#even still my most selfish wish is for them to go with neither and hire someone entirely new with a different musical voice

[legionofpotatoes]

do we know who's doing the music for dreadwolf?

[amethystpath-writes]

Political rivals ballroom scene? Where they have to pretend they actually like each other and dance together?

Idk :)

“Take your hand off of my waist.” The princess, Hirah, smiled, tongue against the roof of her mouth, as she walked down the steps beside her betrothed. She hated him, and she hated that she had to smile every time they stood side by side.

Giving a huff, and tucking his free arm behind his back, Prince Jasier said, “You should know as much as me that it is part of the act. Don’t ever think I enjoyed this moment in the future.” He tightened his grip on her hips a small bit, emphasizing that he wouldn’t be letting go. The princess was to be glued to his side; that was that.

“You don’t want this, and neither do I, so why are we?” She nearly, stupidly, ripped away from the prince, but his grip on her was firm. “I could hire a carriage,” she whispered. “Right now, I could disappear into the crowd and run to the carriage outside. I could return-”

“To your poor kingdom who is relying on this alliance with mine, which is only possible through your willing hand in marriage?” They came to the final step, and the blond prince turned in front of her, moving his hand at her waist to a white gloved hand of her own. He brought it to his lips and kissed it for all those dancing and pretending not to watch. “I knew you were a prude; I didn’t realize you were such a selfish one.”

Hirah giggled aloud, putting her free-hand on the side of the prince’s face, careful to avoid his cheekbone- one too sharp to be human. “You don’t care at all if I am pleased or not, do you?”

The prince touched a lock of her raven hair and pushed it behind her shoulders, chest inching closer to her own, head tilting down. “I might care a little more if you were not so stuck-up.”

She leaned forward, faulty smile tugging on the corners of her mouth as she looked at the devilish prince. “Is it really so wrong that I hate being forced into marriage?” Her lips met his as he stood a step beneath her. “I don’t even know you,” she said against his mouth, “yet here I am kissing you like my life depends on it. It’s disgusting.”

“Your life may not depend on it, but your peoples’ do.” He held onto her waist, lifting her near effortlessly and spinning her once, twice, until her feet finally touched the ballroom floor. Quiet giggles flittered around the two royals as they fell into a rhythmic dance, Jasier twirling Hirah, dipping her, and kissing her again and again.

Unfortunate for the princess, her rival-partner moved fast enough that she never had time to wipe her lips. He was on her, and she couldn’t clean him away. “I need a break,” she said over the music. Jasier didn’t hear her as they were stepping directly in front of the musicians. Hirah had a feeling the prince brought her over her on purpose. What the reason was, she didn’t know, but he seemed content not being able to hear her as he watched her lips move and only shrugged. Right, she was the prude.

As they passed the blaring music, Hirah tried again. “We need to stop. My legs are becoming sore.”

“The song is nearly over.”

“Well, I am sore now.”

When the prince didn’t stop the dancing, Hirah stopped her feet, letting them drag along the floor. She crashed into Jasier, which wasn’t the intention, but as they fell to the ground and he became the cushion, she didn’t mind so much.

Gasps filled the room, and it hardly took five seconds for the entire crowd to be shrouding the couple on the hard floor, tangled up in one another.

“Your Highnesses, are you okay?”

“Should we call for someone, a medic?”

“I think the princess might have broken her leg.”

“Oh, heavens. The poor dears.”

Hirah scoffed quietly and quickly pushed herself off the prince. “I didn’t break my stupid leg,” she grumbled, almost silently. As she stood, though, she announced, “Thank you all for your concern. I should like to take a break now.” She pushed and pushed through the crowd, watching the moonlit doorway as she went.

Almost there, almost there. Hirah pushed a man with a curly moustache- disgusting, she thought. Moustaches belonged on the poor men of her district, lumbermen, and fisherman, and all the nasty like- nasty because they were all the type of men to grab at her when she went for strolls in the markets of her kingdom. Hirah was grateful this one didn’t grab at her.

Continuing through the crowd, Hirah pushed a small woman with shoulder length hair, paying no attention to the colour. She pushed a servant- barely, as they actually had the sense to step aside. Finally, she made it to the open doorway, where she promptly sprinted with a lifted skirt and heels that were surely more dangerous than the tumble she had earlier. But she was out, and it didn’t matter that her heels were too tall. Hirah was out.

**Read below cut for some angst- and fluff, oops. 👀**

Where’s the carriage? It was no where to be seen beyond the enormous hedges. Hirah stopped, looking left and right. Where was she supposed to go? Wasn’t this supposed to be the front of the palace? Nothing was here but a stupid- albeit beautiful- garden that couldn’t be seen over from ground level.

“Wrong door.”

Hirah’s lip curled, and she dropped the skirt of her dress, shoulders sagging as she heard the prince’s voice, and a moment later, his footsteps.

“This is the back of the palace if you have not gathered that already. Thank you, by the way, for asking if my bones were okay. They are.”

“I didn’t care but thank you so much for volunteering the information. Maybe you can escort me to the front door?”

Jasier laughed. “If you would just let me be kind to you without scoffing in my face every time, maybe- just maybe- this wouldn’t be so bad. I don’t like it any better than you do, but this benefits both of our kingdoms. Why do you care so little for that?”

“If my kingdom only benefits from me sacrificing my free-will…”

“Then what?” Jasier asked. “It isn’t a death sentence to marry me, nor me to marry you. You are helping thousands upon thousands of people by sealing this alliance.”

The princess crossed her arms and turned her back to him. Hirah took a deep breath, closing her eyes. This was ridiculous. This dance, this betrothal, this lecture the prince was giving, all of it. It was all so ridiculous, and she just wanted to go home.

“You are heartless, and I am disappointed to have to marry you.” This was the coldest the prince’s voice had ever been since Hirah arrived.

It was odd to admit Jasier actually hurt her. Nevertheless, Hirah returned the malice. “So what if I am heartless! I am angry, and I have every right to be. I wasn’t told about this alliance until the day I was taken away.” Hirah spun on a heel, her right hand tugging on the glove of her left. She ripped it off and pointed to her wrist where bright bruises blossomed. “I was told a carriage awaited me and I was to get in without a word. I thought I was being kidnapped by an enemy kingdom- turns out I was.”

She pinned the prince with a glare. “And maybe I shouldn’t be angry with you for not knowing, but I am. I am angry with you and everyone and everything, and I don’t care that I am. I want to be mad; don’t you understand? I deserve to be infuriated. What I don’t deserve is you telling me I am awful for allowing this to happen. I might have been happy to be wedded, but never like this.” Hirah looked to her exposed wrist and gently ran a gloved finger over the most obvious bruise. “Never like this.”

For once, the prince didn’t know what to say. The marks on his bride’s wrist were clearly from a rope- maybe even a strong grip given how far it was spread. If he’d have known…No one told him it would be- or was- done like this. He knew he was to be married for months now, but no one told him it was…well, it was practically an invasion, wasn’t it? It was tyranny and…what else?

Who allowed for this- he touched Hirah’s arm. He didn’t remember taking those few steps closer, but here he was, squinting and holding the princess’ arm in his hands.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, and he didn’t know what else to say. There was nothing else to say. “I had no idea. I-” Jasier shook his head. “It won’t happen again. I- I won’t allow it.”

Hirah pulled her hand away, gloving it again. She was told not to show her bruises to the prince, so she believed Jasier when he said he was unaware of her treatment. The princess blinked and took a deep breath. “I still have no remorse for the anger I have felt, but it would be cruel to say you deserved my harsh words. I’m scared is all. I’m scared you are like the rest.”

“It may be pointless to say, but I would have never allowed for that treatment if I had known. I would have made sure you had prior knowledge and that it was willing and- and I would have come myself. I-”

“Shh.” Hirah didn’t wish to talk about it any longer. “Will you take me to my room?”

The prince nodded. “I can do that.”

Both knew, at this point in the exchange, that her running away would only create more problems. She was in Jasier’s kingdom, and that was where she would have to remain. The prince hated it, and Hirah did, too, obviously, but nothing could be done, except to hope that with the marriage, she wouldn’t be treated so harshly again, and maybe she could even come to trust Jasier. They would be married, after all. Maybe they could make it work, no matter how crooked their kingdom would be.

At the very least, Jasier planned to find out who handled his betrothed as they did. Never before had the prince aspired for violence, but a man who dealt it so eagerly deserved to have it dealt back to him. Jasier would be happy to deliver the message himself.

[cblgblog]

Imagine Mildolyn, "Illicit Affair", Modern AU. Where Gwen's campaigning for Congress and all the meet and greets, showing up for charities for publicity, her 'cause'. At one for special needs children and their foundation she meets a very young CNA named Mildred and sort of falls head over heels in the dumbest of ways, both just love struck. Except she's campaigning to be in Congress, she's a politician, she cannot be queer and chasing after 19 year old ex-foster kids whos brothers are set to be the youngest executed on Death Row in California in decades for appalling crimes. But there she is, in hotel rooms her supporters pay for, with someone she shouldn't be with, trying to find ways to overturn cases that turned stomachs with their brutality, because a pretty girl smiled at her and called her 'ma'am' while showing her around the foundation/care home she worked at with children no one else had the time/patience to care for. Of course it goes terribly with 'dirty little secret' vibes, the breast cancer diagnosis announced on twitter before she tells Mildred in person, even if it's such a minor case ('so they say') and caught so early that it'll barely leave a scar, radiation won't be much of a deal at all. She doesn't get to tell Mildred that, she just gets to hear on Fox news about how the democrat's gonna die a horrible death and panic.

Mildred who has no patience for politicians and their fake concern, using patients as photo ops. It’s manipulative, it’s distracting to the staff, it’s awful, okay, she hates it. She is, in fact, a tad bit rude to Gwen when they meet. Gets her a death glare from Betsy Bucket, gets Gwen intrigued.

“Republican?” only half-joking.

“No.”

“Is it the suit? Should I have worn a different suit? I wanted to, but I’ve been told this one tested better.”

“The suit is fine.” It’s more than that, actually, but Mildred will not be saying that aloud, nope, uh-uh. “I don’t much care for politicians.”

“Ah, we have that in common then.”

“I doubt we have much of anything in common. Ma’am.”

And look, Gwen doesn’t usually go in for the chasing, the hard to get. She’s got enough trouble chasing votes. But this woman is so good with the kids on her ward, so patient. She’s got Disney scrubs on and as much as she’s got no time at all for Gwen, she seems to have infinite amounts for those kids. She stays with them individually, longer than any of the other staff Gwen sees, but she still manages to get a dozen things done in half as many minutes. And she’s also gorgeous, there’s that.

And Gwen has no good reason to ask her out for lunch. Honestly, none. Nothing good can come from this. Mildred asks if the citizens of California will be paying for this meal and Gwen swears that isn’t the case, no, absolutely not. Even still, Gwen doesn’t expect Mildred to say yes. She doesn’t think Mildred expected Mildred to say yes.

But she does. Tells herself it’s for Edmund, maybe this’ll be the one politician who listens, who’s willing to look past the surface facts, willing to help. Except she gets there and they don’t talk about Edmund. It’s not because Mildred doesn’t know how to bring it up, she’s made her case dozens of times. She just…they don’t talk about him, and that feels like a betrayal, but Gwen’s kind and funny and fascinating (much to Mildred’s annoyance), and she just…doesn’t feel like getting into it.

Meanwhile Trevor, Gwen’s campaign manager/law school buddy/best friend/lavender marriage soulmate, if they were in a different time, is like bitch, what’re you doing? Yes, everyone knows you’re gay as hell, but you can’t be chasing girls right now, you can’t afford to be distracted. You especially can’t afford to look distracted. And you can’t be robbing the cradle while looking distracted.

“She’s not that young.”

“Uh-huh. She wears Winnie the Pooh clothes.”

“Scrubs, those are scrubs. Scrubs aren’t clothes.”

“Uh-huh.”

“She works in a children’s ward, Trevor.”

“Uh-huh. I really wish you wouldn’t do this, but since you care nothing about me and my mental state and all the hours and hours of hard work I’ve put in for you—”

“After badgering me into hiring you over someone more qualified.”

“Hey! More qualified. I resent that. Anyway, if you insist on ruining my day, at least wear that face cream I gave you. Should make you look less like you’re robbing the cradle.”

“Go to hell.”

“And don’t do the oyster thing. Not on a first date, in the middle of the campaign.”

“It’s not a date, it’s just lunch.”

“Uh-huh.”

Gwen doesn’t do the oyster thing. Not on the first date, which neither of them acknowledge as a date, for entirely different reasons. But then there’s a second and a third, and sex, lots of sex, and it’s harder to pass off as just friendly.

And yeah, the sneaking around that Gwen hates. That Mildred says she doesn’t mind, and she actually doesn’t seem to all that much, which Gwen finds slightly concerning. Mildred’s good with secrets though, she’s good with being kept a secret. Mostly. Which again, Gwen finds concerning.

There’s pillow talk and Mildred admitting more about herself than she has to anyone, ever. Which still isn’t nearly as much as what Gwen admits, but it’s a relative thing. And still, Mildred doesn’t talk about Edmund. Gwen finds that one out on her own, stumbles across some old photos, a scrapbook of Edmund’s crimes. Gwen’s briefly concerned that Mildred is one of those people who’re deeply attracted to serial killers, but the truth is…something else.

Mildred tells her things. Some of the deeper, darker stuff, but not much, not yet. Tells her how she’s written to everyone she can think of because he’s a boy, okay? He was in an impossible situation, they both were, no one ever helped them, so Edmund decided he had to die. No one helped them before, no one helps them now. There’s anger and tears and Gwen holding her and she can’t help asking why Mildred didn’t talk to her sooner, if she’s had no problem asking for help from strangers.

“Because you aren’t,” Mildred says in a way that makes it clear she’s figuring this stuff out as she says it. “A stranger, you aren’t. You never were and I couldn’t…I didn’t want to become one to you. I didn’t want you to look at me like that.”

“Oh Mildred…”

Mildred doesn’t actually ask her to help. She doesn’t want Gwen to think that’s what it’s all been about. It was supposed to be, but it isn’t. She doesn’t ask. Gwen digs into things herself, digs into this kid who was barely double-digits when he did these things. Made all the headlines at the time, but that was over a decade ago, he’s been locked up ever since. Most of Mildred’s money goes to him, one way or another.

Gwen hides it from Trevor—the murderer, not the sex, he knew about the sex before she ever said anything—for as log as she can. But he’s always been nosy, and now he has a paid excuse to be nosy, and he nearly has an aneurysm when he hears why it is that Gwen’s suddenly digging into this case instead of kissing the babies of gay couples, like she should be.

Gwen cannot do this. Nope, absolute no. She cannot be sneaking around with the younger sister of the kid they’ve made all the documentaries about. Doesn’t matter that she’s running on a platform of prison reform, especially as it pertains to juveniles, this is not the case to start with, especially when she hasn’t won yet.

And Gwen knows. She knows. She argues with Trevor about it until he decides they both need to stop because Gwen has a speaking engagement tomorrow and she can’t sound hoarse. There are many further arguments, arguments about principles over politics, but Gwen knows he’s right. She cannot, should not, be doing any of this, at least not yet. It’s dangerous, it’s selfish, Mildred deserves better than being someone’s secret again. Gwen should break it off, at least until the election. She’s not being fair to either of them like this. They should stop, at least for a few months.

Except it’s Mildred and she’s totally hijacked Gwen’s everything, and the thought of stopping makes her ill, and everything about this is terrifying, the most terrifying thing ever.

And then there’s the checkup and the routine mammogram. Gwen started those earlier than most because somebody’s aunt on somebody’s side of the family got sick, somebody’s cousin on the other side did too.

Scratch that, there’s a new winner for most terrifying thing ever.

It’s good, they say. She started early, they caught it early, this is good, they have treatments for this. Good, they say, while Gwen damn near passes out. She’s got a campaign to finish, she can see the Too Sick to Serve headlines already. A bald look would not test well, she’s sure it wouldn’t. She talks to Trevor about that, about the campaign, until he tells her to shut the fuck up, yanks her into a crushing hug. He cries, damn him, and that makes her cry.

She’s glad he’s there.

She wishes Mildred was.

She is also relieved as hell that Mildred isn’t, that they’re on opposite sides of the state right now. No point having Mildred see her like this, having her worry. She’s got enough to worry about, enough to hurt about.

Not that Gwen isn’t planning to tell her. She is. It’s only been a few whirlwind months, but Gwen knows enough to realize that a lie of omission would be a bad, bad, bad idea where Mildred’s concerned, regardless of intention. Gwen doesn’t think of hiding it anyway, not really. Mildred deserves better then that. When and how to tell the public…that’s a completely different clusterfuck of a situation, but Mildred, Gwen just wants to tell her in person. That way Mildred can see her face when she promises it’s no big deal (hopefully without seeing how terrified she actually is), and Gwen will have all the paperwork and things she knows Mildred will want to see, and they can hold each other, and it’s just, it’s not phone call news.

Except then it’s headline news, because somehow it’s leaked. Fox News is having a field day, certain corners of the Internet are already gleefully writing her obituary, and she’s missed literally hundreds of calls by the time she gets a look at her phone. At least half of those are from Mildred. Mildred who actually sounds hysterical for the first time since Gwen’s known her, that bastard on the news with the hair, he says you’re dying, why aren’t you answering, how long have you known, please, please pick up the phone, just pick up the phone god dammit.

She’s managed to keep Mildred a secret for months. This? This doesn’t last three days before it’s everywhere. Gwen does get an I love you for the first time ever, but seeing as Mildred’s sobbing over her voicemail when it happens, the joy is somewhat muted.

[dennou-translations]

Violet Evergarden Booklet 1

Please feel free to message me about possible corrections. If you can, consider supporting the creators by purchasing the official releases. In case anyone is feeling generous: Ko-fi | PayPal. ( ╹◡╹)っ’･*

Index || Next →

That day was a special one for me, but to the rest of the world, this was not the case.

   Ann Magnolia and Her Nineteenth Birthday

   There was a number of things I had to do on the special day called today.

I would wake up in the morning and check the weather. As if a tale were beginning, I would turn the curtains over and look outside the window.

The radiant daylight shone on my eyes. Today was sunny. Knowing that made me happy. That I had woken up enveloped in sunshine. That I didn’t have to worry about my letter getting drenched in rain. It was almost as if the truth of these facts was blessing the day.

——I’m happy.

Very happy.

I didn’t usually say this, but I felt like saying it today, so I whispered as I laid back down, “Good morning.”

Husky with wake, my voice echoed through the quiet bedroom. I wandered around in search for someone to have a conversation with from the words “good morning”. However, I couldn’t find anyone to hear them, so they pointlessly vanished somewhere.

If you were just by yourself, words would die as soon as they were born. I knew that as the truth of this world. Like flowers that withered without changing colors, like small birds that couldn’t endure the coldness of midwinter, my words would promptly die. After all, words were tools for people to communicate their intentions. So if there was no other party, they would all but die. That was evident.

There was no one who would reply to me with a “good morning”. There was no one in this house that would do a morning greeting, so if anyone were to say that this much was obvious, it sure was. But in my memories, someone whose voice I had already forgotten would return my words. In a warm and soft voice that was probably how my mother sounded, they would be returned to me.

“Good morning, Ann.”

——Good morning.

“Today is a special day, huh.”

——I know; I’d been counting them with my fingers.

“Your long-awaited birthday.”

With a nod, I stood up.

Today, I was turning nineteen. Twelve years had passed since I had been left all by myself when I was seven years old. I reflected thoroughly upon that reality alone and proudly.

I left my bedroom still wearing a negligee, heading to the spiral staircase. There were portraits hanging in rows from the staircase’s wall.

“My, you’re going outside dressed like this just because you’re at home?”

Decorated with pictures of family members, the wall used to be terrifying for me when I was a child, but it became less so after my mother was added to them. I would go up and down those stairs countless times every day, but the only spot that I would end up directing my gaze to for a few seconds was the portrait of my mother and my childhood self.

If, by any chance, there was strength to the thing called “love”, I thought, if there was a force residing within love, wouldn’t this image start moving one day, since it was the only one I looked at as if I were yearning for something?

I would end up embracing such fantasies.

“I won’t change, no matter how much you stare at me. By the way, doesn’t my complexion look a little bad in this portrait? I should have had more paint put over it.”

Of course, it was just a fabrication.

Having come down the stairs, I went to the front entrance, its door a little worn-out. I should call a repairer. The house was a living being just like me, and since it was already quite old, it was always broken somewhere.

“I also want you to tend to the garden. When was the last time you held a broom?”

As I came outside, I could see this place’s whole scenery. There was nothing but lush grassland and tree-lined roads. The idyllic sight was awfully boring, but above that, it was beautiful, so if you made a frame with your fingers, you would immediately have a scenic picture. In this entire area, there were no other houses in sight. Of course. This territory was under the control of the Magnolias, hence this view belonged to me, the family head.

As long as I didn’t sell or give it away, this landscape would never change. And, same as the previous family heads, I didn’t wish for it to change. Neither did I wish to leave this place. Even if I was all by myself.

“Ann, let’s take a look inside the mailbox.”

I took a look inside the mailbox. Perhaps because it was still early in the morning, there was nothing in it yet.

“It’ll surely be coming soon.”

Today was the day when I, Ann Magnolia, was born. Every year on my birthday, I would get letters from my late mother. Letters from my mother, who by now had become a portrait, would be delivered to me.

“There is no such thing as a letter that needn’t be delivered, Milady.”

To be precise, letters with my mother’s feelings blown into them and ghostwritten by an Auto-Memories Doll would be delivered to me. It was a strange story, but a true one.

“Auto-Memories Doll”. Long had passed ever since this name caused a stir.

The creator was an authority in the field of mechanical dolls, Professor Orlando. His wife, Molly, was a novelist, and all had begun with the posterior loss of her eyesight. He then invented a machine to perform ghostwriting for his beloved wife and named it Auto-Memories Doll. Nowadays, people who worked as ghostwriters were also called Auto-Memories Dolls.

When I was seven, my mother, who was plagued with a serious illness, summoned a beautiful blue-eyed Auto-Memories Doll to our manor. She made her write several letters and hired a postal company to deliver them to me even after her death. She had been secretly planning out a few decades worth of birthday messages for her beloved daughter.

The person who had made this request was an oddball, but the ones who had accepted the job were quite odd themselves. Had they not imagined that someone would abandon it at some point? Had they sealed the contract for such a heavy, troublesome work without any refusal because they were horribly bad at their business, or was it because they were too nice? Having grown into a creditable lady and come to understand the world to a certain extent, I would ponder about such things. Surely, it was because they were nice. Thanks to them, even though I didn’t have a single relative now, at least on my birthday I could recall what being loved by someone felt like.

Just like that, I stood fidgety in front of the mailbox. Closing my eyes, I cleared off the dust on the box of my memories.

——I remember. That she had come around. That she would be over there, quietly writing letters. I remember the figure of that person and of my smiling mother. Surely, until I died...

That few-days’ time had been seared into my mind. Back then, my... Back then, Ann Magnolia’s frizzy hair was still short, and she was selfish and pretended to be taller. She was a helpless child. A very young one. How old she was? Seven years old. An age where one would still long for their mother. Her mother was the center of the world. If her mother died, she wouldn’t even be able to breathe. She was that kind of child. She was aware that her emotions were unstable and that she tended to act a little rashly.

