#i've seen this movie too many times and i'm determined to make it everyone else's problem

[gigicaldwell]

HEARTBREAKERS 2001, dir. David Mirkin

[meowmeowbilly]

Okay so.. I'm finally posting a Billy HC I've had for a long fucking time. I think he's a supernatural beacon, basically. Hear me out, okay? I think his mom was very spiritual and probably a psychic or something & I think he got that from her but it wasn't ever really explained to him. In California, it's not that big of a deal, he's seen and heard some weird shit, but it's nothing compared to Hawkins. When he moves to Hawkins he starts having nightmares, he's on edge all the time, there's something weird about that little Byers kid, and being around the woods at night makes Billy's skin crawl. He doesn't understand it, he never has. He attributes the nightmares of big scary monsters and the upside down (which he doesn't know about, to him it's just a nightmare scape in his head) to too many shitty horror movies and the fear of moving to a new place.

He continues to write all of it off until he can't anymore. He's being pulled by something into an abandoned building, when he finally gets away, he goes to call the cops, but he knows that they're going to think he's crazy, say the same things that people said about his mom. When he sees himself in some kind of vision, that's when he knows that shit's bad. Because, fuck, he's had this dream before and it always ends with everybody dead and somehow it's his fault.

He tries to stop it, the Mindflayer, the thing he's seen in his dreams since the first day of moving into Hawkins. He tries and tries, but he can't stop it, not fully. He's scared, when they trap him in the sauna, scared that the kids are going to get hurt, but he's also so fucking relieved, because fuck, maybe someone would actually believe him now and he wouldn't sound crazy. He tries to warn Max, he does. He tries to explain how scared he's been, not only of Neil, but of other monsters that he's sure nobody else can see. He knows that Max knows that he deals with fear by masking it with anger. He knows. He begs her to understand. She promises him it'll be okay. It isn't. He loses control.

There's a girl, sometimes, the same girl from the sauna, a friend of Max's, he thinks. He doesn't know how she's there, but she is. Maybe she's like his mom, like him. She brings him back to himself, he's seen how this ends, he's determined to change it. When he's face to face with that monster, he knows, finally, that he was right to be scared, that something was off about Hawkins, he wasn't wrong, everybody else can see it too. He stands up to the monsters in his life for once, he won't let his dream come true.

When he's dropping to the ground, bleeding and covered in black goo, all is well, finally, because Max is safe, her friends are safe, that's all that matters. But he's sorry, sorry for not treating her right, sorry for being angry all the time, but most of all, sorry for not warning everyone. Because even if people would've thought he was crazy, he should've at least tried to warn them. He failed in that way and so many others, but at least he managed to save everyone, at least he managed to make one thing right.

TLDR; Billy knows about the upside down because he's psychic/has a sixth sense but doesn't tell anyone because he doesn't know it's a real thing. He saves everyone because he's seen it play out before in his dreams, he has to save them.

[gothprentiss]

people keep talking about how avatar had no cultural impact which i think is largely just a result of how media production and consumption are weirdly stratified, so that the fact that most people don't think about avatar regularly somehow outweighs the way that avatar was surely a bellwether for groaningly long cgi-heavy blockbusters, but that's just a side point. the main point is that every time i see that claim i'm like fuck me i may truly be the person who experienced avatar the most.

let me explain.

avatar 1 is the movie i have seen the most in my life. not by choice but because my dad is the dad variant which is moth-to-flame obsessed with the Phenomenon Of Technology and had a lobe of his brain dedicated to wanting to see avatar before the movie was even a twinkle in james cameron's beady eye. so when it came out on dvd in the late spring of 2010, my dad rented it from the library and set about to watch it, with his family.

one relevant fact here is that i grew up without any tv access. cable, network, whatever-- i literally don't know what it is we didn't have. the library dvd rentals were my closest brush with new and ongoing media that wasn't an extremely paltry collection of disney videos and focus on the family style christian children's movies. so whatever we got from the library i was watching, 100%, regardless of how much it sucked or how impenetrable it was. this despite the fact that, second relevant fact here, i'd already seen avatar-- my best friend and i saw it in theaters in 3d and thought it was dope or whatever, we were 13, the bit where everyone's linking up their hair tentacles was kind of weird, the big cat was metal, everyone was roasting it for being a rip off of pocahontas but with big space dinosaurs. in other words, i was ready to be like, apparently, everyone else on this god damn planet who saw it once and was like yeah, sure, whatever, and moved on with their lives.

but i've already told you how this ends, which is not with me getting to be normal.

the central conflict of this already too long story is that my mother's sleep schedule adjusts whenever she's sat down in front of a tv-- something about the blue light sets her on a 30 minute sleep timer. obviously this was a problem for a 2.5 hour movie. over the course of a week we managed to wrangle her sleep timer so that she made it about 45 minutes to an hour, before she'd promptly fall asleep and snore at a decibel level that implied conscious maliciousness.

my dad was undaunted! we rewatched the beginning over and over, i'd say about ten times over two weeks, until finally we just gave up on her and powered through the whole thing.

now, you might be saying, that's not that many times, i've watched my favorite movie well over ten times, maybe you just lack commitment to film, and i am so glad to tell you this story does not end here. my mother was also undaunted! and my dad had hyped up the movie to such an extent-- recall, again, he's a technology dad, and this was also a welcome and blessed break in the middle of a deeply cursed phase where he listened to french electronica and LMFAO for months on end-- that she was just as determined to see it to its close as he'd been.

so we resumed our lurching progress through the movie, again kneecapped by my mother's sleep schedule. my father and i had gotten out of the human colonies on pandora into the cgi marvels of na'vi land, but we were grounded again. i had suggested, back in the aught watchcount, that we could simply make note of where we'd stopped watching and resume there the next night, but my dad's avatar hype train had a weird purism car and he insisted that the True Experience was watching it beginning to end. i considered abandoning ship at this point, but i wasn't allowed to close my door and my parents watch movies at astounding volumes, so it wasn't like i was going to not be experiencing the movie.

this went on for weeks. i believe the library charged $2/day for new movie rentals, and capped their rentals at a week, no doubt in an effort to disincentivize this precise kind of rat brained behavior. but freezing my dad's library account until he returned the dvd wasn't going to have any meaningful impact: there was no space to want other dvds or books during the great avatar consumption. i believe we genuinely had the dvd out for a whole month, and during that time had it on every night that my parents weren't working late. if you remember the post about the kid who could just close their eyes and "play shrek" because they'd seen it so much, there was a period of my middle school life where i could do that with the first half to two thirds of avatar. the bit where sigourney weaver goes "hey marine, catch!" to jake sully is actually embedded in my mind because it was typically when my mother's deviated septum kicked up a fuss.

this isn't a great story, you know, it's just something that happened. i think we genuinely watched avatar, at least the first half, over twenty times, but it never occurred to me to keep count. long-term, somehow this month-long avatar fugue state didn't work as some sort of contemporary variation on the clockwork orange ludovico technique. my dad went back to tecktonik, my mother's sleep schedule regularized, and we finally could use the library again. i'd nearly forgotten about it (the Avatar Effect) until we started getting news stories about the sequels a couple of years ago, which i naturally sent to my dad. it turns out he does not remember his brief and consuming obsession with avatar, and thought i was just a fan of the movie. he is going through life without the weird sensation of being kicked in the brain by every avatar fact he encounters, such as the fact that the giant avatar shaman animatronic at disneyworld is the most expensive animatronic they've ever done and is yet another Feat of Technology, or how na'vi is an actual created language, or how there are FOUR avatar sequels slated, ensuring that the 2020s will be marked by the consistent presence of james cameron's giant blue space kitty movie and ever-evolving heights of discourse. his memory of 2010 is smooth and serene and unmarked by the single greatest film incident of my entire life.

[beepboop358]

How Time Moves in the Upside Down

I've had this theory for awhile now but with all the increasing clock imagery in promos and since we know time is going to be a big theme in s4, I think it might finally be discussed**

I think the time theme in s4 could have 2 components:

The time theme will probably mainly be about the clocks representing memories and the characters will experience "time travel flashbacks", where they are essentially transported back to the time of the memory through the powers of the void/upside down.

** I think Time moves faster in the upside down, than it does in our dimension.

In s2, right before Will sees the shadow monster/mindflayer outside his front door, the camera pans over some things in his house.

The dining room, a dripping water faucet, and then a zoom in on the drips (water has significant in the show relating to the upside down/El's powers-maybe Will's too), and a clock, which is ticking abnormally fast.

Here's the clip: (sorry for the terrible quality I had to record my laptop screen with my phone because Netflix doesn't let you screen record)

When the front door of his house opens, Will sees a storm in the upside down. The camera focuses in on the goosebumps on the back of Will's neck, and he always gets goosebumps on the back his neck (and touches it) whenever the mindflayer is close in s3.

This is one of Will's seeing into the upside down dimension/splitting two worlds moments, like a "view master caught between two slides".  Will is able to split between both our dimension and the upside down and inhabit both through his powers, and what everyone else calls " at first believes are "episodes" he is having, before they realize it's all real and not just in his head. Will isn't just having a vision of the upside down, he's really there (confirmed by the goosebumps on his neck and the vines on his house - and we also find out later in the season), which is how we know the clock in his house moving abnormally fast is a reference to how time moves in the upside down.

To confirm that the clock is actually moving faster, I timed the clip and estimated how fast the clock was moving to compare.

The clock clip begins with the secondhand just past 12, and ends with the secondhand in between 2 and 3:

Analog clocks like this one have 5 SECONDS between each hour-marking number. Here, the second hand moves through the 12 section, past the 1, past the 2, and on is way to 3, which is roughly 9-12 seconds, but the actual clip is only about 6.5 SECONDS long.

I tried to get a fairly accurate estimate of how many seconds pass in this clip by making second marks (but badly lol) and it looks like the clock's secondhand starts between the 1st and 2nd second (it's really hard to tell if it should be on the 1st or 2nd second because my lines are not 100% accurate so I'm saying its in the middle to be safe lol). The clip ends in the second image between the 1st and 2nd second, but it looks like it is almost on the 2nd second, so I'm going with that.

This estimate would put it at 10.5 seconds long, definitely faster than the real time clip length of 6.5 seconds. Will is in the upside down, splitting dimensions during this scene, so this proves time moves faster in the upside down.

And then because I'm insane I also tried to calculate the ratio to determine exactly how much faster time moves in the upside down than in our dimension to find out how long Will really was in the upside down in the way he experienced it. 10.5 divided by 6.5 comes out to 1.61538462. The ratio can also be calculated as 21:13, but still comes out to the same 1.61538462.

In conclusion, time moves 1.61538462 times faster in the upside down than it does in our dimension. (roughly)

Will was in the upside down for 7 days (a week) in our dimension’s time, but for Will he experienced that time as 11 days, because thats how much time passed in the dimension he was in. (7/11 reference)

Because time moves faster in the upside down, more time actually passes, not less. Like in the clock clip; 10.5 seconds pass in the upside down while 6.5 seconds pass in our dimension. Think interstellar vibes. The perception of time varies between worlds/dimensions. I haven't seen this concept explicitly in any 80's movies so please let me know if you have!

