#improper grammar can & will make me not want to read a story

[hisuian-history-makers]

Throughout my years of being a Pokémon fan (and other fandoms fan), I have come up with several ideas for stories I wanted to write. Who hasn’t humored the thought of translating their ideas to reality. Except putting yourself out there is extremely nerve-wracking. Even more so when you are a somewhat perfectionist like myself. Improper grammar/capitalization can make potential readers not want to read fanfics. And I am not nitpicking the occasional errors.

To name a few: using too many commas, repetitive word choice, improper grammar, uncapitalized words throughout the entire story, thick blocks of text when you need to break up paragraphs, etc… You get the point. The last one seriously makes me mad because I will lose my place in a chapter. I understand the first drafts won’t be perfect from the get-go, but them not improving frustrates me. What I am trying to get at is writing something you are satisfied with is harder than it sounds.

Moving onto the main point of this post. The Pokémon world’s floating timeline presents a unique problem. Whether it is the eternal summer of the Anime or games remakes making concrete events more vague. I’m not going into the darker Manga events since I barely know them. It tends to be different from our own in many ways besides super powered creatures. Here are some questions I ask myself whenever I think up any fanfic ideas.

—Do all individuals of a species look the same? {Pokémon look like mirror copies no matter how many you catch in the games. I would like to think there are other appearance traits than the bigger size. Maybe some have shaggier fur, longer claws, and different colors besides being shiny considering the genetic diversity.}

—Why do some people have Pokémon before being ten years old? {We know being ten is the minimum requirement to take on the league. Yet we see visibly younger kids have Pokémon in several other regions. I think ten is the youngest age you are allowed to be to compete in official tournaments. Ash had a trainer’s license in the Anime which might relate to this.}

—Are talented/prodigy trainers granted special privileges? {In a short answer, yes. We see very young trainers like Tate and Liza appointed to co-gym leader status. It seems talented trainers are very sought after in the Pokémon world. The youngest high-ranking trainer has to be (SPOILERS) the Paldea’s Poppy. Her attitude and visible appearance make me think she is five to six years old. Poppy is strong enough to hold an Elite Four position in the game!}

—Why are we made the new champion after beating the old one? {This is one of the few things about the games that genuinely annoys me. We are not only the strongest trainer in-region but given a high authority position. League champions appear to be people who rank first in the tournament. What would make more sense is the former champion mentors whoever beat them for a few years. Champions hold the highest authority being able to go to places too dangerous for average trainers.}

—What exactly are Legendaries/Mythicals? {Not the easiest question to answer so let’s go over the basics. All species have the strength of fully-evolved dragon types. Each has a job to do in the world, some more important than others considering what they represent. One's like the Creation Trio and Arceus are actual real gods. Giratina itself was described as eldritch. People can go their whole lives without seeing one in any continuity. A lucky few can catch them and they will actually listen to orders.}

—Is it legal to have a Legendary Pokémon considering how important they are? {When you take into account their sheer strength and abilities this is a grey area. We catch the region’s legendaries/mythical in every game. I have personally used at least one box legend on teams to beat the Elite Four. In the universe though how often does this genuinely happen? Where they bond enough to let themselves be caught by a mortal. It would be so easy for Groudon or Yveltal to just kill us if they didn’t want to listen... Are there rules for this? A limit to how many you can use on a team. Does the trainer have to let the league know they have one if they take on the Pokémon League? Look at how easily Tobias swept the gym challenge.}

—How advanced is the technology? {Another odd area so rarely addressed in the Pokemon World. Bags, a staple thing, can hold several items including Bikes in them without weighing us down. Pokemon are transported by digitizing them across the internet/electric lines. Centers can heal our pokémon with a machine in just a few seconds. Teleport tiles have existed since the first freaking generation! The Pokemon World is much more advanced than our own. I would say they focused on medicine, science, and transportation the most.}

—Is battling similar to animal fighting? {PETA has kicked up enough fuss over the years when it comes to the Pokémon franchise. The games have shown that trainers make friends with their Pokémon enough to affect battles. Some even shrug off status effects to not worry the trainer. There are cases of Pokémon abuse and abandonment in the series. Yet tend to be much rarer than our cases in our world. Besides, wild Pokémon will battle to get stronger.}

—Are there any real-world animals? {Evidence for this is present when you look at species classifications. Cats, dogs, mice, crocodiles, and others like that are found in dex entries. Fish were seen in the anime’s early episodes. Pidgeotto ate an actual worm before Ash caught it... So kinda. Smaller animals seem to inhabit the Pokémon World from what we’ve seen. Makes the food situation less grim.}

—What is pokémon training actually like? {I imagine that it’s far less glamorous than the games show. Camping for months on end without access to showers. Having to feed six super-powered creatures three times a day. Not to mention having an unstable budget to rely on. I pity those who repeatedly lose.}

Now questions I don’t have answers/ headcanons/theories on currently.

—What was the Pokémon World’s reaction to parallel dimensions being real? Ultra Space

—Why are there two different types of Rangers? One that uses poke balls and one using stylers.

—Is time travel a somewhat regular occurrence and do people watch for timeline changes? The Hisui situation is not subtle with there being Porygon in the pokédex. Time-space distortions might appear in the modern day.

—Are humans in there more durable than us? Ash gets hit by Pokémon moves and Lance hyper-beamed someone in Mahogany Town.

—How can friendship be quantified?

—What’s the yearly number of Pokémon killing humans?

—Are psychics employed as lie detectors?

—Is it wrong for a psychic to read minds?

—Do mediums need special training?

—How do non-Pokémon related careers fare in a Pokemon training-focused world?

—Does ditto breeding have any side effects?

—What requirements are there to become a gym leader? Why is it only one gym per town?

—Can a trainer be charged with murder if one of their Pokémon kills a human in self-defense?

—Are there blacklisted species against the law to be trained without licenses?

—What happens to all the less-than-ideal babies from IV breeding? Shiny breeding?

—Where do Pokémon eggs actually come from?

—How often are Pokémon actually injured to the point if bleeding?

—Why does this crazy world let ten-year-olds wander in the wilderness?

—Are the evil teams' schemes years in the making? What were they thinking messing with the God-like Legendaries?

—How much does the league tell the public about us stopping evil teams?

—Are the additional non-native encounters in remakes caused by the Legendary Pokémon raging? Mass migrations away from danger.

—Can they take away our legendary Pokemon?

—Do the legendaries have cult followings?

—Would using Mega Evolution or Z-Moves to battle trainers who can’t be considered unfair?

—How rare is the ability to talk to Pokémon?

—Do badges/ribbons expire?

—Is evolving less maturing than just growing stronger? Can evolved mons still be immature?

—Are atheists a thing in the Pokemon world?

—How many grimdark or nuzlucke stories are just dark timelines?

—What if Legendaries are classified as genderless because nobody has studied them?

—Do Pokémon have to be re-caught if the trainer wants to switch their poke ball type?

—How rare are evolution items?

—How do TMs teach Pokemon new moves?

—Are ghost types immortal?

—What happens to Orre during the time skip?

—Does Ash age or is he stuck at ten?

—When does Ingo get sucked into the past?

—How long was he there before we show up?

—How do trade evolutions occur wild?

—Do we control the player character to save the region?

—What weapons if any exist in that world?

—How old are the Champions?

---------

I ask myself these when I consider any future stories history and worldbuilding. Hope to one day write quality fanfic that avoids the cliches.

[billconrad]

Unassailable

    I use the word optimize in every possible place it fits. Optimize that recipe. I have optimized my walking style. Can my driving be optimized? You bet! The word rolls off my tongue even when I am silently typing.

    I never use some words because I do not fully understand their meaning and do not want to sound like an idiot. Argyle? Something to do with socks. Bloodthirsty? Umm, I think that has something to do with motivation. Googleplex? That’s a big number, but I do not know how big. Ribosomes? It’s some silly biological term. Myocardial? A doctor used that once in a health video. Metastatic? I think that was the same doctor.

    That’s all understandable, but there is one word I avoid, like the plague, yet I fully understand the meaning. Unassailable describes a condition that cannot be argued against. If there is a video of a person committing a crime, their guilt is unassailable. Writers often use it in mathematics, law, engineering, and critical discussions.

    Now, hold on. There are some conditions where I know the word legitimately applies. 2+2=4. The math is unassailable. Yes and no. The logic is flawless, but 2+2=4 is not unassailable; it is a correct equation with room for disagreement. Two apples plus two oranges do not equal four planes.

    It seems like this word has many applications, so do I hate it with a passion? Because it is offensive to the reader. It is as if I said, “Hey, I discovered something, and you cannot contradict me, jerk!”

    I can show you why I hate this work with this very sentence. I do not know who will read my words. You could be a serial killer, truck driver, or someone who accidentally clicked on a link. Yet, I have the same goal: for you to be entertained, educated, and enjoy my creation. Yet, there is no guarantee of success. My sentence might even bring resentment, but deep in my heart, I tried my best to present something enjoyable.

    Allow me to make a brief exception with one awful sentence. Jack, and, Jill, went, up, a, hill, to, fetch, a, pale, of, water. Wow, those comas were so annoying. And that sentence? Could I have been any more cliché? Anger is boiling, and words are turning green like the Hulk. Roar!

    Reading the word unassailable feels the same as that awful sentence. Why would I want to insult the people I am trying to entertain? “I am smarter than you!” Nobody likes that attitude. I want my readers to smile, but that word goes against every writing instinct I have. It is like it has a poor attitude reservoir.

    I suppose we all have our little quirks. Grammar mongers dislike improper punctuation and go to great lengths to point out mistakes. Wordsmiths take great joy in using obscure words in everyday sentences. I love the band Rush, which probably makes the people who adore classical music freak out. Oh, well, that’s life, which is an unassailable conclusion.

    You’re the best -Bill

    December 13, 2023

PS, My three hundredth blog!

    Hey book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:

    Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.

    Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

    Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.

    Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.

    These books are available in soft-cover on Amazon and eBook format everywhere.

[limi-pie]

About TTORW Min Yoongi fanfiction

Alright, this is my third attempt💀 to write this f*cking darn update post but Tumblr keeps crashing on me and my f*cking ass! 💀💀💀

Erhmm, so this is super awkward for me🤠 to write and explain myself. But my bestie called me out for my whack behavior. Anyways, so you’ve probably been wondering about what’s been going on with me or the Mafia fanfiction I’ve been writing. I’ll explain in detail what happened under the ‘keep reading’.

Let me start by saying yes, I’m the author of the mafia-au Min Yoongi fanfiction “The taste of Red Wine” aka ‘TTORW’. For those of you who may not know, she was my first ever fanfiction that I wrote. (I’m actually lowkey proud of her, ehehe.)

I believe I posted the first chapter back in the 2020 summer, I was extremely sad and unmotivated to do anything (I believe we all were due to covid and quarantine, but I also lowkey have summer sadness) so as the smart individual I am🤓 I began reading K-pop fanfictions or even watch them on Youtube at 2 or even 4 AM instead of sleeping💀 (mind you at that time I had also just received a new full-time job at a cafe lmfao I kept f*cking my sleeping schedule so hard, ahaha.🤠)

I’m sorry letter

So yeah, first of let me apologize to those who’ve been reading TTORW and been waiting patiently for part 9 or an update. I’m usually not the type to write or update anyone on social media at least about my whereabouts or hiatus, so I just usually just disappear without telling or explaining it to anyone. Sorry about that it’s a bad habit and I’m a bad person for doing so. But I owe you an explanation and I’ve finally pulled myself to get to write this long a*s post! 

Where it all started

I originally posted a prologue to that story before part 1, but I deleted it. I think it was due to the many grammar errors in it or because I thought it was awful who knows. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ So yeah back then I would regularly post each new chapter at least once a week? Even though it had like 8000+ grammar errors, no f*cking spacing, improper English, and it was awfully written too💀

I thought being a “great” fanfiction writer was to post or update frequently despite how badly structured or written it was. I thought to myself, this is sumn good sh*tz🤓 at 3 AM posting without even reading through it several times before posting it.

Also, maybe the fact the “Y/N” I created in this story is a woman of color and I thought fanfiction writing is a lot of fun. And I sorta wanted to give a unique personality or at least write her differently in contrary to the typical shy and quiet Y/N. (nothing’s wrong with that type of Y/N I just wanted something else or at least I tried to write a different Y/N.)

Another thing, since I’m a multi fan I find it very fascinating to include other idols from other groups in this mafia universe, ehehe. (I hope some of you can like see some of the small easter eggs/references🌝 I’ve placed in the chapters, ehehe.)

To be honest I actually do like writing fanfictions and I’m surprisingly very passionate about it too. I like making a plot and putting much thought into the side characters and how the dynamics affect the others too. It’s not that I stopped writing or updating on TTORW because I lost interest in fanfiction writing.

Why did you stop writing/updating on TTORW?

It’s because of several reasons I’ve listened down below.

1. I’m lowkey very insecure and often doubt myself, whenever I find myself enjoying something. I always somehow end up comparing myself to other great fanfiction writers (which you obviously shouldn’t because people are at a different level of writing and some people are obviously more experienced in writing. But I end up doing it regardless) and I end up being so harsh on myself, like saying things like “no one is going to read this or like this” or “this is extremely bad” etc. (I’m trying my best to not do that but sometimes it’s just very hard. Especially when you’re always so harsh on yourself for no reason…)

2. I’ve been super busy with work, I’m actually in the process of resigning from my old job since I’ve received a new job. This b*tch (me) keeps overworking herself because I’m a Mark Lee fan, I can’t afford to be broke and I’m planning on saving money to finally and hopefully move out or travel who knows.

3. Writing block is hitting me so hard. Sometimes I get that fire moment of just getting down and listening to my K-pop playlist and BANG! I’ve successfully written paragraphs of good Mafia/fanfiction writing. You guys don’t want to know that I have countless of long Google docs files just dedicated to NCT/BTS smut writing because I’m h*rny and can’t think about anything else than abs and f*cking… You know I might post them one day but when? I can’t answer that maybe an anon will ask me about it? Or maybe one day I will get out of my comfort zone and give in to temptation then finally I can post smut. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

4. I’m somewhat of a perfectionist. Sometimes when I’ve finally released a chapter I kept going back and forth to check if there’s something wrong with it or any wording that’s terrible. (we love bad habits in this household🤠)

5. I’m a sloth, I’m so lazy🦥 sometimes that I’m not in the mood to like to write or even think about fanfiction. Sorry about that. Also, I’ve been spending too much time on Tik Tok🦥 (it’s become a bad addiction of mine at this point.)

In conclusion

Now I’ve thought about it for a while I do plan to keep continuing and writing on “The taste of Red Wine”. To me personally, fanfiction writing isn’t about gaining the most likes and reblogs, I just do it because it’s a lot of fun and I want to keep trying in order to improve my writing skills too. I had a lot of exciting things for the story line and I’ve really looked forward to writing Y/N’s character development!🤠

I’ve read tons of good K-pop fanfiction lately here on Tumblr. I want to make a master list later when I’m home because I think it would be a great idea to keep all my chapters linked in one post. Thanks for reading and I guess for being patient, part 9 is on the way I’m expecting to release it soon.

Sincerely, Limi 💞

[imsorryimlate]

Specific references in Pomegranate Seeds, sorted by chapter

Title of work: Pomegranate Seeds

A reference to the myth of Persephone and Hades, where Hades is the god of the underworld who kidnaps Persephone – the daughter of Demeter, goddess of agriculture and harvest – and makes her queen of the underworld. He gives her a pomegranate to eat, and for every seed she swallows she has to spend a month with Hades in the underworld. During the months she is with Hades, she is gone from her mother, and that’s why autumn and winter exist (since Demeter is grieving the loss of her daughter). Spring and summer are the months when she is back with Demeter, and Demeter is once again happy. The myth has lots of interpretations, but my favourite is the one where it is said to be based on the trauma of both daughter and mother as they are separated when the daughter gets married and enters a new household.

Even though Giorno’s mother didn’t treat him well, her death was most likely traumatic to him. He enters the new household of Dio (Hades) and every time they touch each other in a way that isn’t befitting father and son, one could say that Giorno swallows another pomegranate seed, and it binds him to the underworld. In this case, the underworld would both represent the criminal world, but also the trap of their incestuous relationship that he then cannot leave, should he want to.

No specific references in chapters 1 & 2.

Chapter 3:

Demetra – Giorno’s mother doesn’t have a name in canon, so I made one up. Demetra is the Italian version of Demeter, which is the name of the Greek goddess of agriculture and harvest. The goddess is the mother of Persephone, and the title of this fic – Pomegranate Seeds – is a reference to the myth of Hades and Persephone.

The biblical paintings in the church – John the Baptist (martyr) was beheaded, and Judas (traitor) hung himself. The imagery around Eve, the snake and the red apple, well… depending on how you interpret the story in the Bible, this could mean that the scene doesn’t represent a fall from grace, but rather that it was God’s intention to have humanity step into the broader world.

Dio’s books – I mostly just had a look at my own bookshelf, but I purposely included Nabokov, Machiavelli, and Plato. Nabokov, of course, references his infamous novel Lolita. Machiavelli was an Italian politician and philosopher during the Renaissance, and he’s most famous for his book The Prince, where he gave rulers quite… devious advice, not shying away from unethical and corrupt means. Therefore Machiavelli and the derived term Machiavellian often denotes (political) deceit. And Plato, well, in his text The Symposium he speaks of the ancient practice of pederasty in a very positive manner, and claiming that it is the purest form of love.

Aniara – I picked the book because it’s my sister’s favourite. It is a book-length epic science fiction poem that narrates the tragedy of a large passenger spacecraft carrying a cargo of colonists escaping destruction on Earth veering off course, leaving the Solar System and entering into an existential struggle. This is the “space-travel” Giorno later reflects on while in the bath.

No specific references in chapter 4.

Chapter 5:

The next reference to Machiavelli – Giorno thinks about Machiavelli and the question if it is better to be feared or loved, which is something Machiavelli writes about in his book The Prince, where he states that it is better for a ruler to be feared than loved, if they cannot be both.

No specific references in chapter 6.

Chapter 7:

Reckless – Giorno notes that Dio wants him “recklessly, passionately”. This is one of the two times the word “reckless” is used in this story; the only other time being in the first chapter when Giorno’s mother dies after her car collides with a reckless truck. Dio’s desire for Giorno is tied together with that accident, as if it’s equally dangerous.

Jewel – “Yes, Giorno would like something like that; to show Dio that he was a prized jewel, cut to fit perfectly in the curve of his palm.” This line directly references the Song of Songs 7:1 “Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a master hand.”

Eden – “How truly unfortunate, that the most tempting fruit should be found in the middle of Eden.” The garden of Eden, in the Bible, is where life is first created by God. It can therefore also symbolise family, where life also is created. So what Dio essentially says here is “what a shame the most fuckable person is found in my family”.

Draconic tendencies – Giorno having “draconic tendencies” is a reference to his earlier thoughts about Abbacchio hoarding Bucciarati like a jealous dragon.

Chapter 8:

Buttercups – Giorno picks a bouquet of buttercups for Dio, and buttercups have traditionally been associated with childhood. It is meant to express that Giorno, no matter how mature he himself is convinced that he is, still has a childish edge to his affection. As a fun aside, the Latin name for buttercups is Ranunculus, which means “little frog”.

Leda and the Swan – the painting Dio has in his study. It is, of course, an erotic yet controversial motif in itself, but there are some references to the Greek myth it is based on. In it, Zeus disguises himself as a swan and copulates with Leda. It is not entirely clear if it is by rape or seduction. Zeus, of course, is known for his sexual escapades, his violent temper and jealousy, but here he disguises himself as a swan, which is an animal that in European culture often has symbolised love and fidelity. This story of a shady person disguising himself as someone loving, to enter a relationship where consent is dubious at best, well… I think the implications are clear. As a fun aside, the name Zeus and the name Dio are directly connected.

Uneasy lies the head – the whole quote is “uneasy lies the head that wears a crown”, a saying from Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, Part 2, meaning that someone with great responsibilities won’t be able to rest properly.

The prodigal son – it’s a reference to a parable in the Bible, from Luke 15:11-32. The story goes that a son requests his inheritance early, spends it all irresponsibly, and then returns home to beg his father to let him work for him. His father, however, welcomes him home with open arms and throws a feast, which indicates that he has hopefully waiting for the son to return.

Nakedness – the scene in Giorno’s room, where he lowers his duvet to display his “nakedness”, the word choice here is important. Except for Genesis 42, all biblical occurrences of the common idiom ”to see the nakedness of” or “to uncover the nakedness of” are explicitly sexual, usually referring to incest. The Classical Hebrew word 'erwā is not “nudity” but “nakedness”, in the sense of something that is unseemly or improper to look at or expose; often used to denote forbidden sexual relations.

Chapter 9:

Wine-dark – Dio’s eyes are described as wine-dark, which is a reference to the use of “wine-dark sea” in Homer. It’s an epithet used in the Iliad and the Odyssey, of uncertain meaning. What exactly does it mean that the sea is “wine-dark”? Is it a reference to the stormy sea being unpredictable, like someone who’s drunk on wine? Or does it tell us something about how ancient Greeks perceived colours, where maybe depth and opacity levels were more important than hues?

Ambrosia – Giorno compares the taste of Dio’s seed to ambrosia, which is the food and drink of the gods in Greek mythology.

Lollipop – Giorno is sucking on a lollipop while he’s out shopping. This is a shameless reference to the most culturally recognised image of Nabokov’s Lolita, where Sue Lyon, the actress who portrayed the character Lolita in Stanley Kubrick’s film adaption of the novel, is sucking on a red lollipop while wearing heart-shaped sunglasses. It’s worth noting, however, that the character Lolita doesn’t eat a lollipop in the novel or Kubrick’s film, and the images were only used for promotion. Either way, the lollipop has nonetheless become a symbol for playful, youthful temptation.

No specific references in chapter 10.

Chapter 11:

Dio’s alarming beauty – Giorno reflects on how beautiful Dio is, that he is alarmingly beautiful. This is a reference to a quote from The Secret History by Donna Tartt: “Beauty is rarely soft or consolatory. Quite the contrary. Genuine beauty is always quite alarming.”

Chapter 12:

Kisses – there’s a lot of descriptions of kissing in the beginning of this chapter, and it is all a reference to the biblical book Song of Songs. “Honey-sweet kisses that melted his tongue” is a reference to Song of Songs 4:11 “honey and milk are under your tongue”. On a more complicated note… “those kisses, Giorno drank them from his mouth like they were life-giving water” is a reference to Song of Songs 1:2 that should be “I want to drink kisses from his mouth”, however, most translations will read “let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth”. It’s really complicated as to why I and others would translate it differently, but in general it has to do with the manuscript and the Masoretic editors’ vocalisation, which in turn has a lot to do with evaluating Classical Hebrew grammar and poetic conventions… I am going to spare you that lecture, but I still wanted to let you know that you won’t find that wording in most English translations of the Bible.

The garden, Eden, and juvenile sex – this all ties together. The garden of Eden is, in the Bible, where life is created and before “the fall of man”, it is a place of peace and innocence. Now, it might seem strange to refer to innocence in a story like this, but there still is a certain kind of innocence to their relationship, especially on Giorno’s end. They are described as “easy and unafraid, in full view of God”, which again is a reference to the biblical creation story; after “the fall of man”, when Adam and Eve have sinned, they are suddenly afraid of God and tries to hide from him, and for the first time shield their nudity, since they have now lost that innocence. So, Dio and Giorno being unafraid in full view of God is another reference to them being fairly innocent. At least that’s how Giorno conceptualises it.

Satyriasis – a word for excessive sexual desire, and an outdated term for hypersexuality. The word was developed in relation to the satyrs of Greek mythology, who were lustful woodland gods.

Nipple play – Giorno sucking on Dio’s tits, well… quite obvious reference, but if you missed it; it’s a reference to breastfeeding and nourishment.

Sunlight – in Stardust Crusaders, Dio tells Polnareff that he too has pain in his life because he can never see the sunlight, since he is a vampire. In this story, Dio isn’t a vampire, but I still wanted to include this pain. Dio’s love for the sunshine, and the depravation of it in his childhood, is my attempt to reconceptualise it.

Chapter 13:

Ice cream – elder flower sorbet has a tendency to taste like laundry detergent if you’re not careful, so Mista definitely picked the wrong flavour that time.

Know thy enemy – “know thy enemy” is a famous quote from The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Chapter 14:

Paradise burning – more Eden references, they never truly stop.

Loins – in Classical Hebrew, one specifically emphasises that a child has sprung from someone’s loins to indicate that it is a biological child rather than an adopted one.

Deadly sins – Giorno notes that one of the seven deadly sins, sloth (that is, excessive laziness and indifference), doesn’t come as naturally to him as others would (such as lust or pride).

Know thy self – another reference to the famous quote of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.

Companion – Giorno thinks about how the universe has blessed Dio with a companion that can keep up with him, which is a subtle reference to the creation myth in the Bible. There, God creates the first human, Adam. Adam attempts to find a companion amongst the other creatures, but cannot find an equal until God creates another human – incidentally, God creates another human from Adam (by his rib), which of course parallels with Giorno being created from Dio, since he is his biological child.

Clay – the dream Giorno has of Dio forming him out of clay and breathing life into him is another direct reference to the creation myth in the Bible, where God forms the first human out of clay/soil/dust from the ground and breathes life into his nostrils. Similar creation myths are found in several ancient Near Eastern religions. If you want a little more “fun” fact, the first human is named Adam, a name he gets from the Classical Hebrew word for “man” (as in human – not male), which is adam, and the word for “ground” is adamah, which ties to all together quite nicely.

