#but like i originally made an addison but decided against that

[angeloftrumpets]

[thetavolution]

I RECONFIGURED INGRID AS A DEEP GNOME. I feel so silly I didn't realize it before. She'd 100% be a deep gnome. Laura will just tower over her and Minty.

Full name:  Ingrid Ellen Sullenberger Name meaning:  Ingrid: beloved or beautiful; Ellen: sun ray or shining light; Sullenberger: habitation name for people from Sollenberg or Schallenberg Pronouns:  She/Her  Race: Deep Gnome Age: 28  Orientation: Pansexual Romance: Halsin Class: Druid Subclass: Circle of the Spores Origin: Sage  Theme Song: Why Am I Like This? — Orla Gartland / To My Parents — Anna Clendening / Overthink — Addison Grace / Hate Myself — Dodie

Personality Ingrid is soft-spoken and timid. She can be shy, but once she feels comfortable, she loves to talk! People are surprised at how at ease she feels with the dead and the spores, but it makes perfect sense when you get to know her. She respects all aspects of nature, including death and decay. Oddly, it’s become a way for her to confront her own fear of death.

She’s a pushover and she lacks assertiveness. Or, at least, that’s who she was before she became a leader of a ragtag team of certified weirdos. She had to get it together and take care of them. Her bravery comes from how terrified she is. If she didn’t have other people to take care of, she’d probably curl up in a corner and cry. When other people are relying on her, she quickly musters up every ounce of courage she has and powers through her terror.

She always comes through in a clutch. Even when scared out her mind, she’ll never abandon anyone. She’ll just go have a panic attack after it’s safe. She has an incredibly kind heart and strong sense of empathy. 

During the entire adventure, she does a good job tricking everyone into thinking she's fearless. In reality, she just doesn't let herself stop to think long enough to cower like she wants to.

Background Ingrid was born in the Underdark in a small deep gnome settlement. She comes from a divided home. Her father, Sully, left her mother, Greta, when Ingrid was young. Sully would then marry Anna, a forest gnome, who resented living in the Underdark. Anna also hated Greta with a passion. She was terrified that Greta would "steal" Sully back from her.

It cause a lot of heartache and jealousy among the adults. Ingrid and her younger brother, Sebastian, were often pitted against each other. Anna would take her anger out on Ingrid since she was a timid child. Ingrid would eventually stop trying to spend time with her father to avoid Anna altogether. Sully never made an effort to reach out.

Ingrid felt suffocated by the isolated nature of her village. It didn't help that the Underdark can be cold and unforgiving. She decided to head for the surface and move to Baldur's Gate.

Ingrid found a way to make a living for herself by offering tattooing services. It’s something she practice from a young age and she made a decent living off of it in the city.

She would meet Minty when she first arrived in the city, but she wouldn’t meet Laura until a few years later. Ingrid had settled into a routine in Baldur’s Gate, not entirely sure she was happy with it.

The universe would throw a wrench in the works when she was abducted and given a tadpole.

Likes: Tattoos, tattoo artistry, drawing, scary stories, romance stores, cute outfits and accessories, spiders, sweets, animals, autumn, the beach, forests, and winter

Dislikes: Disrespecting the occult or nature, standing up for herself, baking, sand (it gets everywhere), bitter foods, and how deep gnomes are treated/regarded

Fears: She’s terrified of dying and getting older. It consumes her thoughts often. She fears one day she’ll be old and alone, and left to die a lonely death. Keeping her spore zombies and skeletons close helps her feel better as strange as it may sound. She’s afraid of being “thrown away” by those she loves at any moment.

She's also scared of becoming like her mother, a complete pushover who is too afraid to live her own life.

Quirks:  She struggles to speak up and it’s hard to hear her at times. People misunderstand her a lot due to the fact her voice doesn’t always carry very well. Her eye twitches when she's anxious or hasn't gotten enough rest.

Mental Health:  She has anxiety and depression. She is preoccupied with her fears of death and aging beyond what is reasonable. She’s terrified she has no value for the people around her and could be discarded at any moment. Her depression can make her listless sometimes. If she doesn’t have a job to do or someone to help, she’ll struggle to get up to do anything for herself.

Favorite Foods: Strawberries, Potato Soup, Pasta, Mushrooms, and Honey Cake

Favorite Drinks: Chili Chai

Favorite Flower: Camellia of the Black Lady

Height:  3'6”/ 106.68 cm 

Skin: Grey-Blue

Hair:  Dark Blue

Eyes:  Blue

Color Scheme:  She loves wearing blacks, browns, and greens. 

Fashion Sense: She straddles two worlds. She loves to be in nature with clothing to match, but she also loves to wear cute outfits made by merchants Baldur’s Gate or Neverwinter.

She’s not as free with nudity as Halsin is. She can handle other people’s nudity. She’s just self-conscious about her own.

She has a lot of tattoos that are only visible when she wears more revealing clothing.

Family: 

Calvin “Sully” Sullenberger Sully is the head of the household. He secretly likes having Anna and Greta fight over him, ignoring the damage it has done to his children. He’s friendly and boisterous, but selfish.

Greta Sullenberger She’s Ingrid’s mother. She’s a lot like Ingrid, but even more docile than her daughter. She doesn’t stand up to Sully or Anna as often as she should. Ingrid fears she may be too much like her mother.

Anna Sullenberger She's Sully's second wife who terrorizes Greta and Ingrid. As horrible as she is to everyone, she's convinced she's the real victim in all of this. She's needy and loves being the center of attention.

Sebastian Sullenberger He’s Anna’s son. He is the apple of her eye and he hates it. He actually likes Ingrid and he wants a healthy relationship with her, but his mother makes it near impossible. He also left home early to avoid dealing with his parents’ drama. He’s off being an adventurer in Faerûn. Ingrid hasn't seen him in years. He looks like a forest gnome and most people would never guess that he's Ingrid's brother.

[thedefinitionofendgame]

baseball takes your mind off things

Slexie, Merder and Cristowen one-shot | Rated T | Canon-compliant with 6x03

A/N: The baseball scene at the end of 6.03 after Lexie doesn’t get fired with the hospital cuts (and neither did Meredith or Cristina). Will go down as one of my favourite “couples” scenes on grey’s and I literally don’t know why. Maybe because everyone looks so happy, and both Derek and Meredith are cool with Mark and Lexie being together. All is well, aka the calm before the storm that is the Mercy West merger.

•

You can read this work on ao3 and fanfiction.net as well

Written and cover by @thedefinitionofendgame (aka me)

It was just six doctors off-duty-three medical students, three well-known surgeons-all just messing around with baseballs and beer bottles in their hands. For the surgeons, it was another night of fun with their girls and the boys. For the medical students, it was a way to take the edge off as they had all just survived the first round of merger cuts. Meredith wasn’t surprised all three of the women had made it; they were all more than capable. Cristina especially, although sometimes her actions were a little questionable. Lexie, as Meredith’s younger sister, had a legacy to live up to but she also was becoming a very talented surgeon. Mark never hesitated to tell her that.

Meredith was still trying to figure Mark Sloan out. Sure, he was a player and slept around a lot prior to getting together with Lexie Grey. It was one of the reasons why Meredith was very against Derek’s best friend and Lexie at first. She was the one who told Derek to tell Mark to keep “little Mark” in his pants when it came to Lexie. That was her first mistake, because all it seemed to do was make Mark want Lexie; a guy clearly likes the challenge of fooling around with someone he can’t have. Although they weren’t just fooling around; Lexie loved Mark and Mark loved Lexie. Lexie had assured Meredith he wasn’t taking advantage of her and that they were going to be together, blessing or not. Meredith didn’t want to lose her sister that she had only recently found out she had, so she caved. Now here she was, with her sister, her best friend, her husband, his best friend, and then Owen. Meredith supposed everyone had a connection to her somehow, except for Owen Hunt. Sure, he was her best friend’s boyfriend but they weren’t super close. Anyways, that wasn’t the point.

The point was that Meredith, Cristina and Lexie had all made the first round of cuts. Cristina had to go and put a damper on their good news by stating it was the first round of more to come. Nevertheless, Meredith was happy for all of them. The men had decided that a game of baseball was in order, not so much a game as a chance to blow off some steam. Originally, Cristina was going to stay at the hospital, and Meredith with her. Then Owen came along with beers and announced that baseball was necessary, rounding up Meredith and Derek. They found Mark comforting Lexie in the foyer; Meredith’s first thought was that she had been cut when she saw the tears on Lexie’s cheeks. But they were actually tears of joy, and Mark was doing his boyfriend-ly job by soothing her regardless of it being a victory or loss.

Okay, maybe former-womanizer Mark Sloan could be a good guy. Guess he just had to find the right girl.

Meredith snapped back to focus to cheer Cristina on, after she managed to hit the baseball flying at her face. Lexie wanted a turn next, so she handed her beer off to Mark, slapped one of the helmets on her head and headed to take a crack at it. Derek, who was playing back catcher, caught Meredith’s eye and winked; he really did love his complicated-but-loving wife.

Meredith and him, well they’re love story hadn’t been a smooth one. It started with a one-night stand that ended up being taken to work of all places. Turns out Seattle wasn’t as large as they thought. But Derek wouldn’t change all the bumps in the road, including his ex-wife coming back into his life and then leaving almost as fast, to go back and not meet Meredith. She was his endgame, his ride-or-die and his forever. Post-it or not, they would always be married and love each other until the ends of the Earth.

It was the love he felt for Meredith, that made him reconcile things with Mark. Mark Sloan had had the tendency to make jackass moves all his life; sleeping with Addison being one of many. But specifically going against Derek’s only ask that he didn’t date Lexie, well that had been a bit far. They had fought it out like teenage boys, despite the fact they were grown men, and with the girls’ help had then talked it out. Mark had assured him that Lexie wasn’t another fling that he’d get rid of in a couple weeks. She was the real-deal. And even though Derek doubted it at first, there was no denying that Mark Sloan loved Little Grey. It took Mark a lot to ever say the word “love” about a girl, for the long term. Confessing his relationship status to Derek had been tough, but it only made Derek realize how much Mark actually cared for Lexie; he was willing to lose his best friend over the girl he loved.

Derek liked Meredith’s “sisters” both the blood-related and the symbolic one. Cristina Yang was all shades of talented, and while she wasn’t all smiley like Lexie, she knew how to perform surgery like a boss. She and Meredith had been there for each other through a lot, and Meredith needed good friends like Cristina. She needed her “person”; someone who would be there through the thick and thin. Best friends don’t come along often, and Derek of all people knew that in regards to Mark. His and Mark’s friendship hadn’t been smooth-sailing, but deep down they cared for each other. He was the brother Derek never had, because God or someone else had cursed him with sisters.

Crouching behind the batter, who at the moment was Lexie Grey, Derek turned his attention to the baseball winding up inside the machine. Owen Hunt had been speaking all kinds of smartness when he told Cristina she needed to focus on what was in front of her, in that very moment. The ex-army trauma surgeon did know what he was talking about and while he didn’t always make the best choices, he sure knew how to give a short but sweet peptalk. Derek smacked his hand into the glove and waited, ready for whatever life threw at him.

They took shot after shot, of both alcohol (well more like sips) and baseball. It was a wild night, as the three couples laughed and had fun just being. No cares were in their minds anymore; even Cristina had stopped fretting about the next round of cuts. Meredith had Derek’s jackets wrapped around her shoulders, while Lexie snuck drinks of Mark’s beer, and Owen helped Cristina work on her swing stance. It was peaceful and though Cristina didn’t like to admit it, her boyfriend’s idea was a good one.

It felt good to clear her head, to take her mind off the rush at the hospital. Nothing could ever feel as good as the rush of surgery but hitting a baseball swung mighty close. At least in this moment right now. She might feel differently if she woke up the next morning with a sore arm from taking hits all evening. Although Owen had already whispered in her ear about promising to massage her back if her muscles were tight. It was an opportunity Cristina was prepared to take full advantage of.

She and Owen were something else. Not fierce, but good. Comfortable. They were good together and they knew what the other wanted, at least they both thought they did. Sure, they would never get married on a post-it note like Meredith and Derek had, although who could really match with Meredith and Derek? They were utterly perfect and utterly in love. It was a miracle they were here tonight, actually, and not Christening more surfaces in the house. “Newlyweds” had been their excuse, according to Lexie. Little Grey was here tonight having a blast and the beer in her system made her a little more rowdy than normal. Cristina couldn’t help but enjoy this new side of Lexie.

Mark was also enjoying it, watching his girl jump up and down when she hit the ball square on the bat, making a nice crack sound and sending the little white sphere tumbling through the air. He wouldn’t help but stare at her ass too, because damn did Little Grey have a nice ass. She had a nice everything, but of her physical features her ass was his favourite. Mark shook his head as Derek stepped up to plate next; he did not want to think of his best friend’s ass at all.

It was Owen who was the most observing throughout the night. He watched his girlfriend loosen up and start to feel more like her regular self. Cristina was normally uptight but she had been very uptight recently. A night of hitting a ball around was clearly doing some good, and it was good to see Mark and Derek getting along as though nothing had happened between them. Owen didn’t know much about the fistfight that went down, besides the fact that Derek had thrown the first punch, but whatever it was hadn’t managed to tear the two guys apart. If the cost was being the third wheel amongst the bros for them to get along, then Owen was happy to pay the price.

At last everyone started to lose energy, and the baseball night drew to a close. Lexie took off her sweaty helmet and threw it into the back of Mark’s vehicle. She said goodbye to her sister and her husband with hugs; Cristina and Owen got a wave as they headed for the opposite side of the parking lot. Mark drove away with a smile on his face and Lexie’s fingers interlaced with his.

They didn’t speak, but Lexie knew what he was feeling. They were happy, they had their jobs and they loved each other. That was all that mattered; it was all that ever mattered. Tonight had been a whirlwind, though Lexie loved it. She loved her life, she loved the man sitting beside her, and she loved her newfound sister. Life was good.

So good, in fact, that she didn’t even think about the Mercy West merger that was about to take place.

Not one thought.

[otherworldlybooksgoddess]

Five Exceptional Fantasy Books Based in Non-European Myth

Photo by Josh Hild

Don’t misunderstand me: I love reading well-written fantasy with roots in the familiar Celtic and English folklore of my childhood, but with the vast majority of High Fantasy being set in worlds closely akin to Medieval Europe, and a large amount of of Mythic Fiction drawing on legends of similar origin, sometimes the ground begins to feel too well trodden.  There is, after all, an entire world of lore out there to draw from.  That’s why I’m always thrilled to find excellent works of what I call “the Realistic Sub-Genres of Fantasy” based in or inspired by myths from other cultures.  Such books not only support inclusiveness, but also expand readers’ experiences with lore and provide a wide range of new, exciting realities to explore. So, if you are looking for something different in the realm of Fantasy, the following novels will provide a breath of fresh air.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wrecker

In this beautifully written novel, Wrecker draws on both Middle-Eastern and Jewish mythology to tell the stories of two unwilling immigrants in Edwardian New York and the unlikely friendship that springs up between them.  Chava, an unusually lifelike golem created for peculiar purposes, has only days worth of memories and is practically childlike in her innocence.  Ahmad the Jinni has lived for centuries, but is trying to reclaim his forgotten past. The former is as steady and calm as the earth she’s made from while the latter is as volatile and free-spirited as the fire within him.  Both must learn to live in an unfamiliar new culture and find their places in a city too modern for myths even as they hide their true natures.  It’s a wonderful metaphor for the experiences of immigrants everywhere, who often find themselves feeling like outsiders—isolated and even overwhelmed— as they struggle to adapt to life in an alien society.  

Full of memorable characters, vivid descriptions, and interesting twists, The Golem and the Jinni takes readers on a journey that is driven as much by internal conflict as external action.  The setting of 1900’s Manhattan is well-researched and spectacular in its detail.  Wrecker blends two old-world mythologies into the relatively modern Edwardian world with a deft hand.  The result is not only fascinating, but also serves to illustrate the common early-twentieth-century experience of an immigrant past colliding with an American future.

The Tail of the Blue Bird by Nii Ayikwei Parkes

One part Detective Mystery and one part Magical Realism, this novel invites readers to experience modern-day Ghana in a way that is both authentic and profound.  When Kayo, a forensic pathologist just beginning his career, is pushed into investigating a suspected murder in the rural village of Sonokrom, the last thing he expects is to have a life-changing experience.  Soon, however, he gets the acute sense that the villagers may know more than they’re letting on. When all of the latest scientific and investigative techniques fail him, even as odd occurrences keep dogging his steps, Kayo is finally forced to accept that there is something stranger than he thought about this case.  Solving the crime will require more than intelligence and deduction; it will require setting his disbelief aside and taking the traditional tales and folklore of an old hunter seriously.  Because whatever is happening in Sonokrom, it isn’t entirely natural.  

This novel is brilliant not only because of its deep understanding of Ghanaian society and realistic setting, but also because of Parkes writing style.  The narrative is gorgeously lyrical and everything within it is described with a keen, insightful eye.  The dialogue is full of local color, and while some may find the pidgin English and native colloquialisms difficult to follow, I found that the context was usually enough to explain any unfamiliar terms. Sometimes the narrative feels a little dreamlike, but that is exactly the way great Magical Realism should be.  The Tail of the Blue Bird insistently tugs readers to a place where reality intertwines with myth and magic, all while providing an authentic taste of Ghanaian culture.

The Deer and the Cauldron by Jin Yong

During the reign of Manchu Emperor Kang Xi, China is in a state of barely-controlled sociopolitical unrest.  Many of the older generation remember the previous dynasty, and there still remain vestiges of a resistance movement hidden among the populace.  As his forces continue to hunt down the malefactors, called the Triad Societies, the boy-emperor turns to his unlikely friend and ally: a young rascal known only as Trinket.  This protagonist is a study in contrasts: lazy yet ambitious, cunning yet humorous, roguish yet likable, foul-mouthed yet persuasive. Born in a brothel, Trinket has made his way by his wits alone.  At age twelve, he accidentally sneaked into the Forbidden City—a bizarre occurrence in itself—afterward befriending Kang Xi.  Now, rising quickly through the ranks, he is on a mission to (ostensibly) find and weed out the Triad Societies, and he uses the opportunity to infiltrate various organizations, playing their leaders against one another for his own gain. With a dangerous conspiracy brewing in the Forbidden City itself, however, he is forced to choose sides and decide what is most important to him: friendship, fortune, or freedom.   Supernatural occurrences, daring escapades, and moments of deep introspection abound as Trinket struggles to navigate the perilous maze his life has become.

This novel is like a gemstone: bright, alluring, and many faceted.  At times it may seem somewhat simple on the surface, but looking closer reveals new depths and multiple layers.  Full of intrigue, action, horror, and even laughs, The Deer and the Cauldron mirrors not only the complexities of its setting, but those of the China the author himself knew during the Communist revolution. By blending together history, fantasy, realism, humor, and subtle political commentary, Yong not only beautifully captures these social intricacies but also creates a narrative that is as thoroughly engaging as it is unapologetically unique.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Magical realism related to food has almost become a movement in itself, with novels like Aimee Bender’s The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Joanne Harris’ Chocolat, and Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells all finding their places in readers’ hearts.  Originally published in 1992, Like Water for Chocolate helped create this fascinating trend, and it has become something of a modern classic in the fantasy genre.  

The narrative centers around Tita de la Garza, a mid-twentieth century Mexican woman possessing deep sensitivity, a strong will, and a special talent for cooking.  Born prematurely, Tita arrived in her family’s kitchen, tears already in her eyes.  It is in that room where she spends most of her childhood, being nurtured and taught by the elderly cook, Nacha.  The relationship that flourishes between Tita and her caregiver is a special gift, as it provides the girl not only with the compassion and support her own mother denies, but also with a passion and skill for creating incredible, mouth-watering dishes.  At Nacha’s side, Tita learns the secrets of life and cookery, but she also learns one terrible fact: thanks to a family tradition, she is destined never to have love, marriage, or a child of her own.  Her fate, rather, is to care for her tyrannical widowed mother, Mama Elena, until the day the older woman dies.  With a vibrant, independent spirit, sixteen-year-old Tita flouts this rule, falling deeply in love with a man named Pedro who asks for, and is denied, her hand in marriage.  Undaunted, the young man agrees to wed one of Tita’s older sisters, Rosaura, instead, as he believes this to be the only way he can be close to the woman he loves.  Thus begins a life-long struggle between freedom and tradition, love and duty, which is peppered throughout with supernatural events and delicious cuisine.  So great is her skill in cooking that the meals Tita prepares take on magical qualities all their own, reflecting and amplifying her emotions upon everyone who enjoys them.  Controlled and confined for much of her existence, food becomes her outlet for all the things she cannot say or do.  The narrative itself echoes this, by turns as spicy, sweet, and bitter as the flavors Tita combines.  At its heart, this is as much a tale about how important the simple things, like a good meal, can be as it is a story about a woman determined to be her own person and choose her own fate.

Cuisine is fundamental to this novel, with recipes woven throughout the narrative, but that is only a part of its charm.  In the English translation, the language is beautiful in its simplicity.  The characters often reveal hidden depths, especially as Tita grows up and is able to better understand the people around her.  Heartfelt in its joys and sorrows, Like Water for Chocolate glows with cultural flavor and a sense of wonder.  It’s a feast for the spirit, and like an exquisite meal, it never fails to surprise those who enjoy it.

