#anyways i was talking to my aunt earlier and she was telling me that one of them was talking about how she remembers how much she love

[neondiamond]

.

[annab-nana]

Scenario: told parents about SO and now you have to rope someone into it for the holidays with Eddie!!

ooo so i did this already here, but this time, i'm going to switch it around and have eddie ask her

warnings: not proofread, a bit long for a blurb

❀ masterlist ❀

"wake up! wake up! wake up!" eddie's voice sounded around you which was weird because you distinctly remember falling asleep at your house alone, not at eddie's. you would've written it off as a dream if you weren't feeling his hands on your shoulder and arm, attempting to shake you awake. when you cracked an eye open, you saw him standing over you, so no, this wasn't a dream.

"eddie, what the fuck?" you groaned as you grabbed your blanket and pulled it over your head to block him out.

"nope, not doing that," eddie told you, pulling the blanket out of your grasp before you could fully cover your head and placing it back where it was. you just groaned even louder and crossed your arms over your eyes.

it was too early for this shit right now.

"eddie, please don't take offense to this, but for the love of god, get out of my house right now."

"nope." you felt the bed dip beside you where he sat. then, his hands were on your arms and he lightly pulled them up to see your eyes.

"what time is it?"

he glanced at his watch. "5:47."

your eyes about popped out of your head. "a.m.?"

"yeah."

you propped yourself on your elbows and gave him an incredulous look. "okay, now i mean this offensively. get the fuck out."

"you don't even want to know why i'm here?" eddie asked and when he spoke, you finally took notice of the pleading look in his eyes. with that, you were a little more awake and willing to hear what he had to say.

letting out a sigh, you scooted all the way up to sit up fully and listen. "out with it, eds."

"you know how we're supposed to leave tomorrow to see my aunt in new york?"

you nodded, too tired to verbally confirm your knowledge of the plan.

"well, wayne talked to her a couple of nights ago to tell her he wouldn't be there until next week because he can't get off work, but we were still supposed to go tomorrow. but, she called last night and said that we should leave as early as we can today because they are gonna start doing some road work on the highway later today and that if we leave earlier, we'll run into less traffic. i tried to call you last night to tell you that, but you didn't answer."

"so we have to leave right now?" you inquired as you rubbed your eyes. you were glad you were mostly packed anyway. all you had to add were your everyday items.

"yeah, i'd like to. it's going to be a long drive anyway. the last thing we want is traffic slowing us down, especially christmas traffic at that."

"okay," you spoke before yawning and nodding. he didn't seem finished though. "is there something else?"

"yeah..." whatever it was, he wasn't chomping at the bit to share it.

you were getting nervous. "what is it, eddie?"

"when we were saying our goodbyes on the phone, she said that she was really excited to meet my girlfriend. i guess, from what wayne's told her, she thought that since we hang out together all the time, we're going out," eddie stated, letting his words hang in the air for you to piece together.

"but i'm not your girlfriend."

"i know that."

"did you tell her that?"

his lack of response wasn't boosting your confidence.

"eddie?" your tone was one of warning.

"i didn't realize what she said until after she hung up."

"eddie," you whined, leaning forward and resting your head on his shoulder for a moment before pulling back. "so, what now? you want me to play your girlfriend?"

when you said it, you were half-joking, but the look on eddie face read of complete seriousness. "oh, for fuck's sake," you grumbled under your breath.

"i'm sorry," eddie apologized, a begging undertone in his voice, "it's just that it's my first time seeing her since i was like ten and i don't want to look like an idiot. and she said she was excited to meet my girlfriend and i don't want to let her down, so please for me, do this. we're already pretty close as it is. we'll just have to embellish some things." when you silently looked off in consideration, eddie spoke up one more time. "come on, y/n. please. you owe me."

you cut your eyes back to him because he was right. you did owe him for saving you from a few bad guys at the hideout by pretending to be your boyfriend, but the circumstances were completely different. he was pretending for maybe a minute max. you were staying with his aunt for two weeks.

you hated that you looked back at him because it made it so much harder to not give in. his stupid big brown doe eyes were making it impossible to deny him even though you knew you were going to say yes. he knew it too.

"fine," you said softly and no less than a second after the word left your lips, eddie's arms wrapped around you tightly.

"thank you so much! i owe you big time."

"yeah, you do," you commented, a light chuckle following your words before you patted his arm. "alright, boyfriend, let me go so i can finish packing and change so we can leave."

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[kit-walk3r]

Why the Internet Shouldn’t Just Forgive Emma Roberts

(This is going to be such a long post, I do apologise in advance)

So, some of you might have seen that transgender actress Angelica Ross (Pose, 1984, Double Feature) made several tweets a couple of days ago detailing ongoing issues she had with Ryan Murphy. In addition to this she also tweeted that someone had been transphobic to her on the set of American Horror Story.

Will also tell you about the transphobic remarks my co-star said to my face, and the racism I complained about on set that they said was “free speech”.

There was a lot of speculation as to who the co-star was who made these transphobic remarks, and Emma Roberts’ name was one that popped up a lot (especially since Angelica tweeted a gif of Julia Roberts, Emma’s aunt, after posting about a transphobic co-star). Angelica then revealed on an Instagram livestream last night/this morning that it was in fact Emma who made the transphobic remarks. Here’s what Angelica stated what Emma said:

… And John [the director] is like ‘okay ladies, that’s enough. Let’s get back to work.’ And she then looks at me and she goes ‘don’t you mean lady?’

This is very clearly a transphobic comment, especially from Emma’s reaction/what she does afterwards (Angelica said that she covered her face and turned away).

It was pointed out on twitter from a clip of Angelica, Billie Lourd, Cody Fern and Gus Kenworthy reacting to the premiere of AHS 1984 that there had been transphobic behaviour on set.

Angelica: we are watching for all the transphobia on set.

Billie: always

Angelica: me and Billie are like ‘that’s transphobia’!

Angelica and Billie: we will come for you (in the nicest way)

So from just this clip it is said/suggested that there had been transphobic behaviour on set. There’s also one person notably absent here: Emma. They claimed they were watching the premiere together ‘as a family’ but admittedly the highest billed star is absent. Either Cody or Gus go “where’s Emma?” And laugh afterwards at one point, too.

This leads on to another thing Angelica touched up on in her livestream: Emma’s behaviour and relationship to the rest of the cast and crew. One thing Angelica said was that the first thing she saw Emma do was yell at the director, supposedly trying to make him cry. Angelica follows that by saying Emma always had to make sure that she was ‘number one on the call sheet’ and that she was the one in charge, including making sure her trailer was where she wanted it. This is already toxic behaviour. Moving on from that, Angelica starts talking about Emma’s relationship with the cast. It sounds like from what was said on the livestream that people weren’t very fond of Emma on set. She said she was playing ‘psychological games’ with them and that people supposedly wanted to fight her because of her behaviour. Doesn’t look very good on you if your co-stars aren’t fond of your presence, does it?

Angelica tells a story about how Emma asked them all how much they were earning that season. No one really answered her so she ended the conversation with “as long as you’re not earning over $100,000 per episode” and walked off. So from this and the earlier comment about her wanting to be top billed it’s clear that Emma wanted to be the most important person there and would not have been happy if someone was earning more money than her. Entitlement and selfishness. Even though she has always come from a famous and wealthy family she still seems to need to make sure she earns the most money and is the most famous and popular. But she’s also boasting. $100,000 is a lot of money to earn per episode and chances are her other co-stars (who may have needed that money more than Emma) are not earning that much. She’s boasting and wants people to know how much she’s making from the show. There’s no need but she’s doing it anyway.

Phew. That’s the stuff about the 1984 drama from Angelica’s livestream. But there’s one more thing from that livestream that I want to touch up on. Something that disturbed me. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be a clip of this but I’ve heard multiple people (including the person who originally posted the videos) say that Angelica revealed that Emma would laugh and make jokes about getting arrested for hurting her then boyfriend, Evan Peters.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Emma would joke about her domestic abuse arrest.

This is disgusting behaviour, and apparently her own mother questioned why she was bringing it up and joking about it. Domestic abuse is not a joke and making light of the time when you were arrested for hurting your partner is not a right.

So yeah, if you weren’t aware in 2013 Emma was arrested for domestic violence against Evan after their neighbours in a hotel called the police after hearing loud arguing. Evan was found with a bloody nose and a bite mark and Emma was arrested. Evan didn’t press charges and Emma was released a few hours later.

After the news came out Emma’s PR team (‘sources close to Emma’ TMZ calls them) said that they were both hitting each other and that the only reason Emma was arrested was because she had no visible injuries. They also declined that Evan had a bite mark, which was something that had actually prior been confirmed by the police in a statement. This might just be speculation but doesn’t this sound a little like damage control? Denying injuries that the police stated Evan had and claiming they were both hitting each other sounds like a way of trying to push the blame off Emma as much as they could. Just saying 🤷‍♀️

(There’s a tweet of the infamous Evan hugging Emma whilst she’s crying photos which has zoomed in and highlighted what could be other injuries/bruises on Evan. It’s interesting to look at).

Yes, there’s the bruises on Emma’s legs and according to a lot of Emma fans that’s enough proof that Evan was supposedly the instigator and Emma was the victim. I’m not saying that the bruises on her knees are not from the altercation, just that it’s a lot easier to bruise your knees in everyday life than it is to get a bloody nose and bite mark and that this is not the conclusive evidence that Evan was the instigator that a lot of fans make it out to be.

This part is more a complaint about Emma’s fans as opposed to Emma herself but it’s still about her domestic violence arrest so it’s fitting to include it. There’s a lot of lies/misinformation that gets spread around about the DV situation. People on twitter claim that they’ve seen the police report and that it said Emma was defending herself. This is false. No police report has ever been accessed. People say that Evan started it. This is false. There is no evidence that Evan started the physical altercation but since he was the one found bloody it points more in the direction of Emma being the instigator. People say that they were both abusive. Mutual abuse is not a thing. But by saying that they were hitting/abusing each other then you’re still claiming that Emma abused Evan, so where’s her ‘cancellation’? People say that Evan can’t be a victim of domestic violence because he’s a man and taller/bigger than Emma. This is false. Extremely false. Men can be victims of domestic violence too, even at the hands of women. Just because Evan is taller and has a bigger build than Emma does not mean that she can’t physically hurt him. She clearly has. Men can be hurt by women. Don’t minimise their experiences.

I wish I could say that the 2013 arrest was the only physical/abusive story in relation to Emma but unfortunately there is (potentially) more. Blind items are essentially pieces of information that are submitted to gossip sites whilst keeping the identities of the celebrities they’re about anonymous (but it’s usually kind of obvious to guess who they’re about). There have been many blind items about Emma and Evan’s relationship and sadly some are violent. One states that she threw a glass at his head (you can see his maybe shaved head here) and another says that he woke up to her pacing the bedroom with a knife. There’s others about the two of them where they’re not violent but still show Evan being mistreated in their relationship and there’s also a fair few about her sleeping with James Franco whilst in a relationship with Evan. You can find a list of all Emma blind items here. Yeah, blind items should be taken with a pinch of salt but the large amount of blind items about Emma and her treatment towards Evan is concerning and kind of speaks for itself.

So, we’ve covered that Emma was transphobic to her transgender cast member, rude to the rest of her cast and abusive towards her ex boyfriend. What else?

There’s how she treats regular members of the public. There’s horror stories all over the internet of people’s interactions with Emma. Baristas and hospitality workers have some of the worst stories, about how she’s rude and aggressive, hates waiting and will even get angry if they don’t recognise her. Fans have had negative experiences where they met Evan and Emma together and whilst Evan would talk to them and take photos she would just stand their annoyed. People who have worked on sets with her have said that she’s a nightmare to work with. This tweet shows a compilation of just some of the tweets and comments about people’s experiences meeting Emma.

Well, that’s all the dirty laundry on Emma Roberts. Now, what’s the point in this post? What does the title mean?

Well, Angelica Ross tweeted that Emma apologised for her transphobic comments.

Thank you @ RobertsEmma for calling and apologizing, recognizing your behavior was not that of an ally. I will leave the line open to follow up on your desire to do better and support social justice causes with your platform.

And a large portion of the internet has gone from holding Emma accountable for her actions and acknowledging that she’s not a good person to suddenly worshipping her again and acting like she’s god’s gift. I’m so happy that Angelica has been able to get this sort of closure and an apology, I really am, but I just thought that her leaking that Emma was transphobic towards her would open people’s eyes to the type of person Emma is. She’s got a history of being a bad person, and people were finally opening their eyes to that. Unfortunately, they’re starting to blind themselves again and are going back to thinking she’s great.

Emma has never been held accountable for any of her negative behaviour. No one has ever held her accountable for the abuse with Evan, no one has ever held her accountable for how awful she would be to cast and crew. Angelica calling her out for being transphobic was finally a step in the direction for Emma being held accountable for her past actions which have had detrimental effects on other people, but they’re not.

Whenever you bring up Emma getting arrested people rebuttal it with ‘they were hitting each other’ or ‘Evan started it’ or ‘it was years ago, let it go’ or ‘she’s a mother now, she’s changed’. People always come to her defensive and either shift the blame onto Evan, just say ‘she’s changed’ or outright deny it. These people are protecting not a good person by doing this and their denial that Emma isn’t problematic leads to the issue of her not being held accountable.

If you bring up people’s anecdotes about negative experiences meeting Emma they instantly call them fake. Apparently everyone who says they met Emma and had a bad experience is a liar. No one’s allowed to have a bad experience with her otherwise you’re just trying to defame her.

This is a woman who was abusive towards her partner. This is a woman who was transphobic. This is a woman who treats people ‘beneath her’ like shit. And no one has ever held her accountable for any of this. Instead she’s almost protected by the internet, with people coming to defend her of you say even the slightest negative thing. This is not good. This is not healthy.

Why should Emma get a free pass? Why shouldn’t she be held accountable for her actions? Why should she be able to get away with everything she does? Answer: she shouldn’t. But she does. Because she’s an icon ✨ she’s mother ✨ she’s the moment ✨

She’s not.

