything. Maybe you should’ve been a little more aware of the fact that he just admitted he had people working for him and his family, but Jaehyun always had a way of making things sound casual. He almost made you feel like it was something anybody could have.

The time had flown by with you and Jaehyun buying T-shirt’s and looking around the stores. Now it was time for you to board your flight. The intercom rang, but you knew it’d be a few before you two got on because first class was always seated before everyone else.

“If you are flying first class, please begin to board your flight.” the intercom spoke.

“That’s us.” Jaehyun whispered before grabbing your hand to get up.

“Jaehyun!”

“What?”

“How are we flying first class?”

“Because it’s a long flight. I'd much rather be able to cuddle with you laying down than sitting with a neck pillow. Let’s go silly.”

“But-

“Shh.” He put a finger to your lips. “Just enjoy.”

You had no idea what first class looked like, only relying on your movie knowledge. When you stepped in, it was pretty much the same. Seats facing eachother with a table in the middle, wealthy people wasting no time drinking wine in their reclined chairs. As you went deeper, you saw people getting comfortable in couch like beds, searching for whatever tv show was on their mind, or typing away at their computers. When you saw a free space, you went towards it assuming that’s where you and Jaehyun were staying.

“Don’t wander.” He smiled, his dimple laughing at you as well.

“This is it though, right?”

He was silent as you went to a secluded area where there was a curtain. There were two woman standing on each side, and they had that same J symbol on their shirts as the man from before did.

Jung. The symbol stands for Jung.

You watched as he bowed, and followed suit to be polite. When they moved the curtains, your eyes popped out of you head.

“Woah.”

“You like?” He asked, smile not able to leave his cheeks from your adorable expression.

“I....It’s more than like.” Tears were pricking in your eyelids because of the intense amount of gratefulness you felt. You couldn’t help but to run right into his arms where he caught you. “Baby, thank you so much. I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t cry.” He whispered, rubbing your back softly. “We deserve it.”

“I don’t!” You screeched, making him laugh. He pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“You absolutely do. You’ve worked your ass off doing hair and we both know you need this pampering. Now let’s get these clothes off.” He winked before throwing you on the bed, causing you to squeal.

.........

“So, when were you gonna tell me you were rich.” As you looked up at him, you could see that his hair was still sweaty and stuck to his forehead, but the moonlight made it glow.

“I’m not rich.”

You looked at him as if he was crazy. “Do you see us right now? We’re naked, cuddled in a comfortable bed, and drinking wine on an airplane.”

“And?” He sounded so intrigued.

“And you have people working for you. That man that took our bags? He works for you. So do those women.”

“Okay, so my family is well off.” He sighed, clearly not wanting brag about his blessings. “But that doesn’t change anything.”

“What would make you think that being rich would change something?”

“I don’t know.” He confessed, voice heavy with guilt. “It was just refreshing to know that you loved me without knowing about all of this.” He pointed around the room. “Knowing I come from a wealthy family.”

“Hey,” you rolled over so that you were on top of him, and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “This changes nothing for me. If you would’ve turned out to be a complete ass the day we met, I would’ve never looked twice at you. I love you for the man that you are, and how much you love me. Not your bank account.”

“Promise?” He whispered, moving his forehead to yours.

“I pinky promise.” You kissed him again, before rolling back over.

“Come back.” He whined.

You leaned on your elbow. “Not until you tell me all about your family. I want to know everything.”

“Everything?”

“Everything.” You said darkly, causing his raspy chuckle to echo through the tiny space.

“Well, you know about Johnny. He’s picking us up from the airport.”

“Enlighten me again. You know I have a bad memory.” You smiled.

“Well, he’s my bestfriend...after you of course.” He smirked. “Our moms were pregnant at the same time, so of course it was destiny. He’s really nervous about the whole wedding thing though.”

“He loves her, right?”

“Not as much as I love you.” He whispered, kissing your neck.

“Cheesy.”

“You totally just stole my line.”

“Keep going.” You prompted with a laugh.

“I have a couple more cousins. Haechan, Taeyong, Lucas, and Yuta are the ones that will probably talk to you the most. Like most of us, they all will have the business passed down to them. Yuta and Lucas are brothers and have a different girlfriend every month. Both are models. They may seem a little cocky, but deep down they’re nice. Haechan’s family owns a popular dance school in Seoul, and he’s a sweet kid. Taeyong is a video game designer, and the quiet one.”

“So cool.” You awed. “Your parents?”

He sighed, looking through the window. “My mom...really loves me. When I was a kid, my dad was rarely home as he was overseas all the time, so it was just me.”

“Is it still that way? You know, him working all the time?”

“Unfortunately so.” He sounded down. You put your head in his chest, knowing it comforted him. “Apparently he doesn’t know if he can make it to Johnny’s wedding because he might not be able get back in time.”

“Does that upset you?”

“A little.” He admitted, feeling completely exposed in the best way possible. He had never felt so open to talk about his feelings with anyone but you. “When my dad’s not around, my mother can be a little...

“Mean.” You chuckled. “Trust me I understand.”