Most people would treat someone like me nicely, and that was it. People who had their eyes on my fortune attempted to get close to me, but once they noticed that I had no intention to let them do so, they never showed their faces to me again.

That person—that person... Violet Evergarden. That Auto-Memories Doll was a bit different from other people, I thought...

Whenever I wondered what was so different about her, I would find myself thinking.

Back then, Ann Magnolia had fallen in love with a mysterious girl who had come around all of a sudden. It was a little girl’s romantic love out of adoration. She both hated and liked the Auto-Memories Doll who had come around out of the blue and stolen her time with her mother.

——What was it that I liked about her?

She was a taciturn and unsociable. A silent porcelain doll. She seemed extremely adult-like. But looking back, she often reacted like a child who knew nothing. Even when I gave her dolls, she didn’t know how to play. Neither did she have any knowledge of how to solve riddles. Even when I made her touch bugs, she never ran away like my mother or our maid. Whenever I invited her to join hands and spin around, we would do it to no end.

“Fufu...”

She was a weird person. Yes, a weird one.

Children would look at adults and measure them by whether they were scary or foolish, would be their allies or enemies, would give them candy or not, and other such things. They would stare very, very fixatedly and judge the grown-ups.

She... that beautiful Auto-Memories Doll... Violet Evergarden was not an adult.

——Yes, she was... how should I put it? She was Violet Evergarden.

Which was why I had snuggled up to her, the same type of person as myself, just like two cats nestling close to each other, I thought.

She was a beautiful child. A beautiful beast. I found her eccentric self to be cool, so I liked her.

Where was she now and what was she doing, I wondered.

I was turning nineteen, but back in the day, she must have been younger than I am now. For her to have prosthetic arms, it wasn’t hard to imagine what had happened to her at the time, when the war had just ended. But surely, there was no doubt that her life had been full of many more ups and downs than the story I had in mind.

Did she not express her emotions enough because she was carrying some sort of wound in her heart? She was such a beautiful person, so she must have won over the heart of some wonderful person by now...

I shook my head left and right. I mustn’t have unjust suspicions of her. I shouldn’t prod into how I was back then – into the Ann Magnolia of back then – and taint it. Even if it was just me with myself, I mustn’t do that. Because all of the joys and sorrows from that time belonged to the old me, who had endured those days. Having become an adult, I shouldn’t have any say over the mental landscape of my old self, as a third party.

Having grown up, I observed my own land, which spread out endlessly. The scent of gently swaying grass and flowers, the chattering of birds, the clouds that moved slowly in the blue sky. It felt like they would be here just like that for a hundred more years.

“It’s not coming, huh. Let’s go eat breakfast.”

Since the postman wasn’t showing up, I had no choice but go back into the manor.

I had been working at home lately. I used to go outside and enjoy the world when I was a student, but I realized that, in the end, I liked being in my house. Maybe this was a Magnolia bloodline thing.

As for my from-home job, I worked with legal counseling. When I was little, I had experienced disputes amongst my own relatives over me and my assets. That was the reason why, if I had to give any.

My mother had left me with a talented legal advisor. A person of outstanding character, who still concerned himself with me even now. As a young child, I excelled at catching insects that I had never seen before, but I didn’t have the means to oppose to the people who wanted to steal this land from me one way or another.

I had started off working at the city’s legal information center, introduced to me by the legal advisor, who had taken me in, and only recently had I become independent. Living in the city had made me realize many things. That there were many people in this world who weren’t protected like me. And that this wasn’t something those people themselves wanted, but things had turned out in such a way due to the environment they were in.

The ascension of the ghostwriting business had a similar background. Children would be made to work like adults, unable to go to school, so when they grew up and had to sign any documents, they couldn’t even write their own names.

People like that, who had been raised in environments where no one helped them, weren’t a rarity. I had heard that the literacy rate was currently rising, but it would still take a long time for this to become something unusual.

Just like with ghostwriting, one could become somebody’s ally through the law. It was especially necessary for children who had been thrown out like me and younglings who were about to enter the world of adults, I believed. Because they could earn completely different futures as a result if they acquired knowledge.

“The law is a weapon,” my legal advisor would say. I agreed with that. My property had been protected by this weapon many times. Some people would say that education was the weapon, but the situations for putting it to use were too limited. Weapons exerted their true value exactly when you had to protect yourself from falling victim to unjust acts or insults.

If possible, I wanted to be someone who could protect others. I wanted to tell people who didn’t know what to do and had become incapable of even walking on their own, “It’s all right; I’ll be your ally”. Because I wanted someone to do that for me back when I was alone.

My reason for choosing law was rooted in this kind of self-righteous way of thinking.

Since I worked from home, I didn’t earn much. To be honest, people would think that being a professional was a pastime for a landowning wealthy lady. I was fine with that.

The people who came to visit me in this remote place were generally in critical situations and had nothing. Those who had something would go to the city. They would go to the city, bow their heads to some famous person, be served a fine brand of tea... and have a graceful conversation while drinking it.

If I could, I wanted to get close to people, just like her. Just like the Auto-Memories Doll who had told me on that day that it was okay to cry. Even if for self-satisfaction.

Speaking of which, I thought as I checked the calendar. Today was my birthday, so I intended to wait for the postman the whole day and hadn’t scheduled any appointments, but a client was coming tomorrow. I should clean up the reception room at least a little.

“Hey, Ann. It is your birthday, so how about going outside with your friends and having a meal with them?”

I had to sweep the floor, take the garbage off the carpet and dust the dirt on the furniture.

“Even just eating something tasty is enough, Ann.”

Right, I should bake some sweets to serve to the costumer tomorrow. It could also be used as celebration for my birthday.

“Ann, aren’t you lonely all by yourself?”

If I was certain, that person had eaten the sweets I baked when we first met with relish. He had a sweet tooth.

As I recalled the figure of that young entrepreneur eating, looking embarrassed and delighted, a smile surfaced naturally. Out of the people that I was currently engaging with, he might be the one whose visit I looked forward to the most. I did think that men were frowny and sullen creatures, but he was adorable.

I rolled up my sleeves with an “all right” and headed to the kitchen.

   “Delivery.”

As the front door’s bell rang and the voice of a visitor ensued, I frantically flung away my bowl and whisk and ran. This is what happens when you distractedly make sweets for about an hour. I was covered in flour and looking unbecoming, but there was no helping it.

“Yes, I’m coming.”

I opened the door in high spirits, and standing there was a postman wearing the uniform of the city’s post office, which I was familiar with. I was disappointed enough that even I myself would think it was a bit childish of me. The other didn’t see my facial expression as he requested my signature for the express delivery without looking at me, but I wound up having an impolite attitude.

——It wasn’t the CH Postal Company.

My mother’s birthday messages were being kept by the CH Postal Company, a mail company that had its main office located in Leiden – the capital of Leidenschaftlich, a southernmost military nation. Therefore, if a different company had come, then the mail wasn’t from my mother.

“Thank you very much.”

I had received three packages. One was a table clock from my legal advisor. The others were accessories and a shawl that were trending in the city from my friends.

There were people getting married and having children upon turning nineteen. All of my closest friends had been quick to marry. Both my opinion that secluding themselves in their homes was a waste in this era of professional women and my envy at the fact that they had found themselves a partner in an early stage of their lives coexisted in the depths of my mind.

“You don’t have to hurry; if you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to.”

Having lost my mother, with this vast land and this manor of excessively elegant exterior in my possession... I couldn’t think that having a family wouldn’t be a good thing.

——Family... family... family, huh?

Did I want a family? Did I really? Those genuine questions surfaced in my mind first-thing.

Welcoming a family would mean welcoming that person’s life. It was an extremely heavy choice. “In health and sickness,” people would lightheartedly say. I believed there were actually few people who properly understood it.

My friends who had married. The people who walked around the city. Lovers and family members from all over the world – everyone. Did they all truly understand? They only looked on the happy side, so could they endure it when a sad scenario arrived upon them? Wouldn’t they end up thinking that not loving the other person would have been better?

“Human beings are creatures that love others in pursuit of happiness, Ann.”

In my experience, since I had seen off the person who was most important to me, the truth was that I didn’t want to go through it ever again. Being told to do it one more time was too hard. Even twenty years later, painful things would be painful.

I brought my consciousness back to reality.

Colorful ribbons, extravagant wrappings and wonderful gifts. As my social disposition was coming to a slight halt, those people were irreplaceable to me. I had to write thank-you notes right away. For these kinds of things, the faster, the better. Because it conveyed sincerity.

I should go back to my bedroom and look for the stationery and envelopes. They were surely somewhere there.

“Ann.”

——Aah, but was it a pretty stationery?

Maybe I should choose a different one, fitting of these wonderful presents.

“Ann, listen.”

They were surely items that took a while to be picked, so I should respond to the other party’s feelings the same way. There were many things to be watchful of here. I had to do it quick. I had to do it soon.

“Please listen.”

Nobody else was going to do it; I was the one who had to. No matter what, I had to do it. I had to taste joy and sadness all by myself and end it fast. Because I was alone. Hurry. I had to hurry and do it.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t move.

“Ann.”

I was in the middle of making sweets, and writing thank-you notes required some preparation. Above all, I couldn’t calm down until my mother’s letter arrived.

Giving several reasons, I made up several excuses not to move.

“Ann... it’s okay.”

I suddenly felt exhausted. Everything became a bother. Even though hands were covered in flour and I was still wearing an apron, I lay on the couch, rolled into fetal position and scrunched down.

Although I had received such marvelous gifts, the feeling of happiness didn’t last. Even though it was something to be grateful for to the point I could be in a good mood the whole day, the feeling of happiness didn’t last. It didn’t last.

“Ann, it’s okay.”

Today was that kind of day.

“Ann, don’t force yourself; I’m sorry.”

——I’m sorry.

“Sorry...”

——I’m sorry.

“Ann, I’m sorry...”

To me, my birthday was...

“...for leaving you behind when you were so small.”

...not my day. It was my mother’s.

——Mom. Why? Just why? Why, Mom? Why did you die sooner than the mothers of the other kids? What is it that went wrong? Did the fact that I was born itself become a burden to you? If so, then I shouldn’t have been born.

I loved you, Mom. Did you know that? I liked you a whole, whole lot. Tired of hearing this? But you didn’t know it, right? Even if you knew, you probably didn’t understand how much I liked you. I’m sure you had no idea how much.

When I realized it, I had more time seeing you in a grave than otherwise. But you’re everywhere in our house. On the sofa that you often sat on. In the music that you enjoyed. On the bed that still smells like you. In myself, who resembles you more and more with each day.

Mom, Mom, Mom – you keep reminding me of how much I loved you. When I was little, you were the world itself.

Mom. You loved me. I know that. But I loved you too. I was the one who... I was... I was... I was the one who...

Aah, Mom. Mom, there are so many things I want to tell you. But if I can say it, there’s just one thing.

Mom, you died without knowing how much I loved you, right?

I loved you much more than you could’ve imagined. I really, really suffered when you died. Enough that I couldn’t breathe.

People often say that time heals all wounds. But I really hate that saying. Rather than things being solved, we forget about them, don’t we? People’s voices, facial expressions, gestures – we forget these kinds of things. Yet I remember them in unexpected times. Like, “Oh, yeah, Mom used to like this”. “Oh, yeah, Mom used to hate that”. And then I blame myself vehemently for forgetting them. Like, “How could you have forgotten? She was your whole world”. Like, “How could you have forgotten? She was your only family”. The loop of agony has no end.

I adored you, Mom. I loved you. I loved you, so for just as much love as I had for you, it feels like my heart will break. It feels like my heart will break every time my birthday comes around. Feels like it will break. It’s painful and there’s no helping it.

Tears slip down my cheeks as I laid on my side. I was looking forward to today so much that I didn’t know what to do with myself, and yet I wound up crying again this year. I would’ve been great if I could welcome it with a smile.

A birthday was a special day.

It was nothing to the rest of the world, just an ordinary day, but it was a special one for me. Because... Because it was a day when I could feel Mom coming back to me. I looked forward to it so much that I couldn’t help myself, but at the same time, I was also helplessly sad. Because I felt my mother’s absence more than anything. Because the truth that she wasn’t here was thrust onto me.

Destiny spoke to me. Either that or God did. “Hey, your mother’s already dead. How long you gonna be crying? Stand up. If you’re alive, stand up.”

Since the world was so merciless, all I could do was nod at those words and say, “Yes, yes, true.”

By entrusting my body to hecticness, I was able to remain as someone who could stand on her own feet, just like Destiny and God wanted. I normally didn’t feel loneliness. I didn’t cry. After all, twelve years had already passed. It was weird to cry like this on and on forever. It was weird, right? I wasn’t a kid anymore. I shouldn’t cry too much. That would make me a bad girl. A girl wasn’t suitable to be the family head of the Magnolia household. I had to become a person who my mother could be proud of from within that portrait.

Wasn’t that right? I couldn’t prove the worth of my existence by doing anything else.

But on this day when I was aware that my mother loved me, I was no good. No good. I’d turn into a mess. The seven-year-old Ann Magnolia would come back to me. She’d say it all. She’d end up saying it. Always, always, always. She’d say what I was holding back from saying.

“I’m lonely”, that is.

I had as many ways of spending my birthday as I had birthdays. Surely, there were millions of people in the world whose birthday was today. How were all of them spending it? Were they spending it in a fulfilling way? There definitely were also people who lived their lives either not knowing when their birthday was or forgetting about it.

So I wasn’t miserable. Nor was I comparing myself with them. That wasn’t it. Because there were certainly people somewhere around the world who were feeling as lonely as me.

There was another thing that I had learned during the time I worked in the city. That loneliness wasn’t something only I had. Many people would come to the law firm and ask for advice regarding their troubles. Everyone was burdened with problems of their own. And everyone was a bit lonely in some aspect. It wasn’t just me, so I didn’t feel lonely.

That person too, and that one, and that other one. Everybody was sad in one way or another.

“I have to get up.”

I had stopped doing what I would do by accident – stopped throwing myself into a sea of sadness. The sea of sadness in my head was a real nuisance, yet it was also comfortable as it enveloped my body in gentle waves of self-pity. But I shouldn’t go too far. Or else I wouldn’t be able to stand up again. It wasn’t like food and sweets would materialize from my sadness.

I counted the things I had to do. Bake sweets. Clean up. I had a number of torn aprons, which I would remake into rags. And then... And then...

“Madam Magnolia, are you home?”

A real-life happening immediately pulled me out of my reverie. I ran toward the front door, from where the voice had come. As I opened the door with much vigor while making extremely improper heavy-feet noises, I found two visitors.

“Hum?”

One of them was... Aah, I was waiting for you. It was a postman wearing the CH Postal Company uniform. He was holding under his arm a letter and a package with what was most likely the gift that my mother had arranged for today.

“Aah, excuse me. Please go first.”

The other was the customer who had made an appointment reservation for tomorrow. A stray young entrepreneur. His finely tailored clothes were easy to recognize as something not order-made and that he didn’t like but was wearing regardless.

Had he mistaken the appointment day?

“Erm, then...”

The two had bumped onto each other at the front gate and both had some business with me, so they were probably conceding the turn to one another. Having been granted it, the CH Postal Company’s postman stood before me, politely giving me the letter and present with a slightly tensed-up countenance.

“This is the CH Postal Company. I have come to bring your delivery... You might be already tired of hearing this vocal message so many times, but happy birthday this year too, Madam Magnolia.”

That was a postman I had never seen before. It was a different person from last year.

“T-Tired, you say... There’s no way I would ever be.”

Still, the fact he was saying these lines meant that the demands commissioned by my mother were being properly kept and protected by that company. That was it.

“Thank you very much. For every year, truly... truly. Please tell this to your chairman too.”

“Y-Yes! Our president is the kind of person that gets very happy at inputs from the clients, so I’ll make sure to tell him!”

I had never met the president of the CH Postal Company, but for someone so young to be talking about him in such a familiar-sounding way, he had to be a wonderful person.

“I’m taking it.”

I signed the acceptance document. The postman laughed as if relieved. Also relieved, I finally looked seriously at him. He was a very young postman. Perhaps from about the same generation as me. The freckled boy looked even younger when laughing.

“I became in charge of it this year. It’s a big area, so I ended up getting a bit lost... I made you wait a lot, didn’t I?”

“Eh, no, no.”

“But you came running as if you were eagerly waiting for it.”

“Yes.”

Recalling the surprised faces of the two young men the moment I had opened the door, I trembled with shame. I was supposed to behave elegant and beautifully as the head of the Magnolia family. Yet I was covered in flour, my hair was disheveled because I had been lying down and I had showed up with footsteps that sounded like the ones of a large man.

Touching my cheeks, which were most likely growing red, I said, “I apologize for showing you an embarrassing sight... No matter what, I always wind up restless on this day.”

“Absolutely not. I’m the one who is sorry for coming late. I have already perfectly memorized the way, so please treat me well next year too.” The postman bowed with a “well, then” and ran toward a parked motorcycle.

After seeing him off, I directed my gaze at the other visitor that had been waiting for me. He, too, slowly looked my way.

“Hello.”

The morning sunshine had disappeared, a dazzling midday light filling up for it. It seemed that quite some time had passed while I was sulking on the couch. With a season of fresh green colors as the background, he was supposed to be a foreign body for me... and for this world of mine, yet he blended appallingly well into it.

“Hello.” My voice sounded a little shrill. “Isn’t there any flour on my face?” As I said this while rubbing my cheeks with the sleeve of my dress, he took a handkerchief from his jacket and handed it to me.

Not minding me as I stiffened up in shock, he said with an earnest attitude, “There is, right here.”

“Ah, all right.”

“And here too.”

“I’m sorry. I was making sweets...”

Wiping myself with the neatly folded handkerchief, it almost seemed like I had gone back to being a child. It was the second time today that my cheeks were dyed red.

“Well, what is your matter...?”

“Aah, that’s right. I was nearby and... hum, I heard from Mr. Robert, the one who introduced you to me, that it was your birthday today, so... though it’s presumptuous of me, I was thinking about celebrating it...”

Robert was the law advisor who had been protecting me since my childhood. Now that he had mentioned it, I remembered that he was introduced to me by Robert. The budget wasn’t compatible with the case, so it had been passed over to me.

——“Nearby”?

Finding a strange point in a part of his story, I said timidly, “This whole area... is my land... You had business near here?”

Silence.

“You’re also seeing Mr. Robert even though you’re working with me...?”

He raised a hand my way as if to ask me to wait and averted his face, looking embarrassed. Had I said anything bad?

“I take it back.”

“All right.”

“I lied... I wanted, hum, to spend time with you somehow...”

“Haah...”

Perhaps having become unable to look at me in the eyes, he kept his face turned away and continued speaking to the direction of the day after tomorrow, “Mr. Robert is a teatime friend from a café that I already frequented... He introduced you to me as a favor... And I heard from him the other day that today was your birthday. Also, I did not just happen to come nearby. It’s impossible to come here without a car or carriage. I do not have much money, so I ended up walking the way here. But it was no coincidence; I came here because I had an objective.”

As I asked, “What’s the objective”, he turned over the palm that had been telling me to wait and showed it to me. That “it’s you”.

I was perplexed. This kind of thing hadn’t happened in my life very often. When it did, it was usually people aiming for my fortune, so I vaguely wondered if he was the same as them.

“Want to come in? If it’s just drinking tea together, then...”

In any case, as the head of the Magnolia family, I had to entertain the guest. After this thought worked its way to me, an alarm sounded in my head that he might deem this as an invitation. That wasn’t my intention, so what should I do if he believed it was?

——What’s up with me? I don’t know if I’m happy or scared.

Aah, my heartbeats were so loud. My cheeks were so hot it felt like they were burning.

——Anyway, I have to say something.

“Hum.”

As I hesitated to speak, he shook his head. “Ah, no. I will have to come again tomorrow, so I’m going home. I have already accomplished my objective.”

“Is that so?” I was a tad out of tune. A little – very relieved.

I observed him while he didn’t try to look at me even a bit. His hands were trembling. Even though he gave off an easygoing impression, he was the type of person who couldn’t hide what was inside.

“I really just came here because I wanted to wish you happy birthday. Just before coming, I hesitated a lot on whether to go today or not... I also don’t have... any presents worthy of a lady like you, so I wanted to at least say these words.”

That sentence surprised my already stunned self even more. “At least these words”, he said. Were there any words that could make his goodwill more obvious?

“I’m sorry. I should have at least arranged something for you, right? Really, a broke man like me showing up out of nowhere... I’m sorry...”

“No, I don’t want material things that much... I prefer this feeling of... wanting to celebrate because it’s my birthday... much more...”

The words cut off midway. What happened to me? Right now, pain and joy were squeezing my chest tightly. It was suffocating.

The easily perceivable love of this person in front of me, as well as his kindness, his sincerity and all these other soft and warm things were appearing in the lonely parts of me and causing me to feel dizzy.

“Ann, can you hear me?”

I had to regain my sanity; I would surely be sober again tomorrow. I shouldn’t open my heart so easily now.

“Ann, please, listen.”

Because the world was cruel. Even if I fell in love with him, sad things were bound to happen.

“Okay? If you’re listening...”

It might be a calculated love; he could just be pretending and was actually a horrible person.

No, I had to wonder about that. It was indeed true that he came the way here on foot. After all, his shoes were dirty with mud. There was grass sticking to it as if he gone through an animal trail.

“If you’re listening, grab onto it.”

Aah, Mom. From now on, I would surely keep questioning you over and over during times like these. Asking you questions in my mind. “Mom, is this correct? Is this the right path,” I would ask. Because you were the only one who had given me love without second intentions. So please, give me an answer.

“Believe in yourself, Ann. Don’t be afraid of love.”

I was sure that the vision of my mother had whispered this to me.

I reached out with my hand. I reached out and grabbed the hem of his jacket.

“I’m going to bake sweets now. Today is my birthday, but I don’t have any plans, so if you’d like, why don’t we eat the baked sweets together outside? I don’t need anything. If you’re going to give me something, then I want just a bit of time for us to celebrate my birthday together,” I told him.

“Thanks.” He was not unkind to my wheat flour-covered hand, grasping it while his face went bright red. “That’d be great,” he said three or so times. The phrase “I like sweet foods” was probably said five times.

I... I found it so funny that I laughed.

That day was a special one for me, but to the rest of the world, this was not the case. But I put in a little effort. I tried making it special on my own. From this point onward, I would definitely keep doing that. I would. I was all alone in this manor. But I was the most special girl in the world to a certain person. It was okay to indulge myself at least on my birthday. I thought this once again reading my mother’s letter later.

Ann, congratulations on your nineteenth birthday. I can’t imagine how you’re doing at nineteen years of age. I really wonder how you’re doing. Are you well? Aren’t you going hungry? I wonder if you became a wonderful lady. Aah, I want to see it. I truly wanted to see it. You have no idea how much I love you, do you? You see, Mom loves the nineteen-year-old you. I’ll love you even as you turn a hundred years old. I can’t tell you face-to-face, so I’m properly writing it here. I love you. No matter what anyone says, I love you. You have the right to be loved. My Ann, be free. My Ann, laugh with joy. My Ann, be happy. My Ann. Don’t be afraid of love.