Nakedness – Dio uncovers Giorno’s nakedness, and just like in chapter 8 it’s a biblical reference. Except for Genesis 42, all biblical occurrences of the common idiom ”to see the nakedness of” or “to uncover the nakedness of” are explicitly sexual, usually referring to incest. The Classical Hebrew word 'erwā is not “nudity” but “nakedness”, in the sense of something that is unseemly or improper to look at or expose; often used to denote forbidden sexual relations.

Chapter 15.

Cuddling – after having breakfast, they cuddle, and their position is described as Giorno resting his head on Dio’s left arm, and Dio draping his other arm over Giorno’s waist. This position is a reference to the biblical book the Song of Songs 2:6 “His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.”

Angel lust – Dio gets hard after Giorno chokes him, which he says is a perfectly natural reaction to being choked. Which it is! “Angel lust” or “death erection” refers to the phenomenon of men executed by hanging having an erection, because of the increased downward blood flow. After observing this, doctors in the 17th century started prescribing choking sex to men with erectile dysfunction, and that’s partly where erotic asphyxiation comes from.

England – the phrase “lie back and think of England”, alternatively “close your eyes and think of England” is an old-timey reference to unwanted sex that one doesn’t enjoy – specifically used for sex within a marriage, which at least back in the day was more of an economic arrangement than a love affair. Disgustingly, it means “just lie back and endure it”.

Bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh – this is another reference to the creation story in the Bible. The specific verse is Genesis 2:23, when God has created another human to be a worthy companion of the first one. Adam, the first human, has searched for a companion among the animals but been unsuccessful to find an equal. But when he meets the newly created Eve, the second human, he exclaims “At last! This is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (since she was created from his rib). That “at last!” is very sweet – and fits in this story too! Dio has finally found a worthy companion to share his highest highs and deepest lows with.

Chapter 16.

Roses – Giorno buys a bouquet of roses for Dio. This is intended as a contrast to the buttercups he picked for Dio in chapter 8, being that roses are a much more “mature” flower than buttercups, therefore showing that Giorno has matured. Also, the fact that he buys the bouquet of roses while he picked the buttercups indicate a certain loss of simplicity and naturalness in their relationship.

Fin.

[queenmiranda-01]

The Royal Couple                                              Chapter 9 - Spreading The News

Liam x Miranda (MC)

Hi and thanks for reading my story. I know this chapter has been a long time coming but with the pandemic, working from home, and home schooling it took me forever to find the time to write this chapter but thankfully I was FINALLY able to finish it so I hope everyone enjoys it.

I started working on Chapter 10 and I pray it does not take long to finish it.

Please know that I am not a professional writer so I apologize for any misspellings or improper grammar structure. As always I welcome all feedback both positive and negative. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters as they belong to Pixleberry Studios. I’m just using them for fictional entertainment purposes

(It’s Saturday morning, the day of the party where Liam and Miranda plan to announce to their close friends that they are expecting a baby. Miranda awakes to the aroma of the grill and the smoker filling her bedroom. She lets out a yawn and looks at her phone and sees that it’s 8:30am. She then turns to Liam’s side of the bed and sees that he is not there which means that he is already downstairs which also explains why the smell of barbecue is coming in through the open windows and balcony doors. Miranda gets out of bed and heads into her bathroom to wash herself and brush her teeth. She then goes into her closest and puts on a cute casual sun dress and heads downstairs. She walks out to the patio and sees Liam who is wearing a short sleeve button down shirt and cargo shorts. He is at the grilling station marinating and putting a rub on two large racks of ribs. As Miranda approaches the grilling station Liam looks up and gives her a big smile.)

Liam: Good morning Sweetie!

(Miranda walks over to Liam and gives him a kiss)

Miranda: Good morning Pitt Master!

(Liam chuckles at Miranda’s comment and gives her another kiss. Miranda watches over Liam’s shoulder as he finishes putting a rub on the ribs.)

Miranda: What time did you get up?

Liam: Uh…around 6:00am I think

Miranda: How come you were up so early?

Liam: I had to start the brisket early if we want to eat by this afternoon? How come you’re up so early?

Miranda: (Playfully) Oh I smelled the barbecue from upstairs so I thought I would come down and taste your meat.

(Liam has finished his rub of the ribs and is now washing his hands at the grilling station’s sink with his back to Miranda)

Liam: Sorry Love but the brisket is still in the smoker and it won’t be ready for a few more hours.

Miranda: (Playfully & Seductively) Well that’s not the ‘Meat’ I wanted to taste.

(Liam looks over his shoulder and gives Miranda a sly grin. He dries his hands off and walks over to her, wraps his arms around her waist, and pulls her close to his chest.).

Liam: (Softly and seductively) I thought you got enough of my ‘Meat’ last night.

Miranda: (Softly and seductively) You know I can’t get enough of your ‘Meat’ Sweetheart.

(Liam giggles and gives Miranda a kiss. When he releases her lips, she rests her head against his chest and closes her eyes as Liam rubs her back)

Miranda: Mmmm! … I’m so excited about today.

Liam: I know I have been looking forward to telling our friends about the baby. They are going to be so happy for us.

(Miranda looks up at Liam)

Miranda: They are going to be more than just happy. I know Maxwell and Hana are going to explode with excitement when we tell them.

Liam: Wait to you see the reaction when we release the statement to the press, the whole country will be overjoyed. I believe everyone has been waiting for us to announce that we are having a baby since the moment we returned from our honeymoon.

Miranda: Oh you know everyone has been on the edge of their seat waiting for that announcement. Every time we do an interview or face the paparazzi the first question they ask is “When are you guys having a baby?”

(Liam looks down at Miranda, lifts her chin up with his two fingers, and gazes lovingly into her eyes)

Liam: Well they won’t have to wait much longer because very soon we will tell the world that you are pregnant, and it will be one of the happiest days of my life.

Miranda: It will be one of mine too

Liam: I love you!

Miranda: I love you!

(Liam lowers his lips to Miranda and gives her a kiss. He then lets out a little sigh)

Liam: We better get moving. We got a lot to do around here before everyone arrives.

(Liam gives Miranda a kiss on her forehead and goes to break from her embrace)

Miranda: Um wait a minute! (Miranda pulls Liam back into her embrace) Where do you think you’re going?

(Liam smiles at Miranda as he wraps his arms around her)

Liam: (Grinning) Yes my love? What can I do for you?

Miranda: I wasn’t kidding when I said that I wanted to ‘Taste’ your meat

(Miranda moves her hand down to Liam’s crouch, unzips his shorts, pulls his dick out, and starts to play with it. Liam smiles as he moves his hand to her breast and caresses them.)

Liam: (Apologetically) I’m sorry Baby I didn’t realize you were serious about that.

(Liam and Miranda move their lips closer to each other’s)

Miranda: (Softly) When have I ever joked about such a thing?

Liam: (Softly and slightly shaking his head) Never! I should’ve known better

Miranda: (Softly) Yes, you should’ve.

(Liam and Miranda close the gap between their lips and share a deep kiss that quickly becomes heated as Miranda jerks Liam and causes him to become erect. After a few moments they release each other’s lips and are slightly out of breath)

Liam: Do you mind if I check on my brisket first before you ‘Taste’ my meat?

(Liam and Miranda playfully smile at each other)

Miranda:  I would never dream of keeping a Pitt Master from his grill

(Liam grins as Miranda releases her hold on his dick, he turns toward the smoker where the brisket is cooking. Liam opens the smoker as Miranda stands behind him and watches. The strong aroma of smoke and the smell of the brisket overpower Miranda’s senses and she immediately becomes nauseous and realizes that she is going to be sick.)

Miranda: Oh My God!

(Miranda quickly turns to the nearby trash bin, leans over it, and gets sick twice. Liam hearing Miranda’s cry quickly turns around and sees her getting sick over the trash bin. Liam immediately grabs a clean towel from the grilling station and puts his hand on Miranda’s back. After Miranda finishes getting sick, she remains leaning over the trash bin for a moment. Liam hands her the towel and she wipes her mouth)

Liam: (Compassionately) Are you alright?

(Miranda takes a deep breath through her nose and slowly breaths out of her mouth)

Miranda: Yeah, I’m fine

(Miranda straightens herself up as Liam wraps his arms around her and she rest her head on his chest)

Miranda: Wow that came over me so fast

Liam: I’m sorry Sweetie I shouldn’t have opened the smoker so close to you.

Miranda: It’s not your fault! I didn’t think the smell would affect me like that.

Liam: Well I guess any strong smells or odors can set off your morning sickness.

(Miranda smirks as she pulls apart from Liam)

Miranda: Maybe I need to stay away from the grill and smoker for a little while just to be safe (Liam nods I’m agreement) besides I need to start preparing some of the other food in the kitchen.

Liam: I think that’s a good idea. Come on let’s get you inside.

(Liam moves to escort Miranda back inside)

Miranda: (Chuckles) I’m ok to walk back inside by myself.

Liam: Yes, but a Lady, not to mention a Queen, should always have a proper escort.

(Miranda slightly rolls her eyes and giggles as Liam puts his arm around her and walks her off the patio and back into the family room. Once they are inside Liam turns to Miranda and lightly caresses her arms)

Liam: Are you sure you’re ok now?

(Miranda sighs at Liam)

Miranda: (A little sarcastic) Yes I’m fine, stop worrying about me so much.

Liam: (Slightly shakes his head with a playful grin) Never! I told you, I am your husband and it’s my job to worry about you, because I love you (he leans in a gives Miranda a little kiss and places his hand on her  belly) both of you!

(Liam then warps his arms around Miranda and pulls her close as she looks up and smiles at him)

Miranda: And WE love you.

(Liam grins as Miranda gives him a sweet little kiss)

Miranda: Why are you always so good to me?

Liam: Because you’re my girl!

Miranda: I’ll always be your girl and you’ll always be my guy.

(Liam and Miranda share another sweet little kiss)

Liam: Do you want me to get you anything?

Miranda: No! Stop fussing over me! I’m not a china doll that can easily break.

Liam: Of course not, you are far more valuable to me.

(Miranda grins at Liam and slightly shakes her head at him)

Miranda: (A little sarcastic) Yeah ok, I’m good now so get out of here before all your ‘fussing over me’ starts to annoy the hell out of me.

Liam: Very well I’ll head back outside. (Liam gives Miranda a quick kiss) Try not to miss me too much!

Miranda: (Giggles and gets a little sarcastic) Ok I’ll try my best.

(Liam smiles and gives Miranda a kiss on her forehead and then turns to head out the patio door but before he leaves Miranda calls out to him)

Miranda: Um Liam!

(Liam turns around and faces Miranda)

Liam: Yes?

Miranda: (Gesturing to his crouch) You..uh...might want to ‘fix yourself’ before you go outside.

(Liam looks confused until Miranda points to his crouch. He quickly looks down and his eyes widen as he sees that his dick (which is now gone soft) is still hanging out)

Liam: (Embarrassed) Oh!  My apologizes, I completely forgot that I was exposing myself.

(Liam puts his dick back in and zips up his shorts as Miranda giggles at him)

Liam: Thank you Baby!

Miranda: You’re welcome Sweetie!

(Liam heads out to the grill as Miranda who is still giggling at Liam shakes her head and goes into the kitchen. Around 12:00pm Miranda and Liam are waiting for their guest to arrive. Miranda is in the kitchen baking and making up the side dishes and salads. Liam is on the patio at the grilling station keeping an eye on the brisket and ribs that are cooking while preparing the chicken that he is also going to put on the grill. Back in the kitchen Miranda hears Drake’s voice calling out from the hallway)

Drake: YO! …Where is everybody?

Miranda: (Calling out to Drake) In the kitchen!

(Drake appears in the kitchen doorway wearing an old ratty t-shirt, wrinkled cargo shirts and holding a bag in his hand.)

Drake: Hey Carrington

(Miranda smiles at Drake and walks over to him and gives him a hug as Drake hugs her back with his free arm)

Miranda: Hey yourself stranger! How have you been?

Drake: Eh same as always

(As Miranda hugs Drake she recognizes his normal scent of Old Spice cologne, stale cigarette smoke, and whiskey. She releases him from her hug and looks at the bag he is holding)

Miranda: What’s in the bag?

Drake: It’s for Liam. (Drake glances around the kitchen & family room) Where is he?

Miranda: He’s out at the grill.

(Drake looks out toward the patio in the direction of the grilling station and chuckles)

Drake: Really? He still thinks he knows how to barbecue.

Miranda: Hey give him a break, he is getting much better at it.

Drake: Yeah but he still has a lot to learn.

Miranda: (Sarcastically) Well no one can ever be the great Pitt Master that you are Walker!

Drake: Nah I guess not

(Miranda giggles and shakes her head at Drake)

Miranda: So where have you been? I hardly see you around here anymore.

Drake: I’ve been in Lythikos

Miranda: Again? Why do you keep going there?

Drake: (Shrugging his shoulders) I’m part of the Royal Guard now. I go where they tell me to.

Miranda: I get that but you seem to be there an awful lot lately. Is everything ok in Lythikos?

Drake: Yeah everything’s fine, just beefing up security.

Miranda: (Suspiciously) Really? So you’re only going out there for security purposes?

(Drake knits his brow and cocks his head slightly as he knows Miranda is getting at something)

Drake: (Sarcastically) Yeah just for security purposes.

(Miranda nods her head and looks at Drake questionably)

Miranda: Oh..ok then!

(Drake rolls his eyes at Miranda and sighs)

Drake: Alright Carrington what are you getting at?

Miranda: Nothing! I…. I just find it interesting that you have been spending so much time in Lythikos and every time that you’re there we don’t see or hear from Olivia.

Drake: Maybe she’s busy. Did you ever think that might be the reason?

Miranda: (Being coy) Busy doing what?

Drake: I don’t know. Why don’t you ask her yourself?

Miranda: Oh I plan to ask her because she IS coming today (Miranda gets a playful suspicious grin on her face) but you already knew that. Didn’t you?

(Drake with a cocky look on his face leans in closer to Miranda)

Drake: Yeah, I did because she responded to your group text that she was coming.

Miranda: I bet you knew she was coming before she responded.

(Drake narrows his eyes at Miranda and takes a deep breath through his nose)

Drake: OK! I think I’ve had enough of this conversation. I’m going to go hang out with Liam by the grill.

(Drake leaves the kitchen and is heading toward the patio door)

Miranda: (Playfully) Bye Drake! Do you want me to let you know when Olivia arrives?

(Drake stops at the patio door and gives Miranda a stern look before he walks out onto the patio, Miranda laughs at Drake and goes back to fixing the food. Drake walks over to Liam at the grilling station and sees him putting barbecue sauce on the racks of ribs. Liam looks up at Drake as he approaches)

Drake: Those ribs need more sauce, you don’t want them to be too dry.

(Liam smirks at Drake)

Liam: I prefer my ribs to be a little dry Thank You! I find they tend not to cook as well if they are too wet.

Drake: (Sarcastically) Oh really? So you’re an expert on ribs now?

Liam: (Sarcastically) More like the King of ribs actually?

(Liam and Drake chuckle)

Drake: (Slightly shaking his head) Whatever.  Here you go.

(Drake takes a carton of cigarettes out of the bag he is holding and places them on the counter of the grilling station in front of Liam)

Liam: Oh ..uh ..thanks but it wasn’t necessary to get me a carton.

Drake: Yeah well, I’m not sure when I’ll see you next so I figured I would stock you up. I’ll just take my payment.

(Drake opens the carton and takes out three packs of cigarettes and puts two of them in the side pocket of his cargo shorts)

Liam: Why don’t you just keep the carton, I don’t need that many.

(Drake looks at Liam sternly and rolls his eyes)

Drake: Ah for Christ’s sakes don’t tell me you’re trying to quit, AGAIN!

Liam: Maybe I am and it’s something that you should consider doing Mr. Two Packs A Day!

(As Liam is saying this Drake lights up a cigarette and blows smoke in Liam’s face. Liam bats the smoke away and playfully shoves Drake)

Drake: Three packs actually and I’ll have you know at my last checkup the doc said I was as healthy as a horse

(Just as Drake finishes his sentence, he begins hacking which sounds like a smoker’s cough)

Liam: (Chuckles) Right? A horse with a bad smoker’s cough.

Drake: Ah shut the hell up! Here.

(Drake takes a pack of cigarettes out of the carton and puts it down in front of Liam. Liam looks down at the cigarettes and then back at Drake like he is contemplating whether he should smoke a cigarette since he is trying to quit now that Miranda is pregnant. Drake rolls his eyes at Liam in annoyance)

Drake: Will you stop being such a pussy and have a fucking cigarette…. You know you want one.

(Liam releases a small sigh, picks up the cigarettes, pulls one out of the pack and puts it in his mouth. He then takes his lighter out of his pocket and lights his cigarette. As he inhales, he savors the flavor and slowly blows the smoke out of his mouth with a satisfied look on his face)

Drake: (With a cocky smirk on his face) Your welcome!

Liam: (Sarcastically) Yeah thanks for always being such a bad influence on me

Drake: Fuck You!

(Liam and Drake chuckle and playfully shove each other)

Liam: Would you like a whiskey?

Drake: Do you seriously have to ask me that question?

(Liam chuckles)

Liam: What was I thinking?

Drake: You know on second thought I’ll have a beer right now. I’ll save the whiskey for later.

Liam: Ok let’s go over to the bar, I just put a new keg in this morning.

(Liam walks behind the bar where the tap is as Drake sits down at the bar. Liam puts his cigarette in his mouth, grabs two-pint glasses, and pours two beers for himself and Drake.  He walks around from behind the bar with the beers in his hands, puts them down on the bar and then takes a seat next to Drake. Liam takes his cigarette out of his mouth and holds his glass up to Drake’s)

Liam: Cheers

Drake: Cheers

(They both clink their glasses and start drinking their beers)

Liam: Were you in Lythikos again?

Drake: Yeah I just got back last night.

Liam: How’s the situation there?

Drake: It’s good. We’ve finished establishing all the new security protocols and provided training to the local guards. We shouldn’t have any more threats.

Liam: That’s excellent! Great job! I guess you’re happy that you don’t have to freeze your ass off in Lythikos anymore?

Drake: I’m heading back there next week

Liam: (Surprised) You are? Why? If you finished with all the security protocols, then I don’t see the need for you to return.

Drake: (Shrugging his shoulders) I just want to make sure everything is running smoothly, that’s all

Liam: (Looks at Drake suspiciously) Really? That’s the only reason you’re going back there?

(Drake narrows his eyes and gives Liam a stern look because he thinks Liam, like Miranda, is getting at something)

Drake: (A little annoyed) Yeah, that’s it. Why are you asking me this?

Liam: I’m just curious that’s all.

Drake: Curious about what?

Liam: Why you are going back to Lythikos again especially now that the project is completed, and I know how much you hate it there.

Drake: I go where the Royal Guard assigns me, you know that.

Liam: That’s not entirely accurate, and you know it. Bastien told me he never assigned you to Lythikos and that you originally volunteered to go, and you keep volunteering to go back. The question is why do you keep volunteering?

(Drake has now become frustrated with Liam and lightly bangs his fist on the bar)

Drake: What the hell Li! Am I going to have to do this shit with you too?

Liam: (A little confused) What are you talking about? Do what shit?

Drake: Carrington was just drilling me the same way you are when I saw her in the kitchen. (Drake becomes agitated) If you want to know so badly then just ask me for Christ’s sake!

Liam: Ask you what?

Drake: (Angrily raising his voice) IF I’M FUCKING OLIVIA?

Liam: (A little taken back) Alright then! Are you ..fucking Olivia?

Drake: (With a sarcastic tone) YES! I AM! Ok! …Are you happy now?

(Liam is completely shocked by Drakes answer. He slightly opens his mouth as his eyes go wide)

Liam: You are? Seriously?

Drake: Yeah, I’m serious.

Liam: How long has this been going on?

Drake: I don’t know about…. (Drake thinks to himself for a moment) …. three months maybe

Liam: Really? …Wow! I…I can’t believe you and Olivia. I never thought you two would end up being a couple.

(Drake is drinking his beer when he hears Liam refer to him and Olivia as a couple. Drakes eyes go wide and he almost chokes on his beer)

Drake: Whoa! Whoa!  Back Up! We are NOT a couple! Neither one of us wants any of that couples bullshit! This is just about sex, nothing more so DON’T go spreading any false rumors.

(Liam slightly rolls his eyes at Drake)

Liam: You know I of all people would never do such a thing.

Drake: (Sarcastically) Good! Then you don’t have to worry about me kicking your ass.

(Liam gives Drake a doubtful look)

Liam: So let me get this straight, your relationship with Olivia is completely sexual?

Drake: Yep

Liam: You’re have no romantic feelings for her at all?

Drake: Nope! NONE at all!

Liam: Then I don’t understand.

Drake: (Sarcastically) What the hell don’t you understand?

(Liam takes one last inhale on his cigarette and then puts it out in the ashtray on the bar)

Liam: Why continue to let the affair go on for so long if there is no possibility of you two forming a relationship.

(Drake finishes his cigarette and puts it out in the ashtray on the bar)

Drake: That’s easy there are three reasons. (Drake holds up a finger as he makes each point) 1, Olivia has a smoking hotter than balls body. 2, She gives an AMAZING blowjob. And 3, (Drakes pauses for a second) She is without a doubt THE FUCK of the millennium! It’s the BEST goddamn sex I have ever had in my life. (Drake chuckles as he lights up another cigarette) but you should know, you’ve fucked her before. (Drake give Liam a small smirk) Haven’t you?

(Liam is also lighting up another cigarette as Drake is speaking. He inhales on his cigarette when Drake mentions that Liam has fucked Olivia which causes Liam to lightly choke as he blows the cigarette smoke out of his mouth.)

Liam (lightly coughing with a surprised look on his face) Excuse me? What are you talking about?

Drake: (Annoyed) Don’t play that dumb act with me! I know you’ve fucked Olivia before so don’t even try to deny it.

Liam: I can assure you that Olivia and I have NEVER had sex together.

Drake: (Gives Liam a doubtful look) BULLSHIT!

Liam: (A little annoyed) I’m NOT bullshitting you at all, I’m telling the truth!

Drake: (with a doubtful tone to his voice) Really? Then what about that New Year’s Eve party?

Liam: (Liam knits his brow and slightly shakes his head in confusion) What New Year’s Eve party?

Drake: That one at the Beaumont’s a few years back! You two were making out most of the night and then I saw you guys sneak upstairs to one of the bedrooms.

Liam (Rolling his eyes and shaking his head) She and I were so drunk that night by the time we got to the bedroom we just passed out on the bed. Nothing happened, trust me!

Drake:  Ok then how about during the last Social Season? (Again Liam knits his brow and looks at Drake with confusion). When we were in Lythikos? The night of the ball? I saw Olivia leaving your room that night and her dress was…unzipped halfway.

(Liam now realizing what Drake is referring to has an almost regretful look on his face)

Liam: Oh…that

Drake: (Sarcastically) Yeah that! So you did fuck her?

(Liam looks down for a moment, and shakes his head in disagreement)

Liam: No, I did NOT…. (he sighs) but to be honest with you a part of me wanted to that night and I…. almost did.

Drake: Huh? What do you mean you ‘almost’ did?

Liam: Er….it was complicated

Drake: Complicated? How the hell was it complicated?

Liam: Er…it’s a long story

Drake: Well we got nothing else to do except to sit here and smoke, drink, and wait for the food to get done so you might as well just tell me to kill some time.

(Liam takes a sip of his beer and inhales on his cigarette)

Liam: Very well…(Liam sighs) Earlier that evening Miranda had been in my quarters, I had….

(Drake cuts Liam off with a sarcastic comment)

Drake: Oh there’s a shock! Another story that starts off with Carrington being in your room!

(Liam narrows his eyes and gives Drake a stern glare)

Liam: (Getting annoyed and slightly raising his voice) Do you want to hear this story or not!

(Drake has a playfully apologetic look on his face)

Drake: (Smirks) Ok, ok calm down! Continue

Liam: As I was saying, I had asked Miranda to join me in my quarters after the ball that evening. She arrived and we ended up in the hot tub and things got VERY heated as they usually do between us and we… made love. I hadn’t planned on that happening (Liam pauses for a second and inhales on his cigarette. As he blows the smoke out of his mouth, he has small grin on his face and a little gleam in his eye) but I wasn’t sorry that it did. Anyhow Olivia must have seen Miranda leaving my quarters and I assume wanted to know what she had been doing there so she knocked on my door. I thought it was Miranda returning, so I answered the door wearing nothing but a towel and was shocked when I saw Olivia standing there. She forcefully invited herself in and upon entering my quarters figured out that Miranda and I had made love and she was…well let’s just say that she less than pleased about it.

Drake: (Chuckles) Yeah I bet she was. Wait, how did she figure out that you and Carrington had sex?

Liam: She er…saw the condom that I had used discarded in the waste basket.

(Drake rolls his eyes and shakes his head in disbelief at Liam)

Drake: You dumb fuck, don’t know you know anything? You’re supposed to wrap it in a tissue before you throw it away. (Liam gives a small smirk and shrugs his shoulders) So what did Olivia do after she figured it out?

Liam: She gave me a speech about how I wasn’t being fair to her and that I was only paying attention to Miranda and then proceeded to profess her love for me and tell me how she was the only woman who could truly make me happy. (Liam sighs and inhales on his cigarette) The next thing I know she takes off her dress and is standing naked in front of me. She then removes my towel and we were then in each other’s arms passionately kissing on the bed.

Drake: So what the HELL stopped you from fucking her?

Liam: Well like I said a part of me want to have sex with her and as you so colorfully pointed out Olivia is a very attractive woman with a gorgeous body.

Drake:(Sarcastically) Buuuttt?