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

When I first read this novel, I found the early chapters enjoyable and engaging, but felt the story was no more than a typical, if especially well-written, work of mythic fiction.  The deeper I got into the narrative, however, the more wrong I was proven.  The City of Brass is anything but ordinary. While basing her work in Middle-Eastern lore and history, Chakraborty nonetheless manages to create a setting and story that are both wonderfully unique. Lush, detailed, and bursting with magic and intrigue, this book spans the lines between several sub-genres of fantasy without ever losing its balance.  

Beginning in eighteenth-century Egypt, the narrative follows a quick-witted antiheroine. Nahri doesn’t live by the rules of her society.  She doesn’t believe in magic or fate or even religion.  Orphaned for most of her life, survival has required her to become a con artist and a thief.  As a result, she is practical and pragmatic, a realist who has never even considered donning rose-colored glasses, and the last person who would ever expect anything supernatural to occur. Which, of course, means that it does, but the way in which it is handled is intricate and interesting enough not to feel trite. When Nahri’s latest con—a ceremony she is pretending to perform and doesn’t believe in even slightly—goes awry, and the cynical young woman finds herself face to face with a Daeva.  Magical beings, it transpires, are real after all, and this one is furious.  To both of their dismay, he’s also bound to Nahri, who soon realizes that he has an agenda of his own.  In return for rescuing her (and refraining from killing her himself) Dara, the Daeva warrior Nahri accidentally summoned, wants her to pull of the biggest con of her life: pretending to be the half-human heir to the throne of his people.  Worse still, she soon realizes that Dara, whose mentality sometimes seems a little less-than-stable, actually believes she may be exactly who he claims.  He has something planned, and his intentions may not be in her best interest.  Dragged unwillingly into a strange world of court intrigue, danger, social upheaval, and magic, Nahri quickly discovers that some things remain familiar.  People are ruled by prejudices, the strong prey on the weak, and she can’t fully trust anyone.  The stakes, however, are higher than ever, and Nahri will need all of her wits, cunning, and audacity if she wants to survive.

This novel was thoroughly enjoyable, and in fact prompted me to buy the following books in the trilogy as they became available. Chakraborty’s style is lyrical, her world building is superb, her plot is intricate, and her characters are well-developed.  She not only frames unfamiliar words and ideas is easily-comprehensible contexts, but weaves those explanations smoothly into the narrative. The culture, mythology, and history surrounding her tale are all carefully researched, but the tale itself is nonetheless unique. What begins feeling like a fairly ordinary mythic fiction novel will pleasantly exceed readers’ expectations.

So, while we, as fantasy readers, love the works of authors like J. R. R. Tolkien, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Charles de Lint, there is also a plethora of other enchanting books to enjoy.  Exploring magical realism and mythic fiction based in cultures and folklore from all around the globe ensures that our to-read lists will always hold something unexpected and exciting to surprise us.  So, if you’re starting to feel like you’re in a bit of a reading rut, or if you’re simply looking to expand your horizons, open up new realms of imagination by opening up one of the novels above.  Who knows see where it will lead you?  You may just discover a new favorite to add to your bookshelf.  Happy reading!

[sheerfreesia007]

Fallin’ All In You (Pt. 57)

Title: Fallin’ All In You (Pt. 57)

Pairing: Agent Whiskey x Reader

Author: @sheerfreesia007​​

Words: 2,394

Warnings: Fluff, Flirting, Sadness, Mention of character death, funerals

Tags: @synystersilenceinblacknwhite​, @two-unbeatable-beaters​, @randomness501​, @sevvysaurus​, @paryl​, @talesfromtheguild​, @secretsihideinside​, @agingerindenial​, @mrschiltoncat

Permanent Tag List: @paintballkid711​, @fioccodineveautunnale​

Author Notes: This was originally planned to be smut but I couldn’t do it. I have heart eyes for Daddy!Jack y’all. Heart eyes and melting. Ugh. Memaw going in for the kill about grandbabies. I love Jack’s family they’re close knit and take care of their own. And once you’re in you’re in for life. Sigh. Feedback is always welcome! Thanks for reading

Gif Credit: Pinterest

         You stare at the front of the large ranch home and sigh softly; it had been only two weeks since your Dad had passed. The first week you had spent up in Boston preparing and hosting the wake and funeral for him, as well as getting everything squared away with the senior facility where he had been staying. The wake and funeral had been painful for you but there such an overwhelming turn out of people that you were glad that you had done it and not just quietly buried him in the plot he had for your mom and sister.

         Boston P.D. had shown up in force for the funeral, most of the attendees knowing your Dad because of his long service with the Department. There were even some retirees who came to show their support for you. You had been almost bursting with their love and support as you stood to make a eulogy. And after the service when Officer Murdock came up to you with a plaque with your Dad’s old badge, an inscription of the Boston P.D. motto and your Dad’s service dates made you bawl like a baby in his arms. He had cried as well as he held you and showed you the commemorative video that the Boston P.D. had created for you showing clips of retired and active officers talking about your Dad.

         It had been a lovely service and you were glad you had done it but it had drained you completely. The second week you had spent away from work was just spent lazing about the apartment in New York and attending therapy. You didn’t want your grief to turn into some more harming to yourself so you knew therapy was a must for you.

         But this weekend Jack had managed to be able to get the days off and he had whisked you away to the Daniels ranch where his family was hosting a little get together to celebrate his Grandfather’s birthday. You had agreed to go months ago when it was first being planned but now after your Dad had passed you weren’t feeling very accommodating. Jack had even offered you an out but you had told him that you’d like to go and get out of the apartment even though you didn’t feel like you were at 100%. You explained that it could be good for you to get out for a little bit and spend time with others instead of holing up in the apartment again.

         So as you sat in the Bronco staring at the front of the ranch house you fidgeted in your seat suddenly feeling unsure. Jack laid a hand over yours that sat in your lap twisting in on each other trying to calm you down. Looking over to him across the bench seat you saw his soft smile and concerned eyes.

         “I’m fine, just unsure.” You said reassuringly. Jack held your hands and tugged you across the bench seat until you were pressed up against his side. His arm wrapped around your back and held you close while his other hand came up under your chin and tilted your face up to him.

         “If at any point it gets to be too much you let me know and we’ll step back. Got it?” he assured you softly. You nodded your head smiling gratefully up at him. Jack leaned down and kissed you deeply as his hand under your chin slid over your cheek to cup it in his palm. You whimpered softly into the cab of the Bronco as Jack’s tongue swiped across your bottom lip and slid into your mouth. Your hands came up to Jack’s chest and gripped his shirt tightly in your fingers as love and desire for this man coursed through you hotly. “Fuck darlin’.” He husked out once the two of you separated for some air.

         “I know, me too.” You whispered against his mouth as you leaned up and pecked his lips a few times. When you pulled away for the final time Jack tried to follow but you shook your head smiling before you tilted your head to the house in front of the two you. “Don’t wanna give them a show now do you cowboy?” you asked softly and Jack smirked softly shaking his head.

         “C’mon darlin’.” He said lowly and then opened his door before sliding out. Turning back to you he helped you out of the cab and made sure you were steady on your feet with your cane before he turned and grabbed your bags from the back seat.

         Walking up to the front door you smiled warmly as you spotted Memaw waiting there for the two of you. She was dressed in a knee length dark blue dress and her hair was pinned up in a severe bun. Her pretty brown eyes were sparkling with unshed tears as she opened her arms to you widely.

         “Oh darlin’.” She cooed softly to you and you instantly felt safe as tears sprung to your own eyes. Moving into her arms you felt her wrap them tightly around you and hold you close. “I am so sorry for your loss darlin’.” She cooed softly to you as she petted your hair.

         “Thank you.” You mumbled softly as you sniffled and brushed your fingers under your eyes to catch the tears.

         “I’m sorry we weren’t there for you at the service.” She said softly and cupped your face in her hands. “We didn’t want to overstep or overwhelm you.”

         “Thank you, you could’ve come though it would’ve been nice but I appreciate the thought. I got the flowers for Dad’s grave they were lovely, thank you.” You answered her smiling softly and placing a hand against one of hers on your face.

         “Nonsense darlin’ of course we would send flowers.” She said with a soft scoff and shook her head as she patted your face softly. “Now come inside everyone is waiting for the two of you.” She said kindly and you nodded. “Oh don’t look at me like that Jack. They all know what she’s been through they won’t be crazy.”

         “Says the craziest of them all.” Jack groaned lowly and you laughed softly as Memaw shook a finger at him before turning and opening the front door. Jack came up to your side and placed a hand at your lower back. “Remember if it’s too much tell me.” He said softly in your ear before placing a kiss at your temple.

         Walking into the Daniels home you and Jack were greeted by loud boisterous cheers, which both shocked you at the loudness but also made your heart swell in your chest as you saw everyone with wide smiles on their faces as they all stared at you.

         “Darlin’! It’s so good to see you again!” called Jack’s mother Addison as she came waltzing over to the two of you and wrapped you in a tight warm hug. “I’m so sorry for your loss darlin’. If there’s anything that you need you just holler alright?” You smiled and nodded your head at her as she held you at arms length raking her eyes over your figure.

         “Yes thank you so much.” You responded softly. You smile at her as you realize that two of Jack’s family have now taken to calling you darlin’ like Jack does and it warms your heart, makes you feel like you’re a part of the family.

         After greeting everyone you and Jack make your way up to the bedroom that you had shared the last time you were here to put your bags away and just decompress before dinner was ready. Smiling warmly over at Jack as you lay back on the bed he grins over at you and crawls over the bed to hover over your body. His grin turns deviant and you smirk up at him.

         “They’re not going to give us much time.” You remind him and watch as he smiles and nods his head knowingly.

         “Oh I know darlin’. I only wanna hold and kiss you. I’ve missed you after being away.” He says softly and lowers himself down to lay on top of you and wrap his arms around you. You snuggle into his arms and sigh contently as he begins to press soft kisses up and down your neck.

         “Have you noticed both your mom and Memaw call me darlin’ just like you?” you ask softly as your hands come up, one to trail up and down his spine and back while the other cards through his hair scratching at his scalp. Jack groans into your neck and nips a little bite into your skin. You yip soft and jolt your body against his.

         “Yeah but that’s just their way of accepting you into the family.” He confirms as his tongue begins to trace up and down your neck. You hum softly to him and slowly shut your eyes feeling safe and warm.

         A loud knock jolts you from your little nap and you try to rise up from the bed but can’t. Looking down confused you smile warmly as you see Jack is laying half on you with his head resting on your stomach and the rest of his body splayed out between your legs. He’s nuzzling into the fabric of your shirt and you snort softly as you run your fingers through his hair.

         “Dinner’s almost ready you two.” Calls Jack’s mom from the other side of the door.

         “We’ll be right down.” You call out in answer and try to rouse Jack from his sleep. “Jack it’s dinner time sweetheart. We gotta get up.” You say warmly as you begin to shake his shoulder. Grunting Jack’s eyes dart open and he looks around the room quickly taking in his surroundings. Sighing softly he tried to nuzzle his face back into your shirt and you grin down at him. “C’mon sweetheart we gotta get up.” You say again.

         “Don’t wanna.” Jack responds sounding like a child and you laugh tenderly at him before you shoved his shoulder hard. Jack grunted and decided he was going to fight you and just let his body become dead weight on top of you making you groan out loud. “I said I don’t wanna.” He said with a pout as he slithered up your body so that he lay completely on top of you. You smirked underneath him and lifted your head to his letting your lips nip at his earlobe.

         “The sooner we get done with dinner the sooner we can come back up here and I can show you what I’ve got underneath.” You husked into his ear and felt him shiver at your words. Jack instantly jumped up from the bed.

         “Why didn’t you say so darlin’?” Jack asked grinning wickedly at you as his eyes darkened and raked over your body. Laughing you let him pull you from the bed and start leading you out of the room.

           “So have you and Jack planned the whole wedding yourselves?” asked Jack’s sister Charlotte as she sat across the table holding her one year old son Hunter in her arms.

         “Yeah we’ve been bouncing ideas off of each other as we go. I mean we don’t plan on getting married until next year so we have time to iron out all the details but we’ve got a good idea of what we both want during the ceremony and reception.” You explain as Jack rests a hand on your thigh.

         “And you want to have it all on Jack’s ranch?” asks Jack’s younger brother Mason. I now my head smiling softly at Mason.

         “It would mean more to us to have it there than at a reception hall.” You explain easily.

         “Well I like the idea. I think it’s a wonderful.” Says Jack’s mom as she smiles brilliantly at both you and Jack. Jack’s hand tightens on your thigh and you rest your head on his shoulder smiling to yourself.

         “Well now that we got that topic outta the way. What about great grandbabies?” asked Memaw at the head of the table.

         “Memaw!” Jack chastised as he shook his head at her and she shrugged her shoulders at him.

         “I’m not getting any younger Jack and your siblings already have a horde of great grandbabies.” She explained sassily as she darted her eyes over to him. You chuckled softly at her antics and watched from across the table as Hunter slapped his tiny baby hands onto the table and cooed at you. Smiling tenderly at him you watched Charlotte nod her head at you and you grinned nodding back.

         “Well then you shouldn’t feel the need to rush us to have great grandbabies.” Jack retorted next to you as you watched Hunter. He began to crawl across the table to you and you easily swept him up in your arms cuddling him close. Placing a softly kiss on his hairline where the Daniels signature dark chestnut hair lay in soft waves. Hunter cooed at you and began to babble in baby talk to you as you nodded your head exaggeratedly to encourage him to keep talking.

         “You don’t say little man.” You say warmly to him and he shrieked in laughter. “Well goodness that sounds like a busy day you had today.” You respond to the little man and smile as he claps his hands in front of himself.

         “See she looks good holding a great grandbaby.” Memaw says proudly as she points over to you as Hunter babbles again at you.

         “I mean she’s not wrong.” You say shrugging your shoulder as you look over at Jack and notice his eyes darken slightly before he huffs over towards Memaw. Jack wraps an arm around your back and moves closer to you as he ducks his head down to whisper in your ear.

         “You look damn fine with a baby in your lap darlin’. Damn fine.” He husks to you and you feel your cheeks blossom with a blush as Hunter shrieks again and pats Jack’s nose making you grin widely. Your heart flutters in your chest at the thought of having a baby with Jack and you can’t get the image of the two of you holding a baby in between you out of your head.

[alj4890]

Kiss Prompts

(Maxwell Beaumont x Nadia Park) with the prompt: A gentle kiss that quickly descends into passion, with little regard for what’s going on around them as requested by Anonymous. (Thomas Hunt x oc*Amanda) with the prompt: Staring at each other’s lips for a moment before moving closer, as if drawn together by some unseen force also requested by Anonymous. And the prompt: “I shouldn’t be here.” As requested by @krsnlove​ ​

(Maxwell x Nadia) (Thomas x Amanda) in a The Royal Heir/Red Carpet Diaries/Perfect Match crossover Fan Fiction

A/N Sorry! Technical difficulties occurred with this and the next part being deleted. It broke my heart. But without further ado, here is the next fluffy part to this short series. One more part is coming with an epilogue. Who knew the kiss prompts would cause this? LOL!

@lxaah11​   @alleksa16​   @penguininapinktuxedo​   @blackcoffee85​   @stopforamoment​     @hopelessromantic1352​     @krsnlove​​     @annekebbphotography​  . @sunflowergirl05​   @desireepow-1986​  @greywitchyshots​   @moodyvalentinestories​  @emceesynonymroll​   @my-heart-beats-for-ya​ @aworldoffandoms​   @ab1901​     @lolablackwrites​     @flyawayboo​   @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​​   @trappedinfandoms​​   @kate-mckenzie​

Masterlist

Part 1 Part 2

Part 3

The next morning...

"You want me to do what?" Thomas repeated.

"Invite Amanda over." Addison stressed. "Tonight."

"She already has plans." He reminded her. "As do I."

"About that," Addison sat down. "I think she wishes she could get out to them."

"Addison." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not intruding on her dinner with Ryan."

"Well, if you aren't attracted to her," Addison's words trailed off as she got up to leave. She counted silently as she walked towards the door.

He lasted only seven and a half steps.

"I do find her attractive." He corrected. "But there are some actions one doesn’t do to a friend."

"Ryan isn't interested." She informed him.

"Then he's a fool to not take advantage of having her to himself." Thomas handed her portfolio back to her. "Your designs are striking. I would keep going with that trend for the clothing."

"Thank you." Addison clutched the binder to her chest before she dropped a bombshell. "I think Holly has a crush on Ryan."

Thomas coughed on his shocked laughter. "What? Holly likes Ryan? Ryan Summers?”

"I think neither will do anything about it because they automatically think the other isn't interested." Addison persisted. "But I intend to change all that with you occupying Amanda's time."

Thomas leaned back in his chair and silently studied his former student.

Addison remained unruffled, knowing this was her one shot to make things right for more than one person tonight.

"Even if I were to consider your plan, I can't purposely hurt Rachel's feelings by standing up Nadia. She did this out of wanting me to find happiness." He grimaced. "Not that I wasn't already content with my life.

"I have a plan for that too." Addison leaned forward. “I think she—”

“No, Addison.” Thomas stated firmly. “It is dinner. I can spend a couple of hours appeasing my sister by being a gentleman.”

“But, what about Amanda?”

Thomas hesitated, giving Addison a glimmer of hope.

“If romance does not occur between her and Ryan, then I might think about seeing if she is interested in having dinner with me one night.”

“You know she’s interested in you and not Ryan.” Addison pointed out. “He might as well have not been there last night with how she immediately focused on you.”

Thomas was not humble enough to not feel a bit proud over it being obvious that Amanda preferred his company over Ryan’s.

“Be that as it may, tonight’s plans will remain as they are.”

His costume designer sighed in defeat and wished him luck.

Once she was gone, he thought of Amanda and not returning to her room last night to further discuss her admittance. Once the elevator stopped at the lobby, he had left the hotel, stunned that she actually wanted him to ask her on a date. He had fought the instinct to not only go back to her but also in discussing it with Ryan. Thomas knew his old friend would not mind at all in stepping back and letting him have a chance with the duchess.

But he also knew with the situation he was currently in with Rachel and her matchmaking that he was not exactly free to pursue her.

Surely though, there was something he could for the time being that would not necessarily affect their dinner dates tonight with Ryan and Nadia.

After arguing with himself, he left his office.

***************

Across town...

"What do you think?" Nadia asked, forcing herself to do a little twirl.

Rachel smiled softly. "You look beautiful in pink."

"Thanks." Nadia studied her reflection with a critical eye. She then focused on Rachel and broached the topic she was most worried about.

"Rach? If Thomas and I don't work out like you want, you won’t be upset with--"

“You will.” Rachel stubbornly insisted. “Just wait until you meet him, then you’ll see.”

Nadia took a deep breath as she prepared to admit to some of what happened last night.

“I already met him.”

“What? You did?! When?” Rachel demanded.

“Last night after you left, I bumped into Maxwell Beaumont at the elevators.” She gripped her hands together while trying to think about what to leave out. “He invited me to meet with his friends at the restaurant.”

“I can’t believe I missed that!” Rachel grumbled. Her brow furrowed in thought. “But how did you meet Thomas? He isn’t friends with anyone in The Royal Romance.”

“Along with the Cordonians, Ryan Summers and some others that I think work on the film were there too.” She took a steadying breath. “Including Thomas.”

“Oh no.” Rachel grimaced. “Let me guess. Ryan made it impossible to notice my brother.”

Nadia bit back the fact that it was actually Maxwell Beaumont who had been the one to keep her attention from Thomas. She then thought of his friend. Amanda had certainly ignored Ryan’s presence in favor of Rachel’s brother. “Nope. Ryan didn’t keep him from being noticed.”

“NADIA!” Rachel jumped up and hugged her startled friend. “I always knew that the perfect woman for him would be able to ignore everyone else for him!” She took her friend’s hands and jumped up and down with her. “I just knew you would be the one!”

The petite artist felt her panic grow with Rachel’s excitement.

There was no possible way Nadia could admit to falling for Maxwell. Now she worried that this trip to California would end with her losing one of her best friends.

***************

The Beverly Wiltshire...

Amanda blinked at the sound of someone knocking.

Having told her friends that she was not going to the studio with them but instead decided to take a day to sleep in, the last sound she expected at ten a.m. was someone ignoring the carefully hung Do Not Disturb sign.

"I'm coming!" She growled, wondering what rude, illiterate, morning person was out to get her.

She checked the peephole and jerked away. Her hands covered her mouth while her still very much asleep brain tried to figure out how to answer the door without Thomas Hunt seeing her rolled directly out of bed appearance.

"Just--um--hold on a sec--" she softly cursed and opened the door.

She tried to keep much of her body behind it and in the shadows.

Thomas paused on his way in. "Did I wake you?"

She bit back the sarcasm that always lay ready when people asked her that.

"It's fine." She tried to push her hair back into some semblance. Keeping her head down, she folded her arms and waited for him to state his reason for coming here.

After the previous night's admission that she would hope his asking her out meant a date followed by the elevator immediately taking him down to the lobby, he had yet to say he wanted to do anything with her.

Except wake me up, she thought bitterly.

"Do you have any plans today?" He asked.