—From Mom

   “There’s no such thing as a letter that needn’t be delivered, Milady.”

[jalapeno-princess]

Something There

Prince Mark X Princess reader

Genre: Angst (fluff and potentially smut in the future chapters but this specific chapter is just full of angst).

Word Count: 6.5K

Summary: Ever since you were a little girl, you have been groomed to follow the ways of being royalty. Being a princess had it’s perks; you got to attend all of these fancy balls and parties, you lived in an enormous palace with your family and your best friend just so happened to be a prince of a neighboring kingdom. Everything was seemingly perfect. You barely had any worries other than what you would be like as queen once you would take over the family reign from your parents. You were still so young to be considering what your life would be like in the future, but your parents don’t give you much of a choice once you find out that they have given your hand away in marriage without your knowledge or consent. Although you knew it was going to happen sooner or later and you’ve accepted your fate, you weren’t ready to find out just who you were going to marry--and when it turns out that the man you are meant to spend the rest of your life with just so happens to be the same man you hate with a burning passion.

“Y/n! Are you ready yet? The Parks will be here any minute!” 

You giggled softly to yourself at your mother’s hasty words as your chambermaid helped you with the final touches on your hair. That word never set well with you seeing as how Elizabeth—or Lizzie was more like a second mother to you rather than someone who was meant to work for you and do as she was told by your parents. 

It wasn’t as though your family was ever mean to her or treated her as a servant. In fact, she was practically family; all of the people who worked your your family were more than just servants and it didn’t feel right calling any of them that. When you were first born, Elizabeth was hired to be your nanny and it was only for up until you were old enough to go to school. However, you quickly grew attached to her and her sweet, gentle and kind-hearted personality. 

There were times that you felt as though she was more of a mother to you than your own mother and since you hardly had any friends, she was your confidant and seemingly your best friend. She finished curling the last piece of your hair and playfully squeezed your side as she noticed the wide grin that hasn’t left your face since you heard of the news that Jinyoung was coming over to the palace. 

“You look beautiful as always my dear. I’m sure Jinyoung won’t be able to take his eyes off of you. He never seems to every time he comes over.”

If the blush wasn’t already extremely prominent earlier, now you were sure you must have been as red as a tomato. With the last few touches of powder on your nose; although it really wasn’t needed, Lizzie helped you in to your gown, and gave you a sweet smile as she took in you and all of your beautiful glory. 

“Time to meet Prince Charming.” 

Right as your mom had her hand the doorknob, ready to twist it open, you barely spared her a glance or even a polite greeting before storming past her in to the hallway. You mentally cursed yourself for not asking where the older boy was beforehand; your humble abode or so your parents referred it to was in more or less words gigantic. There were a lot more rooms than your family of five really needed. Twenty-five bedrooms, eighteen baths, three kitchens, a garden, six libraries—honestly you would have been content living in a simple three bedroom house. 

You’ve been living in the palace from the moment you were born. All you have ever known was this life. Being a member of the royal family—but not just any member. The heir to the throne. You were the oldest sibling of your parents children. Your sister Angelina was fourteen and your brother Theodore was only seven. It was only natural for you to be the next in line for queen. However, you were growing tired of this life. 

Sure, you were extremely grateful for the many blessings that you had because of who you were. You had a roof above your head, you had a great education, a family that loved you, people who took care of you and people who adored you—you were very lucky to be who you were. However, if you had the choice, you would run away; run away with the wonderful man you were only moments away from reuniting with after going weeks without seeing him. 

The thought of settling down, moving in to a quaint little farmhouse and starting a family with Jinyoung never failed to make you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. You’ve known Jinyoung for almost your entire life. In fact, both his and your parents barely gave either of you enough time to learn how to talk before having you play with one another. 

Since you were a little girl, Jinyoung was one of the only people your age that you could call a friend. It wasn’t until less than a year ago did your friendship with the handsome prince develop in to something more. You weren’t necessarily dating; Jinyoung claimed it was because he was aware of the fact that royals never got to choose their life partners—parents would decide who their children would spend the rest of their lives with. 

Normally, it was with the child of another royal family and in most cases, the eldest child of either family would get married first. You were hoping that your parents brought the two of you together as friends for a reason; so that maybe one day you would become Mrs.Park Jinyoung. Sure, deep down you knew that it wasn’t exactly the most plausible situation but you were hoping and sometimes you’ve prayed that your dreams of marrying Jinyoung would one day come true. 

You were still considerably young to be getting married; twenty-one was still an age of adolescence yet you were anticipating your parents giving you away to a future king in less than a year. Until then though, you and Jinyoung were selfish and began to see each other in secret. There were times where you’d sneak out through your window to meet him at a nearby park somewhere or he’d climb a tree just outside your bedroom and you’d find yourselves reading a bunch of books, stealing kisses from each other and just basking in the presence of the other. 

As much as you didn’t want to say that your life was rough just because you had everything you could ever want and need—life as a royal could get very rough. There were so many eyes on you; everyone seemingly judged your every move and kept up with all the members of your family. If anyone were to find out about your secret rendezvous with Jinyoung, you were confident that you’d be the talk of the entire town. Plus, you were afraid of the consequences that came with going against your parents wishes or what was considered tradition. 

Whenever you’d look at Jinyoung or even just think about him, it was in those moments that you wish you were a common person. The number one thing your heart desired was to spend the rest of your life with the person you loved, not the person your parents set you up with just so that your families would receive social gain and growth in power. You were miserable—not being able to choose your own destiny was heartbreaking and extremely unfair. 

Jinyoung was verbal about how unhappy he was that he couldn’t be to you what he wanted to. No matter how hard either of you could try to hide it, there was no ignoring the fact that you and Jinyoung were simply not meant to be. That never stopped you and Jinyoung from doing whatever it was that your hearts desired together. Wherever life ended up taking you, he would always be your first true love. 

You were racing down the hallway and wasted no time in guessing where the Parks could have been. The party being held tonight had been planned for months now; neither your father nor your mother went in to detail about what this party was for, but then again your parents were notorious for throwing parties without any actual reason behind them. People would come from near and far, all around the country just to be able to say they attended one of your family’s parties. 

Your parents would have entertainment, music, delicious food, beautiful decorations and just nothing but the best ambiance and atmosphere. Once you finally made your way in to the ballroom, your eyes immediately landed on his devastatingly handsome features. God, Park Jinyoung was just the definition of perfect. He was currently dressed in a black suit and a red tie; a combination that you’ve mentioned to him a few times that you found very attractive. It brought a smirk to your face knowing that he was probably thinking about you while deciding what to wear tonight. 

He had yet to notice you since he was kneeling on the ground, having a conversation with your younger brother. Watching the two of them interact and hearing the little boy laugh at what you were sure had to be a corny joke of his, you could feel your heart growing heavy. Jinyoung was such a gentleman and took care of both your siblings as if they were his own. He was also extremely kind-hearted and generous towards your parents. They would always ask when the next time he would come over was. He blended right in with your family—you were hopeful that maybe, just maybe your parents would find it in their hearts to break that stupid tradition and allow you and Jinyoung to be together. 

You didn’t realize that you were so focused on the current state of your relationship with Jinyoung to notice that he was now walking towards you. The gentle squeeze of your hip broke you out of your thoughts as he dragged his fingers along the side of your cheek; causing goosebumps to raise on your skin. 

“Hey princess. I’ve missed you so much. Have you missed me? You look stunning by the way. Simply gorgeous. How’s my favorite girl doing?” 

If you weren’t in the middle of the grand ballroom where anyone could have seen the two of you interacting, you probably would have kissed him. His lips looked so soft and so pretty and with he way he was eying you up and down, licking and biting his bottom lip—you wanted to show him the effect his unwavering gaze was having on you. 

“I’m doing a lot better now that you’re here. I’ve missed you too Jinyoung. You look very handsome.” 

He sent you a flirtatious wink and motioned towards the direction of the library you frequently visited. Any time he hinted towards being intimate with you, you could physically feel your heart beat against your chest. Right as the response of agreement was on the tip of your tongue, a soft voice interrupted any plans you were moments away from having with the older boy. 

“Y/n! You look beautiful sweetheart! How have you been? Jinyoung hasn’t stopped talking about you since our last visit—oh, sorry dear, I didn’t mean to—well, it’s not like you try to hide your excitement anyway. It’s so nice to see you again. Where are your parents?” 

Mrs.Park pulled you in to a hug and allowed you to greet Mr.Park. To your dismay, in your peripheral vision, you could see the last person you felt like interacting with tonight. The sight of him made your skin crawl and you were sure that if you were to see yourself, you’d be wearing a scowl on your face. 

“Mark, sweetie. Aren’t you going to say hello?” 

You absentmindedly rolled your eyes at his mother’s curiosity. By his not so subtle scoff and the way he looked around at everyone and everything but you, it was clear that he had the same feelings of disgust as you were currently experiencing. Mark Tuan—he was Jinyoung’s older brother. The oldest of the Park siblings. Why he had a different last name than your best friend; you had yet to understand but you never asked since it wasn’t your business. You just assumed that maybe he took his mother’s maiden name while Jinyoung took their father’s last name. 

You’ve known Mark for as long as you’ve known Jinyoung—but unlike the close knit relationship you held with his younger brother, you wanted nothing to do with the sarcastic asshole that was Mark Tuan. Honestly, you could tell by his actions alone that Mark hated you. He had to; there was no real explanation as to why he was so cold towards you and why he made it his responsibility to ignore you and pretend as if you didn’t exist. 

When you were younger, you, Jinyoung and Mark often played with each other whenever you’d visit their castle or when they’d come over to your palace. At one point, maybe when you were six and Mark was eight, you considered yourself closer to him than you were with Jinyoung. He was a lot more fun and outgoing when you all were younger—but time was a bitch wasn’t she? 

When he turned fourteen, that’s when he ended up cutting you from his life completely. It’s been almost ten years and you still had a difficult time comprehending his rough and crude demeanor towards you. You’ve asked Jinyoung on multiple occasions why Mark changed out of the blue; was something going on at home that seemingly changed him in to such a prick that lived to displease you? 

Was it something you said or did that you didn’t realize back then? You weren’t going to lie, you missed Mark. Well—you missed the old Mark. The Mark that would read chapter books to you before you could even read on your own. The same Mark that stayed up till three in the morning with you because you had a nightmare and were too afraid to go back to sleep. 

Sure, you should have asked him yourself what led him in to turning against you so that maybe, you’d be able to move on from it and stop blaming yourself for something that was out of your hands. But you were a coward and you were afraid that his behavior was all in your mind. Before anyone could say anything, he stormed past you and made his way in the direction of the kitchen. His mother gave you an apologetic look before bowing in remorse. 

“I’m so sorry about him y/n, he’s had an exhausting day but that’s no excuse. We’d better go look for your parents. There’s a lot we need to talk about. You two go have fun. Jinyoung sweetheart, maybe later you can go keep your brother company. We all know how he feels about these parties. It’s always a pleasure seeing you y/n.” 

You gave the older lady a gentle smile and allowed both Jinyoung’s parents on their way before motioning him towards your favorite hideaway. You were tempted to reach for his hand which was practically second nature to the two of you, but you were afraid of someone seeing the sudden movement of affection and you refused to allow someone get the two of you in trouble just so they could make a couple more bucks. 

It didn’t take you long to make it to the library but once you finally did and locked the door behind you, Jinyoung wasted no time in pulling you against his chest. He swiftly shoved his face in the crook of your neck and left a couple of sloppy kisses against your jaw before looking down at you with a sad smile. His hand was cold as he cupped your cheek and as soon as his lips melded perfectly with yours, all the hostility you felt from earlier with that unnecessary interaction with Mark disappeared. All that mattered in that moment was the beautiful boy who’s embrace you were currently in. 

“I’m sorry he’s such an ass. You don’t deserve that kind of mistreatment.” 

Out of all the things Jinyoung could say or do, something about the way he cared so much about you and showed you as much as he would tell you made you feel as though your heart was about to jump from out of your chest. If you had it your way, you would have ran away with the boy in question and got hitched a long time ago. It was like this every time you’d be around his entire family. More so whenever Mark was around. 

He always seemed to apologize for his brother’s brash actions and responses and you weren’t exactly fond of him anymore, but you did think about him every now and then. You wondered why things ended up the way that they were now—if he ever thought about you in a way other than disgust and hatred, and if he wished your friendship was what it used to be when you were kids. It didn’t matter though; you had many other things to worry about like one day ruling your kingdom and preparing for marriage. 

“Hey, everything okay?” 

You failed to realize that you were dozing off at the thought of Mark to listen to whatever it was Jinyoung was probably telling you. He continued to give you a look of pure curiosity but you refused to let him know what was going on in your mind. As much as you trusted Jinyoung with your life, you didn’t think he would understand why his brother was now taking up the capacity of your thoughts. 

“I’m fine. Shall we go to the library—“

“Not so fast you two. The last time you snuck off to the library, nobody could find you for hours. There is meaning behind tonight’s party and a very important announcement will be made. Let’s go.” 

A soft sigh fell from your lips; but it was quickly replaced by a child like grin and blush on your cheeks at the thought of what you and Jinyoung had been doing that warm summer day and why none of the staff nor either of your families could locate the two of you. 

By instinct, Jinyoung reached for your hand—one of his favorite things to do with you was hold your hand. On multiple occasions, he has told you that holding your hand made him feel safe and at ease. You were his own personal security blanket. Unfortunately, it was as if he remembered that you weren’t alone. He was quick to retract his hand as he was to reach for yours and it sent a rush of sadness to your chest. If only you could be affectionate with him without having to worry what others would say or think. Hell, you couldn’t give less of a shit if the town were to talk about going against your parent’s wishes to be with the person who owned your entire being. Every time you thought about the future; living in a castle somewhere in the country, having a bunch of kids running around and ruling the Kingdom—Jinyoung was always right there by your side. 

“Maybe we can sneak off later once my parents make the announcement.” 

He hummed in agreement, but didn’t turn to look at you which was odd. With every chance he could get, he’d look at you while you talked or did practically anything. He just really loved looking at you. Now, his shoulders looked slumped and his excited demeanor from earlier was no longer. This made you wonder if he was upset that the both of you couldn’t get your alone time or if there was something weighing heavy on his mind. 

He didn’t seemed bothered when you practically threw yourself in his arms not too long ago but then again, Park Jinyoung was the king of poker faces. If something ever did bother him, you could never tell because he’d never showed it no matter how troubled he was. As you walked in to the dining room, you were surprised to see just how beautifully it was decorated. Sure, your parents would set up the entire palace to look amazing with every party and event that your family held, but something about tonight was different and it worried you that you couldn’t put your finger on it. 

“I forgot to tell you, you look breathtaking as always. I can’t seem to take my eyes off of you.” 

You looked up at him and smiled fervently—grinning cheek to cheek. Every time he complimented you, you’d feel like a little school girl who had been flirted with by her crush. Jinyoung always knew exactly what to say to make you feel like the most important person in the room. When you entered the ballroom, all eyes immediately turned to face you. You were surprised to see just how many people your parents invited. 

Whatever reason they were throwing this party had to be a pretty big deal. You recognized some of the guests to be fellow kings and queens with their families—there was also a couple of dukes and duchesses, governors, mayors and just a lot of important and very powerful people invited. However, you had a feeling with the way everyone seemingly turned their attention to you that this party had to do with you in some way. It wasn’t your birthday, nor did you think you accomplished anything worth celebrating. So why did everyone seem so interested in your sudden appearance? 

“Jinyoung.”

“Hmm?”

“Is it just me, or is everyone looking at me?” 

He gently squeezed at your side while leading you towards the table that your families were sitting at. The sight of Mark also gazing at you caused your stomach to tighten. As a princess, you were used to this kind of attention—but that was only when you knew the meaning behind it. Right now, you felt uncomfortable and that was an understatement. Mark wasn’t helping with the blank expression on his face. Thankfully, Jinyoung’s presence was taking your mind off of the anxiety building up in your chest. 

“You’re the most beautiful girl here. That’s why. I can’t stop looking at you either. Don’t worry about it too much okay? Let’s just enjoy tonight. When we think everyone is distracted, then we can dismiss ourselves and have our own party. How does that sound?” 

As much as you wanted to be excited at the thought of finally being alone with the older boy, you couldn’t push back the thought that something bad was about to happen. It was hard to put your finger on it, but something just didn’t feel right. You nodded slowly in agreement, just so that he wouldn’t ask you any more questions. You began to come up with different excuses to leave, but you didn’t want to hear it from your mother. 

To your surprise, the night went off without a hitch; although you were still very anxious for reasons you didn’t even know yourself. Since you spent most of the night talking with Jinyoung, you were unable to witness the way Mark was sending daggers across of the table but you could feel him staring at you. As the night went on and it neared the end of the party, you slowly began to relax. Whatever reason the party was thrown for had yet to be made known of, so you assumed your parents either forgot or the reason wasn’t too important. 

“Jinyoung.”

“Hmm?”

“I think they’re all distracted. Everyone is either drunk or exhausted and what better time to go than when everyone is—“

“Everyone. I have a very important announcement to make. Please gather around.” 

You released a frustrated sigh as all the party guests gathered around the dining hall—filled with curiosity as to what your mother had to say. The suspense has been eating you away at the seams this entire night. Although you had yet to find out exactly what your mother had planned to confess, it didn’t take a genius to know you were involved in the announcement somehow. She grasped at your fathers hand and pulled him next to her; the look of worry on her face didn’t go unnoticed by you. In fact, you had a gut feeling that she probably wanted him there by her side for moral support. 

“You all know, that in every royal family the first child is the heir of the kingdom. Our beautiful daughter y/n is going to be twenty-two soon. Although I do believe she is still so young, her father and I have decided that it is time for her to settle down and get married in order to continue our family name for many generations to come.” 

As those words fell from her lips, you could feel your throat drying up. Nobody—neither your mom nor your dad said anything of the sort to you. Marriage? Your mom said so herself, you were still so young. Why were they having you get married and why didn’t they talk about this with you before humiliating you in front of hundreds of your guests? This is why she seemed tense the entire day; you should have known there was more to this party than just a simple celebration. Never does she worry about your timeliness like she did earlier. It was all making sense to you—she was worried that you were going to make a run for it if you were aware of what was going to go down tonight. 

“Y/n—“

Your parents turned towards you and you completely ignored the look of remorse on your father’s face. How could they do this to you? Jinyoung’s hand slowly made its way up your arm and you were grateful he was trying his best to calm you down because you were only seconds away from having a panic attack. The idea of marriage didn’t bother you. You’ve always dreamt about getting married for such a long time now, but you weren’t ready yet. Especially because you were well aware that the beautiful man who was attempting to take your mind off of your unfortunate situation would not be the man you would call your king—your husband. To your dismay, it only got worse from there. Your mother’s next words made your head spin and you were ready to throw up. 

“My husband and I along with the Park family have decided to unite as one in order to better control and take responsibility of our two kingdoms. Our two kingdoms will now become one on marriage. Since they’re both the eldest, Y/n and their oldest son Mark are set to marry in two months—“ 

You couldn’t even let her finish before storming out of there completely. The atmosphere was suffocating and you were on the verge of passing out. Just at the sound of his name with yours in the same sentence as marriage made your head spin. 

There was no way—no way in hell that you were going to marry Mark Tuan. They couldn’t force you to marry him. You haven’t had a genuine conversation with him for over nine years and every time you did have to talk with him, his words were always filled with malice and disgust. You were extremely vocal about the fact that your friendship with Mark was no longer what it used to be when the two of you were kids. Your mother knew all about your grudge against the older boy and how he always tried to make you feel bad about yourself, so why did either of your parents feel like setting up an arranged marriage with a man you were sure wanted nothing to do with you? 

Did you do something to anger them? Did they just so happen to find out about you and Jinyoung and were angry with the idea of you sneaking behind their backs and going against royal tradition? How could they force you to marry the brother of the man who was the rightful owner of your heart? There was no way you could do it. 

There was no way you could ever see Mark in a way other than disgust. How could you spend your life with someone you’ve spent more time bickering with and insulting than having an actual decent interaction? You can’t even remember the last time he said hello to you without throwing in a crude comment. Once you made it to your room, you slammed the door and sank to the ground while tears built up in your eyes. 

Since you ran without hearing the entire announcement, you failed to learn all of the details behind the marriage but you didn’t care. You were set on running away—or at least you weren’t going to give up without a fight. You were old enough to make your own decisions. As much as you loved your parents, you couldn’t help but think that marrying you off to Mark was to bring more power and wealth to both his family and yours. 

Bringing up the idea of marrying Jinyoung was weighing heavy on your heart—you would still be becoming one kingdom, but just with a different son. Your parents brought you and Jinyoung together all those years ago for a reason didn’t they? Was it not to get the two of you to become close so that you’d get used to one another and end up agreeing to marriage? God, you wanted to scream to the top of your lungs but nothing was coming out. You felt defeated—broken, helpless. 

You didn’t know how long you were sitting on the ground for, but when you heard the soft knock on your door you were hoping that it was the only person you wanted to see right now. Knowing how he could be though, there was a chance it wasn’t Jinyoung. He was the kind of person who wanted to give you your space for a few moments before allowing you to lean on him and as much as that was a quality of his that you admired, there was nothing you wanted more than for him to hold you and to tell you that everything was going to be alright. You were met with disappointment when you opened the door to Lizzie, but that was only because she wasn’t Jinyoung. 

Jinyoung. 

How was he feeling at the news? The two of you might not have been an actual couple, but there was a mutual unspoken agreement that you belonged to each other. His heart was yours just as much as yours was his. He was the man whose wedding ring you wanted on your finger. He was the man whose arms you wanted to fall asleep in and whose kisses you wanted to be waken up with in the morning. You wanted nothing more than to have mini Jinyoung’s running around the palace and you wanted to rule the kingdom with him by your side. 

Due to tradition however, you accepted the fact that the life of your dreams would never happen. The two of you kept sneaking around and ignoring the fact that the chances of the two of you actually ending up together were even more slimmer than the chances of him becoming king one day. However, you held on tightly to the hope that one day, your parents would come to the conclusion that tradition is stupid and there’s no legitimate reason as to why royal families continued to follow it. 

Did he know about this? There’s no way he could have. He would have warned you wouldn’t he? Both you and Jinyoung told one another every single thing that went on in your life. Whether it was good news or bad—he’d celebrate with you if something good happened and he’d comfort you if the world wasn’t on your side. If he even had the slightest hunch about his parents along with your parents wanting to marry off you and Mark, he would have told you about it. Or at least, you would want him to. But you couldn’t read minds; you didn’t know what he was thinking and this now made you wonder—what did Mark think? Did he know about the arranged marriage? 

Was he as hurt and disturbed at the news? Did he run away like you had not too long ago or was he currently trying to get his parents to change their minds? Everything was just too much and your mind was racing. Thankfully, instead of saying anything, Lizzie pulled you in to her arms and softly began to run her fingers through your hair. She didn’t say anything as she consoled you which is what you preferred. It boggled your mind sometimes; she was more of a mother to you than your own. Your parents were always so busy with their duties to really pay attention to you and your siblings. 

