#i personally know a member of the family and i have been devastated watching this all unfold

[brucewaynehater101]

i keep seeing the hcs (the tim seeing bruce as his son ones) you post and had an idea

so like bruce is like,,, grieving bc sum1 died (who is your choice) and tim js goes back to the behaviors he had when bruce was grieving originally like and every1 is like tim wtf???

i can imagine tim standing off to the side (like a parent watching their kid on a like,, a playground or smth) thinking how he’s going 2 drag bruce upstairs to sleep and sum1 (again your choice) comes up and asks “tim why the fuck are you acting this it makes not sense”

tim’s like “don’t ask”

srry if was confusing

I completely understood. You're good 👍

However, let's explore the angst potential ~

Bruce and the entire Bat family is grieving the loss of their family member (extra points if it's a pivotal role like Dick or Alfred [everyone would hurt, but the family relies on these people]). Everyone is visibly having a rough time.... except for Tim.

Tim cried when the news came (or when they watched the person die). He cried when his family broke down screaming, begging, and sobbing. He cried when he watched each and every family member lose a vital part of themselves.

And then he stopped. He crammed those pieces of himself together and gathered everyone up. He got them home, and his calm facade hasn't broken since.

It's worse this time around because he knew the person who died personally. He loved Jason and was devastated when he died. However, he didn't know Jason personally. He hadn't had his hair ruffled as the individual gave him a fond smirk. He hadn't been left a steaming mug of coffee as a silent sign of support. He hadn't been pulled into a hug or found himself startled into a laugh. He had never heard his name uttered by the person who died like he did this time.

There's a piece of Tim that died when that family member stopped breathing, but it's okay. He's used to that by now. Bruce and his family need him.

So, Tim gives B sympathetic smiles before shoving him into the batmobile for the car rides that help the man fall asleep. He clicks his tongue as the man comes back with too many injuries. He invokes the sticker charts again and the spray bottle. He ruthlessly utilizes emotional manipulation and sharp words until Bruce stops destroying everything around him (both in the literal and metaphorical sense). He provides Bruce with healthier outlets for his grief.

This time, though? He checks up on the other family members as well. He ensures that no one left in his family is alone. He makes sure that everyone has someone to lean on, that they support each other, and that they don't lash out at each other.

It takes a while, between the waves of grief everyone is drowning under and struggling to find the surface of Tim's efforts get overlooked.

Eventually, when the family starts to heal just a bit more, they notice Tim standing with his hands on his hips as he glares at Bruce.

"Bruce Wayne. If you do not strip off that armor, consume your entire dinner, and get into your bed upstairs, there will be consequences. Do NOT make me count to three."

The other Bats watch as Bruce winces, sighs heavily, and then drags his weary body to the changing room.

Someone points out just how weird that is.

It's the first time in months that the family acts with the chaos it usually has.

[queenofmalkier]

Moiraine being 70 vs 40

(Alright this one took me a minute because corralling my thoughts is a challenge in the best of times.)

To begin with I will admit... I am one of the people who was indifferent towards the age change in the beginning. They're Aes Sedai, they live nice, long lives, and I wasn't like, emotionally attached to a younger, canon-aged Moiraine. It does make her early years more poignant, but I'll touch on that later.

Primed for older Moiraine, the show started and after two seasons I can safely say I am so gung-ho for 70 year old Moiraine I might actually be feral.

Here's why I, personally, think it was an excellent choice: Rosamund Pike is 44 as of writing this, so she visibly fits into the book age. As an audience nobody is really questioning her age - a few show-onlys I watched season 1 with actually remarked on how refreshing it was to see an older female character allowed to just exist and be part of the narrative without trying to sex up and/or grandma-ize the role.

Little Did They Know.

So you've got an audience that's mostly accepting of this character being in her 40s, and then you hit them with "Oh she's 70 and lets explore just how horrific that fact actually is together, it'll be fun!"

It was not fun, it was gutting.

One of my main critiques of the book has always been how we have these long-lived women, powerful women... but we never really take much of a look at the reality of that concept. Nor are we given POV characters who are really old enough to remark on it. Pevara at least thinks about her family, but Cadsuane doesn't give two figs about hers.

And here's the thing... they're Aes Sedai, but they're still human. What happens to them as they get older, but the people who fill their life are the ones aging? How does it feel to watch a mother, a sister, a child, friends, acquaintances, EVERYONE succumb to time in a way you won't for a very long time after?

That has to be impactful and I wanted to see those stories - and the show delivered. Seeing Moiraine with Anvaere? Chilling, horrifying, heartbreaking. Liandrin and her boy? A kick in the teeth. Even Alanna with her family, knowing very well she's probably the oldest one sitting at that table.

The point is, being an Aes Sedai means being powerful and respected, but it also means living through a very specific kind of suffering and trauma. They're basically vampires in terms of lifespan and we should see how that shapes them.

In regards to Moiraine being older and therefore not basically a child during the foretelling, it does change that particular hit... but by no means did the show let the viewers not understand how that moment altered Moiraine's life forever.

Instead of her being sort of an unformed girl hardened and honed by a lifetime of searching for Rand, one who never got much chance to be anything else, we get a woman who was already beginning to build her life, who had achieved the shawl, found love, and was exactly where she wanted to be.

And then all of that is taken from her.

It's devastating to watch the double-barreled whammy of Siuan and Moiraine giggling about being fishwives and walking into what was in many ways their deaths. Because the Moiraine and Siuan they were before walking into that room were gone forever. They would never be able to go back to the women they were before. They never even had a chance to mourn that loss. Moiraine went hunting and Siuan set her sights on the Amyrlin Seat.

I do understand for a lot of people her age is a sticking point, and that is completely fair and valid! It's a change that I fully agree did not need to be made... but by making that change we're given such a stark insight into the lives of older Aes Sedai who are just beginning to experience what it means to outlive everyone they know, watching one by one as cherished friends and family members pass on.

Soon all they have left are the children and grandchildren of those people, fractured mirrors that are just enough of a hint at the original that it must be painful to know them - which explains even further why so many Aes Sedai cut off contact entirely with their families. It's too painful to keep them in their lives.

[casually-eat-my-soul]

Thoughts on rivalling lawyers Sterek AU? Like, state assigned defense attorney Stiles (the free "you have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you" kind) and expensive law firm, hired by the richest of the rich, prosecutor attorney Derek and they keep ending up on opposite sides of some of the same cases?

The true enemies to lovers, the common person vs rich dude.

Derek is from a family of lawyers, and from the time he could speak he knew he wanted to be just like his mother, who started her own firm. Raised rich. Each member of his family is very competitive, each with their own rich S.O. Derek is currently dating (tw) Kate from the agent family 🤢

Stiles on the other hand, came from a single parent household. On a cops salary. He saw the inside of the judicial system. At first he wanted to be a cop like his father, but once he saw an innocent man go to jail, he changed his mind.

Derek had been a lawyer for five years (i know nothing about lawyers) before stiles joined the scene. And from then on they become very competitive rivals. Derek makes fun of stiles for helping criminals get off, when his father is a cop. Stiles makes fun of Derek for being a “paid whore” and that the criminals that Derek gets off are far worse than the ones stiles does.

This all comes to head when they are at a bar together and have a one night stand. Stiles cannot believe that he was someone’s mistress. Derek on the other hand is reeling in shock, as he’s never had such a connection with Kate or any passed girlfriends.

Derek tries to forget. He goes home and fucks Kate through the night. He feels nothing, nothing compared to Stiles. He knew that him and Kate weren’t soulmates but the fact that there was no feeling anymore made him forget his attraction. He breaks up with Kate the next morning. It’s horrible, they’re both screaming at each other and so on. It’s the whole “I only dated you for your money and for your families name”. Derek although has little to no feelings for Kate, is devastated at the news that someone was only with him for the money. He looks at the people surrounding him, friends and such and starts cutting out his fake friends. He realizes that Stiles was a little correct about his lifestyle, so instead of trying to forget, he seeks Stiles out at every opportunity.

Stiles on the other hand tries so hard to stay away from Derek.

It doesn’t really work.

They continue being forced to work against each other. This lead to Derek fucking Stiles in the bathroom of a courthouse, a blowjob, and three hurried handjobs. Not in that order. This leads to infrequent dates and such. Their relationship becomes hot and cold, sometimes it’s sweet and other times it’s straight up toxic.

Unfortunately, these boys could not communicate healthily at all. Then comes a bid client for Derek and his families firm. After this one big case that Derek loses to stiles, he gets pissed. He lost his family the client, and on their date that night he takes it out on stiles, saying “it’s ironic that you called me a paid whore, when you come when I call” or something along those lines. Stiles breaks up with him immediately and tells Derek that he can’t believe he was thinking of making their relationship official, especially if that’s all Derek thought of him.

Derek is shocked completely at watching stiles cry, even worse at losing the chance to call stiles his. He tries to apologize but stiles won’t hear it and leaves. Derek is still in shock and doesn’t react until the gets home and sees the coffee that stiles bought in his apartment. He breaks down at the thought of losing someone who truly cared about him, at losing stiles.

He send stiles gifts as a way to apologize, but each on gets sent back. He can barely catch of glimpse of stiles outside of work. When they are in court stiles is down right ice, there’s no more banter.

And once again a big company client, a medicine brand hires the hale law firm. Stiles represents the people suing for damages. This time unfortunately, stiles loses. He goes down to a bar to down out his sorrow, and Derek finds him. He tries to apologize, tell him that he changed. Stiles gets pissed. He laughs, something dark and cruel not believing a single word he says . And then stiles lays into him, telling him that all he wanted to do was help people. Those companies that Derek represents would barely feel the pay out, but those people today had their lives ruined.

He tells Derek that he could never be with a man who sees no problem with that. Derek is falling apart, his sister try and console him. Kate comes back and tries to get him to sleep with her again. He tells her off. But to everyone else it looked liked they left together.

It’s as if the universe hates Derek as, Stiles and Derek don’t even interact as they no longer have cases that go up against each other. It takes a month and a half until Derek sees stiles again. At Allison and Scott’s wedding.

Derek sees stiles dancing with someone else. Stiles tells him that he has no right to be after getting back with Kate. Cue the angry confessions!!!

“BECAUSE IM IN LOVE WITH YOU”

They get back together, this times talking it very slowly, glacier slow. Allowing them to really get to know each other rather than relying on the intimacy of sex to base their relationship on. When they finally do have sex again, it’s six months into the relationship and is much more soft than before They dally madly and deeply in love with each other. And together they start a firm with each other later on.

The end ✨✨

Honestly I had no idea where I was going with this, but I hoped you liked it.



[shan-yee]

𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝

Daryl Dixon x younger!fem!reader ๏𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 = 950 ๏𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 = death, gun, reader lost her sibling and her parents, reader lost her sanity, age gap, Daryl saw the reader grow up. ๏𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢 = Sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want to for the sake of your loved ones. ๏𝙰/𝙽 = I KNOW I HAVE REQUESTS TO DO, but i rewatched TWD and damn Daryl… ๏𝙰/𝙽 2 = English is not my first language, please let me know if you see any mistakes ! Enjoy ✨

Save me from the nothing i’ve become

Daryl had never believed in love, that is, if this « love » concerned him directly. He had always been happy for his people when they found the boot that fit them. But the idea that he could one day find someone who would accept him for who he was despite his damn character and his many emotional wounds, still open, was inconceivable to him.

And if one day someone had told him that he would indeed find love in a young woman whom he had watched grow up and protected for a good part of his life, he would have laughed out loud. Even more so if this said person had told him that he would also be the one to take the young woman’s life.

He didn't understand how everything could have taken such a turn, was it too much to ask to have a happy and simple life, in a house with blue walls and a garden, with his family.

Accepting the fact that he loved someone much younger than him took courage but he did it. And when he was finally living a somewhat normal life in this apocalyptic world, he now had to take the life of the woman he loved to protect his found family.

When Rick told him about it, he refused, he even got angry and shoved his friend before storming off. Then he thought, really thought, about what Rick had said to him.

Looking at [Y/N], sitting towards the many graves that the inhabitants had dug, with a blank look and the skin of her lips bleeding from the many open wounds they had, he realized that maybe, maybe it was the best solution.

Daryl understood that after losing the only living member of her family the young woman might be devastated and need time. But there was something else behind this sadness, a feeling that Daryl had only seen in his father. Such destructive hatred that he came to shiver every time his gaze met that of his beloved.

She had never been the type to always be full of energy or cheerful, how could you be when death lurks near your house every day, but this look had nothing to do with her usual detached and grumpy morning look.

So finally, he accepted. It was out of the question that anyone other than him would do it. He had gripped the grip of his gun with a trembling hand and that same evening he had found the young woman in the garden, where she spent most of her time, looking at the flowers that Carol was growing with disinterest.

When he got close enough to clearly see the outline of her body, he stopped abruptly, like a stake. And the [H/C] haired woman seemed to know he was there, why he was there.

He saw her turn her head slightly and glance at his weapon before turning it around and returning her attention to the many flowers.

—I’m tired. She whispered, her voice raspy, as if she hadn't slept for several days.

—I know. He answered her, his eyebrows furrowing as he felt like he had never blinked so much in his entire life.

—I’m sorry.

—I know. he repeated.

The young woman's shoulders sagged before she slowly stood up, Daryl's gaze following her every movement with an eagle eye. He knew she wouldn't try to run away and deep down he hoped she would, that she would hit him before running away at full speed. But she wouldn't do it, even if he asked her.

She approached slowly and Daryl was able to admire her one last time, she didn't smile at him, she hadn't done so for a while, but he saw a certain tenderness in her eyes, a tenderness that she always reserved for him and their friends.

Decided, the man took her in his arms, her head against his chest and she let him do without saying anything, her eyes closing.

—You’re not going to kiss me one last time ? She asked him with a touch of humor in her voice.

But he didn't answer her. She knew that her question was selfish, she was going to rest forever but he would have to live with that, live with the act he was going to commit and the distant memory of a woman he had loved but could not save.

—Will it hurt ? Her voice resonated like a sweet melody in the older 's ear.

—I don’t know.

—That’s the only thing you didn’t know tonight. The young woman laughed without any real amusement.

He wanted to tell her that she was wrong, that he didn’t know what he was doing right now, that his action was surely going to be the biggest mistake of his life, but he didn’t. He decided to keep his feelings to himself, tonight was not about him but about her and for his peace of mind he was ready to bury everything.

She finally felt the soft coldness of the muzzle against her temple before taking a deep breath, she felt ready, ready to finally find her family in the afterlife and stop this infinite race against death.

—I love you Daryl, i really do.

The corners of his mouth twitched and he held her a little closer to his chest as if to reassure himself.

—I love you. He murmured in the corner of her ear, leaving aside his usual disinterested tone before pressing the trigger.

Daryl never spoke of that night again, refusing even to pronounce the first name of his former lover and no one ever found the young woman's body.

