#harper my EVERYTHING. hes my PRINCESS.

[plulp]

IM NOT A DOCTOR BUT I THINK I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP

[breadinanutshell]

I made a list of Halsin facts for my own entertainment a while back but forgot to post it. Dunno if anyone would find this interesting but in case here it is, enjoy~ o/

ACT1

-He writes in tight scribbles, smokes the pipe and loves reading (likely non-fiction). He’s the studious sort, considering his unprompted interest in the parasites and his hunger for knowledge. This aspect of him was more defined in Early Access but sadly got lost during full release. It also briefly comes up during one of his banters in later chapters.

-He rarely drinks: he’s a lightweight and gets overly affectionate when drunk. He also sings when drunk. Badly, per his word.

-Is an actual Disney princess (he has birds scouting and reporting back to him).

-He has a strong sense of duty, so much so he will stop paying attention to other aspects of his life in the pursuit of it. At least in one instance, this has been depicted as a flaw (when he abandons the grove looking for the Nightsong).

-He enjoys spending time in his bear form, and appears to have been the main caretaker for the bears in the grove. Ormn in particular acts heartbroken that Halsin is missing.

-When given the chance, he’s eager to give up his position as archdruid, as he felt it was too draining and confining. Despite his insecurities in his ability as a leader, he’s more shrewd and wise than he lets on: he can play politics when necessary. And people around him have been more than happy to rely on him. He cares about those under his protection. A lot. “The grove is everything to me”.

-He doesn’t shy away from violence when provoked.

-He feels responsible for the shadow curse, and is compelled by the need to fix everything.

-This is a relic from Early Access but you’ll have to pry it from my cold dead hands: in the grove there used to be a fanfic titled “Shadow’s Kiss” written by the druid Roan that featured a certain “Balsin”. At the end of it a written entry by Halsin would threaten to feed Roan to Ormn if he ever saw the name “Balsin” again.

ACT2

-He likes open spaces, reading and whittling utensils and ornaments (ducks in particular). He’s got a sweet tooth and a fondness for honey. He finds it hurtful when he's made fun of for his interests: he admits people tend to underestimate his sensitivity.

-He’s a very religious man and invokes Silvanus any chance he gets. Even so he doesn’t believe in blind faith and chides Shadowheart for not questioning Shar’s teachings.

-He’s 350 years old.

-He has no mercy for goblins, to the point where he disapproves if you spare them in Moonrise. A bit funny, considering there’s a banter later on with Karlach where he insists that “mercy costs us nothing”.

-His scars were caused by a bear who didn’t appreciate being spurned during mating season.

-He’s a veteran who served in the battle against Ketheric Thorm in Reithwin, where eventually the druids and Harpers won. At the time he was likely second to the archdruid that led him into battle. When the shadow curse started spreading, said archdruid died, leaving Halsin in charge. He immediately evacuated the survivors. He still feels guilty for not being able to help more that day. From one of his party banters it’s clear Halsin suffers from survivor’s guilt. He’s lost many friends to the curse, so many in fact that “it would take a day and a night to recite the names of the fallen”.

-Considering how obsessed he’s been with the curse ravaging the land for the past 100 years, it’s unlikely he had any intimate connections during this period of time. He also claims that more good has been done since meeting Tav than in the 100 years before their meeting.

-His family is dead and buried at the foot of the Grandfather Tree in High Forest.

-He seems used to changing environments and affiliations. Once recruited, he’s quick to call Tav his new family.

-He remains polite in the face of scorn and ridicule. Right when he joins if you suggest all he’s good for is cleaning camp he responds with an awkward chuckle and a “wherever you need me”. Later in Act 3 his affections can be brusquely turned down by comparing him to a deep rothé, to which he calmly responds “a simple no would have sufficed”.

-As a child he befriended Thaniel, a spirit of nature, and ever since then he felt a higher calling. Thaniel appears to be as fond of Halsin as Halsin is of Thaniel, mentioning him often to Fist Art Cullagh during their imprisonment in the Shadowfell.

-He is the only expert of shadow curse alive, and if killed in Act 1 the curse cannot be lifted.

ACT3

-He believes himself, or at the very least aims to be, a protector. Any failure (or perceived failure) in fulfilling said role leads him to spirals of self doubt and insecurity. His self worth is heavily dependent on how useful he can be, and without a big purpose or mission to fulfill, he appears lost. In the same vein he seems incapable of staying still and relax, he always needs something to focus on.

-In true druid spirit, he considers cities to be intruding on nature’s realm. On his arrival to Baldur’s Gate, he's appalled and disgusted by the class inequality encountered in the city. He’s disturbed by the suffering of children, in particular.

-When called naive for his dream of a better future he mentions he gave up cynicism when he was 200 years old.

-He’s all for heckling Dribbles’ corny jokes.

-He sees his body as a vessel and his physical prowess as a tool. He takes no pride in it.

-He admits that he didn’t realize how much his responsibilities had been weighting on him until Tav showed up and took that burden away.

-He’s polyamorous, and pretty lax when it comes to sex and relationships: he has no qualms in taking pleasure where “desire finds purchase”. He mentions that he had many lovers in the past and that his heart doesn’t stir lightly. This might imply he’s laid with many, but cared for few. He also doesn’t appear thrilled by the prospect of marriage/tying yourself forever to someone. For a man so against putting a relationship into words, he acts incredibly smitten when romanced and showers his partner in all kinds of sweet praises.

-He’s so attuned to his wildshape that he tends to lose control of his transformations when overcome by strong emotions (i.e. anger, arousal). He appears embarrassed when this accidentally happens in an intimate situation. He does enjoy wildshape during intercourse though, as he even proposes it himself during an interaction with Shadowheart. Per his word, he doesn’t discriminate against any type: in an interaction with Lae'zel he implies he slept with a chimera.

-He considers lust to be the most essential of impulses and feels it’s only natural to be guided by it.

-He’s travelled far and wide. Where we do not know, unfortunately. He mentions he’s been to the Underdark many times and possibly the Nelanther Isles. In his youth he ventured into the Underdark to sate his own wanderlust, where he got captured, enslaved and sexually abused by drows for 3 years.

-He’s self aware of his obsession with nature. When Jaheira warns him not to fall into druid stereotypes, he comments that he does think about other topics such as high art and politics, but to him nothing compares to a tree.

-When speaking of his past, he comments that people seem to focus on the more “salacious chapters” and disregard his years of study. When confronted about it, he seems perfectly content with a life spent studying, meditating, counselling, fighting, training and fucking.

-He used to hibernate as a bear and mentions he spent at least 100 years of his life sleeping. It’s unclear if he’s still in the habit.

-At the end of the campaign he sets out to create a new community in Reithwin with the victims of war and refugees that were turned away from the city. The children of this soon-to-be-founded community refer to him as “daddy Halsin”.

-He considers himself an exceedingly patient man.

[themultifandomgal]

Kelly Severide- A New Baby Pt1

I never thought I'd get married and have kids. I just didn't think that I would ever find a man I'd consider having that kind of life with, but when Kelly Severide stepped into my life everything change. We didn't meet in the best of way. He's a fireman and I'm a police dog handler. There had been a bombing and they asked me to send my search and rescue dogs in. I fell for the guy there and then.

5 years on and we are married and have a beautiful daughter who's just turned 3 named Harper.

Today I woke up feeling off. Headache and nausea on and off. I have today off from work which is fantastic, but also my daughter is here and as much as I love her she can be an absolute nightmare

"Harper can you pick your toys up please"

"No thank you mommy" at least she's using her manners right?

"Harper. Daddy won't be happy when he comes home"

"Daddy loves me so he won't shout" Harper shrugs and she's right. She's a daddy's girl and she has him wrapped round her little finger. I'm always the bad guy and that's fine this is our dynamic, but sometimes it would be good to get a little help off him

"Right come on pick the toys up before someone hurts themselves"

"But I'm playing with them mommy"

"Harper I'm not feeling very well so please pick up your toys. I'll help, but your not getting anything else out until these toys are put away"

"Fine" Harper shouts and I rub my head as a headache begins again.

Once all the toys have been picked up I sit down on the couch and close my eyes for a moment

"Mommy?"

"Yes princess?" I open one eye to look at her

"When's dinner?"

"When daddy gets home"

"When's that?"

"Soon" I reply "I'm going to take a nap. You know the rules"

"Don't unlock the door and daddy has a key to get in. Can I play upstairs?"

"Yes, but don't run"

Before I know it I'm being woken up by Kelly's voice and touch. I open my eyes and see Kelly smiling at me

"When did you get home?" I yawn

"Just. How long have you been asleep?"

"Not long" I reply glancing at the clock "how was work today?"

"The usual, how was Harper?"

"Giving me hell"

"You made any supper?"

"No not yet" I shake my head

"I'll order us some food instead. What do you fancy?"

"To be honest Kel, I don't feel to good. Think I might be coming down with something. Just order yourself and Harper something"

"You need to eat. Even if it's just some rice or something"

"Ok" I give in to Kelly. 

Once our food has arrived we all sat down together. I take small bites of food and small sips of water

"So Harper. Have you been a good girl for mommy today?" Kelly asks. Harper lowers her head a little

"I wasn't naughty and mommy has been lazy today"

"Mommy said she isn't feeling very well so you need to be a big girl and help her"

"But..."

"No buts. Now eat your food and then it's bath then bed time"

"Fine" Harper pouts and takes her time eating her tea trying to make her bedtime later.

Once the Harper is in bed me and Kelly curl up on the sofa together watching TV. I swallow feeling more and more nauseous until I can't keep it down any more and the urge to throw up over comes me. I jump off the couch and run to the downstairs bathroom, Kelly following behind me.

Once I finish throwing up Kel and I head upstairs to bed

"You feeling any better?" Kelly asks as I change into one of his shirts

"Yeah. The nauseas gone now. Im just super tired. I've had a headache all day so its probably that that's made me sick"

"Maybe your pregnant" Kelly says. I roll my eyes at him

"I'm not pregnant"

"Are you sure because we're not very carful" Kelly states and to be fair he's got a point "you've been tired all week. We said if you were to get pregnant we'd be happy"

"Of course I would be, but had my period 2 weeks ago"

"Could be 2 weeks pregnant"

"Kel I'm not pregnant" I sigh getting into bed

"This is exactly what you were like with Harper"

"If it makes you feel any better I'll take a test tomorrow"

"Ok" Kelly kisses the top of my head and then wraps his arm around my waist and we both fall asleep.

[lapetitechatonne]

Slept on Ships P1: Space Princess

Slept on Ships: Space Princess; Silent Jasmines hello!! so after taking a look at the very long Batpham shipping chart and seeing so many slept on ship dynamics, i decided to start a series all about highlighting romantic and platonic dynamics that---in my professional opinion---deserve more love. i'll be starting with the first dp/dc ship i created: Space Princess.

Space Princess: Dani Phantom/Mar'i Grayson

Relevant Background

so, in general, if you're not knee deep in the DC Fandom, you might now know who Mar'i Grayson, aka Nightstar, is. Mar'i Grayson is the daughter of Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, and Koriand'r, aka Starfire, from Earth-22. she appears in the Kingdom Come series, where she has her own issue and everything! she's shown as protective of her family, like her father, and just as strong-willed as her mother.

if you'd like more info on Mar'i here's a like to the wiki article: Mar'i Grayson (Earth-22)

fun fact: in Kingdom Come, Dick and Kori are actually divorced, while in most fanfic, people portray them as together. Mar'i is also part of the Teen Titans on her earth, along with Lian Harper and Irey West.

in this post i'll be reference a few head canons such as; Dani being considered a Princess in a Ghost King Danny au and Dani possibly having an ice core (we don't know what core she has in canon.)

Why is the dynamic interesting?

they are prime Sun and Moon couple energy

Mar'i who lives her life in the sun as a public figure, her powers fuled by the sun and just as bright as her, while Dani hides in the shadows of society, lurking. giving Dani and ice core adds an extra layer of opposites.

they are equal parts soft sapphic girls, and battle hardened heroes. they're both incredibly capable political figures (in a Ghost King Danny Au) who always have to put up a front, they have to be the perfect leaders their kingdoms need them to be. they would understand each other in ways that other people couldn't

i also imagine them bonding over being the child of very famous/rich parents.

they also have colorful girlfriend and grunge girlfriend vibes.

Dani deserves to run Tameran like a fortune five hundred company while Mar'i is off being a superhero. the dynamic works strangely well for them.

Dick and Kori would love Dani, and if Mar'i doesn't marry her they're adopting her

Mar'i can be scary when she wants to, just like her mom. Dani thinks it's very hot.

Mar'i inherits her mother's height, which makes her both taller and stronger than Dani, and Dani would love it.

i like to imagine Dani having purple eyes or powers later down the road (since Vlad's are pink and Danny's are green/blue) which would make them almost opposites. it could be a fun story device to use.

A lot of people compare Mar'i to her mother, but realistically, i think she would be a lot like her dad's family, specifically Tim. it would be fun to explore the dynamics between Mar'i and Tim as niece and uncle, and they dynamic between Mar'i and Damian as sort of siblings (yes, i am a 'Dick Grayson is Damian Wayne's dad' fan). it could be prime real estate for a little bit of Danny/Damian or Dan/Tim or Jazz/Cass on the side.

Mar'i inherited her mom/dad's anger, and he Uncle Tim's ability to compartmentalize her feelings until she breaks. enough said.

through Mar'i, and by extension the batfam, Dani learns what real love looks like. she finally understands how abusive Vlad was to her. this could be in the context of a Vlad trying to redem himself, or a Vlad trying to manipulate Dani back into his life, but now she knows better.

with how much Mar'i hung around Raven as a kid, it would be interesting if Mar'i knew that Dani was not normal before everyone else. maybe Mar'i even knows a little bit of magic.

Some Prompt Ideas

a photographer and model au

Dani joins the Teen Titans and meets Nightstar

Vlad and Bruce are business rivals, but neither Dani or Mar'i particularly care and get together anyways.

Mar'i sees a clip of Dani in her ghost form with her green powers and thinks she's Tameranian. Mar'i channels her inner Uncle Tim and goes all detective to find Dani.

Dani is a mechanic and Mar'i is a student who refuses to get her very old car replaced.

Mar'i gets lost in the Zone after the destruction of her universe. She had no idea what to do or where to go. Dani finds her, and together they traverse worlds they were never meant to see.

Fic Recs

(i will admit the second one is self-promotion but i'm working with a small pool of fics lol)

Our Love Will Last Us by foldingfacets (READ THE TAGS)

Dani fell in love with the hot girl who watched her smash her skateboard into a dude without care. Little did she know the girl saw her first and fell in love faster. Maybe, just maybe, Dani doesn't have to be alone anymore. Maybe Mar'i would stay.

Can I have this Dance? by petitechatonne

When Dani goes to a gala with Sam, originally intent on keeping her friend company, she meets someone who sweeps her off her feet. Literally.