Emma Roberts treats people awfully, but the internet chooses to neglect that. Emma Roberts is rude to her co-stars and crew, but the internet chooses to neglect that. Emma Roberts was abusive towards her boyfriend, but the internet chooses to neglect that. Emma Roberts is a bad person, but the internet chooses to neglect that.

[v-era-18]

Red Licorice

Prologue: Dumb Blonde

“My friend (Y/n) loves scary movies,” Casey's voice was filled with adoration, “It's a bit weird but I love her anyway.”

0

“Tell me something (Y/n)?” Casey was sitting crisscrossed on her bed, teen magazine in her lap as she watched her best friend section another part of her hair in two, “Why are you so against me dating Steve?”

The said girl looked up from her spot in front of the vanity, she was almost done with twisting the last section of her hair-four more to go and she'd be done. Today- Tuesday, the normal day the two girls would have their scheduled sleepovers, sometimes it would be spent gossiping-mostly instigated by Casey-painting nails, or simply talking about their future as the afro haired did her hair. She felt safe doing her hair at her best friends, it beat staying home alone while her aunt was out on the night shift at the hospital.

“I'm not against you dating him,” (Y/n) blew out, she thought back to how things were announced earlier this week, “I just didn't like how I had to lie to Stu about what really happened.” The girl hated lying-especially when someone she cared about asked her to do it. It felt dirty lying to Stu when he asked her if Casey cheated on him with the football player, of course she did as her best friend asked of her-still didn't make it right.

Casey stiffened on the bed, her face suddenly growing red from embarrassment, “I-I know…It was really big of me to ask that of you since you're considered a good friend of his,” The blonde laid back on the bed, her lips wobbling a bit, “I'm not going to justify my actions of what I did but-I needed something else-a distraction-”

“A distraction-?”

“That was a bad way to put it! The relationship wasn't for me (Y/n)! I couldn't see myself being with him forever-”

“You should've told him that-”

“It doesn't matter anymore,” Casey snapped, her eyes seemed to hold back tears that werent even for the failed relationship, “He’s off fucking Tatum. The exact bitch I told you that would flirt with him non stop. Not to mention the way he looks at y-”

The blonde stopped herself while she was ahead. No it wasn't right to tell her about the many times Stu had spoken to Casey about (Y/n) while they were alone. The couple had even discussed a threesome with their favorite best friend in mind while they were drunk one date night underneath the stars.

Casey was fine with it, until each time her best friend laid next to her in the bed-she was filled with something that shouldn’t have been there. Something frowned upon, so when the next time her ex boyfriend mentioned it she shut it down immediately. (Y/n) didn’t deserve her first time to be like that, she needed commitment. Something she knew most guys in her school wouldn’t go for.

(Y/n) cocked her head to the side sending a questioning gaze to the blond who had her head in the clouds. She knew that the twos’ relationship isn't perfect-hell no relationship is but she thought she knew better than to cheat on someone. Man or women, it wasn't right to sleep with someone else when you had a partner already. But she had never been in a relationship, so she couldn't judge or tell her what was right or wrong in this case. So instead she'd rather distract her best friend rather than scold her.

“Sooo,” The brown skinned girl smiled softly, changing the subject, “Wanna watch a scary movie downstairs? I brought popcorn!” One thing (Y/n) could always do to deescalate a situation among friends was to suggest a scary movie, most of the time Stu and Billy would immediately stop what they were doing and join her, already arguing with what to watch as others laugh.

Casey sits up in her bed sending a sad glance her way, “The amount of scary movies you watch is honestly concerning, they're gonna rot your brain one of these days.”

She laughed in response, finishing off the last strand, “Everyone knows horror is my favorite, the main reason why I'm gonna major in film! I'm gonna be the first black female horror film director.”

Her friend smiled in response, her eyes gleaming with adoration that was beyond platonic as her gaze moved a bit downward toward her cleavage peeking out from the silk overdress Casey bought her for her sixteenth birthday. It was a good choice and suited her very well, the red lace straps sat nicely against her shoulders and seemed to make her brown skin pop out a bit.

The fun part is, (Y/n) only has enough confidence to wear sleepwear like this around her friends. So only Casey , Sidney, and Tatum only had the honor of seeing such eye candy up close. It truly felt like a dirty privilege that any man would want to see-would possible even kill to see. And they had the honor of seeing it for free, Casey truly was so lucky.

“I know you'll be, just remember me when you get all famous,” The blonde got up and passed the girls headwrap and bonnet, “I want a seat in the very first row of your movie. You better hold me tight while I scream at all the gory scenes you'll come up with.”

“I'm surprised you don't want to be one of the actors,” (Y/n) giggled softly, she finished wrapping her hair and started to put the hair products away, “You would be perfect, you're so pretty and would make all the boys in the theater go crazy.”

Casey felt herself grow warm, “And what character would I be? The final girl?”

(Y/n) smiled ruefully, “No. You would be the dumb blonde that dies first.”

☿

Casey’s thoughts traveled back to that night, it only happened a few days ago yet she was so restless. It was so hard going on and pretending like these feelings for her friend do not exist. She had no one to talk to about it; Sidney would tell her to be honest and go for it ‘there's several problems with that plan’, Tatum would first laugh then tell her to move out of her parents house before they kick her out, and Randy is to awkward plus its obvious that they harbor the same feelings for the girl.

Hence why she needs another distraction tonight, the main reason Steve is coming over to ‘watch’ a movie. The main plan was to obviously have her brains fucked out of her so she would forget the way her best friend looked while bending over on the bed reading a zombie comic. The girl was completely unaware that her underwear was on full display in front of Casey, driving the girl up the wall. She had to refrain from touching her and instead laid down next to her and pretended to be interested in what she was reading.

She honestly felt like she was backed off into a corner, it was obvious her parents wouldnt approve if she liked women in a sexual manner, not to mention (Y/n)’s skin color. Casey wasn’t stupid. She knew the only reason the girl was allowed into their home was because of how truly brilliant her best friend was, it shocked her parents- so much so they allowed her to hang out more in the home more than Sideny and Tatum. They deemed her a good influence, she didn't want to ruin that image of her friend just because of her feelings.

Casey just needed to keep it all in until the graduate and get her own apartment then she would consider telling (Y/n) about her true feelings. But right now she shouldn't be thinking about that, she should be thinking about the boy that's going to be on her doorstep, hungry and ready to devour her. One thing she was thankful for was her looks, she could possibly get a lot of guys if she wanted to, if it wasn't that obvious with how quick Steve was to agree to a quickie in the locker room during third period. She was desperate then, it was honestly sad that she needed another man to truly satisfy the craving for her friend that sat next to her.

The blonde finished the touches on her makeup and outfit before heading downstairs.If she was going to fake her desire for the male she might as well look good doing it, Tatum’s philosophy unfortunately. Her boyfriend should've been here by now, leave it to him to keep a girl waiting and preoccupied with her thoughts.

‘If (Y/n) were here I would be very distracted,’ The girl could imagine it. The two of them on the couch eating popcorn before Casey decided to pull her into a long sweet kiss of affection. She didn’t need sex to explain her love. Simple acts of affection would be enough. If she were here right now the girl wouldn’t hold back anymore-.

A phone rang cutting off Beckers thoughts, it was late at night and assumed her boyfriend was calling to explain as to why he was leaving his house late. She would let it slide after all she was basically using him.

“Hello,” Casey answered the phone with a polite voice she could muster, she didn't want to be rude even if she was in a mood.

“Hello,” a voice answered back, it was smooth and a tad bit seductive. The girl would be lying if she wasn't taken a bit aback by it.

“Yes?”

“Who is this?” The man questioned.

“Hmm, who are you trying to reach?”

‘Never talk too long to strangers rule number one’ (Y/n)' s voice rang out. Even as the girl was listening to someone else the girl's voice was plaguing her.

“What number is this?” The man continued to question.

“Well what number are you trying to reach?” Becker asked, the man was starting to confuse her.

“I dont know.”

“Well I think you have the wrong number” Oh so he’s just wasting time.

“What-?”

“It happens all the time. You take it easy.” Casey hung up the phone before glancing at the clock, her boyfriend still isn't here yet-the telephone rang once more much to her agitation, “Ugh, hello?’

“ I'm sorry I guess I dialed the wrong number,”

“So why did you dial it again?”

“To apologize-”

“You're forgiven. Bye now.” Her voice was even, done with the conversation.

“Wait, wait! Don't hang up-,” The girl hung up the phone.

Casey stands in front of a sliding glass door observing her surroundings now that she had just ended the phone call with the mysterious stranger who keeps calling her house. Casey notices that it’s pitch black outside in her backyard.

“What?” Casey asks now seemingly becoming just slightly annoyed with this mysterious man continuously calling her house phone repeatedly trying to get her to engage into conversations and ask her questions about things she could care less about at the moment.

“I want to talk to you for a second.” The man tries to hold on to the conversation with the blonde haired girl who is trying to end the phone call as soon as she possibly can.

“Well, they’ve got nine hundred numbers for that. Seeya.” Casey exclaims as she hangs up the phone, grinning as she goes back to cooking the popcorn on her stove.

The night continues at the Becker residence, silence taking over as nothing but big oak trees surround the house, with no neighbors in sight.

The house phone then starts to ring once again, prompting Casey to pick it up, still expecting her boyfriend to call as she awaits his arrival at her house.

“Hello,” Casey says as she speaks into the house phone as she watches the popcorn sizzle in a pot on the stove as she covers it with a lid.

“Why don't you want to talk to me?”

“Who is this?” Casey asks unbeknownst to her that it is the same person that has called her more than twice already in the past 15 minutes.

“You tell me your name I'll tell you mine,” the mysterious man tries to make a deal with her, trying to engage the young blonde into telling him more about herself seeing as she wouldn’t the last two attempts he tried calling her house.

She wanted to laugh, “I don't think so,” Casey replied, simply shaking the popcorn on the stove. If the girl's best friend was here she would be shaking her body to the beat, the girl smiles slightly at the image she created.

“What's that noise?,” He asks, trying to make out the background noises he could hear during the phone call with Casey.

“Popcorn,” She answered shortly. Casey’s demeanor goes from slightly annoyed to irritated that she can’t seem to get ready for a date night with her boyfriend who has yet to arrive at her home without this stranger constantly calling her and distracting her from her tasks.

“You're making popcorn?” asks curiously from the other side of the line.

“Uh-huh,” Casey replied bored. The conversation was really strange and getting a bit too long, she wondered why she was still on the phone in the first place.

“I only eat popcorn at the movies,” He informed. The girl's mind went back to her best friend once more, her laying back in the movie seat, manspreading in excitement as another kill took place on the movie screen.

“I'm getting ready to watch a movie,” she says to him, walking over to the counter of the aisle sitting in the middle of the kitchen. Casey now leaning her body over the aisle as she starts an interesting conversation with him.

“Really? What?” The man seemed a bit too interested for her liking.

“Just some scary movie my friend suggested,” To (Y/n) and Randy it wasn't just some movie, it was one of the best scary movies storyline wise and had the two in an ever loving chokehold.

“Do you like scary movies?” The man purred.

“My friend (Y/n) loves scary movies,” Casey's voice was filled with adoration, “It's a bit weird but I love her anyway.”

“(Y/n)? Is that your friend?” The girl froze for a minute deciding whether or not to answer, it was a stranger and there could be several girls with that name so he couldn't possibly know which one she was talking about.

“Hello?”

“Yes. She is,” Casey whispered into the phone, “One of the best.”

“Oh,” He replied softly, “What's your favorite movie to watch with her?”

Casey moves away from the stove and takes a seat at the kitchen counter right in front of the glass door, “I don't know. There's so many,” She laughed softly.

“You have to have a favorite,” The man was insistent, “You seem very fond of her, I'm sure there's a movie you both enjoy the most.”

She thinks for a moment, from all the found memories of the two spending time with each other. Stu cut in sometimes during the memories making her stomach churn as she thought about one night the two wouldn't stop talking about Alien, she felt left out even though her friend tried to include her. So to warm her spirits she thought of the very first horror movie they watched alone together, (Y/n) snuggled up into her side and ate buttered popcorn like a delicacy.

“Uh..Halloween. You know, the one with the white mask who just sorta walks around and stalks the babysitters. What's yours?” She had given him too much information already and it was his turn.

“Guess.”

“Uh,....Nightmare on Elm Street.” (Y/n) would have probably guessed a lot better. She had a thing for slashers.

“Is that the one the guy had knives for his fingers?” The mysterious guy tries to pry more information out of the clueless girl.

“Yeah, Freddy Kruger,” Casey answered, starting to walk out of her kitchen and to a different area of the house, leaving her popcorn cooking and unattended on the stove as it still continues to pop fresh buttery kernels.

“Freddy-Thats right. I like that movie. It was scary,” The man seemed pleased that Casey was now participating in the conversation that he had been longing to have with her all evening.

“Yeah, the first one was, but the rest of them sucked though,” Casey laughed as she walked through the halls of the main level in the house, locking doors that would lead access to entry and as an exist to the estate, “(Y/n) said he had the potential to be the best slasher, but the directors ruined it.”

The man went silent for a long moment, making the blonde's nerves go on edge, “This (Y/n) girl, are you guys a thing?”

The girl's blood ran cold, “What?”

“I'm asking if she's your girlfriend, you keep bringing her into the conversation,” The man chuckled lightly, “I wont judge if-”

“No!” She denied quickly with a yell, “I-I mean, no, we're not together.”

“Ah, so you and her have boyfriends?”

Casey giggled nervously, “Why? Are you trying to ask one of us on a date?”

“Maybe. So do you guys have boyfriends?” the male uttered the question again.

“No.” Casey suddenly felt a bit flirtatious with the male, she knew her best friend would have been disappointed with her actions but this was the most fruitful distraction she has had in awhile, “And my friend would have to know you before she would even consider going on a date with you. Although, she might let you slide if you buy her dinner and watch a marathon of scary movies.”

He let out a deep chuckle, “I'll keep that in mind.” it was silent for another moment before he continued, “You never told me your name, but you told me your friends.”

Casey disregarded the last comment and twirled her hair, “Why do you want to know my name?”

“Because I want to know who I'm looking at,” The man replied simply.

Casey spun her body like lightning towards the glass door, her heart hammered in her chest as the words sunk in, “What did you say?”