[batneko]

okay SO, childhood friends idea inspired by a suggestion from @hyperfixatingonbowuigisohard and the Yoshi's Island games. I still don't have a story exactly but I do have a lot of Thoughts.

Mario and Luigi are around three or four years old, old enough to talk but not to really articulate what's happening or how they're feeling. It's during a time when the parents think grandma is watching them and grandma thinks the parents decided to take them after all, and when they get home everything seems fine so the adults don't bother to compare notes. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Bowser is a couple years older, and small kids develop so fast that most wouldn't want to play with one much younger ("that's a baby!!!") but he's so desperate for a friend even close to his own age that he jumps at the change to spend time with this strange child that stumbled into his castle.

But... little Bowser has been so spoiled by Kamek and the other servants raising him that he has no idea how to play nicely. Luigi is terrified of him at first and starts bawling the moment Bowser "orders" him to play. For the first time in his short life, Bowser has a problem that can't be solved by yelling, crying, OR throwing things. He has to control his temper and learn to - what's it called again? - share.

Despite that the week that little Luigi spends with him is the happiest Bowser has ever been, and even that short amount of time has such an impact on his personality that he almost seems like a different person by the end. He accidentally bumps into Kamek and says "sorry" without being prompted and Kamek is so shocked he has to have a lie-down.

But at the end of that week, little Mario suddenly shows up with a pack of yoshis who seem to know where the boys belong, and Kamek knows it's not right to just keep a lost child. He also knows that there's no way Bowser is going to agree to let his first-ever friend go away and maybe never see him again, so Kamek smuggles Luigi out while Bowser is asleep and tells him his family came to get him. It's technically true.

Bowser is devastated. He screams, cries, throws things, and finally begs, but there's nothing anyone can do, Luigi is already gone. He's miserable for months, but eventually the sadness turns into anger. If his friend wanted to come back, why doesn't he?

Time passes. The memories fade. He's left with equal parts fascination by and resentment of humans, and the subconscious belief that if you give the people you love any chance to leave you, they will.

Meanwhile Mario and Luigi have gone home, and both of them are suddenly talking a lot about dinosaurs. That's not unusual, kids love dinosaurs, the parents figure they saw a cool book or movie with one of their cousins. But while Mario seems to think of dinosaurs as big animals that you run around with, Luigi keeps asking when he can go see "the dinosaur" again. He gets upset when his parents don't know what he means, but he keeps asking, again and again, for months. Every time they think he forgot he asks again, and no movie or museum visit or plush toy seems to be the answer.

He draws a lot of spiky green balls in this time. Eventually the parents decide that "the dinosaur" must be his imaginary friend and try to play along. It doesn't work, Luigi is still upset, but he's young and eventually he really does forget.

Years later family members will still sometimes bring up "Luigi's imaginary friend the dinosaur" as a cute anecdote. It's a little embarrassing, but he doesn't mind it too much.

And then it's twenty-plus years later and Mario and Luigi find themselves in a world that's full of adventure and magic and - yes - dinosaurs. There's a feeling of déjà vu but there are bigger things to worry about at the moment, and neither of them have any real reason to think they've been to this world before.

The first meeting doesn't go well. Bowser kidnaps Peach, the bros come to her rescue, and it ends in a big fight. Bowser does have a moment's pause when he first sees the bros, but Mario takes that opportunity to attack him and it's downhill from there.

There are several more clashes as time goes on. Sometimes it's just Mario, sometimes it's both of them, but after enough meetings people start to notice... Bowser controls his temper better around Luigi.

At first Mario thought it was just because Bowser hates him specifically, but no, other people have noticed it too. For some reason when Luigi is there Bowser is actually capable of showing restraint. Not even Peach brings that out of him. It's weird.

(Mario does wonder if Bowser kind of has a thing for his brother, but he can't bring himself to say it out loud.)

Luigi isn't scared of Bowser either, not the way he probably should be, given the whole giant monster/serial kidnapper thing. It's too awkward to ask Bowser why he's different around Luigi, but Mario asks Luigi why he's not afraid, and Luigi can't put his finger on it. He just Knows that Bowser is more bark than bite. He's not sure why.

So that's where things stand; Bowser and Luigi are both more comfortable with each other than anything about their personalities or situation seems to justify, and nobody knows why.

...Except Kamek who, as the only adult in the situation, figures out who the bros are almost immediately and promptly decides to Keep His Damn Mouth Shut. That reveal is not going to lead to good things for him.

[lovelyladyabsinthewrites]

Tender Tragedy

Pairing: Arthur Dayne x Targaryen!Reader

Warnings: death

Words:2601

Day winding down to night, Dany took her intimate party on to her personal balcony where an iron pit sat at the center. Surrounding her great pyramid were small specks of orange light. Each one belonged to a family getting ready for slumber. Not Daenerys and her court. Their work tend to bleed into the late hours of the night. There was much work to be done in Meereen.

“Your grace.” Ser Barristan Selmy, a newly added member, holds out a jewel studded goblet to his queen.

Dany eyes the extravagance of the cup as she takes it graciously from the old knight’s hand. Growing up, such decadence was scarce for the once crown prince and princess. Viserys often complained that had Robert not started his rebellion, they would still have the Targaryen wealth that was owed to them.

Alas, Viserys’ own vanity was to be his doom. Now only Dany basked in such exquisite items. 

Taking a sip of the sweet wine she had been given, Daenerys can’t resist thinking on her other siblings; those long dead. She’d had Rhaegar, her older brother, and an older sister, (y/n). 

Rhaegar, the whole of the rebellion being his fault, of course had to die in order to restore order in the seven kingdoms along with the death of Aerys. That was a certainty that Dany had slowly come to acknowledge. She didn’t want to think that any fault lay on her family, but there were so many facts she couldn’t ignore. Targaryens were to blame for everything.

One thing she still couldn’t wrap her head around was why her eldest sister had to die as well. No one explained to Dany the ultimate fate of (y/n). Those like Jorah and Selmy who knew kept her in the dark. 

Turning back to Selmy, she watches as he seats himself in front of the fire that gently warmed his aging joints. Jorah was next to him, speaking quietly with Grey Worm who preferred to stand at attention in case his blade was needed. 

For a moment, Dany imagines how the guiding hand of a gentle, older sister might have changed her life instead of growing up with Viserys’ cruel tendencies. She grieves for what could have been. 

“What happened to (y/n)?”

Her inquiry has Grey Worm and Jorah ceasing their conversation all together. Even the introspective gaze that Missandei had while listening to them had evaporated.

Selmy sadly stares at his hands. He always became melancholic when the subject of (y/n) was brought up. “I don’t think right now’s the time for that. . .”

“Then when will be? No one talks about her. Why am I not to know about her, my only sister?” Her tone of authority has them averting their gaze from her drilling eyes. Must she be stuck with the knowledge that her elder brother Rhaegar died because of the accusation of rape and knowing Viserys was a monster in his own right much like their father? Were there truly no good members of House Targaryen that were worthy of life?

Pondering for a second, Selmy heaves out a weary sigh. “It is not a happy story. Many do not want to recall what happened to your sister because she was much loved and her death devastated every corner of the Seven Kingdoms. As if enough blood hadn’t been shed already.”

“It was utterly pointless.” Jorah murmurs, his own eyes glossing over. Dany had pestered him before about (y/n), any bit of information, but Jorah stood his ground and never uttered a peep about the elder Targaryen daughter. 

Quietly, Daenerys trails over to them and sits on the other side of Selmy. “What was she like? I just want to get an idea of who she is.”

That was an easier question to answer.

Light came back into Selmy’s eyes and the corners of his mouth twitch upward into a smile. “She was goodness incarnate, Your Grace. Much like yourself. And beautiful. (y/n) did much to help those suffering in the slums of King’s Landing. Was always trying to make things better and was an excellent problem solver. She was a burst of life in the Red Keep. Everyone thrived in her presence.”

So why was she too a casualty of the rebellion. Dany would tread lightly to that question. “Did she ever marry? She was very close to Rhaegar in age, right?” She’d be at the perfect age where young ladies were often pawned off to other influential families. Even Daenerys had been married to Khal Drogo when she was just ten and three.

Jorah chuckles at that. “Oh many tried. She was considered the perfect match. Constantly being hounded by old and young lords alike. Marrying her off though had never been Aerys’ top priority when his mind started to rot.”

“He never thought of marrying (y/n) to Rhaegar?” It was Valyrian tradition to wed one sibling to the other. Many generations of the Targaryens had kept the practice alive despite the negative views the Sept had toward it. 

“It had been discussed.” Selmy admits. “Maybe if he had done that to begin with, we could have avoided war. But. . . (y/n) had already pledged her love to someone else.”

**

Ser Arthur carefully scans his surroundings in the hallway to make sure no one saw or followed him to the destined rendezvous point. When he seemed to be completely by himself, he closed the door and turned to face you. Patiently awaiting him on the foot of the bed with a wide grin.

He’d mentioned many times how he’d never, in a million years, get used to the sight of your smile  and the way it illuminated your lavender eyes. Beacons that entangle Arthur in a trap he had no plan to escape from.

You stand and dissolve the small distance between you in a blink of an eye. Your hands, soft and smelling of the sweetness of spring, grab his cheeks to pull him down to your starving lips.

Arthur was all too ready to comply.

**

“She was in love with the Sword of the Morning, Ser Arthur Dayne.” He remembers Ser Arthur with the utmost fondness, but their relationship had been doomed from the very start. Selmy had been there when Arthur was sworn into the Kingsguard. Even by then the boy was completely enraptured by Princess (y/n). 

Dany, listening intently, originally this of this as a perfect story from some old fairytale . A princess and her lover knight, a classic. But (y/n)’s story did not end happily ever after.

Missandei holds Dany’s hand. She too had a sense of where this kind of story was going. 

“So great was their affections for one another, it was quite obvious to everyone around them. During tourneys, Arthur would ask for her favor. The dances before the war, they would dance with each other. When war finally broke out, we found (y/n)’s chambers empty. Arthur, before joining Rhaegar’s forces, spirited the princess out of the Keep.”

*

You jolt to a stop as Arthur held out an arm to stop you from advancing. You’d been crawling along the shadows in the corridors of the Keep as Arthur led you hall after hall to evade any guards. Like hell he’d leave you behind. What he was doing was punishable by death but he didn’t care. 

Thinking the coast had been clear, you’d almost gone around the corner but Arthur’s better trained ears heard someone coming. 

He holds you close to his side so that your cheek was pressed against his armor and you were partially hidden under his cloak. You didn’t breathe for fear of discovery.

Whoever it was walked right past you, none the wiser. Both of you release your breath simultaneously. Even if someone had caught you, Arthur wouldn’t hesitate to kill them; even if it was his own brothers from the guard. They no longer mattered anymore.

A single touch from Arthur had you jumping and he chuckling. He’d only reached out for your hand. He brings it up to his lips and gives your knuckles the most gentle of kisses.

Finally you smile as he coaxes you along.

**

At this point, Selmy pauses to quench his parched mouth and ignite the courage required to continue with the story. He wished it ended there, (y/n) and Arthur escaping and happily living out the rest of their days somewhere in Essos.

Dany as well as the others drink from their cups.

“Of course this caused such a rage in Aerys. (Y/n) tended to have stubborn strike, but for the most part she had been obedient to Aerys. It was the quite the blow to him that his treasured daughter had escaped with one of his personal guards.”

Aerys had sent whatever manpower he could spare to look for (y/n) and Arthur.

“They remained elusive for several months. But one day while Arthur was gone to fight in a battle, Rhaegar’s defenseless camp had been attacked. They dragged (y/n) out by force.”

**

You’re pretty sure your scream pierced a few of your assailants’ ear drums.

Someone grabbed a fistful of your silver hair and nearly rips your skull from your neck. Even though it caused you unspeakable pain, you fight and claw at any inch off vulnerable skin you could dig your nails into.

They curse at you, crown Targaryen princess, and treat you with outstanding abuse you had never experienced before.

You could taste the rusty burst of blood trickling out from your split lip. Feel the boning of your corset imprint itself into your torso as they beat you into unconscious submission. These could not possibly be natives to the Crownlands. Possibly someone Aerys had paid off. No person, knowing who you are, would ever treat you in such a manner. Whether you were the Mad King’s daughter or not.

Fight had fled from you as they hoist you onto the back of an awaiting horse. They keep their eyes open to scan the area once more before leaving. There was no sign of the Sword of the Morning.

Silent tears spring into your vision as you watch Rhaegar’s plundered camp consumed by flames.

Your captors waste no time and heed their mounts to move faster.

“(Y/N)!!!”

Your eyelids try to flutter open at the sound of Arthur’s voice stretching over miles. It was impossible.

Hooves cease to beat and quietly stop at the approaching figure. Men in armor dismount and brandish their swords. Arthur was greatly outnumbered.

His battle had been far away from the camp yet there was Arthur sizing up his chances as he hops off of his own war horse.

“Yield, Ser Dayne.” One called out to him. “The king wants you alive.”

Eyes that could have passed off for Targaryen flick over to you and a knife that had suddenly appeared tauntingly against your throat. You stay absolutely still unless the blades gives you its sharp kiss. The only way you could keep your fear at bay was to keep your gaze focused on Arthur’s eyes. Wisteria filled pools calm your racing heart although you knew there was still much for you to fear.

Arthur dropped the great sword of his house, Dawn, in front of his feet in surrender.

Countless knights descend upon him and bind his limbs in chains. It would not do to have a knight of Arthur’s caliber have any access to his limbs.

He’d be compliant as long as they kept the two of you together.

**

“Couldn’t Ser Arthur have taken them on? I’ve constantly heard of his mastery with the sword and how he was like no other.” To Dany, the infamous Sword of the Morning gave up quite easily.

Every line on Selmy’s face seems to deepen. “Alas, Arthur was still but a human. He knew when to pick his battles. This was not one he could’ve ever won by himself.”

He knew he must tie off the story of (y/n) Targaryen and Ser Arthur Dayne. Anyone could imagine the torture Aerys put his daughter and Arthur through before their actual death. They accepted their fate with their hand’s holding the other’s.

(Y/n) didn’t she a tear when she glared at her father as he read out their punishment. She kept her head held high as did Arthur. That’s how Selmy wanted to remember them. Not their grotesque corpses that had been left.

From the older man’s reaction, Daenerys knew she’d learned enough as her own tears spill over her bottom lashes.

Next to her, Missandei hastily wipes a stray tear from the corner of her eye. Her hand was trembling in Dany’s as they support one another.

From a hidden pocket, Selmy sighs and pulls out a leather drawstring pouch. “After. . . After they had died, Aerys wanted their remains to be tossed like common trash. Instead we properly buried them. However. . . Before all remnants of her life was scrubbed from the world, I saved this one piece of her.”

Once placed in her hands, Dany tentatively pulls open the pouch and pulls out a silver locket. Engraved into its metal were beautiful flowers. Each petal captured with intricate details. In the center was tucked a large pink pearl.

