#and i lose my job the 21st

[elfgremlin]

im going to end up homeless

[kaijuno]

URGENT: EMERGENCY EVICTION HELP

Hey, so I could really really use some help this month. My boyfriend just lost his job and I am disabled. We’re not gonna make rent this month without some sort of help. We really really need help. Our court date is the 21st of September. We need help. I don’t want to lose my home. I don’t want to lose my support animal but I’m not gonna make her live out of a truck. Because that’s the only place we have to go. Please help if you can, a few dollars to a share, anything. Please. We’re desperate.

Kofi | Cashapp | Venmo | Amazon | PayPal

[catilinas]

lucan's pharsalia (or bellum civile) is an epic poem in latin about the civil war between julius caesar and pompey magnus. it contains the most detailed description of necromancy from the ancient world, romans fighting (and losing) to various horrible snakes, and time imploding in on itself. the poet fell out with the emperor nero and was banned from reciting or publishing the poem; he was later forced to commit suicide for his involvement in a failed conspiracy against the emperor. the poem was left unfinished.

quit your job. join my emo readalong. the anniversary of the battle of pharsalus is august 9th. tag posts with #pharsaliabookclub if you like

my goal is for this to be extremely chill and lowkey but also to get more people into / talk about what is one of my favourite texts of all time ever. + if you want to have an evil civil war experience then read caesar's bellum civile at the same time :-)

reading schedule

june 24th - june 30th: book 1

july 1st - july 7th: book 2

july 8th - july 14th: book 3

july 15th - july 21st: book 4

july 22nd - july 28th: book 5

july 29th - august 4th: book 6

august 5th - august 11th: book 7 (teehee)

august 12th - august 18th: book 8

august 19th - august 25th: book 9

august 26th - september 1st: book 10

translations

i'm planning on reading jane wilson joyce's translation, which also has good introductions to the poem as a whole as well as each individual book. if you can’t find a pdf in your usual pdf finding locations then dm me :-) i also recommend susan braund's oxford world classics translation. a.s. kline's translation is on poetryintranslation, and the loeb translation by j.d. duff has facing latin text.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

On Wednesday, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) reintroduced a proposal to make higher education free at public schools for most Americans — and pay for it by taxing Wall Street.

The College for All Act of 2023 would massively change the higher education landscape in the U.S., taking a step toward Sanders’s long-standing goal of making public college free for all. It would make community college and public vocational schools tuition-free for all students, while making any public college and university free for students from single-parent households making less than $125,000 or couples making less than $250,000 — or, the vast majority of families in the U.S.

The bill would increase federal funding to make tuition free for most students at universities that serve non-white groups, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It would also double the maximum award to Pell Grant recipients at public or nonprofit private colleges from $7,395 to $14,790.

If passed, the lawmakers say their bill would be the biggest expansion of access to higher education since 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Higher Education Act, a bill that would massively increase access to college in the ensuing decades. The proposal would not only increase college access, but also help to tackle the student debt crisis.

“Today, this country tells young people to get the best education they can, and then saddles them for decades with crushing student loan debt. To my mind, that does not make any sense whatsoever,” Sanders said. “In the 21st century, a free public education system that goes from kindergarten through high school is no longer good enough. The time is long overdue to make public colleges and universities tuition-free and debt-free for working families.”

Debt activists expressed support for the bill. “This is the only real solution to the student debt crisis: eliminate tuition and debt by fully funding public colleges and universities,” the Debt Collective wrote on Wednesday. “It’s time for your member of Congress to put up or shut up. Solve the root cause and eliminate tuition and debt.”

These initiatives would be paid for by several new taxes on Wall Street, found in a separate bill reintroduced by Sanders and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California) on Wednesday. The Tax on Wall Street Speculation would enact a 0.5% tax on stock trades, a 0.1% tax on bonds and a 0.005% tax on trades on derivatives and other types of assets.

The tax would primarily affect the most frequent, and often the wealthiest, traders and would be less than a typical fee for pension management for working class investors, the lawmakers say. It would raise up to $220 billion in the first year of enactment, and over $2.4 trillion over a decade. The proposal has the support of dozens of progressive organizations as well as a large swath of economists.

“Let us never forget: Back in 2008, middle class taxpayers bailed out Wall Street speculators whose greed, recklessness and illegal behavior caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, homes, life savings, and ability to send their kids to college,” said Sanders. “Now that giant financial institutions are back to making record-breaking profits while millions of Americans struggle to pay rent and feed their families, it is Wall Street’s turn to rebuild the middle class by paying a modest financial transactions tax.”

[gallavichthings]

It's time!

How would you all like 21 22 fics on the 21st 22nd of December?

The Gallavich Masquerade Ball 2023 is now open! Grab a glass of champagne or anything else you'd prefer, some hors d'oeuvres, and choose your (first) dance partner for the night!

You can check all the fics in our AO3 collection or on this post, after the cut. A list of all authors with links to their profiles is also included. This post is pinned so you can check it whenever you want.

And here's the link for the form where you can put your guesses. It's only one form for all the fics, so please wait to submit your guesses only after you've read them all.

Here's the updated point system:

Points for readers: Correct guess on first choice: 5 points. Correct guess on second choice: 2 points. Incorrect guess: lose 1 point. (Please note that you only lose 1 point per story, even if you guess incorrectly on both choices.)

Points for writers: If someone correctly guesses your fic (regardless of in the first or second choice): 1 point. If someone wrongfully guesses your fic: 3 points.

Leaving kudos and comments is allowed and appreciated! Writers are also allowed to answer, but it's up to them whether to already do it or wait until everyone's identity is revealed so as not to give anything away accidentally. Oh, and if you want to post something about the fics here on Tumblr but can't tag them, I can serve as buffer for now lol.

Oh, and the surprise? The winners will get some great fanart, courtesy of the talented @doshiart! Isn't that awesome?! 🥂

Cheers!

Keep reading to get a list of all the fics with their summaries and word count, as well as a list of all the authors, with links to their AO3 profiles.

FICS:

AITA?  (2,072)

AITA? My new clients (29M and 31M) threatened me and I want to fire them. I know that’s not official therapist speak. TLDR; I want to encourage them to have healthier boundaries and find a new therapist, but until then, what do I do?

Attitude adjustment (4,483)

Post-canon Ian and Mickey figure out some relationship issues. That includes insults, (play-)fighting, more insults, and orgasms. Or: Mickey is having an attitude. Thank god Ian knows exactly what to do.

Black Charcoal meets Fiery Red (1,838)

Ian poses in a life drawing class. A straight forward job, if not for the guy with the blue eyes who can't stop staring at him.

Carnival (3,136)

Ian and Mickey spend the evening at a carnival... "Ian locked the car’s door, and put his arms around Mickey’s shoulders, as they walked towards the carnival. He had brought the leaflet home a few days ago, wiggling the colorful sketch of a carousel and the outdated font under Mickey’s nose with some hopeful glee. Mickey had protested for habit sake, but had caved in pretty easily..."

Five Dates with Brad f*cking Pitt (4,269)

Sometimes things may not be what they seem. Especially when there are assholes around who add fuel to the fire just for the sake of a fucking joke.

Groceries (2,260)

A routine trip to the store turns into a trip down memory lane.

The Guardians (4,879)

3,000 years ago, they had to join forces to defeat an evil sorcerer. Now, the sorcerer was back, and more powerful than ever. Could they defeat him for good?

i'll find a new place to be from (5,947)

They stand in silence for a couple beats, unspoken words lingering above their heads. The cig in his hand has long burned out and Ian resists the temptation to light up another, and another. He feels his mouth open, and close, then open again–but nothing comes out. Time’s up. "See you inside, Red," Mickey finally says before pushing the door open, and Ian remembers how to breathe.

Infused Attraction (3,434)

Mickey has to receive Iron infusions. Ian is a student nurse who is assisting the other nurses with the infusion. Mickey is interested in the redhead. Ian is seemingly interested in him too. Let's see how it goes!

Italy (I Trust And Love You) (3,183)

"Ian closed his eyes and ran a hand through his damp hair. He sighed and straightened his shoulders. Took a deep breath, as if to steal himself for some monumental task, and walked off down the sidewalk. The rain made quick work of drenching him. Ian didn’t seem to notice. In the dirt beneath the tree, drawn in crude blocky letters made with the toe of his boot: I + M." OR A story mostly told through Debbie's eyes during world war two, as she worries for all her brothers, but particularly the one sent home much before the rest.

Jump To Recipe (5,977)

Hiring Mickey Milkovich - Freelance Photographer to shoot the photos for his food blog was the best move Ian’s ever made. Mickey’s a fantastic shot, plus he’s committed to the success of Ian’s blog. (He’s fucking hot, too. But that’s just an added bonus.) And the best thing about him, is that in all the ways he’s professional behind the camera, he’s refreshingly unprofessional to Ian’s face. Which means when he comes around, Ian always knows he’s in for a good laugh, intriguing conversation, and an ego boost - Mickey never shy about how much he loves Ian’s food when they dig in after the shoot. Ian’s made chocolate lava cake today. But when extra time leads to their at-home appointment going way off script - Mickey wanting to update Ian’s headshots, but with a twist - who will the spicier photos leave wanting more, the “housewife army” from his blog’s comment section, or Ian and Mickey?

A Lot (4,245)

What could have happened if Ian had told Mickey that he was worried about going to Mexico with him?

The man in the van (2,141)

“Suppose I should thank you for the compliment then,” Ian teases, smirking a little. The guy snorts. “Don’t mention it, Red. I just call ‘em like I see ‘em.” He proceeds to shamelessly check Ian out again, licking the corner of his mouth as he does. or Ian Gallagher wouldn't mind some excitement in his life. Enter one Mickey Milkovich, ready to oblige.

ole red (5,596)

Mickey is out of prison and walking the straight and narrow with help of his cheering section, P.O. Larry . It’s hard being tough in a pastel polo and dad shorts. Old Army is just a paycheck until he meets the assistant manager, Ian. Finally he figures out Ian was Mandy’s Ian from their teen years. Mickey is attracted to the redhead but is still closeted. Ian responds to Mickey lashing out by revealing he knows Mickey’s secret. Mickey decides to be brave and the reward , huge 😈

The Reason to Exist (4,851)

lieutenantcolonel [18:22]: can you stop stealing my loot lieutenantcolonel [18:22]: this team only needs 1 sharpshooter anyway 😐 mm1234567890 [18:23]: shut up u f** lieutenantcolonel [18:23]: WHAT

Red Hot (4,364)

Ian's workday has been shitty... but his afternoon might just be very different. Thanks to his favorite nephew and a certain mouthy and opinionated stall owner at the winter farmer's market.

A Salute Before We Sink (4,601)

The world will end tomorrow. Ian's only chance at survival is to earn a spot in an underground bunker. One man stands in his way.

Snowballs and Sneaking Out (2,441)

Mickey shows up to the Gallagher House in the middle of the night with a surprise for Ian.

So drunk on you (3,878)

"Then Mickey launches himself into quite a detailed account of the previous evening and there goes Ian’s sanity. He’s learned over the months to hone his selective hearing. That is, he’s not tuning Mickey out completely but he’s trained his brain to gloss over the facts that fall under the TMI category and focus on the highlights. Again, for the sake of his sanity. Because the thing is, he’s so gone on Mickey it’s actually embarrassing. And he’s been gone pretty much from the very beginning." Just another friends-to-lovers story.

Span the Distance, Bridge the Border (4,988)

Ian and Mickey are happy, living on the West Side and adjusting to life as husbands in their new apartment. Things are going well, really well, until one day Mickey’s brothers show up. And God only knows what they could possibly want.

weight of the world (3,360)

Mickey thought he was fucked for life and that he’d never see his mom again. Turns out he was wrong about both of those things.

Wonderful- a Gallavich Christmas Mini-fic (5,030)

In which Mickey learns the reason for the season or How the Mick gained Christmas.

AUTHORS:

Blodeuwedd

Calli_Writes

Captain_Jowl

energie_vie

Gallabitch73

gallawitch

Gembu

GrandSelfMythology

IanGalagher

JuliaKay

lingy910y

MissSnowwhitepink

mmmichyyy

My_Brain_Melted

NotHereNJ

Rayrayor

sam_writes_fics

Suzy_Queue

sweet_perversion

Sweetbee78

whatthebodygraspsnot

whatyouandihave

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Okay here's one. I really dont think I'm the asshole but my ex sure does.

AITA for refusing to buy my partner a jar of pickles?

So this story has like, a little background and some confounding factors i think but i really could go both ways on whether i was the asshole.

Ill start with both my ex (21nb) and i (23f) had severe mental health issues and were working on treatment when we were together. Theyd been in and out of inpatient stays throughout our three year relationship. Towards the Day of Pickles, i had my first inpatient stay where i got help i desperately needed to keep myself safe. This happened to be about a week after my 23rd birthday, but about two and a half weeks before their 21st birthday.

Anyway, at that time i had just gotten out of the hospital and started a new job at Joanns Fabrics (i outlived that retail fucker and im proud of it). I had been unemployed for the previous year and a half because of the pandemic and so the retail job was really my saving grace to have some sort of income to buy gas and groceries. My parents let me live rent free with them in their basement but i spent a LOT of time essentially squatting at my ex's dorm because my situation with my parents was not great.

Now my ex was also being financially abused by their mom so they had a monthly "allowance" of 200$ (of their own money they made at their on campus job) and no access to their bank statements. So i spent a lot of my own money on gas and groceries for both of us, and anything we wanted to do for fun, like visit the city. Without an income, this was SUPER stressful for me and i spiraled pretty hard with feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Supporting two people, even minimal living expenses, on an income of exactly 0$ is the WORST.

Anyway, i got out of the hospital and pretty much immediately went back to picking up as many shifts as i could at work because id been on staff for all of two weeks before hospitalization. Knowing retail, i was probably on the precipice of losing hours or being fired altogether.

My ex wanted me to take time off to celebrate their 21st birthday (they didnt celebrate my birthday that year) and travel to see their family and drink etc. I got scheduled for an inconvenient time. I would have to miss their birthday if i didnt find someone to cover. I managed to switch shifts with another coworker who was nice enough to let me have her morning shift, so i was able to at least travel separately and be a little late to dinner.

The night of their birthday my ex wanted to get drunk and so we went to the liquor store. Now im generally pretty picky about alcohol but if i get anything special i always get enough to share. Mysteriously, no one ever offers to share the expense or pay me back. So with all of 150$ in my account, i purchased enough alcohol for myself and the rest of the party, and a bottle of (cheap af) liquor for myself. I was broke af until my next paycheck and was pretty much planning on giving up meals and staying at home because the commute to work was shorter and meant less gas.

My ex picked out a jar of boozy pickles and asked if i would get it for them for their birthday. I should note that with all the stress i was under i had found a birthday present for them but hadnt actually placed the order (was waiting to get paid). I also didnt lie to them about this and had told them that i hadnt gotten their birthday present yet. They were upset by this and told me they felt like i didnt care about them, to which i snapped and raised my voice a little.

I gave them a bit of a reality check. I told them in no uncertain terms that i was under a lot of stress, from nearly killing myself to being flat broke with little to no help from my family other than a conditional roof over my head, ordering their birthday present wasnt super high on my list of things to do and that i knew what i was going to get them and that i intended to order it as soon as i had the money to do so. After years of the sole attention being focused on keeping them alive, i needed some support and acting like i didnt care completely ignored EVERYTHING i did to keep us both afloat.They cried and played the victim as they tended to do and i was too stressed to do anything but be angry.

So when they asked for the pickles i told them no. I have NOTHING left in my bank account, and anything that was in my account was already allocated for something else.

They told me i was being selfish for buying myself alcohol on THEIR birthday, not even getting them a present, yelling at them, and then refusing to buy the one thing they asked for, especially after i refused to take off work the day before to hang out with them and their family. In front of our friends.

I told them that i was purchasing the alcohol for the whole party, that the present had slipped my mind, and that they were accusing me of not caring about them when i snapped. Then i walked out.

My bff went outside to help me cool down and i told him what was going on and how stressed i was and he said that he agreed with me, it was childish to expect me to pay for everything with no help from anyone and then act like im unreasonable for having to put limits on what i can purchase.

My ex ended up getting so pissed by all of this they broke up with me two days later, saying that their birthday was the final straw for them after I'd been so codependent and relying on them too much to survive.

I think its all ridiculous given all of the stress factors i was dealing with at the time. I feel like we're all entitled to the occasional emotional outburst/bouts of forgetfulness when we're stressed. But my ex seems to think im a selfish asshole. We've been no contact for the last two years so this isnt like a pressing concern or anything but it does make me roll my eyes occasionally.

So tumblr, aita?

(Btw im also much more financially stable now that I'm fully and properly medicated and away from them.)

[anim-ttrpgs]

Wait does Eureka have its own established lore for how different supernatural creatures work?

Yes, it does!

(I’m going to preface this post by saying that just about everything I’m talking about here, and more, is available FOR FREE for you to read in the free pre-release version of the Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy rulebook that you can download from our website. Go to Chapter 8 to start reading about the supernatural lore. The rulebook itself will do a lot better job of explaining all this than I will, because it has the exact details of how each one works, and I’m just hitting the highlights and going over what those details mean.)

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is a game about very human and believable investigators digging into dangerous (often supernatural) mysteries way over their heads, and sometimes those very human and believable investigators will be supernatural creatures themselves.

These supernatural creatures are every bit as human and “normal” as their mundane investigators counterparts, they have jobs, friends, families, hobbies, etc. They live among mundane society, not outside of it.

Most modern fantasy settings have some kind of separation between normal society and magical society, like you see in Harry Potter where there is normal society, and then a separate, secret magical society hidden away from it, or Vampire: The Masquerade, where vampires all have an agreement to keep themselves a secret from normal society despite acting within it.

In Eureka’s world, there is no “masquerade,” but that doesn’t mean that magic and monsters are well-known and well-documented phenomenons. Supernatural creatures such as vampires, wolfmen, etc. are exceptionally rare. Don’t take this as an exact number, but you can probably assume there’s about one of these per every 3.3 million normal people.

This rarity, as well as the fact that each individual has little to gain and everything to lose by revealing themselves (try “coming out” as a person who regularly assaults people and drains their blood), has led to them going largely undocumented in the modern day. Sure, this is the digital age, there are videos, but viral videos are not exactly scientific evidence. For every real vampire caught on camera, there are a thousand hoaxes and horror short films.

There is no secret vampire government controlling things from the shadows—most vampires don’t even know any other vampires, let alone enough to form a secret society with any effect on national politics.

As for how they work, well, that’s one of my favorite parts to talk about.

There are five playable monster types in Eureka (The Vampire, The Wolfman, The Fairy, The Witch, and The Thing From Beyond) plus two extras that are Kickstarter stretch goals (The Dullahan and The Gorgon), but in the interest of time, I’m only going to really go into detail with one of them.

Most playable monster types in Eureka are very, very old-school, with an emphasis on actual historical folklore over just making up all our own lore. That doesn’t mean Eureka doesn’t have a unique approach to the supernatural, though. Little of it is “new,” but it is certainly unique, because to my knowledge no other RPG has ever taken the old stuff this far before. A PC being a monster in Eureka isn’t just a few +1s here and there and maybe a little extra damage from silver weapons, it means playing by an entirely different set of rules from fellow investigators.

The vampires and vampire lore you see in movies are not folkloric vampires, they are mostly a 20th and 21st century pop-culture creation. Eureka’s vampire abilities, weaknesses, and other traits are based on pre-1900 vampire legends, with older traits usually taking precedent over newer ones. Thus, a lot of assumptions you might have about vampires going in could end up being very wrong. For instance, in movies, vampires instantly die when exposed to sunlight, but the first ever instance of a vampire in a story being killed by sunlight was in the 1922 film Nosferatu. In Eureka, sunlight is still awful for vampires, it strips them of their vampiric powers, but it doesn’t do any real damage to them. Sunlight is an issue vampires have to deal with, but it is far from instant death. That doesn’t mean being a vampire is inherently easy though, because in addition to having all the powers that folkloric vampires have (which is a TON), they also have all the weaknesses, and it is the emphasis on weaknesses that really makes the moment-to-moment playing of a monster PC in Eureka the most interesting. A few of my favorites for vampires are the refusal to enter homes without a direct invitation, and the compulsion to count large numbers of small objects. I think most vampire media these days considers these to be “silly” weaknesses and don’t want to acknowledge them in the lore of their “serious” scary horror vampires, but honestly I think that the “sillier” vampire stuff can still be used to great effect in horror. Imagine knowing that the only reason a vicious killer at your door hasn’t stormed in to rip your throat out is because they’re being polite.