Her eyes narrowed in further irritation. He knows what I have planned!

"Yes." She followed him into the suite. "We discussed this very thing last night."

His lips dipped into a brief frown. "Just tonight’s plans?"

"Yes."

"Good." He took her by the shoulders and turned her toward her room. His lips brushed against her ear as he spoke softly. "I want the rest of your day."

Her lips parted at his words and touch. Then she was gently nudged forward.

He used her room phone to call room service. "I'll order breakfast while you dress." He called out to her when she disappeared into her room. "Also pack a bag with a change of clothes."

Ten seconds after he said that her bedroom door burst open. Amanda was wide awake now. "I beg your pardon?"

His lips curved briefly. "I thought I could take you to my home for a swim."

Her cheeks flared with color over what she had originally thought of when he suggested she pack a bag. "Oh."

The door closed again.

Anticipating a day of flustering Amanda, he chuckled softly to himself.

**************

Around lunch time...

"Stop pressuring me." Steve muttered. "I know how to ask a woman out."

"Then hurry up and do it!" Addison ordered. "If Thomas persists in being a gentleman, then I can’t have Rachel tempted to go to the restaurant and encourage his romance with Nadia!"

Holly flicked her hand impatiently. "Come on Steve. We don't have all day. Addison has to get back to the studio.”

"Okay." Steve buttoned his suit jacket. He took a deep breath and made his way through the crowded restaurant.

"Are we stalkers?" Addison whispered.

"For following Rachel and Nadia everywhere today?" Holly asked. "I prefer to think of us as vigilantes, with the sole purpose of keeping the wrong people together."

"I don't know if that makes it better or worse." Addison mumbled.

"Oh! He's approached her!"

The two ducked behind a set of menus.

***************

"Hello." Steve flashed a smile. "I thought I saw you come in."

Rachel gasped. "Steve!  I didn’t--hello." She looked around. "What are you doing here?"

His smile grew. "Are architects not allowed to eat here?"

She blushed under his steady gaze.

Nadia watched them with a growing fascination. "Hi. I'm not sure if you remember me from last night. I’m Nadia."

"Good to see you again." Steve grinned at a suspected comrade. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Not at all." Nadia moved her bags.

Steve sat down beside her and enjoyed the fact that he was directly across from Rachel.

“You met last night?” Rachel asked.

“We did.” He relaxed in the booth. “Addison introduced us to the Cordonians that everyone is crazy about.”

“I can’t believe I left and missed everything.” Rachel grumbled.

“You were there?” Steve flashed her a flirtatious smile. “If I had known that I would have searched the restaurant for you.”

Nadia barely kept her squeal from escaping over his words and the effect they were having on Rachel.

Her friend’s cheeks were rosy under his steady regard.

Rachel reached for her goblet of ice water, doing her best to not admit that he had been the very reason she had gone out last night.

Steve turned his attention to Nadia. “I bet you could help me.”

“With what?”

“I need some information about Ms. Hunt.” He replied, winking at Nadia.

“Oh?” the petite artist grinned at his game. “That all depends on the type of information and what you intend to do with it.”

Steve cut his eyes to a baffled Rachel. “I would like to know her favorite things. Flowers. Food. Activities she prefers to do on dates.” He turned back to Nadia. “All for the purpose of giving her the perfect date.”

Rachel’s lips parted in a breathless gasp.

Nadia dug in her purse for a pen and paper. “I’ll make you a list.”

Steve reached for Rachel’s limp hand. “Any chance you would be willing to go out with me tonight?”

Before Nadia could answer for her, Rachel nodded. “There is a chance I would.”

His smile made her feel warm all over. “Seven o’clock work for you?”

“It does.”

*****************

The Royal Romance Set…

Maxwell’s usual friendly smile was noticeably absent as he observed his story being brought to life.

His friends shared concerned looks as they watched him continue to be silent. His jittery excitement that had been prevalent on days at the studio was gone. He sat in a chair, only responding to questions directly asked to him.

Maxwell’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Ryan go through the lines. He was determined to have Amanda end up  happily ever after with the actor. If his own romance was fraught with uncertainty, then there was no way he would allow hers to be.

At least this project could help keep his thoughts from Nadia possibly falling in love during dinner tonight with Thomas.

When Tommy yelled for everyone to break for lunch, he pushed out of his chair and approached the actor.

“What do you think?” Ryan asked. “I tried to be a little more spontaneous with the lines in that last scene. Is it—”

“You did great.” Maxwell cut off his questions. “About tonight…”

“Tonight?” Ryan repeated before it clicked what he was talking about. “The dinner? Has Amanda changed her mind about going?”

“No. Not at all.” Maxwell quickly responded. “She’s looking forward to it.”

Ryan grinned while browsing the food that had been set out. “I’ll try not to drive her too crazy with my questions about you.”

“She won’t mind.” Maxwell muttered. He eyed the actor closely. The man didn’t seem interested in her at all save for the information she could provide. “Amanda is a big fan of yours.”

“Really?” Ryan chose a few sandwiches.

“Yeah.” Maxwell was struck with an idea. “How’s the dancing going?”

“About that,” he hedged, “I’ve taken some lessons—”

“Ryan, Ryan, Ryan.” Maxwell shook his head. “It isn’t something one can learn in a classroom.”

“It was a dance studio.” Ryan muttered.

“You have to learn it in the moment.” He continued. “You have to be where there’s a crowd. Music. Lights.” He poured something to drink. “A partner.”

“I’ll try and work that in.” Ryan replied.

“You know,” Maxwell continued, “Amanda was my go-to whenever I needed a night out at the clubs.”

When Ryan merely grinned while eating, Maxwell continued to press him.

“I’m sure she would be willing to give you some pointers on your dancing.”

“I’ll ask her tonight.” Ryan replied.

***************

Thomas Hunt’s new home…

After giving Amanda a tour of his home, Thomas led her out to the pool.

“This is beautiful.” She said, admiring his backyard.

His lips curved somewhat. Something about her had made him relaxed enough to share personal stories about himself and his reasons for his home’s décor and design. Her comments either surprised him with her understanding or caused him to chuckle at her humor.

He liked her. These last few hours in her company only caused his initial attraction to grow.

Thomas cleared his throat. “Would you like to go for a swim?”

“I was promised it.” She teased.

Amanda began to unbutton her sundress.

His eyes widened. “You can change inside if you—”

Her laughter made him pause.

When her bathing suit strap peeked out from her dress, he narrowed his eyes at her.

She innocently smiled at him after taking the dress off. “You were saying?”

He shook his head while trying not to stare too hard. “I’ll go change.”

Once he was gone she allowed her smile to turn a bit smug at having got him back for this morning’s flustering.

The two spent the rest of the afternoon talking while enjoying being alone in the water.

They both were trying to ignore the time drawing near to their dates with others.

As the pool grew in shadows, their conversation paused.

Their eyes met each other’s then dropped to the other’s mouth.

“I should probably go.” Amanda said, breaking the silence.

“I’ll drive you back.” Thomas eased closer to her.

“I had a lovely day with you.” She mumbled, turning toward him.

“I did too.” He reached out and gently brushed a damp curl off her cheek.

“I wish…” She bit her bottom lip.

His arms wrapped around her waist at the same moment hers moved to wind around his neck.

“I wish it too.” He said softly brushing a kiss to her cheek. “After tonight, you and I will need to have a talk.”

“We will?” She asked. Her breath hitched when she looked up at him.

Their lips met in a heated kiss.

“We will need to talk about us.” He managed to say once the kiss ended. Thomas held her tight to him when they met in another tender exchange.

*************** The Beverly Wiltshire…

“You better hurry home.” Nadia smiled at the still dreamy expression on Rachel’s face. “You have a big night ahead of you.”

“I’m still in shock he asked me.” Rachel broke into an excited smile. “Just think after tonight, we can go on double dates.” Her excitement dimmed with her next thought. “I mean, if Steve asks me out again.”

“I think from how he acted at lunch that many dates with Steve are in your future.” Nadia hugged Rachel. “I’m so happy you met someone who already seems to know how special you are.”

“Don’t worry.” Rachel squeezed her tight. “Once Thomas has you all to himself, you both will feel the same way.”

Nadia forced her smile to remain while walking her to the door. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“I want all the details.” Rachel reminded her. “Well, not every detail.”

“Rachel!” Nadia laughed while pushing her out the door. “You’re horrible!”

“I know.” She waved goodbye.

Nadia closed her door and dropped her head.

She was not looking forward to a dinner with forced conversation with Thomas.

If it weren’t for Rachel, she would have already used a hundred different excuses to get out of tonight.

With an overly dramatic groan she pushed herself back into her suite.

Her room’s phone caught her attention with a red light flashing.

Her first genuine smile of the day appeared when she heard a familiar voice.

Nadia, it’s Maxwell. I was hoping to actually talk to you. But maybe this is for the best. I won’t lose my train of thought with thinking how cute your voice is. I know you have plans tonight. How about meeting tomorrow for brunch tomorrow? Then maybe I can talk you into dinner later. Perhaps dancing? After all that exercise, we will probably need to have a late-night snack. Exhausted, I will need to make up for my yawns by a date for the next day. It will probably become a vicious cycle so you might want to clear all your nights for the next foreseeable future. If you would like any of this, then don’t hesitate to meet me downstairs at The Blvd around 10:30 in the morning. I’ll be the guy with the big grin on his face at having a date with you.

Nadia wanted to call Maxwell right away and tell him that he didn’t have to worry about her hesitating. She would probably beat him to the restaurant by a good hour.

She just hoped Rachel would somehow understand.

*************

“Where have you been?”

Amanda let out a slight scream at Maxwell being in her suite. She shut the door and brushed her damp hair back. “I went for a swim.”

He shook his head in frustration. “You’re going to have to rush to get ready.”

“I will.” She smiled at him. “I’m assuming you’re here to bolster my confidence.”

He chuckled . “Nope. I’m here to improve upon perfection.” He held up a garment bag. “My bff has to cause jaws to drop with how gorgeous she is.”

“Maxwell!” She exclaimed at the very unlike her dress. “I’ve never worn anything that low cut.”

“I know.” He pushed her toward the bathroom. “But this dress was made for your debut as the next siren.”

“But, shouldn’t I not look like I’m trying too hard?” She argued, not wanting Ryan’s attention at all on her body.

“Trust me. With this dress, your beauty will be effortless.” He grinned at her doubt. “When have I ever led you wrong?”

She bit back her smile. “That one time driving to Baron Everton’s estate. Then there was—”

“With clothing?” He said after laughing at the reminder of numerous times they had gotten lost due to his nonexistent sense of direction.

She reluctantly took the garment bag. “Alright. But if I end up in the tabloids under the worst dressed, I’m asking Olivia for revenge options.”

“Deal.” He shook her hand. “Now hurry up.” He pushed her into her room. “I want to see you dressed up before you leave.”

******************

La Boucherie, Downtown Los Angeles…

“Wow.” Nadia sat down and looked out at the view. “L.A. looks gorgeous at night.”

Thomas took the seat across from her. “It does.”

They gave their drink orders and focused on the menus.

Nadia glanced up at him every few seconds. He isn’t unattractive, she supposed. He just didn’t have that spark of life. Humor. Fun.

He wasn’t what she would have chosen in a date.

He looked up at her. “Nadia, I should be honest.”

“About?”

“I know my sister hopes this turns into something serious, but I recently met someone who I plan on spending more time with.” His face held a hint of embarrassment. “I’m sorry if that isn’t what you were hoping, but—”

“Omg.” Nadia smiled at him. “I feel the same way!”

He relaxed back in his seat. “You do?”

“Yes!” She let out a relieved laugh. “I met someone too that I would rather date.”

Thomas chuckled and raised his glass in a toast. “That is a relief.”

She clinked her wine glass against his. “I only went through with this because of Rachel.”

“I did too.” He picked up his menu again. “She might drive me insane, but I do love her enough to try and do as she asks.”

Nadia laughed. “I know what you mean. I’ve never been able to say no to her.”

Thomas paused in responding when he caught a glimpse of another couple coming in.

Nadia looked over her shoulder when she saw his smile disappear.

She saw Maxwell’s friend with her arm looped through Ryan Summers’s.

“I was right!” Nadia turned back to Thomas. “You like Amanda!”

He slowly nodded. “I do.”

Nadia tapped her fingers against the table while trying to think of a way to help him be with the duchess.

***************

As the hostess led them toward the starlight booth that Maxwell had booked, Ryan smiled with recognition. “Give us a moment, please.”

Amanda followed his gaze and felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

Of course, Thomas would have his blind date at the same restaurant that she was at.

“Good evening.” Ryan greeted the couple. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You too.” Nadia shook his hand.

Thomas stood and took Amanda’s hand, affectionately squeezing it. His eyes drifted down the cocktail dress she had on and felt his greeting slip away. Words failed him for the first time in his life.

Amanda’s cheeks were a shade darker as she turned away from him to greet Nadia.

Thomas felt a slight twinge of jealousy when Ryan placed his arm along Amanda’s waist. He knew his friend did these type of actions without any thought, yet with the way she looked tonight…Thomas was not happy at all.

Then the next words he heard, made him even more disgusted.

“I ran into Rachel earlier. She was on her way out with a date.” Ryan grinned. “Seems our buddy, Steve, took one look at her and fell head over heels.”

“I know!” Nadia exclaimed, “They are so cute together.”

“She also gave me a message for you two.” Ryan added with a wink. “She expects full reports tomorrow, plus all recognition for her amazing matchmaking skills at your wedding reception.”

Amanda’s eyes met Thomas’s.

“We will let her know tomorrow how we feel.” He said softly.

Nadia’s brow was furrowed. “She really wants this to work out.”

Ryan seemed oblivious to the three’s worry. “Did you doubt it?” He stepped back, taking Amanda’s arm. “She made certain to match two of her favorite people together.”

He led the duchess to their booth, leaving Thomas and Nadia alone together.

Their earlier relief was now overshadowed with Rachel’s possible reaction.

****************

Amanda tried not to stare at Thomas once she was seated. It seemed that after they left, he and Nadia were both now in a very serious conversation.

“…so then I—Amanda?”

She cut her eyes to Ryan. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

He looked over his shoulder to see what she kept looking at. He then noticed Thomas staring at their table.

Ryan put two and two together. “You and Thomas, huh?”

Amanda nodded, averting her eyes.

“And here I thought the reason Maxwell was encouraging our time together is because you liked me.” He said, grinning warmly at her.

“Ryan, you are a great guy, but—”

He held his hand up. “No need to say more. We’ll leave it at me being a great guy.” He then took her hand in his. “What can I do?”

“Nothing, unless you can convince Rachel that those two are not a perfect match.” She squeezed his hand before easing hers away.

“She isn’t the only one you need convincing.” Ryan reminded her. “I don’t know if you noticed, but Maxwell thinks you and I are meant to be.”

“I am well aware.” She quickly apologized. “I don’t know why he is so set on us being together. I hope it hasn’t put you in any uncomfortable situations.” She snorted softly and waved her hand out at the restaurant. “Like this for instance.”

Ryan’s charm shined in the moment. “Not at all. It does help to know that I shouldn’t push to see if he is right.”

Amanda nearly choked on her drink. “You were going to actually consider this a date?”

He shrugged. “You’re an attractive, kind person. Why wouldn’t I take advantage of the situation and see if something more could happen between us?” His smile flashed. “It isn’t like I have anyone else interested in me at the moment.”

Her laughter made his smile remain. “If I had not met Thomas, I might be tempted to let you.”

“Fell hard for Hunt?” He asked.

“I did.” She rested her chin on her hand.

****************

“What are we going to do about Rachel?” Nadia asked. “I don’t want to lose her friendship.”

“Rachel isn’t the kind to hold something like that against you.” Thomas muttered, tearing his eyes from Amanda and Ryan.

“You have nothing to worry about.” She pointed out. “You’re her brother. She has to forgive you for not liking me.”

“Nadia, you’ve been friends with her for a decade. She knows what kind of person you are. You have to stop looking at it from the worst possible angle.”

“I can’t help it.” She mumbled. “You were the reason she wanted me to come to California.” She slumped back in her chair. “I wish I had never shown her my bulletin board.”

Thomas quirked an eyebrow at her last words.

She dismissed his silent question with a flick of her wrist. “You don’t want to know.”

He cleared his throat and leaned forward. “I will break the news to her. If you want, I can even take the blame for things not working out.”

Nadia looked up at him. “You would do that?”

“I’m used to disappointing Rachel.” He explained with a slight curving of his lips. “I might have even done so on purpose once or twice in the past.”

She laughed and shook her head. “That’s horrible, but I do appreciate you being willing to take the brunt of her reaction to us not falling in love.”

Before Thomas could respond, the waiter approached their table.

“Excuse me, sir, but Mr. Summers asked that you meet him at the bar.”

Thomas looked up and noticed Amanda sitting by herself, studying her menu.

“I’ll be right back.” He told Nadia.

****************

“What’s wrong?” Thomas asked.

Ryan snorted into his drink. “Why is your first thought that something is wrong?”

The director didn’t bother responding.

“I need you to switch tables with me.” Ryan said, laying some money on the bar.

“Switch tables?” Thomas repeated. “What’s wrong with yours?”

“I have a lady sitting there that is immune to my charms.” Ryan teased. “In fact, all she can do is look at you.”

Thomas didn’t bother to hide his proud smile. “I see. And what will you do at my table? Nadia has fallen for Maxwell Beaumont.”

“I know.” He grinned at his old friend. “Lucky for me, I’m playing the man in a movie. There is a slight chance she will at least pay attention to me.”

He patted Thomas on the back. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.” Ryan walked over to Nadia and charmed a smile out of her when he said he was now her date.

She looked over at Thomas and waved, mouthing good luck.

After smiling his thanks, he made his way to Amanda.

She looked up with a start when he asked if he could join her.

“Of course.” She looked around. “I have no idea where Ryan—”

The actor winked at her when her eyes met his before he turned back to Nadia.

“Ryan decided that we should switch places.” Thomas explained. “I hope you’re not disappointed.”

“That all depends,” Amanda teased, “on if you’re disappointed with what you are now stuck with.”

She looked up him, her smile glowed with the way he was looking at her.

“Trust me.” He took her hand. “I will never be disappointed if you are what I end up with.”

****************

A few streets over…

“This is one of my favorite places.” Rachel sat down, nodding her thanks at Steve holding her chair out.

“I know.” He winked at her. “I went through Nadia’s list and made certain I picked the ones she had starred.

Rachel lowered her eyes. “It seems you went to a lot of trouble for this date.”

“Well,” his grin grew, “I don’t want to brag.”

“Why?” She looked up at him. “Why are you going to all this trouble for a date?”

He leaned closer to her. “Can I tell you a secret?”

She nodded; brow furrowed at his unusual response.

Steve motioned for her to come closer.

She did so.

He captured her lips in a tender kiss.

Her lips were still tingling when they slowly parted.

His own turned up in a smile. “Now you know why I went to all this trouble for a date with you.”

[earlgreytea68]

The Omegaverse Lawsuit

Everyone's been talking about the Omegaverse lawsuit recently, which is a little odd, since it was filed in September, but hey, sometimes that's how it goes!

It literally took me a little while to figure out that the names of the book series at issue here are Myth of Omega and Alpha's Claim. Like, I know this is meant to clearly signal they're Omegaverse books, but it just amused me to be talking about Omegaverse and not have it be a ficcy title. It really drove home to me how very, very different fic is as a genre from commercial original fiction, even when they're hitting the same tropes. 

The first thing to note is that the complaint is not a copyright infringement claim. Instead, the plaintiff, basically a writer named Zoey Ellis, is making allegations stemming from a copyright infringement claim against *her.*

The whole thing starts with a DMCA notice. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, it's really easy for copyright holders to get allegedly infringing activity taken down: they file a notice. The website hosting the allegedly infringing activity is required by the DMCA to remove the allegedly infringing activity basically immediately. The person whose material has been removed is permitted to fight against the notice, but of course many people don't do that. It takes time, effort, and a knowledge of the law. For a lot of busy, sensible people, it's often not worth it. What this means is that DMCA notices are massively abused. We know they are. Theoretically they can only be advanced in good faith, however. So, if you can prove you've got a DMCA notice that was issued in bad faith, well, that could be a thing. 

Which is what this complaint builds around. It doesn't happen often, challenging a DMCA notice on bad faith grounds, but this complaint goes for it, which is impressive. And they allege a decent case because they allege a DMCA notice was issued for a book that hadn't even been published yet. Knowing an unpublished book is going to be copyright infringement before you've even seen it is a talent that you'd be smart to utilize on winning the lottery (if that’s what happened, of course). 

The plaintiff here did what you're supposed to do under the DMCA if you believe your work is fine and provided counter-notices. However, unlike in the case of the original notice, counter-notices can take months to process and resolve to get the works back up. 

As anyone familiar with fandom can tell you, rumors spread quickly. Once the word was out there that a DMCA notice had caused a takedown based on plagiarism, the allegations say that forums picked up on it, defaming the plaintiff's reputation. 

