#choices april monthly challenge

[aprilchallenge]

Choices April Challenge

Looks like spring is in the air 🌷

I am so honored to be able to host the monthly challenge for a second time. Thank you to @choicesmonthlychallenge for letting me host April Monthly Challenge 💚

You’ll be able to create something on any day, as I didn’t assign prompts to each day. So feel free to use the prompts as inspiration strikes 💓

I was hoping to spread some joy so hopefully everyone will be able to create something amazing 💙

Just be sure to tag @aprilchallenge and state the prompt you used 🧡

Hopefully the tags will work. If they don’t you can dm me on my personal blog @peonierose too 🌸

Prompts

[karahalloway]

Sleepless in New York: Chapter 9 - Edge of the Night

Series: TRR

Pairing: Drake Walker x F!OC (Harper Gale)

Synopsis: What if Drake met Harper on the first night of Prince Christian’s New York bachelor party? A stand-alone AU written from Drake's POV.

Masterlist: Sleepless in New York

Chapter Summary: Drake locates Christian... but that doesn't mean his night's over.

Word Count: 6,600

Rating/Warnings: M (swearing, angst)

Chapter theme song:

A/N1: Apologies this took sooo long to get out! I started working on this chapter back in November, but I got stuck several times, then I went to chase the shiny butterfly that was Polo!, and then I was busy collaborating on the Mardi Gras Mayhem fic. But... after much ado, here is the (long-awaited!) chapter! Hope it meets expectations!

A/N2: A day early, but this is also my submission for the Choices April Challenge. This chapter would fall under the ‘Just want to be with you’.

Chapter 9 - Edge of the Night

Ten minutes later, I'm standing at the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island, wearing a standard-issue NYPD leather jacket (courtesy of O'Sullivan), scanning the disembarking passengers, on the lookout for Chris.

I chew the inside of my mouth nervously as I feel my foot tap against the polished concrete floor.

Time is everything right now, and unfortunately, I don’t have much of it in the bank.

I can only hope that Hayley hasn’t had a chance to post the photo yet. Because if she has, then it’s only a matter of time before someone recognises Chris and blows up the carefully faked narrative of his whereabouts.

And then all bets are off...

Because even if we manage to make it back to Cordonia without any nasty surprises, chances are good that the paps will twist even the most innocent selfie into some kind of dig about Chris and his fitness to rule. While a snap of him getting kissed by an American girl days before the start of the social season where he is supposed to choose a wife...? There’s only one way that’s gonna end. With him smack bang in the middle of a scandal that we definitely don’t need right now.

And hence my one rule for this trip — no fuckin' photos.

Not that anyone ever listens to me...

Thankfully, I don't have to wait long. At this time of night, the ferry is basically empty and the terminal deserted.

The automatic doors in front of me whoosh open and I catch sight of Chris, holding hands with Hayley, laughing at something she'd just said.

My gut tightens.

I've never seen him happier.

But unfortunately for my best friend, this impromptu escapade's about to get shut down.

"Pleasant trip?" I ask, striding up to them.

Chris throws his head up in surprise. "Drake?"

"You're a cop?" gasps Hayley in disbelief.

I follow her gaze to the NYPD insignia patched onto the jacket's sleeve. "Heh. No. This ain't mine."

"Then how did y—?"

"Put two-and-two together?" I ask dryly, deliberately sidestepping the question she’s actually asking. "Simple maths."

Chris' shoulders drop as he lets out a self-deprecating chuckle. "I guess I am rather predictable..."

"Good thing, too," I drawl. "Otherwise I'd've had to call in the cavalry, and then we'd be having a very different kind of conversation."

Hayley's widen. "The caval—? You mean the FBI? Is that what you are?"

I suppress a snort. Seriously? The second time in just as many nights? Maybe I should drop my resumé off at Quantico...

"No," I reply simply before shifting my focus back to Chris.

"I am sorry," he sighs, catching fully onto my meaning. "I didn't intend to cause a ruckus. I honestly thought we could get here and back before anyone noticed."

"You know you could've just said the word, and we would've made this happen, right?" I ask. "There was no need for you to cut and run like that."

"To be fair, this was all quite spur of the moment, wasn't it?" he admits, sneaking a glance at Hayley, who blushes in response. "We were just talking back at the club, and I happened to mention that we never got to see the Statue of Liberty this morning... To which Hayley admitted to always having wanted to take a night-time ferry tour... And all of a sudden, one thing led to another, and—"

"Yeah, I get it," I interject. "And I don't blame you for doing it. But next time, leave your phone on. Regardless of whatever kind of BS Leo tries to sell you." I fix him with a pointed look.

Chris has the good graces to flush embarrassedly. "Duly noted."

Hayley shakes her head. "But his phone was—"

"And speaking of phones..." adds O'Sullivan, strolling up with a half-eaten Boston Cream donut in his hand, "I'm going to have to ask you to hand yours over, ma'am."

Hayley's mouth drops open. "My phone?"

"Yes, ma'am," O'Sullivan affirms, popping the rest of the donut into his mouth.

"What is the meaning of this, officer?" demands Chris, moving in front of a shocked Hayley.

"Chris..." I warn in a low voice. "Back off."

He throws me a disbelieving look. "But—"

"We have reason to believe that the device contains information pertinent to a matter under investigation," O'Sullivan clarifies.

Chris reels back. "What investigation?"

"A joint investigation," comes the stone-faced reply.

Hayley's face drains of colour.

I shake my head. Christ, O'Sullivan can be a bastard when he wants to be.

But the situation can’t be helped.

There are sensitive pictures of Chris and Hayley on that device that cannot be allowed to see the light of day. And despite the fact that O'Sullivan’s skirting a very dangerous line right now, we have to sacrifice one form of privacy to protect another.

Because even though O'Sullivan’s an NYPD officer, sworn to uphold the laws of the Empire State, he’s also duty bound to look out for his principle. So, he offered to play bad cop. In part because he actually is a cop.

He turns back to Hayley. "Were you aboard the recently docked Staten Island Ferry?"

Chris heaves an exasperated sigh. "How is that—?"

O'Sullivan ignores him. "Answer the question, ma'am."

"Yes," squeaks Hayley.

"Damn it, Drake!" snaps Chris. "Do something!"

"Can't, buddy..." I inform him flatly. "Don't have jurisdiction here, remember?"

"So, you're just going to let him—?"

"Impeding a police officer from carrying out their public duties is a criminal offence," I point out, folding my arms. "So, I suggest you let the man do his job."

Chris glares at me.

But he’s gonna have to suck it up.

Because he got himself into this avoidable mess as a result of his impulsiveness and complete disregard for our standard security protocols. So, now it’s my job to clean up after him.

Regardless of how it makes him — or Hayley — feel.

"While onboard, did you take photographs with a cellular device?" continues O'Sullivan.

Hayley's basically quaking in her boots. "Yes, but—"

"And in the course of taking such photographs, did you—?"

"—but, I didn't use my phone!"

The intensity of Hayley's outburst catches everyone off guard.

I shake my head. "Then what—?"

"She used my phone," explains Chris tersely. "To take a picture of me with the Statue of Liberty in the background... so I could commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime experience."

"But she—"

"—may have taken a few additional pictures as well," admits Chris with a self-conscious smile, as his eyes finds Hayley again. "Somewhat spontaneously, I'll admit, but—"

"None on hers?" I press.

Chris lifts his eyes to mine steadfastly. "No. Her phone stayed in her purse the whole time. So, whatever it is that you are accusing her of, she did at my behest and therefore should be relieved of any and all responsibility."

I feel the tension in my shoulders unwind slightly. Some goddamn common sense, at last!

But Chris isn’t off the hook yet...

"Did you share any pictures with her?" I ask.

"He tried," Hayley admits. "But for some reason, there was no signal on the ferry."

I let out an explosive breath. Thank Christ for that signal jammer!

Never thought I'd actually be thanking Leo for anything. But here we are...

Hayley is still glaring at us. "Well, aren't you going to ask to see his phone, then? Seeing as you're so concerned about... whatever it is that you're concerned about?"

I glance at Chris. She's got a point...

He pulls out his phone with a nod of acknowledgment, knowing we have to continue playing this game for the sake of his cover. "Here you are, officer."

Taking it, O'Sullivan makes a bit of a show of flipping through Chris' camera roll before handing the device back. "Thank you, sir. Looks like we got bad intel. None of the images contain anything pertinent to our investigation." He throws me a dirty look.

I shrug. Shit happens.

But the important thing is that we’re in the clear... and my ass is no longer on the line.

"So... that's it? asks Hayley cautiously. "We're free to go?"

"Not quite," I admit, meeting Chris' eye.

He drops his gaze in resignation before turning to Hayley. "As delightful as this spontaneous outing has been, I am afraid we must call it a night."

Her mouth falls open. "Just like that?"

"Unfortunately so," he confirms, lifting her hand gently to his lips. "But believe me when I say that you made my night, Hayley."

A blush rises to her cheeks. "I don't know about that..."

"Truly," he asserts, brushing a kiss over her knuckles. "I am forever grateful..."

"Jesus, I'm about to get diabetes..." huffs O'Sullivan under his breath.

I elbow him in the ribs.

"...and as a small token of my appreciation, I hope you would allow us to escort you home," finishes Chris with a meaningful look in my direction.

I can't help but scoff. Well played, buddy. Well played.

But I guess I owe him one after gatecrashing his date the way I have. And let's face it — we can’t exactly leave the girl stranded on the wrong side of the Hudson without a safe way to get home. So, we might as well kill two birds with one stone.

"Sure," I concede. "She can ride back with us."

"In your drea—"

O'Sullivan grunts as I nail him in the side again.

"Oh, you really don't have t—" demurs Hayley.

"But I want to," insists Chris, turning the full force of his emerald gaze on her.

She wilts under his sincerity with a blush. "Well, in that case..."

"What the hell, Walker?" hisses O'Sullivan under his breath as Chris offers his arm to Hayley to lead her from the ferry terminal. "Finding your missing prince is one thing, but you can't just go around handing out free rides to civilians like—"

"Trust me," I reply quietly, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I'll make it worth your while."

He snorts. "I already paid for the donuts."

"This is a bit more substantial than some Dunkin's," I assure him.

"Better be," he declares. "Kerosene ain't cheap, Lieutenant."

I throw my head up. "You've done your homework."

"What can I say?" he shrugs with a smirk. "I'm good at my job."

"And if you've read my file," I reply, recovering quickly, "you'll know that I am too."

"Seeing is believing, Walker," O'Sullivan reminds me as we exit the terminal hot on Chris and Hayley's heels.

I roll my eyes. "Hardass..."

But, I can understand his scepticism. This is the first time the two of us have officially worked together, and in this job, trust doesn’t come easy, or cheap.

So, I’m gonna let his attitude slide.

Hayley stumbles to a stop in front of us. "Why is there a—?"

"Had to get here somehow..."

Her jaw drops as she turns to gape at me. "So, you flew in a helicopter?"

"Faster than swimming," I tell her with a shrug.

Hayley stares at me like I was insane.

"And it's not waiting for stragglers, so if you want a lift, you'd better move it," prompts O'Sullivan, striding past her towards the idling chopper.