I won’t bore you all by just writing out math problems and conversions BUT if we apply this ratio to our time:

24 hours our time is actually 38 hours upside down time.

A week in the upside down is actually 11.20 days, compared to our week of 7 days.

One hour in upside down time is 1.615384619444 hours in our time.

So, Will was actually in the upside in the upside down for around 11 days.

Which further raises the question, how the heck did he survive 11 DAYS seemingly with no food or water, running from a supernatural monster in a dimension where the atmosphere is toxic, and everyone else who was taken died pretty much immediately after?! Idk I think the only possible solution for this is that Will has supernatural powers of some kind, or he is extremely special in some way.

All of those calculations are assuming that my 10.5 to 6.5 ratio is actually correct - I could have been off by half a second or so in estimating with the clock drawings, so the actual numbers could be slightly different, but the principle still stands.

Then I started thinking maybe the ratio isn't constant or fixed. We really don't know anything about the upside down and how it works or what it even is really, so maybe time there doesn't run at a constant speed, maybe its faster or slower in certain places, I have no idea, just something to think about. Personally, I kind of hope it is a fixed rate.

[hughhowey]

A Theory of Mind -- Part Two

Theory of Mind and my deepest personal hangups are why I don't like suggesting what film me and my friends go watch at the cinema. If I suggest a film for a small group to see, I can't merely sit back and watch it. Instead, I sit there and imagine what my buddies are thinking as they watch it. Are they enjoying the film? Hating it? Are they resenting me for picking this? Do they wish we were watching something else? My guesses about what's going on in their heads gets in the way of my just taking in the movie.

This feeling of not wanting to put others out or inconvenience people is probably my biggest emotional weakness -- one that I need to overcome. It makes me awful at receiving gifts, accepting favors, handling compliments, and sharing in many other social interactions. I'm not neurotic by any stretch of the imagination, but I do elicit laughs from my friends when I attempt to make sure everyone is doing okay and that I'm not putting anyone out. Worrying about the comfort and happiness of others sounds like a brilliant trait, but any trait can be deleterious if it's dialed up too far.

My journey into understanding my own mind prevented me from altering it for many years. I've only been really drunk twice in my life, both times when I was a teenager. I didn't like the feeling of not being in control of my thoughts and body. I hated it, in fact. I tried pot a couple of times and hated that even more. My reaction to marijuana was intense and unpleasant. I would fight the loss of control, which seemed to prolong it. A high would last for eight to twelve hours of absolute torture and hell. I remember sitting in a cold shower once hoping it would end, watching the hairs on my knee move about like serpents from the impact of the water. My friends, meanwhile, were watching TV and giggling. Drugs were just not for me.

Which was fine. I didn't need them! I've always been a very happy person with very few filters. Drugs and alcohol seemed to help people loosen up and enjoy themselves more. I was always loose and always enjoying myself. If anything, drugs and alcohol had the opposite of the intended effect on me: If I drank a couple beers, I would just get less energetic and go take a nap. If I took drugs, I would just sit there and fight a return to normalcy. But bring me to a gathering sober, and I'll do just about anything.

I went to my first Burning Man in 2019 at the behest of a good friend of mine who was certain that the festival was made for me. I didn't understand this assessment, because I am not a fan of drugs or dance music. But I trusted this person and I went. I even decided to go a week early and help build our camp and get the full experience. Parking an RV in a mostly empty desert, I watched a city assemble itself hour after hour, day after day. It grew quickly. Every night, there were more lights along the edge of this new city in the middle of nowhere. Lasers began to dance across the sky. Fire leapt up toward the heavens. Music throbbed between the camps. It became so beautiful, I wondered why anyone would need drugs to appreciate this. I was in heaven. Or so I thought...

Every night, even during the build week, we would go out and explore, see what others were building. There was art scattered all across the playa, some of the best art I'd ever seen. We entered a dome straight out of Mad Max. We explored a 747 that had been turned into a disco. We drove around the desert in a space shuttle. My mind was blown. My friends were all taking drugs, and I wondered if they were missing out on all the cool things happening around them. My prior experiences with alcohol and pot told me that they were diluting their connection to this incredible festival. They were numbing themselves to the sights and sounds. If only they could see it sober like me! With all my human faculties intact!

I was determined not to take any drugs my first Burning Man (hopefully ever). I let my friends know this and not to pressure me. I could tell how desperately they wanted me to try stuff, but they knew peer pressure didn't work on me, and they didn't apply any. Getting me to Burning Man already felt like victory enough, I think. And I was having the time of my life. As a hugging addict, I had found my people. As a creative, I had found my people. As a loather of too-much-clothes, I had found my people.

And then one afternoon, I met her. She parked her car in our camp and started wrestling with her tent, and so I left the shade and helped out. It's what I'd been doing all week, helping build the camp. She was in her early 40s, with the body of a yoga instructor and the mind of a sage, and I was smitten. I was so glad I hadn't listened to my friend who had tried to hook me up with some woman in our camp before I even arrived (an arranged playa marriage, if you will). I was already realizing now that I would probably spend the week glommed onto this Burning Man expert just a few tents down from me who was as beautiful and wise as anyone I had ever met.

Trusting that wisdom, when she suggested that we try mdma together one night, I decided to open myself to a new experience and give it a go. What followed deserves its own blog post (if there's any demand, I'll consider it). The lesson I took from this experience is that there are drugs that numb the senses and others that heighten them. There are even drugs that make moments so vivid that the memory of them lasts longer than normal. There are also drugs that help us understand the human brain by moving it outside the norm of everyday experience.

I had learned why some of my friends take drugs. It wasn't pure hedonism or just to feel good, it was to expand the way they think, and to make small and lasting changes to the way they feel and behave. These were also not addictive drugs, at least not to me. I had no desire to do them the next day or week. Instead, I found myself curious about what other experiences people were having, which is when I learned about ayahuasca and DMT. Apparently there were drugs out there that even my drug-taking friends were wary of. Drugs that led to experiences of ego-death, that could cause dark and downward spirals, drugs where the experience is likened to having your consciousness shattered into a million pieces and then having to slowly assemble yourself from scratch.

"No thanks," I said to any of this.

Until I heard a very good friend of mine say that he knew a shaman who had devoted his life to giving people a DMT experience. He'd led hundreds of people through it, and he said it was transformative. He only did it after a serious interview to gauge the level of happiness and intentions of the participant, and then he would come to me, conduct it in the comfort of my home, and he wouldn't ask for anything in return.

Intrigued, I said I'd consider it. Sure.

A phone call ensued. An hour of questions about myself, my happiness levels, my personal journey, my reasons for being curious.

"I've heard enough," the shaman said. "I'll be at your place at 11am. See you then."

Tomorrow morning, I was going to inhale a synthetic compound found on the back of toxic toads. My life would never be the same.

[one-boring-person]

Like Football.

John Rambo (Rambo III) x reader

Warnings: heavy violence, injury, gun use, death, blood, violence involving animals (horses), bad language, SPOILERS

Context: John and the reader take part in the horse game in the small village, before all hell breaks loose.

A/N: I love this character far too much to not write anything, and this scene in the movie is definitely one of my favourites (before all the bombing ofc) so enjoy😅 there will most definitely be more Rambo stuff in the future!

Masterlist

"I'll play." Mousa looks at John in surprise as the veteran reaches out to take the reins of a nearby horse, pulling the animal gently towards him. Beside him, I have to fight to hide my smirk, knowing John has never been one to decline a challenge like this.

"What're the rules?" He asks our guide, looking back at him as he eyes up the field of play, watching as the other men on horses race back and forth, getting ready for another round.

"You have to get the sheep and take it round. Then drop it in the circle, on the ground." Mousa explains, gesturing to the white ring chalked into the ground a little way away. 

"Why?" I butt in, already looking out for a mount of my own.

"Because there is a circle on the ground." The guide replies, appearing a little confused.

"Hm. Just like football." John responds, before swiftly climbing into the saddle and wheeling around to join in with the men.

Lifting a brow at his eagerness, I quickly locate an available horse, going over to the person holding the reins.

"Can I borrow him?" I ask politely, gesturing to the horse.

"Her. And No, women cannot play." The man frowns, looking me up and down.

"Aw, come on. Won't it be fun to watch me fall?" I roll my eyes, playing right into his old-fashioned views.

He hesitates, but eventually hands me the reins, watching sceptically as the mare follows me. Smiling sweetly at him, I take the horse a little way away, before swinging myself up into the saddle, feeling a rising sense of excitement at the familiar feeling of riding. Taking up the reins, I gently nudge the horse's sides and trot quickly over to the other riders, pulling up in the bustling crowd of rebels, just catching sight of John a little way ahead of me. Grinning to myself, I let the mare shift on the spot, her hooves pawing at the ground in anticipation, my grip on the reins loose so as not to restrict her too much, my eyes fixed on the lone rider at the opposite end of the playing field. I sit forwards slightly, legs ready to urge the horse on as the sheep's body is brandished to us, before being dropped to the floor.

Instantly, the riders around me kick their horses into action, each and every one springing forwards with a whinny, my own mare lurching into a fast canter. Exhilaration floods me as the animal moves with the crowd, my body moving in time with her as she starts pushing up against other horses, my legs knocking against the flanks of others, elbows jabbing at me. Determined, I lean forwards in the saddle, leaning over her neck as we overtake a good few of the other men, the reins cutting into my palms as I pull her to the side to ride in time with the veering group, the sheep now held aloft by some other man. Underneath me, the mare snorts, hooves pounding the sandy ground harshly as she rides up alongside the men who are currently fighting over the prize. 

A familiar grunt of exertion draws my attention momentarily to the side, where I notice John has pulled his horse up beside mine, the veteran's gaze fixed on the dangling body of the black sheep. Smirking, I dig my heels into the flanks of the mare, urging her on with a sharp sound, to which she instantly renews her speed, easily drawing up beside the current winners. The crowd is thicker here, horses crashing into me frequently, arms and legs hitting me almost painfully as the men fight over the sheep, shouting at each other in their own language, leaving me to call out to no one in particular. 

By now, however, the sheep is in reaching distance for me. Taking my feet out of the stirrups, I lean out, batting a few others out of the way as I take hold of the limp body, yanking harshly on it, pulling it from its current owner. Grinning triumphantly, I swing it out of reach, goading the mare on as she tears away from the group, a few of the faster horses running just ahead of me, some of the riders behind falling as their own mounts trip, squealing as they drop to the dust. Instantly, however, I feel riders pressing up alongside me, their hands grabbing at me as they try to wrestle the sheep from my grip, the mare suddenly rearing as a particular man yanks on her bridle.

Yelping, I can only drop the sheep and cling onto the neck of the panicking horse as she kicks out, trying to throw me off. Jeers and shouts of triumph surround me as another guy picks up the sheep, horses steaming past us as they continue the chase. After a moment, the mare drops back down, bucking gently as she calms down, only for me to make use of her excitement by digging my heels into her flank. Swiftly, she leaps forwards, racing to catch up with the other riders, where I can see John and another guy fighting for the sheep, the latter yanking on it roughly.