Lizzie practically raised you, which is why you weren’t surprised that she knew exactly what to do to get you to calm down. You couldn’t even count on two hands just how many times you’ve cried in front of her and how she got you to settle down before things got worse. When you felt her run her thumbs right under your eyes, that’s when you were made aware that you were crying. Though, who could blame you? 

Sure, you’ve been groomed to do whatever your parents told you to and you were aware of the fact that it was highly likely for your hand to be given away in marriage to someone not of your choice since you were old enough to grasp the idea of marriage. Yet—you weren’t prepared to go along with any of this. Once Lizzie felt as though your sobs slowly silenced, she led you over to your bed and had you sit down before taking her place right next to you. With all the energy you could muster, you placed your head on her shoulder as a exasperated groan fell from your lips. 

“I know I should have known something like this was coming, but I don’t think I can do this.” The comforting touch of both her hands on either sides of your arms relaxed you quite a bit, but you were still so frustrated. 

“I know sweetheart and I’m so sorry it has to be this way—but you and I both know you have to. There’s no getting out of this.” 

She was right; you’d never have enough courage to run away and you were confident that even if he did care about you and wanted to be with you, Jinyoung loved his mother too much to do such a thing like that. You too loved your parents too much to dishonor them by not going along with their wishes. However, you wanted to be selfish. You wanted to choose yourself first this time. From the moment you realized you were a princess, you followed every single one of your parents orders no matter how much you disagreed with it. This time around was different. This time—your heart desired to put yourself first and there was no way in hell you were going to take Mark’s last name and move in to the same palace as him. 

“But Lizzie—“

“No buts my dear. I know, trust me. I wish things could be different, but this is an example of why being a royal isn’t all that people assume it to be. Yes, you have privilege and luxury, but at a cost. In your situation, you can’t be with the person you love. Hey, Mark seems like a nice guy and he’s very good looking—“

“Haha, very funny. Mark Tuan? Nice? I don’t think those three words belong in the same sentence. He’s the biggest asshole I know. He hates my guts. You don’t see the way he looks at me Liz, it’s like I’m the scum of this earth—the dirt underneath his fancy dress shoes. This marriage will never work.” 

She got up from the bed and you looked up at her in curiosity but she didn’t give you any chance to ask what she was doing before the older lady made her way over to your closet. A tiny smile rose on your face as you saw her preparing your nightgown; you were ready to call it a night after the mess of events you just went through and you could only pray neither your parents were going to come find you and bring you back outside. As she helped you out of your dress, you released a sigh of comfort. One would think being a princess was so much fun because you got to dress up for parties, but if you had the choice you would wear a pan suit. 

“He doesn’t hate you—and before you give me that look, I actually observe the way he looks at you. You on the other hand, I don’t think you get to see the way he looks at you. You’re too busy ogling his younger brother to even notice him at all. I don’t think it’s my old eyes deceiving me, but I think he looks at you—well not at you, but he looks at Jinyoung in jealousy.” 

You couldn’t help yourself; a sarcastic chuckle came from the back of your throat at her revelation. Mark? Jealous? Of what? What was there for him to be jealous of? By the knowing look on her face, and from past experiences of how slow you were whenever it came to realizing things, she opened her mouth and spoke before you could even ask what  she was referring to. 

“He really has no reason to be jealous. You’re just being silly. Why would he be jealous of Jinyoung?” 

As much as you admired and loved Lizzie, you couldn’t believe one word that was coming out of her mouth. There was no way Mark would ever see Jinyoung as competition and they weren’t exactly close, but at least they were civil. 

“Why would he be jealous? Well, there’s a lot I don’t know about their relationship but what does Jinyoung have that Mark doesn’t?”

“You.”

[animaniahq]

Wanda Crown || 42 || Stay at Home Mother || Amity Park

“You nag it to the left, You nag it to the right, I love to nag my husband all day and night!”

✨ Biography:

Wanda grew up in Amity Park with just her father and her twin sister, Blonda. Her only memories of her mother were that she liked her sister better; she was the prettier, more successful one of the two. During their childhood, their father homeschooled the twins, training them in the ways of magic and spells as fae. It wasn’t until she went to high school that Wanda became more confident and popular among her classmates. She became a cheerleader and excelled in her classes, leading her to go to Amity Park University to study teaching, hoping to one day open a school of her own for fairies. It was there where she met a waiter at the diner near campus named Cosmo, and the two quickly started dating. Neither of their families approved of their relationship, but she and Cosmo didn’t care. They dated for years, and it wasn’t until she turned thirty that Cosmo got Wanda’s father’s approval to propose to her. With finances tight, Wanda put her dream of opening her own school on hold to work at a daycare in town, where she discovered that her real dream in life was to become a mother.

Everything changed when Timmy reached out to Cosmo and Wanda for help. Wanda had a feeling that the Turners weren’t meant to be parents, and it was evident in the way that they treated their son that she was right. They’d hired the worst babysitter, Vicky, to take care of her sweet godson, and Wanda just wouldn’t have that. She and Cosmo decided to take over as Timmy’s babysitters, using their magic to fool Timmy’s parents into believing that Vicky was watching him all along. Her godson became more of a son to Wanda, and after having trouble conceiving a child, she was grateful. Cosmo indulged Timmy in some of his more selfish wishes while Wanda tended to look the other way and scold him later for it. Once Timmy went to college, Cosmo and Wanda decided to adopt a baby boy named Parker. They even made Timmy his godfather! Being a mother consumes most of Wanda’s time now, and she stays home with him while Cosmo continues to work at The Candy Bar. She goes to parenting classes every now and then with Parker to stay busy and make friends with other mothers around Amity Park, and while she wishes Cosmo was home more often to help with the baby, she’s grateful for this newfound purpose in her life. She still hasn’t given up entirely on the dream of her fairy school, but she’s told herself that that can wait until Parker is older. Wanda can’t wait for Timmy to graduate college and help her babysit every now and then, as she knows that he’ll be just as great of a godparent as she and her husband were to him.

✨Personal:

Species: Fae Sexuality: up to player Pronouns: up to player Favorite Song: up to player Big Three:  up to player

✨Connections:

Helen Parr: Another mom with a younger son that she sometimes sees at the park. The two have formed a friendship outside of their children since they met a few months ago, and they even grab coffee sometimes without their kids! Wanda’s grateful for Helen and her parenting tips.

Tiara Bell: Wanda’s a frequent customer of Tiara’s at the repair shop with how much Cosmo manages to break with his poorly executed spells. She’s a sweet girl and knows what she’s doing, even if it requires using magic. 

Chester McBadbat: One of Timmy’s friends who Wanda has felt horrible for since he was a child. She wished that she could help out Chester in the way she helps Timmy, but she knows that it’s not possible without telling the truth about everything, including how she and Cosmo replaced Vicky, and she’s afraid he’d tell the Turners.

Based On: Wanda from The Fairly OddParents Faceclaim: Jessica Chastain FC Change: Not Allowed Availability: Open

[artificialqueens]

Run, Joey, Run! (A'whora X Joe Black) - Plegdoctor

A/N: Hiya! First time submitting on here so I’m a bit nervous but here we go! This is for the rarepair song fic challenge, based on the song Run Joey Run (glee cast supremacy). I hope you enjoy :) x TW for major character death.

*

Daddy please don’t, it wasn’t his fault, he means so much to me! Daddy please don’t, we’re gonna get married…

“Joe Black?”

His head shoots up in surprise at the sound of his name. He’s been at the table for so long that he thought, perhaps hoped, he might’ve become a ghost. Maybe everything would be easier to deal with then.

“That’s me.” His once melodic voice is now ever flat, an out of tune piano that would fall to dust if you pressed a key.

“Can I call you Joey?”

The girl is young – she doesn’t know, she couldn’t know. It’s not her fault that she’s enthusiastic, bubbly, and upbeat in a way that most teenage girls are. Assigning nicknames must be one of her favourite things when she volunteers here, something that all the other residents love and remember her for.

But his just brings pain.

“I haven’t been called Joey in a long time. It’s Joe.” He says firmly. She nods, undeterred, sits down with a flourish and crosses her legs. He can’t help but notice how full of life she is. She flips a blonde curl behind her shoulder, a simple gesture that snaps his heart in two. “Are you new?” He asks. Something about her seems so familiar.

She nods. “Yep. Saw the ad on Facebook and thought it would look good on my CV.” Her grin is mischievous and her honesty makes him smile. “Plus my grandma used to be in here before she died last year. I always liked visiting her. Do your family come here often?”

“I don’t have a family.”

“Really? No wife or children?”

“No.”

“Why?”

He grimaces. “It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got time.”

“And a sad one.”

Her eyes soften and she places a gentle hand on his. He hasn’t told his story to anyone in a long time. Perhaps he’ll never tell it again.

She’s the right person to hear his tragic tale.

“It started when I was just 18…”

The rain is bloody miserable as Joe heaves a sigh. It was a silly idea and he knows it – no one wants to employ a gardener in February. His mum always warned him that this would happen. He can hear her voice in his head now: “Joseph, if you live your life with no plan then you will never get anywhere.”

He will never admit it, but she’s right. It’s hopeless. If only he had been proactive, done something sensible in school like his friends who are now becoming Lawyers and Doctors.

“But then I wouldn’t have met her.”

He goes to turn around, begin the long walk home, when he hears a tap from a window. He looks up at the house he’s in front of to see a girl standing in a window on the top floor. She shouts something and he shakes his head. She sighs dramatically and disappears.

He hates the people who live in these massive houses. That girl will probably never have to work a day in her life. Selfish, spoiled, little- The front door flies open to reveal her again.

“Hello there! Do you want to come in?”

He thinks for a minute that he’s misheard her.

“You what?”

“You’re soaked! Come in and get dry, so you don’t catch a chill.”

His acceptance is hesitant but grateful. Trooping around Brighton in sodden clothes and a failed business plan weren’t his plans for the afternoon, but neither was being rescued by this angel of a woman.

And that’s what she looks like. An angel. Her hair is long and blonde, caught up in a bun but the tendrils that escape frame her face so prettily. She’s got a pretty face too, pale with small features. Pink cheeks and red lips. If her house wasn’t an indicator of her class then her dress certainly would’ve been. Joe doesn’t know much about women’s fashion, but he’s lived with his mother long enough to know that she would gladly tear every hair out of her head to get her hands on that fabric.

“My father won’t be home for a while, he’s still at work. Here, come sit by the fire, I’ll fetch you some of his spare clothes.”

She runs off before he can say anything.

When she returns he is seated by a roaring fire, looking around the house with a sense of wonder. Her arms are full of clothes. “I don’t know your size so I just had to guess.” She frowns, handing them over to him.

“Uh, thank you.”

“You can change in the bathroom.’ She points to a door underneath the stairs. ‘I’ll be here when you’re done.”

The bathroom is small but overwhelmingly grand. Her grips the shining sink and laughs at the absurdity that is his life. He pulls the angel’s father’s jumper over his head. It’s made of soft green wool, soft on his skin in contrast to his jumper made of harsh material. The trousers are a good fit too. The girl has an eye for fashion.

He says this to her as he exits, watches the way her face lights up. “Do you really think so? I would love to go to fashion school.”

“But your mother won’t allow it?”

“I have no mother. It’s just me and daddy here.”

“I’m the opposite. Just me and my mum.” It’s bizarre to try to relate to someone like her. Someone who would’ve given him dirty looks in the schoolroom. Someone who has more than one bathroom and calls her dad ‘daddy’.

She laughs, the sound like silver bells. “We have so much in common already. But I don’t even know your name.”

“Joe. Or Joseph.”

She’s not satisfied with his answer, shaking her head. “That’s far too serious for you. Your voice is like… like music! You cannot say Joe in such a beautiful way.”

“What then would you call me?”

“Joey. Doesn’t it sound much more fun? Joey, Joey, Joey.” She sings.

He bites back a laugh. “And what is the name of my saviour?”

“Aurora.”

“A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

Flirting has never come naturally to him. He doesn’t doubt that that certainly translates.

“What are you doing around these parts, Joey?”

He raises an eyebrow. Does she mean it judgementally? No, probably not, her tone is more inquisitive than anything. But he allows the silence to grow awkward before he answers. He’s rewarded with a flush that crosses her face.

“I’m looking for a job. As a gardener.”

“You don’t look like a gardener to me.”

“What do I look like?”

She shrugs. “I’m not sure.”

Joe uses the silence to look at her again. He’s been with girls before, kissed their rough chapped lips, laid his hands on their waists. But Aurora is incomparable. He wishes to take a million pictures of her, carry them around as inspiration. When artists talk about their muses, they are talking about her.

“This garden could do with a gardener.”

Her statement is unlike anything else she’s said so far. Shy.

“And would your daddy be alright with me coming to help you out?”

The way that her lips contort makes him think that she knows he’s mocking her slightly.

“He’ll have to be.” She replies lightly.

“I’m confused. You said you weren’t married. This sounds like the sort of story you tell your grandkids when they ask how you met.” She’s almost accusatory.

He shakes his head. “You’re too impatient. There are other oldies in here that like a short and easy chat. You’re welcome to speak to them.”

“No, I’ve heard the start, I need the rest of it. So Aurora hires you without her father knowing.’ She pauses and then grins. ‘Daddy has different connotations nowadays, did you know?”

“I have no idea what the youths say anymore.”

“I’ll teach you some slang next time. Anyway, what happens after she hires you?”

“I’d been working there for two years when she first confessed it to me…”

Employment under the Boyle family was like living in luxury. Joe showed up twice a week and worked for four hours. Aurora brought him a drink after the first two hours, and they would talk and laugh together for some time. He learnt more about her than he ever thought: She was the same age as him. Her mother died in childbirth. She missed her in a way, but never really knew her. Her life was devoted completely to her father whom she adored. She volunteered at the hospital, she wanted a little white dog, she loved fashion and often made her own dresses, her favourite flowers were lilies. He crammed so much information into his head that by the time they were twenty he could’ve written a book on her life.

There was something electric about her. The way she sang his name, “Joey” called across the (obscenely large) garden as she came out with a glass of cold lemonade. The brightness of her eyes and the ever-present blush in her cheeks. She possessed a vitality like no other.

The fact that he was deeply in love with her had not escaped his notice.

Such a shame that she would never feel the same way.

Until a summers day when the sun was beating down upon them. Her dress was white cotton, her hair was loose, her forehead shiny with a thin layer of sweat. “You know Joey, I really thought you would have noticed something by now.”

“And what would that be, Miss?”

“Oh don’t call me Miss, you know how that bothers me!” She cries out. Her delicate face contorts into a frown as he chuckles. “You are such a tease.”

“Oh no Aurora, don’t withhold this information! What should I have noticed?”

“Well it’s just we have spent so much time together over these past years I just… I thought men were meant to notice things like this.”

He squints at her. Her appearance has not changed, he would have noticed that. Every inch of her is burned into his mind. But he can hardly say that. “Are you wearing a new lipstick shade? Or is that your hair has been cut? Ah, I know, you have new shoes!”

She huffs and leans moodily against her chair, arms folded across her chest. “Daddy was right. Men really are dense. Must I spell it out for you, Joey?”

He opens his mouth to say yes but is cut off by her laugh. “No, you wouldn’t even get it then. Daddy said that if you want a man to know that you are in love with them then you should just tell them plainly. What do you think Joey, should I just boldly tell you that I am in love with you?”

The blonde across from him emits a squeal so high pitched that dogs 20 miles away must be howling.

“A bit of respect for my elderly ears please.”

“I’m sorry. That is so adorable! Oh she sounds brilliant, I think me and her would’ve been friends. What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” She sounds outraged.

He smirks slyly and shrugs. “I just kissed her.”

He would never grow used to the feeling of her in his arms. It’s not that it felt unnatural. It felt like thunderbolts and lightening strikes, a wave of emotions flooding through him, a storm that left him breathless. Ivy sprouted when their lips met, thick vines that wound through their hearts, binding them together. His skin flowered under her touch.

She made him promise not to tell her father.

“Daddy wouldn’t like it. He likes you but as… as an employee.”

Joe understands.

He has no other choice.

Aurora is his precious jewel, a secret treasure that he must keep hidden from the rest of the world. He remarked to her once that he has never known any flower to bloom quite like their love does when shoved into a dark corner of a greenhouse.

She laughed and shushed him with a kiss.

Her lips taste like cherries.

Nature too powerful can be destructive.

A new life has begun.

His phone rings. The sound surprises him to his core – the fact that his wages brought a phone for him and his mum is something he will forever be proud of. He’s considering asking them to put the fact on his gravestone.

“Joey.” She’s whispering. He can hear sniffles that indicate the tears that surely must be running down her pretty face.

“What’s the matter, Rory?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“What?”

“You can’t tell anyone. Oh my God, Daddy is going to kill me!”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay darling! We can figure this out. We can solve this.” Joe has never forgotten the way that Aurora saved him that day when they first met. For two years he’s been hoping to repay her.

But he never imagined it would be like this.

The phone rings again. It sounds more urgent than any other time, despite being the exact same ring. He snatches it up.

“Joe, don’t come over. My dad and I, we had a fight, and he stormed out the door. I’ve never seen him mad this way, my God, he’s going crazy! He said… he said he’s going to make you pay for what we’ve done. He’s got a gun. So run, Joey, run, Joey run!”

He runs. Straight to her house.

He hammers on the door with the force of a hurricane. “Aurora! Rory!” He sounds unhinged, frantic, but he needs to see her. He needs to be sure she’s safe. The door flings open and she runs out. Her brown eyes are filled with tears and - oh no, oh God why? – there are bruises on her face. She flies into his arms where he holds her close.

All at once he sees him, her father, sneaking up behind them. Aurora notices too.

“Daddy please don’t, it wasn’t his fault! He means so much to me! Daddy please don’t, we’re gonna get married!”

Time moves in slow motion.

“He’s got a gun! Run, Joey, run!” She yells.

He lifts it to aim.

She steps in front of him.

Suddenly a shot rings out.

Aurora falls.

“No!” A guttural scream rips Joe in half. He catches her falling body, cradling her like a child. He looks down to find that his hands are red.

Her cherry red lips part. “Daddy, please don’t. It wasn’t his fault. He.. he means so much to me. Daddy, please don’t. We’re gonna get married.” Her breathing is laboured. The light in her eyes dims. “Run. Joey. Run.” She chokes out.

Tears fall down her face. She does nothing to interrupt them, letting them create a waterfall on her cheeks.

“I told you it was a sad story.” He says gently. His heart is heavy too. Telling his story never gets easier.

“She saved you again.”

He nods. “My guardian angel. My perfect angel Aurora.” He pulls a necklace from under his shirt. She leans closer to see a small angel carved out of rose quartz on a chain.

“Do you miss her?”

“Every day. When it’s rain or shine. When thunder crashes and lightening strikes. When waves surge in oceans. When storms dominate the air. When ivy wraps around buildings. When flowers grow. When I savour sweet cherries.”

“I’m so sorry Joe.”

“It’s been almost 70 years and my heartache has not loosened. But I know my angel is watching over me.”

The girl nods hurriedly, her soft hand still clutching his wrinkled one. A small bell goes.

“It’s time for you to go.”

She stands. “Thank you for sharing your story with me Joe.”

“Thank you for listening.”

He catches her wrist as she goes to turn away. “I don’t know your name. May I know the name of the girl who listened so carefully to my tragic tale?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Why not?”

She smiles softly. Tears still spill from her light brown eyes, blonde hair bounces on her shoulders. “Aurora. My name is Aurora.”

[funkymbtifiction]

Hufflepuff and Gryffindor are just sooo similar

Submitted by ibigpersoncollection

I know, I just mentioned I’m Gryff primary a day or two ago. After I read your answer, I revisited the Sortinghatchats wordpress and their podcast. Then it dawned on me, am I actually Hufflepuff? I really am Hufflepuff.

This is not really an ask though, I do want to share something. Because I think Gryffindor and Hufflepuff primaries when they are passionate about something, they can come off very similar.

One of the main differences, I think, is how we approach people. On the surface, I’m like Gryffindor primary. I’m brash. I’m not going to put up on anything wrong because it’s simply wrong. I cut through things to realize my goals no matter what. It does sound like goal-oriented Gryffindor, but no. That’s the first time I really understand what a ‘model’ is like. I modeled Gryffindor and I found that I took it after my aunt (ISTJ 1w2 Gryff).

She had been preaching about doing and standing by the right cause, the higher sense of ‘right and wrong’ but it’s not about rules or teachings but what you can feel inside of you as right. I took it, but it felt stiff… really. You see? When you are not something you will soon feel it. I tried to be Gryffindor and lived by those ideals but at the end of the day, it’s people that really matter. There are some examples I want to share.

Well, since primary system is mainly ‘motives’ rather than the ideal itself, this will not reflect every Gryff or Puff out there. The first one is, while I thought I was Gryffindor and had an ironclad value. I rarely ever put it on someone else. My value is not even that ‘coded’, tbh. Ages ago, I argued with my aunt about death penalty. Oh, dear, she roasted. She said that criminals on deathroll is right because those people were wrong and deserve that punishment. I argued ‘but they can repent. They can come out and live as a member of society. We need every hand available and they can still be productive, if we give them a chance’. She scoffed said ‘they are wrong and that is the fact, they might repent, they might be good but how can we know? and they can’t just get off the hook like that’.

See? People versus ideal (We are both xSTJ and 1s, so no feeler-thinker dilemma here). My aunt (while she does care about people as a whole) doesn’t argue on people but on what is right and wrong. I don’t argue on right-and-wrong ground but more on society, people. It’s the same end point (what is good for society) but through different lens (people vs ideal, both intuitive rather than decided house).

Other thing is the so-called ‘even-handedness’. This example is between me and my ESFP 6w7 friend (Gryff both primary and secondary). This time we actually believe in the same thing, share the same ideal and value. But where it comes from is really different. Me and my friend both share the same ideas that people shouldn’t be marginalized. The ethnic groups and other communities shouldn’t be oppressed as second-grade citizens or having their basic rights (home, land, culture and pride of their identity) nurtured. We are both ‘disgusted’ by exploitation to indigenous people because of capitalism (look at first nations for instance). And we are both genuinely angry about how ethnic groups are not even allowed to be proud of their heritage (look at Uyghur) and racism in general. But it comes from different place and is shown out differently too. For my friend, it is … well, right to hate those things and she is deeply disgusted and hated all those things enough that she once said something along the line of ‘I can’t stand it, I want to ****ing vomit’.

I don’t have that kind of harshness. I wish I have, honestly, because I did model Gryffindor. I wish I can be as angry and heavy-handed as Gryffindors. I can’t do it because for me, even if it’s wrong, even if I’m disgusted by it to my core. They are still the same people. I will fight for ethnic groups, but I will never hate people who exploit or harm those people. Because they are human even if they are wrong. I once told my ESFP friend that she must not hate her family because they believe differently or forcing her to not believe what she believes. They just … live with different mindset that us, but they are not wrong. “So, don’t hate them, will you? If you don’t want to be with them, just leave, but don’t hate them”. She needs to learn taming her passion and sense of justice while I need to learn being angrier at the cause I believe in.

