#if i were braver i would’ve gone with it and maybe flirted a bit but

[roma-northr]

MY THOUGHTS ON TVDU SHIPS

While trying to write for my unfinished fanfics, I think I feel the need to reorganize my opinions on certain relationships on the show/shows of the TVDU. I’m aware nobody asked for my input, this post is purely to indulge myself and get my thoughts out of my head. These are only my opinions on these ships, I’m not trying to say that anyone should share them or agree with them.

Here goes 🌪️

Stefan/Elena: Very first love type of relationship, I can see the vision. But as with many of the Stefan ships, I don’t find it very interesting. I love the romance and the fact they’re so tender with one another. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had been endgame instead of Delena - it could’ve gone either way for me and I would’ve been okay with it.

Damon/Elena: While I was watching the show I became bewitched by Ian Somerhalder as Damon and his and Nina’s chemistry. I was sold and continue to be, what can I say? Also, I tend to like the older brother-coded characters better. Loved that he was often unhinged and that he was so so desperate for Elena.

Klaus/Caroline: Yes, of course. I love the dynamic, it’s my kind of trope 100%. I wish the writers had given them more, gave them a chance to truly develop their relationship. But the chemistry!!! Amazing I think. There was so much wasted potential - I suppose that’s why I enjoy writing about them so much. And I get why people like other Klaus ships better, so many of his other relationships had More of everything, screen time included. No matter, I fell in love with them through their counted scenes together.

Bonnie/Damon: Oh I wanted to see them happen so badly. I was extremely disappointed that the writers weren’t braver about them. Still, their friendship was one of the things I enjoyed the most about the show. And I do think that Bonnie would’ve been better for him than Elena, she brought out the best in Damon.

Klaus/Camille: When I started watching The Originals I was angry that Camille even existed, it seemed to me that the writers were trying to replace Caroline in Klaus’ new world. But then I realized that Caroline’s and Camille’s similarities began and ended with the color of their hair. Actually, I quite like Camille as a character and her and Klaus’ relationship. I was gutted when they killed her off. I feel like their love was very pure and grew so naturally over time.

Stefan/Caroline: It came out of fucking nowhere I feel like. To me, it was very obvious that the writers were trying to pair off whoever was left and they were just there. I like them much better as friends because I never got any romantic/sexual chemistry from their scenes together, even when they were officially a couple. It did feel like Caroline was second best to Elena for Stefan with how and when they wrote their romance.

Elijah/Hayley: I loved that they were clearly so important to one another BUT I always thought that the writers were imposing the idea of them on us even when they weren’t the best suited for each other. I don’t know, I wanted to love their relationship but they never made me feel anything. Very plain, got ZERO excitement from them.

Bonnie/Enzo: Idk, one of the things I hate when introducing a new couple to a show is when the writers deprive the audience of the process of their falling in love. Maybe I’d like them better if they hadn’t already been so established after the time jump. The flashbacks were sweet and made my indifference fade a bit, but still. Bonnie deserved to have a real love story shown.

Caroline/Tyler or Caroline/Matt: Hate these two ships simply because I don’t like Tyler or Matt as characters AT ALL.

Hayley/Klaus: Now, these two... the writers completely failed them. There was SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I was never sure whether there was ever any intention of making them happen or if their having sex was only a device to create the plot for The Originals. In the show, they have so many moments that could be read as flirting and pining, and that’s why I’m convinced there was something more than just friendship with them, I really wanted it to be there. Recently I read a post about the cast talking about a love triangle in season 1 between Klaus, Hayley, and Elijah and I SEE IT, but I guess the writers were (wrongly) convinced Elijah was it for her. I think this is one of the few ships that I adore equally as platonic or romantic. I’ll remain disappointed for eternity about this failure to launch. Maybe I’ll write about them in the future - it’s extremely likely.

Well, all this to say, I think I enjoyed most of these ships to a certain capacity while watching the show. It’s fair to say they all had their moments all thanks to the incredible actors playing them.