Playlists

Pintrest Boards

this paring has the ability to be cute and horrifyingly angsty at the same time, with a good helping of family chaos on the side!!! i will admit i'm quite bias about this one as the first ship i really made, but i also think they have the potential to have interesting and complex stories. there aren't enough sapphic pairings in the dp/dc fandom and yes, i am trying to single-handedly change that. join the revolution today!!!

-- find the wonder in creating. love, Kate💗

[bookhighlightss]

Twisted series book review

☆ Twisted Love

1. This book was amazing. The plot twists will blow your brains out.

2. Alex Volkov. That's it. Just him. Like he is just amazing.

3. Pretty words and pretty faces don't equal pretty souls. This line. This. Freaking. Line. It had me crying.

4. Also the way he just walked her home for a year without them talking.....AAAAHHHH just everything in this book was amazing.

5. In book 2, 3 and 4 there relationship just was so pretty even if they were there for like 1 page.

☆ Twisted Games

1. I love the whole bodyguard princess thing like I'm here for it.

2. I read this book 1 year ago I don't remember the details well but I loved Rhys and Bridget.

3. The whole you and me against the world, princess was just so sweet and cute and asfkjhjilw

4. I love how Bridget just overall slays with her feminine energy as Queen and shit like slayyyyy

☆ Twisted Hate

1. Okay this book was hilarious. There were so many funny scenes and their back and forth bickering was just everything.

2. I also loved how josh and Alex became friends again in this book like we all knew they were gonna but the whole conversation was epic and alex asking for permission to marry ava was just beautiful.

3. The possibility of you is better than the reality of anyone else. This quote people it was just amazing. I was like dayum I need to take two minutes and scream.

4. Overall the plot was actually pretty lit in this book but the one thing I didn't like about this book was how they fucked every two pages literally but they were kinda friends with benefits but I'm a hopeless romantic so when I was expecting a cute angry confession I got an angry sex....

5. I also love how they actually struggle with money lowkey because all the other book the characters were loaded with cash so that was a bit realistic yk

☆ Twisted Lies

1. Omg when I tell you this book was perfection I mean this book was perfection. It was like Ana huang took all the critics and molded this book into perfection. It was everything.

2. The way Christian was obsessed with her from the moment he saw her but never labelled it as love but just everything he did was wow. I will worship this man he's amazing.

3. Touch another man, he dies. Let another man touch you, he dies. Tell me I can't touch you...and I die. This had me in a chokehold I was like.....AAAAHHHHHHHHH

4. Also the way all the other 3 men just made fun of Christian and the scenes where all the characters were together was just really funny.

5. I love how Christian was always there for Stella and supported her ❤ like asjdhrkjdhsk

Overall all the books are amazing. These people live rent free in my head. But the fact that all of them got a happy ending and are successful and shit is like probably the fakest shit ever but then again it's books so eh. But on a real note photographer, queen, lawyer and fashion designer like are ya kidding me??? And the diversity their friend group has like Asian, European, American like wow. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of the smut in the book but then again that's just my personal opinion a lot of other people loved the smut tho so idk. And can we talk about how all of them have the prettiest names ever??! My most to least favorite book would be

Twisted lies

Twisted love

Twisted hate

Twisted games

My most favourite to least favourite twisted men would be

Christian harper

Rhys Larsen

Alex volkov

Josh chen ( his I lied thing just set me off)

My most favourite to least favourite twisted women would be

Ava chen

Jules ambrose

Stella Alonso

Bridget von ascheberg ( I don't like her being last but I love those three way more )

[hopelessromantic1352]

(Un)Professionalism

This one shot shows Casey is learning to deal with the history between Ethan and Harper. But, it’s not as easy as she thought it would be.

This came to my mind when I was replaying OH 3. I couldn’t believe how Harper and Ethan were acting around MC. I also couldn’t believe how they don’t really expand on that storyline unless you do the extra scene with Harper at the MRI machine. Then again, book three was just a little crazy overall 😂

Warnings: slight sexual actions

Ethan Tags: @perriewinklenerdie @shelivesinthewoods @silversparrow1112 @miss-indecisive-says @alj4890 @naffeesaa @hija-del-universo @usuallyamazinglyaverage @heyabby102 @lilyoffandoms @cordoniaqueensworld @carreraleigh @ethanplaysfavorites @amillionmoonsred @drcaseyvalentineramsey @claudevonstrukesblog @princess-geek @lapisreviewsstuff @aworldoffandoms @paisleylovergirl @llamasgrl @blainehellyes @flyawayboo @timmagicktoad-blog @sparklinglilac @whenyourheartskipsabeat @desmaranj @triple-shadow0 @tessa-liam please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed from the tags!

“Remember when Dr. Collins bet you wouldn’t chug that bottle of champagne?”

Casey watches as Ethan cringes at the thought, but Harper laughs and rests a hand on his forearm. Feeling her gut churn in jealousy, the redhead looks back to the file of their patient, wishing Baz was still a part of the team. At least he would acknowledge that she still exists.

“He swore I had the liquid escaping through my ears, which is anatomically impossible.”

Both of them laugh, Ethan looking as carefree as he has been for awhile.

“Look, if you two want to walk down memory lane, why don’t I go do my job.” She slaps the file down onto the table and forcefully pushes her chair back.

Without another look at either doctor, Casey strides out the doors. Before they shut behind her, she can just barely hear Ethan excuse himself and his footsteps hurrying behind her.

“Casey!” The loud whisper isn’t enough for her to even look back, but she picks up her pace, knowing his long strides will catch her easily. “Rookie, please.”

Confused anger clouds his raised tone, causing her to stop. Even though she doesn’t turn back around, she can hear his steps slow down and he takes in a deep breath before he steps in front of her. Her brown eyes focus on the tile spreading down the hall, her body tense with shame and her gut still filled with jealousy.

“Casey, what on earth is the matter?” Ethan’s large hand gently slips under her chin and lifts her face up.

He notices the guilt swimming in her eyes and everything clicks into place. “I apologize. Harper and I were being quite unprofessional.”

Silently, she closes her eyes and nuzzles into his hand before she shakes her head. “That’s not what bothered me.”

Not saying anything, he leads them into an empty patient room, shutting the door behind them. He watches her closely, analyzing her movements before she leans against the bed in the middle of the room. She crosses her arms and doesn’t look at him as her finger taps against her bicep.

“It’s your whole relationship, Ethan. We don’t have that and honestly, I don’t know if we ever will.”

Still utterly confused, he walks to her and lifts her chin again, trying to read her thoughts. “I don’t understand. What you and I have is nothing like the friendship I have with Harper. No offense intended, but I rather like it that way.”

Her eyes bore into his, the ice blue eyes hold their normal warmth she’s become accustomed to. His gentle touch is comforting her, not someone else. Right?

“But you two have history and that spark is still there, I can tell and I think Harper still feels it.” Rambling, she pushes off the bed and steps away from him, needing space to think and calm her racing thoughts.

Understanding dawns on him once again, this time he realizes exactly what is bothering her. He felt the same way during her intern year, seeing her with all those young, bright eyed men surrounding her at various times. The surgeon. The paramedic. Hell, he had even seen other attendings eye her. It was torture on him due to his own selfishness of not allowing them to become an item publicly.

“Casey, you and I are figuring this relationship out, but I can assure you, there is nothing between Harper and I.”

She settles in front of the window overlooking the parking lot, her eyes bouncing from the people to the cars peppering the asphalt.

When she doesn’t say anything, he continues, “She and I may have history, but that is all it is. I think of her as a colleague and a friend, nothing more. I know for a fact she feels the same way but I understand what you are feeling.” Slowly, he approaches her from behind, gently laying his hands on her shoulders. “If you remember correctly, I had a bout of jealousy that earned you a punishment in one of the vacant halls.”

Below his hands, the tense muscles loosen as she laughs quietly. “How did you take care of yourself after that anyway?”

Chuckling, Ethan turns her around and picks her up, allowing her legs to wrap around his waist. Stepping towards the wall, he presses her back against it, pinning her between it and his firm body. She can feel his hardness begin to grow as he presses his groin against hers. Both of them experience deja vu.

“You didn’t give me an opportunity to, so I suppose I had to imagine you as I took care of it myself.” His lips travel across her neck, his stubble tickling her soft skin deliciously. “Perhaps this time, we can take care of each other.”

Casey playfully grinds against the hard member straining against his slacks, tossing her head back against the wall at the sensation pooling in her core.

“Mmm, I think I’d like that.”

He breaks away from her neck and cups her cheek, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. “Know that I have not been with anyone besides you since Miami.”

“Then why did it take so long for you to give in?” Her big eyes burn with curiosity.

Sighing, he looks down, “Because I could not bring myself to risk your career. At least that is what I told myself. Now, I know I told you and myself that so I could realize that taking a risk on you was not a risk at all.”

Ethan raises his eyes to meet hers again, cupping her face with both hands. “You are it for me, Casey.”

Their lips meet in an electric kiss, her hands delve into his thick curls and her legs tighten around his fit waist. A moan escapes her as his lips reach any skin he can find and as his hands reach under her scrubs, caressing her breasts through the sports bra.

“Ethan, mmm, I love you.”

He pulls away to meet her eyes and gives her a blinding smile, his hands holding her face. “I love you too, Dr. Valentine.”

This kiss they share is soft and gentle, exuding the love coursing between them. But the gasp at the door breaks the trance. The couple breaks apart, Ethan sets Casey down gently as she blushes furiously.

“Do you need something, Harper?” Ethan’s voice is steady, but his lips tremble with suppressed laughter at the shock on their colleague’s face.

Casey steps behind Ethan, hiding the silent laughter at her own embarrassment and Harper’s.

“I—uh—“ Without a coherent sentence, she turns and slams the door behind her, leaving the couple to dissolve into a mess of laughter.

As Ethan turns, he gathers the giggling redhead into his arms, holding in a tight hug. He allows himself to relax, resting his chin atop her head. “I suppose I should do some damage control.”

“Probably. At least this time you don’t have to do your own damage control.”

He releases her at that and smirks, “I would have suggested you take care of that.”

Casey leans forwards and kisses him softly, “Maybe we can arrange for some of that damage control tonight.”

[hauntedheroines]

Berserk and the Villain/Hero ship

I’ve just finished watching Berserk on Netflix and read spoilers for the manga.

Honestly, to me Griffith/Guts is way more than subtext. Male villain/male hero is not even my favorite thing, but there were some tropes which I think are delicious:

Used to be friends

Dragging you to the gutter with me

The Queen King and her his Champion

Roaring Rampage of Romance

Also some parallels to other OTPs:

Naraku/Kikyo: Can’t admit his love yet keeps doing everything to possess or kill the object of his affection. Allows his crippled body to be taken by demons, keeping his ambition, but (supposedly) taking away his basic emotions. Guts reflects that, by then, Griffith/Femton will never be satisfied with anything he wins, because winning had become his only drive and he will always want more. Griffith/Femton’s dream is unable to fill the void left by the lost of his humanity. Even though he claims his feelings are gone, he can’t bring himself to kill Guts .

Jaime/Cersei: Guts served as his weapon and shield, fighting and committing crimes on Griffith’s name, but the moment he desires to become his own person, Griffith loses his mind. Which could have been avoided if Griffith could have been a little more honest with himself about needing someone or something besides power, and climbing down his pedestal for someone once.

Buffy/Angelus: Griffith loses his soul and does sadistic things to Guts due to his complex feelings and motivation: revenge against Guts for distracting him from his dream, for leaving him, ways to assert possessiveness over Guts or to assert emotions no longer detain him from anything, not even hurting Guts.

Henry/Abby (Harper’s Island): Griffith has a dream that drives his every choice and he never thought Guts might not be included in it until his rejection. After he leaves, Griffith has a torturous time in his hand to reflect on what the pursuit of his dream has cost him and what is the price yet to be paid by him and by Guts. The price is sacrificing their friends, and Guts can’t understand how Griffith could have betrayed everyone that stood by him, how can anyone be so cold. The others were just a means to an end - Guts was his only friend, and his true love.

Alina/Darkling: He inspires fear in his enemies and loyalty on his followers. Alina was eager to win his approval before his betrayal. He believes no one could be his equal except for her.

Could there have been more scenes developing their “friendship” before their separation? Definitely. If I could go back, I’d skip the pointless war and court schemes from episode to 8 to 18 (maybe watch episode 12 for backstory).

Nonetheless, it was a gay v/h that for once feels rather tragic, and not just sexual. For instance, watching episode 7 “The Sword Master” I honestly thought and still believe it was a reciprocate gay desire back then, though Guts didn’t quite fully grasp it.

He moves to Casca because it’s the obvious choice - because she is a woman, definitely, but also because she is emotionally available to him in a way Griffith never was. He never displayed vulnerability to Guts, and only becomes aware of his own after losing him. Guts even listens to Griffith claim that he doesn’t see them as equals. In between his dream and Guts, Guts would always come second to Griffith - at least so they believed to be true then. Princess Charlotte was Griffith‘s fastest and easiest way to power. Griffith had no future to offer Guts.

Right now I’m reading analysis by bthump, so make sure you check her out for a deeper understanding of the ship.

[missameliep]

Second Chances - Chapter Twenty Four: The Undeniable Truth

Book: Desire and Decorum – Modern AU 

Pairing: Prince Hamid x Elizabeth (OC)

Rating: M (see trigger warnings in the notes bellow)

Word count: ~12K

Summary: During the drinking games, truths will be revealed and hearts will be exposed, but some are not the ones everybody had been expecting...

Characters: Elizabeth Foredale (OC); Prince Hamid; Briar Daly; Edmund Marlcaster, Annabelle Parsons; Luke Harper; Theresa Sutton.

Notes: 

* All characters belong to Pixelberry, except OC.

* A huge thank you to @princess-geek for being my beta in this chapter and for all her support to my writing and this series.

* Non-English words translated at the notes in the end.

* Trigger warnings: swearing, drinking, mentions of underage drinking and dialogues with sexual implied content.

* This is my submission to @choicesficwriterscreations fic of the week and @choicesmonthlychallenge (prompts - friends/holding hands/forehead kisses).

Elizabeth approached Edmund, held his arm, and signalled for him to lean closer. “Is it safe playing with Theresa?” she whispered, “Won’t she gossip about us later?”

“I suppose you never played a drinking game with Annabelle,” Edmund whispered back, and Elizabeth shook her head. She never played any sort of drinking game because getting drunk and sharing personal information are her least favourite pastimes.

“Theresa never lasts long in the game,” he explained, lowering his voice, “and she will be too smashed to remember anything tomorrow. Probably the rest of us too. So, your secrets will be safe.”

“I don’t have secrets!” was her immediate defensive response, but the pitch of her voice gave away the statement was far from the truth.