A vampiric investigator will need to work around these weaknesses, and more, in their daily life, all while being sure not to reveal their true nature to their more mortal friends. It’s something that really changes how a character behaves and goes about problem-solving.

For instance, the rest of the party may be able to break into a house no-problem, but the vampire cannot. They need a invitation. That’s a problem. That’s a puzzle. It makes me excited just thinking about it.

This was originally going to be a much longer post where I went into more of the themes of monsters in Eureka, but I have decided that that would be most cohesive as its own post, an upcoming essay titled "How Eureka Handles Disability." So stay tuned for that.

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is kickstarting from right now until May 10th! Back it while you still can!

If you want to try before you buy, you can download a free demo of the prerelease version from our website or our itch.io page!

If you’re interested in a more updated and improved version of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy than the free demo you got from our website, subscribe to our Patreon where we frequently roll our new updates for the prerelease version!

You can also support us on Ko-fi, or by checking out our merchandise!

Join our TTRPG Book Club At the time of writng this, Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is the current game being played in the book club, and anyone who wants to participate in discussion, but can’t afford to make a contribution, will be given the most updated prerelease version for free! Plus it’s just a great place to discuss and play new TTRPGs you might not be able to otherwise!

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.

[queenpiranhadon]

A/N: You all voted on this poll, and this poll, and this poll, and THIS poll and after a LOT of voting (again) , I present you this :) Just wanna give some credit where credit is due- my friend Kai (pseudonym) ,my wifey fr, wrote this alongside me- I love her sm 🥰 . Here's my masterlist!

Warning(s): Childhood friends to lovers trope, mentions of alcohol, hangovers, blacking out, maybe some inaccuracies idk man, reader is letting loose (not an alcoholic, just taking a well deserved break), reader is 21, reader is a Hydro catalyst, cursing, reader is said to have cherry red lips, reader’s nickname is Raindrop, Diluc kisses reader on the cheek while asleep, reader is GN but written with f!reader in mind.

Pairing: Diluc Ragnvindr x GN!Reader

Monstadt City was a welcoming and familiar sight to you, having traveled around all of Teyvat as you had always dreamed of this was your first time returning home in years. You were most definitely accomplished in life, discovering new plants and creatures as you went along your journey- so renowned that the Akademiya asked you to provide a lecture to aspiring students there. You loved your job, always fascinated by the thrill of discovering something new, or just seeing more of the world you living in, yet you couldn’t deny the buzz you felt as you crossed the familiar bridge that led to the gates of Monstadt City.  

You hadn’t been home since you were probably 14 or 15 years old- and you were excited to see your friends again. But you were also exhausted. So, you decided to get some food before you found an inn to stay at. After reconnecting with some of the passersby, you were directed to Angel’s Share.  

You enter the rustic building, welcoming the essence of Monstadt- as you’ve always grown up hearing, Monstadt was known for its taste in beverages. You walk over to the counter and Charles- an old friend of yours- greets you with a wide smile.  

“Hey! It’s been a while!” He smiles warmly, just as he always had when you both were young. “What brings you back here after so long?” 

You rub the back of your neck sheepishly and respond softly “I was feeling a little homesick- and I came back to celebrate my 21st birthday.” You smile. “And since I can legally drink...  I’m here to get wasted.” Your grin following the statement was downright evil.  

Charles raises an eyebrow, but you continue your tangent. “And since the Angel’s Share seems so popular around here... I figured I’d give it a try.” 

Charles sighs, deciding to keep a mental note to find and escort you to the nearest inn – hangover was going to be a bitch when you woke up the next morning.  

“So...whatcha got?” You ask with a coy smile on your face. 

You were exhausted from a long journey and even though you denied it, you worked from dusk till dawn, 24/7 - breaks weren’t exactly in your vocabulary. So, there weren’t any problems in letting lose a little, right? 

“Well... we have Dandelion Wine- you haven’t fully been to Monstadt without it.” Charles says, smiling a little. It was good to have you back. 

You slide a few hundred Mora across the counter, grinning widely, excited to try the rare and exquisite local wine. 

After pouring numerous liquids together, the man you grew up with slides the cocktail across the counter, to your waiting fingers.  

Needless to say, that was the first of many drinks that night.  

*** 

Charles had found an inn for you that night- giving his shift over to a very...charismatic man by the name of Six Fingered José, a man who was more than happy to take over Charles’ shift as he found you a place to sleep for the night. The innkeeper was kind, understanding of your situation and agreed that they would collect the hospitality fee once you had finished your stay. 

Leaving you to your own devices, Charles gave you a well-meaning side hug before wishing you a belated birthday and told you to take care of yourself and get some rest.  

You didn’t.  

It was late at night, and you couldn’t sleep. Mind still clouded from the buzz of alcohol in your system, you decided to go outside and get some fresh air.  

That was your first mistake.  

You step outside of the inn, drunk, but not as wasted as before, making a mental note to thank Charles for finding an inn while keeping you safe. There was a nice bench right by the inn, so you decided to sit and breathe in the night sky. 

Your thoughts trail off to your friends, the ones you studied and trained with. There was Lisa, who was like an older sister to you, the woman in question taught you almost everything you knew growing up and was the one who had helped you find your interest in botany and adventure. 

There was Amber, a good friend of yours who always knew where to find the best food in Monstadt, her bubbly and daring personality was wonderful when you were training, but maybe a slight hindrance when it came to academics. 

Kaeya was a good friend of yours as well- his sense of humor was certainly never boring. His flirty offhand comments may have always provoked an eyeroll of two from you, but it was all in good nature. You personally thought it was hilarious how almost every woman in Monstadt City fawned over someone as arrogant as him. But his brother... 

Breaking you out of your thoughts, you hear something in the distance. Heavy footsteps, and low growling. 

Shit. 

What was a mitachurl doing in the middle of Monstadt City?! 

And of course, only now, does your drunken brain slow down, and you sit there, dumbfounded, unable to do anything, your instincts and internal alertness numbed by the rush of alcohol in your system.  

And finally, when the beast is close enough that you can smell its pungent breath, your mind springs back into sobriety- your book materializing behind you as you try to form droplets of water to protect yourself.  

All you manage to do is send it back a few feet before passing out – the strength sapped out of you immediately.  

But before the world turns to black, you hear a deep yet familiar voice yell out “Time for retribution!”  

*** 

You wake up with a pounding headache and groan before you feel a set of eyes on you. 

Red eyes, to be exact. Beautiful scarlet ones, with the same intense fire and power they held all those years ago.  

“Diluc.” You breathe, your insides flooding with embarrassment, gratitude and bittersweetness all at the same time.  

He nods, his mouth remaining a straight line- but you notice the ends quirk up when he calls you by your old nickname. “Hello Droplet.” 

Your heart warms at the familiarity, but then your groan again, another wave of nausea rolls through you- signaling the arrival of your hangover.  

“I really shouldn’t have downed so many glasses of wine last night.” 

Diluc raises an eyebrow, running his fingertips lightly across your forehead, which sends butterflies to your stomach, distracting you from the pain.  

“I’ll retrieve a glass of water for you.” He says, running a strand of your hair between his fingers before turning to leave, shutting the door gently.

Filling up a glass of water, he returns only to see you fast asleep- dead as a rock.

He chuckles as he brushes the hair from your face, smiling softly. Only you could to this to him. Even after so many years, only his Droplet could make his heart clench and a smile stretch across his usual permanent scowl.

He squeezes your hand gently and he glances at your lips, his face grows hot as he stares at the fresh cherry color of your lips. 

It’s been so long since he taken in your beauty, he continues to stare at you lovingly.  He kisses your cheek tenderly and gently while you sleep peacefully. 

If only you knew how much he had missed you when you were gone.

To think this all started from a few glasses of Dandelion Wine.

[babybluebex]

You have infected my brain with married young as he shows you off at the red carpet. You’re matching wedding rings just being the whole topic of the night for dom bf even not married the rings being even promise rings is so cute

charlie i love how this is nigh incomprehensible and yet i know exactly what you mean

like maybe you guys have been dating for a long time, and he proposed to you right before the movie came out because "everything's about to change in my life, and you're the one thing i want to keep the same", and like. late october was a WILD week for dom, the movie had a wide release in the US on the 23rd, his 21st birthday was the 25th, halloween was the 31st, like a JAM PACKED WEEK. and yall got legally married on november 1st, the official start of a new month and new era in his life

and he's never like intentionally hidden you or your marriage, it's just like you weren't quite ready to lose your anonymity yet, so you had been hesitant to go to industry events with him, and he had never been directly asked about the ring he wore on his left hand, so he just. never told anyone. if anyone asked, he would've told them, but nobody did, so he just kept his lips zipped.

and then the night of the academy awards rolls around, and you finally decide to show your face, and everyone IMMEDIATELY notices the rock on your hand (it's nothing crazy, he was like 20 when he bought it for you, so manage expectations), and everyone sorta at the same time goes "... has he ALWAYS worn that band on his finger or is this new??"

and of course it's a frenzy of journalists trying to find out ANYTHING about you, and no matter what you do, if/where you go to uni, what job you have, dom is your biggest fan "my wife is still in college, she's a lot more serious about her education than i am" or "she's not really working right now, but it's fine, she's happy and that's all that matters"

OR IF THEY'RE JUST PROMISE RINGS, dom claims to the media that they're wedding rings, just because he saw the way barry keoghan was looking at you at the oscars luncheon and he's not TOXICALLY POSSESSIVE but like. maybe let's go to the other side of the room, ooh look cillian murphy, let's go say hi to him!

so yeah, tiny love dom.

[xxsycamore]

JOYRIDE

╰┈➤ 💕MC has always dreamed about Arthur taking her for a drive, almost as much as Arthur himself has. But once the opportunity arises, they both seem to be having other ideas...

Arthur Conan Doyle x MC • rating: E (MDNI) • tags: Car Sex; Modern Era; Public Sex; pretty sure they're breaking at least a few moral AND actual laws in this; Kissing; Not Wearing Underwear; Teasing; Clothed Sex; Riding; Blow Jobs; Oral Sex; Come Swallowing • wordcount: 2,241 • masterlist

a/n: Also titled "Arthur driving (me insane)". I love his card, I'm sorry.

Part of my Sexy Ikemen Summer Creation Challenge. Prompts: In the car while traveling + Forgo underwear on the date

"Soo… what do we think?"

MC crosses her legs, angling herself just a little more in Arthur's direction so she won't miss all the intriguing little changes happening on his face. He's just finished spending a handful of seconds being stunned speechless, admiring the car's outer appearance before joining her inside. He places his hands on the steering wheel to get a better feeling of it, marine blue eyes sparkling with the wonder of a child receiving a shiny new toy on Christmas morning. They don't lose their spark one bit when landing on MC, head shaking in disbelief.

"Luv, you're absolutely bonkers. What did you do?"

She chuckles, smoothing out the front of her skirt that has ridden up just a bit from the motion of crossing her legs. It's actually a good sign that Arthur has just missed that, he must truly be captivated by her little surprise.

"I rented it! I know how much you love to drive and… I always thought it was such a shame that we're living in such an early age of car manufacturing. But now that we can freely travel through the door, I can finally help you go for a drive just like you remember it! Well, not exactly how you remember it, but…"

The MGA convertible they're currently seated in is a 1957 model, meaning it came out a couple of decades after his death, but practically is the closest thing available to his beloved dark green 16-horse-power Dietrich-Lorraine. MC even found one in the same color. Arthur's cheeks must be hurting by now but the grin is yet to fall from his face. He's busy checking out everything on the dashboard, testing buttons and adjusting the rearview mirror.

"A modern masterpiece! By Jove, how unbelievable it is that I'm going to drive this thing! MC, dear, I— Come here."

Rejuvenated by the taste of "modernity", Arthur grabs the back of MC's head to pull her in for a kiss charged with utter joy, excitement, and lots of thankfulness, of course. She's happy to catch the master of the pen being out of words, burning this sight into her memory. Actually, that's exactly what she bought a camera for. Click! Arthur, now back to his business, doesn't even register the sealing of the memory, probably due to the absence of the flash. It only makes the capture more natural-looking, and MC is satisfied with that.

"MC, thank you so much. I'm such a lucky man. And you terribly outdid yourself, you little rascal!"

Putting away the camera somewhere just close enough for some more on-the-spot memories to be sealed, MC leans in and puts a peck on Arthur's cheek, feeling her own sides beginning to heat up.

"Don't thank me just yet, wait until we get that baby on the road! I did promise you a surprise for your birthday that would come a little later in the summer, on our next trip to the 21st century… I'm cheating a little by indulging in your joy here, you know? Because of how I've always dreamed of you taking me for a drive like this, hehe…"

It would be interesting to show Arthur what a truly modern automobile looks like, but she figured that would be too much of a headache for him just yet. Besides, she prefers it if he can actually drive the thing without it ending in a crash.

It's illegal either way, and they're both aware of that, with Arthur not possessing any documents, but it's a risk they're willing to take. And Comte totally didn't tell them not to worry about that, in a very cryptic fashion. But just to make sure, they opt for a rural highway once they pull off, and make it a point to stay extra alert.

"You know what else I'm thinking about?"

Feeling the wind in her hair, MC's soft hum of interest comes a bit tardy as she's too occupied by their cruising. This only results in her slightly jumping in her seat the moment a delicate warm hand snakes its way to her exposed knee.

"Fooling around in a car with you."

She takes her eyes off the road to instead regard the audacity of that devious hand, her widened eyes then trailing to the culprit behind the steering wheel. And his shit-eating grin.

"Arthur…"

Heartbeat speeding up as his fingerpads dip under her skirt and dig into the inside of her thigh, MC can't help pressing her legs together to trap his hand in between. It's the far opposite of what she'd liked her reaction to be, with such a reckless distraction… Oh, but Arthur's own eyes are on the road, and he prides himself in being able to please a woman even with his eyes closed, and the bubbles of adrenaline pop and fuzz low in her belly and morph into something more tangible and liquid…

"Would you look at that, luv? A dirt road I could easily go onto and find a good place to pull off. Or we can drive by it and keep chit-chatting, it's entirely your call. But do make up your mind quickly!"

Alarms go off in MC's mind as she struggles to come out of the daze, and it's hard when Arthur's implication only puts her deeper in there. Just how did their scenic drive come to this?

"Pull off."

Arthur drums the wheel with his other hand, visibly pleased with her decision. In another minute the car's engine goes quiet and the world inside MC's head only gets louder, as she's being pulled into Arthur's lap.

Albeit cramped, the luxurious interior of the car makes it possible for such acrobatics, much to MC's surprise, as the leather front seat is wide and not disjointed like in modern cars. Her knees sink down on each side of Arthur as he begins feeling her up - grabbing handfuls of her ass and making her skirt hike up, then following the dips of her sides up to her breasts and bringing them in closer to his face. He's at the perfect height to bury his face in her bosom, yet the vampire in him always gets more distracted by her delectable nape. He licks a wet stripe across it, feeling the call of her blood pulse alluringly under the wet muscle. But they wouldn't want to make too much mess now, would they?

"Still up for a ride, dove?"

Arthur rocks MC's body down on his groin and puts a barely needed emphasis on what his offer entails. The soft whine that leaves her lips is like music to Arthur's ears, and he already wants to make her sing for him more. That's why he loses little time leaving those tantalizing caresses where the skin isn't burning to the touch with need, and his hand ends up fully under her skirt, cupping her hot arousal.

And to his surprise, there's no barrier separating his touch from her core.

"My, someone planned this? I can't believe you tricked me into thinking all you wanted was an innocent little drive!"

She knew this moment would come, yet now all her comebacks are forgotten with only a guilty little laugh leaving her curled-up lips. While seducing him so boldly was on the list for their date, she was thinking more of some nice and secluded spot for this to happen, preferably away from the vehicle…

MC grinds down on his palm, even if the morsel of pleasure quickly leaves her starving for more. She could get off of his lap, demand they put the roof on, push him down on the seat, do anything that will ease this feeling of committing the forbidden, laced with plenty of embarrassment on top. But alas, thrill prevails.

"Nnh… Take me now Arthur, don't waste any time…!"

Ignoring the inevitable teasing little "oh?" coming from her boyfriend, MC reaches underneath her to undo Arthur's belt. She likes his outfit for their date, grey trousers and a brown leaf-print shirt, a pair of sunglasses tucked casually in the crux of his undone upper three buttons. MC briefly considers moving them out of harm's way, to his handsome face for instance, but then his beautiful eyes would be obscured, and that'd be such a shame…

Arthur's own hands intrude to get the job done even faster, and once his cock springs out aching and throbbing, he guides her soft fingers to wrap around it.

He's quick to claim her lips as soon as her face is in close proximity, angled down to look at the growing hardness she's stoking, and the sweetness of her mouth only enhances the sensation but he can't not kiss her breathless. MC moans in his mouth, the clenching of her core becoming more agonizing with the promise of what's to come making itself known hot and heavy in her tight fist.

"Do you want to put it in yourself, little bird?"

Oh, she sees now. Arthur is making her embrace the act completely, to finish what she's started until he can come out clean in the end… It's more than a little unfair at this point. But perhaps this is not such a bad thing.

Letting go of Arthur's hot mouth with a last little suckle of his tongue, MC pins down his gaze as she secures a hand on his shoulder, ascending from her seat ever so slightly.

After an adjustment of her position, the tip of his cock comes to rest snuggly against her swollen lips and MC sways her hips softly. She uses her hand to guide it in, or at least pretends to, because as soon as the head begins to breach the leaking hole of her opening, MC pulls it out again.

"Mm…Naughty girl… don't tease now. Be nice."

Instead of falling for his husky whispering and quickly complying, MC keeps her act on. The next time she catches Arthur's gaze, his eyes are half-lidded and the cheekiness is wiped off his face.

His quiet hiss of anticipation motivates MC and she gets a little bit ahead of herself - because that's just what Arthur has waited for, and he uses the opportunity of the new shallow penetration to grab her by the waist and press down. Slowly but insistingly.

"Ahhh—Arthur-"

They both watch his cock disappear inside her, with MC throwing her head back once he bottoms out. Arthur groans at the tightness enveloping him, kissing her exposed neck.

"See? It was easy. Don't deny your desires, luv." His little noisy pecks should be calming her senses down but the fire inside her has only spread further. She figures it's about time for her to take the reins, and using Arthur's shoulders for leverage, she begins bouncing in his lap, settling an ambitious pace right away.

Arthur rests his arm on the door, admiring her as the expression on her face grows lewder by the second, struggling to keep up with the explosive waves of pleasure hitting her one after another yet still stubbornly fucking herself on his cock.

"Haah- So fast… You're going to make me come, luv."

The sudden squeezing he feels around his cock makes a brand new grin bloom on Arthur's face, and he's quick to move his other hand downwards and see if she can keep going when he doubles the pleasure. MC all but screams at the feeling of his fingers rubbing her clit in rhythm with her own thrusts, unable to do anything but to embrace the orgasm that rips through her like lightning.

Arthurs coos at her blissed-out face, even if he's barely holding himself back from joining her in the climax. Only when she falls completely out of rhythm does he take it upon himself to seize control, but just as he opens his mouth to warn of his upcoming orgasm MC unexpectedly gets completely off of him.

Arthur's deep-sea blue eyes follow her movements until her head suddenly descends and hovers over his twitching cock, her mouth opening to take him in. He can do little but remain where he is as she coaxes a powerful orgasm out of him with ease, her plush lips closing around his tip and enthusiastically sucking the seeping currents as they come one by one.

The moan that carries her name is etching itself into her very heart, with just a little spark of arousal to it that she can ignore for the time being. Arthur places his hand gently under her chin, but he can't help himself prodding at her bottom lip with his thumb just for a glimpse of the fluids coating her tongue.

She sticks it out for him but as a mockery more than anything, to accompany the cheekiness of laying her head across his lap - everything already swallowed and gone. Arthur props up his head on his arm with his elbow still resting on the door of the car, and the summer day's heat has made a sweaty mess of the hairlocks falling on his forehead. MC gets a good look at his handsome face from her new point of view, nuzzling into his hand that is still caressing her face. For some reason, they're both feeling giddy.