“She just gets all stressed out. And then it stresses me out. Everyone out.”

“Well don’t worry. After not seeing you in so long, I’m sure everything will be perfect. I also have faith that your dad will show.” You rubbed the nape of his neck softly.

“Me too.” Was all he said before there was a peaceful silence. It didn’t take long for the two of you to fall asleep in each other’s arms as you flew through the clouds.

<3333333

A/N: I know this was a very soft and short chapter! 🤣 but y’all are gonna need it because the next one will be long. Also...it’s coming tomorrow 🕺🏽

#nct #nct 127 #nct imagine #nct imagines #nct jaehyun #nct scenarios #nct scenario #nct reaction #nct masterlist #jaehyun

206 notes · View notes

lallemanting · 5 years

Note

Hi!! If you're still up for the prompt list thing, how about 15,43,94, and 99? Sorry that's so much, I got really excited looking at the list! Thank you!

“Shouldn’t you be with him/her?,” “You have no idea how much I want you right now,” “I won’t lose you too,” and “I fell in love with you, not them” from the angst/fluff prompts.

(hi anon!! thank you so much for sending 💖 i am here for this collection of prompts - def a challenge but I loved it!! hope you enjoy!!!)

also on ao3 here ✨

_____

Lucas has just turned his light off when he hears a faint knock at his hotel door. It’s late, later than he really should have stayed up seeing as he has to be up early tomorrow for the wedding, but the boys had made him promise not to go back to the hotel until they’d had a few drinks, caught up. Just like old times, Arthur said.

There’s part of him that’s grateful the boys are making such a show of everything because Lucas still can’t quite believe Yann is getting married. So he appreciates the attempt at normalcy, even if everything feels like it has been changing so quickly recently.

The biggest change, of course, is Eliott. Lucas had met him in the hallways at school, a nervous new kid, and brought him into the circle. They had all gotten close, Lucas and Eliott especially. They were each other’s rocks when there was nowhere else to go. Lucas was the first person Eliott had told about his bipolar disorder and Eliott had gone with him on several occasions to visit his mother (and even, once, a tense meeting with his father). They were each other’s anchors, balancing weight, internal compass, in ways no one else even approached. Lucas and Yann had always been close, long before Lucas met Eliott, but there had always been something different with Eliott, something Lucas couldn’t quite name.

In his last year of lycée, Lucas figured out that something different was his being completely and totally in love with Eliott. Unfortunately for him, that was also the time Eliott met Lucille, so he held his tongue, swallowed his pride and kept playing the role of best friend even when all he wanted was for Eliott to look at him, talk about him, the way he talked about Lucille.

And maybe he’d been more obvious than he originally thought because about a month before the wedding Eliott had come to Lucas and told him that they needed to see less of each other, that Lucas couldn’t always be the first person Eliott ran to when something was wrong, because as Lucille had apparently pointed out, that person should be her now.

Those words had set a fire in Lucas and all he wanted to do was scream out maybe there’s a reason you run to me and not her but he couldn’t get the words out. The only thing he’d managed to say that night was a grunted fine before he slammed the door in Eliott’s face and proceeded to cry himself to sleep.

So Lucas can’t say that he was particularly surprised when Eliott turned down drinks with the boys tonight. They hadn’t spoken since that night (or at least Lucas had stopped responding to Eliott’s messages, and Eliott had given up trying to send them) as Lucas tried to mend his broken heart. Yann had tried to get Eliott to join in for the nostalgia, but he’d taken one look at Lucas’ face, muttered something about having to get back to Lucille and ran off.

Lucas felt the anger rise up again then and he’d spent the whole night pretending like his annoyance was the same as the rest of them, because he couldn’t let anyone know that despite everything, his heart still longed for Eliott.

So now, as Lucas lies in the darkness and hears the brisk knocking at his door, the promise of sleep clouding his mind, he feels irritation rise at whoever is keeping him from passing out and hopefully dreaming of something less fucked up then his current life.

He pulls back the covers, and swings his body upright, pausing to turn his lamp back on. He strides across the room and peeks through the peephole to see who the hell is knocking on his door at 3 a.m. His heart sinks when he sees who is standing there.

Lucas quickly unlocks the door and pulls it open to find Eliott, Eliott, standing out in the hallway, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. He’s wearing a thick jacket and his shoulders are hunched as he stares at the floor.

“What do you want?” It comes out colder than Lucas intends and he watches Eliott bristle at his tone and shrink even more. Lucas feels a sudden urge to reach out and pull him close because he knows Eliott and he knows that’s the kind of comfort Eliott needs but he stops himself. He reminds himself that Eliott was the one that asked for space, because Lucas being around so much made Lucille uncomfortable. Lucille! And Eliott had just let it happen.

Eliott looks like he’s about to cry and opens his mouth once, searching trying to find the words but it takes him a minute to gather his thoughts. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out finally, the words hinging on tears. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Shouldn’t you be with Lucille?” Lucas snaps back, unable to stop himself from digging at Eliott just a bit. Eliott was the one who said he needed to go to her now whenever things got bad, that she had to be his priority. So Lucas didn’t quite understand why Eliott was showing up at his door at three in the fucking morning. Unless–

“I don’t think that’s going to last,” Eliott whispers, picking his head up to meet Lucas’ eyes. “Please…can I come in?”