“Then you’ll have no problems playing Truth or Drink,” he said with the hint of satisfaction in his expression that only a sibling ready to see the other falling flat on their bottoms can express.

Releasing the grip on his arm, Elizabeth lagged, regretting not thoroughly thinking this through.

What was I thinking? This is such a bad idea! I’ll get drunk and embarrass myself. Or worse, Briar will tease me about Hamid, and I’ll be mortified.

Slipping something stupid or inappropriate or worse the truth was simply overwhelming.

“Aren’t you coming?” Edmund asked, holding the door open for her, and she threw her shoulders back trying to balance the weight of her worries about everything that could go wrong tonight.

On her way outside, she’s met by Briar’s stare, holding Hamid’s arm for support. “What’s wrong?”

Gnawing at one thumb’s nail, Elizabeth said, “I haven’t played this kind of game since school and there was no drinking involved...”

“Be brave and honour your ancestor, a woman who had premarital sex with a man who was not her fiancé and engaged in swordfight on her wedding day. Total badass!”

“Sword fighting? Impressive,” Hamid remarked, and Briar promised to lend him the journal after she finished it.

“Don’t worry. It’ll be fun.” Leaning forward and adopting a conspiratorial tone, Briar said, “And if the truth it too ugly to handle, lie. Just like everybody else.”

“Excuse me?” Elizabeth’s brows raised in surprise. “What’s the point if you don’t say the truth?”

Both laughed at her reaction and Hamid offered his free arm so they could walk together.

After assembling large bags of crisps, a plate with mini-sandwiches, a bowl of popcorn, cans of soft drinks and the four wine bottles Edmund and Annabelle retrieved from the famous Edgewater’s cellar – wine good enough to not give them a headache tomorrow, but not the vintage and expensive kind that would be missed – and one bottle of scotch from Edmund’s personal reserve for his own pleasure, the group re-joined.

Edmund glanced at the silent corridor before closing the door of the elegant guestroom. The crackling of the fire and the drumming of the rain against the windows were muffled by the exciting conversations.

This room was not selected because of the delicate floral wallpaper or the inviting furniture, but due to its remoteness, in the wing reserved for summer guests. There was not the slightest chance of Lady Dominique bursting in unless she was actively searching for any of them, which was very unlikely, considering she left to a dinner party in one of the neighbouring estates. Despite living in these lands for the better part of her life, the lady had greatly complained about the inconvenience of the pouring rain when she stopped by at the game room to hear about the picnic, and a few of them stifled laughs at the resemblance of Elizabeth’s own displeasure with the weather at London on several occasions.

Except for Theresa who didn’t really care for contemporary music but liked Mariah Carey, everyone else engaged in a passionate debate about the perfect music for the evening, advocating for their favourite genres. Annabelle, for instance, suggested one of her playlists with progressive rock and all-female rock bands.

“You can’t dance to that?” Briar retorted, and Annabelle snorted pointing at Briar’s feet resting on an ottoman. “First, you can’t dance anyway. Second,” she made a dramatic pause and a song started blasting from her mobile, “how can anyone not feel like dancing to ‘Bad Reputation’?”

To form a consensus was almost impossible considering the variety of playlists and genres each one vouched for. After fifteen minutes of debating, Hamid’s diplomatic skills proved effective in solving the impasse, and he offered to create a collaborative playlist with songs from everyone’s favourite playlists, and peace reigned once more.

With the music playing in the background, their attention focused on moving the armchairs and placing throw-pillows over the plush rug to make room for everyone around the hardwood oval cocktail table, where two of the bottles of wine and seven low ball glasses had been settled. With Annabelle’s assistance, Briar accommodated herself first. Despite Theresa’s presence – which was emphasised by the incessant chatter about a range of subjects that her fiancé had little to no interest in listening to, leaving Hamid, the most empathetic of the group, stuck with her for the past several minutes –, Edmund looked intently, as if entranced by the scene, or considering if he should take a seat at the cushion on Briar’s other side.

As spectators of the drama unfolding, Elizabeth shared a knowing look with Hamid, and for a moment she considered walking to her stepbrother and smacking the back of his head to bring him back to his senses. However, resorting to violence was not necessary. Without being incited by any of the presents, Edmund turned around and picked a different cushion, one that wasn’t beside nor facing Briar, and Theresa followed suit, sitting beside him.

Annabelle’s thirst for drama would not be sate just yet, a hint of disappointment visible when a mischievous smile was erased from her lips.

From the remaining three cushions, Hamid deliberately picked the one in the middle, and with an inviting smile at Elizabeth, patted the cushion at his right, the one who would allow her to sit beside Briar as well – which the man certainly assumed could make the choice easier. Taking the cue, Luke sat at his left, between him and Edmund.

“Everyone knows the rules?” Annabelle asked.

“Can’t I just drink? I’m not interested in the secrets or whatever...”

“You know that’s not how it works, Marlcaster. Anyone who doesn’t participate can’t be here. So, in or out?”

“Out.” Picking the bottle of scotch, he started to get up, but Elizabeth jumped to her feet and pointed a finger at him, remembering the times they were kids and he sneaked away with his friends to play videogames, leaving a crying Harry behind for her to soothe.

“No, you don’t!” she said with a firmer and louder tone than everyone expected, including herself. When every pair of surprised eyes darted to her face, she blushed and took a second to muster an inexpressible small smile. “It will be fun,” she pushed lively words through her teeth, while trying to telepathically warn him: “You’re not dropping Theresa with us!”

Startled by the intimidating tone he hasn’t heard in years and narrowed green eyes staring him down, he hesitated for a second before changing his mind and sitting back down.

Theresa looked happy at his change of mind, and he actively ignored Annabelle’s muffled giggles.

“As our hostess, Liz should start!” Briar rapped on the table, drawing a drumming sound.

“Alright. Let me see... Never have I ever... broken a bone.”

Hamid, Annabelle, Edmund, and Luke sipped their glasses, and it was time for the next participant.

With a mischievous smile, Briar looked around, and said, “Never have I ever... ghosted someone.”

“How is that possible if we’re all alive?” Theresa asked out loud, and Luke huffed with laugh assuming it was a joke – which in fact was not. As Hamid explained the meaning of the word ghosting in this context, Annabelle, who had been targeted by the asker, drank the content of her glass. Luke and Edmund did the same, then a hesitant Elizabeth took a small sip of the red wine as subtle as possible, but not subtle enough to escape Briar’s hawk eyes.

“You ghosted someone?” she gasped.

Looking intently at the glass in her hand, Elizabeth mumbled, “Once. Long ago... It was… yeah… it was no big deal…”

“Really?” Briar’s voice and eyebrows raised. “You, Elizabeth Victoria Foredale, were absolutely fine ghosting someone who I assume fancied you?”

“That’s not my name!”

“Don’t change the subject!” Briar pointed a warning finger at her, trying to hold in a laugh.

Elizabeth sighed and gnawed at a cuticle, “Fine. I might have sent an anonymous gift basket from a fancy bakery… because I was feeling bad for him…”

“Now, I believe it.”

“I wish the girls who ghosted me would’ve been that nice…” Annabelle mused, “Carbs would make it easier having my ass dumped...”

“Unless they weren’t gluten free…” Briar chimed in.

“Good point. That would be the final blow.”

“Why not simply saying you were not interested?” Hamid inquired, not a hint of judgement in his tone, but her face was already burning with all the attention her honesty attracted – and a bit of shame for admitting it out loud in front of him.

“Poor social skills,” she sighed, understanding what Briar meant before. “Now can we move on?”

Annabelle was next and a playful smile curled her lips, while eyes full of mischief focused on her target. The question darted from her lips with intent. “Never have I ever kept a secret crush from people in this room.”

Edmund’s gaze flicked over to Annabelle, and his fingers encircled the glass, but he didn’t lift it; instead, he let his palms splay over the table, watching the others, to see if anybody was going to take a drink or point a finger at him.

After a moment of dwelling if her crush was indeed a secret or not, considering at least half of the presents were aware of it, Elizabeth also decided not to drink.

Resting her chin on her palm, Annabelle chewed on a crisp and muttered looking directly at Edmund, “I was expecting someone to drink…”

“I’m absolutely transparent,” Hamid said, “none of my crushes could ever be a secret.”

“Me too,” Briar piped in. “I’m an open book.”

“Then you must tell me,” Theresa pleaded, “I don’t know who your crush is!”

“Right now?” Briar gulped. “Zero crushes!”

“What about Woods?” Edmund threw the question and with an impassive expression resumed sipping his drink. The attention of the group flicked from him to Briar.

“I wouldn’t call it a crush... He’s a... friend.”

“Woods?” Theresa echoed the name, trying to figure out who they were talking about. “You mean the butler?”

“Yes, he’s a butler and the sweetest man I’ve ever met.”

“Doesn’t that mean you want to be more than friends?”

“I... It’s...” Briar stuttered, and Edmund looked away. While she tried to find a definitive answer, her cheeks reddened in an extraordinary occurrence. “I don’t, Theresa. What we have is perfect.”

Theresa flooded Briar with questions about Woods and her love life, but most remained answered.

“Let’s not dally. Theresa, I believe you’re next.”

“Never have I ever... hmmm...” Theresa fidgeted with the pendants of her bracelet while looking at Elizabeth. “Never have I ever… being arrested.”

Only Annabelle drank.

“Twice.” She raised two of her fingers, sating the curiosity of the others. “Protesting.”

Propping her arms over the table, Theresa leaned and tried to meet Elizabeth’s eye. “What about you, Eliza?”

“Me?” She pointed at herself. “What about me?”

“We’re amongst friends here…” she said in a honeyed tone, “Not even once? Not even for a tiny, teeny crime? Shoplifting, perhaps?”

Like a fish out of the water, Elizabeth’s mouth opened and closed without emitting any sound, and she considered how to reply to this questioning without being terribly rude, even though that was one of the occasions courtesies could be ignored. Before she decided, Briar laughed at the inquisitiveness, and blocked Theresa’s view of Elizabeth’s face. “What are you? A cop?”

Theresa laughed, but it was a nervous kind of laugh and not her regular one.

“No, of course not! I’m not investigating her… I mean… I’m being… nosy, like we ought to, right?” she stuttered and averted her gaze, making her words sound even more unconvincing. “That’s what makes it fun, isn’t it?”

There was no answer to the questions, only more chewing sounds before the game resumed.

“Your turn, Marlcaster,” Annabelle said and contemplated him for a second. “Why is your glass empty?”

The glass was pushed in her direction. “I need a refill.”

She poured more wine, filling the short glass to the rim. Edmund stared at the content of the glass as if expecting the Bordeaux to offer him a viable idea, until his blue eyes flicked to Annabelle, and a barely-there smile curled his lips.

“Never have I ever… gotten a tattoo.”

In a mix of complaining about being unjustly targeted in this game, and complimenting the fine wine, Annabelle drank first, followed by Luke and Elizabeth. Edmund’s jaw dropped at the sight of his stepsister drinking.

“You? You have a tattoo?”

“I actually have two,” Elizabeth said offering a proud smile.

His blue eyes widened, unblinking. “Lady grandmother will have a stroke if she ever finds out!”

“Since they’re very well concealed, she won’t find out, unless one of you tell her, which I hope you won’t.”

“I can testify they’re absolutely hidden from sight!” Hamid said causally, and the eyes of the one he was speaking about darted to his face.

“Dude!” Elizabeth exclaimed lifting both hands.

“I’m complimenting you for doing an outstanding job hiding them. I saw you on your bathing suit and there was no sign of tattoos. Not that I was checking for tattoos, but... Good job!” He raised his thumbs in approval, meanwhile, Edmund shook his head, muttered something unintelligible under his breath and gulped the content of his glass.

Chuckling, Annabelle interrupted the questions about the design of Elizabeth’s tattoos and the pleas to see them.

“Alright, we get it. Liz’s got tattoos and Hamid’s thirst... Luke you’re next.”

They played more rounds and soon emptied two bottles of wine and consumed half the food. The more Theresa drank, the less her questions seemed coherent with her early line of investigation on Elizabeth’s life and the more inclined she felt to ask about everyone else’s, for undisclosed reasons Hamid’s love life seemed to have piqued her interest the most.

It was safe to say that despite the sheer embarrassment of sharing details about her life, Elizabeth was enjoying herself. Perhaps it was the fact that by that point the alcohol had released part of her inhibitions, perhaps the laughter and funny stories her friends shared eased her. Even if the prospect of Edmund cracking under pressure seemed less likely to happen, she was content, but sleepy. Stretching her arms over her head, Elizabeth yawned, even though it was only a quarter after 10pm.

Edmund pulled the cork of the third bottle of wine, which fell to the floor and rolled, disappearing underneath the sofa.

Annabelle looked around holding one of the empty bottles, and declared, “I believe it’s time to change games. What do you think?”

“Definitely. We’re not really finding out anything interesting, except that Luke is a Potterhead.” Her words carried her disapproval, and he raised his hands to the air, correcting her, “I’m not. I told you: my ex was obsessed; I learned by osmosis…and most of it against my will. It’s not like I was going to comic-cons with her and cosplaying…”

“I bet you dressed as Harry at some point…” she giggled while pouring more wine on hers and Annabelle’s glasses.

He chuckled and averted his gaze.

“Ohmygod! You did it!”

Without looking at anybody, he licked his lips and answered quietly against the rim of the glass, “I certainly did, but it was definitely not for Halloween…”

His words stirred Briar’s curiosity, and she leaned forward, elbows on the table, completely focused on him and the information he was half-offering. She tried to meet his eyes, but he averted his gaze, while sipping his drink, and her mouth rounded when realization dawned on her.

“Roleplaying, Luke?” Briar cried, and he shrugged. “Naughty!”

After a few unanswered follow-up questions about his sex life, the nosy woman finally dropped the subject.

“We’ll play Truth or Drink. You know the drill. Whoever the bottle points at must answer the question or drink!” Annabelle announced wringing her hand.

“What about Hamid, he’s not really drinking...” Briar said grinning and pointing at the small glass filled with diet coke. “It won’t be fair to us.”

“Why aren’t you drinking? Is this a religious thing?” Theresa shot the question, and Edmund chided her.

Hamid waved his hand signalling it was okay, however Elizabeth glared at Theresa, finally showing irritation at the nosy woman inquires.

“You don’t need to answer that, Hamid,” she said softly to him.

“It’s alright, Liz,” he replied, resting a hand over the one of hers lying on her knee. “You guys want the long or short version?”

“Long!” Briar and Theresa cried in unison.

“I used to drink,” Hamid started.

After drinking the entire content of the small glass, he rolled his lips inside his mouth. When they rolled back out and parted in a wide grin, Elizabeth forced her eyes to focus on anything else, because she shouldn’t be staring at him or his lips like a cartoon hungry wolf.