“I want to know who I’m talking to,” He faked his sentence innocently.

“That's not what you said,” The girl snapped, heading towards the lights.

“What do you think I said?” he questioned.

Casey surveyed the backyard illuminated by the light. The tree's shadows seemed to move with the branches as she looked around for any sign of the seemingly intruder over the phone on her property. There's no one there. She turns the lights out as she hears the popcorn pop in the kitchen.

“I have to go now,” she gritted out in fear. She shouldn’t have been so stupid, out of all the scary movies she's watched with her best friend she knew better than to talk to strangers over the phone or simply alone.

“Wait-I thought we were going to go out?” He faked disappointment.

“Nah , I don't think so,” Casey on the fritz of an anxiety attack.

“Don't hang up on me,” He warned, there was an edge to his tone, he seemed to be losing his patience. “And don't you dare call (Y/n) either-!”

The girl was so scared she missed the last part of his sentence, “Gotta go.” She hung up the phone once again before running to the glass door and locking it. She starts to move to the stove before-the phone rings again as she's sliding the popcorn off the stove.

She answers with a hopeful prayer that it's her boyfriend calling with an explanation, “Yes?”

“ I told you not to hang up on me,” The strange man now seemed to calm as he said it to Casey for the fourth time, calling her tonight.

Now fear started to enter her body as she began to look around her housing, baffled as to why this man that she does not recognize on the other end of the line of the phone, would ask her such a question.

“What do you want?” Casey asks the man as she tries to piece together how this man could possibly state that when she doesn’t even know who she's on the phone to begin with.

“To talk,” the man simply states to her on the other end of the line.

“Dial someone else, okay,” she frantically states as she then hangs up abruptly on him, now showing clear signs of irritation and fear, as it pans over her face and body as she starts to move her left arm up and down, stating to the stranger now showing she is far from interested in what once seemed to be a platonic phone conversation with a random stranger to a now seemingly creepy stalker type of scenario.

Now walking back into the kitchen to finally attend to her popcorn, the phone rings once again. Casey, finally being fed up, decided to answer the phone and rip the creepy man a new one.

“Listen asshole-,” Casey tries to finish her rant, but before she could even get a few words out to voice her feelings the killer beat her to it.

“NO, YOU LISTEN, YOU LITTLE BITCH. IF YOU HANG UP ON ME AGAIN I’LL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH. UNDERSTAND?” The man yells, fed up that the young Becker girl wouldn’t play into his shenanigans and games he was trying to engage her in.

Nothing was heard on either side of the phone as the man had finally gotten Casey’s full attention and now he would be able to set his plan into motion with her.

Not able to fully grasp the events of the conversation that just took place only seconds ago over the phone, Casey promptly asks the man, “Is this some sick joke?” To which he replied to her with, “More of a game,” in a playful yet serious manner.

Casey is now eyeing the outside of her house from the inside of her kitchen as she is still on the phone with the man, she then makes a beeline straight for her front door. Noticing that it’s unlocked, she then takes the opportunity to lock it at that very moment.

“I’m two seconds from calling the police.” Casey exclaimed to the man as panic started to settle in that someone is watching her ,and has possibly been watching her for who knows how long.

“They’d never make it in time.” The man sneers into the phone, causing Casey to push her face into the front door. Using the peephole, Casey tries to see if she can spot anyone on her front porch or yard, thinking that this could just be some sick prank that one of her friends or her boyfriend, who has still yet to show up to her house, could be playing on her. However, seeing that the front porch was empty and with no one in sight, set a newfound terror in Casey Becker’s stomach.

“What do you want?!” She uttered in complete fright, she couldn't see the man no matter how much she was trying to. He was stalking her , circling around her in the shadows of the trees that she couldn't see.

“To see what your insides look like,” The male smiled into the phone, it was a domino effect as he watched the girl's face go slack in terror, the face he’d been waiting all night to see. His smile is short lived as she hangs up once more throwing the phone onto the side table, it was okay, the plan is still being set in motion.

He leaned against the tree as he watched the girl look towards the front door, his partner was ringing it, obviously growing impatient from waiting for their two kills for tonight. They both were masterminds, this was another successful step forward into the biggest thing that they both wanted.

“Who's there?” She called out to the door, another chime rings out causing the girl to move towards the sound, she repeats her sentence louder this time. Not daring to open the door, she was smarter than that. When she realized there was going to be no answer she realized this was getting out of hand, she needed the police. Just as she grabbed the phone it rang once more.

Casey brought it up closer to her ear trembling, she didn't want to speak to the man any more, so she waited for him to speak again through the phone. And that he did.

“Your friend is a horror movie fanatic and you're calling ‘Who’s there?’,” the man let out a disappointed tsk, “Didn't she tell you that's practically a death wish?”

She did, but she wasn't going to tell him that, “Look, enough is enough. You had your fun, now you better leave me alone or else!” Casey, clutched against the wall trying to gain her bearings.

“Or else what?” It was a dare for her to speak the threat, she needed to phrase her words wisely. It's too bad she was making all kinds of bad decisions tonight.

“My boyfriend will be here any second and hell be pissed if I tell him-”

“I thought you didn't have a boyfriend? I thought you had a thing for girls?”

‘Oh shit,’ Casey thought in her head, “How did this guy know so much about me and my personal life? Is it really that noticeable that I have a thing for Y/N?!? I thought I hide my feelings very well in public so people wouldn’t suspect anything between us or assume the worst.”

Finally deciding to answer his question, Casey admits to the truth. “So what if I lied? I do have a boyfriend and he’ll be here any second and your ass better be gone,” she decides to try to match energy with this sicko on the other end of the phone.

“Sure…”The man states as he doesn’t believe any word Casey utters, as if her threat held no weight to its end.

“I swear it. And he’s big and plays football and will beat the shit out of you,” she states with venom dripping from her voice.

“I’m getting scared,” the man states to her, obviously not scared of her empty threats.

“And I’m really telling the truth this time so you better leave,” the girl states thinking that her saying that could scare this man off, but Casey should have known that this was only the beginning of the ending of her sad foreshadowed ending that she was warned about beforehand.

“And this boyfriend of yours, Steve, wouldn’t happen to know about the thoughts you have running in your head about that best friend of yours, (Y/n), would he?” the stalker asks with a small fake gasp, making Casey’s eyes go wide, causing her to turn her body around with horror striking her face.

“How do you know his name?” Becker uttered in shock.

“Go to the back door and turn on the porch light- again,” The instructions rolled off his tongue in waves, sending chills down her spine. She did as told, her steps unsteady like her breathing, moving from the front door-to the kitchen-and finally the glass doors. She found the lights and licked them on.

“OH GOD!” Caseys scream filled the house as she stood watching her boyfriend being tied and gagged to the chair in front of the glass doors. His eyes looked at her desperately asking for help, blood streaking down his face, he seemed to take a beating-but was alive nonetheless.

Her hand moved to the lock of the door, intuitively wanting to help, “I wouldn't do that if I were you,” The man scolded on the other end.

“Where are you?” She cried helplessly, all her spunk gone.

“Guess,” He teased.

Her eyes scanned the year-the trees, all around the porch the man was nowhere to be found. She gave up, “Please don't hurt him,” She was actually surprised she was begging for his life. She really didn't truly love him or anything, but no one deserves to die.

“That all depends on you,” His words had their weight.

“Why are you doing this?” Casey honestly wanted to know, she hadn't crossed anyone other than Stu and possibly Tatum, but they both weren’t capable of murder.

“I wanna play a game,”

“No-,”

“Then he dies. Right now.”

“No!” She begged

“Which is it?” He gritted on the phone. The male watched the girl stare back at the big jock through the door, the big dude was crying too-almost fooled him that he was crying for his girl rather than his own life.

“What kind of game?” She complied.

“Turn off the light,” He ordered.

She did as told, much to her boyfriend's dismay as he tried calling her name through the gag on his mouth. “Here's how we play. I ask a question. If you get it right, Steve lives.”

“Please don't do this,” She rips the lamp cord from its socket, darkening the room. If she couldn't see the killer then she didn't want him to see her.

“Come on, it'll be fun! I know (Y/n) would have loved it,”

Casey frowned and whimpered, “No, she wouldn't”

The male did his best to ignore the bitches comment, “It's an easy category, Movie Trivia.”

“Please,” She begged again.

“I'll even give you a warm up question,” The male replied nicely, “Name the killer in Halloween-”

“No,”

“Come on, It's you and (Y/n)’s favorite scary movie, remember? He had a white mask, he stalked the babysitters-”

“Micheal….Micheal Myers,” She whimpered.

“Yes!” Casey sighed, relieved the answer was correct, it was short lived. “Now for the real question.”

“No!” She was hysterical.

“But your doing so well-”

“Go away and leave us alone! That includes (Y/n)!”

“Then answer the question. Same category,” The girl was still a whimpering wet mess on the floor, “Name the killer in Friday the 13th.”

Becker jumped up in relief, “Jason! Jason! It's Jason!” There was a slight pause on the other end of the phone, the girl thought they were finally free-.

“I'm sorry. Thats the wrong answer,”

“It's Jason! I've watched the movie twenty goddamn times!” Casey was beyond angry at this point, all the times she watched the movie with Stu and (Y/n) were all for naught?

“It's the wrong answer, if you've watched it that many times you would know that Mrs. Vohes was the original killer Jason didn't appear until the sequel,” The male laughed behind the phone, “Lucky for you there's a bonus round-but for poor Steve-im afraid-hes out.”

The girl heard the noise before she saw the murder first hand, her boyfriend's muffled screams echoed outside, and she could practically hear the tearing of flesh through the screen door. The lights cut on giving her a good view of his dead corpse, she screamed out a choked sob as she reached for the lights again turning them off hoping the killer would just leave her alone.

“Now answer my next question,”

“Please leave me alone,”

“What door am I at?”

“What,” Casey couldn't think straight at this point, she was too terrified.

“There are two doors to your house. A front one and a back one. If You answer correctly-you get to live,”

It was a lie obviously.

The blonde looked in the varying directions, looking from the directions of the doors and strategizing how she could possibly escape outside and to the road without the intruder catching her. She felt useless, she was going to die in this house without saying goodbye.

“Don't make me,” Casey pleaded, “I cant-I wont.”

“Your Call,”

The girl only had a second to scramble over towards the table to grab a knife as the glass door broke with a lawn chair. Glass seemed to slow down as the intruder emerged, what shocked her the most was the black robe with a screaming white mask of a ghost. If she wasnt so terrified she would laugh and commence the costume, but the knife in the man's hands glimmered in the light, causing her blood to run cold.

Casey runs to the window slowly sliding it up as she hears the man make his way through the foyer, with hate she slips through the window, at the last second she fumbles the knife dropping it. Muttering a curse she decides to leave it as races to the corner of the house outside.

She was almost there to the yard, moving between the fence and the house, the only obstacle was the two curtainless glass windows she would have to pass without him noticing. She peeks into another window watching the killer open a closet searching for her, taking a chance she skips the second window and moves down to the third. Casey peeks her head up again, only to let out a blood curdling scream with the masked figure staring back at her. The masked man thrusts his fist through the glass grabbing her arm, only to be stopped with her throwing a punch to his face.

Casey took this chance to run further into the yard, rounding the corner seeing headlights in the distance. Her parents were home early, without second thought she tears off towards them, awaiting safety from the murder. Her hope didn't last long when the ghost masked killer appears, grabbing her, raising the gleaming metal high before striking it down once more.

She dropped to the ground, clutching her chest as red blooms staining her cream sweater, she chokes on her cries. The ghostface tries to strike down again only to be kicked away in response. Casey stagers over to the front porch, her parents staring at the ajar door.

“Maa,” It was choked out and gurgled, she was choking on her own blood as she watched her parents head inside. Casey stayed lying on the ground outside by her house as she would gasp for deep breaths, hoping they would help better the airflow of the injuries she received from the masked killer. As she laid there she could hear the heavy footsteps of the slasher near her.

Looking up had to be the worst mistake in her life because then Casey realized the harsh truth her best friend told her that same evening only a few hours early. As she laid there on the ground, the killer took the opportunity to stab her once again making it the final blow for her. It wasn't for naught she got to see her killers face, tears slide down as she realized her best friend would be left with the monster much to her dismay.

And with her dying breath, Casey Becker gasped out, “(Y/N) was right, the dumb blondes do always die first in horror movies.” and with that last breath from the girl, her chest stopped rising and she was finally dead.

Much to the satisfaction for the unknown killer, but to the rest of the town of Woodsboro, California, Casey Becker’s death wasn’t the first and it surely wouldn’t be the last for sure.

[sooinbloom]

The Kingdom of Us

Chapter 2

pairing: kyungsoo x OFC genre: Royal!AU, nonidol!soo, crownprince!kyungsoo, romance, drama

theme: arranged marriage, modern royalty, enemies to lovers, war, betrayal, eventual smut word count: 3,197 description: Kyungsoo fights his feelings at the engagement dinner being held for himself and Alina. Part of Alina’s past is revealed, Kyungsoo questions his own motives

warnings: mature themes, mentions of sex, mentions of anxiety, minors DNI

Author’s Notes: hi! Thank you so much for your support. We are getting a little deeper into this world, I hope I don’t make you hate Kyungsoo with this story! No significant warnings this time. Photos are not mine. Dividers by @saradika-graphics ! Happy reading (:

KYUNGSOO

I stand at the end of the foyer with Chanyeol and Baekhyun on either side of me. I glance up the stairs every so often, waiting for Princess Alina to join us for our dinner. This entire night was for her, it was merely advertised as being for us. It was another formality I had to pretend to be excited about. I had merely been a guest at these engagement dinners before, now the entire family was elated that it was my turn, it meant improvements and promotions for everyone. Though our engagement wasn’t official, it felt like it. I listen to the chatter from my aunts, mother and cousins, the anticipation of the Princess coming down the stairs was unbearable.

Ah, Princess Alina.

Alina gave me a headache and I barely knew her for five hours. Her push back earlier today was a big surprise to me, she isn’t exactly known for having an opinion. Valencia was embarrassingly behind in their treatment of women, unfortunately all anyone can focus on is Alina’s beauty. Too bad all of said beauty goes to ruin the second she opens her mouth. All I know is that she better go along about our agreement, or I will make every single day of her life a living hell. She’s just another thing thrown in my face because she’s a “good decision”, the “right girl to grow the dynasty”. It never occurred to anyone that I didn’t want any of this. Though I didn’t have another woman in mind, it didn’t mean that I couldn’t find a wife on my own.