Lucas feels like the wind’s been knocked out of him and he stares at Eliott for a moment in stunned silence. But then his brain catches up and he steps aside, opening the door wider.

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” he says, ushering Eliott in, suddenly grateful that he’d booked his own room. Whatever animosity he’d been holding onto starts to dissipate and Lucas can’t help it because this is exactly what used to happen, what Lucas wants to happen – Eliott coming to him. It’s the first sign that his Eliott might be coming back to him.

Eliott steps inside and Lucas closes and locks the door behind him, turning around to find Eliott standing almost frozen. He reaches out gently and touches Eliott’s shoulder, trying to bring him back to Earth. He walks past Eliott to sit on the edge of his bed and motions for Eliott to come join him. They sit there on the bed in silence as Lucas tries to figure out what to say next, regretting the icy tone he’d taken as he opened the door. He keeps looking at Eliott trying to get him to look up, meet his gaze, but Eliott won’t. Finally, Lucas speaks.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks, gently, quietly, reaching out slowly for Eliott’s hand, just to rub soothing circles into his palm, but he aborts the movement at the last minute. Eliott looks up at him, his eyes red and tired.

“I don’t know,” Eliott says. “It’s complicated.”

Lucas nods, holding Eliott’s gaze, almost getting lost in the fierce swirling storm of blue and gray. “Okay,” he says. “But I’m here, okay? No matter what. I’m sorry for being so rude before, it’s just…I’ve missed you. But, I’m your best friend. I’m always here for you.”

Eliott lets out a small strangled cry somewhere between a laugh and a sob and looks down at his lap, fidgeting with his hands. Lucas wishes he could reach out and hold them, but that’s not who Eliott is to him.

“You say that now, but I’m afraid you’re going to change your mind if I tell you what happened. Lucille did,” Eliott says, his voice small. He looks back at Lucas. “I won’t lose you too.”

Lucas does reach out then and pulls Eliott to his chest, trying to tell him with his grip that he won’t lose him, that he couldn’t lose him. Lucas is Eliott’s forever – he’d given a piece of himself over to Eliott a long time ago. Almost as soon as they met.

After what feels like an eternity, Eliott pulls back and Lucas, not thinking, reaches up and wipes the tears from his cheeks. But Eliott doesn’t even blink. He just gives Lucas a small smile, which he has no way of knowing makes Lucas’ heart race.

“It’s okay Eliott, you don’t have to tell me tonight. Actually, you don’t have to tell me ever,” Lucas says, his hands, now resting on Eliott’s knees, trying to maintain contact and hopefully give Eliott something to ground him, something to focus on. “But I want you to know that there’s nothing you could say that would make you lose me.”

Eliott smiles again and Lucas’ heart swells.

“Thank you Lucas,” he says and gently squeezes Lucas’ hand. He’s stopped crying and some of the color has returned to his face and Lucas can’t help but wish he could keep holding his hand forever.

Lucas glances over at the clock then and realizes just how late it is. There’s nothing else that can really be done tonight, and Lucas knows Eliott always feels better in the morning. Lucas can feel his own eyes fighting to stay open and Eliott looks tired as well. They should sleep but Lucas just wants a few more moments with his fingers interlaced with Eliott’s.

“Maybe, for tonight, we should go to bed,” Lucas says finally.

“Can I stay here?” Eliott asks, like he’s unsure of what Lucas might say. But Lucas knows he could never say no to him.

“Of course.”

“I can sleep on the couch.”

Eliott starts to stand but Lucas grabs his wrist.

“Don’t be ridiculous, you and I both know you can’t fit on that couch,” Lucas laughs softly trying to dispel the tension. He’s joking but trying to imagine Eliott and all his long limbs on the tiny couch on the other side of the room is pretty funny. “We can share the bed, it’s not a big deal.”

He might have said it’s not a big deal, but Lucas is suddenly acutely aware of the fact that he’s only wearing a t-shirt and boxers and now he’s condemned himself to sleep next to Eliott for the rest of the night. It shouldn’t be a big deal – they’re friends and the bed is big enough for the two of them – but Lucas’ body does not seem to get the memo. His heart starts racing and his stomach twists.

“Are you sure?” Eliott asks.

“Yes.”

They move about a bit, shuffling around the space to accommodate Eliott spending the night. Lucas grabs an extra pillow from the closet and Eliott discards his jacket, jeans and shoes by the small chair in the corner. Lucas offers him a t-shirt but Eliott waves him off.

“I’ll just sleep in the one I’m wearing.”

They climb into bed then and Lucas clicks off the light and suddenly they are plunged into darkness. Lucas lays on his side, facing away from Eliott, the covers tucked under his neck, acutely aware of Eliott’s weight next to him. He tries to will his mind to stop focusing on it, on Eliott’s warmth next to him, on Eliott’s soft breathing filling the room. But his mind won’t shut off so Lucas lays there, paralyzed and tired and unable to sleep, as the man he’s in love with lies next to him.