“You must understand two things: the first one, Annem’s family is well-known in Türkiyefor being descendants of Ottoman Sultans and for its many politicians. They are ultratraditional and awfully strict when it comes to public opinion… And second, when I was eleven, my family moved back to Istanbul after living in Canberra, and our lives changed completely… suddenly there were journalists following me and my sisters around, trying to find any dirty on us to shame Dede[1] Emir and Dayı[2] Eren, and Annem’s constant surveillance… I couldn’t leave the house by myself, except to go to school… I felt trapped. –”

“A gilded cage is still a cage”, Elizabeth remembered the words he told her once, finally realizing its meaning.

“– Until my father was assigned to the embassy at Boston and we moved again. I was fifteen, starting high school and it was like someone released me from a cage. I was free and eager to experience everything possible before being sent back to Istanbul and facing the life planned for me... Moderation wasn’t an acceptable choice.”

“That sounds like a dangerous combination,” Luke pointed out.

“It was fun and liberating. For a while, at least…” he paused, and poured himself more diet coke. “Besides drinking quite frequently without my parents’ knowledge, I’ve done a couple of other things that could be considered dangerous and imprudent, like riding motorcycles, skydiving and hitchhiking a plane.”

“You did what?” Annabelle and Luke gasped at the same time.

“Haven’t I told you that story? This is one of my proudest accomplishments.” Hamid looked around for confirmation and met the astonished faces with a wide grin. “My friends and I were at this party at school and bored out of our minds. After we had drank all the vodka we snuck in, someone suggested going to the airport because ‘how fun would it be if we could hitchhike a plane!’”

In his narrative, he used the charming tone he adopts whenever telling one of his famous anecdotes; words and cadence carefully picked to entertain, like he did at dinner the night before. This time, Elizabeth caught his act, noticing the theatrical hand gestures and smiles when he talked about his friends, sons and daughters of politicians or diplomats like himself, and suspected he was purposedly trying to divert from the original subject without giving away his intention. Most of his stories are about other people, and the ones focused on himself, usually reinforce his charming and fun personality. Humorous self-deprecation is not to be expected from him.

Briar guessed, “I bet it was you who suggested that?”

“To this day, Lewis insists it was my idea, but I swear it was Amalia’s… she wanted to go to New York, I only suggested flying would be faster. Anyway… we went to the airport, and I sweet-talked one of the flight attendants to introduce me to someone in charge of flights… we happened to come at the perfect time... Two hours later we’re on a plane to New York.” Hamid added with an ear-to-ear grin, “Bono Vox’s private jet.”

“No way!”

“How did you even–?” Luke muttered, trying to figure out what to even ask, and Hamid shrugged his shoulders, with a too proud of a smile.

“I asked nicely.”

“Did you meet Bono?” Annabelle asked.

“Unfortunately, no. But I met someone from the crew, and she got us backstage passes to the shows at Chicago and Philly, and we met the band. My friend Melissa got to sing with Bono.”

“Who’s Bono?” Theresa asked, not holding her tongue anymore.

“U2’s lead singer. Songwriter. Activist,” Annabelle replied, sounding more offended by the ignorance with each word she mouthed without recognition.

“Sings old people’s music,” Briar whispered, and Theresa giggled, drawing an exasperated sigh from Annabelle.

The more Elizabeth learns about Hamid, the harder to believe that he could not find her tedious.

“The drinking,” Edmund said, more interested in the story than anything that happened in the game so far, “if it was so amazing, why did you quit?”

Hamid’s gaze flicked to him, and he tilted his head. “Who said it was amazing?”

“Cool friends, flying in musicians’ planes, concerts… you painted a very appealing picture.” Edmund gulped the scotch in his glass.

“I see your point… I realised I cared about the thrill and adventures, and I don’t need to drink to have any of those...”

“Sounds fake,” Briar murmured to him, “but okay.”

Laughing at Briar’s jest, Hamid added, “...and there were much tastier things to put in my mouth whatsoever.”

“Now I believe you!”

“Very mature,” Annabelle complimented. “Many people abstain. And not only for religious purposes. So, to even things out, if you’re all in favour, we’ll play a round of Truth or Dare exclusively with Hamid. Whenever you don’t want to answer, you need to submit to a dare of our choice!”

“Can we still drink?” Edmund asked, and Annabelle squinted her eyes at him, and he took that as a permission to drink an entire tumbler of scotch.

“I have nothing to hide. But maybe we should make it more interesting… If I answer all your questions, you’ll submit to a dare,” Hamid said, indicating the group of friends with a wave of his hand, Annabelle looked around searching for confirmation and offered her hand.

“Agreed, –” Annabelle shook hands with Hamid. “– But no dares involving leaving the country.”

“Sounds fair, but incredibly boring.”

Briar clapped her hands and pointed a finger at Elizabeth. “Lizzy, you ask first. Don’t disappoint Lady Clara!”

“Can we ask anything?” She looked at Hamid for confirmation.

“Anything.”

Hamid’s eyes, pools of dark and warmth, locked with hers, an invitation to his inner world. She held the power to ask anything from his past, present or future. Anything.

Elizabeth pondered if she should ask a question Hamid wouldn’t want to answer, which means no dare of his in the end, or one that he would in fact answer. The second option was much more tempting to her curious nature. The only issue was coming up with one unrelated to herself or the interrupted conversation of that afternoon – something incredibly hard to do with his thumb stroking the back of her hand this gently, like it was the single most important thing he had to do this evening.

She realized they were holding hands underneath the table and couldn’t help wondering when this became such a trivial occurrence and not the kind of event capable of causing a turmoil. Nevertheless, it felt absolutely right.

Overwhelmed by infinite choices and her own fears of exposing herself, instead of diving in, she decided on dipping her toes.

“What –” She paused, cleared her throat, and started over, “What do most people assume is true about you but in fact isn’t?”

Taking a deep breath, Hamid’s free hand raised to his hair, and his fingers combed it back twice. The unusual long silence made some consider he would ask for a dare instead, judging by the gloating expressions and meaningful looks shared.

“There’s a persistent belief that I’m a playboy who treats women as trophies… disregarding their feelings...” He shifted in his place uncomfortably, as if he were sitting over thorns. “But I am anything like that. I’m not... heartless... promiscuous… or incapable of having a serious relationship because I never had one. And I hope that is not what you think of me,” he said looking into her eye and she replied with a slight shake of her head, even if occasionally she wondered if the picture painted about him was an exaggeration or matched his true self.

“Good,” he whispered, and his lips parted into a wide grin that stole her breath.

That was a perfectly good answer, wasn’t it? Unproblematic. Romantic even, if she focused exclusively on the fact he was concerned about her opinion and not that they were surrounded by people and can’t carry on this conversation... However, before her musings went far, Briar shared her strong indignation.

“It’s bloody 2018! Your sex life – or mine or anyone else’s – should be nobody’s business,” she said looking around, searching for approval, and Theresa pursed her lips, not entirely sure if the criticism wasn’t about herself, who is an avid consumer of celebrity gossip in general.

“Some take pleasure speculating… and trying to label others’ behaviours...”

“And making money out of it,” Annabelle added. “Don’t forget there’s a whole business profiting from people’s private lives. Scandal sells tabloids – or these days gets the more clicks…”

“At Türkiye, my pictures have definitely enriched some newspapers’ owners, and brought shame to my family’s name...”

“Why? Being slutty doesn’t make you a bad person!”

“I wouldn’t refer to myself like that, but I agree,” he laughed. “To be honest, I don’t really care about what they write about me... But I know it’s a privilege of being a man from a wealthy family; things would be completely different if I were gay or a woman…”

“Or both,” Annabelle pointed out.

“I like a good gossip like the next person... but I really don’t get it. What’s the matter if you like it casual? Or one-night stands? If it’s consensual, it’s nobody’s business,” Briar concluded with fire in her eyes, “Judging people by number of partners or how frequently they shag is utter tosh!”

“Well said!” Annabelle clapped and Briar bowed with a little flourish of her hands. “Now that you got it all out of your chest, can we move on? It’s your turn to ask.”

In a second, Briar’s face changed completely. She flashed the widest and most mischievous grin at Hamid.

Taking a deep breath, her lungs filled with enough air to sing the chorus to Wannabe and Annabelle, Elizabeth and Luke laughed before snapping their fingers at the rhythm. Edmund and Theresa who weren’t present when Hamid told his sisters used to dress him up as one of the Spice Girls looked utterly lost.

When her nasal voice faded, Briar pushed an imaginary microphone in his direction. “Which Spice Girl, Hamid?”

Despite the smile, he shook his head slowly and muttered words under his breath that were not the answer; Elizabeth wondered if any of those were curse words, considering his preference to swear in languages other than English.

“Sporty.” The word was pushed through his smile while he failed to look unaffected by Briar’s victorious grin.

“I knew it!” Briar cried. “Now we need visuals!”

“Not happening.”

“Don’t be so confident, Lizzy can ask your sisters...”

“Supposing she in fact knows one of my sisters, she wouldn’t do that,” he replied not missing a beat, but the teasing words might have reached the intent when Elizabeth didn’t side with him immediately.

Stealing a sideway glance at her, he only got a shrug and a non-reply in the form of a small smile.

Sipping the wine, while he insisted on the subject and the fact his sisters and Elizabeth obviously don’t know each other, she giggled against the rim of the small glass. His reasoning and insistence amused her. For a change, she got the upper hand and would enjoy every second of this. Like this wine. Sipping it bit by bit.

“Maybe I didn’t have to ask...” Elizabeth said softly putting the empty glass down.

“And you didn’t tell them?” he taunted, referring to Annabelle and Briar who were enjoying this almost as much as her. “Impossible.”

“Are you calling me a gossip now?”

“Absolutely not. But I fear you’re trying to trick me into believing you have befriended my sister.”

“Sisters,” she corrected. “And last week your aunt and two of your cousins from Adana dropped me DMs too.” Shaking his head slowly, with a teasing smile with a hint of the tip of his tongue peeking, he leaned forward, his eyes searching for any hesitation.

“Show me your mobile.”

“You don’t believe my word?”

“Frankly, no. There’s no evidence supporting your allegations, Miss Foredale. I’m afraid the court will dismiss the case,” he taunted, using legal jargons learned from TV shows.

Perhaps it was the casual atmosphere or his long nose almost touching the tip of hers, the warmth of his breath or intense gaze unwavering from her eyes while he slowly retreated... Perhaps it was a combination of all the above. Whatever it was, it encouraged her to search in her foggy brain the perfect story to convince him of the seriousness of her allegations. She remembered one of the first anecdotes Faiza and Hande shared about their younger brother after he shared a picture of her sitting at the park after jogging with the hashtag #londonsmostbeautifulsmile.

“Then how do I know about the incident with your mother’s ring?”

In slow motion, the self-satisfied smile vanished from his lips and so did the glow of his skin. While his brain processed the information, the sides of his neck and cheeks turned a darker shade.

“Yok artık[3]!” he spat. “Who told you that? Was it Faiza?”

“Stop speaking in code!” Briar cut them off, “I want to know it too!”

“Me too!” Theresa and Annabelle piped in.

“Then you’ll have to ask Hamid.”

“Is it worth?” Annabelle who would be the next asker inquired, and Elizabeth shrugged dismissively, it was in her hands to decide, but judging by his reaction it could be a question to make him yield.

The other took a moment to consider if it was the sort of knowledge worthy of her question or not and debated with Briar in hushed tones.

“Such bigmouths!” he sighed running a hand through his face. “That story is so embarrassing!”

“It’s so not! It’s cute!” Elizabeth said, and he raised his head revealing a wide grin and his skin had darkened even more, a hint of redness reached the tips of his ears. “I can’t believe I made you blush!” Elizabeth laughed and fished a handful of crisps from the bowl.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shrugged. “I don’t blush.”

“I also thought you didn’t...” she said offering him the bowl. “But you do. And it’s adorable.” The tip of her index finger touched his face, and the skin of his cheek was as warm as his smile, confirming her assumption. His lips spread even further, and his cheeks rounded beneath her lingering touch, dimples forming on each side of his face and eyes squinting.

“My turn,” Annabelle announced, and his attention was drawn to her. “Have you ever had a sex dream with anyone in this room?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him, and he smiled and answered quickly, no hesitation whatsoever, “Yes, I have.”

Excited cheers and teasing followed.

“Really? Who?” Briar inquired not holding her curiosity.

“That is another question,” he said, “and you already asked yours.”

“Was it me?” she pressed, “I know one can’t fake the kind of chemistry we had dancing last night, but I only see you as a friend. Please, keep me out of your dirty dreams.”

“Now you’re breaking my heart,” Hamid laughed it off, and soon the game moved on.

“Who would you rather date Donna Bowman or Felicity Holloway?” Theresa asked and leaned forward expectantly, and Elizabeth rolled her eyes not hiding the annoyance.

Hamid plastered his most alluring smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“They are both attractive women, each with a particular beauty. Making me choose one over the other seems absolutely unfair, don’t you agree?”

Hamid’s words were so convincing that pleased Theresa, who nodded. Briar however didn’t miss the opportunity to tease him.

“But that’s the point. You must choose or you’re not really answering the question... And if you don’t answer, it’s time for a dare, innit?” She looked at Annabelle for confirmation, and Hamid inhaled deeply and shook his head slowly.

“Donna.”

“Oooh! She’ll be so thrilled!”

“Did you roll your eyes again?” Hamid asked Elizabeth, who looked away, but realized he had been observing her reaction.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” she said focusing on the breadcrumbs she was picking from the table and throwing at an empty plate, keeping to herself how the mere mention of Felicity and her minion’s names bothered her. 

“Can she do that?” Briar asked pointing at Theresa, hands typing on her mobile underneath the table.

“Theresa, you know the rules! You can’t share the answers.”

“Alright,” she put the mobile away, but only after pressing ‘send’.

“Your turn, Marlcaster.”

“I didn’t think of a question.”

Briar raised her hand in the air as if she were in school. “I have an excellent one!”

“Me too,” Theresa said and whispered something in his ear, and he grimaced.

“I’m not asking that.”

“Please! I’m dying of curiosity!”

He downed the amber liquid, and said, “You can have my question…”

Showing gratitude, Theresa kissed his cheek and addressed the other man eagerly, “Hamid, if you could kiss anyone in the entire world, who would it be?”

Unlike the other question, this time, Hamid stole a furtive glance at Elizabeth, and smiled the kind of wide and open smile that dimples his cheeks and almost makes his face glow.

There were no introductory words, flattery, or praise to women either present or absent, just a simple and direct answer.

“Elizabeth.” Her name was softly spoken, rolling out of his tongue like a melody, and her heart skipped a beat.

The intensity of Hamid’s bright and intense eyes on her was unbearable. Allowing herself a moment to process this reply, she lowered her gaze.

