#europeanguy fic

[choicesficwriterscreations]

CFWC Art of the Week - Sept 3-9, 2023

Ⓜ️ = Adult/Mature Content 18+ 🔥 = Explicit Material/NSFW 18+ ✒️ = Includes Fanfic

BLADES OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

Go On, Feel It | Mal Volari x F!MC by @weetlebeetle (C: @storyofmychoices) ✒️

Happy Blades Day! | Tyril Starfury x F!Elf!MC by @sophie-summer

Imtura Tal Kaelen by @sophie-summer

Mal Volari x MC by @phaaz

Nia Ellarious by @lampyri

Tyril Starfury by @europeanguy

OPEN HEART

Movie Night | Bryce Lahela x M!MC, Tobias Carrick x F!MC by @/artbyainna IG (Fic by @jerzwriter and @mydemonsdrivealimo) ✒️

CFWC Fics of the Week List

[europeanguy]

Some Kind of Magic

Pairing: Shane x Platinum!MC (Veronica/ “Ronnie”)

Words: >2k

Rating: G, Fluff

Summary: Shane and Ronnie reminisce about 2006 and Shane is a being a big melt

A/N: many many thanks to @pixieferry for “beta-ing” this, without whom this drabble would be one huge yikes. Thank you for all your help and all the encouragement 💛 I forgot to ask you about titles so this will do HAHAHA

tagging @8im8the8one bc she ships this and has good taste LMAO

“Do I look okay?” Veronica turns to Shane, then turns back again to the mirror. She pouts and points at the nearly invisible dark circles under her eyes - even Shane couldn’t lie, no amount of concealer can hide the hours upon hours they spent awake brainstorming for her Christmas album. “God, I look like a zombie.”

“But a very pretty - albeit a little tired - zombie.” Shane snorts from his place on the bed from the other side of the room. But she did look pretty, with or without a scary professional stylist who micromanages her everyday clothing choices. “Did Zadie pick that out?”

“Yeah, oh my god, you should have seen her face when she saw me packing this skirt in an overnight bag.” Veronica smooths out her maxi skirt, then cuffs and uncuffs her sweater sleeves. “I can’t believe I kept you up all night writing lyrics with me.”

“I’ll be alright… I’m worried about you, though. Do your fake dates always have to be this early?”

“Dinner is kind of teetering in the danger zone, if you know what I mean.” Veronica winks at the mirror as she ruffles her brown bangs. A non-awkward silence slips in, seconds ticks by before they burst into laughter. “Fiona just said dinner is too romantic at this point, okay?”

“Riiight… we can’t have you munching on oysters in dim lighting with Raleigh Carrera, cause you just might jump him.” Shane bites his lip to stifle his laughter. He almost feels a sense of deja vu - as if they were eight again laughing under the pillow fort that they always build in her parent’s living room. It’s as if this has happened before, except now they’re older and miles away from home - still somehow together.

“Ugh!” Veronica groans in frustration and walks over to Shane’s bed, collapsing beside him. Her weight makes the mattress dip as she tries to find a comfortable position. She ends up squeezed next to him, arms crossed. “I don’t even like him like that.”

Shane nods, closing his eyes. “It does suck that your first relationship is with a hot famous guy, Ronnie.”

Veronica smirks and burrows her cold feet under Shane’s legs.

“Eeee!” Shane squirms away. “What’s that for?!”

“That was for sassing me,” Veronica shrugs. “Speaking of fake relationships, weren’t you my fake husband?”

Back then, it was for a little movie he was shooting with his dad’s camera. That was when Shane fully realized that he’s into the whole concept of telling stories through film, so it’s only obvious that the star of all his projects would be Veronica - who also happens to be the only actress he can find that’s willing to work for candy. Everett, Veronica’s older brother, promised to play the officiant role but bailed at the last second - so they had to be creative and use their teddy bears.

“Damn, you really upgraded.” Shane still remembers that summer and how upset Veronica was when she found out that Shane already ate his ring pop wedding ring.

“Not really,” Veronica shrugs. “I mean, I don’t think he’d re-tie my shoes for me for a whole month until I figured out how to do it myself.”

“Oh my god, you still remember that?” Shane covers his face in embarrassment. “I think you realized you had to do it yourself when I accidentally tied your shoelaces together and you landed flat on your face.”

“Accidentally.” Veronica makes air quotes, earning a scoff from him.

“I was four!”

“I miss that playground… not how the sand tastes though.” Veronica smiles. “Are you coming back home for Christmas?”

“I don’t know, honestly.” Shane sighs. “Mom and Dad are already bugging me about booking plane tickets. Apparently she needs my help to convert a bunch of home videos she found in our attic.”

“Please tell me I’m invited! I want to rewatch all our movies!” Veronica sits up.

“That’s already a given.” Shane stretches his arms then proceeds to feel around the bed for his phone. “Huh… mom just sent me a video.”

Dear Shane,

Dad and I figured it out, but you still have to come home, I know for a fact that you’re not eating well at your dorm… I can tell from your Pictagram pictures. Please tell Ronnie we miss her and we’d love for her to spend the holidays with us. Love you sweetie.

LOL,

Mom

Shane bursts out laughing at his mom’s use of LOL - and the fact that his mother follows him on Pictagram.

“What is it?” Veronica lies back, scooting closer to Shane so she could peek at his phone’s screen. “Aww, I miss your mom too.”

Underneath the message is an attachment of a video, with a slightly blurry, and hauntingly familiar, thumbnail.

“Is that-?”

“Oh god. Oh no. Oh my god-” Shane tries to scramble away but Veronica’s prying hands are too quick, and she snatches the phone away from him.

Veronica taps the play button and instantly, hundreds of voices and clapping meld together into unintelligible noise and the video slowly focuses on the stage as an older student shuffles to the microphone stand. 

“I now have the pleasure of announcing the final act of the Winter Talent Show,” they start a little too loudly, sending feedback throughout the auditorium. “Please welcome Shane and Ronnie as they sing Way Back Into Love!”

The announcer runs offstage and the stage lights flicker on as the curtains open, revealing a ten-year-old Shane and Ronnie by his side - both terrified. Shane remembers that moment when Ronnie couldn’t let go of his hand. The auditorium is silent and whoever is taking the video sniffs.

“Look at us!” Veronica coos at the screen, and just in time the video zooms in to their faces as they step forward to the mic stand. The announcer runs back with a spare microphone and stand for Shane, gives the two kids an encouraging nod before awkwardly running off. Shane looks at Ronnie and they finally let go of each other’s hands to get in position.

The first few notes of the song starts in a soft piano instrumental, and little Ronnie closes her eyes as if to take a breath. She opens her eyes and looks at Shane for reassurance, the uncertainty slowly fading from her face. She sings, softly at first.

I’ve been living with a shadow, overhead. I’ve been sleeping with a cloud above my bed. I’ve been lonely for so long, trapped in the past I just can’t seem to move on.

“Noooo, no no-” Shane grabs a pillow and buries his face in it, trying to drown out his own voice as he sings Hugh Grant’s parts in monotone.

“You weren’t that bad!” Veronica pokes his side as she continues to watch the video.

All I wanna do is find a way back into love.

Ronnie’s voice carries them throughout the whole performance, making both of them sound good.

“I still don’t know how you do that.” Shane tosses the pillow off his face, giving up and decides to watch the video again.

“Do what?” Veronica can’t stop smiling as she watches them finish the song and excitedly hug on stage as the crowd breaks into applause.

“That whole angelic voice thing.” Shane says oh-so-casually, hoping she doesn’t notice the tell-tale blush on his cheeks. 