Conclusion: I would read and write fanfiction about all of them under the right circumstances. 🕯️🕯️

[swanqiu]

lost my top in the ocean after a wave took me under, and i ended up flashing some guys fishing and a pair of older women when i finally came up, how was everyone else’s weekend

[elleonmybeloved]

Field Day

Title: Field Day Author: PinkPerfume Fandom: Shall We Date? Obey me! Pairing: Asmodeus/MC Rating: Teen & Up Chapter: 1/? Tags: Demon & Angel Blood AU, Demons are slightly larger than in cannon by about a foot or two each, Secret Crush, Awkward pining, Asmodeus is hoe-rny as usual, Flirting, Leading up to that explicit rating in the second chapter cause you know me Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25145122/chapters/60926767

Summary:

Once a week, the human exchange students, accompanied by the seven demon brothers as well as Lord Diavolo and a few of his subordinates make a trip to a rocky place out in the wilderness of the Devildom to conduct physical testing on the humans’ developing abilities. Mary-Catherine and her fellow once-humans aren't sure why Lord Diavolo injected them with the demon and angel blood that gave them their abilities, but participation in the testing is mandatory. But if you forget the part where they're being tested like lab rats, it feels a lot like a fun school field day! Complete with packed lunches and a friendly sense of competition.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I hope you’re ready to eat my dust this time. I’ve grown two inches since last week.”

“Don’t get a big head. You got dog demon blood, not speed demon. Besides, not being able to spit acid at obstacles in your way is gonna slow you down.”

“I’d really appreciate it if you stopped doing that. Just because you look a lot more like a snake now doesn’t mean you need to act like one.”

“- Demon cobra. Not just a snake.”

“I know you’re proud of that, but honestly, I’m more jealous of the girl who got hawk demon blood. You know she has wings now, right?”

“What?! They shouldn’t let her participate in the race, it’s totally not fair.”

“It’s not actually a race, you guys.”

“Just because they’re testing us doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with it. Lord Diavolo encouraged us to be competitive.”

Excited chattering and the rumble of the vehicle’s engine made for a charged atmosphere that Mary-Catherine was enjoying listening to, leaning her head against the glass of the window to hide her amused smile at the antics. Choosing to survey the odd shapes of plants and pigmented rock passing by outside as she listened, she angled her head so that the small tightly curled horns at her forehead weren’t scraping against the glass.

Once a week, the human exchange students, accompanied by the seven demon brothers as well as Lord Diavolo and a few of his subordinates made the trip to a rocky place out in the wilderness of the Devildom to conduct physical testing on the humans’ developing abilities.

Piled into some kind of all-terrain vehicle with such ridiculous ground clearance that Mary-Catherine had needed assistance to haul herself up into it, they were shuttled to the testing site. The vehicle was huge and had several rows of seats, so everybody just called it “The Bus.” Before them on the long straight road, the Demon lord’s sleek black limo - driven by Barbatos - led the way down the path.

Turning off on the dirt path, they pulled up to the site. As the passengers - twenty-five strong, counting the brothers - filed out of the vehicle, they cordoned off into groups like a separation of oil and water.

Mary-Catherine confidently placed herself next to the people she knew best. Donte - a young man with horned-toad demon blood who she’d never seen not dressed up in attractive punk outfits that suited his dark brown curls and yellow-green striped horns perfectly. Despite all the purple dust out here, she had yet to see any of it attach itself to his outfit.

Meanwhile, both her thick cargo pants and her usual red tank top already had a few purple smudges.

To his left, Emma, a curvy young woman in all black whose sharp feline teeth glinted against her dark lipstick, and though the pair of furry black ears at the top of head twitched invitingly, you’d have to be stupid to touch them - or any part of her - without her explicit say so. Her claws were just as sharp as her eyeliner and stung quite badly.

Mary-Catherine had never heard her give anyone that say so. Only repeated threats to anybody who would listen about just exactly the kind of dark apocalypse she would continuously rain on Diavolo and the demon brothers & co. until they returned her cat Lucy to her, or vice versa.

Standing aloof with a familiar thoughtful expression to her right, a picture of elegance and maturity that M-C only hoped she’d one day achieve, was Annika. The blonde witch had a silent strength and seemed the least phased about her residency in the devildom of all the humans Mary-Catherine knew. She even stood up to Lucifer on a regular basis.