The kissing part wasn’t that surprising – only a few hours before he said he wanted to kiss her –, but the fact that given any option he would still choose her over any model, movie star or a childhood crush was mind-blowing! And the boldness of being this frank without assurance whether her reaction would be? She could never! Even after drinking, she would never put herself on the spotlight to the judgement and opinions of others.

Her heart was pounding louder than ever, so loud she heard nothing from the room in a while, not acknowledging the chorus of Aww and Ooh and “Kiss him!”stirred by his answer or his sigh when her hand slipped away from his, not out of displeasure but to wipe the gelid sweat damping her palms on her jeans.

“I’m baffled you’d still choose her after what happened!” Theresa blurted out, and she received confused looks in return that encouraged her to explain the point. Her words flowed in that characteristic quick pace of hers, “Considering she broke up with you to be with Ernest Sinclaire, I thought you would pick anyone else, really… Unless you are trying to win her back... are you? In that case it would be so romantic!”

“O quê?[4]” Elizabeth gasped.

Amused, Hamid glanced at Elizabeth, whose cheeks haven’t had the chance to return to their natural tawny beige tone. “You broke up with me?”

“I didn’t break up with him!” she assured Theresa.

“You’re dating both!?” Theresa’s nasal voice raised to a shrieking level, and she covered her astonishment with a hand, before her fingers resumed typing on the mobile, ignoring the previous chiding about it.

Pretending to be offended, Briar tried to stifle a giggle and asked, “I am your English best friend, and you didn’t tell me any of this?”

“Halla halla! She didn’t even tell me and I’m the boyfriend!” Hamid sighed. “Since I was in the dark, I need time to process…” His hand covered most of his face, but Elizabeth could still see the grin he was hiding underneath.

The whole thing was hilarious to Hamid and some of the presents, who cackled; even Elizabeth cracked a little smile at his acting skills when he dramatically sobbed. However, Theresa who was completely in the dark misunderstood the heaving of Hamid’s chest with real crying and expressed profound sorrow – she is a notorious gossip but not a heartless woman.

“I’m awfully sorry. Mum is right, this is a flaw of mine: I always speak too much and without minding the consequences. But I didn’t know it was a secret! I swear! Donna showed me the pictures of you,” she said pointing at Hamid and Elizabeth, “and Felicity is always ranting about you and Mr. Sinclaire. She says she’s worried about him and not jealous at all; but believe me she’s so utterly jealous that you caught his eye! And with all the buzz online, I assumed everyone knew!”

Hamid uncovered his face, and asked, “Am I the last to know?”

“Stop with this nonsense!” Elizabeth said, poking Hamid’s arm. “Tell her the truth!”

“Why are you so eager in denying it?” Hamid asked raising his gaze to meet hers, despite the lilt of laughter and the grin that wrinkled the corners of his eyes, there was something vulnerable hinted in his question, “Is it that embarrassing that someone assumes we’re dating?”

“No, it’s not – I’m not – That’s not the point,” she stuttered. Raising one index finger to request a pause, she reached the wine glass and chugged it under Hamid’s attentive gaze. She blinked quickly in a failed attempt to unblurry his face, and he took pity on her.

“Fine. Theresa, your sources are incorrect: there was no breakup because we were not dating in the first place. Therefore, Elizabeth is free to date whoever she wants, including the dashing Mr. Sinclaire,” he said quickly and turned back to Elizabeth, “Satisfied?”

“Then you confirm she is dating Sinclaire!”

“You’re impossible!” Elizabeth shook her head slowly. “What am I to do with you?”

Hamid grinned, his cheeks dimpling even further. “I have plenty of suggestions...” he whispered into her ear, and the huff of his chuckle fanned her neck, causing all the hair in her body to stand on end.

“So, are you or are you not?” Theresa asked, too eager for an answer about the Sinclaire affair.

“Are you already tired of asking me questions? Am I boring you?” Hamid asked Theresa with a mocking pout, momentarily saving Elizabeth from further questions.

“Moving on,” Annabelle clapped. “Luke, your turn. Last question.”

“That’s right,” Hamid teased, wringing his hands, “only one question and then I can reveal my dare!”

“Don’t brag before you hear Luke’s question...”

“I don’t have anything to hide.”

“We need a great question, dude.”

“Don’t worry, Liz, I got an excellent one.” Luke grinned and leaned forward to face the other man. “Who was the person you thought about the last time you got off?”

Hamid’s eyes widened when his brain processed what he was being asked, and the cocky smile vanished from his face.

“Dare,” he said firmly.

“Are you sure?” Annabelle asked for confirmation, and when he nodded, Briar and Luke high-fived.

The group moved to the couch to confabulate, while Hamid remained quiet, chewing on some crisps. To ruffle his feathers, some of the words were deliberately spoken louder.

“Naked selfie...”

“Dick pic...”

“Unsolicited dick pics are not funny!” Annabelle chided.

Cheeks reddened by the alcohol, Theresa laughed loud, “I know someone who wouldn’t mind receiving one.”

“Me too,” Briar jumped in, and Elizabeth glared at her. “I didn’t name names. Yet.” Her guffaws joined Theresa’s.

Edmund’s eyes rolled and his gaze fixed at the ceiling, and it was hard to say whichever bothered him more about the women’s exchange.

The deliberations and goading continued without stirring the desired reaction until Briar whispered in his direction, “Shave his head.”

“No one is touching my hair!” Hamid objected firmly, holding a hand up, and Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief.

“Seriously? That’s where you draw the line?” she asked, pouring herself another glass of wine.

“I'm not ashamed of my body.” His intense gaze stole her words, and she sipped the wine to have something to do with herself.

“Easy there,” he warned, trying to take the bottle away from her.

“I’m half-British,” she slurred, barely mispronouncing the word, and spilling some of the wine when she evaded his move. “I can hold my drink.”

By this point, every tiny glass gulped made her speech more slurring, and her cheeks redder.

Luke raised from his place, and announced, “We dare you to stay outside for five minutes –”

“That’s easy. I lived at Moscow,” Hamid brushed off, but Briar cut in, “Shirtless! And doing jumping jacks!”

Undeterred by the increasing level of difficulty, he got up and pulled the orange jumper over his head and the white t-shirt in one movement, and asked Elizabeth to hold them.

Everyone followed when he marched to the balcony’s door, eager to see if he would go through. When he cracked the door open, a cold drift invaded the room and Edmund’s cheeks turned rosier. The rain had stopped but the floor was wet, and Hamid visibly shivered with the gust of wind, but brushed it off when asked by Elizabeth, throwing her a wink and a smug smile.

“What if he falls?” Elizabeth mumbled to Briar, who had wrapped an arm around hers for support. “The floor is wet.”

“Then you’ll take care of him,” Briar laughed. “Just look at the bright side. And at those abs.” She exaggeratedly bit her lower lip in a suggestive way, and Elizabeth looked away.  

Meanwhile, Annabelle snapped her fingers to get Theresa’s attention. “Your mobile, please,” she said extending one hand with her palm up. “You must quit texting Donna and you can’t send pictures of Hamid to her or else you are out.”

Theresa tried to deny it and argue, but the other was firm in making her abide by the rules, and lastly, she conceded.

“I’ll return to you later,” Annabelle said tucking the mobile into her trousers pocket.

When Hamid started the jumping jacks, the others cheered and clapped – but not Elizabeth. At first, she searched for any indication he was too cold outside or hiding the discomfort of an injury from the riding incident. However, the more she looked at him, the prouder he looked with the attention. The more she stared at his bare torso, the more her hungry eyes focused on his physique and the less her brain processed anything else.

Cradled by her arms, his t-shirt and soft jumper exuded Hamid’s favourite perfume, the sensual fragrance reserved to “special occasions”, an invitation to sinful thoughts. While on the one hand, every second slipping by in the timer Luke has set in his mobile was another one her willpower prevailed against the primal urge of burying her face on his clothes; on the other hand, it meant soon the challenge would be over.

Halfway through the dare, Hamid huffed a loud breath, almost a laugh, smiled and winked at her. She bit her lower lip, watching the wind blowing against his back, dishevelling his hair.

“Do you need a napkin?” Briar whispered and her eyes darted to her face in confusion. “To wipe the drool.” Elizabeth’s hand brushed her own mouth and chin, even though she was pretty sure the other was joking.

Luke’s mobile rang, and the dare was completed.

They waved him in, and Hamid kept the door wide open, allowing the wind to blow their hairs, while making a show of saying it was absolutely agreeable outside and inviting them to the balcony to breath the evening’s fresh air. When he finally came by to retrieve his clothes, all the soft black hair in his arms was standing on end, like it did that day when she held his arm to appreciate the luxuriant scent of his perfume.

“You’re cold.”

“Will you warm me up?” he asked in a soft voice only she could hear, and the rosy on her cheeks had nothing to do with the gust of wind this time.

With a sly smile, he took a long deep breath, and flexed his muscles to make his athletic body even more evident. Standing in front of him, Elizabeth’s gaze travelled downwards from his well-defined and hairless chest to the visible V-cut in his abdomen. Her reaction seemed to please him, and he took his sweet time putting on his t-shirt.

“You should’ve asked him to strip down to his underwear!” Theresa’s voice resonated and Edmund gasped her name, almost dropping his tumbler, and Briar cackled. “Oooh! Did I say that out loud?”

Briar replied, “Maybe next round!”

Both let out loud guffaws and clinked their glasses. Theresa downed the liquid and laughed a little more by herself.

“It seems I’m a little... tipsy already.” She said pulling her dishevelled hair back. “I’m going to –” A loud hiccup interrupted her, and she burst out laughing. “Are you coming?” her whispered question to her fiancé was too loud, and he replied he would stay.

“Good night!”

Her lips missed Edmund’s and she pecked his chin before walking away.

“Didn’t I tell you, Eliza?” Edmund asked looking at his stepsister.

The woman was rubbing Hamid’s hands, who looked too pleased at her fussing over him, and stared at him confused. “Excuse me?”

“Never mind.”

Annabelle growled, “How did we run out of food?”

“Well... we’ve been here for hours... and Briar,” Luke pointed at the friend beside him, turning a bowl upside down to eat the crumbs. Briar protested, but not so vehemently, since ate most of it.

Annabelle and Edmund volunteered to bring more food. While the others chatted, Elizabeth dozed off against Hamid’s shoulder. He encircled her with his arms, bringing her closer, and she sighed contently.

Several minutes later, Edmund and Annabelle returned with half of a Bundt cake, scones, bags of crisps and more wine.

Hamid observed Elizabeth repeatedly sticking her finger on the piece of cake in front of him and licking it, even though she said she wasn’t hungry. Ignoring her protests, he insisted and fed her half the slice and a handful of onion crisps. They smiled when he jokingly pulled the crisps away before she could bite it, and even more so when she bit his finger as a joke.

Spinning an empty bottle of wine, the game resumed. Encouraged by the intimate atmosphere that settled after Theresa’s departure, the questions became increasingly personal. And even Elizabeth showed less discomfort with the questions – though maybe she was a little too tipsy to understand everything her friends were talking about.

“I thought that only happened in porn!” Edmund exclaimed after Hamid replied affirmatively to the question if he was a member of the “Mile-High Club”.

“Sometimes, the desire is too high,” Hamid joked with a gleeful smile.

“How can one even... focus... on that… with the turbulence?” Elizabeth asked. “And people around? What if someone catches you?”

“I’m not going to lie, that’s part of the thrill.”

Laughing, Briar threw a crisp at Hamid. “We should send you to horny jail!”

The bottle spun and pointed to Elizabeth, who propped her chin on one hand and barely could keep both eyes open.

“What’s your biggest turn on?”

She closed her eyes for a moment, it’s easier to point out the things that turn her off like sloppy kisses, smokers’ breath, and manipulative men, but as for turn ons, does she really have one? She can only think of one person that turns her on lately. Hamid’s image occupied her mind, his strong arms, and the way a simple touch of his hand can almost make her combust. However, she wasn’t drunk enough to say this, so she settled on the much less controversial “Making me laugh.”

“You have a clown kink or something?” Briar teased, and Elizabeth laughed.

“No, but it is... just... being funny can be really attractive...”

After a few more questions, Anabelle spun the bottle and it pointed at Hamid again.

“Oral sex: receiving or giving?” she asked him.

“I won’t deny how good receiving is,” he paused and flashed a mischievous smile at the asker, “but I’m a giver. I may travel the world, but my favourite place is between a woman’s legs.”

His answer got him an enthusiastic cheer from Brian, who nudged Elizabeth with much too force, almost knocking the glass off her hand.

“Something else we can agree on,” Annabelle said raising her glass, and he clinked his in an improvised toast.

“A skilled tongue in more ways than we thought…” Elizabeth stated and giggled to herself, receiving amused looks from the others.

“You definitely drank too much,” Edmund said, placing the bottle out of her reach, and Hamid proceeded to gently remove the glass from her hand.

“No! I’m fine!” She retrieved it and gulped the remaining deep red liquid with a grimace. “The room stopped spinning a while ago.”

The others shared knowing looks, and Annabelle proposed, “Last question! Everybody answers! If the world was ending tomorrow, and this was your last night on earth, what would you do?”

“Time to get naughty!” Briar clapped her hands.

“Not necessarily,” Annabelle said, “It doesn’t have to be sexual.”

“But I want to get naughty!” Briar laughed loudly. “I’d spend my last night doing all the naughty things I’ve postponed. And, of course, I’d call my mom and tell her that I love her.”

“With that mouth?” Annabelle teased, “You should call her first!”

Loud laughter and jokes followed. However, Elizabeth couldn’t understand what they were saying. Eyelids incredibly heavy, it became a herculean task to keep them open. She let her head rest against Hamid’s shoulder again. A welcoming warmth surrounded her. Through her lashes, she saw Hamid’s arm holding her steady.

Why was I afraid before?

She blinked and their faces blurred, becoming indistinct like the unfamiliar faces of passengers when the tube is rushing past the stations. Briar addressed her, but it felt like she had been speaking through the thickest of glasses. Someone called her name, and she raised her head, searching the voice.

“What about you, Liz?” Hamid asked softly, touching the side of her face, “The world is ending tomorrow, what would you do tonight?”

Last night on Earth. There’s much to do, even more to say. Where to even begin?

“Maybe with what you want the most?” Hamid offered, and her eyes flicked to his, so adoringly staring at her. Can he read my mind, or did I say it out loud?

Her lips rolled inside her mouth, and her speech had turned much slower and broken than usual, “Alright… Let’s see… I’d tell... father I love him… and am grateful to be his daughter. And I’d do this: surround myself with people I care about... like I am now –”

Briar hugged her with one arm, and Annabelle formed a heart with her fingers, and when Edmund started talking, she cut him off with narrowed eyes.

“I’m not done,” she said, and her voice was a little louder and more slurred, “Before the world ends, I’ll call Professor Richards and tell him to go fuck himself and stick those bloody books up his bloody arse that bloody bastard –”

“Whoa! You can swear!” Hamid’s eyes widened and he laughed, drawing her attention back to him.

