#god his acting choice to stare down the duke for a bit in the first gif is sooo good

[cerealbishh]

Why does my heart cry? Feelings I can't fight!

@starcuffedjeans

[catcze]

ATE ATE ATE

city of stars from la la land with wriothesley

OH OH OH

OKAY my GOD OOOO so as i write this right im playing it rn in the background and It's inspiring me and making me think thoughts of Wriothesley when he was younger and before he had taken the title of Duke. When he was still an underground boxer and after showing his prowess in the ring, one of his friends decided to treat him by bringing him to one of the most popular (yet classy) bars in all of Fontaine. He tries good (in his opinion, terribly overpriced) food and drinks for most of the night, enjoying his win.

It's on his second hour there that the lights dim and the previous singer steps down from the stage. Wriothesley doesn't pay much attention, at first— the previous act had been a good singer for sure, and their voice had done well to match the ambiance of the club, but he hadn't found himself particularly enraptured by them or anything. He thinks that will likely be the case with the next performer too, attention grabbing for just the first few songs, then conversation with his friends will take his attention yet again.

But lo and behold— you step onto the stage, the crystals and gems and sparkles on your person shining like rain drops under the spotlight and making you absolutely glow, and Wriothesley is hooked. For the rest of the evening, he is enraptured by each song that you croon into the microphone and the way your eyes shut when you get particularly into a song. He no longer finds interest in his friends and instead leans forward in his seat, elbow on the table and chin in his palm, watching you like you are the only thing worth looking at in the entire room. Wriothesley wishes he knew what it was like to be the microphone stand that you hold as you sing— wishes he knew what it was like to have you sing quietly and softly into his ear, as if you were performing just for him. Would you sway him back and forth in time to your tune, as you do with yourself onstage? Would you lean close enough to him for him to feel the brush of your lips with each breath that escapes you?

It must be the drinks, Wriothesley thinks to himself, in a moment of clarity, head in his hands as he questions himself. He's not even spoken to you and here he is, down bad. And you can tell you've got him transfixed too, he thinks. He swears that he's seen you wink at him several times, though he blames the worsening flush on his cheeks on the alcohol.

You end too soon in his opinion, the lights coming on again as you bow, letting those gems on you sparkle. He claps alongside the rest of the crowd, doing his best to seem normal and not clap like his life depended on it. To his dismay you quickly vanish after you take your bow and step offstage, and he cannot for the life of him find you in the crowd again.

He excuses him from his friends, peeling away from his seat and heading over to the bar where he quickly flags down the bartender. "Hi," he says when the man approaches him, glass in hand. "I was wondering if you could send a drink to the singer just now? If that's alright?"

And the barkeep stares at him a bit, blinking before— "Yeah, I can do that. What drink do you want to send?"

"Er, champagne, maybe? Or wine?"

"Our talented singer's drink of choice after a performance is a margarita," offers the bartender with a well-meaning (if not mischievous) smile.

"Send that then, please."

"Any message you want to send along with it? A name, perhaps?"

He hand the man enough mora for the drink, "No, it's fine. I'd just like to express my admiration towards the performer is all." And he hopes that the bartender doesn't see the slight redness in his cheeks.

Later, after he heads back to his seat with his friends and has resigned himself to being little more than a mere audience member that you'll never think about again, he's surprised by the same bartender approaching their table and setting a glass of whiskey before him.

"From our friend," says the bartender, handing him a small slip of paper with that same smile from before.

I'm off in 30, and i know the perfect place for a midnight snack, is hastily scrawled on, and Wriothesley can feel the excitement make his pulse race.

The bartender hands him a pen, and in the neatest hand he can muster, he writes Yes, please, underneath your message. The bartender quickly takes the slip of paper, already beelining towards the backstage entrance.

Wriothesley takes a sip of the whiskey, leaning back in his seat. There's a buzz in his veins, entirely unrelated to the alcohol now, as he checks the time on his friend's watch.

These are going to be the longest 30 minutes in his life.

[the-iceni-bitch]

Territory Getting Hotter

Pairing: Carol Danvers x enhanced!Fem Reader

Words: ~2.9k

Summary: You’ve made another mess for the Avengers and they find out about your relationship with Captain Danvers

Warnings: explicit language, explicit sexual content (fe receiving oral sex, use of toys, squirting, overstimulation, light dom aspects), mentions of canon level violence, SMUT!!!! 18+ ONLY!!!!

A/N: I love these two!!! Dom!Carol is it you guys, wow. Also, reader is such a massive pain in the ass and I love her for it, I can’t wait to piss off every single Avenger with her antics.

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You beamed at Carol when she walked into the kitchen, still bleary eyed from sleep as she stretched and ran a hand through her hair.

“Hey babe!” You grinned at her. “Guess who made pancakes?”

“You’re the best sweetie.” She murmured, wrapping around your back and nuzzling into your hair. “We’ll make a housewife out of you yet.”

You laughed as she moved to pour herself some coffee when there was a sudden pounding on the front door.

“Danvers!!” A low voice shouted through the door. “Open up, its Rogers!!”

“Shit!” She hissed, looking around frantically as she tried to find someplace to stash you.

“Would you relax?” You said as you rolled your eyes at her. “He has to find out sometime.”

“Yeah, but not today! He already sounds pissed. One second!!” She shouted back, throwing on some sweats. “Just find somewhere to hide, I don’t feel like dealing with this today.”

She moved to open the door as you shook your head at her, weighing your hiding place options.

“Hey Steve, what’s up?” She said, nonchalantly as she let him inside.

“What’s up? Have you watched the news yet this morning?” He seethed as he stormed into the kitchen.

“Oh no. What did she do?” Carol said, taking a deep breath and cursing you in her head for whatever shit storm you’d started now.

“I can’t even talk about it, I’m so mad.” He growled, moving to pour himself a cup of coffee without even asking. “Even Stark was pissed, and he’s usually pretty lenient.”

“Uh-huh.” Carol said as she chewed on her lip and nibbled on a piece of bacon.

“She managed to drag Thor into it, too. We may have to move her to a full time handler, one that she can’t corrupt.” He said, starting to calm down a little bit. “We’re having a meeting about it in 30 minutes, just wanted you to be prepared. How would you feel about taking her on?”

Carol heard a snort from somewhere in the apartment and did her best not to whip around to find you. Unfortunately Steve heard it to with his damn super soldier hearing.

“What was that?” He hissed, his eyes darting all over the quarters.

“Uh, my smoke alarm’s been acting up.” Carol muttered, trying to usher him out the door. “I’ll think about it, see you soon!”

She slammed the door closed and started searching for you.

“What the fuck did you do, baby?” She asked, scanning the apartment for you.

“Y’know, I think I’m gonna leave that for a surprise.” She heard from above her head and shot her gaze upwards.

You had somehow managed to wedge yourself into a tiny corner in the ceiling of the hallway leading to her bedroom. She was giving you a disapproving look as you dropped to the floor with a grunt and grinned at her.

“You think you can handle me babe?” You said as you moved to the bedroom to get dressed.

——————————————————————————

The two of you were sitting across from each other in the conference room half an hour later, trying to act like you didn’t fuck each other’s brains out every chance you got.

Or, at least Carol was. You were sliding your foot up the inside of her leg as she glared murderously at you and you just grinned like an idiot. She shook her head at you and turned to look at the giant screen where Tony was pulling up the surveillance footage as the rest of the team gave you exasperated glances.

“Oh, here we go, we’re getting to the good part.” Tony said, giving you a meaningful look as he slowed the footage down. “Now who’s this guy you just punched in the face and then threw across the club like a rag doll?”

“I think that’s the Duke of Edinburgh.” You said with a shrug, leaning back in your chair.

“No, that’s the Duke of Sussex, y’know, the queen’s nephew.” Nat said as she took a long drink of her coffee, looking exhausted.

“Oh shit, really?” You said, still grinning like an idiot. “Whoops.”

“And wait, here’s where Point Break blows all the lights in the club, which he says was your idea, so the two of you can make a run for it.” Stark said when the video suddenly went black.

“We weren’t making a run for it, we were pursuing our suspect.” You said, staring daggers at Thor as he tried to sink into his chair.

“Uh-huh, and did you catch your suspect?” Steve said through gritted teeth.

“Yeah, he’s in holding right now.” You said with a shrug.

“What?! Why wasn’t that in your report?” Rogers said as he started to dig through the pile of paperwork in front of him.

“I haven’t completed the report yet, Captain Rogers.” You said lightly. “I made sure to update Captain Danvers though.”

“Let’s not get off track, this is about you assaulting a member of the royal family.” Tony said as he tried to redirect the conversation.

“He assaulted me first! He grabbed my ass and made some very ungentlemanly comments about what he would do if he got me in his car.” You said, pouting as you rested your head on your hands.

“He did grab her ass, Stark. I saw it.” Thor piped up before Rogers shot him a look and he went back to inspecting his coffee.

“So you threw him? That seems like a bit of an overreaction.” Tony said with an uncomfortable shrug.

“It’s a reflex, Stark.” You said, your eyes rolling back in your head as the other women frowned at him. “Sorry, I don’t think putting up with sexual harassment is in my job description.”

“Ok, ok fine. Nat, is there anyway you can spin this?” Stark said, turning to Romanoff as she let out a deep sigh.

“Yeah, the man is a pretty notorious dog, shouldn’t be too hard.” She muttered.

“Great! Excellent meeting team, see y’all at the next one!” You said, starting to stand up before Steve turned his attention to you.

“No, we still need to discuss your recklessness, Y/L/N.” He seethed, shooting you a scowl that you returned with a mocking air that had Carol trying to hold back a snort. “I’ve thought about it a lot and I think the best course is to have you under more direct supervision. I considered splitting up you and Odinson but I feel like that would just spread the chaos around after how much you’ve corrupted him.”

You shot a grin and a wink at Thor that he returned as the two of you finally relaxed, but Steve was still talking.

“So, Danvers is going to be accompanying you on your missions now. I feel like her levelheaded attitude is just what’s needed to keep you two in line.” He said with a satisfied smirk.

“Uh, you sure Danvers is the best choice there, Cap?” Tony said whole Nat snickered into her coffee.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t she be?” Steve said as he looked around at everyone’s amused expressions with confusion.

“They’re fucking each other Steve.” Nat said nonchalantly, sending Steve into a spluttering fit as you started cackling and Carol just rolled her eyes and groaned.

“What?!” Rogers roared, his eyes moving frantically between you and Carol as you grinned at him like an idiot. “How long has this been happening?”

“Six months.” Carol said resignedly, taking a gulp of coffee as she shrugged uncomfortably. “Didn’t really feel like dealing with the paperwork.”

“Si... six months?” Steve groaned, burying his face in his hands. “And you didn’t think that might be a conflict of interest?”

“Don’t worry Cap, Danvers is quite the disciplinarian.” You said with a wicked grin as you waggled your eyebrows suggestively.

Carol growled at you and gave you a meaningful look, and you just rolled your eyes at her before leaning back on your chair and propping your boots on the conference table.

“Well... shit.” Steve sighed, running his palm over his face in exasperation. “I guess Bucky can probably oversee some of your ops, and I’ll take over the rest of them. What?”

You and Thor both groaned at that, rolling your eyes at each other.

“Just, Barnes? Could you pick a bigger stick in the mud?” You said with a shrug. “I mean, we get it dude. You were tortured by evil scientists for years who turned you into a mindless killing machine, who wasn’t? And, I love you Steve, but do you even drink?”

“Ok, we’re gonna head out now.” Carol said as she frowned at you, stepping between you and Steve before a real fight broke out. “Guess we’ll report to HR as soon as we can.”

“Uh-huh.” Rogers mumbled, pouting a little as she ushered you out of the room.

Nat followed after the two of you lazily, shaking her head at Steve and Tony as Stark and Thor tried to assure the Captain that he was loads of fun to be around and a blast at all their parties.

“Congrats again you two.” She said with a grin as she split down a different hallway to her own quarters.

“Thanks Nat! You ever gonna tell him about you and Wilson?” You yelled after her, laughing when she flipped you off over her shoulder. “Told ya they knew, babe.”

“Yeah.” She mumbled before grinning at you. “So, you beat up a royal?”

“Shit. In my defense, I didn’t know he was a royal until after I threw him.” You said, following her down the hall back to her apartment. “I thought he was just a smarmy asshole.”

“That’s the problem, sweetheart.” She purred over her shoulder. “You never consider the consequences of your actions.”

“That’s all I think about, babe.” You said with a wicked grin as you waited for her to open the door.

“And now you’re dragging poor Thor into your messes.” She tutted, shaking her head at you as she closed the door and stripped off her jacket. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you had a little crush on that himbo.”

“If you didn’t know better?” You beamed at her, starting to unbutton your jeans and step out of your boots. “Honey, he’s a literal god. I have a massive crush on him.”

“Oh, are you trying to make me jealous?” She ripped off her tank top and threw it aside. “Cuz I’m already pissed at you.”

“Yeah? What’re you gonna do about it?”

She stepped forward and gripped your jaw tightly, smashing her mouth to yours as she started steering you towards the bedroom. You yelped when she tossed you on the bed, grinning as she climbed on top of you.

“You’re such a bad girl.” She growled at you, ripping your bra off in one quick motion.

You screamed when she slapped your tit harshly, the stinging sensation warming your chest while she bent to open the top drawer of the nightstand.

“I am. I’m fucking horrible.” You gasped as she rifled around. “What are you doing?”

She grinned at you as she straightened back up, holding a set of extra shiny looking restraints.

“These are vibranium.” She cooed as she grabbed your wrists and dragged them above your head, hooking them through the headboard as you panted underneath her. “I stole them from R and D, and there’s no way even you can break out of them.”

“Yeah, we’ll see.” You said around a smirk, giving your hands a test yank and nodding appreciatively as Carol shackled each of your feet to the opposing bedposts.

She bit her lip as she stared at you, your legs spread wide over the bed and making your back arch. You moaned as she tore off your panties and slapped your pussy, your muscles twitching as arousal seeped out of you.

“Mmm, you look so good like this.” She mumbled, sliding down until she was laying between your thighs. “Can’t decide whether I should edge you all night or make you come so many times you forget your own name.”

She ran her tongue over your slit in a heavy stripe and you let out a shriek as you came as soon as she reached your clit. She pressed your hips into the mattress as she lashed her tongue against your bundle of nerves, making your legs quiver with the strain of your orgasm.

“Looks like you made my decision for me.” She grinned at you before diving back in.

Her tongue swirled through your folds expertly, sucking your lips into your mouth and humming against you as your pussy started clenching around nothing. She wrapped her lips around your clit and you came again with a sob as your limbs pulled against the restraints, your body trying to arch off the bed.

She shoved her tongue inside you and you screamed as another orgasm crashed over you when her teeth brushed against your tiny bundle of nerves. Carol kept curling her tongue inside you as you vibrated underneath her, moaning as your release flowed into her mouth and soaked her chin.

“Fuck, Carol!” You whined as she sat up between your legs and lightly ran her fingers over your inner thighs. “That was almost too much.”

“Oh, we’re not done yet.” She smirked as she watched you panting underneath her, reaching for the bedside table again while you squirmed.

“Hey!” you exclaimed as she pulled out a massive dildo from the drawer of toys. “Is that my stormbreaker? I’ve been looking for that!”

“Yeah, well I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.” She murmured before dragging the length on the thing through your slick coated folds, making you keen. “Did you know this thing comes with a thruster?”

“Yeah, why do you think I bought it?” You teased before your eyes rolled back in your head as she shoved it inside you.

She started fucking you with the toy at a punishing pace, grinning as you came apart like putty in her hands. Tears started leaking down your cheeks when she turned the vibrating function on and angled it so it was teasing against your clit with each push.

You whined as she bent over you and wrapped her lips around your nipple and swirled her tongue around it. She grinned against your chest as you tried to arch into her mouth, your restraints still holding you in place.

“Mmm, you gonna come again baby?” She muttered, nipping at the curve of your breast as your body started twitching, your release looming over you as you sobbed wordlessly. “Do it, you look so pretty when you fall apart.”

She twisted her wrist and you shrieked as your pussy fluttered wildly, your release leaking out around the dildo and pooling on her sheets. Your cried as she kept fucking you through it, wet sloshing sounds filling her bedroom as the toy slid in and out of you easily.

You let out an inhuman wail when she turned on the thruster and you felt the tip of the toy punch you in the cervix, coming again immediately as your body writhed wildly.

“Shit, I see why you love this thing.” She smirked as she kissed her way up your chest, still shoving the toy into your overworked cunt as your body went lax, your head polling to the side and drool leaking from the corner of your mouth. “You think about Thor fucking you when you use this, babe? Maybe I should bring him in here to fuck you stupid while I watch, would you like that?”

You just mumbled stupidly as your body shook with another orgasm, sinking into the bed in your fucked out state. Her slap snapped you out of it, making you take in a sharp breath as your brain rebooted.

“I asked you a question.” She growled as she twisted the toy again and you let out a low moan.

“I feel like this might be a trap.” You gasped as she palmed at your breast and laid down against your shoulder, still thrusting the toy into you viciously.

“That sounds like a yes to me.” She purred, nuzzling into your neck as she gave the toy a final push.

You screamed as she pulled it out of you suddenly, your release squirting out of you in a violent rush. Your body thrashed violently with the power of your orgasm and Carol cursed as you snapped her headboard and bedposts, the bed frame shuddering before one of the legs gave out and it sank to the floor with a crash.

“Holy fuck, you ok?” She asked, sitting up and grinning at you as she assessed the damage you’d caused.

“Yeah.” You said, swallowing thickly as you moved your limbs with a groan. “At least we know the cuffs work! Sorry about your bed.”

“Don’t worry about it.” She murmured, grabbing the key and unlocking the restraints before pulling you back against her chest. “We’ll just use yours I guess.”

“Are you gonna move in with me? I think that may give Rogers an aneurysm.”

“He’ll get over it.” She shrugged as you nuzzled into her chest. “Now, how do you think we should approach Thor?”

“What?! You were serious?”

——————————————————————————

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[musical-shit-show]

could have danced all night

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x Reader Inspiration: Prompts #2 (“apparently all our friends have a bet going that we end up together.”) #14 (“when i’m not with you, it’s almost like…i can’t breathe.”) and #41 (“i may or may not have left some…marks.”) Warnings: sexual references, kissing, meddling siblings, fluffy fluff Word Count: 3,733 Author’s Note: This is my first request! Big shout out to @acmbooksandfilm​ for sending this in, I had a lot of fun writing it. Also, apologies on it taking a bit to get out, writing has gotten difficult as my real adult job has slowly turned my brain to mush. But, if you would still like to send in a request, feel free! My DMs and Askbox is always open, even though it may take a little longer to complete requests. And as always, check out my Masterlist, About Me page, and Prompt Lists. Thanks for all the love on my other one shots and enjoy!

“Colin, enough,” Benedict huffed as he threw on his shiny black tailcoat, “Surely you have better things to do than pester me about my love life.” Anthony, Benedict, and Colin often crossed paths when getting ready for the numerous events of the season, and now the younger Bridgerton brother was doing everything to get on his elder sibling’s last nerve.

“I’m merely pointing out the obvious, Benedict,” Colin said smugly, straightening his cravat as he looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn’t help but flash a mischievous smile at his reflection, “Practically everyone in the ton knows about you two, what’s the harm in proposing?”

“What on God’s green earth are you two talking about?” Anthony strode into the room, closing the door in the likely event that Colin said something inappropriate and scandalized one of their younger sisters or, heaven forbid, their mother.

Benedict couldn’t help but flush. Yes, he was close enough with his brothers to discuss all matters surrounding women, but it felt wrong for him to talk about you. Especially when your relationship wasn’t meant to be any sort of relationship whatsoever.

It had started out innocently enough; you had been close with his younger sister Eloise and Penelope Featherington for years, acting as surrogate older sister on account of you being several years older than them. You were also friendly with Daphne and Simon Bassett, and often had tea with the pair when they weren’t off performing their duties as the Duke and Duchess of Hastings.

In truth, you knew Benedict the least out of the Bridgertons who had or were close to coming of age, and was shocked when he requested to have his name written on your dance card at the first ball of the season. When it came time to dance, you had expected Benedict to act shy at first; but after some coaxing from you, he won you over almost instantly with his wit and humor.

He only asked to dance with you once more at that particular event, not wanting to be improper. However, it was clear from the way the two of you looked at each other that there was a spark.

“No one,” Benedict said, almost too quickly, “Our brother is just sticking his nose into affairs that aren’t his own, as usual.” Anthony rolled his eyes, thoroughly unamused by his younger siblings’ bickering. The three of them strode down the stairs of their home and seized a carriage so that the conversation could continue in private.

“So…” Colin drawled, “It is an affair, then?”

“You know that’s not what I meant at all.”

“A slip of the tongue, perhaps? You know, brother, you must choose your words more carefully—"

“Mark my words, Colin Bridgerton; I will kill you in this very carriage if—”

“Will the two of you, please,” Anthony huffed, feeling a migraine coming on, “Benedict, is this about who I think it is about…?” Colin nodded fervently, but Benedict remained stone-faced. He hated keeping things from his family, especially his brothers. But he couldn’t risk tarnishing your name, not after what had transpired between you two.

It wasn’t meant to happen. When Benedict had snuck off one night to another one of Sir Granville’s soirées, he was shocked to see you there, wearing a tightly-laced corset, undergarments, and practically nothing else. As soon as you saw him, your eyes widened to the size of your mother’s best teacup saucers. Without thinking, you grabbed him and pulled him into the nearest empty room.

“Benedict, wha—what are you doing here?!” he remembered you asking him, utterly flustered. His eyes drifted to the sheer robe draped over your shoulders, the fabric floating gently with your every movement.

“I could very well ask you the same question!” he attempted to whisper, now distracted by how your corset pushed up your bosom considerably, “How do you even know about these, um, parties?” For a moment, you hesitated, unsure of what to say as Benedict’s pale blue eyes bore into yours.

You sighed, resigning to come clean, “Genevieve—Madame Delacroix—she told me about them. I confided in her about my father’s money troubles,” you felt the tears start to well up, but could not bear to cry in front of Benedict in the state you found yourself in, “I barely have any money for a dowry to find a suitable husband, and Genevieve and Sir Granville are familiar so…I work when I can and just make the guests feel comfortable—you know, offer them drinks, tobacco, the like—but I provide nothing more than hospitality.”

You felt that you needed to make that distinction to Benedict. Though you suspected that any chance with him was gone now that he had discovered your secret, you wanted to at least maintain part of your reputation, “Granville is generous enough and I could not be more grateful,” you continued, pulling the nearly translucent robe tightly around your body, “And these parties are so secretive that I thought, perhaps, I could scrounge enough money together before the end of the season before I was discovered. Clearly not.”

You couldn’t help but laugh dryly, but Benedict stared at you, his expression earnest, “You need not worry about that,” he breathed, “I won’t tell a soul.” You absentmindedly bit your bottom lip, chewing nervously on a bit of broken skin. Could he really be trusted? Yes, you had crossed paths over the last few weeks, exchanging pleasantries and the occasional flirtatious glance, but would Benedict be able to keep your secret?

“Thank you, Mr. Bridgerton,” you replied coyly, deciding that you didn’t have a choice in the matter, “Perhaps I will be able to repay you one day.” A sly smile spread across Benedict��s face, his eyes flickering to the locked door. Though the party was continuing on the other side, you two had remained virtually undisturbed.

Feeling bold, he traced his fingers over your collarbone, instantly sending a chill down your spine, “Perhaps…you could repay me now?” he posited, trying his best not to sound like a complete and utter rake, “Only if you wish to, of course.” Despite your best efforts, you could feel a palpable spark that had been building between the two of you over the past few weeks. And you had grown tired of restraining your impulses any longer.

Gently, you placed a soft kiss on his lips. Your eyes fluttered shut and Benedict cupped your face with his hand, his grip surprisingly tender. His free arm wrapped around your body smoothly, pulling you flush against him. You frantically thought through the consequences of someone discovering you with a Bridgerton, but you were too preoccupied with removing Benedict’s clothing to pay much mind…

“Benedict!” Anthony snapped his younger brother out of his reverie as the carriage slowed to a stop, “Would you get your head out of the clouds and tell me what’s going on?” Benedict stared at him, utterly panic stricken. He had kept your secret for nearly a month now, and during that time the two of you had gotten even closer, both in the eyes of the ton and after nightfall in your bedchamber.

Benedict’s mind almost drifted to the night he had shared with you only hours before, but focused on the task at hand, “You needn’t worry your pretty little head, brother,” he said coolly, “I have it all under control.” Anthony looked as if he were going to be sick, and Colin smiled with devilish glee. The three brothers clamored out of the carriage and made their way into the bustling ballroom, more of their family trailing close behind.

Benedict could hear Eloise whine as Lady Bridgerton attempted to smooth down her hair, and he felt a small pang of guilt for not coming to his sister’s aid against their mother’s incessant prodding. But now, he had more pressing matters at hand; namely, what in the hell he was going to say to you now that his brothers were onto him.

He spotted you from across the hall, his heart fluttering with every step he took in your direction. He noticed that you were wearing an intricately laced shawl that was tied tightly across your chest, completely covering your collarbone and much of your breast. Benedict felt himself frown slightly, then immediately scold himself for being improper at a society function; surely, you need not show your bosom to the entire ton in order to draw the eye of him and a number of other suitors.

You were conversing with Penelope and Lady Featherington when he finally approached you, eyes wide with fear, “Hello,” he said politely, giving a slight nod to Penelope and her mother, “Is there a spot open for my name on your card?” You quirked an eyebrow, giving him a smirk as you removed the card from your wrist.