"Hold on. He's coming with us?" asks Hayley in disbelief.

"It's his bird," I shout over the roar of the rotor blades. "So, yeah."

"His—?" Her eyes widen. "Wait. Are you guys... arresting us?"

I fix her with a pointed look. "See any handcuffs?"

"Then why are we getting into a helicopter with a cop!" she demands, stubbornly throwing the breaks on a few feet from the aircraft.

"Because he's doing us a favour," I explain with a sigh. "So if you—"

"No!" she protests. "Not until you tell me who the hell you are! Because if you're not cops and you're not FBI then—"

Chris steps assuringly up to her. "Hayley. There is nothing nefarious underfoot. I promise. We are simply—"

"Diplomats," I interject quickly, not 100% confident that Chris won't choose this moment to come clean about who he really is. "From Europe."

"Diplomats?" queries Hayley, eyeing the two of us uncertainly.

"Here on an unofficial, turn-and-burn visit," I confirm. It’s basically the truth. The best lies always are.

"Unofficial?" she frowns. "You mean secret?"

"You make it sound much more suspenseful than it in fact is," chuckles Chris, holding a hand out to help her into the ‘copter.

"But we are trying to keep a low profile," I remind them.

She mulls over our responses. "So, that cop—?"

"Doing us a favour, like I said."

"What's the holdup, boys?" shouts O'Sullivan from the cockpit.

"Nothing!" I holler back over my shoulder as Hayley finally climbs in...

...while simultaneously throwing a hand out to intercept Chris as he's about to follow suit.

He meets my eye quizzically.

"Not with that kit in your pocket, buddy," I tell him. "I've had more than enough excitement for one night."

His brows furrow. "Isn't it just—?"

"It can down the chopper," I reply flatly, holding out my hand.

Chris pales. Reaching into his trouser pocket, he quickly palms me the signal jammer without further protest.

Killing the power to the device, I pocket it and hop in after Chris.

"'Bout time, Walker," observes O'Sullivan dryly as I pull the door closed.

Securing the hatch, I flick my middle finger 'round, giving O'Sullivan the go to take off while simultaneously flipping him off.

He throws his head back with a laugh as he relays the instructions to Hendricks.

The pilot revs the throttle, and we start to lift into the air.

Dropping into the seat across from Chris, I pull the seatbelt on as I fire off a quick text to Schweitzer to let him know that we were inbound back to the hotel. Stowing the device, I pull the headset on just in time to hear Hayley's gasp over the intercom.

Glancing up, I see her latched onto Chris, eyeing the rapid retreat of the terra firma with a confused mix of emotions on her face.

Chris's voice crackles over the intercom. "Exciting, isn't it?"

She swallows hard, tightening her hold on his arm. "You... you could say that..."

His face clouds with concern. "Do you... suffer from acrophobia by any chance?"

"W-what?" she stammers, glancing back at him nervously.

"Acrophobia," he repeats. "Fear of heights."

She shakes her head. "I... I've just never flown before."

"Ah," nods Chris in understanding. "Some trepidation is perfectly understandable, then. But, as someone who has been flying since infancy, I can assure you that it is quite safe."

"Promise?"

"Solemnly," he assures her, covering her hand in his. "I wouldn't dream of putting you in harm's way. And, if it helps at all, you are welcome to focus your attention on me."

I scoff under my breath as Hayley lifts her gaze to Chris' like clockwork.

Guy’s slicker'n a greased pig on ice...

But I can’t really blame him. It’s his last shot at freedom before the start of the season, so he’s entitled to bring his A-game...

...even if his play had cost me mine.

I give myself a mental kick.

Quit it, you ass.

This is Chris' time. Not mine.

And I’m not gonna let some misplaced sense of resentment fuck up what’s left of this trip.

Especially since I only have myself to blame.

For dragging my feet around Gale. For second-guessing myself... and her. And for letting myself fall for her in the first place.

I heave a breath as I stare out of the cockpit.

I fucked up. Big time.

Don't get hooked.

That’s my number one rule.

Because I have no time and zero interest in anything resembling a serious relationship. It’s too distracting, too much work and I probably wouldn't be able to sustain it anyway. At least not without a level of disclosure that’s way higher than what I’m prepared to give after just a handful of dates. And even then there’s no guarantee that all the late nights, erratic schedules and constant jet-setting won’t drive a massive wedge between whatever promises we make to each other.

Hell, this life literally destroyed my family.

Yet, here I am, despite everything, wishing it’s Harper that I’m sat next to right now, feeling the warmth of her body pressed against mine, smelling the honey scent of her hair as we whip over the city.

Would she be clutching my hand nervously, like Hayley is Chris'? Or would she be pressed up against the window, hazel-green eyes sparkling with excitement as she sought out each famous landmark? Or would she be on my lap, taking me for a very different kind of ride 2,000 feet over the city, the view outside forgotten?

I swallow a groan as I shift uncomfortably in the hard seat.

Christ, I’m in trouble...

Not only had I torpedoed my own rules like a bull in a china shop, but I've decided that it'd be a great fuckin’ idea to fall for a girl who lives literally on the other side of the world, and who I have no chance of ever seeing again.

Because the social season is starting in a few short days, and it’s going to eat up literally all of my time. In part because the season’s a mess of high-profile public engagements across disparate venues around the country, and in part because Chris is now the Heir Apparent and that means that I’m going to have to be even more on the ball when it comes to security arrangements.

So, there’s no way in hell that — even if I want to — I’m going to be able to hop back over the Pond and find Gale, much less spend any kind of meaningful time with her.

And I want to. Desperately. Beyond the fact that I have an incurable itch in my pants from having failed to close the deal.

Because no girl has ever had such a lightning bolt effect on me. And I can’t ignore the lodestone-like attraction that went beyond anything I've ever felt before.

But life obviously has a malicious sense of humour when it comes to throwing curve balls, because short of giving Bast — and Chris — the finger and resigning, I literally have no cards to play.

And I’m not gonna leave my brother or my commanding officer (who’s also my uncle in all but name) in the lurch during one of the busiest periods of the royal calendar, just so I can chase after a girl who may or may not actually want to see me again.

Especially after the way I walked out on her earlier...

I shake my head morosely as we begin our descent onto the hotel roof.

There’s no two ways about it. Because regardless of what’s happened — and didn't — I’m going to have to accept that I've been dealt a shit hand and the only available option is to cut my losses and fold.

Because me and her? Not gonna happen. On any level.

So, if I’m to have any hope of extricating myself from this irrational infatuation that I've inadvertently thrown myself into, I know that I’m just gonna have to pretend that the past two nights never happened...

...and maybe that way I can salvage some semblance of sanity before I lose my mind completely.

The chopper touches down.

Yanking my headset and seatbelt off, I immediately set about throwing the door open and helping Chris and Hayley disembark.

Because if there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I have two options for pulling myself out of my ass: getting physical, or getting shit-faced drunk. And since alcohol’s not a possibility right now — at least not until Chris is safely back in his hotel room and the door has been locked for the night — I’m going to have to keep moving and keep myself busy.

"Get her inside," I shout to Chris. "I'll be over in a sec."

With a nod, he wraps his arm around Hayley to help shield her from the worst of the down draft as he begins leading her towards the hotel-access door on the other side of the roof.

Turning back towards the chopper, I yell up O'Sullivan, "Thanks for the assist!"

"Any time, Lieutenant," he winks back at me as I shrug out of the loaner jacket. "You Cordonians sure know how to make a guy's night interesting!"

"Yeah," I scoff, tossing the heavy leather up to him. "A little too interesting..."

"Beats sitting at a desk all night," he grins, deftly snapping the jacket out of the air... until his expression changes as he clocks the added weight. "You leave your Tic-Tac's in here, or something, Walker?"

"Nope," I reply. "That lil' keepsake's for you, Deputy Inspector."

O'Sullivan frowns as he reaches into the inner-left pocket... and blanches as he pulls out the signal jammer. "You've got to be shitting me!"

I catch his eye with a level look. “Told you I'd make this trip worth your while..."

"Yeah, when you said that, I thought you were talking about a case of Bud, or something," he admits dryly, inspecting the jammer. Looking back up, he adds, "You realise this isn't some rookie tech off Amazon, right?"

I nod. "It's why I figured you'd want it off the streets."

Leo'd probably filched it from the Guard armoury, the sneaky bastard. Which means it’s military-grade and has no place in a civilian setting.

O'Sullivan chuckles. "You figured right. This bad boy could've landed your Prince Charming with a hefty fine... or some serious jail time if he'd been caught with it."

"Trust me, I know," I grunt. "But at least this way you have a plausible story for commandeering the chopper."

"Not to mention a shit load of paperwork," he grumbles with a sour look. But I can see that he's not that begrudging of the situation.

"Yeah, well," I shrug, "no pain, no gain, O'Sullivan. And speaking of, I should get going before Chris blows up all our hard work by disappearing again."

"No sweat, Walker," grins O'Sullivan. "Like I said, it's been interesting."

"Glad to’ve been of service," I smirk in reply as I yank the chopper door closed again.

From behind the cockpit window, O'Sullivan lifts two fingers to his forehead in a mock salute before turning back Hendricks.

As the rotors start to pick up speed again, I quickly vacate the landing circle. Loping across the roof, I catch up with Chris and Hayley just before the stairwell door slams shut behind them.

"Everything alright?" queries Chris as the motion-sensitive lights flicker on overhead in the tight space.

"Yup," I confirm, quickly moving to the front. I’m not expecting any nasty surprises on our way down, but you can never be too careful. "Just had to square a few lose ends."

"What happened to your shirt?" exclaims Hayley, suddenly catching sight of my bare chest.

"Functional breakdown," I mutter, yanking the wayward front panels together as I start making my way down the steps.

"He means it ripped," clarifies Chris wryly in response to Hayley's confused silence.

"Yeah, I can see that, but—"

"It ain't important," I cut in gruffly, picking up the pace.

It’s bad enough that I can’t get Gale out of my head. I don’t need the remnants of my unfulfilled night with her turning into a conversation piece.

Because the last thing I feel like doing — after everything that’s gone wrong tonight — is talking. About any of it. As it sure as hell isn’t gonna change anything, and it’s definitely not anyone’s business but mine and Gale's.

Reaching the landing, I divert towards the nondescript door that’s our gateway back into the hotel proper. Cracking it open, I do a quick visual sweep for potential threats before opening it more fully to let Chris and Hayley through as well.

Hayley frowns as she surveys our surroundings. "You brought us to... a gym?"

"It's the fastest way to the elevators," I tell her, striding past the glass-encased room that houses the top-of-the-line fitness equipment. "Unless you want to tackle a dozen flight of stairs in those heels?"

"No, thanks."

"Yeah. Didn't think so."

"Is he always so grumpy?" whispers Hayley to Chris... loud enough for me to hear.

"Only on Thursdays and Fridays," replies Chris in equally (un)hushed tones.

Hayley snorts in response.

I feel my jaw clench.

But we’re two yards from the elevators and the end of this fucked up night.