As the video comes to an end, little Shane and Ronnie hold hands as they walk backstage amidst the applause. Her hands were cold and clammy from nerves, not that he ever cared if her hands were sweaty or sticky with candy. 

“That was so cute.” Veronica wipes her eyes, handing Shane’s phone over to him. “I love you, you know.”

Shane nods, trying not to put too much meaning in her words. “I know.”

“No, really,” Veronica sighs. “You didn’t really want to be on stage but it was my first time performing in front of a crowd that big, so when I asked you to sign up with me and you agreed, no complaints.”

“Well thanks to me we didn’t win, so.” Shane grins. A week after the talent show he gave Ronnie a trophy out of empty tissue rolls held together by glue. 

Veronica sighs exaggeratedly and chuckles. She shifts position, locking her eyes onto his. His mouth goes dry. Was his best friend, since they were four, making heart eyes at him? Nah, he must be hallucinating. 

He tries to squelch that weird flip-flopping in his stomach, whatever the hell it is. Tries to ignore the subtle scent of her shampoo, not quite masked by her perfume, and it takes him back to when they were ten with asters in their hair. Don’t stare at her soft lips - shit too late, too late. They’re inching closer, her breath is warm on his skin and everything’s tingling and

Riiiing!

Both of them nearly jump out of their skin when her phone starts ringing, cutting through the thick tension in the air. Veronica scrambles to get her phone and Shane’s cheeks ignite as he sits up to put some distance between them.

“Hank’s downstairs,” Veronica rolls her eyes and smiles, “Time to show up at fake brunch.”

“Duty calls!” Shane stands up and clears his throat, suddenly feeling awkward. Oh god. That was so unnatural just now. What’s wrong with you, Shane?  “So uh, I’ll walk you out?”

Veronica slips her socks on, quickly shuffling around the room to shove her stuff back into her bag. “Sure!”

“Wait, don’t forget this!” Shane fishes under his duvet for her lyrics notebook, then follows Veronica who’s already hurried out of his room. Shane spots something pink at the corner of his eye, but ignores it as he jogs down the stairs of their shared loft. After Veronica slips on her boots, Shane hands her the notebook.

“Oh my god, thank you.” Veronica takes the notebook and gives him a tight hug. “Hang soon, okay?”

“O-Okay!”

Shane watches as she rushes down the hall to the elevator. She flashes him an uncharacteristically shy smile while waiting for the elevator to reach their floor. It reaches them with a soft ding, and Shane’s stomach drops as his roommates step out - looking confused when they come face to face with Veronica. Veronica gives them a sheepish grin as she steps in the elevator, looking at Shane one last time before the doors close.

Tucker looks back at the closed elevator and back at Shane - who simply shrugs in innocence.

“That was… that was-”

“I thought you guys wouldn’t be home until Sunday?” Shane nonchalantly types a text to Veronica as he steps aside to let his roommates in.

You left your wig 😂😂😂

“Do not change the subject right now.” Tucker lugs his suitcase inside. “That person who obviously just came out of our place-”

“My friend-Ronnie? Yup.”

Shane’s phone pings with a text.

Looks like you have some explaining to do 😂

Another A/N:

1. Ronnie is my Open Heart MC’s (Everett) little sister, she’s 23 and he’s 27.

2. honestly that’s it my mind is already blanking its almost 2 HAHA

3. Oh YEAH I almost forgot to talk about that edit…

4. I feel like Shane turned out as a cute kid but man…. Ronnie was looking a lot more demonic in the previous versions (I used to ILITW MC kids + their faces, not unlike my TRR edit with the TE MCs + the gang)

5. anyway i know i said i quit writing but this just stemmed from me needing Shane x MC content and not finding any so I took it upon myself to just make them lol (also Way Back Into Love is kind of my recent song obsession)

6. I just love hugh grant okay

7. okay bye

[pxlbry]

blackout tuesday - in solidarity with the black lives matter movement, here’s a masterlist of resources instead of the queued post

general resources

carrd w/petitions, phone numbers, places to donate, more ways to help, faq etc.

google doc w/relevant events, petitions, donations, educative resources

black history month google drive library

comprehensive tumblr post with more resources + links

way to support blm w/out money

watching this video + following the kpop streaming guidelines (watch 3-5 different videos after each playthrough, turn off adblocker, watch all ads, don’t hit replay but go to the search and search for the video again, like, share, comment)

some misc. links that aren’t on the aforementioned masterlists (to my knowledge)

retirement fund for miss major, a leader in the stonewall riots

list of black owned etsy stores to support black small businesses

twitter thread of mutual aid funds

another list of black-owned super cute businesses

fandom specific donation commissions (DM me if you’d like to be added/removed from the list)

donation commissions from @garlickk​

fanart commission donation matching from @choicesarehard​ (w/additional possible prizes from @europeanguy​ and @lauraslineart​)

fic commissions from @pixelsandkink​ 

donation commissions from @night-triumphantt​

donation commissions from @artofmimi​ 

donation commissions from @lanaartblog

donation commissions from @hudush​ 

donation commissions from @somewillwin​ 

non-fandom specific donation commissions/support black artists

twitter thread with 13 artists

gigantic spreadsheet of black artists across all industries

please let me know if I missed anything, I know there’s been so many masterlists of links + resources going around so be sure to spread those around as well! i will be editing this list as new information/resources come up so do not hesitate to send me an ask/DM with links w/info!

[pixelburied]

I made a choices blog but I'm really really shy and you seem really cool so maybe you know some other cool people I could follow? I only read bloodbound, it lives in the woods, it lives beneath, blades of light and shadow and the heist: monaco so far but if you know any fanfiction/art blogs around here with those books (especially wlw content) i'd be really really grateful. Sorry if i don't make sense, i'm very awkward with my english.

Hello, Anon. Don’t apologize for your English because (1) it’s great and (2) anyone who points out a problem with your english is a jerk and probably monolingual.

Anyways, here are my current faves. Please excuse me if I don’t tag them, I don’t wanna clog their notifs. But they’re all great!

Art

@ iaraiumi - ILITW / Blades

@ hudush - Blades

@ europeanguy - ILITW / ILB / Blades

@ toyhenoctus - ILITW / ILB / BB / Blades / THM

@ solarbridge - Blades

@ javsarts - ILITW / ILB / BB

@ spacetravels - ILITW / Blades

@ danniseyebrows - ILITW / ILB / BB / Blades

@ garlickk - Blades / BB

Edits (Assorted Books)

@ violinet

@ litgpop

@ tkyoon

@ beaumontbash

@ rexkeller

Fics

I haven’t been reading fics lately but I 100% trust @brightpinkpeppercorn ‘s taste. 🥺 BPP, can you help me out? Any fave wlw fics for ILITW / ILB / BB / THM / Blades?

Edit:

Anon, drop by my DMs if ur comfy with that! I wanna follow you in case I remember anyone else!

[brightpinkpeppercorn]

Tell me your favorite blogs in choices fandom.

Hi Nonny! These asks make me a bit nervous because I don’t want to miss anyone. I have lots of blogs I love and these are just some that I can recommend! These are in no order and feature amazing artists, fic writers, make me laugh, and those who provide us with scenes from the books.

@mysteli @littlecrookedheart @choiceslife @scgdoeswhat @pbmychoices @darley1101 @queen-among-writers @likethetailofacomet @zaffrenotes @queerchoicesblog @europeanguy @mind-reader1 @bbaba-yagaa @lifeof314universe @abookishcreative @ladynonsense @endlessly-searching-for-you

@lady-kato @danni-asturias @danni-whatshername @pixieferry @indiacater @thelementalists @melodyofgraves @tabithacarlisle @50shadesofgrayx @griffinsbigdickenergy @teamtomsato @pixelburied @askdana @wughhumans @itlivesbeneath @what-do-you-mean-theyre-evil @am-i-invisible777 @strangerofbraidwood @itsbrindleybinch

And so many more!! 