“Why of course, Mr. Bridgerton,” you replied in an equally cordial manner. Heaven forbid Portia Featherington get a whiff of your affair; you’d be certain your name would be splashed across Lady Whistledown’s pamphlet before you’d wake the next morning, “In fact, you are the first gentleman to ask, so you may have the first dance. If you are not otherwise engaged, that is.” He shook his head and his eyes gleamed as he returned your card to your delicately gloved hand.

Despite his anxiety being astronomically high, Benedict was delighted that he was able to dance with you so early in the evening. He always thought of you as a fluid dancer, light on your feet as the two of you would glide across the ballroom. He often found himself not being able to take his eyes off you, the lively music and judgmental crowd fading away the moment he embraced you.

More importantly, he wanted to speak to you about the precarious situation you found yourselves in. It was only a matter of time until either Anthony or Colin pried the truth out of him, and he wouldn’t let the news spread across all of London society, besmirching your good name. He cared about you too much to allow such a wretched thing to happen.  

A few moments later, all of the couples were signaled that the first dance was to begin. Benedict shot a glance to Colin, who had been talking Anthony’s ear off since they arrived. Now, the two of them were staring him down, whispering like schoolboys. He refrained from scoffing and instead took your hand gently, pulling you into his tall frame as the music began.

You instantly noticed the nervous and almost pained expression splashed across Benedict’s face, and you furrowed your brow in worry. However, you decided your best course of action was to try and alleviate the tension he must’ve been feeling, “I see you haven’t taken a liking to my shawl,” you remarked, a sly smile dancing on your lips, “I will have to tell my sister she has dreadful taste.”

Benedict ripped his eyes from his brothers’ stares and produced a small chuckle at your teasing. He realized he’d much rather converse with you than worry about what Anthony and Colin were up to, “No, it’s uh—it is, quite lovely,” he countered, lowering his voice, “Though I would prefer to see more of you, of course.” You raised an eyebrow, impressed by his boldness.

“I believe you saw plenty last night, Mr. Bridgerton,” you posited, weaponizing his own name against him, “In fact, I suppose you could blame yourself for my more…conservative attire, wouldn’t you agree?”

Benedict couldn’t help but flush, but cleared his throat to attempt to keep up with your rather scandalous banter, “Yes, well…I suppose…” he stuttered, “I may or may not have left some…marks.” He spun you, watching as your dress moved gracefully around your body and fluttered behind you as you gripped his arm once more.

You searched the panicked expression on his face. Surely, he only knew you were teasing, so why did he look like he was on the brink of sickness? “Benedict, why are you acting so strange?” you asked, attempting to keep the mood light while searching for information, “You’re not falling in love with me, are you?”

Benedict swallowed, attempting to maintain his composure. Besides the looming threat of every affluent family in Mayfair uncovering your secret, he was also painfully aware of how nervous you had been making him over the past weeks. The way your smile lit up every room, the way your eyes sparkled playfully, the way your laugh made his heart do a somersault.

“It’s just as well,” you continued, not waiting for him to answer your rhetorical question, “I overheard Colin and Pen whispering earlier, and Simon and Daphne as well. Apparently, all our friends have a bet going that we end up together.” He sighed, a little relieved that you had caught onto his family’s shenanigans before he worried you unnecessarily. He couldn’t help but appreciate your perceptive nature.

“Believe me, Colin and Daphne may be my siblings, but they are not my friends right now,” he joked nervously, only half-kidding, “And Anthony is on dangerously thin ice. It appears my family can’t help but get involved in matters that do not concern them.” You giggled, causing Benedict’s heart to swell. He was growing more infatuated with you by the second.

“I wish my family cared half as much as yours does,” you say, a twinge of sadness in your voice, “They are all so wonderful, and I’m sure they are just being protective.” Benedict nodded, heartened by the kindness and understanding you were showing to his siblings. You already got along quite well with Eloise and Daphne, and you were always courteous to his mother while still being able to hold your own when conversing with Anthony or Colin.

As the dance came to an end, Benedict had begun to realize his affection for you. Not just physically; yes, your first encounter at Sir Granville’s had brought you two together faster than he had ever expected. It was reckless, intimate, and completely wonderful, but getting to know you, without dozens of uppity members of high society leering at your every move, was more valuable than any nights you had spent together.

And he decided in that moment, as your hand released from his and you both bowed respectfully, that he could not bear to spend one more day without you by his side. But he could not profess his love in front of God and everyone, least of all his family; he quickly surmised that he must wait until a moment presented itself.

You were quickly whisked away by your mother, unable to even say a proper thank you and goodbye. But as your eyes met his blue ones, you couldn’t help but notice how they were sparkling in the candlelight, and you felt a twinge of melancholy. You cared for Benedict, but feared it was only a matter of time before your affair ended and he was married to another disgustingly wealthy aristocrat. You gave him a fleeting smile before getting dragged to the other side of the ballroom.

As you turned away from him, Benedict felt two hands grasping each of his arms, one hand belonging to each of his meddling brothers, “I knew it!” Colin whisper-yelled as he and Anthony pulled their love-struck sibling into a secluded corner of the lavish hall, “You know, you really aren’t fooling anyone, Ben.”

“How do you mean?” Benedict asked nervously in one last ditch effort to conceal the truth. He shouldn’t have bothered; his brothers had seen how smitten he was with you, and soon the entire ton would be abuzz with salacious gossip if he did not make his move that very evening.

“Benedict,” Anthony chided sternly, clapping him on the shoulder, “Please, do not deny it any longer. You’re clearly bewitched.” The eldest Bridgerton child could not help but smirk; it was almost entertaining to see his usually guarded brother so obviously in love.

Benedict sighed, defeated, “Alright,” he whispered, his face flush with embarrassment, “I apologize for thinking I could ever keep a secret from you two.” Colin smirked proudly, feeling as if he were London’s greatest detective, “I’ll tell you everything if you want, but for the love of Christ, it cannot be here.” He gestured to the room, which was growing more crowded with preening mamas, hunting for the slightest whiff of a scandal.

While Benedict and his brothers searched for a private room for him to regale your escapades, your night flew by, and hours later you found yourself chatting with Daphne and Simon on the gorgeously decorated outdoor terrace. The night was perfectly temperate, and although the noise had died down significantly as many guests had departed for the evening, your head was still swimming in thought. Specifically, you were overwhelmed by the thought of Benedict.

He was quite kind to you, and a very smart, charming gentleman, but you felt your heart lurch as you recalled the intimate nights you had shared over the last few weeks. Men of Benedict’s status would not wed a tainted woman, no matter how much you wished he would. It was only a matter of time before Lady Whistledown revealed your transgressions, and you would be marked as an undesirable to the entire upper echelon of society.

You shuddered at the thought. “Chilly, dear?” Daphne asked sweetly, noticing the unsettled look on your face, “I would think you’d be more protected from the elements with that beautiful shawl on.” Your heart jumped to your throat before you could cover for yourself; Benedict had appeared on the terrace, looking absolutely petrified. Simon and Daphne exchanged glances.

“Darling,” Simon said, turning to his wife, “It is quite crisp out here, don’t you think? Perhaps we should—”

“Go inside to warm up?” Daphne finished his sentence, that unmistakably mischievous glint in her eye that all Bridgerton children possessed, “Why yes, I think that is a fantastic idea, Simon.” She hooked her arm under her husband’s, and the two of them bid you and Benedict adieu, much to your dismay. You were certain he had been found out by his family and was here to end your affair before word reached the rest of the ton.

Still, you managed to smile politely. Simon was right, there was a slight chill that pervaded the terrace, mostly due to the lack of company that had populated the space only hours before, “Hello, Benedict,” you mutter, shifting your weight from one heeled foot to the other, “Will you be departing soon or—?”

“Erm, yes,” he answered a bit too quickly, and you raised an eyebrow. His strange behavior all night was another indicator that ending things was clearly as difficult for him to initiate as it would be for you to accept, “But first, I, well, I need to tell you something. Something I probably should have told you weeks ago.”

You felt a lump in your throat almost instantaneously. ‘Here it comes,’ you thought, more distressed than you hoped you would be. Benedict took your gloved hand, rubbing circles on the back of your hand with his thumb. If it were not slightly improper, you would almost find it comforting; his touch always seemed to soothe you, ever since your first night together.

“I never expected to…for us to become so close in such a short period of time,” he began, wondering at what point in this silly speech he would make a royal ass out of himself. Though he had gained a little brotherly insight from Anthony and Colin, he still felt as though he could vomit at any second, “And, well, truth be told, I have enjoyed every moment we have spent together.”

You smiled, pleased by his kind words, “Truthfully, I have felt the same,” you remarked, “But it’s quite alright, Ben, I understand—”

“You do?” he cut you off again, a bead of sweat forming on his brow, “Am I really so obvious about my affection for you?” You stared at him, confused. Was this not him ending whatever…relationship the two of you shared? Now you felt like the fool.

“Affection?” you repeated, your mouth twitching, “I thought you did not want to see me anymore.” Benedict’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but laugh dryly. You had mistaken his jittery behavior as a bad omen, when that could not be further from reality.

He shook his head, and you felt the pace of your heartbeat quicken, “My dear, I think there’s been a slight misunderstanding,” he joked, clearing his throat, “I know that our relationship has been a secret for some time, but I cannot hide how I feel for you any longer. You are kind, and witty, and strong, and incredibly adventurous, and when our dance came to an end earlier this evening, I…I felt like there was a part of me missing as soon as you left. I…when I’m not with you, it’s almost like…I can’t breathe.”

Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, taken aback by his doting and earnest words. “And it would be my honor,” he smiled, his gaze intense and impassioned, “If I could ask for your hand.” Your eyes sparkled back at his, and you nodded silently, attempting to conceal a squeal of girlish glee. You two were still, unfortunately, in public.

“Yes,” you exhaled, feeling foolish from your assumptions about Benedict only minutes before, “I would be equally honored to be your wife, Benedict Bridgerton.” You snuck him a quick kiss on his cheek, causing him to flush for what was probably the hundredth time that night, “I see our friends were right after all, weren’t they?”

“Yes, yes they were, and I doubt I will ever hear the end of it from Anthony and Colin,” Benedict mused, smiling sweetly as the corners of his eyes crinkled happily, “I’ll see to a proper visit first thing tomorrow morning, I promise.” He studied you, doing all he could to absorb the joyous look etched upon your radiant face. You smirked, turning in the direction of your family’s carriage.

“I shall hold you to that,” you said, pulling him towards the exit, “But don’t think this night is over, Mr. Bridgerton. I’m not done with you quite yet.”

-----------

I hope you enjoyed reading! As always I would love to hear any comments or feedback! Like/comment/reblog, all that good stuff :)

[nalgenewhore]

masterlist - ao3 - last chapter - next chapter 

+*+*+*+*+*+*

Lorcan collapsed onto his back down on the cool grass, panting heavily and tossing a tattooed arm over his eyes.

He fucking hated cardio. 

Hill sprints were the worst, but he had figured they would wake him up the best. As he caught his breath, he stared up at the pale blue sky, dotted with fluffy clouds, dyed orange from the sunrise. 

There was nothing like the sunrises of his hometown and that quickly, Lorcan was cursing his aunt. She couldn’t have just let him be, let him resent his father for not being there, for never having time for him or his sisters. 

Aneha and Sadirah hadn’t wanted him to go to Perranth, but Lorcan figured… he owed his father that much. To see someone of his blood on the throne, he supposed. 

Elide was a complication. Since moving in, he had hardly seen her. 

More often than not, he ate some sort of dinner with Rowan, the old friends catching up on the years they’d missed. Lorcan thought, out of everyone, Rowan’s reaction to his pursual was the one he’d dreaded the most. 

He wouldn’t ever admit it, but he had been terrified. Their friendship and previous relationship had both been built on complete honesty. Rowan hadn’t been mad, per se, more hurt. Angered, but not angry, on Elide’s behalf. 

Their relationship intrigued Lorcan. They acted not unlike him and his sisters. 

His thoughts circled back to Elide, like always. Lorcan mentally berated himself, unable to wipe the look of hurt that flashed over her face when she saw him again. Fuck, why couldn’t he just mind his own business? She could handle herself. 

Lorcan sat up, groaning in pain at the stiffness of his tired muscles. There’s a reason you don’t sit down after working out, dumbass, he thought to himself. He braced his hands behind him, pushing his body up. 

A blurred form moved towards him, crashing into him. In his unbalanced state, Lorcan fell back and let out a soft grunt. He looked up, finding a very heavy dog standing on his chest. Before he could do anything, he heard someone cackling. 

He couldn’t move, so he moved his head to the side, seeing Elide standing on the gravel path. She was laughing so hard, she had to bend over, her hands clutching her stomach. Lorcan rolled his eyes, turning his gaze back to the very fluffy animal. “Hey, bud,” he said, letting the dog sniff him. 

Elide called for her pet, “Bear, c’mere!” 

Bear snapped her head up, quickly bounding away and digging her back feet into Lorcan’s gut as a jumping off point. He swore low and slowly got to his feet. “Morning, Elide.” 

“Fuck off and go fuck yourself,” she said in a fraudulently sweet voice, her round lips flashing him a honeyed grin.

He laughed, unable to control how he perked up when she gave him her attention, “Eat shit and die.” Lorcan didn’t miss the way she ogled his half-bare body. Her face went a bit slack as she tracked her gaze over his chest. 

He could’ve sworn her cheeks pinked when they dipped lower. “Like the view, do you, sweetheart?” The moment the words left his mouth, her blush disappeared and she flipped him off before putting her earbuds back in and continuing on with her jog. 

Lorcan cursed himself, watching her ass in her spandex shorts. He liked seeing her blush, would’ve liked to learn how else he could make her cheeks turn red without him pissing her off. 

He had to remind himself Elide was a complication. Nothing more, nothing less.

 +*+*+*+*+*+*

Sweetheart. 

Oh, how Elide loathed Lorcan Salvaterre with her entire being. Him being built like that only served to make her hate it that much more. People with chests as defined as his and his gods-damned Adonis belt… Anneith above. She forgot the point she was trying to make.

His tattoos fit him well. They were harsh, stark black against his skin, depicting what she assumed was a legend of his people, but she couldn’t tell. 

She left Bear with the groundskeeper for the day and walked to the entertainment room. Aelin, Rowan, and Lysandra were sitting in the plush movie chairs. Ress, ever dutifully, stood beside the door, his arms crossed over his chest. 

Elide threw herself down on the couch, scowling at the PowerPoint Lysandra and Aelin had put together of her options. “Let’s get this over with.” Aelin, from the chair closest to the couch, reached over and squeezed Elide’s knee reassuringly. 

Elide softened, lacing her fingers through Aelin’s as Lysandra clicked the remote. “Alright, there are many options, Elide. First up, Duke Perrington of Adarlan.” 

Looking at the slide, her instincts screamed no. Elide read the side profile next to his picture, which was less than promising. “Hmm, rich man… he’s only forty-two? He looks like he’s at least seventy years old.” 

“I think that’s the drug problem,” Rowan commented, glaring at the screen. “Not him.” 

Lysandra nodded and ticked something off on her list, clicking on the next slide, “Nox Owens? No title, but wealthy family, high education, early twenties…” 

Elide tilted her head to the side, surveying the picture. He was handsome, fresh faced. Startlingly slate-grey eyes, his hair inky and falling artfully over his brow. There was a certain edge of mischief in his eyes that Elide appreciated. “And he’s from Perranth?” 

“Mm-hmm. Has a business degree from Havilliard College for Boys,” Lysandra said, twirling her pen skillfully between her fingers. “What do you think?” 

Elide hummed, drumming her fingers over the couch cushion. “Shortlist him. Do we have any non-Erilean options? A marriage would strengthen political ties.” Rowan shot her a look, displeased by her surgical, logical approach to it. Elide didn’t care. If she was being forced into a no-doubt loveless marriage, she might as well gain allies because of it. 

“We do,” Aelin said, sighing softly as she took the remote from Lysandra and clicked through some of the options. Elide made her stop on one and turned, gawking at Aelin. 

“Hollin Havilliard? The sixteen-year old?” 

The queen shrugged, “They don't have a minimum marriageable age in Adarlan.” 

“Well, we have one here,” Elide hissed, snatching the remote from her cousin. “I don’t need a new reason for the lords to hate me and marrying a child won’t exactly help me.” She shook her head, holding back a few very choice words back. 

She clicked through the next few slides, shaking her head no at the Southern Empire’s eldest, Arghun and his younger brother, Kashin. “I have no interest in fighting for another crown.” 

They debated and argued for the rest of the slideshow, all feeling frayed when they arrived at the very last slide. 

Lysandra looked exhausted, slumping her shoulders, “And the last man is… Fenrys Marama, Lord of Doranelle.” 

Rowan, who had just taken a sip of water, choked, coughing violently. The women looked at him curiously, their brows raised. Elide asked, “Are you alright?” 

He nodded, his face bright red, “Yeah, I’m fine.” His voice was strained and he drank deeply from his glass. “Please, continue.” 

Elide looked at him weirdly, but turned her attention back to Fenrys. “He’s so pretty,” she said, looking at the picture of him smiling. His teeth were straight and pearly white, one deep dimple on his right cheek. He wore his coily, dense hair in long, halfway thick locks. Gold wire cuffs adorned them sporadically, the light jewellery making an arresting contrast against his deep, umber complexion.

He had a short-bridged, wide nose that centred nicely on his face, the glint of a simple septum ring shining. 

“What do we know about him?” she asked someone, the question directed at no one in particular. 

“He isn’t set to inherit anything because he’s the second born twin to his brother, Connall. He’s twenty-two, just passed the LSAT with a 174 and has applied to a couple Terrasenian law schools,” Lysandra said. “Has a bit of a playboy reputation, but hasn’t been in any tabloids or articles for the past couple months.” 

Someone made a strangled sound behind them. Elide turned, her face showing concern for Ress. “Ress, are you alright?” 

Her bodyguard dropped his gaze, looking down at the carpeted floor, “Yeah, um, I just- excuse me for a minute.” He didn’t wait another second before fleeing from the room, the door slamming shut behind him. 

They all looked at each other in bewilderment, utterly confused by Ress’ strange behaviour.  

Aelin was the first to shrug, “He must not be feeling well.” Rowan nodded and stood up. “And where are you going?” 

“I have to call someone,” he said smoothly, kissing her cheek and messing up Elide’s hair. “Bye, Lyss.” 

Lysandra waved, spared by his juvelinity, “Good-bye, Rowan.” The silver-haired man closed the door quietly and his footsteps receded down the hall. “So, Fenrys?” 

Elide looked at Aelin, nodding once, “Fenrys.” 

 +*+*+*+*+*+*

Rowan checked his watch again, anxiously looking at the time over and over. He felt like he could feel the light tick against his skin and it put him on edge. 

Being on time had never exactly been Lorcan’s strong suit. 

Two minutes later, Lorcan strolled into the bar, nodding serenely in recognition as their eyes met. He moved carefully through the packed bar, more mindful of his movements due to his larger stature. 

There was already a glass of whiskey waiting for him as he slid onto the stool across the small table. “Hey, Ro,” he said, taking a slow sip of the amber liquor. “How’s, uh, Elide?” 

Rowan shot Lorcan a look, warning him not to push it. “How do you think, Lorcan? She graduated university less than a month ago and now she’s getting married to someone she doesn’t fucking know.” He didn’t need to tell Lorcan it was his fault. 

Lorcan flinched and averted his gaze, remorse shining in his dark eyes. “I… yeah.” He toyed with the elastic on his wrist, pulling it back and letting it snap against his skin over and over. Eventually, he shoved his hair into a messy bun at his nape, his fingers drumming restlessly over the table. “Did she find someone?” 

Rowan leaned back on his seat, cocking his head to the side, “What’s it to you?” 

Lorcan shrugging, “Nothing, I don’t care either way.” Rowan snorted, shaking his head as he sipped on his drink. “What? Who is it? Don’t tell me it’s someone like Perrington or any Adarlanian guy.” 

“Thought you didn’t care,” Rowan said, his interest piqued by Lorcan’s… consideration. That he cared enough to know who an eligible husband would be. It made some sense, he would’ve planned this out with Maeve and Vernon. 

Rowan pushed away the thought that Lorcan wouldn’t do that. He couldn’t think about that now. 

“I don’t care, but if the first time we met, I… I dunno, saved her, I guess, from some gross little lordling. It’d be hypocritical of me to force a marriage between her and some junkie like Perrington,” Lorcan said, staring down at his whiskey like the crystal glass held all the answers of the universe. 

“Why did you dance with her, Lor,” Rowan asked quietly, his voice tired. 

Lorcan muttered something, his shoulders curling down, “She looked like she needed help. I know I’m a prick, but not that kind.” He knocked back the rest of his drink, grabbing Rowan’s empty glass as he got up to walk over to the bar. Lorcan stepped away, pausing when a thought crossed his mind. “So did they choose?” 

“Yeah,” Rowan said, meeting Lorcan’s nervous gaze. “They did.” 

“Hellas, Ro, fucking tell me already.” 

“It’s Fen.”

+*+*+*+*+*+*

an: .....hehe 🤭 

more: Fenrys' last name "marama" means light in a variety of polynesian languages ! ummm basically i think moonbeam is a stupid name and so did my lovely friend ezra @tinywolfofeyllwe​ so he came up with this name ! all creds go to him and im very thankful he lets me use it haha 

also ! both lorcan's sisters' names (aneha and sadirah) are tweaked from stars/constellations i thought were pretty ! this will be more apparent later, but i write lorcan as indigenous in all my fics (specifically lakota) so just keep that in mind for the future ! 

@mythicaitt​​​ @tinywolfofeyllwe​​​ @schmlip-scribble​​​ @the-regal-warrior​​​ @empire-of-wildfire​​​ @ladyverena​​​ @ttakeitbacknoww​​​ @shyvioletcat​​​ @alifletcher2012​​​ @tswaney17​​​ @ourbooksuniverse​​​  @flora-and-fae​​​ @thesirenwashere​​​ @queenofxhearts​​​ @maastrash​​​ @mynewdreamwasyou​​​ @cursebreaker29​​​ @empress-ofbloodshed​​​ @b00kworm​​​ @hizqueen4life​​​ @silversprings98​​​ @amren-courtofdreams​​​ @minaidss​​​ @superspiritfestival​​​ @sanakapoor​​​ @ireallyshouldsleeprn​​​​ @spyofthenightcourt​​​​ @januarystears​​​​ @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln​​ @magicalunicorngypsy​ @elriel4life​

[novannna]

Idk if this counts as a fic request? But If you're cool with it, maybe you can write a little thing about your OCs? I really liked hearing about Sloane and Jordan!!

ANON I LOVE YOUUUUU

ahhh i will forever talk ab them 🥺🥺 i love them so much tysm for listenign me scream incoherently ab them

i wasn't exactly sure what you wanted, so i wrote their first meeting (if you wanted something different, lemme know, i will happily write more of them ajhfsadf)

some background info that i may or may not have already said, idk, but im saying again: Jordan's name is technically Lydia Jordan, she changes it after she meets sloane, sloane works for a nameless organization where people hire thieves to steal for them, through the organization, and the organization in turn provides housing, and food, and safety, as well as guaranteed jobs.

this is all probably v confusing im so bad at explaining stuff, ask if you have questions!

also i kinda dont like this i was only partly coherent when i wrote this, but whatever :)

Sloane pulled at her dress, nose wrinkling as the fabric itched against her skin.

“Are you sure I have to wear shoes Elias?” She asked the man next to them.

He glared at her. “Yes. Sloane, this is for real now. You have to act proper. Stop fidgeting.”

Sloane sulked. “I am proper.”

Elias groaned. “Why did I have to be the one stuck with a fucking child?”

“I’m not a child!” Sloane protested. “I’ll knock you to your ass again, if you want me to prove it. And you’re only 10 years older than me, it’s not that much!”

“If you’re so grown up, then stop complaining.”

Sloane glared but didn’t say anything. They were sitting in a carriage, waiting to arrive at the Duke of Cantol’s manor. They had been hired to steal a case of jewels, hidden away somewhere within the grand building. The only way to steal them was to pose as nobles, and infiltrate the Duke’s solstice party themselves.

This was Sloane’s first real job. Before this, she had only done petty crime for the elders. Minor pickpocketing, and stealing for low paying clients.

This was their chance to prove themself, both as a thief worthy of jobs given out by the elders, and a chance to prove that she wasn’t merely a child.

The only problem was, Sloane had never interacted with nobles before. The other thieves had put her through rigorous training, everything from how to respond to questions, to which cutlery to use.

But it didn’t matter if this was all new to her. Sloane was prepared. These were high stakes, where they worked best. They wouldn’t fail.

Slowly, the carriage pulled to a halt.

“Remember, do not speak out of turn. You know your job?” Elias asked.

Sloane nodded. “Find out where the jewels are, then report back to you. I remember everything.”

Elias nodded, only partially sated. “And-”

“And don’t complain,” Sloane interrupted. “I know.”

“Good. Don’t forget who you are, and who they are. Don’t give them a reason to doubt you.”

Sloane nodded. Though her face was a perfect mask of emotions, her stomach was writhing. Their fingers were tapping out a pattern onto her leg, the familiar motion a relief.

Elias opened the door, and together they stepped out onto the lush lawn.

---

Lydia hated everything, she had decided. She hated her dress, which pinched her ribs and kept her from breathing in a deep breath. She hated her shoes, terrible contraptions that threatened to send her tumbling to the floor with each step. She hated all the formal dinners that her family had to attend.

It was ridiculous! Why couldn’t they just stay in Roidan? It’s where they lived, after all. There was no point in traveling across the country to attend a pointless dinner.