Lucas lays there for what feels like an eternity, listening for Eliott’s breathing to even out and indicate that he’s fallen asleep, but it doesn’t. Lucas wonders if thoughts of Lucille are keeping him awake, if whatever they fought about it already seeming like a stupid problem that they’ll move past in the morning. He wants to kick himself for feeling angry at the thought of them reconciling but he can’t help that the idea that Eliott and Lucille might finally be over makes his heart soar.

Eliott has clearly not fallen asleep, because he turns then, onto his back and whispers, breaking the silence in the dark room.

“Lucas?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re still awake?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Eliott is quiet then, long enough that Lucas thinks he might have finally fallen asleep, but then– “I know I’ve said it before, but Lucille and I are broken up for real this time.”

“Oh?”

“It’s different this time.”

“Why?” Lucas can’t quite bring himself to believe Eliott and keeps his eyes shut, still willing sleep to find him.

“Because I can’t love her.”

Lucas’ eyes shoot open and his heart skips a beat. That is not what he was expecting to hear. He rolls onto his back as well. “What?”

“I tried, I did. Probably for longer than I should have,” Eliott says, his voice barely above a whisper. Lucas thinks he feels the ghost of Eliott’s fingers against his own. “But I finally realized the problem.”

“What was the problem?” Lucas can barely breathe.

“I fell in love with you, not her.”

Lucas can’t move, afraid that the littlest shake will wake him up from whatever dream he’s clearly living in, because that is the only place he ever expected to hear that from Eliott. He can feel Eliott’s eyes on him now, trying to gauge Lucas’ reaction to his admission. And suddenly there are so many words swelling up in Lucas’ throat – so many things that he wants to say but he can’t get anything eloquent out.

“What?” he chokes out. Nice, he thinks.

“I said I’m in love with you,” Eliott says, sitting up next to him, running a hand through his hair. “Fuck. Should I not have said that?”

“No!” Lucas almost shouts, abruptly sitting up next to Eliott as well. “No,” he repeats, softer, and turns to look at Eliott who is no longer looking at him. “I just…I was surprised, that’s all.”

“Surprised,” Eliott says, looking slightly dejected. “Okay.”

Lucas can tell that he has about three seconds to get his shit together and tell Eliott how he feels before Eliott bolts, so he reaches out and gently grabs Eliott’s chin, tugging his face towards him.

“Hey,” Lucas says. “I was surprised because I never imagined I’d be lucky enough to hear that from you…about me.”

Eliott looks up at him then, a soft smile emerging on his face. “Really?”

“Shit, yes, Eliott,” Lucas says. “I’ve been in love with you for years.”

“Years?” Eliott’s smile could light the sun.

“Pathetic, right?” Lucas whispers, their faces drawing closer.

“No,” Eliott says, shaking his head slightly. “Romantic.”

They look at each for a moment, and Lucas drops his gaze to Eliott’s mouth imaging for what feels like the thousandth time what it would feel like to have his lips pressed against Lucas’. But he’s realizing that he won’t have to imagine for much longer.

Lucas isn’t sure who finally closes the distance then, but then their lips are touching, gentle at first, exploring the new feeling. It doesn’t take long for Eliott’s hand to find his face, pulling him closer, their kisses turning from gentle and sweet to sloppy and rough. Lucas feels like his nerve endings are on fire and all he knows is Eliott – his smell, his touch, his taste – and it’s better than he’d ever allowed himself to imagine.

Eliott’s mouth finds his jaw, the notch under his ear, his neck and Lucas finds himself being pulled roughly into Eliott’s lap, Eliott’s hands running up his sides under his shirt. Lucas shivers at the feeling of Eliott’s hands on his bare skin and it takes all of his willpower to hold it together. Lucas brings Eliott’s face back to his and kisses him again, hard, taking all the air from his lungs. Eliott pulls back slightly, but only slightly, keeping their foreheads together, their breathing heavy and desperate in the dark.

“You have no idea how much I want you right now,” Eliott whispers against Lucas’ lips before pulling him for another searing kiss.

And Lucas laughs, because he can’t believe his luck, can’t believe that the boy he’s loved for years is finally saying all of that to him. And because, Lucas thinks, as Eliott slowly kisses his neck, he knows exactly how Eliott feels.