So, I don't let myself rise to the needling, and focus instead on the task at hand, which is making sure that Chris got back to his room without incident.

Arriving at the metal doors, I press the button to call the lift. One arrives almost instantaneously and we file in, Chris and Hayley trying and failing to hide their conspiratorial sniggers as they cast me sidelong glances.

I roll my eyes, but otherwise remain silent.

Just have to drop Chris off, and then escort Hayley down to the lobby and into a cab.

Then I’m done.

Luckily, the well-greased elevator ride is mercifully short, and we arrive on our booked-out floor within seconds.

The doors ping open.

I open my mouth...

...but Chris is faster.

"Could I tempt you with a nightcap?" he asks Hayley, extending his hand hopefully down towards the end of the hallway. "My room has quite an impressive selection of refreshments."

"Sounds like being a diplomat comes with perks," she observes with a smile.

"Absolutely," agrees Chris, placing a hand in the small of her back to guide her towards his room. “Especially when you have a beautiful companion to share them with.”

I slam my mouth shut as I step out of the lift after them.

So much for that plan...

Chris obviously isn’t ready to call it a night. But who can blame him? He has a hot girl hanging on his every word and gesture, who just agreed to come back to his hotel room. He'd be a fool not to take full advantage of the opportunity.

And honestly? With the way they’re looking at each other, I'll be surprised if they even made it to the mini bar (let alone to the bed) before they jump each other like a pair of horny jackrabbits...

...Christ knew Gale and I hadn't.

I shake my head. 

Put a sock in it, Walker!

Yanking my phone out of my pocket to distract myself from the relentlessly graphic memories, I send a quick sit-rep to Schweitzer to let him know that we've made it safely back to the hotel, and everyone can finally unclench their sphincters.

That said, I have no idea what Leo, Max and Tariq are up to… or where the hell they even are. But they’re not my priority. If they got themselves lost, locked up, or killed, that’s their problem. Not mine.

I've had enough of running around the greater New York metropolitan area for one night, praying and hoping while chasing down partial leads and best-guesses. And I’m not gettin' paid to stress about nobody but Chris, so everyone else can fall down an open man-hole and break their neck for all I care.

I’m fuckin' done with this night.

"Care to join us?"

Chris’ voice jars me from my thoughts. Glancing up, I can see him standing in the doorway of the Carnegie Suite, looking at me expectantly.

"Huh?"

"For a drink," he clarifies, no doubt catching the dumbass expression on my face. "Seeing as I ended up pulling you away from... whatever you were doing—" his gaze flicks pointedly to the ripped buttons of my shirt, "—I feel I should offer you at least some recompense. Even if it is just a late-night libation."

"Nah," I say with a shake of my head, slotting my phone away. "I'm beat. I'm calling it a night."

"Well, if you change your mind..."

I scoff. "Trust me, I won't. You don't need me crashing that particular party."

I nod my chin towards the inside of the room where Hayley is already in the process of shrugging out of her sparkly jacket as she stands silhouetted by the glow emanating from the Manhattan nightscape behind her.

Chris glances briefly over his shoulder with a wry grin. "No, I suppose not. Rain check?"

"Rain check," I agree, bumping my fist against his. "On the condition your ass stays in that room 'til departure time. And you don’t take or share any photos with her. Including the ones from the ferry. Otherwise you'll be owing me a helluva lot more than a fancy, overpriced drink.”

Chris cracks a laugh as he pulls the door around. "Duly noted! 'Night, mate! I owe you one!”

"Damn right you do!”I reply with a smirk, pulling my own keycard out. "Play safe."

"I always do," winks Chris, reaching around to slip the 'Do Not Disturb' placard onto the door handle.

A low exhale escapes me as the door — at last — clicks softly closed.

Christ, what a clusterfuck...!

Had I known that this day’s going to devolve into a never-abating conflagration of wildfires, I'd've probably got myself hammered before breakfast.

Because getting though the past 24 hours even partially sober has tested every one of my nerves. And given the fact that I've gotten basically no sleep the night before, I’m near about past going.

Which is probably why I can’t think one straight thought without tripping over Gale.

I clench my eyes shut. Definitely time to clock out...

Opening my eye, I slide the keycard into the reader with a chirp. Pushing the door handle down, I step into the darkened room.

Not bothering with the lights — given that the curtains were still open and the background glare of the nearby buildings provided plenty of illumination — I punt the door shut behind me, and head straight for the mini bar.

I may have turned down Chris's offer for a late-night drink, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna crash out sober. If anything, after the way this trip has snowballed into the definition of 'fucked up beyond all recognition', I’m in half a mind to straight up kill my liver...

...I just don’t want to do it while playing awkward third-wheel in the other room.

Arriving at the fridge, I yank the door open and survey the cop-out offerings of water, soda, beer and champagne.

I heave a breath. Well, ain’t nobody getting drunk off of this shit...

Still. It’s better than nothing.

Grabbing two bottles of beer out — because no way am I touching the champagne... even if it's Krug; the last thing I need right now on top of everything else is a motherfuckin' migraine — I pop the cap off one and take a hard swallow.

The cool malt hits the back of my throat, and I chug the rest of it down greedily, suddenly realising how parched I am.

Dropping the empty bottle back on the bar top, I’m reaching for the second when I catch sight of my reflection in the large mirror sitting behind the shelving in front of me.

Sweet Jesus, I look like death warmed up...

My hair looks like it's been chewed up and spat out by a yak, my skin’s ashen, my eyes tired and bloodshot, and I have a large, blueish welt on my jaw from where Tattoos had decked me, in addition to the claw marks that the asshole’s girlfriend left on my face.

I pull a face as I untwist the second cap.

I haven’t looked this much like buzzard bait since the literal beating I received during — and after — the one and only polo match I ever subjected myself to.

And it was clear that — just like then — I’m in desperate need of a shower.

Draining the second beer, I quickly draw the curtains before resignedly turning back the way I'd come.

Dropping my keycard into the holder on the wall to turn the lights on, I kick my boots off by the door and trudge into the bathroom.

Grabbing some towels, I throw them onto the floor and shove the faucet of the glass-panelled shower onto the hottest setting.

While waiting for the water to warm up, I bend down to pull off the ankle holsters that held the Sig P365 and tactical knife that I never go anywhere without.

Placing them carefully on the vanity, so they remained within reach, I proceed to strip off the rest of my clothes. The ruined shirt ends up on the floor, followed by the clang of my belt buckle as my jeans and boxers hit the ground.

Pulling my socks off and throwing them on top of the pile, I step into the now rapidly rising steam. A low hiss escapes me as the scalding water hits my chest. But rather than flinching away, or turning the temperature down, I lean into the spray, letting the hot water beat down onto me, like a hammer on an anvil, working the tension out of my muscles.

I have no clue how long I stand there for, head hanging down, hands braced against the wall, just soaking.

But eventually, I force myself to blink my eyes open. Because the hour’s already late, and even though I can probably stay under the spray all night, I know I need to catch some shut eye before the inevitable morning scramble to get everyone back home in time for the Masquerade Ball.

So, reaching for the travel-sized bottle of three-in-one wash that I brought with me, I proceed to lather myself from head to toe. Once done, I rinse myself off, letting the water pummel me for a few more minutes before reluctantly turning the spray off.

Unfurling one of the towels, I drop it on the marble floor so I can step out of the shower without breaking my neck. Grabbing the other towel, I run it over myself to get the worst of the moisture off before wrapping it around my waist.

Moving over to the vanity, I lift a hand to wipe the condensation off the oversized mirror and note that the hot soak has managed to bring some colour back to my face... albeit at the expense of my bruise, which has grown more pronounced as a result of the prolonged heat treatment.

Oh, well. Shit happens...

It's not like I’m a stranger to bruises. Growing up, I collected plenty of them from all the stupid shit I got up to, climbing up rickety ladders, falling out of trees, off my bike, not to mention off horses that were unquestionably too big for me.

And the hits only intensified as I got older and tried my hand at pretty much every type of sport imaginable — most of them in the contact category. Soccer, basketball, rugby, water polo, judo... I've done it all. Including American football, which Dad had begun indoctrinating me into since before I could even walk, and which I actually got a chance to play at uni as a running back.

So, a black-and-blue shiner on my face isn’t gonna faze me.

Badge of a battle well-fought, Dad always used to say.

Plus it's not like I’m reliant on my looks to get me through life. I’m not constantly in the limelight, being forced to present some kind of idealised image to the world. That’s Chris' lot. Not mine.

Thank fuck...

Though if I actually want to be able to eat anything tomorrow that’s more substantial than a milkshake, I probably should ice the bastarding thing down.

I feel a wry smirk pull at my mouth as I reach for my wash bag. 

That bottle of Krug might get a lease on life, after all...

Quickly brushing and flossing my teeth — wincing a bit at the growing tightness in my jaw — I gather up my discarded clothes (as well as my holsters) and make my way back into the room.

Placing the weapons on the bedside table — contrary to what pop culture may have you believe, it ain't a good idea to sleep with a loaded gun beneath your pillow — along with my phone and wallet, I set about sorting out my threads.

A quick once-over reveals that after all the literal running around I ended up doing, the jeans probably could do with a wash. But I only brought the one pair, so they’re going to have to do for tomorrow. The socks and boxers are unquestionably dead, so I roll them up to stow away in my duffle.

That leaves the shirt.

Grabbing either end of the split yolk, I bring the busted button-down up to eye-level to determine it's fate.

All in all, four buttons are missing, so the damage isn’t as bad as I—

From beneath the lingering hum of stale sweat, old leather and jet fuel, I suddenly catch a whiff of her honey-camomile scent, soft and sweet, like a half-remembered dream... and I nearly choke.

Goddammit...

I launch the cotton across the room with a growl of frustration.

As much as I like the shirt — it’s one of the few dressier ones that I own — there’s no way I’m gonna be able to salvage it.

Because even if it hadn't still smelled like her, the mere sight of it had been enough to throw me back into that cramped apartment... and the litany of missed opportunities that had preceded it.

And, even if I do fix it back up, I'll never be able to wear the damn thing without a stark reminder of the cold, hard fact that that's all Gale is now — a memory.

So, the sooner I burn it, the better.

Along with the shirt.

But, since I don’t have a blowtorch with me — and, in any event, setting fire to the highly flammable material in the hotel room would definitely cause a building-wide evacuation — I’m going to have to make do with simply stuffing the rag in the trash.

Heaving a beleaguered breath, I force myself to march around to the other side of the bed and pick up the shirt again. Balling it up, I dump it in the bin next to the desk.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Dropping the towel from my waist, I shuffle over to my duffle to stow my dirty clothes away and grab a fresh pair of boxers out.

Pulling the underwear on, I do a final sweep of the room before hitting the lights, grabbing the Krug to serve as an impromptu ice pack, and crawl beneath the cool sheets.

But instead of passing out as soon as my head hits the pillow, I find myself lying awake, staring into the darkness.

...fuck's sake.