“Hey, pay attention.” Baekhyun nudges me. Unlike the rest of the family, I allowed Baekhyun, Chanyeol and Yixing to speak informally to me. I don’t have any brothers and they were the closest I could get to siblings. They were the three men I trusted the most in the court.

“I am paying attention. See? I’m waiting for my prison sentence to grace us with her presence.” I nudge him back, a slight growl in my voice.

“That was harsh.” Chanyeol mutters.

“Excuse me?” I look up at my cousin, his cheeks are red and his eyes are downcast. “Do you want her? You can have her.”

“I didn’t say that.” Chanyeol snaps. “I just think you should be nicer to her. She’s young and scared, I know you don’t want this but don’t take it out on her.”

My eyebrows raise and an unfamiliar burn tingles in my head. My ears ring and suddenly Chanyeol is a threat to me. Never have I felt this toward him, alarm bells sound in my head. This is more reason to not go through with this. What makes angry is Chanyeol trying to tell me what to do with my fiancé. Whether I like it or not, she’s my headache and none of his damn business.

“Is it not a fact, Chanyeol? I was assigned a wife; hand chosen by my parents. It is a life sentence I have to serve. I’m being as nice as I can be. It’s not my fault my parents didn’t think when they chose her.” I explain with shrugged shoulders, clasping my hand over my wrist. The hustle and bustle of the family gathering and talking to one another is almost deafening, I didn’t enjoy these formal gatherings, never have. They felt so superficial, so showy and obnoxious. Half of this family hated each other anyway. The other half were social climbing leeches that wanted nothing else from me but status and support for whatever they do. Most of them are only here out of curiosity. They want to meet the People’s Princess, or so everyone calls her.

A figure at the top of the stairs catches my eye. I wait to see if it’s my forever headache announcing her presence, and sure enough it is. Princess Alina’s shy smile charmed the entire room to go silent and watch her descend the stairs. She didn’t have to say anything at all, it was her presence that was magnetic. The moment she came into my vision, time stopped. I take in every bit of her, studying her for any flaws. It aggravated me that she was naturally so… Lovely.

She was the only genuine person in this room, her smile was honest. Truthfully, I didn’t know much about the Princess. The only thing I did know is when her smile was fake and when it was real. I wasn’t stupid, I did my research. I watched Princess Alina from afar for some time and learned quickly that she wore her emotions on her sleeve. At the many charity events the Princess attended, she’d have that wide smile that showed off her dimples. If she wasn’t pleased, she wouldn’t show her teeth and would narrow her gaze. Tonight, I saw her full smile, dimples and all.

Princess Alina was glowing in a white form fitting dress that flowed just below her calves, a square neckline showing just a small bit of her deeply tan skin. Yellow gold jewelry in the shape of hearts adorned her neck and ear. Every small bit of her was perfectly put together as if she was crafted by hand. Her hair was styled to fall down her back in a braid with small flowers placed strategically intertwined from the crown of her head down into the braid. It was a traditional Valencian hairstyle, she always had her hair in traditional styles for these types of events. I grew annoyed that she was wearing makeup for the simple fact that it accentuated her beauty.

Up until her arrival, I received a photo of the Princess every year and never gave it a second thought or more than a quick glance. Every princess had their photos edited to look much prettier than they really were. It wouldn’t be unfair to imagine that Alina was any different. Now I see her in front of me and she looked exactly like her photos. When we met earlier in the day, I bullshitted that “your photos don’t do you justice” comment. Now, I see that was wrong to do. I should’ve paid more attention. Everyone in the room gathered and lined the walkway to the dining room, watching and whispering compliments as she greets each member of the Doh Royal Family. She certainly didn’t have to waste her time, but she took the time that none of these people deserved. A small part of me disagreed with each sentiment that was spoken because they weren’t enough to describe what I saw in front of me. It’s becoming very difficult to hate someone who’s so…

So…

I couldn’t even find the proper words for her. She took them from my mind and my mouth. Princess Alina was ethereal, there was something about her that made my heart flutter and it angered me. I stop and compose myself, bringing my head back down to earth. I had to focus on the task at hand. I couldn’t let her beauty get to me.

“She is stunning. Your son and the Princess will have beautiful children.” Aunt Micha coos to Mother behind me.

“We’ll see about that.” Mother grumbles under her breath. I roll my eyes and turn to Princess Alina as she stops in front of me, her respectful bow takes me by surprise. She plays her role exceptionally well; I couldn’t ask for more. She offers a soft nod, her lips curving into a smile with emotionless eyes. It’s a relief that she’s devoid of emotions in her eyes. I fear that she would make me retract my stipulations if I saw the true emotions in her gaze. I offer my hand and she gracefully accepts it. I link her arm with mine and escort her to the dining room. Along the way I put my hand over hers and smile down at her.

“My darling, you are so beautiful.” I say lowly. The Princess’ eyes gaze into mine, discomfort at my sweet name for her caused them to well up with tears. Her smile gives her a deceitful glow that can fool anyone into believing she was happy. Were all of her smiles fake? She’s holding back tears. She hates this as much as I do. Everyone in this room believes we instantly fell in love, how wrong they were. We kept our eyes forward and Alina made it a point to greet everyone, it boggled my brain. Why did she have to acknowledge everyone? Princess Alina stops for a moment, stepping in front of me. “What is it?”

She tries to suppress a giggle and adjusts my tie with soft hands. She pats my chest and bows her head. “Your tie, Your Grace. The knot was coming loose.”

“Thank you, Princess.” I lower my head in thanks. A gentle smile comes and goes as fast as I blink my eyes. We bow to Mother and Father, two Royal Guards approach them with customary gifts from Valencia. Princess Alina’s home country offered a gold necklace to the Mother and a gold watch to Father. One of Valencia’s biggest imports was gold, it was customary for a Valencian Royal to gift their future in laws gold jewelry. Of course, Mother and Father delighted in the gifts. King Ignacio and Queen Evelina could’ve just given it to them on their last visit, but I digress. Formalities are everything.

I guide Princess Alina to her place at the table and pull her chair out. She sits, I take the seat next to her and the family all collectively gather around the large dining table. The conversation is light at first, the duchesses ask the Princess what life was like in Valencia. Between the first and second courses of dinner, I thoroughly studied Alina’s every move. I was filled with so much fascination that someone could mistake it for love. Alina does the same whenever I turn away from her, I catch her in my peripheral vision. How curious is it that I want to look at her constantly? Our gazes catch each other’s, and we hold the contact for a few seconds. Alina turns away with red cheeks, her attention focused on anyone else but me.

“So, Princess Alina, how is the alliance your father made with the Azteco Nation? Still strong?” Boram, my cousin by marriage, smirks, leaning forward on the table. Alina’s demeanor never changes, she never shows her cards.

“It is only faring well considering Azteco’s Queen is my sister.” Princess Alina laughs softly. “I fear the only alliance Azteco’s King has with Valencia’s King is that they are in-laws.”

“How wonderful! How is Queen Maria doing? We were made aware that the birth of Princess Daniela was quite traumatic.”

“Boram,” I warn softly. Alina pats my knee under the table and nods to my cousin.

“Queen Maria has recovered well. Thank you for asking,” Alina beams. Murmurs spark down the table at how “well trained” Princess Alina is, how nothing can unnerve her. Mother pays close attention to how Alina reacts, she had been ever so curious if the Princess will crack under pressure. I didn’t understand why Mother was suddenly so displeased with Alina, it was her that chose Alina as my betrothed. Perhaps her own guilt is being projected onto the Princess, but that can just be me overanalyzing this situation we found ourselves in.

“And your relationship with King Daniel? Is there any truth to the rumors?” Boram pries deeper, not satisfied with Alina’s answer. What is she talking about? Princess Alina’s smile fades and her eyes lock with Mother. Mother’s brow furrows and a sly grin appears on her face, her attention turning to Boram.

“Boram, what is this you speak of?” Queen Hyunae questions. “Princess Alina, care to explain?”

I can see the anxiety and stress strangling Alina. She was a deer in the headlights, panic rising on her face. What is it that’s making her so nervous? Disappointing me? A secret being revealed and the possibly consequences? Oh, this is going to get good. The entire room falls silent, not even a pin drop could be heard. She turns her attention to me, begging me with her eyes to stop this from getting out of control. Confusion riddles my mind, obviously it’s something that shouldn’t be revealed at dinner such as this. I shake my head and turn my attention to my troublemaking cousin.

“Alright, enough! Boram, you need to put an end to the gossip that you spread. You’re making Princess Alina uncomfortable. I expect better treatment toward her.” I demand, my acting is so good that everyone believes me.

“My many apologies, Princess.” Father adds, glaring at his niece. “This behavior will not happen again.” The silence brings awkwardness to the dinner table. I decide that enough is enough and I change the subject for now. Regardless, I will find out what it is that Alina is hiding from me.

“Princess. Are you prepared for our rehearsals? Our engagement ball is coming up.” I offer. Alina looks into my eyes and nods.

“It will be delightful, Crown Prince.”

After the disastrous dinner, I suggest that we take a stroll in the palace garden, a place Alina had not been before. We leave together, changing the tune of the family. The Princess takes in the beauty of the garden, something in her calms and changes into serenity. She looks up to the sky and locates the moon, I look in the direction of her gaze and see the crescent in the sky.

She is the moonlight. She must have hung the moon and stars herself, there is no comparison to this beauty she possesses. Stop while you’re ahead, Kyungsoo.

“So,” I break the silence. “You hooked up with King Daniel?”

She stops walking and shakes her head vehemently. “I could never do that to my sister or to you, Your Highness! How disgusting are you?!”

This whole, “hurt you before you can hurt me” thing is only backfiring. I stand speechless, unsure of what to say. The only thing I can think of doing is to drop to my knees and bow, aware that eyes are on us. Confused, Alina sinks down and touches my face out of concern. “Princess, my deepest apologies for insulting you.”

“Never do this again, Your Grace.” Alina replies, a smile on her face to cover her agitation. “It is clear how you truly feel about me.”

What happened between Alina and Daniel? I never got along with Azteco’s king, every rumor I heard about him wasn’t too far from the truth. The puzzling part was how Alina fit in to this, did I not pay enough attention to what she was doing while waiting to be brought to Seoul? I surmised long ago that anyone is capable of hurting the people around them for selfish reasons; I’ve known it, I’ve felt it.

I also understood my circles were much different than the ones the women in this family were in. I take Alina’s hands and we stand together, my arm resting on her upper back. “Princess, everyone has a past. Everyone pretends to wait for their betrothed, but we all know that is never the case. It’s okay if you had a relationship before me. I had relationships before you.”

Alina’s eyes water, pain written all over her face. Slowly, she starts to back away and I can’t help but feel satisfied that I managed to keep her at a distance. “Crown Prince… I didn’t know you did that. It is becoming abundantly clear that this is not going to work. Here I was, the only one being true to our betrothal. I… I…”

“Stop crying, darling. There are eyes everywhere.” I caress my betrothed’s face, pulling her close to me. Alina stiffens to my surprise.

“Please… You don’t need to do this.”

“I wanted to kiss you, Princess. Are you pretending to be shy with me?” I peer closer, feeling her muscles tense in my hold. Alina holds back a sob and looks away, what am I doing? Am I a monster? I quickly loosen my grip on her and kiss her hand, smiling. “A tease, hm?”

“I thought you were much different than this, Crown Prince.” Alina starts. “Why do you hate me? Am I not what you want? Please don’t torture me and let me go. I will accept my punishment, anything is better than what lies ahead if we keep going.”

I stare at my betrothed, shocked at her plea. She was in agreement when she arrived and suddenly that changes? Obviously, something happened between Daniel and Alina, she just didn’t want to admit it. Not yet at least. I refuse to be made a fool with a wife such as her, keeping secrets and lying to my face. I shrug my shoulders and wipe her tears out of annoyance of seeing them. They’re probably not real anyway, just enough to get her out of this conversation.

“No, you’re staying. I will walk you back to your chambers, Princess.” I give up for now and walk the Princess back to her chambers, continuing the silence between us. She slips in her door and locks it, allowing no room for me to follow her. I walk back to my chambers and slide my phone out of my pocket, sending a message to Princess Alina. I might not want this marriage, but I’m not a heartless man. That look in Alina’s eyes said it all: she really took all of this seriously (as much as I didn’t want to believe it) and I betrayed that by dating despite the laws a betrothal held, or how she might feel about it when she found out.

Kyungsoo Princess, I am sorry for my words. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.

Darling Wife Okay.

I acknowledge her message and proceed to search forDaniel and Alina rumors on the internet. To say the least, I was bothered by what I saw.

King Daniel weighs options of breaking betrothal of Crown Prince Kyungsoo of Seoul and Princess Alina of Mariposa

Princess Alina of Mariposa Absent from Wedding of now-Queen Maria of Azteco and King Daniel due to Illness

Princess Alina Enlists for Medical Military Service, to get closer to King Daniel or Crown Prince Kyungsoo?

Valencia’s Crown Disputes Rumors of Princess Alina Carrying a Secret Relationship with Brother In Law King Daniel

Fellow Military Nurse discloses the truth: “Princess Alina pines and cries over betrothed Crown Prince Kyungsoo as he gets closer to enemy lines.”

I remember hearing of her presence at my base, but I never wanted to see her. How much truth is in these headlines? Are these rumors? Do gossip websites really need that much attention, why not focus on celebrities? Not one word about Alina had been this controversial, in fact tonight was the first time I heard of any of this.

Kyungsoo Princess, I would like to see you

Darling Wife Why, your Highness…?

Kyungsoo I would like to speak with you

Darling Wife No. Goodnight Crown Prince.

[iguessitsjustme]

Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna Ep 3 & 4 Thoughts

It has been a week and an entire half. I wanted to watch this earlier this week but there was just no way that was gonna happen. Not only was my tendonitis acting up but dear god. I’ve been going through it. Anyway now I finally have time and it is time for me to resume my liveblog for this wonderful and glorious show. Let’s goooooooooooooo. As always, under the cut.