"So then luv, if we're done being a pair of horny teenagers, should we continue with our little joyride?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, we haven't paused for a bit!"

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @kimi00twin @g-kleran @thesirenwashere @devonares @galaxyprison @starshards26 @thewitchofbooks @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @coornn @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @ikemenlover24 @mcofthemansion @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 @lovely-bubb1es @aria-chikage @babyblue0t7 @rhodoliteschaos @shrimpy-kitsune @nightghoul381 @xbalayage @lucyw260 @kittygrimm88 @lokis-laugh @natimiles @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf @groovylita @justpeachyteastea @ichigostellaglynn Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[kaijuno]

URGENT EVICTION HELP

Hey guys? I could really use some help paying rent this month. My court date to be evicted is on the 21st of June. My boyfriend lost his job recently, and his workplace is refusing to pay him

I… really need help. I don’t have much food. My blood sugar is always out of wack because I’m not eating.I’m… running out of options. I need help. Please. Even a share helps.

I can’t work because my back is really messed up but the disability process where I live can take YEARS.

Another thing: I have an emotional support cat and I really don’t want to give her up but I’m not gonna make her live out of a car. I’m really scared of losing her.

Please help if you can.

Cshapp | Vnmo | PayPl

[scarlettjohanssons-mistress]

Nice to meet you

Warnings: First meetings, fluff

Word count: 1.6 K

Pairing: Cate Blanchett x Fem!Reader

Prompt: Meeting Cate (Based on a true story, only, I didn't meet Cate)

Requests: OPEN

[Main masterlist] [Actors and actresses masterlist]

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was that the sun was too bright and warm for ten o'clock in the morning. I lazily picked up my mobile phone and unlocked it, only to realise that I had not set my alarm and that it was in fact already 11:00 A.M.

"Shit"

As best I could, and literally running, I got out of my bed, put on a pair of jeans, my work t-shirt, and went into the bathroom. In less than 5 minutes I had brushed my teeth, washed my face, combed my hair and grabbed my make-up bag. I grabbed my backpack, money, my keys and left the flat to run to the underground station.

The train arrived quickly and since it was no longer rush hour, it was practically empty, so I sat down and took off my make-up, knowing that I wouldn't get to work for another 30 minutes.

When I got to the station where I had to get off, I did so and ran to the nearby square in order to get to my work. I opened the door, dodged several customers and made my way to the counter of the bookshop.

"Look who deigned to show up," joked my cousin.

I had been working in the bookshop run by my aunt for months. It was a great advantage, since, with tardiness like today's, in any other job, I would have been fired by now, but here, I only received a disapproving look from my aunt and a silly smile from my uncle.

"Oh, T/N, now why were you so late?"

"I forgot to set my alarm"

My aunt just rolled her eyes.

"You should set an alarm to remind you to set an alarm," my uncle joked, making us all giggle.

"Well, since you're finally here, please mop the floor."

"Sure, hey auntie, remember I told you if you'd give me permission to get away for two or three hours here in the square?"

"You're late and you still want to go out?" joked my cousin.

"What do you want to go out for?" asked my uncle, as he brought down books from a Spanish publisher.

"There's going to be a premiere of Cate Blanchett's new film. And the cast is coming…"

"And T/N would rather die than lose the chance to meet that woman," my cousin finished.

"Sorry for appreciating what a good actress she is".

I was a lying whore. Sure, the woman was the greatest actress of the 21st century, but she was also the most sensual woman I had ever met. My gay ass was shaking just thinking about her.

"What time is that?"

"At 3:00 p.m."

"Where is it?"

"It's in the cinema in this very square".

"Okey".

And without further ado, he began to help my uncle with the Spanish books.

"Is that a yes?"

Out of nowhere, he stood up with a grimace of pain.

"Help your uncle with the books and then we'll see".

———————————————————————————

My aunt had a problem, and this was that she would regularly, if not always, forget that I had already left some task, and suddenly I would start doing another one that needed to be done more urgently, so it was not unusual for me to notice that, just when I had half the floor mopped, the clock in the shop already showed 3:10 PM.

"Auntie, it's already 3:10."

"So what?"

"I asked you that you would give me the opportunity to go out to the premiere of the film".

"Have you finished cleaning?"

"Almost there…

"Then it's over now"

I started mopping quickly to finish faster.

"Do it right, T/N!"

I felt my heart start to flutter as, outside the venue, I could hear the screams, the people starting to run. Shit, it was too late, there was probably already a big crowd on the red carpet, which was going to make it impossible for me to get an autograph or a picture.

———————————————————————————

After finishing my chores, I quickly set out to go to the storeroom, drop off the mop and bucket, and just as I was taking off my uniform shirt to put on a nicer one, I heard some pretty loud shouting and the front door slamming. For several minutes I listened to murmuring until suddenly my cousin shouted.

"Y/N, come"

I quickly put on my T-shirt, and grabbed my small bag. As I left, I noticed an excessive amount of people in front of the bookshop, which scared me.

"What's going on, why are there so many people outside…?

Before I could finish my sentence, I walked over to where my cousin was, to find her standing next to Cate Blanchett and her make-up artist Mary.

"Hello. Nice to meet you"

The blonde greeted me with a charming smile. But I froze. I literally didn't know what to do.

Part of me wanted to start screaming and jumping up and down with excitement, another part was about to cry and try to hug her, while another part wanted to make a fool of myself as little as possible and try to start a conversation about her films and what a great actress she is in my eyes.

"Excuse her, she's too gay to talk" my cousin scoffed, eliciting a giggle from both older women "she's literally in love with you. When she was like 15 she said she'd marry you."

Yep, it was definitely not in my plans to be humiliated like that by my own cousin.

What was my next action, just ignore my cousin and start with some of my actions, make believe that this is a joke?

"It's not true, I mean, I do want to kiss you, but not since I was fifteen".

NO. IT'S. I really told one of the best actresses in the world that I wanted to kiss her, I WANT TO DIE.

I covered my face with both hands, but through the gap between my fingers I could see Cate giggle and adjust her hair.

"Well… I'm flattered."

"But… but what are you doing here?" I tried to change the subject just to avoid further embarrassment.

"People started to crowd around and I needed to fix this," Mary said as she pointed to Cate's torn dress.

"You know, a torn dress can't break my aura of perfection…" Cate tried to joke, but, she didn't know my name. She was asking my name!

"T/N, my name is T/N"

"T/N" she whispered my name in such a sensual way that I felt my panties start to get wet. "That's a beautiful name."

"T…thank you"

She began to wander around the room, while Mary, behind her, tried to fix her dress. As my gaze followed them, I felt a nudge in my rib.

"Hey, I've got to go" my cousin spoke, "can you stay and look after the blonde while my aunt comes back from her office?" before I could answer, she laughed and tapped me on the shoulder "who am I kidding, you sure get wet at the thought of being alone with that woman."

"You know we're not alone, and there's her make-up artist, right?"

"We're going to pretend that wouldn't stop you, are we?"

She just laughed and left.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that my aunt was attending to an important call, while my uncle was arranging the diaries. So, I followed them, seeing that Cate was too focused on one section of the bookshop.

"Do you have a specific section for LGBT literature?"

She turned to look at me, while Mary was fixing her dress and make-up. It wasn't a question on the air.

"Yes, we have a wide variety.

"I've never read this one" as she could, she picked up Ruth Gogoll's 'Taxi to Paris' book. and leafed through it a little.

"That's a very good one, I've read it more than 3 times…"

"So I'm dealing with a stalker?" she joked, causing me to let out an involuntary laugh. I can't believe she just made a reference to her own joke.

"In my defence, it's part of a research project for my university".

"What are you studying?"

"I'm studying cinema. I'd like to make an adaptation of that book".

"That's wonderful, darling. Is that your first race?"

"Yes…"

"You are so young…"

We were both silent, but with our eyes fixed on each other's, until Mary's throat clearing brought us out of our reverie.

"Cate, we have to go, it's already late."

"Oh, right."

She put the book back where she took it from, but just before she walked, I stepped forward and took the book, handing it to the blonde.

"Here, I'll give it to you"

"Oh darling, you're a sweetheart, but don't worry, I could pay for it…"

Fuck it, it's now or never.

"Yes, but, when you read it, you'll think of me."

I saw her eyes sparkle and she gave me a beautiful smile.

"Well, I guess I owe her the same treatment. Maybe a picture will make her think of me, sweet princess?" she joked.

"That would be wonderful, beautiful woman," I curtsied, causing her smile to grow.

I handed my mobile phone to Mary and just as I was smiling for the picture, I felt Cate's warm, soft lips on the corner of my mouth.

Mary took the picture and told Cate they had to leave, so she handed me my mobile phone and left, almost dragging Cate with her.

"I hope you remember me every time you see the picture".

"I hope you remember me every time you read the book".

Note:

I hope you enjoy it

I appreciate the reblogs, the likes and the comments

taglist: @littlebitchsposts // @xxsekhmet

message me or send an ask to be added to my taglist!

[madlittlecriminal]

Hiya! It was my 21st on the 17th! Could I get a birthday request with any of the following characters?

Spencer Reid Miguel O'Hara Eggsy Jonathan Crane Hobie Brown.

As always Im a sucker for confession stories and major fluffiness haha

GN!Reader's Birthday [blurbs]

omg happy belated birthday love! i hope your birthday was amazing! i did all of them because i love them all and i couldn't decide.

Warnings: age gap, fluff, mentions of alcohol

note: hi. if you're new, welcome! i typically write my characters soft. any character here that you feel is out of character is because im a firm believer that they are soft strictly for their s/o no matter how grumpy or evil they are.

------

Spencer Reid (established relationship):

With a memory like his, your birthday would always end up in you being spoiled with your favorite things. This year was different since you both were dating, and he wanted to make it extra special for you. Not only did he get you your favorite cake flavor, but he also took the whole week off of work for you, wanting to make it extra special for you. He cooked a dinner for you...but the recipe was wrong, so the food was a bit saltier than anything else, so you both just ordered take out instead and watched your favorite movie on the couch and cuddling.

Miguel O'Hara (friends to lovers/confession):

You were one of the few people he liked, so when Jess mentioned it was your birthday, he mumbled a soft "mierda" (shit) before rushing out of his office and heading to a nearby panadería (bakery) and bought a cake, asking the man behind the counter to write your name on it and rushing back to the Society building. Funny enough, your name was now smeared all over the cake, making you laugh when you saw it. You would thank him, and he'd smile. To you, that was the best birthday gift you could ask for...right? Well, it would've been if Miguel didn't end up turning into a major softy and confessed his love for you.

Eggsy (established relationship):

He would invite you to a pub to celebrate with a few drinks after taking you out to dinner. Naturally, he would tell the waiter that it was your birthday, so the other waiters and waitresses would come out with a dessert and sing the happy birthday song. You were in between wanting to hate him or wanting to love him since he got you a free dessert but made a big deal out of it. At the pub, he'd buy your favorite drink (alcohol-free or not) and would simply just talk to you about his job that you knew had nothing to do with tailoring suits. The night would eventually end with him giving you a ride home and kissing you goodnight.

Jonathan Crane (friends to lovers/confession):

This man was something else. He wasn't sure what to do for your birthday and he was stressed. The one time when you both became best friends, he gifted you the knowledge of knowing he was Scarecrow...but that was two years ago. He was losing his mind on what to do, so he kept it simple and invited you to his place for a movie. He tried baking a cake, he really did, but this man was a whiz in the kitchen of a lab, not of a home. He gave you a shy smile when he showed you the burnt cake and you thanked him for at least trying. Instead, he lit a pumpkin shaped candle and told you to make a wish; he decorates early for Halloween, don't judge him. The night ends with you cuddled up against him after he told you he loved you more than a friend.

Hobie Brown (established relationship):

To say that he confused you in the best way was an understatement. He told you birthdays weren't his thing, but it seemed like for you, he would do absolutely anything. He bought you cupcakes to celebrate and told you his gift would be different than every other year. It kind of saddened you since you loved going on protests with him, but alas, you waited for the gift. When he took out his electric guitar and played a song you didn't recognize with it. Once he was done, you tilted your head to the side, and he told you he wrote it for you as a gift for your birthday. You would then thank him and gave him a kiss on his cheek. You both shared the cupcakes, but you drew a smiley face on his cheek with some icing, causing him to laugh and kiss you softly.

[baekguuuuu]

Enchanted

Characters: Baekhyun x Reader

Genre: TimeTravel!au (this is the last one i swear), romance, angst, Heavily inspired by Enchanted by Taylor Swift

Word Count: 20.5k

Disclaimer: As mentioned, this fic is heavily inspired by the song Enchanted. This is purely fictional and not based on what happened in real life.

Summary: Tired of constant fights of your parents, you found herself in the attic where an old wardrobe stood at the corner years before your family moved in the house.

What could an antique furniture do to change your life?

This is not how a family is supposed to be. 

Constant arguing. Constant yelling. Constant throwing whatever they could reach at each other. 

Constant discussion about divorce. 

Being the eldest daughter in an Asian household was a lot to take—an overwhelming roller-coaster of emotions throughout my entire life.  

I must be the sacrificial lamb amongst my siblings. 

My grades must be soaring high. Anything beneath an A was unacceptable, and I must prepare for an earful about “not being good enough.” 

Dreams? I dismissed the meaning of that word a long time ago. My only career choices are engineering, accounting, law, or medicine. 

Art is stupid. That was what my dad said when I was in fifth grade, and wanted a camera for my birthday. I was fascinated with taking pictures when I was young. Instead, I got a sad birthday cake from the grocery store and an outdated Jansport backpack as a gift. 

You might think, “Oh, life must be financially burdensome for their family.” I felt so, too. And that was true. But my parents would do things differently to my siblings. 

I tried to be the daughter they wanted me to be and didn’t ask or think ill towards my parents. However, when I started middle school, I learned that my parents just have favoritism. 

And clearly, I was not their favorite. 

The middle child, who was just a year younger than me, got to join a Taekwondo lesson as a child, not because our parents wanted him to, but because he wanted to. After a year, he switched to football. After that, he was into boxing. 

Just a coincidence? 

No, he was our mom’s favorite. 

The youngest was three years younger than me, and she was enrolled in an Art school. She also wanted to be a ballerina. My parents were supportive of her. They paid for classes and for her goddamn shoes that needed to be changed every other week. 

I thought Art was stupid, Dad?

Oh, right... she was his favorite. 

It would be a few more months before I graduated high school, and I couldn’t be more thankful that I received a full scholarship to a university that, fortunately, my parents have always dreamed of. 

For years, I’ve already decided to live away from home and opt to stay at the dorms; yet again, I don’t have the right to decide for myself, don’t I? 

My mom and dad agreed to let me stay in their house until I got my degree. They were too afraid that I would lose track of my supposed-to-be dream of becoming an Engineer. That was their choice, not mine. 

I wanted to take pictures, but they wanted me to build structures. 

Tonight was the same as the other nights.  

My dad had just gotten home from his nine-to-five desk job and a drinking session with his colleagues, while my mom claimed that she was so stressed from her part-time admin job that she still had to cook and clean after us. 

I was the one who did the grocery shopping; I did not own a car and had to ride the bus with plastic bags in my hands. I was the one who washed the dishes and threw the trash out because, apparently, the youngest in this household just got her nails done, and the chores would ruin them. 

Dad said the middle child should be excluded from the chores because he is a man. I honestly don’t get the logic behind his words. We are in the 21st century, not in the 1900s. 

Despite all my efforts, I was still not being credited. Yet again. 

Dad was an old-fashioned guy. He wanted to be served by his wife and his daughter—well, only me because his precious youngest daughter can’t do shit. 

I was already in my bedroom and ready to tuck myself in bed, as it was a school night when Dad arrived. He banged on the front door behind him as he came in. It started with yelling, cursing, and throwing stuff, as usual. 

Then, the divorce. 

It’d be like this every single time I could identify the scenario as a routine in this house. 

The only thing I could not and could never accept was that after this night, my mom would post on her social media how perfect our family was—or, more accurately, how she would portray it. “My family is my everything,” she would caption our family photo on Facebook. 

Bullshit. Everything is bullshit. 

I was seated on my bed; my eyes were closed as I listened to their argument. “I don’t love you anymore, I haven’t for the past ten years,” my dad screamed, earning a violent sob from my mom.  

Then I heard a glass shattering on the ground—Mom probably threw another of her vase collections to dad. “Then leave! I don’t need you here! I don’t need anyone in this family. All of you can leave for all I care!” 

The only thing I could do was bury my face in my hands to muffle my sobs. Whenever I thought I was already numb to this situation, I’d be proven wrong. It was still painful. To be in this family.  

After a while, the house turned silent. There was no shouting, cursing, or throwing objects. It was just an eerie silence. Then suddenly, the door across my room opened and closed, and then the bedroom beside mine. 

Oh, right.  

Mom had to comfort my brother, telling him it was just an argument and everything would be fine.  

Obviously, Dad went to my sister’s room to do the same. 

I almost forgot that this is also part of their routine—comforting their children. 

Some people might think they would come into my room after calming down their favorite child.  

No. They never did. 

I had to wipe my own tears because no one would do it for me. 

With a heavy heart, I pushed the comforter away from my body and placed my feet on the floor. Wiping the leftover tears, I went out of my room, and the only place I could think of was my safe place—the attic. 

Unlike other houses, our attic is well kept, courtesy of the loner in this house—me. You barely could see dust, spiderwebs, and all that stuff. This was my only escape from this house since my siblings thought they were too cool to hang out with me, while my parents plainly didn’t care. 

The hand-pulling light bulb dangled from the ceiling as I turned on the source of brightness in these four walls. 

A sigh escaped my lips while I looked around the room, inspecting if someone had come in without my knowledge. When I confirmed that everything was in its place as I left them, I pulled out my iPhone from my pyjama’s pocket and was glad that I had charged the device before I came up here.  

February 20, 2020, 01:50 AM, the date and time read. 

With my legs crossed, I sat on the wooden floor as I scrolled through my gallery for the random photos I had taken the past few days.  

I automatically smiled at each file. Some were pictures of my friends at school, while most were pictures of trees, trails, random people on the street. 

I was focusing on one picture I took last week: a police station built over a hundred years ago. It was near my house, and since I was a kid, older people would tell us stories about how it was requested to be demolished and relocated to a much more commercial place several times but was protected by an influential family. 

My thoughts were too occupied that I didn’t hear the scratching noise at the corner of the room. It took at least ten seconds for me to grasp that something was inside the old wardrobe at the very far end of the attic. 

I wasn’t a scaredy cat; at least, I believed I was not. But when the scratching continued, I jumped on my feet, turning on the flashlight on my phone to shine some light at the dark corner of the room. I’m praying it was just a mouse or a cat—anything but the G word. 

“Hello?” I stupidly called in a small voice, thinking whatever it was would respond to my greeting. It took at least five seconds before the scratching against the wooden door of the wardrobe became a bit louder. 

I should have been running back to my room, screaming my lungs out for help, but instead, I took a step towards the noise, opening the wardrobe door slowly. I exhaled before rolling my eyes when I saw the tricolor cat I adopted from the streets a few days ago. I had to beg on my knees to my parents to let me keep the feline. 

I clicked my tongue, carrying the purring cat in my hands. “How did you get in here, you silly?” 

Closing the wardrobe door, the old hanging light bulb suddenly went out, and I could feel my heart pounding loudly in my chest. I hugged the kitten close as I fumbled on my phone to turn on the flashlight again, but the scratching noise came back before I could click the icon. 

And this time, it was louder than ever. It couldn’t be the cat I was holding. I could feel his fur in my hands, paw and nails—everything. It was not him who was making the eerie noise. 

The hair on the back of my neck was reacting to my fear, and the lump in my throat threatened to escape as a wail. 

The noise was coming from behind, not from inside of the wardrobe. 

I may excel in my studies and be the top student in our class, but I was a loser when it came to survival skills. I was a slow-witted, pathetic human being. The first thing that came to my mind was to hide in the wardrobe and close the door. 

Which I did. 

With my eyes closed, I hugged the kitten on my chest tighter, praying for my life rather than calling for help. I couldn’t count how many times I chanted every prayer I learned from being forced to go to church every Sunday with my family. 

I waited until the noise stopped before I could open my eyes. I was too frightened to move and could only peek through my lashes. It was too dark inside the wardrobe, and I couldn't see anything. I moved my foot to push the door a little bit, and I couldn’t help but sigh in relief when a light peeked through the door. 