[i-miss-trr]

A FRIEND IN NEED

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Drake Walker & Maxwell Percival Beaumont (platonic)

Note: In this fic, Drake is 19, Maxwell is 17 and Savannah is 14 years old.

Word Count: 1216+

Genre/Trigger Warning: Angst with mentions of Deaths and Loneliness.

Summary: Maxwell teaches Drake an important lesson and helps him when he's struggling.

–––——————————————-–––

Their house never felt so suffocating and lonely before as it did now while Drake made his way down the stairs in a T-shirt soaked with his sister's tears. He had held Savannah for the past two hours as she cried her eyes out and it was the longest two hours of Drake's life. Too emotionally drained, Drake fell onto the couch in the living room as his sister's crying rang in his ears. She kept asking him the questions he had been avoiding since that woman left them both four months ago. How could he tell his baby sister that he himself was struggling to come to terms with their new reality? For the first time, her big brother who always promised to protect her, couldn't do anything to dull the ache because he himself was too broken. He had never felt so useless before. Instead all he did was hold her tight until she cried herself to sleep. Hours later, her words still haunted him, "First Dad left us and now Mom. Why does everybody leave?"

Knowing he wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight, Drake decided to light the fireplace to keep busy. At least he was still useful enough to keep Savannah and the house warm on this chilly night, he thought ruefully. No sooner had he finished lighting the fire, than he heard their grandfather's clock strike midnight. That was the last straw! He knew he couldn't run from his demons anymore. Each strike of the clock filled him with dred. To worsen his state, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering back to that cursed day, exactly one year ago, when everything changed. The day that destroyed his happy family and pushed his Mom into depression. The day responsible for all of Savannah's tears. The day that led to him and Sav being all alone today. His chest felt heavy as images of his Dad lying in an open casket flashed before his eyes.

He was too deep in his thoughts when a sudden knock on the main door brought him back to reality. Swallowing hard, he opens the door to send that person away and sees Maxwell on the other end. He smiles politely at Drake but it only enrages him more.

"Go away Maxwell!" Drake tries to slam the door but Maxwell leans against it, using his body to keep it open.

"No, Drake. Listen to me...."

"I know why you're here Maxwell," Drake barks in fury but all Maxwell can hear are the cracks in his friend's voice.

"I promise it's not that," Maxwell says with utmost sincerity.

"I don't believe you."

"I promise I won't even mention it." He crosses his heart trying to convince Drake to stop pushing him out.

"I even brought beers!" He raises the two bottles as a bribe. Maxwell smiles nervously hoping him stealing these bottles from House Beaumont's collection was worth it. Drake contemplates whether to let him in until Maxwell stubbornly declares he isn't going to leave until he comes inside. Drake sighs heavily knowing how stubborn his idiot friend can be.

Reluctantly, Drake opens the door a crack and Maxwell scurried inside before he changes his mind. Shooting him daggers, Drake sits beside Maxwell and resumes poking and probbing the fireplace. Maxwell eyes him cautiously not knowing what to do next. He had not thought this through. Frankly, he was surprised Drake let him in in the first place.

Drake could see Maxwell fidgeting in his peripheral vision and it made ignoring him impossible. "If I hear the words 'Happy Birthday' from your mouth, I will punch you," Drake warns him through gritted teeth.

"I never said a word!" Maxwell raises his arms in surrender. Drake eyes him suspiciously before going back to staring silently at the fire.

"Beer?" Maxwell shamelessly pushes the bottle in his face, stopping him from wallowing in self pity again.

Maxwell smiles victoriously but does a zipping his mouth action to further accentuate that he will not say anything else. True to his word, Maxwell doesn't pester him again as they sit in silence drinking their beers. Surpringly, Drake noted, this silence was a lot different than the silence thay enveloped him before Maxwell came. Maybe it was the beer or maybe it was Maxwell's presence but somehow this silence was not as stifling and Drake felt a lot calmer than before. For the first time, Drake was grateful for Maxwell's company until his giggling ruined it. It was like sitting next to a 12 year old girl!

"What?"

"This is our first beer together buddy!" He declared with a proud grin.

Drake rolled his eyes but couldn't help asking, "Is this your first beer Max?"

The smile on Maxwell's face faded as he replied ashamedly, "No. I tried a glass when I was eleven."

Drake raised an eyebrow as Maxwell averted his eyes and continued, "After Mum and Dad died, Bertrand used to finish at least three of Dad's bottles every night. He said it helped him forget so one night, after he had passed out, I tried one glass to help me forget the pain too. It only worsened everything when we both got caught by my Uncle."

Drake stared at him wide-eyed for a little too long. He could hardly believe the underlying hurt he just witnessed in his always happy-go-lucky friend's voice. "Beer doesn't work for me anymore. I need something stronger," he confessed with a heavy sigh. Maxwell simply nodded too ashamed to speak yet.

Finishing his beer for strength, Drake decided to address the elephant in the room once and for all. "Max, why are you really here tonight?" His sombre tone killed the joke Max was going to use to try to deflect the mood. He realised there was no other way to address this but with blatant honesty.

"I'm here to make sure you are not alone bud; TODAY of all days."

"I'm fi..."

"No you're not fine Drake!" Maxwell cut him off curtly. "I know how you're feeling right now. I've been through the same thing Drake." Maxwell pats his should comfortingly.

"No you don't!" Drake pushed his hand away. "You don't know how I feel! Because we have not "been through the exact same thing"! So don't act like you have!" Drake gets up and shouts but not too loud so as to wake Savannah. Maxwell's blatant audacity infuriated him. "Your role model and hero didn't die on your birthday. You didn't have to see your Mother breakdown and isolate herself from everybody. Your Mother didn't just up and leave you all alone! And you certainly didn't have to hear your baby sister cry herself to sleep EVERY DAMN NIGHT!!" Maxwell tries to calm him but in vain. "So don't you dare tell me you know how I feel because you don't!" Drake shoves him. "NOBODY KNOWS HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW!" Drake turns and throws the empty beer bottle against the wall in anger. Then he clutches his head in his hands and slumps to the floor. Watching Drake shake with sobs stuns Maxwell. He had never seen him cry before. Unsure of what to do, he simply does th thing he wished somebody had done for him; Be there for his friend.

"That's it. Let it all out," he crouches down and encourages him sweetly. "Yell at me all you want. I won't mind," he pats his back comfortingly, "Just don't bottle it up inside you. I've seen first hand how unhealthy that is. You don't have to be so strong all the time. You're human too." Drake looks at him through blurry vision. "But don't you ever think you are alone Drake! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!" He tells him sharply. "You have Liam, Leo, Bastien, Savannah... And me whether you like it or not! You are in a far better position than I was. When I lost my parents, I had nobody. I used to talk to everybody in court and proudly think I have so many friends. But when I needed somebody no one was there; not even Bertrand," he chuckles dryly. "I was so lonely," Maxwell whispers so lowly that Drake almost didn't hear the last part.

"But you don't have to be lonely Drake," he points at him accusingly, "You have friends who actually care for you and are worried about you! Even Liam would've been here tonight but we both know how terrible the Prince is at escaping the Palace alone. Remember the time the guard caught him dangling from his window when his boot fell on the guard below? He needs a lot of practice." Maxwell chuckles at the memory and despite everything, a small smile ghosts over Drake's face too. "See? You have real friends dumbo! Don't cut us out Drake." The last sentence sounded almost like a request and Drake felt extremely guilty for his earlier outburst. Impulsively, he hugs his dear friend tight. Maxwell simply holds him as he cries into his shoulder. All the emotions he had buried for the last one year come crashing out and rolled down his face in the form of tears. That was the last time Drake cried because he was lonely.