The complaint goes on to allege a pattern of the defendant Addison Cain manipulating social media for stars and reviews. I know we theoretically have standards for how stars and reviews happen, but, really, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there in book marketing. These are the examples in the complaint: 

Idk, if the DMCA notice claims are true, they seem sketchy, but these communications don't strike me as that bad. The truth is, it's hard to know as an author when you're going "too far." You need to educate people as to what's helpful algorithmically, and upvoting five stars and downvoting one stars is helpful. That sounds like what she's doing, providing information so people know how they can help a writer they love. Presumably anyone doing this would seem to care enough about Addison Cain's books to spend time doing this. It doesn't seem from these excerpts like she's bribing people in any way. The second example seems especially bland to me, like, the reader seems to ask if it would be helpful to mark it "not helpful," so the reader brings it up, and then in response to Addison Cain they seem to say that they're shocked anyone would find the review helpful, which seems to me to imply that their "not helpful" designation was a true reflection of how they feel. Surely encouraging truthful and honest behavior on the part of your readers isn't a bad thing, and surely we would not ask authors to explain to readers how to be mean to them, instead of how to help them. So, I don't know, this part of the complaint strikes me as a little weak. I just don't think asking for people who liked your book to review it as scandalous as they seem to think. Like, their exhibit is titled "Review Manipulation," and it includes things like this: 

(which, btw, afa I can tell, is her encouraging people to leave good review on *someone else's* book)

and

Idk, what do you think? Are you outraged by those? 

Moving on: 

This does seem ridiculous to me. She does seem to think that she was the first to ever write a M/F Omegaverse (which the complaint alleges is provably untrue), but also seems to think that she therefore influenced the entire genre to be exactly like her. Idk. This just makes me think, like, ::raised eyebrow:: Who goes around saying "Oh, you know why that's like that? They're all copying ME!" Idk.

(Incidentally, it's interesting that she's claiming to own the straight version of the trope, that the straight version of the trope is the unusual version, because romance is in the mainstream culture dominated so much by straight love stories, and indeed every love-story example in the complaint is a het example. They use "The Runaway Bride" as an example of an enemies-to-lovers trope, which was SO WEIRD to me, I stared at it and was like, ....but all of Harry/Draco exists???? lol)

Asserting that on its own, though, would just make me roll my eyes a bit and move on. Coupled with the DMCA notice allegations, however, it does make it seem like she's trying to claim ownership over the entire M/F Omegaverse genre.

The similarities listed in the DMCA notice do seem like pretty basic aspects of the trope that I don't think anyone can own. 

(There are more alleged. This is just the first few.)

But the DMCA notice does purport to contain reviews that say the two books are very similar. 

(Again, there are more, this is just a selection.) Part of me feels like maybe these people just haven't read much Omegaverse? Or haven't read fic, so they're not used to how tropes work? Idk. Without having read the books myself, it's hard for me to make this call. (And that's honestly how copyright infringement gets decided. You just have to read the books and decide if they're substantially similar in something copyrightable. Which apparently somebody did because the books were eventually reinstated as not infringing, it just didn't happen in a court of law. If this case goes on, eventually some judge is just going to have to sit down and read these.)

And of course the DMCA notice obviously chooses the most favorable to their cause, because there's also this: 

If the only similarities are the rules...that just sounds like the Omegaverse trope. 

The claims itself in this case are really interesting. It's not a copyright infringement case, because the plaintiff is specifically saying they are NOT infringing. Instead, the first claim is a copyright misuse claim (that you're using the monopoly granted to you by the government in an improper way, usually understood to be anticompetitive in a way that the government didn't contemplate as being part of the copyright grant). These are relatively rare but I think it's the right call, that using your copyright to send false DMCA notices would be copyright misuse. 

The defendant has now answered the complaint denying the allegations. Indeed, the defendant asserts that the complaint is defamatory because it alleges Addison Cain has only filed one other DMCA notice in ten years of being a published author and thus she has not repeatedly manipulated the system to shame other authors. It also includes a counterclaim that alleges basically that this lawsuit has been brought for harassment purposes because it’s expensive to defend a lawsuit and they alleged that online sales metrics tell them that at most Zoey Ellis has lost about $2000 worth of sales.

So that’s where the case stands now.

Other miscellaneous observations:

--The complaint has spoilers for the end of Alpha's Claim which tell me I would never read that book. 

--This is what the complaint lists as the common markers of the Omegaverse trope: 

--

You know, people in Omegaverse fics often grapple really hard with consent issues, and I love when that happens, and I'm sad that's obscured in this paragraph. I mean, I know the point of the complaint isn't to talk about the ways in which the trope can be subverted, but anyway.

I'm not a huge Omegaverse person, but one thing I do often enjoy about it is how stark it makes the sexism of our patriarchal society, that the gender that breeds is so devalued and treated as dangerous and cordoned off and loses agency, etc. And then how straightforwardly it often has to deal with that. And I know M/M Omegaverse often skimps on female characters but I also like how much it drives that point home, that it's not a man/woman thing, it's literally just that as soon as someone has to bear the children, that comes attached with all sorts of burdens and expectations. 

And I'm also not saying that every Omegaverse author sits down to grapple with those issues, or should be, or has to be. Just that Omegaverse can reveal so much about how we structure societies. And I'm sad that this complaint is just furthering this idea that fic doesn't really do anything profound or interesting or necessary and is just: 

It's cool, not all fic/writing/creativity needs to serve GREAT INTERESTS, nor should it, but also I think a lot of fic/writing/creativity does, and that gets ignored in favor of dismissing it as frivolous. Idk. Obviously this complaint is not about solving that issue, but it made me think about it. 

--

OR. Hear me out. They could get together and just cuddle for 100,000 words and banter and stuff. Just sayin'. Just throwing it out there. 

--

I'm honestly really annoyed by this paragraph's wording. It sounds so condescending. "Employed a degree of creativity consisted with other 'fan fictions.'" I hate those quotation marks around "fan fictions," like they're not sure those are a real thing. So-called "fan fictions" (which, who calls them fan fictions anyway? who are they quoting there lol). But also, like, what's the "degree of creativity consistent" language. Like, the standard for copyrightability is that it possesses a modicum of creativity. That's it. It's a low bar. We know the phone book doesn't have a modicum of creativity but almost everything else has SOMETHING. So this strikes me as a little...sneering and dismissive, like, "Well, it's just as creative as other 'fan fictions.'" No. It's creative. Fic is creative. This is creative. It's an entire BOOK, that no one is alleging copies anything other than tropes (AS ALL PIECES OF FICTION DO, THIS IS NOT A FIC THING). It's got plot, characters, setting, dialogue -- none of which are alleged to be copied. So, like, just say it. It's creative. It possesses a modicum of creativity. Move on. I have no idea why that weird "fan fictions" reference is in there, Idk. 

--They've got an exhibit that they claim is Addison Cain online statements about the plaintiff, but I can't make heads or tails of them. They're weirdness about how she's wrote the original M/F Omegaverse, but I don't see any references to the plaintiff author Zoey Ellis, other than very vague references like this: 

I'm a little bewildered by this exhibit. I think maybe they might be alleging that Addison Cain set up fake accounts to badmouth Zoey Ellis but if that's the case it's not clear to me, especially since they've blacked out the account name: 

--This complaint has an exhibit that's basically an expert witness on Omegaverse. I love this so much. :-)

--Let's just enjoy this being in a legal filing: 

--This isn't part of the main allegations. This is apparently, though, the kind of thing that Addison Cain has in the past considered plagiarism. Just a small selection, again, there are more. But:

I have long said that writing a sex scene is like writing a cover letter: You’re trying to convey a very narrow series of events, over and over, and there’s only so many words you can use to do it. So comparing sex scenes like this just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Sex scenes will mostly inevitably sound similar in isolated sentences like this. It’s so funny, I was just saying to Aja about a gif, “He’s arching his neck to give him access like every heroine in every romance novel.” Because that’s a line we’ve all read in every romance novel.

--

Honestly, honestly, literally every single Omegaverse fic I’ve ever read has this exact moment. (And many of them do it better.)

--This complaint has taught me a lot about how much of a kink some people have for being covered in days’ worth of caked-on semen, rubbed into their bodies and massaged into their hair. Really, the complaint is kink-instructive, I recommend it.

--Honestly to me the most damning thing about this is this exhibit where Addison took matters into her own hands to post the similarities between her book and another book, because I’m just not convinced by any of these, and if this is what she thinks copyright infringement is, then I doubt she understands what it is. Bull all these BTBB/TMO comparisons have been her making her case that these two books are similar, and I’m just dubious. And then stuff like this comes up:

Omegas being tired after a heat, yup.

They…both came up with a futuristic device that has a…screen?

She does end with this:

But I just don’t see what she’s claiming ownership of *other than* these really common Omegaverse tropes that I’ve read a million times. (Which isn’t to say that’s a bad thing. I’m a fic person at heart; I adore tropes.)

Anyway. That’s it. That’s the case so far. Let me know if you have questions, because lawyers can be bad at remembering what non-lawyers might be confused about.

In the meantime, I’m going to dig up some Omegaverse.

[lola--james]

House Hunters | | Lola + Ollie

WHEN: 19 September 2020

LOCATION: Lola and Ollie’s apartment 

NB: After their engagement, Ollie starts to think that it might be time for them to move out of the apartment and into the first home that they’ll own as a couple.

@olliexjames

Lola and Ollie had been engaged for a little while now; with the brunette still finding herself staring at both Ollie and her ring in complete and utter adoration. The proposal had been a complete surprise and had taken her breath away. Whilst she knew that she would spend the rest of her life with Ollie, she really hadn't expected him to propose so soon; especially with his historical commitment issues. Having woken up earlier than her /fiance/, she had gone out to grab them breakfast from the bakery that he loved and when she returned, she found Ollie sitting in the couch in just his boxers; looking at something on his phone. She put their breakfast down on the coffee table before taking a seat beside him, pressing gentle kisses against his neck as her hand lightly ran down his chest; only stopping when she reached the waistband of his boxers. "I promise that I'm far more entertaining than what's on your phone right now", she promised, using her free hand to gently remove his phone. As she went to drop it on the couch beside him, she realized that he was on a housing website. "We've only been engaged for a week and you're already trying to move out?" she teased, pulling back slightly to look at him, a curious expression on her face.

Ollie really didn't know what had overcome him over the last several months. He was doing things he never thought he'd be doing; moving and living with Lola, sharing fur children with her, let alone proposing. It was safe to say, his life flashing before his eyes on the island really put things into perspective for him, making him realize that he didn't want to spend his life cold, distant, and alone. But he also gave credit to Lola; she really did change his life in a way, allowing him to see the great things in a life, and giving him simply a purpose to /want/ to be better. Ollie had woken up to Milo practically jumping on his face, and to his /fiancé/ being gone. He had assumed that she had just went out for a run, so getting up, he immediately made his way to the bathroom to get freshened up a bit before finding his spot on the couch. Marriage hadn't been the only thing on his mind recently; with the talk about the possibility of the two having a family one day, whether they would stay in California or leave at some point, Ollie realized that if they /were/ to have those said things in the future, they were going to need a bigger place. Besides, it seemed right. As much as he loved the apartment, and as many memories this place held for the two, he couldn't find a better way to start fresh as the two took on this new beginning together. Hearing her come in, his eyes quickly met hers, giving her a warm smile before he continued to scroll through his phone -- looking at the current listings on a realtor site. His lips naturally curved up into a sly smirk as he felt his fiancé's lips against his neck and her hand slowly traveling down his chest, but his attention was immediately brought back to her as she pulled his phone away. "Yeah, Juliet and Milo haven't been getting along recently. Gotta do what's best for my boy." Ollie joked lightly, going along with her teasing. Picking up the hand that had been resting on the waistband of his boxers, her brought it up to his lips and kissed the skin gently, all while turning slightly so that he was facing more towards her. "I-uh...with all this talk, especially that baby talk...um...well, if we ever did decide we wanted to start a family, I thought we would maybe need a place bigger than this." His words came out slow, the tone of his voice filled with caution as he brought up a pretty big topic.

When she had returned home from grabbing them breakfast and seen Ollie sitting on the couch in just her boxers, her original intention had been to seduce him but that thought quickly went out the window when she had noticed what he was doing on his phone. "I have to admit that I was hoping we could find a way to make this cohabitation thing last longer, like maybe taking Juliet and Milo to puppy school, but I understand that your boy is your number one priority. I probably would have thought twice about adopting you a dog if I had realised this would be the outcome, though", Lola jokingly retorted. Her eyebrows raised slightly in surprise when Ollie talked about possibly searching for a bigger place, in case the two ever decided that they wanted to start a family together. "I didn't think that we'd be reviewing that topic again until next year and honestly, I wasn't really sure if you even /wanted/ to settle down in California. This is a big decision, love. Are you sure you want to do this? If you do, I'm definitely onboard and will happily go house hunting with you... I just want to make sure that this is what /you/ want and not something that you just feel like you /have/ to do because we're engaged now".

Ollie laughed softly, the delightful sound slowly coming to a cease after a few moments. “I mean...if you give me any reason as to why I should stay, I will definitely jump on board with sending them to puppy school.” The corner of his lips turned up into a smirk as the words came out, and he leaned in only just to press his lips onto the corner of her own. He simply shrugged as he pulled away, trying to hide any and all nerves that he felt from talking about something relatively big for the two. “If I’m being completely honest, I’m not so sure where exactly I want to settle down. I’m so used to jumping around from place to place that I’ve sort of learned to never make myself /too/ comfortable, but if there’s one thing I’ve figured out over the past year, it’s that home is wherever you are. I’d settle down anywhere as long as it’s with you.” His words came out genuine, the tone of his voice sweet as he felt himself getting a little soft and sentimental. She always did have that effect on me. “I just think it would be a nice fresh start for us, but we don’t have to get a house this very second. But we can start looking around at least. Who knows, it might be fun.” He said with a nervous chuckle, attempting to make light of the conversation.

"I feel like the fact that I brought you breakfast /and/ tried to buy you breakfast are reasons enough but this feels like you're trying to get back on that bandwagon that Addison created, the one where I need to sporadically buy you chocolates to keep you interested", Lola jokingly complained. A genuine smile warmed her face when he kissed the corner of his lips, very happy in the domestic bliss that she and Ollie found themselves in these days. That smile only grew when Ollie admitted that he would settle down anywhere as long as she was there; essentially admitting that he now considered his "home" any place where he lived with her. "I know that we're having a very serious conversation about our future right now but I need to interrupt that for just a second because that was literally one of the sweetest things that anyone has /ever/ said to me and I really need to kiss you right now". She punctuated her words by doing just that, leaning forward and kissing him; pouring all of her love into that one gesture. When she pulled away, she returned her attention to the conversation at hand. "House hunting with you could be very fun", she agreed. "Your logic makes sense and buying a house here doesn't mean that we're committing to spending the rest of our lives in California. If we decide that we want to move after graduation or even /before/ graduation, we could always sell and move", she added, trying to let him know that he wouldn't be trapped by making this step. "All that being said, I would love to have a place with you; a place that's /ours/. I've loved living with you here but it would definitely be nice to have something that we both shared from the beginning".

“All I’m saying is that a couple of chocolates here and there wouldn’t hurt! Especially Reese’s, you know I could never turn away Reese’s.” Ollie reasoned in a joking like manner. He was quite loving this whole honeymoon phase the two happened to be on since their engagement just a week ago. But if there was one thing that came to realization for him over the past week, it’s that he had made the best decision of his life when he proposed; and for the first time, life didn’t seem like such a dooming topic that only had an expiration date. Chuckling at her next words, he smiled as he felt her lips pressed against his. The gesture caused him to bring a hand up, his hand gently caressing her face as the pad of his thumb gently stroked her jaw. He kissed her back deeply, pouring everything that he possibly couldn’t expressed into words into that very kiss. Before she could pull away fully, he gave her one more quick peck. Ollie simply nodded as she spoke, her words practically showing that she agreed with him on this new topic, something that brought just the slightest bit of relief. “Annnnd, we’ll have a yard for the dogs. Juliet and Milo can finally burn off all that energy they have.” He pointed out with a chuckle. “Are you sure about this? I know how much you love this place, so I don’t want to run you out. We don’t have to do anything right in this moment.”

"I can't believe that our relationship has hit such a low point that I'm seriously considering buying you chocolates", Lola teased, grinning at her boyfriend to let him know that she was just joking around. Lola really was still in a state of bliss after the proposal and it was hard to wipe the smile off her face; it only growing every single time she caught sight of the ring or remembered that she was going to marry the love of her life. She genuinely felt like the luckiest person alive. Lola practically melted into the kiss and when they finally pulled apart, she knew that she would /never/ get tired of kissing him; and that it would remain one of her favourite things to do for the rest of her life. "Actually, that's a really good point. It was fine when it was just Juliet but this place probably /isn't/ big enough to have two very energetic dogs running around so a yard /would/ be nice", Lola thought aloud. "I think we should start looking. Besides, we don't have to sell this place. We could easily rent it out, it wouldn't be hard considering how close we are to the university campus. It would be another source of income".

“Does that really make it a low point? Because I would say that’s the complete opposite. I’ll be sure to share!” Ollie reasoned, blissful laughter escaping his lips. He knew that he was never going to get tired of moments like these; the simple moments where the two just talked about anything and everything; the moments that were filled with nothing but the love and adoration that they shared for one another. The man could officially say that he was going to be marrying his best friend, and that was anything but terrifying — which is what he would’ve called relationships, let alone marriage with that and a few other choice words. “And Milo’s starting to get pretty big too. Soon enough he’s going to be a big ass bear. It just seems like the smart move to make.” Although his voice had come out quite playful, there was still a tad bit of seriousness in it. He loved the apartment and the memories that came along with it, but his gut had been telling him that maybe this was the way to go. “Oh, definitely. I’m sure someone would pick it up quick too. It’s a nice place.” He easily agreed. “So...we’re doing this?”

"Will you really share, though? I have this suspicion that you'll eat the chocolates whilst I'm out for a jog or only offer them to me after I've already said that I couldn't possibly eat another bite", Lola jokingly challenged; even as she made a mental note to pick up Reeses when she was next at the grocery store. It was just further evidence of how smitten she was with Ollie; there was very little that she wouldn't do in order to put a smile on his face. "Oh yes, he's definitely going to need more space. I was just so excited about adopting Milo for you that I just didn't properly think about how we'd fit two dogs into this place once he was fully grown", she admitted. "Besides, you and Milo might want a safe place to retreat to when you get sick of Juliet and I", she teased. "We're really doing this. Do you want to show me the places that you've been looking at online?"

“I will /always/ share with you. I think that’s actually the first thing they mention in Engagement For Dummies.” Ollie joked, laughing as he said the words. As his laughter slowly subsided, his lips turned up once more, just to give her an adoring smile. “I really hope you know how much I love you for doing that. Nobody’s ever really done that for me before, and my childhood dog had to be given away after the accident. You should just know how much it really means to me...I don’t know how I got so lucky.” He said in the slightest moment of vulnerability, his small yet adoring smile still remaining. “I don’t think I would ever get sick of you. And besides, you can probably lure me back in within twenty minutes.” He chuckled. Nodding his head, he leaned his body over Lola’s slightly so that he could grab his phone from the other side of the couch, unlocking it as he simultaneously pulled himself back. He unlocked the phone and immediately pressed the Safari icon on his home screen, going back to the realtor websites that he had been looking at, before proceeding to hand her her phone. “We would obviously probably pick somewhere a bit close, maybe? I mean, with school and everything I wouldn’t want us to travel /too/ far...unless if you have another town in mind, then I wouldn’t have a problem with a bit of a longer commute.” He began to ramble as he watched her expression, attempting to make out what she could possibly be thinking.

"Maybe we should invest in that book, it might have some more helpful tips for us as we start this next chapter. It could have told me that engagement parties were a thing before I embarrassed myself in one of my classes by having no clue what my classmate was talking about", Lola laughed. "You're more than welcome, I adore seeing how much you and Milo love each other. I'm just glad that I could do something like that for you, especially after all the things you've done for me. As for the luckiness... it's because you are more then deserving of a little happiness, my love", she said sincerely. "With Reeses?" she teasingly questioned. She looked with interest at some of the houses that were displayed on his phone screen. "Between our class and work schedule and your fraternity schedule. I think it's a good idea to try and find something relatively close to campus. A long commute would be horrendous", she agreed. "Ooh, I really like this one. That one is nice too, actually. Maybe we should just start driving around and checking some of these places out, I know that the photos online aren't always super accurate reflections of what the houses really look like".

“To be fair, it’s not like you ever had to worry about an engagement party before now.” Ollie reasoned, his words followed by a gentle laugh. “How is the party planning going, anyways? I tried asking Bryce and he told me to mind my own damn business but like, I don’t think Noah’s gonna like it if he /wasn’t/ included in any sort of party planning.” Ollie stated, only half jokingly. He actually liked the fact that so many people were happy for the couple, it brought him a little bit more reassurance — giving him that extra security blanket that told him he did the right thing in proposing. “You make me happy, babe.” Leaning in, he place a gentle kiss onto her lips. “So. Very. Happy.” He whispered, each word punctuated with yet another light kiss before pulling away. “With Reese’s, along with other things. You have more of a hold on me than you realize, Fields.” He chuckled. “It would be. Besides, I think we’re in a good part of California. At least the houses I’ve seen around here are decent.” He agreed, leaning over so that he could also look at some of the pictures on his phone screen. He had been scrolling through the photos when she brought up the idea, her words causing him to drop his phone onto his lap so that he could look up at her. “Got any plans for today? We could go now if you want.”