I didn’t notice when my bare feet touched wet grass instead of the wooden floor of my parents' attic. I didn’t feel the summer breeze instead of cold winter air. I didn’t notice the bright sun and clear sky when, in fact, I clearly remember that it was past midnight when I went to the attic. 

Not until I instinctively hugged the cat who was supposed to be in my arms when I came into the wardrobe just to find out that he was nowhere to be seen. I turned around to look inside the furniture, but my furry companion was also not there. 

My eyes were wide as I slowly took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Empty lots and vintage cars that I could only imagine seeing inside a museum were now on the bumpy road. People were also wearing crisp suits, dresses, and fancy hats. 

A passerby would give me a weird look, analyzing my current state: in shock and in my Winnie the Pooh’s pyjamas. 

I was too terrified to move a muscle, and I couldn’t find my voice to speak out. I stood on my spot for an eternity, trying to convince myself that this was just a dream. 

It should be. 

When I finally found the courage to move, a hand grabbed my arm, preventing me from moving from my spot. Slowly, I looked over my shoulder and saw two uniformed personnel eyeing me from head to toe. 

“We received a report that an odd lady is wandering about.” The man with a badly shaved beard spoke, removing his hand from my arm and showing his baton, probably to intimidate me. 

“I—I’m,” I cleared my throat when my voice broke, “I’m not wandering about. I—I’m actually lost.”  

I assume the two police officers looked at each other before one of them nodded his head and asked me to follow him. I had no idea what was happening or where I was, so I followed what they asked me to. 

We arrived at a small complex with other uniformed personnel present. When I went in the door, they all looked at me warily. I could only hang my head in fear and embarrassment as I followed the man to a small room at the back. 

There was a small table and two chairs across from each other, and he sat on one of them. I stood by the door, waiting for an invitation to be seated. 

“You may take a seat,” the policeman extended his arm towards the chair before him. 

I obeyed and gently took a seat. I was fidgeting with the ring on my index finger. A few weeks ago, I bought it from the street of Hongdae and forgot to remove it before going to bed. 

“Before we start,” the policeman sighed, lacing his fingers together before putting them on the table, “may I ask what you are wearing?” 

I instantly inspected my clothes; it was just an ordinary pajama I bought online. It’s 100% cotton, but that’s not the point. 

“I—uhm... it's a pajama I ordered online, and they were on sale—” 

“I beg your pardon?”  

I felt my bottom lip tremble, too intimidated by the policeman interrogating me and had no idea what I was supposed to tell him. Helpless was an understatement to explain my situation.  

“It’s—uh... pajama?” 

He visibly fumed, pursing his lips as he eyed me with concern and, at the same time, exasperation. “You are unmistakably unwell, and I require to have knowledge of your origin for the reason we can have a conversation with your guardian by allowing you on loose.” 

I quickly shook my head, denying his claim that I was somewhat insane by just saying pyjama. “I’m not unwell, sir. I—I’m just… confused. I-I don’t know where I am.” 

The officer squinted his eyes, his lips forming a thin line. “You don’t know where you are?” 

I slowly nodded, unsure if I was saying the right thing at the right time. “Yes, sir.” 

He let out a breath, shaking his head not so subtly. “You are currently in Jung district. We spoke the same language then I deduce that you are from this country. Unless you are espionage?” 

Jung district? That means I was still within the area. But why were they assuming that I was unwell just because of my choice of sleepwear or using words that normal people didn’t particularly use? I had to use my last few brain cells to comprehend the word “espionage.”

Espionage? 

Wait—spying? 

My eyes widened, and I quickly shook my head. “N-no, sir. I’m not a spy or some sort. I’m just—I’m an ordinary student who goes to school at—” 

“Silence!” the officer roared, slamming his palm on the table that separated us. His voice and action echoed across the small room, making me jump from my seat and tremble in fear. 

I whimpered, my head hanging low. “I’m sorry.” 

The officer was quiet for almost a minute until I heard him sigh, making me peek under my lashes. He was shaking his head, hands on the table, as he stood up from his seat. “You need to be detained until the Chief gets here. You need to substantiate that you are not a spy.” 

“Wait—” I got up from the metal chair. The legs of the furniture made a screeching noise against the cement floor. I held on to his arm, which was a bad idea, as he immediately grabbed both my wrists and held me on the table.  

I cried out in pain when the side of my head was slammed forcefully on the surface of the table. “S-sir, please. I swear to God, I’m not what you think I am.” 

My choice of words might have been another bad idea, as he fumed and mumbled under his breath how I used God lightly. A tear escaped my eyes when I saw a handcuff that looked different from what I’d seen on television, the internet, etcetera. 

I was escorted to the corner of the room, where two separate prison cell exists. As I entered the bars, I saw someone in the other cell. He was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees and hiding his head in his folded arms. 

My sniffling went louder when the officer who handcuffed me slammed the cell door as soon as I flopped on the floor. My figure trembled as I instinctively hugged my knees like the man on the other cell.  

I closed my eyes, praying that this should be a dream, that I would wake up from it, and that it would be over the second I opened my eyes. However, before I could finish my mumbling, with my eyes still closed, I heard a subtle “psst” on my left.  

My left eye opened about a millimeter while shifting slightly to where the sound came from. The man I mentioned earlier was looking at me, though his head was still leaning on his folded arms.  

His hair was jet black, his eyes were droopy, his nose was exquisite, and his lips were perfectly pink and glossy. 

He cautiously placed his index finger on his lips, gesturing to be hushed. I slowly nodded, not knowing if I could trust my mouth to speak any longer—because the last time I spoke, it led me here. 

My confirmation made him smile. His eyes went to the officer on the other side of the room, who was busying himself with something on his desk. When the officer seemed not to care about our small movements, the man in the other cell turned his attention back to me. 

“Hey,” he carefully whispered, “what brings you here?” 

I shrugged, mirroring his position, leaning the side of my head on my folded arms. “Long story.” I couldn’t help the sigh escaping my nostrils.  

The man noticed my distress state and sent a comforting smile.  

He had the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen in my life. 

“What about you?” I decided to ask when he caught me staring at him longer than anyone should have. 

He also shrugged, heaving a deep sigh, “Long story.” 

I shut my eyes and bit my bottom lip to stop the tempted snicker that wanted to escape my mouth—he was mocking my response earlier. When I opened my eyes to look at him, he was already staring at me with a gentle smile on his face. 

My cheeks started warming from his gaze, and he probably recognized the pink shade on my skin, so he silently chuckled.  

We were just looking at each other as if trying to analyze the dancing orbs staring at one another. I was trying to figure out why I turned calm from just looking at him when in reality, I was an awkward person who would stutter at a simple “How’s your day?” at the grocery store. 

I opened my mouth to ask for his name, but a loud voice boomed around the corner. The man on the other cell snapped his head to the culprit at the same time as I did.  

A man was wearing a neat tuxedo, his almost grey hairline receding. He looked at the man I was talking to with an anxious look while he examined his state: sitting on the dusty cement floor, he looked dehydrated, and beads of sweat were visible on his forehead from the warm summer weather. 

The intruder turned his head to the officer who escorted him to where the tiny prison cells were—and he was also the one who banged my head on the table to handcuff me and the officer who was guarding the cells. “Do you know what you have done?” 

The two officers were both silent, their intimidating appearance slowly fading. 

“San,” the man on the other cell suddenly called. I turned to look at him, and his gentle smile was gone. He shook his head at the man in the tuxedo asking him to stop talking. 

The man in the tuxedo—or San, sighed in defeat, not before glaring at the two officers. “He’s the youngest son of General Byun.” 

I furrowed my brows; General Byun rang a bell in the deepest corner of my brain. I swear in my pathetic life that I heard that name somewhere. 

However, before I could rummage through my already messed-up brain, I heard the man on my left distantly sighing as he stood on his feet, dusting his pants. 

The police officers, who looked terrified, immediately ran to open the cell door on his side. They removed their hats and bowed their heads, apologizing for keeping him in there. He must’ve been from a noble family. 

I kept my mouth shut while watching the scene before me. I was not moving a single muscle, too scared that I might do something wrong again, which would lead to much more trouble. 

I watched him walk towards San, who was holding the door open for him with my lips pursed. 

I didn’t even get a chance to get his name. 

Before he could walk out the door, I noticed how tense he was and turned on his heels. His eyes met mine, somewhat with sympathy. He stood before the officers, whose heads were still hanging low, ashamed of what they had done with this man. 

“She’s coming with me,” the man announced, which made me gawk, and San looked at him like he suddenly had two heads connected to his neck. 

“B-but sir—the girl needs to be detained until the chief—” the police officer who slammed me on the table stammered, rejecting the man’s proposal to let me out of this prison cell and to go with him. 

The man just smiled, reaching out to the cell door and shaking it impatiently for the officers to open it. “I will let my father know about it. I’m confident that he will have a conversation with the chief should a problem arise.” 

San hastily walks towards the son of the General, holding his arm gently. “Sir, you cannot mingle with a criminal.” 

The man let out a psssh, waving his hand to San as if he uttered the most ridiculous thing in the world before nodding to one of the officers to open the cell door. “She was with me when I climbed the wall and managed to run away when you whistled like there was no tomorrow.” 

When both officers hesitated to open the cell door, the man shook the bars again, creating a loud rattling noise. The officer who slammed my head on the table scrambled to his feet, clumsily looking for the set of keys hanging on his pants. 

When the door finally opened, I was still unmoving on my spot, on the dusty cement floor, hugging my knees while I watched four men wait for me to get out. 

As I previously mentioned, my survival skill was set to zero. I may be academically competent, but I knew nothing if it was unrelated to my studies. 

That was a huge problem. I know. 

My friends in school were trying to help me cope with the outside world. However, the sources have been limited as I was only allowed to get out of the house if it was for school matters, or chores. I had to beg my parents to let me go out with my friends on weekends. 

I probably took a while, lost in my thoughts, when the man held out his hands, sending me his gentle smile again. “Come?” 

Sparing my last functioning brain cell, I got on my feet, my hand reaching out to his. When my palm touched him, a smile slowly spread on my lips. My anxiousness gradually faded, replaced by a gentle breeze that soothed my nerves. 

San walked in front, the police officers trailing just a few steps ahead as they accompanied us to the off-white bumpy vehicle parked by the curb. 

As the officers bowed their heads for the trouble, San opened the door, and the man still holding onto it tugged my hand. The corner of his lips quirked up as I looked at him with round, probably scared eyes. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he assured me, his thumb unconsciously rubbing a comforting circle on the back of my hand. “I will just send you home safely.” 

Relief crashed through me, and I believe he noticed it because he chuckled huskily.  

Once I was seated in the leather seat of the vehicle, I realized that he was still holding my hand. I smiled, a bit awkward when I tried to slip off his hold. 

“Oh,” he gasped when he realized what I was doing, “my apologies.” 

His touch lingered on my skin when I removed my hand from his hold. Embarrassed, I placed it on my lap, fiddling with my fingers, waiting for him to speak. 

I heard San clearing his throat in the driver’s seat, waiting for an instruction from the man beside me. The latter turned his head to look at me, and I was instantly allured.  

“Where to, my lady?” 

I ignored the blush from the way he addressed me, shifting my attention to San, who was waiting for a direction of where to drive me. 

San scrunched his forehead when I recited my address and the landmark near my house. Nevertheless, he started the vehicle and drove off the curb. 

My palms started to sweat when I looked out the window. The establishments on the road that I knew by heart were not there. Instead, there was soil and tall grass all around. 

“Apologies, madam,” San met my eyes through the rear-view mirror, “but the road you referred to does not exists I believe.” 

“H-huh?” Was all I could mutter before the man beside me clicked his tongue in annoyance. 

“And could you enlighten me as to why you did not tell it beforehand?” the man beside me huffed. His gentle exterior had faded, and he had turned to show his authority. 

“S-sir Baekhyun, I—” 

Baekhyun. 

The man’s name was Baekhyun. 

“She’s already terrified, San,” Baekhyun explained. “The last thing I want to happen is for her to regret coming with me.” 

Unfortunately, I had the cheek to blush at his words, though I managed to ignore that my face was likely crimson red. “I—it’s fine,” I muttered awkwardly. The interruption made Baekhyun turn his head in my direction. 

I gave him a tight smile before asking San to pull over so I could get out of the vehicle and familiarized the surroundings to find the correct path to my house. 

Baekhyun followed my suit when I stepped out, his shoe wear gravelly strides over the pebbles on the ground to walk beside my figure.  

I was starting to lose my mind when I realized that the area was just grass—no houses or buildings. It was pure, empty land. 

“Holy shit,” I mumbled under my breath and was already on the verge of crying. 

Where the hell am I? 

“Holy—what? I beg your pardon?” 

Baekhyun was eyeing me concerning how I was yanking my hair out of my scalp, also probably saying things I wasn’t supposed to say... again. 

However, it wasn’t long until his fingers circled on my wrists, pulling them away from the strands of my hair. I let my muscles relax, slowly unclutching my fingers away. 

That made Baekhyun smile. He nodded his head, “We’re alright. You're alright—you’re safe.” 

“Sir?” San’s voice interrupted the scene, though it went unnoticed by Baekhyun, who was still looking intently at me. 

“Speak to me?” His hand that was holding my wrist travels to my palm, wrapping his fingers around my hand. 

“I—” I choked on my words, having to take a deep breath to speak clearly, “are we in Jung district?” 

Baekhyun nodded his head, confirming my question. “Yes, we are.” 

Mentally crossing my fingers, I asked him another question and hoped that he would say the answer I wanted. “Jung district, South Korea?” 

That made him furrow his brows and look at me like I just muttered the craziest thing he could ever hear. “Were you referring to the southern part of Korea?” 

“Sir, I think we should consider going back to the police station,” San walked briskly to pull Baekhyun away from my reach. “She could be an enemy from that country and knows who you are.” 

“W-wait—” I screeched; my chest started to heave from the information that I was absorbing one by one. Espionage. Empty land. The old model of vehicles. Enemy. The southern part of Korea... 

“Do you mind telling me the date?” My mind started to get lightheaded, but at the back of my mind, I was hoping this was just another weird dream I would get from time to time. 

“Today’s the second day of September,” Baekhyun answered, snatching his arm from San, who tried to pull him away. “Are you feeling unwell, sweetheart?” 

Despite the nausea, I shook my head and continued to confirm my assumption. “Wha—what year?” 

Baekhyun’s frown deepened, clearly not comprehending the point of my questions. Despite that, he still answered my question, and fortunately, I could catch it before my vision blacked out. 

“Year 1920.” 

Oh, shit. 

My forehead felt damp pressure as I slowly regained consciousness. The muscles of my fingers were flexing on their own, and I took a deep breath before shifting my eyelids open. 

I blinked a couple of times before visualising the face hovering over my lying figure, eyeing my current state with concern. 

Baekhyun. 

“Hey,” he stopped me when I tried to sit up. His hand held my shoulder, pushing me back on the spring mattress I was lying on. Once the back of my head hit the soft cushion, he removed the damp cloth from my forehead, brushing the hair stuck on my skin. “Would you like some water?” 

I contemplated for a few more seconds before remembering the things that I’d been told before I passed out. I quickly sat on the mattress once again, ignoring the puzzled look on Baekhyun’s face when I hurried away from his touch until my back reached the wall. 

“I’m not dreaming?” I croaked, feeling my body tingled from another panic episode, “I—I’m supposed to be in the attic. Who are you—where am I?” 

Baekhyun sensed my fear. He withdrew his hands, which were trying to reach out, and instead raised them in front of him, showing me his empty palm before giving me an assuring smile. “Calm down, darling. I will not hurt you.” 

“I—” I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, “who are you?” 

“My name is Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun.” he answered calmly, his voice trying to soothe my nerves. 

“Baekhyun,” I repeated. Although I’d already heard his name from San, it felt nice to say it from my lips. “Where—where am I?” 

“We are in my house, though I have to apologize for bringing you in the staff’s quarter as I can’t be seen carrying an unconscious lady to my chamber.” 

I quickly scanned the room and saw a couple of bunk beds across the room. I had to bite my bottom lip when it trembled. “And you said that it’s year 1920?” 

Baekhyun nodded his head, stating the obvious. “Is everything all right? Speak to me. I could help.” 

“I’m—” I snivelled; my body trembled in fear. Baekhyun finally found the courage to reach for my hands, holding them in his.  

“Shush,” he squeezed my fingers, attempting to calm me, but when my body wouldn’t stop quivering, Baekhyun had done something that I wouldn’t expect him or anyone to do for someone you barely knew. 

He bent his neck so he could press his lips on my knuckles. His lips—they were damn soft, and it lingered on my skin even when he pulled away. 

When he brought his eyes to meet mine, he smiled, his eyes forming a crescent shape as he did. “I’m here. You’re all right.” 

Though slowly, I finally managed to nod as I was still hesitant about my surroundings. But somehow, despite being a stranger, he could shift every fiber in my body with serenity. 

“What’s your name?” Baekhyun climbed on the mattress, sitting a few inches away from me, and surprisingly, I didn’t hurry away this time. 

I uttered my name as I watched his orbs dance around my facial features. The way he repeated my name and sounded made me even more captivated. 

“Can you tell me where you are from?” Baekhyun continued, “I could send you home. Otherwise, I can send someone to look for your family.” 

“I’m—” I took a deep trembling breath so I would not have to break again—hopefully, “I’m going to sound crazy, if you want to throw me back to jail, that’s fine—I understand you, but—” 

“You’re rambling, love.”  

I was this close to passing out again from the endearment he kept using on me. I thought that having my name would make him call me out differently, but I was wrong. 

I leaned forward to his ear, and he immediately understood what I wanted to do. He tilted his head so I could reach him quickly. I whispered, “I’m not from here.” 

When Baekhyun leaned back to meet my eyes again, I expected him to look confused, but he looked calm and nodded his head. “I realize that.” 

His response made me widen my eyes. I gasped, “you do?” 

“Yes,” he replied, “I would always wonder on the road and this is the first I saw you—” 

“No!” I cried out, burying my face in my hands. “That’s not what I meant.” 

Baekhyun held the sides of my head, gently tilting my head up so he could see my face. “I’m sorry, it was not my intention to make you distress. But can you please clarify what you meant with your statement?” 

I thought San was just waiting on the other side of the door as he burst inside the quarters with my wail. “Sir?!” 

Baekhyun hissed, peeking behind his shoulder to glare at San. “I told you to not come in.” 

“No—wait, I’m sorry,” I hiccupped, touching Baekhyun’s arm to calm him down as he looked like he would tackle San any second—poor man. 

Baekhyun heaved a sigh before telling San to close the door behind him. The old man stayed by the door as Baekhyun waited for me to clarify my previous statement. 

“Baekhyun,” I started, and the man nodded, urging me to continue, “please don’t freak out, okay?” 

Because I’m already freaking out. 

He nodded his head again, this time interlacing our fingers together. 

“I was at the attic in our house when I heard this weird noise coming from a wardrobe, so I went to look for the source of sound. Then something weird happened, the light went out and the noise went from the wardrobe to whatever was behind me and it made me hid inside the wardrobe instead of running away, or screaming for help.” 

Baekhyun frowned upon hearing my choice of action—hiding in the wardrobe instead of running away. Nonetheless, he continuously nodded his head as he acknowledged my words. 

“Then I waited for a few minutes before opening the wardrobe, and when I stepped out, I was already here, in this place.” 

I glanced at San, who had a baffled expression like he was trying to analyze the information I’d just given, and Baekhyun, who kept looking at me with a frown on his face. 

“Say something,” I nudged his hand, which was holding mine, making him blink before clearing his throat. 

“Apologies,” he has an odd expression that I can’t read, “are you saying that you’ve been kidnapped? Are you from the other country?” 

Hearing the other country, San widened his eyes, and panic appeared on his face. “S-sir, I warned you, she might’ve been a—” 

“No–no,” I shook my head, quickly denying his allegation, “I’m not a spy, or some sort.” 

“In that case...” Baekhyun mumbled. My heart felt like it dropped when he untangled his fingers with mine. “What are you?” 

“I’m just an ordinary human being,” I explained, my voice getting wobbly. “I’m a citizen of this country—well, not in this year, but I am.” 

This time, San decided to speak up, “Not in this year?” 