(Liam looks down and then meets Drakes eyes)

Liam: But…I couldn’t help thinking about Miranda and how hurt she would have been when she found out, so I told Olivia that we had to stop and that it wasn’t right for us to have sex at that moment. She got angry with me, put her dress on and stormed out of my quarters.

Drake: How would’ve Carrington ever found out?

Liam: Come on Drake you know Olivia. She would have taken the first opportunity she had to gloat to Miranda and the other women that she had sex with me and that would have devastated Miranda

Drake: I guess she would have been a little upset, but it wasn’t like you two were engaged or anything. Carrington knew that other women were pursuing you at that time.

Liam: True but I knew how much it bothered Miranda when Olivia kissed me at the ball during the waltz. I could only imagine how upset she would have been had she learned that Olivia and I had sex only a short time after she and I had made love that same evening. (Liam inhales on his cigarette and slightly shakes his head as he looks a little remorseful). I can’t explain it but for some reason the thought of having sex with Olivia made me feel as if I was cheating on Miranda and couldn’t bare to hurt her like that…I loved her too much.

(Drake slightly turns his head away from Liam and mumbles under his breath)

Drake: You weren’t the only one.

(Liam not catching what Drake said looks at him questionably)

Liam: Sorry? What did you say?

(Drake quickly faces Liam and tries to change the subject)

Drake: Um you better go check on that brisket you don’t want it to overcook and dry out

(Liam looks over his shoulder at the smoker)

Liam: Oh you’re right! Thanks!

(Liam takes once last inhale on his cigarette and then puts it out in the ashtray that is next to him. He gets up from the bar and hurries over to the smoker where the brisket is cooking. Drake slowly gets up from the bar and walks over to the smoker and watches as Liam checks on the brisket. Liam glances up as Drake approaches)

Drake: Mmh! Brisket looks pretty good there (Drake gets a sarcastic tone) Maybe you do know what you are doing after all.

Liam: Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence.

(Liam and Drake giggle)

Liam: May I ask a favor of you?

Drake: What?

(Liam closes the smoker and then looks at Drake with a serious expression on his face)

Liam: Will you not mention to Miranda about what happened between Olivia and I at Lythikos?

Drake: Ok sure but why the big secret? You know Carrington isn’t the jealous type and nothing really happened between you two. Plus, it was well before you guys were engaged.

Liam. I realize that but I don’t want to risk upsetting her especially in her current condition.

Drake: (Looking concerned) What? What are you talking about? What condition?

(Liam goes silent and looks down like he shouldn’t have said anything. Drake is now worried that something is wrong with Miranda)

Drake: (Shouts) LI!!! (Liam is slightly startled and looks at Drake) What’s wrong with Miranda? Is she ok???

Liam: Yes she is fine! Nothing is wrong with her. I just meant that Miranda is stressed right now because she has a lot on her plate with the Children’s Hospital, the new charity foundation, and the education initiative that she has been working on. I don’t want to see her stress anymore then she already is.

Drake: Oh…um ok fine. I won’t mention it to her.

Liam: Thank you. (There is a brief awkward silence between them) I uh better get theses chickens on the grill.

(Liam takes the plate of chicken parts and starts putting them on the grill. Drake watches and wonders if Liam is being honest with him about what is really going on with Miranda.

Back in the kitchen Miranda is at the island cutting up fruits & vegetables when she hears a loud familiar voice from the hall and immediately gets a big smile on her face)

Maxwell: THE BEAUMONT PAAARRRRTY TRAIN IS IN THE……. (Maxwell appears in the kitchen doorway with his arms open) HOOOOUUSSEEE!!!!!!

Miranda: (Excitedly) MAX!!!

(Miranda rushes over to Maxwell and the two of them embrace in a bug hug)

Miranda: It’s so good to see you!

Maxwell: I’ve missed you so much little blossom!

Miranda: I’ve missed you too. (Miranda breaks from her hug and pulls Maxwell over to the chairs at the island.) Come here sit down, I want to hear all about the book tour! How was it?

(Miranda and Maxwell sit down on the island chairs and Maxwell beams with joy as he tells Miranda all about his recent book tour for his novel The Royal Romance, which is about her and Liam’s romance)

Maxwell: Ah Randy! (Maxwell’s nickname for Miranda is “Randa” or “Randy”) It was incredible! It was fantastic! The best tour of my life! The Royal Romance is going to be the GREATEST Romance novel in the world.

(Miranda puts her hands to her mouth and has an overjoyed look on her face)

Miranda: Oh Max that’s awesome to hear! I’m so happy for you! So the reception has been good from both the fans and the critics?

Maxwell: The reception has been unbelievable! Everybody LOVES the book! No matter where we went, Lythikos, Portavera, Fydelia, Paris, London, New York, Chicago, LA we got the same response from people saying how great the book is and how much they LOVE you, especially in New York! Your hometown is extremely proud of you.

Miranda: Well you’re the one they should be proud of not me. This is your creation and I’m just thrilled to be a part of it.

Maxwell: Ah come on now you know it’s your story. You’re the main character that everyone loves! I’m just the guy that decided to write it down and share it with the world.

Miranda: No, you’re the guy that made all of this happen. You took a chance on an out of work Broadway actress who was bartending and waiting tables and decided to bring me here. All of this is because of you and I can’t thank you enough. (Miranda gets off her chair and gives Maxwell a big hug) I love you Maxwell!

(Maxwell gets a big smile on his face and hugs Miranda back tightly)

Maxwell: Aww I love you too Miranda! Thanks! (Miranda and Maxwell pull apart and Maxwell puts his arm around her shoulder as the two friends smile at each other) You’re my best friend in the whole world, not to mention a GREAT money marker for me.

(Miranda smirks at Maxwell and playfully slaps his shoulder)

Miranda: You better remember to share those royalties with your friends!

Maxwell: Don’t worry everybody will get their share, just like I promised.

(Miranda releases herself from Maxwell’s arm and walks over to the other side of the island and continues with the salad that she was chopping up when he came in)

Miranda: I guess you’re looking forward to being back at Beaumont Manor. It’s been awhile since you were home.

Maxwell: Yeah I can’t wait to get back to the Estate, but I’m not going to be there long. I’m headed to LA in two weeks.

Miranda: Really? What do you have to go to LA for?

Maxwell: (Reluctantly) Well…It’s…kind of…. private

(Miranda slightly cocks her head and raises her eyebrow as she gives Maxwell a curious look)

Miranda: Maaxxweelll! (Maxwell flashes a playful grin) What’s going on?

Maxwell:  I’m not supposed to say anything.

Miranda: Well you look like you are about to burst. SPILL! NOW!

(Maxwell beams with excitement and gets giddy)

Maxwell: (Giggling) You’re right I am about to burst. I gotta tell someone!

(Maxwell gets off the chair at the island and rushes over to Miranda’s side. He quickly glances around to make sure they are alone and then lowers his voice)

Maxwell: I’m going back to LA to meet with a movie producer (Miranda’s eyes light up) He wants to talk to me about making The Royal Romance into a feature film.

Miranda: (Excitedly) OH MY GOD MAX!! (Miranda gives Maxwell a hug and they both laugh) That’s fantastic! Congratulations!

(Miranda and Maxwell release each other from their hug)

Maxwell: Thanks! Can you believe it? It’s going to be so COOL seeing yours and Liam’s love story play out on the big screen.

Miranda: That love story also includes you and the rest of our amazing friends so it will be cool seeing all of us represented on the big screen

Maxwell: Yeah but you and Liam are the stars of the movie, everyone knows that!

Miranda: Well just like in your book the so-called “stars” need a great supporting cast of friends in order to make the story successful. Let’s hope the movie stays true to the essence of the book.

Maxwell: It will be interesting to see how the meeting goes but, in the meantime, promise me you won’t say a WORD to anyone until it’s all official.

Miranda: I won’t say a WORD to anyone, I promise.

(Maxwell and Miranda share hug)

Maxwell: Thanks Randy! I knew I could trust you.

Miranda: Always!

(Maxwell gives Miranda another big hug)

Maxwell: Hey so where’s the Big Guy?

Miranda: He’s out at the grill with Drake

(Maxwell’s eyes light up with excitement)

Maxwell: Oh cool Drake’s here! I’m going to go out and say “Hi” to my boys.

Miranda: Ok have fun but stay out of trouble!

Maxwell: Can’t make any promises when I’m with my boys. Bye!

(Maxwell runs out through the patio doors as Miranda laughs at him. A few minutes later Miranda hears little feet running down the hallway. As the sound approaches the kitchen Miranda looks up and smiles as a little boy appears in the doorway)

Bartie: Ant Mawranda!

(Miranda quickly rushes over to Bartie and scoops him up in her arms and gives him a big hug)

Miranda: (Excitedly) Hello my little guy! I missed you so much! Look how big you got!

(Just then Savannah and Bertrand appear in the kitchen. Savannah smiles at the sight of Miranda and Bartie hugging but Bertrand has a shocked expression on his face)

Bertrand: Bartie! That is not the proper way to address her Majesty the Queen!

(Both Savannah and Miranda roll their eyes at Bertrand’s comment)

Savannah: Oh Bertrand! He’s too young to understand that.

Miranda: Exactly and besides (She holds little Bartie sideways in her arms and speaks in a cute playful voice) he’s not addressing the Queen, he’s hugging his Aunt Miranda (Miranda tickles Bartie and he laughs in her arms)

Bertrand: Never the less one is never too young to begin learning proper Courtly manners. Observe.

(Miranda puts Bartie down and looks at Bertrand)

Bertrand: Now Bartie (Bartie looks at his Father) Watch me. (Bertrand clears his throat and bows to Miranda) Good afternoon you Majesty! We are most honored and grateful to be in your presence today Ma’am.

(Bartie just smiles at Bertrand as Miranda and Savannah exchange a side glance and shake their heads)

Miranda: (Takes a deep sigh) Bertrand I am NOT the Queen today I am your friend so drop the formalities and give me a hug.

(Miranda walks over to Bertrand and gives him a big hug)

Miranda: It’s good to see you, I’ve missed you

(Bertrand returns Miranda’s hug and has a warm smile on his face)

Bertrand: It’s good to see you too Miranda, it’s been far too long.

(Miranda and Bertrand release each other from their hug, just then Bartie runs into the Family Room as Bertrand chases after him)

Bertrand: Bartie DO NOT touch anything!

(Miranda laughs at Bertrand and Bartie and moves toward Savannah and the two of them give each other a hug)

Miranda: Hi Savannah!

Savannah: Hi Miranda!

Miranda: It’s good to see you, I’m so glad you guys could make it.

Savannah: It’s good to see you too. We wouldn’t have missed this. Thanks for having us.

Miranda: Of course!

(Miranda and Savannah release each other form their hug and walk into the family room where Bertrand and Bartie are. When they reach the Family Room Savannah looks at Miranda and gives her a curious smirk because she notices that there is something different about Miranda, but she can’t put her finger on what it is)

Savannah: You really look great Miranda!

Miranda: Aww thanks!  You look beautiful as always.

Bertrand: (To Miranda) Has Maxwell arrived?

Miranda: Yeah he’s out at the grill or most likely the bar by now with Liam and Drake.

Savannah: (Surprised) Drake’s here already?

Miranda: Yep he just got back from Lythikos

Savannah: He was in Lythikos again?

(Miranda nods her head “Yes” to Savannah just then Bartie runs over to Savannah and she kneels down to speak to her son)

Savannah: Sweetie do you want to go out to the patio and see Uncle Drake, Uncle Maxwell, and Uncle Liam?

Bartie: YAAAAAYYYY!

(Bartie darts out the patio door with Bertrand quickly following him)

Bertrand: BARTIE! Wait for me!

(Miranda and Savannah laugh at Bertrand and Bartie as Savannah stands back up and looks around the Family Room)

Savannah: Wow! The suite looks amazing, it turned out beautifully.

Miranda: Thanks! I forgot that this is the first time you are seeing it. I’ll have to give you a tour later but first I need to finish getting the food ready.

Savannah: Oh, do you need any help?

Miranda: Yeah sure. Can you make up the salad for me?

Savannah: No problem

(As Miranda and Savannah head toward the Kitchen Miranda notices Savannah smiling at her again with a pondering look on her face)

Miranda (Giggling) What are you smiling at me like that for?

Savannah: I don’t know…It’s just…You… You really look great, that’s all.

Miranda: Well thanks!

Savannah: There is something different about you.

Miranda: Different? What do you mean?

(Savannah slightly tilts her head to the side and looks over Miranda with a curious smile as she tries to figure out what is different about her)

Savannah: I don’t know I can’t put my finger on it but there is something different. It’s almost like you’re   glowing.

(Miranda panics a little and wonders if Savannah is able to notice a difference and fears that she will guess that she is pregnant. In order to keep the surprise Miranda decides to try and change the subject.)

Miranda: It’s probably because I’m just so happy and excited that everyone is coming today. It’s been so long since we were all able to get together.

Savannah: I know I think the last time we all saw each other was the day you and Liam left for your honeymoon and that was almost six months ago.

Miranda: Yeah I think you’re right.

Savannah: This was a great idea getting everyone together.

(Miranda smiles at Savannah and they two of them then concentrate of preparing the food)

Miranda: How are the wedding plans coming?

(Savannah releases a little sigh and gives a small shrug of her shoulders. Miranda stares at Savannah as she was expecting her to be a little more enthusiastic about her wedding plans)

Savannah: Um…they’re …. coming along.

Miranda: Is everything ok?

Savannah: Yeah everything is fine. Bertrand and I are disagreeing on where to have the wedding?

Miranda: I thought you guys were having the wedding at Beaumont Manor?

Savannah: Well that’s where Bertrand would like to have it.

Miranda: But you don’t?

Savannah: I did until my Mother called and said that she would like us to have the wedding take place at her Ranch in Texas.

Miranda: That sounds nice but I’m guessing Bertrand doesn’t want the wedding to take place in TX.

Savanah: (Shaking her head “No”) Not particularly. He wants a traditional Cordonia wedding and feels that it would be best to have the ceremony at Beaumont Manor.

Miranda: He can have a traditional Cordonia wedding anywhere, it’s doesn’t necessarily have to take place in Cordonia.

Savannah: That’s what I told him which he seemed ok with so I might be able to get him to come around. The other issue was that he wanted to invite the Royal Court to the wedding and he thinks that none of them will attend if we have the wedding in TX, which is probably true so I told him that we can have a reception back here in Cordonia sometime in mid-July after the Social Season.

(Miranda stops what she is doing and gives Savannah a surprised look because she realizes that Savannah and Bertrand having their reception in mid-July could possibly conflict with the baby’s due date.)

Miranda: Oh..um..You would have the reception in mid-July, really?

(Miranda has an uneasy look on her face which Savannah picks up on and thinks that Miranda and Liam won’t be able to attend the reception.)

Savannah: Would you and Liam be able to attend the reception if we had it in mid-July or do you guys already have something planned around that time?

(Miranda not wanting to raise suspicion with Savannah or have to reveal to her (at least not at this moment) about her being pregnant decides to play it off and puts a big smile on her face.)

Miranda: Of course we would be able to attend, that date should be fine. Liam and I wouldn’t miss your’s and Bertrand’s reception for the world.

Savannah: Are you sure? (Miranda smirks at Savannah and nods her head “Yes”) Ok then.

(Miranda looks down to avoid eye contact with Savannah and finishes with the food tray she is working on. Savannah gives Miranda a puzzling look as she thinks Miranda is not being completely honest with her. The two are silent for a few moments).

Miranda: (To Savannah) So um have you been talking to your brother much lately?

Savannah: Just a few texts here and there to check-in and see how he is doing.

Miranda: Has he mentioned why he has been in Lythikos so much these past few months?

Savannah: Not really, he said that he had some new security protocols that he and the other guards were working on.

Miranda: That’s all he told you?

Savannah: Pretty much, yeah. Why are you asking?

Miranda: I don’t know I just find it strange that he has been spending so much time in Lythikos when I know how much he hates it there.

Savannah: Well if that’s where the Royal Guard is assigning him then he doesn’t have much of a choice.

Miranda: (Doubtful) Yeah but I think there is more to it than him just being assigned there.

Savannah: What more could there be?

(Miranda seems a little frazzled and lets out a sigh as she knows that what she is about to imply couldn’t possibly be true.)

Miranda: I know how crazy this is going to sound but…. every time Drake has been in Lythikos we haven’t seen or heard from Olivia…so it just makes me wonder if something might be…going on between them?

(Savannah stares at Miranda with a serious doubtful look as she cannot believe what Miranda is indicating)

Savannah: Wait a minute! Are you saying that you think Drake and Olivia are……? (Savannah gets a disgusted look on her face) Oh My God NO! You CAN’T be serious! This is Drake and Olivia we are talking about! I mean they can barely stand to be in the same room with each other so there is just NO way my brother would……er I …. I mean it can’t be….it just CAN’T be!

Miranda: I KNOW! It’s Crazy!! Everytime I think about it and say it out loud it sounds even crazier but…. I just have this strange feeling that something is going on between them…I don’t know why I just do.

(Savannah is still in disbelief and shock over what Miranda is suggestion about Olivia and Drake)

Savannah: Have you confronted Drake or Olivia about…. your suspicions?

(Miranda sighs and gives a little shrug of her shoulders)

Miranda: Well I tired asking Drake if there was anything going on between him and Olivia when he first arrived today, but you know your brother when he doesn’t want to talk about something he clams up and walks away.

Savannah: Yeah that’s Drake for you, rather than confront something that makes him uncomfortable his solution is to just shut down and ignore it and hope it will go away.

Miranda: I guess I could always ask Olivia when she arrives

Olivia: (With a loud suspicious tone to her voice) Ask Olivia what?

(Miranda and Savannah are completed startled by Olivia’s voice. They both look over to the doorway of the kitchen and see Olivia leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded across her chest and glaring at the two of them with a smirk on her face)

Miranda: (To Olivia) JESUS CHRIST! You scared the hell out of me! …How long have you been standing there?

Olivia: I just got here

Savannah: (To Olivia) Why didn’t you say “Hello”?

Olivia: I always prefer to catch people off guard, it makes for a much more dramatic entrance.

Miranda: Yeah well spare us the drama and don’t sneak up on your friends like that.

(Miranda walks toward Olivia with her arms open to hug her. Olivia not wanting to hug Miranda gives her an uncomfortable look)

Olivia: Eh! Must you always do this?

(Miranda stops before she reaches Olivia and is annoyed by her reaction to wanting to hug her)

Miranda: Yes! I must! Now get over here.

(Olivia rolls her eyes and walks over to Miranda)

Olivia: (Displeased) Very well

(Miranda gives Olivia a hug and Olivia uncomfortably pats Miranda on the back but allows a small smile to escape her lips)

Miranda: It’s good to see you! I’ve missed you!

Olivia (Still with a little smirk on her face) Yes well, I’m sure I have missed your company on occasion over the last few months

(Miranda lightly giggles and shakes her head at Olivia because she knows that is Olivia’s way of saying that she really missed Miranda)

Olivia: Savannah, you’re looking well

Savannah: Thanks, you look good too.

Olivia: (Cocky) Yes, I know I do

(Savannah rolls her eyes at Olivia)

Olivia: (To Savannah) How are the wedding plans coming along?

Savannah: Great, thanks. I was actually just telling Miranda…….

(Olivia sharply cuts Savannah off in mid-sentence)

Olivia: Oh how wonderful, I’m so happy for you (Olivia turns her attention to Miranda as Savannah shakes her head at Olivia because she really isn’t surprised by her behavior) Now Miranda what is this ‘question’ that you wanted to ask me?

Miranda: (Trying to brush it off) Oh, it’s nothing important

Olivia: Really? From what I overheard It seemed rather important, like you really wanted to ask me

(Miranda and Savannah glance at each other which Olivia picks up on. She rolls her eyes in annoyance at them and takes an angry deep breath)

Olivia: For the love of Lythikos! Will you two stop acting like teenage girls and just ask me your damn question!

Miranda: Ok, FINE!...... It’s about you and Drake

(Olivia folds her arms across her chest and glares at Miranda curiously)

Olivia: What about Drake and I?

Miranda: (Hesitantly) Well I noticed that Drake has been spending a lot of time in Lythokis these past few months.

Olivia: Yes I know. He and the Royal Guard have been initiating new security protocols. (Olivia’s huff’s and rolls her eyes in annoyance) Not that its necessary! My guards are perfectly capable of creating their own protocols but thanks to that scumbag Anton the crown feels that Lythokis could use new security procedures so who am I to argue with the King’s Guard.

Miranda: Oh ok. So he is just working on security protocols when he is in Lythokis?

Olivia: I assume so. (Olivia knits her brow and looks at Miranda with curiosity) Why are you asking me this?  Shouldn’t you be asking Drake what he is doing when he is in Lythokis?

Miranda: I did, and he said he was beefy up the security there.

Olivia: Then you have your answer. (Annoyed) What does any of this have to do with me?

Miranda: I don’t know… it’s just that we haven’t seen or heard from you in the last few months

Olivia: (Sarcastically) Well I AM the Duchess of Lythokis! I do get busy from time to time. I don’t just sit around all day counting my daggers. I have lands to govern.

Miranda: I know that but..it..ah seems that you are only busy when Drake is in Lythokis!

(Olivia again folds her arms across her chest and narrows her eyes at Miranda)

Olivia: What are you getting at Miranda?

Miranda: (Hesitantly) Nothing…. I just thought that…. (Miranda glances at Savannah as she struggles to finish her sentence)

(Olivia finally loses her cool and release her annoyance at Miranda)

Olivia: FOR CHRIST’S  SAKE MIRANDA!!! Well you just ask me your goddamn questions already! I HAVE better things to do then to just stand here all day!

Miranda: Ok! Ok!....(Miranda pauses for a second) Are you and Drake seeing each other?

Olivia: (Looking confused) Seeing each other? You mean as in a relationship?

Miranda: Yes! Are you two in a relationship together?

(The expression on Olivia’s face quickly changes from confusion to amusement and she begins to laugh hysterically)

Olivia: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You actually thought that Drake and I? Oh my god!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

(Miranda and Savannah are not laughing and stare at Olivia as they don’t see why she sees this as being so hysterically funny. Olivia continues to laugh)

Miranda: (To Olivia) I didn’t realize the thought of you and Drake together would be that comical of an idea to you.

(Olivia begins to compose herself but still releases a few little giggles)

Olivia: Of course its comical! I’m the Duchess of Lythikos! I have extremely high standards when it comes to the men I wish to pursue, and I can’t be seen with just anyone. Frankly I don’t’ understand how any person of nobility could fall in love with a lowly commoner

(Miranda and Savannah hearing Olivia’s remark glare at her with annoyance)

Miranda & Savannah: (In Unison) HEY!!

Miranda: May I remind you that we (motioning to herself and Savannah) are commoners and I can fully understand why the men we love want to be with us.

Savannah: And there is NOTHING lowly about either us or my brother Thank You! He is a great guy!

Miranda: Yes, HE IS Savannah!

Olivia: (Slightly stammering) Well …I…I wasn’t referring to either of you of course and I suppose Drake is a good guy ….but

(Olivia shrugs her shoulders and goes silent. Miranda glares at Olivia expecting her to finish her sentence)

Miranda: But what?

Olivia: He’s….(Olivia pauses as she thinks of a polite way to say Drake isn’t good enough for her) Just not someone I could see myself having feelings for.

Miranda: (A little annoyed) Because you don’t think he is good enough for you. Right?

(Olivia does not respond. Savannah shakes her head in disbelief at Olivia. Miranda slightly nods her head, but you can tell that she is disappointed in Olivia response)

Miranda: Well I guess that answers my question then. You and Drake are NOT in a relationship together.

(Miranda walks back over the counter and continues to prepare the food and Savannah finishes making up the salad.

Olivia: No! We are not in a relationship! (Miranda puts a small piece of fruit in her mouth and Savannah takes a drink of water.) …..But we are fucking each other.

(Olivia’s comment shocks Miranda & Savannah. Savannah practically spits the water out of her mouth and Miranda begins to lightly choke on the piece of fruit she is eating. Miranda swallows the piece of fruit and clears her throat. Both Miranda and Savannah look at Olivia with wide eyes and their mouths open as they are both stunned by what she has revealed)

Miranda: WHAT???

Savannah: WHAT???

(Olivia can’t understand why Miranda & Savannah are so shocked and stares at them curiously)

Olivia: Drake and I are fucking each other.

Savannah: (Looking surprised and grossed out) Oh My GOD!

Miranda: What do you mean “you’re fucking each other” You just said that you two weren’t in a relationship together and could never possibly be in one.

Olivia: (Lightly chuckles) You think you have to be in relationship with someone in order to fuck them? Seriously Miranda? What are you a schoolgirl?

Miranda: (Rolling her eyes with a sarcastic tone) Well most people are in a relationship with the person they have repeated sex with.

Olivia: Maybe but thankfully Drake & I aren’t like most people.

Miranda: Clearly!.. So if you two aren’t seeing each other what exactly is your relationship then?

Olivia: We’re fuck buddies of course

(Savannah gets a disgusted look on her face)

Savannah: I’m think I’m going to be sick!

Miranda: (To Olivia) FUCK BUDDIES! You’ve GOT to be kidding me?

Olivia: (Shrugs her shoulders) What?

Miranda: Why the HELL are you two fuck buddies?

Olivia: (Sarcastically) Because we like to fuck each other! Why is this so difficult for you to understand?

Miranda: Because I don’t get why you are continuing to have sex with Drake if you don’t ever see a relationship happening between you two?

Olivia: (Lightly chuckles) Oh that’s easy, it’s because the sex is incredible! It might be the best sex I have ever had in my life

(Savannah is even more grossed out by Olivia’s comment and looks like she just might puke)

Savannah: Alight I’m seriously think I’m going to be sick now.

Olivia: The other reason is because Drake has the BIGGEST Di………….