"You're right, none of my previous failed engagements ever got as far as the party", Lola joked, playfully nudging her boyfriend as she laughed along with him. "You know that Noah is going to insist on planning your bachelor party now that Bryce has thrown the engagement party, right? I literally have no idea what Bryce is planning, though. He's refusing to give me /any/ details", she groaned, slightly concerned about what their mutual friend might be planning. "I'm glad, you deserve all of the very best things in the world", she said, her tone a little more serious as she really wanted Ollie to believe that. "Reese's and nakedness, obviously", she grinned. She nodded her head as Ollie spoke, agreeing that they were in a good part of California and that there was a lot of decent real estate around. "My main plan was seducing you, which I suppose I can put on hold to go house hunting".

[moodyvalentinestories]

Rules | Thomas Hunt x Rachel Fields

It was the last day before the new semester would start and he didn’t know when he’d get to steal a moment like this with her again.

Warning: NSFW! Mature! 18+! I know I can’t keep anyone from clicking the read more button but I have to say it, anyway.

Summary: As the next semester is about to begin, they should talk about what that will mean for them. But talking is overrated, isn’t it?

Pairing: Thomas Hunt x Rachel Fields

Word Count: ~ 2,100 words

Notes: For me, the new semester starts today so it’s great timing, I suppose, that I finally managed to finish this fic last night. Also, this was originally meant to be mostly just pure smut, but then I got a little distracted and this is what we’re left with. 

❥ Moodyvalentine’s Masterlist

“Thomas,” she moaned between kisses, trying her best to keep a clear head. This was an important issue and she could not let him distract her. “I’m serious.”

“So am I,” he said before moving his lips to her neck. He knew she had a point, but he genuinely couldn’t care less right now. It was the last day before the new semester would start and he didn’t know when he’d get to steal a moment like this with her again.

She let out another moan when he sucked on her skin, then buried her hands in his hair to pull him up to her again. “We’re going to have to lay down some rules.”

“I thought you hated rules.” He moved his thigh between her legs as he gently pushed her down onto the bed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew she must have thought about this a lot. So had he, in all honesty. But this wasn’t the time nor the place to discuss it.

Her thoughts grew hazier as she felt the rough material of his jeans rub her through the very thin layer of fabric her panties provided. “We’ll need some if we don’t want to be discovered.”

“We’ve managed just fine without them,” he said and tugged at her dress. To his surprise, she lifted her arms and let him pull it over her head. He was pleased to find she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath and leant down to place a kiss on her newly exposed skin. She shivered beneath his lips and he smiled.

Damn it. She closed her eyes, knowing full well it had been a mistake to let him undress her. She’d just given him a multitude of ways to distract her, but it wasn’t like she didn’t yearn for his touch. She wanted him as much – if not more – as he wanted her.

Nonetheless, she knew she couldn’t lose sight of her mission. The reason she’d come here. They would have to talk about it, and they would have to do it today. She knew he knew that, too. “Aren’t you always going on about how we can’t be careless?”

“We won’t be,” he said, getting frustrated. Of all the times she could decide to finally be reasonable, why did she have to pick this day? Yes, things would change tomorrow. They’d both known they would all along. “I can control myself.”

“Can you now?” she asked and grabbed him by the shoulders to flip him over so she was on top. They’d spent so much time together this summer. How the hell would they manage when they’d have to pretend she was just another student in his lecture tomorrow? “You haven’t been able to keep your hands off me since I stepped foot into your house today.”

Straddling him, she rocked her hips a couple of times, unsure if it was to tease him or because she desperately needed some friction. Probably both.

Thomas hissed. “Here’s a rule: no more talk about tomorrow until we’re done here.”

“But I want to talk now,” she said, her actions contradicting her words as she started unbuttoning his shirt. She could hear his breath quicken as her hands moved down his chest, stopping just short of where his shirt was tucked into his jeans. As much as she wanted to rip all his clothes off and have him take her right there, what she wanted more was to make sure things would go smoothly even after that paradise of a semester break was over. “And you know how much I hate it when I don’t get what I want.”

He let out a low growl. Usually, he was a patient man. Not with her. Certainly not right now. And if he was to get what he wanted, he would have to compromise. “I suppose we can do both.”

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” she asked with a grin as she unbuckled his belt and effortlessly slid his pants down, leaving him in only his boxer briefs and an unbuttoned dress shirt. She tried not to let the sight distract her. “Rule number one: don’t start treating me differently.”

It was the one thing she was most worried about. If he were to stop acting like she was the single worst person in the universe, people would notice something was up.

“Done,” he said and pulled her face up to his so he could kiss her again. He was entirely sure she would still be insufferable during class. “Unless you’ve suddenly become a perfect student, I have no reason to.”

She ignored the insult and was simply glad he’d agreed with her. With her sneaking off to meet a mysterious lover all summer, her friends – Addison especially – would put two and two together if he suddenly started being nice to her.

“I have a rule, too,” he said and rolled them over, trying to regain control of this situation. “No sex in my office.”

Rachel tried to hide her blush but, of course, failed miserably. “Why would you—”

“Oh, please. I know that’s a fantasy of yours,” he chuckled and peppered her neck with kisses, eliciting a moan from her. If he was being honest, he’d considered it, too. Ever since she’d kissed him in his office that one night, he’d wondered what it would be like to bend her over his desk and take her right there. But it would have been far too big of a risk. Maybe she wasn’t so wrong about them needing rules. He knew she wasn’t.

She huffed. As hot as she imagined that would have been, she recognised she was far too loud for that to ever work without anyone hearing. “Whatever,” she said, struggling to find the right words when Thomas moved his lips lower, over her breasts, then lower still until he arrived at the hem of her panties. “We also need to… also need to… oh!”

With one skilful movement, he’d disposed of her underwear, and lowered his head between her legs. She could feel his breath against her as he spoke. “You were saying, dear?”

Something she should have cared more about but couldn’t possibly, with Thomas’ mouth so close. Something about rules. Rules she’d probably hate, anyway. “Fuck you.”

He chuckled. Finally. Finally, he’d got what he wanted. Or almost. No longer able to resist her delicious scent, he gave her a lick, then another, lapping up her juices.

She threw her head back, eyes closed, and groaned in pleasure. Whatever she’d thought she needed to talk to him about couldn’t have been all that important. Not any more important than the feeling of Hunt’s tongue against her sensitive flesh, his mouth sucking gently at her clit. There was nothing in the world that mattered more in this very moment.

But just as she felt the muscles in her abdomen tighten, just before she could find her sweet release, he – being the asshole that he was – withdrew to look up at her with a smirk. That stupid little smirk. “You didn’t think I’d just let you come, did you?”

She growled at him as he climbed on top of her again, his mouth latching onto that spot on her neck that made her go crazy. “I hate you.”

“You’ve been unbearably irritating since you came here today,” he said, feeling her get goose bumps as his teeth grazed her skin. “I would be remiss not to make you pay a little, wouldn’t I?”

“Or,” she suggested as she pulled his face up to hers again, making him look at her. “You could reward me for coming here in the first place.”

“You always come when I call,” he said and leant down to place a kiss on her lips.

She hummed. “Maybe I shouldn’t do that anymore. Rule number two—”

“Three,” Thomas corrected and flicked her nipple. She jumped but ignored his remark, a hint of a mischievous grin on her face.

“—don’t invite me over when I have school projects to work on.” It was a stupid rule, one she would curse herself for making, but a necessary one. She wouldn’t get anything done for school without it.

He wriggled out of his unbuttoned shirt, relishing the look of desire on her face as he did. “What? Are you afraid you wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation?”

“You know I wouldn’t,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. God, she couldn’t believe this flawless model of a man was hers. Hers alone.

“Oh, I know,” he replied, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible as her hands got to work on his boxers, pulling them down. “You’re so needy.”

She raised an eyebrow as she ran the back of her fingers over his hardened length, barely touching it. “I’m needy?”

“Yesss,” he hissed, jaw clenched.

She would have never done what she did next, had she not known exactly what his reaction would be. “Then you won’t mind if I leave, right?” she said and attempted to slide out from underneath him.

“Don’t. You. Dare,” he growled, his hands on her hips to keep her in place in an instant.

She craned her neck to brush her lips over his. She’d had enough of this little game by now, aching to feel him. “Then make me stay, Thomas.”

His hands gripped her thighs, pulling her closer and spreading her legs a little wider, as his dark eyes bore into her. She shivered under his touch, and again when she felt his tip at her entrance. Biting her lip, in an attempt to keep herself from begging him to finally fuck her, she looked up at him.

Dear lord. The look on her face alone was enough to break a man. He couldn’t deny her – or himself – any longer and slowly, far too slowly, lowered himself into her, throwing his head back at the pleasure of feeling her warmth around him.

Her mouth fell open, a choked sound escaping her, as his cock sank into her deeper, and deeper still. She tried to look at him, wanting to see how good she made him feel, but it was too much, too much, and she involuntarily closed her eyes as she arched off the mattress.

As he started to set an agonizingly slow pace, he looked upon her perfect form, how her face was twisted in pleasure and she was writhing beneath him. Fuck. She’d been right, he realised, as with every thrust, each harder and faster than the last, his control slipped further away from him.

“Thomas,” she whimpered, her hands gripping the sheets. She was close, so close. “More.”

He gripped her thighs tighter, lifting them higher and she let out one of those exquisite gasps, a sound that could have sent him over the edge just like that, but he couldn’t… he couldn’t… “Fuck,” he groaned, followed by a string of more curses, when he came, unable to hold back anymore.

It was a good thing she loved it so much when he swore. Combined with the new angle, that let her take him even deeper, it was all she’d needed, and her release followed a split second after his.

He lay on top of her for a moment, his head buried between her neck and her shoulder, drinking in the scent of her sweat as it mixed with her perfume. He smiled against her skin as he realised it was the one she wore only when she intended to end up right where they were now. The one she knew he enjoyed very much.

“I think you may have had a point,” he sighed when he eventually climbed off her, lying down on his side so he still faced her. “About needing rules, I mean.”

“Fuck rules,” she murmured and turned to look at him through lidded eyes. “We’re going to break them, anyway.”

He knew she was right – again. For heaven’s sake, they were breaking far less arbitrary rules this very second! “I do intend to follow the three we already made.”

“Two,” she said as she rolled onto her back again, trying to hide her smirk from him, but he could hear it in her voice. “I never agreed to your rule.”

He groaned, regretting he’d even brought it up. If he’d put this idea in her head now – if she’d set her mind to it now – he knew for a fact he wouldn’t be able to deny her. So he made a fourth rule for himself then. Never, ever, let her anywhere near my office.

Tags: @lilyofchoices @trappedinfandoms @flyawayboo @alleksa16 @silversparrow02 @hopelessromantic1352

[ionlyreadfivebookslastweek]

Bless The Broken Road - 28

Tuesday, June 29th.

Jane, Spencer, Morgan, and JJ were at Jane’s desk, talking and messing around.

Hotch approached the group, letting them know they had a case.

Jane’s demeanor instantly changed. Her body tensed and she remained in her seat while everyone else followed Hotch’s order to head to the briefing room.

Hotch noticed the change and put a hand on her shoulder.

“If you need to stay here for a case, that’s ok,” he told her.

Jane looked up at him before turning to look away with a sigh. “I need a moment to think about it.”

“Just let me know.”

He walked away to the briefing room, leaving her alone to debate what she should do. The last few weeks had been rough. Every case seemed to have at least one detail in common to the case on which she’d been abducted last year. Said detail brought up terrifying memories and flashbacks. It made it hard to go into cases without fearing that more memories would come back to her. Maybe it would do her good to sit out a case.

Jane waited for the briefing to end before informing Hotch of her decision.

“Garcia will update you on all of the information and you can help her from here,” he stated.

“Sir, yes sir,” Garcia spoke. Jane followed her to the roundtable room.

The case was in Boise, Idaho. Someone was abducting and torturing women before killing them and disposing of their bodies. Jane’s mind flashed back to the similar pictures that had been shown on her case.

“Jane? Did you hear anything I just said?” Garcia asked as Jane blinked and shook her head, bringing herself back to the present.

“I changed my mind. I’m going with on this case,” Jane stated, getting up and rushing to grab her go bag before Garcia could say anything.

She managed to catch up with the rest of the team at the jet before they took off.

“Addison, you’ve decided to come,” Hotch stated as she put her bag above the seats. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” she insisted, taking a seat next to Spencer. He gave her a questioning look but she told him, “I’m fine.”

~

Throughout the case, Jane continued to have flashbacks. She projected her anger for the man who had tortured her towards the UNSUB.

Near the end of the case, Morgan and Jane were driving together in one of the SUVs when Garcia called them with the UNSUB’s address. She told the pair that the rest of the team was on their way. As they were the closest to the house, they arrived first.

“We should wait for backup,” Morgan told her. Jane ignored him and jumped out of the vehicle, heading towards the door. “Wait, Jane!” he called after her.

Jane entered the house and found the UNSUB in the living room, holding a knife to the victim’s throat.

“You don’t want to do this,” Jane told him.

“I think I do,” he insisted. “I’m already going away, what’s one more kill?”

Jane tried to get him to drop the knife but saw there was no way to convince him. The sound of the other vehicles arriving distracted him for a moment and she was about to shoot him, saving the girl.

Upon hearing shots fired, Morgan came running in. He helped Jane get the girl out to the ambulance. Once she was getting treated, Jane stepped away.

Reid came running up to her. “Are you ok?” he asked.

“I’m fine.”

“Why did you run in without backup? You could’ve been killed!” he yelled.

“Well, I wasn’t,” she replied defensively.

“What were you thinking?” she stayed silent. “Jane?”

Her mind slipped into a flashback of her and her torturer fighting. She watched it happen all over again. Him slamming her head against the wall. The gun he pressed against her temple. All of it.

Spencer watched her as all of these thoughts went through her mind. He saw that she was on the verge of tears and took her hand.

“Come on, let’s go home,” he told her.

Jane slept on the plane ride home, curling up against Spencer. He kept his arms wrapped tight around her as if he could protect her from her own nightmares.

Upon arrival back to the BAU, Garcia ran up to Jane and hugged her tight. “I heard what happened. I was worried sick! Don’t you dare scare me like that again!”

“Jane, can I please speak with you in my office for a minute?” Hotch interrupted.

Garcia let go of her and Jane stepped back, looking at everyone before agreeing and following Hotch.

After they’d shut the door behind them, they took up seats on opposite sides of his desk.

“What you did today was reckless,” Hotch stated.

“We didn’t have time to wait for backup. I had to go in to save her,” Jane argued.

“What makes you so sure?” Jane remained silent, not wanting to give an answer. “Based on your recent behavior, I’ve decided to order you a psych evaluation for tomorrow morning. Depending on the results, I may have to pull you out of the field for a while.”

Jane shook her head. “I’m not crazy.”

“Of course you’re not. You just need help.”

Jane stood up and exited the office without another word.

Spencer was waiting for her by his desk. He got up when he saw her walk out.

“Let’s go home,” Jane told him as she passed by, heading to her own desk.

“What happened?” she asked, following her.

She grabbed a few things that she had left at her desk before the case and turned back to him. “Let’s just go!”

He gave up trying to get any more information out of her and followed her to the elevator.

When they entered the apartment, Shortstack greeted them happily. Jane dropped her stuff off by the door and headed straight to the bedroom, letting Shortie follow her in before shutting the door, shutting Spencer out.

Spencer went to open the door only to find that she’d locked it. “Jane, please let me in. What happened?”

On the other side, Jane sat on the bed, staring at the door.

“Please, Janey,” he called.

She sighed and got up to unlock it. She opened the door before walking away and climbing onto the bed, letting Shortstack jump up to sit in her lap.

Spencer moved to sit next to her and she leaned into him.

“Please tell me what happened,” he whispered.

“Hotch ordered me a psych eval for tomorrow morning. I’m not allowed back into the field until I’m better.” She put air quotes around the word ‘better’.

“What you did was dangerous and reckless. I was afraid I might lose you,” he admitted. “Why’d you do it?”

Jane took a moment before speaking. “I was thinking about when I got abducted how I wouldn’t have survived if you and the rest of the team hadn’t gotten there when you did. I didn’t want that girl to die while Morgan and I were right outside.”

Spencer kissed the top of her head and wrapped an arm around her. “It’ll be alright. You just need some time to recover from what happened.”

“It was over six months ago,” Jane countered.

“Sometimes PTSD-” “Stop,” she cut him off, tensing up.

“Jane, it’s pretty clear that you’re showing the signs of-”

“Don’t! I don’t want to know a million facts about it, OK?!”

“OK,” he replied quietly. “What do you want me to do then?”

“Just... stay with me.”

“OK, I can do that.”

The three of them stayed cuddled up like that for the rest of the night until it was time to go to bed.

~ The next morning, Jane took her psych eval and was diagnosed with PTSD. They set up counseling sessions for her to attend, starting on Monday, and required that she only worked cases from Quantico until she was determined to be better by another psych eval.

“Think of a this as a good thing,” Spencer told her, trying to console her.

Jane looked up at him standing by her desk. “How is this a good thing?”

“Maybe taking time away from the field and talking with a counselor will help you feel better,” he suggested.

Jane sighed and looked back down at her desk. “Maybe.”

“We have a case,” Garcia announced, coming by her desk.

They dropped their conversation and followed her to the briefing room.

After the briefing, Spencer gave her a kiss and hug goodbye. “It’ll all be alright,” he whispered in her ear as he embraced her.

“I love you. Stay safe,” she told him before he headed out to the jet.

The team worked the case through the weekend, Jane assisting Garcia in her lab. When they arrived back early afternoon on Monday, Jane was in her counseling session.

When she was done, she was met at her desk by Spencer, who stood up right away and embraced her. “Hi,” he spoke into her hair.

“Hi,” she repeated. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. How did counseling go?” he asked, stepping back to look at her.

She shrugged. “It went alright. It’ll take some getting used to,” she told him.

~~~

Thursday, August 12th.

The team was just nearing the end of a case in Baltimore. Garcia had sent the team the address of the house the UNSUB was located at, meaning that she and Jane should be done on their end for the case. They both moved to gather their things so that they could head home upon word that the UNSUB was arrested. Jane was just zipping up her bag when Garcia received a phone call.

“Garcia,” Morgan spoke as soon as she answered and put him on speaker. “I need everything you can give me on a Darius Marshall.”

“Who’s that? We thought the case was over?” Garcia asked.

“We didn’t profile a partner. The original UNSUB ran out of the house and I chased him but the partner was in another room. He came out and surprised us,” he explained.

“Morgan, what happened?” Jane asked, sensing there was something else.

“He caught Reid by surprise...”

Jane closed her eyes. “Derek.”

“They got in a fight. Hotch came in to shoot the second UNSUB.”

“Derek, please.”

“Reid’s in the hospital. He got beat up pretty bad,” he finally told them.

Jane stood immediately, picking up her bag. “I’m on my way.”

“Wait, hey now girl wonder, you don’t have to do that,” Morgan called after her.

She paused and turned back toward the phone. “Spencer’s hurt. Of course I have to.”

“He’s going to be fine. The doctor just wants to keep him overnight to make sure.”

“I don't care, I'm coming anyway. I'll see you in an hour.”

Jane headed to her car and drove up to Baltimore by herself. Garcia needed to stay behind and help the team find the UNSUB.

When she got to the hospital, the doctor reiterated what Morgan had already told her. Spencer was fine, just under observation for the night. She headed to his room and was greeted by Morgan.

“Hey, ladybug,” he greeted her.

“Hey, how’s he doing?” Jane asked, accepting his hug.

“He’s fine. Just resting right now,” he told her. “I have to get back to the team. I’ll check in later.”

“Alright. Thank you for staying with him until I got here,” she told him before he left.

Jane set her bag down and took a seat next to Spencer’s bed. Just as she was settling in, he began to wake up. Jane leaned forward in her chair and took his hand.

“Jane? What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice groggy from sleep.

“Morgan called me. He told me you were hurt so I drove up here to see you,” she explained. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m OK. Just sore.”

“Where’s it hurt?” she asked.

“My head, ribs, legs...” he trailed off.

“How are your lips?”

“My lips are fine?” he told her, answering in the form of a question.

She smirked and said, “Good,” before leaning in and kissing him.

Late that night, the team was able to catch the UNSUB and head back home. Jane stayed the night in the hospital with Spencer and planned to drive back with him in the morning. Hotch gave the pair the next day off in order to recover.