I was never good at interrogation, especially when I could not voice my opinion in our home. If I did, my parents would never fail to invalidate my emotions. 

I didn’t even know I was already crying until Baekhyun tried to wipe my cheek with his fingers. I automatically leaned away from his touch, and I think that confused the man as I was not rejecting his advances until now. 

“Just let me go,” I croaked, my eyes pleading to Baekhyun as I told him, “I promise that I will not bother you any longer, or talk about how you helped me out of prison, just—please...” 

The quarter was silent for a few minutes, and my heavy breathing and my sniffling could be heard across the room.  

“Where will you go?” Baekhyun inquired, finally deciding to speak up. “If you don’t know where you are, where will you go?” 

I whimpered, “I—I don’t know. I’ll figure it out, I guess...” 

To say that I was disappointed was an understatement when Baekhyun nodded, moving away from the mattress so I could get out of it as well.  

When my feet touched the floor, that was only when I realized that I was bared foot all along. There were already scratches on the soles of my feet from walking since I got here, but I ignored the stinging pain and continued to walk out the door. 

I was pretty lucky I didn’t bump into someone on my way out. I sneakily glanced around the lot, and it was huge. The staff’s quarters were separated from the manor built in the lot's centre.  

It was already dark outside, probably because I had passed out, and it took a couple of hours before I regained consciousness. The night posts on the road were few and not as bright as they were in my time. The road was still dirt with pebbles. 

If this was near the Jung district I grew up in, I would know all the alleys and everything, but there were none. 

It took me approximately an hour and a half to walk before the police station could be seen, but instead of going straight to the cell again, I turned the other way, hoping to find the wardrobe. 

After another fifteen minutes of walking, I reached the old wardrobe again. My heart was pounding in my chest as my hand reached out to the knob, opening it. 

It was empty. What did I even expect? A magical light bursting out of the furniture? 

I was standing on my feet, unmoving. I was slowly realizing and analyzing all that stuff in my head. 

Was the police station the same institution that was built near our house? 

If that were the case, my feet would automatically bring me here by heart. This was where my house should be. 

I broke like a dam. Violent sobs came out of my mouth when I saw the empty lot. Even our neighbors’ houses were not there. As if to add salt to my wounds, the rain poured. Though I didn’t want to go inside the wardrobe again, I had no choice but to find shelter while waiting for the rain to stop. 

I’ve always been afraid of the dark. Since I was a kid, I always had a nightlight with me. My parents... they never bought me a new one. 

My father once gave me a small light bulb that I could plug directly into the outlet to have light at night, while my precious younger sister got a ballerina lamp. 

I remember my mother scolding me when the electricity went out due to bad weather, and I screamed from the top of my lungs when darkness illuminated my small bedroom. “You’re not a baby anymore! You need to toughen up! You’re scaring your little brother!” 

I was only eight at that time. 

I never have someone on my side. No one to look out for me. Except for my friends in school. They’ve been there for me. And they gave me an adorable duck nightlight as a gift when we were freshmen. I still have it, using it, and will forever treasure it. 

I was only used to my friends who were worried about my well-being; hence, when Baekhyun acted like he would save me from my miserable thoughts, it was awkward, but I let my guard down because he made me calm. 

I wouldn’t blame him for acting distant when I narrated what brought me here.  

Who in their right mind would believe I came from a wardrobe like the one in The Chronicles of Narnia, where the Pevensies hid and met Aslan? 

I somehow wished it would be like that. It’d be much easier to handle than being stuck in the 1920s when a war was going on, and everyone would identify you as a spy. 

Holy crap, what if they’d capture me as one? Would I be executed? 

I still wanted to go to university, get my bachelor's, master's, and hopefully PhD. 

Thousands of thoughts ran through my head at once. I clutched the side of my face while weeping in extreme anguish, regretting the days I wished I wasn’t with my dysfunctional family. 

Although I was nobody’s favorite in our household; I’d still take that over this. 

As I took another deep, trembling breath between my sobs, I felt a calloused, warm hand over my cold one. My shoulder jumped from the sudden contact; my head whipped up attentively.  

“Hey.” 

Baekhyun’s finger wrapped around mine as I whimpered upon recognising him. A sense of comfort rushed through my nerves even though I barely knew him. 

He tugged on my hand to make me step out of the wardrobe, and I simply set my feet on the muddy ground. I could feel his gaze as he eyed me with concern when I didn’t stop sobbing, though it was more of a hiccup. 

“What were you doing in there?” Baekhyun asked when I calmed down a little bit. I raised my head and looked him in the eye, seeing San a few steps behind him. 

I unconsciously squeezed his hand holding mine, and my heart couldn’t help but flatter when he tightened his hold, tugging his bottom lip with his teeth in anticipation of my answer. 

“This is the wardrobe I was talking about,” I peeked behind my shoulder to look at the strange furniture. “I swear to God, Baekhyun, I—” 

“Slow down,” Baekhyun cut my sentence off, “I apologize if I let you leave earlier, but I promised that I’m not going to hurt you and let someone hurt you.” 

I jutted my bottom lip, wiping my eyes with my other hand as I sniffed. Though I stayed silent, I found comfort in his words. 

Baekhyun gently called my name, his thumb consolingly rubbing at the back of my hand. “I apologize for what happened earlier. It was an unjustified action of mine. I should not have let a lady wander alone at this time of night.” 

I nodded, accepting his apologies as I tried to look him in the eye without making my orbs quiver in fear. “I swear, I—I’m not joking around.” 

“About what?” Baekhyun inquired, frowning. 

“About what I’ve said earlier,” I choked a sob, sniffling like a child. “I really am not from here. I came from this furniture—” I swung my hand to gesture at the eerie wardrobe behind me, and Baekhyun’s eyes shifted to look at the antique for a second.  

“Would you mind expounding what you meant, sweetheart?” he straightened his back as he bent to see my face clearly, though he was not that tall—just a few centimeters taller than I was. 

I think San also became curious about why he took a few steps forward so he could hear my explanation clearly. 

I pulled away my hand from Baekhyun, rubbing my face tiredly before exhaling heavily. I was preparing myself in case Baekhyun and San thought I was some sort of insane being or, worse, a spy from another country. 

“My house was supposed to be built in this lot,” I pointed my thumb over my shoulder again, indicating the empty lot behind me, “and this antique wardrobe was in our attic even before my parents purchased the house, and no one bothered to get rid of it.” 

Baekhyun nodded his head but said nothing, so I decided to continue. “As I've said earlier, I hid inside when I heard something and when I opened the door, I was already here.” 

I saw San from the peripheral, tilting his head and his eyes squinting on the empty lot I was referring to, but I tried not to look away from Baekhyun’s intense gaze. He was studying my face as if tracing any sign that I was lying. 

“I’m not lying, Baekhyun, I swear,” I croaked, noticing how his orbs wavered upon hearing his name coming out of my mouth. 

He blinked after a few moments, his tongue peeking out to moisten his bottom lip. “When you said that this is where your house was supposed to be and yet you’re not from here...” he exhaled through his nose, eyes closing for a second before looking directly into my eyes as if begging me to tell the truth. “Will you be able to shed light on that?” 

Finding courage that Baekhyun was finally willing to listen to me without the thought that he must’ve identified me as an enemy, I nodded my head, not before clenching my fingers from what I was about to say. 

“You said that we are currently in year 1920?”  

Baekhyun confirmed by nodding his head, and San, intently listening, nodded.  

I continued, “Before I went inside the wardrobe, I checked my smartphone—” I saw how Baekhyun scowled, but I didn’t bother explaining, though I took a note at the back of my head that it’d be for another conversation. “And I clearly remember, the date was 20th of February...” 

Baekhyun and San widened their eyes as if it were the most bizarre thing they’d ever heard in their entire life. 

But I bet that was not the oddest thing they’d hear tonight. 

“And the year was 2020.” 

I was back at the staff quarters in Baekhyun’s house. I was seated on the mattress, having been awoken earlier as I waited for San, whom I could hear talking to other staff about how I was his niece and working for the Byun family alongside them. 

I stared at my feet, all dirty and wounded from walking all over the place barefooted. However, I didn’t mind the stinging pain a bit. All I knew was how my heart was lightened up when Baekhyun said that he’d take care of me and instructed San to take me in while we looked for an answer on how to return to where I came from—originally where I came from. 

“Do you believe me?” I whispered while sitting beside him inside their vintage vehicle while San drove us back to Baekhyun’s house. 

He looked at me puzzlingly at first, making my heart feel like it dropped to my stomach, but it quickly vanished when he smiled gently. “One thing my grandmother told me when I was still a child that remains in my mind up until today and that is: To believe the impossible.” 

I heard San calling my name from the door, cutting my thoughts from an earlier event. I looked up from my feet as he stood by the door with a basin and towel. 

“Sir Baekhyun asked me to give these to you,” San walked beside the mattress as he set the basin with warm water and handed me the towel. “He wants to apologize for not being able to give these to you himself. They can’t be seen here, particularly when other workers are finished in the main house.” 

I gave San a kind smile, lifted my feet from the floor, and soaked them in the warm water. I sighed in relief when my aching muscles and skin touched the warmth.  

“Thank you, San. And don’t worry about it. I’m more than grateful that you let me stay here, and that’s more than enough.” 

I hurried to the side when San asked if he could sit beside me. He plopped himself, staring ahead, seemingly in deep thought as I waited for him to ask questions that I knew he was keeping in, as Baekhyun could be pretty scary when he was around him. 

“Is it improper of me to ask you if you really are from the future?” he inquired. His voice was low and quiet as if he didn’t want anyone to hear our conversation. 

I smile sadly, my index finger picking on my thumb—a habit I have had since childhood when I’d be too scared or nervous. “I also couldn’t wrap my head about it.” I tried to cover up my nervousness with an awkward laugh, but it failed. It just sounded like I was about to pee my pants any minute now. “Is it improper of me to wish that this is just a dream?” 

For the first time I’ve met San, though it wasn’t that long, he chortled, and it made me beam, flashing him a toothy grin. 

“What does the future look like?” San asked before turning his head to the side to yawn. I looked at him fondly. He was such a hardworking man, especially for someone like Baekhyun, who was strict with his employees. 

I shrugged, lifting my feet from the basin to wipe them with the towel I had been given a while ago. “There are no flying cars, don’t worry.” 

My response made him cackle. He wiped his teary eyes with his hand, shaking his head while calming himself down. “I apologize if what I’m about to say would be inappropriate. However, I have not thought that you are hilarious from the way you cowered in fear when talking to Sir Baekhyun a while ago.” 

I scrunched my nose, “I’m an awkward person to talk with, but I don’t know... I feel comfortable with you. Though you really did give me a fright when you claimed that I was a spy.” 

“I apologize for that Miss, I—” 

“No worries,” I shook my head, cutting him with an unnecessary apology. “But yeah, Baekhyun was obviously caring and kind, but could be quite intimidating, not the bad kind of intimidating, but you know—” 

“He really is,” San agreed, nodding his head, probably to not make me feel wrong from talking about his employer. “But he’s a good man. He was just raised to be stern, although he can be mischievous on occasions. Do you want to know why he was in the prison this afternoon?” 

I was dying to know and glad I didn’t have to ask anyone about it. I quickly nodded, signaling San to tell me what had happened. 

“Sir Baekhyun did not agree to meet the lady his mother was forcing him to marry—” Oh, boy... if I said that I didn’t feel anything upon hearing that information, I’d be a liar. “Consequently, he ran and hid for the whole day. He came back in the middle of the day and rather than coming through the gates, he climbed on the wall at the back of the main house to furtively get to his chamber.” 

I hummed as an answer as I could not form a proper sentence to acknowledge his words. Though I had no relation with Baekhyun, it felt weird having some sort of connection, unconsciously, towards him. 

Given my lack of response, I thought San would end the day and retrieve me to his room as it was getting late, but he must’ve been that interested in the idea of me being from their future. 

“What is a smartphone?” 

I felt my lips spread a wide smile as I explained something I was passionate about. I’d love to discuss the technology that will have developed a hundred years from now. It was late, but I didn’t mind. 

It was going to be a long night. 

The next few days, I slowly grasped the routine of working for the Byun family. It was exhausting, as there were three separate houses, though I only attended the staff quarters and the guesthouse. 

The guesthouse was mostly occupied by relatives and associates from other cities, whom I was informed to stay away from. 

I haven’t seen Baekhyun since he decided to take me in and delegate my well-being to San, who was probably the friendliest and most understanding person I’ve ever met in this dimension—what I liked to call it, secretly. 

At first, I was downhearted that Baekhyun didn’t reach out to me or even send a message to San like he did the first night I came here. Still, when San advised that Baekhyun was in trouble about the marriage stuff with his mother’s friend’s daughter, I slowly came to realize that I was just someone whom he helped and he had other things that he needed to take care of. 

“How old is he?” I asked San when I followed him to the garden built at the back of the main house. It was late afternoon, and I had nothing to do except follow San around like a good niece. “I mean—if you don’t mind me asking.” 

San flashed me a kind smile before inspecting a Gloriosa Daisy bed to ensure the gardener did his job correctly. I also learned that San had been the butler of the Byun family for almost twenty years. “Sir Baekhyun had just turned twenty last May.” 

I nodded my head, my lips forming an O shape. “He’s older than me as I expected, but we’re almost the same age.” 

“It’s impolite to ask for a lady’s age, thus my lips will be sealed.” 

I laughed at San’s statement. My booming voice echoed across the empty garden. The old man’s eye crinkled in delight upon seeing my reaction. 

“I’m eighteen, San.” I told him my age anyway. I shrugged my shoulders when he looked at me like he was expecting me to be twelve or something. “Anyway, isn’t twenty too young to be married? Or is it normal in the olden days?” 

San grimaced at my choice of words but laughed nonetheless. “It is indeed young to get married at such age, but it’s considered as norm, particularly to prominent families.” 

I was about to respond to San’s statement when my eyes travelled to the main house. There was a large window facing the garden, and there he was, Baekhyun, standing inside the house. He was wearing a white dress shirt as he stared at us in the distance. 

I raised my hand and subtly waved at him, a tight smile on my lips. San realized the absence of my response, so he turned his head to see what other things caught my attention. 

He immediately bowed his head upon seeing Baekhyun inside the house, looking at us blankly. Baekhyun didn’t even bat an eyelash to San and kept his eyes on me before turning his head away and walking off from the window. 

I sighed dejectedly, turning to San, who just shrugged his shoulders. “Sir Baekhyun is having a difficult time with the arrangement he’s requiring into.” 

I nodded understandingly, starting another conversation with San, who instantly shifted his focus to the topic I was discussing. 

I felt bad complaining about my life situation when Baekhyun, who was undoubtedly a good person, was forced to do things against his will. I understood that we probably wouldn’t be able to talk for quite some time or until San and I find a way for me to get back where I came from. 

I never thought that that would be the last day Baekhyun would stop distancing himself away. 

I have been awoken by soft knocks inside the quarter, where I have been staying for a week. It was the smallest room, but San defended that they preferred me to be alone instead of mingling with other household employees. They would instead not take the risk.  

I truly understand, though, and I honestly don’t mind. I also have the smallest bedroom among my siblings, so it didn’t matter. 

Squinting my eyes, I propped on the mattress using my hands as I peeked at the mantel clock on the bedside table. It was two in the morning. 

San had never knocked this early to instruct me on a chore, so I was confused. What could he possibly need to wake me up in the middle of the night? 

Nonetheless, I grumpily threw my body out of the bed after lighting up a lamp before walking to the door to open it. 

“Hey.” 

I was half-asleep and wasn’t prepared to see Baekhyun, in his sleepwear, standing on the other side of the door. His closed fist was raised in the air, and he was about to knock on the wooden door again. 

I blinked several times, trying to get the sleep away from my eyes when I heard 'sBaekhyun's melodious laughter again after days of not interacting with him. 

“Did I wake you up?” His husky, deep voice made my insides do some flips.  

I shook my head, opening the door a bit wider so I could step out. “It’s okay...” 

I felt his eyes on me for a while, and when I found the courage to look up to his face, his lips formed a smile, eyes crinkling as he did. “Do you mind coming with me for a bit?” 

Without any hesitation, I nodded, closing the door behind me as I followed his steps outside. It was summer, but at night, the breeze was slightly cooler than during the day. 

We walked for almost ten minutes until we reached the garden at the back of the main house, where Baekhyun had seen San and I talking in the afternoon. He led me to the hedge maze on the further side of the lot. 

“Don’t worry,” Baekhyun suddenly chuckled, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up to him with wide eyes, not knowing what he meant by the unexpected assurance. “These shrubs are not that tall. You can scream for help if you think I would be doing something inappropriate.” 

I opened my mouth to deny his assumptions of my thinking, but no words came out. Hence, I just waved my hands desperately.  

Baekhyun’s eyes twinkled as if he was adoring every reaction of mine. He shook his head and turned on his heels to continue walking in the labyrinth. 

“How are you doing?” he inquired, looking ahead of him. 

I glanced at his side profile, pursing my lips, when I noticed the bags under his eyes. “I’m doing alright... I guess. San has been helping me a lot.” 

Baekhyun nodded his head, a tight smile on his eyes, and something irked me when it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m glad to hear that. I apologize if I’m not around these days.” 

“Oh—no, no,” I laughed nervously, scratching the side of my head as I tried to think of a better response to that. “I—I’m thankful enough to you for letting me stay here. That’s—that’s... uhm... more than enough. You don’t need to apologize.” 

Baekhyun darted from my eyes to my lips, which I nervously bit. When I cleared my throat, he blinked like he was snapped out of his trance. He forced a cough, chuckling awkwardly. He tipped his head to the side, asking me to walk beside him. 

“Say,” Baekhyun murmured, our footwear making a pat sound against the ground. I peered on my side to let him know that he had my attention. “Hundred years from today, does people, even then, are being imposed on what they should be doing—or who they should be with?” 

My lips automatically turned downwards, knowing his situation from San. I sighed before shrugging my shoulders. “Well—it’s different. Rich and influential people still do have those circumstances, but they have a bit more freedom, I think? People have become more open on different status in life, culture, education—that kind of stuff.” 

Baekhyun heaved a sigh upon hearing that, and I couldn’t help but feel guilty. I could’ve just said yes to make things livelier, but that would mean I’d be lying. 

“Then I can take for granted that you have the benefit of freedom?” he asked, his tone a bit playful to lighten his damp mood. 

I crinkled my nose, wrapping my arms around my figure when a cold breeze passed. “Don’t get me wrong, I came from an extremely ordinary family, but no, I do not have the pleasure of enjoying any kind of freedom.” 

Baekhyun scowled, his steps coming to a halt before turning his head to glance in my direction. “Are you being arranged to someone as well?” 

I snorted, shifting my weight to my other foot. “I could barely go out of the house to hang out with my friends, what more on dating.” 

“Dating?” he breathed, uncertain of the word's meaning in my vocabulary. 

“Oh—” I gasped, murmuring a soft apology. “Dating is a term we used when someone would be going out—most often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship.” 

Baekhyun took a few seconds before nodding to acknowledge that he understood what I meant. “That’s what dating is...”  

I hummed and followed his steps when he continued walking on the path again.  

“Then you have yet experience dating, I presume?” 

His question caught me off guard, and I couldn’t think of a better response but to laugh awkwardly—inside my head, pathetically—my shoulders curling forward in embarrassment. How I wish... 

And I could only hope I didn’t say that out loud. 

But I think I just did... by just taking a glimpse of Baekhyun’s facial expression. He had a twinkle, almost mischievous, look in his eyes; his lips quirked up. 

“Anyway,” I smiled at him, feeling comfortable conversing with him when San assured me several times that Baekhyun was a good man and I should not have any doubt about him. “Is everything okay—are you alright? Not that I mind, but is there any reason why you called me at this time?” 

Guilt flashed through my nerves again when his shoulder visibly deflated as he sighed. Why do I always have to say the wrong thing at the wrong time? 

“I was worried about you, to tell you honestly,” Baekhyun quavered, tilting his head to look at the stars in the dark sky. “I feel terrible that I have not reached out when I was the one who told you to stay here.” 

I smiled sadly, my hand itching to pat his shoulder, but I decided to keep my hands to myself. “You don’t need to worry about that, I’m doing just fine. It’s sad that we have been trying to get me back to my time to no avail, but San has been taking care of me like I’m his real niece or something.” 