Author's Note: So this was my story I submitted to @choicesfanficanonymous back in September 2018. First and foremost thanku to @walkerismychoice for hosting and making a special blog for this event. This fic is the updated version of that same story with some tweaks here and there. I wanted it to be on my blog so here it is!🤗 Now idk if I should but I'm just gonna tag the people who responded positively to it (by either commenting or reblogging) on the @choicesfanficanonymous blog and who asked me to tag them @museofbooks @tmarie82 @lynn1214 @thedepthsremember @europeanguy & @brightpinkpeppercorn @chantelle-x0x (sorry for making you cry😅)

[zaffrenotes]

To the awesome ladies I call my friends in this crazy lil fandom on this mad hellscape of a website...

thank you for your friendship.

🌻 you are all perfect sunflowers,

🦄 you are rainbow infused space unicorns,

🦋 you are rule-breaking moths,

🌴🦈 you are opalescent tree sharks,

🧜 you are poetic and noble land mermaids.

You are straight up rays of sunshine in my life whether we only chat through fic comments, chat ocassionally or daily, or I message you incessantly 🙃.

If I could, I'd go full Leslie Knope and stitch or sew something personal for each of you, but a photo of this card (from Emily McDowell, she's awesome, seriously go check out her stuff) will have to do.

@likethetailofacomet @ooo-barff-ooo @brightpinkpeppercorn @sleepwalkingelite @mind-reader1 @thecordoniandiaries @blackcatkita @h3llostrang3r @damnhotmsimmons @ladynonsense @bobasheebaby @ritachacha @the-everlasting-dream @katurrade @akrenich @debramcg1106 @blackcoffee85 @darley1101 @europeanguy @flowerpowell @glorious-fandoms @itsstillnotwhatyouthink @jovialyouthmusic @riseandshinelittleblossom @fullbeaumonty @aworldoffandoms @blznbaby @cocomaxley @speedyoperarascalparty @leelee10898 @annekebbphotography @innerpostmentality @yunghayden ... and I know I'm forgetting others but if we're mutuals/have had any semblance of interacting, this post goes out to you too!!

💖 HAPPY GALENTINE'S DAY 💖

[littlecrookedheart]

Please leave a like or reblog if you've enjoyed anything, it lets me know that you’d like to see more.

Icons | Aesthetics |

This is a psychological horror story. Read at your own discretion. INDEFINITE HIATUS.

• WIP Series, MATURE for dark theme | Soundtrack

Reckoning | Rum on the Fire | Like You're Made of Glass | Unfolding | The Fraying | Blood

Carson x Parker (f!mc) *please read

• Heart Eyed | Angst Prompt, 🔥18+

• Pastry | Smut Prompt, 🔥 18+

• In the Moment | WIP Series, 🔥18+ *HIATUS*

Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3

Jax x Kellen

• Atlas and his Moon | Fluffy Friday

• Salvation | 🔥 18+

• Merlot | 🔥 18+ coming soon

Tom x Clove (f!mc)

Pairing art by @teamtomsato Clove art / pairing art | pairing art by @zuaovca

• Marshmallows and Mistletoe | Merry & Bright 🎄

• NSFW Alphabet | 🔥18+

• Somewhere Only We Know | Smut Prompt, 🔥18+

• Best Two Out of Three | 🔥18+

• The Sound | 🔥 18+

• The Obi-Wan | 🔥 18+

• More | 🔥18+

• 5 Daring Bedroom Tricks You're Missing Out On | 🔥18+

• He Loves Me, He Loves Me | 🔥18+

• In This Light | 🔥18+

• Anything Goes | Fluff, M bonus texts here

• Glass Houses | Angst,🔥18+

• To Be Loved | 🔥18+

• The River | 🔥18+

• Divinity | 🔥18+

• Shadows | Fluff, M

• Fluffy Alphabet | Fluff

• Of Heart and Home | 🔥18+ 💕

The Westchester Buddies

• Jolly Happy Soul | Merry & Bright 🎄

Damien x Ryan (f!mc)

• Blue Little Window | 🔥 18+

• The Butcher, The Baker | 🔥 18+ 🎃

• Manners | Angst Prompt, 🔥 18+

• Impatient | Prompt Request, 🔥 18+

• Her Lips and Bad Behavior | Prompt Request,🔥 18+

• Very Merry | Merry & Bright 🔥 18+ 🎄

• Midnight Devotion | Fluffy Friday

• At Least Kinda | Fluffy Friday

• Like Love | Fluffy Friday

• Where We Belong | Fluffy Friday

• Hold Onto Me | WIP Series, 🔥 18+ *HIATUS*

Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3

Sloane x Hollis (f!oc/mc)

• November House | 🔥 18+

Hayden x Kai (m!Hayden / f!mc)

• Awaken | Angst Prompt 🔥 18+

Khaan x Dakota (mc, both m&f versions)

• Believe | Merry & Bright 🎄

• Bloom v.1(f!mc) v.2(m!mc) | Prompt Request 🔥 18+

• Unwind v.1(f!mc) v.2(m!mc) | 🔥 18+

Maxwell x Farrah

• Glitter Blizzard Wonderland | Merry & Bright 🎄

Part One | Part Two

• Imagine | Prompt Request

Liam x Drake

• Christmas at the Cabin | Secret Santa Fic 🎅

Parker Shaw x Bram (m!mc)

• Pine Springs Picnic Party | 🔥18+ for @europeanguy

[helentwombly]

Creator Tag 2018

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 favorite works you’ve created this year (fics, art, edits, etc!) and link them below (say why if you want) to reflect on the amazing things you’ve brought into the world in 2018. Tag as many writers/artists/etc as you want (fan or original!) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works.

Tagged by: One of the most talented editors in the fandom @pbmychoices and @itlivesbeneath. Sorry lovelies, this tooks so long. Here we go!

1. Unofficial Choices App Buttons - I was curious what could a Choices App Button would look like if they feautred a book on the App buttons, so I made a version of my MCs and their LIs.

2. Throwback: ES LIs - So ES is my fave book and I miss it so much so I made some banners starring the LIs. This was supposed a submission for ES Week but I was not able to include it.

3. AME Season 10 - Posters of male and female contestants in AME that is inspired by rolling films.

4. Lasso of revealing Dirty Little Secrets - Ms. Harlenay just had a vacation in Themyscira and brought a Lasso of Truth which she gave to Naomi... and Ms. Supercop tried in on whipped MC.

5. Most Wanted: Dream Team - Just a random edit where Dave and Sam formed a police squad which includes crime-fighting Choices Cops from different books.

Tagging: @lovethemarshalltwins @nuttatulipa @shazrystyles @raventear @abookishcreative @europeanguy @elliementalist @pb-boeboe @lanaartblog (sorry for the late tag) you’ve been inactive for awhile so I was not sure. 😅

I really love to see your fave works of yours!

[megowitch]

creator tag 2018!!

tagged by @maisondyew!! thank you astro!! (๑>ᴗ<๑)

tagging: @raventear @kenjkats @queen-among-writers @sazanes @patroncassius @virgofairy @europeanguy @faded-hero & anyone who sees this post and wants to do it

rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 favorite works you’ve created this year (fics, art, edits, etc!) and link them below (say why if you want) to reflect on the amazing things you’ve brought into the world in 2018. tag as many writers/artists/etc as you want (fan or original!) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works.