“You! I’d tell you that –” She buried her face on Hamid’s chest, mumbling a string of unintelligible words against his orange jumper, before taking a deep breath and looking him in the eye – or at least trying to – with a wide smile. “You smell good and have a cute belly.”

“Sorry? What did you say?”

“I like your belly. It’s wavy.”

“No, no, no! Before that!”

Ignoring his pleas, she turned around, returning to the previous train of thought.

“I want to make a bonfire. Huge.” She opened her arms to the fullest and gesticulated, accidentally hitting Hamid’s forehead with one hand. “With all Richards books I could find at the library and bookshops too. Then I’d make a bonfire in front of his house. A massive one!” She gesticulated widely again and made whooshing sounds to represent the fire.

“Liz, that would take time and sounds exhausting, go back to the loving part. That’s where you should focus your energy,” Hamid suggested, opening his arms to an inviting hug. “Surround yourself with love.”

“I can help!” Briar chimed in, and Elizabeth turned around to face her. Hamid’s exasperated sigh could be heard on the other side of the room. “I know where to get a cart!”

“A cart. That’s perfect!”

“Right? The two of us, Lizzy,” – Briar’s hands danced between the two of them – “unstoppable. Our bonfire will put Guy Fawkes’ night to shame! We burn the books and toast marshmallows!”

“I love marshmallows! Oh! You’re the best,” Elizabeth moved closer, and they hugged each other. “I love you!”

“I love you too!”

“Jealous?” Annabelle whispered to Hamid, and he clicked his tongue.

“I’d rather hear a non-drunk confession,” he whispered back, “one she would remember later.”

“Wise,” she said and patted his shoulder.

The clock on the wall marked a quarter past 1am when the first chords of “Happier” blasted from Hamid’s mobile.

Elizabeth shrugged out of the knee-length yellow cardigan, oblivious to the disaster that followed its descent. It knocked down a glass and red wine spilled pooling over the surface of the table. Raising to her feet to dance with Annabelle and Luke, she managed so much as to stumble, bump one knee on the table, swear like a polite eight-year-old and fall back down.

“You’re sloshed,” Briar laughed, while placing napkins over the spilled drink.

“I’m not,” Elizabeth denied, though the way the room swayed betrayed her statement. “Maybe a bit tipsy... I just need to lie down for a sex... Sec!” They cackled at the slip up and Elizabeth lied down on the floor.

Picking up her cardigan before it got stained with wine, Hamid held his hands to her. “You’re not sleeping on the floor. I’ll take you to your room.”

She tried to stare at his face, but it was impossible with the light over his head doting him an angel-like bright halo.

“I’m not sleeping,” she said, unwilling to admit how tired she was or disappoint her friends, “I’m dancing.” Her hands moved wildly at the rhythm of the song, and she laughed.

“Then dance with me.”

Meeting his gaze, she agreed, and he helped her up. Encircling her waist with both arms, he steadied her and swayed gently, as if they were American teenagers at one of their high school dances. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t what she meant by dancing.

“That’s not how you dance this song...” With a sudden squirm, she wiggled out of the embrace to demonstrate but her flats couldn’t find purchase in the rug.

Faster than the pull of gravity, Hamid prevented her from falling onto her buttocks again.

Briar mouthed something she couldn’t understand while Annabelle and Hamid spoke in hushed tones. She couldn’t understand a word they said but judging by the serious expressions on both their faces, she suspected it was about her.

“I’m not drunk!” she slurred, and Hamid turned his attention back to her, using one hand to take the hair away from her face.

“Of course not,” Hamid said softly, “You’re tired. It’s been a long day...”

“Yeah,” she sighed and waved him closer to whisper in his ear, “Is it impolite to go to bed before my guests?”

“Absolutely not. You can ask Annabelle, she’ll confirm. Besides, Edmund is here... He’s second-in-command.”

Settling this matter, she accepted his help, even though she wasn’t ready to part from him, still hoping she would muster the courage to steal a moment alone with him. Wobbling her way out of the room, she leaned on Hamid, wrapping her arms around his midsection, and giggled. This right there was happiness! No worries in her mind, and Hamid beside her.

Walking through the long and dimly lit corridor, Elizabeth kept singing and Hamid insisted that she remained quiet as a mouse. The best he got was a compromise in humming the songs instead of singing out loud.

Without any accidents or unwanted encounters with judgemental family members, they made into the main area, spotting the bright lights from the crystal chandelier downstairs. The family wing was just ahead, after the staircase, and he only needed to get her inconspicuous to her room. There were several doors on both sides of the hallway and Elizabeth stalled talking about random paintings and asking about his room instead.

“Which one, Liz?” he insisted using his lowest tone possible, and she blinked and tried to make her eyes focus on his face. “Is it this one?” He pointed at the first door on their right.

“I don’t know. What d’you think?”

“Not much, since I’ve never been to your room...” he chuckled and pulled her closer so she would not roam and stumble into a console table nearby, risking breaking one of her grandmother’s precious bibelots.

“Briar knows my room,” she said, “Let’s go back. And we can dance some more.”

Ignoring the arm holding her, she suddenly turned around and stumbled forward. Hamid caught her and couldn’t help giggling too. His apt fingers pulled the hair away from her face, and she could anticipate how close his lips were. But when her gaze focused on his face, she found neither the sight of his beautiful smile nor those bedroom eyes he had been generously offering her this evening. His eyes were wide, and he looked somehow shocked.

Did I do something wrong?

He wasn’t truly looking at her, she realized, but at something over her shoulder.

There was no time to ask anything. Hamid pushed her back into the corridor they came from. Looking over his shoulder, he pushed her into one of the small alcoves in the hallway, and her back hit the frame of the portrait of one of her ancestors while her mind raced.

Is that a portrait of Viscount Vincent, the one father was named after? Oh, wait! That’s not what I was supposed to think about! I need to ask what he’s doing. Is he about to kiss me?

The idea was suddenly too appealing. Her heart hammered inside her chest and her fingers closed around the soft fabric of the jumper, and she expected his lips to level with hers.

Instead of the expected pleasing touch of his mouth, a hand covered her puckered lips. Her eyes searched for an explanation, and with his free hand he pressed an index finger against his own lips to request her to be silent.

“Someone’s coming,” he whispered into her ear, and her eyes widened. The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs became too loud to ignore.

Was it grandmother coming back home? Her blood froze. The idea of being caught like a misbehaving teenager, almost sobered her up, until she remembered she wasn’t a teenager anymore. This was not like that one-time sneaking drunk into her friend Renata’s home without waking her mother. She’s old enough to drink. There’s nothing wrong going on – if you don’t consider the fact Hamid is acting odd and not kissing her when they are finally alone – and even the prim and proper lady Dominique gets a little tipsy from time to time and laughs in an unladylike fashion in the company of Mrs. Sinclaire and their friends – even though she prefers her granddaughter not to mention that fact.

However, Hamid seemed determined in his mission, even if it meant trying to hide them both in a place that could fit only half of her body and the light over the portrait was probably giving away their presence. But why would she protest when his entire body was pressed against hers like this?

Hamid’s chest heaved and his breath fanned her face. She looked up, trying to meet his gaze, but he was too focused on the incoming presence to notice her attempt at making flirty eye contact.

Hand still over her mouth, he whispered, “It’s your father.”

Somehow, he pressed even closer, no space left between them or the wall, and an involuntary urge to laugh grew inside her. As if reading her thoughts or the meaning behind the shake of her shoulders, Hamid’s eyes widened.

Looking over Hamid’s shoulder, she caught a glimpse of her father’s back, going up the stairs and straight towards his room. Fortunately, the sound of footsteps faded, and a door closed in the distance with a barely audible click.

His hand moved away, and her lips followed instinctively, but he didn’t seem to notice the aftereffect, still looking to where Lord Vincent disappeared.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said softly, his gaze flicking back to hers, “but I thought you wouldn’t want to meet anyone.”

“It’s okay,” she replied, the frame still pressed against her back.

“Let’s go back and–”

“Third door on the left!” she blurted out, suddenly wanting to get there as soon as possible.

“Are you positive?”

She pushed his chest freeing herself and pulled him by the hand. Hamid used his other hand to steady her while following her bouncing confident steps down the corridor.

When they reached the door, as a precaution to not end up bursting into the wrong room, Hamid asked to check if it was empty. Cracking the door just enough to let the hallway lights flood it, they both peeked inside.

“Is that it?” he asked.

“My room!”

“Not so loud,” he pleaded, and she held his hand again, pulling him inside with her. “Come in!”

His eyes roamed free for a few seconds, taking in the decorations and little details that distinguished the room from the others before the lights were dimmed. His gaze moved again, finding Elizabeth leaning against the desk with eyes barely opened.

“We’re here… alone…”

Were it anybody else, Hamid would have no doubt what that meant. But in Elizabeth’s case, he assumed the lights were hurting her eyes and her legs were faltering. And that’s the reason he offered to come and assist her through the night. She drank too much.

“Do you need help to –” Hamid stopped, thinking about the best phrasing in this situation. How to suggest aiding her in changing her clothes or taking her to the bathroom without sounding like a total creep? Freshen up, perhaps? Scratching the back of his head, he felt self-conscious about the entire situation. It was not often he needed to think through how to offer this kind of help to the utterly shy woman in front of him who takes his breath away even after an eleven-hour flight, with wrinkled clothes and messy hair. Maybe he shouldn’t have offered to come here in the first place. It’s different when it’s not one of your sisters you’ll offer help with this sort of thing.

The silence stretched and Elizabeth didn’t wait for him to finish his sentence, instead, she kicked her flats and said, “You owe me a dance.”

Fifteen minutes ago, she was asleep in his shoulder and now she had an urge to dance. How was that even possible?

Walking closer, she reached his hands and her fingers intertwined with his. Her hips swayed from side to side in the rhythm of a mysterious tune she hummed.

“Don’t you prefer to go to bed?”

“Are you trying to bed me?” she tried to wink suggestively but slowly blinked instead.

He laughed, considering what sober Elizabeth would think about this phrasing and exchange.

“Right now,” he said as softly as the touch of his hand on her arm, “my only concern is the hangover you’ll have.”

“Chato! Muito chato![5]” She poked his chest. “You are spoiling the fun, mister Osmanoğlu.”

Holding a laughter, he walked away and filled a glass with water and brought back to her.

“First, drink this. Then we dance.”

“I’m not thirsty.”

“Please. You’ll thank me later.”

Her eyes flicked from Hamid’s face to the glass, and she gulped the whole content. With the sleeve of her blouse, she wiped the water running down her chin, and he refrained from using his thumb to remove the remaining drops underneath her lower lip, and removed the glass from her hand.

“I’ll bring another glass. It’ll help with the hangover...”

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not drunk!” she huffed in protest.

“I have a feeling you'll need aspirins too. Do you have any?”

“I don’t know...” she shrugged.

“Can I take a look around?”

“Are we dancing now?” she asked following him, and he held her arms gently.

“Stay here,” he helped her sit on the bed, “very still until I come back.”

“Are you leaving me?”

“Just for a second. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”

“Everybody says that, and they lie,” she sighed, closing her eyes, and let her body fall back on the bed.

The en-suite was his best shot at finding medicines, therefore he began his search there.  

When Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open, she was alone in the room. Dragging her feet, she managed to reach the wardrobe and pick a load of clothes, which were thrown at the bed. With little effort, the long-sleeved blouse was pulled over her head, and she was too focused working on removing her pants to notice the footsteps returning from the en-suite.

“I've found the aspirins,” Hamid announced while walking into the room. The unexpected sight of Elizabeth half-undressed caused him to stop suddenly, and he almost dropped the glass of water. “Why are you striping?” he gaped, and immediately turned around.

“Hamid!” she cried and stumbled back on the bed, jeans freed from her foot and flying over her head. The mobile inside her pocket tumbled to the ground with a dull thump. “I’m changing,” she said sitting on the bed, and folding her arms in front of her chest to cover herself.

“You should have warned me.”

“You were gone.” Getting up, she pulled the plaided pants up, and hopped once to adjust it.

“I told you I was looking for aspirins.” Sighing, he placed the glass on the nightstand and peeked over his shoulder, after she kept mumbling unintelligible words in Portuguese.

“Do you need help?” he asked without looking at her, and definitely not peeking at the pink lacy bra whose sight his brain was too fast to imprint.

“I need only to take my bra. Don’t turn around!”

“No! Leave the bra! Please!” Back turned to her, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.  

“But it’s uncomfortable...”

“You just take pleasure in torturing me, don’t you?” he asked looking up and she didn’t know if he was talking to her or to God.

“Just a second…”

She finally unclasped the hooks and did her best to slip the straps off her shoulders, and pulled it from inside one sleeve and then the other, and finally removed it from underneath her shirt and hid in the pile of clothes.

“You’re absolutely killing me here, Liz!”

“Okay... I’m done.”

Hamid looked at her, and even though the pink plaid shirt of the pyjamas was buttoned incorrectly with a few buttons missing the right holes, she looked stunning with her long hair cascading down her shoulders. Getting up from the bed, she danced around the room in fuzzy socks, slowly getting closer to where he was standing. He couldn’t hide the smile when she pulled a complex set of steps without stumbling once.

“Dance with me?” she asked, offering her hand and a small smile, and he accepted. “We need a song!” she announced and started patting her legs. “What’s wrong with these pockets?”

“There are none. You changed.”

“Right! Give me your mobile!”

He obliged, depositing his mobile in her palm, but not without remarking that she was a very bossy drunk. Her fingers moved over the screen, and she stared at it in confusion.

“You do it,” she said returning the mobile, “I can’t read Turkish...”

“It’s in English. And the icons look the same...”

His fingers glided quickly over the screen, searching for a mellow song to lull her to sleep. After considering the options in one of his “date night playlists”, he selected ‘Sunrise’ by Norah Jones. He hit play and placed the phone over the nightstand, returning to where she was standing.

The melody and the singer’s soft voice filled the room, and Hamid placed his hands gently on her waist.

“This is nice,” she said softly, and he agreed.

Unexpectedly, she closed the distance he had purposefully put between them by throwing her arms around his shoulders. Tilting her face up, she nuzzled his neck, and his heartbeat picked up.

Taking a deep breath, her perfume invaded his nostrils. When the tip of her nose brushed against his sensitive skin on a path to his jaw, he shivered, overwhelmed by the sensations her closeness stirred. He could no longer hear the music, only focusing on their breathing.

When his eyes fluttered open, Elizabeth was on her tiptoes, a hand on his shoulder for support, and determination in her eyes. Deflecting her attempt to kiss him, he tilted his face up, but she rested a hand on his cheek and tried again.

Grabbing her hands with gentleness, he rested them on her sides and pulled away, being met by her offended glare.