We are quick to catch up again, the mare darting in alongside the leaders again, jerking aside when one of the riders suddenly falls to the floor, collapsing in the dust. Too late, I realise it's John, the dark-haired veteran rolling into a ball to avoid being hit, only to swiftly scramble back upright again grabbing the fallen sheep and holding it to his chest. Other riders swarm him, grabbing and pulling at him, managing to retrieve the sheep as John gives up and finds his horse again, throwing himself into the saddle once more. Grinning at his competitive streak, I urge the mare up beside him, pushing against his horse as he finally realises I'm playing, too, his dark eyes widening slightly at the sight of me, a rare smile gracing his features momentarily. It's at that point that he sees the sheep on the floor again, having been dropped by someone else.

Leaning out of the saddle, he scoops it up, holding it to his chest protectively, out of the reach of the other men. Chuckling, I reach over and take hold of the prize, pulling it between us as our shoulders press together from the proximity, neither of us willing to give up. Riding side-by-side, the two of us make our way further down the field, other riders catching up but unable to grab the sheep, leaving us mostly to fight it out amongst ourselves. Smirking, I lean across properly, having taken my feet from the stirrups again, hooking my shoulder under his arm and pushing upwards, throwing him off balance as he fights to remain in control of his horse. With our skin pressed flushed together, I can feel a light blush dusting my cheeks, but I choose to focus instead on the knowledge I've almost won the game. 

An explosion somewhere to the north of the valley interrupts us, drawing our attention away from the game. Brilliant orange flames engulf a large area of the land a little way away, smoke roiling up from the fire, concealing the attacker from us momentarily. 

As soon as it clears slightly, the silhouettes of two Russian gunships loom into view, headed straight for the tiny village. Around us, people start to scream, men and women running here and there as they start to escape, riders on horses wheeling around to get back to safety. The sheep is forgotten, John and I simply doing as everyone else is, urging our horses on away from the approaching danger. 

Explosions erupt all around us, gunfire pelting the ground as the pilots let loose, gunning down anything that moves. Cries of pain and panic fill the air, almost lost to the sound of collapsing structures and exploding missiles, the stench of burning flesh, spilt blood and charred wood quickly creating a heady miasma in the dry air. Beneath me, the mare squeals in terror, movements uncoordinated now as she goes to bolt, racing away from the helicopters as they descend on us, John only just managing to keep up on his own horse.

A sudden explosion beside me catches the horse off-guard and she goes down, screaming in pain, throwing me off onto the solid ground. My shoulder collides harshly with the rock, drawing a grunt from me as I am forced to roll away from the blazing flames, watching in dismay as the horse staggers to its feet and limps off, clearly injured beyond repair, leaving me alone on the floor. 

Gritting my teeth, I force myself to my feet, using the smoke as cover as I duck towards a nearby structure, hiding down inside it as I wait for some clarity. My arm smarts from where it's been hit, but I ignore it, keeping my eyes trained on the hovering gunships, hatred and anger flooding me as I watch them shoot down hordes and hordes of young children and women, men and other fighters crumpling with screams of pain as the bullets tear through them. I can no longer see John, my heart skipping a beat at the thought.

Steeling myself, I look around for a solution, catching sight of a turret nearby, where a rebel has already been shot to his death, the artillery left unharmed, surprisingly. Glancing around, I deem it safe enough to move, keeping low as I sprint over to the weapon, hoping that the pilots haven't seen me yet, knowing that I can try and take one down if I can get to the turret. The going is slow, the ground having been torn up by the many bombs and gunfire, meaning I trip and stumble over almost every unseen disfigurement in the ground, my legs pumping hard to keep going. Adrenaline races through my veins, each breath coming hard and fast as I finally reach my destination, swinging myself up into position. 

As I do so, I feel someone else hop up behind me, my instincts telling me to be ready as I spin on my heels, hand going to grab my knife from my belt as I expect to meet an enemy. Instead, my eyes make contact with John's, the veteran grabbing my wrist gently as he reaches past me to take hold of the artillery gun, clearly having had the same idea as me. Stepping back slightly, I let him take the turret, noticing an automatic rifle on the floor from where the rebel dropped it. I take it up and check the magazine, glad to find it still mostly full. Cocking it, I take aim and fire at the rapidly approaching gunship, joining John as he supplies a steady volley of bullets at the looming aircraft.

Thankfully, it isn't long before the helicopter goes up in flames, the ruined skeleton falling in a ball of flames to the ground, leaving nothing but debris behind. Checking my gun, I throw it aside a I realise it has no ammo left, joining John in scoping out the next threat. 

Relief floods me as I notice that it is retreating back into the mountains, leaving piles of ruin behind, bodies littering the landscape as flames slowly go out, allowing us to see the true extent of the attack.

"Jesus Christ." I mutter, looking out over the remains.

"Ain't much of him 'round here." John replies grimly, eyeing me up and down critically, "You hurt?"

"Me? No. You?" 

"Nah." 

We hold eye contact for a few moments longer, before he suddenly reaches out and pulls me into his side, initiating an awkward half-hug. Surprised but pleasantly so, I wrap my arm around his waist, feeling his muscles tense under the thin fabric of his shirt as he squeezes my body gently. I smile up at him, glad when he returns the gesture, enjoying this softer side of him, even though I reckon I'll never see it again.

"Come on, Trautman needs us." I finally mumble, not wanting to let go but understanding the need to do so.

"Yeah, guess so."

[laprincesaelena]

EOA Ship Appreciation Week Day 5: Meeting/Farewell

a/n: hi guys! thank you all so much for the positive feedback on my day 4 poem, i’m so glad everyone liked it!! as i said, i know every ship wasn’t included, i ended up having enough time to only do the ones that were requested! but, i’d definitely consider making a part 2, so if your ship wasn’t included this time, it may be another time..

anyways, on to day 5! you may notice i included both prompts here instead of just one..you’ll find out why ;) this story is inspired by an au @procrastinateland (s/o for the beautiful art once again!!!) i came up with together, based on the sound of music! but, this fic in particular doesn’t have much to do with the musical you probably know. my obsession besides elena this summer was researching the lives of the real von trapps who inspired the movie and musical, and through it, i found the adorable love story of the parents of the seven children (georg and agathe, maria wasn’t in the picture yet!) that i knew would be so sweet for gabelena. so that’s what this fic is inspired by! quick historical note, the events that this fic portrays happened in real life in 1910 and 1922, but the years have been switched to 1912 and 1930 for the au, since we decided to place our au closer to the movie’s timeline than the real story. also hi please talk to me about the von trapps i’ve been driving my gf crazy with my useless knowledge lmaooo

and that’s about it! hope you all enjoy this, and let me know what you think!

fic is below the cut!

February 10th, 1912

Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez was amazed as he entered the venue of tonight's celebratory ball, Villa Castillo. He had never been inside a home so grand before, he almost felt as if he didn't deserve to be there. But, regardless, he was invited to attend, along with all of his friends from the navy. He couldn't wait to get away from the structure and seriousness of the military for a night, and to just have fun.

This was the first ball Gabe had been invited to since he became a lieutenant, or ever for that matter, and he was loving it. It was hosted by the Castillo Flores family, a rich family whose inventions had earned them quite the fortune over the past century. As more guests began to make their arrivals, Gabe and his friends hung around together, mingling with other guests or testing out a drink or two. Then, the ball was to officially begin with a musical performance by the hosts.

Now, Gabe wasn't much of a believer of love at first sight, but with one glance, his mind was instantly changed. Standing beside her mother and grandparents, ready to perform their opening song, stood the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and Gabe knew he was in love. Sure, he knew he had no chance with her, as he was just a lieutenant from a humble family of bakers. She was the daughter of a rich family, and most likely the heir to their fortunes. But, there was no harm in trying, right? He knew that at some point tonight, he just had to talk to this beautiful girl.

Elena Castillo Flores, however, was different. She wholeheartedly believed in chance of falling in love at first sight, but she never thought it would happen to her. She had grown up around these balls, her family had been hosting them for as long as she could remember. And being 17, she had met plenty of men who hoped to marry into her family's fortune, but none of them seemed quite right. That was, until she was about to perform with her family.

She looked out into the crowd, and caught the eye of a handsome naval officer. She smiled softly in his direction, but didn't have time to do anything else, before she picked up her guitar, and began to perform alongside her mother and grandparents.

Gabe couldn't help but keep his eye on this girl the entire time she performed. She was a beautiful singer and guitarist, and Gabe loved hearing every word she sang, and each note she strummed. Before he could snap out of his romantic trance, the performance had ended. Gabe looked up to the stage to see if he could approach the girl, but she her family had left the stage, and were out of sight. So, it was back to just talking with his friends for now. Maybe a good laugh or two could keep his mind off of this girl. In between their backgrounds and the chances that she would choose him out of many much more qualified suitors, Gabe had a feeling this crush was bound to end in disappointment. 

Eventually, Gabe stepped away to go and get his mind off things, but as he was walking, he accidentally bumped into someone. He was about to apologize, but when the person he had bumped into turned to look at him, he realized who he had bumped into: the host's daughter.

Finding his voice again, he said, "I-I'm so sorry for bumping into you, I should have been watching where I was going."

Every once in a while, as she sang and played her guitar, Elena would look out at the man she had seen earlier. He was quite handsome, and she couldn't help but notice the way he smiled at her. But, once the performance was over, she wasn't going to go looking for him. She knew it'd probably be hard to find him in such a big group. Besides, he was probably going to turn out to be like any other man she'd met, and would only take interest in the prospect of inheriting her family's money. So, she carried on with her night, accepting that she'd probably never see him again. That was, until someone bumped into her. When she looked at the person she bumped into, she couldn't help but freeze, it was the lieutenant she had seen earlier. He was the one to speak first, which snapped her back into reality.

“Oh no, no, it's okay! You're fine!" she assured him.

"Oh, alright" Gabe said. He mentally hit himself for not saying more than he did, but whenever he looked at her, he was at a loss for words. He could at least introduce himself, he thought, but every time he did, the words would be at the edge of his tongue, and he'd end up saying nothing. But, he was determined not to blow the only chance he'd ever have with her, so, he gathered up his courage to speak to her once again.

Elena too, would be so, so close to saying something, even just introducing herself, but before the words could come out, she'd freeze. She so desperately wanted to get to know him better, and she knew the only way to do so was to just say something. But, luckily for her, he said something first.

"This has been a wonderful ball so far." Gabe finally said.

"Oh, well, thank you.." Elena replied with a smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying it so far."

"I am" Gabe said, returning the smile. Finally, he decided, he was actually going to introduce himself. "I'm Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez," he said. "but you can call me Gabe."

Elena quietly sighed with relief, she was glad he introduced himself first, it gave her the confidence to do the same. "I'm Elena Castillo Flores," she introduced. "but you can just call me Elena."

"It's very nice to meet you, miss Elena," Gabe replied, with a bow of his head to her.