#skam france #elu #elu fic #i am...a sucker for sharing the bed fics #and friends to lovers #so this is that #i'll post it on ao3 eventually #but for now i'm gonna post this here and run #my writing

153 notes · View notes

jebentnietalleen · 5 years

Note

If ur serious about wanting things to do, I can oblige with a v specific request lol, could you headcanon Elu at a relatives’ wedding and them being all cute and dressed up and heart eyes and hot for one another

It startedas a joke: Lucas informed Eliott that he got an invitation to his cousin’swedding and that it said he was allowed to take a plus one. He had smirked andsaid ‘Finally I get to show off my hot boyfriend in a tux’, wiggling hiseyebrows as he put the card down on the kitchen counter, returning hisattention back to the curry he was trying to make. Eliott put his arms around his waist, leaning into his back as he whispered inhis ear ‘I can’t wait. Although I’m not a tux kind of guy, just a regular suitwill do’ Startled and a little confused, Lucas whipped his head around so quicklythat Eliott had to duck in order to prevent a concussion. ‘Eliott, I wasn’tserious. I haven’t spoken to this girl in years and I am pretty sure she isonly inviting me out of familiar obligation. I don’t think she expects me tocome, let alone take my boyfriend with me. I can see the scandalized faces now.Oh lord, is Lucas really with a boy? Ihope they don’t slow dance, or god forbid, kiss’ his face scrunched up ashe mimicked what could be one of many of his family members.

Eliott frowns at him, turning him around in his arms so that they were facingeach other completely. ‘Hey, she invited you even if she didn’t want to, it’s your right to go andhave a good time with your boyfriend, and if anybody is offended by that, fuckthem. I say we go, we eat and we drink and we dance the night away. Let themlook. Unless you aren’t ready, of course. I’d understand if that’s the case’ Lucas wraps his arms around Eliott’s neck and says: ‘I am more than ready, andyou are right. Who cares what they think. It’s not like I will see any of themany time soon after that anyway. Let’s do it’ And so he rsvp’s late that night, after they ate some curry and cuddles up onthe couch, giggling as Eliott suggests to start looking for fancy yet danceableshoes asap.

~ ~ ~

He almostforgets about it, until he gets a text from Eliott around a month after hereceived the invitation, while he is hanging out with Yann: I’ve found the perfect suit for the wedding.Can’t wait for you to see it, although I think I am in fact going to make youwait. He blinks at his phone a couple of times and can feel his cheeks turn redat the thought of Eliott in a suit. ‘Hello, earth to Lucas? What happened, did Eliott text you a sexy picture?’Yann laughs at him, a suggestive look on his face as he tries to sneak a peekat his phone. Lucas instinctively pulls his phone to his chest: ‘If he did I wouldn’t wantyou to see that, Yann, and no. He did paint a pretty sexy picture for methough. He found a suit for that wedding I told you about. I completely forgotabout that. Now I’m going to have to do some shopping this weekend’. Yann slings his arm around his shoulders and starts walking: ‘Why wait untilthis weekend? Let’s gather the boys and get you a sharp looking suit. Eliottisn’t the only one who will look great at that wedding, not on my watch’.

Yann keepshis promise and texts the gang, who all show up within an hour. It takes them 3stores and 6 different suits, but he finds one that looks pretty good on him,if he does say so himself. It’s dark blue, so dark that it could be mistakenfor black from a distant. He gets a baby blue dress shirt and silver-grey tieat the advice of the saleswoman, to make the look complete. Arthur nods approvingly while Yann looks like he’s proud, somehow. He has theweirdest friends, but at least he doesn’t have to go shopping by himself.Basile asks if they need to go look for shoes, but Lucas is done with walkingthrough the city and decides to buy some online that night.

~ ~ ~

Eliottkeeps teasing him about seeing each other in a suit, saying he hopes Lucas cancontrol himself in front of his family. Lucas just rolls his eyes and decidesthat two can play that game. He pretends that he isn’t all that happy with thesuit he managed to buy, but that he bought it because he couldn’t findsomething better. It’s not like he thinks he will wow Eliott with his suit, butit would be fun to see the surprise on his face when they see each other thatnight. Besides, it’s a good way to distract himself from thinking about Eliottin a suit, because even though he’ll never admit it, Eliott is right, it’sgoing to be really hard to control himself and he already knows it.

~ ~ ~

The day ofthe wedding, Lucas gets cold feet. And it isn’t even his wedding. All of the sudden, the baby blue dress shirt seems like a stupid idea, way toobright to wear, and when Mika tells him it brings out his eyes it doesn’tchange his mind. He’s about to take it all off, searching his closet for a simple white shirt,when the bell rings. Shit. Eliott is already here. He grabs the nearest white shirt he can find and locks himself up in thebathroom, shaking his head because he knows he is being stupid.

He hearssome murmurs on the other side of the door before he hears a familiar knock. ‘Lucas? Please don’t change your shirt, I heard great things about it. Let mesee’ and maybe that’s all the encouragement he needed in the end, because hislegs are drawn to the door, and he does want to see Eliott.He twists the lock and lets him in, and to be honest it’s just what he neededright now: seeing Eliott look absolutely devastatingly handsome in a grey suitthat looks like it was made for him, with a matching dark grey tie. Seeing himlook like that while he looks atLucas like he can’t believe his eyes. ‘Lucas…. Wow. You look… so beautiful. You always do, but this. It really suitsyou’ Eliott walks on over to him, cupping his face with his hands, tracing hischeekbones with his thumbs. His face feels warm again, but maybe that’s because he feels warm all over. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to Eliott looking at him like that andsaying such nice things about him. His hands are at Eliott’s waist, pulling him closer and in for a kiss. It’s dizzying in the best way possible, making him feel lightheaded and on fireat the same time.