Last point is, I cannot stand leaving people in need by themselves. I cannot really find an example to contrast though but this is one hallmark of Hufflepuff. If there is a stranger in need and I can help them, I will. I tried not to (because it can look totally simpy or weird at times) but I cannot help but go out of my way to help them. Days ago, I went to university, a man approached me, asking if he could go and meet my professors because his girlfriend wants to talk about applying for master. No one was there, it was a holiday. I can just ignore him and finish my work. But I can’t do it, so I tried finding the contact info of my professors and gave the couple that. I did have deep conflict with my aunt until recently but at that time I couldn’t just leave her in pain and end up bringing her to hospital and 3 am. She needed me; I can’t ignore it.

Oh, I’m not saying Gryffindors are emotional hellions neither Hufflepuffs are angel, all of us can be evil, selfish or great depending on individual. I deeply respect their strong sense of justice and how they will go to any length for it, forsaking even their closest confidants if the situation calls for it. These are people who can change the world to be better and fairer. But I’d say, don’t try to be one, if you are not. Other houses are as good and equally awesome. We all can change the society for the better in our own way 😊. Be proud of who you are.

* I’m also Puff secondary. When ENFP mod helped point it out (and yes, I did know deep down I’m Hufflepuff). I just realize how ‘community building’ works. I broke up with my group awhile ago and suddenly found myself people who came to my aid and stayed by my side. Then my professor just helped me with my ethnic community goals. But that’s for another time.

Btw, thanks ENFP mod! And can I ask if you accept novels? I just start writing one and I’d love if I could polish (or publish…) it. I’ve read in some posts you mention reviewing writings?

Mod: Glad you found your House. Hufflepuffs seem more generally forgiving and accepting than Gryffindors, and are less likely to go against other people. They are somewhat idealistic in wanting to give everyone a chance.

As to your question, no, I don’t read / critique novels for free. I’m a paid editor. But ProWritingAid.com is an amazing tool that will really help you polish your novel and improve it once you’ve gotten it written. My advice is – write it, polish it, and then hire a good editor. Most people cannot “kill their darlings” without an enormous amount of practice and even then they can be blind to what is unnecessarily slowing down their plot.

[btssmutficslovingfan01]

King of Love (Oneshot)

Summary: Ironically enough, the well known “king of love,” (Kim Seokjin) a popular matchmaker during the 1970’s, has a non existent love life but then he gets sent into the future, where he meets the love of his life.

Promised I’d release this! Wait no longer, sry if it’s bad/cringe I’m still new to writing bxb.

Pairing: Jin x (Male) Reader

Genre: Time Travel, Non-idol au, Fluff, Smut, Slight Angst

Warnings: Sir kink, creampie, fingering, blowjob, anal, Dom! Seokjin, Sub! Reader

Words: 4k+

______________________________________________

“You’re a star, Seokjin. A real star.” The happy couple walks out, hand in hand.

“You’ve done it again, you made them happy,” His assistant walks into the office, his short blond hair neatly trimmed. “And me.” The young man beams at his boss, as he takes a seat in his swivel chair in the corner and spins around.

“I take it the ring is a good sign?” Jin smirks at the blushing blond.

“Yeah. Yoongi’s treating me real well.” He replies under his breath.

“Promise rings this early? Wow, you must really like each other.” Jin stamps his paper, and he pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

“We do. I know we can’t have this kind of relationship in public but it’s thanks to you that I was even able to tell him how I felt in the first place. You’re so cool, Jin.” His assistant’s praise makes his cheeks turn pink and his eyes form small half-moons as he looks in the direction of the blond.

“You’re even cooler for finding clients and promoting me through your dad’s company.” Jin’s compliment has the man in tears, crying from joy. His dimples are fully visible under the dim-lit room as he smiles wide enough for the United States to see his shiny white teeth.

“Seriously, thanks a lot, Jin hyung.” The man locks eyes with him, just as his boyfriend walks in through the door.

“Yoongi,” He smiles at the older man, as he walks in through the door. 

“Seokjin. I see that you’ve certainly taken your work to another level,” Yoongi kicks aside a file from a previous client aside. “Perhaps this is too much, why don’t you take a break and try finding someone for yourself?” Jin freezes at the comment. He’d definitely thought of dating way back before he even became a matchmaker, but nothing worked out for him. All of the men he approached just ran away claiming he was too “narcissistic” and “self absorbed.” He loves himself, but every single guy he meets says he’s too selfish. So what? He has a stable career, money, a house, and a snazzy new car. He doesn’t need to date to be happy. But he has to admit, seeing his friends in love and holding hands and stealing kisses is kinda cute. Just a little bit. But nothing Jin wanted for himself-he just wanted to see people in love with his efforts, of course. Whether it’s a man or woman, a man and another man, or two women, Jin tries to keep everything fair and equal within his office. That’s why he has such high ratings. He has even been scouted by tv show producers to film a reality show about him, but he wanted to keep his business low on the radar, since some of what he was doing was illegal. He helped people run away before, and start lives anew. He’s even helped a couple prisoners escape, but that was only because he knew they were innocent. Seokjin is a good man. And his friends wanted someone else to see that too. A special person to change his life for the better

“I appreciate your concern, Yoongi. But I simply don’t have any interest in dating right now. Look at this, all of this research! Not only am I matchmaker, but I am also documenting human behavior. This is a study, Yoongi. I’d like nothing more than to dedicate the rest of my life to research.” Yoongi gawks at his friend as he sits down and begins scanning the papers, taking up every single detail with his eyes and ignoring him in the process.

“Let’s go have dinner. It’s getting late.” The younger man looks down at his worried boyfriend as he grabs his arms.

“This isn’t good for him. The King of Love not having a partner? It’s a bad image, Joon, a bad one I’m telling you!” Namjoon interrupts him with an abrupt kiss. Yoongi blushes before being dragged away from the office, to a nearby restaurant. 

“He’s right, you know?” A deep voice resounds through the room.

“Taehyung? What are you doing here?” Jin looks at his younger brother as the man with wondrous grey eyes strolls into the office.

“I’m trying to convince you to get some pussy. Leave before it gets too dark. You know how there’s a curfew now.” His eyes darken as he takes a breath and grabs a folder from the desk.

“That can’t be the reason why you’re here.”

“You’re right. Give me some money,” Seokjin raises an eyebrow at his brother in disbelief. “Just kidding, I just wanted to see you again.” He smiles warmly and Jin sighs in relief. He almost panicked for a moment; almost.

“Aw, you’re so cute for coming to see my handsome face today, but I have to really work on this report, alright?” When Taehyung refuses to move, Jin stands up and starts pushing him, trying to get the younger male to leave the room. “I’ll...talk...to...you...when...I...get...home.” Jin gasps for air after he practically pushed his brother out, surprised by the brute force of the man. He was not aware of Taehyung’s raw power. He must’ve bulked up a lot more from the last time they saw each other.

He sits back down at his desk and begins writing.

“Love is not over until the two parties decide it is officially over. Even when broken up, a boyfriend may still possess some sort of control over his former girlfriend and they go through this phase of denial where neither of them want to admit that they are still in love while they are trying to move on.” He sighs before writing again. “The proper way to break off a relationship is by healing. People may use this time to talk to new people, explore their life as a single person, etc. However, it is never good to distance oneself fully. People are usually attracted to someone they see a lot, perhaps a coworker or classmate. But then they are less likely to be attracted to someone they don’t see very much. Distancing oneself from their ex-lover requires discipline, and harmony between the body and mind. They must be able to stand in the same room without feeling anything. Most issues arise in a breakup when two partners physically separate themselves for a period of time right after the breakup, but then when they see each other after that, the feelings come back. All of the moments and precious feelings arise and they both are back at square one. But then they must consider the reason for why they broke up. Was it worth it? Was it unhealthy? They need to know what’s best for them, individually, and grow from there.” Seokjin yawns as he finishes writing his 45 minute piece, setting his pen down and resting his head on the surface of his hard wooden desk. He closes his eyes briefly, seeing a flicker of light from the corner of his eye.

He sees it again, except this time it’s brighter, bluer, clearer. He stands up, inching towards the door that leads to the hallway. He opens it, finding a man standing directly outside of his room, one hand up, his palm facing Seokjin. Blue dust surrounds him, glittering magically and making Jin’s eyes widen in awe. He looks up and recognizes the face.

“Again, I’ll say it--you need a boyfriend.” Yoongi pushes his palm towards Jin, and Seokjin is thrusted against the wall, his head thudding against the wall as he sank deeper and deeper into the floor.

Seokjin awakens to find himself right outside of his office, except it’s a lot more different now. The hallway is cleaner, and there are more people. The first thing he notices is that the door no longer says “Kim Seokjin.” It says “Men’s Restroom.” What could Jin be doing in front of a bathroom? He remembers the weird flash of light outside of his office and then he woke up here. He shrugs and begins to walk towards the waiting room, where his next clients would be waiting. He doesn’t bother with changing or brushing his teeth; he is a very busy man.

“Mr. Ford, your appointment is scheduled for Saturday, the 14th.” He overhears a receptionist speaking. That’s strange, he didn’t recall hiring a woman on staff.

“Thank you, I will see you then, Linda.” Linda? He doesn’t know anyone with that name.

“Y/N?” He sees you look up at the sound of your own name, as you quickly pick up your book before running to the desk.

“You said they do therapy here, right? Like not massages, but with a chaise, and a person to talk to?” Jin listens in on the conversation, hiding behind a plant.

“Yes, uhhhh, let’s see, Dr. Harry is busy, and so is Patricia, let me see if-”

“I’ll take him!” Jin finds himself moving before even thinking. “Dr. Seokjin, I’m a local therapist working in...Kim Enterprises.” 

“Never heard of a Dr. Seokjin.” The receptionist simply blinks twice before nodding. “Okay, you can go.” She slightly winks at him before letting him walk you towards the direction of his old office.

“Um, do you work here?” You ask.

“Yes. I’m actually a matchmaker, but I also study human behavior.” He truthfully explains it to you.

“Thanks for agreeing to help me. I’ve just been stressed about life, you know?” Jin nods, as he guides you to a seemingly empty room, with a bed, a chair, and a setup of a typical Doctor’s office.

“Lie down here. You can tell me about your troubles. Everything is confidential and safe with me.” Jin reassures you. You simply give him a smile and follow his instructions.

“Let me see...so my day started out great but then my mom called me and told me about how she’s disappointed that she had a son like me and she wishes she had a daughter instead, and then my father stole some money from me last month, that was bad. And just a couple hours ago, I found out that my best friend died in a car accident.” Jin’s eyes widen as you pour out your feelings. He’s mostly surprised with the trust you have in him, as if you already know what kind of person he is and enough about him to tell him all of these private things.

“I’m sorry. On a scale of one to ten, one being the best and ten being the worst, how do you feel right now, emotionally?” Your eyes glistening with tears as you try not to cry.

“Ten thousand,” Jin wipes a couple of your tears before reaching into his pocket and handing you a handkerchief. “You have a custom handkerchief?” You ask him after realizing his initials were stitched into the fabric.

“Yep. I always carry it, it’s like my good luck charm.” He winks at you as you laugh, the direness of the moment wearing off as you speak to Jin. 

“I wish I had something like that. So, didn’t you say you were a matchmaker?” You try changing the subject, now focusing more on the incredibly handsome man in front of you.

“Yes, I am. I normally help clients get the person of their desires, confess, or sometimes, even mend struggling relationships.”

“That sounds like a bunch of jobs smushed together.” You tap your chin as you fall deep in thought.

“It’s the 70’s, so they have one person do all the doctor’s work.” Seokjin gives you another charming smile.

“Haha, you might be right about the doctor’s wor—wait did you say 70’s?” You ask, making sure you weren’t tripping on acid.

“Yes. Is there something wrong, Sir?” He asks, his tongue running along his plump lips.

“It’s 2019. Why are you referencing the 70’s out of nowhere?” Jin’s face turns as white as a sheet. He looks like a ghost. You watch as the poor man excuses himself to the restroom, and how he fails at trying to conceal his panic around you. It’s actually kind of adorable, in a way.

Meanwhile, Jin splashes water onto his face, trying to make sense of the situation. 2019. He said 2019. There’s no way that could be true unless--last night was not a dream. Yoongi actually did magic and cast a spell on him that made him come to the future. Jin was still unsure but the room he is standing in is proof enough, that he traveled in time. He now has to break it to you, tell you the reason he is actually here. You might run away like the others, but it’s his job to be honest with his clients. It may be one of the hardest things about being a matchmaker. His job is very much like a doctor’s, as he can’t promise good results 100% of the time, but he can make assumptions on the “diagnosis” and process reasons for failure. 

“You aren’t from around here, are you?” Your words astonish Jin, as he walks back into the room and closes the door behind him.

“What do you know?” You fold your arms and lean back into the wall, your feet a couple inches off the ground.

“I know you aren’t a doctor, and you used the term “matchmaker” which means broker in this day and age, but back in the 70’s it was basically a glorified therapist.” You smirk as Jin’s mouth opens wide and he gawks at you, eyes twitching.

“H-h-how…?” The only thing he could think of was: witchcraft. Except you whip out your phone and prove him wrong.

“I’m not stupid, you know. We have something called the internet, which allows us to search anything up.” Jin grabs your cell phone and presses the buttons, surprised that your screen was responding to his touch, and that he could do so much with just hovering his fingers above the keys.  

“A typewriter.” He gasps.

“A digital typewriter.” You gently take the phone out of his hands, laughing at his adorable demeanor as he recites the word “digital” like an incantation.

“Since you know what’s going on, I need to ask: when can I go back?” You look at him with confusion.

“What do you mean? I just figured you were cosplaying.” Your words astonish him, since he had never heard of the term.

“No! I am from 1972, and I work here, the King of Love? Ever heard of him? It’s me. I’m Kim Seokjin.” He tries to explain it but you simply wave him off.

“I don’t believe you’re from the 70’s.” You simply state, shutting him down completely.

“What can I do to make you believe me?” He asks.

“Vocab.” You snicker, knowing the man is sure to fail now.

“I have no idea what you’re trying to say. If anything, it looks like I’m the one who is in need of assistance.” His quality of speaking is very different from any other man’s voice you’ve heard, and it makes him sound sincere and more trustworthy.

“Look, bro, I needed a therapy sesh. Not some weird time travel shit. Now can we please--”

“That is not very appropriate, correct yourself.” His sudden command silences you, as you stare him down, a blush settling on your cheeks.

“Y-yes sir. I apologize for my use of profane language.” You feel strangely aroused, as Seokjin circles around you, making you feel slightly inferior to him.

“Good boy.” He smirks as your gaze falls down to his shoes, and you admire how neat it looks. Wow, it almost looks like an original pair. But you can’t get too distracted. “Maybe if you’re good for me, I’ll give you a reward?” You nod slightly as he scans your body, mentally undressing you with his eyes. He steps forward, and before you know it, his lips are on yours, pink, plush, velvety lips pressing against your skin. You’re burning up, and he’s doing this to you.

“Seokjin, please.” You whine as his fingers make their way down your jeans, unbuttoning them and sliding them down your bulge through your boxers.

“Please what?” He teases, repeating the gesture a couple times until you’re grinding against his hand, waiting for something to happen as you rutted against him lewdly.

“Please sir. Please make me cum with your fingers.” You mewl as he kisses you roughly, and his hands squeeze your ass lightly. “F-fuck.” You gasp as he spanks you with aggression.

“Take it off your clothes. I want your entire outfit on the ground. Right now.” You find yourself mesmerized by his authority, as you quickly obey his command, and you strip for him as he scans you. He was truly the most beautiful man alive, at least in this time period. You wonder if there are other attractive men in his time period. But then again, the really attractive ones usually don’t come around very often. He may be one of the exceptions.

“Sir...your fingers!” You look up to see that his eyes are filled with lust, all the compassion and softness gone. All that’s left is a lustful version of him, with hunger. Hunger for sex.

“On the bed, on all fours, right now.” Your eyes widen as your body moves on its own and you lie sprawled out for Seokjin, as your therapist stretches out your asshole with his long fingers. You shudder from his warm touch, unusually comfortable as he takes care of you.

“You’re such a good little boy, with an ass like this, you’re surely bound for great things.” What’s that supposed to mean?

“Um, thanks…?” Your entire body clenches as Seokjin adds a finger, and you let out a painful whimper as Seokjin proceeds to thrust his fingers in at an irregular pace.

“No problem.” He licks the rim, puckered and red for him, and he tests it once again, pumping his fingers in once more.

“Ah, fuck!” You cry out in pain.

“Shhh, it’ll be over soon,” He reassures you, kissing your ass before turning you over for a long kiss. “Are you ready?” He hovers over you, and you gulp as his dick aligns with your hole. You press another kiss to his lips before nodding, and allowing Jin to slide into you by lifting your legs up high and making your hole visible to him.

“Nice and tight. You’re so warm, wow Y/N, I don’t think I can go back. After feeling this ass, there’s no one I’d rather be with.” You were confused at this point, as well as aroused, very aroused. You thought this was a one-time thing, but Jin sounds like he wants more. You don’t care, though, it was probably in the heat of the moment.

“AHHHHH!!!” You let out the most sinful moans as he thrusts into you, his skin slapping against yours, making you scream from pain and pleasure. Jin moans predominantly from the tightness of your ass, and how despite prepping you, your body was still reacting to him in ways that were unexpected. You love this, it’s too good.

“I’m gonna cum, and fill up your ass.” Jin says, the filthy language making your dick erect once more. You never were soft with him.

“Do it, cum in my ass and make me your bitch, sir.” You smirk, challenging Jin as he flips you over, and changes positions. You close your eyes as he begins pounding into you, your ass in pain but it’s so worth it when he cums.

“Y/N…” He groans, pulling out and releasing the rest of his load onto your back. Shortly after, you have your own climax, cumming uncontrollably after seeing Jin reach his high. He kisses you passionately, wiping a tear from your eye. One more time, he slips into you as you climb on top of him. He watches you with a smile as you bounce on his cock, his balls slapping your ass you went up and down. Your ass is basically numb at this point, from being spanked so much. And your dick is pointing straight up, as Jin rubs it between his hands, up and down like how you were moving. You start moving quickly, now the two of you moaning each other’s names like madmen. You slow down when he cums again, making sure the cum filled you up for good this time. This time he continues moving, making you scream out in pleasure, loud enough for all the people in the building to hear. No other man has ever been able to make you orgasm like he could, you know in your heart that Seokjin must be the one.

“Did that hurt?” He asks, all of the lust disappearing from his voice and being replaced with compassion.

“Just a little at first, but it was fun.” You moan as he kisses your back, his plump pink lips leaving a thin layer of saliva as he does.

“You’re very tight, you know? I could warm my dick in there for hours and it still wouldn’t be enough.” You blush at his romantic words. No man has ever been so soft with you, sure you liked it rough since you were a guy, but you also had a strong attraction to the more feminine side of men. That’s how you found out you were gay. You dated girls that looked more like men, and then eventually had your first experience with a guy. Sure, you weren’t focused on finding a relationship at the moment, but tender-hearted Seokjin is the perfect man in your eyes.

“Mmmm, I have to go back now. I see the light.” Jin moves away from you unexpectedly, making your skin go cold as you wrap your arms around yourself.

“N-now?”

“Yes, but just know that I think you’re pretty cool. Any guy would be lucky to have you. Take care of yourself, Y/N.”

“Okay Jin. When will you be back?” You ask, hoping for the perfect answer.

“Never.”

***

It had been about two weeks since Seokjin left the future, and work was as dull as ever. After his experience with you, he couldn’t stop thinking about the future. How you could’ve possibly been pregnant after he released his seed in you twice (Yes Male pregnancy is a huge problem in this world) Yoongi and Namjoon hated seeing him like this, Taehyung even tried cheering him up with pink cupcakes but the only thing he could think of was his princess.

“He’s miserable.” Namjoon sighs.

“I wish we could help him.” Taehyung frowns.

“Maybe we can…” Yoongi wiggles his fingers and lets out a giggle.

Ten minutes later, Seokjin hears a knock on the door.

“Come in.” Even the enthusiasm is gone from his voice.

“Did anyone call for a therapist?” The shock on Jin’s face when he sees you is laughable.

“Y/N!” He runs to you, pressing endless kisses to your face. “I missed you so much, my prince.”

“I missed you too, Jinnie.” Your nickname for him makes him smile. 

“It’s been too long.” He slowly moves down, kissing every inch of your body. He looks up at you for permission before removing your pants. He looks at your lace panties and pulls at the band. 

“Dirty boy.” He strips off your underwear and leaves you to stare at your own rising erection, making your cheeks flush and your pores open up to sweat.

“Ahhhh, Seokjin.” You close your eyes as the slurping noise resounds, bouncing off the walls and letting everyone in the building know how well Seokjin fucks you. He continues rubbing your cock between his hands as he takes you into his mouth.

“Cum in my throat, baby.” He demands. Your body shudders and you let out another moan as you have an orgasm. Jin licks you clean and then you lean in to kiss him.

“This time, I’ll be the one who stays.” You say, yanking his tie off.

[askdoloresmoore]

I got this wonderful list from @hyunsu-jung

Original Post: here!

Not that anyone cares,but I thought this would be fun!!

Character's Name: Dolores Moore

Part I: Let's Start at the Beginning...

1. What's your name?

"Mrs.Dolores Moore"

2. Give me your full name...

*sighs* "Dolores Lily Moore "

3. Do you have a nickname? If yes, what is it and how did you come to have it?

"The only nickname that comes to mind , at the moment, is what mr. Brown, my uncle if you will,calls me. He seems really keen on calling me Dolly, no matter how annoying I find the subject. "

4. What species are you? (Human, werewolf, etc? Or are you an alien?)

"I am quite certain that I am a human. Although I must inquire..What exactly is an alien?"

5. Where were you born?

"I was born on a small farm outside the town of Blackwater, WE"

6. I see. And that would make your age...?

"25 to be exact "

7. Okay, now...are you a good guy, or a bad guy?

"I would like to consider my self a good guy. Although that matter is quite subjective ,don't you think?"

Part II: Tell Us More About Yourself...

8. How would you describe your personality?

"I consider myself quite kind-hearted and patient "

9. Would you say you're someone who can handle pressure?

"It depends on the day. Although on most days I must say I cannot."

10. Do you like to read?

"Oh yes, quite! It's one of my favourite pastimes, alongside drawing "

11. Favorite color?

"It would have to be blue, particularly the lighter shades "

12. Do you get along with others?

"I'm quite the easygoing person , I believe. "

13. Do you have any enemies?

"Not that I'm aware of"

14. How about friends?

"I used to have, back east, but I'm quite certain they must have forgotten me by now."

15. Are you patient?

"Yes,as I mentioned. I believe it to be one of my greatest qualities. "

Part III: Hypothetically...

16. Suppose that you could become any creature you know of. What would you pick, and why?

"Any creature? Well I'm aware that my answer might be quite dull and somewhat predictable but I would like to be a cat. They always fascinated me and when I was a child I used to envy their neatness. There was this one time when I was little, when I..." mrs. Moore pauses and composes herself. " I must apologise for going off topic "

17. One of your enemies in question 13 just complimented you. Response?

"While I'm not aware of any enemies, if a supposed one gave me a compliment, I would certainly politely accept it, even though it would be completely surprising for me."