"It's very nice to meet you too, lieutenant," Elena responded. "Oh, I mean Gabe, it's nice to meet you too, Gabe." she added, and shook her head at herself. Hopefully she didn't blow her chance with him right then and there.

Gabe smiled and laughed softly, he couldn't help but fall deeper in love with the girl the longer he talked to her. He had managed to find her, talk to her, and introduce himself, but there was one more step with her he wanted to take.

"I hope this isn't too soon, but would you like to dance?" he asked.

Elena's face now lit up with a smile, it most certainly wasn't too soon, she was so excited he asked her to dance with him! She nodded, and held out her hand to him. "I would love to dance," she said.

Gabe took her hand with a smile, and lead her to the center of the ballroom. With one of his hands tightly in the grasp of hers, his other hand wrapped around her waist, the two began their first dance.

As the pair glided effortlessly across the floor, Elena still couldn't believe that this was happening. How did she ever get so lucky? But, she also knew that there was a possibility that he might have happened to only attend this ball, and she may never see him again. She truly hoped this wasn't the case, she wanted to get to know him better and spend more time with him, because she knew for a fact she was falling in love.

Gabe could barely believe this was happening either. This beautiful girl had really said agreed to dance with him, and now they were actually dancing? Gabe truly hoped that he wasn't dreaming, for he never wanted to wake up. He wanted this dance to last forever, so he would never have to say goodbye to Elena, and go back to living his life without her in it. There was hardly a chance he would see her again after the ball ended, but he kept a glimmer of hope that tonight was not their final encounter.

Elena wasn't paying attention to anything else around her, for all that mattered to her now was that she was actually dancing with Gabe! She planned to dance with him for the entire night, if it meant she'd be able to spend as much time as possible with him. She knew that once the ball ended, there was a high possibility of her never seeing him again. So, she was going to make sure to spend as much time with him as she possibly could, while she had the opportunity.

After a couple of hours of guests talking, eating, drinking, and dancing the night away, the ballroom began to empty out a bit. Elena brought Gabe outside to a balcony, so she'd be able to talk with him and get to know him better without any sort of distraction.

"So, being a lieutenant, I'm assuming you're in the military, the... navy, correct?" she asked him, to start some conversation.

"Yes," Gabe answered. "I joined as soon as I was able, I've always wanted to be a part of the navy. My parents, especially my father, aren't too happy I chose this path instead of joining their baking business, but this is what I really wanted to do."

"Oh, your parents have a baking business?" Elena asked him. "Not too much of a baker, are you?" she joked.

"No," Gabe replied. "and I'm not much of an olaball player either, to the dismay of my father."

"It certainly seems as if your father isn't too thrilled with your life choices... but do you love what you do?" Elena asked.

"Yes, I do." Gabe responded with a smile. "Besides, if I hadn't made the decision to go against his wishes and join the navy, I probably wouldn't be talking to you right now."

Elena smiled as she felt her cheeks warm up at his sweet response. She was so, so glad that Gabe decided to follow his own path in life instead of listening to his father, because if he didn't, they may have never met.

"Well, I guess you're right," she said. "and I'm glad that you're doing something that you love, that's what should really matter."

Gabe nodded in agreement. "What's your family like?" he asked.

"Well, there's me, my mother, my younger sister, my grandparents," Elena answered. "we're all pretty close, and we love to make music together."

"I can tell, you and your family sounded amazing tonight," Gabe said. "and not to be biased, but I think I liked your singing the most."

Elena smiled, and put a hand to her cheek, she was definitely blushing now. "Thank you," she said. "but I wouldn't say I'm the best of them, they're all very talented.."

"I would," Gabe responded, and reached down to take her hand in his own.

"Well, thank you.." Elena replied, holding Gabe's hand tightly back. "and I may be biased, but I'd say you're my favorite lieutenant, because I totally know all the others." she said.

Elena laughed nervously for a moment after that attempt at flirting. 'what was that, Elena?' she asked herself.

"Thank you," Gabe said with a smile.

"You're welcome," Elena responded, a similar smile never leaving her face.

"So, what do you like to do other than make music?" Gabe asked her.

"I love just getting out with my family most times, of course. We'll go on hikes, go sailing, go to one of our vacation homes or visit someone else in our family's home, we're always somewhere or doing something." Elena told him. "How about you?" she asked.

"I like fencing," Gabe replied. "We sometimes have competitions between my friends and I, and not to brag, but I usually win."

"I'm sure you do," Elena responded, definitely believing him. "and I'd love to learn to fence sometime, it actually looks pretty fun!"

"Well, I'd be happy to teach you," Gabe offered. "I'm sure it'd be considered "unladylike," but if it was just us, it wouldn't really matter."

"What my mother and grandparents don't know won't kill them," Elena replied with a wink. "I'd love for you to teach me sometime!"

"I'd be more than happy to teach you," Gabe responded.

"And hopefully you can sometime," Elena said, before sighing as she remembered the reason why she was so hesitant to find him in the first place. The chances of the two reuniting were slim to none. "I hope we see each other again..."

"Me too..." Gabe replied, looking down with a sigh as well. "Maybe we could write to each other? To keep in contact?" he suggested.

"I'd love that." Elena said, smiling once again at the thought of it. "We definitely should."

Gabe smiled. "Alright," he said. "I'll give you my address."

"And I'll give you mine as well, which is right here, but I'll still write it down so you'll always have it" Elena said.

"Thank you," Gabe replied. "I look forward to writing to you, and seeing you again, Miss Elena."

"And I look forward to writing and seeing you again as well, Lieutenant Núñez." Elena responded with a smile.

Gabe laughed a bit and rolled his eyes, but still smiled. "Please, you can just call me Gabe," he said.

"And you can just call me Elena," Elena insisted. "No 'miss' necessary"

"Alright then, Elena it is." Gabe said, smiling over at her.

"And Gabe it is." Elena replied, sharing the same, loving smile.

At that moment, the both of them knew that they had met the love of their life. Though they'd have a difficult road ahead, in between having to communicate with letters for a while or with Gabe often traveling with the navy, they were determined to make it work. Gabe was not going to let his beautiful Elena go, and Elena knew that tonight she had met the man she was going to marry. They were going to spend the rest of their lives together, no matter what.

September 3rd, 1930

On Christmas night of 1929, Gabe and Elena's oldest daughter began to feel unwell. It was simply strep throat, they were told, she should recover in a matter of days. But, by the time eleven year old Catalina had recovered, five of her seven siblings had fallen ill as well. The sudden illness turned out not to be a simple case of strep throat, but the highly contagious scarlet fever, which was currently spreading through the city.

Of course, Elena was always there to care for her children, even if she was risking contracting the illness herself. For the next few weeks, she was constantly visiting her children and checking in on them, while still trying to stay healthy herself. But, when her youngest daughter, Martina, who wasn't even a year old yet, came down with a severe case, Elena had no choice but to step in and care for her, twenty four-seven.

By the end of January, Elena's caring and motherly nature had led her to catching scarlet fever herself. In children, the illness tended to be fairly mild, but in adults, it could often leave behind serious side effects. Gabe knew this, and insisted that his wife take the time to rest in order to recover. But, Elena insisted that her children came first, wanting to be there for each and every one of them as they recovered.

But, even when all seven children were happy and healthy once again, Elena's symptoms had not subsided. Now, she could rest and recover with a sound mind, knowing that her children would be alright without her for a couple of days. Those couple of days turned into weeks, those weeks into months, and by the end of August, Elena still had a long road to recovery. She was now bound to a wheelchair, she would have to learn to walk all over again due to the toll the illness had taken on her body. She still tried to spend as much time as possible with her children, and be the happy, loving, and healthy mamí they had always known. But, deep down, she knew if scarlet fever had already taken so much from her, it could continue to do so.

Over the next week, Elena's condition quickly deteriorated, and it seemed as if only a miracle could heal her. Gabe had visited his wife each and every day for the duration of her sickness, but for the past day or two, he hadn't left her side at all. He knew that at any time, her condition could take a turn for the absolute worst, and he didn't want to take the chance of not having a chance to say goodbye. While Gabe tried his best to stay somewhat positive, and hope that his wife would miraculously recover, he knew Elena's time left was short.

Gabe's eyes were heavy as he sat at his wife's bedside, having stayed awake the entire night with her. He held Elena's hand tightly in his, even though Elena barely had the strength left to hold his. It broke his heart to see his wife in this condition, he would do absolutely anything to bring back the bright light of his life that was Elena.

Gabe's heart would sink as he noticed his wife's breathing become labored. He had been mentally preparing himself for the worst, just in case, but he knew that no matter how much he had prepared, he would never be ready if that moment arrived. He felt the slightest bit of relief when he noticed Elena slowly turn her head to look over at him, using all of her strength to do so.

"Elena.." he began to say, even saying her name brought tears to his eyes. But before he could say anything else, his wife managed to speak up.

"Gabe.." she said, her voice in a whisper. "Please..tell our children how much I love them.."

"Elena, no..no, don't talk like that.." Gabe said to her. Though he was trying to preserve his wife's positivity, he was also in denial about all this.

"Tell each and every one of them..each and every day..how much I love them.." Elena said. "And that I'll always be with them.."

Gabe held Elena's hand tight as he fought to hold back his tears, but even then, a tear or two would manage to fall down his cheek. He looked over at his wife, he still thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world, even with a scarlet red rash covering her cheeks, and her hair sticking to her fevered forehead. If it were possible, he would do anything to end all of her pain and suffering, but he knew that at this point, there was only one option for that.

Trying to clear his mind of these thoughts, Gabe nodded. "Of course I will.. I promise.." he said.

Elena smiled as best as she could, but to Gabe, it was the brightest smile he had seen out of her in a while. "Thank you.." she said. "A-and I love you..so, so much.."

"I love you too.." Gabe replied, and leaned down to kiss his wife. Thankfully, Elena was no longer contagious, but even if she was, Gabe would take that chance if it meant kissing his beloved Elena one last time.

Then, it looked as if Elena were about to speak, but she was unable to get any word out. Finally, a moment later, she managed to say, "And.."

Gabe patiently waited as his wife struggled to say a second word. He would wait for as long as it took her, he'd take any opportunity to hear the voice he loved so much.

"I'm..a-always.." Elena said, now needing to take multiple labored breaths between each word. Though it was a struggle, Elena managed to complete her sentence.

"I'm always with you.."

A moment later, after months and months of fighting to recover, Elena's body gave in, and her eyes slowly closed.

Gabe could feel his wife's grip on his hand loosen, and his heart immediately dropped. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't lose her.

"Elena? Elena! Elena, no! Mi amor, please!" Gabe desperately cried, hoping that his wife's beautiful brown eyes would open again. But no matter how many times he called her name, they remained peacefully closed, as her body grew paler.

Now, Gabe's denial began to truly set in. He lightly shook her, he held her hand tight, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, all in an effort to wake her, even though deep down, he knew that his efforts were in vain. Finally, it all became too much for him, and Gabe just broke down. he couldn't picture his life without Elena, he never thought everything would end this way.