You guys will never believe it. But right as I was about to watch my mom called. So I need to pause before even starting to discuss Pit Babe with my mother who has just finished it.

Okay. I’m not done talking to my mom but my aunt called and my mom needed to take her call. I was just in the middle of my rant which I can finish later. So my liveblog will probably get interrupted again. Which means nothing to you guys reading it except for when it interrupts my commentary. But this way we both get interrupted…I digress. Let me actually start watching now. Also my finger is currently bleeding so I’m not sure how much I’m going to type because of the…ya know…blood. And I’m too lazy to go get a bandaid.

I love how cute this opening song is. It’s perfect. Adorable. Cute even.

Hey bastard. Do not EVER comment on what someone else is eating. Especially a stranger. It’s not okay with friends, it’s not okay with family, it is not okay NOW. Keep your big mouth shut and mind your business.

I fucking love her. I’m sad she drank that beer but I love that she shut him up. He was such an ass.

Awwww they’re comparing how they wrapped their gyoza but they are so sweet about it. No judgement. Just different. I love them.

Awwwwwwwwww she specifically picked up the beer. She put down her chopsticks to pick up the beer. Oh I am unwell about this.

Anyway who is gonna come visit me to have gyoza rice and beer? I like two of those three things but now I feel like I gotta try them all together. And I need someone to do it with me. Any takers? No? No one? Yeah I get it. I’m too far away from y’all aren’t I? (makes note to tell my mom to get certain ingredients for when I’m there for the 4th)

Ope and look at that my mom called back.

I just word vomited all about that Wandee Goodday episode today to her so everyone thoughts and prayers for my mother for having to deal with me and my incessant chatter. If you think I don't shut up on twitter, you will not believe what I'm like irl.

SHE LAUGHED. Did I rewind it just to watch it again? You bet your ass I did. How wonderful.

Good advice. Direct communication. Just ask.

Awwwwww she gave her food when she didn’t even know how much she needed it….I’m really gonna need to learn their names. But I am so, so bad at it. Someone help me actually.

No YOU’RE crying

Alright time for episode 4. I can only do two episodes today alas. But I am loving this show.

Me, about all of the QLs that are currently airing

Yes, yes she is.

I did not have a lot to say during episode 4. I was too busy smiling at my screen. I enjoyed it immensely. These two. I’m….fine. I’m fine. I swear.

[notanettelmao]

Magic Bullet

Also on AO3

(TW rewrite)

Fandoms: Teen Wolf, Supernatural Warnings: usual TW and SPN stuff Pairings: Stiles Stilinski x reader Words: 2,2k

<<;back // next>>

Chris Argent was on his way out the front door when the two girls, both looking tired, appeared at the top of the stairs.

“What’s going on?” Allison asked her father, while Y/N inspected the duffle bag he had over his shoulder. She immediately tensed. 

“Your aunt Kate texted. She’s having car trouble,” Argent smiled at his daughter. Y/N could tell the smile was fake. She frowned and leaned her head to the side a bit, while she raised an eyebrow at the man downstairs.

“Car trouble?” She asked. Chris’ lips twitched as he kept the smile on his face. 

“Yes. A flat tire. Why don’t you two go back to sleep? You have school in the morning.” Allison nodded and disappeared back into her room, not catching the lie in her father’s words. Y/N slowly walked down the stairs so she didn’t have to talk loudly and risk Allison overhearing.

“Car trouble, huh? Does the car have a bit of fur, glowy eyes, and fangs?” She quietly asked, grabbing his duffle bag and feeling up the stuff inside it through the cloth of the bag.

“Maybe. Go back to bed. You don’t want me to call your brothers, do you?” Argent asked. The youngest Winchester rolled her eyes. 

“As if I haven’t already called them.” She mumbled under her breath, watching Argent leave.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

“Sammy I’m telling you she’s creepy as hell. Not as creepy as Victoria, but the has some kind of bad feeling about her. I don’t know how to explain it. She has the vibes of a person that likes to fuck up teenagers,” Y/N was walking to school as she explained to her brother everything about her meeting Kate Argent just a few minutes earlier.

“It can’t be that bad, can it? Anyway, I have some news. Are you ready?” Sam asked. She could hear him talk to Dean about something.

“Yeah, I think so. What am I supposed to be ready for?” Y/N looked around and then crossed the road toward a park. She could hear someone say something that sounded like ‘do it now’ and then there was a familiar whoosh of air behind her that made her freeze in place.

“You’re kidding.” She said, her voice shaking.

“I’m not. He might be kinda… Not in the right head space but it’s him.” Sam said before he said his goodbyes and hung up, leaving her to deal with the situation alone. She slowly lowered the phone from her ear and took a deep breath before turning around. And there he stood. The first thing she noticed was the lack of a tie, but after that, he just turned into a blurry figure as her eyes filled up with tears. 

“Cas!” She squealed, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly. 

“Hello Y/N,” he said. Y/N wiped her tears into his trenchcoat before looking up at him and touching his cheek.

“Oh my god, it’s really you! I- How? When? Why didn’t you all call me right away?” She wanted to ask much more but she didn’t get the chance. There was a blue jeep approaching. It stopped on the side of the road right next to the park and honked to get Y/N’s attention.

“Oh, that’s Stiles. C’mon, I have to introduce you two. All I’m saying is he made me mad a few days ago and is currently trying to make it up. Don’t you dare say anything to Dean or he will come here and threaten him with a gun or something,” Y/N grabbed Cas by his arm and pulled him towards the jeep. 

“Is he your boyfriend?” Castiel asked staring at Stiles through the window. Y/N choked on air. 

“Wha- No. Why is everyone- Nevermind.” She shook her head and smiled at Stiles as he slowly rolled down his window. 

“Hi.” She said.

“Hi?” Stiles asked and looked at Castiel.

“Hello. I am Castiel.” Cas said, making Y/N facepalm. 

“I’ll explain later. Cas this is Stiles. He is one of my friends. Stiles, this is Castiel. I will tell you more about him when we get to school. We are going to be late,” she checked the time on her phone. 

“I will get back to your brothers. Pray if you need me,” Castiel said and with a blink of an eye, he was gone. Stiles just stared with his mouth open. Y/N giggled when she saw him and quickly hopped inside the jeep.

“Close your mouth, Stilinski.”

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Y/N spent the whole day at school with headphones in her ears, ignoring the not-so-quiet whispers of her two friends about who could have bitten Scott if not Derek. She was too happy about Castiel being alive to get herself involved in conversations. 

At the end of all of their classes, she walked out of the school building listening to Stiles explaining all of Scott’s concerns. So she basically knew everything that happened while her earphones were blasting music the whole day anyway.

“Oh- my god!” Stiles suddenly hit the brakes right after they got out of his parking spot. 

“What-” Y/N looked up from her belt buckle. She noticed Derek in front of the car, not looking good. 

“Dammit,” she quickly unbuckled herself and jumped out of the jeep. She got next to Derek just as his legs gave out and he was about to fall.

“Crap, Stiles help me get him inside of the jeep,” she shot her friend a look and started making tiny steps towards the passenger seat. She was holding Derek up by herself until Stiles finally remembered how to function and helped hold him up from the other side. They helped the werewolf up on the seat and Y/N buckled his belt, just in case. She closed the door and then got into the backseat through Stiles’ side. Stiles quickly climbed into the driver's seat and started the car, just when Scott finally decided to show up.

“What the hell?” The young wolf asked Derek, who wasn’t looking so great. 

“I was shot,” Derek groaned. That made Y/N lean over to look over the seat. She was trying to find the bullet wound. 

“Why aren’t you healing?” Scott asked again. Y/n was considering slapping him in the face. It was obvious hunters were involved. And hunters meant wolfsbane. Also Argents, but that was not the problem right now. 

“Derek, who shot you?” She asked quickly, but Derek ignored her.

“It was a different kind of bullet. I can’t heal.”

“What, a silver bullet?” Stiles asked excitedly. Y/N smacked his head. 

“He is dying. Why are you excited? How do you want to explain a dead criminal inside of your car to your dad?” She whisper yelled. Stiles’ eyes grew wide as if he just realized this. 

“Wait, that’s what she meant when she said you had forty-eight hours-” Scott said.

“Who- who said forty-eight hours?” Derek groaned.

“The one who shot you,” Scott said as if it was obvious. Y/N wanted to scream. Derek groaned in pain, this time his eyes flashed. Y/N quickly put her hands on his face so she covered them up. 

“Winchester, you are lucky I like you or I would rip your hands off right now,” Derek mumbled. 

“Scott you need to figure out what kind of bullet they used,” Y/N looked at her friend.

“What? Why me?” 

“Because you are dating Allison. And the person who shot Derek is her aunt. She has them stashed in her room, most probably,” Y/N explained already trying to come up with a plan B. 

“Why should I help him?” Scott asked. 

“Because if you don’t I’m going to mix all the wolfsbane that’s in the house and shove it down your throat while you sleep. Now go!” Y/N shoved Scott’s chest through the window and told Stiles to drive.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

They were driving through the streets of Beacon Hills when Y/N realized they were on the way toward the preserve.

“Stiles, stop the car.”

“Why? We are almost there.”

“Almost where?” Derek joined the conversation.

“Your house,” Stiles said as he parked the jeep. Derek quickly turned to look at him and just as he opened his mouth to say something, Y/N beat him to it.

“Stiles, you can’t take him to his house. He was shot. By a hunter. Who knows where he lives and who probably came only to finish the job,” Y/N explained. Derek winced at the last part but Stiles ignored it, he didn’t know the full story anyway so he didn’t find it weird. 

“Where am I supposed to take him then?” He asked.

“I don’t know. I’ll call Scott. Drive somewhere else though,” Y/N already pulled out her phone and searched for Scott’s number.

“But-”

“Start the car and drive. Now. Or I’m gonna rip your throat out… with my teeth.” 

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

They ended up going to the animal clinic. Stiles and Derek were in the middle of a fight about Stiles chopping Derek’s arm off when Y/N got an idea. 

“Noone is going to chop anyone’s arm off,” she said quickly coming over to get the saw away from them. 

“But-” Stiles started just as Derek collapsed.

“Fuck. Castiel if you hear me this is the time for you to show up. Please.” 

“Like the dude from this morning?” Stiles asked and let out a noise when the trenchcoated man appeared right in front of him. 

“You need my help?” Castiel asked. Y/N quickly pulled him towards Derek.

“Heal him. Please. We are running out of time and Scott got held up and-” Y/N started explaining everything at once. Castiel just pressed his fingers to Derek’s forehead and let his hand glow. Stiles watched all of the black veins disappear from Derek’s body. 

“Whoa,” he let out and leaned closer so he could get a better view. 

“There,” Cas said. 

“Thank you. Thank you so much Cas,” Y/N hugged him. At the same time, Derek opened his eyes and sat up with a gasp. 

“I have the bullet!” Scott ran through the door just a few seconds later.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

After Stiles went home, Derek took Y/N, Scott, and Cas to the hospital. He wanted to show Scott how kind is the family of hunters he likes so much. Y/N was there as a support and Cas just tagged along. They walked through the corridors until they got to the room  Derek wanted Scott to see. 

“Why are we here?” Scott asked, looking around the room.

“Who is he?” He asked again when he saw the man in a wheelchair. 

“That’s Peter Hale,” Y/N mumbled loud enough for the wolves to hear. Derek nodded.

“He is my uncle.”

“Is he… Like you? A werewolf?” Scott looked like he was scared to move.

“He was. Now, he’s barely even human. Six years ago, my sister and I were at school. Our house caught on fire. There were eleven people inside. He was the only survivor.”

“And you are telling me because…?” Y/N groaned. Scott was so dumb.

“He’s telling you because the Argents set the fire,” Y/N explained.

“What makes you so sure?” Y/N was ready to jump at Scott and beat him up with the bullet she had in her pocket. 

“Because they were the only ones that knew about us!” Derek said angrily. 

“Should I heal him?” Castiel asked and everyone in the room stopped what they were doing. They all slowly turned to look at him (except Peter of course). Y/N blinked a few times and then exchanged a few looks with Derek, who looked like he might pass out. 

“You can heal him?”

“I mean, I did cure you from the wolfsbane. I think few burns are nothing.” Castiel explained himself. Y/N frowned. 

“But the brain trauma- and-” Castiel placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“I pulled your brother out of hell Y/N, I also took on your other brother’s pain which sent me into a mental hospital. I am still not quite okay but I will help whenever I can.” Castiel said and took a few steps towards Peter. He placed his hand on Peter’s head and let it glow, letting the angel magic do its thing. They all watched as Peter’s scars disappeared and his eyes started sparking with life. Just as the last few scars vanished his eyes shone blue, making Derek respond with his own blue ones. 

“Thank you,” Derek said as he looked from Castiel to his uncle, who was now looking around trying to understand what was going on. Cas only nodded and turned towards Y/N to smile at her. Y/N knew he was ready to go. She waved at him and watched him teleport away. Scott was standing in the corner of the room looking confused as hell. 

“Come on Scott, let’s leave them to catch up,” the Winchester said. Derek shot her a thankful look as he watched her and Scott go. 

“You really need to explain who the man in the trenchcoat is,” Scott mumbled.

“I will when Stiles is there also. I don’t feel like explaining it twice.”

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Cook

Two very awkward wizards flirt and have a heart-to-heart. SFW.

Martha Hylfyst watched the Wizard of Waterdeep at the campfire with great interest, the open book she was holding long forgotten. She had not expected Gale to be the one who assumed the role of camp cook but was glad of it because he’s just that good. Just as good as Aunt Luci, and that’s a very high compliment.

“If you don’t go over there and speak to him, then I will make you, darling.” Astarion teased, walking by the front of Martha’s tent. “I’ll tell him you have your pretty little eyes on him—”

She squeaked, slamming the book shut. “No!” The half-elf stood and placed the book on the chair she was sitting on. “I’ll…talk to him.” Right. Talk to him. Like a person talks to another person. Not like how a silly thirty-year-old, who’s been rejected by numerous suitors, talks to a charming, kind, funny, sweet wizard of great renown.