“What's wrong, Hamid?” she mumbled, “Have you changed your mind?”

“Liz, you are drunk,” he whispered.

“And I really want to kiss you.”

These words, he has been wanting to hear them for weeks, but he cannot let himself trust in them now, not when she is inebriated like this. His heart aches with the disappointment in her eyes when he doesn't allow her to approach.

His next words are chosen carefully.

“If you'll still feel the same way tomorrow, say one word and we'll kiss until we're both out of breath.”

Her lower lip quivered, and she averted her gaze. “What if this is the only way I can tell you that?”

He cradled her face and tilted it up so she could look into his smiling eyes. “Our first kiss should be special and memorable, like what we have, and not a drunken whim... I have a feeling we’ll talk about it for the years to come… and I believe this is not the first kiss we deserve nor the story you’ll want to tell…”

Lowering her eyes, her cheeks were reddened by embarrassment and he gently kissed her forehead.

“We have time. And if you don’t mind, I still wish to dance with you.”

Elizabeth allowed him to encircle her waist and bring her closer again. While they swayed slowly, her face rested on his chest and her hands moved up and down his back. Her shoulders shook with her giggles and Hamid could not refrain his curiosity anymore. Pulling away, he looked down at her face. “What is so funny, canım benim[6]?”

“Your jumper is so soft. I like it.”

“I’m pleased that you do.”

“Take it off.”

“Excuse me?” he stopped swaying completely and stared at her.

“I want to borrow it. It seems so warm...”

“You want to undress me to borrow my clothes?” She nodded. “That’s... rather unexpected. It’s the first time I receive such a proposition...”

“Can I have it?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not?”

“I have a feeling, if I lent you, I’ll have to clean it from vomit and it’s a brand new and very expensive jumper.”

She pouted, but he remained firm.

“Then I crave to see your…” she said, gesticulating vaguely in front of his chest, “body... Show me.”

“It’s too late to objectify me.” He twirled her and deftly pulled her back to his chest, and she snuggled. “I’m sure we can find something as soft as this one in your own closet. Are you cold?”

Yawning, Elizabeth rested her head against his chest, just as he wished.

Taking the cue, he slow-danced her towards the bed and helped her sit down.

“Will you stay?” He nodded, and she smiled. “Good. I want to lay my head on your chest.”

“The jumper. I got it.” He said while collecting the clothes splayed on the bed to put over the desk.

Giggling, she crawled to the middle of the bed and threw a glance at him over her shoulder. “It’s not the only reason.”

Pulling the covers up, she invited him, and Hamid’s eyes fixed at the ceiling and a string of foreign words left his mouth.

“Is that your prayer before bed?”

A huff escaped his nose, and he smiled. “Sort of...”

Taking off his shoes and his jumper, he sat on the edge of the bed and turned off all the lights, except the lamps on the nightstands. He looked at her over his shoulder and laid on the bed over the covers. Elizabeth quickly moved closer and rested her head on his chest. His steady heartbeats pounding beneath her palm.

“This is nice,” she whispered, “Are you comfy?”

“Very much,” he replied, playing with the curls of her long hair.

“Good. It’s important to keep guests comfy. That’s what my grandmother always says.”

“I cannot picture her ever saying comfy, but alright.”

She chuckled and the laughter merged into muffled sounds against his chest.

“I didn’t understand a word you said, Liz.”

“Which bone did you break?”

“Bones. Left arm, the tips of two toes on my left foot and the big toe on the right foot –” he lifted his right hand and brought closer to her face “– and this little finger here.”

“How?”

“Skating, football and trying to teach myself an ancient martial art.”

She took his hand in hers and observed his fingers. “Which martial art?”

“I tried to break wood like Bruce Lee.”

Her head shook when she giggled, and her hair tickled his arm, Hamid couldn’t imagine a more delightful sound coming from her mouth. Actually, he could, but he pushed the idea away.

“How old were you?”

“Eight.”

“Aw... So, baby!” she said with a baby voice, and adjusted herself on the bed to look him in the eye. “Why didn’t you answer?”

“Excuse me?”

“The last question. Why picking the dare if you have nothing to hide?”

“Don’t you know?” he asked softly, “My answer was obvious to everyone present, but it would make you more uncomfortable. And I didn’t want that...”

“Oh,” she gasped. “Sorry. I didn’t… Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I... I don’t know… I… you were cold because of me.”

“I didn’t mind. And you rewarded me with plenty of attention… I think it was more than worthy it. Now, sleep. Goodnight, aşkım[7],” he said softly and kissed the top of her head.

“What did you say?”

“Goodnight, Liz.”

“That’s not what you said.”

“All that alcohol is disturbing your hearing.”

Ten minutes later, she was snoring with a hand over his chest. He held and kissed her hand before removing it. Considering she'll probably need to go to the bathroom and bathe, it was probably for the best to text Annabelle and propose her to change places with him. Carefully, Hamid lifted her arm and moved his legs first, his feet soundless touching the carpeted floor. When he stood up, her voice sounded hoarse behind him.

“Don’t go, Hamid. Please.”

Her face was illuminated by the soft light from the lamp. With her eyes closed, she reached for the pillow he had been lying on and held it tight. “I don’t want to be alone,” she mumbled, “I’m tired of being alone.”

Notes:

[1] Dede – Turkish word that means grandfather.

[2] Dayi – Turkish word that means uncle from the mother’s side of the family.

[3] Yok artık – Turkish – similar in this context to “No way”.

[4] O quê? – Portuguese – means "What?"

[5] Chato! Muito chato! – Portuguese – it means boring! Very boring!

[6] Canım benim – Turkish – term of endearment that means “my soul” or in the context “my dear”.

[7] Aşkım – Turkish – used as a term of endearment “my love”.

[secondgenerationnerd]

Mar’i Grayson and Lian Harper Friendship Headcannons

Hi, I know I’ve been radio silent, been dealing with life and lack of creative juices 😅 accept these headcannons as a token of my sincerest apologies

Mar’i and Lian are the two that hold constant control of the aux cord.

They can be found in the living area, sing-screaming everything from Taylor Swift to Metallica, dancing with each other.

They are the sass masters on the team—Lian much more blunt, Mar’i a little more subtle

Once, to prove a point, Mar’i flirted with Lian in front of their fathers and Lian won’t lie, Mar’i’s very good at what she does.

Around Mother’s Day, they disappear to just….bitch together. Complain about not having their mothers there, how angry that makes them, how angry they are at their parents, etc. And they do that without any fear of being judged.

Music Meister kidnapped them at some point (Took Mar’i’s voice Because she cannot sing). Mar’i was trapped as a ballerina marionette, the strings strong enough to hold her. Lian was in an atrocious neon pink dress. Yeah….Music Meister learned how badly he fucked up

They’re both fiercely protective of each other and have gotten into fist fights for the other.

After Lian’s parents died, and she started to work through that trauma, Mar’i was her biggest supporter. Because Mar’i had been there before.

They were both able to be there for the twins when Linda died.

If Lian needs an honest opinion, she’ll tell Mar’i she needs the “Autistic answer, not the princess answer”

[lulubelle814]

Regards, Loki - Chapter 34

Master List

James received a call from his tailor that his suit was ready.  When he arrived to pick it up, they had him look it over one more time.  After all, the gala was only 2 days away.  Also trying it on for good measure, he was extremely pleased with the results.  The clerk carefully placed the suit inside a weather-proofed garment bag and made his way home.  Only 2 days to go.  Just 2 days before he would finally have the opportunity to meet his Sigyn.  He could only hope she didn’t find him disappointing.

At the same time, Louisa was at Mon Amour picking up her dress.  Misha was there to ensure everything was to her satisfaction.  Trying it on, it fit like a glove.  Thankfully, it also wasn’t as heavy as it looked, and she found she could easily move around.  Despite their agreement to not have sleeves, she ended up having them anyway.  Contrary to her fear, her arms did not feel restricted, and the material used helped her stay cool.

“I feel like a princess.”

“No, you look like a goddess, and I am sure Loki will feel the same way.”  She moved to show a feature of the dress that she had built in, showing it to Louisa.

This made Louisa beyond happy.  “It has pockets!”  Putting her hands in the pockets, she found they were deep which made her even more excited.

Misha laughed.  “I thought you might like to have your mobile with you, and maybe lipstick and such just in case rather than having to carry a purse.”  Misha then pulled out a card.  “I’ve made arrangements with my favorite hair stylist to do your hair and make-up the afternoon of the gala.  He’s expecting your call.”  She pressed the card into Lou’s hand.

She was stunned and speechless.  “I……..how……….wha………..”

Misha smiled at her.  “All I ask is that you let me know how the story ends with you and Loki.”  All Louisa could do was nod.  She’d heard of this hair dresser.  His work was beyond impeccable, and it was impossible to get an appointment with him.

“He will also have your mask.  I hope you do not mind, but I took the liberty of selecting masks for you and him.”  Pulling them out, they were incredible.

“I sent a picture to your hairstylist, and we had these made.  They are one of a kind and will make it much easier for you and him to find each other.”  

Despite still having the gown on, she hugged Misha, happy tears threatening to fall.  “It’s like you’re my fairy godmother.”  Misha smiled in return.  “I like that, fairy godmother.”

Once she changed back into her regular clothes, Misha took the dress and carefully placed it into a dress bag and put the mask carefully into its own box that draped off the hanger.  “Bring this with you to your hair appointment.  He and your friend can help you put the dress on without getting makeup on it.  I have a feeling he’ll want to do the final touches until after you have the dress on.”

Louisa conceded and agreed to use the stylist she arranged, grateful she no longer had to worry about how to do her hair or makeup because she was still stumped on how to do it properly with this dress.

Louisa: I just picked up my dress!

Cora: Yay!

Brad: That’s awesome!

Chad: I bet it looks incredible!

Cora: I have some ideas about your hair.

Louisa: Misha actually sorted that out.  She set up an appointment for me with Adam Walker.

Brad: THE ADAM WALKER?

Chad: He’s one of the best!

Brad: One of?  Babe, he IS the best.

Cora: He was just featured in Harper's Bazaar!

Louisa: Misha said he’s expecting my call.

All: CALL HIM

To appease them, she pulled out the card with his number and called.

Receptionist: Adam Walker Studio.

Louisa: This is Louisa Ward.  I was told….

Receptionist: Yes, Ms. Ward.  He’s expecting your call.  Just a moment.

She wasn’t on hold long.

Adam: Louisa, darling!  I’ve been waiting to hear from you.  Misha told me about your set up with this Mr. Loki, and I knew I had to help.

Louisa: I can’t believe it!  I’ve seen some of your work, and it’s amazing!

Adam: Thank you, dear.  Now, Misha sent me a picture of your dress, and I have a few ideas.  If you’re free, could you come by my salon in an hour?  I’d like to go over some ideas.

Louisa: Yes, I’ll be there.

Adam: Fantastic!  And bring the dress with you, if you don’t mind?  It will help narrow down the styles, and we can test a couple out before the big day.

He gave her the address, and rather than go home, she stopped by the cafe.  When she walked in, Chad rushed around the counter and hugged her, careful not to touch the bag.  “Bitch, you’d better be here to show me the dress!”

Brad laughed in the background.  “It’s all he’s been talking about today.  ALL DAY.  Save me and show him?”

Chad led her to the back office away from the patrons where she carefully unzipped the garment bag, revealing the dress.  When he tried to touch the feathers, she slapped his hands.  “No touchie!”

In a momentary lull, Brad came to take a quick look.  “It’s beautiful!  Girl, you’ve really outdone yourself.”

“I have Cora and Misha to thank for that.  I couldn’t imagine wearing a dress like this in a million years.”

They all smiled and chucked a little.  “Well, not to break the mood, but we ran out of your treats this morning, and there’s been several requests from patrons for more.”

“Wait, really?”  She didn’t know what to say.

“Yep.  Every day, we run out.  In fact, for the past two days, there’s been a line outside the shop before it opens with people who want to get those baked goods before we run out.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

Chad spoke up this time.  “He’s really not, and word is spreading.  I went to the delicatessen down the street, and they were asking me where I got them because they want in on the action.  I went to get my hair cut, and my stylist was telling me about these cookies the owner brought in the other day from our cafe, except he didn’t know it was our cafe.  They were raving about them.”

Brad pulled out his phone to show her an article that was published just that morning.

You may not have heard of them, but there’s an incredible cafe that opened a few weeks ago called Deja Brew.  Owners Brad and Chad have worked hard for months to get their place up and running with eclectic teas and coffees.  Now the duo has finally started offering companionable treats such as muffins, coffee cake, brownies and more.  

While this sounds like your run-of-the-mill treats, think again!  I’ve had a chance to finally try these for myself, and they leave you feeling as if you’re in heaving and wanting more.  The only problem?  They tend to sell out in the first 2 - 3 hours of opening.  

I spoke with the owners just yesterday, and they said they are not revealing their source at this time.  Who could this incredible baker be?  We’ll keep you updated.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.  Really?”

They nodded.  “We didn’t want to give out your name or anything, especially if you didn’t want it public, but we’re hoping this might help you decide?”

“Yes!  I’d love to be your full-time baker!”  

An hour later, she was at the salon with Adam.  He carefully pulled the dress out of the bag and hung it up to get a better visual.  “Such a beautiful dress.  I do believe only a handful of these were made, all in slightly different colors and variations.  Misha told me about this one when it arrived to her shop the morning of your appointment.”

Now seeing the dress in person as well as the golden mask, it gave him a much better sense for what color palette to use for her make up and also narrowed down the hairstyles that would look best both with Louisa and the dress.  “Would you be opposed to getting some highlights?”

“Not at all.”  Adam was well known for making people look amazing.  He walked around her, thinking a bit more and taking a couple of pictures.  “Okay, I think we’re good.  The gala starts at 8 pm.  I’d like you to be here at 3 so we can take our time.”

It was hard not to agree with him.  That was a long time to spend getting ready, but he was a professional.

Taglist: @huntress-artemiss @jaidenhawke

[bellamyblake]

If Christmas is Bellamy’s holiday, then Halloween is Clarke’s because she goes absolutely nuts about it.

She starts planning for it on September 1st and Bellamy calls her crazy but she just sticks her tongue out at him and says “We’re going to have the best costumes this year, you’ll see!”

“We always do. Our friends are dumb. Jasper and Monty dress as salt and pepper or the H20 formula. It’s not like we’re in a real competition here, princess.” he says rolling his eyes and sitting on bed with her while she stabs the keyboards of her PC angrily, looking for the best out of the best for this year.

“Oh, shush!  You know how much the kids love our Halloween party.”

“If by the kids you mean Monty, Jasper, Harper, Miller and the rest of our 20 year old friends then sure...call them kids.”

“Your grumpy 70 year old man attitude just confirms my statement.” Clarke says again as she continues staring at the screen “So does you constantly taking care of them and checking if they’re alright.”