Mary had to avoid flinching like a startled lamb every time he looked in her mere direction. In her defense, she was part sheep now, and she had no reason to believe demon sheep were any braver than those in the overworld. Though as recent months had attested, they had the same urge for salt and were about 5 times faster than a regular one running at full tilt.

Once given their instructions, and oddly-shaped “evaluators” to attach to their D.D.D.s, the four of them plus a few she was less familiar with made off for the climbing ground. As usual, the groups moved around three areas in a rotation. A rock-littered circuit of road for testing speed, agility, and endurance, a level field of purple grass and several small, dead-looking trees with painted orange Xs on them that served as a combat ground for testing offensive abilities, and a large outcropping of porous green rock to test their ability to scale rough vertical terrain.

Something of a makeshift security team, the demon brothers spread out to stand their usual guard over the three groups. Considering their powers and how each demon towered at least a foot over any regular human even in their “human” forms, on their very first outing Mary-Catherine had foolishly assumed none of the other occupants of this realm would dare try to attack the group.

Grimacing as she tied up her hair and prepared to climb, she tried to blink away the image of the explosion of goop and gore and the charred remains that had been left of the few dissenting demons who’d scarcely touched her human companions before Satan had reduced them to pulp. Though unsure of how Lucifer had torched the ones who’d gone after his group, she was pretty sure she’d never get the image of their blackened skulls out of her mind.

“What’s with the long face? You’re still the reigning champion of this rock, goat-girl.”

Looking up, she recognized the self-proclaimed “cobra” guy from earlier on the bus. Despite his competitive statement, the grin on his face was friendly. His curly black hair and olive skin tone made for a vivid contrast against his vertical pupiled green eyes. She’d seen him a few times at breakfast and wasn’t certain but she thought his name was Kevin?

“Oh nothing. I was just wondering if they were going to make me lick more rocks today. Kind of reminds me of when I used to chaperone church summer camp and all the kids would collect rocks and dare each other to hold it in their mouth for twenty seconds or eat a worm.”

Mary-Catherine paused, “-But my horns alone would’ve been even more scandalous than the time one of the adults caught someone with a Harry Potter book sooo I guess it’s not really that similar!”

“Oh trust me I doubt my mamá would be happy to see what I look like now, but that doesn’t mean I would say no to a chance to become spiderman.”

“Hey, if anybody is becoming spiderman, I think it might be me.” Donte spoke up from behind them, looking incredulously at his hand which was pressed against the wall of rock. “Check this out.”

He then demonstrated how with an odd suction noise, his hands clung to the rock of their own accord. Prying them off and then repeating the motion, he got better at the detachment process with each press.

“Maybe poisonous demon frogs can stick to things?” Mary-Catherine mused. “I watched this discovery channel episode on tree frogs once that explained how their secretion of toe pad mucous-”

“-Mucous?!?” Donte scrutinized his hands in dismay, but after finding no such secretions he breathed a sigh of relief. “The only thing getting on my hands is this rock while I climb it’s ass. See you at the top!”

Pressing the start button on her evaluator, she climbed up after him, hearing Kevin start his descent as well. She’d gotten a bit of experience with this sort of outdoors stuff at previously said church-camp, but that was nowhere near her current condition, as she easily overtook both of her human companions with no regard for the steepness of her path. Back then, she’d needed a hardness and ropes. Now, she sought out each handhold instinctively like the top of the rock was calling her.

“At least I’m not bleating.” She sighed, and from below her Kevin barked out a laugh.

“I imagine it would come out sounding more like a warbled growl.” He said. “I’ve seen the pictures you know.”

“Hey- don’t go looking at a girl’s demon pictures!” A girl lower down on the rock called up to them.

Mary-Catherine blushed and hastily pulled herself up the remaining few feet of the rock and rolled to the side as she clicked stop on her evaluator.

“Not her pictures, the pictures of whatever they injected her with!” Kevin complained, but M-C could hear the mirth in his voice.

Walking over to a smoother patch of rock, she sat down to wait for the rest of them to finish their climb. Gazing at the ground far below her, she noticed Emma and Beelzebub talking next to a couple of camp-chairs.