But, despite everything there was a glimmer of hope in Lydia. A week ago, she had heard whispers of priceless jewels within the Duke of Cantol’s manor, and an anonymous person who had wished to possess them. Lydia had heard that someone would steal them, and she was determined to stop them. Determined to show how skilled she was with both her blades and her wit. Determined to show that she wasn’t the helpless little girl everyone insisted on seeing.

Lydia was so much more. She just needed everyone else to see it as well.

“Lydia! Stop pouting, and hurry up!” Her mom bustled into the room, her gown an atrocious combination of velvet and tulle. It nearly swallowed Lydia up, as her mom grabbed her hand, and pulled her through the doorway.

“The Duke was kind enough to allow us to stay here, and you thank him by making us late?” Her mother sighed. “When will you grow up?”

Lydia bit back a retort, instead gripped the handle of a dagger buried within the folds of her dress. It had been her fathers, until she had stolen it years ago and taught herself how to use it.

Lydia kept her mouth shut, and her fingers strangling the hard hilt. Head raised high, Lydia followed her mother down the grand stairs, and into the dining room.

The room was large, with at least twenty people sitting around a large, deep mahogany table. Lydia vaguely wondered how much it had cost.

Looking around the table, she barely registered the faces. She knew everyone. Until her gaze settled on a mismatched pair, sitting closest to the door.

A man, with short red hair, and soft pink skin sat next to a girl, looking to be about Lydia’s age. The girl had dark skin and hair a black so deep, Lydia thought she was looking at a starless sky. She was not from here, that was for sure. Lydia felt herself be drawn to her, as if some form of magnetic attraction.

“Lydia,” her mother hissed. “Sit!” She nearly forced Lydia into the chair, right next to the duke himself.

Lydia tried not to grimace. She didn’t want to spend the evening wearing a forced smile and pretend to be the perfect lady. She looked up again, trying to spot a glimpse of the other girl. She sat perfectly still, her back almost like a ruler. Her face was perfectly poised, just the slightest hint of a smile, no sign of anger or uncomfortableness. She looked perfectly at ease.

Lydia had to stop herself from sighing. Disappointing. Another perfect noble, someone Lydia could never be. Never wanted to be.

And then, she spotted the crack in the other girl's impenetrable armor. Her fingers, tapping out an anxious rhythm against the elegant table cloth. That tiny sliver of personality, of imperfection made Lydia almost burst into a grin.

Under the layers of makeup, and finery, and jewels, she was still a child, just like Lydia. She was human. She was human, and she was real, and maybe, just maybe, Lydia could be real too.

But it was foolish to entertain such an unrealistic notion. So Lydia tamped her smile down, and turned to her food, ignoring the stare the other girl was burning into her head.

---

“Who will be most likely to know where the jewels are?” Elias asked Sloane under his breath.

Sloane glanced around the table. “The Duke, and a few of the servants.” Her eyes were fixed on the only other child at the table. A girl, around her age sat next to the Duke, her blonde hair twisted into a bun. A few strands had escaped, and were floating loose around her head. The girl was staring at her food, refusing to look around.

“Sloane!” Elias hissed.

Sloane stiffened with annoyance. “What?” they spat.

“I asked who you will need to talk to to discern the location of the jewels?”

“This isn’t a quiz. You don’t need to test me, I’ll get it done.”

“I do, actually,” Elias responded. “I’m not just here to steal, I’m here to supervise and see if you actually could handle a permanent position within the organization. The elders asked me to oversee, and if all went satisfactory, then you would get a chance. And if not… well failure isn’t tolerated.”

Sloane froze. She knew a lot had been riding on this for her, but she hadn’t known how much. She hadn’t known everything was.

“I’ll ask again. Who will you ask?”

“The girl,” Sloane said quickly. She nodded across the table pointedly.

“Her? She has no idea where they are!”

Sloane sighed. “Yes, but young ears are attuned to what others miss. And, I’m her age. Befriend her, get her to trust me, and I’ll find them.”

“You think that’ll work?” Elias scoffed.

“I’m willing to bet everything on it,” Sloane responded. She turned her fiery gaze to him. “Trust me, I can do this.”

Elias hesitated, before reluctantly nodding. “If you’re sure… But the servants would be a better choice.”

Sloane didn’t respond. They turned her gaze back to the girl, mind already racing to plot it all out.

---

Lydia walked her perfect little steps, completely in sync with her mom. She kept her head bowed low, and eyes downcast.

Perfect daughter, perfect lady.

God, she was tired of it all. Her hands had the imprint of a dagger on them, from clutching the blade so tight.

A hand reached out, touching her shoulder.

It was the girl, a slight smile on her face and a far off gleam in her eyes.

Her other companion stood right behind her, his suit tailored and pressed to perfection.

“My Lady, if I may,” he said smoothly, his voice like butter, “my young cousin hasn’t often gotten the opportunity to interact with ones of her own age. I was wondering, with your permission, if the two of them might be able to talk, if only for a bit?” His hands rested on the girls shoulders.

Lydia looked up at her mom, daring to hope.

“I suppose. My little girl is much the same. Why don’t we let the two of them run along to the library.” Her mom knelt down her face at Lydia’s level now. “Learn what you can about them, yes dear? What threat they may pose to your future crown. And don’t forget who you are.” She gripped Lydia’s shoulders tightly.

Lydia nodded. Always some scheme, and other motive. Just once, could her mother let her have something with no string attached?

“Good girl. Now run along, and don’t forget.” With a barely concealed shove, she sent Lydia tumbling down a side hallway, the other girl close behind.

Lydia led them to the library, not bothering to talk. Her throat was tight with something other than tears. She pushed open the ornate wooden doors, and practically collapsed inside.

The other girl looked around the room with a critical eye. Looking at everything, Lydia noted. Interesting.

“Where are you from?” Lydia blurted out. “I’ve never seen you before.”

The other girl turned to face her, amused. “You presume to know everyone in this world, then?” Her voice was more rough than Lydia expected, and strangely lilted, as if trying to hide something underneath.

Lydia blushed. “No. But I know most nobles. I’ve never met you before. So, where are you from?”

“Abrynth, as are you.”

“You don’t look it,” Lydia retorted bluntly.

The other girl laughed. “Straight forwards and honest. You're different.” Not a question, just a simple fact.

But it was so much more.

“And is that good?” Lydia couldn’t help but ask.

The other girl paused. “Well, I personally think that when everything’s the same, we lose sight of what we are as a whole.”

“And that is….?”

The other girl grinned, showing a flash of white teeth. “One people, no good and no bad. All unique and all the same. Something so beautiful and powerful.”

“So good then?”

“Definitely.” The other girl extended a hand out to Lydia. “I’m Sloane.”

Lydia paused, hesitant to reply. She didn’t want this girl to know the proper lady she was supposed to be. The one raised to one day court the prince, and hopefully become queen. The one whose very name meant royalty. Her mom’s voice echoed in her head, saying, “Lydia means noble one, beautiful one. You’ll live up to that one day. Focus, and one day you’ll be queen, at the King’s side.”

Lydia hated that version of herself. It wasn’t true. It wasn’t her.

But she was a Jordan. Sharp tongued and quick witted. Handy with a blade, but not so with words. She was her fathers daughter, the son he had wanted in every way but gender.

“Jordan,” Lydia replied, shaking Sloane’s hand firmly. Just a single word, but it changed everything. And it felt so right.

“I’m pleased to meet your acquaintance,” Sloane said, grinning.

“Likewise.”

---

Despite everything, Sloane couldn’t help but like Jordan. The noble was more aware than the others. She was smart, and bright, and honest.

But Sloane only felt a little guilty about using her. It wasn’t like she was hurting Jordan by doing this anyways. She was helping herself, and no one else. It wasn’t as if Jordan wanted for anything, after all. She was a noble. The world practically bowed at her feet.

“Is this your first time here?” Jordan asked, breaking the silence.

Sloane nodded. “My cousin doesn’t often travel. This is his first time bringing me anywhere.”

“Your parents don’t bring you?”

Sloane froze, unsure how to respond. What had they decided her backstory was? Fuck.

“They’re dead. I live with my cousin now, at least till I’m old enough to be on my own.”

“I’m so sorry,” Jordan said, actually seeming sincere.

Sloane smiled slightly. “Thank you. I try not to think about it too much.”

Jordan nodded. “Well, that’s understandable.”

Sloane nodded, with what they hoped was appreciation. In truth, it felt more like a grimace.

For a few hours, Sloane let them get lost in the world. She and Jordan talked about everything. Sloane was surprised by their similarities. It was only when Jordan’s shoulders finally relaxed, and her fists stopped clenching in her dress, that sloane knew the other girl fully trusted her.

“I was wondering,” she added, making her tone more shy, and apprehensive. “My uncle had mentioned the Duke was an avid collector of all things old. Have you seen any of them?”

Jordan’s face gleamed. “No, but I know where they are,” she said, smirking. “Do you want to see?”

Sloane hesitated. “Is that allowed?”

Jordan’s grin widened. “No.” She extended a hand, and Sloane hesitantly placed her own inside it.

She knew she had been right. Jordan had been the right person to use. She was leading Sloane towards the goal, not a doubt in her mind. Sloane would earn her place within the organization. The elders would see that she truly was a worthy thief. She’d show them.

Sloane followed Jordan as she led them out of the library, and through the halls. They were mostly quiet now, the guests retired to the parlor by now. It was just Sloane and Jordan, almost as if no one else had ever existed.

Jordan stopped in front of a door, and slowly pushed it inwards.

Sloane bit back a gasp as she saw the trove of treasures within. The room was a study, but it seemed more storage than anything. Priceless pieces were arranged on bookshelves and cases all over the room.

Old pieces of pottery, and intricate blades. Tapestries, and scrolls cracked with age.

But no jewels. Yet.

“Oh,” Sloane breathed, breathless from the beauty. And anger crackling within her ribs. These were all no doubt stolen from other nations and people. She couldn’t help but wonder how many of these things had come without the price of blood.

Jordan was similarly mesmerized, her eyes stuck on a pair of matching daggers.

“This is amazing,” Sloane said. “There’s so much.”

Jordan’s eyes brightened. “But would you like to see more?”

Sloane’s body tensed with anticipation. She was only supposed to locate the jewels, but if she could steal them now, then it would be less risky, wouldn’t it? No one would believe Jordan if she said the other girl at dinner had taken them. Barely anyone even noticed them. She doubted that they had all even realized she had been there.

“There’s more?” Sloane widened her eyes.

Jordan grinned, and stepped to a tapestry hanging on the walls. “I heard from a servant that the Duke had demanded nobody touch this tapestry. Claimed it was fragile. But-” she tugged it off the wall, sending the fabric tumbling to the floor. “I believe differently,” she said proudly, standing next to a newly revealed hole in the wall. A small wooden chest gleamed from within. Sloane felt her feet carry her closer, her deft fingers opening the box, and a smile lighting up her face as a collection of red, blue, and white stones gleamed up at her.

“Are these…?” Sloane asked, barely needing confirmation.

Jordan peared over her shoulder. “Ruby, diamond, and sapphire,” she whispered. “That’s gotta be worth…” she whistled. “At least 300,000 crowns.”

Sloane grinned. Confirmation enough. She snapped the lid shut, and turned to face Jordan sharply.

“Thank you, My Lady,” Sloane smirked, curtsying shallowly. “You’ve been quite helpful.” She grabbed the tiny chest, and shoved it into a pocket sewn into the inside of her skirt.

Jordan stared at her slack jawed with confusion. Then, realization dawned upon her. “It was you! You were the one who was going to steal tonight.”

Sloane stared at the girl, head cocked in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“I knew someone was attempting to steal tonight. But it should have been a man! An adult! You… You’re just a little girl.”

Sloane snorted. “Well, that little girl has places to be, and money to make. Get out of my way Jordan.”

“You used me,” Jordan spat. “I wanted a friend for the night, and you just wanted those jewels.”

Sloane rolled her eyes. “Don’t take it personally. If it makes you feel better, I didn’t completely lie about everything, I was pleased to make your acquaintance. You led me here, after all.” Sloane smirked. She was on top of the world. She was going to prove the world that she was good. She wasn’t just another useless pickpocket. That one day, she was going places. “Now get out of my way, and forget you ever met me. It’s easier for both of us that way.”

Jordan’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t let that happen.” She reached into the folds of her dress, and drew a long silver dagger.

“Put that back before you kill yourself,” Sloane scoffed.

“Try me.” Jordan was all hard edges now. Gone was the soft laughter, and gently smiles. She was completely serious.

Sloane was starting to think that Jordan was more than she had said she was. But it didn’t matter. No matter how good Jordan might be, Sloane would be better. She wasn’t ready to let herself be defeated by a noble. Not now, not ever.

Sloane darted forwards, quicker than lightning. She jabbed under Jordan’s stomach, knocking the wind out of the girl.

Jordan recovered quickly, and threw a punch towards Sloane’s face, grazing her cheek bone.

Sloane ducked under another blow, and kicked her legs out at Jordan’s face while flipping out of the noble’s hands.

Jordan knew what she was doing, Sloane would admit. In a fair fight, she may even stand a chance. But Sloane didn’t fight fair. She fought rough, and dirty. She survived, no matter what her actions were. That's where the two girls differed.

Sloane tackled Jordan, knocking them into a display case, the glass breaking under their weight.

“You aren’t getting away,” Jordan grunted.

Sloane laughed. “Keep telling yourself that,” she hissed. Sloane grinned, and leapt away from Jordan, right before the girl swung a punch towards her unprotected face.

Sloane backed away quickly, letting Jordan block the door.

“Nowhere to go,” Jordan taunted. “What’ll you do now.”

“My lady, it has been a pleasure,” Sloane said, bowing deeply. “But I’m afraid I’m needed elsewhere, and must call it a night.” In a single smooth motion, Sloane leapt out of the window, sending jagged shards of glass everywhere.

Jordan leapt forwards, too late to stop her.

Sloane had managed to catch a hold of the balcony on the next room over, and was quickly scaling down the wall, using ledges and decorative gargoyles as holds, Jordan’s silver dagger clenched between her teeth.

Sloane finally dropped to the ground, and waved up at Jordan standing far above. She slipped the stolen dagger into her waistline, and reached up into her skirt, pulling out the jewels.

The box was still shut tight, the contents rattling around inside.

“What the hell?” Elias screamed, running around the corner. “Locate them! You were supposed to locate them! We need to go, before the Duke realizes a child tried to steal his prize jewels.” He hooked his arm through Sloane’s and started dragging her away. “You aren’t ready to steal them. You ruined the job, for both of us.” He glared at Sloane. “You are taking blame for this. This is your failure.”

“Failure?” Sloane asked. “What do you mean? I got them!” She held out the box, rattling the jewels inside.”

Elias stopped dead in his tracks. “You got them? You actually succeeded?”

“Yes,” Sloane responded, her voice laced with annoyance. “I’m a good thief, a good fighter, a good liar. I’ve been trying to prove this to you all along. I did it. Will you recommend me to the elders now?”

Elias sniffed. “You are reckless, arrogant, loud. You are unable to follow simple instructions. But, you got it done.” He smiled slightly. “You impressed me, little thief. Well done.”

Sloane grinned. She cast her gaze back to the broken window one last time, where she could make out the shape of Jordan, still standing and staring at the two thieves.

Sloane bowed, as if she was on a stage, performing some great act. Then she hurried to catch up to Elias, and her future.

---

Lydia was furious with her mother, with Sloane, but mostly with herself. She had allowed Sloane to find the jewels, and couldn’t even stop her. Lydia was a failure.

But she wouldn’t be again.

Sloane may have bested Lydia once, but never again. She’d see the thief again, and Lydia would catch her, and prove to the world that she was more than just a lady, meant to sit and look pretty. She was strong, smart, and talented.

She’d catch the thief, and show them all who she was.

Not a beautiful noble lady, as her first name suggested.

No. Lydia had never felt right for a reason. It wasn’t who she was. She was Jordan, loyal to the country, and to herself.

She wasn’t anything but that.

Her name was Jordan, and she would catch Sloane, and make her hurt for giving Jordan a glimpse of a future she could never have. .

[itisannak]

The Dr. Angel Face Q&A Inventory

. Fetish / Heat / Heat Extended / Dr. Angel Face

Hi loves. SInce I have been getting many questions regarding the Dr. Angel Face fic, I decided to put every question in this inventory.   The questions have a link for the original asks (in the ones that there is no hyperlink, it is because they were part of the previous question.) I will add questions as they come in the future, so the list is going to be updated in the future.

How old is Dr. (Y/L/N)? Is she older than Calum? She was a child prodigy and graduated early (kinda like Maggie Pierce from Grey’s Anatomy). But she is definitely older than Calum. They met while she was in her final year as a resident and they’ve been together ever since. Now she is an attending, so it means she is in her late 20′s (for Dr. Angel Face, I wrote her to be around 28-29). So, I would say she is older than Calum by 4 or 5 years. But I didn’t focus much on her age, to be honest with you.

What is going on in the alternative part? I will not say much because I don’t want to spoil it, but it involves a storyline regarding Episodes 16x09 &16x10 from Grey’s Anatomy.

 Does Calum’s family like Y/N’s family? Does Calum’s family like Y/N and vice versa? The families are not meeting very often, but they do get along pretty well. Remember (Y/N)’s mother calling her towards the end of Heat ? (Y/N)’s parents love that guy, he is funny, charming and overly supportive of their daughter, what is not to love? And Calum’s side of the family nearly worship (Y/N). I will explore more of their relationship on the 4th part of Dr. Angel Face.

 Do fans like Y/N? How is the media treating their relationship? Now, the fans and media are divided. Most of the fans love (Y/N), but there are people who are also mad at her for stealing their fav, or accuse her of not paying attention to Calum just because Cal’s and (Y/N)’s love language is not like the other guys’ and their girlfriends. And of course, like I mentioned on Dr. Angel Face  there have been instances in which people went to the ER and asked for Calum’s girlfriend. As of the media, Calum and (Y/N), definitely have been very low-key about their relationship. In the beginning, it was easier to hide, but after a while, people started to suspect. So, they decided to stop the chase and come forward about their relationship.

 Would Y/N use Calum’s last name after their marriage? I feel like she wouldn’t legally change it. Like professionally, she still keeps her last name (my girl didn’t go to college, medical school, went through internship, residency, fellowship and became this strong ass neuro goddess to change her name, no ma’am.) But, I feel like she would adore being called Ms. Hood or Dr. Hood in her private life. Like her friends would actually start that to tease her but she would actually love it. And Calum would also love to call her Dr. Hood. Like, imagine walking up in the morning and making Calum breakfast, and he goes like, “Oh, thank you Dr. Hood” as she passes him his mug of coffee and he wraps his arms around her waist. Oh my God, I would melt. So, she actually wouldn’t legally change her name, but she would love letting her husband and friends call her by his.

 Does Calum’s family have an issue with the age difference? So, the age difference is not that big now. I mean, on the last part I wrote Calum as his current age (maybe a year older than he is now), and I wrote her in her late 20′s. So, they aren’t that many years apart. But when they started dating, it was kinda weird for both their families to see them together, because they couldn’t see what Calum and (Y/N) had in common. Now, pretty much no one cares about it.

Does Y/N visit Calum while he is on tour? She doesn’t visit as often as the other girlfriends, and whenever she visits it is for just a few days (which is an issue in their relationship and I will DEFINITELY write more about it on the alternative chapter)

 Do they get in trouble when Calum is visiting her on the hospital? I never really thought about it much, but there were definitely times they were caught, not only while going at it, but at times they were just hanging during (Y/N)’s free time, I guess I could put it like that. Now, there will be a scene or two of calum visiting on Dr. Angel Face part 4, so I will be able to give more details then. But they never really got in serious trouble, since (Y/N) was always exceptional while working

 Does Y/N get along with Mali? She has a pretty good relationship with Mali. They don’t see each other very often, because Mali lives in the UK and (Y/N)’s work hours are crazy so it’s not easy for her to leave and visit. But they hang out whenever possible, and since they are so close age-wise, I can easily imagine them being friends.

 Since Calum is a vegetarian, would Y/N be a vegetarian too? It is up to you that one, depending on whether it would be something you’d do or not. Keep in mind that the Dr. Angel Face fic is still a reader insert, just like the rest of my stories. In my head, I don’t really think that she would become a vegetarian if she didn’t want to be, just to please Calum. I feel like she would respect his choice and try to support him and join him on eating more plant-based, but she wouldn’t change if she didn’t feel like it was her choice. Also, a general tip for people out there, don’t change aspects of you just to please your partner, if you don’t feel like changing. You will feel trapped and forced to, and you’ll end up miserable.

 Would they post about each other on their social media? Calum is always very low-key about his personal life and doesn’t really post frequently, so I think that would be a theme in their relationship too. He wouldn’t really post about (Y/N) on Instagram, but there would be occasions when he couldn’t help himself and post a cute picture of (Y/N) cuddling Duke, or a candid of (Y/N) drinking coffee. Now (Y/N) would be a bit more open on Instagram, she would post pics of him or short videos from their daily life, something that the fans would really appreciate. On Twitter though, whenever he would have his little twitter sprees, he would be bombarded with questions about (Y/N), and he would pick one or two of them to answer them in his significant funny way.

 How would their careers effect their relationship? How good is their communication? Do they act as a safe space / comfort buddy for each other? I will touch a lot more on the hit their relationship takes due to their careers, on the alternative part. Basically, the plot for this one will revolve around what would happen if Calum was unable to keep the promise he gave (Y/N) when they first started dating ( “I want to be everything I can be to you.” He assures me; all I can do is stare at his lips, how nicely they move as he talks. “Cal, I told you before I don’t do the dating song and dance, and I told you the reason why. If… If this gets more, are you sure you will be ok with me canceling last minute because of emergency surgery? Are you willing to get into this whole thing?” I ask and he chuckles. “I told you before, I get you. I am willing to do it if you are.” He replies, resting his hand on my cheek. “Are you sure? Between my surgeries and your concerts, the time we will have…” I begin but he places his thumb on my bottom lip. “The time we will have together will be even more precious. I don’t wanna pressure you. If you want me to be just a friend, I understand.” He states, moving to pull his hand away, but my hand wraps around his wrist, keeping it there. “I want you to be everything you can be to me… I really do.” I whisper and his hand slides to the back of my head. “Then I will be everything.” He replies, licking his lips a little.)

Now, on the communication matter, on the main timeline of this AU, both of them make sure to give each other time to calm down (or in most cases, get some sleep to get their heads straight) before talking through their problems. There are a lot of moments when they are silent, to keep from fuming up. Most of the times, when they have a fight, it is because of distance or because they miss each other, so by the time Calum’s back from tour, or (Y/N) is off the service so she is home, the fight is forgotten. On the safety/comfort issue, to be honest, I wanted to include a scene in which (Y/N) had to deal with the death of a patient who was very important to her. I wanted to show how Calum would help her, what his reactions would be to (Y/N) almost breaking down, but the scene didn’t make the cut because I felt like it was too heavy on the course I wanted to take with this story. But definitely, Calum had to deal with (Y/N) being sad, or disappointed, or angry even, about her cases, which caused him to develop a coping mechanism to help her feel a lot better. And (Y/N) had to deal with all the times 5sos got overlooked by the music industry/awards/charts (all tea, all shade, I am looking at you Grammy’s and Billboard)  and the way it affected Calum. Or with how frustrated he would get after sessions in which he wouldn’t perform as he wished, or with all the second-guessing and doubt that comes with putting something new out there (albums, tours, singles, you name it). So I can definitely picture them going through something like that, shutting everything out, holding each other close and whispering words of assurance. Or building a fort and watching movies in it, just to get their minds off whatever it is that is bugging them. Or just staying up talking, drinking coffee, helping each other see things through. I feel like (Y/N) and Calum are this couple that talks a lot, about anything that bothers them. I also feel that they would barely ever fight, they would just discuss things out, try to help each other see the other’s point of view.

 Does Y/N visit on the studio, concerts, video sets or Friends of Friends events? Actually I am planning a studio visit, and a charity concert where Y/N visits him for the 4th installation of the original time line. It is going to be a long part, the 4th one

 They seem to be a very sexual couple? Will there be mentions of experimentation in the upcoming chapters? I would like to explore that on the 4th installment of the main timeline. I feel like this one will be the longest yet since I have so many things I want to include in this story. Maybe I can also include that to the pool party extension. This couple is definitely a fan of public teasing and wearable toys (plugs, cock rings, Lush toys, you name it) I always wanted to show the BDSM experimentation they would be having. I feel like I have written such a healthy relationship for them that the portrayal of a healthy BDSM type of sexual relationship would be a lot fitting. I can tell you for sure there won’t be any depiction of their sexual life on the Alternative chapter I am going to write. I plan for it to be angst and focus on very different things.

  How intense is the alternative part going to be? Is Cal going to cheat on Y/N? He is not going to unfaithful, no. And neither is (Y/N).   The story will revolve around how hard this relationship is for them. (Y/N) is constantly preoccupied with her job, and Calum is away (on tour, promo, studio sessions). The story is going to be a what-if. What if the love they have for each other is not enough? What if Calum has had enough of (Y/N) putting other people above him? What if (Y/N) is tired of Calum being away? What if it is time for them to let go? The story, in regards to time, is going to occur after Heat. I am thinking about starting the story at 2 years they have been together. It will start with a couple of fights about (Y/N) cutting dates early due to emergency, then Calum spending hours in the studio, which results in them not spending time together. So, before he leaves for a promo tour, they decide it’s better they break up. But… that’s not the end of them, of course.