1. the second sketch of my oc, echo. i wanted to try a different coloring method and i liked it! i just wanted to keep it simple (and i was kinda lazy) so i didn’t shade in the background

2. this TE instagram edit! when i was making this, i was giggling the whole time. i think this was my first time making an actual good edit so i’m lowkey proud of this one >:)

3. an unofficial grandmaster female robin stats page!! i was super super proud of this one bc back then i had firealpaca & i was dumb when it comes to coloring. so the fact that i even finished it!! was a miracle

4. this cute robin (hero mc) sketch, i did for a tag game!! this sketch made me realize that i should abuse the “Glow Dodge” tool ASLKJFKLLDFKJ

5. final battle! bloodbound mc. this was my first completed artwork w actual shading and a semi-decent background. although i can see some uhhhhh flaws in that piece, it’s a good starting point

[zigsexual]

do you have any good recs for content creators in the fandom? i wanna read more fics and rb some fanart but my dash is ded

i reblog a lot of fanart so honestly anyone i reblog is solid! off the top of my head, i have really been enjoying the art by @choicesraccoon, @danniseyebrows, and  @europeanguy lately!

and for fics i have a tag for my fic recs so you can go through that as well!

[europeanguy]

Gotta Gogh [Part 5.2: From Cordonia]

Pairing: Nadia x Maxwell

Words: 2.3k

Tags/Warnings: Canon Divergence, Crossovers, time skips and POV changes, cheesy lines and a sprinkle of angst… maybe

Your brother is the Duke, he manages the duchy of Ramsford and the estate, he has people relying on him and people who trust him, he makes sure that House Beaumonts’ legacy doesn’t go up in flames – where do you fit in?

Where do I fit in?

The limo hits some bumps in the road, and Maxwell hits his head on something weirdly shaped. He comes to a few seconds later, realizing he’s been dozing off on his brother’s shoulder. Bertrand isn’t too fussed, he’s too busy reading something on his iPad. How Bertrand could read in a moving vehicle, he will never understand. He switches it off, uttering something about ‘needing coffee and do you want some?’. But Maxwell knows that his older brother is just being gentle on him, too gentle that it makes his mind race thinking about the worst possible case scenarios. Could all of Ramsford have burned down? Did anyone they know die? Did he get somebody pregnant?

Or maybe it’s just because Bertrand had found him with semi-wet clothes and damp, red, eyes – this sad, sad being that entered through the doors of their house in the capital.

Maxwell shakes his head no to the coffee, then shoves a hand in his pocket to make sure its still there. He traces its rounded edges, feeling its carvings press indents into his skin. And it’s a little bit comforting. He takes it out and looks at this cartoony miniature of the Eiffel Tower, bronze, with “Paris” written across the length of it in big bold words.

He and Nadia had laughed at the tackiness of it all. And yet they wore matching t-shirts proudly saying “Bonjour!”.

So, she bought one of the pocket-sized Eiffel Towers when he wasn’t looking.

Maxwell rolls his shoulders and straightens up, getting stiff in the seats. Bertrand preferred the limo when traveling to Ramsford because of that much needed leg-room, but the carpets and the plush seats made Maxwell feel like the air is being crushed out of the space. Bertrand clears his throat and scoots near the mini-fridge, looking for the cold-brew cans they kept stocked in there with the champagne.

They weren’t going to talk about it.

It must be dragging close to 10 am by now since they left at dawn, and Nadia’s probably already in New York. He can sleep away the rest of the day, judging by how nicely Bertrand has been treating him.

The thing is, Nadia knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t keep his promise. And so Maxwell found out through the other students living on her floor – Nadia left the day before. Her door was unlocked, the room left empty except for the furniture that came with it. And then he found it, the mini Eiffel Tower miniature, on the bed. He didn’t know if he wanted to cry or laugh as he picked it up. Nadia knew he thought the touristy trinkets were ugly.

What Maxwell realized in Paris is that he’s kind of really fucked. That Nadia is extraordinary, and he loves her.

“We’re almost here.” Bertrand says, sipping his coffee. He grimaces lightly, no wonder in need of a real cup soon. Maxwell nods, knowing that it’s a prompt for him to fix himself before meeting with the main house’s staff.

The limo turns down the road that leads to the vast manor he grew up in. The driveway is long and lined with trees, much like the main palace. He has time to brush back his hair – still feeling weird about its shortness – straighten his clothes, and rub the sleep away from his eyes.

After exchanging a polite welcome with the main house staff, Maxwell has disappeared off to his room in no time – and without any complaints from Bertrand at all, who simply asked him to be present at dinner at six. He tosses off his jacket and toes off his shoes, throwing himself on the bed face-down. His mother would always scold him about wearing outside clothes to bed. Maxwell squeezes his eyes shut, waiting for sleep to come – but it doesn’t.

Nadia never did say anything about not calling.

-

Nadia taps the metal ferrule of her brush repeatedly against the paint thinner can’s brim, shaking off the excess. She’s not sure how much time she’s sat there staring at the painting that never seems to be finished.

Back in New York, and she’s literally watching paint dry.

Sighing, she takes the brush again and scrapes it on the drying blob of blue paint, hardly picking up any pigment at first but eventually it gives and seeps through the strands, bright and blue. Blue.

Stop. Have a break. Nadia decides to leave the brush on the container beside the easel and stands up, feeling the strain on her back and her legs as she stretches. Quickly, Nadia opens her window to let the paint and thinner fumes out – she always forgets to, which is why she’s convinced that someday she would inhale too much and just drop dead. Then she cleans up all the candy wrappers (Gran will find out soon enough that she ate all the decorations for the gingerbread house), turns off the lights, and finally collapses on her bed, limbs splayed out – and she sighs, letting her eyes close.

It’s illogical how she hasn’t been able to sleep yet after spending a long-haul flight watching all the romcom movies available and crying. Crying is exhausting. Turns out dramatic airport goodbyes were just for movie screens – and thank god for that. A sharp pang of guilt shoots through her for lying to Maxwell. But he’s stubborn, and Nadia knew he would still try to see her off anyway.

She rolls over and sniffs the soothing smell of fresh sheets, the same old brand of detergent that her grandma always used. Their grandparents’ apartment in New York is small, but it had just enough space for the four of them for when she and Kai visited over the break. It had a small balcony for an herb garden that only their Grandpa cared for. From outside, the light pollution of the city gives casts a bluish glow in tall shadows across her room. It’s closing in on five in the morning, the sunrise late in mid-December but she can see the faint colors of dawn starting to show in the sky.

Her phone rings underneath a pillow somewhere, its muffled sounds making her heart race the longer she leaves it. Her restraint snaps, and she jumps off her bed to rummage through her room for the damned phone. Finally, she finds it underneath an orange throw pillow. She tosses the pillow away and reads the caller ID.

-

You’re not being silly, Maxwell. All this pressure and expectations, they’re insane and being compared to your brother must hurt.

Maxwell picks at his cufflinks – gold with a monogrammed MB. Bertrand hadn’t mentioned that the six pm dinner would be with a fund manager, an estate agent, and the way too slick and smart Chief of Staff; essentially Bertrand’s right-hand man and the one he would sort of replace in the near future. He wouldn’t be taken off the payroll, of course, but he had always been critical of Maxwell and his lack of involvement in estate issues. They all formally wait in line to shake hands with the Duke and his brother.

But I know your brother loves you, and he’s proud of you and all of your achievements.

It still scares Maxwell how charming his brother could be. He lags behind Bertrand and watches him exchange fond greetings with their company. Bertrand turns towards Maxwell and beckons him towards them. His heart swells when Bertrand pats his back reassuringly as he shakes their hands.