(Savannah sharply cuts Olivia off in mid-sentence as she can no longer stomach Olivia going on about having sex with Drake)

Savannah: OK STOP!!!!!!!!! THAT’S IT!!! I’m done, I can’t listen to this anymore so I’m going out to the patio before I throw-up and pass out.  Goodbye Ladies!

(Miranda and Olivia watch as Savannah walks out the door that leads to the patio. They then turn their attention back to one another but stand in an awkward silence for a moment)

Miranda: I’m sorry Olivia I don’t’ mean to drill you like this. I’m just shocked that’s all. I mean I suspected that you two were in a relationship, but I never thought it would be THAT of kind of relationship.

Olivia: Well not everyone can end up with the perfect fairytale that you and Liam have.

Miranda: You sure about that?

Olivia: What do you mean?

Miranda: Drake is a wonderful man. Underneath that gruff exterior is a kind, caring, sensitive, and loving guy with a heart as big as the world. He could make you happy if you let him and you deserve to be happy Olivia.

(As Olivia listens to Miranda’s words her face becomes sad and she looks down with her eyes)

Olivia: I know Drake is all those things and I have no doubt that he could make me happy but there is just one problem and NO! it has nothing to do with him being a commoner.

Miranda: Then what is it?

Olivia: (Olivia looks down with her eyes) The real reason I don’t have romantic feelings for Drake is because he’s …. (Olivia sighs) …. He’s….

(Miranda realizes what Olivia is trying to say so she finishes her sentences for her)

Miranda: He’s not Liam…Right?

(Olivia brings her eyes up and meets Miranda’s gaze. Miranda gives a small smirk as Olivia gives Miranda an apologetic look)

Miranda: You’re (Miranda pauses for a second) …You’re still in love with him? …Aren’t you?

Olivia: (Apologetically) I’m sorry Miranda but I can’t help the way I feel.

Miranda: I know and its ok you don’t have to apologize. I had just hoped you would have gotten over him by now.

Olivia: A man like Liam isn’t easy to get over.

Miranda: (Chuckles) No I guess not

(An awkward silence falls between them for a moment)

Miranda: Olivia I’m not going to tell you how you should or shouldn’t feel but I will say this. One lost love shouldn’t deny you your chance to find happiness. I know you feel you have to project a certain image to protect yourself and that’s fine but I’ve seen the loving, caring, and compassionate person that you are and It would be a real shame for you to not share that part of yourself with someone special. (Miranda takes Oliva’s hand) Don’t give up on love Olivia.

(Oliva’s face softens as she lets her guard down and gives Miranda a heartfelt smile)

Olivia: Thank you Miranda! You have no idea how much that means to me, I really appreciate it.

Miranda: Anytime!

(Miranda and Olivia warmly smile at each other until they see Hana, Kiara, & Penelope walk into the kitchen. Olivia quickly let’s go of Miranda’s hand and puts her normal cocky, stern expression on her face.)

Olivia (To Hana, Kiara, & Penelope) Well, well look at what the cat dragged in

Penelope: (To Miranda) Oh my goodness! Do you a cat now? You should have told me! I wouldn’t have brought Merlin & Morgana

(Miranda awkwardly smiles at Penelope as Olivia rolls her eyes and gets annoyed)

Oliva: Honestly Penelope! There is NO goddamn cat here! It was just an expression

Penelope: Ooooh right, thanks for clearing that up

(Oliva shakes her head in disbelief as Hana tries to change the subject)

Hana: So where is everyone?

Miranda: Oh they are all out on the patio. Everyone is probably getting hungry so I should start putting the food out. Can you girls help me take this stuff outside?

Penelope: Oh sure

Kiara: Absolutely

Hana: Of course, we would love to help you

Olivia (To Hana) Well I sure as hell wouldn’t

(Miranda and Hana both raise their eyebrows and stare at Olivia)

Olivia: Oh don’t look at me like that! You know perfectly well that I am much better at being served than serving, so I’ll be out at the bar. Ta!

(With that Olivia turns on her heel and walks out to the patio. Hana, Kiara, & Penelope help Miranda finish up with the side dishes and salads and a few minutes later the four of them take everything out to the dining table on the patio.

After Miranda and the girls finishing setting up the food on the patio Miranda looks around to see where everyone is. She notices that Maxwell is playing with Bartie over in the grass, Bertrand, Savannah, & Drake are having a conversation by the pool, and Olivia and Liam are drinking over at the bar. Miranda’s attention focuses on Liam as she watches him light a cigarette and realizes how incredibly hot and sexy he looks to her. She can’t explain it but at that moment everything about Liam is making her horny and turning her on, like the way he inhales on his cigarette and blows the smoke out of his mouth. The sexy way his upper lip slightly curls when he smiles. The way he runs his fingers through his hair, and the way his muscles flex underneath his shirt.  Miranda wants Liam, she wants him SO BAD she almost can’t stand it and has to fight the growing urge she has to rip his clothes off and make mad passionate love to him right there on the bar.  Miranda can feel herself getting hot as her loins burn with passion for her husband and her desire for him grows like a forest fire. She has forgotten that anyone else is there besides her and Liam until she hears someone call her name)

Hana: Miranda!

(Miranda is slightly startled and quickly snaps back to reality like she is coming out of a trance)

Miranda: What! What?

Hana: I asked you if you think Liam has the barbeque ready

Miranda: Oh..um…I’ll a…I’ll go ask him

Hana: Ok. Are you alright?

Miranda: Yeah fine, just fine.

(Miranda compose herself and walks over to the bar and she notices that Maxwell has now joined Liam and Olivia’s conversation. Liam spots Miranda approaching the bar and quickly puts his cigarette out in the ashtray and bats the smoke way that he is blowing out of his mouth. Olivia sees Liam doing this and looks at him suspiciously)

Miranda: So what are you three up to.

Maxwell: Nothing we’re being good, I swear

Miranda: (Sarcastically) Yeah sure

(Miranda walks behind the bar where Liam is standing and gives him a flirtatious smile as Liam smiles back at her. She wraps her arms around his neck and Liam warps his arms around her waist and holds her close to him. Miranda gives Liam a sweet kiss)

Liam: (To Miranda) Hi!

Miranda: Hi

Liam: Are you enjoying yourself?

Miranda: Of course I am

(Miranda gives Liam another kiss and it starts to last a little long. Maxwell smirks at them as Olivia rolls her eyes)

Olivia: Will you two stop it! May I remind you that you have patio full of guest, some of which don’t enjoy watching your CONSTANT public displays of affection.

Maxwell: (Teasingly) Yeah get a room guys or at least wait until we all leave.

(Liam and Miranda stop kissing and grin at Maxwell and Olivia but continue to embrace each other)

Miranda: (To Liam) I just put all the side dishes and salads out. Is the barbeque ready?

Liam: Yeah, I just took the brisket and ribs out, so we are all set.

Miranda: Ok then I’ll go tell everybody that we are ready to eat.

(Miranda and Liam seductively smile at each other and once again start to sweetly kiss each other)

Maxwell: Alright you two cut it out before I lose my appetite. Come on Randy lets go tell everyone we’re ready to eat.

(Miranda gives Liam one last kiss and then she releases herself from Liam’s embrace and walks with Maxwell back toward the dining table. Once they leave Olivia looks at Liam suspiciously again as Liam starts to clean up the bar area)

Olivia: So what was that all about?

Liam: What was what all about?

Olivia: When Miranda first came over you quickly put your cigarette out like you were trying to hide from her that you were smoking.

Liam: Oh that…Well I promised Miranda that I was going to try to quit smoking, so I didn’t want her to see me having a cigarette.

Olivia: (Lightly chuckles) Oh Liam you have been saying that you are going to quit since you started smoking but everyone, including Miranda, knows that you never do.

Liam: Well this time I’m going to do my best to try and quit for good.

(Olivia starts to grow suspicious)

Olivia: Really? How come you are so determined to quit this time?

(Liam glances at Olivia and realizes that she is getting suspicious, so he tries to throw her off and not ruin the surprise about the baby)

Liam: Because it’s not good for me and I also don’t want to get lung cancer like my father

(Olivia doesn’t buy Liam’s excuse, but she decides not to pursue it and lets it go)

Olivia: Oh..ok then

Liam: Olivia why don’t you go an make yourself comfortable at the table, I’m going to bring the food over soon.

Olivia: Sure

(As Olivia walks over to the dining table she starts to wonder if something is going on with Liam and Miranda)

(A few minutes later everyone is seated at the dining table on the patio as Liam brings over the barbeque brisket, ribs, and chickens. The food looks fantastica and everyone complements Liam on how good a job he did. As Liam is at the grill getting the last of the chicken to bring to the table Miranda walks over to him and whispers in his ear)

Miranda (Whispering) So should we tell them about the baby before we eat?

Liam: (Whispering) Let’s wait until after we’re done eating and then we will make the announcement together.

Miranda: Ok that sounds good

(Miranda gives Liam a kiss that starts to get heated until Maxwell yells over to them)

Maxwell: Hey you two come on! Food’s getting cold!

(Liam and Miranda smile at Maxwell and walk over to the table. Liam takes his seat at the head of the table and Miranda takes her seat at Liam’s left side. Everyone starts to enjoy their meal and give praise to Liam and Miranda on how incredible everything taste.

Miranda and Liam are cutely flirting with each other throughout the meal by feeding one another off their forks and wiping each other’s mouths with their napkins. The others start to notice their behavior and realize that Liam & Miranda are acting more cutesy than usual and begin to wonder what is going on with them)

Hana: (To Miranda & Liam) What’s going with you two?

Miranda: What do you mean?

Maxwell: You guys are being even more disgustingly cute today then you normally are. What gives?

(Miranda takes Liam’s hand and the two of them smile at each other)

Miranda: (To Liam) Do you think we are being disgustingly cute Sweetheart?

Liam: Not at all Baby

(Miranda and Liam giggle and share a sweet little kiss as Drake stares down the table at them)

Drake: (Sarcastically to Liam & Miranda) Baby?? ..Sweetheart??

Miranda: (To Drake) Yeah? So what?

Drake: When did that start?

Miranda: (Confused) Why does it matter?

Drake: I’ve never heard you guys calling each other by “those” names before?

Miranda: (A little sarcastic) Well we’ve always called each other by those names

Liam: (To Drake) We’re just usually alone when we do.

Drake: (A little Sarcastic)  Oh, didn’t know that.

(Drake looks at Miranda & Liam like he is annoyed by their nicknames for each other. He then glances at Olivia who is sitting directly across from him and the two of them share a strange look which Miranda picks up on.

After everyone finishes their meal, they all sit around the table relaxing and having conversation with each other. Liam thinks to himself that this is now a good time to make the announcement about the baby)

Miranda: Who’s ready for dessert?

(Everyone responds that they want dessert)

Drake: Well I’m ready for my dessert (Drake gets up from the table and reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cigarettes and looks at Liam) You wanna go grab a cigarette Liam?

Liam: No thanks Drake but could you hold on a moment (Liam stands up from his seat) Miranda and I would like to say a few words first. (Liam smiles at Miranda and offers his hand to her.) Sweetheart?

(Drake sits back down at the table. Miranda smiles at Liam, takes his hand and gets up from her seat. Miranda stands next to Liam and the two of them wrap and arm around one another.)

Liam: We wanted to thank all of you all for joining us here today.

Miranda: You guys are so much more than just friends to us. You’re our family and we love all of you and are so blessed and thankful to have each of you in our lives.

Hana: Aww thank you Miranda, that’s so sweet. We love you guys too.

Maxwell: Yeah we are the best group of family anyone could ever ask for.

Bertrand: (Smiles at Maxwell) For once Maxwell I completely agree with you.

Penelope: Yay! Friends forever!

(Miranda and Liam smile at each other and they know that the time has come to share their news)

Liam: And it because that we consider you all our family that we would like to share some wonderful news with you.

(Liam and Miranda look lovingly into each other’s eyes as Liam places his hand on Miranda’s belly. Hana notices Liam’s hand on Miranda’s belly and immediately figures out what the wonderful news is. Her eyes go wide as she covers her mouth and gasps with excitement!

Hana: (Excitedly with tears in her eyes) OH MY GOD!!! …Miranda are you….

(Before Hana can finish her sentences Miranda happily responds to her best friend)

Miranda: YES!!! I’M GONNA HAVE A BABY!!!!!

Hana: AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!

Maxwell: AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

(Hana & Maxwell leap from their seats and rush up to Liam & Miranda followed by everyone else except for Drake & Olivia who remain seated at the table. They are both silent and glance at one another from across the table. Hana reaches Miranda first and throws her arms around her)

Hana: (Excitedly to Miranda) OH MY GOD!! I knew it! I knew it! The other day when you were nauseous, I knew you were pregnant, but you said it couldn’t be that, but I KNEW IT!!!

Miranda: Yep you were right! I should have listened to you.

Hana: Oh sweetie I’m so happy for you!

Miranda: Thanks Hana!

(As Hana & Miranda hug, Maxwell is hugging Liam and congratulating him)

Maxwell: (Excitedly to Liam) Congrats big guy! You’re gonna be the best dad ever!

(Liam laughs at Maxwell)

Liam: Thank you Maxwell!

(Maxwell walks over to Miranda as Kiara, Penelop, Bertrand, & Savannah give their congratulations to Liam.  Maxwell gives Miranda a huge hug.)

Maxwell: I can’t believe it! Our little blossom is going to have a baby blossom! Congrats Randa! I love you!

Miranda: I love you too Max! Thank you!

(Miranda and Maxwell release each other from their hug and smile at each other)

Miranda: You know this baby will be so lucky to have an uncle like you but let’s save your champagne bottle opening trick until he or she is older.

Maxwell: Ok I’ll save that trick for when he or she turns 5.

(Miranda playfully slaps Maxwell on the arm and the two of them laugh)

Savannah: (To Maxwell) Hey it’s my turn to congratulate the new Mommy-To-Be!

(Maxwell moves out of the way and Savannah gives Miranda a hug)

Savannah: Oh Miranda! Congratulations I’m so happy for you

Miranda: Thanks Savannah! I’m so nervous and I have so many questions for you.

Savannah: Everyone is nervous with their first baby but you’ll be fine don’t worry and I’ll be happy to help you with anything you need. (Savannah releases Miranda from their hug) You know I knew there was something different about you when I first saw you today, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Miranda: Oh my god I thought for sure that you were going to guess that I was pregnant that’s why I tried to change the subject.

(Bertrand then approaches Savannah & Miranda as he holds Bartie in his arms.

Bertrand: May we give our congratulations to the Mother-to-be.

(Savannah takes Bartie from Bertrand as Bertrand gives Miranda a hug)

Bertrand: Congratulations Miranda! This is a joyous occasion for Cordonia but more importantly for you and Liam. I couldn’t be happier for you.

Miranda: Thank you Bertrand! (She breaks from her hug) You know how much it means to me and Liam to have your support.

(Bertrand smiles warmly at Miranda)

Savannah: (To Bartie) Guess what Sweetie Aunt Miranda & Uncle Liam are going to have baby!

(Bartie smiles and points to Miranda)

Bartie: Baby? …Baby?

(Miranda smiles, takes Bartie from Savannah and holds him in her arms)

Miranda: That’s right my little guy I’m going to have a baby, so you’re going to have a little cousin to play with soon.

Bartie: Yay!... Cousin! Cousin!

(Miranda, Savannah, & Bertrand laugh at Bartie. With everyone up at the head of the table offering their congratulations to Liam and Miranda both Oliva and Drake (who are still sitting) decided to getup and make their way over to Liam and Miranda and offer their congratulations. Olivia approaches Liam)

Olivia: (To Liam) May I offer my congratulations to the new Father.

(Liam smiles warmly at Olivia)

Liam: Of course you may

(Olivia gives Liam a hug and holds him a little tightly. Liam notices but doesn’t say anything as Olivia releases him from her hug)

Olivia: So I guess this is the real reason you are trying to quit smoking?

(Liam smiles and nods in agreement)

Liam: Yes it is. I want to be around to enjoy my son or daughter for a long time and not have to deal with the effects of long-term smoking like my Father did.

Olivia: Well that just proves that you are going to be a better Father than Constantine was to you.

Liam: That’s my hope

(Olivia starts to get a little emotional as once again the harsh reality of Liam not being married to her and now not having a baby with her is a little too overwhelming. She gives Liam another hug)

Olivia: (Emotionally with her voice slightly shaky) This baby is so lucky to have a Daddy like you Liam.

(Liam is a little taken back by Olivia’s behavior and the emotional tone of her voice).

Liam: Um…Thank you Olivia! I really appreciate that.

(As Olivia release Liam from her hug Liam notices the slight look of sadness on Olivia’s face and becomes concerned)

Liam: Are you alright?

(Olivia quickly composes herself)

Olivia: Yes I’m fine. Congratulations again Liam

(Olivia smiles at Liam and then turns to walk over to Miranda. Liam smiles back at Olivia but wonders if she really is fine. As Olivia was offering her congratulations to Liam, Drake slowly makes his way over to Miranda.)

Miranda: (Smiles as she sees Drake approaching) Hey!

Drake Hey

(Drake gives Miranda a hug, when he releases her he looks at Miranda like he doesn’t know what to say to her)

Drake: Um…. Congratulations

Miranda: Thanks Drake!

(Drake stares at Miranda and an awkward silence falls between them. Drake looks uneasy like he wants to say something to Miranda, but he can’t find the words. Miranda is not sure what is going on with Drake and gives him a curious look)

Miranda: Are you ok?

Drake: Yeah um...I’m fine.. I just ….(Drake stops in midsentence. He desperately wants to tell Miranda how he feels but can’t bring himself to do it and gives her a troubled look. Miranda realizes that something isn’t right with Drake and becomes concerned.)

Miranda: Drake? Are you sure you’re ok?

(Miranda can see from the look on Drake’s face that he wants to tell her something but Drake can’t  bring himself to tell Miranda what he is feeling at this moment so he flasher her a nervous smile and acts like everything is ok)

Drake: Yeah I’m fine. I…just can’t believe that you’re going to be a Mom?

Miranda: Well I can’t believe it either and I’m the one having the baby

(Miranda and Drake share a small giggle then Drake looks at Miranda with a serious expression)

Drake: You’re going to be an amazing Mom Miranda. This baby is lucky to have you.

Miranda: Well thanks, that’s really sweet of you

Drake: Yeah…Well congratulations again.

(Drake turns and starts to walk over toward Liam. Miranda can’t figure out why Drake was acting so strange toward her)

Miranda: (Thinking to herself) (What was that all about. He’s acting really weird, I need to find out what’s going on with him)

(Drake walks over to Liam and claps him on the shoulder, Liam turns and smiles at Drake as Drake gives Liam a hug.

Drake: Congrats brother! You’re going to be an awesome Dad

Liam: Thanks Drake!

(Olivia makes her way over to Miranda)

Olivia: Well congratulations on fulfilling your Royal duty of producing an heir. Job well done Miranda.

(Miranda rolls her eyes at Olivia)

Miranda: (A little sarcastic) Thank you Olivia but this isn’t just about producing an heir it’s also about Liam and I starting our family.

(Olivia gets a serious expression on her face)

Olivia: I know, and I think you and Liam will make great parents. I’m really happy for the both of you.

(Olivia warmly smiles at Miranda)

Miranda: Thanks Olivia! That means a lot coming from you.

(After everyone gives their congratulations to Miranda and Liam they all gather around them and start to ask questions about the baby. Just then Madeleine walks onto the patio but no one notices that she has arrived since everyone is gathered around Miranda and Liam. Madeleine rolls her eyes at the crowd and makes her way over to all of them.)

Madeleine: Well I’m glad I arrived after you broke the news to everyone. (Everyone turns and looks at Madeleine) I don’t have to be bothered with watching certain people (She looks at Maxwell) make fools out of themselves with excitement.

(Maxwell looks at Madeleine confused)

Maxwell: Wait a minute you already know about the baby?

Madeleine: (Sarcastically) Of course I know

(Hana looks at Miranda with a surprised expression)

Hana: (To Miranda) You told Madeleine you were pregnant before you told me?

(Miranda looks at Hana apologetically but before she can respond to Hana Madeleine interjects)

Madeleine: She had to tell me.

Maxwell: Why?

Madeleine: (Annoyed) Because I’m her Executive Private Secretary! I must know things like this, its part of my job.

(Maxwell and Hana look at Miranda with slightly hurt feelings)

Miranda: (To Hana & Maxwell, feeling guilty) Guys you know I would have told you first if I could have, but I had to follow Royal protocol.

(Hana walks over to Miranda, smiles, and hugs her)

Hana: It’s ok we understand.

Maxwell: Yeah no hard feelings

Miranda: Thanks guys!

Maxwell: Well this definitely calls for real celebration! I’ll go get the champagne.

Miranda: How do you know we have champagne on hand?

Maxwell: Please! In this place. That’s like asking if you have water. I’ll be right back!

(Everyone laughs at Maxwell as he disappears into the house. Maxwell quickly returns with a bottle of champagne and a bottle of sparkling cider. Everyone has made their way over to bar by the time Maxwell returns. Maxwell sets both bottles down on the bar and opens them. He pours a glass of champagne for everyone except Miranda and starts to pass them out. Maxwell approaches Drake, who is standing in the back of the group, with a glass of champagne)

Maxwell: Here you go Pal!

(Maxwell goes to hand the champagne to Drake, but Drake forcefully bats the glass away which almost causes Maxwell to spill the glass. Maxwell is surprised and gives Drake a shocked look.)

Drake: (Angry) Get that away from me! You know I don’t drink that shit!

Maxwell: Ok jeez! Calm down!

(Drake turns away from Maxwell and walks behind the bar and pours himself a glass of whiskey. Maxwell finishes handing out the champagne as Liam and Miranda stand in the center of everyone with an arm wrapped around each other. Maxwell approaches them with a glass of champagne and a glass of sparkling cider.)

Maxwell: (To Liam & Miranda) Champagne for the new Daddy and sparkling cider for the new Mommy

(Miranda and Liam smile at Maxwell)

Miranda & Liam: Thanks Maxwell!

Maxwell: A toast!

(Maxwell raises his glass, and everyone raises their glasses)

Maxwell: To Cordonia’s future King or Queen, may he or she be a strong ruler and live a long prosperous life and to Liam and Miranda. You two are the best friends a person could ask for so I know you guys are going to be the best parents a baby could hope for. Cheers!

Everyone: Cheers!

(Everyone takes a drink and Miranda & Liam share a sweet kiss! As everyone gathers around Miranda & Liam to once again wish them congratulations and express their happiness about the baby Miranda notices Drake in the background. He has a stern look on his face as he forcefully gulps his whiskey down. He puts his glass on the bar and then walks off in the direction of the small garden that is down a short path a few feet off the patio. As everyone is engaged in conversation Miranda feels now is good time to go after Drake to find out what is going on with him. She quietly slips away from the crowd and heads toward the small garden. When she walks down the steps to the small garden she spots Drake over by the fountain smoking a cigarette. She approaches Drake who has his back to her)

Miranda: So this is where you ran off to

Drake: (Turns around a little startled) Oh..um…Hey Carrington. What are you doing down here?

Miranda: I was looking for you.

Drake: Well you found me. (He inhales on his cigarette and then looks at it in his hand) I guess I can’t be smoking around you anymore.

(Drake blows the smoke out of his mouth and bats it away as he drops his cigarette to the ground and stomps on it)

Miranda: Its ok, we’re outside

Drake: Yeah but its not good for you.

(Drake shifts around uneasy as he tries not to make eye contact with Miranda, which she picks up on)

Miranda: What’s going on with you?

Drake: I don’t know what you’re talking about?

Miranda: You’ve been acting strange since Liam & I told everyone about the baby.

(Drake starts to fidget with the leaves of a nearby bush. When he speak he doesn’t look at Miranda)

Drake: I was…just surprised to hear that you’re pregnant…I thought you guys wanted to wait a little while before you had kids.

Miranda: Well that was originally our plan but things don’t always go according to plan.

(Drake’s eyes meet Miranda’s and he stares at her with a blank expression)

Drake: (Sternly) Yeah I know all about things not going as planned.

Miranda: (Annoyed) What is that supposed to mean?

(Drake looks down and doesn’t respond. Miranda  has had enough of Drake’s games and gets angry with him as she wants to know what his problem is)

Miranda: Drake will you stop playing around and just tell me what your problem is?

Drake: I DON’T have a problem!

Miranda: Like hell you don’t! (Miranda sighs with frustration) I know your upset about something so just cut the bullshit and talk to me.

Drake: There is nothing to talk about Carrington so just drop it ok! You don’t need to worry about me, I’m FINE!

Miranda: No you’re not fine and I do worry about you.

Drake: Why?

Miranda: Because I care about you, you’re important to me. (Miranda and Drake stare at each other for a moment) I know you’re mad at something…. or someone?

(Drake looks at Miranda and then turns away)

Miranda: Are you mad at me?

(Drake quickly turns around to face Miranda and looks a little surprised that she would think that he could be mad at her)

Drake: Of course not.  I could never be mad at you.

(Miranda thinks to herself if he is not mad at her is it possible that Drake is mad at Liam)

Miranda: Are you mad at Liam?

(Drake glances at Miranda and then quickly looks away which confirms for Miranda that Liam is the one who Drake is upset with)

Miranda: It is Liam, isn’t it?

(Drake sighs and doesn’t say a word but has a conflicted look on his face)

Miranda: Why are you mad at Liam?

Drake: I’m not mad at Liam. He’s my best friend, he’s like a brother to me. (Drake runs his fingers through his hair) Carrington,  you just don’t understand.

Miranda: Understand what?

Drake: How hard it is for me.

Miranda: What do you mean?