18. One of your friends in Question 14 just insulted you. Response?

"Even though that would be unlikely, given that they are high society women, I would let them know I was offended "

19. If you could change anything about yourself...

"One thing that I would change about myself, given the opportunity, would be my submissive nature. I find that aspect of me quite annoying sometimes. I think it hinders my advance as a person."

20. About your home...

"I've had several during my life, so I'll give a brief description of all of them. My childhood home was a beautiful farmhouse in California. I remember the beautiful golden hue , the sunset would give the wheat fields my parents had. My husband's house in New York, is a stunning manor,so big that I used to get lost in when I first got there. Lastly my current residence is a two story cottage my uncle, mr. Brown and some workers he hired built. While it is nowhere near my last residence in size, I've grown to love it. It is still in the process of being decorated though. "

Part IV: Now We Get Personal

21. What're your parents like?

"My parents... Well they both were great people. Caring, loving and very much in love with each other till the end. "

22. Do you have any siblings?

" I guess I can say I had. My brother...My poor brother John. He has been missing for some time now."

23. What's your occupation?

"At the moment I do not work. Although I have been a housemaid in the past."

24. I see, that's a good job to have. Do you like it?

" I did not enjoy being a housemaid at all."

25. Are you seeing/dating anyone?

"No , not at the moment... "

26. Married/Engaged/Other?

*Dolore's eyes water a little at the sound of this question*

" I was married, yes. To a lovely man, John Moore. "

27 If yes, how did you meet?

" I used to work as a housemaid at his estate. We fell in love and the rest is history. "

28. Tell us your biggest secret.

"I'm sorry but I dont think it's quite appropriate to admit something like that."

29. Your worst fear? You don't have to answer this one if you don't want to.

" I am very afraid of losing what family I have left."

30. Favorite food?

" it is more of a dessert than a food, but I am very fond of apple pies"

30. Favorite drink?

" That would be chilled champagne, without a doubt."

31. Tell us one thing you're the most proud of.

"I guess my hat pin collection "

32. Something embarrassing? You don't have to answer this one, either.

" Well.." she hesitates, thinking " I believe it's rather embarrassing that I am afraid of the dark!"

33. If you didn't answer Questions 29 and/or 33, tell me why.

" I did answer, so I guess I do not have to answer this one!"

34. Is that a good reason?

" and this one neither "

Part VI: Closing

35. Are you satisfied with your life?

"Truly I cannot say. Sometimes I think I've lived life to the fullest, other times I think my life is living me, if that makes sense."

36. Anything you feel like you have to do? It can be something long-term, like a bucket list, or something you need to do right now.

"I do believe I should finish my embroidery project sometime!!"

37. Any hobbies?

"I must saythat I enjoy riding. I've been riding since childhood and ,although not perfect, I try to do it as often as possible. That and listening to any stories my unclehas to share about lawmen. These people always fascinated me. "

38. Quick, you get one wish! What did you just wish for? It's alright, you can tell me...

" I wished for my husband and brother to be here with me"

39. How would you describe that wish? Good? Bad? Selfish? Selfless? Other?

" I guess it can be seen as selfish, given the fact that wherever they are now, it can't be worse than this Earth. "

40. Have you been honest with these questions?

" Yes, an improper amount. "

41. Your personal quote?

"Perhaps it is our imperfections that make us perfect for one another "- Jane Austen. "

42. Do you like change?

"Even though I'm reluctant to pursue it at first, I do like change when it comes."

43. What's your most valued possession?

* Dolores rummages through her bag*

" This pocket watch . It belonged to my father."

44. Anything else you feel like sharing?

"Nothing comes to mind , at the moment. "

50. Last question! How do you feel?

" I must say this has been a quite enjoyable experience for me, so I must confess I feel delighted!"

[let-it-show]

All The Love I Found In You 5/?

Have you read part 4? Cause it is right here! Whoosh I am tired! But I got another part for you guys. There’s some tough thoughts to work out for Elsa and Anna has her own struggle. ANYWAY ENJOY. Hey go HERE for part 6! And here’s the tag for @hellodemoiselle !

The rest of breakfast was a bit awkward. Menander tried to be positive, tried to get everyone going again and inspire joy, but neither Elsa nor Anna could feel it. When they dismissed him Elsa tried to make an apology for the unfortunate mood that had taken over the meal, but he acted like it was no big deal. Menander rarely tended to take offense to anything and Elsa was very grateful.

Too many other royal visitors liked to act like they were above human emotions.

The sisters left their dishes to be properly picked up by the servers instead of trying to help, knowing neither of them were in a place to even do somewhat of a good job. They left the dining room to start the day, though they didn't want to, while Olaf said he was off to the library. As they made their way into a hallway that would lead to the less home, less personal part of the castle, Anna gently took Elsa's arm and slowed her to a stop, then stepped in front of her.

"Elsa? I don't want to leave you for the day but...but I think I better go talk to Kristoff. This is one of the better chances I'll get to do it since I won't be actually doing the queen stuff..." She bit her lip, showing she felt guity.

It was a good idea and Elsa knew it, so she nodded. "Okay. I think you should too. I'm kind of worried about him." She didn't want Kristoff hurting. Deep down a more selfish part of her wanted to feel like she could hug and touch Anna around him without it being a blow to his heart....

Anna relaxed. "Yes. He's been really good about all of this. He wants me to be happy, you know? I want him to be too." She took a deep breath. "I'm nervous. I don't like being in this position."

"No, I imagine not." Elsa took both of Anna's hands, trying to find something helpful to say. Oh,of course she had suitors who had tried to date her, men and women had insisted they loved her and she turned every one of them down without much of a thought. She hadn't known any of them as more than acquaintances so it didn't weigh on her to stress over their well-being. "Just...just make sure he knows he's our family. He always will be. I'm not great at showing it, but I do love him."

"So do I." Anna squeezed her hands. "Just not the way I thought I did and almost wished I did. I just...I can't feel for him the way I feel around you," she said with red cheeks.

Processing what that meant was still hard for Elsa. "What is it you feel, around me?" she asked. Romance? They were sisters, and that was very taboo, wasn't it? At the same time they never really got to be like sisters. Did that mean anything?

Did it really matter when they were so happy with each other?

Anna looked down at their hands. "It's love but it's more than love. Devotion, longing," she whispered, still looking down. "Longing for what, I don't really know. I-I just need you. Without you I feel all mixed-up and alone."

Elsa felt like her heart was going to pound through her chest. That was about how she felt even if she felt no word or phrase was deep enough to describe it. She lifted their hands and placed little kisses along Anna's fingers. "I feel the same. Nothing feels right unless you are there with me." Anna was that other part of her that Menander's story had mentioned. She knew it and Anna knew it, but she felt scared to vocalize it.

Anna raised her face and Elsa took advantage to kiss her on the lips yet again. She could get used to it. Both of their eyes fell closed and they stepped closer to each other, hands still gripping each other and pressed between them.

They held the kiss for longer than the night before, Elsa's hands moving to her waist as Anna grasped her arms. Elsa wanted to hold her close but she knew they would be significantly delayed if she gave in. So even as her heart told her not to let go, she did, and she sighed when she had pulled her face away. "We have a day to get on with, I'm afraid," she said sadly.

"I know." Anna let go of her as well. "We better...we better get to it, huh?"

Elsa nodded. "Meet you for lunch?"

Anna smiled brightly. "Of course."

Being without Anna for that morning was torturous.

It wasn't meeting after meeting that got to her. They were rather dull and full of things she had to deal with all the time as the queen. There was new staff to hire as a couple of the castle's own would be moving far away. Sometimes that was a challenge, seeking who they could trust, but Elsa was pretty good at detecting anyone who might be trouble.

As a result it was again just another easy but dull task.

The paperwork was where things really got to her, because she was alone in the study reading line after line. Usually she may have enjoyed that retreat from people that still allowed her to work but she couldn't stop thinking.

She was away from Ahtohallan and found herself barely giving it a thought. The glacier, the spirits, the Northuldra - all were very precious to her. She would not just leave them all and never go back. She learned so much in that forest and found a harmony within herself she had sought for her entire life. There was no way she could turn her back on her answer and her heritage.

While she had found that peace in herself, in time she found that it didn't make her fully happy. It didn't make her complete. It just settled the storm into something she could more fully understand.

It didn't mean she wanted to be alone in her understanding and only one person, one soul could fathom the power and beauty of the storm like she did.

That was Anna. That was who she wanted to be with. She didn't think it meant she wanted to marry her, but then what was it? She didn't think it meant sex either, but at the same time she still wanted to feel all of her.

Elsa struggled to understand, and all the while it all only brought her a big headache. She pulled her braid down from the bun to help. She'd worn it long enough.

It only hurt more as again she heard a familiar knock on the door and invited Olaf to step into the study. She hadn't expected him to come see her but had no desire to turn him away. She just hoped he wouldn't be in the mood for his sillier antics.

Yet as he approached Elsa, she could see concern in his wide eyes. "Elsa?" He hurried toward her. "Elsa, are you alright?"

"I'm...why do you ask?"

Olaf stopped on the other side of the desk. "Things at breakfast didn't feel right. I was going to leave it alone but I couldn't. I got worried..." He tapped the ends of his stick fingers together a bit nervously. "Am I allowed to ask?"

"Of course," Elsa said, folding her arms and resting her chin on her hands as she leaned forward. She tilted her head slightly, surprised that Olaf would suddenly ask for permission. "Why wouldn't you be?"

"It feels..." Olaf tapped his chin. "Private. What is happening with you two, sometimes I feel your magic and sometimes I guess I feel something else. I didn't want to intrude," he said with a small voice.

Precious Olaf. Looking at him, Elsa's smile reached her eyes. Of course the magic that made him, that flowed from Ahtohallan and into her, of course it enabled him to pick up strongly on their emotions. She couldn't possibly be mad at him for that. "You're a part of me. You're a part of both of us, Olaf. You can always ask."

He looked up at her with a wide smile. "Then answer me, are you okay?"

She sighed. "I don't know, Olaf." Being honest with him was something she had to do, even if it did feel a little tough. "You see...I only feel complete and happy with Anna."

"Of course," he said with that little chuckle of his. "She's your sister!"

"Yes...but it's something more than that. Olaf, we didn't get to grow up as sisters. At a young age we were pulled apart and even though I would glimpse her in passing, see her at dinner now and then, I couldn't spend time with her due to my powers. I didn't have good control and I was so scared to hurt her. We became two strangers in the same big castle." Talking about it made her heart feel heavy.

"You were never strangers," Olaf insisted while plopping his head - his entire head - on the desk. "At least you tried not to be!"

He was right about that. "I did like to do things for her when I could...sneak treats and gifts into her room when she was asleep if I could, or try to pass things via our parents." She had always done her best to make Anna's life a little better. The guilt she felt when that little girl would knock on her door and ask her to play was almost too much in those days.

She was unsure she would ever shake it.

"You're right, Olaf. We both tried in our own ways. I watched her and listened to her. But it  was still a strange existence." They didn't get to truly know each other until she was twenty-one. Not even as a teenager. The connection wasn't what most sisters had, as far as she knew.

Olaf continued to stare. "Oooooh. Now you two can see each other as much as you want and do whatever you want together! It's exciting! Is that it?"

That was close. She thought so anyway. "Almost. But we've had that freedom and love for a few years now. It's only intensified. Olaf...I've never been interested in romance, having a partner, getting married, anything like that. It doesn't really suit me. But I can see myself spending my life with Anna. I want to give her everything, I want to share everything with her. She is my soulmate Olaf, you see that don't you?" She surprised herself as she admitted all of that. She hadn't even said all of that to herself.

Olaf started to tilt his head and it just fell to the side. He winced. "Oof that was too far...have you said all of that to Anna?" he asked.

She shook her head slowly. "No...we talked a little earlier. She told me how she felt for me. I told her I felt the same and kissed her but we didn't figure anything out." Elsa realized what she said and sat up straight in a panic, covering her mouth. Olaf did not need to know about the kiss.

"You kissed her?" He made a little bit of a confused face. It quickly snapped back to a smile. "True Love's kiss! There's never anything bad about that! It's just another way to show your care."

Slowly, she lowered her hand and looked at him. "Well....yes, I guess it is." Who said a hug or holding hands was the only way for them to show affection? Kissing Anna was just her way. It was just for them. ...And if she saw anyone else even try to kiss Anna she would kindly ask Gale to blow them away and-

Things ran a little deeper than she was sure she could convey to Olaf with words. For the moment, she supposed she was close enough. He had helped in return. "Ah, thank you Olaf," she said, reaching for his head to turn it right side up. "You've helped me work things out a bit."

"Oh, you're welcome!" he said, picking his head up and putting it back on his midsection. "Do you feel better?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.

She didn't have a good honest answer. Elsa felt a little more relieved, yes, but her mind was still a bit heavy. "I guess I feel a little better."

"You'll feel better when you see Anna, then!" Olaf kept smiling. "I'm going to go back to the library for now. You come find me if you need to and we'll find a fun story," he told her.

Elsa smiled at him. "Sure.

Olaf was right. When Elsa found Anna in the Great Hall with a little picnic basket and heavy cloak over her arm, she immediately felt better. She swept upon her with a big hug and would have kissed her, except that there were guards around and Gerda was also about. The kisses were meant to be private.

Anna took her hand. "I figured you wouldn't object to a picnic outside. I've got a nice big cloak to keep you warm."

If she wasn't worried about letting her down, Elsa would have indeed objected. She didn't want to feel the chill. It was too unsettling. However, she nodded anyway and let Anna pull her out.

It wasn't so bad though; Anna had chosen a stone table on the royal grounds that had a little decorative shelter. It even had a little Arendelle flag sticking out from the roof and was in good shape. They had to have eaten in it before, but usually the sisters preferred to wander off farther or sit under a tree. Anna clearly chose it to keep some of the spring breeze off of Elsa. The sun was shining as brightly as the day before and the weather was very calm.

Once Elsa sat, and shivered because her butt was definitely cold, Anna covered her with the cloak and hugged her around her shoulders. She squeezed her and sat down opposite her with the basket on the top of the table.

"I had some warm vegetable soup made," she said as she unpacked a couple of thick bowls with covers carefully attached. Next she took out some rolls and a couple of containers of what she said was hot tea. "I wanted to come outside and away from anyone who might hear us..." she explained and looked at Elsa.

It made sense then, that Anna had asked her to come out even though she knew it might be cold for her. There was indeed no one around them. They were far enough from the walls that even if someone had a window open inside, they couldn't be heard. "I see," she said, reaching for one of the bowls of soup and a ladle for it. "So did something come from your talk with Kristoff, then?" As tired as she was of feeling it, once again she felt anxious.

Then Anna seemed to wilt. Sadness was the main feeling around them, and Anna looked at the top of the table. "He's going to go, for a while anyway."

"Go?"

Anna nodded and picked up a roll, but that was all she did. She didn't even reach for her soup. "He has liked visiting with Ryder in the past and so he decided he wants to go up to the forest to stay with the Northuldra for a while."

"Oh." Elsa didn't know what to say to that. Well, she did, and it was that she thought it was a good fit for him. At the same time she didn't think Anna wanted to hear that right away.

Anna voiced it anyway. "It's a good idea, it is. Kristoff still likes to sleep in the stables and he...well he talks about reindeer so much and how much he loved all the reindeer up there. Ryder is his 'brother from a northern mother' he told me once." She closed her eyes. "It's a good idea." She opened her eyes and they were wet. "He belongs up there," she said and her voice cracked as she couldn't hold it back. Her hands covered her face as she tried to silence her crying.

In a flash Elsa was up and on the other side of the table. She climbed onto the seat and took Anna into her arms, sharing the cloak with her. "Anna, Anna," she said, not sure what she wanted to follow that up with. She just held her tight.

"I know it wil be good for him," Anna sobbed, and slowly lowered her hands. "But he's still my dear friend and family. He will probably visit and he will still supply ice...if we need him we can send for him. But he won't-he won't be here."

"I know." Elsa gave her face little kisses, wishing she could take away the fat tears currently rolling down her own cheeks.

"Elsa I'm going to miss him so much." Anna turned her body completely into Elsa and kept crying. All Elsa could do was keep holding her, keep kissing and nuzzling her face. She wasn't really sure how a genuine breakup and aftermath went. All she had to compare were the times she had separated from Anna, once in a flurry of drama to the North Mountain and again clad in her white dress and riding Nokk.

How she had hurt her...and Anna did not deserve more hurt.

"You will Anna, I know. He needs to do this though. Kristoff needs to heal and this will probably help him." Elsa also knew how much Ryder talked about Kristoff and looked forward to his visits. Someone eager to see him and spend a ton of time bonding with him - actually, Kristoff was probably going to have a nice time up there."Think about the fact he will be happy," she tried to tell her.

Anna nodded a little against her. "He will. I want him happy, so happy. I wish I could have done that for him. I just couldn't."

"And that's okay, Anna. You deserve to be true and honest with yourself." She returned to peppering her with kisses. "It's difficult, yes. It will get better with time." That much she was sure of. Anna's guilt would go over time and Kristoff would still be there for them. For the moment he had wounds he needed to lick somewhere away from them.

"Maybe. With you...it hasn't." Anna looked up at her. "Ever since you left to stay up there I've missed you every day. And now, he'll be up there, and when we are normal again, will you...you'll...what will happen?" she finally asked.

Elsa hadn't expected to be asked that but she knew it was something to address. As a result she wasn't totally thrown off by the question. "Oh Anna...I..I haven't thought about the forest much as all these two days. I'm not even sure I want to go back to living there." She meant it.

"You...wait, what?" Anna sniffed and looked up at her. Her eyes glittered with hope.

"I'm not completely sure yet! I...there is much I still want to learn and see through Ahtohallan and I do enjoy the spirits." Not feeling them ebbing into her mind was strange but freeing. She felt like she had before the call, minus having powers.

Anna studied her face as if looking for any trace of a trick. "You mean it?" The tears weren't falling anymore. "I know you said you aren't sure but..."

"I do mean it. Being without you isn't right. Its not-leaving you had never been part of my plans and though I was distracted, I have still longed to be with you." She kissed the corner of her mouth. "I just don't know what the right decision is." She knew. She just wasn't sure how to go about shifting her life again. Perhaps it was easier than she thought...

"For now, I'll take that answer," Anna said cuddling into her. "For now I need that answer. It doesn't make me feel totally better about Kristoff, but...but it helps." She hugged Elsa under the cloak and rested her head on her shoulder. "It helps."

"I love you, Anna." Elsa closed her eyes and let the feeling of their shared flame envelope them, the chill far away. She rocked just slightly as she sought a way to comfort Anna further. Anna crying wasn't something she was okay with unless it was in joy.

"I love you too," Anna murmured. "I want you to stay forever."

"I know you do," Elsa replied with a smile growing on her face. Could there be a person sweeter than Anna? "We should eat, Anna. The soup will get cold, and even with ice powers I liked my soup hot." She didn't pull away.

"You're right...and YOU should eat!" Anna moved and Elsa opened her eyes to see her looking at her. "You need to warm up Elsa."

Elsa beamed at her. "I'm warm right now. But I am also hungry. Let's enjoy our lunch," she told her, and Anna agreed.

They stayed together under the cloak, cuddled together as they enjoyed their meal. Anna raised her ladle to Elsa's mouth several times and giggled as she fed her while Elsa rolled her eyes but smiled and took it. They linked their arms as they sipped down their hot tea, sharing little glances with barely any talking. Anna's face still showed a little red, her eyes too and her makeup was a little runny - Elsa still liked actual makeup and so her sister used it too.

They decided after eating to go up to their room and fix Anna up. Both of them needed a minute before trying to resume the day. Their emotions were running high, mostly in a good way but Elsa was aware that Anna's sadness hadn't up and vanished. She could still feel it even as Anna hid it for the castle staff.

The basket and dishes were returned to the kitchen. As they exited, Elsa heard music. It was beautiful music, a waltz full of wonder. Violins worked under expert fingers and the carefree melody of the flutes made her smile. "That's wonderful, what is...oh!" Realization dawned on her.

At the same time, Anna responded. "Ah, Menander's band must be rehearsing for tonight! Some of ours are joining, I think. I know they all had a great time last time they all played together."

"Oh it's amazing. Tonight will be great," Elsa told her as they climbed the stairs to the bedroom.

"Uh huh, but you're forgetting something."  Anna snickered. "You don't dance, Elsa."

"So? Why would tha-ooooh." Oh no. The queen was going to be expected to dance. And she was going to have to dance nicely while looking happy about it.

There was a small amount of give luckily. Anna was graceful but she was also Anna, which meant she got carried away and sometimes tripped over her feet or knocked over another human being. Elsa didn't think she would go quite that far, but perfection from her would actually be a bit suspicious.

They reached the room and the music could still be heard. Anna grabbed Elsa's hand and pulled her in, giggling and closing the door. "Come on come on!" she said, leading Elsa to the open part of the room.

The music was very muffled, but it was there. "Anna..." Elsa had a feeling she knew what Anna was about to do.

And she was right. Anna pulled her close and put an arm around her waist. She raised Elsa's other hand in her own and squeezed it. "Time for you to dance. Put your arm over mine."

"Is this right?" Elsa asked, a bit thrown off. She'd watched people dance hundreds of times. She just hadn't felt like paying total attention since she, again, did not dance.

"Yes," Anna said, and she began to move her feet. "Follow my lead, Elsa. We're going to dance." She smirked at Elsa.

Elsa glared back. "You're enjoying this too much."

"I sure am!" Anna gave a little tug to encourage Elsa to move with her.

With some reluctance, Elsa finally lifted a foot to follow. The music was nice and she did kind of want to move to it, just, in her own way. She let Anna guide her, trying to follow her steps.

She stepped on her foot. "Ow!" Anna yelped.

"Sorry!" Elsa tried to pull her hand back from on top of Anna's arm, but Anna shot her a look.

"Don't you dare. Dance with me, Elsa. Move with me," she said and her voice was so soft it sort of lulled Elsa back in.

It was sort of tricky, but Elsa caught on quickly as Anna moved them around the room. Her hand remained in Anna's tight grip as her fingers gently played on her back. They drew ever closer and Elsa began to lose herself a little, everything blurring slightly. Her body almost moved of its own volition without Elsa even trying to tell it to. Her footwork matched Anna's and they went together seamlessly. The music felt louder even though she was sure through the floor and doors they should barely be able to hear it.

In fact, it was as though there were an orchestra in her head and suddenly it happened again.

Elsa was in her body. Anna was in hers. Even though they switched they continued to dance with each other without missing a step. Elsa was looking into Anna's brilliant eyes, the rims not red and her face smooth and perfect. There was no trace of sadness at all. Instead there was glee. There was laughter. There was love.

They were pressed together as their arms ended up around each other once again, turning in slow circles. Anna reached up once to tuck a stray hair of Elsa's before her arm returned to the embrace. They were one and it was perfect.

It was unsurprising that their faces grew closer. They touched their foreheads And Elsa stroked her face. Lips connected once again and eyes closed as they melted into one another. The music was all around them. It encouraged them and told them to keep going. It was even stronger than the call of Ahtohallan had been...