~~~~~~~~~~

Bless The Broken Road Masterlist

~~~~~~~~~~

Tag List:

@cynbx @neon-deanmon @drw0301bieber @notsosmartbutcute @banananna99 @lydklein1

[diinofayce]

Who You Selling For?

Pairing: Bodyguard! Steve Rogers x Musician! OFC! Addison Schmidt x Bodyguard! Bucky Barnes | Word Count: 3k | Warnings: Drug use, language, slow burn | THE HOUSE |  A/N: If you didn’t catch the memo in the first chapter, this whole story is an complete unedited and raw mess. It’s just something that gets typed out when I’m feeling down and raw.

MASTERLIST

Hit Me Like A Man

Addison glowered at the two men as they led her to the elevators after the meeting. Right away Bucky took the lead out of the elevator to the car while Steve stayed just behind her. Bucky was anxious to put a bit of distance between himself and the musician as she had found yet another way to irritate him. Tony had tossed his niece a piece of gum to chew on during the meeting so she would quit grinding her teeth and it turned out that snapping bubbles really bothered the living hell out of Bucky. Bucky threw open the back door for Addison and waited impatiently for her to slide in. She watched as Bucky caught Steve’s elbow and he leaned in close to whisper something to the blond, Bucky’s hand staying firm on Steve’s upper arm.

Addison pulled her sunglasses down from her tangled gold locks to rest on the bridge of her nose. Reaching into her jacket she pulled out a pack of light blue American Spirits and a hot pink lighter. She watched as Bucky walked around the front of the car, his blue eyes flicking around to multiple points in the city block looking for anything out of the ordinary. As soon as he had turned the car on she cracked the window and lit her cigarette.

“Don’t care if I smoke, right?” Addison asked after already taking a long drag and blowing a thin stream of smoke out the window.

Steve’s nose crinkled but Bucky didn’t even bother to cast her a look. Quirking the corner of her mouth up she snapped her gum sharply and chuckled softly to herself when she noticed Bucky’s grip tighten on the steering wheel. Steve simply rolled his eyes and pulled a folder out the briefcase that Tony sent him out with. Addison watched Steve gently open the file and stroke his beard as his eyes moved over the lines of text. Licking her lips and trapping her cigarette between them she reached forward suddenly and snapped the file out of Steve’s hands.

Steve made a noise of protest but Addison held a hand up in front of his face to stop him. An irritated growl ripped from his chest and Bucky chuckled softly, pleased that Steve was getting the ass end of Addison’s shitty behaviour for once.

Addison’s stormy grey eyes roved the paper in front of her. She felt bile rise in her throat along with pure unadulterated anger. “This is literally my entire life consolidated into a fucking manilla file. Why the fuck is this a thing?” Addison spat angrily, flipping through the papers. It even had medical records in there, she felt her cheeks flush as the details of an OBGYN appointment stared up at her. Addison ripped that paper out of the file and tore it up, scattering the pieces on the floor of the car.

“Goddammit, Addison, stop!” Steve barked ripping the folder from her shaking grasp. “It’s just stuff that we need to know to keep you safe.”

Addison shook her head and flicked her cigarette out the window. “No. You don’t need the details of my doctors visits to keep me safe. Why the fuck does he even have that?”

“We didn’t read those,” Bucky’s baritone cut in softly. “Stark can be…disgustingly thorough. We only read what we needed.”

Addison raised an eyebrow at the men, Steve was watching her apprehensively while Bucky simply went back to watching the road. Addison raised her sunglasses back to the top of her head and narrowed her eyes at Steve. She held her hand out to him and he raised a brow back at her.

“If that’s true then let me go through it and keep all the things that are irrelevant,” Addison tried to compromise, her tone oddly sweet.

Bucky’s gaze flicked back to them through the rearview mirror. “Steve,” he cautioned with a warning tone.

Steve pursed his lips and shook his head. “Sorry, Addison, but you need to trust us to be good judges on what is and is not relevant.”

Addison scoffed, pulled her glasses back down over her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. Steve’s eyes flickered from her face to her right hand. He had noticed the ostenatious ring earlier when she shoved her hand in her face but not as it caught the light and he got a better look at it he found himself reaching forward and taking her hand.

“Excuse you, you guys seriously have a touching issue,” Addison protested, trying to pull her hand back.

“Did Pierce give you this ring?” Steve asked, ignoring her and pulling the ring off of her finger.

“Yeah, why?”

Bucky stopped at a red light and actively twisted around to look at the ring that Steve was holding up.

“Buck, give me your knife,” Steve requested and Bucky reached down to hike up his pants leg and free the large hunting knife from it’s sheath before passing it back to Steve.

Steve set the ring down in the middle cup holder and twirled the knife in his hand so he could strike down hard at the large stone with the butt of the knife. What looked to be a large diamond shattered with a soft tinkling noise and Addison let out a gasp of disapproval. Using the tip of the blade Steve sifted through the shards before reaching and grabbed a tiny microchip. Rolling down his window, he flicked the little chip out into the New York streets.

“The stone was fake, I noticed what I originally thought was an imperfection in the stone but when it caught the light I noticed the stone was actually glass. He used it to hide a tracking chip. Did you keep any other gifts from Pierce?” Steve asked, handing the knife back to Bucky.

Addison noticed how every time Bucky and Steve passed anything to each other their touch would linger and how every time Bucky would use the rearview mirror he sought out Steve’s face before anything else. She licked her chapped lips and lowered her window fully, craving some sun on her face. Bucky, however, rolled the window back up to where it was barely just cracked again and flicked on the child locks.

“Don’t need you getting shot out of the car on the first day. Would look real bad for us,” Bucky commented.

“Yeah, and you two are all about appearances, right?” Addison quipped dryly.

Steve hesitated for a moment before levying you with the full intensity of his gaze. “Addison. We’re all about keeping you alive, whether you want to be or not.”

Addison hummed and went back to staring out the window. The rest of the car ride went by in heavy silence.

~*~

“So, Bridgehampton, huh? That’s pretty fucking fancy,” Addison commented dryly as she watched the giant sprawling mansions with huge lawns and pools zip by out the car window.

“Tony thought about your concerns for the rest of your band and decided that having you all under one roof might not be the worst idea,” Bucky noted, double checking the GPS and turning into the driveway of a beautiful house that looked to be paneled in unfinished barn wood.

The first thing that Steve and Bucky noticed about the house was how many windows there were, that was a huge security detail that they were irritated that Tony looked over. The first thing Addison noticed was what appeared to be another little house in the back, like a pool house. She was already making notes on how she could possibly convert it into a practice space and recording studio. If this was where the band would be living when they weren’t touring they would need something like that since they were so far out of New York City proper.

Bucky turned off the car and Addison reached for her door release, but Steve reached over her and grabbed her hand. He motioned to Bucky with his chin who was already out of the car, his eyes flicking over the terrain and a hand on the holster of his gun. Finally, Bucky opened the door for her and let her out.

“That’s going to get irritating real quick,” Addison grumbled and pushed her way passed the two men.

Bucky groaned at Steve who had to quick step to grab onto Addison’s elbow and pull her back. Addison shot a frustrated look over her shoulder at the men, she was going to have a hard time getting used to being grabbed and forcefully moved against her will like this. Her immediate reaction was to strike out with her free hand at Steve’s chest to push him away, but he simply rolled his eyes and grabbed her wrist pulling her behind him and releasing her when she was back between him and Bucky.

“You’re between us at all times,” Steve commanded, levying her with a heavy stare.

Addison huffed and ran her tongue over her top lip. “Well then, get a move on. It’s been a grip since I’ve been somewhere other than hotel rooms.”

“Whatever you say, princess,” Bucky murmured and gave Steve a tilt of his chin signaling him to get a move on.

Bucky was just as anxious to do a sweep of the house and settle down for a moment away from Addison. The blond girl was really starting to grate on him, not that he was the most patient person to begin with. He had spent most of his life cleaning up after Steve’s antics before both men took separate paths in college. Bucky hadn’t known what he was getting into when he started working for Alexander Pierce and by the time he had accidentally run into Steve during a job he had been a shell of the boy he used to be. Steve was the one that convinced him to quit and come work with him for Tony Stark, the transition had been difficult and Bucky still spends most nights laying awake wondering when Pierce was going to send someone after him. Now, being thrown directly into the opposing path of the man he once worked under left him with anxiety and dread. Bucky didn’t have any beliefs that this would end without an exorbitant amount of bloodshed.

Once inside the house, they made Addison stay with them while they did a quick sweep and when everything came up clear and safe they returned the pistols they had drawn to their holsters and relaxed.

“Okay, so, there’s two rooms on either side of the master suite. Steve and I will take those so one of us can make it to you quickly if there’s an emergency,” Bucky stated, undoing the side straps of his Kevlar vest.

Addison blinked at them in confusion. “Why wouldn’t you guys just share a room?”

Both men froze as if doused in a bucket of cold water and Addison quirked an eyebrow. It had been so obvious to her, the way they could communicate without speaking, the soft lingering touches when they thought no one was looking - like they were trying to reassure each other the other was there, the way they were absolutely in sync with each other never faltering or hesitating. Sure, good partners had those qualities but really it was more or less because they were good /partners/.

Bucky opened and closed his mouth wordlessly a few times while Steve just flushed a brilliant pink.

“Does Tony not know?” Addison asked and then a thought dawned on her. “Do you guys not know?”

“Of course we know,” Bucky snapped, finding his voice. “How do you know?”

Addison tsked and rolled her eyes. “You two aren’t exactly subtle. Listen, you guys are supposedly stuck with me for my contract length. That’s three albums, do you know how long that is when you factor in tours and actually like…making the albums? That’s like five years, minimum. Did you really plan to keep up the farce that long?”

Bucky and Steve looked at each other, Steve rubbed the back of his neck and Bucky ran his metal hand over his head effectively knocking strands of hair out of his ponytail and into his face.

“We hadn’t really had a chance to discuss it,” Steve admitted looking to Bucky for assistance, but it appeared Bucky had already mentally checked out from the awkward conversation. It was something he did frequently and it always left Steve to figure out a plan or pick up the pieces.

“Well, you two take the master and I’ll share the Jack-and-Jill suite down the hall with Wanda,” Addison offered in a moment of selflessness. She had never been lucky enough to have a non-toxic relationship, but she knew if she was in one that’s what she would want to happen.

Addison’s longest relationship had been two years of publicity and pain and anger. It had made sense to the P.R. manager over at Hydra that she should be seen together with the front man of a more well known rock band off the label. Addison’s band would open for them and then after all the drugs and alcohol were singing through her system he’d take her back to his bus. When they weren’t fucking they were fighting and what the public saw was a mess of violence and turmoil until it finally ended in a nuclear explosion that left both Addison and her ex bleeding on the pavement (figuratively). Addison wasn’t even sure what a healthy relationship looked like, but she could only assume that the two men in front of her had one - they looked like they had a relatively healthy life in general - and Addison felt nothing but jealousy about it. Which surprised her because she had given up on the idea of love long before she ever thought she wanted it.  

Bucky immediately shot that idea down. “No, if anything Steve and I will take the Jack-and-Jill. It’s not positioned the best to you for security reasons, but then at least we can keep up the guise of separate,” Bucky interjected. He wouldn’t make eye contact with Steve, he was hoping that he hadn’t hurt Steve’s feelings in anyway and didn’t want to look to find out.

Steve was in agreement with Bucky, but it stung how quickly Bucky piped up to interject. Steve never exactly kept who he was a secret, he just didn’t talk about it. Bucky actively went out of his way sometimes to make sure no one knew about their relationship. Hiding what they were to each other got exhausting sometimes and Steve was selfishly excited about the idea of having one more space where they could just be with each other and exist.

Addison shook her head. “No, I don’t like that. You don’t need to put on a guise here, no one in the band will care - fuck, Wanda will probably think it’s cute as hell. The room to the right the master is really big, why don’t the two of you take that then? Sam and Pietro can take the Jack-and-Jill and Wanda can be on the other side of me? There’s so many rooms in this house you could pick and not pretend whatever you want to pretend.”

Steve and Bucky sent each other a look, speaking without using words again.

“I don’t want to make you guys uncomfortable. But you’re effectively putting your lives on hold because Tony told you that you had too. I know none of us are happy about it so please just do one thing that will make you happy out of all of this.” Addison begged and the men nodded.

“Thank you,” Steve whispered softly and Bucky nodded, looking anywhere but at Addison or Steve.

“Don’t thank me yet, the guys are coming with a party.” Addison’s eyes twinkled in mischief and both of the bodyguards felt their stomachs drop to the floor.

[fourteenacross]

Hey! Do you have any Stranger Things readalikes and/or middle grade & YA horror recs?

I can, in fact, provide that thing!

I could give MG and YA horror recs all day, so I stayed sort of close to the Stranger Things readalikes part of it. 

(All links are to Amazon via the WBS referral code, but buy local if you can, etc.)

Middle GradeThe Riverman by Aaron Starmer - This is a trilogy that takes place in the early 90s. Alistair is approached by a neighbor he hasn’t spoken to since they were younger, who asks him to write her biography. She explains that she is older than he thinks, as she passes time in another reality and has since learned that something from that reality is stealing the souls of children in their world. Creepy coming of age in a similar time period with a similar feel.

Doll Bones by Holly Black - Three friends have been playing the same epic game with their dolls and toys for years. When Zach’s dad tells him he’s too old for dolls and has to start playing boy games, the bone china doll who they cast as the queen of their world is unhappy. Same “kids on a epic quest against evil” vibes.

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste - Corinne has never believed in the tales of the jumbies, figuring they were something adults made up to scare kids at night. But after a close encounter in the forbidden part of the forest, a mysterious woman shows up and starts to affect their island. She has to convince her friends to help take down the evil and save their home. Creepy and with that classic “the kids see what the parents don’t” trope.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Jacob grows up hearing fantastic stories of people with strange powers from his grandfather. When his grandfather dies suddenly, he finds himself on a journey to the remote Welsh village where he grew up and stumbles upon a place without time, full of strange and wonderful things, and stalked by an evil only he can see. This one has gr8 pictures, so def do a print or ebook if you can, even though I’m usually a big audio proponent. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart - After answering a strange and vague classified ad looking for gifted children, four kids find themselves in the house of the eccentric Mr. Benedict, who’s training them for a perilous undercover mission to bring down the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. Smart kids pitted against a sketchy government institution.

The Witch’s Boy by Kelly Barnhilll - After surviving a rafting accident that kills his more talented twin brother, Ned has been told his whole like that “the wrong boy lived.” Áine, daughter of the Bandit King, was warned by her mother that “the wrong boy” will save her life. When the two meet, they discover it’s up to them to stop a war brewing between two kingdoms and save Ned’s mother’s magic. Read this and then read all the rest of Kelly Barnhill’s books.

Young AdultFiendish by Brenna Yovanoff - Ten years ago, the people of New South Bend decided that the strange things happening in town were the fault of the families living in the Willows and burned their houses down. Clementine was kept alive by magic, walled in the cellar until a boy stumbles upon her and sets her free. Now, with the help of her cousin and her friends, Clementine is determined to figure out what really happened ten years ago and how it’s connected to the magical and terrifying place called The Hollow.

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older - Sienna planned to spend her whole summer working on a mural in her neighborhood, but after being chased by a mysterious entity at a party, she discovers that she’s a part of something bigger. Her family are shadowshapers, people who can direct spirits into art to make it come alive. But someone wants to see the shadowshapers exterminated, and now Sienna and her friends have to uncover the mystery while fighting for their lives. READ. THIS. SERIES. I LOVE IT. HONESTLY. THE SECOND ONE CAME OUT THIS YEAR.

Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Barzak - Aidan’s life is ordinary and unremarkable until his former best friend, Jarrod, moves back to town. That’s when Aiden starts being haunted by visions of the past and visions of the present and things his mind has tried to hide from him. This is a weird, great (queer!) story.

The Walking Dark by Robin Wasserman - On a perfectly mundane day in a small down in Kansas, twelve people are abruptly murdered by friends and family members who then go on to kill themselves. Not long after, a strange tornado cuts the town off from the rest of the world, and as the adults descend into chaos, it’s up to a group of teens–including the sole survivor of the murder/suicides–to figure out exactly what is happening to their town.

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby - Roza was a beautiful outsider who was, against all odds, accepted by a small farming community when she stumbled into town, alone and frightened. The town, then, is devastated when she disappears, none more so than Sean, one of two brothers who had been boarding her. Younger brother Finn claims to have witnessed her abduction, but his lack of helpful evidence has ostracized him even more from the rest of the town, leaving him on his own to put together the clues of what’s happened and why and how to get Roza back. This book is weird and complex and sad and beautiful and magical.

The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron - Every twelve years, the city of Canaan descends into chaos, because every twelve years everyone’s memories are wiped completely clean. You remember nothing–your parents, your children, your spouse–unless it is written down. Except for Nadia. Nadia remembers. So it’s up to her to use her memories to solve the mysteries of the city as the next Forgetting approaches, before everything resets again and it’s too late.

AdultLet the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist - Oskar has spent his life being bullied and mocked by his peers, but a new girl has moved in next door, a girl who seems ignorant of most things in the world, but is brilliant. Around the same time, a string of horrific murders start to rock their small town, and Oskar slowly starts to put the pieces together. This is a terrible description of a great book that has SO MUCH happening in it that it’s hard to describe well. I also recommend the original Swedish movie, which is awesome.

It by Stephen King - Yeah, okay, you probably guessed this one, but there are reasons everyone is making the comparison. Just read the first half, and skip the sex stuff.

The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue - After Jack nearly drowns, he begins to refuse to leave the house, staying inside and drawing terrible monsters. It’s three years later and Jack is ten and strange things are starting to happen, things that are connected to his drawings and what happened to him.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury - A strange carnival has come to town and it’s pulling in all of the townsfolk, regardless of age, with the ability to grant their true desires. But it’s not that simple, and there’s something dark at work that takes more than it gives. Two thirteen year old boys, Jim and Will, need to overcome their own fears and desires to defeat the evil within the carnival and save the town and themselves.

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero - I have to admit, I haven’t read this one yet, though I’ve been on the hold list for an age so hopefully I will soon. But it sounds like it fits–it’s billed as what happens to a group of teens like the Scooby gang twenty years later, when they’re all adults and have mostly left their mystery solving behind. Or mostly left it behind–something about that last mystery is still haunting them and brings them back to their hometown to try and put it to rest once and for all.

ComicsLumberjanes - A great comic about the weird and wacky happenings at a scouting summer camp and the weird and wacky group of girls who run into the trouble head-on.Paper Girls - It’s 1988 and four twelve year old girls are about to stumble on to a mystery that will rock their world.Spill Zone - Three years ago, Poughkeepsie was destroyed by an event that has changed reality within its borders. Addison lost her parents in the event, and now supports her sister by taking illegal late night rides into the closed off area to take photos for collectors. One collector offers her enough money to quit for good, but to fulfill his request, she’ll need to take a risk that may keep her from ever leaving.

[alj4890]

And Then I Met You

Part 23

What happens when the one you thought you were meant for turns out to be meant for someone else?

A\N Choices Fan Fiction with characters from The Royal Romance, Red Carpet Diaries, and Perfect Match.

*Sorry for being so late in between posts. Health problems keep cropping up for both me and my family.*

@lxaah11 @alleksa16 @penguininapinktuxedo @blackcoffee85 @stopforamoment @hopefulmoonobject   @krsnlove   @annekebbphotography  @cora-nova @bella-ca  @hopelessromantic1352 . @sunflowergirl05 @desiree-0816 @greywitchyshots @lilyofchoices @emceesynonymroll @dr-nancy-house @aworldoffandoms @ab1901 @lolablackwrites @flyawayboo @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​ . @trappedinfandoms​

Masterlist

Part 23

"Lord Tariq and I were discussing that very thing last night over dinner." Lauren explained. "We both hope that Prince Liam is thinking of who is truly best for the citizens of Cordonia."

Ana and the rest of the reporters continued to throw questions out to her.

"Is it true you are no longer a part of The Earl's Undoing?"

"Yes, it is." She answered with a smile. "Once I met Lord Tariq, my heart was too focused on him rather than acting. I hope my fans can forgive me for following my heart."

"How has this affected your relationship with Thomas Hunt?" Ana asked.

Lauren laughed and shook her head. "Thomas and I only had a professional, working relationship. All those rumors about us spending every moment together are ridiculous. He is a happily married man and I would never try to tempt him away from Lady Amanda. There is only one man that I have had any type of love for and that is Lord Tariq. I would like to think that like Thomas, I too have managed to capture the heart of a Cordonian.

One of the younger reporters scratched his head. "Wait a minute, Ms. Benefield. Weren't you the one that called us with offers of sharing what you and his grace had privately together?"

Her smile became brittle while trying not to scream at the man. "You're mistaken. I only called to talk about our upcoming film. I would never slander someone like Lord and Lady Hunt."

"But--" he stared at Ana when she elbowed him. The seasoned reporter shook her head and continued to question Lauren about Tariq.

"Are we going to hear details about a possible wedding soon?"

Lauren's smile brightened. "I believe we will all be pleasantly surprised."

_______________

"I would love to knock those perfectly capped teeth out of her mouth." Nadia clinched her fist.

"Babe, you're going ultra violent again." Maxwell warned.

Riley and Hana stood with them and quietly observed Tariq join Lauren to answer more questions.

"Where are Thomas and Amanda?" Hana asked once she checked no one was close enough to overhear her.

"Er...well..." Maxwell stuttered.