I ended my sentence with a laugh to make things lighter, and I was glad that it made him smile. 

“That is delightful to hear,” Baekhyun beamed, and I couldn’t help but mirror his smile. 

We were just looking at each other, and our orbs danced at one another’s features. Unknowingly, he raised his hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. When his finger touched my cheek, I finally realized his action. 

At the same time, I tensed, not disregarding the heat that was starting to creep up from my neck. 

“You have a ravishing smile,” he commented; the tip of his finger lingered longer than it should’ve been on my skin, leaving a burning sensation on the largest organ of my anatomy. 

Baekhyun must have noticed my speechlessness as he retrieved his hand and tucked it on his back. He scratched the back of his neck with his other hand before pointing back to the staff quarters. 

“Let’s get you back. You’re freezing, and I don’t want you catching a cold.” 

I was a hundred percent sure that I was not freezing. In fact, my whole body was on fire. 

Ever since that night, I would expect a knock on my door in the middle of the night. I got used to it to the extent that I’d be pacing back and forth when the mantel clock would hit two o’clock, and he was not here yet. 

There was one time when it was almost three in the morning, and I thought he’d not come, so I decided to go to bed. I needed to be up early in the morning, or San would be in trouble—and I did not want that to happen. 

I was asleep when I didn’t hear him knocking on my door. It was when I felt fingers on my forehead, brushing my fringe, and then it travelled to the bridge of my nose. I let out a grunt before forcing my eyes to open. There he was, sitting on the edge of the mattress as he stared at me at my messiest state. 

I was so embarrassed that I instantly tried to turn my back on him and cover my face with a blanket, but his movement was swifter than mine. He was chuckling huskily as he fought for the blanket from my hands. 

“Why do you shy away, my little dove?” 

I’ve gotten used to the nicknames he used every time he saw me. At first, I would blush like mad and stammer. Though now, my face still flushes, I somehow manage to live with it. 

It was another night of strolling with Baekhyun. He was slowly getting bolder as he suggested walking outside the hedge maze and sitting on the ground around the bed of flowers. 

My arms hugged my knees, and I stared straight ahead while Baekhyun leaned on his arms as he looked at the dark sky. 

“Darling?” 

I hummed, leaning the side of my head on my folded arms to look at him. Without tearing his eyes away from the sky, he inquired, “Would you like to dance?” 

My brows furrowed at his sudden request. Nevertheless, I got up on my feet and dusted my bottom as I held my hand out for him to take. He had a broad smile as he took my hand in his, hoisting him from the ground as well. 

“I don’t know how to dance, but I’d say yes anyway because I know you’ll bug me for the rest of my life if I rejected your offer,” I grumbled, playfully rolling my eyes before following his lead. He had a hand raised in the air for me to take, and a hand was positioned on my waist. 

Baekhyun laughed at my sentiments, “I’m still astounded on how you were this adorable little sheep I’ve saw in the prison to becoming a lioness who would pounce on me when she gets a chance.” 

I mumbled an apology when I stepped on his foot. I gave him a stinky eye at his metaphor but couldn’t stop the bashful smile on my lips. “I told you, I’m awkward at first, but I’m talkative when I get comfortable.” 

A gasp escaped my lips when his hand on my back pulled me closer to his chest. Baekhyun leaned his head on my temple as he continued to lead the dance. We swayed slowly and gently; I could feel his heartbeat on my chest, his breathing in my ear. 

Finding comfort in our position, I courageously leaned my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes when both arms tightly wrapped around my figure. 

“Please tell me I’m not the only one whose feeling it,” Baekhyun whispered, his nose buried in my hair. 

Since the first day... I’d like to say. But instead, I just wrapped my arms around his torso, nodding my head to confirm his words. 

I reluctantly pulled away when Baekhyun loosened his arms. When I tilted my chin to peer at him, he slowly leaned, and I thought he would smash his mouth on mine without thinking—but I was glad he didn’t. To be honest, I was not ready. 

“Pardon me,” he pursed his lips, scooting his face a few inches away from mine when he saw my widened eyes. “I’m certain that you are the only thing that fills my head these days... and it’s insane.” 

“Why—” I cleared my throat when my voice cracked, “why me? I’m not—” 

“Why not you?” 

I squealed when Baekhyun, who must’ve lost control, briefly dived to place his lips on my left cheek. It was short, but his soft lips left a tingling sensation on my cheek.  

Why not me? I have no idea. I’ve never been someone else’s choice before. I’d always be left out. To say that this was strange is such an understatement. I truthfully don’t know how to react nor know what to say. 

Baekhyun nudged my cheek with the tip of his nose to snap me out of my trance. He looked at me worriedly as he pulled away and held my face in his hands instead. That didn’t help my racing heart as I was fully aware that he could now see my crimson-red face, and most probably, my ears were blushing as well. 

“Would you like me to give you some time to think?” 

Dumb-founded, I nodded my head as I could not find myself to utter any word. I couldn’t be more thankful when Baekhyun smiled and walked me back to the quarters with his hand still on the small of my back.  

I was wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. 

San knew what happened, and he was skeptical when he asked what I’d been doing, saying that I had been yawning for the whole day. I stuttered, trying to find an excuse for my lack of energy. 

“I never doubted that you came from the future, but you are clearly being dishonest right now, Miss.” 

He looked so disappointed that I had no choice but to tell him the truth: that Baekhyun had been knocking on my door in the middle of the night for a quick stroll around the manor, and what had happened with his employer's son. 

San looked so shocked that he did not expect my answer. “You’re bluffing.” 

I chewed my bottom lip and sighed, “I wish I am.” 

I followed him around the guest house again. A few staff members were dusting the place, as someone would visit the Byun family in a few days.  

San had to go to the corner and grab a chair to sit on. “This is going to be a disruption. Sir Baekhyun, he—he needs to obey his mother’s order.” 

I pursed my lips before nodding my head. “I know, San—I know, and I also need to go back to where I came from. Don’t get me wrong, you’ve helped me a lot, but this is not where I belong.” 

San nodded understandingly; his fingers rubbed his temple as he thought. Before we could even say another word, we were startled when the staff in the area could be heard fussing. 

I peeked over my shoulder and saw Baekhyun walking in the door. A neat dress shirt and a waistcoat adorned his torso, and black slacks on his bottom.  

My eyes automatically widened, my head snapping in San’s direction, who looked surprised simultaneously, in panic as I was. But unlike me, San quickly stood up from his chair, bowing his head in respect to Baekhyun. 

I forgot I was supposed to be an employee and was about to walk away to pretend I was busy dusting a piece of squeaky-clean furniture when San grabbed my arm, forcing me to bow my head. I did, exaggeratedly, which was embarrassing as heck. 

It was the first time I saw him during daylight since I met him at the police station. He looked unbelievably dashing. 

“Sir Baekhyun,” San greeted him. His voice was professional like he didn’t just scold me for sneaking out with one of his bosses. “Is there anything I can help you with?” 

Baekhyun didn’t even smile when he pointed his finger directly at me. “I need her to come with me for a moment.” 

My head whipped to San’s direction, shooting daggers on the side of his head with my eyes as if to beg him not to let me go with Baekhyun, who freakin’ stole a kiss on my cheek, sniffed my hair, and made my stomach do all those gymnastics shit my younger sister loved doing. 

All the other staff looked so surprised, but instead of looking suspicious, they looked worried that Baekhyun was asking for me, probably thinking that I had done something that got on his nerves. 

San looked hesitant for a second or two before nodding his head with a smile on his face. “Right away, Sir.” he placed his hand on my shoulder, pushing me gently to walk in Baekhyun’s direction, who was already holding the door open for me to follow him. 

I kept my chin dipped as I followed him to the staff’s quarter. He opened a door where cleaning materials were placed and closed the door behind him after he checked that no one followed nor saw us. 

“Did I—did I do something wrong?” I stammered; my voice was so small as I cowered down by his intense gaze. 

I watched him put his hand inside his waistcoat, fishing out a familiar machine from its pocket. I immediately gasped, snatching my smartphone from his hand. “W-where did you get this? Oh, my God, I thought I didn’t bring it with me.” 

Baekhyun’s stoic face finally faded and was replaced by the smile I was familiar with. “You dropped this when you went unconscious by the road. I had forgotten that I had this with me. I apologize, love.” 

I gulped at his endearment choice for the day. I froze on my spot, not moving a muscle, and I bet he noticed it. He chuckled huskily; his hand went to pat my head.  

Clearing my throat, I forced myself to look at his eyes, “Thank you for this. But you could’ve just waited until everyone’s asleep before giving this back to me.” 

Baekhyun just shrugged his shoulders, and a smirk formed on his face. “Perhaps it was a rationale to see you.” 

I playfully rolled my eyes, shaking my head, slowly getting used to his advances.  

“You looked beautiful under the moonlight, but you look absolutely stunning when the rays of sun are kissing your skin, love.” 

I shook my head, my lips caught between my teeth to prevent myself from smiling too widely. I shifted my attention to my phone, my heart clenching for a second when I pressed the button on the right side. The thought of it not working was about to kill me.  

I took a sharp breath when the screen lit up. The infamous Bited Apple logo appeared on the screen. I peeped under my lashes to see Baekhyun’s reaction, and his mouth was open as he stared at the device in my hand. 

“Wha—what is that?” he gawked, taking a step forward to look at the device closely, our arms brushed at the proximity.  

“It’s a smartphone,” I answered, showing him the screen when it finally loaded to my lock screen. I was not even surprised when the signal showed No Service. Like, hello? 

“It’s like a combination of computer and a telephone,” I explained, showing him the contacts I saved. “You can also use this for taking pictures, videos, and stuff.” 

I raised my head to look at him, and his expression indicated that he was having difficulty understanding what a smartphone was all about. 

I scrunched up my face, feeling guilty to feed him such information when he was probably not familiar with those functions in the first place. I knew a mechanical computer was invented in 1822 but was not digitalized until 1942. So, I wouldn’t blame him for looking lost. That was my bad. 

I opened the camera app and quickly snapped a picture of him. The photo came out a bit blurry. I grinned widely before showing him the image, and his jaw dropped. 

“This thing has been invented?” he gasped, thrilled to see a photo of him within seconds. 

“Yes!” I squealed; my head turned to glance at him, only to find out he was already looking at me. 

My smile slowly faltered when I watched his orbs dart from my eyes to my mouth. I gulped audibly, not finding the will to scoot away. “I—I thought chivalry is a must in the olden days?” I breathed on his face, but he didn’t even flinch.  

“I have never done this before,” he responded, inching a bit closer, making me hold my breath and my hands instinctively hold on his sides. “I have never felt something like this before.” 

Baekhyun exhaled through his nose before closing his eyes and opening them again when he leaned his forehead on mine. “I have been drawn to you since the day I saw you at the police station. I have been trying to elucidate why this is happening to me. You are the first person I would love to see in the morning, and the last person I would love to be with before I go to bed.” 

It was a short brush of our lips, but I felt the spark when they touched. A flash of warmth was spreading through my whole body.  

I let out a deep, trembling breath when Baekhyun’s hand travelled to my back, caressing it over the fabric of my blouse before it went to cup the back of my neck. It was clear that he wanted to smash his mouth on his mind, but it was apparent that he was stopping himself from doing so. 

“Say something,” he fretted, nudging my nose with his. 

“Baekhyun, I—” I croaked, “what do you want me to say?” 

A muscle in his jaw twitched, but his eyes still looked at me gently. “That you feel the same way... do you?” 

My lower lip quivered, torn into two things: If I’d be honest and say that I was indeed attracted to him, and even though I felt the same way, I still needed to return to where I originally came from, that I didn’t belong here. 

“Baekhyun,” I whimpered, “I need to get home... my family—” 

“Stay here,” Baekhyun instantly responded, cutting me off; both of his hands cupped my cheeks, making me look directly at his orbs, “with me—stay here with me.” 

I pressed my lips together, contemplating whether staying would be a good idea. Will my family look for me? Will they even notice that I was gone for quite some time? Will they even care? 

“May I love you?” 

Without thinking much further, I nodded my head, a tear escaping my eye when I realized that I made an impromptu decision that would affect my entire life.  

Baekhyun broke into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen; he giggled breathlessly as his thumb caressed my cheek. He slowly leaned forward, tilting my head to get better access to my mouth. 

My friends in school told me that the first kiss would feel like butterflies in your stomach, but heck no, it felt like someone fired up fireworks in my nerves, making the tip of my fingers and toes curled from exhilaration.  

Baekhyun’s lips were soft. That was all I could think about initially, but when he started nibbling my pillows, I began thinking differently. He knew what he was doing, and he was good at it. 

I was a bit disappointed yet glad when he decided to pull away. I fluttered my eyes open, seeing how he looked at me with his lips all red and glossy. 

“I thought it was just going to be a peck,” I panted, rubbing my mouth with the back of my hand. “That was my first kiss, you know.” 

“Forgive me, my love.” Baekhyun had the cheek to laugh at my statement, dipping his head down to steal another kiss. “That was the closest to heaven as I will ever get.” 

San, once again, knew what happened. Not exactly what happened, but he had his eyes squinted when I came back to the guest house actually to help them clean the place. 

I avoided his eyes the whole time, but when we were done with the task, he asked me to stay behind. “I beg you to tell me that my thoughts are incorrect,” he pondered, and his jaw went slack when I let out a nervous laughter.  

I honestly thought that what happened would create such an unpleasant atmosphere, but gladly, nothing really changed—except for the fact that Baekhyun became more open to requesting to see me during the day. 

“Baekhyun—” I tried to push him away when I was asked to deliver a meal to his chamber because, apparently, he was not feeling well. It was true, though. He fell while riding a horse with his older brother and twisted his ankle. It wasn’t that bad, but he used it as an excuse to be pampered. “Someone might see.” 

It was the first time I entered the main house. It was huge, and having no sense of direction, I got lost several times. Fortunately, another staff member saw me struggling with a tray and seemed to be losing my mind. She was kind enough to point out Sir Baekhyun’s room. 

Baekhyun was able to walk, though limping; it wasn’t as bad as I expected. It had been three days since the accident, so I assumed he was already healing.  

That explained why he was able to jump off his bed when I knocked and asked permission to come in. He almost tackled my figure as soon as I set the metal tray with his food on the table near the floor-to-ceiling window. 

“May I have kiss, please?” he pleaded, almost batting his eyelashes at me. I turned my head side to side, as if someone was in the room, before leaning in for a quick peck. 

I was relieved when that seemed to satisfy his need. 

Often, though, he’d still knock on my door in the middle of the night. There were times when I’d be exhausted and unable to get up and open the door for him. Hence, I once told him that the doors in the staff quarters didn’t have some sort of lock, so he could come in directly to my room. 

He was hesitant at first, saying that someone might get the wrong idea, but then he remembered that only San knew about us. 

“I trust San,” I told him, hurrying on the mattress to give him space to lie down. “He won’t tell anyone.” 

Baekhyun hummed, shifting on his side, observing my tired state, droopy eyes, and hugging the blanket on my body. “I speculate that San already had the wrong idea. He has vivid imagination.” 

I let out a breathless laugh, tilting my head to look at him. The corner of his lips quirked up upon noticing my attention to him. I already knew what he was thinking, and it’d not be the first time he’d discussed it. “Let’s not give San’s receding hairline another reason to step back.” 

It was Baekhyun’s turn to laugh. However he didn’t even try concealing his boisterous laugh I had to cover his mouth with my palm. “Baekhyun!” I hissed, scowling at him. He nodded, fingers wrapping on my wrist to pull my palm away from his mouth. 

He kissed my knuckles, and I thought he’d put it back on my side, but he kept holding my hand in his hand and even placing our hands on his chest. “I will patiently wait, my love.” 

I smiled widely, inching closer to place my lips on his. I am glad to say that I finally got used to being affectionate and intimate with him. Although, we haven’t gotten that far yet. 

Baekhyun exhaled through his nose as he tangled his finger in my hair, grabbing the back of my head to tug me closer. I grunted before pulling away. He looked confused for a moment, but when he realized how deep I was looking into his eyes, his frown faded away.  

“Thank you,” I said under my breath. 

“For what cause?” 

“Everything,” I murmured. “I’ve always thought that I’d be unlove for the rest of my life. You’re the first who made me feel wanted.” 

Baekhyun knew my story regarding my family. He was surprised but did not say anything against them. Instead, he assured me that he’d never leave my side. “No matter when you need me, I will be there. I will never leave you. I will always come and find you.” 

His movements were fast. In a matter of seconds, his lips had crashed into mine. I was taken aback that my breath was caught in my throat, fingers clenching his back underneath the fabric of his shirt. 

My heart felt like it was going to jump out from my chest when his hand came in contact with my chest, squeezing my bosom. I sensed the lump in my throat; my hand went from his back to his face, pushing it away from mine.  

“Baekhyun—Baekhyun,” my voice was stern, trying to wake him up from the daze he had snapped out of. 

He closed his eyes, retrieving his hand away from my chest. “I’m—I’m sorry, that was not my intention.” 

I felt his panic, caressing his face,, which seemed to calm him down as he leaned his head on my palm. “It’s okay—you’re okay. I know you didn’t mean it. I was just surprised; you did nothing wrong.” 

“I did! I—” 

I shushed him, gathering the small amount of courage I had to place his hand on my chest again. Baekhyun widened his eyes, tugging his hand back, but I held it in place, smiling at him.  

“I’m sorry that I’m not ready to do it yet,” I smiled before drawing my lower lip between my teeth. “But this is okay, you can touch them—you can touch me.” 

Baekhyun was initially reluctant, but with a kiss on his forehead to let him know that I was confident, he started exploring my features as a woman.  

My sleep was long gone; my head was laying on Baekhyun’s chest as he buried his nose in my hair while we talked about things in our lives, mostly him asking about my life ninety-nine years from now. 

“I really thought people from the olden days were conservative,” I admitted, “no offense, though.” 

Baekhyun playfully snarled. His hand, which was on his back rubbing in circles, suddenly pinched my side, earning a shriek from me. “I really hope you would stop saying olden days. You are making me feel old when I’m only twenty.” 

I scrunched up my face, tilting my head to kiss his chin. “I mean, you’re probably older than my grandparents.” 

He rolled his eyes before pretending to leave the bed. 

“I’m kidding,” I laughed, pulling him back and hugging his torso like a bolster, tangling my legs with his. 

His hand automatically reached my back, resuming his previous action. “I do wonder what historians had written about our time. It’s normal to make love. I did it the first time when I was fifteen.” 

I bolted out from his touch, sitting up on the bed while I looked at him with wide open eyes. “Are you serious? I could barely order in a restaurant without stuttering when I was fifteen.” 

“It would be different in your time?” Baekhyun inquired, genuinely curious and ignoring the fact that he had just told me his sex life had started when he was fifteen.  

I cleared my throat, shrugging my shoulders. “I mean—my life was only between school and home. Others did the same as you, I think. I just—you know, assumed that it was marriage before sex in this century.” 

Baekhyun wriggled his brows on me, sitting up on the mattress. “Are you asking to marry me?” 

I gawked at him, grabbing the pillow at the edge of the mattress and chucking it to his face. “Excuse me?” 

He chuckled, snatching the pillow and placing it out of my reach. He asked me to lie down again, which I did, but not before sending him a glare. 

“What are people like in 2020?”  

I yawned, finally getting lulled from how Baekhyun massaged my scalp with his fingers as I lay on his torso, my face tucked in the space of his neck. “Almost the same, but we dressed differently, and people became creative in dyeing their hair.” 

I felt his lips on my forehead as I closed my eyes, scooting closer to his side if possible. 

“Government allowed people to dye their hair?” 

I grunted, “Even males dye their hair pink.” 

“A man with pink hair?” Baekhyun marveled, “who would do that?” 

“What?” I chuckled lowly; I was this close to dreamland. “I think it’s adorable. If possible, I’d dye your hair pink so I can recognize you anywhere I’d go.” 

I heard him scoff, hugging my body tighter.  

“No, thank you.” 

It wasn’t that long before San informed me that Baekhyun’s mother was suspicious of his son’s whereabouts. I was confused initially because Baekhyun had been staying in the manor since we’ve been together, but when San reminded me that the youngest son of Byun's family was a mischievous creature, that hit me.  

There had been idle talk among employees that their Sir Baekhyun had been having an affair with someone on the premises. Some employees would quickly turn their heads on me since they had been noticing Baekhyun would always ask for me, and some wondered who it might be. 