 Who is Y/N the closest to out of the rest of the guys? I think she would be a lot close to Ashton. At first, she wanted to impress him because he is Calum’s best friend, but as they continued talking and hanging out, she would start admiring him, finding him a lot interesting. They share their love for Calum, both of them caring and loving Calum so much they would do anything for his happiness. And they are close, age-wise. I said on an ask before that Y/N is 4 or 5 years older than Calum, so that makes her 2 to 3 years older than Ashton. Ashton would think of her as a superhero (more on that on the Heat pool party extension), always asking her about her cases. Their friendship would be so amazing. I explore more of it on the Heat extension, as well as show Y/N interact with the rest of the gang a lot more on it.

 Does any of Calum’s family members or friends have issues with their relationship and vice versa? I don’t see a reason why anyone would have issues with Y/N. She is a doctor, smart, caring, has a great job, loves Calum a lot and makes him very happy. Joy practically adores her; she is devastated when y/n and calum break up on the alternative part. Calum’s father also likes her very much and he knows that his son made the right choice when they started dating. Ashton and Y/N are practically besties, Luke and Michael find her charming and like her a lot with Calum. In the beginning, Sierra, Crystal, and KayKay thought she would be distant but found out she is actually a cool person. Other friends of Calum are totally ok with her. Y/N’s circle thought the match was a bit weird in the beginning, I mean, she is older and she is a doctor and he is a musician, it is not a lot common. But seeing them together leaves no doubt that they belong together. Everyone who matters to Calum and y/n approves of them, and that is all that matters to them.

 Have they ever found the age gap to be intimidating? The age gap is barely an age gap. They are 4 years apart, it’s really not a big issue. It’s not like she is 30 and he is 18, they are both in their twenties, him mid-twenty and her lat-twenty. I really don’t see why 4 years would be so intimidating.

 Did Y/N move in with Calum or did Calum move in with Y/N? Y/N was having a roommate while she was with Calum, some doctor from the hospital (in Grey’s Anatomy terms, it would be like Arizona living with DeLuca in season 12) so Y/N moved in with Calum before they purchased a house together when they decided their relationship was actually getting serious (that was around their 2nd anniversary)

 What about their anniversary/ valentine’s day/ honeymoon? I feel that they would barely ever have the chance to celebrate those things like ‘normal’ people would. I feel like they would send each other flowers for the sake of it, with cute little notes full of inside jokes or spicy stuff (or possibly both) For their honeymoon, I think they would go on it months after their actual wedding. After the wedding, they would spend the weekend at a luxury hotel, And then, months after, when things would get a little chaotic for both of them (on a previous ask I mentioned y/n dealing with loss and calum dealing with disappointment), they would just take the trip. Somewhere warm and nice. I am thinking Fiji islands, then New Zealand, so they could visit Calum’s roots, and of course Australia. just for a few days, to see Calum’s family and wander around a bit. I am thinking that their honeymoon would actually be a month-long one, them just being together, no distractions, just to sink in the “married life” and set their minds straight. And I think that on the milestone anniversaries (e.g 5 years together, one year married), they would just go on little road trips. They would get a little RV and drive somewhere, finding cute little places to camp out.

 How did the concept of the Dr. Angel Face fic occur to you? I get inspired by so many things. The Doctor Angel Face au was created kinda by accident. I wrote the first part, Fetish while watching an episode of Grey’s anatomy and I kinda wondered how I could fit my characters into the GA universe. The Fetish part was a request so I wanted to give something unique. I didn’t think I could actually cultivate it into a series. Then I wrote the Heat part. I was actually inspired by a Greek Trap song called Caliente (which was the original title of the story). I wanted the story to revolve around the sexual chemistry of the couple, and I actually didn’t plan on it being a part 2 to the Fetish story. But I started writing and the universe I was creating fit so well with the Fetish story, so I made a couple of changes to fit it in. Then people started liking the Doctor AU and asked for more. So I came up with the Dr. Angel Face part. I wanted it to be this cozy, Christmas story but didn’t want to limit it to just it. So, a follower of mine ( @saphseoul​ ) suggested a couple of things I should include into it, like their backstory. Their backstory was inspired by a story Ashton told on a soundcheck about the day the met Andy Deluca (basically, Ashton and Calum were in a car accident but they were fine so they sat on the curb and ate chicken tenders and drank milkshakes). I felt like that would be such a great backstory for them. And of course some parts of them are kinda inspired by the episodes of GA, but I try not to copy them. For the Alternative part of the Dr. Angel Face, I was inspired by something that might sound stupid, but it is actually the truth. I was actually inspired by a daydream. Back in December, I was working on the shittiest job I’ve ever worked, so to cope I built the scenario about the alternative (I quit from the job by the way). It is angsty and a bit torturing, to be honest, but like all my stories, it will have a happy ending. But I can get inspired by anything and everything. I have been writing for 6 years now, for the last 3 I have been writing daily, which helps me keep my inspiration flowing. 

What can we expect from the future parts?

I can tell you that the alternative part is going to be the angstiest and sweetest part ever. Y/N is kinda a broody brat, always trying to provoke Calum (but honestly she is right, she is getting back to him for what happens at the beginning of the fic). And Calum is kind of a bitch but has a great arc. Even though it is an angst fic, I am not going to ruin my favorite couple, so it will have a soft ending. I don’t remember exactly when I have it scheduled for posting, because I have quite a few stories queued. For the 4th part of Dr. Angel Face, the fic begins right after the wedding in the hospital. I plan on focusing it more on them becoming a family (just the two of them plus Duke for this part), and their honeymoon. Plus, I think that I want the fic to focus more on how (Y/N) deals with Calum’s career ( I have in mind to include a Friends of Friends concert, maybe an award show). I consider cutting this part in half so it won’t be too long, so the second part will be more on their plans of having a baby together, including how realistic this would be, how they would handle the responsibility, plus I want to write something into this fic kinda like the Family Cuddles story I have with Ashton. And I have the prequel of the Dr. Angel Face. This will be their story from their meeting to them moving in together. I will also include some storylines of their lives before they got together. Those are my plans for the story this far. I don’t know if there will be more stories after I am done with those, but I sure hope so.

 For some reason, I feel like Dr. (Y/N) and Maggie Pierce would have such a great friendship? Maggie is one of my fav characters (you can’t change my mind, I said what I said) and I think they would be really close. Y/N was also a child prodigy (I mentioned it before and I will write more on it on the Dr. Angel Face Prequel) and I feel they would bond a lot over it. On the Alternative Chapter, I wrote a lot about her relationship with Meredith and now I kinda regret not including Maggie more on it. Y/N is close with Amelia and Meredith so it makes so much sense that she would be with Maggie as well.

 Who’s the hardest character to write? I don’t really have trouble writing for characters I guess (probably because I don’t go in-depth with characters). But I guess I will say (Y/N), since I had to look up medical terminology, fit her in an already existing universe (that of Grey’s anatomy).

Who’s the easiest character to write? The easiest character to write was Calum, hands down. Starting this fic I had already built him in my head so he was really written automatically.

 Favorite scene you’ve written? It is so difficult to pick just one favorite scene. I guess it is on Part 3 (The Dr. Angel Face chapter), their wedding sequence. I think it captures the essence of their relationship, that they don’t need anything fancy to love each other, they just want to cherish one another on any chance they get. Writing that scene felt like writing the core of the couple, it is a lot more than just a wedding scene.

  Hardest part about writing? The hardest part about writing in general is getting the perfect conditions to do so. My house is always noisy and I rarely have a proper workspace, so adjusting to my environment and being able to write unbothered is something I can’t do easily. Also, editing is very hard too.  On the Dr. Angel Face fic, specifically, the hardest part was being able to keep a balance between fiction and realism. I don’t want my stories to feel unrealistic so I always strive to write things you would encounter irl (I hope I am successful at it, I am really trying hard)

 Easiest part about writing? The easiest part about writing the Dr. Angel Face AU is the interactions between the characters, finding the reasoning behind what they do, and how the others react to their doings. You will see next week when I post the Alternative part that everything my characters do is justified by past actions and their relationships with others.

Omg doctor x cal is like my relationship goals!! So mature and healthy relationship. Because they have such a busy life I can see them enjoying the little moments. Like cuddling the first thing in the morning when they wake before work. Coming home together and making dinner together while listening to music. Like they’re the IT couple That they are. I wanted to write a relationship for Calum that would be drama and stress-free. And I wanted the relationship to have its little flaws but them always dealing with them the adult way. I really love the way that relationship has evolved throughout the fic and I am so excited to write the continuation of it. There are going to be so many little moments like those ones in the following parts (well, not in the alternative one, that one is aaaaangstyyyyy) It makes me so happy to see people love that relationship as much as I do. And I wish everyone finds a relationship like this one. Y’all deserve it

 So I read this headcanon that said calum would totally refer to s/o as “the mrs” especially when talking to other ppl about her. I can totally see cal doing that for dr y/n.. talking to the boys, his mom, or in interviews I feel like he wouldn’t do it in interviews because people could misinterpret it as minimizing her and we all know Calum is too smitten with Dr. Angel Face to do that, but with the boys and his family, oh he would do it all the time. And Dr. (Y/N) would adore it, almost as much as she would adore being called Dr. Hood in private (like, not in the hospital, but Calum calling her Dr. Hood while they are being their goofy selves, or Ashton teasing her, oof, she loves it) But I also feel like Calum and Y/N would have a bit of a hard time calling each other “my husband” or “my wife”.  Like, picture that: “My boyfriend is coming home tonight” “I thought you are married…” “Right… My HUSBAND is coming home tonight.”  or Calum calling (Y/N) his girlfriend by accident and (Y/N) playfully correcting him. “You are starring at me. Stop.” “What? Can’t I just look at my gorgeous girlfriend?” “Honey, we are married. I am not your girlfriend anymore.” “Shit, I still can’t believe you are my wife.” Or Calum introducing (Y/N) to new people. “This is my ex-girlfriend, Dr. (Y/N) (Y/L/N).” “He means I am his wife now.” I can’t choose which one is more cannon, so I will be using all 3 in parts 4 and 5

 Rockstar and a doctor dating... what a couple!! Their character development makes them so great and humble ppl. Like typically when ppl make so much money they have to be super flashy and buy crazy expensive Well, Calum gives off that down to earth vibe so, I don’t think he would be with someone who is flashy. Also, Y/N studied medicine and she is a surgeon, meaning she had her fair share of student loans to pay off, which caused her to be more considerate of how to spend money. They truly have a lavish home though and both of them have cars, but they never go above and beyond to flash their wealth. I will describe their house on Dr. Angel Face Prequel and on parts 4 and 5, it is truly a lovely home.

 I think they’re house would be amazing. From what I imagine it’d be beautifully decorated.. simplicity and modern. Calum’s album plaques hanging & her doctorate degree hanging/ or her graduation pictures The have a glass case full of awards and degrees and a wall that is covered with album plaques (Y/N convinced him to actually hang them on a wall and display them in their living room instead of having them laying around). The glass display was built by Calum himself, as a little gift for Y.N once they moved in together. She had her awards and her degrees in a box in her old apartment, so Calum felt like giving her a proper place for them, with Y/N insisting his very own awards to accompany them. There are also a lot of framed pictures of them, kinda hang like a timeline; them being kids, teens, adults, Y/N’s graduations and Calum’s significant performances, album releases, overall achievements. And then pictures of them together, from dates, to anniversaries, to trips, then a few pictures they took of each other, or others took of them together (like candids of their cute little moments). And eventually their wedding and family pictures. A little fairytale hanging and showcased on their wall for everyone to see. The house is simple and has a touch of modern as you mentioned, but It is worth saying that they have made it absolutely personal. Every furniture was hand picked from antique stores or from retailers with a unique sense of style, but keeping a simplicity in every room to be able to decompress after a hectic day. The house took months to finish decorating and furnishing, due to the couple wanted every single thing in the house to have character, so they were looking for specific things. Plus, there was a lot of arts and crafts going on in the house; they painted it together, they built furniture together, they assembled things together. They did it while Calum was in a bit of a hiatus after dropping an album (think about the period after Youngblood and before CALM), so it was more of a project for him to keep busy. But Y/N actually enjoyed building a home with him. It was a sign that the relationship she had with Calum would last. I got carried away with this. I can’t wait until I can talk more about their house in the stories. Mostly on the prequel, since it is actually about what happens between them meeting and them getting married. But also on parts 4 and 5, with them changing from being just boyfriend-girlfriend to being a family (not necessarily having kids, but building more on their existing relationship).

 I just realized how opposites really attract like dr. Y/n cal. Their lifestyles are so different. She was a child prodigy while he was a dropout. They’re so cute Yes, they are a bit different in that area, but they have quite a lot in common. Both are compassionate, considerate, loving people. They have a great sense of humor and a common code of communication and their moral compasses are matching. Plus, Calum legit is a cultivated person (the way he talks, the way he shows himself in the world, reveal that he is educated even though he is a dropout.) So they are both very smart people. They are very cute indeed and they act as a driving force for each other to become better.

 Loved the story (Dr. Angel Face Alternative). Time line confused me a little. It takes place before heat yet the mention of planning for children doesn’t happen until dr. Angel face? It is an alternative, which means that this is a different way their story as a couple could have developed. Any story after Fetish doesn’t happen on the alternative timeline The alternative timeline is: Prequel ——-> Fetish ——> Dr. Angel Face Alternative The original timeline is: Prequel ——> Fetish —–> Heat (+ Extended) —-> Dr. Angel Face —–> Dr. Angel Face Part 4 —–> Dr. Angel Face Part 5

 I’ve noticed cal always has a baby girl in your fics is that intentional or random? Btw I loved the au of Dr Angel face seeing them expecting a daughter kinda made me think how it’d be if they were expecting a boy and how C would be around his baby boy. Huh, I never noticed. I guess every time I picture Calum with a baby, it is always a girl ( I love how soft he is for his mom and his sister, so I can’t help but melt at the thought of him with a baby girl). But on the main timeline, I had planned for him to have a boy. It fits the fic well, in my opinion, and since the part I posted yesterday was an alternative, I chose a girl, to highlight how different the alternative part is from the original AU

 When do you plan to post the fourth part of Dr Angel Face? have you already written it or do you still need to finish it off? Haven’t written it yet, nor even started it. I am doing the prequel first (totally random pick, blame google for randomizing my requests). I will definitely post it in 2020, maybe for Christmas or the 5sos anniversary. I don’t know yet.

 I can’t wait till doctor y/n and cal have a baby. they’d be the cutest parents ever!! They’d be super busy and hectic with their schedule but it would be so great. Calum would be an absolute sweetheart during (y/n)’s pregnancy, taking care of her but letting her do her thing, spoil (y/n) rotten, talking to the baby, visiting (y/n) even more frequently at the hospital to see if she is ok. Oh, he would be the softest dad ever. And then with the baby… he would be so cute and protective. taking care of the newborn to let (y/n) rest, and then when the baby is old enough to go to the hospital daycare, he would visit all the time to spend time with the baby and see the mama. He would take the baby to the studio as well, trying to get the kiddo into music early on. And then when (y/n) would be off service and Calum would be free of obligations, they would just get in the car and drive to the beach, or the woods or a hiking trail and have quality time with their baby.

 Idk why but I feel like the baby would be a carbon copy of calum. His mom has some strong genes Their baby would so well loved, especially with being the first grandchild on both sides of the family. Between the band, y/n family, calum family, and y/n friends they would all love the baby there would be even more privacy now they had a baby. All the fans & media would be dying to see a picture of the baby. Both Mali and Calum are the spitting image of Joy and I am so sure the baby will look like her. (Calum’s baby pictures make my heart melt and I can only imagine y/n trying to recreate them, sending them to Calum’s side of the family so they can collectively have their hearts melt at the sight) That child would be spoiled, everyone showering him with gifts, playing with him for hours. He would be cuddled all the time, especially by (y/n) who when she wouldn’t be working she would not leave him on his feet. On the privacy matter, I agree with you 100%. The Hood-(Y/L/N) family is adamant about not exposing the baby to this world at such a young age. The world is dying for a picture but at best they get a look at the back of the baby’s head. Calum would occasionally answer questions about the baby, but always being careful about what he shares and they would barely ever post pictures with the child, even once he is older. (I can picture Calum posting a picture of his son wearing daddy’s merch, custom-made for him. Or (Y/N) posting a pic of the boys playing with Duke or playing soccer together, and the internet would have a collective meltdown. Of course, that would happen when the baby would be older, like 4 or 5 years old.) (Or maybe Calum would share a picture of baby number one holding baby number two, after completely hiding y/n’s second pregnancy from the world -well, friends and family would know but they would hide it from fans and the media)

 Omg I just read your ask about dr. Angel face and cal!! I’m in love with dad cal the pregnancy will be so cute. I think cal would be protective because with being a surgeon is a difficult job but he knows she can handle herself so he lets her do her thing. The first time they hear the heartbeat on the ultrasound!! And setting up the nursery when they find time!! There is definitely some struggle for Calum during (Y/N)’s pregnancy. He wants to be protective and he wishes she would book fewer hours of surgery, but at the same time, he knows she wouldn’t do something to hurt herself and their baby. He also knows she is a doctor and that she knows a bit more than him. So he sits a bit back and makes sure she feels ok, takes care of her when she is home.  They would both go crazy over the baby’s heartbeat. Calum would be shocked, never having experience with anything like that, plus knowing that’s his kid in there, he would be so emotional. And (Y/N) would also be so enamored by that bub’s heartbeat. I feel like her maternal instinct would only become stronger after that. I can certainly see them looking online for all the furniture (remember, they are trying to keep a low profile), and Calum would invite the boys over to help him. Everyone would just try to show off because everyone wants to be the baby’s godparent (joke’s on them, they already picked Mali for the role). And the walls of the nursery would be covered in paintings because Calum read it is good for the baby’s brain to have visual stimuli early on (one wall would be sea-themed, the other woodland-themed, then a rainforest-themed wall, and an Australian wildlife wall so the baby has an early connection to his root, and the ceiling just has the most amazing universe-themed painting, including constellations, planets, nebulas). Now, depending on their place in the room, the furniture would be of various colors to fit with the theme of the wall behind them. They didn’t want to have a color scheme for the room, they opted for the most colorful room (they both agree that a child’s room shouldn’t be boring, nor monochromatic)

 What scene did you first put down? The first scene I ever put down was from Fetish, in which Y/N walks into their home to find that Calum working on some lyrics. I am lucky that I have a very linear way of writing, so whatever scene you see first on my fic, that is the start of it. Now, if we are talking about Dr. Angel Face as in the self-titled chapter, the first scene I came up with and made a plot for was the scene Y/N gets called and is informed that Calum has been hurt and he is in the hospital. That was the main point of the fic for me, since it was a great opportunity to show the characters interact, how protective Y/N is when it comes to Calum, as well as introduce a bit of a backstory of how they came to be.

 What’s your favorite line of narration? I have so many favorites. Ooof, it is so hard for me to pick just one line of narration and dialogue. I loved the narration of the Alternative part (the whole story is a masterpiece if you are asking me and totally underrated). I feel like that alternative chapter points out all the things that could be wrong with Calum’s and Y/N’s relationship, but also how they would still make things work between them.  I also loved writing their first 2 dates and their first kiss (those scenes are on the prequel, so I can’t wait to share the new part with you)

 What’s your favorite line of dialogue? My favorite dialogue has to be their vows. Oh, my heart hurts when I think about it. Especially Calum’s “ Love does exist, and her name is (Y/N). “ I had a meltdown writing it. And Y/N’s “ My sweetest love, if fate wants me to be with anyone, if fate wants me to be anything more than I already am, I know that it’s you, I know that it is to be yours and you to be mine “… I am still not over it. As you might have seen, I do mostly dialogue in my stories. I feel like it is a better way to show the characters’ reactions and get the story moving.

 Why’d you pick calum for the story? The story started from a Calum request, so I guess I didn’t really pick him. But, I chose to continue this fic with Calum because he is the most fitting. He is compassionate and down to earth and has a very calming aura, which I felt would go great with y/n and her profession. (But let’s be honest here, I picked him mainly because he is my favorite)

 What was the character development process like? I don’t remember ever sitting down and having a plan of how I wanted the characters to develop. I understand how much they have changed from the original concept I had in my head, now that I am writing the prequel and I have to kinda start their relationship and them as individuals from scratch. I think I always let my characters grow through interactions with each other because it really feels more natural than following an arc strictly. If you really think about it, as people we grow and evolve through our interaction with others and through our experiences. And I guess that’s what I do to develop my characters. 

As you were talking about doctor y/n... I think baby bumps are so cute!! I imagine it being so adorable. Especially with her work clothes. She would be such a great mom Y/N waddling around in her all-blue scrubs, like a little penguin is honestly heart-melting. She would get such guilt for trying to balance work and being a mom, especially after going back from her maternity leave. And Calum would feel the same too; just 2 months after the baby was born, he would have to leave for tour and he felt like he was missing out and he wasn’t helping y/n much. It would take them a while to realize that when they are doing what they love and they take care of themselves, they are better parents to baby Hood. They are both such great parents, baby Hood is so lucky on that. He is so much loved by everyone; parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, his parents’ friends. He is a ray of sunshine; according to Calum, he gets it from his mama

[jeremys-blogs]

Men Like You: One Marvellous Scene

Well, I said I was going to do this at some point, and I think it's high time I made good on that promise. For those who don't know, last year there was a collaboration between a number of Youtubers to discuss their various favourite scenes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and why they felt they should be held as the best scenes in the franchise. It was really great and you should totally check the videos out. But, this did leave me with a bit of a pickle when it came to doing my own thoughts on the matter. You see, I wanted to talk about a scene I loved, but I also didn't want it to be a scene that had already been covered by the others. This was tricky since they'd already talked about most of my personal choices. After a while though, I found it. One moment I utterly adored in the MCU that, to my knowledge, hasn't been mentioned by anyone else. And that's what we're going to talk about here. A moment brought to us courtesy of the original 2012 Avengers movie, my personal favourite of the big crossover films, that shows what is, quite possibly, the most under-appreciated moment of heroism in a franchise built on acts of heroism.

So, our scene takes place just prior to all our heroes meeting up for the first time. Loki, Thor's brother and the big bad of the movie, has just made a big show of himself in an art museum in Germany. And when his business there is finished, he waltzes out onto the street, causing havoc and terrifying all of the ordinary citizens around him. With his illusions he herds a whole crowd of them together and demand that they kneel, which they soon do out of fear. Loki, going full dictator mode, lords over them with this big speech about how he's above them and that they're all just natural servants to him, "meant to be ruled". Confidently, he declares how ordinary people will always kneel. In response, one old man among the crowd slowly gets up, looks Loki in the eye and states firmly that they will not kneel to men like him. When Loki counters by saying there aren't any men like him, the old man rebuffs him, "there are ALWAYS men like you", before Loki readies his scepter to kill the defiant human. And just when it looks like the old man is about to die at the hands of the film's villain, Steve Rogers, Captain America, jumps in to save him, ready to bring Loki down a peg.

Now, there's a lot going on here in this scene that I want to talk about, but to start off let's cover the basic surface-level stuff. Because this moment, which is only about a minute long, is pretty much a microcosm of the entirety of the superhero genre, and not just those of Marvel. We have a hammy villain coming along and declaring himself the best thing ever, towering over frightened people and threatening them, ready to even kill one who steps out of line. And then, at the last moment, a superhero comes in from out of nowhere to take the hit and save the day, bringing hope to a hopeless situation. This right here is superhero stories in a nutshell, so on that basic level, it works really well, even if Marvel does eventually develop a reputation for undermining or subverting a lot of classic superhero tropes further down the line. And of course, there's the acting needed to pull off a moment like this, Tom Hiddleston is clearly having a blast as this wonderfully evil baddie, Chris Evans fits the role of a classic hero like he just stepped out of the pages of a comic book, and as for the unnamed old man, for that we give thanks to veteran actor Kenneth Tigar.

And it's really the old man here that I wanted to talk about. What he did in this scene is very possibly the bravest and most noble act I've seen among any of the regular people in this franchise. Oh sure, we've got heroes aplenty putting their lives on the line to fight the good fight, but this guy isn't those guys. He hasn't got a fancy suit of armour, or an indestructible shield or the power of the gods on his side. He's just a man, and an elderly one at that. He knows full well that Loki could end his life in a heartbeat if he wanted, yet here he is, standing up among the crowd, staring down this invader, and telling him that he's not going to submit. Standing up to someone more powerful than you is an incredibly courageous thing to do, especially when it's someone you know has malicious intent. But that doesn't stop him. He still there, still standing, refusing to kneel to this self-styled king of the world. He's an ordinary person, but he nevertheless a hero in this scenario. A hero whose name we don't even know. We only ever see him this one time, and no other film even mentions him, yet what he does here has remained in my mind ever since I first saw this movie back in 2012.

Special mention also has to go to just how important a moment like this is in a superhero movie, as it helps to remind the audience of exactly what, or specifically for who, the superheroes in question are supposed to be doing, protecting ordinary people. It can be hard sometimes in films and comics and what have you, when heroes and villains are duking it out over the fate of the world, to remember that, at the end of the day, it's the everyday people in the street that are in danger and need help. When you have big and apocalyptic events, the average Jane and Joe can get lost in the mix, made to feel like they aren't as important in the grand scheme of things. So a scene like this is vital for keeping the audience rooted in what truly matters. The often-nameless (literally in this case) men and women who get caught in the big fights. They're the ones the heroes are supposedly there to champion, so a character like this old man is really needed to put a face to that overall concept. Right now, this man represents all those that Loki would seek to dominate, hurt and kill. The people that Steve and the other Avengers need to fight for.