He fits here. Right?

I know what it’s like to not feel accepted or competent – but Maxwell, this is your purpose.

Maxwell doesn’t try to dazzle them with whatever he learned that semester, it would be fruitless since these people have been doing this long enough to differentiate the fluff from substance. Instead he sits quietly for once, listening and trying to absorb as much as he could – to no avail. All he can think of was that call.

You’re amazing, intelligent, and caring, and you deserve much more praise. Your brother understands this more than anyone.

You’re starting to sound like my mother and it’s scaring me.

Why do you always joke?

But she laughed. Her laugh sounded like music to his ears, even though it was in bad quality, crackling audio over a phone. Maxwell is broken out of his trance when the first course is served. Bertrand could tell he’s still completely distracted – although thankfully not as miserable as when he had found him.

I can’t handle it, it’s getting too emotional. He reaches into his pocket again to feel the little Eiffel Tower. I didn’t know how I was supposed to let you go.

That’s why I made that decision for you.

Bertrand and the others launch into a deep conversation about estate issues. Maxwell picks at his food, focusing more on the sound of the clatter of silverware against china. Has it really been one whole semester?

Yeah. It was way too quick. I used to wonder a lot if coming to Cordonia was some huge mistake. Since, you know, I didn’t exactly fit in,

He’s not entirely sure that he fits in here too. He tries, he really does. And he wants to help Bertrand who seemed like he aged ten years from all the stress of being a duke.

But Maxwell liked to think of him and Nadia as pieces of the puzzle that come from two different boxes. They had somehow found each other and clicked perfectly. It’s nonsensical, but it happened. It’s where he fits in.

Then I met you and all that went out the window. I was right where I was supposed to be.

Maxwell keeps replaying that part in his head. He took a moment to answer, willed the seconds to slow down.

He remembered everything, it pressed at him, insistent and waiting.

I love you, Nadia.

Nadia yawned softly on the other line, and then all he could hear after that was her faint breathing. Maxwell is brought back to the present, and he closes his eyes to imagine her face under the soft yellow glow of the streetlamps in Paris – wondering what if.

End

.

.

.

.

EPILOGUE

Maxwell steps outside the limo in some street that he vaguely remembers – he could only hope it’s the right one. He tells his driver to come back in a while and smooths down his black button-down shirt, the begins to walk up the strangely quiet street. Well, relatively quiet compared to the rest of New York.

He needed this peace after what just happened, waking up with his mouth feeling like it was stuffed with cotton and a pounding headache. As the one morning person in the group, of course he’s the first to wake up – even though it’s already way past the afternoon. The boys back at their suite sleepily complained about all the noise he made while in the shower.

Ha! “Noise”. Excuse you, I was singing.

After Liam disappeared with the waitress, the rest of the boys decided to fuck off and blow some cash away at the nearest high-end club they could find. He doesn’t remember how they ended up at some rooftop party full of hipsters and catching wind of a familiar name in their conversations. Some rising star in the art world. An art show in Brooklyn. Here’s the address.

-

“Nadia! Hey!”

Nadia turns and spots her cousin, Kai, among the crowd. She quickly excuses herself to pass through all the people – it’s still crazy to think about just how much her work blew up.

“You made it!” She envelops Kai in a tight hug, and holds her at arm’s length. “So? What do you think?”

Kai scans the room with an appreciative look on her face. “Are you kidding? This is insane. I’m so proud of you.”

“Not the show!” Nadia gestures at herself. “Do I look okay?”

Kai laughs. “You look like an artist with a popping art show and not to mention a fat bank account after all this.”

“What?”

“She’s saying you look fine and that we promise to step in once you start unironically wearing… berets.” Damien suddenly claps a reassuring hand on Nadia’s shoulder, holding a drink on the other. His wrinkles his nose at someone who passes by wearing a bejeweled beret.

“You’re so judgmental!” Kai stifles a laugh with her hand.

Damien shrugs and takes a gulp from his drink. “So, who do I have to beat up this time?”

“Ugh, stop it.” Nadia rolls her eyes, but smiles fondly at Damien’s over-protectiveness. “His name is Steve and you guys have to promise me that you’ll be nice.”

Kai nods. “That’s mostly directed towards you, Damien.”

“I’ll be nice, alright.” Damien frowns. “I’m just saying- it’s weird that he’s an investment banker who also happens to be a baker, volunteers at animal shelters, and his name is Steve.”

“What do you have against Steves?” Nadia laughs.

“Yeah! Steves are generally nicer than Damiens!” Kai shares a conspiratorial smile with Nadia.

Damien downs the rest of his drink. “I didn’t ask to be ganged up on like this.”

Nadia’s phone rings and her whole face lights up. “Uh oh, I think he’s outside but he’s not sure which one it is.”

Kai shoots Damien a be nice glare as Nadia excuses herself to go to the entrance. Her heart pounds with excitement as she walks. A cold gust of wind greets her as she pushes open the door, and comes face to face with – Maxwell Beaumont.

She feels like all the air has been knocked out of her lungs as Maxwell looks back at her, shocked.

“…hi.”

FACTS THAT ARE DECIDEDLY NOT FUN BECAUSE THESE ARE JUST DISGUISED AUTHOR’S NOTES also I am sad

-        So it ended! FINALLY!

-        No joke it was so difficult to end this series despite it only having a few chapters. It went through rewrites upon rewrites and even me deleting a WHOLE alternate ending wherein Nadia doesn’t leave early.

-        They don’t end up together in both endings but I have greatly considered just throwing all my plans out the window and have Maxwell follow Nadia to New York. Ah… now wouldn’t that be nice.

-        Nadia literally slept on Maxwell lolol get it

-        If anyone would want to see the draft of the alternate ending I can drop you the google docs link.

-        The epilogue happens on the first chapter of both books where they’re BOTH in New York; Nadia has her art exhibit, and the TRR boys are at the “bachelor” party. Again, I changed what happened in each bc… I can.

 -        Big thanks to @pixieferry who motivated me endlessly to write and her unwavering support, and to @littlecrookedheart for basically greasing the stuck gears (this is a weird phrase) in my brain that finally got me to writing this ending, I appreciate all her help (even the kill someone and Andy cameo suggestions)

- Thank you also to everyone who stuck by this story. I’m so so so happy that I finished it, and I’m so grateful for your patience. This is the first and last fic I will post on this account because I made a separate blog for fics (that’s pretty empty as of now).

tag list: @littlecrookedheart, @femmeshep, @brightpinkpeppercorn, @zaffrenotes, @teamtomsato, @pixieferry

[pxlbry]

thank you @serafinedupont for tagging me!

choose your 5 favourite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you’ve brought into the world. tag as many writers/artists/etc as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

tagging: @cpt-indigo @europeanguy @spacetravels @redyarns (hopefully y’all haven’t been tagged yet)

my phoebe eier (the elementalists mc) gif because it was like 7 frames and drawing 7 different hands is really hard but it came out well!!

huntress wizard !! i very rarely draw nature backgrounds because they are very difficult and painful but i think i pulled it off for this! also drawing the laces was HELL but part of being an artist is drawing laces, realizing you hate drawing laces, and then drawing laces like 1.3 days later

rheya aka the queen of my heart not to sound crazy but it is actually so fun to draw blood and also she’s feral and i love that

four flower portraits for team eva (haha the four portraits for #4 on my list) ok this might not be the best thing i’ve drawn this year, but this took the longest bc it is SO HARD to draw flowers so !! just based on effort alone this has to be on my list

alternate universe lily and tessa (bb mc) maybe bc this is the first drawing i did that actually got notes ahaha and i had to include one piece on this list that actually did well *side-eyes the other 4 that i chose*

[pixelburied]

Hello i love love looove your blog! I'm pretty new to the fandom and you are one of the first people i found here and i was wondering if you could maybe recommend me some cool choices blogs to follow? If it's not a problem?