The story continues in Chapter 10 - Darkfall

Permatags

@twinkleallnight @lovingchoices14 @kingliam2019 @petiteboheme @angelasscribbles @aussiegurl1234 @nestledonthaveone @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tessa-liam @alyshak92 @secretaryunpaid @princessleac1 @walkerdrakewalker @tinkie1973 @twinkle-320 @knaussal @nikkis1983 @lunaseasblog @ficloverevie @indiana-jr @differenttyphoonwerewolf @kristinamae093 @eversoaringqueen12 @peonierose @3pawandme @alexabeta @veebug8 @fangirling12566 @queenmiarys @lancelotsimp @coco-lina-s @lolablackwrites @ivyflowers13 @persephone13 @hollygirl1269 @adri-ja-96 @harleybeaumont @katedrakeohd @uneravine @choicesficwriterscreations @aprilchallenge

Sleepless in New York only

@bebepac

Picture Credits

Staten Island Terminal - Shower - Drake - Statue of Liberty - Hayley & Chris - NYPD - Helicopter - Night

[tessa-liam]

Marabelle

Marabelle 

-4- The Beaumont Bash 

Book: Choices – The Royal Romance, an AU series 

Series Premise: An American teenager from New York City is introduced to the world of a small European country and its society of royalty, nobles, and commoners. How will her life story be transformed? Will this new adventure bring her happiness...or regret? 

Catch up: Masterlist 

Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Sophia (Sophie) 

Other Pairing: Maxwell Beaumont x M!OC Daniel (from NYC) 

                           Drake Walker x F!OC Melanie Smithson 

All characters belong to Pixelberry, except Sophia Taylor, Bethany Beaumont, Melanie Smithson, Tyler Gregson (Liam’s assistant), Elena (dress shop attendant) 

Rating: M*🔞Warnings: this series will have NSFW material, crude language. Not Beta’d: Please excuse all errors. 

Category: Alternate Universe/on-going series/angst/fluff 

Words: 2173

-4- The Beaumont Bash 

Chapter Summary: Sophie prepares for her first Beaumont Bash and is introduced to Bertrand’s love interest/Drake’s sister/future ally, Savannah Walker. 

Music Inspiration: Just the Way You Are, Bruno Mars 

   Love Story, Taylor Swift 

 A/N1: This is my submission for Choices April Challenge @choicesmonthlychallenge @lovealexhunt @aprilchallenge prompts, love is in the air, dinner, flower crown #april challenge 

A/N2: This is my submission for @choicesflashfics Week#30, Prompt3-  “That’s how the story goes.” 

A/N3: Bethany Beaumont, Maxwell’s mother, is originally from the US: is Barthelemy Beaumont’s 2nd wife. Annabelle Beaumont (deceased) was Bertrand’s mother. 

A/N4: Social Season in this AU series refers to a traditional period in the spring/summer for royalty and members of the court to take part in balls, dinner parties and charity events. 

A/N5: Thank you @peonierose for the inspirational quote!

Cordonian Capital...

It was a cloudy Tuesday morning in the Capital, which meant it was a good day to spend shopping. Keeping her promise to take her niece to the shopping district, Bethany smiled watching Sophie's excitement as the driver turned the Escalade SUV into the parking lot of an upscale formal wear boutique and parked alongside the floor to ceiling display window. 

“Duchess Bethany, good morning,” the elegant shop owner walked up to Sophie’s aunt in greeting as they entered the building. “This must be Lady Sophia, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”  

Gazing at the display mannequins, Sophie turned and smiled, greeting the well-dressed woman. 

“Hello, good morning; your dresses are gorgeous!” 

“Thank you, I have taken the liberty of pre-selecting a sampling of the latest trending styles for you and placed them in the dressing room. My assistant is at your service this morning for whatever you need. I am sure that you will find the perfect dress for the occasion.”  

A petite woman appeared alongside a Sophie. “Please follow me, my lady,” the shop tailer smiled. “My name is Elena.” 

*** 

After trying on several styles and colors, the dress she fell in love with was a deep burgundy red, an A-line V-neck asymmetrical satin dress. 

Standing on the pedestal inside the dressing room of the boutique, Sophie looked at her reflection in the three-way full length mirror, critically. 

“Auntie, I found my dress! What do you think?” 

Sophie took a selfie and sent it off to Daniel for his opinion. 

“Oh, my dear, it’s lovely! That color flatters your complexion and hair color perfectly.” 

“It is a pleasure fitting such a lovely figure...ahhh to be young again.” Elena tittered as she handed her a pair of gold heels to try. 

“Lady Sophia, these stilettos will give you some added height.”   

‘I feel like Cinderella!’ Sophie thought to herself as she slipped on the heels and stood up straight. Sending another picture to her best friend, she made sure to include the shoes. 

Sophie’s phone instantly pinged with Daniel’s return message:  

‘Girl, look at your killer legs! GET IT! 🔥🔥🔥’ 

Sophie giggled at his response, texting back, ‘OK, OK, don’t hold anything back, now🫡😁!'

Sophie clicked off her phone before reading Daniel's reply, 'can't wait to see you this weekend! 😘 '

*** 

The Beaumont Estate...

Maxwell browsed through the endless list of Netflix movies on his phone, looking for a movie line-up for tonight’s viewing. Tonight, being a Tuesday, was the weekly ‘Maxwell Movie Marathon’. Max was excited to introduce his cousin to her inaugural movie night, complete with New York style deep dish pizza and his infamous ‘Beaumont Brew’. 

“Hey Maxxy,” Savannah Walker walked into the theatre room giving her friend a hug.  

“Hi, Sav. What do you think of these movies for tonight?” 

Glancing at his phone, “Oooooo, I love ‘Dirty Dancing’! Are you sure your brother will approve?”  

Maxwell gave her a lopsided grin, “I’ve been telling him about my plans since my cousin arrived. You should have seen how much fun we had watching ‘Titanic’ together last Tuesday night.” 

Savannah, Drake’s little sister, has a crush on Bertrand, still unbeknownst to Bertrand. Maxwell knew, however. 

“Well, you are my guest tonight, so I will let you pick the second movie.” 

Without hesitating, “‘Pretty Woman’”, Savannah announced. 

“Ha, I see where you are going with that,” Maxwell cheekily replied. 

She laughed as she pulled out a chair next to Maxwell, who had taken a seat on the sofa.  

“You know what your brother is like. If he sees it being played out before him, he will see for himself, and then he will realize, 'that's how the story goes.’ Or at the very least, I hope so.” 

Maxwell looked at Savannah, shaking his head. "Ahhh, 'love is in the air.' You are getting desperate Sav. I hope he gets the hint....maybe you should wear a flower crown.” 

"Ha ha, Maxxy!" Savannah sighed, shaking her head.

*** 

Sophie walked through the estate doors, returning with her aunt, after spending the day shopping. Feeling the excitement building up within her, she went up the grand staircase quickly, turned to the right and sprinted to her bedroom, depositing her parcels on top of her bed. 

After putting away her new shoes, and hanging the garment bag into her walk-in closet, Sophie looked at the gift she selected for Liam. The Swarovski crystal paperweight, with a gold inlay, was a miniature statue of liberty. Sophie thought back to the conversation she shared with him the day she was introduced to Marabelle. Liam was fascinated with the fact that Sophie had visited the monument many times. Even though the prince had visited New York City a handful of times, his advisors dictated that visiting the tourist attraction was a safety risk. With his security detail constantly ghosting his movements, this symbol of freedom was elusive for him.  

Similar to Liam, Sophie shared a love of history and described her visits to the statue and to Ellis Island. Liam was entranced with her insights and her knowledge of the backstory and meaning of the monument. 

The gold inlay was engraved with the inscription, ‘your breath of freedom.’ A moniker, Liam gave to Sophie that day. 

*** 

Walking into the theatre room, the smell of pizza wafting through the air, Sophie spotted Maxwell sitting comfortably on the sofa. He waved her over to sit beside him, handing her a tall cocktail glass of a blue liquid. 

“Okay, Max, I give up.” 

Sophie smirked at her cousin, taking a whiff of the drink. 

“Ohhh, this smells so good. What’s in it?” 

“Rum, vodka, blue curacao, pineapple juice, lime juice and ice.” 

“Don’t forget your secret ingredient.” Savannah giggled. 

“Hence. Secret. Ingredient!” Maxwell retorted. 

“Hi, it’s Sophie, right?” Savannah smiled at Sophie, and swatted Maxwell. 

As Maxwell feigned an injury, his eyes went wide when he realized that he didn’t introduce his cousin. 

“Yeah, Maxwell!” Sophie extended her hand in greeting and then poked Maxwell in the ribs. 

“What would Bertrand think?” Sophie teased. 

“I am certainly not impressed Maxwell.” Bertrand huffed and walked past his brother sitting on the wingback across from the sofa. 

Maxwell felt his cheeks redden. “What’s wrong with me?” Maxwell asked. “I’m always nice to people.” 

“You’re being sarcastic, aren’t you?” Sophie raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes, yes I am.” Maxwell challenged his brother, staring him down. 

Savannah stood up and motioned to Sophie to come with her to get pizza. 

“Yes, I am starving, good idea.” Sophie stood up to also get pizza with Savannah. 

“Wait! You didn’t select the movie you want to watch, Soph.” Maxwell bounded up following Sophie to the pizza.  

“Umm, let’s see...I know! “How about...’The Conjuring’?” Sophie answered. 

“Ooaa, scary! Love it!” Maxwell pulled out his phone to add it to the movie queue. 

*** 

After the first movie ended, Savannah moved over to sit beside Sophie and grabbed a handful of jelly beans from the candy bowl. 

“So how did you like the first movie?”  

Sophie smiled. “Honestly? I have seen it now for the fourth time.” Savannah laughed, “for me, it’s the third time; I really wish they had that type of dance in the clubs here in Cordonia.” 

“Savannah is originally from Texas and is still getting used to the slower pace of courtly life here.” Maxwell sighed. 

“Really, now I am curious. What should I expect at the Bash on Saturday?” Sophie looked puzzled at Savannah and Maxwell. 

“It’s a pretty informal event, but there’s also going to be formal dancing after dinner. It’s a tradition here, especially with both princes attending.” Maxwell explained. 

“Prince Leo has a reputation for being a bit of a ladies' man, even though he is betrothed to Madeleine. So, I imagine you might see some interesting things happening.” Savannah added. 

“Interesting how?” Sophie wondered aloud. 

“Well, the last time he attended, one of the guests was Princess Marguerite. She was dressed in a very revealing outfit, and Prince Leo was seen dancing with her quite a few times throughout the evening,” Savannah explained. 

“Madeleine was livid and threw her drink in his face.” Maxwell chuckled. 

“It is very unbecoming to gossip about members of court.” Bertrand interjected. “Sophia, don’t let these comments discolor your opinion of the noble life here in Cordonia.” 

Changing the subject, Savannah asked, “What types of music do you like to dance to, Sophie?” 

“Oh, I love dancing! But I never went to any clubs; only at parties or school events.” 

“What types of music will be played after dinner this Saturday?” 

“Mostly current pop music with the exception of the first dance. That is the one dance you can count on to be played by the orchestra. The Cordonian Waltz.” 

“It’s a tradition for the King to dance with the senior noble of the house to open the dance floor for the guests.” 

“For this Beaumont Bash, Crown Prince Leo will dance with my mother,” Maxwell added. 