He thought of his wife, she had so much more to live for. she was a loving wife, a caring mother, his best friend. Then he pictured their seven children, who would now be growing up without their mother. He thought of their identical twins, though they were already quite different, they shared a similarity, devotion to their family. Catalina and Carolina absolutely adored their mother, and looked up to her, along with being her best friends. He thought of Luis, their oldest son, he was a mamí's boy. He loved cuddling up with his mother and listen to her play guitar, he wanted to learn from her one day. He thought of their youngest son, Marcelo, their bundle of energy, who sometimes even Elena couldn't keep up with. He thought of Luciana and Adelina, aged only five and two, who would be too little to understand why their mamí had suddenly disappeared. And finally, he thought of Martina, their baby girl who would grow up without a mother. She would never get know her mamí, or even remember her. In fact, he didn't know if any of their younger children would be able to remember their mother.

Gabe found himself growing a bit dizzy, since this all seemed like he was living a nightmare. His hands shook as he held Elena's tightly in his own, and his vision was blurred from his tears.

As his final moments with Elena played over and over in his head, he was reminded of his wife's dying wish. To remind each and every one of their children each and every day how much their mamí loves them. If Elena could see him now, she'd hate to see him this distraught. She'd encourage him to keep his head up and stay strong, but how could he ever move on in life without his Elena? His children. He knew he needed to stay strong and carry on for them. Though, of course, carrying on could take weeks, months, or even years, Elena would want him to be happy. But most of all, she'd want her children to be happy and loved as well.

So, then and there, Gabe dedicated himself to fulfilling Elena's wish. For the rest of his life, he would make sure his children are happy, healthy, and loved, just as Elena would do. Though it would be difficult to carry on without her, the Núñez Castillos still had each other, and that's what matters most.

[shi-daisy]

The Phoenix and the Dragon

Yet again we've arrived at Ulquihime week! Gotta confess I'm not much of a Christmas person but I do look forward to December for my OTP week. Everyone puts so much love and effort into their entries that it's hard not to be excited. Okay so today's theme is Crossover and I wanted to pick something that wasn't likely to be repeated by someone else, so leave it to my nostalgic mind to go 'What about a Winx Club crossover?' Thus here we are! This little one-shot is based on one of my fave childhood shows and one of the first villain ships I ever had. (Yes, my 10-year-old self hardcore shipped Darkar & Bloom) 😅 Hope you like it! (Spoilers for some aspects of season 2 of Winx Club. I'm taking from the 4kids version of the show and Nickelodeon special btw. And some mild spoilers for the second movie.)

Also for those who do know the winx cast and want to know who is who in the crossover here it is.

Orihime- Bloom

Ulquiorra- Darkar/Avalon

Tatsuki- Stella

Shizuka- Layla

Ichigo- Prince Sky

Isshin- Errendor

Sora- Daphne

Unohana- Faragonda

Okay now that's all set, here's the fic!

@ulquihimeweek​

Ulquihime Week- Day 1 Crossover

The Phoenix and the Dragon

Orihime awoke in a dimly lit room. She didn't remember much, just going into Professor Schiffer's office and then...'And then he changed and turned into the Phoenix.'

"I can sense you. Just come out of the shadows already." She muttered.

Ulquiorra obliged, no longer looking like a human but in his true form as the Shadow Phoenix.

To her he didn't look much different, his skin was paler but his other features remained the same. He had large dark wings and a tail, along with tear markings.

"I should've known it was you. We get warmed about a Shadow Phoenix and next thing we know a new professor shows up at our school."

He chuckled. "Yes well, that didn't occur to you as we bonded, Ms. Inoue."

She lowered her head in shame. Since Ulquiorra arrived at Alfea he had become her favorite teacher, and even offered to teach her about her home kingdom, Sparx, which had been destroyed when she was just a baby.

"Is that why you brought me here? To taunt me?!"

"No, darling. I have other plans for you. Or should I say us?"

"I'll never collaborate with you!"

"You say that now, but you might change your mind after I explain my plans to you."

She frowned, but at the moment there was nothing she could do. Orihime sighed. "Fine. I suppose I can listen to you for a while."

"I appreciate it. First I must ask you something. What do you know about me, Orihime Inoue? Who do you think I am?"

"Headmistress Retsu told us you were once human. That you came to the underealm to try and find the shadow fire, but that it's power consumed you and that now you're seeking to take over the magic universe.

I also know that you came to our school and posed as a professor until now..."

"The headmistress is a wise woman, studious too since she appears to know my origins well, the one commonly excepted that is."

"What do you mean?"

"Indeed, I was once human, that I came here to study the Shadow Fire, but it's power didn't overtake me. For you see, I willingly submitted to it. I'm the one in control, always have been. And while I do wish to take over the magic dimension it is not for my own gain."

"Why else would you want to take over?"

"I want this dimension to change. I want to tear down the structures that bind its kingdoms. I've wanted that since I was a human.

You see, darling, the structures of this dimension are so very ancient and so very obsolete. The squabbles between kingdoms have led to so much war, to destruction, to sadness... Just look at what happened to Sparx."

"My kingdom was destroyed by the ancient witches. Not by war."

"You're right, but your kingdom had a close ally. An ally that should've saved you from the witches, yet instead bargained to have them take your kingdom and spare them. The king of Eraklyon made said bargain."

Orihime grew dizzy. 'No, no it can't be! Ichigo's father wouldn't do that! This is a lie!"

"You think I'm lying, don't you?"

"Of course you're lying! King Isshin wouldn't do that, neither would Ichigo!"

"Analyze the situation, darling. Eraklyon was your closest ally, and yet they didn't suffer any damage as Sparx was destroyed. Your parents vanished, your brother died saving you, your planet is now an icy wasteland. Yet Eraklyon stands as the richest land in Magix. As for your little prince, he was merely a child when this took place, but I don't doubt he'd keep it a secret from you, he has done so before."

Orihime felt as if her skin was catching fire. She hated to be reminded of that lie, to think back when Ichigo had hidden his royal lineage and engagement to a princess. She'd forgiven him, of course, and they were a couple once again, but deep inside she still distrusted him. And a part of her did think Ulquorra's words were true.

'Maybe that's why his father disapproved of us. Not because I'm a princess of a destroyed kingdom, but because my kingdom's destruction was partly his fault...'

"You see, darling. That's only one example of plenty I can give you. All of these realms need someone truly wise to rule them."

"Even if I believed you, that doesn't mean I'll join you. I don't want to kill anyone."

"Who said anything about killing? There are plenty of ways to dethrone a ruler. That's what I crave to do darling. Imagine it, a dimension without destroyed kingdoms, without arranged marriages, without squabbles for the throne. We'd be the only rulers, the royals would be our regents, they'd have to abide by what we demand."

Ulquiorra's eyes glowed green as he spoke. She had seen him like that before in his humanoid form. His eyes always sparkled as he thought her class about History and asked them to be part of the change.

"Ulquiorra, I think it's wonderful that you're trying to make the universe better, but I fail to see why would want me to join you. I'm no leader."

Orihime felt Ulquiorra's cold hand gently lift her chin. "Orihime, you're the only person I've ever met worthy of wearing such a crown.

The reason I posed as a teacher at Alfea wasn't to further my plans, or to steal the codex but to observe you. In just a few months you made such great progress that I couldn't help but be convinced you were worthy of sharing my crown, of carrying the dragon flame, of ruling over Magix.

You came from Earth yet quickly adapted to this dimension, to its power and its costumes. You're kind, fierce, strong, I couldn't ask for a better queen."

He noticed Orihime's pale skin turn bright red, and her sliver eyes grow misty. "No one's ever really praised me like that. Thank you."

He smirked. "I'll be sure to do so more often in the future then."

With a snap of Ulquiorra's fingers, her bounds disappeared. Orihime stood up, directly facing Ulquiorra.

He took her hands in his and directly stared into her eyes, silver meeting emerald. "Orihime Inoue, will you join me in my quest to bring peace and order to the magic dimension?"

It wasn't easy, she didn't want to leave her friends, her school, or even Ichigo. Even after what she learned it felt wrong to vanish without a word.

'But it must be done. Tatsuki-chan will be free to choose who she marries, Nemu-san won't be forced to follow the path her father wants for her, Shizuka-chan won't have to take the throne of the harmonic nebula...even Ichigo would now be free to make his own choices. This would be for the best.'

With a beautiful smile and newfound determination, Orihime finally responded. "Yes, I will."

"Then it is done, our power is now bound."

She could feel a surge of dark magic taking over, but it wasn't unpleasant. Her characteristic blue fae dress was now black and her fairy wings had turned grey. Orihime also noticed Ulquiorra's form slightly changed, his dark wings now had accents of green and he resembled his humanoid form a little more.

"It's the bond." He told her after noticing her confusion. "Light cannot exist without dark and vice versa. As such my darkness had to take some of your light and your light had to take some of my darkness."

Shadow Fire & Dragon Fire were united at last. Orihime was certain that now she and Ulquiorra would be unstoppable. 'We'll fix everything soon.'

"What shall we do now?"

"Since I've acquired all the pieces of the codex, I was thinking we could go to the Relix dimension. Your parents might've vanished there after the destruction of Sparx."

"My parents...I never thought it'd be possible to reach them."

"It is, my darling. We'll bring them back and then return Sparx to its former glory. After that, we can finally reshape the magic dimension into what it should've been from the beginning."

For the first in a long while, Orihime felt like she was doing things right. It would take her friends some time to forgive her, but she knew in time she would join them again. 'I'm doing this for all of us. For me, and for him.'

She gently kissed Ulquiorra's cheek, he blushed at the gesture. "I was not expecting that."

"I'm still a little miffed at you for pretending to be a professor but if we're to be in harmony as rulers this is a good place to start."

"Then I guess I should do my part too."

Ulquiorra wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her a passionate kiss. Orihime quickly blushed and playfully shoved him as he let go of her.

"Show off."

"Guilty as charged."

"Y'know, I remember seeing paintings back on earth with dragons and phoenixes together as a couple. Do you think that was a prediction?"

"It could be, after all, the most enduring romances are likely to echo through many universes."

[nothingbutfangirlsmut]

The Trials of Emi

Pairing: A little Minho. A sprinkle of Frypan. Gally x Emi(OC)

Summary: Emi, her twin brother Thomas, and a small group of gladers had been rescued and taken to a safe haven. Or so it seemed. It doesn't take long for Thomas to realize something is wrong. What happens next is a true trial for all of them but Emi's trials began the moment she was ripped away from a dying Gally. Watching someone you love die right before your eyes truly takes a toll.

Finally meeting the right arm could have been the end but betrayal leads to even more chaos and loss. A new mission to rescue those taken from them leads them to a city. The last city. After Emi finally comes to terms with everything that's happened something unfolds that changes everything again. She will have to not only deal with helping her brother take down WCKD and save their friend but also deal with all the new problems in her head and her heart.

Rating: As of right now it’s at most PG13. Some strong language that’s about it but it could change.

(This is the 2nd part/book to my other story "The Maze trials: A Gally Fanfiction". This will cover the events of the scorch trails and the death cure.)