Elsa felt she could stay like that forever. She wanted to. Reality had to come back, however, and the music began to quiet. Their lips separated though they held each other still, and they were back in their bodies. Elsa was almost disappointed. She wanted to see Anna's face.

Even if she couldn't see her face, Anna was still there in her arms. For the moment that was more than enough.

[sebastien-le-booker]

I just finished reading six of crows, for the second time and despite the fact that i knew what was gonna happen, it still was a rollercoaster and my heart was broken and i cried and uuuuuuuuuuuurrrgrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgqhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

so, i decided to make a post with my favorite quotes and parts. again, english is not my first language, the book is not in english, so some of the quotes will be translated by me and google translate.

Also, i decided to post this again bc it doesn’t show up in the tags anymore and it kinda took me a while to edit this because of how “amazing” tumblr works...

"We'll be kings and queens Inej. Kings and queens"

“I’m going to get my money, Kaz vowed. And I’m going to get my girl” 

Those 2 are probably my favorite and idk why but they are. the one with kings and queens just feels so full of hope and i loved how kaz said those words, i just absolutely love it.

and what got me at the second one, was the “I’m going to get my girl” Despite how difficult it is for him to admit his feelings for Inej, even to himself tbh, right now, nothing else matters but “his girl”. The money might matter, but i think that is more about the fact that he got screwed over and you don’t screw over Kaz, but it’s his girl that matters the most.

-

“Scheming face. Jesper whispered to Inej.  

She nodded. ‘Definitely”

From the same category “Kaz and his scheming face”

“Kaz looked south toward Ketterdam’s harbors. The beginnings of an idea scratched at the back of his skull, an itch, the barest inkling. It wasn’t a plan, but it might be the start of one. He could see the shape it would take—impossible, absurd, and requiring a serious chunk of cash.

‘Scheming face,’ murmured Jesper.

‘Definitely,’ agreed Wylan.”

  I love Jesper and Inej and now Wylan being familiar with Kaz scheming face, for me this is sort of like they paid enough attention to Kaz to know what some of his expressions mean and i love the part where it is described how an idea is starting to crawl inside Kaz head. I love it because it was mentioned a lot of the times how smart kaz is, and we see him talk about how he learnt all those tricks from the magicians and set up the plan for breaking into the ice court but now, it’s like we’re inside his brain and we slightly see how it works.

-

“Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get Wylan’s ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost.”

“I’ll just hire Matthias’ ghost to kick your ghost’s ass.”

“My ghost won’t associate with your ghost. Matthias said primply, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain”

-

“’When we get our money, you can burn kruge to keep you warm.’

‘I'm going to pay someone to burn my kruge for me.’

‘Why don't you pay someone else to pay someone to burn your kruge for you? That's what the big players do.’

‘Want me to tell you what real players do?’ Jesper said. ‘The pay someone to pay someone else to…’”

I love these scenes because they’re just sweet, casual moments between them and I’m wondering how many conversations like these did they have and how does a conversation like this sounds for an outsider dhsjldfjs

“’I’ll get us out. You know that.’

Tell me you know that. He needed her to say it. (...) He needed to know that she believed he could do this (...) He needed to know she believed in him.”

-

“He turned his head. They were sitting close together, their shoulders nearly touching. (...) he thought, What happens if i move closer?

‘I don’t want your prayers’ he said

‘What do you want, then?’

(...) a different reply roared to life inside him, loud, insistent, unwelcomed. You, Inej. You“

-

“Because I’ve been looking for an excuse to talk to you for two days”

-

“You okay? Inej asked and Kaz felt himself drawn toward her voice like water rolling down hill.”

-

“Kaz took her hand.

‘Inej, he said, his finger stroking her wrist. ‘If we don’t get out alive tonight, I want you to know that…’

Inej was waiting. She felt hope opening its wings inside of her, ready to fly if Kaz would push it with the right words (…). She lifted her hand and touched Kaz cheek. (…) Inej cupped his cheek in her palm.

‘If we don’t get out of here alive, I’ll die with no regrets, Kaz. Can you say the same thing?’

She could see it took every last bit of his terrible will for him to remain still beneath her touch. And yet, he did not pull away. She knew it was the best he could offer”

-

"He had felt horror and compulsion, but in spite of the chaos that had taken over them, he had also felt a desire that had remained imprinted in his soul, the hope that it would touch him again."

-

“’You shouldn’t make friends with crows.’

‘Why not?’

He’d looked up from his desk to answer, but whatever he’d been about to say had vanished on his tongue.

The sun was out for once, and Inej had turned her face to it. Her eyes were shut, her oil-black lashes fanned over her cheeks. The harbor wind had lifted her dark hair, and for a moment Kaz was a boy again, sure that there was magic in this world.

‘Why not?’ she’d repeated, eyes still closed.

He said the first thing that popped into his head. ‘They don’t have any manners.’

‘Neither do you, Kaz.’ She’d laughed, and if he could have bottled the sound and got drunk on it every night, he would have. It terrified him.”

-

“Kaz seized her hand, keeping it on the railing. He didn’t look at her. ‘Stay,’ he said, his voice rough stone. ‘Stay in Ketterdam. Stay with me.’

He took a breath. ‘I want you to stay. I want you to … I want you.’

‘You want me.’ She turned the words over. Gently, she squeezed his hand. ‘And how will you have me, Kaz?’

‘How will you have me?’ she repeated. ‘Fully clothed, gloves on, your head turned away so our lips can never touch?’

Speak, she begged silently. Give me a reason to stay. For all his selfishness and cruelty, Kaz was still the boy who had saved her. She wanted to believe he was worth saving, too.”

-

“But he could think only about Inej. Inej had to live. She must’ve escaped the Ice Court. And if she hadn’t, Kaz had to survive to save her”

  All of these are all the moments they could have confessed their feelings for each other and some of the moments Kaz thought that Inej is the reason for which the sun still rises and there’s still some good left in the world. Poor boy is trying really hard sometimes but considering the things he’s been through it’s understandable that he doesn’t know how to say how he feels and that he’s probably afraid. But I also understand Inej and why she said “and how will you have me kaz? Fully clothed with your gloves on?” she wants more than what kaz can offer her at the moment but at the same time she also doesn’t exactly blame him and understands that it’s what he can right now.

Honestly, Kaz is “an idiot sandwich”, unable of showing appreciation like a functional person, but I think, the fact that he lets Inej into her office to feed the crows, or takes off his gloves and shirt when she’s around, it shows how much trust there is between them and understanding. I know they’re not perfect, but I love them both as individual characters and how they are together.

-

I love the hints to shadow and bone trilogy like:

“I could read to you if i had anything to read. There’s a Heartrender at the Little Palace who can recite epic poetry for hours. Then you’d wish you had died.”

We all know this is about Tolya, who I love very much and I love how everyone seems to be annoyed by his poems and makes them wanna die just so they won’t have to hear them, but that doesn’t stop him.

Or, how Nina says that people in Ravka are starting to question the existence of the saints and that maybe they were just some powerful Grisha bc look at Sankta Alina… she was no saint and she had the same thought about the saints after finding out that Sankt Ilya was just a Grisha.

-

“Toffee?

Her eyes slid away guilty. ‘Kaz said to pack what we needed for the journey. ‘A girl has to eat”

My girl considers toffee as being essentials and I couldn’t agree more with her. I’ll forever be grateful for having a character like Nina.

-

“I can tell you’ve never picked a pocket.’

‘And i can tell you’ve never given enough thought to your haircut. Kaz frowned and ran a self-conscious hand along the side of his head ‘There’s nothing wrong with my haircut that can’t be fixed by four million kruge”

Idk what I think it’s funnier, Nina picking up on Kaz hair or him being embarrassed by it. She knew how her words would affect kaz and she went for it

-

“Inej heard a grunt and then a loud whump as Nina hit the bottom of the shaft like a sack of laundry. Inej winced”

“ Jesper like a limber insect, Wylan in stops and starts, wiggling like a caterpillar trying to make its way out of a cocoon.”

Yeah, ok Inej, sorry not all of us are as good as you at landings and jumping from buildings and all of that… I love that both of these are from Inej pov because this is her thing and she notices

-

“We'll see what's in store for us tonight, Matthias thought. It's true that tricks are not my language, but I might learn them in the end. "

Uhm… is this the moment this boy started to accept that the Dregs are not That bad and being anything other than a Fjerdan and living your life slightly differently isn’t a crime? *growth*

.-

“’And you're right. I have no right to judge you.’

‘Don't start doing this.’

‘What?’

‘Agree with me. It's a sure way to dying.’

‘I don't like the idea of killing people, either. I don't even like chemistry.’

‘What do you like?’

‘Music. Numbers. Equations. They're not like words. They ... they don't get mixed up.’

‘If only you could talk to girls in equations.’

There was a long silence, and then, eyes trained on the notch they'd created in the link, Wylan said, ‘Just girls?’

Jesper restrained a grin. ‘No. Not just girls.’ It really was a shame they were all probably going to die tonight.”

Two things, Jepser, honey, Wylan will start agreeing with you and it will not lead to anything bad but actually something beautiful called love and you will spend the rest of your lives together and will be happy and in love for the rest of time.

Second thing, I love the “what a shame we could die tonight cause you and I could have so much fun together, oh boy, you’ve got no idea, the things we could do”

-

“Had he just killed two of his kind? Jesper had only wanted to survive. He thought of tthe banner on the wall, all those strips of red, blue and purple. He felt dizzy and confused. He knew the others were counting on him. He had to move on. But he felt that he had left a part of him in the yard, something he had not even known was important to him, something impalpable like fog. "

This made me cry so hard because, yes, Jesper has problems, it’s obvious from the first moment he’s introduced, but I don’t think he’s entirely aware of his problems and if he is, he is avoiding them and I don’t think he actually tries to understand why he enjoys the things that he does. In this scene, tho he is actually affected by what’s happening, he is visibly shaken up. He is a lot of things and I think this is the moment that he actually understands what his power means, why the other Grisha are choosing to use their powers and fight against the people that want to hurt them for their powers and that simply choosing not to use his powers, deny that he’s a Grisha, maybe is not an option anymore.

[bigskydreaming]

Ok, but how would you writte a court of owls and a dick grayson fanfic, focusing on the abduction too, after all the traumas that being destained to be a talon could carry with?, just imagine dick noticing his family could have known this, and then boom, someway the court makes his way to dick core, bat fam have to fighthim, but focusing in all those conflicts and not only the fights

LOL I have a few different Court of Owls’ ideas running through my head at any given time, but for various reasons, some of which I can’t even identify, they almost always tend to be AUs of some kind, where I also play around with different takes on the family dynamics or how the family comes together in the first place. I have no clue why that particular plot point, the Court, tends to pair itself with unorthodox Batfam takes in my head, tbh. It just does.

As an example, the one I’ve come back to the most often and most recently when fiddling around with various WIPs when the chaos of my life these days allows for it, lol.....its called “Where Last We Left Off” and it goes AU from general pre Flashpoint comic book continuity when Dick is still Robin, around fourteen or so. Long enough into his time living with Bruce that they’ve reached a point of considering each other father and son, even if neither is saying as such yet, and past the point where the Titans first formed and and even after Kory first came to Earth, so Dick has well established friendships with Garth, Roy, Wally, Donna, Lilith and Kory at least.

So in it, I set up an initial prelude and then there’s a time skip to five years later, where all the actual fic takes place. My premise is basically that Batman has been operating in Gotham for about seven years by the prelude, Batman and Robin about four or five, and its only in the last couple of years that Batman’s started coordinating more consistently and officially with other heroes as a member of the Justice League. And the point of departure happens when the Court uncovers Batman and Robin’s secret identities while trying to rid themselves of Batman’s interference in their operations even though he’s not aware of them just yet. When they realize that Robin is none other than their intended Gray Son, they decide to try and kill two birds with one stone.

Cue Dick’s abduction, but with a twist. Rather than make him a Talon and subject him to the Talonization process or whatever that’s called, and employ brainwashing or mind control techniques to control him, they make themselves known to Bruce as the ones who took Dick, give him a taste of what the Talons are capable of and make sure he gets a good look at the changes to their physiologies and mental states, and then they make their demands. They won’t subject Dick to any of that.....so long as Bruce agrees to hang up his cape and cowl, and cease all vigilantism and contact with other heroes. They give him forty eight hours to make his decision, and leave him with the body of one of their Talons to ‘study’...in essence, making both an example of how little they care for their tools and think nothing of disposing of one, and to give Bruce more information than he really wants at the moment of all the kinds of things that Talon was subjected to in the ‘making’ of him. 

Unable to find a hint of where they took Dick before the deadline, even when Bruce calls in Clark, Barry and a few others for help searching, Bruce ultimately agrees to their demands and ceases all activity as Batman in exchange for the occasional proof of life demonstrating that the Court are holding up their end of the bargain. If they see even a hint of vigilantism or working with other heroes, they warn, they’ll have no further use for Dick except as just another of their Talons.

Heartsick and with no real idea how to spend his days at first, or inclination to put much thought into coming up with ideas for that, as well as refusing to even speak with Clark and the others, let alone Dick’s friends, at the risk of that being overseen or heard and deemed ‘working with other heroes,’ Bruce ultimately funnels most of his time and energy into charity works and projects mostly born of idle ideas he remembers Dick mentioning every now and then, when complaining about how stupid the way certain things worked or skewering various flaws in the typical upper class reasonings of people he was expected to converse with at various galas....and then venting to Bruce all the way home.

Eventually, Bruce meets Jason in a different way than in canon, but still takes him in. Not to replace Dick of course, or because he’s given up on him (if he ever did that, after all, there’d be no reason for him not to go back out as Batman). But rather just because he has to do something, and the thought of caring for Jason and trying to be for him what he was for Dick, or at least hoped he’d been, it sparks the first real motivation he’s had since the abduction. The one thing he can’t bring himself to regret is taking Dick in, even as he blames himself for thinking so selfishly, since if he hadn’t done that, this would never have happened to Dick (not knowing yet that the Court was always intent on getting their hooks into Dick whether he was in the equation or not). But the point is, he can’t honestly say he wishes he’d never taken Dick in, even as selfish as he feels for that, so he doesn’t let his misgivings keep him from following his instincts with Jason, telling himself it’ll be different since he’s not Batman anymore. (Bottom line being his choice with Jason is still about Jason, not just as a proxy for Dick or anything).

Not all that long after, different events than canon result in him taking Tim in as well (with Tim not aware of his past as Batman at this point in this AU, since I’m positing that Dick was abducted before Tim happened to see Robin doing the flip that let him connect the necessary dots there). And not long after that, Bruce takes in Duke as well, and then finally, about a year before the five year time skip to present day, he takes in Cassandra, due to Barbara’s influence.

Babs has one of the bigger divergences in this AU, as I’m switching things around a little specifically to set Dick’s abduction at just before Babs becomes Batgirl. So she’s not really one of his friends at this point in life, and she sets out to become Batgirl pretty much right after Bruce hangs up the cape. Unable to even confront Batgirl as himself, lest the Court see that as an attempted return to vigilantism, but paranoid that they might view Batgirl as his attempt to work via a proxy, Bruce does a most un-Brucely thing....he anonymously tips off the Commissioner about his daughter’s vigilantism, and Jim Gordon puts a stop to that by unapologetically even playing the guilt trip card to keep his daughter from risking her life night after night. So Batgirl retires almost as soon as she begins, but that doesn’t mean Babs is out of the game by a longshot.

A big part of the reason for that divergence is I’ve always felt that Babs was going to become Oracle one way or another, no matter what road she took there, and although I love her as Batgirl, I don’t view it as fundamentally essential to her overall character as other early personas of other superheroes are. And despite the Bat theme, Barbara has never been dependent on Bruce either for guidance or resources, let alone validation......so I wanted to play around with what happens if you cut the Batgirl portion of Barbara’s life out of the picture completely.

So basically, she just starts becoming Oracle even earlier. She promised her dad she wouldn’t risk her life on the streets in a cape and a mask. She made no such promises about putting her computer skills to use for the greater good, in whatever ways she deems most efficient. Which ultimately leads to her working as a superhero information broker for a growing number of vigilantes who have no idea their cyber eyes and ears isn’t even quite of legal drinking age just yet, and from there, forming the Birds of Prey as satellite agents for missions she directs them towards in a Charlie’s Angels kind of way, where she’s just the voice on the radio so to speak. One of those missions results in Dinah, Helena and a couple others crossing paths with Cassandra, who returns with them to the States. She’s still just a teenager though, younger than when she first crossed paths with the Batfam in canon, only about thirteen here. And the Birds don’t think any of them themselves have the kind of home and stability they all agree she deserves, so they ask the ever mysterious Oracle if she knows of anyone....not realizing just yet that said Oracle is barely a decade older than Cassandra herself at this point. But the Oracle knows all...so she has an idea.

Bruce, being the Walking Guilt Complex that he is, felt shitty about interfering in her attempts at vigilantism even as much as he believes he made the right choice there. So after he adopts Jason, he contrived an excuse to hire Barbara in specific to be Jason’s tutor and catch him up to speed before he went back to school, so he’d have reason to allow Babs to become a regular presence at the Manor, and an excuse for him to help her out any way she might need or want. Not that she ever took him up on this, which frustrates him to no end, cuz can’t a billionaire just assuage his guilt complex in peace already, damn. But regardless, between Jason, Tim and Duke, she’s become a regular fixture at Wayne Manor over the years, even though for the opposite reasons as Bruce initially ‘hired’ her. After all, all three boys are basically geniuses in their own respective fashions, so its not like they need tutoring in the conventional sense once they caught up to speed in whatever ways they needed. 

Rather, Babs is their tutor specifically in the areas of ‘making sure they don’t get so bored with their schooling, they turn to blowing things up and/or world domination as a hobby’. Basically, an overachieving perfectionist know-it-all hired to help three overachieving perfectionist know-it-all kids reach their full academic potential unhindered by their conventional schooling, which at this point is basically just something that Bruce insists on so the boys get regular social interaction, while Babs concocts their actual curriculums that actually interest them and they do on their own time.

Anyway, so while seeking a placement for Cass that Babs thinks is deserving of her, she ultimately thinks of Bruce, and calls in that favor, albeit in a most unconventional sense. Babs doesn’t know Bruce was Batman at this point either, given how effectively he covered his tracks when he hung up the cape and how pointedly he’s kept away from all vigilantism since....but she knows each of his three boys have very different backgrounds and had trouble adjusting at first because of various issues...all of which Bruce spared no expense in addressing, more in terms of his own direct focus and parenting rather than fiscally. He’s a good dad, here, a great dad, since he’s basically poured all the energy and drive he once devoted to vigilantism to what he now feels he should have focused it on instead....being the father he wished he’d been to Dick and wasn’t going to make the mistake of not being now.

All of which makes Babs think that he might not only be willing to take in Cassandra, but that he might be the best one for her. And so after a lot of cloak and dagger obscurity that would be completely unnecessary if all the parties in question knew all the relevant information about each other, Cassandra ends up at Wayne Manor too. 

All of this is essentially backstory for the in between time between the prelude and the actual fic, unveiled and doled out via information conveyed in the present day. But where the actual fic begins, Bruce is committed to being Superdad to Jason, Tim, Duke and Cass, none of whom know he was Batman or the true nature of what happened to their mysterious elder brother who according to the news and what little Bruce and Alfred are willing to say, was abducted years ago with no attempt made to seek a ransom and no idea who did it or why.

Meanwhile, the kids have their own secrets, as Cass has been sneaking out into the city at night and stopping petty crimes and running into some girl in a purple hoodie who calls herself Spoiler. Tim’s preoccupied with a longtime personal quest of his....figure out who the elusive Oracle, all-knowing master of the cyberways is, and in doing so perhaps win their approval and mentorship. And Duke’s metahuman abilities have recently begun manifesting, and Jason ends up helping him test them and figure out what all he can do (after Jason catches Duke in the act of practicing his ghost vision and Duke has to convince him he’s not crazy and nobody needs to tell Bruce). 

And that in turn leads to Duke exploring the house with aid of his powers, trying to learn more about the mysterious missing eldest, and Jason distracting him every five seconds by whispering “what do you see now,” because Jason has also long been endlessly entranced by the mystery of Dick Grayson, and also, Jason has no chill.

With all of the above being the dynamic in existence in ‘present day’....when Dick escapes the Court and returns home.

So the story itself is all about Dick trying to deal with the aftermath of everything that happened to him while the Court’s hostage, and everything that didn’t happen to him and that he missed out on, coming in at the eleventh hour to a family that’s now almost fully formed all in his absence....with a seat at the table that’s been reserved for him the whole time, but with him uncertain as to where and how he fits in all of this.

All while being as cryptic about things as possible, because the one and only thing he and Bruce seem able to agree on, after their bittersweet reunion that doesn’t go how either of them ever imagined it....is to keep the other kids out of all this by any means necessary. Upon learning that Bruce hasn’t been Batman in years and the others know nothing about any of this, Dick’s firm on believing they should keep it that way as he doesn’t even know them yet, but he does know he isn’t willing to risk anything like what happened to him happening to any other child, related to him or not. And Bruce is perhaps too willing to accommodate Dick on this because he still feels this is all his fault, and telling the others everything would mean admitting to them what a terrible father he once was.

Which, he wasn’t, is the thing. One of the many things Dick’s struggling to reconcile now, because just like in the comics, Dick’s early years with Bruce were good more often than they were bad. He realizes upon seeing how easily the other kids interact with Bruce in a parent and child way that this is something he’s envious of, and in hindsight wanted even before he was kidnapped, but now he doesn’t know how to voice that or his fear that that Bruce would only be willing to offer that to him now out of guilt, that if he’d really wanted that kind of relationship with Dick, they would have had it before he disappeared.

Add to that the fact that Dick can’t make up his mind whether he’s grateful and touched that Bruce gave up being Batman just for the chance it might keep him safe from the fate of the Court’s Talons.....because sometimes, Dick resents it deeply...or not resents, per se, but more that he didn’t know the specifics of what was going on in the outside world beyond where the Court kept him, or that they’d made Bruce give up being Batman....so finding that out upon escaping is messing with his head more than he expected, and now he can’t help but feel aware of all the people over the years that could have been helped by Batman but weren’t, because of Dick. Basically, the Son of the Walking Guilt Complex, aka Walking Guilt Complex Jr., is blaming himself and his getting kidnapped, for being the reason Bruce isn’t a superhero anymore.

Meanwhile, it was not a good idea to keep all of this hush hush, if for no other reason than that its impossible to recover from a life-changing ordeal like this at home, when that home is filled with four other people you and two others are all committed to keeping the full details of what happened a secret from. Its not at all the homecoming Dick was picturing and had dreamed of, and he catches himself at times feeling resentful of the others for being there at all, before feeling guilty because the truth is he really is glad that Bruce took them all in and has been good for them, that he still found a way to help people and be true to himself even without being Batman.

There’s other stuff involved too, like the fact that Dick is still keeping things from even Bruce, like everything that happened to him in the Court, because a) he doesn’t want to talk about it, b) he’s afraid of the guilt spiral it’ll send Bruce into, to know that all this time he’d done everything he could to keep Dick safe by giving the Court no reason to break their word....when they never actually made any promise not to try and break Dick by methods not part of their usual Talon process, and c) he doesn’t want to talk about it.