They breakapart but stay close, lips still nearly touching, when Eliott says: ‘If wedon’t leave now, I’m going to have a really hard time convincing myself to goat all. Lead the way, Mr. Lallemant.’ Lucas grins up at him, taking his hand and walking backwards out of thebathroom and towards the front door. ‘If you say so, Mr. Demaury. Oh, and bythe way? I am going to need you to wear a suit more often. I can’t believeyou’ve been depriving me for 6 months’ He turns around while biting back a grin,knowing that Eliott loves it whenever Lucas openly compliments him like this. Eliott catches up with him when they walk down the stairs, leaning over towhisper in his ear: ‘You’re not going to make tonight easy for me, are you?’

~ ~ ~

He’s glad Eliottcould borrow his dad’s car for the occasion, because he can’t imagine having totake the bus whilst wearing suits, but also because the car ride over to thewedding gave Lucas the opportunity to look at Eliott as much as he wanted to. Of course, he has always been aware of Eliott’s model good looks, but over timeit’s something that just drifts to the back of his mind. There is so much to love about Eliott, his kindness, the way he cares about somany things and so many people, his blinding smile. The fact that his isgorgeous is hardly the best thing about him. This outfit… this outfit really brought it back to his attention. Eliottglances at him, a grin spreading from ear to ear: ‘You are checking me out.Admit it.’ Lucas huffs but doesn’t deny it: ‘Well duh, look at you. I can’t believe I amgoing to arrive with the most attractive person at that wedding. My cousin isgoing to kill me for stealing her thunder.’ Eliott laughs loud and genuine, almost doubling over behind the wheel. His handlands on Lucas’ knee, squeezing it softly before resting it right there.

‘I’m prettysure you will turn over some heads yourself. I mean it, Lucas. You areglowing.’ Lucas spreads his own hand on top of his: ‘That’s because you bring out thebest in me.’ He can’t believe he is being this cheesy, and he doesn’t even hateit. ‘and the worst, apparently, when did we become this couple? The one who is so lovey dovey the whole time?’ Eliott shakes his head at that: ‘We’ve always been that couple, Lucas. It’stime to embrace it.’ Lucas thinks he probably has embraced it, for a long longtime now. Ever since they decided to take it minute by minute, maybe evenbefore that.

~ ~ ~

It turnsout, his cousin is way too busy with getting married to pay attention to thefact that Lucas brought Eliott as his date, or to ask him about his life ingeneral, really. He doesn’t mind, he likes the fact that they can sort of pretend to be on afancy date instead of a wedding where he can run into family members every coupleof meters.

He doesn’trecognize most of them, and because it’s been so long since he last seen them,they don’t recognize him either. Has dad cancelled last minute, because ofcourse he did, and because his dad was supposed to be there his mother decidednot to come to the wedding.

There’s adistant relative here and there with whom he exchanges pleasantries, and it’ssurprisingly thrilling to introduce Eliott as his boyfriend to every one ofthem. He’s just so proud of Eliott. Not just that he is there with Eliott, whobrightens up any room he is in, but of who Eliott is as a person. It’s one ofthe things he never anticipated when he used to think about falling in love,but it’s arguably one of the best things about it.

They getsome drinks, red wine for Lucas and orange juice for Eliott. Most of the partytakes place in a big courtyard, decorated with fairy lights that are switchedon once the sun has gone under. The setting makes it look otherworldly, magical in a way, it creates a weirdbubble around them, even more than usual.

The wine ishitting Lucas harder than it should, or maybe it’s just the fact that he’s beensurrounded by Eliott all night that makes his head spin slightly. Eliott, whokeeps looking at him like he won the jackpot. Eliott, who charms everybody whointroduces themselves to him. Eliott, who is currently leading him to thedancefloor, never taking his eyes off him. The music is playing softly in thebackground, Lucas doesn’t recognize the song. He can’t be bothered to wreck hisbrain over it because right now the only thing that matters is Eliott and theway he gently pulls Lucas towards him by the waist until their bodies are flushagainst each other. His arms encircle Eliott’s neck and all he can think is home, this is home. ‘Lucas’ Eliott whispers softly, their foreheads touching ever so slightly, ‘canI confess something?’ Lucas nods, ‘Always’ Eliott bites his lip: ‘Days like this really make me think about the future.Weddings always kind of freaked me out a bit. I guess I didn’t like to thinkabout the future, for a long time. But right now, with you here? It doesn’tseem so scary anymore. To think about a future with you.’ Lucas pulls Eliott closer, close enough to kiss him. He tries to poureverything he is feeling into the kiss. Ilove you, I want you, I feel the same. Our future is going to be so bright. Whenhe pulls away and looks into Eliott’s eyes that are glistening with tears, heknows that his message is clear.