Dany opens it, her eyes instantly round and glisten. “I-Is this. . .” Her gaze falls back onto the contents of the locket. Inside was a perfectly curled lock of silver hair. Targaryen hair.

“Before she died, Aerys had her head shaved for further humiliation.” Selmy whispers.

Softly Dany pets the soft piece of hair. The only part of her sister she’ll ever know.

Shutting the locket with a gentle hand, Daenerys holds it close to her heart.

**

The strong beating of Arthur’s heart had nearly lulled you to sleep. His arm slung around you, daring anyone to put you in separate cells.

They granted you this one last request.

Aerys wouldn’t let you and Arthur live. Both of you accepted that when you were captured. The Mad King didn’t take prisoners of war.

At least you had one last night with him. To be held in his arms and gifted kisses upon the crown of your head. This was all you had ever asked for.

The Few months you’d spent with him evading Aerys had been the happiest. If this was the price you had to pay for it then so be it. You’d finally experienced true happiness

“(Y/n)?”

“Hmm?”

You shift in his hold to look up at his gorgeous face. The man was a work of art and possessed the looks of old gods of the sun. Despite the sultry pout of his full lips, Arthur had always been dedicated to you; no other woman had ever held such sway over him in his entire life. Sweet as it was he’d even tried his hand at poetry to try and explain how much he truly loved you. It was awful but to you it was your dearest possession.

All over again, you fall in love with him from the way he gazed down at you with naked love.

“Being with you has completed my life. No matter how short a time we had. I’d do it all over again knowing this would be the price.”

You blink back tears but it’s useless. His image is blurry. “M-Me too. Knowing that you love me and you’re here…”

Arthur caressed the side of your face and pressed his forehead to your’s.

Whatever what happened when the sun rose, you’d have no regrets.

[knightyoomyoui]

TWICE: ANTHOLOGY OF HORROR ONE-SHOTS | "Auntie's Reminiscence" ft. NAYEON

Welcome to my new book that consists of one-shots under horror genre that features every TWICE members! If you are a ONCE and a fan of horror who loves to get spooked, give this series a try! Thank you and enjoy reading!

STORY #1: "Auntie's Reminiscence" ft. Im Nayeon

NOTE: Inspired from true events.

Im Nayeon joins along with her family to pay a visit on her Auntie Eunji’s home. She was willing to go for two reasons: one is because its their group’s vacation after taking a rest from both in their concert tour and current mini-album promotions. The second thing is simply because she cherish her Auntie and the place their about to go through with all her heart.

Her Auntie Eunji’s house in Incheon was her childhood home, and Auntie Eunji along with her husband and Nayeon’s Uncle Hajoon were the ones who stood up as Nayeon’s second parents and family when her mother had to work often after she and her father got divorced. The two had children, a perfect replacement to be the sibling figure for an only child like Nayeon.

That’s one of the reasons why her childhood wasn’t bad at all. She still has another family to grow up and to enjoy with. Sadly, not everything last long when Nayeon had to move back with her parents to Seoul after she got accepted to an Arts School there to study. 

It’s been years since she last saw her Auntie Eunji and also her Uncle Hajoon. Although, sadly… despite how Nayeon was able to have another opportunity to catch up the lost times with her beloved auntie, it’s the opposite to tell for her uncle.

Her Uncle Hajoon passed away from diabetes months ago, and what’s worse was that she wasn’t able to attend the funeral because she was in the States preparing for their tour there at that time. She instead sent her deepest condolences to her family and especially to her Auntie Eunji who must be suffering the most.

The relationship between the two can be described as very strong and truly dedicated. Their love story was one of the best stories Nayeon has ever heard, and that was also the one who encouraged and put Nayeon into curiosity to know what is true love. No offense to her father and mother, but her young mimd grew up to idolize more the other couple.

She was just like among her family that mourned a lot for her Uncle Hajoon’s untimely passing, but it was undeniable that her Auntie Eunji was the one who suffered the most. Every day and night it would not be a circumstance that she won’t gonna cry in despair and grief realizing that her beloved husband will no longer be in her side forever.

Nayeon’s family reported to her that they also tried to console Auntie Eunji but it was then no effect for the grieving lady. Without any other choice, due to the struggle they had to call for a psychiatrist to help Auntie Eunji atleast have a progress on accepting the death of Hajoon.

And that’s what she’s currently experiencing, and along the days came where Nayeon is staying in her childhood home. She would then take a peek on her Auntie’s bedroom, and there she was, crying while either curled down on the bed or sitting while holding one of Hajoon’s things.

“Poor Auntie. I really wish she would finally let go of the pain and accept that Uncle’s truly gone. It may be hard for her but it’s the only way.” Nayeon whispered to herself while pouting at the sight of her devastated auntie.

But then one day, Nayeon’s wish seemed to be granted when while their family and relatives are having a lunch, her Auntie Eunji suddenly came down from her room and joined the meal, surprising every person present in the table. They know that it puts them into hard time urging her to join them for food.

“Eunji! Finally you decided to come eat with us!” Nayeon’s mother and the older sister of Eunji, Seoyeon, gladly welcomed her as she watched her approach the table. “How are you doing?”

“Oh you can’t believe what just happened last night!” Eunji said with an excited tone. Nayeon just stared at her Auntie having a strange enthusiasm right now which is hugely contrast to her daily shallow mood she has been always observing from her.

“What is it?”

She sat on the table and let one of her sons to pick some food and place it on her plate. “Hajoon came to see me last night!”

Nayeon spitted the water she was drinking after hearing those ridiculous words. Did she heard it right? It must be the same question that everyone sharing in the room with her right now would ask too.

How was it possible to have someone pay you a visit when… that person has been recently passed away? Nayeon just watched her Auntie Eunji in her wide grin after saying it.

“W-what did you just say?” Seoyeon asked. Everyone in the room was exchanging glances at each other and muttering something that is probably judging Eunji right now except for Nayeon who remained speechless. “How? W-what did he do?”

“He said he misses me that’s why he wanted to spend some more time with me by helping me get to sleep!”

Chills starting to take over in their skin until Nayeon’s mother stopped this immediately by acting very glad for her mentally unstable sister and some attempts to change the topic. Once she was done eating and fled the room, everyone sighed in relief and started to buzz out their reactions of what just happened.

Seoyeon then tried to convince everyone that it’s probably just a pleasant dream of Eunji in order to cope with the loss, exactly the same thing as what Nayeon is trying to convince herself to believe in. However, it didn’t take too long for another scenarios to come just to disprove and scrap their claims.

Days passes by, and more stories of her Aunt Eunji talking about her private times with Hajoon during the night continues for Nayeon to hear. She tries so hard to wear this mask of disguise that she’s happy for her Aunt being the same old self as she is, but deep down Nayeon is so conflicted at what she truly feels for her Auntie’s condition.

“Mom, this isn’t right. Something’s wrong with Auntie now.” Nayeon talks with her mom while cleaning the living room. “At first I would like to think that she’s imagining things but… the more she speaks about Uncle Hajoon makes it starting to hear that…”

“Nayeon, your Uncle Hajoon is dead. It’s not possible.” Seoyeon quickly cuts off her daughter’s words. “Ghosts may be real yet she probably try to plaster its image as her husband just so she can think that she was still not alone and she still has the man she loves with her. It’s as if she’s finding way to forget the tragedy that happened to her.”

“But mom… it wasn’t doing anything good at Auntie. Her mind is being corrupted with her thoughts, the people here are starting to get scared at her stories, including me.” Nayeon defended. “I just want to see Auntie happy, but in the right way. This has to stop and we have to do something about it before its too late.”

Seoyeon sighs and slowly nods at her wise daughter. “Fine, I’ll give it one more try. She’s my sister, I have to help when she still needs it even if she doesn’t mind it.”

Nayeon’s encounter later that night had her loose her composure and completely disregarded the convincing that her Auntie is still hallucinating manifested from the reminiscence of happy memories she’s doing to remember Hajoon.

She was walking through her room when she noticed that there are footsteps exiting on her Auntie Eunji’s room leading to the stairways that directs to the rooftop. It was very dark there and Nayeon wanted to follow it but her examining at the footsteps was enough for her to feel the creeps.

The footsteps are covered in mud, and it’s size is large. Nayeon hurried rushed down on the living room to stay with her cousins and wait for them to return back in their rooms to sleep.

That’s not where it ends though, Nayeon still has to have one more experience that she thinks it’s definitely one of the worst memories she ever had in her life. 

As she was about to tell her Auntie Eunji to sleep after her loud laughs were echoing through the ground floor, Nayeon slowly checks out the barely shut door through its gap. It was dark, and Nayeon was about to knock when while she was opening the door, she couldn’t fathom what she’s witnessing in her naked eyes.

A tall skinny figure was kneeling beside of her Auntie Eunji who is laughing out loud. Nayeon couldn’t even describe what she’s looking at but one thing’s for certain: it’s inhuman.

In her panic, Nayeon hurriedly clicked the switch to turn the lights on, the figure was filed to be captured though as it disappeared from thin air. She shouted to call her helpless aunt. “AUNTIE!”

She was walking towards the side of the bed when her Auntie Eunji sat up and looked at her with ecstatic expression. She was smiling from ear to ear today.

“ Nayeon! You saw him, right? You saw your Uncle Hajoon, but sadly he said he has to go for now.” Her Auntie Eunji said. Nayeon just scoffed and shivered at the grip of her auntie in her arms.

“Don’t worry, dear. Your Uncle Hajoon says he’s gonna check for you somet-”

“STOOOOPPPP!!! JUST STOP IT PLEASE!” Nayeon suddenly screamed in mercy, making her Auntie scared and confused at the same time. “YOU’RE MAKING ME SCARED, AUNTIE! UNCLE HAJOON IS ALREADY DEAD, CAN’T YOU JUST MOVE ON ALREADY? HE’S NOT COMING BACK!”

“What’s going on here?” Her mother Seoyon along with boys came by at the room to check up on Nayeon after hearing her plead. 

“How can you say something like that? You saw him too, Nayeon. Hajoon is alive and he said he’s staying with us. He did that for me!”

Nayeon couldn’t contain anymore the fear creeping up inside of her. She started to cry and hug her mother, while the rest just watched their Auntie Eunji still daydreaming about the times she and her husband used to share.

After recovering from her emotions, Nayeon tried to narrate what she just observed in Eunji’s room. Unfortunately, none of her mothers, relatives or her cousins seems to believe what she’s saying because they stand for the side that Nayeon is just being sucked up by her Auntie Eunji’s rare delusions.

She still tries to explore what could be the identity of that mysterious figure that she witnessed last night that distracts her really bad. Having it repeating inside her head was giving her massive discomfort.

Despite defending and in denial at Eunji’s stories, it doesn’t mean that they are tolerating it. They still want her old self to return and no more sink herself down from agony because it also affects them emotionally.

Nayeon and her family continues to search for ways to assist her Auntie Eunji but to no avail. She can admit that its beginning to make her lose her hope and feel pity a lot for her sake.

Her stress came to an end… but in a negative note when a month later, they watched their Auntie Eunji came out of the bathroom and proclaims “I’m pregnant, everyone! I’m having a baby with Hajoon!” while raising her pregnancy test.

Nayeon’s eyes largened in a mixture of terror, confusion, and shock at the announcement of her Auntie Eunji. Everything they have thought to be impossible seemed nonsense anymore because… they don’t even know what they should suppose to do about it in order to fix Eunji.

When she gave birth to her baby 9 months later, the doctors slowly handed it to Eunji. As she stares at the features of her son, there’s a part that she acknowleged initially after it piqued her interest.

“He has his father’s eyes” says Eunji as she continues to rock her baby on her arms. Her family, including the doctors, nurses, were all viewing from the door as they watch the wholesome moment of the pair while both horrified and concerned.

-----------------------------------------------------

NOTE: This story is inspired from a Filipino Spooktober 2023 entry by MilkyClear titled "Tito and Tita / Uncle And Auntie" and from the 1968 psychological horror classic film "Rosemary's Baby".

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

I've been reflecting recently on why I love Bad Batch SOOOO much (no, seriously, I've been obsessed since the show first started airing and my obsession isn't fading anytime soon) while also still having some issues with the finale. And I think it's because the story reminds me so much of my own family. (Note: my ramblings in this post do get personal.)

I loved Clone Force 99 from the moment they were introduced in The Clone Wars. A band of clone misfits who are instantly recognized as different but also are close to each other and work together seamlessly with plenty of banter? Give me more! The amazingly resilient Echo is brought back and of course joins them? YES!!! So when it was announced that the Bad Batch would be getting their own show, I was thrilled! Yay for more crazy sibling shenanigans!

And then season 1 happened, with the squad almost immediately fracturing amidst all the changes occurring with the rise of the Empire. Ooof, hello reality.

I grew up in a large family with lots of siblings. We were all super close (and kinda crazy 😂) growing up; as we've become adults, however, personality differences have led some of my siblings to stop talking to each other which then bled over into them not talking to anyone else in the family. Not gonna lie, the past few years have been really hard, trying to figure out how best to navigate things so as to not push any of my siblings away but also give them their space.

Needless to say, I saw my family reflected in the Bad Batch. The Bad Batch were so close for so long, and then started falling apart. When Crosshair not only wouldn't go with his family in the season 1 finale but also seemed to be rejecting Hunter's statement that they could pursue different paths without being enemies, my heart broke even more. I know it will be a long time - if ever - that my own family members all reconcile with each other, so I really wanted this little clone family, at least, to get that chance. (Living out my hopes and dreams in fiction, I guess?)

Season 2 continued the season 1 trend of showing us both sides in such a sympathetic and nuanced way. I like to try keeping an open mind and seeing a situation from different angles/POV, both in real life and with fictional stories; so I think a big part of the reason why I adore this show is because it gave us the opportunity to consider both the main squad's AND Crosshair's perspectives, which honestly was a great exercise for me over the past few years in keeping an open mind regarding my own siblings' experiences and opinions (even if I don't always agree with them). And I was still holding out hope that this little clone family would have a chance to reconcile and be whole again.

And then Tech fell.

I'm crying right now just thinking about it.

(Tech was my favorite OG CF99 member since the moment he first stepped on screen, so his death would have been excruciatingly painful regardless; but the fact that he apparently died before the family could be fully reconciled... Well, I already know such a scenario - someone dying before reconciliation - is sadly possible with my own family, but having it happen to this fictional family just hit WAY too close to home, and I would have been equally devastated about this if any other Bad Batcher had died.)

Going into season 3, I knew there was a chance Tech wouldn't come back, much as I wanted him to. I LOVED watching Crosshair build a relationship with Omega, rejoin the family and reconcile with his other brothers, but... Tech is his brother too! With each passing episode, it was a struggle between hoping Tech would come back so the family would actually get their chance to be whole again, while also looking for any closure, any indication that Tech's memory and legacy would be acknowledged and honored by all the siblings he'd sacrificed himself for. I wanted Tech to be alive to get his own happy ending for his own sake, but if a comeback wasn't happening I wanted his life and sacrifice to clearly serve as an influence and motivation for his family. And for his siblings' sake (ESPECIALLY Crosshair's), if Tech was really dead and there wasn't going to be a full reunion, at least let the whole family heal from the loss, at least let the family honor the brother who gave everything to give them a chance to reunite.