(Drake has hurt look on his face)

Drake: Ever since we were kids Liam has always gotten everything he ever wanted and I was ok with it because it was something that I just got used to over the years and it didn’t bother me…until now.. (Drakes makes a big sigh) I just can’t do it anymore.

(Drake is scaring Miranda a little as she has never seen him like this and she is almost afraid to ask him what he “can’t do anymore”)

Miranda: What can’t you do?

Drake: I can’t be around Liam and pretend that it doesn’t bother me.

Miranda: Pretend ‘what’ doesn’t bother you? 

(Drake walks over to Miranda and looks deep into her eyes)…

Drake: That he married and is having a baby….(Drake swallows and takes a deep breath) with the woman I love.

(Miranda goes into to shock when she hears Drake tell her that she is the woman he loves. Her body is numb and her head feels like it’s spinning as she can’t believe what is happening. She looks bewildered and fumbles to try and form a sentence)

Miranda: Wha…Wha..What? …I..I.. Er…Er…No…You… You…

(Drake looks at Miranda with soft pleading eyes)

Drake: (Softly) Miranda

(Drake moves closer to Miranda and reaches out to touch her  but she steps back and puts her hand to her mouth)

Miranda: (Voice shaky) Oh God! …Drake!.....OH GOD!

[aiikawarazu]

Hourglass Chapter #20

Title: Singularity

Rated: M

Summary:  Again, Mikasa saw the strange dream that she used to see before Eren transferred to her school. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but Eren told her a secret about her dreams that left her shocked.

FFNet here

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin 

A/N: Hi, I'm not sure who else is still here but I do feel obligated to finish this story now that AoT had reached its end. Unfortunately, I stopped writing due to heavy workload and some negative comments that kept trying to criticize my plot points, grammars, or character development. Since I wrote for free on my spare time, my only source of energy was people leaving nice comments and actually letting me know that they enjoyed my work - so I know that those hours I spent writing this story and thinking up the plot points don't go to waste down the drain.

However, a lot of you have been really sweet too, leaving me a lot of positive comments and DMs to give me strength to write again. You are the reason I came back here, and also because I want to give Eren and Mikasa a little piece of happiness outside of the endless misery they have been constantly thrown in while in the canon universe.

So, here goes the next chapter. I apologize if it doesn't make much sense for now - just keep reading, eventually the plots will come together.

Also yes, I have quickened the pace a bit in my ambition to finish up this story but still make it enjoyable for you.

Last Chapter: Eren was feeling horrified after the whole incident where he accidentally kiss Mikasa and ran away. Meanwhile, Mikasa was feeling confused at the turn of events and asked for Ayako's advice, who finally helped her to realize her feelings for Eren. Meanwhile, Armin and Ayako made progress with their investigation and rounded up a possible accomplice of Nanako's. On their way back home, Eren tried to apologize to Mikasa for what happened yesterday, but the girl just shrugged it off and said to him that she forgave him and indeed, some things were better left unsaid. Eren continued to apologize for his improper behavior and added that he was not sorry - and he'll do it in a more proper manner next time.

(I hear something shattering

It suddenly wakes me up)

Mikasa wasn't sure where she was. She stood on a tall wall overlooking a small, cramped town full of houses built strangely close, and looking strangely similar, to one another. They all looked small, modest, with grey stone walls and orange roofs glinting slightly under the afternoon sunlight. Just in the middle of the town, a river was flowing smoothly, gently until it ended on a large gate made from dark brown woods strengthened by iron. She cast her eyes doubtfully around the edges of the town. She had been here, she had seen this town several times before. This was in a dream – and for a moment she wondered how her senses were even aware that this was not the real world.

It had been a while since she had last seen this dream. She had not been here for several months. Why did she see this dream again… why now? Every time she saw that small, cramped town and the endless field of wilderness beyond the other side of the wall, she always wondered about the contrast. Why did people not live on the other side? Why were they all squeezed together on one side? The thick walls, and the sturdy gates… It seemed like they were protecting themselves from something – a kind of danger, some wild beasts perhaps, or some even greater peril. Though she tried her hardest to guess, she never knew the answer. She walked, and walked along the wall until her feet grew tired, but there was no end to it. The wall went on a full circle around that small town, and in the distance she could see it stretched out further into unknown territory. What could possibly lie out there?

"It is a world you never know of," said a voice, and she quickly turned around. Surprised, she saw someone approaching.

She remembered, yet again. Yes, this part of the dream always happened. She always met this person inside her dreams, though from the countless times she met him, she had never once seen his face clearly. It was always cast by a dark shadow.

"You are curious, right?" he asked again. Mikasa didn't answer, but the figure wasn't waiting for her response.

"Why don't we go on an adventure together? Beyond this wall, I mean." said that voice, and slowly, she began to recognize his familiar voice.

"Who are you?" she said, answering his question instead with another question. Frowning slightly, she added. "We always met here, but you never once told me who you are."

"Me?" said the voice, sounding somewhat amused. "I'm someone you know very well, Mikasa." She narrowed her eyes, recalling slightly, half with hesitation. Yes she knew his voice, this was the voice of somebody that had become very dear to her, somebody she was deeply grateful to, somebody she owed her life to.

"Eren…?" she said slowly. But the other voice was silent this time, neither confirming nor denying. Was that really him?

"What do you want?" she asked again. "What kind of adventure do you mean?"

"Oh, many things," the voice replied. "There are many things in the world outside, something greater than what you imagined. Don't you want to see it all?"

Mikasa was not sure how to answer. So instead, she asked another question.

"How… how do we go beyond this wall?"

"That's easy," the voice answered again. "First of all… let's start by taking one step off this wall right here."

"You mean we should jump… from here?" she asked hesitantly, looking at the ground, far down below. "We will die for sure."

"Not if you believe otherwise. The moment we step off here, we'll gain our wings," he said. She still couldn't see his face. But his voice… she couldn't be mistaken.

"The wings of freedom," he continued, his voice filled with longing. For a moment he paused, letting out a deep sigh. "So… what do you say?" he approached her and she could see him stretching his hand, asking her to take it. She desperately tried to have a look on his face, but the deep, dark shadow just wouldn't go away.

"Would you go with me on this endless adventure?"

Mikasa didn't remember what she did. She might have taken the boy's hand, or she didn't. What she remembered next was the vivid recollection of her bedroom ceiling as she blinked a few times, trying to regain her consciousness.

She had returned, she realized, immediately feeling strange. "Returned" was indeed a peculiar word to use to describe her situation. She observed the morning light shining through the window, and recalled what just happened. Some dreams left off lingering feelings long after she woke up, and this dream was one of those. It was real, way too real to be considered a dream. She felt like that was the reality instead and this was her dream – perhaps she just came out of the matrix or something. Perhaps that was her actual life there and this was not, in fact, her reality….

No, that can't be. She quickly brushed the thought off her minds immediately. How ridiculous. She still had curiosity about her recurring dreams, and that boy – of course, why did he always seem like he was so eager to go beyond the walls? What was there, really? What lie there in the unknown? And why – she was a bit annoyed at herself, why did she never see his face? Could it actually have been – and her heart suddenly beat a little bit faster at this thought – could it have been Eren?

It did sound like him, she recalled, with his curiosity over everything and how he never sat still at one place. If it really was Eren inside her dreams, then she wouldn't be surprised. Although the more important question was – now she felt her cheeks growing hot at this thought – why would she have recurring dreams of Eren Yeager?

She could almost hear him, almost see his satisfied grin as she tried to imagine his reaction had he known she had been dreaming about him repeatedly.

"You are having a dream of me, Mikasa? Really? And not once, but several times already? Wow… you must miss me so much, huh? You already see me everyday at school, but not that I mind… I mean, you can just be honest about it, you know?"

She flushed with embarrassment and decided that she would never, ever let him know this lest she would face his endless teasing. Groaning, she covered her face with her hands and let several minutes pass until it was finally a little over seven. Then she got up. It's the start of a new day.

(That sound is ringing again

Another crack forms on this frozen lake)

"What do you mean, you haven't done your homework yet?" Mikasa asked rather reproachfully to the boy walking beside him. "You had one week to do it."

Eren, who was walking alongside her, showed no apparent remorse. "What do I have you for–" he said humbly, "if not for copying homework?"

Mikasa gave him a glare, "Eren… I'm serious."

"And so I am," he said, now stopping in front of his shoe locker to exchange his pair of shoes for school slippers. "If you can be kind to lend me your homework during the first period, I'll copy it quickly and hand it back to you on the second."

"You do realize we'll be third graders soon, right? What if you don't pass the exams?"

"I can worry about that later," he grinned, and Mikasa sighed. She had known him too well. If Eren had made up his mind to do something, he would seriously pursue it to the point of obsessing over it – but if he didn't want to do something, there's no point persuading him. She gave up, and almost contemplated to lend him her homework, when something crossed her minds.

"Shoot," said Mikasa as she stopped dead in her tracks. The clock pointed at twenty minutes to nine and she suddenly remembered. The vandalism on her desk that had been there every morning! She was quite distracted with her dreams today that she didn't even remember to come to school early. She should hurry up and erase it soon.

Determined not to waste any seconds, she jerked forward to climb the stairs in a sudden movement that surprised Eren. The boy let out a confused yell that she ignored, but in her hurry, she stumbled on the first stair step and almost fell face down flat. Mikasa let out a surprised shriek – she was well prepared for the impact but instead of the hard stone staircase, she felt a pair of sturdy hands grabbing her at the last moment. Her body dangling awkwardly on the air, her face a few inches from hitting the floor, she paused to recall the turn of events. What happened? Confused, she turned around and saw Eren's face up close.

"Careful there," he said, this time it was his turn to use that reprimanding tone on her. It was him who caught her before she landed on the floor in a painful crash. "Why are you in such a hurry, anyway?"

"Sorry," she said, not exactly answering his question. She was thankful that he caught her right on time, saved her a few bruises and a hard fall. But she couldn't bring herself to thank him yet. Her head spun and her breath seemed to have left her chest. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, she realized that he had been holding her really close. His arms were practically wrapped around her, and their bodies were pressed together tightly. This was as close as they'd ever been after that whole i-didn't mean-the-kiss incident outside of the convenience store just two days back.

And suddenly, the memories sprang from the back of her brain to the very top of her mind.

"You… you can let me go now," she said. Her heart was beating ridiculously out of control that she almost feared he could feel it through her back.

"Oh," it took a few moments for Eren to realize the lack of personal space between them. And when it finally dawned on him – he let off his arms so suddenly he almost dropped her to the floor again.

"Sorry!" he said, as he saw her stumbling to regain her balance. "Sorry – didn't mean to…"

"Nevermind," said Mikasa, holding on to the stairs railing now to catch her balance. This morning just began but she seemed like she had been through a whole day's worth of event. Taking in a deep breath, she steadied herself and asked with a small voice, not quite ready to meet his eyes.

"Um… shall we go upstairs?"

"Yeah," Eren said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Yeah… let's go."

Mikasa didn't find the artful graffiti on her desk this morning. Instead, it was something worse. She found a tall vase made of see-through glass filled with flowers sitting on top of her empty desk. She stopped on the spot when she saw them. Beside her, she could sense Eren doing the same, he seemed to be tensing. And she knew why.

Flowers on top of someone's desk was not a friendly gesture at all. Instead, it was a cruel, more horrible insult. When a student passed away, people put flowers on their desk at least until 49 days after their death. It was a tradition to honor the dead in Japanese Shintoism. She understood immediately what people wanted to say by putting it on her desk.

They wanted her dead and gone. Or this was their way of saying that they thought of her as dead already. Maybe because she wasn't giving much attention to their pranks before, but surely, these bullying were getting worse. She clenched her fists. She knew everyone was watching her now, tense with anticipation, wanting to see her reaction. She wanted to say something, do something, scream her anger – but she didn't want to give them the satisfaction. Just then when she still stood frozen on the spot, her mind empty – she felt someone moving beside her. A reassuring hand was put on her shoulder. She looked up to see Eren's face. The boy wasn't looking at her. Instead, he stared straight, but there was a certain strength in his fingers that seemed to tell her something he didn't say in words.

Don't worry. I got this.

With a slight glance to Mikasa, and a hint of furtive smile – Eren moved past her to grab the flower vase from the table. And suddenly, Mikasa realized in horror, that the class seemed to have grown more silent. She watched, as though in slow motion, Eren making his way to the front of the classroom, flower vase in hand, every step he made reverberated strangely through her ears. After what felt like eternity for her, the boy finally reached the teacher's table, and without any warning, slammed the flower vase on top of it. Surely enough, it warranted everyone's attention on him.

"Whoever coward did this," Eren managed to control his voice to sound as casually as he could, but no one would be foolish enough to skip the dangerous undertone, "If I ever caught you… the lots of you – I promise you will know exactly why I was expelled from my previous school." His emerald green eyes were glinting with a serious kind of madness. Mikasa recognized that look immediately. It was the look of anger and disgust he used to give her when he still misunderstood the nature of her business, when he still thought she was in an abusive relationship and she was too cowardly to break it off. She had seen this so many times, and yet – this time he made her shudder a bit. It wasn't just because of his words that contained thinly veiled threat, or the cold wrath that seemed to be emanating from him as he stood in front of the whole class, challenging them. No, it's because – different from those times in the past when they used to argue – she could sense a bit of madness now, much like a murderous intent. As much as Eren used to be angry at her back then, the root of his anger was pain. But now, it was different. There was no pain this time – just a desire to hurt others, for revenge. For once, Mikasa knew that Eren Yeager meant serious business, and if he ever caught the perpetrators behind this bullying incident, he would make sure they receive as much pain as they had done to her – or possibly even more.

That was the first time Eren ever displayed his obsession out in the open, and needless to say – the classroom atmosphere turned very cold at his words. Here and there Mikasa saw students who grew a bit pale, some looked guilty, some looked afraid and more anxious than others. Eren didn't seem to mind. "Let me repeat in case you are not clear," he said in an aura of casual ignorance. He didn't seem to realize the damage he just did with his open threat, or even if he did – he didn't care.

"Leave Mikasa alone, or else…," he paused. "You will pay."

He ended his speech curtly and turned to leave the teacher's table. Mikasa still froze on the spot when he came back down the aisle to his own table behind her. He still looked angry, but he grinned a little when he saw her. "Unless you want us to stand here all day," he said, "Maybe you should move a little so I can get to my seat."

Mikasa finally found his voice, "Eren…," she was just about to start, but he cut her.

"Later," he said, indicating with his chin to Mr. Levi's silhouette outside the classroom. "Teacher's coming."

(Even in my momentary dreams

The illusions that torture me are still the same)

For one, Mikasa knew that she really had to thank Eren. After he made such a blatant threat in front of the class – not one person dared to lie a finger on her. They still gave her the silent treatment of course, but Mikasa was used to it by now. Most importantly for her, there were no longer any planned vandalisms and her things had stopped disappearing mysteriously. Eren kept telling her that this would have stopped sooner had she taken her own actions against them earlier, and Mikasa admitted that he was right, though she was not sure that his way – implicitly threatening to use violence – was the right thing to do.

"It did get them out of the way," he shrugged, when they brushed over this topic one day.

"We were lucky not one of them ran complaining to the teacher," Mikasa reminded him. "You really could be expelled."

"I don't care," said Eren, and it seemed like he really didn't give it much thought. "Look here – if you wanted to endure their bullshit for longer… that's fine with me – but honestly I haven't got such patience against those cowardly losers. They're the kind of people I hate the most. If you hurt someone, you should be prepared to be hurt back. An eye for an eye. That's fair, if you ask me."

Mikasa knew how hard-headed Eren could be when it's related to his opinions, so she didn't say anything further. And though she still partly disagreed with his way – she did owe it to him for stopping the bullying. Another side of her was also really curious at Eren's threat – what did this boy do exactly, to get him expelled? Was it something that horrible? Was he capable of doing such a thing? Sometimes there was a part of her that was quite unsure about Eren – she thought she knew him, but how well did she know him? Could there be a completely different side to him other than this person she now regarded warmly at heart? Will her opinion of him change once she knew of his past?

Mikasa's confusion went on for several days without having anything for answers. Instead, she grew more confused by Eren's behavior.

Unsurprisingly, Ayako was the one who pointed it out first.

"So… did I miss the good news or anything?" she threw the question at Mikasa one day at lunch, who shot her a questioning glance over her half-bitten sandwich.

"What?" Mikasa asked back, confused.

"Why is Yeager acting like that to you?"

"Like what?"

"Like a boyfriend."

Mikasa burst out laughing. Only when realizing that her friend did not laugh along with her – did she know that Ayako was being serious.

"What do you mean – like a boyfriend?" she asked inquisitively and Ayako threw her a look that, once again was a mixture of pity and amusement at Mikasa's own inexperience toward boys.

"For once, he's very protective of you," Ayako started, "I heard all about that love confession in front of the class, by the way."

Mikasa paused to think. "If you're referring to that time where he made everyone in class cowered in fear for their own dear lives… I think you are mistaken," she replied calmly. "What Eren did was out of his frustration for dealing with – quote and quote – those cowardly losers."

"The very own people who bullied you," Ayako nodded in amusement. "He made the bullying stop, didn't he? Told the whole class they'd face his wrath if they dared to hurt you."

"You made it sound very dramatic," said Mikasa gloomily. "I was thankful for him but – Eren's always like that. I don't think that was because of me."

"Oh come on, Mikasa!" Ayako slightly jumped up and down on her seat in frustration. "Don't you realize it?" her pair of brown eyes were searching Mikasa now – looking for any signs that the other girl might have seen just exactly what she did, but all she got was more looks of confusion from her best friend. Ayako gave out a tired sigh in the end.

"I don't know if you are thick or just inexperienced," said Ayako. "Yeager's throwing such straight balls and here you are – not even catching his most obvious signal."

Mikasa blinked a few times.

"Explain," she said finally.

"Well for one," she started, "Isn't Yeager more… touchy around you recently?"

Mikasa frowned. "He's always been flirting around and saying all kind of nonsense since the first day he arrived at this school, I don't see how this is any different."

"Mikasa," said the other girl, her tone was close to exasperation. "Boys don't just put their hand around some random girl's waist or shoulder, or play with their hair, or give them pats on the head if they didn't really, REALLY like the girl. Besides, I totally heard from a reliable source – who happened to see both of you hugging near the staircase one morning before the bell rang. Pretty bold move if you ask me."

"That –" Mikasa knew exactly what her friend meant, but she couldn't help herself from turning scarlet. "That was an accident. I was about to fall, and he caught me."

Why did it feel like she was making excuses when she was telling the truth?

"STILL," Ayako insisted. "Did you ever see how Yeager looked at you? Or I think," she gave a deep sigh. "You never actually realized… how desperately he is holding himself back, do you?"

Mikasa grew silent at this question. She had no idea what Ayako meant at all. Bit by bit, she pondered on her friend's inquiry until she finally found a speck of light. Then she started slowly.

"If you meant – after the time we, I mean he… kissed me and…"

"Did he say nothing to you after that?" Ayako interrupted, and Mikasa grew even more scarlet.

"He apologized," she mumbled, not meeting her best friend's eyes.

"And?"

"And…," she was going to say and he promised to do it properly next time, but Mikasa just couldn't bring herself to say it. She was too embarrassed to say it out loud. Her words stuck on her throat and she quickly evaded the topic.

"Nothing," she said. "Eren said nothing else."

Ayako looked unconvinced, and Mikasa knew she pretty much could tell that she was lying. Even Mikasa wasn't convinced at her own words.

"Fine," said Ayako, sounding resigned. "But, mark my words," she crossed her arms, suddenly looking very stern. "Next time you are around Yeager, be more attentive to his signs, okay?"

"Signs?" Mikasa started, "What kind of –" but Ayako interrupted.

"Trust me on this," she said. Mikasa was going to argue further, but the bell rang in the distance, marking the end of lunch period. The two girls were silent for a moment.

"I'm going to the bathroom for a bit," said Ayako, slightly after the bell. Then she stood up and left the table without waiting for Mikasa, leaving the other girl in even greater state of confusion than before.

(Tell me, if my voice is fake

Should I have not thrown myself away?)

If only Mikasa could hear the conversation between the drama club members that afternoon in between their club practice, she would have been very interested.

"They are definitely dating – that Yeager boy and Ackerman," Ymir's loud voice stung sharply on Jean's ears – making his heart sink. She was standing a few meters away from him, painting the sky-blue backdrop to be used on their next performance, her large paint brush in hand, blue paints dropping needlessly from the end of the brush to the large, transparent plastic cover on the floor.

"Did you see how stupid Yeager behaved around her lately? He's totally into her. Or into something inside her pants, I don't know. Heard he's got quite the reputation."

"Ymir, that's mean," Historia interrupted. She was standing beside her tall friend, painting large, white clouds instead. "What's wrong if they start dating, anyway? Ackerman hasn't got anyone to date for ages… it's good that she found someone."

"My dear Christa –,"

"Call me Historia, please – you know Christa is my stage name."

"Historia dear," Ymir corrected, "Of course it isn't my business who Ackerman is dating with – but you might be interested to know that last week I mistakenly went into their empty classroom – thinking that it was my own, and I found them there, all lovey-dovey." Historia paused to look up at her taller friend, her large blue eyes were sparkling with curiosity.

"What were they doing?" she asked, and Ymir burst out laughing at the question.

"What else do you think a couple of lovebirds are supposed to be doing when they're alone? All sorts of things, Historia dear… and anyway…," Ymir dunked her paintbrush harshly to her can of blue paints, causing the contents to splatter everywhere. "Don't you remember those posters that caused so much stirs a while back? Apparently they're living together now. Or they used to live together. I wonder how they're not expelled."

Historia hesitated.

"No one could confirm if those rumors were true," she reminded Ymir. "But Ackerman is such a brilliant student, isn't she? She's the favorite of many teachers…"

"Fat chance," Ymir sneered, now painting the backdrop in large, crude strokes of blue paint. "Yeah that must be why… that Ackerman's too good to be expelled… And anyway, you reckon they've slept together as well?"

"If you paint just as much as you're talking," said someone behind them with a fierce, unpleasant tone, "You might have done more than just half a side of the canvas, Ymir."

Ymir let out a mocking grin, "Ah, Ishijima –" she said, pining her gaze to the girl who just arrived on the scene, her hands full of old costumes that she had just altered or fixed for their next performance. "I don't recall anyone here asking you to join in our conversation."

"Gossiping about someone behind her back, what a noble act, Ymir," said Ayako, a look of disdain clear on her face.

"All gossips are based on facts," Ymir shrugged. "Anyway, we know just how chummy you are with both Ackerman and Yeager… so obviously you'd defend them to the death. Some very strong loyalty, if you ask me."

Just as fight was about to break out between Ymir and Ayako, Jean carefully slipped out to the back stage. That was enough for him. He didn't need to hear those gossips to make things worse… It's not like he didn't see it for himself – that Yeager boy and Mikasa, growing nearer day by day… her gestures, her smile when she saw him. From the moment the transfer student set step in this school, Jean was gradually fighting on the losing side. Jean wasn't blind – that Yeager boy likes her, just like any other straight boy in school, he must have found Mikasa pretty, but… the most heart-breaking part for Jean was that Yeager was the only one Mikasa ever truly responded with the same kind of affection.

And now the wheels have turned, and it seemed like there was no stopping it. Bitterly, Jean headed to the locker room. He couldn't endure practice today. He'll go home early and make his excuses to Marco tomorrow. Marco would have to understand.

"Jean…," a soft voice suddenly spoke beside him. He blinked. And that was when he realized he was not alone in the locker room. Nanako stood just a few steps behind him, looking at him with a silent type of concern.

"Oh," said Jean, just halfway out of his mind. "Hello, Toda."

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking worried.

"Yeah… not really," said Jean reluctantly. "I'm going home early today."

"Do you…," Nanako seemed hesitant to ask. "Do you need… anything?"

Jean shook his head. "I'll be fine tomorrow, thank you," he said, forcing a smile and closing his locker door. Just as he was about to exit the locker room, Nanako said again from behind him.

"I know how it feels."

This was so sudden that Jean immediately halted. Turning in confusion, she faced Nanako, who was now looking strangely at him – as though she didn't want him to go.

"I know how it feels when the one you love doesn't return the feelings," she explained, the edges of her lips were quivering slightly. Jean didn't know what to say. For a few long moments, he just stood there looking at her. Then, the girl opened her mouth again.

"Do you – do you at least mind if I accompany you to the station?" Jean looked down to the pair of dark brown eyes pleading at him.

"Maybe," he said, after a few moments of contemplation. "Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea."

(Did I lose myself?

Or did I gain you?)

Mikasa had never realized how the sight of setting sun could be so endearing.

She also never expected how moments of wilderness could lead to such moments of tenderness, or the other way around.

Either way, it all started with him. Now that she thought about it carefully, all the big events in her life was almost always related to him.

They were both alone in the empty sports hall that afternoon after school, on the mezzanine part where audience used to sit down when watching various sports games – from basketball to badminton to volleyball – played on the fields down below. None of the sport clubs were using the fields for practice today, it was the basketball team's schedule, but they had a practice match in a rival school. Eren, who had learned about the schedule, suddenly decided that a round of ball games was a good idea – particularly because he was having too much energy and nothing to do. So Mikasa accompanied him.

Looking at the orange rays of the setting sun, and down to the wooden polished floor glittering slightly under the sun, she suddenly remembered something.

"I had this dream a while back," she said at the sound of approaching footsteps behind her, which she knew belong to Eren. "There was… a small town. A very small town protected by giant walls. I was standing on top of the wall. But strangely, though one side of the wall was cramped full with these small houses, the other side of the wall was a land of vast wilderness with no living beings in sight. And then someone came and approached me, and they said…"

"Do you want to know what's on the other side of the walls…?"