#skam france #elu fic #my fic #elu headcanon #this is super late and probably not what you wanted but...sksks hope you like it anyway #alsoooo meg if you are reading this: i am dedicating this to you babe! <333

95 notes · View notes

hopevalley · 3 years

Note

I've actually enjoyed watching new episodes of the show for the first time in a LONG time! I thought Lucas being frustrated w/ Elizabeth was contrived and misplaced. Was his mom like "me & your father are separated btw i told elizabeth before you?" The bit felt off. But hey, these past three episodes have been fun & much-better written than anything last season. How much of this season's improvement over recent prior ones do you think is due to the season having a new showrunner?

As to Lucas and Elizabeth, I feel this is an issue with shows in general of this runtime and episode length. I like to compare WCtH with Road to Avonlea because both shows had short seasons and 40ish minute long episodes, were family shows, and featured ensemble casts. Avonlea had a similar issue with pacing in the occasional episode. I know I like to nitpick WCtH a lot about its writing, and I never shy from honest critique, but I really do think the hiccup with Lucas and Elizabeth in Ep3 was just a product of needing a few more minutes of screentime—preferably the start of Helen telling Lucas about the situation with his father, since it did feel like him knowing everything came out of almost nowhere. We knew Helen would have to talk to him, but we never really saw her resolve to do so, and I think we earned the emotional payoff of the truth coming out. (As an aside, Helen should have apologized for telling Lucas that Elizabeth knew as well as putting her in a position where she had to keep a secret from someone she cared about. Elizabeth being put in a bad position was awful enough, but then she went and told Lucas that Elizabeth was aware the whole time? Yiiiikesssss...)

I’m pretty confident that Helen told Lucas something like: “I have to tell you something important... Your father...left me...a few weeks ago. I need to apologize for keeping it from you but I didn’t know how to bring it up...” and then probably responded to something Lucas said with a comment about how she’d talked to Elizabeth about it, or Elizabeth suggested she be honest about the situation because Lucas would find out eventually and it would be better if it came directly from her. I could definitely see Helen accidentally being too honest in a situation where she’s nervous about admitting the truth to her own son. She’s probably extremely embarrassed and ashamed, and the episode doesn’t really go into how Helen feels about it. They just jump into talk about love and how it needs to be nurtured and nobody ever asks Helen if she actually loved/loves her husband, let alone if he was a good man/husband to her.

Not getting a scene where Helen confesses the truth weakens the entire plotline. I’m hoping they’ll just keep improving on this specific aspect of the show, and consider getting rid of unnecessary scenes or entire unnecessary storylines in favor of stronger, more complete stories.

I know their hesitation is based on the idea that not everyone cares about (for example) Lucas, so focusing really hard on Lucas’s relationship with his mother might feel Bad, but the entire “chair” plotline with Rosemary and Lee was unnecessary, as were the longer Florence and Ned scenes. Don’t get me wrong—I enjoyed them! But if they cut those out, or mostly cut them, then there would have been enough screentime for a full scene showing Helen telling Lucas about the truth.

And Chris McNally is clearly an actor who can handle an emotional scene like that, so it would have turned out well, and been well-received by the fans...even the ones who aren’t rooting for Lucas. Because what people who watch this show want to see is...depth, I think. So many relationships feel tacked on or fake. I’ve seen improvement this season, but they could definitely do more to bolster the “community” feel of the show.

As to the quality of the season so far...

@trash-god and I were chatting earlier this week about how wild it is that we’re both, like, actively looking forward to the next episode regularly. Sure, it’s still pretty early in the season, but we’re 25% of the way through. If the writing stays this consistently decent I think we’ll have the best season in a long time on our hands!

It’s funny because if you lurk on the WCTH subreddit, you’ll see most of the fans there are bored of this season, but I disagree with them in a bit way; this season is DEFINITELY better-written and smoother. As to where to place the credit, I think it’s worth considering the last few seasons and what the writers/writing teams have struggled with.

Season 4: They knew something was going to happen with their lead man so they tried introducing other things and in many ways had success. There were some REALLY GOOD scenes in S4, but there were also scenes or arcs that had a lot of potential that just fell flat. For example, they had that plot where Frank and Abigail got annoyed with each other over the fact that he’s kind of still living (mentally) as a carefree bachelor, and even though it wasn’t as thorough as it should have been, it was a pretty good and realistic storyline. But then later in the season, they introduced Carson, and Frank is suspicious of him for almost no reason (or at least, no solid reason), and then actively is...like a BAD PERSON for NO REASON. Two completely different plots, one was good and felt natural, and the other was awful and cringey. We also have the AJ plotline in S4. It started out super good because it was one of those plots that was genuinely built up to over the course of several episodes. We find out the accountant that was going to testify has withdrawn their statement, then we find out they’ve disappeared and we have a name. Bill discusses it with Abigail and Frank both, multiple times. He thinks it’s a payoff and he’s determined to prove it so he starts poking around. Eventually he gets a lead and follows it, and it’s revealed that AJ is a woman. Bill is annoying. AJ is a liar. I think conceptually this is one of the more interesting plots they’ve cobbled together, but in execution it was lacking toward the end of the story. Bill spent two episodes fighting AJ’s attitude and in the end he just lets her go with a smile? That isn’t like Bill at all. There’s a scene or two missing to make that reaction make sense. They don’t interact enough to give us the idea that Bill *understands* her, let alone would be okay with her literally breaking out of his jail ON HIS WATCH.