But as much as I wish I could have nothing but praise for this scene, there is one sticking point that needs to be addressed, and that's the reasons for its inclusion in the film. You see, Joss Whedon, the director, added this scene apparently because there were fears and worries about how it might come across if they simply had a scene of German civilians kneeling down to a dictator without question. Now, on the one hand, I sort of agree with where they're coming from, since that would likely send the wrong message, even if it was unintentional. But on the other, it's not as if they're going along with Loki by choice here. He's shown his violent tendencies and has already killed a man in full view of everyone. This isn't people bowing down to him because of force of personality, it's a hostage situation. They kneel because their lives are in danger, not because they actually want to follow Loki's lead. So while I give a lot of credit to this scene, I'm afraid I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with the idea that not having it in would put the citizens in it in a bad light. Though it does at least make the nameless old man all the more courageous as a result.

Despite that small bump in the road, this scene still has a lot going for it. In a franchise where it's easy to think you need to go bigger, more epic, more extravagant, you can forget that it's sometimes the smaller moments that truly stick with you. This scene, with two characters whom everyone in the audience will know and remember, shines all the brighter because of the inclusion of the one character whom they wouldn't. A single act of bravery in the face of certain death that makes this tired-looking old man look like a giant, even among the other heroes. Ordinary people standing up for what's right is always a powerful symbol, no matter what context it's happening in, and while shots like Steve marching to his doom against the full might of Thanos' army will always be heroic and epic, there's something to be said for bringing the scale down a bit. To show that heroes can emerge when you least expect it, among those not typically thought of as heroes in a genre like this. This is a scene that's likely to get lost among all those other moments that have been discussed by the aforementioned Youtubers, but for me, this will well and truly be the true Marvelous Scene in this astonishing franchise

[cookiedoughmeagain]

Haven DVD commentaries: 5.03 - Spotlight

Commentary with Lucas Bryant and Emily Rose.

So, I love these two but the levels of ridiculousness that tend to enter their conversations are hard for me to capture in text, so this doesn’t necessarily cover everything. And I make no guarantees as to how much of the time Lucas is being serious, because let’s face it; it is sometimes hard to tell.

[Nathan’s Previously On Haven] LB: You hear that voice? ER: That was good, did you practice that? LB: Nope. ER: Because I did. I thought, Oh you’ve got a TV show, now you’ve got to practice your ‘previously on’ LB: Yeah you’ve got ...Oooh nice one! You just stuck a pencil in someone’s eye. I haven’t seen that. ER: So this is Dwight, played by the wonderful … LB: Holy Moly his clothes are coming off. Oh my goodness. Do you know how many times Dwight has his clothes off when he’s on the phone with Nathan? ER: Oh it was requested wasn’t it? LB: Yeah, I think they were just trying to get Dwight’s top off.

[As Duke is bringing Nathan supplies and Mara is trying to eavesdrop in the background] LB: You’re so good. ER: I actually really had fun doing this scene because I just got to be a brat in the background. Which I know you would say is an everyday occurrence, but they actually allowed it to stay on film. LB: Right. I remember looking over occasionally at you and just shaking my head. ER: Yeah. I was really happy. I just wanted to make faces behind you all, and when Balfour would walk by I’d kick him or something. I just never knew what you were saying though, I just had to wait until I saw movement so I knew you were talking. I don’t think they showed me kicking him here though, I just got to stare back at you.

ER: Oh, there’s the old footage of the boat, because it had sunk. LB: Right, that’s recycled footage of the Cape Rouge. Now Duke here is lost. [as Duke grabs the scissors] This was a big To Do. ER: Yeah I think you even suggested a scene like this, right? LB: Well we were talking for a long time about the possibilities of how we could move from Duke’s long hair to short hair, and that was it. It was good, they used scissors.

[As Nathan brings a coffee to Mara chained to the picnic bench] LB: Remember this dumb day? ER: This was freaking cold. LB: uh huh. And for some reason I was completely … [Mara spits out her coffee] That was really good. I just like watching you. But I just remember this day for some reason we laughed our … parts off. A lot. ER: Yeah. It was pretty early on, I mean not super early but it was sort of early on in the whole Mara take, so I was starting to really enjoy being a total jerk. LB: Right, you were just really sinking your teeth into it. ER: I was. It’s fun actually to be able to do different things. I think you probably experienced that in the switcheroo episode LB: Yes. That was a real blast. But I was trying to perform a part that had been previously established by Balfour. You get to … Ah that’s my man Mitchell; that’s Paul, he’s hilarious and awesome. [As Mitchell grabs Mara] ER: I remember we worked on this too. This was when stunt rehearsals moved to the day before and we worked out this turn. [As Mara gets the chain around Mitchell’s neck] You know, all the boys on this show really love the fact that I get to visually kick ass. LB: I think this is the first Mara strangle. Is it? No, it’s not; you strangled me already. ER: Yeah. LB: So there you’re just perfecting. You have how many strangles this season? ER: I have a lot of emasculating in this. LB: Yeah, you do!

LB: So tell me about, what was the inspiration for Mara’s voice? ER: Mara’s voice? That’s a good question. LB: Other than me. Did it come out of a character exploration? Or was there a specific idea? ER: I think it came out of trying to be a bit more commanding than Audrey was going to get to be because she … actually no. Matt and Gab and I had conversations about this before the season started and we talked about Blacklist and James Spader. And I watched him a bit. And I think it just came out of sheer enjoyment and pleasure. Oh, this is the laser belly. LB: Laser boobs. Oh sorry, laser belly. But this is an example of one of those things that was totally ridonculous in the script and then pretty ridonculous in the shooting of it too, right? Because the lasers don’t exist when you’re shooting it. And thankfully, Lucia went totally for it and I think ... ER: She did a great job. LB: She did a fantastic job and it actually came together being pretty cool! I don’t want to say that I don’t believe that everything’s going to turn out being totally cool, but sometimes I have a little … yeah I’m not fully convinced. ER: Well because then you make the mistake sometimes when you think something’s going to turn out awesome and then it doesn’t. LB: Right. Like they tell you that there’s going to be these lasers shooting out of your eyes but by the time you do it they’re not lasers, it’s small little -

[As Nathan is handcuffing Mitchell and getting ready to leave with Mara] ER: This leads up to a massive chunk of blooper reel time because we started laughing hysterically. LB: Right. ER: Was it you that was losing it on this one? LB: It was because I was an idiot. You kept walking away … you were doing good acting [where Mara makes to go over to Mitchell but Nathan yanks her back with the chain], but I kept forgetting to pull you back with the chain so you just sort of walked, and I just stood there. And you can see how super serious we are here because we’re finally trying. ER: Well and half the time when I look away it’s because I’m trying to help us both not crack up. You’re about to lose it right there! LB: We’re trying to super, super keep it together. Because I think we were in trouble by that point. It was getting to the point where it wasn’t good. ER: Yeah like season one and two everyone laughs along with you. Season 5, everyone is losing their crap if you lose it on set. LB: Right. ER: Like ‘time is money!!’ LB: Yeah, and this is TW Peacock who is one of our very favourite people and directors who works on Haven. ER: Yes. He’s fantastic. LB: So I think he lets us play a little bit, and then sometimes he has to growl at us to pull it back together a little bit.

LB: This is actually looking really great. I like this. ER: Oh the cabin. LB: Yeah. Daddy’s cabin. ER: This was probably one of our favourite sets I think, of the season. LB: Totally. ER: Jennifer Stewart and her team did an incredible job. LB: Incredible! This is not a cabin that exists. This is a cabin that was built in the studio. ER: We’re in a hockey rink at this point. With beautiful lighting by Eric Cayla. He’s fantastic. LB: But this was really, I was very excited because a lot of this scene, or I mean a lot of this episode and the next episode … [pause while they both laugh at Mara insulting Nathan] ER: Yeah these were really fun because the thing that’s great about TW is that he comes from a massive theatre background and family. So he’s a great actor’s director. To be able to work with him on these amazing long theatre scenes - because we were working on two episodes at the same time, so we’re doing everything that’s in the cabin in the same day. So you get a good progression of what’s happening. LB: Right.

[Another pause as they apparently laugh at Mara’s antics on screen] ER: We just took a photo, if you were wondering what was happening. LB: Yeah. That was the sound of a selfie. What’s a double selfie. ER: What? Another selfie? LB: No, I mean like there are two people in it. Is it still just a selfie? ER: Oh, that’s true. Selvsies???

ER: Oh this was an interesting moment. Why did you make that psychological gesture there? Do you know why you made that, with your hand on your face? [Mara is getting bored and Nathan is watching her] Because then I mirrored you in that moment. LB: Oh, I probably did it because … I was watching you earlier … and you …. No, I don’t know. ER: No, I copied you. It was very specific, I remember it was a very specific choice. LB: ... ER: Now, this was tricky, having to do cats cradle at the same as my lines. LB: You’re so great. ER: Oh stop it Lucas. LB: You are! It was so fun and so easy to work with you because it was just a pleasure to watch. And it was, I remember thinking, because we spent the whole day I think doing these scenes and it was like - Ah that was so fun. Because rarely do you get to actually do something that lasts longer than 15 seconds ER: It was really cool. [As Mara talks about the Russian name for cats cradle] That was actually inspired by my dear friend Stretch, in between takes. I can’t take credit for that one. LB: It’s a group effort. ER: It is! It’s a collaboration. It was really cool to get to see you play so strong Lucas. LB: As opposed to when I normally …  what in god’s name is this? [on screen we’ve flash back to Nathan and Audrey in the cabin and Nathan pulling her shirt off] ER: Oh dear god. LB: Oh I didn’t know this was happening. ER: This is the awkward part. LB: Right. ER: We could talk about the awkwardness of doing these together, these kinds of scenes. LB: It’s just really like … a part of the world … that um ER: Yes. LB: … needs no further explanation ER: No further talking.

[As the action moves to Gloria and her stressball] ER: What … Oh my gosh I love Jayne. We are so lucky to have people like Jayne Eastwood on our show. She’s incredible. I mean I always knew she was great but because I didn’t grow up Canadian I didn’t fully understand how fantastic she is. LB: Right. ER: It’s just so great to be able to watch her. And I’m so glad that we never killed her off and she didn’t disappear because she is a great asset to the show. LB: Totally.

[As Duke is talking to Charlotte in the station] ER: Is it just me or did you feel like our office got kind of sparsed down this season? LB: Yeah. I think they sold off some of the props that used to be there, and the set dressing. Now how crazy is this; Chenise - I never even met her. Did you? ER: No. LB: Because we were in the cabin, and they were doing this on some other day. ER: Right, so I guess that’s something we can talk about production wise, because we were in the cabin, I think we did those scenes for three days straight or something like that. It was long. But then you’d have these days where you’d have breaks, so blocks. So Balfour’s doing his story line and we’re doing our storyline. And it’s helpful because this season we did something we’ve never done before, which was doing two episodes at a time. Which was complicated. Because we did 13 episodes all the prior seasons, and this year we were asked to do 26 episodes which is no freaking joke. I think it may have killed me at the end. LB: I think … yeah. You are slightly dead.

[As Duke walks in to Dwights office] LB: See? Where’s all our stuff? ER: Well this is Dwight’s office, right? LB: Well. ER: Dwight took your office. How do you feel about Dwight taking your office? You kind of went off the reservation and they just sort of replaced you. LB: Yeah. He fits better in that chair, that’s really what it was. ER: It doesn’t look as large behind him. LB: What? No. I actually, am too big for that chair.

[As we’re back with Mara and Nathan in the cabin] ER: I would like to add a shout out to Joanne Stamp and Dorothy who did my hair and makeup here. And because we didn’t want to go back and forth with dying hair for blonde and brunette, we actually did a wig. LB: You’re wearing a wig? Right now in this TV show? That’s a wig? ER: Yeah. Yes. Don’t you remember? LB: Not really. ER: You don’t remember that?! That was definitely a technicality of making out on the floor, was; Don’t touch the wig! LB: Oh yes that’s right. Don’t touch the hair. ER: But our best wig tip actually came from you Lucas. LB: Why? ER: Because you had just completed a film. LB: Oh that’s right. See, I don’t even remember my own life. ER: No you don’t. LB: It’s a good thing we have these conversations. ER: So you suggested, which was good, and Joanne figured out with her masterful skills, that if you shift the wig back a bit and use my own hair the blend is fantastic. And it was so good. So I wore a wig for Mara and it was really cool.

[As Nathan’s unchaining Mara to take her over to the bed] ER: Wait, this scene did we do a rehearsal of it, or was this one where we just did it and TW was super happy with it? LB: Um, we just kinda went for it. Because I remember initially reading it, being like; What the f- … I’m … Because, if you haven’t seen the episode already, here’s a spoiler; Nathan and Mara kiss in a minute. And I was like; How, in God’s name, can that happen. Like, this is ... I was … I couldn’t ... ER: But we talked a lot about that idea of having someone in front of you that you recognise fully and you should be close with, but that person not really being … LB: That person not really being the person! And they’re kind of like, Well it’s hard because she’s the person but she’s not the person. ER: Exactly. LB: But I’m like; He’s not an idiot! He can’t just like go … But then we decided eventually I think that in some … ER: Sick way? LB: … weird way, he’s hoping that this will bring her [Audrey] out. ER: And that’s what you settled on. LB: Yeah. And Matt and Gab were like, you just gotta trust us on this, the fans are going to love this. And I was like, I am going to reluctantly trust you, because I don’t know what .... But… I think they did. I think they were right. I was wrong. ER: I think it’s interesting from Mara’s point of view, because in a way it felt like Mara was doing this to you. You know? Playing and toying, and I think that’s kind of her sort of power, in a way is she’s been around for a long time and so I feel like she’s just way more visceral and just sort of going at everything. Which I’m not going to lie to you, I just completely struggle with as an actor, because when a character that I’m playing has a completely different point of view to me as a person, it’s really hard for me to wrap my head around how to access it. But you have to sort of blackout as a person and just go with it. LB: Right. But you find me disgusting and utterly vomit worthy in real life, so. ER: No but what you were talking about, I agree with you. Because I’ve played Audrey for so long, I don’t understand why Nathan would do that either. LB: Right. ER: So it’s hard for me to say; Sure, let’s go ahead with the scene. LB: Totally. But I think it did make sense. ER: And I absolutely loved actually, that we had to create the illusion that Mara was able to get those tar balls without you seeing. And it kind of forced you into this psychological place of looking down [where Nathan has his head in his hands] and I thought that was really great. LB: Right.

[As we see Duke and Dwight in the furniture warehouse] LB: And then there’s this stuff. I’ve never even … ER: Did you even watch these episodes? LB: No. I haven’t seen this. ER: You haven’t?! LB: No. ER: You haven’t seen these episodes?! LB: I’ve seen our stuff. I haven’t this bit. *whispers* I don’t watch their stuff. ER: Wow. I watched them in Nova Scotia while we were filming. LB: It’s good. It’s really good.

ER: I remember Lucas, since we’re sitting here patting each other’s backs, I remember being really nervous about how Mara was turning out. So, I think the first couple seasons you guys were into watching the dailies a little bit. I still was into watching dailies by the end here in season 5. But you all weren’t as worried about it. But I remember watching dailies from these scenes [Nathan and Mara in the cabin] and trying to gage where I was at with her, and thinking; Wow, why is Lucas so freaking good! LB: Oh come on. ER: No I’m serious.

ER: Now the funny thing to me about this, is I’m supposed to take my bra off in this scene, but what you don’t see is Eddie and Stretch and two camera guys behind me (so they can get your close ups). So to be able to do all of this bra stuff, practically topless but not, and having to deal with … This is the thing; you’re doing your acting scene, and Mara’s being confident and sexy, and Emily’s inside going; How do I get this bra off with all my crew guy friends behind me? How do I do this? LB: Right. You did it. ER: I did it. But I probably had a strapless bra on underneath. LB: You probably had a t-shirt on underneath. ER: *laughs* It was really fun though. You’re so good Lucas, there’s another great little gesture. You don’t get to see Nathan be this … because he’s such the action man all the time, it’s really cool to see you actually think and freak out about stuff, and for them to give you the time to do it. LB: Yeah, thanks. It was, I remember feeling really good. It felt like being an actor, you know? I mean we do this wild stuff all the time and it’s an honour and we’re blessed to be able to do it, but it is rare that you do … Maybe it shouldn’t be so rare, maybe it’s my own fault, but. It’s not all the time that you finish a day and you feel like; That is why I got into this in the first place, I loved that, that was so fun. ER: Totally. And I remember Matt and Gab talking about how they were so excited to actually write some scenes that got to just live in one place for a while. Because, our show is very action packed and there’s stuff happening all the time and we have to be rescuing people. LB: Always leaving somewhere and arriving somewhere. *laughs* I just don’t want to leave and arrive, can we just do an episode where we just, stay.

[As we see Audrey come out while Mara’s asleep] LB: This is so good and so weird. Look at you. ER: I remember being freaked out about this because I was like; I don’t know how to be Audrey any more.

LB: And I’ve got to fire up my dad’s old computer here. ER: Oh yeah, you were like; So wait, in order to get ahold of people I have to go to my dad’s old computer and not my cell phone? And then they get it on their cell phones?? LB: It’s a good thing that we kept up the bill for the internet there at the cabin, the old dial up. ER: Why couldn’t we insert the modem going… *dial up modem impressions from both of them* LB: Yeah. What’s my password? ER: Bronco78 LB: Yeah! Good one. That probaby would be it. ER: BlueBronco78 LB: Nathan123 ER: 1983Wuornos LB: Ahh and then it might have been one of those ones where I needed to use a capital N. 1983Wuronos.

[As we’re back with Duke and Dwight and Jody in the furniture warehouse] ER: Oh the lights are flickering. Wait wasn’t she related to the other lights flickering girl, or was that different? With the electricity? LB: Um, no. Not related. ER: We used that one later on. That was one of the fun things about this season was bringing back old characters and their family. LB: Yeah. And recycling Troubles. ER: Every sci-fi show’s got to have some light sabres coming from somewhere. LB: Yeah. It’s good. They really made it work. ER: And obviously, major kudos to all three actors here; Balfour, Copeland, and Lucia. Because it’s really not easy to be acting all these things that you don’t see on the day. LB: Totally. ER: Balfour’s always been really really great about just … you believe him. So much so. LB: Yeah, he’s really excellent about throwing himself into those absurd situations and making it work. ER: Yeah. And our dear friend Mr. Copeland. Talk about rising to the occasion. LB: Kicking ass.

[As we see Mara waking up] ER: Oh this was fun. LB: That’s my thing. ER: Pancakes. LB: Yep. ER: I just liked that little baby scene because Nathan had some hope and he was getting to play his happy self, which you don’t see him getting to do so often. And Mara was showing she’s not a morning person which was really funny. LB: Right. Because you could really relate to that. ER: I could so relate to that. You know, there’s two things in my life I didn’t want out of a job; homework and getting up early. And my job requires both of them. LB: Right. Accounting though, you’re avoiding that. That was the other thing right? ER: Thank god I don’t have to do that.

[As Nathan is trying to get Mara to eat pancakes and she is being a jerk about it] ER: I had so many of my friends say; It was so fun to watch you do that. I will say too, I really like Dorothy’s make up on this. Because I think after I was done playing Mara, we were both just sad that we didn’t get to use eyeliner all the time. LB: When did you first feel like you found her. ER: That’s tricky, um, I would say probably, the Mara images that I have in my head that are really strong memory-wise would have been the first episode when you and I are having that face off in the woods with the bronco behind and Vickie’s in it. And I hear her and I whirl around and I slam her hand in the door; fierceness. I was like; Audrey would never, in a million year. And I think wearing those boots. I remember one scene they tried to give me flatter boots and I asked them to redo the take and put me in the heels again because it didn’t feel like her. Like, she’s so powerful and so tall and so regal and so in charge, that it really bothered me. The coat really helped and the boots really helped, and the vest. LB: So was that the same day, I think it was, where we did, at the end of the day (we’re talking about other episodes now) that scene where you handcuffed me to the fence, that was the same day of shooting right? Because we were right there next to the woods. ER: Right, yes. Where you think it’s Audrey and then find out it’s Mara. LB: Yeah. Because I remember that day and I remember being like; Wow, this is crazy. ER: It was fun. LB: But I remember seeing you play around with what she was going to be, and find all sorts of different things. And there was this great, I think it ended up getting cut out sadly, but this great line about … ER: Oh that’s right! What was that line? LB: It was about … Oh yeah, I realised you weren’t Audrey, I realised you were Mara and you were talking about how Audrey was such an idiot. ER: Oh about how she dances! LB: You said; Do you have any idea what it’s like to be inside Audrey when she dances? ER: Yeah! I loved that line and they took it out. And I had a huge phone call about that asking them to put it back. I think that is a line that sums up Mara in a lot of ways. LB: Right, you did a little vomit in your mouth thing and I remember thinking; Oh this chick is nuts - this is great. ER: Well it was fun getting to be this person because I did get to play around so much but what’s so cool is when we introduce … you know everybody’s so familiar with the fabric of Haven and how it operates. So for example this scene [on screen is Nathan getting Mara to dance with him] is so fun because you know what it would be like if it was Audrey and Nathan. But now with a new set of variables in there it’s fun. It changes your [ie Lucas’s] performance, it changes how you would normally act. It changes so much which is an enjoyable thing. But what’s fun too is that Mara is in control so much that in this moment here with the dancing I remember thinking; I’m not in control in this moment. Like, he’s actually really getting to her. [As Nathan is tickling Mara/Audrey on the floor]: ER: Another piece of Haven trivial - you could play a drinking game with how many times can you spot that rug. And this was a really fun turn because we had hope in between and it really felt like we were getting somewhere and I remember with Balfour coming in and just being able to switch on a dime. LB: Balfour coming in and ruining everything. That’s so Duke. Dude, your timing is just so… ER: Come on bro. LB: He comes in and he’s just all worried about his own shit. [Duke; “What … what … what is this?”] ER: He’s so good. LB: He’s so funny. And so good. ER: We always have to wrestle with these scenes where we’re having these conversations just feet from one another [Where Duke and Nathan are talking about Mara even though she’s right there] LB: But really; poor Duke, has lost a lot recently. ER: I really enjoyed saying that line; “You look like your head is about to pop off”. And this is where Mara’s fascination with Duke begins. And this was fun because Duke is such a strong character, to see him face off with Mara was interesting. LB: Yeah, your guys stuff later on in the season in the boat was fantastic. LB: I’m pretty sure that I said Mara there in ADR. “Why would you do that for him? … Mara?” ER: That’s another good fun drinking game; see if you can spot the ADR lines. LB: Yeah I should do a little survey here. All you people watching here, if I hadn’t said ‘Mara’ there, do you think you would have known who I was talking to? Just a question. There are these people, somewhere, that are more important than me, that tell me that I have to add a name to the beginning and end of every sentence. Because you people otherwise won’t know who I’m talking to.

ER: There are these points in commentaries all the time where things get quiet because the commenters just start watching the show. I’m always listening to commentaries going; Say something! What else? Say something! LB: I just look so handsome from that angle. ER: Do you think you’d consider this a bottle episode? LB: Hmm, well. ER: Or do you want to tell us what a bottle episode is? LB: Usually a bottle episode from production terms is to save money, an episode that takes place in one location with just a couple of characters, very controlled production schedule. [As we flash back to that Moment in Colorado] Look at 14 year old Duke! Aw! And look at you! What! What is this? ER: You haven’t seen this? This is the flashback where Mara is just enjoying all of her past loves. LB: So, I don’t think this would be a bottle episode, because you’ve got laser belly. And then you have all these people outside. If it was just me and you in the thing for the whole thing then yes. But this is not a cheap episode. They had to spend money on the pancakes, maple syrup. They had to get that rug from the other location. ER: They had to get those cards. I was using the deck of cards here and I remember that TW every time he’d come up to direct me was playing with his own deck of cards. [As Mara stands up closer to Duke] Again, these are these scenes where it’s so not Emily at all that I had to just go for it, it was so scary. And I guess these are these moments, I mean granted you have a group of friends you’ve been playing with for the last 5 years so, scene work is like getting thrown overboard when they yell action. And you’re looking for the other person in the scene that you’re swimming with and trying to stay above water the whole time. And I think that I’m so fortunate to have both of you guys as scene partners because it’s not scary if you have another person that’s actually willing to swim with you. LB: And not just like kick your face ER: Or pull you down. LB: Or hold you under. Yeah, it’s true. And back at you.

[As Dwight comes in] ER: And so obviously we’re in the [set in the] hockey rink, so these [shots of Dwight in the doorway] are separate shots. [To the background of Emily singing along with the theme tune] LB: But it played like it was in the same place. That’s the magic of movies.

[storiesnobodyreads]

Doesn’t Like You 2

PART TWO

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Story: Bucky Barnes doesn’t like you, and you don’t like him either. Your hateful relationship gets tested when you have to go on a mission with the Avengers together.

Warnings: swearing!

A/N: this is the second part even though i posted the first part very recently. doesn’t matter. also i don’t know how to use links and stuff, but i’ll make it work eventually. enjoyy!! 

PART ONE

Admittedly, it was the middle of the night. And you were acting like an asshole.

But nothing could stop you from turning up the volume of your speakers and blasting the music as loud as you could, dancing through your room at full speed and power, dancing like no one was watching. You leaped in and out of bed and joyfully waved your blankets around your shoulders, pretending to be a superhero. Dancing and singing along to the lyrics of the ear-deafening music, you had a great time.

Bucky came busting into your room, black strokes of hair wildly flying before his eyes. He shot over to the speakers and turned down the volume. “You fucking fucker,” he cursed loudly. “You know that we share a wall. Thin walls, Y/N! Stop blasting your fucking music in the goddamn middle of the night.”

“Fuck you,” you jumped up from your bed, not giving a shit about the fact that you were wearing nothing but a simple shirt that only just covered your bottom. “I’ll listen to music when I fucking want to listen to music. It’s none of your fucking business.”