Thank you, Anon! I love you but this ask gave me anxiety. 😶I love so many blogs here I don’t know how I can narrow it down without just giving you the full list of blogs I follow. But if you want to start somewhere, please do follow @choicescommunity. They are doing wonderful work in trying to keep an up to date directory of choices fic writers. To fic writers - if you’re not listed yet, please look them up!That being said, here are some off the top of my head -@harrington-sinclaire is the reason I made a tumblr account, to follow one of her series@boneandfur I have followed even before I made an account. Her style of writing is unparalleled @teamtomsato has amazing fics and is the reason I played ILITW even before I came here@littlecrookedheart has some of the best ilitw and ilb fics and does great aesthetics and is generally the coolest@sato-tomoichi has amazingly breathtaking aesthetics@spacetravels ’s art makes me happy beyond words@europeanguy has museum level art@askdana has incredible art that literally glows@rebeccaschoices has the funniest edits@pixieferry has made me cry with The Survivor!@melodyofgraves has written some beautiful Chambers x Konevi that I believe are underrated!@thedepthsremember has amazing fics!@itsbrindleybinch amazing fics but Still My Screams is on another level I absolutely cried (and still do when I reread it)@dorky-pastel has the best HSSCA art!@directorajay has amazing Ajay fics!@anlashokk amazing ajay and lucas fics!@musicsavedmefromdeath has incredible moodboards (and it’s her birthday!)@brightpinkpeppercorn the best jake content!Oh god I hope this isn’t too much. I’m so sorry. But I also need to throw in some of my tumblr crushes because I adore having them on my dash-@thetwelvecatalysts @samira-yazdi @grandma-josephine @imogen-wescott @dumbbrowngirl @griffinshoodie @zaffrenotes @ardentlovelace @tuesday-storm

[brightpinkpeppercorn]

My awesome friend had asked who writes or has written Parker Shaw fics and I thought I should make a post!

(I’m not sure who is taking requests. So if you are taking any now, let me know and I’ll update. If I’m missing anyone, let me know!) Putting these in alphabetical order.

Me! @brightpinkpeppercorn (I’ll take requests)

@acidsugar0 (taking requests)

@darley1101 (taking requests)

@ernestsinclairs

@europeanguy (with artwork!)

@griffinsbigdickenergy

@harrington-sinclaire

@mariamulroney

@mind-reader1

@mistersinclaire (taking requests)

@mysteli

@nitta-jaeguet

@politicallycorrectinnocentteen

@parkershawss

@tmarie82

Coming soon!

@blackcatkita

@choiceslife

[europeanguy]

Gotta Gogh [Part 5.1: Sure Moments]

Pairing: Nadia x Maxwell

Words: 2k

Tags/Warnings: Canon Divergence, Crossovers, time jumps and POV changes… and uh… angst?

Maxwell is soaked to the bone.

He stands in the carpeted hallway – the downpour outside not showing any signs of stopping. Before knocking, he tries to catch his breath. And for a moment he just stands there – and all he could think about is her.

-

Maxwell tugs at the collar of his turtleneck. Bertrand insisted that he wear the itchy thing along with that new checkered suit – it made him look like a “proper nobleman”, apparently. He doesn’t know how this led to his older brother also talking him into getting his hair cut shorter now that he’s just one semester away from graduating. Bertrand had his way of relating two completely random things together, probably an inborn talent. He said it made Maxwell look more serious – and as usual, his brother is right. Even he wanted to take himself seriously for once.

He decides to finally come out of hiding in one of the many palace offices. There’s never a silent moment once he rejoins the party, so he savors a few minutes of this. Every December it was the same old tradition. The royal family would throw their annual Holiday Charity Gala – the usual party with the usual people trying to outdo each other’s donations. Maxwell had been attending ever since he can remember. The only thing that changed is the pressure to impress, now that it was just him and Bertrand trying to uphold the Beaumont name.

He wishes that Nadia could’ve been beside him.

The trip back from the Paris weekend was quick, the both of them asleep for the most of it. Neither talked about the kiss or where it left them. Not until a few days later when he was walking her back to her dorm and instinctively leaned in – the very action coming to him like second-nature. Nadia kissed him back under her door’s threshold and told him that We can’t do this again. To which he nodded in response, still a little dizzy in the head. Another few days after that, it was Nadia who broke their agreement. He almost found it comical how cliché their Talk after that went.

We’ll figure it out.

Tomorrow would be her last day – and they hardly had anything figured out. What happens the moment she boards that plane, how often they would talk if at all, how soon he could go visit. What changes over the years – how many it would take for them to drift apart and move on. He doesn’t even know why he’s bothering to show his face here in the first place, when he could be spending his last sure moments with her, even though he made a promise.

“Now hold on,” A hand lands on his shoulder, and some musky, flowery perfume fills his senses – and he shudders. Adelaide. He turns around the face the aging duchess. “I believe I was promised a dance?”

He laughs awkwardly, shifting a little further away. “I don’t see anyone dancing yet, Your Grace.”

She flashes him an oily smile, her skin stretching taut across her cheeks from constant upkeep. “Oh Maxwell, you’ve never been one to shy away from starting the party!”

“Later. I promise.” He forces a smile and a lie to placate the older woman. He desperately searches the ballroom for a familiar face to rescue him. Liam is preoccupied with a serious-looking conversation with even more serious-looking people, Leo is trying to soothe an upset Olivia in a far corner of the ballroom, and Drake is of course, nowhere to be found. The only other familiar circle of people were “friends” he no longer talks to. He only really found out what happened at the polo match after a lot of convincing and dessert-bribing. Neville catches his eye but quickly looks away, pretending to see through him. As if he wasn’t just a major member of their stupid club, his position now gladly replaced by Tariq.

Penelope stands in the same circle too, but she doesn’t look away. And Maxwell doesn’t know if he should be disappointed or relieved when she makes her way over to him and Adelaide. She smiles brightly at him, and for a moment he sees a glimmer of the girl he thought he knew. Then she curtsies at Adelaide, no doubt perfected with etiquette classes. The heavily beaded skirt of her royal blue gown swishes and sparkles under the lights.

“Well, this glass needs a refill,” Adelaide doesn’t bother to make her smile look genuine. “You two enjoy yourselves.”

Penelope smiles shyly up at him. “You look really handsome. Did you get a haircut?”

“I did, yeah,” Maxwell’s hand involuntarily reaches up to the back of his head. He racks his brain for a polite compliment to throw back at her. “You look pretty.”

“We kind of match…” She lightly touches the fabric of his navy turtleneck. Maxwell catches her hand and gently places it back on her side – her face immediately falls.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and waits for her to speak. No matter how things played out that day, in the end, he shouldn’t have left Nadia to fend for herself. Was it totally his fault to be so trusting of the people he grew up with? He didn’t expect that sort of treatment to come from them, let alone Penelope.

Penelope’s hands find the stiff tulle of her skirt, bunching it in her fists. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Maxwell nods. “Two months?”

“Will you spend Christmas here?”

“Bertrand has arranged for us to go home tomorrow.”

“Ahh… Ramsford.” Penelope looks wistful. “It’s beautiful there this time of year.”