And of course, all his old friends and teammates desperately want to see him and reconnect with him, which he fluctuates between wishing it was easier to explain who they were and have them around without risking their own identities with his new siblings.....and being grateful that keeping the Big Secret from said siblings meant they could only be around so much (like Clark and Diana, etc, who now simply would not be kept away period)....because like with Bruce, Dick is having trouble coming to terms with how much they’ve all changed while he was gone and how much he’s changed, and what this means for them all and how they even FIT now, if they even do at all.

All of which ultimately builds to Dick sneaking out at night to return to vigilantism himself, which makes Bruce throw an epic freakout when he finds out because he only just got Dick back and is not about to risk losing him again. And with Dick trying to convey that he NEEDS this, now perhaps even more than he ever did before, because its the only thing he knows, the only thing that feels familiar, feels right at this point, while everything else is confusing as hell. And even more than that, he needs it in order to feel like the last five years haven’t cost him everything, that they haven’t...’ruined’ him, because what’s the point of him even being home if he’s just as lost and confused as ever and he can’t even save people, do the one thing that’s always made all the shit he’s ever been through feel worthwhile, like it means something?

He needs it, he can’t give this up forever just because something terrible happened one time, that probably would have happened in some form even if he hadn’t been a hero, given what he found out from the Court about his family line. And he’s not wrong to feel that way, is the problem, much like its a problem that Bruce isn’t wrong to feel that if nothing else, its too soon for Dick to be doing this again, and he hasn’t remotely handled any of the many issues weighing on him and the trauma he’s still unwilling to address.

And it doesn’t help that all the while, Bruce has been wrestling with his own uncertainty as to whether to go back to being Batman now that Dick’s safe again and the combined might of the Justice League and Titans have followed his escape route back to the Court and come down on it with extreme zeal. Or whether he even wants to, anymore, if he can justify the risks it includes while now a father in truth not just to Dick but four other kids too (and yes, Damian exists in this AU, he’s just not here yet). He doesn’t want to leave any of his kids without a father, and even more than that, he doesn’t want any of the others following in his and Dick’s footsteps, which also plays a factor in freaking out at Dick’s quick return to a mask.

But he can’t deny that he does miss it too, and more importantly, he misses the way he and Dick used to understand each other without a word, in perfect sync as they swung over the city together. He can’t help but feel like it would be so much easier for him and Dick to understand each other, communicate with each other, if they were back on the same page even if just for one night for old time’s sake. And also he worries about Dick maybe growing to resent his siblings if he feels like they’re the only reason he won’t go back to being Batman, he won’t let there ever be a Batman and Robin again....which then startles him into worrying that on some level he’s afraid of growing to resent his other kids for being the reason not to do that. And around and around and around it goes.

And then the other kids figure it out in their own ways and everything really blows up.

And its hard and messy and painful and nothing short or easily fixed. And there are no good choices or easy choices or right choices. Just a lot of good people trying to make the most good come out of the most bad, and not a clue what that actually means or looks like, let alone how to go about it. 

Ultimately, its Dick at age 19, coming of age in the most unconventional of ways, trying to figure out who he is and who he wants to be after everything that’s happened, and dragging his whole family along for the ride as they’re all forced to ask the same question and then compare notes and hope that even if they’re not all on the same page, they’re all at least somewhere to be found in the same book.

Its about how you can’t go home again....even when home is exactly where you left it, and everything looks exactly the same but everything is different and nothing and no one will ever be the same ever again.

But that doesn’t mean the trek isn’t worth making, because sometimes the only way to make it forward to who you want to be now....is to first go back to where you last were when last you trusted who you were and what you wanted. So you can make your peace with leaving that road untraveled before finding your new direction and setting forth on that road instead.

*Shrugs* So yeah, that’s my ideal Court of Owls related fic. “Where Last We Left Off.”

Not quite the kind of fic you were describing, lol, but I do seem to insist on being unconventional with my takes, lmao.

[lgcjinhee]

*  𝑯𝑰, 𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹𝒀𝑶𝑵𝑬 !!  my name is north, & i’d absolutely love to introduce you to my sweet child, 𝑹𝒀𝑼 𝑱𝑰𝑵𝑯𝑬𝑬  —  an aspiring lead dancer, lead vocalist, & visual center. below the cut, you’ll find a blurb about her life & personality so far, + plot ideas, so if you would like to plot with us, show this introductory post some love & i’ll return the favor !

*  𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑳𝒀  𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬  ( 1999 - 2013 )  !

ryu jinhee was born to a loving mother & father on 29th april in the year of 1999. her family owns & operates a high - end bakery in gangnam, seoul, south korea called kiss of sugar [ 설탕의 키스 ] & their daughter essentially grew up in those same kitchens, & by the time she was five years old, she started to take a liking to the delectable family business, & would often participate in the baking process + decoration. her favorite treats are anything that’s overloaded with buttercream & strawberries, & her mother jokes that, due to being brought up around many delicious treats, jinhee was destined to be a sweetheart later in life, but instead, the opposite effect happened. as she entered school, many of her peers thought she was spoiled brat, it was difficult for her to make friends. it wasn’t so much that her attitude was incredibly poor, but she would often exaggerate, or lie, in order to appeal to classmates, but even at their young ages, they found her really irritating & annoying. so, school wasn’t exactly ideal for her, but when she turned ten years old, she FINALLY was able to make some friends. they were from a different school, & their parents were frequent customers of the bakery. they introduced her to dance classes [ as they were enrolled in them ] & it gave jinhee the confidence to be more ❝ herself ❞ at school. turns out, she fibbed & pandered to her peers out of insecurity, but performance worked to destroy those negative feelings. then, upon her entrance into high school in 2013, her classmates began to view her differently once more, but this time, she was welcomed with open arms due to her beauty. it was a superficial kind of love, really, but she finally felt welcome !

*  𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑪𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬  &  𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮 ( 2014 - 2018 )  !

at age sixteen, she auditioned for an arts school [ sopa ] with the same girls she met at her family’s bakery & was accepted. there, she began to study singing, & dancing, & acting, & it only continued to grow her confidence. though, at this time, her life at home started to become less than ideal. her mother had fallen ill, & wasn’t able to work much, & instead of hiring new employees, jinhee was expected to pick up the slack. this wouldn’t be a big problem, but working long hours in her mom’s stead + doing her best in school wasn’t a great combination. despite the stress, she had managed to become a cutting edge cake decorator. most of her work was extraordinarily good for someone her age, & even though she was good at it, it wasn’t really her true passion. she knew that her mom & dad were getting older, & that they wouldn’t be able to work forever, but she didn’t want to inherit the business, & she made that known to them. it was disappointing, but in the end, they understood. neither of them wanted to force her into a career path she didn’t want to be in. she felt selfish [ of course she did ] but she wasn’t ready to throw away her chance at stardom. being an idol was what she aspired to be now. so, in january of 2017 [ at age 17, at that ] she auditioned for legacy entertainment, & even though she forgot the words to the song she prepared, she was able to make a good first impression, & she was offered a spot as a trainee under their care. the first year was REALLY HARD. balancing a lot of school work, training, & staying up long nights to ensure baked goods were ready for opening in the morning, took a large toll on her mental & physical health. there was a point in time where she caught a flu due to her stress & thought she would have to leave training in order to recover. a trip to the hospital was made her realize she was piling too much on her plate, & after three days spent there due to extreme exhaustion, she was left to make some tough decisions. in the end, she felt selfish once more when she decided to request not to work at her parents’ bakery until she graduated from high school.

*  𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻  𝑫𝑨𝒀  ( 2019 - 2020 )  !

after two years of being free of work obligations, & after graduating from sopa, she agreed to put in some more hours at the bakery. while her mother is doing better than she was, she only works part - time, so splitting the job between the two of them works swimmingly for jinhee & her schedule. now, she’s putting her all into her training, but has agreed with her parents that, if she doesn’t début by the time she turns 23, she would need to hang up her dreams of becoming an idol & search for a more attainable career. it’s a thought she doesn’t want to think about, but realizes the need for security in life is much too precious to ignore. she’s made massive progress in her skills, & feels a slight sense of accomplishment, but she doesn’t want to become too comfortable. she always wants to make progress in her path. with a world full of endless possibilities waiting for her, jinhee hopes you take care of her well as she strives to become an idol !

*  𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑪.  𝑷𝑳𝑶𝑻  𝑰𝑫𝑬𝑨𝑺  !

01. the two friends [ any gender, around her age ] who she met at 12 who introduced her to dancing & performance. they’re all still friends today, & hope to debut together. muses must have lived in the seoul, korea area from 2007 onward. 02. a girl who she has a rivalry with. seems that both of them are highly competitive, & wish to outdo one another constantly. a female / nb muse who is dance or vocal focused is preferred. 03. a boy she confessed her feelings to, but who let her know that he was gay. embarrassed, she apologized, but from that moment on, they’ve become thick as thieves. a m / nb muse who identifies as gay is required. 04. a girl who HIGH-KEY has a crush on jinhee, but won’t confess due to fear of rejection. lots of confused platonic love, play flirting & potential experimenting pending. 05. a boy [ bonus points if he is connected to the girl in plot 04 ] who jinhee is basically in love with. if he was already in a boy group, he’d be her beloved bias — that kinda love. all she wants is for him to ❝ notice ❞ her, but he feigns indifference. how he’d react to her is up to the mun’s discretion, & this plot could go in many directions. a mun & muse who are 19+ is required. 06. a boy who is basically in love with her, but she [ at the moment ] only sees him as a friend. think lizzie mcguire & gordo, or kim possible & ron. it could either be a slow - burn romance, or they could discover they’re better as friends, or anything more fluffy / angsty, too. a male / nb muse, & a 19+ mun & muse are required. 07. a sworn enemy [ of any gender, around her age ] — they absolutely hate each other, but it’s genuinely because they’re way too similar. 08. an ex-boyfriend that she still sorta has feelings for, but he seems to have moved on. they would’ve dated from mid-2018 to mid-2019. could end in many diff ways. a male / nb muse, & a 19+ mun & muse are required. 09. anything else, tbh !

*  𝑵𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑮𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵  !

01. profile. 02. spreadsheet. 03. plot page.

[slvtbible]

ain’t like the other

Warnings: none!

Pairing: black!Y/N x longhaired!harry

[this is a small blurb for all my beautiful Melanin queens out there! Sorry if it sucks:/]

**

Harry wishes his friend’s wedding party would just be over by now,

It’s way past 11 pm and he’s tired as hell. Has been working 24/7 to finish his second album before the deadline finally hit him, his fans deserves the best and that’s why he won’t sleep until he finishes all of it. And because he’s too kind towards people, he couldn’t say no to one of his best mate, so he forces himself to get out of the bed—after only getting 2 hours of sleep— and head out,

Now, he’s starting to regret it. He wishes he just lays his ass on the comfortable bed and never wakes up.

Right now he’s standing alone as he leans his back against the wall, looking over at the newlywed who shares a soft kiss to which the crowd cheer on. He feels his body is about to collapse but it’s not entirely his fault, and it doesn’t feel right for him to excuse himself from the party just to get to sleep.

That would be so selfish of him and so he needs to wait.

“Harry! Thanks for coming mate!” His friend clasps his shoulder as he’s coming from his side, “i know your schedule has been very hectic at the moment but I appreciate it that you took your time to come here.”

Harry nods, giving his friend a dimpled smile. “Won’t miss it for the world, man. Finally has tied the knot, eh?” He jokingly asks

His friend chuckles, letting a small sigh escapes his lips as his eyes stares at his new wife who are laughing and taking pictures with her bridesmaids,

“Yeah, still can’t wrap it around my head to the fact that I’m a married man.” He takes a sip of his bourbon drink,

“Still can’t believe it either mate. She’s a keeper. What a lovely woman she is.” Harry compliments, nodding over to his best friend’s wife,

“Back off Haz, she’s mine.” Trent jokes, chuckling to himself,

Harry responds with a laugh, nudging his shoulder with his knuckles softly, careful not to spill his drink,

“Not planning to steal her.”

The two shares a laugh after, and soon begins to talk about their new lives. Trent asks him about Harry’s family back home and how’s his new album going. The two man even jokes about how Trent used to have a crush on Gemma but failed to asked her out because she already got engaged.

Harry also gives him few advices on how to keep their marriage long-lasting, though he hasn’t been married. He has seen enough of marriages that has failed and hasn’t. His parents for example,

“Well, gotta go. Chelsea needs me to arrange a few pictures in the back or something. See you later H.” Trent smiles and slaps his shoulder playfully before walking away to his new wife,

Harry’s left to swim with his thoughts yet again. He should’ve bring a plus one to this wedding. But he’s already fed up with the media stirring up some shit about him. If he asked one of his friends who’s a boy, people will immediately assume he’s gay and if he asked one of his girl friends to be his date, media will making up rumors about how she’s Harry new girl and shit.

That’ll only create more drama between the fans and he doesn’t want that. He had enough of fans arguing about his sexuality when himself hasn’t even confirmed yet, people may think he hasn’t seen what they written about him. He knows

He loves his fans to death but God forbid to say that they can be such huge pain in the ass sometimes. But he chooses not to say anything, because he’s known as the nicest guy on earth

Or at least that’s what he thought,

“This scene isn’t really your cup of tea, is it?”

He hears a soft yet [he can assume] fake British accent speaks from behind him,

In curiosity he turns around and he swears that she’s the most beautiful woman he has ever laid his eyes on in this party.

Her hair is dark—almost black— colour, pulled into a high bun which he can easily make out her long lashes that compliments her big brown eyes. Pink lips gloss paints her plump lips that he can’t help but stare at for what it feels like eternity,

What captivates him the most is her white shoulder off dress that stops right above her knees. Contrasts beautifully with her dark and glowing skin tone, and shapes the perfect large portion of her breasts and the rest of her curves that he has been longing stare as he does with her lips.

“Sorry that was bad. I’m not British actually but i went to school in London.” She says blushing a bit, stirring the drink with the olives

He smiles, setting his attention to the beautiful girl standing before him. “Really? Thought you were real posh for a sec.”

She rolls her beautiful eyes but manages to smile anyway, “right? Did you know that they’re looking for the 2.0 Scary Spice at the moment. I just knew i had to volunteer.”

Both laugh at her joke and he can’t help but notice how pretty her smile is and how her eyes squinting a bit as she does it. It’s truly the most prettiest sight he has ever seen in a while,

He learns that her name is Y/N and she just graduated from Kingston University for a Criminology major. And now she’s taking a gap year before she continues to pursue a major in Master but she has been having second thoughts about that.

“Bride or groom?”

She’s quick to shake her head, waving her hand off. “Neither. Just here for the free drinks because my sister asked me to be her date tonight.”

He nods in understatement, not once tearing his eyes from her beautiful face as she continues rant about the lack of music taste in this wedding and how she says that they should hire her to manage the music section,

Laughing, he pushes his soft hair back and says “you look like a person who knows their music.”

She hums in agreement. “I don’t know about you but, I’m into Kehlani, Sevyn Streeter and BJ The Chicago Kid kind of stuff. Or something relevant to those people.”

He nods again, not really knowing who are those people she has just said. He can’t help but feel a little embarrassed by it,

“Never heard of them actually” He shyly admits, sipping on his drink as he watches her shocking reaction,

“What the fuck?” He chokes on his drink when he hears her cuss, “Who even are you Harry Styles?”

He shrugs and smiles innocently at her which only receives a jaw dropping reaction from her,

“Lemme guess. You’re like Frank Sinatra and The Beatles kind of man, ain’t you?”

He holds his hands up, “you got me” he jokingly says, watching her shake her head and lets out a small giggle,

It’s the most adorable sound ever,

“I can tell. You should try and listen to RnB for your own sake. Jhene Aiko is great too, got that kind of chill vibes you can listen to in midnight.” She suggests, pushing a fringe out of her face,

He listens carefully to what she’s saying and he’s not pretending. He makes a mental note that he has to check these artists and their projects out, perhaps adding them to his playlist as well so that he won’t forget,

Two hours full of them sharing their music taste, the food in the wedding, upcoming tours and stuff. She mainly asks about his happiness and favorite artists other than The Beatles, and he finds himself enjoying these type of conversation. She sees him as Harry not Harry Fucking Styles,

They have gotten closer to the fact that they are sitting on the chairs that has been placed on the outside, enjoying each other’s company and how their shoulders casually bumping with each other because of how close they are right now.

She shares about her experience on going to college for Criminology major, discussing how some people in her uni are major pain in the ass because they sometimes would fight over small little things. And the way she delivers the words causes him to laugh even more,

He loves watching her talk. It’s calming to him,

“Oh shoot, i gotta go.” She suddenly says, looking down to the time on her phone, “I’m sorry Harry.”

His face falls in disappointment, not wanting her to leave just yet. “What? Why? Do you have work tomorrow?”

“An interview to be exact and i need this so bad.” She sighs, standing up to her feet as he stands as well,

“Oh well, want me to take you home?”

“You don’t have to H. I drove here.” She smiles, drinking her last gulp of the martini and place the glass down. “I had a great time with you Harry. Really did. So it’s not because of you alright? Calm your tits.”

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he laughs at her choice of words. “We’ll see eachother again right?”

“Of course, Harry. You have my number right?” She asks with a grin, winking before she pecks him on his lightly stubble cheek,

“See you around Harry.”

**

Lemme know if y’all want part 2!!

[ruinedthatfriendship]

If Only

A/N: Almost cried when I found it, almost cried editing it... I’m so sorry for the emotional pain. 

In the back of the car, Demi anxiously twisted her fingers, her acrylic nails clicking together occasionally. Her stomach was all butterflies mixed with the lead weight of pain that never really went away, and a part of her wanted to lean forward and ask her driver to just take her home.

But she promised. She’d promised she’d always come, she’d always be there. Words whispered so long ago but still burned into her memory. She was only twenty, lying tangled up in hotel sheets and laughing and falling so hard, getting caught up in something she didn’t understand, and she’d given her word.

It broke something in her chest to get out of bed this morning, but she’d done it. She’d gotten up and methodically walked into the bathroom, stood in the shower and turned the water on as hot as she could stand. She was still numb inside when she got out.

She’d wrapped a towel around herself, pushing down memories, and went to stand in front of her closet, contemplating.

She’d settled on that old floral dress from what felt like a million years ago, the one she’d worn for one of the audition cities. He’d liked her in that dress, and told her so. He’d stripped it off of her in the dressing room and made her feel things she hadn’t known were possible, and she hadn’t known that was the last time.

Not the last time they fell back into each other, they were always going to be two ill-fated magnets. But it was the last time without tears in her eyes, the last time no one hastened to get dressed and leave, the last time they made love. The last time she saw him without the knowledge of Lauren hanging over both of them.

A glance out the window had told her it was chilly out, overcast and windy, but she’d forgone a jacket anyway. This would be her armor today, just this dress, and maybe the cold would keep her grounded.

In the car, Demi stared resolutely down at her lap, her eyes going to the words on the insides of her wrists. Stay Strong. And she had faith on the outside of her arm, and that cross inked on her hand. She could do this, even if it made her want to scream at God a little bit sometimes.

After all, she’d made a promise. A verbal one with her lips, a silent one in her heart. She’d always known, some part of her had always known. They’d never really be over, no matter what happened, he’d always be a part of her. Some part of her would love him until the day she died.

The car rolled to a stop at the curb and Demi swallowed hard, collecting herself before stepping out onto the sidewalk. She’d worn a sensible pair of flats, a sad smile creeping onto her lips at the memory of all of the times he’d caught her when she wobbled in those platform heels.

How could one little backstage fling have turned into this? It was fun and exciting and he was stupidly sexy and it was some last hurrah of her rebellion, even though she was sober now. But the banter and the games and the sex had turned into something neither of them could control.

He’d invaded her every thought and every action from that very first day. He’d broken her heart, shattered her, when he told her about Lauren’s pregnancy. She’d thought about his face the day she walked down the aisle toward another man, and guilt still ate at her sometimes. She still called herself a “brat” when she was mocking herself, she still couldn’t quite endure anyone calling her baby.

And most days she could say she was happy. She could say she had a lovely life, and a successful career, and adoring fans. She had a pair of children who loved her and who she loved beyond reason, a good, honest man by her side.

None of that had ever stopped a shadow from crossing her face sometimes, inexplicably, when her thoughts strayed. It could have all been so different, if only the two of them had believed. If only she’d convinced him a little harder. If only he’d loved her just a little bit more. They’d been so close.

If only.

And now here she was, squaring her shoulders and clasping her hands together, to see him one last time. To fulfill the promise she made to him so long ago, to give herself what she needed to finally let go. Let him go.

Demi blew out her breath, already feeling tears stinging her eyes. “Hi, Simon.” she whispered thickly, staring straight ahead at nothing. It would be easier this way.

For a long moment, she just stood there, feeling the wind on her body and admittedly regretting that lack of a jacket. Her hair blew into her face and her skirt billowed up and she set about fixing herself for something to do, before the silence got to her and she just started talking.

“I don’t know why I’m here again. There’s no point, you know.” She laughed weakly, shook her head. “I--it’s too late, Simon,” her voice broke. “And I can’t go back. Wilmer--today, I--I don’t even get out of bed, some of these years. I want to hate you so much.”

She sucked in a shuddering breath, bitter and glaring and still softened by love. “I never stopped loving you, you know. I know, I know, just move on. It was so long ago. But nobody could ever hold a candle to you. Not really.” A little nostalgic smile crept onto Demi’s lips.

“Wilmer sends his regards. Well, he doesn’t really. Actually I think he kind of hates you. But--but the kids do.” she softened. “They’re so beautiful, Si. Sienna is about to start high school, and it’s terrifying. And Sam is… well, he’s a lot. And sometimes I think it was all worth it, for them. The way everything turned out--I got my babies, and you got Eric. But you were right about me,” she rambled, “and I am a selfish brat, and sometimes I still just wish the three of them were ours.”

“God damn it, Simon.” Demi choked out. “Why did you do it? Why did you ever do any of it?” She fisted her hands in the sides of her dress. “Why me? I wasn’t the only young artist you could have hired. Why me, in the first place? Why did you ever give in? Ever fall for me? Why wasn’t I good enough, at the end? Why Lauren?” She shook her head wearily. “And why did you have to get in that fucking car?”

She spread her hands, shaking her head again. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I didn’t even come here to yell at you. You still make me stupid. I still don’t know what to do without you. I just--” Her voice broke again, and she started crying in earnest, just standing there brokenly while tears ran down her cheeks and the wind wreaked havoc on her hair, standing there in that park at the top of a rolling hill.

“I miss you,” she fought past the lump in her throat. “I just really, really fucking miss you. So much.”

Demi absently rubbed the tattoo of the cross her hand. “Goodbye, Simon,” she whispered thickly. “I’m gonna see you someday.”

And then she pressed a shaking hand to her lips and reached out to lay it briefly against the cold stone marker, another sob wracking her body as she let the final gesture say what she couldn’t. I will always love you.

And then Demi turned, gasping, letting the wind dry the tears on her cheeks, and walked back down the hill and back to the sidewalk where her car was waiting. She wouldn’t turn around. She didn’t need to see it again, the words would always be branded into her memory.

Simon Phillip Cowell

Beloved son, brilliant visionary, loving father

1959 - 2015