“Which reminds me, Sophie, I need to teach you how to dance this waltz.” 

“Me? Why me?” Sophie challenged her cousin. 

Without giving anything away to Sophie about Saturday and the planned surprise birthday celebration, he explained, “just in case you are asked to dance by Prince Liam.” 

*** 

As the evening winded down, Savannah prepared to go home.  

“Hey Savvy,” Sophie called out to her new friend.  

“Can I ask you something?” 

“Sure,” Savannah smiled. 

“Do you have any advice for me about how to fix my hair for the Bash?” 

“Why are you asking me this? I mean, you have such beautiful hair!” 

“Yeah, well...I was thinking of wearing a half up-do and I need someone to help me pin it. Auntie Beth will be busy preparing for the dinner.” 

“I would love to, I will get Drake to drop me off here an hour early on Saturday.” 

*** 

It was the evening of the Beaumont Bash and Sophie was brushing her long, auburn hair. Sophie stared at her reflection in the mirror of the bathroom vanity. 

Savannah was coming upstairs to help with her hair in a few minutes, and she had just finished applying her makeup. 

‘Okay, Soph... tonight is the Bash...why are you so nervous?’ 

After dabbing her perfume on her neck and wrists, she slid the gold upper arm bracelet cuff into place, followed by her mother’s gold locket necklace around her neck.  

Savannah knocked lightly on her bedroom door and opened it slowly. 

“Are you ready for me?” 

“Almost, come in, Savannah,” Sophie called. 

***

Bertrand walked toward Sophie as she stepped off the grand staircase.

Taking her hand, he moved her toward the ornate double doors of the ballroom.

"Are you ready, my dear?"

Taking a deep breath Sophie replied, "yes".

Offering his arm, she slipped her hand around his arm and together they moved forward.

"Presenting his grace, Duke Bertrand Beaumont of Ramsford escorting Lady Sophia Taylor of House Beaumont."

📌Tagging in the comments...

⚜️Please let me know if you want to be added or removed from tags ⚜️

[potionsprefect]

Time With The Twins

Victoria spends a day with Luke and Lily

For @aprilchallenge “breakfast” and “bubbles”

Just some wholesome Luke and Lily content to brighten up your day ☺️

Tagging in reblog

[imagining-in-the-margins]

🎀 CM KidFic Challenge 🧸

Hey everyone, I’m back with another monthly challenge! For the months of March AND April, I am formally challenging any willing writer to take a stab at writing fanfiction including children, babies, or pregnancy (biological, adoptive, animal, etc.) using their choice of Criminal Minds characters! Reader, Original Character, Character/Character ships, Gen/Platonic fics are allowed! Please check out the Rules below the Keep Reading.

(**This is NOT a request list for me—this is a prompt list of other writers! Feel free to request from someone else, and be sure to let them know about the challenge!)

Prompts

Child says their first word(s)

Child becomes an older sibling

Character stands up for their child

The couple enjoys trying for a baby

Characters are fantastic platonic co-parents

Child is starting to act a lot like their parent(s)

The couple announces their pregnancy to everyone

The couple fosters a teenager preparing for college

The couple takes their child to college/their own place

The couple thinks they’re having twins… but it’s triplets

Character runs into their ex who has a child that looks just like them

The couple realizes how different things are the second, third, etc. time

Character needs reassurance about the fact they don’t enjoy being pregnant

Character finds that being around Child helps them heal their own inner child

The couple babysits together, which leads to a conversation about their future

Character struggles with the fact that their teenage kid has their first partner

Character is very attentive to their pregnant partner... almost irritatingly so

Character witnesses a quiet moment with their partner and their baby during a night feeding

Character, chronically single, asks their best friend if they’d be open to having a child with them

Child realizes that not every kid has two moms/two dads and they have a lot of questions about it

The couple takes Child to daycare for the first time but they can’t make themselves leave the parking lot

Child is having a hard time at school, so Character picks them up from school for a day of quality time together

Pregnancy cravings lead to a very dramatic late-night grocery store trip that makes Character fall more in love

Anything else you can imagine!

Childfree/Pregnancy-Free prompts below + Create your own!

Childfree/Pregnancy-Free Prompts

Character is the fun uncle/aunt

The couple adopts a pet together

Character gets to meet their partner’s (judgmental) pet

Character reveals that they don't want to have children and their partner's reaction surprises them

A child the BAU saved comes back years later to thank them and show what they’ve done with their life

The couple decides to give up on becoming parents and they learn how to have a fulfilled life without a child

Rules

The fic can be a Reader insert, an Original Character, a character/character ship, a platonic ship, or a Gen fic. It can feature any Criminal Minds character. AUs and crossovers are more than welcome.

Tag me in the fic, or send the link to me in a Direct Message. It can be already written, or you can write it for the challenge - I’m collecting both! You can also tag it “#mentioningmargins” which is a tag I track.

The fic can be any genre, but ONLY send me smut if your bio states you are 18+. I DO NOT WANT smut written by minors. Ever. At all. I will check.Platonic ships and pure, fluffy fics are 100% allowed.

Please include Content Warnings and a one-sentence Summary of the fic in your post.

Have fun!

The Masterlist of fics will be posted around May 1. If you finish after that, no problem - just send me the fic once you’re done and I’ll add it after-the-fact!

Feel free to message me if you want help developing a plot, have any questions, or just want to gush about your fic. I’m happy to help, and I’m happy you’re here ❤️

Happy Writing!

[doumadono]

Step into the sin bin! Sinful Sunday is a unique writing extravaganza on this blog, where I explore your every idea and curiosity about your beloved characters. Got a headcanon burning to be shared? Craving to explore a particular kink? Look no further, you're in the right spot! Send me an ask, and in return, you'll receive either a little blurb or set of headcanons! Share your thoughts anytime you fancy. Saturday morning is when the floodgates open, and the posts will come pouring in! 😉🔥

GENERAL RULES

for Sinful Sunday participation, kindly ensure you're 18 or older. Your safety matters, and I'll tag my content accordingly. Please respect this request and do your part

feel free to send your asks, thoughts, imaginations, or requests either anon or not

you're also welcome to share your own headcanons or imagines for the character of your choice! I'm eager to engage in conversations about them with you 😊

Sinful Sunday will last all through Sunday and will end Sunday night at midnight, 23:59 CET

any additional Sinful Sunday requests I receive afterward will be either reserved for the next Sunday or considered for a future request, depending on my current mood and availability

Sinful Sunday-specific tag for all asks, blurbs, and headcanons will be: #doumadonos sinful sunday 🔥

Sinful Sunday kicks off on the upcoming Sunday, September 10th!

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 3/12/23

Firstly, on the Sundays of December 24th and 31st, I won't be posting anything for Sinful Sunday. Given that it's the Christmas season and I'll be with my family, I've decided that the last Sinful Sunday of the year 2023 will be on Sunday, the 17th.

Due to the high volume of requests every Sunday, it's become physically challenging to complete all of them in a single day. To address this, I'm implementing a new rule – I'll be posting approximately 5 pieces for every Sinful Sunday. Any requests remaining in my inbox will be automatically scheduled for the following weekend.

I'll be adjusting the priority for Sinful Sunday requests, giving top priority to those that come in off-anon. While anonymous questions are still welcomed, I'll be initially focusing on non-anonymous requests.

I'm aware many of you enjoy the Hantengu Clones, but I kindly request not to ask for similar scenarios with different clones once a scenario has already been published with one of them.

I'm open to delving into darker content, so feel free to share your more intense thoughts/thirsts with me without hesitation! 🔥

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 31/12/23

In light of the recent poll results, I'm thrilled to share that Sinful Sunday is set to unfold bi-monthly, taking place every two weeks, starting January 14th, 2024

Any requests submitted from now on will be posted on the specified day (in the event of a substantial number of requests, they will be posted based on the order of reception in my inbox. Just a gentle reminder: I'm featuring only 4-5 pieces each Sunday!)

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 15/02/24

As I'm heading to Japan on March 1st, there will be some changes to Sinful Sunday.

the upcoming Sinful Sunday by the end of February will be the last one before my Japan trip. Sinful Sunday will resume on April 27th, and I'll remind you about it in a post

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 23/04/24 - TOTAL CHANGE IN FORMAT

due to the large number of 5k celebration requests, Sinful Sunday will be postponed to May 11th

I've decided to change things up for this recurring event. Since Sinful Sunday happens every two weeks, in the first week - I'll collect your requests. Then, a week before the event - I'll post a poll with all the submitted requests, so you can vote for your favourites. I think this will be the healthiest approach, especially since the last few Sinful Sundays have been overwhelming due to the influx of requests in a single day

the two works with the most votes will be posted every Sinful Sunday

all unused requests will either be deleted or saved for separate stories (only if I really like specific requests)

repeated or similar requests to stories I've already posted will be deleted

you can submit requests for Sunful Sunday starting now, and the first poll will be posted on May 4th

fandoms I write for: My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Honkai Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Jujutsu Kaisen, Wind Breaker, Bucchigiri!?, Obey Me, Haikyuu

[monthly-challenge]

Hello Everyone, welcome to the third Monthly Prompt Challenge, April Spring Fling (April 10-April 30, 2024)

How To Participate:

Reblog this post to get the word out!

Create your own Gifset, Fanart, Fanfiction, etc!

Tag your post as #springfling2024

Tag us → @monthly-challenge

Rules and Guidelines:

There is one prompt for each day! The event starts on April 10 which will give you time to get a head start on your creations!

Make your own creations!

Absolutely No NSFW content!

Whump and angst are acceptable and encouraged but please no gore!

Tag me! I want to see what you have created! As long as I am comfortable with what you have created, I want to share it to this blog!

If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out!!!

Other Things To Keep In Mind:

You do not have to do every prompt in order to participate

The choice of fandom is up to you!

If you are a few days late on a prompt, it's okay! As long as you tag me and the post appropriately, I'd still love to see it!

[fantasy-life-fan]

THEME LIST

FANTASY LIFE HOUSE DECORATION CHALLENGE

Here's the list of themes I've come up with:

January: Home. Take a photo of your home in FL as it looks now

February: Nature theme. You can make your house look like a rustic cabin, a farm or even a garden or a forest or whatever you can think off.

March: Fancy/Elegant/Royal theme.

April: Seasonal theme. Make your house give seasonal vibes of the season of your choice

May: Room of a character. Choose a Fantasy Life character (or someone from another game/movie/book/etc) and imagine what their room would look like.

June: Make your house look like a store or restaurant!

July: Beach/Ocean theme.

August: Recreate a scene from a game/movie/book/etc.

September: Show off! What items are your favorites, or you're the proudest of? Use all those trophies proof of all your achievements and use them to decorate your house or turn it into a museum!

October: Spooky theme!

November: Festivity of your choice. Decorate your house using a festivity of your choice as your inspiration.

December: Home again! Take a photo of your home as it looks now, to see how much it's changed with all the ideas and items you got

Bonus themes

In case you don't have enough items or any good ideas for one of the monthly themes, you can instead do one of these:

Set-centric: decorate your house using only items from one set

Monochromatic: decorate your house using only items of 1 or 2 colors

Try to recreate your room irl in FL

Try to recreate the room of one of your characters in other videogames in FL

Decorating tips!