Instantly, I asked San for help with the situation, and he immediately told me that he would handle the employees’ whisper. “May I request that you two tone down? If you could pass it on to Sir Baekhyun, he won’t handle my suggestion lightly when I’d say it directly to him. I’ll talk to other maids about this.” 

Surprisingly, Baekhyun agreed when he came over to my room. He said that it would be our only choice to be together. He assured me that he would handle his mother and would find a solution to our dilemma. 

When things were getting better after a few weeks of not seeing each other, and his mother was finally forgetting Baekhyun’s odd behavior, I accidentally bumped with the, as San informed me, the chief of the police station where Baekhyun and San first saw me. 

I wasn’t supposed to be in the guest house, but one of the staff had eaten something terrible and was advised to rest for the rest of the day. As San was already occupied, I offered to cover her tasks while she rested. 

The chief was eyeing me like a hawk as if he was examining my face like I was some sort of criminal. To which I was identified the first day I arrived in this century. 

I still couldn’t get a hold of Baekhyun. Consequently, I asked San to deliver the message to him instead, as San was always in the main house for his duty as the main butler for the family. 

That night, Baekhyun finally knocked on my door at two in the morning. I opened the door wide to let him in before closing the door behind us.   

Baekhyun smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ears. “Hey.” 

Without wasting time, I told him what had happened with the chief and how uncomfortable it made me that someone outside the manor had recognized me. 

“Those two officers must’ve sketched my face and showed it to the chief,” I gasped, nearly choking a sob. “They probably didn’t believe it when you said that I was with you. They saw me idling near the wardrobe, Baekhyun! What if they—” 

Baekhyun shushed me by tugging my arm so he could pull me to his chest. He ran his fingers on my hair, knowing it would always calm me. “It’s going to be all right. I will talk to father once I get the chance and ask for help. Please wait for me.” 

Turned out that it was too late to ask for help. The chief came over the following day, going straight to the lady of the house: Baekhyun’s mother. 

My heart was beating so fast when San told me that Lady Byun was asking for me. I almost cried on the spot because I already knew what would happen. 

Despite having soft facial features, Baekhyun’s mother was terrifying. Her voice was stern, and her eyes were like those of a lioness ready to eat her prey anytime, and that prey was obviously me. 

My head was hanging low as I stood in front of Lady Byun sitting on a chair in the middle of a room. An employee was also standing in the corner with worried eyes on me. 

“Remind me to dismiss San for letting in a criminal in this household,” she said, her voice cold and void of emotion. 

Instantly, I shot up my head, looking at her with wide, pleading eyes. “No!” 

She raised her eyebrows at me, unable to believe that I just raised my voice. I quickly bowed my head to apologise, “I apologize, madam. I didn’t mean to shout. But San didn’t do anything wrong.” 

“Are you saying that my judgement was unjustifiable?” she taunted. 

I shook my head, “T-that’s not what I meant, madam. I—I will take full responsibility and will leave the manor in an instant.” 

She scoffed, smiling bitterly. “You are aware that my husband is the General, am I correct?” 

I shut my eyes momentarily, letting out a deep trembling breath. “Yes, madam.” 

“And if the people heard about the Byun family letting a criminal on loose, do you know what would happen?” she argued, not letting me go quickly. 

I nodded, my eyes getting watery from the overwhelming confrontation I didn’t want to be in. “I—I understand very well, madam. I will surrender myself to the police. But please,” I croaked, forcing myself to tilt my chin to look at her in the eyes, “San didn’t do anything wrong.” 

Her eyebrows twitched. “If San is dismissed, I would like you to know that it’s your liability.” 

I raised my hand to wipe a tear that escaped my eyes, whimpering in agony. Everything was going so well. I finally accepted the vast possibility that I wouldn’t be able to go back to my time and spend the rest of my life here—with Baekhyun.  

Then this happened. 

San was frantic when he saw that I was being escorted by two police personnel. He tried to stop them, but when I gave him a smile that didn’t reach my eyes, I told him that it was okay and also thanked him for everything he had done for me. 

San called my name for the last time before I was asked to enter the police vehicle, and when I turned my head to him, the old man cupped his mouth as he teared up. I wept as I mouthed an apology for bringing him into this mess.  

The ride was filled with my sniffles, and the two officers were in silence as they listened to me cry. I didn’t even see Baekhyun before I got to be imprisoned for something I was forced to identify with. I wasn’t even able to say goodbye, at the very least. 

I just want to hug and kiss him and tell him that I'm sorry to leave when I promised him I’d stay. 

When the vehicle came to a halt, I waited until one of the officers would open the back seat door where I was seated. I was staring into space and moved robotically when I stepped out. 

However, before I could even take another step, I heard the stomping of footwear getting louder, like it was getting near where I was. I peeked over my shoulder and saw Baekhyun sprinting to reach my spot. 

The officers instantly tried to stop him from getting near, but I had no idea how it happened because the next thing I knew, my arm was hurting from Baekhyun’s tight grip, and my lungs were burning from dashing away from the officers who were whistling like mad as they chased us. 

Baekhyun had told me that he knew everything about the place, so I wasn’t surprised when he took a turn to a forest—trees around the area for more manageable hideout. We were both panting when we stopped running and being the most unathletic student back in school, and I sounded like I was fighting for my life. 

Baekhyun embraced me, and his musky scent instantly calmed my nerves. I started sobbing as I wrapped my arms around his torso, and I could hear him sniffing as well. 

“I’m sorry, my love,” Baekhyun kissed the side of my head, tightening his arms around me. “I did not expect the chief would talk to my mother.” 

I nodded my head understandingly. 

“Father is still out of town; I have not gotten the chance to ask for help. I’m sorry I was not there,” Baekhyun croaked into my ear, “I apologize, my love.” 

Before I could utter a response, we pulled away from each other when the officers' distinct voices could be heard.  

We continued to run to the other side of the forest. When we saw that we were at the edge of the forest and the road could be seen, Baekhyun wanted to turn around, knowing how dangerous it would be to be seen running on the main road.  

However, before I could follow Baekhyun’s steps, I heard a highly subtle purr of a cat. I stopped in my tracks, eyes scanning the forest to look for the familiar sound.  

Baekhyun called my name when he noticed I wasn’t following him any longer and grabbed my hand to continue our mission. 

“Baekhyun—wait—” I pulled him back, asking him to turn his voice down. “I could hear something.” 

He scowled but tried to focus on the background noise if there was indeed a cat. 

My eyes widened when a vivid meow, and a tricolor feline showed himself from behind a tree. 

It was the stray cat that I adopted! 

The cat looked straight into my eyes, as if trying to communicate with me. He remained unmoving for a while before walking towards the main road. 

“No,” Baekhyun tugged my arm when I stepped forward to follow the kitten. “The main road is not safe. We cannot risk—” 

“Baekhyun, that’s my cat!” I responded with a high-pitched voice. “We were both inside the wardrobe. I didn’t know that he was here.” 

He gritted his teeth, contemplating if he should let me follow the animal to the main road. With his jaw clenched, he exhaled through his nose, holding my hand as we walked to the main road and followed the cat’s steps. 

The tricolor animal was sitting in front of the wardrobe on the side of the road like he was waiting for me. His vast eyes were on me, and his tail was moving slowly. I stared at the cat for a few seconds until he jumped inside the wardrobe, where—surprisingly—the door was opened. 

He kept looking at me and then meowed when I didn’t move a muscle. Was he asking me to get inside the closet? 

I snapped out of my thoughts when Baekhyun squeezed the hand he was holding. I looked at him, and he had a sad smile, like he was also noticing how the cat was asking me to get inside the wardrobe. 

Am I going back to my time? 

“Wait—Baekhyun, no,” I choke a sob, “I promised that I’ll stay, I’ll be fine in prison—” 

“My love,” Baekhyun cupped my face, pressing his lips on my forehead. “It’s going to be all right. Your safety is my priority. I also promised that I would always come to find you, didn't I? Can you wait until then?” 

“Baekhyun,” I whimpered, nodding my head while hugging him tight, afraid that it would be the last time I’d see him once I got back to where I came from. “I love you.” 

He smiled sadly, placing a kiss on my lips. A tear escaped from his eye. “I love you, too.” 

I was a crying mess when we finally let go of each other. When I went inside the wardrobe, I looked at him for the last time, giving him a smile despite my tear-soaked cheeks. “Please don’t be in love with someone else,” I joked, playfully squinting my eyes on him. 

“Please don’t have somebody waiting on you,” he responded with a mischievous grin. 

I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from sobbing. I nodded my head, giving him a last smile before closing the door of the wardrobe. 

February 20, 2020, 02:00 AM, the date and time reads. 

I was still sitting inside the wardrobe with the door open when I felt my phone in my hand. I remembered that I had left it inside my room in the staff’s quarters. 

Was everything just a dream? 

But it was too vivid to be just a dream.  

Remembering the picture I took of Baekhyun, I opened my gallery to see if it would be there, but it was nowhere to be found. And when I examined my clothes, I was back in my Winnie the Pooh-printed pajamas. 

I cried myself to sleep that night, not because of my parents' constant fighting or the fact that no one came into my room to comfort me, but because I was slowly being convinced that it was indeed just a dream. 

Two years had passed, and I was about to finish my second year in university. 

I decided to major in Aerospace Engineering and minor in Physics. My parents weren’t opposed to the idea, especially when the word Engineering was present in my course. It was goddamn stressful, but I was having fun. I loved learning, which was one of the few things I was good at. 

I met new people at uni, but was still in contact with my high school friends. Due to our busy schedules, we rarely got to catch up. 

Wendy, whom I met freshman year, introduced me to her circle of friends. Her friends weren’t all nice, but they were usually bearable. So, I decided, why not stick with them? 

Irene, the oldest among us, scolded Chaeyoung when the latter, once again, winked at a guy who passed by our table in the cafeteria. 

“Do you really have to do that to every person you see who has a dick?” Irene hissed, grabbing Chaeyoung’s chin to make her look straight ahead. She was about to break her neck after following the guy she winked at. 

I peeked over my MacBook to see the chaos at our table. Though it wasn’t new since this usually occurs almost daily, it was still entertaining to watch. I shook my head before focusing to the case study I was working on. 

Chaeyoung groaned, slapping Irene’s hand away from her face. “Can you have me my little fun? I’m already stressed enough with schoolwork, please don’t add up.” 

Irene scoffed, rolling her eyes on Chaeyoung. “Please! I’ve never seen you read a single paragraph in your course.” 

“You did not just say that!” Chaeyoung dramatically gasped. “I do my part in studying, thank you very much. Just because I’m not a nerd like her, you would say that I’m not taking my studies seriously.” 

Without even looking up from the screen of my Mac, I commented, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” 

“That’s not nice, Chaeyoung,” Wendy clicked her tongue, glaring at the youngest at the table. 

Instead of apologising, Chaeyoung rolled her eyes, opening her smartphone to spend time on her precious social media profile.  

I smiled at Wendy, shaking my head to let her know that I didn’t take it to heart. At first, I was offended whenever Chaeyoung would call me a nerd or sometimes a pushover, but after spending time with them for almost two years, I could say that I got used to it. 

Seulgi, majoring in Performing Arts, came to the table panting as she ran across the hall. I passed her my tumbler while she caught her breath. “Thank you,” Seulgi hugged my head, a habit she had of hers. 

“So, guys,” Seulgi began, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand after she chugged the iced cold water in my tumbler. “I think I’ve got a date.” 

I gasped, abandoning my Mac momentarily to give Seulgi my full attention. Since I was the busiest among us when it came to studies, I would not always hang out with them and I I didn’t know all the details about their lives. 

I once heard from Wendy that Seulgi liked her friend. They’ve known each other since they were kids. However, as pessimistic as Chaeyoung was, I learned from her that this guy was not interested in any relationship. 

“Of course, I already asked him out,” Chaeyoung easily responded, rolling her eyes, when she was asked how she knew this detail. “He was cute, alright, but his friends are way more handsome. He’s just rich, so I asked him out.” 

Seulgi had been so afraid to confess her attraction towards this friend, but Wendy and I have been bugging her to do so. Irene... is just being Irene. Do whatever you want, she said. 

“And?” Wendy pressed on, eager to know the details from Seulgi. I nodded, smiling slyly to let her know that I was also interested to learn. 

“Well—it wasn’t like a date as in date,” Seulgi explained, chuckling nervously. “But since it was his senior year, there will be a small celebration in their house tomorrow. He asked me to come...” 

“That’s nice!” I squealed while Chaeyoung rolled her eyes. 

“I thought he really did ask you to spend the night with him or something.” 

Irene had to slap Chaeyoung’s arm so she could shut her mouth and stop ruining Seulgi’s moment. 

Chaeyoung whined, rubbing the spot where Irene hit her. “It’s true, though. I mean, good for you, Seul, but he doesn’t date! He told me himself.” 

That made me scowl, “Why is that, though? Previous bad relationship? Else, he swings for the same team.” 

Chaeyoung, the most exaggerated one she was, clapped her hands, catching the attention of other students. “I thought about that, too! I mean, his hair is pastel pink to begin with! And oh! I heard from someone that he believes that he’s a reincarnation of ancestor!” 

We rarely agree on things, but we were unstoppable when Chaeyoung and I do. Not when I was interested in after-life matters. 

“Okay—okay,” Seulgi laughed, raising both hands to stop me and Chaeyoung from uttering another nonsense. “He is not gay, alright? And he just has his beliefs that we all need to respect. He was named after his ancestor because of family matters, there’s nothing wrong with that.” 

I jutted my bottom lip, and guilt crashed through me. “Sorry, Seul. I got excited.” 

Seulgi patted my head to let me know that she didn’t mind. Instead of apologizing, Chaeyoung made a face, turning her focus back to her phone. 

“Anyway,” Seulgi continued, “would you guys like to come?” 

Irene didn’t even waste a second to shake her head. She didn’t like being around men. “No, thanks.” Chaeyoung pretended that she didn’t hear Seulgi’s offer. That leaves Wendy and me in the fraction.  

“I mean,” Wendy shrugged, “I’ll go. I don’t really have anything and since you asked, I’m assuming you need someone to be with?” 

Seulgi nodded her head eagerly, faking a cry for Wendy. “Thank you, Wen! You really are my friend.” 

I thought I was safe since Wendy had already said that she’d go with Seulgi, but when I felt two pairs of eyes burning at the side of my head, I let out a sigh, shaking my head. “I have a case study to work on.” 

Wendy made a face, closing the lid of my Mac, “Yeah, a case study that isn’t due in five weeks.” 

Seulgi held my arm, giving me a pleading look. “Please, please. I’ll buy you coffee. I need all the support I can get. This would be a once in a lifetime chance, please.” 

Sighing in defeat, I nodded, finally agreeing to whatever it may be. “Iced white chocolate mocha with eight pumps of mocha sauce, stirred whipped, and extra caramel drizzle.” 

“That’s not a coffee, that’s diabetes in a cup.” Seulgi commented, earning a glare from me.  

“Then have fun with Wendy and your pink hair crush.” 

“I’m just kidding!” Seulgi laughed, opening the lid of my Mac so I could continue my work. “Text me your order, that’s too long for me to remember.” 

Seulgi didn’t specify if we needed to dress up or if there would be a dress code for this small celebration of her friend. Wendy and I talked on the phone, and she was stressing out because she remembered Chaeyoung’s words clearly about how rich this Seulgi’s friend was.  

“Oh, my gosh, what if we arrived there in our jeans and dirty sneakers, then the people will be in their tuxedos and evening gowns?” Wendy babbled on the line. I was still on campus, having a lecture to attend, and had to go straight to the address Seulgi sent on the group chat she created specifically for this event. 

I laughed at Wendy’s state; I could hear how she was rummaging in her closet. “It’s going to be fine. We are just going to be there for Seulgi, not to impress anyone. If there would be dress code, we’ll just pretend to be one of the servers then.” 

That made Wendy laugh. I heard how she plopped on her bed, groaning on the line. “What are you wearing, anyway? You’re going straight from uni, right?” 

I examined my clothes for the day, mentally slapping my face when I chose to wear something so casual, forgetting that we had to attend something in the evening for a moment this morning. “Uh... jeans, loose white t-shirt under a plaid shirt—and oh! An old Nike shoes.” 

Wendy’s whined was loud from the other line. I laughed at her reaction, and I had already expected this kind of reaction from her—or anyone else. “Out of all days of the week, why did you dress up like a trucker today?” 

“Probably because I had a lecture that goes from nine in the morning until five in the afternoon. I need to be comfortable throughout the day, ever thought of that?” 

Wendy continued to whine, and I couldn’t do anything but shake my head, laughing at my friend’s reaction. “Just wear any clothes you have. We’re going to be there for Seulgi, that would be the only purpose of our presence. To make you feel better, we’re supposed to look bad so Seulgi would look much prettier. I’m done here and I’ll be on my way in a few.” 

I had to take the subway and a bus just to get to the address we were supposed to be at. It was almost an hour of travel using public transportation, though the waiting time for the subway and bus was already included in that time frame, but still. 

I opened the Map app on my phone as Wendy and I looked for the address. We decided to meet at the bus station, and I was glad we did. It was awkward to walk in a suburban area by yourself, not when the neighborhood was really that high-end. 

“I wonder how Seulgi became friends with this guy,” I pondered, looking at my phone for directions. 

Wendy linked her arms with mine, needing support as she decided to wear wedge sandals. She didn’t listen and chose to dress herself appropriately. Although, it was a good thing to be presentable. I just felt out of place. It was my fault, anyway. 

“I heard that Seulgi’s ancestor had been working for their family since the nineteen hundred.” Wendy answered, pointing to a massive gate that was the pin destination on my phone. Finally. 

When we pressed the doorbell, the gate was opened as we mentioned Seulgi’s name. Once we got inside, I saw a house that was too familiar. My voice was stuck in my throat as I stared at the structure longer than I was supposed to. 

When she noticed that I wasn’t responding to her comments about the manor, Wendy called my name and looked over her shoulder to see me frozen on my spot. “Are you okay?” 

I slowly turned my head to her, my index finger pointing to the house in front of the lot. “T-that’s—” 

“Oh,” Wendy glanced to where I was pointing at. “The security right there said that it’s where the staff stay. All carts were taken so he said that we need to walk to the main house.” 

Right then, my eyes started scanning the place slowly. It was the Byun’s manor. There were some changes, but I knew the place by heart. My heart was thumping inside my chest loudly, and my fingers felt clammy. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Wendy held my arm; concern was evident in her voice. “You look like you’re going to pass out.” 

I forced myself to nod, giving her a tight smile. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit tired.” 

She looked hesitant at first, but when I grabbed her arm to walk to the main house, she threw her doubts away. She admired the manor as we walked further into the lot. 

I was honestly not feeling well. My head was spinning a little bit, I felt nauseous, and I wanted to convince myself that it was just a coincidence, that there was no way in hell that it was true, that it did happen in real life. 

Not when I finally truly accepted that it was just a dream. 

Not when it took me years to finally move on. 

When we were ushered into the main house’s dining hall, a few people were already conversing with one another. I kept my mouth shut as Wendy tried to look for Seulgi, who was already here as she informed me. 

I sat in the corner of the dining hall while Wendy looked around the place. I felt so out of place, but it didn’t bother me much since I focused on how I would cope after this.  

Acceptance and moving on were the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life so far. I was unable to eat or drink water. I was unable to function or sleep. I didn’t know where I would go. I didn’t have someone to talk to about this. 

No one will believe me. 

It was a process of healing, accepting that it didn’t happen, and moving on from the emotions that were built. It took me a long time, but I did it.  

But when I wanted to be there for a friend, I didn’t know it would harm me more than I could ever imagine. 

I was snapped out of my thoughts when a butler caught everyone’s attention. It was a special occasion, and the family would open the library hall, where antiques from their ancestors hundreds of years ago were kept. 

Wendy was an Art major; she got excited and pulled me up from the chair I was sitting on. “Seulgi said that some of their ancestors were great at painting canvases. Let’s go and see!” 

I could only smile at her, unable to say anything.  

The butler would patiently explain something when someone asked. I followed Wendy around when I noticed Seulgi was not here with us. “Oh,” Wendy shrugged, rolling her eyes playfully, “she’s with him. She said that she’ll introduce us later.” 

I stopped in front of the framed document and hung on an empty wall. It was a land title. I was about to walk away from it when something caught my attention. 