"While scouting out locations to film, they decided to spend some special couple time alone. With all the Lauren mess, they needed a moment to remind them of what they have." Nadia promptly answered. She ignored the look Maxwell gave her for bending the truth.

"Oh." Riley turned as nobles were called toward the hedge maze of Applewood. "I guess we won't see them until we travel to St. Orella in a few days."

Maxwell's eyes widened. "Yeah. We won't." Once the ladies walked away, he grabbed his wife. "Nadia, Amanda is supposed to host the court next!"

Her anger disappeared as worry set in. "We have to find Olivia." She pressed a reassuring kiss to his cheek. "Call Holly and tell her to get Hudson on preparing for everyone's arrival."

_____________

Nadia burst into Olivia's room without knocking and locked the door. "You have to bring them back!" She exclaimed.

"You're interrupting me doing that very thing." Olivia motioned for her to be quiet. "Harris, it's time to retrieve our guests." She ignored Nadia mouthing her worry. "Yes. The vial is in the--" She covered her mouth and whispered it into the phone. "Use the same amount as last time. That should make it easier on you and the others and give me an opportunity to make it home before they wake up."

"There." Olivia ended the call. "They will be back tomorrow."

"I can't believe it has taken almost two months for this." Nadia flopped on Olivia's bed. "I wasn't meant for a life of subterfuge."

"Clearly." Olivia wrinkled her nose as a thought occured. "You have done better than I expected."

Nadia grinned at her. "Really? You think so?"

"Amazingly, I do." Olivia wondered how her original opinions of Nadia had turned to viewing her now as a comrade of sorts. To be impressed with her loyalty to their shared group of friends was unexpected. "Thank you...for helping with this."

Nadia surprised her with a swift unwanted hug. "Of course! I would do anything for my friends." She hurried out with a promise that they would all go with her to help explain.

_______________

That same day in St Orella...

"We have to go!" Holly interrupted the ballroom scene's dress rehearsal. "Olivia is bringing Thomas and Amanda back."

"Is this a have to go leave the country and create new identities trip or a go to Lythikos and explain why we were all a part of this venture?" Ryan asked.

Chris blanched at the possible outrage that awaited them. "I vote first option."

"Come on guys." Addison put her hands on her hips. "Once Thomas sees how we fixed everything, he will be thrilled that we--"

"Had him and the only person he loves drugged, kidnapped, and left stranded in a frozen wilderness with no explanation." Holly finished while sinking weakly down in a chair. "How are we going to be able to explain this? We should run away."

Addison turned toward Jessica and Matt. "Any chance you want to go in our place?"

"No thanks." Jessica said with a nervous laugh. "I prefer being alive."

"I think Thomas will kill the messenger in this particular case." Matt groaned when Addison appeared hurt, as if he had betrayed her. "I will come along as moral support if you want."

Holly read through the text messages she was still receiving. "Drake said Liam is going to be able to come too. He has made some type of excuse to travel early to St Orella."

Addison turned around quickly. "We get to see him again! I feel so much better knowing Liam will be there. He is perfect at keeping everyone calm and, well, pretty much everything else." She sighed at the memory of dancing with him and every other encounter.

Matt narrowed his eyes at Addison's sudden happiness over the prince going too and noticed Jessica watching him closely. He coughed and excused himself before anyone else noticed his jealousy.

"When do we leave to face our imminent doom?" Ryan asked.

"In one hour." Holly announced.

________________

The cabin? Late at night...

"...and because I met you, I am stuck in this godforsaken cabin! My reputation as a successful director that is closely associated with my time management skills is deteriorating by the moment due to your friend leaving us out here!" Thomas gripped the mantle and lowered his head after his outburst.

Amanda remained eerily silent. The only sign she had heard any of his tirade was the undiluted rage sparking her hazel eyes.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said any of that." Thomas turned to look at her. "I don't regret meeting nor marrying you. I am--" his eyes widened at her disappearance.

The front door was open. It bounced against the wall each time an freezing burst of snow sprinkled wind blew in. He stepped outside in the dark and called his wife's name. Icicles hanging from the eaves shimmered in the faint light coming from inside.

No answer.

"Amanda!" He called out peering into the icy void that seemed impenetrable to light. "I'm sorry, please--"

Thomas gasped in pain and looked down. The sharp tip of an icicle was protruding from his chest. It was yanked out and a burst of blood came from his mouth. He turned slowly to look at the one who stabbed him in the back. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"You are nowhere near as sorry as I am." Amanda said in a calm voice. She shoved him off the porch. He landed on his back with a soft thud in the snow. His blood began to pool around his body.

She knelt down and raised the icicle to stab him once more. He weakly grasped her wrist.

"Why?" He managed to choke out.

Amanda leaned down close to his face. Snowflakes began to fall around them. Her lips curved into a bitter smile.

"Because you ruined my life with your decisions and now this incessant complaining!" She screeched before stabbing him through the heart.

Thomas jerked awake and touched his chest. His breaths came in short bursts while he reached for a lamp.

Amanda turned over. "What's wrong?" She mumbled, half asleep.

"You..." He took a deep breath. "Just a bad dream."

"I'm sorry." She pressed a kiss blindly to his cheek and snuggled down in the blankets. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No...I...you stabbed me." He frowned at the ceiling.

"I did?" She asked, yawning.

"With an icicle." He added.

Her eyes cracked open. "An icicle? How creative of me."

He softly snorted. "You said I ruined your life when I asked why you were killing me."

She placed her hand over his heart. "You know I don't think anything close to that, quite the opposite."

He turned on his side to face her. "I did in a way by casting Lauren."

Amanda groaned and flopped onto her back. "Thomas, we have been over this. You have to stop beating yourself up over that one decision."

"I know. I plan on doing all I can to make it up to you." He vowed.

"There is nothing to make up because we are fixing it!" She said in a surprisingly loud, commanding tone. "You apologized and are trying to think of a way to rid ourselves of her for good. The one thing you are doing to me that is unforgivable is interrupting my good dream about you. Now I'm tempted to find an icicle."

He choked on his laughter. "I'm sorry." He managed to say while thinking how much he adored her. "What can I do to stop that from happening?"

She slowly smiled and tugged him close. "I suggest you distract me from searching for the perfect murder weapon by finishing my dream." Their lips met as she pulled his shirt off.

_______________

Outside the cabin in the middle of the night...

"They are bound to be asleep by now." Harris whispered.

Williams crept to the door and used the tools he had brought along to pick the lock. He snuck quietly into the cabin. All was dark and silent, save for the dying fire crackling in the fireplace. He added the contents in the vial to both the coffee pot and the tea kettle that had been prepared for the next morning's use. He retraced his steps and locked the door once he was out.

The servants walked a few miles in the snow draped forest and returned by snow mobile to their hideout.

________________

Late the next morning...

Williams and Harris, along with a team of servants, collected the sleep induced couple and all their things. They bundled them up in warm clothes and blankets before setting off back to Lythikos.

______________

Lythikos, mid afternoon...

Olivia smiled in approval at their quick and efficient work. She had them set the two in one of the guestrooms. She returned downstairs to everyone sitting around the dining room table for lunch.

"Now, we wait."

_____________

Five hours later...

Thomas gripped his head and tried to sit up. Once the room stopped tilting, he looked around at the ornate decorations and groaned. It hit him that they had somehow suffered a repeat performance from Olivia. He had no idea where they were this time.

He gently shook Amanda. After a few times of this, she opened her eyes. "Please don't shake me." She pleaded, throwing her arm over her eyes. "What happened? Why is everything spinning?"

"We were drugged again." He weakly motioned around the room. "Where are we?"

She propped herself up on her elbows and blinked a few times to try and focus. The room decided to remain in one position, allowing her to recognize her surroundings. "Lythikos." She fell back on her pillow.

"We are? Are you sure?" He was afraid to believe they could actually escape this time.

"Yes." She mumbled into her pillow.

He stood up on wobbly legs. "We're getting out of here."

"I can't. I'm too sleepy." Amanda yawned, pulling a blanket up. "Save yourself. Forget about me and make a new life."

He ignored her sarcasm and hefted her up. "Come on. We're leaving." He wrapped his arm around her waist and half dragged her out of the room.

"Which way?" He asked looking up and down the hallway.

"Thomas, just leave me. I'll escape later." She murmured, dropping her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not leaving you in the clutches of a deranged individual! What if she decides to lock you up somewhere else and I can't find you?" He pulled her more snuggly against his side. "Focus for me, Amanda. Which way?"

She groaned and pointed to the left. "That way."

They slowly made their way toward the stairs.

"Ah, your grace. I see you are awake."

Thomas whirled around with Amanda dozing on his shoulder. "Stay back." He ordered.

"But sir," Harris began. "I only wish to tell you and Lady Amanda that--"

"Not another step. We are leaving." Thomas backed up against a wall. He kept his eyes on the servant that was watching him with a great deal of confusion and edged sideways.

He made it to the stairs and shook Amanda. "Wake up." He ordered. "We have to go downstairs. I need you actively helping me right now before Olivia catches us."

"Thomas, Olivia hasn't lost her mind." Amanda let go of him and leaned against the banister. She tried to concentrate. "She must have had a reason to--"

"Drug and kidnap us twice? Twice!" He ran his hands over his face. "Short of saving us from being murdered, I can't think of one logical reason to do this to us two times in a row."

"Oh I definitely have a reason."

The two looked down at Olivia. Their other friends came out and fanned around her. A proud smirk appeared on her red lips. "We all had a reason."

_______________

A comfortable den at Lythikos...

The couple remained silent after everything was explained. Shock at the plan not only being thought of but also successfully executed kept them from being able to speak.

Thomas shook his head no when Olivia offered him coffee. He then quietly pushed back the tea cup set in front of Amanda. His dark eyes touched on each face. "Let me see if I understand this. You did all this to cause Lauren to break her contract?"

"That and change her story in front of the press." Holly added. "And wait until you see Jessica in the part! She brings an innocence to Elizabeth that Lauren could never fake."

He ignored that last part. "Why wouldn't you simply tell us your plan?"

The group shared loaded glances. "We didn't think you would go along with it." Addison admitted.

Maxwell leaned forward, his deep blue eyes flickereing back and forth between the two. "I say this with nothing but love: you two are incredibly stubborn."

Everyone nodded while muttering examples of the couple's hard headedness both individually and combined.

"I would have gone along with it." Amanda replied.

Thomas slowly nodded. "I can see the benefits. I would like to think I would have at the very least been open to it."

"I would have chosen somewhere else to hide out though." Amanda muttered.

"That's another reason you were drugged and not let in on the plan. You wouldn't have chosen a place where no one would have a chance to see you." Olivia explained.

Amanda hesistated. "I guess I wouldn't."

"And you wouldn't have waited so long past your shooting schedule." Ryan added to Thomas.

He rubbed a hand down his face. "I suppose not."

"Did you at least have a good time together?" Nadia asked, worry over them being mad at the group weighed heavy on her mind.

Thomas leaned back and met Amanda's gaze. Her eyes dropped down to his scarred bottom lip while his touched on her recently healed black eye. They shared a brief smile and nodded simultaneously.

"Once we got over the injuries," Amanda began.

"And I quit complaining about being unable to start filming." Thomas added.

She laughed and slipped her hand in his. "It ended up being nice with no one around."

"Injuries?" Drake cocked an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"Oh the usual." Amanda muttered. "Some silly person getting scared in the cellar and delivering an elbow to the face."

"Catapulting off the porch due to some idiot chopping wood at sunrise." Thomas continued. He smiled at her laughing again. She seemed to relax once more into the woman he had known before everything had occurred with Lauren. He put his arm around her when she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're not angry with our interference in both your personal and professional lives?" Liam asked.

Amanda tilted her head up to look at Thomas. "I'm not. Are you?"

"No. I'm grateful for the meddling. I have struggled to come up with a plan to be rid of Lauren once and for all. You have saved me a great deal of stress." He bowed his head to the group. "Thank you."

"Do my ears decieve me or did Thomas Hunt say thank you?" Chris asked. "Quick Olivia! Where else can we stash him away for a few more weeks?"

"I can always take back my thanks." Thomas warned.

"Welcome back, Mr. Director." Chris quickly said. "May you never leave our prescence again."

________________

The next evening, St. Orella...

"I have never been so happy to be home." Thomas announced as he crawled into bed. "I am tempted to film everything here to avoid being stuck in hotel rooms."

Amanda set her book on the nightstand and rolled over to face him. "Thomas, this is the first time you have referred to St Orella as home."

His brow furrowed. "Surely I referred to it as such at some po--." He moaned at the heated kiss she gave him. "If you are going to kiss me like that then I will call this place home in every sentence."

She laughed and kissed him once more. "I have thought of your house in California as our home for quite a while now. Knowing you feel the same for this one makes me so happy."

He gently cupped her cheek. "After the ball, we must begin filming. I need to get some footage shot before Liam's coronation."

She nodded. "Why do you sound worried?"

"I know you have to participate this week and the next in social events. I hate leaving you on your own with Lauren now as an unwelcome part of them." His thumb softly stroked her cheek. "Actually, I don't like the idea of being apart period."

"I have dealt with worse people than Lauren. Hopefully she will be so wrapped up in Tariq that she won't bother trying anything else." Amanda grinned and snuggled closer. "As for our being apart, you have been stuck with my company for nearly five months, two of which you were cut off completely from any part of civilization. I believe you have more than earned a reprieve from me."

His arm slid around her. "I have not once wished for a reprieve as you phrase it. Since I first picked you up at the airport, I have enjoyed and craved your companionship more than anyone else's. I only wanted to leave the cabin for work. It was never to take a break from you." His hands rubbed up and down her back. "Each moment we have spent together has proven over and over that you are the only one for me."

She pressed a tender kiss to his lips. "That might be the sweetest compliment anyone has ever given me." Her laughter was muffled against his chest when he muttered that she should feel free to voice her reciprocated feelings for him.

"You know I love being with you." she responded. "Being stuck in the cabin that I have always hated showed me also that you are the only person I will both willingly and gladly be trapped with. As long as I have you, anyplace we are in will feel like home."

After a sweet kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers. "I am going to miss you." Thomas admitted. "I know it is only for a week or so..." He closed his eyes in mock frustration. "You have done quite a number on me. Making it to where even sleeping without you beside me will be impossible...you should be ashamed of ruining me for anything different."

"I'm sorry." She said in the midst of smothering her giggles. "If you want, I can sleep in a different room so that you will begin to get used to not having me around."

"If you do, I will be forced to follow you." He warned. His lips curved as she placed a kiss on his stubbled jaw.

"Good." Amanda muttered. She turned the lamp off and smiled at the warm body pressing against hers. "I intend to keep you close for as long as I can."

She yawned and closed her eyes. "We have much to do tomorrow before the rest of the court arrives. It will be our official announcement of our marriage with the hosting of this ball."

"They don't know we are married yet?" Thomas asked.

"They do, but a newly wedded noble couple hosting the court is a sign that they share the same motivations and ideals. The couple is united as one in anything presented politically and socially." She explained.

Thomas grunted his understanding while cuddling her close. "Then it is past time we showed the court that very aspect of our marriage." He closed his eyes and relaxed. "We will make certain the ball goes off without any problems."

[junker-town]

The NBA invited Jalaiah Harmon to perform ‘Renegade’ and showed how to address appropriation

The NBA corrected an error and put Jalaiah Harmon front and center to perform her viral dance.

During the NBA All-Star Game, a young girl named Jalaiah Harmon performed a dance she created called “Renegade.” The dance has been a viral hit, performed by countless celebrities, Tik Tok influencers and ordinary people across social media platforms.

Jalaiah, creator of Renegade, performs at the NBA All-Star Game! pic.twitter.com/w5qtYTrjeh

— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2020

Harmon’s All-Star Game performance was a late addition to the docket, however. All-Star weekend is a spectacle, so it wasn’t surprising the NBA tried to capitalize on the dance craze. But the league initially invited several white Tik Tok influencers — including Charli D’Amelio and Addison Easterling, who had popularized the dance — as part of the festivities. Harmon, who is black, was absent among the invitees, and that absence was met with anger online.

On the Friday before All-Star weekend, rapper K Camp, whose song Harmon had danced to, tweeted a video thanking her for making his song the biggest in the world. Before that, there had been an online movement to recognize Harmon as the “Renegade” creator. The NBA, by planning to leave Harmon out of the weekend, quickly became another example of the problem of appropriation. Here was another minority, a young back, female creative, having her idea taken and profited from, while she sat at home and watched.

The situation might seem inconsequential; it is about a dance, after all. Dances become crazes then fade away all the time on social media. But the situation also illustrates very clearly how cultural appropriation occurs, and what those who fight against it would like to see instead.

Often, the conversation of appropriation gets flattened into one about the fluid nature of inspiration. The argument denying cultural appropriation’s existence is that the free flow of ideas is the basis of creativity. People take inspiration from everything, and to claim strict ownership over an idea, like a dance, is to demand that others cannot imitate or take the idea further. It is to be against the nature of creativity.

But that argument is idealistic and a decoy. It is a reframing of the conversation to ignore the nature of power that is at the core of any argument about appropriation. To claim inspiration should flow freely among everyone is to think everyone has the same ability to create and be rewarded for their creativity. It’s to forget the power imbalances of the material world.

In Harmon, many people recognized a historical problem that has been exacerbated by social media, in which the ideas of minorities are profited from by those who were “inspired” by it. Meanwhile, individuals who created the idea often fade into obscurity. In some cases, an idea that was dismissed or demonized when it was in sole possession of minorities, will then be celebrated when taken away from them.

In an article from 2017, Teju Cole wrote that appropriation isn’t a problem of creativity, but of justice:

“But taking on the identity of others, appropriating what is theirs, is invasive and frequently violent. I have heard appropriation defended on the grounds that we have a responsibility to tell one another’s stories and must be free to do so. This is a seductive but flawed argument. The responsibility toward other people’s stories is real and inescapable, but that doesn’t mean that appropriation is the way to satisfy that responsibility. In fact, the opposite is true: Telling the stories in which we are complicit outsiders has to be done with imagination and skepticism. It might require us not to give up our freedom, but to prioritize justice over freedom. It is not about taking something that belongs to someone else and making it serve you but rather about recognizing that history is brutal and unfinished and finding some way, within that recognition, to serve the dispossessed.”

The movement for Harmon didn’t demand others stop doing the dance, but they acknowledge who created it so that she could be justly rewarded. Harmon deserved to have opportunities open up for her just as they had for those who had taken what she made. Rather than wringing their hands over the nature of creativity, those who defended Harmon demanded that the young girl be correctly placed at the center of the craze.

oh wow the tik tok girls already linked with the original creator of the renegade dance pic.twitter.com/Vr1gIeLcPX

— alex. (@makeupIady) February 16, 2020

It was heartening to see that the NBA eventually decided to recognize Harmon. Bringing her to the All-Star Game and giving her a chance to perform will help her profit from the dance going forward. And all the NBA did was simply acknowledge her role. It took nothing away from those who are inspired by the dance, nor did centering Harmon prevent influencers from profiting.

In fact, the dance was elevated when she was able to do it alongside those influencers. All that changed was the balance of the scale between a creator and those who were influenced by her. The relationship was made more like the idealistic version of creativity, rather than the parasitic version that too frequently takes root. Creativity and inspiration continued to coexist, but in a better, more fair manner.

[jordan202]

The Journey - Part Four

Special thanks to @jia911 for proofreading this!

Previous chapters:  1 - 2 - 3

Timeline for Part 4:

11x01 and 11x02. Amelia is settling in as head of department and during an AA meeting finds out Maggie Pierce is related to Webber and Meredith. Owen is adjusting to life without Cristina.

The Journey - Part Four

 Amelia double clicked on the radiology computer while taking a sip of her steamy hot coffee. She was dealing with the case of a twenty year old girl who had stroked out during sex. The case itself was interesting enough but the neurosurgeon was sure there was probably some medical mystery related to it. And Amelia couldn’t help herself. She needed to find out.

It was nice taking some time alone. That was one of the few things she missed about her work in Los Angeles. Even though Amelia loved the rush and the full time busy schedule of big hospitals, sometimes she enjoyed sitting by herself, studying scans accompanied only by a cup of coffee. The silence made it easier for her to concentrate and at that moment, it was entirely welcoming.

As her eyes thoroughly examined every detail on the screen, Amelia couldn’t help reminiscing about how well she was doing. She deeply missed Addison and the other friends she’d made at Seaside, but for the first time in a long time, Amelia felt like she was in full control of her life. It was unusual for her to feel like that. And the surgeon knew that even though she was in a good place, it was important to make sure she didn’t neglect her life long recovery battling addiction, for Amelia was determined to never again have another slip.

For that reason, as soon as she had settled at work, the neurosurgeon resumed going to AA meetings. At first, it had been an awkward surprise to find Richard Webber there. But the more she thought about it, the more at peace she became. Richard was an amazing surgeon, with an incredible career. Looking at the guy, Amelia would never guess that he too had an alcohol problem. And yet, there he was, seeking out help the same way she was. Even though she sympathized with him, Amelia also felt inspired. Just like Charlotte King, if Richard Webber could recover from addiction and live his life to become chief and rebuild his life from scratch, then there was no reason why her own life couldn’t also be promising. Richard and Charlotte were examples to be followed and Amelia felt stronger to realize she wasn’t the only one. Probably everyone in the hospital had their own skeletons in the closet and it was a comforting thought to know she wasn’t an outcast.