She had noticed before that as an act of cat-less mutiny, Emma often refused to take part in the tests, but as M-C watched her speaking amicably with the demon beside her, who was eating… something round and dripping a brightly colored liquid she could make out from here, Emma gestured towards the rock several times with a wistful expression.

Rising to get a better look, Mary-Catherine began absent mindedly stretching, catching her ankle and bending her leg with a gentle pull.

It was a bit too far for her to make out exactly what they were saying - though some of her genetically enhanced fellow humans probably could - but M-C imagined that Emma was saying something along the lines of how much she wanted to climb the ‘actual shit outta that rock’ but wouldn’t budge an inch until they gave her back her precious Lucy. Beel seemed to nod sympathetically and despite not halting in his eating process, continue the conversation.

And then he moved to grab another of whatever it was he was eating, revealing the other demon who had come to watch over the climbing group. Having used the absolute swole unit of his demon brother’s body to provide him with shade, the Avatar of Lust reclined elegantly in - well it wasn’t really a camping chair, but it looked like it could be collapsed and relocated - his seat, meticulously painting his nails.

Freezing awkwardly midstretch, both arms clasped high above her head, she was for the hundredth? thousandth? time struck by just how gorgeous of a man Asmodeus was. Not a man, she reminded herself, a demon. Good Lord in Heaven, those arms… he had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows to avoid getting nail polish on his shirt, and it exposed the beautiful lean muscle of his forearms. Burnt amber eyes focused intensely on his handiwork, his pale perfectly shaped lips pursed in concentration… he had an angular face that made him look like both like the dangerous being he was, and a sculpture of an angel at the same time.

As if aware he was being ogled, he paused his preening and turned his head, looking up her way at the top of the rock. Panicking, she hastily looked elsewhere, pretending to continue her stretches as if she hadn’t been meaning to glance in his direction…

Nothing to see here!

Soon the others joined her at the top of the rock, and with the protection of anonymity, Mary-Catherine risked another gaze his way.

Oh good, he’s back to working on his nails.

Getting caught looking at people was so awkward, hopefully he hadn’t thought anything of what he saw of her brief gaze. She was pretty sure she was safe, it was unlikely he was that interested in any measly humans anyways.

“So what was your score?”

Mary-Catherine spooked so hard she jumped, turning to give Kevin a wounded look.

“You’re a jumpy one, huh? Must be those prey instincts. Well, what was it?”

“A minute and forty three seconds.” Mary-Catherine said, wondering what kind of predator hunted sheep demons. Probably had lots of teeth.

“Guess I just need to be a minute and fifteen seconds faster next time.”

“I’m sure you can do it.” She said, giving him an encouraging smile. “If they ever decide to hand out a prize, you’ve got it in the bag.”

“Now there’s an idea.” Donte piped up, moving into step beside them as the group began to descend the smooth sloped side of the rock. “I already know what I want as a prize.”

“What do you want?” She couldn’t really think of anything a demon would have to give as a good present. She’d seen their food. And the mall. They had weird taste.

“Not telling.” Donte said in a cheeky tone that even she could read as being… salacious in nature. Annika gave him one of her disapproving mother looks and it just made him sprout a mischievous little grin.

“I’ve had my eye on a spellbook in Satan’s library I would very much like to have.” Annika said, as if trying to steer the conversation off the downhill path it was otherwise going. It was a good thing Emma wasn’t here or that’d be a moot effort.

“Uhhh, boring!” Kevin crossed his arms. “Come on guys, we’re practically in hell. I want a weapon or something with strong dark magic powers.”

One of the other girls agreed with him, and began a very enthusiastic conversation about swords and axes and other sharp pointy things. Mary-Catherine considered the question herself for a few moments, but the only thing she could think of was for Lucifer to give her her Bible back. He’d taken it away a couple weeks ago after she’d done something he hadn’t approved of and used it as an excuse to confiscate the book. She wasn’t even sure how he’d known she had it, but maybe he’d been under the false impression that she was religious?

Normally she wouldn’t have been upset about such a thing, but even though she was no longer the good devout Catholic girl her parents had raised her to be, her grandmother had given her that Bible. They’d been quite close before she passed away five years ago to lung cancer. She was much too terrified of the fallen angel to even try to get it back though. Regardless, as far as prizes go that was a bit more personal than she was comfortable with sharing.