“It is my fucking business when I have to get up early in the morning to do an actual fucking job, and I want to go to sleep,” he spat out furiously. His metal arm whirred and readjusted itself in agitation as Bucky tensed his muscles, obviously ready to punch you in the face if he had to.

“Oh, my god,” you balled your fists yourself. “An actual fucking job? You’re just going for a run because you’re a pussy—it’s not as if your superhuman strength will fucking disappear if you sleep in for a change!”

“Y/N,” Bucky suddenly said quietly, an eerie undertone of threats. “I will murder you if you don’t let me sleep. Right now.”

One of your eyebrows arched up. “Threats, Bucky? Really?”

“You know I get mad when I don’t get sleep.”

“What are you going to do?” you demanded, higher-pitched than usual. “Hit me?”

Bucky’s tensed muscles instantly relaxed after hearing your words. He calmed down, his shoulders slumped, his posture no longer violent or aggressive. “Come on, doll,” he murmured tiredly, “I’d never hurt you.” He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and sighed. “Please just let me sleep.”

You stared at him weirdly. You really couldn’t place the momentary minutes of affection that Bucky had started sharing with you lately—he had started having nice moments; you didn’t know how to deal with it. “Okay, I’ll let you sleep.”

Bucky looked relieved. “Thank you.” Only then did it seem to occur to him that you were barely clothed; nothing but a thin layer of fabric covering you up. His eyes scanned your shape only briefly, before he cleared his throat and turned away. “Good night, doll.”

“How was your night?” you asked with a yawn.

Bucky shot you a dark look as he let his hands go through his hair, which was still unwashed and uncombed. “Short, Y/N,” he complained. “Fucking short. Worst night of my life.”

You shook your head. “Can’t believe that you are supposed to be tougher than me. You can’t even deal with not going to bed at nine one night.”

“You were in my dream last night,” Bucky grumbled as both of you tiredly strolled through the hallways that morning. “I was a train conductor and I ran you over, several times. You refused to just die. You’d think it was a nightmare, but frankly, it was quite a pleasing experience.”

“I had a dream about you, too,” you countered, while aggressively punching Bucky against his shoulder in response to his story. “I was a wizard, like in Harry Potter, and I learned how to transform other people into animals. For example, I transformed Steve into an eagle, because of freedom and stuff.”

“Right,” Bucky nodded. “And me?”

“Into a rat.”

Bucky busted out in laughter. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

His laugh was a strangely enjoyable sound, infectious, almost, as you sensed a smile playing along the sides of your lips as well.

You made your way to the briefing room side by side, walking in almost comfortable silence—as if you’d somewhat grown used to the other’s annoying company. You entered the briefing room on the third floor and sat down in the chairs at the back of the room; all the other members of the team were already present.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Tony announced loudly, stepping atop a stool to get everyone’s attention as soon as he recognized everyone had arrived in the briefing room. “We have a mission! We have all been invited to the Duke Holland’s wedding—he is less rich than me, but he’s still a millionaire. There have been hints from our eyes and ears that there will be a robbery, its target the bride’s jewelry. I hope you’re all excited as I am, because the summary is that we get to go to this fantastic party and protect the bride’s pearls.”

Bucky crossed his arms over his chest in protest. “I’m not going to a party, Stark.”

Tony enthusiastically pointed at Bucky and winked at him. “Knew you’d say that, but you don’t have a choice. Nat, you can give me that five bucks later.” Natasha exaggeratedly rolled her eyes, regretting that Tony had to tell everyone she had lost a bet. “Anyway, the people already know me so I will be going as myself. So will most of us. But they don’t know you yet—” he gestured at you, “—so you will be accompanying Bucky as his date.”

“What?” Bucky sputtered indignantly. “We can’t go as a couple. Come on, Stark.” He looked at you as if he suspected you’d agree with him in his anger, but for some stupid reason, you found yourself at a strange loss of words. Bucky jerked his gaze back to Tony. “Can’t she go with Steve, or something?”

Steve calmly leaned back in his chair, his eyes shooting from you to Bucky and back to you. “If I arrive with a girl, the girl will be a big deal. If you arrive with a girl, the focus will still be on you.” Bucky stared at his best friend with a glare that would have been lethal, hadn’t Steve gotten used to it. “Yes, I am saying that it will be harder for her to pretend to be Captain America’s girlfriend.”

Bucky opened his mouth to protest to that, but Sam was faster. “I’ll do it, guys,” he offered, as if he was sacrificing himself. He winked over at you. “Listen, Y/N, I know there’s always been this connection between the two of us, and I’d love to go on a date with you, even if it’s fake. I promise you I can make it the best night of your life; I will rock your—”

“Fine,” Bucky interrupted Sam, shooting a furious look in Sam’s direction, who fell back in his chair in satisfaction, clearly happy to have succeeded to trigger Bucky. Bucky sighed. “I’ll do it. I’ll go on a date with Y/N.”

“Great!” Tony exclaimed. “Everyone be ready at seven, okay? That’s when the limo leaves.” He looked through the room to see if there were any questions, and frowned a little when he noticed your expression. “Dismissed.”

You were the first one to stand up from your chair, while the rest of the team stayed behind to chat a little. There was no part of you that felt motivated to make small-talk after all this, thus you abandoned the briefing room quickly. You stormed out of there, hearing the heavy door fall shut with a loud bang. Several seconds later, you heard footsteps following you. Convinced that it was Tony, you quickened your step, hoping to make it to the elevator before getting trapped in a speech—when suddenly metal fingers wrapped themselves around your arm and held you back.

Bucky had followed you?

“What are you doing?” Bucky asked, just as confused as you were. “Why are you running out of the briefing room? You always stay for a bit to talk. What’s up?”

“Jesus, Bucky,” you cursed, “What’s up is that, apparently, you’d really hate to spend some actual time with me. But that’s fucking okay. I’ll get over it.” You yanked yourself loose from his grip and hoped to get out of there, but Bucky kept coming after you.

“Hey—fuck, Y/N, will you stand still?” he asked in frustration. “I’m sorry, did I offend you or something? Let me ask you this, do you want to go on a fucking date with me?”

“No.”

“Then what the fuck is the problem?” Bucky busted out. “I thought you’d be happier going on a date with someone else, like Steve.”

“But not Sam?”

“Fuck no, not Sam,” Bucky spat. “Sam’s an idiot.”

“Whatever,” you murmured angrily. “We’ll just go on this fake date and the night will be over before we know it. I’ll go to the toilet every ten minutes so we don’t have to be in each other’s company for too long. Deal?”

Bucky opened his mouth and closed it again. He frowned, seeming confused. “No, Y/N, no,” he then said decisively. “This is a mission and we should take it seriously. We’re going on this fake date and we’re going to mean it. Okay? It’s going to be a real date. I’m in if you’re in.”

You didn’t mean to say it but you couldn’t hold yourself back. “Okay. Okay, I’m in.”

[checkurselfb4umachuwreckurself]

Hey! It’s another Arclight Day, isn’t it. I feel kinda obligated to write something for IV since I wrote one for III, so I decided to edit an old piece that was actually a school assignment.

“Kiln” 1.6k.

Sometimes we don’t outgrow our favourite toys. Sometiems we hold onto them through our roughest patches. Sometimes we treat them like we treat ourselves.

(Warning for IV being fucking terrifying, and also... First person writing [I’m so sorry it was necessary for the class, please forgive me it won’t happen again])

“Don’t touch her!” my owner, Thomas, snapped at his little brother. “Michael, you’re way too careless to touch Cologne.”

“He isn’t to me...” I thought, remembering the time Michael had once snuck in and showed me some ancient pottery that he found on an expedition with their shared father. Since I am not a blessed doll who can talk, I stood motionless, not saying a word I thought. He was a little boring, but he was a kind child.

Once Thomas had managed to shoo Michael out of his room, he locked the door and removed me from my stand holder. “Don’t worry about him, Princess. You’re safe with me.” he whispered, brushing my straight blonde hair and untying the oversized bow that has caused me to wobble whenever I stood without support of Thomas or my stand holder. He hummed, stroking the brush ever so gently, seemingly unlike how he treats his brother. I heard the rip of velcro I’ve heard so many times before, and noticed Thomas placed me onto his bed in nothing more than my bloomers. I wouldn’t have blushed, even if I was made of flesh, rather than my smooth porcelain. I had nothing to worry about; he’d be back in a minute with a different dress to put me in.

I don’t exactly have a means of time recording, but it felt like Thomas was gone for longer than he usually was. I turned my head as much as my nonexistent neck could, seeing that he had most definitely left. The lights were on, but no one was home- just me. I saw a man who I had never seen before walk past the doorway, turn around, go to switch the lights off, but pause instead when he saw me almost staring at him. He sighed, picking me up, whispering “I’m sorry I- I didn’t see you there.” He gave a sheepish smile. “My brother will be back. He had to go run an errand for father.”

“Brother?” I thought. “Thomas has an older brother? Why have I not seen him before? I only remember seeing Michael.”

The boy must have read my mind, saying, “my name is Christopher. If you don’t mind, I could put you in an outfit and put you back in your cabinet.”

I quickly realized Thomas never came back with my outfit, so I was more than relieved to see “Christopher” walk my way holding an outfit. He quickly put it on me, deciding to brush my hair, despite it already being tangle-free and flawless. Seeing his long silver hair, I figured he might understand hair care more than Thomas.

Putting my brush down, he sighed, for what felt like the billionth time today. “I don’t know where Tommy is, really” he nonchalantly said, tying a matching ribbon in my hair.

“His name is Thomas! Don’t be so casual with someone as perfect as him!” I thought, desperately wishing he could hear.

“Does Michael usually do this?” Chris asked me, clearly not expecting an answer. “Whenever Tommy is out, he asks him to keep his princess in order?” He smirked.

If I could move, I would have socked him for those cruel words. “How dare you act like Thomas leaves me! This has to be a one-time thing!”

“My brothers are so strange.” Chris sighed again, still in a compassionate smirk. “Mikey with his artifacts, Tommy with his dolls. And look at me! I’m talking to one of them!” He laughed a little too loud for someone alone in a room that he shouldn’t have even be in. He picked me up off the bed and put me back into my stand in the empty cabinet. “I hope you know how much he loves you. You have an entire display all to yourself. Even Mikey puts little arrowheads around his favourite statue. He’ll be back in a bit. Tomorrow at the latest.”

He didn’t turn my spotlight on, but left the room anyways. Flipping the main light switch, he left me in complete darkness. If I could sleep, I would. If I could cry, I already would have started.

---

I had not seen Thomas in quite some time. Michael wandered in once or twice, slipping a tacky necklace with a rock with a hole in it (a “Hag Stone”, he called it. Not a name suited for a princess at all) on me, giving a weak smile, whispering that he hadn’t seen Thomas either. Chris hadn’t returned at all, for which I was extremely grateful for.

I stayed there in my case for another long while, not seeing anyone come in. Not Michael, not Chris, not the “father” they all had mentioned on occasion. I waited in darkness. I waited in silence.

I heard a whimper.

I looked close and saw something on Thomas’ bed. The door was open. Was it Duke? Was Thomas’ dog in the room? That mutt- despite him saying it was purebred- shouldn’t be anywhere near me or my sister dolls.

It wasn’t Duke though.

It was Thomas.

Thomas was curled up on the bed, whimpering or whining about something. The lights were off, so I couldn’t get a good impression of what he was doing. He must have finished, because I saw him get up and walk to the lights. For the first time in what seemed like forever, light flooded my glass bead eyes. He walked over to me, his hand resting on his right side, covering half of his face, especially his eye.

“Cologne. I’m- I’m so sorry.” he rasped.

“An apology? Why? What happened? Thomas, are you alright?” I thought, begging the gods to allow me to speak even just this once.

He shifted his hand, revealing a large scar, digging up a majority of his face. His right eye was pale, unlike his usual deep berry. “A fire, Cologne. He wanted me to burn. …I’m nothing to him, Princess.” he whispered, not even looking at me, tracing the crusted mark on his cheek. “There are more on my chest and arms. But I assume you understand, don’t you?”

“I don’t!” I wanted to yell. “Who hurt you? Who is he? Why did they want you to “burn”?”

He opened my case, taking me out to sit on his bed. Gently, he touched my right cheek, sighing. “You are perfect. No flaws, no snares. You are so delicate, but I’m here to protect you.” His finger curled with a twitch on his face, turning the stroke into a scratch. “If only someone was here to protect me. Maybe I could be as happy as you…”

I did not have anything to say to that remark.

“Princess, Princess, Princess.” he cooed, curling a strand of my hair around his finger. Thomas wasn’t normally like this. Thomas wasn’t like this at all. “I’ve missed seeing someone as untainted as you.” His hand shot from my waist straight to his eye, giving a shout of pain. He hissed, drawing the fear from my heart. The corners of his lips then turned up wickedly “But,” he started, softly laughing, “we aren’t alike. Not anymore. I’m broken. You’re flawless.” He then looked at me. Blankly. I’d cower away if I could have. Thomas was nothing like this.

He got up, causing me to flop down onto the bed, no longer being in his lap. He held a scalpel up, the silver reflecting from the light overhead. He picked me up, tipping up my chin, whispering “We… we could match, Cologne.” He placed the tip on my cheek. “A shared scar. No one could judge. If someone as beautiful as you looked like this? Then what’s the worst they could say about me?” I’d look horrified if my expression wasn’t rooted as it is now. “I even have a replacement blind eye for you. We’d match to a T.”

I wanted to move. I wanted to scream. The metal was touching me, trying to penetrate my porcelain. I felt as if it cut me I would shatter. I felt shattered.

The scalpel fell.

Thomas fell.

He was on the ground while the scalpel rolled away near the bed. I could hear noises of Thomas getting sick onto the floor. Michael ran in, going to comfort Thomas and move a rubbish bin underneath him. Chris walked in with a mop, and the two walked him to the bathroom.

In their hurry they left the lights on. I thought the burning light would melt my skin off; I was so unused to its torture. Michael returned a whiles later, picking me off the bed. He brushed his finger on the mark Thomas left. “What happened?” He whispered.

I wish I could have told him. I wish I could have clung to him. He could repair me. I was sure. I didn’t know if the gash could be fixed, but I didn’t want to stop being protected. I wanted to be safe. It’s all I ever wanted.

Michael put me in my stand holder in my cabinet, turned off the lights, then left.

The lights stayed off much longer than they had before. The bleak room left me cold, and it was a mystery as to why he left; why none of his brothers checked in on me. I knew even if it wasn’t me he was coming for, I was sure he would look in his room for any one of the other puppets or dolls in his collection. My blank “tears” were blocked by glass, so I had no choice to keep my emotions inside. I was confused, and I was hurt.

I figured it soon enough however.

My “Thomas” was gone.

[wingsy-keeper-of-songs]

Holy Men and Songbirds

Anon requested some Cardinalstoph, and I in my great need for more Sasstoph in my life, readily complied. Seriously, Cardinal Richeleiu is a delight to write for. He’s always so taciturn and pissy. I love him. I hope you guys enjoy this!

King Louis: (ง'̀-'́)ง Fite me Cardinalstoph: ಠ╭╮ಠ omg louis no “You know, one of these days I am really going to teach the Duke of Buckingham a lesson,” Louis was saying as he pranced about the hall. Behind him, his most trusted advisor (and really, was there anyone more trustworthy than a man of God) tried his best to keep his voice level and even. It was taxing at times when your king was little more than a child, but that would soon come to pass. Hopefully, at any rate. “I can imagine so,” the Cardinal replied, not taking his eyes off of the letter he was writing to the Duke in question. “You’re a capable fencer, Richelieu. Why don’t you teach me how to fight?” Louis asked, spinning on his heel and nearly falling backwards. The Cardinal looked up then with a puzzled frown. “I…I’m sorry, Your Majesty I don’t believe I heard you correctly.” He said, placing the reading glasses down. “It’s really quite simple, Richelieu.” The boy king continued, flapping his arms about. “You teach me to fight, and I shall challenge the Duke to a duel!” It took every ounce of willpower Richelieu had not to burst into raucous laughter at the very thought. A man of the cloth didn’t do such things. “I…I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, Your Majesty.” The Cardinal replied with a blank stare. “Say on the frankly low chance that you were to lose, who would run the kingdom?” “Why Anne, of course! She is more than capable, wouldn’t you agree? And you would take full responsibility of her. But I’m not worried. With you as my teacher, I am sure to win!” Louis said brightly. “Well? How about it?” “Your Majesty, as capable as you might be, I’m not certain that I would want to balance the future of France on a duel.” Richelieu explained. “The risk is simply too great.” ‘Besides, it would give me far more pleasure to kill you myself.’ Louis looked to be on the verge of a tantrum and the Cardinal braced himself. “And why not?” The boy king demanded. “I am more than willing to lay life down for country!” “A noble cause,” the Cardinal replied solemnly. “But I don’t think it is in our country’s best interest at the moment. As much as I would enjoy seeing Buckingham knocked down a few pegs, I simply must insist that you do not challenge him to a duel.” This was partly true, actually. He did hate that pompous Duke of Buckingham. Almost as much as he hated the king, really. “Well, if you think it is in our best interest,” Louis replied sulkily. “I do. Now, if Your Majesty doesn’t mind, I’d like to finish this letter.” Louis harrumphed and turned on his heel to go and hurl insults at his tailor again.

```

The Cardinal turns out to have a friend in one of the Queen’s songbirds. She’s clever and witty and really quite pretty which is distracting and not at all helpful when plotting world domination. “Marguerite, why don’t you sing a song for me?” Anne said as the ladies in waiting sat around her in a circle. “I think our afternoon could use a little music.” “Is there any song in particular you would like to hear, Your Majesty?” The girl asked as she folded her hands in her lap. “There is one I would like to hear,” Anne replied. “Buckingham sang it once to us, of course, he put on several airs.” She laughed at the memory. “I remember it being rather sweet. It’s called Flow My Tears. Do you know it?” “Forgive my impudence, Your Majesty, but I’m not sure if the King would enjoy hearing an English lute song.” Marguerite said with a little smile. Anne laughed, charmed by the girl’s cheekiness. “Never you mind what the King wants,” Anne said kindly. “Go ahead, now.” Marguerite nodded and settled herself straight as Anne nodded at the court musicians. Marguerite breathed deep as her corset would allow her to and she began to sing a soft lilting melody. ‘Flow my tears, fall from your springs! Exiled for ever, let me mourn; Where night’s black bird her sad infamy sings, There let me live forlorn.’

As Louis was going on about the colors he would wear and certainly surpass Buckingham this time round, Cardinal Richelieu was staring off into space and trying very hard not to bash his head into something hard. However both men paused when the first plaintive notes echoed through the palace. It was unlike anything either of them had ever heard before, clear and sweet as Notre Dame’s bells. Louis paused his venting and turned to the Cardinal in utter surprise. “Do you hear that, Richelieu? It’s lovely.” For once in his life, the King was right. The voice singing so sweetly was almost beyond lovely. Music was a big part of church life, but never had the Cardinal heard such beautiful secular music. “I hear it,” Richelieu said quietly. “Must be one of Anne’s ladies in waiting,” Louis said sagely with a nod of his head. “Hurry along now, Cardinal! We may very well catch her in the act!” He dashed off ahead while the dazed and confused Cardinal trailed slowly behind. Both men followed the beautiful sounds of the lute song until they happened by the alcove where the Queen and her ladies were, well, waiting for lack of a better term. Louis darted behind a column and gestured for the Cardinal to do the same. Richelieu did no such thing. He stood off to the side and merely listened as the brassy-haired young lady concluded her song. ‘Hark! you shadows that in darkness dwell, Learn to contemn light Happy, happy they that in hell Feel not the world’s respite.’

Louis, ever feeling the need to announce himself, applauded jauntily. “Bravo! Bravo! Absolutely splendid!” He cheered merrily. “Anne, I must say this young lady is in possession of a very lovely voice!” He said as the women stood to greet him. Marguerite could feel her face burn just a little to receive such high praise, but it was nice all around. She also took notice of the fact that the Cardinal wasn’t too far behind the King and the thought made her just a bit nervous. “Thank you, my Lord.” Marguerite said, bowing her head. Louis shook his head, feathered hat flapping about comically. “Not at all! Thank you for gracing us with such a beautiful song! In fact, I was just remarking to Richelieu…dash it, where did that man get to…Richelieu! Come over here and meet our royal songstress! What is your name, my dear?” Louis turned back to the girl. She curtsied politely and tried not to giggle at the annoyed expression on the Cardinal’s face. “Marguerite Dumas, my Lord.” She replied softly. “And do you sing other songs, Mademoiselle Dumas? Perhaps another song preferably in French?” Louis asked. Marguerite nodded, trying her best not to fiddle with her skirts. “Yes, my Lord. I know very many songs. My father is a traveling musician.” She replied politely. “Fantastic!” Louis exclaimed. “If you wouldn’t mind terribly, could you sing another? The Cardinal and I have grown rather bored of late. It would be a treat indeed to hear you again.” Marguerite snuck another glance at the Cardinal who looked somewhat pained. “I believe his Eminence has something better to do,” she replied with a knowing smile in his direction. “Oh of course he doesn’t. We were only chatting about Duke Buckingham’s visit, weren’t we Richelieu?” Louis turned to the Cardinal who fixed a neutral expression on his face, though any fool could see the annoyance in his eyes. “We do have a few more important things to discuss, Your Majesty. We have a treaty to write out and—“ “Oh, don’t bother with that, Richelieu. We can resume later! For now, let’s enjoy another song from Mademoiselle Dumas!” Louis interrupted. Richelieu looked as if he’d much rather be guillotined now, please and thank you, but he had no choice. Once the King made up his mind, it was nigh impossible to get him to change it (unless one were to divert his attention, and that wasn’t too hard). Sighing and resigning himself to yet another uneventful afternoon, the Cardinal sat in the back while the court musicians waited for a nod from either King or Queen.

```

Marguerite is half-dressed and runs into Richelieu, who may or may not be doing unCardinal-like things having to do with blackmail and murder. Also boners are distracting.

It wasn’t like she wouldn’t sleep, it was more along the lines of she couldn’t sleep. Constance had been scolding her again and Marguerite had gone to bed in anger. Even as she tossed and turned on her bed, she couldn’t seem to calm herself down and settle into a nice blissful sleep where she could dream of petty revenge. It was a fruitless attempt, unfortunately for her and it only served to make her angrier. Not only did Constance manage to embarrass her in front of the queen, she also robbed her or her beauty sleep and that was inexcusable. Frustrated, Marguerite sat up and swung herself out of bed. She needed air to cool her head and a walk in the palace gardens sounded lovely about now. She threw on a thin housecoat and headed out of the dormitories. She passed a few of the Cardinal’s personal guardsmen who were keeping watch for any pesky Musketeers or that boy of Constance’s. What was his name, D’Artangion! Yes, that was the boy Constance strung along like a lovesick puppy. Marguerite could understand why, really. He was much too arrogant for her tastes, and she could tell that he’d make a good match for Constance. Perhaps they could annoy each other and leave her well enough alone.

She was so enraptured in her swirling thoughts of Constance and D’Artangion that she didn’t look where she was going and found herself someplace in the palace a lady in waiting really oughtn’t be. It looked like the wing where the Cardinal worked or slept or did whatever it was he did. Not many were allowed back here if any at all. And she wasn’t sure where the front door was from here either. Keeping a level head, she started off down one of the hallways and found a wooden door. She tried the handle, but found it locked. She cursed to herself and decided to try the door in front of that one. Why did this place have so many damned doors? Before she could attempt a third time (the second one had been long jammed by something or other and she didn’t bother to find out what), the handle twisted on its own! She covered her mouth to stifle a shriek of surprise when the Cardinal himself came face to face with her. “You,” he said quietly and looking just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. Immediately, he frowned and Marguerite did not like the look that crossed over his face. “What are you doing here?” He asked silkily. Marguerite recalled Anne telling her that the Cardinal was not a man to be trusted with anything. “I’m lost,” she replied, not looking him in the eye. It wasn’t technically a lie either. He looked as if he rather doubted this. “Oh you are?” He replied, eyes narrowing. “And what exactly has brought you out of bed and to my chambers at this hour?” “I wanted to go for a walk,” she said, unable to find the courage to look him in the eye. Those eyes of his were hard as flint and she was sure she wouldn’t be able to look at him without wincing. “I…have a lot on my mind, and I was not looking where I was going. Forgive me.” This seemed to calm him down a little, though he was still suspicious. “The palace gardens are a much more suitable place for a walk,” he said, locking the door behind him and wrapping the key around his wrist. It was attached to a rosary, she noticed. She wondered if he kept that on his person at all times. Best not to ask that question. “That’s where I was headed, Your Eminence.” She replied, running a nervous hand through her braided hair. “But I was lost in my thoughts and I wandered here instead.” “Interesting,” he muttered. “Roquefort should have seen you. I ought to have a chat with him when this is dealt with.” “Dealt with?” Good Lord, he wasn’t going to kill her for this, was he? She had heard rumors that the Cardinal was a cruel man, but all she’d done was wander into his chambers by mistake. “Yes, when you are back in your dormitory where you belong.” He replied with a raise of his eyebrows. “Unless you plan to sleep on the stone floor, and I would have the greatest sympathy for you if you do.” She shook her head. “No, I ought to be going.” She agreed. She was about to head back the way she came when the Cardinal caught her by the wrist. “Before you go,” he began quietly. “I would like to advise you of something.” “Yes?” She asked just as softly, almost fearfully. He lowered his face closer to hers and she could just barely make out rings of dark brown around the pupils of his eyes. “Do not tell a soul that you saw me here tonight. Or Queen Anne will be sans a songbird the next time we meet.” His voice was steady and calm, but it still caused a shiver to travel down her spine. “I understand,” she replied. He nodded as if he agreed with her. “Off with you now.” He waved her away. “Wouldn’t want you to catch your death.” She did as he asked and took off in the opposite direction, heart racing wildly. He shook his head and took a deep breath.