Mikasa's heart froze. For a moment, she thought she didn't hear it correctly. Or maybe, this was still inside one of those dreams.

Slowly, slowly, she turned to face him. His face was bearing the same resemblance of surprise that she would have seen on her own face.

"You…," she said, slowly. She forced herself to swallow, her heart beating faster than ever. "Did you…?" But she couldn't finish her sentence. Her words faltered, as she pondered his face, looking for answers to her unspoken question.

Did he also see the same dream?

Eren, meanwhile, stood at his spot with the same aghast look on his face. Then, he started, in a very low voice, barely more audible than a whisper.

"I have seen that town too."

Before she knew it she had started toward him. She might have forgotten how strong she was – she seized his upper arms and pulled him closer with all her might, ignoring his surprised gasp, her pair of stormy grey eyes wide with disbelief.

"You are not lying?" she affirmed. "What – what did you see?"

This was too curious, too bizarre to be called a coincidence. They had both seen the same dreams – the same visions. She had not breathed even a word of these strange, recurring dreams to anyone, and the fact that Eren uttered such words precisely like the boy inside her dreams … he must have seen them too.

"There was this strange girl wearing a long white dress. I couldn't see her face," Eren started. "She was wandering alone on top of the walls, looking confused and lost. So I asked her if she wanted to know what was there… beyond the walls."

"And did you – did you know?" asked Mikasa. "What is out there?"

Eren took a few moments to look closely at her face before replying, "I don't know," he said slowly. "Beyond those walls were some great danger. But I do know – that I wanted to explore them. I wanted to find out." He frowned. "Strangely, that small town… I know I'd never been there – there was probably no place like such that I have visited on my whole life, but that town… looked…"

"Familiar," he and Mikasa finished the sentence together. They looked at each other. There was a strange lump in Mikasa's throat, and a rising odd sensation was gripping her stomach. What kind of nonsense was this? Mikasa was never one to believe in superstition, but here she was, reminiscing about a dream she never shared to anyone else – to the boy who happened to see the same dream.

"I must have gone mad," she sighed, after a while. Her head hurt a little, probably from too much shock and information overload. "That – that must be the only plausible explanation."

"Yeah, and I think you're driving me mad too," said Eren, trying not to sound too agitated.

"Sorry," she started. "It's just – it's hard to believe."

"I mean not that," Eren said. He sounded like he was speaking under considerable amount of restraint, that Mikasa raised her eyebrows. "I mean it's the fact that we're both alone here, and you're gripping me so close I could feel your –" he managed to stop before he said the word boobs, instead flicking his glances down below, to the inviting sight of those lovely swell beneath her shirt, and decided to change his wordings before he said anything improper that might upset her. "Anyway – I think you're really overestimating my ability to control myself, so unless you want me to do something stupid or incredibly dangerous… I suggest you let me go."

"Oh." Now that she knew what he meant, her face was boiling scarlet. His words seemed to have thrown her into the present. But she didn't loosen her grip. She didn't let him go. She continued clutching his upper arm and held him closely. Eren was growing more agitated by the second. If there was anything like mental torture, this was most likely it. It was agonizing, seconds passed as he stood there like a statue, her body pressed close against his – so warm, so reachable. But he must not, he had sworn to himself he must not…

"But Eren," she started, her soft voice a contrast to his glaring pain. "You made a promise, didn't you? You said next time you'd do it properly."

Eren froze. For a moment he thought his ears were malfunctioning.

She can't be serious.

"Stop joking," he said, barely keeping his voice from showing how panicked he was inside. "You don't know what you're saying, what I would do if I –"

"I'm not joking," she said firmly. She brought up her eyes to look at him, meeting his eyes in a kind of deviant determination. He was too stunned for words.

"You serious?" he asked in a low voice, his eyes searching her for any kind of hesitation. Any kind of sign to stop him – just one sign and he'd pull himself back, he'd walk away and pretend this didn't happen…

But she only gave a small nod. And it was all he needed as permission.

"Then… I'm not going to hold back."

It started off slowly. His lips met hers in the softest manner – it was as if he was trying to gauge her reaction, to not to destroy the delicate balance that had been carefully built between them. This time she wasn't taken by surprise, this time she was ready for him. She kissed him back – she was surprised at how much she loved this – she grew more passionate, her hands circling his neck, his hands on her hips. He parted her lips slowly, and she let out a sigh. Their lips were locked together, their tongues met one another – circling, swirling, and she pressed the kiss deeper. She wanted to taste more – more of him, and he wanted to give her everything. He couldn't believe it – she was here, inside his arms, and he was kissing her. They continued exploring each other, no words needed, no thoughts inside their heads, merely letting their desire, the most primal of their instincts guide them together. Shortly after, they paused for breath, he opened his eyes, and finally they had a moment to look at one another.

She was slightly panting. He too, was breathing heavily. Six months, almost seven – after they had known each other. And still Eren felt like this was the prettiest that he had ever seen her.

"Do you mind if we go home a little late?" he asked, and she gave a faint smile. Not waiting for her answer, he pushed her toward the wall, safely locking her in the space between the walls and his own body, caging her on the other side of his arms, and they continued to kiss once more. Soft kisses that grew hungrier, more passionate in just a matter of seconds. He was – admittedly, hungry for her – perhaps he'd been craving this ever since he met her. But most surprisingly for him, was how much she seemed to want him, too. This kiss was different, when their lips met, it's not like anything on the blind dates, nothing like what he had on the flings. There was a part of his soul that was satisfied with this kiss, instead of merely physical pleasure.

He broke off the kiss, pressed a string of kisses down her neck, and she let out a soft moan, her fingers entangled in his hair. He really hoped no one would walk in at the moment – doing it in public place was a risky thing, but the school was nearly deserted, and besides, it gave him an extra rush of adrenaline. His heart pumping louder, he traced his lips down to her exposed neckline beneath her unbuttoned collar, and slowly, beneath her shuddering breaths, doubts were beginning to form on his mind. He didn't quite know how far he should go – Mikasa was not too experienced with this, perhaps he shouldn't shock her…

Mikasa seemed to have sensed his hesitation. Her chest rose and fell with anticipation. To be honest, Eren was sorely tempted to explore her body beyond the unbuttoned collar, but suddenly his mind was beginning to speak sense. He stopped, and pulled away to look at her. She stood there in front of him, her hair messy, her shirt rumpled. And on her face, he could see an unmistakable speck of relief.

"That was too much," he admitted, rather embarrassed at himself. She shook her head wordlessly. "I gave you permission," she said, sounding like she was addressing herself rather than him.

"Even so, this hard wooden floor isn't a comfortable place to do it properly," he grinned, and she blushed.

"At least," she paused, her face still a hue of scarlet. "At least the kiss was more than proper."

"Yeah sure," he replied, grinning even wider, "seeing just how much you enjoyed it…" this earned him a slap on his upper arm, and a glare from her, though she couldn't stop herself from being embarrassed at the same time.

"I'm joking," he said, half feeling amused at her reaction. Still smiling, he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her delicate waistline before bending down and again, interlocked their lips for another round of long, heated kiss.

They went down half an hour later – it was close to 5.30 and the sky was beginning to get darker. Mikasa desperately tried to make herself look more presentable – thankfully the blazer hid any signs of her crumpled shirt, but there was no way to check herself in the mirror so she asked Eren to check her, tidied up their hair, and tried not too look too guilty should they ever run into any of the school staff.

They crossed the school front gate and out toward the station, each not saying anything to the other. They were too busy making out in the school gymnasium earlier, but now that the reality finally dawned on her – the awkwardness of this situation just sank in. Though it didn't make sense, Mikasa almost felt like she just committed a felony. That's how big this first step was for her, a straight-A student who never broke any school rules, and who, most importantly, would never have thought that she would be making out in the school gymnasium with the new transfer student just a little over six months ago. She glanced sideways, and, surely enough – just like any other times when she was constantly worked up – Eren remained calm. What a contrast from earlier inside the gym, when he was the one panicking and she calmly reminded him of his promise.

Her train arrived first. She made her way down to her platform. Just before she left, she heard his voice calling her.

"Mikasa!"

She turned around. And there he was, looking really handsome with his emerald green eyes glinting in satisfaction, and a wide, mischievous smile on his face.

"I fulfilled my promise, didn't I? There are many more where that came from, you know."

She broke out in a smile. Contemplating for a few seconds, she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'll be waiting," she said playfully.

And with that, she disappeared out of his sight, down to her train platform, her steps as light as a feather's.

So... yeah. Eren fulfilled his promise.

About time for them to start kissing for real, right?

[exkernal]

Philosophy Class for Rock Bottom Demons: 1/3

A/N: I don’t know why I’m finally getting around to posting this old fic now, but I’m in a hellstrop mood

As Michael watches the humans snipe and scurry about (he doesn't care what Eleanor says, that cockroach analogy was on point) he thinks, this is rock bottom. A demon begging his torturees for help; that's as low as it gets.

Then Eleanor tells him he has to take philosophy class.

Does she forget whom she's dealing with? He's not some zit-speckled check out boy who will "remember" that he already scanned her margarita mix if she yells enough. Despite his appearance of bespectacled innocence, at his core he is pure immortal evil that has been torturing humans since before her grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's grandmother was even conceived, thank you. Does Eleanor know how much force is needed to pry the nail from a grown man's big toe? Does she know the sound a human makes when tossed into a giant juicer? No--but Michael does, and she'd best not forget it.

Except maybe he's the one who's forgotten whom he's dealing with, as Eleanor throws his words back in his face until he's well and truly cornered.

So now he's taking philosophy class.

Now this, this is rock bottom, Michael thinks, as Chidi, in all of his sweater-vested glory, hands out their neatly printed syllabi.

"Right. Now that we all have our syllabi--"

"Oh, dip," Jason says, his eyes impossibly wide. "Are you sure that's safe?"

Chidi blinks. His forehead scrunches up in that way it does.

"Pardon?"

"I mean aren't those those weird monster thingies that make you like mad horny?"

Michael catches Eleanor's eye, and they quickly look away.

"I--you're--no. Jason, you're thinking of a succubi. These are syllabuses." Chidi winces, as if the improper grammar physically pains him.

It doesn't clear things up.

"Chidi, man, if you need to see a doctor I know this dope one in Jacksonville. She accepts food stamps as payment and doesn't ask questions if you come in with jellyfish stings around your ding dong--"

"Jason, you're thinking of--you know what, never mind."

Then again, maybe it won't be so bad if he gets a front row seat to Chidi being tortured by his students.

                                                                                               * * * * *

The syllabus is garbage. Human philosophy is garbage. Every higher being knows that, even the stuck up angels farting around in the real Good Place.

(Not that Michael's actually met an angel before, but still).

He'll just have to fake it. Put on his best face, lure the humans into trusting him.

It'll be easy.

                                                                                                * * * * *

This is rock bottom, the knowledge of existence's fleeting nature. Of the expanding, gaping maw of the abyss that will devour them all as easily as dog-spiders devour human eyeballs. How can anyone expect him to go on like this, knowing the fate that almost certainly awaits him (because let's be real, Shawn will find out eventually)? Why was he even created all of those eons ago if this is his ultimate fate? How can existence even continue without Michael, who's always existed before? How can--?

It's okay. Eleanor's showed him. If he can just push those feelings down, and keep pushing and pushing and--

Eleanor's towering above him. Huh. Usually she's not because she's so ridiculously tiny. He remembers the reboots where she got so angry she physically attacked him--it was hilarious, like a chihuahua barking at a grizzly bear. Her eyes are more blue than green tonight, maybe because of her dress.

"All humans are aware of death," she says,"so we're all a little bit sad, all the time. That's just the deal."

"Sounds like a crappy deal," he mutters.

"Well, yeah, it is," she says, sitting down, "but we don't get offered any other ones."

Eleanor's gaze is absent of any judgement or mockery or disdain. He can't recognize what he sees, because no one's ever looked at him that way before, not humans or demons or Janets. It's not sad but not happy either; it's more like she somehow knows what he's feeling even if he doesn't say it, and that's okay. Her eyes tell him that it's okay.

It doesn't make it better, exactly, but maybe it's not rock bottom either.

                                                                                                 * * * * *

"It's so forking stupid! 'How can you tell if an action is good or bad blah blah blah?' Because of the points, dummy! The points tell you if it's good or bad, Professor Know It All."

"I feel you, bud," Eleanor says, lounging with her feet on the coffee table, a notebook propped up against her legs. "But--and don't rip my head off or whatever you guys do--"

"It's rip your head off," Michael says.

"Right. I'm just saying, maybe things would go a little better if you didn't rip the pages out of every book Chidi gives you."

She might have a point there.

                                                                                               * * * * *

"In this experiment, people continued 'shocking' patients even after they heard them beg and scream. The influence of authority was too strong, and overrode their moral instincts. So the question this possess is how do we stick to our morals in the face of conflicting authority? Yes, Michael?"

"I don't understand the problem. When your superiors tell you to up the voltage, it's a good thing. Why wouldn't I want to use the shocks--why are you all looking at me like that?"

All four humans stare at him like his human disguise just slipped.

Chidi squints. He rubs his hand against his forehead. Michael can see the sweat beading on his face.

"Michael, you're still thinking like a demon. From a human perspective, we don't want to torture people. I think you need another ten lines."

Michael sighs, but he doesn't question it.

"People good," he mumbles, as the chalk screeches against the board.

"Keep it up, bud," Chidi encourages. "You'll get there eventually."

                                                                                             * * * * *

"Why did you give me Les Miserables? That thing's almost as long as your stupid thesis!"

Chidi frowns. "Thank you, once again, for casually insulting my life's work."

"Come on, man, you gave Jason Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret."

"Did you seriously just compare your intellectual abilities to those of Jason Mendoza?"

"...fair point."

                                                                                           * * * * *

What was Chidi's problem?

Michael searches for Eleanor's eyes. She's good at explaining things; out of all of the humans, she makes the most sense. But Eleanor won't look at him. She actually looks away from him, following wordlessly after Chidi.

Michael doesn't understand.

                                                                                           * * * * *

"I can't high five that!" Eleanor shouts. "No matter how much I want to."

Michael turns away, laughing. She seems like she's mad at him too, but then he gets her laughing with the reddit story. Things can't be that bad if he can still make her laugh.

It doesn't last for long.

Eleanor tells him that this is entirely up to him to fix, then leaves, before he can think of a retort. He's left alone to wonder how the here he can worm his way back into Chidi's good graces.

Wait, what? Why does he even want to make it up to Chidi? He should be thrilled; he didn't want to attend those stupid, worthless, stupid, boring, stupid classes to begin with! Now he can have his proverbial cake (teaming up with the humans) and eat it too (no dumb classes). This is perfect.

Now he has more time to write fake torture reports instead of reading up on those old farts. Or complaining about reading with Eleanor and Jason and sometimes Tahani. Or seeing Tahani's shocked delight whenever he shares some surprising tidbits about her celebrity pals. Or trying not to laugh at the expression on Chidi's face during yet another of Jason's long winded anecdotes. Or sitting besides Eleanor, occasionally cheating off of her, each doing their best to make the other laugh. Now he doesn't have to waste any more time with any of that nonsense.

It's perfect.

                                                                                           * * * * *

There's something wrong with his chest as he watches Tahani clutch her diamond and Eleanor gush over her shrimp dispensary. It's warm, not warm like whenever he got too close to the fire pits, but softer, and not exactly unpleasant. He still doesn't get Chidi's deal, not entirely, but he's back on Team Cockroach, so everything's fine.

                                                                                           * * * * *

He's on his best behavior for his first day back to philosophy class. He doesn't rip the pages out of his book, doesn't talk about torture or mention humans' stupid anatomy. He doesn't even laugh at Eleanor and Jason's many jokes about happiness pumps, though that's partly because he doesn't get most of them.

                                                                                          * * * * *

Chidi passes back last week's philosophy papers. "Everyone's made great progress since we've started. You should be proud."

Eleanor leans over to Michael. "What did you get, bud?"

He shows her.

"Dang, A. Good for you, Michael."

"Well, I am a superior being," he says, rubbing his leg and smiling like a dope.

"Hey, we should celebrate. Do demons celebrate? Or is that just torture for you guys?"

It's just torture. He knew better than to ask Eleanor if he can have a go at one of them (like forcing Jason to listen to a blow-by-blow recap of every Jaguars defeat). Besides, he doesn't really want to, anyway.

Huh. Imagine that.

Instead he says, "In some of the other reboots, you would try to distract me from investigating the neighborhood anamolies by doing fun human stuff. We played aracade games, sang karaoke, went bowling--"

Suddenly, Jason jumps into the conversation. "Laser tag! Did you play laser tag?"

Michael thinks. "No, we never got around to that."

"Yo, homies, we have to play laser tag. I am a beast at laser tag. Me and Pillboi would do a bunch of shrooms and then go crazy all over the place. Also, I think I shot a mall cop once. Or maybe that was a dream."

Eleanor nods. "Laser tag could be fun. Don't know about the shrooms part."

She eyes Chidi, silently asking him.

"Definitely not," he says.

Twenty minutes later, thanks to Janet, Michael finds himself wearing purple plastic strapped over his chest and carrying a fake gun, surrounded by enough multi-colored smoke to fork up the humans' vision but not his. Without ever explicitly agreeing to anything, he and Eleanor have formed an alliance. He saves her from Jason's sneak attack, and together they shoot him in the chest twenty times.

"Yes!" Micheal shouts.

"Eat that!" Eleanor screams.

"Aw, man," Jason says, with the same dejected look as when he popped Pikachu.

He and Eleanor high five.

Then his chest lights up.

"Ooh," Tahani says, smiling like she can't believe her luck. Michael can't either. "I'm starting to get the hang of this!"

She notices the murderous glint in Eleanor's eyes, and bolts into the smoke.

"Don't worry, I'll avenge you," Eleanor tells him, then she shouts after Tahani, "You're going to die, you sexy skyscraper!"

That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to him.

                                                                                    * * * * *

So he can't marbalize Janet. And also may have teared up in front of her, despite no known demon ever crying before. So what?

                                                                                    * * * * *

Eleanor Shellstrop is an enigma. Nothing about her behavior on Earth indicates she should be able--or willing--to sincerely change, and yet she has. She has a limited human brain yet she keeps outwitting him. No one can rile him up like her, yet no one understands him quite like her, either.

Also, he made him a paperclip bracelet that one time.

That's why he visits her instead of Chidi when he's feeling frustrated with ethics. Because even if she is a human, she understands him more than his own kind ever did.

They sit across from eachother. In the artifical light, he can't tell if her eyes are more blue or green.

They talk a while, and in the end, she tells him that she believes in him. That she believes it will all work out. He doesn't fully understand why, but the words stay with him long after he leaves, keeping a smile on his face that he can't wipe away even if he tries. He's still smiling when he walks into his office and sees Shawn at his desk.

                                                                                   * * * * *

Shawn tells him it's everything he ever wanted, and he can't disagree. Because it is. As an apprentice, toiling away on others' designs, he dreamed of the moment that his own work would be recognized. Micheal the Architect, senior staff member, exhalted in the Bad Place.

It would be so easy to snatch the pin, place it on his lapel, and pretend that the last few months never happened.

He's not sure what will happen to Janet, though. It's not like they can realistically sneak her back to the warehouse. Maybe they'll reboot her, and reuse her for a replica neighborhood. As for the humans, he knows exactly what will happen to them; they'll be tortured forever. He tries to imagine it. For some reason, he keeps going back to the moment that Trevor threw his arm around Eleanor, prepared to take her to the "Bad Place," and the way she looked, resigned and disgusted all at once.

He remembers stretching his hand out to her, and her accepting. He remembers leading her back to the fake Good Place.

It turns out he's already made his choice.

He doesn't even regret it.

                                                                                    * * * * *

He collapses into Eleanor's arms like a puppet whose strings were cut, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I was so worried for you! You're my friends and I wanted to save you!"

Eleanor whispers that it's okay. He wishes he could believe her, he really does, but he can't escape the fact that they're completely and utterly forked. The humans still think he can get them to the real Good Place, but he knows that they don't have a chance. They're at the end of the road. They've seemingly run out of options.

But maybe he can figure it out, if he stalls long enough. He's done it before when he thought he hit rock bottom, and he can do it again. He always figures something out.

                                                                                    * * * * *

He doesn't figure it out.

                                                                                    * * * * *

The Shellstrops are right about one thing: drinking really does help.

He tells stories about past reboots that get everyone laughing. Someone (Eleanor or Jason, he can't remember which) suggest Never Have I Ever. Michael figures out the trick after two turns, getting everyone, even Janet, out with gems like "never have I ever been rebooted," "never have I ever smashed food holes," "never have I ever had a beating heart," and "never have I ever been to Earth." By the time they try to gang up on him ("never have I ever tortured humans," "never have I ever worn a fake human suit," and Jason's "never have I ever worn a bowtie", which gets both Chidi and Tahani fuming  because Micheal and weird turtle dealers aren' t the only one's who wear bowties, Jason) it's already too late.

"That's not, that's not even fair," Tahani says, swaying sligtly. "How do we even know--can you even get drunk?"

"I can," Michael says with dignity. "It just takes longer."

"Prove it!" Eleanor starts up the drunken chant, getting the others to all chime in. "Prove it! Prove it!"

So Michael downs an entire bottle of whiskey in one go.

In retrospect, that might not have been his smartest decision.

                                                                                   * * * * *

In the end, Eleanor's the one to come of with the crazy, bound to fail plan. The humans slowly trickle back to their beds, since humans need to be well rested before facing off against impossible odds, until it's just him and Eleanor left sprawled on the blanket, their legs stretching out before them. Eleanor rests against his side. Tonight, in the Michael-made starlight, her eyes look more green than blue. There's a pleasant buzz in Micheal's brain, leaving him light and (despite everything) happy.

"Micheal," Eleanor says suddenly. "Do you think there's something wrong with me?"

"Not particularly," he says. "Why?"

"You said that me and Chidi were 'in love,'" she starts to use air quotes but gives up halfway. "But now we're not. Or he doesn't feel that way, or can't decide what way he feels, I don't even know. I don't know if it's me--if there's just something unloveable about me."

Something about that statement hurts Micheal, but he's not sure why. He's no good with feelings talk--he only just learned what 'guilt' means. But Eleanor was there for him when he needed it (a smile across a table, a hand patting his back) so he gives it his best shot.

"Chidi's just Chidi," he says. "He's trapped in his own Chidi world, which, just between us, is what made torturing him so fun. There's nothing wrong with you. Whatever Chidi's dealing with, it's not beccause you're 'unloveable' or whatever."

They're quiet for a moment.

"Hey, Micheal? Do you really think kissing is that gross?"

His face twists in disgust. "Yes. But to be fair, I think a lot of human bodily functions are disgusting."

"Cuz we're like cockroaches," Eleanor nods sagely.

That's not...entirely right, but he can't figure out why.

"Sooooo," she says. He knows that look in her eyes. "Does that mean you wouldn't ever try kissing? Just to say you tried it?"

He barks out a laugh. "When would I ever get the chance to try it?"

"Well, we could. Right now. If you want."

Michael feels too warm again. He's having trouble meeting those more-green-than-blue eyes. He's suddenly aware of how close they are, pressed together like this.

"Why--would you--you, you actually want to?"

"Sure."

He's always trusted Eleanor before when it came to human things. And he can't lie to himself: he does like the feel of her in his arms, pressed so closely that he can feel her heart beat, away from everyone else. He doesn't want it to end.

"Okay," he says softly.

It's a little awkward at first, because Micheal doesn't know what to do while Eleanor shuffles around, positioning herself in front of him. She closes her eyes, so he does too. Her hands are on his back and her lips press against his. It's...nice. Her lips are soft and warm and not as gross as he expected.

She pulls away too soon. She leans forward, like she wants to sit on his lap, but loses her balance. He catches her before she faceplants the grass.

" 'm okay," she says.

A voice in his head, which sounds suspiciously like Professor Buzzkill, tells him she's not.

"Okay, it's time for bed," he says. "Sleep it off."

She lets out a disappointed whine, but she doesn't fight him. He pulls her to her feet and walks her back to the clown house. Just as they reach the door ("Ya know," Eleanor slurrs, "tonight I'm not even gonna mind the creepy clowns watching me sleep."), a terrible thought occurs to him.

"Eleanor? Was I a rebound?"

"What? Pff, no. You're not a rebound. You're...you're Micheal."

He pretends that he knows what she means.

                                                                                       * * * * *

Why didn't he grab another pin? Stupid, stupid. Eleanor watches him fumble through the jackets, trying not to freak out, but he can feel the tension radiating off of her from the seventh dimension.

It's too late. Shawn's on the balcony. He has two options. He could go through the portal after the others, leaving Eleanor behind to be torture. Forever. Or he could give her his pin, be retired for sure, while Eleanor has only a slim chance of winning her case.

Once, there wouldn't have even been a choice. He doesn't want to be retired. He remembers his existential panic when Chidi explained death to him. He thought it was the worst possible fate.

Now, peering into Eleanor's panicked face, he can think of another.

She doesn't understand as he explains the trolley problem, not until he removes his senior staff pin and pins it on her dress.

"No," she says.

"Take care of the others," he says. He is sad that he won't get to see them all on the other side, but he knows that they're all in good hands if Eleanor's there to guide them.

"Goodbye, Eleanor," he says, pushing her through the portal. He's tempted to kiss her before she goes, because that warm feeling is building up in his chest and it needs an outlet,  but there's no time. He hopes she understands all of the things he doesn't say, because he sure as hell doesn't.

She vanishes. She's safe now, he thinks as he waits for Shawn to reach him. He knows that he's facing rock bottom--in all of eternity, only eleven demons have been retired--but he can't find it in himself to care.

[potatocrab]

20!