Season 5: They had to write Jack out of the story and had to rush a wedding in to “appease” the fans. They also had to write Shane, Philip, Frank, and Dottie off the show in this season (Dottie because the actress deals with a chronic illness and can no longer do acting work—I want to say she has Lyme’s). So they cobble this like, awkward storyline to write Frank out that doesn’t really make a lot of sense. They put this dramatic story together for Philip (when him just moving away would have been better/more interesting), and they try to bring AJ back for another 2-part episode, which sounded fun until we actually had to watch the episodes. It was at this point that I thought, “The people writing this show...think they’re writing a movie script.” It’s not that I think AJ isn’t pushy or emotionally blunt, but it definitely came across in those episodes that they wrote her that way specifically because the plot wouldn’t work out if she wasn’t. She does unreasonable things. For some reason Bill still has feelings even though she’s done nothing to earn them. (And vice-versa; he’s just so mean to her...why would she be interested?) Everyone was like :O when the AJ episodes weren’t very well-received. But like, I didn’t want AJ to come back for a huge dramatic rattlesnake bite scene. I wanted her back to see her emotional struggle with facing prison. I wanted to really see where they’d go with her seeing Henry Gowen. She says she wants to start over in Hope Valley after prison, but like...WHY? The only people who are nice to her are Dottie and Abigail! And then after this super dramatic poorly written set of scenes that pretty much ensured AJ would never be seen on the show again (because her presence was actively mocked by a lot of fans) they actually kill off Jack and try to have a deeply emotional and thoughtful episode.

The worst part is that...the post-death episode was good. The actors were great. Then you look back at the dramatic rattlesnake stuff and you’re just like, “What went wrong here?”

Season 6: They decided they were going to introduce a love triangle, so they start doing that, but then Abigail’s character AS WELL AS CODY’S CHARACTER has to be cut from the show, so they edit those out. I still think doing this was the right thing—Abigail as a character was literally UNBEARABLE throughout most of S5—but I also can’t deny that it probably brought the cohesiveness and overall quality of the season down by a bit, particularly with Abigail acting as a buffer between Nathan/Lucas and Elizabeth. I have no way of knowing if they edited other characters into those roles (it’s possible Bill became a buffer between Nathan and Elizabeth, for example), but the editing still gave us some scenes that just didn’t...quite work, like the one where Elizabeth comforts Henry, or when Lee becomes Bill’s confidant regarding the position of judge being offered to him.

Season 7: In their attempt to make Lucas seem “mysterious” they accidentally made him come off almost creepy. More than once. They had some good ideas in this season, but the writing felt a bit choppy and isolated from episode to episode. Of course Nathan’s father was innocent. Of course it was resolved in five minutes. You could see they were trying REALLY hard for cohesiveness at certain points (Elizabeth tried talking to Henry about his attitude; Jesse mentioned Frank; Dottie was mentioned), but each episode felt very isolated from the others, almost as if most of them were written completely separately from the rest.

And you’ll notice in S4, 5, and 6, we kind of have a similar problem, where some plots feel like they were written or inserted into the story independent of the other plotlines. Frank breaking into Carson’s room at the saloon to snoop through his stuff was one of the worst things in the season (literally cringey—and not in that “character is doing something in character that is hard to watch” way, but rather, “this character would literally never do that” way). The AJ storyline in S5 felt like the person who wrote it watched AJ & Bill’s interactions in S4 and absorbed ONLY the fact that they bickered a bit (and then didn’t know how to write that dynamic in a pleasing way). Writing Abigail out of the show was for the best, but it forced cracks in the plotlines that weren’t necessarily filled, as well as gave us interactions that didn’t feel quite right.

And I think S7 was trying to get on the right track, but wrote episodes in a very disjointed, haphazard kind of manner. There were good things about it, yes, but there were also some very...bad things.

And overall the problem almost universally was that it felt like some of the episodes/interactions were written as if they were part of a movie, as part of a one time deal, instead of something that would need to be carried forward. If you go back and look over some plotlines you can start to see where the writers...didn’t know how to write fanfiction. S5 AJ is not the same character as S4 AJ. She doesn’t feel the same. She’s not written with S4 AJ in mind. She’s not a natural version of the character that exists a year later in the storyline...and then she was given a storyline that they had to force the character to fit, instead of tailoring a storyline to match the character. And they continued this trend...over...and over...and over...and over.

And now, finally, it feels that they may actually have a head writer who knows how to write television, who knows that in order to write a successful television series, you have to go back and watch the early episodes. You have to see how the characters have evolved. You have to consider how they’ve gotten to where they are, and where they will LOGICALLY go from here based on things that happen to or around them.

I don’t want to state this as Fact too early, but I definitely think it’s a factor. We’ll see how the rest of the season plays out, but I hope the quality continues to be as good as it is.

#when calls the heart #answered mail #season 8 shenanigans #season 8 spoilers #analysis and meta discussion #long post #anonymously asked

4 notes · View notes