That had been far too close.

[captainswansettingsail]

look into your eyes and the sky’s the limit

So it’s Lieutenant Duckling that is very Hamilton inspired and has been bugging me for like a week now. It also got to be way bigger than I intended but oh well. Hope you guys like it! (also unbeta-ed so sorry for any mistakes)

Another ball. That’s just what this land needed. Never mind that the Enchanted Forest was on the brink of war with the Evil Queen or that the Dark One has been wreaking havoc among the troops on the south border. Never mind that many peasants have been flooding to the citadel seeking refuge because of the onslaught of attacks from pirates and the Evil Queen’s henchmen. Never mind it all because the castle was being decorated floor to ceiling with daisies. The musicians were arriving and tuning their instruments. And Princess Emma was scowling at her reflection as her handmaiden fixed her hair.

She had tried in vain to get her parents to see reason. As Crown Princess, she had some say in the war strategies of the kingdom and throwing a ball to celebrate her thirtieth birthday hardly seemed appropriate given the circumstances. But her parents wouldn’t hear of it. Queen Mary Margaret looked at her daughter and insisted that the people needed this. The people needed hope and something to look forward to in these dark times and then her father, King David chimed in that there would always be wars, they had to enjoy the moments where they could.

Emma practically rolled her eyes at her parents’ optimism, but she had no choice to obey. So as the day of the ball arrived, Emma tried to hide her distaste as her handmaid laid out a beautiful blue dress and the jewelry she would be adorned with.

It was not that Emma disliked balls. Once upon a time, she rather enjoyed them. The music, the dancing, the sight of her people so happy, but that was before a particular duke had stolen her heart and run away with another woman. That was before Emma fully realized that being a princess and future Queen meant shielding herself from that kind of weakness ever again. That was before a war started to rage around her. Now, the subtle sound of music made her frown deepen, her dancing shoes felt tight on her feet, and in the face of her parents’ smiles she couldn’t help but feel her eyebrows continue to furrow.

As she clasped her necklace around her neck, a loud knock interrupted Emma’s brooding thoughts.

“Enter.” She called continually staring at her reflection.

“Emma! Happy birthday!”A flash of red and dark hair appeared in the princess’s vision before she was tackled in a hug by her dear friend, Duchess Lucas (or Ruby as she is more fondly called).

“Ruby!” Emma laughed at her friend’s eagerness and then felt her face relax. “How was your journey?”

Her friend pulled away and shrugged, “Granny assigned more men onto my journey on account of the bandits roaming freely in our particular area, but I didn’t mind. They absolutely make great company.”

Emma rolled her eyes at her friend, but continued to smile.

“Your parents really have the best tailors this side of the kingdom. This dress is magnificent.” Ruby noted as she looked over at the silk approvingly.

Emma sighed, “I wish it wasn’t so magnificent. We are in a war. This whole ball is ridiculous. We need to be saving our supplies or strategizing or-”

“Em, I love you, but please stop.” Ruby held her hand up, “This is probably why your parents insisted on having a ball in the first place. To get your mind off of this war for one night. The Evil Queen has yet to make another move. We will defeat her. But tonight is just about you.”

Emma shrugged, still not convinced of the reason, “That or they want me married off.”

With this a mischievous gleam entered her eye, “And that would be bad because?”

“Because if I haven’t found a husband by now then I probably never will. And if it’s all the same to you, I don’t need a man telling me how to rule a kingdom.”

“It’s more than that, Emma! Your parents’ love you and want to see you happy.”

“I’d be happier when I know that we’ve defeated the Evil Queen.” Emma retorted.

Her friend gave her a critical glance and understanding filled her eye, “It’s still about that duke isn’t it? That duke you were supposed to run away with?”

Emma felt her heart freeze at the memory, but tried to school her features. She had promised herself that cold winter night when she realized that Neal wasn’t coming that she would never let herself be the fool for someone else’s gain. She promised she’d never get hurt. For the sake of her kingdom. For the sake of herself.

Ruby sighed at Emma’s silence, “Not every man is going to be such a fool to leave you like that. Not every man is going to leave you out in the cold. Just open your heart a little bit tonight, Emma. I think you may be surprised.”

Emma refused to respond to Ruby’s claims and instead sat back in her vanity avoiding her own reflection. Ruby may be right about Neal and about opening her heart, but she couldn’t take the chance Ruby might be wrong.

/

“Elsa! I had no idea you’d be coming tonight!” Emma greeted happily at the sight of one of her closest friends.

“I wanted to surprise you! This is your birthday after all.” The beautiful blonde responded warmly. There were not many princesses Emma’s age so when that fateful day when the royalty of Arendelle arrived on official court business with King David and Queen Mary Margaret, Emma was more than a little excited to see a new playmate. The two have been like sisters ever since.

“Where is Anna?” Ruby asked as she finished greeting Elsa.

“She is on her honeymoon with her new husband. She wanted to attend, but Kristoff has managed to get them lost and off track for another couple of days. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him with the map.” Elsa smiled.

“We both know that Anna would have not been much better,” Emma teased. 

Elsa laughed in agreement.

“I realize that I am a bit late, my apologies. It’s rather unfortunate that I had missed the toast. And the cake!” Elsa amended as the strains of a waltz started up and the royal court surrounding them started to get tipsier and tipsier as the evening progressed.

“No worries,” Emma responded.

“There was really nothing to miss. His royal highness makes the same birthday toast as he always does and Emma blows a cake she never gets to eat. If I hadn’t known any better this could have been Emma’s 25th birthday.” Ruby supplied. “Although, it seems this year’s company is far more pleasing to the eye than in most years.”

Emma and Elsa laughed at their friend’s observation, but could not find any reason to disagree with her.

Emma’s eyes wandered around the many couples dancing and at the many navy men who have received favor from the king. Yes, there were indeed many more pleasing faces to glance at this year.

She was just about to turn to Elsa to whisper that a particular navy man has been eyeing her for some time when Emma caught the gaze of the ocean.

Well- not the literal ocean. 

But the eyes that have caught hers had the exact shade of the ocean after a storm has passed. A clear blue that Emma couldn’t help but marvel at. She refocused her vision and saw that the clear blue eyes were boldly contrasted with dark eyelashes and dark hair swept carelessly to the side. 

The handsome navy man that has caught Emma’s attention was not much older than her. And seemed to smirk in her direction as she realized she was staring. 

Emma felt her face heat up as she turned her back to the man.

“Emma are you alright? You seem flushed.” Ruby noted.

“Yes, I’m fine. It’s a little warm in here.” Emma responded trying to regain some composure. Emma grabbed Elsa’s arm and pulled her closer, “Elsa, that man who is he?”

Elsa turned around and Emma hoped she knew which man she was gesturing to.

“You mean the man who keeps stealing glances to you?” Elsa asked, unfortunately not quiet enough for Ruby to miss the words entirely.

At the mention of a man, Ruby eagerly looked to where Elsa was looking, “Oh! That’s Leftenant Killian Jones. He sails on the Jewel of the Realm with his brother as Captain Liam Jones.”

The two blondes stared at their friend with awe as she just chuckled, “Did I forget to mention that some of the men that escorted me here were on employ of your parents? And that they hired the best men in their navy?”

“N-no, you didn’t mention-”

“But of course,” Ruby continued on mischievously, “I was hoping to nab the younger Jones brother but by the looks of it I don’t hold a candle to you, Princess.”

Emma tried to protest at the use of her title, but she never got the chance to because as soon as Ruby was done with her monologue, she walked the length of the ballroom- straight to the man with the blue eyes.

“What is she doing?” Emma whispered vehemently to her friend who was watching the scene unfold with delight.

“What Ruby does best. Meddle.”

Emma watched as Ruby tap on the Leftanant’s broad shoulders. She shouldn’t be so interested at the simple and easy exchange that was happening before her. She shouldn’t notice how much more handsome he was when smiled or laughed. She shouldn’t wish that she was Ruby at this moment, because she wasn’t supposed to be wishing she was the one to make him laugh.

Not a moment after that thought came across her mind that Emma sees Ruby take Killian Jones’s arm and lead him toward her and Elsa.

“Oh my god, Elsa, she’s bringing her here. What do I do?” Emma panicked. She almost wanted to slap her own silliness but there was nothing to help that now.

“Act natural?” Elsa laughed at her friend’s panic.

Emma picked up an empty goblet and tried to busy herself with it as she heard the tail end of Ruby and Killian’s conversation.

“So where exactly are you taking me, lass?”

“I’m about to change your life.”

“Well, then by all means lead the way.” 

“Leftenant Killian Jones may I introduce the crown Princess Emma!” Ruby announced as Emma put down the cup she was holding and looked at Ruby and the man at her arms.

Killian bowed formally and captured Emma’s hand in his. He didn’t break eye contact with her as he brought his mouth onto her hand. Emma fought the shiver that was working through her body. Her hand has been kissed by many men, some higher ranked than the leftenant standing before her, but it felt like this was the first time she’s been touched in decades and she finds that she quite likes it.

“Highness,” He said as he straightened himself.

“Emma, please, Leftenant. I don’t fancy people calling me formally at my own party.”

“Then if it’s all the same to you, Emma, Killian will do just fine.” He said with a dazzling smile. 

Emma felt her face heat up as she felt her mouth lift ever slightly.

“Alright…Killian.” She said and with nothing else to say she added, “Thank you for all the service you have done for my kingdom during this war.”

Killian’s smile was almost a smirk as he leaned forward slightly, “If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, Emma, it will have been worth it.”

There was a brief pause before Elsa had picked up Ruby’s arm and excused themselves. Leaving the pair alone.

“May I interest you in a dance, Emma?”

Emma shook her head noting the brief moment of disappointment flash in his blue eyes before she spoke up again hesitantly, “I have danced enough for tonight, I think. If you would like, we could take a walk through the gardens instead?”

A broad smile appeared on his immaculate features and Emma felt herself mirror his expression.

“I would very much like to, love.”

/

The pair spent the rest of the evening wandering the grounds talking about nothing and about everything. 

To Emma’s pleasant surprise, Killian Jones was more than a proper, obedient leftenant. It seems that in his youth he was quite rebellious. Always straying off course. Always wanting to go his own way on his own explorations. Always seeking for the next adventure. Emma felt herself laugh easily at his impressions of his brother and the antics they would get into. She felt herself share some of her own bouts of rebellion. Talking about running away every now and again through town to some tavern or by the pier. She would share some of the pranks her and Ruby would pull on the maids or the cooks. He laughed in response and Emma felt a warmth in her heart that she hasn’t felt in quite some time.

Then he would talk about some of the battles they’ve had and then the paralyzing fear he felt when he thought his brother had passed. He would allude to some of his nightmares and how his brother was the only family he had left. Emma reached out and took his hand saying she was sorry. Then she would share about her loneliness. About her lack of companions in the castle despite Ruby and Elsa by her side. She shared her dreams of traveling across the sea and seeing different lands. She alluded to the heartbreak she had experienced all those years ago and he felt his hand give hers a gentle squeeze in comfort.

As the moon rose higher and higher, the two were comfortably swinging their joined hands lightly as Emma realized that the ball may have ended for some time now and that she was expected back at any moment. 

They reached the side entrance to the palace and let go of his hand.

They stood for a moment in silence as they stared into each other’s eyes. Killian really did have the bluest eyes she’s ever seen. And after tonight she saw more than the ocean in them, she saw the sky. She saw how endless they were. How endless his hopes and dreams were. She saw that they held endless opportunities. And maybe that’s why she allowed herself the small luxury of leaning into him and placing her mouth on his. 

He kissed her back gently and reverently, savoring the small moment they had. 

They broke apart and she smiled widely just as he was.

“May I see you again before I leave, Emma?”

“You better.” Was all her reply as she brought her lips back to his.

[pofcroyalfanfiction]

Chapter Fifty - Ghosts of Godwick

A/N: Chapter 50! So happy to reach this milestone and thank you all for reading!    

                                                       50.

                                                   *********      

“That won’t be necessary.” Dad said, trying to get us both out of this. “We appreciate the chance to bathe and the clean clothes, but after that we will be on our way.”

“Nonsense!” Viola waved away that idea nonchalantly. “The weather shows no sign of improving and I wont have you going back out into that mess. And as you have no car my daughter will have to drive you again, so I won’t have her going out either and risking the vehicle I paid for.”

We were defeated and we knew it. We couldn’t exactly walk back out into the rain just to prove a point, and if we stayed we couldn’t decline Viola’s offer of dinner either. I don’t even think she knew how much we didn’t want to be there, or she ignored it. As far as Viola Watts-Digby was concerned, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke of Cambridge and Princess Eleanor had accepted her invitation to visit and could well be staying the night. Viola was already heading back up the stairs, probably to have our bedrooms prepared.

“What do we do now?” I whispered to Dad.

“Just go along with her for now. We could do with the bath. I’ll try and get one of the guys to come pick us up in the meantime.” Dad told me.

“Oh, maids!” Viola called from the top of the stairs, making the servants either side of us stand to attention. “Have her wear one of Abigail’s gowns, they were always more suited for a Princess. The red one with the bow at the back will do nicely.”

I felt like a child, like I was five years old and had to stand around in my underwear whilst Mum picked my outfit for the day. At least back then it was always something comfortable she’d pick for me, but now I had no choice but be forced to wear some other girl’s gown? One that I immediately knew was going to be far from modern, if Viola’s outfit was anything to go by.

One of the maids, a black haired woman probably in her thirties, held out her hand to me. “Take my hand Your Highness.”

“I can walk on my own.” I said stubbornly, crossing my arms.

The maid gave me a surprised look and nodded. She gestured for us to follow her deeper into the house and we did so, not without our escort of six maids. It didn’t seem like any of them were used to children acting the way I was, or in fact the way Dad was acting. Even if we were still following Viola’s instructions, we had definitely shown a lot more resistance than she was expecting. The whole household was feeling it. It was easy to tell that most sane people didn’t visit Godwick very often.

They lead us to our rooms, and after Dad agreed it was okay, we were separated. The maids were incredibly forceful, turning me around by the shoulders as soon as Dad wasn’t looking and then guiding me into a huge bedroom as if they were herding me into a pen. They knew I couldn’t do anything but argue with them when my Dad wasn’t around to scold them, and that became all too obvious once the doors closed.

The room was huge, distracting and beautiful. Everything was decorated in ornate gold, silk, plush. Huge windows looked out across the back lawn, with giant red curtains that looked like they’d been stolen from Buckingham Palace. It was definitely a girl’s room, but it looked like it hadn’t been lived in in years. There were some old pictures and teddy bears scattered around which made it look like it belonged to someone, but it was completely spotless.

Now even with all the cleaning staff at Kensington Palace, I could still turn my room into a mess, or at least make it look like I’d been there. This room didn’t look like it had been touched until we stepped in through the door.

The maids must have got tired of me gawping at the room. Their hands, so many of them, grabbed at my clothes. A couple trying to pull my jacket off, two more down by my feet untying my laces. For a fleeting moment I could feel the urge to just let the maids do their thing, to practically let them move every muscle in my body themselves, but it just felt so wrong. I wasn’t a child that they could herd like a sheep and contort like a puppet, and undressing me? I could handle someone taking off my coat, or shopping with Alex and turning each other into dress up dolls, but total strangers stripping me down to my underwear?

I twisted, turned and batted as many hands away as I could, taking a moment to compose myself when I realised I somehow hadn’t fallen over. “I can undress myself. Thank you.” I said as gracefully and firmly as I could with my shoes untied, jacket hanging on by an arm and my jeans slowly sliding down my legs.

“Sorry, Your Highness. Of course.” The black haired maid gestured towards the bathroom door. As if by magic, it immediately opened. The warm air and alluring smell of roses pulled me closer in until I stepped onto the glimmering white tile floor. The claw foot bathtub was already filled with water and steaming, and standing before it was like standing at the edge of the pools of heaven. While I stood there, covered in mud and with most of my clothes barely hanging on, that bath was exactly what I needed.

The presence of maids behind me distracted me again. They had closed the door and were waiting somewhat patiently, their eyes and pleasant smiles focused intently on me.

“I can wash myself too!” I shouted at them. Even more surprised looks. They kept smiling, nodded and started filing out of the room, their high heels painfully loud on the tile floor. I started feeling bad for shouting, but couldn’t they see how weird this was?

With the door closed, I could finally undress by myself. My top practically peeled off me when I removed it, it was still soaked and caked in mud that wasn’t going to dry any time soon. It was literally everywhere, in my socks, my ears, under my fingernails. A load of it had splashed up the back of my shirt when I’d fallen over, but at least three quarters of it was now lying in a soggy, dusty heap of clothes on the floor. What was still stuck to my body quickly melted off as I slowly slid down into the steamy, strongly scented water.

It was the perfect way to forget about such a crappy day, from the rain and the stranded mystery car, to our own crash and the long desperate walk through muddy farmland, Gabriella’s arrival and now Godwick Park House. I’d almost forgotten that I was here and not enjoying my bath back home, but I had completely forgotten the fact that we were supposed to be helping out at a farm all day, playing around with all the animals. This was supposed to be a good day, and it had just got worse and worse.

Mum! I hadn’t even had a moment to think of her. Oh god, what is she going to be thinking? She would have seen the rain start pouring down and hasn’t heard a word from us since, unless Dad has called her by now. I hope she didn’t yell at him too much, none of this was his fault. What I did hope was that she yelled at Viola. She seemed like the sort of woman who would respond to a strong female, I mean, I hadn’t seen a man in the house apart from Dad, and having the Duchess of Cambridge shouting her down would likely leave her underwear looking a lot dirtier than mine currently was.

Abruptly, the door opened and one of the maids walked in without knocking. The water splashed and swirled around me as I turned away from her and covered myself. “Don’t you knock?” I shouted over my shoulder.

“Apologies Your Highness.” The maid said, picking up my pile of muddy clothes off of the floor and placing them in a basket. She had a softer, friendlier voice compared to the dark haired maid, so I glanced over my shoulder at her to see who I was dealing with. She was definitely new, and I hadn’t seen her among our escort of maids from the foyer of the house. She wore the outfit like the rest of them, her blonde hair pinned up under the paper thin headpiece. She might just be like all the others, but she wasn’t there to give Dad and I dirty looks when we first arrived so we’d already got off to a better start.

“Would you like me to wash your hair?” The maid asked, noticing me staring at her without a word.

I knew that it would feel nice, and the maid could definitely see in my face that I was tempted, but I shook my head and said no. I just had this defiant feeling ever since we’d arrived, like I wasn’t going to follow along without making a fuss. Despite that, I knew I’d likely still be all dressed up for dinner with Viola within the next couple of hours, but the key for me was doing it my way, as much as I could.

The maid put down her basket of clothes and started heading towards me, high heels echoing through the mist of the bathroom. “You don’t have to be nervous. I always washed Lady Abigail’s hair when she bathed.”

I turned away more and even moved my hair to the other shoulder to keep it away from her, anything to get as far away as possible without leaving the dreamland that was the bathtub. “I’m fine, thank you.”

She nodded at me and smiled, before retreating out of the room with the washing basket and closing the door. All the other maids had appeared surprised when I refused their help, but this one didn’t. Now I was the one who was surprised, she just seemed to take it all in her stride and didn’t let it bother her one bit. I had taken some satisfaction by refusing the other maids, but I wasn’t getting any from this one. This was made all the worse as I struggled through the chore of washing my frazzled, rain soaked, muddy hair while knowing I’d refused the help of one of the only maids who appeared genuinely nice.

It was a long and tedious task and by the time I was finally done, the bubbles had faded and all that was left was the murky brown water. I really didn’t think I’d be happy to leave that bathtub knowing what was to come next, but it had been cold for a while and the only relaxing thing left was the rosy scent in the air. Nobody had come in to say dinner was cancelled, despite how long I’d lingered in the bath trying to avoid my fate, so I knew I had no option but to go.

I grabbed one of the white cotton towels that hung from a cupboard beside the bath and quickly dried myself off, then as I wrapped it around my body I finally took a proper look around the room. I’d never seen a bigger bathroom, with a counter that ran the length of the wall and a never ending mirror that ran above it. There were dozens of cabinets around the room, plush rugs on the floor, a strangely ornate looking toilet and even a lounging chair that seemed so useless in a bathroom. It was all centered around the bathtub that had been my heaven for who knows how long. It was just like the bedroom, with enough belongings around to make it look like someone owned the place, but not disturbed enough to make it look like they lived here.

I knew that in all the drawers, cabinets, little boxes and bags on the counter that there were likely enough styling products around to run a fully-fledged salon. Mum had a bathroom just like it, and always left her favourite products out after she was done, whereas this place… everything I looked at hadn’t been touched in years.

I stood and stared in the bathroom for five minutes before I finally decided to peek into the bedroom again, glad to find that all the maids had left. Waiting for me in a neatly wrapped pile on the bed was a white silk robe, and within that I found a fresh set of underwear. There was no sign of my old clothes, probably taken away by the maids when I wasn’t looking and replaced by what was clearly one of Lady Abigail’s bra and panty sets. Just holding the bra to my chest made my skin crawl, with all the pink and bows, the lace…

Perhaps I was letting my opinions of Viola Watts-Digby get the better of me, but if the undies were anything to go by I was dreading what was going on top.

I dressed, reluctantly, annoyed by how well it all fit me.

Probably just coincidence. Girls in our position, we’re often the same size. It’s just how things turn out.

The hamster wheels in my head were still being set off, though. Reflecting on everything that had happened that day, and what was still to come. I struggled to come up with any conclusion other than Viola had planned it all, right down to the car crash and the weather itself.

The bedroom doors suddenly swung open, as if to stop me from getting to the truth. Bone chilling air washed over me like a wave of Arctic water. The swarm of maids that entered had expressions that were just as cold.

“Your Highness, it’s time to dress for supper.” The head maid announced. I’d heard Mum say similar stuff, but less posh and without the air of arrogance about her.

“Do we really have to do this?” I asked fearfully. Whatever required six maids to help me get into was not something I looked forward too.

“I assure you ma’am that we do. Come along now.” The women gathered around me, guiding me up onto a small dressing stage in the middle of the room. Immediately my robe was pulled off and I stood there in just my knickers. The maids treated me like a doll, but not one they particularly cared for. Tugging and pulling me around, jabbing me with cold fingers to make me stand up straight. My hair and nails were judged and discussed, my own input ignored.

Only one of the maids seemed sympathetic, distancing herself from any of the work and being gentle whenever she was needed.

The maid from before, the only nice one here and the one who wanted to wash my hair. She seems to dislike this as much as I do.

When they brought the dress in, things got a whole lot worse. It was a monster of a gown. The skirt looked like it weighed ten tons on its own, and all I could think of was the curtains of Buckingham Palace. There must have been five layers of the stuff, bright red with lacy golden trim, thick as a carpet and billowing out from the waist. The body was ruffled and red taffeta, the shoulders a mass of netting, while a golden sash hung down the back begging to be tied into biggest of bows.

Now I know I’m prone to exaggerating, but I was not far off here. This was the gaudiest dress I’d ever seen, but what was even more frightening was the weight of the thing. It was like the wealthy girl’s version of a ball and chain.

Viola the witch wants to keep me here forever.

More pokes and prods, I could have sworn one of them called me ‘it’, Friendly Maid gives me another sad look but doesn’t say a word. They raise my arms and lower a slip down onto me, at least that was something.

“Viola will like it if we snip some hair here, maybe colour it?”

That’s it bitch. That’s enough.

“FUCK OFF!” I shout at the top of my lungs. My arms fly about, pushing the maids back. I think one of them gets backhanded across the face, but I can’t tell if I meant it or not.

They’re all stunned silent. I’m stunned silent. None of us know what to do.

“Just… fuck off.” I say, much more quietly. Then with all the dignity and grace I can muster, I step off the stage, barge past the maids and retreat back into the bathroom.

It’s surprising how quiet it is, aside from the door slamming behind me. I put all my weight against it anticipating the maids and their grabby hands trying to pull me back in, but there’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. They must know they can’t really go much further than they already have.

I throw on another bath robe and make for a different door, one I hadn’t noticed before. I don’t know exactly what I’m thinking. I don’t have anywhere to go.

What can I do? What are we even doing here?

“Dad?” I stand in the doorway, watching him adjusting his dinner jacket in the mirror.

“Sweetheart. There you-“

I slam the door and rush across the room to him. It becomes annoyingly obvious that he has no swarm of maids forcing him to get dressed. “Don’t let them make me wear that dress.”

“What dress?”

“It looks like a curtain and weighs a ton. The waist was like -this- thin!” I gesture with my hands, exaggerating to the limit. “They were acting like I was just a doll!”

“They were forcing you?”

“Yes!”

Dad stood up, aiming for the door I’d entered through. His brow was furrowed and his hands balled up into fists. “I thought they’d just leave you to pick something from the closet, sorry poppet.”

As he was about to pull on the door handle, it turned on its own. The door opened once again and I knew the maids had finally decided to chase after me, but there was only one standing in the door. The friendly one from before, the one who didn’t fill me with dread. She was holding a dress on her arm, a silky pink one that seemed to sparkle brighter than anything I had seen in the house so far.

Dad stopped in front of her, his fists still clenched down by his sides. She spoke before he could respond. “Sorry, Your Highnesses. I knew you wouldn’t like the other dress, so I brought this one. I hope you don’t mind.”

She closed the door behind her, making it clear that the others weren’t planning to come along any time soon. Dad looked back at me, raising an eyebrow. If he thought all the maids were as friendly as her, my story suddenly wasn’t so believable. “You were forcing her into a dress?” he asked.