The finale concluded, and I realized we got neither: there had been no full family reunion, and there had been no real closure/healing for the family regarding Tech's sacrifice either. (And I don't think it's at all unreasonable to have assumed the show would give us one or the other.)

Look, I'm one of those people who walked into Rogue One assuming it would have a happy ending. (Oh, those days when I was so young and naive...) So let me tell you, that ending traumatized me almost as badly as the ending of ASM2.

But, while other tragic/bittersweet endings have shaken me, it was the Bad Batch finale that literally left me feeling physically ill for days afterwards. Like, I was so relieved that everyone else lived? But it was so strange to be told it was a "happy ending" when, out of the entire family, only Omega kinda sorta maybe (if you squint) had a moment to honor their fallen brother? The family goes through all that trauma and loss and we end the show without actually resolving it, without the family actually healing? Tech's sacrifice made the Batch's eventual retirement possible, and the show won't even just say it? And to add insult to injury, after an entire season with the narrative teasing the possibility of Tech still being alive with CX2 being the forerunning explanation for it, it's all "well, we're still not going to provide any real closure on this plot point, but aren't you glad you can maybe assume Tech ISN'T CX2 since Hunter ran that sucker through without blinking an eye? Look, happy ending!"

I'm still stuck in "season 1" with my own family, so watching this story play out and ultimately conclude with this fictional family not getting full closure regarding one of their own siblings who had never been anything but supportive of all of them was... unsatisfying, to say the least. I LOVE that the clones, who were created by Palpatine to be discarded, managed to (unknowingly) strike a significant blow against Palpatine's plans. I LOVE that Omega and some of the other clones were able to choose to live peacefully on Pabu. I LOVE that Crosshair came back to his family. Still, I will never get over how Tech was handled - both the character himself and the characters he was closest to.

And I think this is part of the reason why I really hope the Bad Batch's on-screen appearances aren't completely over yet - and why, even without factoring in all the narrative ambiguity in season 3, I'm still rooting for Tech to return. Tech himself definitely deserved better, and his family deserved better too.

So there's my long-winded explanation for why there's not a single day that goes by that I don't think about this show 😅

[aledanshi]

I made my friend suffer thru my rambles of this whole eggnapping arc from the perspective of the brazillians and I thought "wait a minute I should post this so I don't have to be the only person going insane"

When you think about this whole situation in terms of RP, someone fucking kidnapped kids, possibly the organization that monitors and controls every. single. step. you take, and the parents have absolutely no clue to where they are or if they're even alive, them and the rest of the residents are grieving and are starting to revolt, the president they elected in hopes that things on the island could maybe get better has gone mad and has been reduced to a drug-riddled maniac at best and a crazed domestic terrorist at his worst.

The lights suddenly turn to Cellbit, the leader of the organization that has the objective of helping people go against the Federation, with everyone hoping that somehow he will find a way to solve their problems, but he's exhausted, his mind is in shambles and he's slowly losing what's left of his sanity. He lost his son, he lost his best friend and the person that he trusted the most on the island, and when he wakes up on wednesday he'll know he just lost another friend, another member of his family.

Of all the parents of Richarlyson, Forever is the most "mother", and the grief of a mother is one of the most devastating things to ever feel, Forever's whole world revolves around Richarlyson, all the things he did, everything he's been through, it all only has one objective, protect and make Richarlyson happy. Without him, Forever's world loses all of it's colors and everywhere he looks, everything reminds him of his son, who's been the only constant from day 1. Now he's broken, completely, drugged or not he will never be the same Forever from before, the drugs don't keep him stable, they keep him delusional, just enough to not destroy everything in his path. In the back of his mind, he's still counting the seconds that his son has been missing, every time the clock gets louder he has to forcefully shut it down, he's losing himself in the process of numbing his pain, and I can't fault him from taking the pills anyway, even when he knows he shouldn't, that it'll only make things worse, but it hurts, it hurts so much.

Pac feels like he's buried in hopelessness and feels that he can't do anything, he's not as smart as Cellbit, not strong-willed as Mike, not resourceful as Forever, he can't bring joy to others when his own source of joy is missing, his own son. He knows he's losing everyone in his family, but he can only hope that he won't be the last domino to fall, because he knows he won't be able to pick up the pieces. He's going to use the only thing he has left, himself, in hopes that maybe he can create a path for a solution, even if he can't achieve it himself. Either way, the only other option is to silently watch the hours pass by, as he stares at empty green and yellow chairs, just listening to the distant hums of machines and feeling the rustling of leaves on the wind. It has never been this quiet on Ilha Chume Labs before.

[ssinnerplazahotel]

╭──────────.★..─╮

*Chapter Fourteen*

╰─..★.──────────╯

WC: 7k

Warning: 18+, age gap, smut, fluff, toxic elvis, manipulation, drug use, it’s the 50s/60s, painful-difficult-devastating-life-changing-extraordinary love

Pairing: elvis x black reader

Disclaimer: full of inaccuracies, inaccurate timeline, inaccurate depictions of Graceland, historically inaccurate themes and items

Masterlist: Prologue, Ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

finale pt. 1

Ray drove you home early that night. They’d gotten on a roll with recording and were going to be doing overtime. Elvis didn’t want you to leave, he told you that he’d feel better knowing that you were there.

You would’ve stayed if you hadn’t been so uneasy about the letter.

Ray was keeping an extra watchful eye on you and your surroundings, but you’d feel safer back at Graceland. Or at least you thought you would.

When you got there it was empty aside from the few family members that Elvis hadn’t bothered to introduce you to.

Your unrest only intensified after Ray was gone. You paced the floors of the house anxiously while you waited for Elvis to get back from the studio. You found yourself checking around every corner, waiting for something to happen. It was a miserable feeling.

When Elvis did return home it was almost the next morning. He found you in your personal dressing room—you hadn’t bothered to move any clothes in and it remained empty aside from the vanity pushed against the back wall.

When he found you, you’d turned to other means of relaxation. You weren’t as relieved to see him as you thought you’d be—instead it felt like the thing lurking behind the corner had finally jumped out.

“Birdie?” He wondered. “What are you doing?”

He had caught you in the middle of a thought, one of many conclusions that you’d come to during your long night of binging and worrying.

“I want a baby.”

“What?”

“I was just thinking and I just thought…you get whatever you want. I want a baby.”

“…We’ll talk about it.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. If you can’t meet those demands, then we don’t have anything going here.”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“We don’t go together, E. I go with you, yes. But so does every other woman that comes your way.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s true. A-And…you’ve made sacrifices for us, but so have I. Don’t I deserve to be compensated for the things I’ve given up? What about the people I’ve lost?”

You used the bottom of your discarded glass to crush one of the pills scattered across the vanity.

“Don’t do that.” He grabbed you up by your forearm but you struggled.

“Let me go.” You snatched away and fell back into your seat.

He stood there for a moment, rubbing his eyes in frustration before trying again. He wasn’t angry—you couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“Come on, honey,” He said, his words were surprisingly gentle. He stepped forward and took your hands, helping you out of your chair. “You’re done for the night.”

He dusted the pill residue from the vanity with his palm and took the bottom of your face in his other hand, making you meet his eyes.

“No more of this,” He said. “Do you hear me?”

“They told me to do it like this.”

“Who?”

You shrugged, not saying. He looked pissed but he was gentle with you as he led you out of the room.

“You overdid it tonight, that’s all.” He helped you into bed. “When you’re back to yourself and thinking clearly~”

“I’m thinking clearly.”

“When you’re back to yourself, we’ll have this conversation.”

You knew you’d never speak of tonight again unless he brought it up. You wouldn’t dare, it was hard enough saying it the first time.

“You wouldn’t notice if I dropped dead.”

“Not true.”

“You’d notice if I wasn’t exactly where you told me to be when you told me to be there but I could just…stop breathing. Couldn’t I?”

He didn’t react. You wanted him to, you needed him to.

“You don’t care about me,” You continued. “Just about what you can do with me. Where you can put me to keep me out of the way until you want me again.”

“No.”

“Then why does it feel like that?”

He sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed with his back to you. “Because you’re out of your mind.”

You almost laughed. “It’s always all my fault.”

“It starts to feel that way, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it does.”

He rubbed his eyes. You felt like just another burden in his life. You weren’t sure he cared at all about what you were saying.

“You want to know what I found out today? A lot of people wish I were dead.” He was still but you watched his movements closely—he tensed. “They want to kill me. They sent me a letter telling me exactly how they’d do it.”

“What?” His head turned in your direction.

“Somebody slipped it under the door of the green room.”

“Where were Ray and Serena?”

“I sent them away.”

“Why?”

“I wanted to be alone.”

“They’re there to protect you.”

“I know why they’re there.”

He leaned his elbows against his knees, ruffling his hair as he released a troubled sigh. “I’ll have them look into it.”

You closed your eyes. “It’s no use. Just add it to the pile, I know it’s not the first one.”

“I’d never let anything happen to you.”

“Sometimes I wish it would so I could stop waiting for it.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why?”

“Because…I can’t think about losing you.”

When you looked you were surprised to see some emotion stirring behind his eyes.

The next day, you were met with an array of firearms laid out across the bed for you to choose from. You were mortified at first but eventually convinced that you’d be better off with it than without.

“Pick one,” Elvis insisted. “You can have 'em all if you want.”

“I don’t know how to shoot a gun.”

“Don’t worry, darlin, I’ll teach you.”

He stood behind you and picked up the first firearm. He placed it in your hands, guiding you to grip the cool handle.

“This one’s small and light, so I thought it’d be a good fit for you,” He explained as you held the gun out in front of you. “You’re a natural.”

You laughed. “I’ll never use it.”

“Hopefully you won’t have to.”

“Then what’s the point?”

“The point is that I’ll feel better knowing that you have a way to protect yourself if Ray, Serena, or I get away from you.”

“That won’t happen again.”

His expression softened. “I know, baby, it was an accident that it happened at all.”

You tried to examine his expression but you couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Are you mad at me?”

He hugged you, kissing your temple. “Come on. I wanna show you how to shoot this thing at least once.”

You picked up the gun and let him reposition your arms. “Like this?”

He hummed in approval. “Just like that.”

The two of you were called for an impromptu press conference at least once every other week. The invitations were always adamant that you were in attendance but you were too anxious to speak in front of the crowd, so Elvis told you that you didn’t have to. They only wanted you there to hear their questions and complaints.

“We’ve been scrambling to get even the slightest glimpse of the two of you since the wedding. Are we expecting any big news?”

“Big news?”

“Any baby fever going around?”

“Nah, we’re good and vaccinated over here.”

“How’s your wife Elvis?”

“We haven’t heard from her since her debut interview.”

“She’s fine. She’s usually in some kind of trouble.”

You smiled to yourself—keeping your gaze either directed down or at Elvis. You sat by his side as he gave the press conference, but that was the extent of your willingness to be a part of the interviewing process.

The cameras never stopped flashing, and it was hard to hear the questions over the constant shouting for your attention. You pretended not to hear them and willed the time to fly by.

“People are concerned by your wife’s silence. They fear there’s a lack of agency on her part. As well as a disregard for the movements happening as we speak.”

“I mean, it’s nothing political,” Elvis said, reiterating the response that he had practiced on the way over. “She’s a smart girl, she has her own thoughts and opinions that the world deserves to hear. But at the end of the day she didn’t sign up to be a part of any of this. So I can’t ask her to sit down and do an open interview with the press. It’s unreasonable and I don’t want to put her in that position. I’m asking a lot to even have her here right now.”

“Even if it’s by association, she is in the public eye and people, your fan’s most importantly, are entitled to some access~”

“I-I agree, honey, I do~”

“It comes with the territory!”

“She has to answer to someone!”

“You’re right.”

“There are people out there that want to see the two of you dead or in jail!”

The crowd was getting restless and you could tell that Elvis was struggling to stay above water. He leaned over and spoke into your ear. “Go with Jerry, baby.”

Jerry was there before he finished the sentence, helping you out of your chair. The room erupted in protests as you were escorted off of the stage.

“They’re ruthless,” Jerry said when you were safely behind the door of a green room.

“I’m starting to think a picture’s worth more than a thousand words,” You said, laughing along with him for a moment before the door opened and Serena entered—Liz trailing behind. “Thanks, Jer.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” He said, slipping out of the room.

“My cigarettes, Serena.” You sighed and sat down on the lime couch pushed against the wall. “I think they’re gonna love the gloves, Liz.”

“You looked great up there,” Liz said. “There’s a reason the entire country either wants to kill you or be you.”

The conference came to an end but you weren’t allowed to leave until all press was escorted off the premises. Elvis found you in the green room shortly after he was allowed offstage.

“There’s my girl,” He said, lifting you from the ground briefly as he engulfed you in a hug.

“What’d they say about me after I left?” You asked, shying away from the kiss he left on your neck.

“They said ‘we hate to see her leave, but lord have mercy.’” You laughed, shooing his hands away from your ass.

“Not in front of all these people.”

“They’re watching for a reason.”

You cut your eye at him and got ready to go. At Graceland things were business as usual. Your former dressing room was coming along nicely as a nursery—it was nearly done, but as vacant as your womb.

“You spend too much time in here,” Elvis said when he saw you there again that night.

You turned in his arms as he hugged you, abandoning the clothes you were putting away. You laid your head against his chest, listening to the steady sound of his heart beating. You stood there in silence for a moment, not thinking about anything specific.

“You should go to bed. We have an early flight tomorrow.”

“Sending me to bed already?”

He laughed, taking you by the hand and leading you out of the room. You got ready for bed but you were restless still.

“Serena’s gonna go with you to the doctor,” Elvis said as you stood by the sink putting your toiletries away. “I have work.”

“I’ll go alone.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“Then Ray can go in with me. I don’t mind.”

He nodded but he didn’t look thrilled about the idea. As if you were supposed to be anymore thrilled at the idea of going with Serena. You could tolerate her for the most part—but you didn’t want her to have any part in this.

“How long are we in Vegas?” You asked, leaving no more room for discussion about the matter.

“Just for the summer.” He followed you out of the bathroom.

“Sounds like this is gonna be a good one,” You said optimistically. “George Sidney and Ann Margret? That’s exciting, right?”

Elvis hummed halfheartedly in agreement. “I don’t know how much time they’re spending on it.”

You climbed into bed, patting the empty spot next to you. “Lay with me until I fall asleep.”

“Is that all I’m good for?” He asked, getting in. “Shouldn’t we at least work on that little assignment of ours?”

“Assignment?”

“Mhm. Give the doctor something to check for tomorrow.”

“That’s not how it works.”

“Humor me.”