“I don’t do that.” he opposes as he lays down and stretches out his tired legs. It’s been a hard day and his back really hurt “Also, I may be old fashioned but I’m right.”

“You’re just an old sofite. You’re...the old man sitting on his porch waving at the kids with his cane when they stomp over his perfectly green grass.”

“Hey, it’s not easy keeping up a garden!” he protests and she strokes his curly head. She knew how hard he worked-a construction job, a gardening one in the rich mansions in the Sanctum district and substituting in the local school when he could. All because of her, Octavia and his sick mom who needed treatment.”Those kids should know better.”

“Maybe we can dress you as an old man, give you a cane and all-”

“Oh, shush it, princess.” she smiles and lets him roll over, feeling his hand move over the ever so growing bump that had their little baby boy kicking inside, making his presence known. Bellamy smiles and talks to him in Tagalog, his dad’s tongue which Clarke always loved. “Brace yourself, son...your mom’s gonna put you in a silly costume a year from now and you’re going to have to take it, just like me.”

“He’ll love it. And he’ll look cute!” Clarke opposes but smiles fondly at the way Bellamy’s rubbing her bump, all happy and mesmerized as if it was the greatest thing he’s ever seen. She could only imagine how he’d look like when he actually held the baby in his arms. “Plus, you love Halloween, you just pretend you don’t.”

“I would like it...if I could just wear my own costume.”

“No, no way! That Ceaser-Neron-whatever Roman emperor piece of sheet won’t do now or any year from now.”

“It’s a tunic.”

“It’s your old teenage bedroom bed spread and god knows how much sex you’ve had on it already.” he scoffs and rolls on his back but keeps his hand on her bump.

“Accusing me like this...in front of our son.” he pretends to be mad.

“Oh, please, you know I’m right. You look good in everything but that. I’d even take you naked.”

“That I know you will.” she slaps his chest and he ouches from it.”Fine, fine...you pick the costumes, princess.”

“And I will...old man.” he smiles and closes his eyes as he falls asleep next to her with his hand still wrapped over her belly. The sweetest thing is their son doesn’t kick too much when he feels his father’s presense there, it’s like he’s calmer and that helps Clarke too. 

They end up rocking their suits even with Clarke’s bump which in fact gains them more points because she just looks so cute. A year from now Gus, their son is dressed in a sweet pumpkin suit, curiously staring at himself and the bright orange color while Bellamy grumps for looking ridiculous. Five years from that and Gus’ little sister Cassie joins in and they’re rocking Frozen with Clarke as Anna, Bellamy as Christoph, Gus as Olaf and Cassie as Anna by her choice. 

It becomes clear then that Bellamy and Gus may not enjoy Helloween but the Griffin-Blake girls did and they were the ones who were going to set the rules for this.

[qs-syskids]

Introductions!

This blog is primarily run by the Quilted System’s SysKids. These are all children under the age of 12. (Our teens get their own subblogs which are ALSO monitored by Fen.) Note that we have not included any fictives here who may be underage. The SysKids use “Renna” as their word for Mamma/Papa when talking about Fen as a nonbinary alternative.

Individual introductions are under the cut!

Arkle: he/him; ageslides 5-9

What’s up? I’m Arkle! I’m one of the Triplets - my siblings are Aspen and Avery. I love skateboarding, space, and SpongeBob SquarePants! And sour candy! I’m “rough and tumble” according to Renna Fen - I guess that’s why I’ve always got a bandaid on somewhere. But I’m not a fighter - I’m actually pretty sensitive…

Aspen: they/them; ageslides 5-9

H.hello. I’m Aspen. I’m the middle triplet - right between Arkle, who’s a few minutes older than me, and Avery, who’s a few minutes younger. I love to read - Renna Fen says I’m a very advanced reader for my age. I also like to write my own stories. I’d really like to learn to play the violin someday. I’m really shy and I don’t talk much out loud.

Avery: she/her; ageslides 5-9

Hiiiii! I’m Avery! But sometimes I’m also Magical Girl Pink Bow! I love all things pink and girly and I love love love Magical Girl anime and shows like them! Renna says I’m “high energy” but that’s just fine with me~! I’m the loudest of the triplets. And the youngest. But don’t think that makes me weak! If you mess with my siblings I’ll take you down!

Harper: she/her; 10

Hello; I’m Harper. I’m sort of a loner. I love pretty gardens, tea parties, and princesses. My favorite things are the Secret Garden and Sofia the First. I love floaty dresses. And birds! I’m quiet in person.

Jinx: she/he; 4

Hihi! I’m Jinx. I’m the littlest of the SysKids. Well, other than Bud, but they’re an actual baby so they don’t get to Tumblr! I love Bluey and Sesame Street and rainbows and Duplo and coloring and playing pretend and stuffies! I still use a pacifier sometimes… But Renna says that’s okee cuz there’s no age limit for them!

Kippo: she/frog; 6

🥺👉🏻👈🏻 | 👋 | 🐸 💚💛 | 🔇

Note from Fen: Kippo is a nonverbal child and a trauma holder. She is very, very shy. She really loves frogs and other amphibians. She does not type in words and uses emojis to communicate, though she prefers to use various sticker packs of frogs on Telegram to communicate in person.

Madison: she/her; 8

Heya! I’m Madison. But you can call me Maddie if you want. I’m kinda “stuck” in the 90s/00s. That’s the kind of stuff I like most when it comes to just about everything - toys, shows, foods, activities… I have a big sister in system! Her name’s Alisha. I wanna be just like her when I grow up!

Rowan: she/they; ageslides 7-12

My name’s Rowan. I guess I’m sort of the “feral” kid. I love the outdoors. Playing in the woods, climbing trees, splashing in puddles, hiking, fishing… that’s the kind of thing I like. My favorite show is Hilda on Netflix. I’m always a little dirty, but that’s just Nature!

Zoe: they/she; 10

Hello. I’m Zoe. I’m the only SysKid with my own subsystem. It’s all superheroes cuz that’s what I love most. Superheroes are strong and brave and beautiful and always save the day. And they’ve saved me lots and lots. I’m not like them, though. I’m shy and average and get bullied a lot.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 2.5/5

Book Blurb: “Happily Ever After” is a total scam, but at least this time the princess is the one controlling the grift—until her true love arrives and threatens to ruin the whole scheme. Intrigue, magic, and wit abound in this Cinderella fairytale reimagining, perfect for fans of Heather Walter and Naomi Novik. “A dazzlingly magical, thrilling, and inventive take on a beloved classic.”—Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback's a Witch I’m not who you think I am. My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen—as the rumors insisted—in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make. My stepsisters and I had been trained for this—to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we wanted in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after. But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince—the wrong prince—distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created . . . and that could prove fatal.

Review:

A Cinderella retelling except Cinderella is a morally grey spy who has enchanted the prince in order to take over the kingdom from the corrupt king.... the only problem is that she is falling for the wrong prince. In a world with magic, Ash is a girl who transformed from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince... the supposedly Cinderella (complete with the orchestrated shoe and pumpkin rumors and incident). The entire romance between her and the prince was concocted by her stepmother and step-siblings in order to take over the kingdom and overthrow the king. Ash has been enchanting the prince, casting love spells and making him think he’s in love with her, she’s gotten to the stage where he’s proposed and the wedding is going to happen soon... the only wrinkle in this plan is the unexpected return of the hostage prince Varence “Rance”. Rance puts on the act of being a lazy, disinterested, and nonchalent prince.... but that’s all an act and he has definitely caught the attention of Ash. Ash finds that she can’t resist his charms despite being married to the other prince... can their love survive or will the kingdom destroy them both? This was definitely a unique take on the Cinderella story with having the Cinderella character herself being a morally grey spy, however there were some issues with this book as despite it being an adult book it felt very very young adult, and then there was the whole “first night with the prince” and being drugged and it was so non consensual and really really wasn’t necessary to the plot. The slow burn romance between Ash and Rance was meh at best, and while the ending wrapped everything up well, I just wish for a character who is constantly saying she was trained for the job of being a spy, yet constantly messing up, it felt just odd. Overall, it was a unique take on the story but it just missed the mark for me. Definitely give this a go if you like unique retellings of fairytales.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[margumis]

To switch things up I will now ship you with ppl from my other big love, DC Comics

For the batboys, it is Dick Grayson 100%

He is unhinged don't be fooled. Golden boy. Millionaire. His ass is notoriously huge. Comes with a troubled family fyi. He is a soft boy at heart but freaky, so much hidden angst. He is a fuckboy ngl

Lanterns, hear me out, it's Hal Jordan.

This is absolutely not endgame. Like you will just have a nice time, he will be classy and shoe you nice things. Might take you to the moon and Mars for giggles. His job comes first so... yeh. This is the illicit affairs kinda thing

ROY BABYBOY HARPER

Look, I just think you deserve a genius himbo. He comes with baggage but is a good boyfriend. The rizz is unmatched. Will call you princess. Will flirt with you by showing you how to shoot an arrow, coming up behind you and correcting your posture. He has a cute little kiddo.

Honorable mentions

Just see you with space girls!!!

WAIT YEAH YEAH I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THESE PEOPLE BUT I AM CHEWING ON EACH OF THEM

Dick Grayson: you had me at troubled family life and every other piece of his description BUT I am poking him from a distance purely because of "fuckboy"

Hal Jordan: illicit affairs 😭 (going to go listen that now) I will enjoy it while it lasts but god it bugs me when work comes first for people idkkkkk

Roy Harper: he's officially my DC boyfriend I've heard everything I need. I've done archery a good half of my life so im certain he's already in love with me; but I was already sold at "genius himbo." AND A KIDDO!!! I love kids.

Star and Jess: I would let them both ruin me.

who do you ship me with?

[fumikomiyasaki]

Carol short stories

( some of these are probably dumb but they got stuck as ideas so I am sorry)

Featuring Punch @twstinginthewind and Vivien @underatedkingofbitsandbytes , Melanie  @twsted-princess and Savvy @twst-the-night-away ,   Satin and Harper by @rookvonhunt​

A fight of wits

Many students stormed out the classes, everything being a crowdy mess as Punch barely managed to get out... although many were temoted to go quickly to the cafeteria given what was on the menu he took it a bit easier and walked slower... however he could overhear a conversation around the corner which peaked his curiousity... mainly cause he heard Carols voice who he did have a crush on but didn’t managed to tell at all how he feels about her... the other voice he recognized as well... it was a dorm mate of his... Vivien mainly he knew him for causing people trouble... he decided to not walk past them but hide to listen in.

“Jeez this was a pain... So do you have time later to help me out with my homework?”

“I think I am free but... do you even need my help?”

“I just feel so much more motivated with such a cute girl like you helping me out... “

“I-I see... umm.... I guess I can help you a little again... “

“Great, awesome... guess I see you then at the evening, call it a date...”

“Huh?!”

Before she could say anything he already left around the corner.... just for Punch to follow after him... he noticed his intentions from the conversation and wanted to confront him about it. As Vivien turned around he shoved his usual smirk.

“Punch, what brings you here?”

“I just happened to overhear you and Carol talking.. what are you planning?”

“Hahaha how funny... the only reason you would ask this is if you were interested in her... or more if you were in love with her...”

He froze... guess it was too obvious huh... it lightly angered him that he said it in such a mocking tone.

“I just worry about her... especially knowing you. She is one of the kindest people I know... to a fault at times... and I know how you scheme..”

Vivien started to laugh even more...

“Well you can’t control what I do with her. Its her decision to trust me or not. “

He did clench his fist in anger... however before they could talk on they could hear her voice again, trying to quickly go quite as she came along the corner.

“Vivien I... Oh Punch you are here too! Good to see you.”

There was her usual smile.. sweet and warm... calming him instantly... Vivien stepped before him and scooted next to her smiling. Mainly causing Punch to feel angred again...

“Did you need anything from me?”

“Right... I am so sorry but tonight is bad... For one my schedule with Ace and Deuce is full and also I wanted to play a new game tonight... I can give you the notes tomorrow th-”

“H-Hey Carol what game is it?” Punch tried to break up the conversation before she could promise Vivien what he wants.

“A coop jump and run... do you want to stop by and join me again?”

“Sounds great, I meet you there then.”

Well that was one point for Punch at least... however he knew... he needed to watch out for Vivien at this point... that he doesn’t get her into trouble.

Like a Fairytale

She just came to the Ramshackle dormitory a bit finished from all her lessons and wanted to sit on the couch as she noticed Savvy and Melanie approaching her.

“Savvy, why are you here?”

“You forgot about something right. Carol?”

She tried to recall what she could have forgotten untill Melanie reminded her.

“Today is the Dance party, almost all of school will be there...”

“You two... I am exhausted, I need rest...”

“But Carol don’t you want to catch the attention of someone you like... this could be your opportunity...”

She sighed... she knew the girls were right... after all if she wanted to get any of her crushes to notice her... she had to take action...

“Fine I look for a dress.”

Savvy stopped her tracks with a smile.

“Actually Mel and I wanted to ask you if we could give you a small makeover....”

“I made some new dresses and I think some would look good on you.”

Carol gave them both a smile and a nod but put her hands on her hips...

“Fine but under my conditions... no make up and nothing over the top...”

The group smiled at each other and began to prepare... dresses and accesoires got brough from here to there, trying to finish up everything. It took them an hour for all three to find a style they liked...

“Melanie.... you look really like a fairytale princess its so pretty.”

“But Carol... its like the perfect combo of pretty and a hint of allure, and the green still shines through.”

“It was all thanks to Savvy picking the gemstones...”

“Lets not keep the others waiting for now, or the party will go without us...”

And so the group of girls made their way to the crowded party... although it was crowded things lightly stopped when they arrived... many eyes focusing on them. Carol found it odd given she was not used to attention but somehow she felt happy. It really did seem like a Fairytale.

A new path

It was some weeks after Carols overblot and her recovering... however the first thing she managed was to study her new found magic together with Satin and Harper in the green house... mainly they chose this place cause it seemed Carols magic became nature based...

“Just take a deep breath and focus...”

Carol tried to listen to Satins tricks but... to no avail... the only thing she managed to do was make one little flower grow... Harper looked at it with a smile.

“With practise you could likely make a whole field..”

“I know it just... feels like I am a bit left behind..”

Satin put one hand on her shoulder.

“You just got your powers... you can’t be a master over night.”

“I know but... it feels as encouraging as when I arrived at this school... usually in my world I was used to get into school and quickly learn a subject but. P.E. was always hard for me... magic feels similar now.”

“Just means you don’t have to rely on your talent so much.” That little joke from Harper made her happy in a a way... She tried to concentrate again a little after the encouragement but instead of a Daisy she let a Rose grow out of the ground.

“This is a progress...”

“Progress enough for me to take a break...”

She smiled back at them... she was really glad to have them as friends on her side... cause they always knew what to say when she was down.

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