She looked down guiltily. “Yes sir, I’m sorry. The other maids can be very pushy when it comes to Viola’s orders.”

“But not you.” Dad remarked.

“Sir?”

“You made a point of calling them the other maids. Are you not like them?”

She nodded. “The others have been here longer. I arrived later and was assigned to Lady Abigail.”

So that’s why she washed Abigail’s hair, she’s like a lady’s maid.

“Very well then, but my daughter only needs one maid, if any. And I won’t tolerate any bullying.”

“Of course sir.” She nodded her head, smiling gently as she moved towards me with the dress.

“What do we call you?” Dad asked.

“Uh, Maid, sir.”

“No, your real name. You must have one?” I pressed her.

She paused, a small smile growing on her lips. “It’s Anna, ma’am.”

“Good, we’ll go by that then.” Dad decided whilst I nodded in agreement. Anna’s reaction was strange, her cheeks were straining to be happy, but she bit her lip to stop her smile from growing too big. Apparently names weren’t a thing for Viola’s maids.

Meanwhile Dad had returned to the mirror, sitting down on the edge of the bed in front of it. His cufflinks continued to frustrate him, but his lack of action irritated me, the situation we were in irritated me. We couldn’t just leave.

Anna must have sensed my frustration, she stepped in front of me and held her arms out to display the dress that hung between them. She waited whilst I examined it, as if she’d poured me some wine and was waiting for me to accept it, waiting for it to tickle my taste buds and nudge at me to order some more.

I wasn’t much of a dress expert, a fashion designer, or even a wine taster, but this dress was definitely making me want more. The waist and chest was covered in little pink gems, sewn into the lighter pink silk that would flow down and tickle my toes. The whole thing would hang from little cap sleeves at my shoulders, but I could tell it weighed less than a cloud, and a lot less than the curtain that was waiting for me in the other room.

I nodded at Anna, but pulled her closer and looked at Dad. He was still fiddling with his cufflinks and was oblivious to us as we whispered. Slowly we edged closer, Anna raising the dress up while I grabbed a chunk of the skirt to stretch it out. He was still looking down when we started to lower the dress over his head. His smile grew and he didn’t stop us, playing along instead. The dress wrapped around his neck like a scarf and wouldn’t go past his broad shoulders, any further and it would tear.

“I really don’t think it’s made for me.” He looked almost disappointed by this revelation, debating the idea in his head as he adjusted the dress and tried to make it work. Eventually he gave up and handed the dress back to Anna.

At least it eased some of the frustration.

With a sigh, we got back to ‘work’. My bathrobe slipped off and I stood before Anna in my undies while Dad respectfully turned his back. She didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all, her face was devoid of emotion with no judgement whatsoever. She must have known that anything other than that would have made me uncomfortable, or make me shout and cause a scene like before. So she said nothing. She just did her job dressing me, preparing me for Viola and making sure there wasn’t a hair out of place, but she did it with me in mind.

At her order I raised my arms, and she carefully lowered the dress down over my head, circling around me to tug everything into position. I couldn’t help but run my fingers over the silk, down my chest and over my hips, it was so dreamy!

To think that today was supposed to be spent on the farm, working in the mud and rain with the animals. That would have been fun in its own way, but this was divine.

I should be enjoying it, I was born for this, specifically. But the whole thing still bugged me. We shouldn’t have to do this.

“How can you be so calm?” I asked Dad as he straightened his jacket in the mirror, still hiding his eyes from me.

“There isn’t any other way to do this poppet.” He answered, unwavering.

“There is, we should be telling her to bugger off and let us drive home already.”

“Yes, we should. But that’s not what a Princess should be doing is it? What would your mother say? Your grandmother? Your great grandmother?”

I sighed, rolling my eyes. Whenever I tried to break from my role they’d always make me quote from the unwritten Princess rulebook. “We should be gracious to our host and dress for the occasion.”

“Even when the host is an evil bitch.” He smiled at me, and for a moment I cracked and let out a laugh, but the frustration remained. It sucked having to smile and play nice just because of my position, just because anything else would be considered dreadfully beneath me. It was always about perception, even if there was nobody to see us.

Viola wasn’t holding us hostage and forcing us to dress up and dine with her, she was saving us from the storm and offering us dinner. She was allowing us to use her huge wardrobe to dress ourselves up as much as we liked.

It couldn’t be seen as anything else, God forbid we’d look ungrateful, oh no no no!

“I have to wear the dress to dinner don’t I?”

“Yes poppet, just imagine you’re Marie Antoinette, off to ze ball.” Dad wafted his hands about like a conductor as he spoke.

“You imagine you’re off to ze ball!” I stuck my tongue out at him and waved my hands in front of my face to shoo him away.

Meanwhile Anna was zipping up the dress in the back. Her hands came up to my neck and then let go, placing themselves on my shoulders. She guided me over to the mirror that Dad had been using, then ran her hands down my bare arms, appraising my reflection. That was when she smiled again over my shoulder, the emotions returning to her face. It lit up so much that I didn’t see my own reflection until she pointed it out.

“No Your Highness, it may not have been made for you.” Anna said. She stood behind my left shoulder, while Dad appeared over my right. “But it’s made for her.”

[foxfyrez]

Chapter 8: He’s A Flirt

Axel and Silent walked towards Antonio's restaurant as Silent noticed Axel's eye kept flickering from blue to red. She knew that would be trouble for her if he started acting up at the diner. Hopefully, he didn't do anything crazy. "I gotta get in touch with Junior to fix you up," Silent mumbled.

Axel whined, nuzzling Silent's hand with affection. His tail wagged slowly, crouching down in a playful stance and bounding off down the road towards Antonio's.

Silent took off after him, yelling for him to slow down. Silent was fast, but today she felt super exhausted after spending the majority of last night trying to patch him up. She had no clue what she was doing because she's never messed with programs and parts before.

It wasn't a pretty sight to see Axel malfunction in the middle of repairing him, and he sorta wrecked one of the Duke's soon to be built cars. The Duke was not happy.

Once Silent reached the establishment, she caught her breath. "Goddammit, Axel, I'm tired! Please wait for me!" She felt Axel nudge her hand with his muzzle before nipping at her fingers harshly. She yelped, yanking her hand away. "Ow!" She looked down at her fingers to see they were slightly bleeding.

Axel barked at her, wagging his tail and crouching down in a playful stance again.

"Bad dog! That hurt!" Silent scolded him, wiping her fingers off on her jeans. Her fingers were still bleeding faintly so she settled for wrapping it up in her cloak for the time being. "We need to get you fixed up." She looked at him with a tired look. Maybe this happened when Crater threw him into a wall a few days ago.

Axel tilted his head, waiting for Silent to follow him into the diner. His long tail thumped on the ground patiently. He was sitting in the middle of the entrance of Antonio's Restaurant, scanning the area for a perfect booth to sit at.

There was a booth located right in the middle of two pillars that could fit him and Silent perfectly. It looked spotless, and it seemed like no one was gonna use it for a while. It was a pretty good choice.

Silent noticed him staring at something, "Axel, what're you doi-" she got cut off by Axel, who bit down on her sleeve and yanked her towards the booth. She stumbled, "Slow down!" She ordered, but he still kept on going. She dug her heels into the floor, trying to deter him from going any further.

Apparently, that action made him mad as he turned his head around, growling at Silent. His eye was beginning to glitch out again. He looked like he was going to pounce on Silent if she didn't do what he wanted.

Silent bit her lip and started walking towards the booth that Axel had picked out. She didn't want Axel to start a scene in the diner so she went along with his plans for now. Reaching the booth he had picked out for her, she sat down on one of the ends, letting Axel chew on her cloak's sleeve (at least he wasn't chewing on her arm).

"Hey what can I get- oh, it's you Silent." Riley waved at her. She looked down at Axel to notice that he was biting Silent's sleeve. His eye color was a bright red which reminded her of the original programming that Axel had. "Is... Is Axel alright?"

"No, he's been bugging out ever since Crater threw him against a wall. I'd advise you to stay away from him until he gets fixed. His mood changes a lot, and he's in a very bitey mood." Silent showed Riley her fingers. "I don't know what's wrong with him."

Axel heard his name being called, and he looked up from chewing on the sleeve. He spotted Riley, his eyes flickering to blur as his tail wagged in excitement. He went back to chewing.

Riley inched away from the dog, pulling out her notepad to take Silent's order. "So you want the usual?"

Silent looked at the menu for a moment, deciding to ask a question. "Do you guys have anything seafood related? Like just shrimp or squid or like fried fish sticks? I'm craving some seafood. Oh, and I want a vanilla milkshake!" She put the menu down, resting her chin on her hands. Looking around the restaurant, she noticed that it was busier than usual. "Is there an event happening right now? Why are there so many people here?"

Riley jotted down some things onto her notepad, "The Mama's Boys dropped by for a visit and a few people here are their fans, I guess. Those fans called other fans, and now it's swamped. I'm surprised you didn't notice your loverboy's car parked right outside. It's hard to miss with its design and color scheme."

Silent looked around the room to see that there were a lot of people crowding around certain tables which probably had some of the Mama's Boys at them. "Huh, didn't know they had fans considering the type of shit they do. I guess people like Junior even have fans." She tapped her fingers on the table. "Stop calling him my loverboy." She said bitterly.

Riley stood there, looking at the restaurant. "Ya know, Junior has a ton of fans. I was surprised to see him flirting with them. I was totally expecting him to get turned down, but I guess not."

Silent looked at Riley, "Wait, you mean he can flirt? You mean the short fuckboy can actually flirt?"

Riley snorted, "As I said, I was surprised too. Here watch this." Riley pulled up a video screen, pressing play.

The video started with Junior trying to flirt with one of the Amazons. Silent didn't know who it was because she's never met them before, but she guessed it was their leader. Soon Junior tried talking to her and for a while, she listened to him. Then she said something to him, and his face fell. It made Silent burst out laughing as Riley closed the video.

"Oh my god! She totally wrecked him! I've never met her before, but she just promised to snap his spine!" She held onto her stomach as her head rested on the table. "I would have paid to see this!"

Riley held onto her tray. "Dude, that's not even the best part! Like so after she said that to him, he looked at her and went 'please' in the tiniest voice ever. Silent, I lost my mind, I couldn't stop laughing."

Silent thought this day couldn't get any better. "Holy shit! Oh my god, don't tell me he has a thing for that? Wow, now I can totally use this against him whenever he tries to flirt with me again!" Silent had to move her mask to the side so she could wipe the tears from her face. Once she and Riley settled down, she took a deep breath. "I cannot believe he said that."

Riley stepped away from the booth, "Well he did, and I recorded it." She looked at Silent thoughtfully, placing her pen to her lips. "Say, are you and Junior still together?"

Silent's mask looked confused, "We were never together in the first place? Why are you asking?"

"I thought you two were dating! You both seem lovey-dovey with each other!" Riley gasped. "You guys would make a great couple! Hey, I can ask Junior if he wants to date you. He is at the Smoothie Bar." She pointed over behind her where Junior sat talking to his fans.

Silent sputtered, "No! Don't you dare! We are not lovers, and I highly doubt he likes me since he flirts with every person that shows him the slightest hint of attention."

"You sound like you're jealous."

"Riley, just go get my order."

"Alright, see ya in a few. Try not to get jealous of the fans keeping Junior from you!" Riley sprinted away from Silent's wrath.

——————————————————-

Now that Silent was alone again, minus Axel who was still chewing on her sleeve, she had to think about why everyone assumed she and Junior were a couple. It made no sense! They were just friends is all and besides, Silent made no plans to date anyone when she arrived in Motorcity. It was actually a rule she had to follow whenever she went out on her hunting jobs. If she had fallen for someone and they felt the same eventually she would have to leave when she finished her hunts. With the amount of work she has, long-distance relationships don't last very long. Sure it does get lonely sometimes, but she can usually keep going by herself. And now, she has a robot dog to take care of.

She started thinking about what made Junior so interesting. There had to be something that drew her in, and she knows it's not his personality. Just because he was cute didn't mean she wanted to hold his hand and kiss his dumb face, right? Or like talk to him about random shit and listen to music together? That's what friends do, and they were friends. There were times she wanted to strangle him for his behavior of mistreating robots, and other times she wanted to just hold him close and— wait, hold the fuck up.

It dawned on Silent that she probably liked Junior more than a friend. She held her head in her hands. "This cannot be happening! There's no way in hell I have feelings for that loser! No! It's gotta be a misunderstanding, yeah!" She whispered to herself in denial. Maybe if she hit her head hard enough against the table, she could knock some sense into herself.

"Feelings for who?"

Silent jumped, looking up at whoever happened to witness her dismay. Turns out it was one of the Mama's Boys staring at her with a smirk on their face. She didn't know all of their names, except for Junior, so she struggled to try to come up with something.

This Mama's Boy had a bandage across his nose. His red cap was placed sideways on his head, covering his brown hair. He was a lot taller than Junior, well all of them were and built like an ox. He looked like he could snap Silent in half if he wanted to.

"Uh.."

He noticed her struggling for his name. "My name's Chad. I'm pretty sure you know which gang I'm from." He stared down at her, glancing to the Houndbot by her feet. It looked like it was chewing on something, but Chad couldn't tell what. "Hey, your dogs got something in his mouth."

Silent sighed, "Yes, I'm aware. He's just chewing on my sleeve. He's kinda malfunctioning. I was gonna call your brother to fix him, but Junior hasn't been picking up any of my calls recently."

Chad laughed as he sat down on the opposite side of Silent. He put his hands behind his head. "Well, he's been pretty busy lately due to some unexpected business. Also, his fans won't give him some space since we've been here." He glanced back towards where Junior was at the Smoothie Bar being trapped by his fans.

Silent looked over there, spotting the shortie talking up a storm with the crowd around him. He looked like he was flirting due to how smug his face looked. Rolling her eyes, she began to mutter, "I still can't believe he has fans. He's too goddamn short to even reach the barstool without help."

Chad snickered, "You're right. I think he's got a box he uses to get on some things higher than him." Now that Chad was talking to Silent, he could now see who Junior was always hanging out with when they weren't working. He thought it was that kid who kept yelling his own name when he hit things, but it's a girl apparently. He thought it was strange because Juniors not been very popular with the ladies, except for those in his fan club. He decided to examine her more.

"He probably has a booster seat in his car."

Chad snorted and looked at the dog near his feet. "So how's the Houndbot doing? Since Junior gave him to you for some reason, I've been wondering if he gave it to you because it was bugged or something. Junior never really explained why."

"As I said before, I think he needs a tune-up. As you already know, I'm a fighter, not a mechanic so I have no idea how to fix him. None of the Duke's mechanics will take a look at him because they're afraid of us." Silent shrugged her shoulders.

Chad looked at the Silent for a moment, "Who could be afraid of you? You're so small." He joked before looking at the dog by his shoes. "I could take a look at him if you want."

"I thought you hated me? Why would you want to help me?" Silent asked. She didn't have a good relationship with the other Mama's Boys because she's never had the time to befriend them. She's only made friends with Junior because he's the only one to approach her again and again.

"Because you're not as bad as I previously thought. If you can handle Junior's shitty personality and behavior, then you're good in my book. I don't know about the others though." Chad answered back, leaning on the table.

Silent didn't know what to think. She personally would rather have Junior look at Axel, but he's busy at the moment. She looked at Axel, contemplating her answer before nodding her head. She glanced at Chad to see he was being honest with her. "Ok, please fix Axel. You better not fuck him up or I will personally come after you."

Axel stirred upon hearing his name, and he looked at the man kneeling beside him. His eye changed to red, growling at him.

Silent leaned over and rested her hand on his head, stroking him softly. "No Axel, it's ok. He's not going to hurt you, he's going to try and fix you up." Her voice soothed Axel's nerves as he dropped his guard. "Good boy."

Chad whistled, "Damn, I can see why Junior let you have him. You can control him with just your voice." He began to open up Axel's side panel and took a look at the components inside. "So, what's he been doing that's causing you trouble?"

Silent stretched out in her seat, "He's gotten very hostile towards everyone, even me. He's been snapping at everyone, and I'm tired of getting chomped on. It hurts." She showed Chad her arm which was covered in bites. Her fingers stopped bleeding thankfully.

"Oh, that must suck. I've been bitten by Houndbots before, and it stings like a bitch. Considering Axel is rather large for his size and mutated, his bites must be extra painful." Chad inspected her arm for a moment before returning to the task at hand. He opened up some screens to take a look at some programming. Scanning through the stats and diagnostics, he found the problem. "I think his programming is trying to revert itself to its original state, ya know like before we took out Kane's programming. I can try to disable it." He announced, taking a look at Silent to see her holding a milkshake in her hands. "Where'd you get that?"

"I ordered it. I was supposed to get some seafood with it, but there's been a problem with my order so this is all I get." She replied, lifting her mask so she could take a sip.

"I want one."

Silent stuck her tongue out, "it's mine. If you can fix Axel for me, I'll buy you one." She spotted Riley wiggling her eyebrows from behind a pillar that was next to their booth. Silent glared at her for making assumptions about something happening between herself and Chad.

And now Chad could see why Junior was so smitten by Silent; even if it was just a small portion of her face exposed, Chad could tell that Silent was kinda cute. Apparently Junior had seen half of Silent's face, and he was hit by Cupid's arrow right through the heart. Chad smiled, "You know, I can understand why Junior talks a lot about you now. He thinks you're pretty cute, and now that I can see what you kinda look like, I totally agree." He bluntly stated, trying to fix the dog's programming. He greatly enjoyed the noise that Silent made when he made his statement.

Riley started snickering behind her tray.

Silent's face felt warm as she pulled down her mask and hid herself in her hands. "Please don't hit on me! I deal with this enough from Junior!"

Chad snickered. He couldn't believe that Junior had the gall to flirt with the Duke's bodyguard. The same bodyguard that kicked their asses the first time they met her. "I'm surprised he hasn't tried to ask you out on a date yet like he's done so with many other people." He clicked on some commands and closed the panel back up. "Alright, he's been fixed. If he starts acting funny, don't hesitate to call." He sat back across from Silent.

Silent looked down at Axel's eye, seeing it was a bright blue color again. She smiled in relief, leaning down to pat his head. "Thank you! Now as promised, I'll get you a milkshake." She looked at Riley, who nodded and walked off.

"So what caused Axel to malfunction? He's a pretty sturdy bot so it would have to take a large force to mess him up." Chad asked, watching Silent as she sipped on her milkshake. By this time, Silent had officially moved her mask to the side of her face (it was still covering half of her face though) so she could drink the milkshake in peace without having to readjust it constantly.

Silent blew a bubble into her milkshake, watching as it formed a bubble and popped. "Crater threw him against a building, and I guess it broke something from the impact." Silent shrugged.

"Man, Crater sure does hate you. I've never seen him actively go after someone other than you before. Well, there is Squall from the FoxFyre gang, but he doesn't go out of his way to attack him as he does with you. What did you do to piss him off?" Chad asked, glancing around the establishment to keep his mind occupied.

"I think it's because I beat his ass. You saw it happen." Silent replied. "Apparently his whole gang wants me dead except a certain redhead." She took another sip of her drink again.

Chad nodded. So she's made friends with the redhead from the Electroblades... that could prove troublesome for Junior. He was still trying to figure her out. He could see why his brother liked her. She didn't push him away like most of the people he's flirted with. Maybe she felt the same towards Junior but didn't know how to show it? "Huh.."

Silent looked at him, confusion etched on her face. "What?"

"Juniors really fell hard for you, and I have to agree that you're something special." He placed his hands on the table, leaning across it. He softly chuckled, seeing her hide her face behind her mask. "Your mask is telling me how you're feeling, you can't hide it." He pointed out.

Silent hissed. "Stop calling me cute! You haven't even seen what I look like, you've seen like part of my face. It doesn't count!" She crossed her arms and looked away from him.

Chad sat back down in his seat. "Well from what I've seen, you're very pretty. I would like to know what you look like from underneath the mask though. Maybe one day..." he trailed off. Thinking back to what Silent had said before Chad had introduced himself, everything clicked into place. "I get it now."

"Huh?"

"What you were talking about earlier before I arrived." He crossed his arms, nodding to himself. "You like Junior."

Silent's voice caught in her throat. She bit her lip to contain all the noises that wanted to spill out from her mouth. "Why does everyone keep saying that?! I swear to god I do not like him. There'll never be a chance in hell. Y'all just imagining it."

Chad raised a brow at her statement, "Ya sure?"

"Yeah totally. It's never gonna happen."

"Well, that's a shame. He's very fond of you." Chad stated, glancing over to the Smoothie Bar to see Junior making his way over to their table.

"He flirts with anyone he can. I doubt it, Chad. Here watch this video that my friend sent me." Silent pulled up a video screen and pushed it over to Chad, who pressed play. "He spends his time flirting with Foxy so I don't believe he likes me like you think he does." She said as he watched the video, snickering at the end of it and closing the screen. Silent moved her mask to the side again so she could take a sip of her milkshake.

"Well, I do admit that he does flirt with Foxy a lot, but he doesn't stare at her the same way he stares at you. He's head over heels in love with you." Chad stretched his arms above him. "Sounds like you're jealous of Foxy too."

"No, I've never met Foxy before. Why would I be jealous?" She rolled her eyes.

—————————————————

Junior had noticed one of his brothers was missing from their little hangout by the Smoothie Bar. He looked around for Chad, spotting him at a booth with some girl. "Well, would you look at that? Chads got himself a girl." He laughed.

The other members of the gang looked where Junior had pointed and started cackling. One of them (the one with the glasses and teddy bear in his overall's front pouch) leaned in close to Junior and whispered something in his ear.

Junior's carefree expression faltered. "Are you sure?" He looked at his brother in annoyance.

His brother nodded.

Junior grumbled, jumping off the barstool and headed on over to meet up with Chad. As Junior walked past random people, he spotted a familiar-looking Houndbot resting beside the booth his brother was at. He recognized it as Silent's dog.

The Houndbot stirred awake when something got too close to its territory. Once Axel recognized who it was, his tail started wagging.

Junior put his finger up to his mouth to shush the dog, hoping Axel would understand him. Thankfully, he did. He walked closer to them and found out the girl indeed was Silent herself. He noticed her mask was on the side of her face, allowing her to drink her milkshake. She looked very pretty— wait a minute.

Junior stopped dead in his tracks for a moment to process the thought that he just had. Well yeah, she is pretty, but he usually never went after the same girl for this long. He usually got bored and went after a new target. But for some reason, he liked to tease Silent. Liked getting her flustered, liked hearing her laugh, liked her voice, her personality... he just liked everything about her. Oh hell no, he had fallen in love!

"Pardon me," A waitress said and pushed past him to deliver a drink to their booth. She set it down in front of Chad.

Junior's face felt warm, and he shook his head to get rid of the thoughts plaguing his mind. "I do not have a crush!" He repeated over and over again under his breath. He walked right over to their booth and slammed his hands on the table, catching their attention. "Well, what do we have here? You guys on a date?"

Silent jumped at the sudden noise, banging her knee underneath the table. She glared at Junior while holding her knee. "You asshat! That hurts!"

Chad slurped on his drink, avoiding eye contact with his brother. If this was gonna play out like Chad wanted it to, he had to avoid pissing off his brother at all costs.

Junior snickered, glancing at Chad who wouldn't look him in the eyes.

"We're not on a date. We're just talking." Silent replied.

"About?"

Silent remembered what Chad had said to her, and she looked to the side. She was probably blushing, but she couldn't help it. "Nothing, go away fuckboy."

Chad choked on his drink and started laughing. "She—she just called you a fuckboy!" He held his stomach as he laughed.

"Shut up!" He snapped at Chad while bringing his attention to Silent. He leaned closer to her, smelling the scent of vanilla that came from her milkshake. "I'm not a fuckboy."

Silent smiled mischievously, "oh that's right. You can't be one if you've never fucked anyone. My bad, I forgot." She leaned back to avoid getting punched in the face.

Chad laughed even harder now, gripping the table for support. "Holy shit, she got you good!" He was going to get in so much trouble for this, but it was absolutely worth it.

Junior growled, grabbing Silent by the front of her cloak. "Shut up!"

"Aww, are you mad because I called you out? It's ok, not everyone can get laid. Don't feel bad about yours—" Silent got cut off when Junior punched the seat cushion beside her. Yeah ok, he was pissed off now, maybe she should stop before it was too late. She held up her hands in a defensive stance. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry."

Junior gave her a death glare, "You better sorry. I would not hesitate to punch you." He threatened.

"Hey, no need for violence. She was just joking. Take it easy." Chad recovered from his laughing fit and stood up to stop Junior if he needed to. He could hear Axel’s low growling.

Junior cursed, lowering Silent back down into the booth. He let her go and crossed his arms. "Whatever."

Silent looked to the side and scooted to the middle of the booth in case Junior wanted to sit down.

Chad looked between Silent and Junior, sighing in annoyance. "Hey let's not let this sexual tension get everything weird, talk it out." He just opened up another issue.

Silent glared at Chad. She knew what he was doing, and there was no way in hell she would allow it to come to light. Her feelings that is, she wouldn't allow Chad to reveal her feelings for Junior. "Shut up, Chad."

Chad smirked, "Why don't you tell him? It's a perfect time to."

Junior looked back and forth from Chad to Silent in confusion. "Tell me what?" Junior had sat down on the edge of the booth.

"It's nothing." Silent replied, having a staring contest with Chad.

"I'm sure Junior would like to hear it."

"No."

Junior groaned, "For fuck's sake, just tell me!"

"Silent has the hots for you!" Riley blurted out; soon covering her mouth with her hand and fleeing the booth.

"RILEY!"