You always knew to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. You weren’t optimistic, not when it came to matters relating to yourself. Not because you were unlucky. You were more fortunate than you could appreciate, but that good fortune only extended so far.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Becoming pregnant wouldn’t be an issue. Maintaining the pregnancy would be difficult due to the abnormalities within your uterus.”

Abnormalities. She said it so casually, breaking the news plainly and without much empathy. She wasn’t cold, but you had wished she’d been more gentle as she crushed your dream of being a mother.

Was it a dream?

Distraction or dream, the difference didn’t matter now.

“…So, there’s nothing?”

“I always encourage couples to keep trying. In situations like these you can never really know.”

There were some things that were natural—undisputed. Some things that happened without effort or explanation. And there were things you had to fight for. Things that needed a little extra commitment and attention. You thought that having a baby would be one of those undisputed things. However, you were wrong.

“How’d it go?”

“All good, Ray. Thank you.”

It was you. You were the problem. You didn’t know how you were going to explain this to Elvis and you didn’t want to. It wasn’t something that was your fault exactly, but you still felt immense guilt.

“Are we meeting Elvis on set?”

“I was told directly back to the hotel.”

Your thoughts were too cloudy to care about the sudden change of plans. You weren’t sure how much longer you’d be able to save face anyway.

You hated traveling with Elvis, especially without Andrea. You hated being alone when he was away. But it was either that or being tucked away in a corner somewhere guarded by Ray and Serena.

When you saw Elvis again he asked about your appointment. You smiled and told him that it went well. That everything was good…perfect.

“I’m glad,” He said, keeping his back to you as he got undressed. “I knew it would be.”

“How was the first day?” You asked, changing the subject.

“Good.” He shrugged.

“I thought Ray would bring me by earlier,” You said. “I guess things got too busy?”

“That’s usually how it goes.” He stood from the bed and went into the bathroom.

You fell silent, letting your expression fall when the door clicked shut.

He was distant. Normally you would've noticed. If your mind hadn’t been so preoccupied you probably wouldn’t have been able to notice anything else.

When he returned he had given you a run down of the next day’s schedule—it didn’t include you.

“It’s easier if you aren’t on set. It’s not like you’d be missing anything.”

“Oh…”

“It’s just another thing. Don’t overthink it.”

*

Serena came to you one night in the middle of the summer—in tears with her luggage in tow.

“I’m so sorry,” She cried, hugging you. “I never meant to hurt you. You didn’t deserve it.”

“Serena, what’s going on?”

“I can’t do this anymore.” She dried her tears futilely.

You stepped aside for her to enter. “Let’s talk inside.”

“No,” She said, shaking her head adamantly. “I can’t. I just…I can’t handle it.”

“Can’t handle what?” You asked.

“…You don’t know?” Her expression shifted into a more apologetic one. “H-He…He’s been with her. Everyone was saying so but I didn’t believe it until I asked him a-and…he completely lost it.”

You were slow to process her words. “Been with who?”

“Ann,” She said, more tears forming as she forced herself to say her name. “Margaret.”

You nodded and reminded yourself that you shouldn’t react, you had to remain stoic. “So what?”

“Wh…What?”

“What are you gonna do?”

She looked confused and at a loss for words. You left the space for her to respond.

“I-I don’t know.”

“You didn’t care when it was me you were screwing over. Now I’m supposed to feel bad because you’ve been replaced by someone shinier than you?”

She shook her head, pressing her lips together and wiping her face. “N-No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it?” You shifted impatiently. “What would you like me to do?”

“I-I just wanted to tell you that I’m leaving. And that I’m sorry.”

“It’s not okay.”

She nodded in understanding. “Okay.”

You moved to step back into your dimly lit hotel room, but hesitated. “I’m sorry he broke your heart, Serena.”

“Does it not break yours?”

“…It does.”

She stood there for a moment, contemplating her next words. “You don’t deserve this.”

You smiled softly. “I don’t deserve anything.”

She stopped you again. “I know he’ll never tell you, but I think you should know…”

“It gets worse?” You meant it as a joke but Serena obviously wasn’t in the mood. “What is it?”

“He helped the Colonel arrange the wedding,” She confessed. “The only way Parker would do it was if Elvis signed a contract for a deal with one of his execs.”

“…What?”

“The movie contract, Elvis signed it because Parker helped him convince the board to settle~”

“I-I heard you.”

“…I thought you should know.”

You sighed, bewildered. “Any other deep dark secrets that you think I should know?”

“No.”

“Please leave.”

“Okay…I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

*

Elvis didn’t grace your “shared” room often that summer. You never knew where he was, you never knew what he was doing. It was a drastic change in pace compared to the way things had been going. You went from seeing him every day to not seeing him at all.

Ray was forced to keep you company whenever you were summoned or forced out of the room simply because the press ‘wanted to see you.’ He was always there.

“What’s wrong?”

“If I try to have a baby I’ll kill it. Well, my body…it’ll kill the baby.”

“Should I call Elvis?”

“N-No. I think he’s somewhere screwing his co-star.”

You knew you shouldn’t have called him into your room, you were out of your head with despair and you had no one else to talk to. You hated to take advantage, but he was the only person there for you.

“That’s~ It’s nothing, don’t worry about that,” You said dismissively, inviting him to sit next to you on your unmade bed. “I-I called you because…I don’t know why. I thought you’d listen.”

“I take it the appointment didn’t go well?” He seemed hesitant but he sat down with you.

You shook your head. “It tracks. I mean, of course I can’t have a baby. No baby deserves me as a mother.”

“That’s not true. You’re a good person.”

“How would you know?”

“I pay attention.”

You couldn’t convince him that you were a horrible person, no matter what you said. He refused to accept even the slightest implication that you may not have always had the best intentions. At that moment, you were afraid you had the worst intentions.

“I shouldn’t stay.”

“I want you to.”

“It’s four in the morning.”

“So?”

“You should rest.”

“You’ll be right outside anyway, right?”

He cracked a little smile and shook his head. You wondered if a part of him wanted to stay. “I can’t. I’ll lose my job if he finds out I was even in here.”

Just like that whatever illusion that you had created of him being your friend vanished. He wasn’t someone you could confide in, despite his continuous presence in your life. You were his job. Bottom line.

“You’re right,” You said, apologetically. “I don’t want to get you in trouble. ”

“I know,” He said before turning to leave. “I’ll send Jerry in to check on you, but I’m right outside if you need me. I-I mean, If there’s an emergency.”

“…I’ll try not to start any fires.”

Ray’s message wouldn’t get to Jerry without getting to Elvis. You had hoped that he would leave them out of it but you knew when you saw Elvis the following night that he’d heard. He didn’t have to say anything.

“E,” You started as soon as the door swung shut.

“Go ahead,” He said when you stopped short, crossing his arms and waiting for you to continue.

You weren’t sure what you were going to say. You were at a loss, you had expected him to start digging into you immediately. You watched him carefully as he shifted the chair in the corner toward you and sat down.

“Speak.” He was angry, you could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. But he was making an effort to compose himself. “I’m listening.”

“I’m sorry,” You said, still trying to feel around for the response he wanted. “I didn’t think he’d tell you.”

“Oh, he didn’t,” He said. “I had to hear from about five different people that you had a problem. So tell me, birdie, what’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem.”

“Don’t lie.”

You didn’t know what he wanted you to say. You wanted to say the right thing.

“How was that appointment? The one he took you to.”

He was prompting you. He noticed you scrambling and was throwing you a line.

“It wasn’t great.”

“What happened?”

“It’s not going to work,” You said, directing your gaze to your fidgety hands. “They said there was a chance but…it’s small.”

He nodded, his expression was blank when you met his eyes again. “Anything else?”

You shook your head. “No. That’s it.”

“Why am I the last to know?”

“I didn’t intend it that way.”

He didn’t respond and he was still acting out of character. He was unusually calm, and he was fighting to be. His jaw was taught and his leg bounced restlessly. Not in a bored or impatient way—he seemed anxious, or annoyed maybe.

“Serena,” You started. “She quit, y’know?”

“I heard,” He said. “Any idea why?”

“No,” You lied. “I found out from Ray.”

He nodded, lips pursed. “Anything else?”

You shook your head. “No.”

“Come sit here for a minute.” He stood and waited for you to cross the room. He let you take his seat, crouching down in front of you before continuing. “I don’t have to tell you why I’m upset, do I?”

“No.”

“Okay, good. We can skip that part.”

You tensed when he rested his cold hands on your bare thighs. Not because you were afraid, but because you were unsure of what he would do next.

“It’s okay,” He reassured you, rubbing your thighs in a soothing manner as he continued. “I don’t care what’s going on, birdie, I’m the first to hear about these kinds of things. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Shouldn’t I be the first to hear this?”

“I didn’t think you’d understand.”

“You didn’t give me a chance to try.”

You felt guilty. You didn’t mean for things to blow so far out of proportion.

“I’m sorry,” He said. You were shocked. “I’ll find a way to make up for not being there.”

You thought he’d go about making it up to you by being there for you now. But you were sorely mistaken.

*

“A dog?”

“His name’s Tika. Do you like him?”

“…He’s adorable.”

“That’s not all.”

You smiled as he handed the teacup yorkie over to you. You turned in time to watch him open the door of your suite to reveal two faces you never thought you’d see again.

“Oh my god.”

“Hi! It’s been so long.”

“It’s only been a year or so, Pat.”

“I’m just making small talk, Barb.”

You were frozen in shock, you didn’t know what to say.

“It didn’t take anything to track these two down,” Elvis said, putting an arm around each of them. “Figured they could hang around a day or two. Until the end of filming. What d’you think, baby?”

“I can’t believe you girls came all this way,” It was the only thing you could manage to say.

“How could we pass this up?”

They hung on to your every word the entire weekend and did everything they could for you. You didn’t know what they were trying to prove. Were they desperate not to make a mistake in the hopes of going back to Graceland with you?

You hated the way they treated you, but you hadn’t had anyone to talk to outside of Elvis—whenever he could be bothered with you—since Andrea left. Barb and Pat reminded you of the person you used to be, and even more so that you weren’t her anymore. You could only tolerate them in small doses.

“You must get anything you want, huh?”

“Not exactly.”

“What else could she want?”

You asked them about their lives now and if they’d finished school. You asked anything that kept the conversation off of yourself. You had nothing to say, nothing to offer that they could relate to or understand. Whatever you did think to say didn’t sound good enough in your head so you didn’t bother saying it aloud.

That weekend was torturous. You didn’t see Elvis once within the final days of filming and you were otherwise subjected to spending time with the girls. You would rather have spent the nights alone with Tika and a bottle of red, listening to the news on the radio—in the hopes that something more terrifying was happening in the real world than what was happening in yours.

In that alternate version of life where time didn’t exist because it was always dark and you never got any sleep. Was there any rest for the wicked?

You were glad when you were rid of Pat and Barb and back at Graceland. Elvis wasn’t himself and you had enough sense to know why. You didn’t broach the subject at first—you would’ve been alright if it was never brought up or talked about again. You would’ve preferred it be buried somewhere deep and forgotten about.

“You haven’t gotten back up with Pat and Barb since we got back.”

“I don’t think we click like we used to.”

“They adore you.”

“…That’s the problem.”

You weren’t sure if you were capable of connecting with anyone anymore. You felt so detached and unreachable.

The only time you felt like yourself—or at least some version of yourself—was when you were with Elvis. There were times when it felt like you only existed for him. You came alive for him, otherwise you weren’t yourself. You weren’t anything.

Every thought, every action, every moment was for him. Yet, you hardly recognized him now.

It wasn’t that he was calmer, or that he had less of a temper. He was simply too distracted to put his all into you. He was so lost in his own affairs that he hardly noticed you slipping away again.

When you looked at him, you couldn’t tell where the person you knew ended and her creation began. She had tamed something in him that you never could. You thought it was admirable.

“I’ve decided,” You started as the two of you sat up reading late into the night. You had grown bored with your book long ago but continued to skim the pages until you worked up enough courage to speak. “That we should break up.”

You didn’t say it in a particularly convincing way. It wouldn’t have mattered if you did.

“Oh, yeah?” He asked, already dismissive. “Where’d you get that idea?”

“From myself,” You responded. “You don’t think so?”

He turned his head. “What the hell are you saying?”

You started to repeat yourself. “I think we should~”

“I heard you.”

“Then why’d you ask?”

“…I can’t tell if you’re serious.”

“I am.”

He closed the book in his hand—you did the same. He continued to stare at you, no doubt waiting for you to sprout another head.

“I thought you’d agree.”

“Why would I agree?”

“Because you can’t seem to get over her.”

“What?”

“It’s been weeks and you’re still moping about it.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

You sighed. “We can let this be easy, Elvis.”

“Let what be easy?”

“Separating.”

“You’re being real cute.”

You watched him carefully as he abandoned his book by his side and shifted his full attention to you.

“What do you want now?” He asked. “Something else I can’t do for you?”

“Don’t be cruel.”

“Don’t be coy.”

You shook your head. “I’m not trying to be.”

He sighed, aggravated.

“I’m trying to do what’s best for the both of us.”

“Separating isn’t what’s best for us. Not to mention that it’s not an option.”

“Of course it is.”

“In what world?”

You knew this conversation wouldn’t be an easy one to have. You had hoped his distance and constant distraction would be enough to make him go easy on you. You thought he’d let you go, not quietly, but you hadn’t expected so much of a fuss.

“I want you to be happy, E,” You said. “I don’t make you happy anymore.”

“Don’t tell me how I feel,” He said. “You can’t make up my mind for me or make decisions like this on your own.”

“You hardly notice me anymore,” You pointed out. “You don’t speak to me…you don’t touch me. It’s like I’m not even here. Ever since…”

“Ever since what?” His eyes hardened but his expression remained the same.

You froze under his gaze, had struck a nerve by even daring to bring her up?

His eyebrow quirked expectantly. “Get it out, honey. Ever since what?”

“I don’t know.” You retracted, reopening your book. “Forget it.”

“No, no, no.” He snatched the book and slammed it shut, throwing it to the side along with his. “You brought it up. Air it out, go ahead.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Whatever you’re thinkin.”

He was doing it again—showing restraint. You didn’t know what to do.

“Serena told me everything.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Why?”

“Because Serena doesn’t know everything.”

You fell silent, of course she didn’t. You were sure she only knew what she’d overheard the others saying.

“See?” He asked in the wake of your silence. “That’s why you shouldn’t speak on things you know nothing about.”

You should’ve responded in your own defense but you couldn’t think of anything to say that he wouldn’t twist into an insult.

“Here,” He said, handing your book to you. “Read your little book and forget about this.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

He sat the book in your lap when you refused to take it, returning to his own.

“Are you happy?” You asked.

“I’d be happier if this conversation was over,” He said without looking up. “I’m trying to be nice here, birdie. You’re pushing me.”

“Did she tell you to be nicer?” You asked. “Is that why you aren’t screaming in my face right now?”

“Do you want me to?”