Some special items in the game (including some cool furniture) can only be obtained via typing a certain password in the post office. If you didn't know about this, look it up! The rewards will come very in handy for the decoration challenge

You can dye some furniture by going to Florina's House in the West Grassy Plains and speaking with Lily Lips.

Other stuff

If anyone can come up with more themes, feel free to suggest them in the comments of this post

Since we're already into January, that's why I'm making the first theme to take a pic of your house now!

The furniture selection in FL is more limited that other games such as Animal Crossing, that's why I avoided to have as a main theme decorating using only a certain set and went for themes that would require the use of lots of different types of furniture

Besides the usual tags, I'll also be using the tag #FLHDC if anyone else that participates also wants to add that tag to their posts!

I'm going to tag in a comment in this post the people that were interested! (sorry for the @ hehe)

[merlinmicrofic]

April '24 Prompts

With the March Round over, here are the prompts for the round running from now, April 15th, till May 14th!

1. Tradition | 2. "I'll be there." | 3. Enough

For info on how this works, please check this post.

When posting to tumblr, please name ship/characters/gen relationship, the prompt(s) you're filling, and, if needed, rating + warnings (so, for example: "Fill for @merlinmicrofic prompt 'Tower', Gwen/Merlin, Mature, MCD") at the top of your post!

Prompts can be interpreted loosely, although if you pick the dialogue prompt, the line should make an appearance!

Remember, your fic has to be 500 words or shorter! For an additional challenge, make it an exact drabble (100 words to the point!) When you post to tumblr, we'll check wordcounts with wordcount.com

Places/ways you can post: only to tumblr, to our AO3 collection, or to both. Whichever way you choose, do make sure to make a tumblr post of some kind and tag this blog directly, so that we can reblog it, and log it for the masterlist!

Prompt 3 was a submission by @fictivecircle, thank you so much! <3 Prompts can be submitted through the ask box (see here for more info), and one of the monthly prompts will be picked from those by random choice!

If you have any more questions that aren't answered by the posts linked in our pinned post, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Most importantly, have fun! <3

[bellasbookclub]

Bella's Book Club FAQ 🍎🌲📚

What is Bella's Book Club?

Bella's Book Club, (sometimes abbreviated to "BBC"), is an interactive virtual book club created by the Three Books One Plot podcast. Each month, participants read a selected book from the list of Bella Swan’s (really Stephenie Meyer’s) favorite books and authors as it appears in Chapter 13 of Midnight Sun, then come together to discuss it on Discord and other social media.

Where can I find Bella's Book Club?

We post most of our important information here on our Tumblr, as well as in the #announcements channel of our Discord. You can also follow along on our Goodreads and Storygraph (mainly used to keep track of past and present books we’ve read/are reading.)

Who can join Bella's Book Club?

BBC is open to anyone! You do not have to have participated in previous discussions, or even be a listener of the 3B1P podcast (though we’d love that, of course.) All we ask is that you be prepared to encounter mature themes and situations in some of our books (and discussions.)

How do I participate in Bella's Book Club?

BBC is designed to let you choose the level of participation you’re comfortable with. Most of the action (and fun) happens over on our Discord, during our monthly real-time discussions, but you're also welcome to share your thoughts or fanworks on a book by tagging us on tumblr or sending an ask/submission. We also sometimes post challenges, ask/tag games, and “scavenger hunts” to go along with our book of the month, and encourage each other to get creative. Past BBCers have made moodboards, fanbinds, playlists, shitposts, written fic and parodies, done scientific research, and even recreated recipes from the books we’ve read! The pressure is totally off, though—you’re welcome to read along and lurk from the cozy corner of your choice.

Who runs Bella's Book Club?

BBC is run primarily by bookworm nerds M (@gashousegables) and G (@volturialice) with occasional help from Shannon (@flowerslut).

M (she/they) is an Australian book nerd with librarian aspirations. From Animorphs to a Smeyer-adjacent Dragon girl phase, she's also the weeaboo in residence for the book club. When not feverishly promoting their Virtual Best Friend known as the Libby App they are swallowing pulpy Romances and mandatory sociological theory.

Favorite books: Imagica, the Locked Tomb series, Friday's Child, Picnic at Hanging Rock

G (she/her) is an American book nerd who grew up devouring like 3 high fantasy doorstoppers a week and considered the Scholastic Book Fair a national holiday. She enjoys reading gory Jacobean/Elizabethan tragedies for fun and has worked in Shakespeare education when she’s not stanning her local library.

Favorite books: Annihilation, The Bloody Chamber, the Locked Tomb series, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Shannon (she/her) is an American jock who read oodles of fic but thought books were mainly good for propping up wobbly tables until she had her own Reading Renaissance in 2022. Now she's on a quest to discover new favorites by seeking out recs and devouring every book in sight!

Favorite books: We Have Always Lived in the Castle, the Locked Tomb series, The Vanishing Half

When is Bella's Book Club?

This year, Bella's Book Club runs September 2023 through June 2024, followed by a break for our summer reading challenge. Books are announced one month in advance, and discussions take place once a month on Monday nights at 8 PM EST (Tuesday mornings at 11 AM AEST) during 3B1P’s off weeks. In the event of a postponement, we announce it on Tumblr and Discord.

The current discussion dates for 2023-4 are:

October 2nd

October 30th

November 27th

December 26th (Tuesday!)

January 22nd

February 19th

March 18th

April 15th

May 13th

June 10th

Nominations/recs for the 2024 Summer Reading Challenge will open May 20th.

Do you do movie nights?

Yes! We sometimes take a break from reading to host Bella's Movie Club. Many of the books we read have been adapted for film and TV (and when no adaptation is available, we often watch a thematically similar movie.) We host movie nights on our Discord, scheduled according to demand and availability. We usually announce movie nights on Tumblr and Discord a week or so in advance, and schedule them on weekend nights (US)/weekend or Monday mornings (Australia) to accommodate the max number of time zones. If you’ve never watched a movie on Discord before, it’s super easy—anyone who wants to watch joins in via our voice channel, mutes themself (if you don’t know how to do this, the mods can do it for you), and then chats (mostly jokes) in real time via the #movie-discussion channel. It’s a rollicking time.

What books have you read in the past?

For our Season 1 (Twilight) lineup we read Jane Eyre, The Princess Bride, Sense and Sensibility, Tooth and Claw, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Little Women, and Northanger Abbey.

What’s the BBC Summer Reading Challenge?

The Bella's Book Club Summer Reading Challenge is our yearly summer break activity, designed to coincide with 3B1P’s hiatuses. Phase 1 of the challenge involves recommending up to 5 books through a Google form. In Phase 2, everyone’s recs are compiled into a list. Readers then choose 5 books from the list to read (and, optionally, review) during the summer months! You can find last year’s list here (and reccer spotlights here.)

Why are the books on your list Like That?

The list we’re pulling from was made by a white Mormon woman for her Not Like Other Girls YA protagonist. (We’ve found that Stephenie Meyer’s taste in books varies from “a quality classic but uninspired as a rec” to “this is actually a pretty cool deep cut.”) But don’t let that put you off too hard—we love reading through a more intersectional lens and Queering The Narrative, for example! We also take summers off to read each other’s book recommendations, which can be of any genre and include more diverse characters and authors. Even when choosing our lineup of monthly books, we try to schedule so that we end up with diversity of genre, era, style, and subject matter if nothing else.

***

got more questions? send us an ask!

happy reading! (we'll see you at book club)

[aprilchallenge]

Fics of the Week

Open Heart

Paring: Ethan Ramsey x (MC) Kaycee

Choosing you 🌺 @jerzwriter

Pairing: Sienna Trinh x Max Valentine (M!OC)

New York Moment 🌺 @liaromancewriter

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Kaycee)

A different fate… 🌺 @jerzwriter

Pairing: Tobias Carrick x F!MC (Casey)

Worth the wait 🌺 @jerzwriter

Pairing: Tobias Carrick x F!MC (Casey)

We’re having a baby… 1/2 🌺 @jerzwriter

Pairing: Tobias Carrick x F!MC (Casey) Feat: Bryce Lahela

Any day… 🌺 @jerzwriter

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (F!OC)

An early morning 🌺 @storyofmychoices

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (F!OC)

Other character: Malia Lahela (F!OC)

Our Future Doctor 🌺 @storyofmychoices

Paring: Ethan Ramsey x f!OC (Tatum Erikson), with special appearances by Tobias Carrick and Julian Santiago (m!OC)

Heads up 🌺 @txemrn

TRR & TRH

Pairing: MC is widowed, Past Pairings Riley x Nico (Riley x M!OC) , Past Pairing of Liam x Riley

Where do we go from here? 🌺 @bebepac

Series: Part 8 of the Cordonian Arrangement.

Pairing: None - mostly Liam and Hakim bonding, mentions of Hakim and Constantine's friendship

Legacies 🌺 @lizzybeth1986

Chapter 1: The Statues

Pairing: Liam Rys x F!MC Riley Brooks-Rys, OTP ‘LiRi 

Cappadocia 🌺 @tessa-liam

Pairing: Liam x MC (Phoebe Summers)

The Start of Forever 🌺 @liaromancewriter

Wake the dead

Pairing: Eli Sipes; Jim, Florence & David Sipes (his family)

A Mother‘s Journal - Part 4 🌺 @jerzwriter

Red Carpet Diaries

Pairing: Thomas Hunt x Alex Spencer (F!OC)

Distraction 🌺 @theartoflovingthomashunt

Edits & Artwork

Olivia Claire Hadley

Yellow 🌺 @storyofmychoices

Characters involved: Cassie Valentine (F!MC), Max Valentine

Reminiscing 🌺 @liaromancewriter

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Victoria Clarke

Chilled Sundays 🌺 @potionsprefect

Characters involved: Sadie Oakley and Sienna Trinh

Sadie‘s Sunday Self-Care #28 🌺 @peonyblossom

Characters involved: A Picta edit of Aru and her college friend (Monica)'s photo taken by another friend (Apoorva)

Purple Pals 🌺 @choicesfanaf

[peonierose]

PSA

I don’t know if it’s just me? But is the fandom kinda going away or not interested in stories people put out anymore?

This isn’t me craving attention. Just trying to understand a few things.

I’m also not pointing fingers at anyone (since I’m behind on reading fics myself 😅)

Just trying to understand if people aren’t interested, too busy or if the fics are too long?

Is there something I can improve on? I write mostly fluff, because writing fun stories is how I cope with my anxiety and it helps me.

But I’ve noticed a decline in reblogs, especially with people on my perma taglist. Are you guys even interested in the stories that you get tagged in? Or do you not want to be on the taglist? Because when I don’t even get a like, it makes me think the tags didn’t work (we all know how fickle tags can be.)

I know everyone has a life outside of tumblr I understand and I’m not holding it against anyone. I’d be the last person to do that.

But honestly? I’m considering not posting any stories on tumblr after April. I’ll still host the Choices April Monthly challenge, but if people aren’t interested in my stories or my pairings I don’t want to post any stories anymore.