Chapter Eighteen

Gally opened the door so we could walk back out to the others. Just as he stepped out the door I grabbed his hand. I saw the smile spread on his face as he walked back out to the group with his hand in mine. My eyes met Fry's immediately. He smiled as he looked down at our hands. To my surprise Gally walked straight over to Fry. Gally extended his hand to the other boy.

"Thank you Fry" he said as they shook hands.

Fry raised a brow at him.

"For taking care of her. For being there for her. For everything." Gally said as he let go of Fry's hand.

Fry nodded. The sound of footsteps had me turning around. Thomas and Newt stepped off the stairs. Thomas had his arm tightly around the blonde boy. Something was wrong. I could see it in both their faces.

"I'm in" Thomas told Gally as the two boys stopped in front of us.

I pulled my hand from Gally so I could step over to Newt. I grabbed his face making him look up at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I searched his eyes.

He gave me a small sad smile. He stepped back then slowly pulled the sleeve of his jacket up. What I saw made my heart plummet to the floor. He's infected. He's sick.

"No" I whispered as I grabbed his arm.

"Don't worry about me love. I'm good. It's fine." Newt said softly.

I hugged him tightly. We can find something. Thomas' blood helped Brenda. It can do the same for Newt.

"Are you ready?" Gally asked from behind me.

I turned to see him talking to Thomas. My brother nodded then stepped back over to Newt. He pulled the blonde away from me. He hugged him tightly then placed his hands on both sides of Newt's face.

"We'll get you better I promise." Thomas whispered.

"Tommy, stop making all these promises." Newt whispered with a small smile.

Thomas chuckled softly then pressed his lips to Newt's. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. I had never seen them kiss before but everything both of them felt was clear to everyone.

"Ok, I'm ready." Thomas said as he stepped away from Newt.

"Hey" I said pulling Gally back by his hand.

He turned to face me. I grabbed his shirt to pull him closer.

"You be careful out there and keep an eye on my brother for me please." I told him softly.

"You got it" he smiled down at me.

He placed a soft kissed to my temple then jogged away to catch up with Thomas who was already in the other room.

"You two are getting along great I see." Newt smiled as he came to stand next to me.

"Yea" I smiled.

I grabbed Newt's arm that showed the infection spreading through his veins. I softly ran my fingers over it. Newt sighed then pulled his arm from me. He shoved the sleeve of his jacket back down to hide his arm.

"I'm fine Emi. Seriously, don't worry about it." He said then patted my cheek.

How can I not worry? Newt had been my best friend for years now. Granted we haven't been as close recently due to him and Thomas and everything else going on but that doesn't change a thing. The people in this room and the two idiots that just left are my family. I'd lost and gained family and from this point on I was more than determined not to loose anymore. Now that I've gained so much back I can't loose anything else. I'll burn WCKD and every supporter they have to the ground if I have to. I'll do whatever it takes.

"So, this Gally guy was the one you told us about?" Jorge asked stepping over to me.

"Yea, that's him" I said with a smile.

After a few minutes of sitting the group decided to wait in the room Gally and Thomas had left through. We sat around the table silently waiting for their return. The moment I heard the metal cover shift I knew they were back. Fry and I ran over to the cover to help move it. Thomas was the first one out. Next was Teresa with a bag over her head. Both Gally and Thomas were helping her climb up. As soon as Gally replaced the cover he grabbed Teresa then roughly shoved her down into a chair. Thomas sat in a seat next to the table beside Newt. Gally pulled the bag off of Teresa's head then walked over to the table to lean against it. I stood between my brother and Gally. Teresa took a moment to look around the room at each face that was staring at her until she landed on Gally.

"Gally?" She questioned in surprise.

He sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Here's how this is gonna go. We're gonna ask you some questions, and you're gonna tell us exactly what we need to know. If you don't, Emi is more than happy to make you. We'll start off simple. Where's Minho?" Gally asked as he stared Teresa down.

Teresa immediately turned to Thomas.

"You guys don't seriously think-" She started to say.

Gally grabbed a chair then slammed it down in front of her. He sat down in it blocking her view of Thomas.

"Don't look at him. Why are you looking at him? Look at me. He's not gonna help you. Now, we know you have Minho in the building. Where?" Gally asked radiating the most command I've ever seen from him.

I couldn't lie it was pretty hot to see him like this.

"He's with the others in holding. Sublevel three." Teresa said quietly.

"How many others?" Newt asked.

"28" Teresa said simply.

We all turned to look at Brenda. She was over our transportation to get out of there.

"I can make that work." She said with a shrug.

"No. No, you guys don't understand. The whole level's restricted. You can't get in without a thumbprint ID." Teresa explained.

All we need is a thumbprint? Well, I could handle that quick and easy.

"That's why you're gonna come with us." Thomas said.

"Well, I don't know. We don't necessarily need her." Gally said as he stood from the chair.

"Right?" He asked as he walked over to the table beside me.

"Not all of her." He said as he grabbed the small knife from the table.

I smiled at his action. Oh yes, please, cut that bitch.

"We just need her finger." Gally said as he turned back to face Teresa.

"Gally back off." Thomas said softly but sternly.

I turned to look at Thomas in utter disbelief. Is he seriously still going to protect her?

"What, are you squeamish? I guarantee you she's done a lot worse to Minho." Gally said angrily.

"I agree. I want to see her bleed." I said with a smile as I glared at her.

"That's not the plan. Back off. Both of you." Thomas said as he stood from his seat.

"It won't make a difference. Do whatever you want to me. You still won't get through the front door. The sensors will pick you up." Teresa said harshly.

"We know. We're tagged. Property of WCKD. You're gonna help us with that too." Thomas said as he held the small knife out to her.

Newt was the first to get his tracker cut out. After him was Fry. When he was done I took the seat in front of Teresa for my turn. The boys were sitting around the table several feet away.

"This will sting a bit." She told me quietly.

"Just get it done." I snapped at her.

She was right. It did sting a bit but at this point the pain didn't bother me. I'd had worse.

"So, Gally's alive." She said quietly as she worked on pulling the tracker out.

"We're not doing small talk." I told her.

She sighed.

"I'm sure you probably hate me but I need you and the others to understand why I did what I did." She said.

I chuckled dryly.

"I do hate you. There's no probably about it. You're a pathetic traitorous bitch. If it was up to me I'd take your fingers to use then put your head on a spike right outside the front door of WCKD just to say hello to your best friend Ava. I don't give two shits why you did it. All that matters is you did it. You chose WCKD over your friends. Over your family." I explained darkly.

I wanted to get my point across but keep myself calm at the same time. It was easier said then done.

"You're done" she whispered.

I was immediately on my feet walking back to the table. Gally stood from his seat as I walked over to him. It was his turn now. He handed my a white cloth then walked over to Teresa. I held the cloth against the back of my neck as I sat down.

As soon as Gally was done Thomas took his place. I stood up to give Gally his seat back. When he sat down he pulled me to sit on his lap.

"She enjoyed that." Gally grumbled as he tossed his bloody cloth onto the table.

"You're probably right." Fry chuckled.

—

[sincerelymarinette]

A Recorded Life (32/50) - Miraculous Ladybug

Words: 1758 Chapter Summary: A few days after the release with Jagged Stone, many things have gone back to normal. Well, kind of. Adrien and Marinette have been having a lot more sleepovers and movie/game nights, but they're just friends, right? Hawkmoth says time for another akuma! Author's Note: i have a love/hate relationship with this one. I really wanted to write another akuma battle but it was really hard for some reason, but I like everything else about the chapter. Also, I want to see Marinette and Adrien play Mario Kart.

Prev / Next / Masterlist

Copy

---

Alya, Nino, and Chloé were ecstatic. On Friday, Master Fu had left Miraculous boxes in their rooms for them. Clearly, he agreed it would be beneficial to have the extra backup against Hawkmoth and his newfound persuasiveness. Marinette knew it was hard for Master Fu to let other Kwamis out in the world, but it would really give Marinette and Adrien a hand.

And they had been helping out! Hawkmoth akumatized a kid over the weekend, and it was the perfect chance to give Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee a chance to get back out there. It's safe to say Hawkmoth wasn't expecting it, and he was probably going to up his game with there being more Miraculous holders against him. The team needed to be prepared.

After a week, Adrien and Marinette have been having as many sleepovers as they can get. Adrien keeps telling his father and Nathalie he has projects with her, and he kept calling or texting to say he was staying the night, it was safer than waiting around for a ride home. For some reason, Nathalie didn't argue it.

"They asked me if I know who Rena Rouge and Carapce are," Adrien said as they raced in Mario Kart.

"What did you say?" Marinette asked. "Ha! Blue shell coming for you!" She cheered.

Adrien groaned when he dropped into fifth place. "I told them I had no clue. They and Chloé just showed up the other day, and we've been making do."

"Good idea," Marinette nodded. "We don't need anyone knowing their identities, us and Chloé are enough," She sighed. "Yes!" She jumped up as the screen showed he crossing the finish line in first place. "Told you I play too much Mario Kart."

With a defeated nod, Adrien laughed as Marinette went on to select the next course. "They also kind of mentioned they don't like how much I've been over here? They think it's weird."

"Well, are you going to stop?" Marinette turned her head to look at him.

"No way, I have to beat you at Mario Kart eventually!" He pushed her shoulder. "I told them I was at Nino's helping him catch up on school work."

Marinette chuckled when she selected Rainbow Road. "And they believed it because they don't like Nino and probably think he isn't good at school."

"Naturally," Adrien said. "God, I'm gonna fall off this map like seventeen times in the first lap. Why, Mari?"

Just as Adrien said that, he drove right off the course. He also drove off the course when he heard a crash. "What a shame! An Akuma attack!" Adrien called out. "Guess we can't finish the race."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "We'll be playing later," She said as the turned off the TV and stood up.

"Tikki."

"Plagg."

The two transformed into their superhero selves and saw a flash of light come from a few blocks away. Ladybug opened her yo-yo to call the others, but Rena Rouge and Carapace were already running towards her and Chat Noir, and Queen Bee was coming from behind. "Good, we all heard the crash," Ladybug announced and tucked her yo-yo back onto her waist. "Has anyone seen anything?"

"Not yet," Rena Rouge responded. "Just heard the Akuma come from that way," She pointed behind her. "And Carapace and I figured this is where we would find you."

Queen Bee furrowed her eyebrows. "What? No, the Akuma came from that way," She pointed in the opposite direction.

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other. "Don't tell me there's two," Chat Noir said. "That's not...normal?" He sighed.

"Okay, I guess we have to split up. Carapace, you come with me. The three of you head towards the one Rena Rouge heard," She directed to the group. "Everyone, stay safe."

Ladybug and Carapace took off in the opposite direction. "Two akumas? Has he done that before?" Carapace asked Ladybug.

"Not to start with. We've had it where they can duplicate, but that doesn't normally happen until after a little while," She replied. "I'm not even sure if they're the same Akuma, or two different people."

Ladybug held her yo-yo up to her ear. "Chat, you guys see anything?" She asked.

"Yeah, over by the school. You?" He replied.