“I want you to tell me that it’s me you want and not her.”

“If I wanted to be with her, I’d be with her.”

“Then why have you been acting like this?”

“I’m not actin any kind of way. You’re overthinking everything like you always fucking do. It’s always the same old tired bullshit with you.”

You fell silent. He looked at you after you did so, laughing shortly—at what, you didn’t know.

“You make me feel stupid.”

“You aren’t stupid, birdie, you just do stupid things.”

“Nice.”

“I’m tryna say it in the nicest way possible.”

“There’s no nice way to call a girl stupid.”

“I didn’t call you stupid. You said stupid, not me.”

You abandoned your book again and got out of bed with tears blurring your vision.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“There are only so many places to go,” You said, blinking your tears away and slipping your house shoes on. “I’m going to check on Tika. I promise I won’t leave the premises.”

“You aren’t leaving here dressed like that.” He barely glanced up from his book. “If I wanted people to see you dressed for bed I’d invite them up.”

“I’ll get dressed.”

“No you won’t.”

“You can’t control me like this.”

“I’m not controlling you, I’m telling you to have a little fucking common sense.”

You huffed in aggravation and stormed into the bathroom—slamming the door shut behind yourself. You stayed there well into the night, despite Elvis’ many complaints.

“I’m not gonna tell you again,” He called through the door for the umpteenth time. “Come out of the goddamn bathroom. It’s been hours, you’ve made your point.”

You didn’t respond, watching the handle shake violently as he tried the locked door. You were afraid he’d end up knocking it down altogether.

“You know what?” He continued, exasperated. “Stay there if you want, I would rather you be in there than out here driving me up the goddamn wall.”

You didn’t move until you heard the bedroom door slam shut. Your legs were stiff from sitting on the floor too long. You didn’t leave the bathroom—you stood there waiting for him to return or to reveal that he hadn’t left at all.

When you were able to convince yourself that he was gone you left the bathroom. You were exhausted and sore, but you didn’t care. You had waited him out and it felt like a tiny victory.

You were asleep the second your head hit your pillow and you didn’t wake until the next day.

Elvis hadn’t woken you, which was strange.

You got dressed on your own, contemplating heavily on what to wear.

“What would Liz do?” You muttered to yourself as you picked from your carefully crafted wardrobe.

It felt nice getting ready on your own. You did what you wanted with your hair and makeup, keeping it simple for a change. By the time you were finished Elvis still hadn’t shown up—you were starting to think he never would.

Just as you had given up on waiting for him the bedroom door finally opened. You stood from the bed when he entered, smoothing your skirt nervously.

“Birdie,” He said, he didn’t sound upset.

“E…you didn’t wake me up.”

“I figured you’d be tired after your siege,” He chuckled as he said it but you still couldn’t tell if he was angry.

“I’m sorry.” You weren’t sure why you were apologizing, but it seemed necessary.

He waved dismissively. “You don’t have to be.”

“…Are you mad at me?”

“I’m not mad at ya, baby.”

He smiled, tapping your chin and making you meet his eyes.

“I got you something,” He said with a hint of excitement in his tone.

“Why?” You asked, making him laugh. “I’m serious.”

“Because…” He shrugged. “You deserve it.”

“Well, give it to me.”

He laughed, slipping his arms around your waist. “Maybe I wanna…tease you with it a little.”

You bit back a smile. “Is it that kind of thing?”

“Nah, it’s not that kinda thing.”

“Then what is it?”

He reached into his pocket, revealing a set of car keys. You looked at them but made no move to grab them.

“For you,” He said, taking your hand and placing the keys in your palm.

“A car,” You said, looking down at them.

“I thought about what you said~”

“You did?”

“You were right, you should be able to go wherever you want.”

Out of all the things you had said, he had picked that to respond to. He had chosen to get you a car rather than acknowledge that you wanted a divorce.

You didn’t want to leave him, you wanted him to beg you not to go. And perhaps it was never a baby you wanted but some kind of reassurance that he was yours more than he was anyone else’s.

“Ray’s gonna still go with you, of course,” He said. “But she’s all yours.”

“….Thank you,” You said. “I appreciate it.”

He laughed—you didn’t care why. “Should we take her on a test drive? You haven’t forgotten how to drive a stick have you?”

You tried to smile. He slipped his arms around your waist again, making you drop the keys and lean into his touch.

“Y’know, E,” You said as he kissed your neck. “You could try apologizing like a normal person for once.”

His lips froze against your skin before he pulled away and met your eyes. “What?”

You shrugged. “A simple ‘sorry’ would suffice. You can say ‘sorry’ can’t you?”

“Why say what’s implied?”

“That’s what normal people do.”

He chuckled shortly, glancing to the side—annoyed but willing to grapple.

“Why don’t you just accept the gift, like a normal person, so we can make up?”

“Make up for what?”

You held onto his biceps as he stepped back towards the bed. He kissed your neck again.

“Elvis.”

“What?”

“Don’t deflect.”

“Who’s deflecting? Can’t we screw like normal people and get over this bullshit argument you started?”

“I started?”

“Yeah.”

You pressed your palms against his chest but his actions persisted.

“You don’t want to apologize but you want it to be okay. How is that fair?”

“What’s fair anymore?” He pushed you onto the bed. “You run around getting your every way at my expense. Is that fair?”

“Don’t lie through your teeth like that.” You put your knee up in another futile attempt to keep some space between you. “Nothing ever happens at your expense.”

“Is that really what you think?” He grabbed your ankle and forced himself between your thighs.

“I’m not asking you to lasso the moon.” You squirmed beneath him as he pinned your wrist by your head. “I’m asking you to say you’re sorry.”

“Do you want me to get down on my knees for you?”

“No.”

“‘No.’”

“And you call me childish?”

“What’s the point of fighting if one of us doesn’t stoop down to the other’s level?”

“Why are you degrading me?”

“I’m not degrading you. I can show you what it feels like to be degraded.”

“Don’t.”

“Why? Afraid of what I’ll say?”

You laughed. “I already know what you’re gonna say.”

“Do you?” His smile began to fall and you could tell you were pushing his buttons now.

“Yeah, but you don’t want me to tell you,” You said. “Because you revel in the idea that you’re still a mystery to me. But really the only mystery still alive is how I’ve managed to shrink myself into this little box of a reality you’ve created for me. Everybody’s dying to know.”

“I hate you when you talk like that.” He moved to sit up, no longer interested in his pursuit. You wrapped your arms around his neck and your legs around his torso—keeping him in place.

“I don’t care if they ask, I won’t answer.” You held onto him even as he tried to push you away. “I can’t.”

He stopped struggling. “Why?”

You looked him in the eye. “Because I’m ashamed of myself for loving you.”

His jaw clenched and he finally pushed you away. “That’s exactly what I want to hear.”

You sat up in the bed and watched him straighten his clothes. “I didn’t say it to hurt your feelings.”

“What’d you say it for?”

“Because I want you to know that I’ve sacrificed my ego for you and you should do the same and apologize for having an affair. I’m not even asking you to apologize for all of them, just this one.”

“Birdie~”

“Apologize for pretending to have no idea what was happening when you trapped me in this sham of a marriage. Apologize—not with a car, or a bracelet—with fucking words.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Like I said before…Serena told me everything.”

“Serena doesn’t know anything.”

“She knew you were screwing Ann, she knew you never tried to call off the wedding, and she knew that if she didn’t leave you’d drive her out of her mind like every girl unlucky enough to get pulled in by your bullshit. I’d say she was onto something.”

“What do you want from me, huh?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you arranged the wedding? You made it seem like you were blindsided when really you knew all along.”

“We only had so many options—and we would’ve gotten married eventually.”

“You didn’t stop it because you knew I’d be stuck with you after. And now what? You blame me for every job that you hate because you’re ‘doing it all for me?’ Is that it?”

He looked at you with a blank and disinterested expression as he fidgeted with the rings on his fingers. You waited for him to respond—he was either on the verge of blowing up or shutting down. You couldn’t tell so you decided for yourself.

“Shut down if you want.” You stood from the bed.

“I’m sorry,” He said—the apology was hardly sincere. “Happy?”

“Elated.” You tried to walk away but he stood and grabbed your arm.

“Why are you so ashamed of loving me?” He sounded genuine when he asked, though a hard edge still lingered in his tone.

“Because you treat me like shit and everyone thinks that I don’t notice,” You said. “They think I’m an idiot and completely oblivious. They think that because of you.”

“What do I do besides jump through hoops to make sure you have everything you want?”

“…You’re right.”

“What?”

“You’re right, E.”

“Don’t fucking do that.”

“What?”

He sighed in frustration, tightening his grip on your arm. You don’t think he noticed.

You played up the oblivious tone in your voice. “I’m trying to say the right thing, baby. Don’t be mad.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“…I want you to get down on your knees for me.”

You pressed your lips together ever so slightly, suppressing a smile as you watched the wheels turning behind his eyes.

He surprised you by stepping in front of you and slowly sinking onto one knee, then the other. He was always full of surprises—but that moment had to take the cake. Perhaps there was still a bit of mystery behind his sapphire gaze.

He held onto your waist as he looked up at you. “Will you forget about this conversation?”

“What conversation?”

A smile cracked his stoic face, and he scoffed. “You’re insufferable.”

You ran your fingers through his hair. “Say you’re sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Do you blame me?”

“I don’t blame you for anything.”

You bit the inside of your lip, contemplating. “I guess I believe you.”

His eyes threatened to roll. “I’m glad.”

“You might as well show me how sorry you are while you’re down there.”

“I thought you’d never mention it.”

He wrapped his arms around your waist and stood, throwing you onto the bed. You laughed in shock as he kissed your neck. You pushed his shoulders until he moved down between your legs again.

He bunched your skirt at your navel, removing your underwear in one swift motion. His mouth was on you instantly and you keened into his touch. You held out for as long as you could tolerate before rushing him along.

He tutted in disapproval. “When did you turn into such a greedy little thing?”

You set your pride aside and begged him to enter you. He could only deny you for long.

He couldn’t help himself anymore than you could.

He removed his shirt, impatiently murdering a few buttons on his quest to get inside of you. He fit you like a missing piece—connected with you from the inside in a way that no other person could.

You writhed beneath him, pressing your hands against his stomach.

He took hold of the bottom of your face and forced you to look him in the eye as he reached that spot that made your toes curl.

You whimpered wantonly as he pried your lips apart and breathed your humid breath. Your vision started to blur with tears and the pressure in the pit of your stomach built. You wrapped your legs around his waist, forcing him deeper as your orgasm neared.

Elvis groaned. “Don’t—fuck, I’m gonna come inside you.”

“I want you to.”

His hips stuttered and you felt the warmth of his release soon after. His voice cracked when he moaned—uncharacteristically so but in a way that made you smile and pull him closer.

You slipped a hand between his body and yours, finishing yourself off as he continued thrusting into you shallowly. He buried his face in the crook of your neck and shifted onto his side—still seated inside of you.

“I love you,” He heaved, kissing your neck.

“I love you,” You responded. “I love you too much.”

He sighed, seemingly satisfied. “You’re evil, making me come inside you like that.”

You laughed shortly, still in the fuzzy part of your post orgasmic haze. “You loved it.”

“You won’t leave me,” He muttered against your skin. “Promise you won’t leave.”

“How could I leave you? Everything that matters to me is with you.��

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

“Say it.”

“Everything that matters to me is with you.”

[myseungsunglove]

Don’t Mess with a Good Thing | Hjs

Pairing: Jisung x Reader

Warnings: All the fluff

Word Count: 2.8k

Summary: You’ve loved your best friend Han Jisung for as long as you can remember. Really there has only ever been him, but neither of you have ever owned up to it. Until one morning when everything changes.

A/N: I adapted this fic from many years ago when I used to write very regularly. Hope it works okay and that you enjoy it as much as I do.

◠ ◡ ◠᭚ιαᵕ̈

Feedback Welcome

「© July 31, 2023 by mysweethannie」

You sat on the balcony of the condo you shared with Jisung, Changbin, Chan, and Hyunjin watching the sun rise. Han Jisung had been your best friend since you were fourteen. The last nine years had been some of the best times of your life as well as some of the most trying and confusing.

When you first moved to Seoul to train at JYP, you didn’t really know anyone. At least not anyone training. Your family had moved away from South Korea to the States when you were five. You’d spent most of your formal school years there but always went to Seoul to visit grandparents. You spent every summer in Seoul and every summer your grandparents made sure your music lessons were always a priority and continued while you were with them.

Fast forward and it was 2014. You impulsively auditioned for JYP over the summer and got accepted into the training program. The entire trajectory of your life shifted in that moment. On the first day of training, you met Han Jisung. Somehow, over the course of the next three years you’d find yourself friends with Jisung, Chan, and Changbin, helping them produce music and lyrics for songs as you all trained together at JYP. It got even crazier when JYP himself allowed Chan to form a group of self selected members for trial debut and Chan pulled the biggest surprise on JYP he could have managed. He picked you along with 8 other guys. 1 girl, 9 guys. It was something JYP had never even thought to try. He made it pretty clear from the beginning he thought it’d never work when he decided to allow your group to compete on the Survival Show Stray Kids. He even eliminated members from your tight knit group in effort to derail your hopes of debuting as a unit, but you were dumbfounded that you were never in danger. When Minho and Felix had both been eliminated, you’d all been floored. Devastated. When they came back in the end, it was like you were whole again and gave one of the best performances of the show with all of you together. The rest was history. you’d all go on to debut as Stray Kids in 2018. During all of that, 3Racha1 was a constant and important pillar in your life. They had added the one to 3Racha when it was clear that you were an extremely important part of their unit and they wanted to move forward with you, whatever the cost may be. And of course the other members of what would become known as Stray Kids became like family as Chan intently and purposefully picked each one.

Han Jisung was the best friend you had ever had, though. You shared things with him that you wouldn’t dare tell another living, breathing soul. You were fairly certain that door swung both ways. You knew secrets about Jisung that you didn’t think any of the boys knew about him. That only seemed to strengthen your relationship and bond with Jisung. He was the most important person in your life. You lived with the boys so that you weren’t excluded from bonding with the group simply for being a girl. It worked out better than anyone really could have expected. When the one dorm was just too cramped for the nine of you after four years and it was time to split into two groups, the natural order suggested that 3Racha1 stay together. You guys would drag poor Hyunjin along for the ride, but you knew he secretly loved the chaos. Deep down. Maybe way deep down but it was there.

You sighed contentedly as you sipped your coffee, reminiscing about the last nine years and how the hell you had gotten to where you were in 2023, two days shy of leaving for fucking Paris to headline at Lollapalloza. It really all felt like a dream, but with the boys and especially Jisung by your side, you know it was all worth it.