20: what something that immediately makes you exit out of a fic?

I have a really hard time staying in a fic if it’s written in first person. That’s just personal taste though, and I mean no offense to authors who prefer to write these types of stories. Go forth! 

Things that upset me: If an author doesn’t make proper use of Ao3′s tagging system and there’s some triggering stuff in their work that I did not want to stumble across. This makes me a sad panda. This also makes me less likely to read any of that author’s work, even if other works are tagged appropriately. 

Other off-hand things that’ll have me nope-ing: huge blocks of text/improper formatting (without ANY spaces) (insert I have special eyes gif here), anything that resembles circa 2002 FanFic.net author notes speak, 15/20 chapters with a last update of over five years (why hurt myself), and while I can overlook small spelling/grammar errors (hey, I know some slip through my own stories) if a story is riddled with them, I will be a sad, sad panda 

I am not overly picky, but these things grind my gears, yep. 

fanfic asks

[hellreads]

i feel like this is such a taboo thing to talk about, and i’m genuinely curious and not shading anyone here, but how do you go about correcting fics with a lot of grammar/spelling or other writing mistakes? and letting the authors know about it? i read this fic with such a good plot but i couldn’t bring myself to finish it bc of the amount of improper spelling and grammar which made it confusing to read. ik someone will call me out for being unappreciative but i’m rlly just trying to help them

hello there love, I felt this one, I have read so many stories that have potential but I tend to just drop them because of the grammar/spelling/writing errors present in their story because it’s a little exhausting for my brain to correct everything for it to make sense but there are so many things to consider as to why such errors exist;

1.) we’re all just humans and we make mistakes, making a few is inevitable, I myself am not perfect, no one is, sometimes when we get so pumped up with inspiration we just type and type and type and look past any error, I’m not a writer so I don’t know any writing process one follows (also everyone has different styles and approach when it comes to writing and editing) some edit on their own and some have beta readers/editors so coming across fics with minimal to maximal errors is bound to happen.2.) we need to consider (and check their profiles or notes) that English must not be their first language, I once came across a very very promising story somewhere out there, the author explicitly stated and apologized for any mistakes because English isn’t her first language, I loved the story but eventually got frustrated and exhausted because I had to correct everything in my head (if you’re anal about fixing/correcting everything you’ll get me) It wasn’t her fault but if someone would help her she’d improve greatly, this applies to everyone, we just need someone who’s brave enough to send constructive criticism that will help us see our faults and room for improvement. (I haven’t checked her stories again, but hopefully, somebody is helping her or she’s studying the language to improve slowly but surely)~ now this is the tricky part I don’t think wanting to correct fics with errors is a basis to call someone unappreciative (well depending on how you approach the authors will dictate whether or not you’re being mean and unappreciative towards them and the pieces they hold dear to them) I know you mean well, it’s like a way of saying I love you and I want you to be better and I’m not being a grammar/spelling/writing police here but I have to that’s why I want to inform you that there are some mistakes on this chapter/line, etc. but then again we all have different personalities and some may take whatever you say lightly or some will get defensive that’s why some just let it go afraid to hurt or piss off the authors. If you really want to reach out and discuss your concerns with them I suggest:a.) before sending in an ask try to check their faq/about/profile/carrd page to see any info that might suggest or say that English isn’t their first language so you could construct a message that wouldn’t sound offending or anything (view some of their answered asks as well to get a feel on how they respond to people and certain topics so you know what to expect) or you could always direct message them if they allow messages from everyone;b.) re-assure them that you mean well, use gentle words because we all have a life to live and we don’t know their current disposition so always be kind with your words;c.) if they retaliate and don’t take your words well then that’s a sign to back-off, as much as I am an advocate for understanding and giving chances if they respond rudely or ignore it may only mean three things;1.) the story (if specific) you’re trying to discuss for possible grammar/spelling correction is probably written a long time ago and they have no intention of revisiting the story, they’re probably inactive too or maybe they have a future plan of remastering said piece.2.) they probably over-analyzed your request/advice, it may take some time for them to respond or just ignore you and correct stuff on their own. (I believe some get anxious whenever someone pays too much attention to every detail on their work, it’s overwhelming like wow somebody read my story but I might have disappointed them with my mistakes, I’ll fix it and do better moving forward)3.) they don’t care, as simple as that either you read their story as is or just drop it if you can’t handle any errors. (but I doubt there are ones like this? especially this concerns their writing because authors always listen to their readers as long as they’re not rude and have only the best intentions as a reader/supporter of their stories)d.) if they respond, try to point out as much as you can without being overbearing, some are still learning and are appreciative of people helping out to polish their pieces, if they don’t have a beta reader/editor and is looking for one you could also offer your help if you’re available or know anyone who is a pro or interested beta reader/editor, plus there are perks when helping them out, one, you gain a new friend, two, you get to hear them out before writing anything, your input matters, and you get to read their works in advance, three, their success is your own too (it’s like giving birth, you could be the doctor/midwife, depending on the amount of input and help you’ve provided)I guess that’s it (at least in my opinion), I think most authors are okay with constructive criticism because it means somebody wants to help them be better, somebody read their works or paid attention to their stories to see those areas where they could improve, somebody wants them to blossom into an amazing but humble author in this side of the fandom ~ my only wish is that when sending such criticism make sure you mean well and it’s for the best and not just simply attacking them instead of helping them be the better and improved version of themselves. and to the authors, if you feel like their request is a little overwhelming it’s okay to take time to respond instead of answering right away without fully understanding their intention but if they’re being rude, harassing you, and feeling entitled in any way, by all means, go fight them, they don’t deserve you and your works!anyways, I wish you the best in trying to help this author out, you are a lovely one for wanting them to be better, may we have more readers like you who’d go out of their way and help authors improve. | 🍒

[froggybaek]

set it off - optional bias

♛➩ genre: v sweet fluff, maybe a hint of angst but not really, friends-to-lovers

♛➩ pairing: neutral!reader x optional bias [male]

♛➩ warnings: H/N is where you insert your bias’ name

♛➩ summary: you hadn’t been home to new york in months, busy building your photography business by travelling all over the country. now that you have the time to relax, you decide to venture back to where it all began - back to the place you called home, to your family, to him.

♛➩ word count: 3.1k

 When you were younger, you were praised for your determination to fulfill whatever goals you set your mind to. Your parents prided your headstrong attitude, your teachers favored you for your hardworking work ethic, and your peers either respected or despised you as a person. As a child this made you wonder if it was all worth it - worth the harsh whispers in the hallways of your middle school, worth the occasional and “totally accidental” shove you received in passing to your next class.

 At one point, it had all become too much for you. Just touching the youthful age of fourteen, you were ready to throw away your passions simply to appease your fellow students; but then, someone very important to you had said something that would stick to you like glue for decades.

 “Everyone has something they’re passionate about, Y/N. Hell, your bullies do to - they’re just hesitant to admit it in fear of not being popular. One day, they’ll come to respect what you love, you just have to keep doing whatever it is you do so you can show them.”

 A soft sigh escaped your parted lips upon reminiscing the memory from - how many years ago had it been?

 Glancing outside the bedroom window on the second floor of your house, you spot a group of teenagers that couldn’t possibly be over the age of fifteen huddled together. Two of them carried blue, plastic grocery bags in their hands, filled to the brim with what appeared to be rolls of toilet paper. One of the girls held up and began passing around black masks to her friends. Once they were all disguised, they started to walk down the street towards the cul-de-sac - ah, so that was what they were up to.

 Most of the houses on your road looked fairly similar, built with quaint white bricks, a gray foundation, and black tile roofs. Yet at the very end, resting in the center of the cul-de-sac, was the Orion family home. Decked out with a wacky treehouse in the front yard, a mesh fence, red brick, and an eyesore of a yellow roof, the Orions had always been the boot of childish pranks since, well, forever.

 For some reason, they never complained - in fact, an old friend of yours was convinced that they didn’t mind having their house egged and strewn with toilet paper, since it gave them something to do besides sitting around and staring at their television all day. Seeing that damned eyesore of a house after such a long time stirred up a plethora of old memories, but you figured that you could think about them later; after all, your cookies would burn if you didn’t get back downstairs and take them out of the oven.

————————————————————————

 Woven basket hanging off your arm, you quietly walked down the familiar street, the soles of your shoes squeaking every now and again on a puddle from the storm the night before. Red and white mailboxes lined up in an orderly fashion in front of each green lawn, most of them decorated neatly with brightly colored flowers and the occasional birch tree. A stray cat snored peacefully on the front porch of the Clover household, a baby blue bowl perched on the steps. Two giant dogs, Lissa and Chrom, barked at you as you walked past their territory, the pale yellow bells attached to their respective blue and orange collars ringing in your ears.

 Soon enough you arrived at your destination, one that you regarded to be something like your second home when you were growing up. The practically ancient tire-swing swayed in the gentle breeze that swept past your figure, a few tendrils of the rope having long since untangled from the bundle that held the swing on the crooked branch of the single tree in the front yard.

 “I bet that I can push you all the way to the branch, Y/N!”

 You playfully stuck our your pink tongue to the boy, tossing your book onto the grass so you could clasp onto the ropes of the tire-swing. “No way - you aren’t that strong, H/N.” You giggled teasingly, suddenly regretting your words when he purses his lips and steps forward to push the tire, the strong force sending the swing into a wild circle.

 The cheeky boy laughed at your screams, pushing you even stronger than before when the tire comes back around full circle. “Haha, take that, Y/N - oh shit!” He cursed loudly when your body somehow managed to fling itself off the tire-swing, the frail boy just barely catching you with his own body before you both fell to the ground. “I’m so sorry, are you okay?”

 Now, what the worried boy hadn’t expected, was for the person in his arms to burst out in giggles. “... did you hit your head on something before I caught you?” He pondered aloud with furrowed eyebrows, sitting up and perching his chin on your shoulder so he could sent an inquisitive look your way.

 “N-no, I didn’t get hurt - that was super fun!” you cheered loudly, clapping the palms of your hands together in excitement, “let’s go again, H/N!”

 “H/N, did you say a naughty word!?” His mother shouted from her bedroom window, causing both of you to look at each other and go pale in fright, though your giggles never let up.

 Looking over to that same exact window with a faint smile, you notice that the blinds are open, the silky white curtains being pushed apart as an older woman with graying hair peeks out of her home to investigate the strange person in her front yard. As you get closer and closer to the front door, your appearance strikes a chord in her, demonstrated by her mouth gaping open and how she speeds away from the window to quickly open the door for you.

 “Hey-”

 “Y/N, it’s really you!” the woman nearly screeched in utter joy, throwing herself into your arms and pulling you into a bone-crushing hug, “it’s been so long, dear! You know, you and H/N have really become the pride of the county now that you’re both all grown up.” She showers you in kind praises, a hint of a blush spreading across your cheeks. Although, something she says catches your attention.

 “Thank you, it’s absolutely wonderful to see you too, but... well, what exactly has H/N been up to lately?” you question her innocently, following her inside and chuckling softly at the sight of her husband slumped over on the couch, snoring loudly with their three cats resting on his belly.

 She leads you into the kitchen, helping you set down the basket you’d brought with you and laying out a plate to set the cookies on. “Well, while you’ve been building a reputation for your amazing photography, our little tike has been working his way up the ladder at the local hospital. He’s their star surgeon!” His mother sighs with a cheery smile, bouncing on the heels of her feet as she takes one of the baggies from the basket and plates the fresh cookies. “Oh, but you both have outgrown this place. You’re both so busy, and now he’s got his own fancy penthouse in the main part of the city.”

 The... city?

 “I ain’t never gonna live in the city! It’s way too loud, has too many people.” H/N declared out of nowhere, nodding his head in certainty, straightening his posture against the trunk of the dead tree he’d been leaning against.

 You were sat next to him, legs crossed neatly as you quietly flipped another page in the book you were busy reading, somehow managing to keep a keen focus on both the words on the pages and the bubbly boy beside you. “Mhm, whatever you say. By the way, you’re using improper grammar.” You corrected him blandly, making your friend puff out his cheeks in annoyance at your small smirk of amusement.

 He huffed dramatically, slumping over to cuddle into your side. His eyelids were constantly fighting off the drowsiness of his body, but he was determined to stay awake. “Yeah, yeah - whatever you say...” the boy trailed off with a yawn, now completely latched onto your arm, “I don’t know how in the world anyone can like living in the city. It’s way too obnoxious, with all the lights, sirens, and people. In fact, I think I want to live in the country.”

 “Mhm.”

 He snorted at your hum of acknowledgement, knowing that you were still listening to his rambling. Most others would assume you weren’t paying them any attention, but they couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Since he was, of course, your best friend in the whole wide world, he knew when you were and were not paying attention to his words. “You’re going to come with me, right? I mean, when I move out, someday. We can buy a farm and raise tons of animals, it’ll be fun and peaceful. We can have cows, sheep, pigs, ducks...”

 H/N continued to list off the perks of living together in the south, where there was tons of land just waiting for the two of you to build on. At some point, though, he felt your head slowly fall against his, which had been resting on your shoulder for some time now. Upon glancing down at your lap, he’d noticed that the book you’d been reading was closed over a hand you used to keep your place, your other hand placed on his thigh.

 Seeing you so... at peace, so relaxed even in sleep, the teenager halted his ramblings to save them for another time, eventually falling asleep curled up next to you.

————————————————————————

 After you’d listened to the woman you were happy to call a second mother tell stories for at least another hour, you ended up asking her for H/N’s address. Even now, sitting in the yellow cab that drove you to your destination, you couldn’t understand why he had decided to move into the bustling city. New York was already loud and crowded, so why had the boy who told you that he would find a place down south in the country settled down in a supposedly luxurious penthouse in the heart of New York City?

 The traffic was absolutely horrid. You’d dealt with your fair share of traffic mishaps, considering it was unavoidable when you had gone to so many places over the years, but this reached a whole new level of aggravating. Not to mention, your childhood friend had the worst temper when it came to driving... although, judging from how his mother had described his situation, he probably had enough money to hire his own personal driver so he wouldn’t feel as exasperated with the city traffic.

 Still, you had to admit that New York City was stunning, even in the shimmering daylight. You simply couldn’t wait for the sky to turn a dark black so you could take some unique shots with the various neon lights and abnormal amount of just as unique people.

 “We’re here.” Your cab driver hums, pulling up just in front of the parking garage. You stumble out of the vehicle, not forgetting the tip, of course, and begin to make your way up.

————————————————————————

 It isn’t difficult getting to the penthouse where H/N is staying, thankfully enough. The only other person in the elevator had been a pair of boys who literally couldn’t keep their hands off each other - you dreaded to think of what they did after you left.

 But here you were, nibbling on your bottom lip as you stood at the front door, your fist lightly knocking on the sheer white wood. Within seconds the door creaks open, revealing a man that somehow looked no different than before, but also much more mature than you could've imagined growing up.

 Just like his mother, a wide grin spreads across his lips at the sight of you and, before you could possibly protest, (not that you would), he throws himself into you, squeezing you tightly against his chest. “Y/N - I can’t believe you’re here.” He breathes out in disbelief, pulling back after a moment, though his hands rested on your hips.

 “I have some time off... I figured visiting wouldn’t hurt anyone.” you admit with a hint of a teasing smile, sensing that any potential awkwardness at slipped away the second he hugged you. “You look - amazing. Not the same awkward, bumbling senior, huh?”

 H/N playfully narrows his eyes at your jab, eyes flickering all across your face as he responded, “nope, and you’re certainly not the lonesome, pessimistic teenager anymore, are you? I mean, you are running only one of the most popular photography businesses in the country.”

 “And you’re a surgeon living in the damn city, of all places.” you retort quickly, quirking an eyebrow up at the man, “I suppose we both grew up, didn’t we?”

 He falls silent for another moment, amused by your sharp wit that, apparently, never left even though you were an adult now. “I suppose we did, then. But - I hope you didn’t grow out of fireworks. I was actually getting ready to head to the park and watch the Valentine’s Day firework show, I’d love it if you came with me.”

 “I would love to.”

————————————————————————

 The walk down to the park was oddly... peaceful. For one, H/N had lent you one of his coats, adamant that the weather would only grow colder during the show. You didn’t want to admit it, but the kind, simple action had made your heart flutter. Not only that, but he’d insisted on having a mini-photoshoot on the way there, posing like a model each time you pointed out a spot that would make for a great photo.

 Walking side by side with the man, who definitely looked like he’d matured but certainly held onto his silly, childish side, you felt more relaxed than you had in years. You forgot how happy he made you, how much your lips would begin to ache because of how much he made you smile and laugh at his stupid puns and corny jokes.

 “Here, I know the perfect spot.” He said out of the blue, dragging you to a vacant spot under a tree. Digging into the bag he had slung over his shoulders, the giddy man pulled out a thick, midnight blue blanket, laying it over the prickly grass before he pulled you down to sit next to him. “The show will start soon, I think. The fireworks they put out are beautiful... I’m glad I finally have someone to watch them with.” He murmurs quietly, offering you a small smile of content.

 You were thankful that the shade of the tree and the general darkness hid your now tomato red cheeks, especially since he would no doubt tease you for being so - so nervous around him.

 As teenagers, you’d grown to care for H/N in a way that you couldn’t quite understand. After all, he was your other half, always making you happy on dreary days and offering his support in most of your endeavors. Sure, other boys were nice enough, and some had even confessed to you - but for some strange reason, you only had eyes for the person you called your best friend.

 There had been a time, quite similar to the scene you were in now, where you’d realized your true feelings for H/N. How you wished that you would’ve acted on them, back then...

 “Hey, what’s wrong?” He’d asked you gently one summer’s night, the boy having been lying down with his head resting on your lap while you stared at, well, nothing. Ever since you both had come back to his place after a pool party a mutual friend had thrown, you'd been down in the dumps. He wasn't about to push you for an answer, since he knew that you were pretty out of it, but if he could possibly can an explanation sooner rather than later, he figured he could help you be less upset.

 “I - well... your cousin, she uh... she said it was weird that I haven’t had my first kiss yet,” you finally admit with a sniff, looking anywhere but down where the boy was lying in your lap, “she’s right, you know. I’m almost seventeen and I haven’t even kissed anyone, it’s - hmph!”

 You barely have time to register what’s happening before H/N cups your cheeks and pulls you down to his level, his lips connecting with yours. He kisses you until neither of you can breathe, slowly parting your lips.

 “See? Now you’ve had your first kiss - and she can shove it, by the way. I didn’t have my first kiss either.” He admits to you casually, diverting his attention to the fireworks his parents were setting off by the pool, leaving you dumbfounded and shy.

 Snapping out of your daydream, you bring your fingertips away from your lips, glad that he didn’t catch you reminiscing on the kiss from so long ago. “S-so... why the city? I thought you wanted to go to the south and raise cattle for the rest of your life.” You question him in burning curiosity, desperate to get your mind off of the haunting memories.

 “Honestly? I didn’t want to go down there alone… I guess I wanted to wait for someone special.” H/N mumbles after a second of thinking about your question, tilting his head back so he can meet your gaze. In the reflection of his eyes, you see a bright blue firework go off in the distance, the start of the Valentine’s Day show. “There was someone who I thought could come with me, but they ended up pursuing their dreams before I could ask.” He continues slowly, a faint smirk twitching onto his lips.

 “O-oh,” you stutter in bewilderment, “what... happened? Do you still care for them?”

 “Oh yeah. There’s no way I could move on from them, even if we never officially were... anything,” he chuckles, “actually, I saw them for the first time in years today. I thought we’d left it at an awkward note, but the second we started talking again, it’s like all the feelings rushed back - for me, anyway. I’m not so sure if they feel the same way-”

 You mirror his actions from all those years ago, bringing your hands up to gently cusp his chilled cheeks in the palms of your warm hands. Without much warning, you lean forward and press your lips against his own, smiling as he hums in delight into the kiss.

 A firework shoots off in the distance, the red sparkles forming a cheesy heart in light of the holiday - but you’re both too busy making up for lost time under the shade of the tree.

[tornbetween2loves]

20 Questions Tag Game-Writers Edition

Respond to the following writing questions and tag me in your response! I look forward to hearing your answers as I’ve always been curious about these!

Thanks to my amazing friend, @kennaxval for tagging me ❤️

1) When/what age did start writing?

I’ve been writing ever since I learned how to write. I’ve always loved it.

2) What inspired you to start?

Hmmm I really don’t know. I’ve always had an active imagination. I suppose it was just my way of organizing my thoughts. I’ve also always been an avid reader. Sometimes when I read a book it inspires me to write.

3) Where and when does inspiration usually strike you?

Everywhere at anytime. I take notes all day long. Usually once I’m inspired I have to think about what I’m going to write for a couple days or so before I get started.

4) Where and when do you usually write? Morning? Late at night? On the bus? In bed?

Usually, it’s whenever I get alone time. With 2 kids and a husband that’s not often. I try and stay up late to write when I’m off work the next day. I try and write a little bit everyday. Sometimes it’s in the afternoons when I’m home by myself, other times it’s right before bed.

5) Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what genre/playlist?

No usually not. I prefer to have silence and just be with my thoughts.

6) Which category do you like best? Angst? Fluff? NSFW? Other?

I love writing angst. I also feel like it’s what I write best. NSFW is a close second.

7) Which category do you find most challenging to write?

Fluff for sure. My mind always wants to go to a dark place I guess 😂 Threesome smut is also very challenging. Especially since I prefer my smut to be realistic so I find myself thinking about it way too much as I’m writing. To make sure it makes sense.

8) If you had to pick your favorite Choices book, which one would it be and why?

Definitely TRR. It’s the first Choices book I played and I just love all the characters. It is also the basis for the first fan fiction I read and wrote.

9) If your choices LIs were real, which one (and only one) would you personally want to be with?

Omg, Do you know what you’re asking me to do here??? I have a hard time choosing which one in the game let alone picking one for me. Hmmmm ok. I’m basing this on the fact that I’ve always felt like I was born in the wrong time period. I would love to live in the D&D world and pick Mr. Sinclaire as my LI. I love him more than all the other LIs, hands down ❤️

10) Do you share any physical characteristics with your Choices MCs? Pics/selfies optional 😊

Yes they always have dark hair and so do I. I’m not a fan of blondes.

11) Which MC Do you share the most personality traits with?

That would be Jane, my MC from TF/TS/TJ.

12) Which Choices character do you feel you have the best grasp of in terms of personality?

Oh man that’s tough. I would have to say Liam. Or Drake. Or Riley. I just feel like I know these 3, ya know?

13) What’s your favorite Choices pairing to write for?

I love Driam! I also like Kenna x Val x Michael 😊

14) What is a pairing(s) you hope to start writing for?

Sinclaire x MC (Lady Elizabeth) But I’m so intimidated by the time period. I’ll get over it eventually.

I want to pair Maxwell up with someone in my TRR world as well but I just can’t decide who. Maybe I’ll create an OC?

15) What do you hope to improve in your writing?

Everything. Lol. No really, I need to work on my tenses. I tend to slip from past to present tense as I write. Often. I also wish my fics could be more to the point. Sometimes I feel like I over complicate my writing.

16) Any pet peeves related to writing?

Bad spelling and grammar. Improper use of “to” and “too” and “your” and “you’re”

17) Are you inspired by any IRL experiences when you write? Care to share?

Yes. There is inspiration all around me! I’m writing an original series on my main blog based on the guy who delivers our linens at work. It’s pretty 🔥🔥🔥 I seriously get ideas everyday from the most random stuff. When I was in college, one of my professors told me to write what I know. So I try to stick to that and base my stories on real life experiences.

18) Is there any particular piece of work you consider to be your ultimate writing goal? Something so amazing you hope one day you’ll be up to that standard?

I will write a novel one day. It’s my life’s dream. The story has been floating around in my head for years. One day I will write it. That’s a promise. Idk if I’ll get it published, but for me the joy is in the creation anyway so it really doesn’t matter.

19) Did/do you write for any other fandoms? If so which ones?

No. But I write for myself on my main blog @lizk77

20) In your spare time (when you’re not writing) what other hobbies do you pursue?

Spare time??? 😂😂😂 I have 2 kids so most of my spare time is spent with them. Other than that, I read when I can. There’s a few tv shows I watch. That’s pretty much it.

Tagging: @bobasheebaby @hellospunkiebrewster @xxrainbowprincessxx @debramcg1106 @blackcatkita @blackwidow2721 @missevabean @bella-ca @indiacater @hopefulmoonobject @speedyoperarascalparty @museofbooks

[starsintothevoid]

What should i write about or draw and how should i start it

Well, first things first: if you want to write or draw, you have to have some inspiration. I’ll give you a couple tips on each one.

Writing

The first thing you have to know about writing is how to spell and learn how to use correct sentences. There’s a lot of people who write stories use improper grammar or run-on sentences. There are also people who just don’t really care about the storyline at all. 

Diana Renn, the author of Tokyo Heist, has told me some great advice in which I think you would enjoy:

1. Read (which I’m sure you do!) - everything. Read outside your usual genre and your comfort zone too. Develop a list of “mentor texts” or “mentor authors” whose works you really love - maybe because you love their storytelling, or the worlds they build, or their style, or the way they tap into your own emotions and write things that resonate for you. Also read stuff you don’t love - push yourself to get through some things that aren’t working for you and challenge yourself to pinpoint why they’re not working for you. Is it your own taste, or choices the writer is making, choices you might want to avoid?

2. Read this wonderful book by my friend and colleague, Kerri Majors: This is Not a Writing Manual. It’s part advice, part memoir, a straight-talking book about what it’s like to be an ambitious young writer and then trying to break into publishing. It’s in no way a downer, just realistic - and also inspiring, great message about perseverance. Plus, funny.