It hurts me that some people on my perma taglist can’t even respond to the tags. Please be honest if you’re not interested, or due to the fact that you don’t have time or because of any other reason you can’t respond to my tags that’s okay, but please at least let me know. Because it takes me a long time to write stories and to even post them. So when people can’t even respond? Yeah not very nice.

English isn’t my native tongue. It’s one of the six languages I speak, so I know my stories aren’t the best. But I’m putting a lot of effort, time and passion into them. So it really hurts me when you can’t even respond. But then I see you reblog someone else’s story? It hurts me. A lot.

And to those who would like to be added to my tags list? Just let me know 😌

I know a lot of other writers feel the same way that their stories don’t get reblogged or even get any attention. And again I’m not pointing fingers. Just trying to understand.

I will also start removing those people from my taglist who don’t respond to my tags. Sorry but I can’t keep hoping you’ll respond and then only get hurt when you don’t.

In any case thank you to those beautiful people I’ve met and who have always supported me and my writing 💖 I can’t put into words how much that means to me!

Have a beautiful day / night 💖

Lots of Love

Peonierose

Perma tags:

@annieruok94

@potionsprefect

@secretaryunpaid

@cariantha

@socalwriterbee

@aallotarenunelma

@a-cloud-for-dreams

@mysticalgalaxysstuff

@quixoticdreamer16

@starrystarrytrouble

@txemrn

@princess-geek

@openheartforeverinmyheart

@annfg8

@ofmischiefandmedicine

@doriopenheart

@jerzwriter

@jamespotterthefirst

@genevievemd

@issabees

@the-mrsreigns

@surrenderronnie1

@amortentiaopenheart

OH only:

@mvalentine

@liaromancewriter

@zahrachoices

@maurine07

@lilyoffandoms

@trappedinfanfiction

@a-crepusculo

@takemyopenheart

@the-pale-goddess

Nightbound only:

@ladylamrian

[tessa-liam]

King Liam Appreciation Week

Day 2: King/Historian

For my submission, I wrote a story combining King Liam's love of history and his love for his MC.

Featuring my OTP Liam and Riley, using the face claims of Lucas Bravo for Liam and Lorena Tarantino for Riley.

(Re-posting, tumblr being annoying forgetting the link!)

Cappadocia 

Book: The Royal Heir, Book 1 AU 👑One-Shot 

Premise: After Liam and Riley arrive home from their island paradise honeymoon, they are inundated with pressures to produce a Royal Heir. To protect and shield his bride, King Liam takes his queen away from the court and the press, as they embark on a trip to Cappadocia, Turkey. 

Pairing: Liam Rys x F!MC Riley Brooks-Rys, OTP ‘LiRi 

All characters belong to Pixelberry. 

Rating: M*Warnings: Adult conversation, sexual innuendo 

Category: One-Shot/fluff 

Words: 2174 

Music Inspiration: Wild Is the Wind, David Bowie 

A/N1: My submission for King Liam Appreciation Week, Day 2, April 18th – King/Historian, @kingliamappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986 @sazanes #kingliamappreciationweek #KLAW 

A/N2: Not beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

A/N3: My submission for Choices April Challenge, Prompts-Love is in the air, you are my home, sunrise, love, kiss, hug @aprilchallenge @peonierose @bebepac #choicesmonthlychallenge #Choices April Monthly Challenge 

A/N4: Please forgive the multiple postings...Tumblr is playing games again!

Cappadocia

King’s Study, Cordonian Palace 

Bright rays of light streamed through the bay windows as Liam sat down at his desk to open and review the mail he received while away on his honeymoon. 

Next to his ornate inbox on his desk, was the morning paper. 

He dropped the stack of correspondence he had just picked up back down as he read the bold lettering printed above the picture captured of the Royal couple leaving the jet as they arrived home. 

‘IS OUR HEIR HOME?’ 

‘KING LIAM SMILES WIDELY ARRIVING WITH HIS QUEEN.’ 

*** 

Reclining his chair, his thoughts went back in time to just four weeks ago... 

...it all started on their honeymoon, when Javier knocked the spoon of amuse bouche, having raw fish, out of Riley’s hand. Giving his apologies, ‘To have almost destroyed Cordonia’s future’, he assumed that Riley was pregnant. 

Taking it in stride, they laughed together as if nothing had happened, and continued with a leisurely dinner. 

...and then the intrusion of camera flashes, unknown at the time, were from unwelcome and uninvited paparazzi that were invading their privacy. It wasn’t until they arrived home and read the articles written about them and seen the pictures in the tabloids, did they realize how truly intrusive those cameras had been. 

...and on the last night on the island being told that the King and Queen of Auvernal arrived uninvited, wanting ‘to discuss the issue of his heir’.  

Arriving home with ‘a massive crowd of citizens and paparazzi’ waiting at Valtoria, which was to be expected. 

Yes, it was a normal occurrence for me, but for Riley, it was a new reality. A world she had never personally experienced before. 

My Queen won the hearts of our people and answered their questions with confidence and grace, despite the audacity of the press. 

As we entered the estate, however, the intrusive remarks by members of the court were even more personal and direct. 

...and then there was Madeleine. She was not only rude, but also snide and sarcastic. 

Liam’s thoughts were interrupted by a light knocking on the door of his study. 

“Come,” he said without looking up from his desk. 

Opening the door slowly, Riley stepped inside quietly closing the door behind her. 

“I hope I am not interrupting...” she began to say hesitantly. 

“Riley, my love, come here.” He smiled warmly as he stood and quickly moved around his desk. Taking her into his arms, “you are always welcome here, anytime.” 

“Hi Liam,” Riley smiles coyly, wrapping her arms around his neck.  

Breathing in her sweet smelling hair, Liam placed his hand on her neck and tilted her head up to capture a not so innocent kiss on her lips. 

After a few long seconds of exchanging passionate kisses, Liam pulled away, and gently caressed her cheek. 

“What would you say if I told you that we are going on an adventure this weekend?"  

A broad smile spread across her face, and she looked up at him in anticipation. 

“I would say, ‘when do we leave?’” 

Chuckling, Liam took her hand and led her to sit on the sofa by the bay window. 

Sitting down in a wingback chair directly across from Riley, Liam said, 

“‘What we need is space to ourselves.’ We have been home for a day and a half, and I think we need a distraction.” 

Riley giggled, "Oh, my King, that look in your eye tells me that you thought of something spectacular!" 

“Yes, My Queen, Indeed I did," he smiled widely. 

Laughing, Liam reached over and pulled her onto his lap, and gave her another kiss. 

"How does riding in a hot air balloon at sunrise over vast valleys sound? Or staying at a luxury hotel inside of a cave within a sandstone cliff?” 

“Oh my, yes! That sounds amazing!” 

“Good, because that is exactly what I have planned for us this upcoming week,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. 

"Love, we are going to Cappadocia, Turkey.” 

“Really? I thought we were going on a road trip in the U.S. with Hana, Maxwell and Drake?” Riley questioned, raising her eyebrow. 

“Don’t worry we will still arrive on Texas in time for Bertrand and Savannah’s wedding. But, instead of sharing time with our friends, I decree, my queen needs pampering.” 

*** 

Royal Jet, on the tarmac 

Aboard the Royal jet, Riley was settling into her seat as Liam discussed the flight plans with the pilot before take-off. 

“Your majesty, the flight will take approximately three hours, and we should be arriving in Cappadocia shortly after.” 

“Thank you, Captain,” Liam replied. 

Turning to Riley, “It seems like our adventure is just about ready to start.” 

Bastien and Mara were just entering the cabin, taking their seats behind the Royal couple as the sound of the engines increased in sound. 

As the jet lifted off the tarmac, Liam squeezed Riley’s hand. 

“We are going to see a part of the world that most people have never been to before. We’re going to experience things that very few people ever get to enjoy. And, most importantly, we are going to spend time away from court.” 

“Madeleine, Godfrey, and our royal visitors are going to revolt. When they find out we left the Capital, they...” 

“Riley, you forget something very, very important. You are my Queen now. Our word is law in Cordonia. As far as Bradshaw, Isabella and Amalas are concerned, they are uninvited guests and do not dictate our schedules. The reason there is a Royal council is to support the Crown in whatever the Queen and King decides.” 

“I’m sorry, Liam, I shouldn’t worry about everyone else.” 

Smiling, Liam kissed her hand, “It’s just one of your qualities that I love so much. Sometimes you must let go of the reins otherwise you’ll drive yourself crazy. Okay?” 

Grinning and nodding her head, Riley asked, “now, tell me more about this trip; what do you have in-store for us?” 

“Well, once we arrive in Cappadocia, we are going to travel to a town called Goreme. That is where the hotel we are staying at is situated. It’s just outside of Goreme. The entire town is built into the side of a mountain, with many caves that are used for living quarters by locals.” 

“It sounds amazing!” 

“There are several other villages near Goreme, including Selime and Nevsehir. All of them are lush and green, especially during the spring season. There are hot springs that we can enjoy, as well as several museums and ruins that we will visit. The area is rich in history, as well as culture.” 

“Oh Liam, it sounds incredible.” 

“Yes, it is. Now, I want you to relax and let me plan everything. I know how much you love surprises, and I don’t intend to disappoint.” 

With a wink, Liam added, “and, we will have lots of opportunities to work on our family.” 

*** 

When they landed in Cappadocia, a large white Mercedes SUV was waiting to escort them to their hotel in Goreme. 

As they travelled, Liam explained the local landscapes, including the tall, cone shaped rock formations known as ‘fairy chimneys’. “These were formed 60 million years ago after a sequence of volcanic eruptions hit the area. 

The name ‘Cappadocia’ is derived from the Persian word, ‘Katpatuka’, meaning the land of beautiful horses. In ancient times, gifts or tributes of horses from this region were presented to ancient Assyrian and Persian kings.” 

“It sounds like horses were paid for taxes to the crown,” Riley replied.  

“Yes, in fact the locals here still value horses and offer visitors an alternate mode of transport, instead of motor vehicles.” 

Liam directed the driver to slow down as they travelled by the rock cut churches. “They say that these churches number up to 600, and there is a possibility that many are yet to be discovered. The chapels were carved into the soft rock by monks in the dark ages, and some of them have kept their original impressive frescoes with amazing detail. 

Superstitious locals scratched out the eyes of some of the figures due to the fear of the ‘evil eye’.” 

“Well, we can check it out tomorrow morning after our balloon cruise.” 

Kayakapi Premium Caves Hotel 

After checking in, they were personally ushered to their penthouse suite by the resort chamberlain.  

“Your Majesties, this hotel is set inside 8 original fairy chimneys and has an indoor pool that resembles an ancient Roman bathhouse and spa.” 

Liam squeezed Riley’s hand, pulling her close to his side. 

Continuing, the chamberlain pointed out the traditional artifacts and artwork throughout the hotel as they walked passing by the sunrise balloon viewing terrace. 

Arriving inside their penthouse suite, Liam chuckled watching Riley’s jaw drop. 

“You didn’t tell me there was a pool.... inside our suite!” 

“Of course not,” Liam said with a laugh. 