Astarion giggled as he reached his tent. “This is going to be quite the show!”

Fuck.

What would Da say? “Just be yourself.”

Mum? “Be strong and confident. You are a Hylfyst and a de Fontaine---act like it.”

Aunt Luci? “Follow your heart, sweetie. And make sure there’s nothing in your teeth!”

Pushing her shoulders back, she tried to maintain a confident yet relaxed walk to the campfire. “Smells good, Gale.” She said with a small smile, her golden eyes sparkling.

He glanced upwards and grinned. “Thank you, Martha! Please, come and join me.” Gale watched as she sat next to him, her hands folded in her lap. Just like Mum and Aunt Luci taught me. “I found some spicy sausages among our rations. That, combined with flour from the Grove, eggs, and water, to make a rudimentary pasta, and fresh milk and spices to make a sauce…” His smile grew even wider. “Well, it’s a lovely pasta dish I would make if I were at home. Something delicious that soothes the soul.”

“Sounds like how I cook at home too.”

Stirring the sauce gently, he raised an eyebrow. “A lady of House Hylfyst cooking?” He then winked at her. Oh, he’s teasing me. Well, I’ll show you!

She wrinkled her freckled nose and smirked. “My godmother, Countess Luci Wildheart, taught me. I enjoy it, especially cooking for me and my friend Nadia. I think I mentioned her before, right? We live together in a small house in Baldur’s Gate.” Stop. Rambling.

“Yes! She’s a bard if I remember correctly?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I was coming back from one of her gigs when I was…you know…” Oh great now you’ve ruining the mood. Recover! Quickly! Wringing her hands, she felt anxiety bloom in her chest. “Anyways—”

“I’m sorry. Truly.” Gale murmured as he checked to see if the pasta was done cooking. “It must have been so frightening for you, as it was for us all obviously…ah, it’s done! Do you mind giving me a hand?”

Perfect! This will get things back on track. “Of course!”

“I’m going to attempt to strain this as best I can. If you wouldn’t mind minding the sauce and combining it with the pasta, then that would be most helpful.” He set about using a bowl he magic missile’d some holes into earlier to strain the pasta.

Martha smiled to herself. He doesn’t need me to do this. He can easily do it, but he wants me to. And maybe he knows I know this? And is enjoying this little time together as much as I am? And I hope there’s more of this in the future? When he returned with the strained pasta, he never took his eyes off her as she added the sauce and spicy sausage with ease. “Do you approve of your sous chef, Gale?” she whispered, her smile growing wider by the second.

His brown eyes were full of mirth. “I approve of her very much and look forward to hearing her opinion on my made-in-the-frontier pasta.”

After sitting next to each other at dinner (it was so fucking good), Gale asked if they could speak more and took two shortbread biscuits to share. They ended up on a large log by the river. Far enough so the others won’t hear but still not a long walk away in case something happens. “I was wondering if you could share your knowledge on necromancy. I’m most interested…” Upon seeing her expression change to a mixture of shock and fear, he immediately apologized. “Forgive me for my eagerness. It’s simply that I don’t meet too many necromancers in the flesh, as it were. But if it’s not something you wish to discuss, then I would be happy to talk about anything else.”

So he’s interested in that. What on earth made you think he was any different than other power-hungry wizards? Of course he’s not. Martha turned away as she stood, trying desperately to hide the tears forming in her eyes. “You know what, I suddenly feel tired—” He’s just wants what’s in my head, not me. I never should’ve mentioned it, because now everything is ruined.

“Please.”

She froze, still not looking at him.

“If I have offended you in any way, then I most sincerely apologize. I-I will make it up to you, I swear it. I’ll do anything you ask of me. But please, please,” his voice hitched.“Don’t go…unless you truly are tired, then rest.”

Maybe…he’s not like the others. While he wanted more from Mystra, he’s never shown any tendencies towards darker magic. Trust my heart. Trust him. She turned and sat back down, wiping the tears from her golden eyes. “Sorry. Usually when I get asked about necromancy, it’s not for the best of reasons.”

He nodded. Martha thought she saw tears in his eyes. Oh no. Oh fuck. Oh shit. “My dear, that’s very understandable. Gods, Szass Tam comes to mind and other notoriously evil Red Wizards. Not that you are obviously!” Gale buried his face in his hands and groaned. “I’m cocking this right up, aren’t I?”

A smile crept onto her face. “It’s alright. I…do you mind if I share the first time, I realized there was something different about me and my magic?” He lifted his head and nodded enthusiastically. She tentatively offered her hand which he took with a soft smile. “Like you, I’ve been in touch with the Weave for as long as I can remember. One night when I was about five, I saw a boy in my bedroom. He was around my age, maybe a little younger. He asked if we could play for a while, and I said yes. I didn’t think anything of it.” She chuckled. “I found out later that he was the son one of my great-great-uncles who died of flu as a boy. His spirit was still in Hylfyst Manor and just wanted to play. This went on for a few weeks before my parents caught us playing but obviously couldn’t see him. He was scared when he saw them, saw how afraid they were of him. I reached out to touch him and when I did…they could see him.”

Gale’s eyes widened. “Are you telling me that you---as a five-year-old---made a spirit reveal himself? With a touch?!”

She smiled nervously. “Yes?”

“By the gods, how?!?!? How?! Can you still do this?!” He’s not afraid. He’s excited. Very excited. Like how Horace or Scratch gets really excited before I give him a treat.

“I can, though it doesn’t always work. I also can’t explain how I can do it. When it does happen, there’s always some light, which my parents and teachers think is the influence of Selune or Lathander, but who knows?” She shook her head. “Anyways, my parents told him he wasn’t in any trouble and then his spirit moved on. That was the first of my many communions with the dead and helping them along to whatever awaits them next.”

“That’s very kind of you to do.” He said warmly, giving her hand a squeeze.

Martha smiled nervously. Again. Oh my gods, my heart races when he smiles at me like that. “If I can help them, then I will. That’s not to say it’s easy or fun sometimes…but it’s worth it. And before you ask, none of my own studies in necromancy have explained why I’m like this---a freak.” A freak whose own mother thinks she’s useless…no, Mum’s never said that. She just thinks it. I know she does. I’m not a ranger like her. Not as elegant and pretty a lady as her. She’s braver and stronger. She loves the outdoors. Loves hunting. And then there’s me…

Gale shook his head, squeezing her hand again. “You’re not a freak. You were given a gift, from who I cannot say, but a gift nonetheless.” He let go of her hand and slowly touched her freckled cheek. His brown eyes stared into her wide golden ones. “You use this gift, this power bestowed upon you to help others. That’s not freakish at all. In fact, it’s quite admirable.” Something flashed in his eyes---a realization. “Have you ever heard of white necromancers?”

Her brow furrowed. “Hmm, I think there was a reference to that in a book I read years ago, but nothing specific I’m afraid.”

“White necromancers assist the living and the dead---healing mind and body, moving spirits on, and occasionally going into battle against other necromancers. By that definition,” he’s flashing my favorite charming smile. Gods, he’s so handsome. “You’re not a freak. You’re a white necromancer, which is nothing to be ashamed of.”

That’s what it’s always been about, hasn’t it?

Shame.

Shame for having this power.

Shame that in a family of barbarians and rangers, I’m the outlier.

Shame that I won’t live up to my own very high expectations.

She nodded quickly, feeling tears in her eyes. “No. No, it’s not.”

I won’t be ashamed anymore.

[blu-joons]

When He Calls You Mine ~ BTOB Reaction

Eunkwang:

You wore a nervous smile as you were greeted by some of Eunkwang’s family, not recognising any of them. “And who are you?” One of them asked as they went over to greet Eunkwang.

“This is Y/N,” he proudly smiled, wrapping his arm around your waist, “she’s actually mine, Y/N is my partner auntie.”

Her smile turned up as she met your eyes, “it’s lovely to meet you Y/N,” she told you, her smile genuine and her eyes bright as she then looked across to Eunkwang.

“It’s lovely to meet you too,” you smiled back across to her.

After a few moments, his aunt walked away, leaving you and Eunkwang alone again. “They’ll be a lot of introductions today,” he warned you.

“You’re not going to keep telling everyone that I’m yours, are you?” You asked Eunkwang, letting go of a chuckle when his head nodded in reply to you.

“You are mine,” he reminded you, pressing a kiss to your cheek, “it’s not making you shy hearing me call you mine by any chance?”

“A little,” you smirked, “it’s just around your family too, it feels like a pretty big deal.”

“I’m just being honest with them.”

Minhyuk:

A lump ran down your throat as you felt a presence just beside you at the bar, looking around in a bit of a panic. “What are you doing all by yourself?” The figure soon asked you.

“I’m waiting for my boyfriend,” you told them, avoiding eye contact with them, “he’s just gone for a couple of minutes.

A snigger came from the guy beside you, “I’ve heard that trick before, pretend you’ve got a boyfriend because you don’t want the guy to speak to you, right?”

“Hey, she’s mine,” a voice called out, as if on cue.

Your eyes looked past the guy’s shoulder to see Minhyuk with his arms folded across his chest. “Is it still a trick?” You asked him confidently.

“I’m sorry,” Minhyuk whispered across to you as the guy backed away, walking straight over to you and wrapping his arms tightly around your frame.

“It’s not your fault,” you hummed as you rested against Minhyuk’s shoulder, letting go of a bit of a sigh of relief to be with him.

“No one talks to what’s mine,” he told you. “There’s no way he’d have had a shot with you.”

“He’s not as good as you anyway.”

Changsub:

His eyes watched as Minhyuk grabbed you, pulling you across to sit beside him on the sofa. “Hey, Y/N’s mine,” Changsub called out to him as he watched Minhyuk take you.

“Y/N’s on my team,” Minhyuk responded, but Changsub’s head shook as he reached forwards too to pull you back to him.

You didn’t quite know what to do as both of your arms were held onto, “you said earlier that you wanted to be on Hyunsik’s team, so I’ll take Y/N onto my team.”

“That was before I knew Y/N was playing,” Changsub argued.

A sigh came from you as you looked between the two of them, “maybe it’s best if I go on Changsub’s side, why don’t you take Hyunsik instead?”

“Sure,” Minhyuk agreed, unable to bring himself to look across at Changsub, unable to imagine how smug the smile was that he wore, “I’m happy with Hyunsik.”

“I knew you’d come and play with me,” Changsub proudly smiled as Minhyuk dropped your arm, “Y/N prefers me to you Minhyuk.”

“Hey,” you scolded, “I’m only on your side so no one has to deal with you pouting.”

“I never pout, what do you mean?”

Hyunsik:

The eyes of the boys watched you both as you and Hyunsik walked into the studio with your hands intertwined. “Is this…have you guys…are you finally together now?”

“I finally asked Y/N to be mine,” Hyunsik laughed, raising your hands up in response to Sungjae’s stuttering question.

The volume in the studio quickly picked up as the boys cheered for you both, “it’s about time, we thought you two were just going to be in denial together forever.”

“We were never in denial,” you laughed at Eunkwang.

His eyebrows raised questionably back across at you, “we were starting to bet whether we’d have to force you guys together instead.”

“We weren’t that bad,” Hyunsik chuckled, “but you’ll all be pleased to know that we’re together, and you guys don’t have to pull any of your stupid pranks.”

“Agreed,” you spoke up, “you guys have been far from subtle in trying to do things to bring the two of us together.”

“You noticed,” Minhyuk sniggered, “we just wanted you guys to be together.”

“And at last, here we are.”

Peniel:

You were tentative as Peniel walked back across to you after greeting a few of his fans. “Are you alright?” Peniel asked you as he quickly realised how distant you were.

“They’re a lot,” you told him, nodding in the direction of his fans, “it’s not really my kind of style I guess with them.”

Peniel nodded as he reached across and took a hold of your hand, “some of the fans do like to try and be a little bit flirty, I never quite know what to do myself.”

“They definitely like you,” you muttered under your breath.

A sigh came from Peniel as he tried to bring your eyes back to him, “you’re mine, none of them, let them do whatever they want to do.”

“I know,” you weakly smiled, glancing up and meeting Peniel’s eyes, “it’s just such a weird thing to watch, all these fans throwing themselves at you.”

“I wish there was more that I could do to stop them,” he admitted, “but you know that I’m with you, you’re the one I want.”

“I do,” you agreed, “like you told me, I’m the one that gets to be yours, right?”

“Exactly, you’re mine Y/N.”

Sungjae:

You didn’t quite know where to look as one of Sungjae’s managers cornered you, wanting to know who you were. “I’m here with Sungjae,” you nervously stuttered to them.

“Are you though?” They challenged, firmly glancing down at you, “do you know how many people like to say that.”

As he fell silent, a voice cleared from behind them. “Y/N’s mine,” a familiar voice told them, watching on as the confidence that was in his manager fell apart.

“Oh, I see, sorry,” he told you, stepping aside for you.

Sungjae immediately made his way over to you, draping his arms over your shoulders. “I’m sorry I didn’t come and find you Y/N.”

“It’s alright,” you sighed, resting your head against Sungjae’s shoulder. “I really thought that I wasn’t going to be allowed backstage for a second there.”

“Like I told him, you’re mine,” Sungjae proudly smiled, “there’s no way that I wouldn’t find a way to bring you in here.”

“Thank you,” you chuckled, “it feels pretty good to hear you call me mine too you know.”

“You better get used to it.”

---

Masterlist

[iamofficiallymya]

|•Agony•|Billy Loomis

Summary: 1996 you had found out your boyfriend was a serial killer and you also found out you were pregnant with his baby when you had her you gave her to your older sister and she took her and promised to take care of her and then you basically isolated yourself from the world

Only being in touch with your sister you would usually get strange calls from people asking you “What’s your favorite scary movie” but the last call you got was some years after billy died

But here you are in New York City

———————————————————————

- Your currently making sure every window and door is locked properly when you get a phone call you answer it

“Hello?” You say in a slight annoyed type voice

“Hello this is Detective Bailey your a suspect in a crime that involves your niece im gonna need you to come down to the station”

“Samantha?”

“Yes ma’am”

“I’m on my way it’ll take awhile I’m all the way in woodsboro”

———————————————————————————————————

Your on your way to New York by car when you get a text message you pick your phone up staying focused on the road and you read the message “ring check come to this location[INSERT LOCATION]”

Okay?