"Not yet," Just as she said that, there was a crash right around the corner. "Now we do."

Chat Noir grunted as he jumped out of the way. "All this Akuma has done is throw cars at us and grunt. He hasn't said anything."

"We're just encountering ours. Stay safe," She said and put the yo-yo back on her waist. She nodded to Carapace, and at the same time they began running towards the Akuma. It looked like Stoneheart, but three times his size and a lot more violent. Stoneheart was years ago, why did Hawkmoth decide to create this one now?

Carapace laughed. "The old man must be running out of ideas," He said.

"Maybe we can beat him the same way we did years ago," Ladybug thought out loud. Just as she was about to call her lucky charm, Carapace yelled and grabbed her arm.

"Shell-ter!" He screamed, and a shield popped up around them. "What the hell is happening?" He asked as they stared at the Akuma.

The Akuma seemed to pixelate, and was shrinking down. The Akuma was now a copy of The Puppeteer, but again, three times the original size. "Manon?" Ladybug called out. She looked so different, but that was what she looked like when she was Akumatized.

"I am not Manon!" The Akuma yelled. "I am Copy. And you will give me your Miraculous!" The Akuma demanded. Though they looked like the Puppeteer, they sounded nothing like Manon. The voice was distorted, switching from really deep to really high, and everything in between.

"Well, this should be...interesting," Ladybug signed and called Chat Noir on her yo-yo. "You figure out what your Akuma can do?"

Chat Noir was breathing heavily. "Oh yeah," He said as he was running. "Yours changing from Akuma to Akuma, too?"

"Yep. Twins, maybe?"

"That, or one is a fake," Chat Noir replied.

"I doubt it," Ladybug said. "He wouldn't want to risk not getting a Miraculous."

With a groan, Chat Noir hung up his baton. "What's she been saying?" Ladybug asked Carapace.

Carapace shrugged. "I think they're trying to persuade you again."

"I won't let that happen. I've got too many other things to worry about and won't be persuaded," Ladybug determined.

"And if it takes over, you now I got your back, dude," Carapace promised.

Ladybug smiled and nodded. "Okay, I have a plan."

As Ladybug explained the plan quickly and quietly to Carapace, Copy was shifting into any Akuma that could break through the forcefield. Nothing was working, but it sure was distracting.

As Copy retreated back to switch Akumas again, the forcefield dropped to start the plan.

"Ah, I see you're finally deciding to join me," Copy, now Silencer with a twist, pointed out. They changed again, now as Lady Wifi, holding up the phone and ready to strike.

Copy started throwing the pause buttons at Ladybug and Carapace, both of them dodging flawlessly. Copy was clearly getting frustrated. "Come on, Marinette," Copy sing-songed. "Where's Adrien? Aren't you worried that since you guys are separated, he could be hurt?" Copy asked. "If you give me your Miraculous, you could go save him now."

Ladybug stopped moving and stared at Copy. "Ladybug! Don't!" Carapace yelled as he stood next to her.

She burst out laughing. "You think I'd fall for that again?" She directed at Copy. "No way! I know the rest of my team is safe, and they're just as strong. Hawkmoth really needs to learn some new tricks."

"Come on," Copy egged on. "Listen to me, your best friend," They continued. "Go ahead and hand it over."

Ladybug didn't move again, but saw Carapace sneak away while Copy was focused on Ladybug. She was staring at Copy, while Copy was slowly getting closer.

Marinette didn't realize how long the back and forth lasted, but it was a while. She continued to lead Copy to believe she almost was going to give up her earrings, but at the last second would back out. She couldn't imagine how annoyed Hawkmoth was, but she knew he wouldn't give up.

Finally, after Copy was almost going to give up, Carapace threw his shield from behind and hit Copy in the head. Copy fell forward, and at the perfect time, Carapace yelled, "Shell-ter!" And captured Ladybug and Copy into a green forcefield.

Copy was nearly losing consciousness, which seemed to make it hard to focus on being Lady Wifi. Copy pixelated again, turning back into what Ladybug guessed was what Copy really looked like. She picked up the piece of paper in Copy's hand.

"Oops," She said when she ripped it in half, and the Akuma flew out. "Well, isn't that lucky! No more evildoing for you, little Akuma."

Ladybug captured the Akuma, and Carapace dropped the forcefield. They high-fived each other, and ran as fast as they could to find the other three heroes and capture the other Akuma. Just as Ladybug and Carapace arrived, they saw their Akuma pixelating just like the other one, and Rena Rouge snapped the paper out of Copy's hand. "Gotcha!" Ladybug yelled as she landed in front of Copy and the other heroes.

"Talk about perfect timing," Rena Rouge said as the purified Akuma flew away.

"Where's Chat?" Ladybug asked, looking around.

Rena Rouge pointed to a building a few rooftops away. "He got hit and went to go recharge, but Queen Bee and I handled the rest of Copy. Speaking of, we should help them get home."

Ladybug nodded. "Yeah, of course. You and Carapace can take care of that, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's no problem," Rena Rouge said and started to walk towards her respectful twin.

Ladybug took off toward the rooftop Chat Nour was on. "Adrien, are you okay?" She said when she saw Chat Noir laying on the roof.

Chat Noir started to sit up. "Yeah, I'm good. Just a little hit."

Grabbing his hands, she helped Chat Noir stand up. "You had me worried," Ladybug said as she pulled him into a hug.

When they released, Chat Noir and Ladybug- no, Adrien and Marinette, were staring at each other. With very little thought, they looked at each other, and leaned in to share a kiss.

---

Alya Césaire @alyacesaire

WE'RE WINNING TODAY BOYS

---

@lady-of-the-roses-and-lilies @bookishserendipity03 @avatheexceed @gkz10 @coccinellegirl @kat-thatoneweirdo @strawberryblondish @snow-swordswoman @lilgaga98 @evufries

[mind-reader1]

Queen of Hearts (Ch.13)

Drake x MC (Emma Barnes)

TRR AU: What would happen if Emma loved Drake but had to marry Liam?

Catch up here

Warnings: Some cursing 

Note: Thanks for the love everyone! Please Enjoy!  If you’d like to be added to the tag list let me know! Got some good drama in this chapter, and maybe something else  ( ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º)

Word Count: 2187

Summary: Drake and Liam exchange some harsh words, can they come to an understanding? Olivia offers some unsolicited advice, and Kiara is back and all over Drake. 

Chapter 13: Elastic Heart - Sia

And another one bites the dust But why can I not conquer love? And I might've got to be with one Why not fight this war without weapons? And I want it and I wanted it bad But there were so many red flags Now another one bites the dust And let's be clear, I trust no one

You did not break me I'm still fighting for peace

Well I've got thick skin and an elastic heart But your blade it might be too sharp I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard But I may snap when I move close But you won't see me fall apart 'Cause I've got an elastic heart I've got an elastic heart Yeah, I've got an elastic heart

Drake stepped in front of Liam and he frowned at his friend.

“Drake. Please move. I need to speak to you and Lady Emma.” Liam stepped to the side and so did Drake.

“No. We need to talk Liam. Let her have a break tonight.” Liam continued to scowl but let everyone else walk ahead into the manor.

“I've been giving her a break this entire trip.” Drake shook his head in disbelief.

“You really haven't Liam. You've been on her case about every little thing and you shouldn't be!”

“Really? I can't believe you two! Sneaking off today in public, to fuck?! Could you imagine the consequences if someone else had heard you two rather than us! I have gone over this with Lady Emma, but nothing seems to get through. Don't think I don't know about you sneaking into her room every night! What is it going to take? Or are you both determined to make this fail so you can get past your jealousy!” Drake was seeing red, he couldn't believe his best friend was saying this to him.

I gave her the ring, I followed her after your engagement photos. It was my idea to sneak off today. All these things you're getting mad at her for were my idea so fucking lay off Liam! It seems like she's been doing everything on this tour. She recruited Madeleine and her family when you were nowhere to be found. The polo game was her idea, today she rallied the people at the press conference and asked the kids to play. I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I've had enough.” Liam sighed and ran a hand through his hair starting to cry. Drake was so caught off guard he didn't know what to do.

“I'm sorry, Drake. Ever since the ball it's been one thing after another. I have to stay calm for everyone else, it gets bottled up and I just explode on those I care about. I've been seeing a therapist to help me, but I'm still working through it.” Liam dragged his hand down his face, the tears having stopped. Drake had never seen his best friend like this. Sure, in college he had been in a bad place after an assassination attempt, but he was like a ticking time bomb, you never knew what was going to set him off now.

“I don't like this charade any more than you do, watching you masquerade around for the cameras with the woman I love is torture. The only reason I'm still here, that we didn't run off is because we believe in you Liam, we're here to support you. We were all at the homecoming ball; I got shot Liam! I know it seems like we don't care about making this work, but I have nightmares. Every night I see Emma get shot and I can't save her, I wake up paralyzed, then I see her, and I know it's not real. It's the only way I can get any kind of sleep.” Both of them finally put it out there in the open, they used to talk about things all the time, now they just couldn't. Liam had no one to talk to, his best friend and the woman he loved were together, can't exactly talk to them about Emma. Hana and Maxwell were good friends to him, but they were Emma's best friends, he couldn't talk to them either.

“Maybe this will be beneficial for you then.” Liam held a small white card out to him with a name and phone number on it, a therapist. Again, Emma's words echoed in his head, Drake hated the idea of spilling his guts to a stranger, but maybe it was time to consider it. He took the card without a word, a newfound tense silence hanging between them.

“We used to talk all the time, Liam, I know that this is weird. You should try to find someone you can talk to if it's not me. I'm sorry, I really am. You'll always be my best friend though.” Drake clapped him on the shoulder once and walked away without looking back.

Drake's words weighed heavily on Liam, they had talked all the time, but ever since that night in New York there had been a distance between them...well more like a person. He couldn't blame Emma though, it wasn't her fault that they had both fallen in love with her, and it wasn't like she had a choice falling in love with Drake. Nevertheless, it made him impossible to talk to. He found himself aimlessly wandering through the grounds outside the manor.

“Liam, what are you doing out here so late?” He turned to find Olivia strolling towards him.

“Lady Olivia... trouble sleeping is all. What brings you out here?” she looked away, it was the first time Liam had ever seen her so unsure.

“I overheard some of your argument with Drake…” Liam sighed, nothing seemed to go as planned anymore. Emma had mentioned that they should tell Olivia, there was no hiding it now.

“I suppose I should explain.” Liam led Olivia to a nearby bench. He turned to face her and looked down, fumbling with his hands.

“It's all a lie isn't it?” Liam nodded and didn't meet her gaze.

“You have to understand Olivia, I love her, I thought she loved me. I may be the one who gets to 'be with’ her in public, but I'm not the one who gets to hold her when she's scared, sneak out of parties with.”

“This arrangement is ridiculous Liam!” Liam ran a hand over his face and explained to her, why he had to do it, why it had to be Emma.

“Regardless Liam, your people need you to start acting like a king and not some lovesick fool pining over his best friend’s girl. This isn't some stupid movie, this is real life.” Liam's lips twitched into a small smile, Olivia could always be counted on for tough love. She surprised him by reaching out and grabbing his hands, squeezing.