Laughing, she smacked him playfully on the arm. 

“No, you did not.” 

“Oh good.” 

Liam set her down on the edge of the pool, then poured two flutes of champagne and handed one to her. 

“To our new life together,” clinking their crystal flutes. 

Taking a sip of champagne, Riley held her flute up, “to riding the skies tomorrow.” 

Liam raised his flute and added, 

“Because at sunrise we will be on a hot air balloon ride, for the absolute best view of the region in all its glory.” 

*** 

“Love is in the air”  

“OH. MY. GOD. I feel like we are flying over the moon!’ 

As Liam stepped up behind Riley, he wrapped his arms around her waist in a hug and placed a soft kiss on her neck. 

“Hidden beneath the landscape are over 50 underground cities. An interesting fact is that these cities held all the necessary facilities to lead an everyday life. These cities had everything a typical town would have, from wine presses to cooking places, oil storage, and livestock pens. These cities served as a safe space for Christians escaping persecution by Arabs. 

In fact, the name ‘Goreme’ means ‘one cannot see in here’.” 

Leaning back against him. She rested her head on his shoulder. 

“I love you,” he whispered. 

“I love you, too,” she murmured. 

Looking over her shoulder at Liam, “this place is amazing!” 

Gazing at the ancient rock formations rising from the ground like castles and churches, Liam smiled. 

“It certainly is. I had no idea that these places existed until a few months ago.” 

“This is so beautiful,” Riley said, looking around the stunning landscape below. 

“Indeed, it is.” 

*** 

Royal jet, en route to the U.S. 

Riley awoke from a nap due to turbulence. She sat up in her seat and reached for Liam’s hand. 

“What is it? Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine, the air turbulence is getting to me.” 

Lifting her hand to his lips, he gave her a gentle kiss. 

Riley felt her stomach turn, and she took a breath. 

Moving closer, Liam stroked her cheek. 

“Are you sure? You look pale.” 

“Thank you so much for taking me on this trip.” Riley was clearly getting emotional. “I love you so much.” 

Reaching over, he brushed aside her hair, kissing the top of her 

Forehead. 

“As soon as the wedding is over, I will take you home.” Riley looked up at her husband, “I am already home.... “You are my home.”   

My OTP Liam & Riley, LiRi

Face claims: Lucas Bravo & Lorena Tarantino

@sazanes + @lizzybeth1986, Thank you for hosting @kingliamappreciationweek 💕💕💕

My tag list: @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @kingliam2019 @karahalloway @busywoman @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @twinkleallnight @xpandass420x-deactivated2023032 @sfb123 @ao719 @txemrn @queenmiarys @jared2612 @thesvnsins @irisk12 @walkerdrakewalker @charlotteg234 @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesmonthlychallenge

[potionsprefect]

Spring Flowers

Spring has arrived in Boston

For @aprilchallenge “lilacs”

My poor Victoria still has morning sickness, luckily she has her amazing husband looking out for her

As this is lilacs I guess I can dedicate this to my favourite Lilac too lol, Lilac Allende @jamespotterthefirst

Tagging in reblog

[scottxlogan]

Year of the OTP challenge 2023

So I post a lot of my fanfics on here to share with everyone because well I write them when I'm inspired. That being said last year my dear friend @mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea convinced me to sign up for the @yearoftheotpevent challenge which was unlike any I'd ever taken the opportunity to participate in before where each month you were given prompts to use as guidelines and tell stories with them. I decided at the beginning to go with something that told a WinterIron story from a beginning and over the months evolved through a year's time (or I should say two timelines as the story truly begins decades earlier and is mixed with the 'present'). Throughout the year the story took a lot of twists and turns becoming it's own epic thing in it's 12 different monthly story installments telling a larger picture for these two along the way. It's a lot of story because well it took a whole year to produce and develop, but it's one that I'm particularly proud of because it was a HUGE accomplishment for me that I can proudly say I finished. With that in mind if anyone likes WinterIron and is looking for something with some length behind it to give them a read through the colder time of year, then I welcome everyone to take a look at this year long project under the cut as I had a lot of fun with it!

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this one and encourage me along the way in writing. It was truly a once in a lifetime adventure challenge and so much fun! I learned a lot about myself as an author through it and I would encourage anyone up for a challenge to give it a try in the future as well!

Year of the OTP challenge 2023

For the year of the OTP challenge there will be a story each month tied together by the one shot chapters. They will be listed below:

January: First Meeting(Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating T)  Bucky Barnes is living a life of solitude on the run and hiding from Hydra in the hopes that he can find his way back to himself and his freedom again. On his path to freedom, Bucky encounters a younger Tony Stark hiding out from danger and hoping Bucky will play along in helping him escape the threat he's facing. When the two share an unexpected first meeting sparks fly and it opens the door to something more for each of them moving forward.

February: Surrender (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating M) In the present day Tony wakes up handcuffed to a bed beside the last person he imagined finding in captivity. Together they are forced to face some unfamiliar feelings with one another while in the past Tony spends Valentine's Day morning with someone he realizes he can't live without. Both experiences open the door to something bigger than Tony had imagined possible.

March: Happy Birthday Baby (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) Tony's unable to shake the aftermath of his time spent in captivity with Bucky. When Tony's feelings for Bucky prove to be more than he was prepared to face, Tony looks deeper into the past to discover a shocking reminder of a life beyond his reach. In Tony's search for the truth, he uncovers a secret that could change life for everyone around him.Meanwhile in the past Tony takes Bucky to meet his parents during a weekend retreat, but will their journey together prove to be nothing more than a disaster waiting to happen as a face from the past threatens their future together?

April: Turning Point (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E)  In the present Tony reaches out to an old alliance to cope with the new truths he's uncovered about those he trusted. While revisiting those missing pieces of his past, he finds himself facing a darker truth about those people in his life he'd come to believe held his best interest at heart.

May: The Break (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) In the aftermath of what happened the night of Tony's big presentation, Tony makes a hard choice about the future where his relationship with Bucky is concerned. Pushed into a corner, Tony makes a difficult decision that takes him back down a dark road while Bucky deals with the aftermath. Longing to be together, Bucky and Tony work to find a way to return to what matters most to them in their relationship.

June:  Right Here Waiting (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating M)  It's June and Steve's still struggling with coping over discovering the truth about Bucky and Tony's relationship. When Pepper plans a post-birthday celebration party for Tony's birthday to bring everyone closer together, the scene erupts when tension reaches a boiling point. In the aftermath Tony takes matters into his own hands and has a few surprises in store for those around him.  After a tense night at the tower, Tony takes Bucky back to where it all began for them decades earlier. As they explore the past they left behind them, Tony decides to take Bucky to his very first Pride where the two share a day filled with romantic surprise

July: Betrayals (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) Steve learns a horrific truth from the past that threatens to destroy the future. With the Fourth of July around the corner Bucky and Tony make plans for the future before their conversation leads them to the past where things become increasingly complicated.

August:  If I Could Turn Back Time (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) In the past Bucky's dark history comes back to haunt him in the worst possible way. Meanwhile in the future Tony and Bucky are headed towards happily ever after when tragedy strikes under suspicious circumstances and Loki decides its time to intervene on his friends' behalf to make things right for them once and for all in ways that could change everything forever.

September:  A Whole New World (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Loki/Rhodey Rating E)  Loki and Rhodey discover what other changes have been made to the new world that their journey into the past has created. Although it appears the world has become a better place in some ways, there are changes that leave them struggling to sort it all out. The quiet morning after Rhodey and Loki's return Tony and Bucky share some family time and discuss their friend's strange behavior upon returning from their honeymoon.

October: Making It Work  (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) Now that the threat to the future is out in the open, Bucky is struggling to make things work with the addition of the latest team member's arrival. After the TVA put one of their own into the scene, it feels as all the rules have changed with Bucky trying to figure out what comes next for him and the team. Sensing his husband's discomfort Tony decides to take Bucky away where their time alone refuels and energizes them as they work towards deciphering the mystery that Peggy's journal and Howard's mysterious ending have left wide open for them.

November: The Center of the Universe (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating M) Tony Stark has always had a complicated relationship with his father Howard. Even with all the changes that have taken place after Loki and Rhodey traveled through time and changed the future for the better with Tony's family like with Bucky, Tony is still haunted by the mysteries that Howard has left behind for him to unravel. Struggling to make sense of what's been happening around him, Tony finds himself plagued by dreams and memories involving Howard that could prove to play a big impact on his future.

December:  The Beginning of the End (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) In 1989 Tony Stark is convinced that he's found his soulmate in the man who rescued him at a low point in his life. From their first meeting sparks flew, but there's a part of Tony that's seeking out even more from his new roommate. Will Tony be able to convince Bucky to take things to the next level between them.After a year of ups and downs Bucky and Tony's story comes full circle as we travel back to the beginning to see where it all started before finding our way to the present where things reach the dramatic conclusion. Will Bucky, Tony and their friends find their way to happily ever after or crash and burn when the enemy's plans come full circle?

[akwardlyuncool]

Sitting To Know Your Collection Project 2024 (January - TBD)

So in 2024 I've been doing a little album listening project with my CD collection. Essentially every week I spin the picker wheel that is filled with a list of all the CD's from my collection, that I've cataloged so far and give it a few plays throughout the week.

For those who have decent sized physical music collections, you know there's just some stuff that doesn't get played or doesn't get played enough. Hate to say it, but some things sit and I figured why not try and dust them off a little bit. (It also forces me to work on my CD cataloging project.) It's called "Sitting To Know Your Collection" because the challenge is to sit with your music and get to know it a little better.

I have a friend who did something similar a few years ago, so shout out to him for most likely planting the seed in my head a few years before it would manifest into my own take.

All that being said, and I know I'm informing folks late, but I figured someone else might want to challenge themselves too, so I figured why not share my hella subjective rules that can be modified to fit whatever you got going on.

Rules and Such:

It can be any genre you choose, just pick a "new" album from your collection every week to show some listening love to. (New as in different.)

Track the albums for yourself or with friends.

PS: I made a tracking template if anyone wants it.

Go for as long or short of a time period as you want. (My initial goal was to go from January until the end of September, but I'm liking the project so much, that I might extend it out till the end of the year, who knows.)

This is a side quest to your regular music listening habits. Replay the album as much as you want, but at least twice works within the spirit of the challenge.

If you don't have any physical music but this still sounds fun to you, just hop on the streaming service of your choice and pick a new album from there every week.

No pressure. No Stress. Just fun.

*Not Official Rules (just somethings hella specific to me):

Since I always show love to my soundtracks, they are not part of the project, neither is any album that has made it to my favorite albums of all time list. Just to be fair.

Last I try to only do full albums, but every once in a while I'll allow myself an EP.

.

.

So that might pose the question, what albums have I listened to so far? Great question! Because I'm sharing this like 3 months in, I'm gonna post monthly roundups for January, February and March. Then starting sometime in April, hopefully I'll get to sharing last week's album on a weekly basis. The good thing is though, I've been keeping up with it on my Instagram, so copy and paste will be involved.

Stay tuned for January.

And if you participate, I'd love to know! Let's talk about what you're sitting with!