“I think a week off school would be nice!” She said instead, and was met with a resounding murmur of agreement from the crowd.

“How about a whole month?”

---

Under the protection of Belphegor and Leviathan this time, Mary-Catherine and her group took turns sprinting on the track. Unsurprisingly, Kevin’s dog demon-blooded friend blew all competition out the water. Once that guy got started he was like Usain Bolt on steroids. Though she put in the effort expected of her to avoid getting chided, M-C didn’t bother to run full tilt. She didn’t really like this part anyways. It was the most like a test, grueling and repetitive instead of fun, and reminded her of how she was here against her will.

She was grateful when they broke for lunch, gathering around a few hastily erected plastic tables. Taking the brown bag and two water bottles, she found a somewhat shady spot to sit under a scary looking tree and redid her sagging ponytail, lamenting the state of her side braid. She downed a whole bottle of water before getting into her food.

It was kind of funny, it was the same typical sandwich chips and apple combo she was used to on outdoor events like these, but the meat was purple and the lettuce that poked out at the sides was bright red. The fruit looked like an apple, but tasted like an orange and was the color of a banana.

She’d learned to just trust Lord Diavolo to know what humans could eat, and didn’t ask what everything was anymore. One of the transfer students had been curious at breakfast and as a result she had become aware of the fact that on several occasions she had ingested eggs from a reptilian demon species called an angiphore which looked like a cross between a platypus and one of those monstrous looking fish that lived really deep in the ocean.

The thought made her choke on her mouthful of water and most of it escaped out her lips down her throat to soak into the fabric of her top above her breast.

“Oh, gosh darn it.” Of course she had nothing to dab at it with. Well, at least the cool water felt kind of nice dripping down her neck, as hot as she was after such rigorous exercise.

“Oh my, looks like someone overestimated how much they could swallow~”

Mary-Catherine scarcely had time to process that someone had managed to approach her so silently before, bending elegantly at the waist, Asmodeus himself was already pressing a handkerchief against her neck with a chiding tut.

At her stiff reaction, he smiled, looking very much like the cat that ate the canary. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of sweetie, you’re not the first one to do such a thing.”

Mary-Catherine flushed and searched for a sufficiently indignant reply, realizing he was making fun of her. But before she could come up with something, he moved in closer, dragging the cloth against her bottom lip. It was such a shamelessly demanding motion, silencing her with ease.

“You must’ve been thirsty, poor thing.” He crooned, and M-C decided to swallow her pride and just enjoy the opportunity to get such a close up look at his gorgeous face. At this angle, she could see how long his strawberry-blonde eyelashes were as they brushed the smooth, immaculate skin of his cheeks.

“It’s… pretty hot.” The words were already on her mind, so unfortunately that’s what came out of her mouth instead of denying such an obvious trap.

It was worth it for the delighted, full-teeth grin he made. “I agree.”

His fingers skirted the hem of her tank top, and with a gentle pluck, he lifted the fabric to dab a few times at the wet top of her breast. But instead of lingering, with a simple wink, he retracted the handkerchief and stood up before she could even begin freaking out about it.

“Thanks.” She said when her brain caught up, as he started to leave.

“Any time, honey.~” He replied without turning back, and was soon out of sight.