You realized that you were in love with Jisung about a year and a half ago while prepping for the Oddinary comeback . You were always stubborn about admitting your feelings and letting yourself actually feel. If truth were to be told, you’d probably been in love with him most of your friendship. Who could blame you, really. The two of you acted like a married couple. You did everything that couples did short of making out and making love. Some days you desperately longed for that element of your relationship to blossom, but you were never sure if Jisung saw you as more than a friend or not. So you kept it strictly platonic. Ish.

He took you out on surprise date nights to quite corners where no one could find or bother you, you cuddled up together in bed and watched anime and Kdramas for hours on end on your days off hiding away from the world. He’d occasionally make you breakfast in bed which was always entertaining because he wasn’t the best cook, but he still liked to spoil you all the same. He’d often surprise you with plane tickets home when you had longer hiatuses, always insisting that he come along too. All of your friends at home would joke with him about when he was going to get you a ring and make it official. He’d laugh and say that you would never see it coming, winking at you as he pulled you into his side right where you belonged. It was the running joke every time you brought him home with you.

You weren’t really sure you were ever going to get the chance to tell him how you felt. You worried about the dynamics of the group and the viability of 3Racha1 if he didn’t return your feelings. Your mom always told you, “Don’t mess with a good thing, Y/N.” And who were you to screw up nine years of friendship? You cared about Jisung too much.

You took another sip of your coffee, pulling it close to you for warmth. A smile broke out across your face as the sun peeked out over the horizon. The warm golden yellow filled the air suddenly, taking your breath away.

“Beautiful,” Jisung said from the door behind you.

“It is, isn’t it?” you replied, turning and expecting to see him looking out at the gorgeous sunrise. Instead, his eyes were trained on you. He smiled at you as you cocked an eyebrow at him suspiciously. “What are you up to, Han Jisung?”

“I’ve been thinking,” he started, but you cut him off.

“Uh oh. Stop the press. Ji is thinking. We’re all in trouble!” you laughed as he sat down beside you.

“Seriously,” he chuckled, stealing your coffee from your hands and setting it on the coffee table, but not before taking a long drink from your cup and sighing contentedly.

“Hey! If I don’t drink that, I’ll be falling asleep on any surface I set foot on in the studio this morning. Give it back,” you whined, jutting your bottom lip out in a pout.

“God, I love you,” Jisung laughed, pulling you close into the crook of his side, right where you belonged.

“Damn straight you do,” you giggled as you wrapped your arms around his waist and snuggled into him, your face pressing close to his neck, your head resting gently on his broad shoulder. The air suddenly felt a little chilly and you burrowed closer to him, thankful that, for such a small person, he radiated heat like the sun.

Jisung kissed your temple, lingering longer than usual, inhaling deeply. You sighed. You really could stay like this forever. He spoke aloud what you were thinking.

“I could stay here just like this forever,” he said, pulling you closer, the tips of his fingers ghosting your skin where your shirt was riding up slightly. You shivered in response and his fingers dug into your bare skin lightly. “Only one thing would make it better,” he mumbled.

You placed your hand on his chest and pushed yourself up, so that you could look into his beautiful brown eyes.

“What could possibly make this better, dude?” you glared, pretending to be insulted that you weren’t enough to make the moment perfect. In truth, you were a little disappointed.

“This,” Jisung answered, his free hand landing on the base of your neck, pulling your lips to his. A jolt of electricity shot through you. You had only dreamt of this moment. Was this a dream?

His lips moved against yours with reverence, his tongue swiping over your bottom lip and daring into your mouth.

You pulled away, breathless. “Ji,” you whispered, your fingers running along the base of his hairline, the muscles in his neck responding to your touch.

He reached for his pocket, pulling something small from it. “That and this,” he said with a smile, holding the most beautiful ring you had ever seen.

You were speechless. Tears pooled in your eyes as you tried to process what was happening. Jisung spoke before you could form a sentence.

“I love you. You’re my best friend. I tell you everything. You are the person I spend 99% of my time thinking about. I think about how I can make you laugh. How I can make you smile. God, I think about what your lips would feel like against mine and damn if I wasn’t right. I’m cursing myself for not acting sooner,” he said, kissing you deeply once more. The connection was real and intense and you’d never felt anything like it before. The way his lips moved against yours, it’s like they were meant to be yours and yours alone.

He pulled away hesitantly, you chasing after his now kiss swollen lips. He chuckled softly.

“I think about how I’ve been madly in love with you for years, and how I think you love me too. I think about how you are the person I want to come home to everyday for the rest of my life. I think about what it would be like to make love to you, and I lose my mind. You make me lose my mind in the best way possible. That’s when I realized I wanted you to be my wife. What we have right now is a thousand times better than most couples I know, and we aren’t even dating. We’re better. I finally figured out the only thing we were missing was you having my last name and me knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are mine and I am yours. From the moment I met you, I knew there wouldn’t be anyone else baby,” Jisung finished, smiling at you, wiping away the tears that were steadily falling down your cheeks.

“Ji,” you whispered, pulling his lips to yours with passion. Once you were both rendered breathless again, Jisung pulled away hesitantly, not wanting to let you go now that he really had you for the first time.

“Y/N, will you marry me? I know we’re skipping a few steps and the boys will have to adjust, but this couldn’t feel more right,” he said, taking your hand and holding the ring in his other hand, looking at you like you held his entire world in your answer. In truth, the guys all treated you like you were together anyway. This wouldn’t really change anything except making it official. Sure you’d have hoops to jump through with the company, but you knew Chan would help you guys navigate those waters. Since he was like a big brother to you and Jisung, he was more than aware of your feelings for each other, both of you having confided in him over the years.

“Jisung, I love you. Yes. I’ll marry you. It’s always been you. It will always be you,” you said through tears as he slid the perfect ring onto your finger. You were marrying your best friend. The love of your life all without the pressures of dating.

“I told you you’d never see it coming,” Jisung smiled, kissing your temple.

“I always thought you were joking,” you grinned, beaming from ear to ear.

“I’m glad. If you thought that I was serious it would have ruined my plan. I could not have been more serious, baby.”

“My family is gonna to be shocked,” you laughed, staring at the ring as it sparkled in the morning light.

“I don’t think so,” Jisung smiled. “They saw the way I looked at you when you weren’t looking. Your dad told me the last time we were there that I better take good care of you. That he knew where to find me. Said he would be proud to have a son like me. Someone who loved his daughter so unconditionally,” Han confessed.

Your hand flew to your mouth. “He didn’t,” you gasped with a giggle.

“He did, but Y/N he couldn’t have been more right. I had the ring then. I’ve had it for almost a year,” Jisung revealed.

“Wow,” you managed as Jisung’s lips fell on yours again, his hand roaming your sides hungrily, slowly pushing the fabric of your night shirt up. His lips traveled down your neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. The way his touch set you on fire only served to confirm that being with him was always meant to be. You were on a collision course to this moment and neither of you had known.

Jisung was your best friend. Now fiance. You couldn’t wait to call him your husband, you thought as his lips traveled your body, showing you just how much he loved every inch of you.

“Is it done?” A chorus of voices rang out onto the patio, startling you and Jisung apart.

“Oh god!” Hyunjin cried when he saw Jisung’s hand up your shirt, laying across you on the bench.

“My eyes!” Chan mocked, covering his eyes.

“I think it’s done,” Changbin laughed.

You sat up, straightening your clothes and easing a very reluctant Han off of you as he settled down by your side.

“You’re looking at the future Mrs. Han Jisung,” he boasted, his hand holding yours as he showed the boys your ring.

“Bout fucking time,” Chan laughed which made all of you laugh in turn. “We should all get moving along. I’m pretty sure the early bird house is probably all already ready for the celebration breakfast. They actually sleep at night, unlike us,” he chortled with a yawn.

“Celebration breakfast?” you questioned, looking at Jisung. “Did everyone know about this?”

He smiled mischievously. “Maybe,” he admitted.

Your mouth dropped open in shock. “How did Jeongin not spill the beans?” You laughed. “Hell, how did you all keep this locked down so long?”

“Chan, Minho, and Seungmin are the only ones that have known longer than a week,” Jisung laughed. “The rest of these knuckleheads couldn’t have been trusted to keep their mouths shut.” He glanced at Hyunjin.

“Hey! I resent that,” Hyunjin pouted.

“You know he’s right,” Changbin laughed, clapping Hyunjin on the back.

You smiled fondly at them, leaning in to kiss Han once more. His hand came to rest on your cheek as he pressed closer to you once more.

“Alrighty,” Chan said, clapping his hands together and walking back inside, dragging the other two with him. “Don’t get too handsy, you two. We should probably leave within the hour before Minho shows up at our doorstep,” he warned with a chuckle.

“Shit,” you mumbled against Jisung’s mouth. “Can’t have that. Between him and Seungmin, we will never hear the end of being late even if this is all about us,” you laughed.

Jisung tossed his head back, a belly laugh emitting from him at the thought.

“You’re so right. Better get moving,” he agreed, jumping up and offering you his hand, the most beautiful smile on his face. You took it, the stupidest, happiest smile plastered on your own. He pulled you close, kissing you slowly once more. “Damn,” he sighed. “Why haven’t we been doing this all along? I’m never gonna get enough of you,” he admitted with a low growl against your lips.

“I’m all yours, Han Jisung. Tonight I’ll show you just what that means,” you promised, running your hand along his chest as you walked past him back into the house, heading for the shower.

“Fuck,” he whispered, watching you walk away, daring a glance back at him with a wink. “How about you show me now,” he teased, chasing after you which caused you to take off toward the bathroom. You reached it before he could catch you and closing the door and locking it behind you. “Sorry, babe. Guess you’ll have to wait,” you teased. You heard him sigh and moan, slumping against the door momentarily.

“Just you wait, y/n,” he warned. “Just you wait,” he repeated as he trudged down the hall to his own room to get ready.

You leaned against the door with a happy sigh. You couldn’t believe how much your life had changed in the last hour and you couldn’t be more excited for the changes it meant for the future. You were engaged to Han Jisung. You were the luckiest girl in the world.

[livinggeekchic]

I’ve been thinking a lot more about Harvey on my most recent reread of Purple Hyacinth. He is set up as this kind of bumbling but good-natured kid, whose death hits us hard—only for us to later find out that he was a spy for the Phantom Scythe all along. And we, like Lauren, feel betrayed.

But we are given clues that everything is not as it seems. To start, Bella tells Kieran that Harvey was eliminated because he wasn’t useful.

That got me thinking about this set of panels. March and Hermann are having a conversation about Lune. This is surely information that the leader would be interested in hearing about. Harvey is in the perfect position to listen in, walking by with a stack of papers. But instead, he hightails it out of there. If you zoom in, you can see the “spinning” of his feet, he’s booking it so fast out of there.

So while he was a spy, he either wasn’t a very good one, or he didn’t really want to be one. We also see Harvey mentioning that he has to do his best for his grandpa--is it possible that his grandfather needs money, and that's why he's doing it? This is just one possibility of many. Kieran says as much to Lauren, after she tells him that Harvey was a mole. Kieran knows there are many reasons someone might join the Phantom Scythe, but Lauren is still thinking in black and white--right and wrong. While it makes sense that Lauren feels betrayed, she's failing to grasp the nuance of the situation.

Nothing showcases this better than Harvey’s funeral. We see Harvey’s grandfather violently sobbing, obviously devastated. He says “you didn’t need to try so hard.” (Another indicator that Harvey was likely making choices for his grandfather’s benefit.)

And how does Lauren react? Her expression here doesn’t look like one of sympathy, or even pity. She looks shocked and almost affronted. She’s so consumed by her hatred of the Phantom Scythe, for what happened at Allendale, that she can’t even see Harvey as a person. She can stand by and watch his close family member grieve, and all she thinks is, “they don’t know what I know.” But regardless of what misdeeds Harvey committed, he was still loved. He still deserves to be mourned.

She calls him a traitor. She’s almost disgusted by the fact that everyone is mourning him. But was he really a traitor? How much information did he actually give the Scythe? He was "useless" after all. Even if he did help the Scythe stall the APD's investigations, we know he wasn't this inherently evil character. He was genuinely concerned for his coworkers' safety. Lauren tells us that he never lied or showed any signs of being part of the PS. She sees this as evidence that she was blind to the truth, but I think she's actually blind to the fact that not everyone in the PS is "the enemy." Their motivations can be complicated.

In S1, Lauren views Kieran similarly. He’s an assassin, and therefore, he is reprehensible. She can’t understand why it's so important to him that he kills only when ordered or when it's the only solution. She doesn't really attempt to unearth his reasoning for wanting to take down the leader, beyond asking about it just once. She is inflexible, and rigid in her thinking: good people don't work for the Phantom Scythe. But of course, we come to see that it's more complicated than that.

A lot happens in S2 that helps open her eyes to this, which I won’t go into now. But I will leave you with a quote from Kieran in episode 93: “all these years within this wretched organization have taught me…it’s not a monolith. Not everyone agrees nor is aware of what is truly going on.”

Perhaps Harvey truly didn’t know the half of it. Maybe he was given a chance to provide for his grandfather and took it. Maybe he was told that the Scythe was helping the poor, and he related to that struggle. Maybe he was told they would only use the info he gave them to protect themselves from the APD, and wouldn't ever go on the offense. Ultimately, we don’t know. But what I do know is that if Harvey was outed as a spy in S3, I think Lauren would try harder to understand.

[nikethestatue]

How do you think all the characters would react if Elain died? (I hope it never happens)

Nesta--complete, utter emotional devastation. Yes, she will eventually get over it, but she'll never be the same.

Feyre--emptiness. Like missing a limb, forever. Loneliness. The world that she knew would be forever gone.

Cassian--another loss of a family member. Loss of a sense of home. Realizing that what he took for granted--the food, the laughter, the sense of comfort and cosiness--were gone forever, because the person who created those sensations was gone.

Mor--sadness. Like losing Rhys's sister again. Watching how destructive the death is on everyone she knows and loves.

Amren--upset about the loss of a Made person in the IC. Wonders what powers haven't been utilized while Elain was alive. A surprising person that would prop others and who'd take a lot of the burdens and responsibilities while the family was grieving.

Rhys--extreme sense of grief, which would surprise him. He thought he was grieving a sister-in-law and Feyre's sister. A family member. Instead, he was grieving a friend, a sisterly figure, who made his life surprisingly full and light. Probably guilt as well. Even if nothing was his fault, he'd feel guilty.

Lucien--emptiness. Much like Feyre, he'd feel a gaping hole, and a constant sense of 'what if' and 'what could've been'.

Azriel--death. I don't see him needing to continue living. I don't think he'd have any desire to continue without her.

[verdemoun]

SO IN THE NOT-CANON TIMEWARP EVENT WHERE SEAN DIES I KNOW WEV SPOKEN ABOUT LENNY AND KAREN BUT HOW DOES ARTHUR BESSIE AND HOSEA COPE??

I WAS WAITING FOR THE PERFECT MOOD TO WRITE THIS I'M SORRY

Shockingly terribly!!