Once you get there your confused and you text the police officer and they open the door telling you to come in quickly you walk in and you see 5 teens and 3 adults

you look around the room and you see one particular face Gale wethers

“Gale?” You say shocked

“Y/n long time no see”

“Don’t pull that shit you wrote about me in your book” you say aggravated

“It wasn’t to-“ Gale says as she got cut off by someone

“Who’s this” a women says

“This Y/n carpenter” detective Kirby said

“Hm? My mom never brought up a sister or any other sibling at that” - another women says this one looked like she was 18

“Y/n Sam and Tara you probably already know that” Kirby said introducing you

“Your our aunt?” Sam says confused

“I’m Tara’s aunt..” you say nervous as hell

“I’m your mom..” you just blurt out

Everybody’s quiet

“N-What?” Sam says

“Sam i know it’s a lot to explain and I know you won’t abandon the mother you’ve had your life for me I- it’s a lot I promise I can explain everything” you say

“But I f- huh?” Sam says

“Sam I just wanted what was best for you I didn’t want to put you through all of this I wanted to give you a better life after billy died I-everything got harder and worst people were so cruel and I just wanted you safe” you say trying to explain

“Non of this explains anything Y/n” Sam says clearly getting aggravated

“When I had you I gave you to Christina hoping she would give you a better life and she promised to take care of you I just wanted what was best for you” you say

“But the diaries I found-“ Sam says

“We’re mine” you finished “I couldn’t I- couldn’t let you be raised with me I was only 16 and I didn’t know what I was doing and I’m so sorry”

Sam was just quiet and in shock she felt like her whole life was a lie her sister wasn’t her sister but infact her cousin her “Mother” was her aunt

“I’m sorry I need space for a moment” y/n walks outside and leans on a wall

She thinks back to that night..

You were by the counter drinking a beer when your boyfriend billy hugged you from behind

“You okay beautiful?” He ask in a soft voice

“I’m not a big party person” You say smiling at him

“I know that’s why I brung you but it’s getting late you need to head home I’ll drive you”

he says wrapping his arms around her waist a little and pulling her close to him he was trying to get you to go home with a group of girls that were leaving earlier but you were to nervous to ask

“It’s okay Tatum was gonna drive me”

Billy looked confused and looked at Stu who was talking and hugging his girlfriend Tatum

“your not gonna stay the night?” Stu asked in a teasing voice to Tatum

“I’m coming back I was gonna go by Sydney’s house anyways she’s getting sick in the bathroom I was getting her a change of clothes” Tatum says

“Good I was gonna miss you” Stu say

“How about I come over to your house after I help out syd?” Billy asked with a smirk on his face

“Sure!” You say happily

You and Tatum start walking out talking about school gossip and more when you got home you we’re waiting for billy you end up falling asleep in the morning you go downstairs your dad who’s getting ready for work is interested in the news you looked at the tv

“It seems the killers were revealed as Billy loomis and Stu matcher we don’t have any further details on this tragedy Prayers goes out to the families of these victims”

Your heart broke

.

.

.

.

.

End of flashback…

You breathe in and out and goes back inside

(SHOULD I MAKE THIS A SERIES?) 😭

Posted this for fun I swear

Published for @savsxz

[a9saga]

i mentioned this but my grandfather passed away last week. he was 95. my grandmother died in february of 2021 and it's really something that he made it that long without her at his age. they were married 69 years and had 7 children and 21 grandchildren, as well as 11 great grandchildren now with two more on the way. his wake was wednesday night and the memorial mass and burial were yesterday.

my auntie cindy married my dad's oldest brother i believe 50 years ago now. they were high school sweethearts. she knew my grandparents since she was a child, so did the rest of her family for that matter. my grandmother or sometimes my father used to mention a boy in the neighborhood who had unfortunately died very young of a drug overdose. no one outright told me this but i put together when i got older that that was cindy's brother. this is to say of all the in laws that cindy was well acquainted with my family for the longest time, and my family with hers as well.

some months after my grandmother's death, that spring or early summer, cindy had sent out a letter to everyone recalling growing up around my grandmother and marrying into the family, maintaining that relationship for decades. she mentioned something her brother used to say that my grandmother would often quote when cindy wasn't around. she closed the letter with, "i just wanted you to know that i loved your mother like she was my own," which i think was always very evident. cindy's own mother had passed away somewhere over a decade earlier. 4 or 5 years ago diana and i were over her house with our mother, cindy referred to a picture of her mother in the kitchen and said "i talk to her all the time." she's not religious, if that makes it any different. she and everyone else in my family were raised catholic but if you ever get on the topic with her, she thinks the bible and christianity and everything are a load of bullshit. but regardless she does speak to a picture of her mother, which i think is pretty interesting. but i digress.

at the wake, there was a line to the coffin with my grandfather in it. cindy's a sociable person. i got in line behind someone i didn't know. a lot of family friends showed up. cindy came and started chatting her up and she introduced me, and then she told me she'd gotten in line about 6 times but shied away from actually paying her final respects. i was like, wanna do it with me? and she did. so we kneeled before the coffin and she caressed the rosary in his hands, and when we got up i mentioned how much i appreciated her letter in 2021, and it took her by surprise. she said she had wanted to read it as a eulogy at her mother-in-law's funeral but she and my other aunt ended up in a bad argument around it. neither of them are perfect, to be clear. that's not why i'm making this post and i don't plan to elaborate on that.

but anyway, after the burial yesterday everyone went to lunch. i could tell all of my dad's siblings appreciated having each other after both of their parents have died. last weekend my dad and his brother that he's closest to went out to lunch because both my mom and aunt thought they needed it, i know first hand my dad has been very down in the dumps about everything. but anyway, after lunch yesterday when cindy was saying goodbye to me, she rubbed my chin and said "thank you, that was so sweet of you to bring up the letter about connie last night. do you know you had me crying on the way home?"--i don't think i have ever seen cindy cry.

[bellisima-writes]

Thoughts this Pride Month as a Mother

I've been doing a lot of self-reflection this Pride month, given how involved in this fandom I've been since last summer as well as a mother of two children who are inching closer to puberty and their own journey through gender identity and sexual preference.

Let me start by saying that I am a cisgender woman married to a cisgender man. And while I definitely wouldn't identify myself as heterosexual in the least, the person I fell in love with twenty years ago is a man and this is the life I lead.

I was driving my nine-year-old daughter to the doctor earlier and while we were listening to the radio we heard a story about a young girl coming out to her aunt as a lesbian, which was wonderful and the radio personalities celebrated with the aunt on the air.

It made me think, though, of my own children and what I hope for them. So I stopped the radio and told her that, while that's very nice, the goal I have for her and her sister is not for them to feel "comfortable" enough to come out to me. The goal I have is to be able to stand by their sides throughout all of their self-discoveries, throughout all of their relationships and experimentations and make sure they know I am never looking for a label, never looking for them to make a line in the stand and identify themselves as one way or another. That I am simply honored to be able to watch them grow into themselves and into their love and into their lives in all the ways they wish to.

Now, do I think she understood? Some...maybe? She's a smart kid, and we talk very openly about difficult topics all the time. But I think what she came away with was the knowledge that, in our house, all gender and sexual identities are welcome at all times, even within the same person. Because labels are wonderful and can give shape to things we can't express otherwise, but, for some, they can also be limiting in their boundaries and the ways in which they create expectations that we must adhere to.

Anyway, that's the house I strive to raise my kids in. A house where we lean into what brings us joy without judgment and the expectation that there needs to be a declaration. That we can simply listen and observe and watch as our beautiful kids bloom into beautiful adults.

And if, someday, they wish to tell me which label they've chosen for themselves, I'll celebrate the self-assuredness like any other milestone we celebrate in our kids lives and thank them for including me in theirs.

[two-us-two-ks]

I'm back! (Sporadically)

So, hi. I've been away for a while. Mostly because after existing and nothing happening, life began happening pretty fast all over the place all at once. I haven't had that happen to me in years, so something had to give, and that something was Tumblr (and hockey, because I tried to watch both a hockey game and a wrestling match at the same time a few times and. No. Just no).

What happened? I can hear no one ask. But I'm going to tell you anyway.

I had my last two high school matriculation exams

I graduated high school (with laudatur in English!)

After changing my medication for the second time, I've felt mentally better than I have in ages; I'm so well, in fact, that me and my psychiatric clinic team agreed I won't be needing their services for now

My grandpa's Alzheimer's has been going downhill - he got fully admitted earlier this week and won't be going home anymore

One of my aunts was diagnosed with breast cancer - she's doing better, thankfully

I applied to university and got in - majoring in history!

I'm probably forgetting something, but that's already quite a list of things that have been hogging my time and attention. Some of those things will be doing so for the time being, which means that I won't be as active here as I used to be back when my life consisted of max. two courses per period. If anyone wants to talk to me through Tumblr, that's fine - I just might answer weeks later.

Miss B is also doing well, for those interested to know. Oh, and I'm having a proper crush for the first time in years and it's excruciating. Save me pls.

I hope everyone is doing well! And don't think I haven't thought of you while I've been gone. You guys matter <3

[tngrace]

Cry, Baby

Story inspired by real life events and this song, “Cry Baby” by Mitchell Tenpenny.

I have to thank my discord babes so much for listening to me the last couple of days, and for reading over this last night when I wrote it like a madwoman that just had to get it out. There might be more stories for Spicy & Roo one day in the future; I truly loved writing them & I hope yall enjoy it. 

Discord babes: @callsign-dragonbaron @mrsjaderogers @bayisdying @biehnybaby @askmarinaandothers @mischief-siriusly-managed @cycbaby @callsignscupcake @breadsquash

Grace “Spicy” Bradshaw stared at the shower floor as tears cascaded down her cheeks. She was using the water to muffle the sounds of her sobs so they didn’t wake her husband just yet. Bradley had to be up in an hour to go to class, and she wanted to let him sleep as long as possible. She’d been so hopeful that today would bring the news they’d been hoping for, but instead it just brought the same disappointment the last year and a half has brought. She felt like she was letting Bradley down tremendously, and truthfully she wanted to tell him he deserved better.  

She should’ve known he’d come find her when she was up earlier than expected, but it still surprised her when the door opened. “Spice? Babe? You’re up early?”

She quickly wipes her eyes and clears her throat; “Yea, yea I woke up early. Decided to just go ahead and get ready. Didn’t mean to get you up so early.”

“Mind if I join?”

She sucks in a deep breath and holds it; she turns her face into the spray despite knowing her eyes will be red and puffy anyways. “Yea, come on in.”

Bradley gets in behind her and pulls her back into his chest. His chin rests on top of her head as he holds her, letting the warm spray wash over them. “Grace,” he whispers. He only uses her real name when it’s something serious, always using her nickname or some version of it. Slider had given her the nickname based on the food and spice level of it when she took over the grill at the Hard Deck ten years ago.

She sinks into his hold, biting her lip hard enough to almost draw blood. “Talk to me baby.” She shakes her head no as more tears fall down her cheeks.

“I …. Can’t. I…. I just knew this time was going to be different.”

Bradley’s arms tighten around her; he knows right then that despite thinking she’d finally gotten pregnant, she had in fact not. “We’ll just keep trying.”

“Bradley…. You….”

“Don’t say it Grace. Don’t say I deserve better.” He finally spins her, but her eyes drop to his chest and his dog tags unable to meet his eyes. He gently tips her chin up, and her eyes close, tears sneaking out around her lids. He cradles her face between both of his large hands, his thumbs gently wiping the tears away.

“Open your beautiful eyes, Spicy.”

Her breath shudders out, but her eyes slowly open to meet the chocolate brown ones she loves so much. “I love you, and only you. I want you, and only you. If this is all we have, just me and you, we will be ok. But we also still have options. We’re going to try those meds and if that doesn’t work, then we look at other possibilities. I know for a fact if we went to Dad, Uncle Ice, any of the many Uncles and Aunts in our family, we could have the help to make any option possible. This sucks, I know; I know you’re feeling crushed, and today is going to be rough and full of lots of tears. But you, my dear beautiful girl, are all I want, so don’t tell me to find anyone else.”

Spicy collapses against his chest and just cries as he holds her as tight as possible, letting the water keep them warm. Bradley holds her tight, murmuring over and over how much he loves her, how much he’s there for her, how much she can cry to him anytime. Once the water starts cooling off, he washes her hair and runs some conditioner through it before quickly scrubbing his own while she stays wrapped around him. Once they’re both clean, he wraps a towel around his waist and goes to the bedroom to get dressed, letting her have the bathroom to do what she needs. She takes a few minutes to try and compose herself, but it doesn’t work. The tears don’t seem to want to stop. She slips into a pair of shorts and one of Bradley’s t-shirts she’d grabbed on her way to the bathroom that morning.

He’s sitting on the side of the bed waiting on her. She carefully settles in his lap, facing him, with her legs around his waist. She rests her head under his chin, her fingers tangling in his dog tags. “You’re going to make the best Dad one day, and I wish I could make that happen for you, more than anything,” she whispers.

His arms rub up and down her back as he holds her close. “We’re going to get that one day, I promise you, Spicy girl.”

They stayed cuddled like that until Bradley has to get ready for class. He tucks Spicy into bed, “Text me or call me if you need anything today. And I’m sure Pen can manage just fine if you don’t want to go in tonight.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll be ok. I’m not going to cancel on her last minute. I’ll be fine once I’m distracted.”

“Promise me if you’re not, you’ll stay here or come get me.”

She gives him a soft smile and a kiss. “I promise Roo. Now go before you’re late.”

Bradley reluctantly leaves; he wants to text his dad or his uncles to go check on her later, but he also knows what it’s meant to her to keep this a secret to keep the pressure lower on them. He’s glad he doesn’t have a hop that day because his head stays with his girl all day.

Spicy spends the morning in bed, and heads into the Hard Deck around lunch. Penny can tell something is wrong, but she also doesn’t push. She texts Bradley to see what’s going on, but all he’ll tell her is to keep an eye on her. Spicy spends the majority of the day in the kitchen, and when Bradley arrives after class, waving to his uncles and dad in the back corner, he heads straight into the kitchen to check on her.