Mary-Catherine gave a dry swallow and reached for her water bottle.

~~~

The rest of the afternoon proved uneventful. Oviumalum, or the certain species of demon sheep blood she’d been injected with, apparently had the ability to rapidly elongate and thrust out their 4 sets of horns in front of them like some kind of projectile impaler. Their horns were also a key ingredient in a certain type of hallucinogenic drug, when ground to a powder.

The meager set of horns on Mary-Catherine’s forehead was sharp, and made of the same components, but so far showed no signs of developing any projectile abilities. As such, she simply had to hold still while they took a sample of her horns, ears, and tail and then was free to sit on the sidelines for most of the hour.

Lucifer had handed her a textbook about the properties of various demonic plants and encouraged her to study during the downtime.

“Like many here, you would do well to improve your academics. Here.” He’d said in that aloof tone, like she was some filthy human bug under his boot.

“Oh…” She’d said. “Well, actually, that’s-”

“You’re welcome.” He’d cut off her attempt to decline with a glare. “I hope I see an improvement in your grade reports soon.”

Mary-Catherine couldn’t help but shut up after that and bitterly open the book in obedience. His crimson stare, like the blood she was sure he was not hesitant to shed, was just too frightening. But, more interested in watching the increasingly bizarre developing abilities of her fellow humans, she’d just skimmed the pages and pretended to read.

Beside Lord Diavolo’s delight at Donte’s newfound ability, nothing else of note happened. It was amusing to watch Emma claw several inch deep scores into a variety of materials she’d never assume could even be scratched, so that’s what she’d done until they’d blown their whistle to announce that it was time to return to the House of Lamentation.

Now, she was trailing after the gaggle of tired, test-tried students, thinking about whether she was going to bathe, sleep, or eat first when they got home.

“Heeyyy, M-C!”

Looking up from where she’d been zoning out staring at her D.D.D, she glanced around. Had somebody called her name?

“Mary-Catheriiiine!!” A girl was jogging towards her, waving a hand to get her attention. It took her a moment, since it wasn’t someone she was very familiar with, but she connected the face to a name before the girl reached her.

“Yes? - Um, Hoya, right?”

“Yeah.” The girl said, smiling with a - ah. Shark demon blood. - large set of teeth. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Of course! What is it?”

“I lost my ring up on the rocks.” Hoya said, pointing to the climbing wall. “I can see where it is but I can’t reach it myself. Can you get it for me?”

“Sure!” May-Catherine chirped, but then bit her lip. “Uh, did you tell Lucifer? It’s time to go and I’ll be fast but we’re going to make them wait…”

“Don’t worry, I told him. He said it’s fine as long as I hurry.”

“Oh. Okay!” M-C said, but couldn’t help squinting a little skeptically.

“...He said they’re leaving in ten minutes with or without us.” Hoya admitted. “But it won’t take us that long!”

Mary-Catherine was already moving. “Oh gosh, well I hope you didn’t mention my name…”

Hoya jogged next to her, long smooth grey tail wagging oddly like a dog. “Uh, I did. Sorry!"

Mary-Catherine groaned and high-tailed it to the rock.

[collecting-stories]

Gypsy - c.03 - Alfie Solomons

Family Masterlist | Peaky Blinders Masterlist

"Then what the fuck was the gypsy doing at your house last night?"  

You thought that this was probably the worst moment of your life. Even worse than the day you told Tommy you were moving to London and he spent an hour and a half shouting at you about the dangers of the city. Everything moving forward would change. Alfie would never just accept the answer and trust that you were loyal to him. He'd think everything he'd told you up till now was going to be turned over to Tommy.  

"I'm a Shelby." Your voice came out as a timid whisper. You were usually much braver than this moment was making you.  

"I'm sorry love I couldn’t hear you?" Alfie leaned forward.  

"I said," you spoke louder this time. "I'm a Shelby." 

If you hadn't been so concerned that Alfie was going to kill you the look on his face would've been laughable. He looked utterly confused. When Ollie brought him the hat he had considered that you were a spy. Maybe you were Tommy's whore and he'd sent you in to collect information. Three years seemed a bit extensive but who was he to judge how a man did business. Then he'd seen you flirting with Billy Kitchen so he thought maybe you were Billy's girl but you seemed too intelligent to go for someone like Billy. At least, it would be an insult to Alfie if you had downgraded from him to Billy.  

"Tommy's my brother." You clarified. Alfie wasn’t wiping out a gun so you felt safe enough to give up that extra bit of information. 

"Your brother? Your brother! I been fucking a gpysy this whole time?"  

You loved Alfie but even at times like this you didn’t have the patience for his antics. "And I was the best fuck you'll ever get."  

Alfie laughed, "Isn't that the truest thing I ever heard."  