If only Maxwell had the freedom to fully appreciate it, to do whatever he wanted like back then. But him and his brother have responsibilities now. Three years since everything fell on Bertrand’s shoulders. It’s about time Maxwell bore some of the load too, and his brother isn’t wasting any time. His winter break would be spent neck-deep in tedious meetings with fund managers, investment portfolios, smile and shake the hands of the many people that rely on him now; truly show everyone that even though he’s the spare, he’s completely committed to Ramsford.

“It is.” He lies, wanting nothing more than to run off to New York. Or anywhere for that matter.

A familiar melody comes on from the string quartet and everyone starts pairing off on the dance floor. He’s almost relieved that it broke the awkward moment, but then Penelope looks at him expectantly. A part of Maxwell wants to be a gentleman and at least take Penelope for one dance – for old time’s sake since they were always the designated partners. It was a running “joke” between their families that they would be married someday. It wasn’t too far-fetched. People in their circles rarely married for love.

“It’s my favorite place in Cordonia.” Penelope says quietly, turning away to watch the dancing couples once she realizes that Maxwell isn’t going to ask anytime soon. She stops fiddling with the material of her skirt, smoothing it self-consciously and then turns to him again. “Is she here?”

“No. She leaves tomorrow too.” Nadia had repeatedly made him promise not to see her off.

“I’m sorry about the way I acted, Max.” Penelope fiddles with her silver and diamond bracelet. “Will you tell her I’m sorry?”

Maxwell tries to smile – more sad than angry. “Sure.”

He remembers dancing with Nadia under the moonlight on the cobblestone street like two people so into each other that they didn’t care about looking stupid. That night when he danced with Nadia on the street. He didn’t see people looking in either adoration or judgement, he saw Nadia. He would give anything to be in that moment than be here right now.

In the distance, Adelaide catches his eye and starts to make her way towards him like a woman on a mission.

“I have to go,” He declares, heart suddenly racing. “I’m sorry.” I can’t keep my promise.

Penelope catches the sleeve of his jacket, her big blue eyes searching his own. “Where are you going?”

“Out of here.” Maxwell gently pulls away. And with that he turns – flooded with a sense of urgency to catch those last sure moments.

-

Welcome home,

The University of Cordonia promised Nadia a home away from home – and in a way she found it. But not in the university and its very welcoming community. She found it in the museum and in the aloof museum custodian, Otis. Most importantly she found it in Maxwell Beaumont.

She looks at the Cordonian Ruby painting with a strange sense of melancholy. This particular painting had gotten her in so much trouble. Only just a few months ago, she had almost destroyed one of the country’s national treasures by taking it to the back for restoration along with some other “wall space-occupying” paintings – according to the owner’s representative. Anything that didn’t hold too much history or cultural significance gets stashed in the back rooms until the restoration expert arrives. Needless to say, the artist came running out of the back with what’s left of his thinning white hair mussed and his glasses crooked atop his nose, screaming at Nadia in rapid-fire Greek as Otis watched in silent amusement.

Nadia sighs and steps away from the painting, deciding that she should stop reminiscing and get on with the inevitable goodbyes. She can’t decide if it’s a good thing that she barely made any friends – less people to say goodbye to. Or maybe it’s a lot worse that she met just one, someone so amazing and genuine that she connected so much with that just the thought of leaving hurts.

She watches the dull pink and orange sky through the big windows – it would rain soon. She had hoped for a clear night to see the stars from here. From Cordonia. It’s always too bright in New York City to look at the stars properly. Sighing, she packs her stuff from the receptionist’s desk – leaving a soft leather cover sketchbook on the table. Hopefully Otis would love the book, filled from front to back with sketches of museum guests, animals, other random things. She looks up to find the old man lingering under an archway, pretend-cleaning a carved moulding. Nadia hoped she was imagining the distant loneliness in his air – she did NOT want to cry right now.

Five o’clock.

“Hey Otis, I’m going home!” Nadia manages a big smile as she runs up to him, hiking her backpack up her shoulders. “I left something at my desk for you, so um…” Nadia mostly did it as a sign of thanks – but in a selfish way it also made her feel like she wouldn’t be some footprint in the sand, fading away from their memories as the waves slowly wash her away.

Otis nods, not meeting her eyes. She tries to ignore the fact that his eyes look shiny. He takes a moment to reply.

“Thank you.”

That’s all it takes for Nadia’s tears to start. She sobs, feeling ridiculous and wipes her tears with her sleeve. “Sorry… I’m sorry.” She laughs, sniffing.

Otis’ face breaks into an unexpectedly smile. He almost looked grandfatherly. It catches Nadia off-guard – today being the first time she really saw him smile.

“Go,” He pats her shoulder and nods towards the door.

Nadia nods, smiling and feeling lighter. “Okay. Goodbye.” Still, the hard part isn’t over yet.

She doesn’t go straight home. The walk from the museum to the main library (the only place with a half-decent phone signal) is a transition from elegant and historical to dreary and dusty – but just as empty now that finals are over. Faded tapestries and pictures of alumni line the dark paneled walls, the librarian sat behind a heavy and ornate front desk – looking thoroughly bored. Nadia nods at her in an attempt to be friendly and she is met by a bored expression, her mouth pressed in a thin line.

Nadia isn’t surprised to find there are absolutely zero students in the main hall. Once she reaches a row of desks far enough inside to be out of the librarian’s ear shot, she drops on a random seat, feeling tired all of a sudden. Quickly, she calls Kai.

-

Raydan L. Hall is an old building – its age made obvious through the weathered bricks and the dust settled in the cracks. The foyer’s chandelier blinks once in a while, the hallways usually desolate. Maxwell has never seen it so full of people, a constant flow of students moving in and out of its doors fully packed to go home for the break. A few faces light up in recognition as he passes them, scanning each one for the one girl he was looking for.

And he is soaked to the bone.

He stands in the carpeted hallway – the downpour outside not showing any signs of stopping. The sounds of his clothes dripping on the floor feels embarrassingly loud, but he doesn’t care because on the other side of that door is Nadia Park. Before knocking, he tries to catch his breath. And for a moment he just stands there, shivering – and all he could think about is her.

How funny life works. Because of course it had to rain so hard, nonstop. Of course the car had to get stuck in traffic – so he had to run the last few blocks.

Deep breaths. He doesn’t know why he’s nervous, but he knocks.

No answer.

  End of finale pt. 1

 Useless factoids that I like to put in under each chapter bc I’m a bad writer who can’t figure out how to insert these in without it beinFUN FACTS

Well, hair we are (I hate myself):

-        In my first drawing (the very drawing that spurred this on) Maxwell has wild, curly-ish hair. It’s definitely long and a little unkempt – the most that he does to it is brush it back with his fingers or tie it in a little bun if he doesn’t want it in the way. His new, shorter hair is closer to what it is in canon.

-        I honestly just didn’t want to draw that hair again lmao (since I’m planning on putting out more drawings WHOOPS although I would have to draw it again for chapters before this one, huh? Dammit.)

-        So yes. This younger version of Maxwell has messy, kinda long and curly hair. Which I think really fits.

Squids and Narwhals:

-        In my head, maybe Penelope and Maxwell’s parents would have pushed them together. Their house symbols are both sea creatures… and man… idk just… humor this random headcanon of mine okay.

More excuses:

-        So there you go, the Cordonian Ruby Incident. Don’t think about this too much HAHAHA

-        I wasn’t gonna break this in half but I decided to lump in part 2 with the epilogue. I felt like it would be too much to take in, so… welp!

tag list: @littlecrookedheart, @femmeshep, @brightpinkpeppercorn, @zaffrenotes, @teamtomsato, @pixieferry

A/N: guys I just wanna say thank you so so so much for your patience!! here it is, it’s DONE!!