God, Hosea! Hosea, seeing Sean buried a second time, but having gotten to know him, to have understood him and watched him grow from the manchild he was to doting husband and father while keeping the spark of the person he was inside!! To see a boy, one of his boys, die before his old, haggard self when they should have had so much more life ahead!! the devastation!

Bessie, not only devastated to lose one of her sons, but seeing the destruction of the 1899 gang over it. How much Sean's death impacted them the first time, and how much all that horrible ugly grief they hadn't been allowed to feel then spills over into their mourning now!!

Arthur, miserable Arthur, who has replayed the events of 1899 in his mind over and over so many times and still feels deep in his gut that the moment he saw sean die was the moment he knew things had changed and their time was over and the noose closing in. sean's death again a grim reminder, as comfortable as they had been in modern era, death is still imminent and impending as it was in 1899.

Maeve was old enough to understand what they meant when they said da wasn't coming home but young enough to not believe it was real! That means the whole gang was there. Only Mac, Davey and Jenny, members of the gang spared from burying him again.

Kieran, who saw Sean die as he only begun to find tolerance in the gang, only to be taken under Sean's wing in modern era! Bill, blaming himself for Sean's death in canon era only to outlive him again! Javier burying another of his family. John, who saw Arthur beginning to have the same bond he had with a younger John with Sean only to lose him. Dutch, who didn't want to think about that right now and never let himself think about what Sean's death symbolised! Charles, burying him again in the ever expanding list of people he's buried. No one escaped Sean's second death.

[twostepstyless]

Stuffing the Turkey

Fic Advent Calendar Day 15

Advent Calendar Masterlist

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Authors Note: Harry and Y/N host an annual friendsmas but there's one guest missing this year and Y/N is already stressing about hosting Christmas Day for their families this year.

As always, reblogs, likes and feedback of any variety is always encouraged and forever appreciated - G <3

Word Count: 2.3k

SFW

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The saying goes, ‘if you can’t take the heat then get out of the kitchen,’ but that can be hard to do when you’re supposed to be in the kitchen preparing a meal for what was supposed to be eleven people, but Harry just dropped the bomb that it was actually going to be twelve people. He decided to tell her that this morning, not last week when he found about the additional person, who was apparently his mate Johnny’s new girlfriend. What is it with men and not seeing any rush in passing on information? Harry and Y/N were one wrong look or one more reproachful comment away from a full-blown argument at this point. 'Friendsmas' started on their second Christmas as a couple. Members of their individual friend group had met and gotten along extraordinarily well over the 18 months or so they had been together at the time and so came the idea to host a Christmas dinner and bring all their friends together for an evening and the tradition stuck. 

This was the fifth year of Friendsmas. The cast of visitors rotated year to year, additional people brought in from making friends while working, friends from elsewhere who happened to be passing through London before Christmas, some people skipped a year for other commitments, some friends from their hometowns who came down for the event especially. No matter who was coming, they usually had a house full of people. Regular attendees included Mitch and Sarah who spent some time in the U.K. with her family before Christmas so always popped in for the free meal, and to see Harry in his frilly apron. Y/N’s childhood best friend, Audrey, also attended every single year. Well, apart from this year, she told Y/N a few weeks ago that she had a work deadline and unavoidable meeting the day of the dinner and to say that Y/N was devastated was an understatement. Y/N wouldn’t even be travelling to her hometown over Christmas this year, so she didn’t know when she’d get to see Audrey next. Her missing Audrey didn’t disguise how fuming she was at Harry though. 

“I don’t even know if we have enough to feed an extra person,” Y/N sighed, exasperated. 

“Don’t start with that, y’know we have more than enough, we’re usually eating leftovers until Christmas,” Harry shot back while stirring the soup they had simmering away on the stove top, “Christ, y’could’ve chopped the veg a little smaller, love, it’s taking ages to soften,” Harry said, he thought innocently but it sounded as if he was criticising her work, while peering into the bubbling pot. 

Y/N’s head snapped round to glare at the back of his head, “I’d have liked to have even seen you pick up a knife to chop the veg, love.”

“Eh, excuse me, I sorted out all the main course options, did I not?” Harry abandoned the simmering soup to turn around, looking comical with his hands on his hips clad in his red gingham apron that was decorated with frills and ruffles. 

“Oh please, you took everything out the packaging and stuck it in the oven and the slow cooker,” Y/N rolled her eyes, going back to her task of slicing carrots and parsnips to go with the main course. 

“I had my hand up that turkey’s arsehole, stuffing it for you because it makes you feel sick, I don’t even eat turkey and I still done it, so don’t give me that,” Harry retorted, he watched her back as he saw her head bow down and heard a sigh escape her lips, “want t’tell me the real reason you’re all grumpy, hm?” 

“M’not grumpy,” Y/N turned in her seat to look at him, sounding very grumpy. He walked over to where she was sat preparing the vegetables at the table in the kitchen and he perched on the edge of the table.

“Sure, you’re not,” he said sarcastically, before his tone softened when he saw her expression, she looked weary, for lack of a better word. “Hey, c’mon pretty, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just stressed about the dinner,” Y/N muttered, dropping the paring knife she was using onto the cutting board and began playing with a loose thread on her jumper, avoiding his gaze, embarrassed she had been quite rude to him. 

“Why? This is not our first rodeo with having everyone round for this dinner, we’ve been doing it five years now, I think we’ve got it down to a fine art by now,” Harry looked bemused, they really did have a good system going for preparing for tonight, but one thing after another seemed to irritate each other and cause things to go wrong. 

“It’s not this dinner I’m stressed about,” she whispered. 

Harry placed his hand under chin and moved her head, so she was finally looking at him, “explain please,” he gently coaxed. 

“Christmas Day dinner,” Y/N stated, as Harry’s eyes searched hers, “it’s just we’re having both our families here for the first time for Christmas day and I know we usually help out if we’re at m’parents or your mums, but we’re doing everything this year, and tonight jus’ feels like a practice run and we keep arguing and making mistakes and what if we ruin everyone’s Christmas and I don’t want us to fight on Christmas either,” Y/N spilled out, chin quivering with emotion as her lips settled in a downturned expression. 

“Okay, first of all,” Harry said as he crouched down in front of her, so he was perched just under her eyeline, as he held onto her clasped hands that were sat in her lap, “we’re not arguing, have we said some comments that have annoyed the other? Yeah, but m’not angry or upset with you and we’re not going to argue on Christmas either,” Harry said with a sort of finality in his voice, as Y/N nodded, she knew it was just her mind racing away on her that was causing all these thoughts. “Secondly, nothing has went wrong today, we’ve went a long way for a short cut, but nearly everything is prepped, it’s just the case of putting it in the oven at the right time, isn’t it?” his thumbs rubbed slow circles onto her hands. 

“Yeah,” Y/N looked around their busy kitchen, as much as they had had their moments today, Harry was right, everything was ready, just about, Y/N was in the process of finishing up the vegetables and everything they could have done was finished. 

“Right see, we’ve got it down to an art, and on Christmas Day, we’re just going to do an exact repeat of what we did today, it’ll all be muscle memory,” he reassured her before a grin took over his face, “and it’s our family. D’you really think they’d sit by and let us do everything, my mum will have her hand up that turkey before she’s even taken her coat off,” Harry laughed. 

“I’m being mental, aren’t I?” Y/N asked.

“Not mental, y’just care about making it perfect for everyone,” he smiled, pressing up on his feet to give her a soft kiss she happily returned, “an’ m’sorry for not telling you about us having an extra guest until this morning, I just didn’t think.” 

“No, you’re right, we always have a tonne of extra food, we could have four extra people show up and still have leftovers, think I just woke up stressed and took it out on you, I’m sorry,” she broke one of her hands free to run it through his hair that he had left loose and wild on top of his head, “and thank you,” she trailed off. 

“S’okay, m’heart,” he forgave her, “why are y’saying thank you?” he quizzed. 

“Thank you for sticking your hand up the turkey to stuff it ‘cause y’know it makes me feel gross, even though I accused you of not doing anything,” she smiled softly. 

“I’d stick my hand up a hundred turkeys if you needed me too,” Harry chuckled, “now why don’t y’go get washed up and changed for people coming, I’ll finish these up,” he nodded to the half-prepared tray of vegetables.

“Are you sure?” 

“Absolutely, go get even prettier, though I’m still not sure that’s physically possible,” Harry flirted before pulling her to her feet and sending her on her way out of the kitchen with a pat to her bum. 

*** 

The dining table was lit by the soft light of the dinner candles that were in the centre of the table and decorated other surfaces around the room, the glow making the glassware sparkle and cutlery gleam in the light. The couple had gotten their posh crockery, cutlery, and glassware out for their soiree, and had the table decorated with heavy cloths, ornate napkin rings and a Christmas cracker placed at every setting. The room was buzzing with chatter and laughter, as they all shared a drink before their meal, taking the time to catch up with all their guests. There was still one seat empty though, Johnny’s new girlfriends place. Y/N thought it was strange that he showed up without her but no one else seemed to voice it, so she paid it no mind. Harry had donned his frilly apron again, this time over his cream suit he wore for the evening, rather than the ratty t-shirt and sweatpants look he wore earlier. He was popping in and out the room as he made sure everything was coming along for their first course as he forced Y/N to sit down and have a glass of wine with everyone before she got up to help him. As she was hearing a story from one of Harry’s friends from home about their staff Christmas night out where the boss got so drunk, they had to send a companywide apology email the next morning, the doorbell rang. 

“Y/N/N, can you get the door, love, I’m just starting to plate up,” Harry called through from the kitchen. 

“Got it! Johnny, it must be your missus, y’want to come get the door?” Y/N asked leaning over the table to catch his attention. 

“No, it’s okay Y/N, I’ll be here,” Johnny said, there was a hint of something strange in his tone and in the expression on his fence as Y/N looked confused before leaving the room to get the door when the bell rang again. 

“Weird,” she muttered under her breath before her hand grasped the door handle and twisted, opening the heavy, wooden door. 

There was a woman, her back turned to Y/N, she had a thick, woollen, pink coat on, and her hair fell down her back. Very familiar hair at that, “hi, welcome, come on i-” Y/N cut herself off as the woman turned round. “Audrey?” Y/N gasped, as her best friend twisted round to face her with a grin so wide that it could split the sky in two graced her face. 

“The one and only, in the flesh. Hiya babes,” Audrey held her arms out to her sides as if to present herself before Y/N flung herself out the front door into her friends awaiting embrace. 

“What in the fuck are you doing here?” Y/N squealed, bouncing the two women up and down as she kept her grip around her friend’s middle. She broke away, eyeing her friend with the same earth-shattering smile. 

“Ask y’fella,” Audrey nodded behind Y/N as Y/N unlatched herself from Audrey to turn round to see Harry leaning against the open doorway, arms crossed, tea towel slung over his shoulder, a fond smile on his face, that made his dimple appear, etched onto his face as he watched the two friends reunite. “I genuinely wasn’t going to make it, Harry called me last week to double check, but he phoned about two minutes after I got an email saying the meeting was cancelled and the deadline pushed to the new year. Mr. Man over there snapped his fingers and here I am, and I’m bloody starving, hope you’ve got enough,” Audrey said, sarcastic in her last sentence, knowing they always made far too much. 

“Look at you two scheming behind m’back,” Y/N’s eyes flitted between Audrey and Harry as she led Audrey into the house, taking her coat off her to put away. 

“Happy I didn’t tell you about our extra guest, now?” Harry whispered in Y/N’s ear as Audrey knelt to pet Harry and Y/N’s dog, Vinnie, who was loving all the extra attention from the guests in their home, he had only just removed himself from lying under the dining table so he could meet the new visitor at the door. 

“Best surprise,” Y/N reached up to kiss his lips briefly, “thank you, that’s you got all the brownie points today, got m’best friend here and had your hand up the turkey’s arsehole, y’like Prince Charming,” she giggled against his lips before kissing him again. 

“Shall we get this thing going, first course is ready, m’love,” Harry broke away as he began to walk back to the kitchen with her following to help him. 

“Let’s do it,” Y/N said confidently, “Audrey, go take a seat, y’next to me and H,” she smiled at her friend before pausing, “wait, y’not actually Harry’s mate Johnny’s missus, are you?”

“Never even met the fella, but by the end of the night and a few glasses of the good stuff,” she raised the glass of wine Harry had given her up to Y/N as she stood in the doorway of the dining room, “who knows?” she shrugged with a wink before disappearing into the rabble of their friends that filled their dining room as their laughter filled the room and coloured their home with joy. 

———

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[ohemgeeejay]

Ok this is the last time that I personally am gonna ramble about The Umbrella Academy today. Much of this season was disappointing, the last 2 episodes in particular were very unsatisfactory. So I have to get my thoughts out in a (mostly) coherent way.

Spoilers under the cut <3

I have many critiques of season 4. I know we all do. I’m just really, especially devastated about the absolute bullshit that was Five and Lila’s relationship this season.

There was no reason for that. I truly believe it was the worst decision they could have made for those two characters. It was so inaccurate to the morality and personality that had already been established for each of them. Not to mention the fact that neither Five nor Lila would ever willingly do something that they know for a fact would hurt Diego so much, and risk tearing apart their entire family. I always thought of Five and Lila as best friends, people who are truly able to understand each other because they’ve both been through the same bullshit with the Handler and the Commission. They did not have the romantic chemistry for that sub plot to feel natural. Their romance felt forced. The trauma of being trapped in that subway, jumping between timelines, never able to get home, for SEVEN YEARS is drama enough on its own! There was no need for a cheating scandal.

That romantic relationship between Five and Lila was so bad. It was bad for the plot and it was bad for the characters. And what makes it even worse is that nothing came of it at all! Diego finds out, and then he has to accept never seeing his kids again, never seeing his family again, and being erased from existence completely. He got no real closure.

Also, the fact that not a single member of the Hargreeves family got an actual happy ending? Like, yes, they died together, loved by each other despite how immensely fucked up their lives and the world is. However, nobody got to be fulfilled in their lives. Which, I guess is realistic— but when has this show cared for being realistic?

On one hand, I do think that sort of ultimate sacrifice ending was ideal, but on the other, I believe it was poorly executed. It was a beautiful action, very emotional, but there was no feeling of gratification watching it. It was just upsetting; it felt like a cop out. I don’t think the writers gave it enough time to have the proper emotional build up it needed for the impact they wanted.

I will say though, there were things in this season that I did enjoy. I really loved the relationship that Klaus had built with Claire, and the family dynamic that existed between those two and Allison. It was really sweet the way that they all loved and cared for each other so much. Also, as someone who comes from a very unconventional family structure, I always find it nice to see that sort of thing on screen. And as always, well ever since season 2, I adored Luther. He’s always in these fucking situations. Ben having gone to prison for Crypto scamming, and then comparing himself to ELON MUSK was also fucking hysterical to me.

In the end, I am gonna miss this show. I’ll miss the characters, the humour, and the entertainment it brought to me. I think TUA will always hold a little spot in the corner of my heart, even if this final season was not what I hoped it would be.