He stood up and came to stand right in front of you. You held your breath when his hand rested on the side of your neck, his thumb pressing into the skin under your ear. You thought maybe he would strangle you to death. It probably wasn’t healthy that you were so easily thinking of all the ways Alfie Solomons could murder you. He leaned in so close that your forehead was nearly touching his.   "Now what are we going to do with you selling me out to those brummies?" He asked, voice low.  

You pulled away from him and were surprised when he let you. You backed away from him, creating some distance between you and him. "I'm not selling you out to anyone Alfie! I can't help who my family is." 

"You didn’t think it was important to tell me I was fucking a Shelby?" Alfie remarked. 

"Would you stop saying that!" You snapped.  

"What of Kitchen then? You related to him to?"  

"No," you shook your head, “him I fucked.”  

Alfie grabbed you again. This time you weren't afraid, you knew this time he didn't want to hurt you. He picked you up by your waist and sat you down on his desk, careless of the papers there. You hooked your legs around him and pulled on his suspenders to get him closer to you. He kissed you, rather forcefully, and you knew you'd pissed him off with the comment about Billy Kitchen. This was equivalent to the time he first learned that Ollie was living in your house. He’d been livid that another man was close to you but even then…Ollie had never seemed like a threat to your relationship with Alfie. Billy Kitchen certainly wasn't a threat. And Alfie wasn't a naïve man, he knew you’d had other men before him. It was simply the thought that one of your past men was here in his bakery.  

“Sir,” Ollie burst in.  

You rested your forehead against Alfie’s chest, your grip on his suspenders slacking. Alfie looked over his shoulder at Ollie, seemingly unsurprised that he’s been interrupted. Ollie had a knack for interrupting anytime you had a moment alone with Alfie. And it was almost always when you were compromised, as you were now with your dress skirt around your thighs and the buttons at your top undone.  

“The fuck you want Ollie?” Alfie shouted.  

“Gypsy’s here for a meeting.” Ollie commented.  

“Tell ‘em I'm fucking his sister-“ 

“Alf!” You protested.  

“-And when I’m done we’ll talk business.” He finished his sentence to Ollie before turning to address you, “what's a matter? Don't want Tommy boy finding out who you been fucking?”  

You nudged his side with your knee, trying to close your legs. You were already rebuttoning the top of your dress. The mood, which was only created out of Alfie’s jealousy and apparent need to prove himself a better bedmate than Billy, was gone now. Knowing Tommy was somewhere in the facility made you embarrassed that you were carrying on like a whore in Alfie’s office. Alfie let you fix your dress and didn't stop you sliding off the desk and standing up but he did block you from moving any further.  

“Alfie, let me passed.” You didn't want to be in the office another moment.  

“You aren't gonna stay for the business meeting? It'd save you the hassle of knowing what he already knows and what you have to tell him.” Alfie remarked.  

“Fuck off Alfie.” You tried to move away from him.  

He stepped closer, effectively trapping you between the desk and his body. You couldn't tell if his bad mood was back or if he was just teasing you. Your bet was on the second option, the way he grinned so mischievously suggested that he wasn't nearly as upset as you had thought he would be. He leaned forward and kissed you. It surprised you that he wasn't being as aggressive as he usually was. Alfie was never without an ulterior motive and that became clear when the door to his office opened and Tommy walked in.  

You didn't notice your older brother until he cleared his throat. You thought it was just Ollie, back in with more news to interrupt your visit. Then Alfie pulled away and you looked over his shoulder to see Tommy standing there, looking unamused.  

“Should've been here a minute ago mate,” Alfie chided.  

“Alfie,” you whispered, “stop!”  

He ignored you and grabbed the peaked cap off his desk. He turned all the way toward Tommy and tossed him the hat. You watched your brother examine the hat for a moment, realization of how Alfie got the hat and what that meant dawning on him. He looked back up, but not at Alfie at you. The look on his face was one that you knew all too well, it was silently asking the question 'are you alright'. You nodded your head. For the moment you were alright. Alfie's bad mood had seemed to pass.  

"I'll go then," you stepped around Alfie and walked out of the office. You could hear him starting to talk business as you shut the door.  

You were betting on the last three years of loyalty that you'd shown Alfie as being proof enough that you wouldn’t roll on him. No matter how far you went outside of Birmingham you couldn’t seem to get away from your brothers and their aspirations but that didn’t mean you were part of the business. You wanted nothing to do with the business side of things. You just wanted Alfie.

There’ll be a part 4, no worries.