Amelia had just finished separating the images she wanted to zoom for a more careful read when the door opened. She turned around and saw Maggie Pierce lying against it, her eyes closed as she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“You okay?”

Maggie instantly opened her eyes, realizing she wasn’t alone like she’d originally imagined.

“I am sorry,” The thoracic surgeon looked rather uncomfortable. “I didn’t know you were here,” she added, already turning around to leave.

“No, it’s okay!” Amelia said before she could even think about it. Her own reaction surprised her and she wondered why she’d hurried to guarantee Maggie could stay. Earlier that day, Richard had briefly introduced the two of them, but there wasn’t much Amelia knew about the young head of thoracics other than the fact that she seemed really resourceful. Just a while ago, Maggie had suggested they tracked down a patient’s identity using her cell phone serial number. But the fact that she had called Derek “the other Dr. Shepherd” had also helped to put the woman in Amelia’s good graces. “Bad day?” The neurosurgeon asked, narrowing her eyes as she studied the other’s expression.

Once again, Maggie took a deep breath and seemed to hesitate a bit before finally revealing:

“I’ve had bad days and rough starts, but this…” The young woman sighed, visibly shaken up. “It just feels like everyone is against me today.”

“What do you mean?” Amelia considerately asked, seeing the woman probably needed to talk.

“I don’t know if I am being tested,” Maggie confessed, taking two steps forward and sitting next to Amelia by the computer. “I mean, I was already hired, so if they wanted to test me, why didn’t they do it before? It would have been…”

“Who’s testing you?” Amelia asked with a grin, interrupting the ramble.

“Everyone,” Maggie admitted. “There is Meredith Grey, who’s being a bitch to me for no reason…”

“Nah, that’s just who she is,” Amelia waved in dismissal with good humor. A few days before, during a particular revealing AA meeting, she had found out through Richard Webber that Maggie Pierce was his biological daughter, and half sister to Meredith Grey. The thoracic surgeon didn’t know this yet but Amelia was pretty sure the secret wouldn’t be kept much longer. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. I am sure.”

“Then there’s my resident, who simply won’t do what I tell her,” Maggie carried on, ignoring the interruption. “And there’s the chief, who’s hired me but then treats me like I am incompetent and not up for the job.”

Amelia didn’t know why, but Maggie’s impression on Owen Hunt intrigued her more than the one about her sister in law.

“How is that?” She asked, trying to sound indifferent. “I mean, I am not prying, it’s just that I have also just been appointed Head of Department and don’t want to deal with any unpleasant surprises.” She hurried to make up a believable excuse for her interest.

“I don’t know…” Maggie sighed again, feeling better already just by having confessed her feelings to someone. “It’s like he won’t let me do my job. Maybe he thinks I am beneath his ex wife, maybe he thinks I am not as good as her but…”

“Well, she left.” Amelia pointed out and then frowned at herself for doing so.

“Yeah and I am here,” Maggie said, feeling a wave of empowerment. She looked at Amelia, as if the neurosurgeon had just given her an answer and proceeded to get up. “She left and if she was better than me, she would have stayed for the job. I don’t have to prove myself to anyone, I am well aware of how capable I am,” Maggie decided with renovated vigor. “Thank you, you were great!” She said with honest gratitude before holding her head high and walking out the door.

Amelia was left with amused disbelief, wondering what exactly she’d done. Later that day, she and Maggie would meet again and after discussing nearly fatal sex injuries, Amelia would realize she actually enjoyed the other surgeon’s company. They were both young, talented women who had recently arrived at the hospital. The duo also had to put up with people thinking they couldn’t do their jobs on a daily basis and therefore, had a lot in common. Maybe Maggie could really become a rather welcomed new friend. Amelia certainly had enjoyed watching her operate and eating a bag of chips while they talked and she chanted the ode Maggie’s parents had made up for their daughter. Amelia felt strangely touched. It was obvious Maggie Pierce had proud parents and a supportive family. Those were things the neurosurgeon had longed for all her life. Amelia had felt comfortable enough to share she had three sisters and a brother, who are all very put together, while she had always been the odd man out. It was interesting to interact with someone who’d clearly had a traditional upbringing.

Maggie Pierce seemed to have a funny way of functioning and even though they hadn’t spent more than a couple of hours in each other’s company, Amelia already liked her a lot.

.

Owen felt like kicking the coffee machine inside the attendings’ lounge. Yet again, he was having one of those days. They seemed to happen quite often lately and he wasn’t at all excited about the things he had left to resolve.

“I really have to say this… I love working here!”

Owen turned around to meet the excited face of Amelia Shepherd. The young neurosurgeon made her way in, swiftly taking control of the coffee machine Owen had visibly been struggling with and he didn’t know whether to feel angry of grateful.

“That’s good to hear,” He added in a bad mood, only because he felt he should say something. But the woman was so excited about whatever she was cheering about that he doubted she noticed his heavy expression.

“Maggie Pierce has just diagnosed a patent foramen ovale on a twenty year old who had a stroke,” Amelia shared, excited about the case. “I just watched her close it with a catheter. It was such a good catch,” The neurosurgeon excitedly went on, easily getting the machine to work and pouring two cups. Owen thankfully took the one she was offering him and quickly got busy drinking it, so he wouldn’t have to take part on the conversation. “You know, she is amazing.”

“Who is?” Owen asked distractedly, just realizing he wasn’t paying attention to what she was saying.

“Maggie Pierce,” Amelia replied like it was obvious.

“Oh,” Owen recovered his senses, doing his best to focus. He shrugged and breathed in before finally making eye contact with the newest head of Neuro. “You’re right, she is incredible… She uh,” He hesitated, embarrassed to say he had almost put a brake on her brilliance because of his stubbornness. “She actually was able to solve a case after it had been thoroughly searched. Everyone had given up on it,” He admitted, thinking about how Maggie found out the cause for the McNeils cardiomyopathy, linking it to a genetic mutation. “I had given up on it.” He confessed humbly.

“Well, I am glad she is here,” Amelia admitted for selfish reasons. For once, she wasn’t alone. Maggie was also the young prodigy whose capacities and experience everyone always doubted. Amelia could relate to that.

“Wait, did you say you had a twenty year old with a stroke?” Owen asked with genuine interest. After an entire week of being asked out by Derek and Jackson, dealing with residents issues and handling a feud between Meredith Grey and Maggie Pierce, it was nice to find some distraction on something he really enjoyed. He hadn’t been in the OR for a while and honestly missed it.

“Yes!” Amelia replied with enthusiasm, carried on after seeing he was interested in the conversation. “Luckily for the patient there were no deficits but it could have been much worse.” She added before getting a sip of her own coffee, finding comfort in the hot beverage.

“How did that happen?” Owen asked, unsure if she had already said while he hadn’t been paying full attention.

“She had a leg clot and after vigorous sex, the clot traveled back to her heart, passed through her PFO and went up the carotid,” Amelia explained, impressed by the situation. “Can you imagine it?” The neurosurgeon shook her head. “I mean, of all the sex injuries I’ve ever imagined or seen, this one I could have never predicted…”

“What?” Owen asked with a hoarse voice, suddenly feeling tense. Why was she talking to him about sex? And asking if he could imagine it?

“I once had this patient that…”

Amelia went on rambling but Owen found it extremely hard to keep paying attention. His mind was assaulted by the vivid image he’d seen through the window, a couple of weeks before. Involuntarily, his mouth got dry and his breathing got heavier. He could still clearly see it: Amelia gracefully moving around wearing shorts, her shapely firm thighs in evidence as she playfully entertained the children. Her slim shoulders and curvy waist were also exposed, making up the delightful vision.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Owen loathed himself for allowing his thoughts to take that direction. He knew he hadn’t had sex in a while, and that was probably adding to his already bad mood, but he couldn’t keep imaging the woman that way. She was his employee. Amelia worked for him. The least he could do was treat her with respect and not objectify her like his brain seemed so determined to do.

“… so after hours of blindly looking, we were finally able to figure out where that rash was coming from.” Amelia ended her excited tale, failing to notice how uncomfortable Owen seemed. “Hey, do you want more coffee?”

“Sure,” Owen replied automatically, trying to use that time to regain control.

But as Amelia turned to her side and went to the coffee maker, his eyes fixated on the image of her profile.

“I have to admit, despite the stroke I kinda envy those two,” Amelia chuckled, pouring more coffee into the cups. “I mean, how many women do you know who can say they had such a mind blowing orgasm, if you know what I mean…” Amelia joked, intentionally making a pun.

Oh God, Owen thought, painfully aware of how close she stood. Why did she have to say words like orgasm and ask him a question in the same sentence? His body immediately took it like a challenge and Owen was assaulted by images of that woman lying underneath him on a bed, her wonderful brown hair against a fluffy white pillow while he…

Damn it. Owen forced himself to stop thinking. Why was that happening?

“I have to go,” He cut her short and strode to the door, not even bothering to grab the coffee she had offered. But Owen noticed the look of confusion on her face as she was basically left talking alone.

Amelia stood still, caught off guard by the way he had suddenly left. Had she said anything to offend him? Amelia didn’t think so, but who would know? Owen Hunt was so mysterious and so moody that the best thing she could do was simply stay under the radar, avoiding his presence completely. That way, not only she wouldn’t have to deal with his strange mood, she could also stop wondering about him and why he was so annoyingly fascinating.

.

Amelia finished gathering her things, ready to call it a day. It had been a fun one. She had really enjoyed getting to know a bit more about Maggie.

“This has probably been the longest shift of my career,” Maggie exaggerated. She’d had longer and rougher days during residency but today had been especially hard.

“You took on so many cases,” Amelia pointed out with a gentle smile, seeing how her colleague looked exhausted. “But don’t worry, there will be others tomorrow,” The neurosurgeon added with a wicked grin.

Maggie chuckled and finished changing from her scrubs to her regular clothes. She had just closed her locker when she remembered:

“I can’t believe you got asked out by the patient’s boyfriend.”

“Well, technically he didn’t ask me out,” Amelia corrected her with a smile. She knew Maggie was talking about the date of the patient who’d gotten a stroke while having sex. “He just asked for my number.”

“He looked like he could only think with what was in his pants,” Maggie shook her head in playful disapproval. “That kid can’t be more than twenty two, did he seriously think you were going to accept his offer… He probably hasn’t even left college yet,” Maggie realized. “Are all college guys like this?” She wondered out loud.

“Well, don’t you know?” Amelia gave her a look of surprise. Maggie had gone to college too. How come she didn’t know?

“I was way younger than everybody,” The thoracic surgeon confessed with a sad grin. “Plus, I had gigantic braces and carried a heavy physiology textbook anywhere I went. Muscular gym guys hardly found that attractive,” She joked at her own predicament.

“Well, sometimes it is good to think with body parts other than the brain,” Amelia advised with a chuckle, noticing how Maggie had blushed.

At that exact moment, the door to the lounge opened but the two surgeons were too caught up with their own conversation to notice the tall, broad shouldered man who had entered.

“Are you serious, though?” The neurosurgeon gave up putting on her jacket, looking at Maggie with comic disbelief. “You didn’t enjoy that part of college?” Amelia asked, scandalized. “I swear to God, I should have gotten that guy’s number and given it to you. He surely looked dumb enough but no one dates a guy like that to discuss rocket science, if you know what I mean…”

Maggie blushed at Amelia’s words but she felt her entire face turning red when she noticed the chief of surgery had walked into the room. He definitely had heard a part of the conversation and the fact that he looked livid and serious made the thoracic surgeon even more anxious. Maggie felt like she had somehow been caught misbehaving.

“Is everything okay?” Owen asked with a heavy expression.

“Yea.” Both women replied at the same time.

Maggie noticed how while she was alarmed and clearly uncomfortable, Amelia was the portrait of innocence. Owen kept staring at the head of Neuro for a second longer than necessary, as if expecting her to say something else, but on the face of Amelia’s indifferent silence, his eyes fell upon Maggie one more time.

“I was looking for you, Pierce,” He confessed, clearing his throat before talking. “I…uh,” Owen hesitated, uncomfortable by the presence of Amelia. “I just wanted to say you did great today,” He encouragingly added. Owen had noticed how, after solving the mystery to the McNeils case, Maggie hadn’t gloated or bragged that she was better or worse than anyone. She had simply gone on to finish her job and he admired her attitude. “With all your cases.”

“Thank you, chief,” Maggie let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, relieved to be hearing those words instead of the reprimand she was sure they were going to get. “It’s been a long day.”

“Get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow,” Owen said, watching as the two women prepared to exit. He waited on purpose until they were both at the door and called out. “Shepherd, can you hold on for a second? I want to talk to you.”

Amelia noticed by the stiffness of his jaw that he wasn’t really asking and she silently said goodbye to Maggie before turning back and closing the door after herself, leaving the two of them alone in the room. What did he want now? She hadn’t forgotten the way he’d left her talking to herself earlier that afternoon. That man really was impossible to figure out.

“Something wrong?” She forced a polite smile, unsure of why he was looking at her with angry impatience.

“Need I remind you the hospital has a very strict policy regarding dating patients?” Owen started, feeling the bitter taste of the words as they left his lips.

But he couldn’t help it. He had walked in on the two women and caught Amelia Shepherd making a joke about getting a patient’s number. Deep down, Owen knew it was probably harmless and he doubted she had even meant it, but today that impulsive and passionate young neurosurgeon was really getting to him. He knew he should have held her back, but his temper got the best of him.

“What?” Amelia asked with a heavy frown, unable to believe what he was saying. If she already had been angry with him for his behavior from before, now she was undoubtedly irritated.

“I just heard you telling Pierce something about getting a patient’s number?” Owen said with a heavy tone, knowing he was being excessively strict. “You know the hospital has policies against that.”

“Oh, the guy wasn’t even a patient, he was the boyfriend of the girl who had the stroke,” Amelia justified herself. She had never dated a patient or their family members and she was well aware of work and ethical policies. It had obviously been a joke, so why was Owen Hunt so worked up about it? “And besides, he asked me for my number, not the other way around. I don’t go around flirting with patients,” She took a step in his direction, getting angrier at his inexistent accusation. “I certainly don’t encourage it, but it’s not my fault if they flirt with me,” Amelia added in a tone of defiance, knowing there was no need to go that far.

But she couldn’t help it. The guy got on her nerves too easily.

“Well, I sure hope so.” Owen said between his teeth, sustaining her look. “Have a good night, Dr. Shepherd,” he added, letting her know that conversation was over.

Amelia left but before she turned her back on him, Owen noticed her blue eyes were sparking with rage. He knew he was being unfair. Had it been anyone else, Owen probably would have let it go but Amelia Shepherd had already haunted him enough that day.

Earlier in the afternoon, she had innocently trapped him in a conversation about sex and Owen immediately started to have thoughts he should be ashamed of. But then she’d gone on and joked about a guy and Owen made an unpleasant discovery:

Even more disconcerting than fantasizing about Amelia Shepherd with that gorgeous alabaster skin hot and flushed as she had an orgasm was to involuntarily imagine her in someone else’s arms while at it.

Owen was disturbed by how fast and how intensely his thoughts had escalated. He really wasn’t in a good place. Being a guy, of course he often noticed women and felt attracted to them, but never before had he been so flagrantly unable to properly function because he was having dirty thoughts about a colleague before.

Especially not one who was as tiny and delicately shaped as she was fierce, daring and challenging.

It was probably not even about her, Owen tried to convince himself. He just had a lot on his plate at the moment. Maybe he could use a distraction, something he enjoyed doing that could keep him busy. That was it. He needed a new hobby.

Feeling more optimistic than he had all day, Owen strode back to his office. Maybe it was time to revisit an old project he had, involving war veterans. Callie Torres had a whole new lab and her research about robotic limbs was a success. It was definitely a better idea to keep his mind focused on prosthetics and amputees, people who really needed the assistance and resources he had available. And it was much more comforting to channel his energy on helping people who needed it than using all of it to stop picturing Amelia Shepherd without her scrubs on every time she directed those scandalous silver blue eyes at him.

--

Will Owen be able to resist the sexual attraction? We’ll find out soon :) 

[a-shakespearean-in-paris]

Honest Opinions about Mass Effect Andromeda

This was on my now deleted old blog, and when I deleted the blog this post also went gone with the wind. Found it on my computer and decided to re-upload because why not. Kind of a review of the game. Keep in mind this was written before the patches and before they made Jaal a romance for both Ryders. SPOILERS

While I love the Dragon Age series, and would even consider it my favorite video game series, I never played Bioware’s other major franchise until this game came out. I gravitate towards fantasy epics, but have personally never cared for science fiction or stories set in outer space. Despite the lukewarm reception the game got, I went ahead and parted with my sixty dollars to buy the game and decide for myself. While I have to say I enjoyed the game as a whole, I have a few opinions that I thought I would share. Warning, there will be spoilers.

Character Creation: This didn’t bother me as much as it bothered others. At first it was hard to get the character how I wanted her, then I realized the trick was picking the right face shape off the list, and going off of that. That being said though, there are things that severely annoyed me about the creation process. If you liked the eye shape on one face but the nose shape on the other, you basically had to pick one and settle. This is different from the Dragon Age Inquisition character creator, were you can change anything on the face. It’s amazing to me how many steps they took backward, while also taking one step forward. In Dragon Age, your hair kind of awkwardly stays still, but at least now my ponytail realistically moves in the wind.

Character Facial Animations: It’s been said to death, but oh my god…it was kind of sad. Now, I will say that even though I was led to believe that the game had nonstop bad animation, that’s not actually what occurred during my playthrough. Addison was animated shoddily, as were a few other minor characters. The worst I saw wasn’t even on my playthrough however. It was Scott’s expression during his romance scene with Cora. Instead of looking aroused, he honestly looked terrified. I understand the complaints, because I have them too. This is the age were The Last of Us has come out, and I can look at the screen without my glasses and for a minute think Joel is a real person. Truthfully, bioware was never the best at character animations, and no one has complained in the past. That being said though, there have been some moments of brilliance in the past. For example, there’s a gifset floating around of the way Cullen looks at the Inquisitor after you’ve locked in the romance in Inquisiton. It’s perfectly animated, and when I look at that scene, compared to the subpar-ness of some of these people in Andromeda, I know they can do a better job. This isn’t the same team that did past games, and that had something to do with it, but I still think when you have that many assets, you can do a better job. I will say however, that bullying certain animators on twitter is no way to express dissatisfaction. All it does is make you look like an asshole.  

At the end of the day though, what sells Bioware characters is not necessarily how their animated, but how their unique personality meshes with the performance of the voice actors to bring them to life. And as a whole, I don’t have too many complaints about the characters and squadmates, though I have my own preferences in terms of whose storylines I found the most appealing. Obviously I loved Jaal and the whole angara culture, and I loved him so much he became my romance. Beyond him I actually really liked Cora, and the friendship she and my pathfinder developed, as well as Vetra.

Romance: I’ll be honest, what first drew me to Dragon Age way back when was the fact that you could pick a character to romance. And now, with Mass Effect, I had the unique opportunity to romance an alien. So obviously I picked the alien Jaal to have a relationship with. Even though I liked the romance, it made me realize how similar some of these bioware romances are written. In Inquisition, at some point both Cullen and Solas take you to a body of water. Guess what…so does Jaal. Bonus points for Cullen, because he takes you to a place near his home, just like Jaal. Not to mention, out of all the relationships, Jaal’s seemed to be the one that pandered to the female demographic the most. (“Wherever you go, take me with you.”) That probably says more about me than it does Bioware, as I always seem to chose the romance that panders to haplessly romantic women the most. Now, even though I said the romance with Jaal was nice, I feel like the content was lacking, especially when I thought Inquisition was generous when it came to romance scenes. With Jaal, we flirted, he took me to meet his family, we bang, and poof, over. Can I have at least had a repeatable kissing cutscene on the tempest like Inquisition had while you were at Skyhold? Is that too much to ask?

Family Dynamics: My biggest beef with the game was how the family dynamic was handled. When I heard your brother (or sister, if you play a male) as well as your papa would be there with you, I thought that was damn cool. Too bad papa is only in the game for the prologue before dying. And then to top it off, your bro/sis is in a coma for most of the game, and when he/she wakes up…they stay on the nexus and don’t tag along! I was looking forward to the father/child dynamic, but alas, that never came. Imagine how cool it would be to clash with your dad? Or go against his advice and deal with the fallout? But nope. He needed to die. I understand why this happened in terms of story, but it was still a disappointment.

Along the same vein, it would have been awesome to have that brother/sister dynamic as you pathfound. Would your sibling be jealous that you were the pathfinder? What would they say about your romance? Would they get busy with someone else? Alas, we’ll never know, and I think this was a missed opportunity. Though it was cool to see how they were involved in the ending. I’m hoping your sibling becomes a squadmate in the next game, though now that I think about it, I understand that it may not be feasible, as the voice actors would have to record different sets of dialogue that may be too taxing.

Conclusion: I have a few more hangups, like how hard the nomad was to control, at least on PS4, and how annoying traveling to other planets was. I really liked the combat in this game, which is odd because usually combat isn’t my favorite part of a bioware game. Now, I realize that a lot of my complaints are supposedly going to be patched, which is great…but I think there is a larger issue here. Game developers shouldn’t release games that aren’t ready to be released yet, and as it is, I think Mass Effect could have been in the oven at least a week before release to fix some of the issues. I kind of wish I would have waited to buy the game, so my first experience with it would have been a better one, but it is what it is. I enjoyed the game, and if I had the opportunity, I might play the original mass effect games. Will I play Andromeda again? As of right now I don’t have the desire to. But in the future, who knows.

Final note: As someone who never played the original, the game was good. Not great, but good, and I thought it was worth the money.