“Roo,” she smiles, leaning up for a kiss. The kitchen hasn’t been too busy that day, and Bradley can tell she’d deep cleaned everything to keep her mind busy.

“Ready for a break? Dad, Ice, Sli, Chip, Wolf and Wood have the back corner claimed.”

“Roo, I…”

“Penny says you’ve been in here all day, and the kitchen is sparkling.” Spicy sighs as she leans into Roo’s embrace.

“You’re right I’ve been hiding. But I’ve been thinking. Your insurance covered the tests and meds, and I know it’s been a lot on you not sharing with everyone.”

“Grace..”

“No, let me finish.” At Bradley’s nod she continues. “We’ve gotten lucky not having to pay for what we’ve done so far, but if this doesn’t work, we could be forking out more money than we need to on our own. We don’t know how much longer we’re going to be on this journey. You’re a very open person with your family, and I love that. And I know I’ve had you keeping this a secret, and I know there are times you’ve wished you could talk to someone about it. So maybe we should tell them.”

Bradley wraps her in his arms. “You’re just doing this for me, and I know it.”

“I do everything for you Bradley Nicholas. I’d give you the whole world if I could.”

“I’d do the same for you Grace Michelle.” Spicy leans up and kisses Bradley soundly. She lets him take her apron off and hang it up, before telling her assistant that she was done for the night. Spicy wrapped her hand in his, and let him pull her to the back corner where their family was waiting.

Spicy takes the open seat beside Mav, Bradley’s dad instantly pulling her into a side hug, while Bradley pulls up a stool on her other side. As per usual they start off by complimenting the snacks she’d sent their way, before they observe them both. Bradley is telling them about his class that day, but it’s Slider who picks up on Spicy’s quietness. It’s almost like she was still the shy girl they’d met when she’d moved there, instead of the confident outgoing girl she’d become in her ten years in San Diego. He shoots a look at Ice and then Mav before turning his attention back to her.

“B, you’re rambling,” Ice finally says, all of them catching the soft sigh he lets out.

“Yea… Yea I am.” He laces his hand with Spicy’s, giving it a squeeze, before he meets six pairs of worried eyes.

“I’ve had him keeping a secret from yall,” Spicy says, before Bradley can say anything.

“Grace…”

“No B, it’s true.” She finally looks around the table. “We’ve been trying for a baby for a year and a half now, and I didn’t want him to tell anyone because I knew it wouldn’t be easy for us to get pregnant because of me. I didn’t want anyone to get their hopes up just to be crushed over and over.”

She feels Mav’s arm sling across her shoulder and squeeze her tight to his side. He’s been like a dad to her ever since she started dating Roo and realized he was essentially Bradley’s dad too. “Oh kiddo,” he sighs, placing a kiss on her head. Bradley doesn’t let go of her hand, but doesn’t miss how she practically melts into the hug.

She takes another steadying breath and pulls herself upright once more. “My doctor ran some tests about a couple of weeks ago, and in two days I’m going to be starting meds. If after three months they haven’t helped, then we have to either look at other options or give up. This… This morning was rough and there were a lot of tears, but I’ve spent the majority of the afternoon hiding in the kitchen and cleaning and thinking. I know it’s been hard on B keeping this a secret from yall and everyone basically, so I decided we needed to confess.”

In the next instant she is pulled up off the stool into a crushing group hug from their family. Bradley is wrapped in one next, before everyone settles back into their seats. Spicy laughs as she wipes tears off her cheeks, laying her head on Bradley’s shoulder, giving his hand a squeeze. “We’re here for anything, we mean anything, you two might need. No matter how big or small.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Bradley smiles over Spicy’s head. He knew they’d be understanding, but he also understood Spicy’s fears. They spend the next hour explaining her health woes and what all her doctor has recommended. When Spicy starts falling asleep, worn out from all her cleaning and emotional turmoil, Bradley pulls her into his lap.

“Get her home son. We can talk more when you’re both ready,”  Mav promises.

“Thanks Dad.” Bradley scoops her up carefully, Ice following him to help with doors, promising to bring her car home for them. Spicy never stirs, and once home, Bradley tucks her into bed.

Three months later

Spicy is staring at the sink, not moving, not blinking, not even really breathing. The knock on the door startles her enough to cause her jump and squeak. “Spicy? You ok love?”

She opens the door, and Bradley instantly assumes she’s started, late, again. “Oh baby, we can…” but that’s as far as he gets before she’s jumping up and kissing him. He instantly catches her, her legs wrapping around his waist.

“Spice?”

“Roo it finally worked,” she whispers, staring into those chocolate eyes. “It worked! Congratulations Daddy.”

“You’re serious?”

She points at the sink, where five positive pregnancy tests lay. “I’ve done one every morning for the last five days because I didn’t believe them. We’re finally having a baby.”

A week later when they finally have an ultrasound to confirm, they learn that one of the major side effects from the meds happened; they’re having twins. Two and half months pass before Spicy is comfortable telling everyone. Mav and all the uncles knew because Bradley had been way too excited not to tell them, but they’d all kept the secret like she’d asked. Now that she’s showing and well into her second trimester, the ‘86 flyboys plan a huge party at the Hard Deck to celebrate. Spicy and Roo are showered in so much love and excitement, that all the pain of trying slowly melts away. She can’t wait to see Bradley as a daddy and all their family being wrapped around the babies’ fingers.

[potterandpromises]

sorry for not winning you an arcade ring: chapter 6

Mabel and Theo’s art gallery date get together. [Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5]

Also on AO3

(Picks up one day after the last chapter, in the evening.)

At the gallery, the staring is no worse then it was right after all the Bloody Mabel crap.

Low murmurs hush as her and Theo pass and, absurdly, she worries if anyone guesses this whole engagement is a sham. They aren't holding hands. They definitely didn't great each other with a kiss at the door. Nothing, they agreed, was needed to sell the relationship, because no one would ever do what they're doing now. At worst, people will sense something is off and assume they're in a fight or unhappy together.

(At worst, people will know they’re bad for each other.)

For some promotion or other, someone gives them each a glass of champagne, which strikes Mabel as shortsighted given they're in a building full of easily harmed works of art. But, what does she know.

She downs hers. Theo takes a tiny sip of his— possibly even a stage sip— and hands it off to her.

They wonder down the hall, stiff and awkward under the attention. Next to Theo in his burgundy sweater, Mabel feels highly overdressed in her aunt's clothes.

Something catches Theo's gaze, and she follows it to a large canvas, painted with varied shades of violet, magenta, midnight blue. They're barely blended, split like a cracked galaxy.

She catches his eye. “When I was little," he signs, "my dad would tell me: ‘Theo, if you keep looking down— you’re going to get robbed.’”

By his playful smile, it's a joke. She does not find it funny. "Looking at what?"

"S-I-D-E-W-A-L-K," he fingerspells, "C-R-A-C-K-S."

"Oh." It's curious, how she saw the sky and he saw the ground. "Show me?"

It repeats it slowly. "Sidewalk."

"Sidewalk." The flapping motion is as fun as it looks, though somewhat dampened by the middle-aged women to Mabel's right openly staring at them. "And, C-X-A-C-K?"

Theo smiles, like she's done something wrong but she sure is cute about it

She frowns. "What did I do?"

He reaches out, takes her hand in his. Gently, he turns her palm skywerd, and traces an R into her skin. Heat flushes through her, settles low.

"R," he signs, and still holds her other hand. It takes her several seconds longer then it should to realize it is not what she just signed. "You signed" —he traces an X into her too receptive palm— "X."

She nods, throat dry.

"C-R-A-C-K," he continues. "Crack."

"Crack."

"Crack."

Mabel makes eye contact with the staring women, makes her look away.

She turns back to Theo.

"How..." She meant to ask sooner, had wanted to. But when she heard about the sentencing, she couldn’t decide if she was the last person on earth he’d want to see or the only one who’d ask. And besides, she didn't have his phone number. She thought about showing up anyway, his coat tucked under her arm. Of course, she hadn't.

She isn't sure she should ask now, if she should touch the nerve. If it were entirely off limits, though, she figures he wouldn't have mentioned his dad in the first place.

“How are you doing since…” she doesn't have the right signs for 'prison sentence' and lets her hands hover, turn like a visual throat clearing, "with your dad."

Theo stiffens. Neither of them say anything, although not for lack of wanting. The seconds stretch, hang out in the air between them.

"We talk sometimes, and it's fine. I know he loves me," he leans into the word 'love' like a hug, "but I think prison might be the right amount of distance for us."

She has no idea how to respond to that; in sign, out load, over text message, on paper. Her father's absence pricks like a half healed wound most days. She can't imagine needing him to be removed from society, gone.

Someone clears their throat. Loudly.

It's the same women from earlier. Mabel gives her the stink eye as they collect their glasses and shuffle away.

The gallery has a few benches, but she's genuinely unsure if they are in fact serviceable pieces of furniture and not art that should really be roped off. They find an unoccupied corner, sit on the floor instead. She finishes Theo’s champagne.

He holds her gaze. “I spent whole years just waiting for something to change.”

She nods. “Me too.”

Sort of. Theo had waited for the other shoe to drop. Mabel had waited to feel better, to feel like the past was actually past, without entirely wanting it to. She’d waited for Tim to have a change of heart, to confess what he saw.

Theo pulls out his phone and begins to type.

Across the room, a couple, both about 30 years old, share a kiss under a portrait of a Cocker Spaniel balancing an apple on it's head. Are their lives secretly as complicated as hers and Theo's are? For their sakes, she hopes not. She hopes their lives are as easy as they look tonight, and that they have a dog just like that one.

Theo hands her his phone. It's open to the notes app; one paragraph.

I never wanted to go to jail (shocker.) But I want you to know that I did feel bad for Oscar and at times I did want to confess. There was no way to implicate myself without implicating my dad, for threatening Tim and probably for everything else. I could never do that, but I always believed we’d be caught eventually (he didn’t.) It was a relief in a way, not to have to hide everything all the time. I just never thought he'd be punished and I'd basically get away with it.

Mabel looks over at Theo's shoes, his nice shoes, ankle devoid of a monitor.

"We were children," she signs. 'Kid' is something else, but she can't remember what.

"Yeah."

"He wasn't."

"Yeah."

He looks down, keeps her in his sight line. She turns half her attention to the meandering gallery patrons and accidentally makes eye contact with an older man in a fur coat. They both look away.

Theo leans against the wall, one leg outstretched in their little alcove, the other a curved arch where he rests one hand. She'll paint him again, just like this. It's only a matter of time.

She taps his knee. "We can leave, if you want.”

He shakes his head. “Only if you want to."

"No." She doesn't. She wants to stay with him.

He leans forward, pears around the corner at the current of people and the walls patterned with canvases. "Show me something interesting?"

He'd liked that abstract painting, so they get up and she looks for abstract, wonders absently if the hotel artwork in his apartment is by preference or if it just came with the place.

She touches his shoulder. "What about with W-I-L-L?"

"It's better." She can't tell if he means his relationship with Will is better then with his dad, or if he just means it's better then it was.

"We've texted a little. Neither of us really know what to say to each other." At random, they stop in front of a black and white something-or-other. "But we both want to try."

She nods. It's not an insignificant decision, to try.

“Thoughts?" She gestures at the painting.

He considers it, smirks. “I see dead people.” 

A smile pulls at her lips. She narrows her eyes.

“You might not like it,” he leans in conspiratorially, just far enough away that he can still sign, “but that joke would have killed at mortuary school.“

There’s a teasing glint in his blue, blue eyes, and laughter bubbles in Mabel’s chest despite herself. “That’s not a good joke, just so you know.”

He flashes a lopsided grin, and Mabel wants him. Stupid jokes, complicated family, and all.

Tonight, she has him.

The gallery is full of weird beautiful things and some other winery is giving out more free samples. A few people try to ruin it all with their stupid questions but she doesn't let them. It's real, whatever her and Theo have, even if it's only real to them.

Even if it only exists for a few more days.

[littlemoondarling]

Some morning vents, ignore me

I feel like... no matter what I do it will never be enough, I sleep early, I wake up in the middle of the night and get insomnia, I sleep a little later, I wake up later in the night and get insomnia.

And my mom gets mad at me for not sleeping at night and spending the whole day sleeping/exhausted, and I get it, i swear i do, she wants what's best for me but I tried everything. I tried waking up early, taking a very large dose of sleeping pills, not using the phone, trying to force myself back to sleep, etc etc, nothing fucking works.

This isn't just about sleep btw, it extends to literally everything else, I pray on time, fast, read Qur'an, watch their self help videos, still my aunt says I'm not trying to help myself, and my mom says it too, just a bit kinder.

I got a job, worked my ass off, tried to be as polite and patient as humanely possible with a boss that would drive jesus himself insane, I went there even before the day the doctor reccomended after healing from surgery, I got there either on time or earlier and I was still fired. No reason given.

I try so fucking hard to fight the urges to self harm, to work through my addiction and what do I get? Blamed by mom for even thinking about it. Ugh it even makes me feel bad, whenever I don't end up hurting myself I feel so fucking pathetic, like yea there goes the liar, if they really were that depressed they would've actually done it. UGH.

I try to be funny, to make them laugh, to engage in their silly conversations that I find no interest in, to be physically affectionate despite how much I hate it, to be considered, to be a peacemaker, to follow what they say, to fucking open up, but it's never enough, never, there's always more to do, more to do now, I tell them I'm feeling bad and they ask me why, I tell them that I don't know and they accuse me of lying. I'm literally diagnosed with MDD I have anxiety, my meds aren't doing shit, idk how to tell you but sometimes I feel bad for no reason or without knowing the reason.

I... I'm tired. Sometimes all I want to do is give up. To just not better myself and stay in bed until I rot and become one with it. But I love them too much. My mother mainly. I can't bear seeing her upset knowing I could have done something to prevent it. But no matter what I do she ends up upset anyway. I feel like I'm losing my mind. I genuinely do. And these attacks, this looming war. It's... it's certainly not helping. I have no one to go to. No one to talk to. I know I have friends here, and I know they will listen if I ask them to, but I'm always feeling bad, always in this disgusting mood, I fear always talking about it would erode our friendship. Ugh. I want .... I want to be gone... for a while. Just a little while..