“Anyone would be lucky to have you Liam, and what you're doing could be an amazing thing if you pull yourself together.”

Drake shuffled towards Emma's room where he thought she would be waiting for him. He knocked softly, but got no answer, he checked the hall before quickly opening the door and slipping inside. He walked over to the bed and saw she was already fast asleep, still in her clothes like she had been waiting up for him. He brushed a stray hair out of her face and kissed her forehead gently. She mumbled something incoherent and lifted her head, squinting.

“Drake?” He smiled and bent down so he was eye level with her.

“I didn't mean to wake you, go back to bed.”

“Stay with me.” She mumbled laying her head back down already. Drake wasn't going to argue with her. He changed into his pajamas and slipped into bed beside her, she didn't even seem to notice.

Early the next morning Drake was up before Emma. He tiptoed to the bathroom and was grateful he had done so, as he heard her bedroom door swinging open just seconds later.

“Madeleine!” He could hear Emma's surprised voice.

“Why aren't you up? The train leaves in an hour.”

“We just got here yesterday, we're already leaving?”

“Yes, everything's calmed down. We're going to Kiara's duchy. Have you been practicing your French?” Drake rolled his eyes, listening to her.

“Absolutely, in all my free time I learned a new language.” He could hear the sarcasm dripping out of her voice and held back a snicker.

“I suspected as much. I printed you out a sheet with important words on it. Look it over on the train.” he heard the door slam again.

“Drake?” Emma whispered. He emerged from the bathroom and she let out a sigh of relief.

“You really need to start locking your door Barnes.” She raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms.

“Oh yeah? How do you plan on getting in every night then?”

“You could lock the door after I sneak in.” Emma playfully rolled her eyes.

“I guess you'll find out tonight Walker. Now get out of here, I've got a train to catch in an hour!” Within minutes of boarding the train she was in the boutique with Madeleine and Maxwell. Instead of a ridiculously thick binder about the family, Madeleine handed Emma a stack note cards. Emma just gave Madeleine a look, they both knew she wasn't going to read them. She resolved to giving them a quick breakdown. Hakim, Kiara's father was a well-known Cordonian diplomat and a Duke, apparently, he was important in Cordonia. Her mother, Joelle, is a famous artist. Her older brother remained a mystery as he was never really seen outside of the duchy. Madeleine outdid herself with the dress, it was a halter with black sequins on the top half and a black mesh with large black flowers for the knees down. She added an owl arm band as an embellishment, and nod to their house crest. It was stunning, as always. While visiting they would all be attending an international art and food festival, the goal was to be enthusiastic about the events in the hopes of gaining the family's support. That was all they had time for as the train began to slow. Emma stepped out of the motorcade and Drake wandered over, his eyes lazily roaming up and down her body.

“That dress is...I mean… You look beautiful Barnes.” Emma smiled faintly as Drake stumbled over his words.

“You cleaned up?” Emma's question came out harsher than she intended. Kiara was a tense subject between them since she was still pining after Drake. He cautiously slipped his hand in hers and squeezed, letting go before anyone could see them. He wore his nice blue suit and dark green shirt underneath it, a small patch on the shoulder from where he had been shot the night of the homecoming ball.

“You look good Drake.”  

“It's less…international than I expected.” Drake mused. He was right. There were no country flags, no signs in different languages, no borrowed concepts from other cultures.

“Just wait.” Olivia said, as Kiara came down the steps, a young man in tow.

“King Liam, Lady Emma, I am so glad you're visiting our home.” they both nodded respectfully as Liam said something in French.

“Drake! You look... I…that suit looks very nice on you.” It had already started. Emma who had grabbed Liam's arms for appearances, dug her nails into his skin as she grit her teeth and smiled. Liam carefully placed his hand over hers trying to pry her fingers off inconspicuously.

“Thanks.” Drake said flatly, avoiding Kiara's gaze. It wasn't difficult to pick up on the tension, but Madeleine, Kiara and the young man weren't sure why it was there.

“We heard you were injured at the homecoming ball. How are you now? Are you doing okay?”

“Oui, it was a terrifying night. I am healed after spending some time here at home.” Her smile faltered, she was still reeling from the attack like the others.

“Shall I introduce myself or were you planning on getting to that?” The young man beside her stepped up.

“Of course. This is my brother Ezekiel. These are my friends King Liam and Lady Emma, Lady Olivia, Lady Hana, Lord Maxwell and Drake.” Her eyes lingered on Drake a bit too long, it would be a long stop on the tour.

“I'm so glad to finally meet you all, Kiki has told me so many stories.”

“Oh? What did she have to say?” Emma asked out of curiosity.

“She mentioned King Liam's generosity, Lady Emma's resilience. She also said there would be a scary one, a pretty one who's good at everything, a party animal and a really sexy one named Drake.” Emma had to remind herself to stay neutral, force a smile even, everyone was waiting for the explosion as they snuck glances between Emma and Drake. Emma turned to sneak her own glance at Drake, who was bright red and looking anywhere but Emma or Kiara.

“Zeke! Well I think that's enough greetings. Come, let's get you inside.” Kiara cleared her throat and kept her face down until the color had mostly disappeared from her cheeks. Just as they began to make their way inside, Penelope came up with her poodles. Kiara and Penelope hugged as Zeke fawned over her poodles. Liam pulled Emma aside just before they entered the doors, she was worried this would be a lecture about keeping her cool around Kiara and Drake, but it wasn't. Constantine was getting worse and was supposed to be at the festival, but couldn't due to his illness, it was clearly bothering Liam.

“I'm sorry Liam.” Emma squeezed his arm and he gave her a small smile.

“I need all the help I can get redirecting questions.”

“We'll figure it out Liam, don't worry.”

Tag List: @notoriouscs @leelee10898@princesstopgun @choicesyouplayandmore@sleepwalkingelite @roonarific@indigo39 @skyila@speedyoperarascalparty @andy-loves-corgis@furiousherringoperatortoad@blackwidow2721 @drakewalkerfics@findingdrake @sue9659 @smritysriv@tmarie82 @larryssunflower

[carpejren]

Date Number One || Jerabeth

Jeremy: After Kendall picked up the kids Jeremy got in his car and headed to pick up Elizabeth. He didn't know if she would like the date idea that he decided on but at the last minute he had texted her and told her to wear whatever she wanted but to make sure she was in sneakers. When he arrived at her house he rand the doorbell and waited.

Lizzie: When she got the text to make sure she had sneakers she changed into a pair of slim black leggings with see through mesh at different areas of her legs, threw on her light sneakers and a tank top before grabbing an extra layer just in case. It was just enough time before the doorbell rang and she made it down the steps. "Hey," she smiled, "Perfect timing just got finished getting ready."

Jeremy: He smiled when the door opened and he saw her. "I'm good like that," he smirked. Jeremy led her to the car and opened the door for her. "I hope you like what we're doing." He commented when he started driving.

Lizzie: Jeremy led her to the door of his car and opened it allowing her in. Buckling her seatbelt she moved and settled herself in putting her phone in the side pocket on her thigh that the leggings had. "I'm sure I'll have a blast, care to share what the actual plan is?"

Jeremy: He grinned, "Universal Studios is having a twenty-fifth anniversary weekend even for Jurassic Park. They're doing a screening of the movie and then there's rides and panels and stuff. I thought it'd be fun."

Lizzie: "Aw yes!" She said happy dancing in her seat. "I mean, it's classic. Wait, are we talking the original Jurassic Park or all of them and these panels is Chris gonna show up because you do realize I will tackle him right?" She laughed as she shifted. "And I hope you like rides because yes I will drag you on as many as possible."

Jeremy: Jeremy was thrilled that she liked the idea. "It's the original movie and the panel for the filmmakers of the new Jurassic World movie. I don't think Pratt will be there." To be honest the man never thought he'd be going on another first date but he was excited at the possibility of where things could go with Lizzie; he already knew they worked well together when it came to sex.

Lizzie: "Oh, well I'll attack Pratt when we're back on set." She murmured knowing that with the last installment of the Avengers they would all be brought back even for momentary clips so be it. It was no surprise Elizabeth loved her Marvel family but she could handle missing Pratt while on a date with Jeremy. "So favorite ride at Universal, everyone has a favorite what's yours? They're open late tonight." She said showing the app she had just downloaded with wait times and different areas. "Probably because of the Jurassic Park event. This is gonna be fun. Hope you slept well." She grinned.

Jeremy: "I don't know if I have a favorite ride. I don't frequent amusement parks. As far as I understood from the event information I think this is strictly a Jurassic Park event so I'm not sure if the whole park is open or just part of it. Oh, there's also a trivia thing at the end of the night. The event ends at midnight and then I figured we could see where the rest of the night brings us."

Lizzie: "Trivia?" She perked up, "Ugh it's like you know me so well. I love trivia nights." It was true she loved having friends over for this particular game night event even if she didn't know the most about different things. "But on a side note we need to get you to amusement parks more often. They're fun, life's short we gotta enjoy these things." She smiled, "Also, I don't know how bomb I'll be at the trivia but I'll try and act like I do." She laughed. "As long as there's food somewhere in this day you can keep me out as late as you'd like."

Jeremy: He never would have planned a date like this for him and Kendall and it wasn't until that moment, when he was listening to how excited Elizabeth was, that he realized Kendall did the right thing. He had been holding onto their past for so long he couldn't see their future was better off with someone else. "I don't have time for that. I got things to do, money to make." He smirked, "I'm sure you'll do fine and of course there's food."

Lizzie: "Oh shut up." She said rolling her eyes, "Money to make, you get time off, I get time off. You, Jeremy Renner, are gonna start doing more things than just work. No arguing." She pointed at him. "Don't make me bring out my inner Scarlet Witch on you." She grinned before shaking her head. Elizabeth was just an easy going spirit, she put her whole heart into things she was working on but she had seen so many things with her sisters struggles that she was determined to live the best life, enjoy the small things. "Good, because I am a person who gets hangry."

Jeremy: "I'm going to be taking a break from acting soon to focus on my music and spend more time with the kids. I think I want to travel with them." He laughed at her words, "I've spent a lot of time around you, trust me, I know."

Lizzie: "I think that's great, well working on your music. People will miss your face on the big screen." She said as she shifted in the seat of the car. "Traveling sounds like a fun time, won't that be kind of hard sharing them with your ex though?" she shrugged, "Sorry, not my business." She corrected. "What can I say, I love food. And I always felt like I needed to be on a diet when I was younger so now I appreciate food and that turns into hangry Liz if things don't go as planned." She chuckled.

Jeremy: "I'll probably go back to acting at some point but music has been my passion for awhile now. I just have the contract with marvel so while I'm waiting for that to run its course I've been doing some movies that really spoke to me, like Wind River." He shook his head, "With Kendall's work she travels a lot too, I'm sure I can take the kids places while she's busy being a supermodel." He frowned slightly at her words, "Were you ever as bad as your sister?" He asked obviously referring to the time when Mary Kate was hospitalized for anorexia.