Was that our home address? 

Before I could react further, Wendy hollered my name, asking me to come over as the butler would finally show the paintings she was excited about. 

Art is stupid. That was what my dad said, but it was not. Every canvas was beautiful. Even though I knew nothing about art, unlike Wendy, I still appreciated each piece displayed in the hall. 

I was walking further down the hall, and I didn’t even notice that I’d been separated from Wendy. From paintings, old portraits were displayed on the other side of the hall. My lips slowly spread into a smile when photos of the old city were shown. 

Observing each photo briefly, my feet brought me to the end of the hall, where a black-and-white photo was taken. There was too much noise, but I knew that face. 

“San,” my mouth fell open as I let out a deep, trembling breath upon recognizing the man who helped me. That’s San. I couldn’t be wrong. I know his hairline, as offending as it might be. And it’s him. 

My chest started to heave, but I forced myself to continue observing the portraits. Another photo caught my attention. It was three images merged into a single frame. It was a picture of the wardrobe that was in our attic. It was captured on an empty lot. The next photo was of the same lot, but a house was being constructed on it. The last picture was when the house had been built completely. 

It was my parents’ house. 

My hand raised to cover my mouth as I let out a sob. I couldn’t believe this was happening right now. Then I felt my phone vibrate in my hand.  

It was a notification from iCloud that the syncing of my files was completed. I was confused, as I clearly remembered that I turned off the feature to automatically sync my files. I opened the backup storage and saw the newly added photo. 

It was a blurry candid photo of a man in a white dress shirt and waistcoat. 

Baekhyun. 

It was the photo I was looking for two years ago. It did exist. 

Then I saw something hung on the wall at the very end of the hall; however, the lights weren’t turned on, and there was a stanchion. Despite knowing that it was prohibited for a reason, I decided to follow my instinct and walk towards the stanchion. 

A painting was hung. Though this side of the hall was dimmed, I could still see the messy painting. A figure hugging her knees, her feet bare, and her face hidden on her folded arms. Fingers peeked out, and the ring bought from the streets of Hongdae was visible. 

The painted character was a weird interpretation, but it was my Winnie the Pooh pyjamas.  

That was me. 

In the prison cell where I first met Baekhyun. 

“Baekhyun,” I whimpered, closing my eyes for a moment, trying to remember his voice, his touch, everything about him. 

When I opened my eyes to admire his messy work once more, I noticed the handwriting framed below the painting. I leaned a bit to read what it said. 

“My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again. 

I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew... 

I was Enchanted to meet you.” 

I finished reading it with a deep, trembling breath. My shoulders were starting to shake from wanting to wail so badly, but I knew I needed to keep it in as I didn’t want to create a scene where a lot of people around. 

I wasn’t even able to calm down when I heard my name being called. The voice was Seulgi’s. I plastered a smile, wiping my soaked cheeks with my hand before turning around. 

There he was, eyes were already locked on mine. 

His eyes whispered, “Have we met?” 

Across the room, his silhouette started to make its way to me. 

My eyes followed his every movement, from how his eyes danced around my face to his pink hair bouncing with every step. 

I could feel my bottom lip quiver when he stood right before my eyes, our orbs locked to each other as Seulgi introduced us. 

“He’s the friend I was telling you about!” Seulgi gushed, and I felt terrible I didn’t even acknowledge her presence. “His name is Baekhyun.” 

Instinctively, I repeated his name, missing how it felt to say it from my lips. “Baekhyun.” 

He smiled gently, and it was the same beautiful smile I had ever seen.  

His eyes darted to the painting behind me before shifting his gaze to the ring on my finger, which was similar to what was in the painting, then to my face, his orbs danced around my features. I was so familiar with his smile that it could replace my anxiousness with a gentle breeze that soothed my nerves. 

“Hey.” 

This is me praying that this was the very first page. 

Not where the storyline ends. 

[thefirsthogokage]

So, the AMPTP basically said that the studios take too much risk to pay people anything for streaming shows. Here's John Rogers and David Slack responding to that.

(link to top of thread)

[Image ID: A tweet thread from John Rogers on July 23rd, 2023 that reads in its entirety:

Last time I had a failure - which was collateral damage in an argument between the studio and the network - I had to personally fire 200 people, they all were off payroll by that afternoon, and I was also out of a job. The executives all continued to get paid. So fuck off.

Actually, that’s not true. The failure after that one happened as collateral damage in one of the mergers, so it had nothing to do with the quality of the show. And I had to wait, forbidden to work, not earning a dime, as they shopped it for six months.

Also several of my writers were cheated of their expected salaries, some losing up to 75%, for reasons too complicated to explain here. Those executives, both studio and streamer, all kept their jobs. So double fuck off.

Actually no, my last failure was a show where after delivery the network made us wait *seven months … for a PASS*. Seven months where I was in first position, and again, was forbidden from working.

Do that was one pilot fee, cut in half with a partner, for a year and a half’s work counting development. Those executives, both studio and network, kept their jobs.

So *triple* fuck off.

Luckily I had my tiny sliver of back end from TRANSFORMERS - no, wait, no, because according to the Hollywood accounting while that movie grossed something like a billion dollars all in, it unfortunately wound up $36 million in the hole.

So QUADRUPLE fuck off.

If you’re dumb enough to take that AMPTP statement at face value, responsible adults should remove all the scissors from your home. You are the reason hair dryers have the “Do not use while sleeping” warning.

/End ID]

I believe that merger one was Leverage or The Librarians. Both were doing REALLY well before they got cancelled due to network shit, I know that much. So the network/studio one could be either of those as well. Probably Leverage?

(Link to top of thread)

[Image ID: A tweet thread from David Slack posted July 21st, 2023 that reads in its entirety:

The studios claim they shouldn’t have to share revenue for the success of the shows we make succeed because they assume all the risk.

Well.

To paraphrase a famous actor: There’s more than one type of risk, motherfucker.

While the studios and their new hedge fund besties may assume some modest financial risk, any losses just go on a balance sheet next to the C-suite’s golden parachutes.

The workers in this industry, on the other hand, risk a hell of a lot more than that.

Most working actors live with the constant uncertainty of never knowing where their next paycheck will come from or how long it will be between jobs. That’s risk.

If they work a second job, they often risk losing it every time they take time off for auditions or jobs.

Actors also generally have little control over the final product, so *every* role is a risk for them. Sure, it could be the hit that changes everything. But it could also be a flop that hurts their career for years. They become “the guy from that thing” and can’t get more work.

Under our old contract, writers put in untold hours of free work developing and rewriting pitches and scripts for features and TV. Much of this work is on spec. That’s a huge risk writers take on — yet the studios are happy to benefit from the upside without taking on any risk.

Writers, actors, crew, and directors also risk our personal relationships, spending long hours at work, frequently across the country or around the world. Our partners soldier on without us. Our kids miss us and we can only hope they’ll understand.

That’s a huge risk.

Stunt performers literally risk their lives for the shows we make. Productions and crews take every possible precaution to ensure their safety, but accidents still can and do happen.

You gonna try and tell us that’s not risk?

All of us risk our health and safety working insane hours to keep up with the schedules our bosses create. When was the last time David Zaslav or Bob Iger worked a Fraturday? Do they even know what one is?

In production, where 14, 15, and 16 hour days are common, people have died from falling asleep at the wheel driving to and from set.

And the studios have the fucking gall to say they’re taking all the risk?

We risk our finances, our families, our friendships, our futures, and sometimes our lives to make a product for you that you have no idea how to make yourselves.

All you risk is money.

And by the fucking way, we *know* you can afford to give us success-based pay — because you’ve been doing it for 83 YEARS.

Remember 1960? When both the WGA and SAG went on strike and won…

residuals for TV?

Residuals for TV *are* success-based pay. Great movies and TV shows re-ran more often, so the people who created and starred in them got more money as a reward for that success. It’s a great system that incentivized workers to bust their asses to make great shows.

And you know what happened to the entertainment industry in the 8 decades studios have been making these success-based payments?

IT THRIVED.

Studios made billions in revenue selling our product all around the world.

But now, the studios say they can’t afford it. They say it’s not “fair” for actors to ask for success-based pay because they don’t take on any risk.

That’s stupid.

It’s offensive.

And it’s a lie.

It’s shameful that the AMPTP and their studio bosses are trying to deny the workers who make their product a bonus for success that is time-tested and has 83 years of precedent.

And that they’re lying about it?

That’s just… uncivilized. #WGAStrong #SAGAFTRAStrong

/End ID]

The absolute fuckery of this statement that came from the AMPTP is that the studios thought this would gain them sympathy. They were wrong. They genuinely thought this was a good statement from them because they DO think they take all the risk because they can't see people who don't have their wealth as real people. They can't.

Wealth is a disease.

No one should make the kind of money these people make. It makes them so out of touch they think of themselves as gods among ants. They step on those ants? They don't notice. They don't care. They just keep moving forward to gain as much money as possible, even though they have no way to spend it.

Fuck the studios, a new system needs to be built around them so that they'll die.

[say-hwaet]

High Sierra: A Red Dead Redemption Story

Synopsis: Set in an alternate universe, the story begins in a different time. In the 21st Century, Arthur Morgan works diligently as a game warden but seems to be having trouble in his personal life. Trying to find a balance and learn how to be honest with himself, he is swept into a discovery of dark secrets when he discovers a body in the woods. Most attribute it to a hunting accident, but Arthur and his friend Charles think there is something more sinister. As he tries to find the reason behind the series of killings, will he lose sight of what's important, or will he choose the life that is best for the ones he loves?

Chapter One: Yes or No

He didn't have a lot of time, but if he was late to work, he knew not to worry about it. He was loyal to his job, as a game warden, and was respected by the higher ranks. That was something that his son was proud to boast about at school.

His son. That is what he was there for.

He finally knocked on the door.

After a few moments, the door calmly opens. A woman, with her hair hidden in a tied-up towel, stood before him in a bathrobe, her face still glistening.

"Eliza..." he blushes. Even after all these years, she makes him shy. "Is this a bad time?"

"Hi, Arthur." She steps back. "Come in."

He takes off his brown warden's hat, revealing his short, slicked-back, fawn-colored hair, and sets it on a small table as he enters. The smell of warm pancakes fills the air. Eliza closes the door behind him and heads to the kitchen. He follows.

"Isaac is just having breakfast."

She veers off into the kitchen and he heads for the dining room. Being at her place many times, he knew his way around. However, he was careful this time not to make himself too much at home, as he was on borrowed time in her good graces.

The brown-eyed, lean, eight-year-old boy, with a close-shaven head, looks up and sees his only hero.

"Daddy!" He pushes himself from the table and runs into his father's arms. Arthur, filled with a bittersweet feeling, picks him up carefully and holds him tight.

"How're you doing, kiddo?"

"Great, Daddy! I've been to school!"

"Oh, you have, have you?" After being nearly choked to death, he sets his son down on the floor. He squats down to look at him face-to-face. "And how has that been?"

"It's been good, Daddy. I am making As and Bs!"

"Well, how about that?" Arthur scratches the boy's fuzzy head. "I knew you were a smart one!"

"Yeah, Mommy has always said I got my smarts from you!"

He turns to see Eliza, who has her back turned, and she flips another pancake. "Well, maybe she was doing me a favor, but we both know you are much smarter than me."

Isaac giggles, not fully sure of what Arthur really meant.

Arthur stands up and Isaac takes hold of his hand.

"Did you just come and say hi? Can't you stay for breakfast?" Isaac pleads, his eyes like a puppy's.

"No, son. I gotta go to work soon, but I need to talk to your mama for a bit."

"Oh," Isaac lowers his head.

"Now, now, don't be like that. If it is okay with your mama, I can come by and see you after work. How is that?"

"And you can take me to see Copper?"

He shrugs his shoulders and grimaces softly, afraid to disappoint the boy. "I don't know about that."

"Oh."

"Let's think on that one, alright? Why don't you go on and eat your pancakes, huh?"

"Okay, Daddy." Isaac turns around and lifts himself back onto the chair. That's when Arthur catches a glimpse of the stitches on the back of the boy's head and feels an empathetic pain shoot up through him. Arthur turns around and walks to Eliza, who still hasn't turned around.

"Eliza, can we talk for a minute?"

Eliza lifts her head and turns to him. "I gotta do my hair."

"That's fine. We can still talk, right?"

She looks over to Isaac while turning off the front burner on the stove. "Baby, I am going to my room for a minute, let me know if you need me."

"Okay, Mommy."

Eliza turns to walk out of the kitchen and down the hall while Arthur tails behind her. He cannot help but watch her body move and the gracefulness of each step. He begins to feel anxious and confused. More confused than he had accepted this morning while preparing to talk to her.

Alice heads to her master bathroom and unravels the wrapped towel on her head, the wavy curls of her chestnut hair falling out. She tousles it softly, then takes some mousse and begins to apply it.

"How is the boy?" he begins.

"Fine. Stable for now. He is now off the painkillers and his stitches were taken out. The doctors say that the worst is over."

"I am glad to hear that."

"Why are you here, Arthur?"

He looks into the bathroom mirror and they lock eyes. "I felt that we couldn't just go on like this. Us not talking."

She looks down and doesn't respond.

Seeing that she isn't shutting him out, he continues. "I know how it must have looked, but I didn't do anything wrong."

She stands up, throwing her hair back. She tousles it some more, with a little more gusto than she usually does. "Then what was that, Arthur? Did she just magically end up in your arms?"

She is still angry with him.

"She came onto me. She was drunk, I guess still mourning the death of her husband, and I..." he listened to what he was saying. He wasn't making good headway at explaining the situation. She was a part of his past, and he wanted to explain that to Eliza. "I was confused and shocked, is all. I didn't expect her to kiss me out of the blue."

Eliza goes silent again. She brushes past him into the bedroom and walks by her closet. She finds something to wear and goes behind her antique dressing screen. She was always fascinated by historical things, particularly the Wild West. That was her passion and should things have been different, she might have pursued it.

"That isn't what bothers me, Arthur."

He walks closer to the screen and stops himself. He's lost that intimate privilege. "Then why did you stop answering my texts, then? Why have you refused to talk to me? Why that outburst in front of all those people?"

"It was only three people out of that entire party, first of all." She comes out from behind the screen. Arthur eyes her small figure and feminine shape. Even in a simple t-shirt and long skirt, she is a remarkably beautiful woman. "Second, I needed time to think."

"But does that mean you should keep me from news on Isaac?"

"I would have said something if it was an emergency. You knew about these recent appointments, anyways."

He opens his arms and claps his hands against his pant legs in frustration. "Can you tell me what bothers you, then?"

"What bothers me is her."

They're getting to the meat of it now. Arthur takes a step back, running a hand over his face. "She is an ex-girlfriend. I was young, she was young. Her dad hated me because I was a no-name country boy, so she ended it. If I remember correctly, you actually saw that part."

He isright. She was there, all those years ago. Her mind begins to think back on that day at the restaurant. On that day, he didn't even know that she existed, she is surprised that he even remembered her there at all.

"I know, but now, after all this time, she can just throw herself at you, and then you are 'confused.' I thought–" she pauses, carefully trying to choose her words. Eliza has always had a wall. She always had a part of her hidden safe and tucked away. She never told Arthur how she really felt about him. Ever since that first day, they met at the restaurant, she loved him. And now, when she thought things were finally happening between them, at a difficult time like this, a woman of his past had to come and threaten everything. "I know that I don't have the right to be mad at you, Arthur. We aren't married. We aren't...together. I also know that I cannot compare to her, her successful career in advertising, and her rich family–“

"Eliza–"

She holds her hand to stop him. "I could have been a history teacher, had I been able to stay in school, but I couldn't. I had a son, Arthur. We had a son. I could have made my life something different, but instead, I made something more precious than a teaching career. Isaac is a good kid, a beautiful, happy boy. Who also loves his parents."

"I know that..."

"Do you love her, Arthur?"

He looks back at her and blinks. "What?"

"Do you love Mary?"

He is silent for a moment, which is long enough to make her heart ache.

He looks away from her towards one of the walls. Anything to avoid seeing the sad look in her eyes. "I...I don't know."

"That isn't good enough. I need a yes or a no from you, Arthur."

"It ain’ that simple.”

And to him, it isn't. He had thought he had left that part of his life behind. Things were going well between him and Eliza. They were connecting, and it was even before Isaac was diagnosed with cancer and eventually had his recent surgery. They were spending time together, in fact, he was spending more time at her place than he ever did at his. And it wasn't too long ago that they shared a night together, and to Eliza, it really meant something to her. Perhaps, a sign of hope, that they could finally be a complete family.

But they went to that party, in celebration of John and his band's new contract with one of the biggest record labels in the country. His father and manager, Dutch, were thoroughly excited. Though it was a small gathering, everyone was having a good time enjoying themselves, especially Eliza, as she was finally coming out of her skin. But she was also there. And when she kissed him, so many emotions and hurt came flooding back. For both Arthur and Eliza.

Eliza rests her hands on her hips. "Then if he didn't get sick, would you still be involved as much as you are? Would you still care?"

Arthur furrows his brow and takes a step toward her. "What kind of a question is that?"

"An honest one."

"I promised you, at the very beginning, that I'd do right by you and our son. I haven't let off on that promise, have I?"

Eliza doesn't answer. She can't argue that point.

"I care about the boy. He's my son," he reiterates.

"So, it's just the boy..." her voice trails off. She is resolved. He must never have cared for her the same way. Sometimes love means letting go, and she was going to need to learn how to do that.

He shakes his head, lowering his voice to bring in sincerity. "That isn't what I mean."

She waves him off. "Yes, it is, but I won't push you about it anymore. I just need you to promise me something."

He wants to argue her belief. He does feel something for her, but he can't explain it well, he isn't even sure if he understands it. "Okay."

"I don't want Isaac to know about her. Not until you are sure that she is who you are going to spend the rest of your life with. He needs something steady and constant. He needs his father's love and support. He doesn't need to see us argue or fight. He needs me to be happy. He needs to see you happy. Whether it is with her, or with someone else." Eliza struggles with those last words, as having to say them at all makes her feel sick.

He wants to ask her if she loves him, as he feels it only right to ask her that question. She always gave off the impression that she did, but she would never say it. In fact, neither of them really did. Maybe that was the problem.

But one thing that he is certain of, is that he loves his son, and he is going to figure out what he wants.

Arthur exhales, relenting. "Okay."

"Okay."

There is a silence that fills between them. It was time for him to leave and get to work.

"I need to go now. Can I come by and see Isaac later?"

"Sure. We will be back home by then."

"Are you working today?"

"No. Remember, Isaac has another appointment today, so I took it off."

Arthur shakes his head softly, suddenly recalling what she had said earlier. "Right. Are you going to be okay?"

Eliza turns and begins to swipe at some wrinkles in her comforter, shielding the roll in her eyes. "I may be just a manager at Bronte's, but I can afford to not work once in a while."

"I didn't mean that. I meant if you wanted me to go with you."

She pauses. "Oh. No, it is just another post-surgery check-up to answer any questions. I will call you if there is anything."

"Okay."

Satisfied that there are no more wrinkles, she turns to look back at him. Those beautiful brown eyes of hers, so calming and warm. They could always ground him and bring him back from the clouds he was always drifting in. Now, they remind him of the canyon that has developed between them. "Did you want to ask them anything? I could--"

He shakes his head again, leaving the trance. "No, I don't, but when there is another appointment, can you let me know?"

"Yes, I will text it to you."

"Good. I'll say goodbye to him." He turns to walk out of her bedroom and they both find Isaac sitting on the couch watching cartoons.

"Isaac, come give your daddy a love-bye," Eliza sighs.

Isaac turns off the TV with the remote and slides off the couch. Walking slowly, as if to drag out the farewell, he finally flops into his father's chest. He has always felt safe in his daddy's strong arms. Arthur is a big man, which has made him seem more hero-like than ever.

"Goodbye, kiddo."

"Bye, Daddy," a muffled voice could be heard.

Arthur releases his son from his embrace and stands erect. Without thinking, he leans over to kiss Eliza but stops himself. She notices this, and steps back, mutually feeling the same about the encounter.

"Bye. Tell your mom and dad I said hi," she says quietly.

"Alright. Bye." Arthur picks up his hat and puts it on his head. He lets himself out.

He doesn't know it, but as he gets into his car, Eliza pulls back the curtain and watches him go.