3. Check out Young Adult Review Network (YARN), an online literary magazine featuring writing by, for and about teens. I used to be the Fiction Editor, and my friend Kerri (see above) founded it. They publish teens and are always looking for work. Stories, essays, poems. Submit! Submission guidelines are on the site. They publish teens alongside established / famous authors. Browse the archives.

4. Read other books on craft. There are so many. Some will speak to you more than others. Browse the writing section in a bookstore or on Amazon search “writing craft.” Some of my favorites are on this site - Writers Helping Writers. I love the Emotion Thesaurus! It will give you so many ways to convey all types of emotions through body language, facial expression, etc. while avoiding cliches. 

5. Find community. My number #1 advice. Find other writers, either online or in person in your school or community or library. From a writing community, you can find critique partners (every writer needs one)! or a supportive group, or an accountability partner if you are working on a longer piece, or just answers to questions and people to commiserate with when you feel discouraged. This is what I did NOT do in high school or college and really wish I had. Finding a community transformed my writing and made me think more about the audience when I wrote (in a productive way - I could envision readers, whom I wanted to entertain and not annoy) and it gave me emotional support at critical times. I know a lot of people are using WattPad for this, and maybe you are already plugged into a community in this way. If so, keep it up!

6. Keep a writer’s notebook. Sharpen your powers of observation. Even in you’re busy, try to make it a goal to write one page a day, ideally first thing in the morning, or even just list three things of interest that you observed or thought each day. These can become seeds of ideas.

7. Always be looking for and cultivating ideas. (see above). Nurture them like little plants! Produce a lot of pages, experiment, and don’t worry if not all of them are publication-worthy. Malcolm Gladwell says you have to put in your 10,000 hours at something in order to be great at it. I believe this is true for writing. Be prolific. Be an idea-factory.

Art

For art, there’s a bunch of things you have to do a bunch of things in order to be good. Usually, you have to practice and study anatomy. There’s a bunch of tutorials online for anatomy or you can take anatomy classes. If it’s easier, watch tutorial videos if you have anxiety in classrooms with other people. 

[bambyeol]

odds and chances

pairing/s:  hwang minhyun x you genre : fluff, college characters:  hwang minhyun, kim jaewhan, ha sungwoon, park woojin 

prompt:  Minhyun finds drafted love letters from a secret admirer while cleaning the lecture hall….

masterlist for other fanfics

note: Here’s my promise of finally expanding the pairings. Also, this would be the first time I’m writing a story using the pronoun ‘you’, and it felt weird while writing this so I don’t know if this would bring justice to your expectations, but I hope so!  (っ´ω`)ﾉ(╥ω╥)

song inspiration: Heart Shaker by Twice ( 트와이스)

Hwang Minhyun works part-time as a janitor in the local college, and his routine consists of picking up forgotten papers and throwing them in the bin until he picks up a torn piece of paper inside one of the desks located in the lecture hall for Visual Arts students.

Usually, he will follow his routine. Usually.

But today, his curiosity gets the better of him when “Hwang” peeks out from the corner of the paper. He opens and reads it, observing the lack of first name in the letter. He folds the paper neatly, light pink brushing his cheeks.

He just read a love letter.

But being the oblivious man, he disregards the possibility that it is meant for him. Instead, he lists out all the students in the department with the last name Hwang. There’s 3 or so, as far as he could remember…

He retrieves the pen from his pocket and begins editing the love letter, taking the time to sit on the chair and carefully ponder on the works of grammar and diction. To his defense, the letter contains grammatical errors, misspellings and improper tenses, but that’s because you are a transfer student who has only studied Korean for about a year.

Also, you have been crushing hard on the glorious Hwang Minhyun, the eye candy janitor of your department for about 3 months now, and you don’t trust yourself to properly convey your emotions without getting tongue-tied and driving the whole conversation to awkwardness probably because you might accidentally curse Minhyun with your pronunciation.

But Minhyun’s now reading your carefully drafted, dictionary-guided, google-translated love letter and he’s sighing for the nth time because you can’t seem to know when to use ‘you’re’ and ‘your’ and  you have questionable metaphors and symbolism to profess your love.

You smell like my freshly-laundered socks, and you give me happiness like that of my deceased grandmother’s smile. I didn’t notice you at first, but you my affection grew so fast like bacteria…..  

The list goes on....

He returns the letter back to the desk fully satisfied with his corrections, returning to his work.

The next day, you find yourself rushing to your chair to check if that is where you had left your love letter because damn you have been painfully denying about your little crush to your friends and classmates who constantly teased you because they just knew by the way you always recognize Minhyun’s figure, and how your eyes follows his body, or how you always find the courage to greet him when he passes by.

When you see the letter still intact inside your desk, you feel relieved, but unfolding it, you see neat marks amidst your messy handwriting. Below all the revisions is a message from your mysterious proofreader.

“Good luck on your confession! Tell me  Leave a letter if it goes well ^O^”

You smile despite the feeling of nervousness sitting on your stomach. Someone read your letter. And you even wrote Hwang. God, you’re such an idiot, and so for the whole period, you sit in your chair dazed and confused, doodling on another scratch paper as the teacher droned about Art History.

Once again, you forget your paper under the desk.. Minhyun rounds the classroom, checking every table religiously and notices another paper underneath your table He sees the doodle and is amazed by your attention to detail.

“Nice drawing. But listen to the teacher, okay?” he writes and returns the paper, a little pleased with his newly found past time. 

You notice the neat handwriting again, and an unknown force compelled you to reply. There isn’t a loss that you could think of. After all, your mysterious proofreader didn’t spread your little (open) secret. Apart from that, establishing communication would practice your language. Drawing is easy, but writing? Very challenging.

So from then on, you became the pen pal of Minhyun while being unaware of his identity, but Minhyun recognizes you. He would look forward to how your day has been, and you would look forward to that neat handwriting, savage comebacks and how he cannot resist to just correct your writing.

“Please erase the bacteria reference in your love letter. Do your crush a favor”

“Ok how about this? I really, really, really like how your eyes reflect the morning sun, how your skin is as white as snow and as smooth as pancakes,”

“Pancakes? Seriously.. You’re an Arts major, visualize.”

“What if I just copy paste some kpop lyrics in my letter? You think he would notice?.”

“If your song is referencing love with bacteria, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t recognize that,”

It was weird how you didn’t bother try to ask for his name. You liked the little veil of privacy that separated both of you, but as for Minhyun… he discovered your identity with a single glance on the lecture hall’s glass door. His eyes darted to your desk where he found you busily writing the letter for that day.

And maybe from that day, he would excuse himself from his coworkers when you had class just to check out your classroom. One day, Jaewhan catches Minhyun.

“Oi, Hyung, you left me in the left wing.. Oh, oh, who are you looking at?” calculating where Minhyun must have been staring.  Jaewhan smirks and slaps Minhyun’s back teasing him about it for the rest of the day and spreading the story to the other personnel.

Minhyun’s friends being the best wing men arranged the cleaning rotation so that Minhyun is assigned in the hallway of your lecture hall every time you had classes, and he would stand oddly near the door and pretend to clean the already polished floor while sneaking glances to check if you had walked out of the classroom.

And your eyes would always recognize Minhyun’s figure and you would send a little hello. He’d smile with a nod feeling accomplished for the day, and proceed to clean the lecture hall and read your letter..

“Wait…. She doesn’t know you?” Jaewhan spits his milk and Minhyun glares.

“He doesn’t have a dating experience remember?” Sungwoon laughs while biting his bread and Minhyun almost chokes him while Sungwoon would flail his short arms.

“But hyung, if you don’t confess about your identity then wouldn’t your relationship be the same as that one girl whom you text-dated?” Daewhi reminds with concern fueling Jaewhan and Sungwoon in teasing Minhyun’s awkwardness. 

He groans and buries his head in his hands unsure of how to approach you without becoming a mess of ‘uhms’ and ‘oh’s’ .

Meanwhile, you tell your friends about the curious case of your pen pal.

“Wouldn’t it be funny if it was Hwang Minhyun who’s your pen pal though?”

“That’s the most unlikely scenario, Riseul. Stop it.” But you considered the possibility, and damn it would explain a lot why there wasn’t a rumour that spread around your department.

Holy shit.

You cry in embarrassment, burying your face into your hands while mentally cursing your writing prowess that matched that of a five year old. You decide to unmask the identity of your proofreader and pen pal by asking to meet him by the university café. You even stated your attire, your name and your phone number (risky but Minhyun having your phone number? Take me)

But you didn’t know that Minhyun was absent that day, and it was Park Woojin who took his shift, so without batting an eye, he picks up your carefully folded, scented note and throws it away making you wait in vain in the university café.

You stopped writing that day feeling very embarrassed and pitiful. Minhyun didn’t understand why you wore a sad face when he passes by the lecture hall or why you stopped leaving notes. “Maybe she’s not interested anymore,” Jaewhan comments as Minhyun called for an emergency gathering about you because he honestly didn’t understand and didn’t have enough experience to understand the wiring of women.

“Or maybe she got creeped out by a dude who drops notes,” Sungwoon supports. Minhyun felt his heart sinking further. Woojin enters the room twirling his face towel  “Hey hyung, can you take my shift on Saturday?”

“Shh Woojin we’re discussing what might be the turning point in Minhyun’s single life,”

Woojin raises his eyebrow and asks curiously, “Why? What happened with hyung?”

“This romanticist thought being pen pals were cool, and now she’s not dropping notes anymore in the lecture hall and he’s panicking thinking about what he did wrong. 1 000 won for the possibility that she’s not interested anymore.”

“Notes in the lecture hall? You mean that hall for the visual arts students?” Woojin raises his arm remembering about the carefully tucked scented letter. “I might have thrown that away…..” he laughs nervously and Minhyun approaches menacingly. “Park Woojin you little…..”

You held the love letter in your hands feeling sweat seeping in the letter. You didn’t understand why you stayed up all night to write that letter, but one thing is certain, your little pen pal distracted you about your plan to confess.

But for all the days that you see Minhyun in the hallway and he greeted you back with a smile, you cannot stop your heart from wanting to jump out of your ribcage, and always almost slip into confessing.

So for today, you decided to get everything over with. You’ve checked the contents of the letter for the 100th time and made sure they were correct. As you entered your classroom, you see a note under your table. You pick it up and open it.

“I have something I want to say to you, so can we meet up? University café at 6 pm. black cap, denim pants and green sling bag”  and you write an ‘okay’ before mentally preparing yourself again about your confession. .

After class, you immediately proceed in finding Minhyun around the department, but you cannot find him. You see his friends and even built the courage to ask them but they turn to one another and tell you that he might be covering some other shifts in the other buildings.

So you run around the university asking and finding him, and it was nearing 6 p.m. and you were about to give up until you see Kim Jaewhan cleaning the windows.

“Uhm Jaewhan-ssi?” you greet him as he whistled some tune. He turns around and looks at you, recognition marked in his eyes. “Do you know where Minhyun-ssi might be?”

“Oh! Oh. Of course. Of course,” he answers excitedly. “I think he was about to go to the café to eat. Why not check him out there?” and you nod with understanding before saying your thanks and heading to the cafeteria which was the other side of the university.

Upon arriving to the café, you immediately searched for Minhyun and found him in the corner table looking out on the glass pane. “Minhyun-ssi!” you shouted, probably because of the nerves that now kicked in. He turns and looks at you before smiling and waving.

And shit.

He’s wearing a black cap and green sling bag.

Your eyes widen, and you realize with the ease of his steps and the smile on his face that he was expecting you.

And he read your letter.

Which was supposed to be the most unlikely scenario.

You wanted to run away and change your name and go live in another country.

But your feet remained glued on the floor until he arrived, and you let him drag you to the table still processing everything that is happening.

“No way,” you whispered and Minhyun hears it. “You read my letter?!” you whispered with reddened cheeks and panic on your face. Minhyun nods shyly before mumbling an apology.

“That’s not fair!” you complain, and Minhyun didn’t understand why. “That letter sucked big time and oh my god you read that? I want to go away now,” you squished your face to release the embarrassment that kept plaguing your body.

Minhyun holds your hand probably from sheer nervousness and desperation, “Please don’t go,” and you shut up .. Minhyun didn’t know that his charms were super effective. “I wanted to say something to you,”

You mentally prepared yourself for the incoming rejection because it was so obvious. Why did you even write his name there? But you still wanted to have a chance of confessing your feelings, and handing out the revised copy of your letter to redeem your image, but everything was turning into a mess inside your head, so you forgot to tell Minhyun that you wanted to speak first, so both of you spoke at the same time.

“Please accept my love letter!” you bowed your head lowly hitting the coffee table making a loud thud. “I like you.” Minhyun confesses but his calmness is immediately replaced with shock and worry upon seeing your head against the table.

You lifted your head, clearly hearing Minhyun’s words. Both your eyes were wide with shock, and you immediately forget the pain on your forehead.

“Wait, you mean that letter was for me? And I’m sorry but are you okay?” Minhyun asks finally connecting everything. “It has a Hwang on it for God’s sake!”  you replied with a shriek while rubbing your reddened forehead.

“But I mean, there are many Hwangs in this university!” Minhyun argues back before he leans into his chair with relief and you breaking into a laughter from the happiness and embarrassment. “Seriously?” he asks again, leaning forward and resting his face on his hand.

“Seriously…” You replied with confidence, giddy from the happiness.

“So…. face as smooth as pancake huh?” he smirks.

“Hwang Minhyun!”

Fin.

note: Thank you for reading ‘odds and chances’  (づ￣ ³￣)づ I hope it made you happy (≧▽≦)/. This is different from my usual writing. One, I really really tried my best to shorten it to fit it into a single post.Two, this is the first time in my life that I wrote using ‘you’ , and I really need to adjust myself while writing. 

hope you continue supporting me ❤ (ɔˆз(ˆ⌣ˆc) Feel free to leave your feedback or message me (yes let’s all be friends  (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) ) 

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[queenmiranda-01]

The Royal Couple                            Chapter 8 - Secrets Unsealed

Liam x Miranda (MC)

Hi and thanks for reading my story. I apologize that this chapter took so long to release but I did a lot of rewrites to try and get it almost perfect. I hope you enjoy it and hopefully Chapter 9 will not take me long to write.  Also please visit my MASTER LIST via the link at the top if you would like to get caught up on previous chapters.

Please know that I am not a professional writer so I apologize for any misspellings or improper grammar structure. As always I welcome all feedback both positive and negative. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters as they belong to Pixleberry Studios. I’m just using them for fictional entertainment purposes

(Miranda pauses as her heart begins to race with panic. She knows that she has to tell Liam the truth but these are the words that she has been dreading to say out loud since she and Liam became engaged. Liam’s heart is aching to see Miranda this upset and looks at her with tears in his eyes)

Liam: (His voice slightly shaky with a sad tone) What is it Baby? Talk to me please? I can't help you if you don't tell me what’s bothering you.

(Liam grabs Miranda’s hand and kisses it and then holds her hand in his own. Miranda looks up and meets Liam’s eyes and he sees the most terrified look on Miranda’s face. Her eyes are red from the tears that are building up and occasionally escaping down her cheeks. She opens her mouth and releases a shaky breath as if she is afraid to speak. She finally blurts out what she wants to say)

Miranda: (Cries loudly) I’M TERRIFIED OF LOSING YOU AGAIN!!!!!!

(Revealing her greatest fear of losing Liam is too much for her to bear and Miranda breaks-down and cries hysterically. Liam immediately embraces Miranda and holds her tightly against his chest as Miranda continues to cry on his shoulder. Liam is absolutely devastated to see Miranda like this. He cannot contain his emotions and tears flow down his face as he continues to hold his wife tightly and tries to comfort her.)

Liam: (Heartbroken) I’m so sorry Baby! I had no idea you were this afraid.... You will never loose me my love, I promise you!  I love you so much Sweetheart!! I’m so sorry!

(Liam continues to hold Miranda tightly in his arms and tries to calm her down but she continues to cry hysterically)

Miranda: (Crying Hysterically) I’M SORRY I KNOW I SHOULDN'T BE ACTING THIS WAY BUT YOU DON’T KNOW HOW DEVASTATING IT WAS FOR ME TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU AND TO THINK THAT YOU DIDN’T LOVE MEEE!!!!  (She holds Liam tightly as her body slightly shakes and she continues to breakdown and reveal her greatest fears) I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN AND IT KILLED ME!!!!........ I CAN’T GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN!!!! I JUST CAN’T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .........I'M SO AFRAID LIAM!!!!! .....I KNOW I SHOULDN'T BE BUT I  CAN'T HELP IT!!!! .......... IN MY MIND THOSE GUARDS ARE ALWAUS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR WAITING TO TAKE ME AWAY FROM YOU!!!!!!!!

Liam: (Tears begin to escape his eyes as he continues to hold  his wife as close to him as he can to comfort her)  Baby you know I could never ever stop loving you, no matter what, Please don’t ever forget that my love!........it’s ok Sweetheart I’m here and I’m never letting you go.......it’s alright, it’s alright Baby.........I’m here and no one is ever going to hurt you or take you away from me again.  I swear on my life I will NEVER let that happen to you.......Ok, ok sssh ok Baby it’s ok.

(Liam holds the back of Miranda’s head and caresses her back as Miranda buries her head into Liam’s shoulder. Liam can feel Miranda’s tears trickle down his bare chest.)

Liam: (Heartbroken) I’m so sorry Sweetheart I had no idea!! I love you so much..... Ok, it’s ok......Sssh it’s ok........I got you Baby, it’s ok, I’m right here....I’m here Sweetie, you’re safe I promise.......(Softly) Sssh I got you, you're ok Baby I’m here....... no one is ever going to take you away from me again.....I promise no one will ever hurt you like that again. I love you so much!

(After several minutes Miranda eventually begins to calm down and Liam shifts her onto his lap. Miranda rest her head against Liam’s chest and sniffs the last of her tears away as Liam wraps both of his arms around his wife and holds her tightly)

Liam: (Apologetically) Miranda I am so sorry that you have had to live with this fear for so long. It's all my fault. Can you ever forgive me my love?

(Miranda lifts her head off of Liam's chest and looks at him questionably)

Miranda: Liam what are you talking about?

Liam: This fear you have is all because of me. I allowed those guards to take you away from me that night. (Tears fill in his eyes and his voice shakes) I was only concerned about your physical safety and I inconsiderately neglected your emotional state of mind. I was so STUPID! I should have known! I should have stopped them but I didn't and now it kills me to know that my actions have caused you to have to live with this heartache. I will never forgive myself for hurting you like this, NEVER!

Miranda:  No it’s not your fault. You were trying to protect me and keep me safe I know that! Oh Sweetheart I love you and I know you have always had my best interest at heart.

Liam: (Liam still with tears in his eyes shakes his head) No I failed you! Having you being afraid all of the time and constantly looking over your shoulder and living in fear is not keeping you safe. (He places his hand on Miranda’s cheek and looks at her with the saddest eyes) I can’t believe I caused you all of this pain. I’m so sorry Baby!

(Miranda caresses Liam’s face as he looks at her with tears in his eyes and she sees the heartbreak in his face)

Miranda: Liam no, stop please! You have nothing to be sorry about and I don’t want you to think for a single second that you have ever hurt me or caused me any pain in my life. (Tears being to fill in her eyes again and her voice becomes shaky as she continues) You have loved me unconditionally since the day I met you so its not possible to hurt or cause pain to someone that you love so much.

Liam: But I don’t want you to be afraid all of the time, I want you to be happy here. This is your home and I want you to feel safe.

Miranda: Sweetie I am happy here and thats because of you. I love you and you make me feel so loved and safe when I am with you. Yes I’m terrified of losing you but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love our life together.

Liam: (With tears in his eyes and and a sad pleading look on his face) But you’re not going to lose me. I promise you Baby I will not allow that to happen again. I told you before that no one is going to keep us apart and I will always protect you and keep you safe. (Liam pulls Miranda into a warm hug and holds the back of her head and caresses her back) Oh Sweetheart tell me what I can do to take your fears away, whatever you need Baby just tell me and I’ll do it.

(Miranda pulls back slightly from Liam’s hug, gives him a sweet little kiss and smiles at him lovingly)

Miranda: Just continue to love me like you always have. You have no idea how safe I feel every time you hold me, kiss me, and make love to me. It truly is the best feeling in the world for me.

Liam: I have loved you every second of every day since the moment we first met and I’ll never stop. Loving you is the only that keeps me going, you know that don’t you?

(Miranda smiles at Liam and places her hand on his cheek)

Miranda: Of course I know that and that is one of the reasons why I love you as much as I do. (Miranda grabs a tissue off of her night stand and blows her nose and tosses the tissue in the waste can near her bed. She wipes her eyes and takes a deep breathe) God I feel so embarrassed and stupid right now.

Liam: You’re NOT stupid and you have NOTHING to be embarrassed about.

Miranda: Really because that’s not how I see it. I mean I know how crazy I sound crying that I’m afraid I’m going to lose you and be taken away from you because I know that there is no way in Hell that is going to happen but I...(She closes her eyes and tries not to become emotional again) I just can’t shake this fear no matter how hard I try.

Liam: Honey its obvious that events that took place at the Coronation deeply traumatized you, so it’s only natural for you to have so much anxiety about it.

Miranda: But that’s just it I shouldn’t have all of this anxiety and fear over something I know isn’t going to happen. I need to find a way to get over this fear.

(Liam takes Miranda’s hands in his)

Liam: (Softly & Sweetly) We’ll figure it out together, ok (Miranda smiles at Liam and nods her head “Yes” as Liam places his hand on her cheek) I just wish you would have told me about this sooner. It kills me to learn that you have been haunted by this for so long.

(Miranda sighs and looks a little remorseful)

Miranda: I know I should have told you but the truth is I was a little embarrassed and I know you have more important things to worry about than your wife’s crazy fears.

Liam: (A little annoyed) Miranda how many times do I have to tell you that nothing is more important to me than you. Your happiness means the world to me and I can’t bear to see you hurting and be this upset so please promise me no more secrets, ok?

Miranda: I promise you, no more secrets. I love you Sweetheart!

Liam: (Softly) I love you too Baby! Come here.

(Liam pulls Miranda into his arms and gives her a deep passionate kiss that takes her breath away. Miranda can feel the room disappear around her as she melts into Liam’s kiss. She eventually feels herself being lowered onto the bed as Liam gently lays his warm naked body on top of hers. Liam then moves his mouth from Miranda’s lips and passionately kisses her neck which cause her body to tingle with ecstasy and release satisfying moans)

Miranda: Oooh Sweetie! Oooh!

(Liam moves his kisses down Miranda’s body until he reaches her crouch. Liam buries  his head between Miranda’s legs and begins licking and nibbling at her. Miranda arches her back and clinches the sheets underneath her into her fist as a wave of erotic pleasure crashes over her.)

Miranda (Breathing heavily) Oooh God Liam!!!!

(Miranda’s body quivers as Liam is going back and forth between licking and fingering her clit. He looks up at her and meets her eyes.)

Liam (Softly and seductively): I want you to cum for me Baby!

Miranda (Breathing heavily) Yes Sweetheart! As long as you make me cum the same time as you do.

Liam: Yes, my Queen!

(Liam lifts himself up from Miranda’s crouch and then gently lowers himself on top of her body. He gives Miranda a passionate kiss as he slowly glides himself into her.)

Liam: (Softly) Tell me what you want Baby?

Miranda: (Softly) I want it slow and sweet.

(Liam smiles at Miranda)

Liam (Softly) That’s exactly how you deserve it my love

(Liam sweetly kisses Miranda as he slowly thrust against her until they are moving in a gentle rhythm together. As Liam releases Miranda’s lips, she lightly caresses his cheek and puts her other hand behind his neck. Liam and Miranda stare at one another with a burning desire in their eyes as their passion increases until finally they lean against the other’s forehead and climax at the same time. They both breath heavily as they release pleasureful moans.)

Liam & Miranda: Oooh! Oooh! Oooh God! Oooh!

(Still leaning their foreheads against one another Liam and Miranda smile and share a deep passionate kiss. When they pull apart Liam looks at Miranda lovingly and caresses her cheek)

Liam (Softly and sweetly) I love you so much, please don’t ever forget that.

Miranda: How could I forget when you make love to me like that.

(Liam gives her a sweet kiss then rolls onto his back and Miranda cuddles up next to him and caresses his chest as Liam puts his arm around her and absentmindedly plays with her hair. The two lay in a silent bliss for a few moments until Miranda glances over at the clock on Liam’s nightstand and lets out a little sigh)

Miranda: We need to get moving or we’re going to be late.

(Miranda goes to get up but Liam quickly pulls her back to him and wraps his arms around her)

Liam: (With a serious and stern tone) No, no you’re not going anywhere, you’re staying right here.

(Before Miranda can say anything Liam gives her a deep kiss. When he finally releases her lips Miranda smiles at him questionably)

Miranda: (Giggles) Sweetheart? As much as I would love to spend the day in bed with you know we can’t do that.

Liam: Yes we can! I want you to stay here with me today.

Miranda: Why?

Liam: Because I need take care of you and make sure you are ok?

Miranda: Honey I’m fine besides we have appointments and obligations that we must attend to today.

Liam: I don’t care about any of that. I’m canceling all of our appointments today.

Miranda: Liam? What’s gotten into you? The engagements that we have scheduled for today are very important and you know that.

Liam: You and your wellbeing are more important to me and you know that!

Miranda: Of course I know that Sweetie but what are you going to do with me if we stay here all day?

Liam: I’m going to hold you, and kiss you, and make love to you until all of your fears of losing me are gone.

(Miranda smiles as Liam’s concern and compassion for her warms her heart. She gives Liam a sweet kiss.)

Miranda: You are the sweetest husband in the world but you don’t need to do that for me?

Liam: Yes I do because I love you and I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy and not be afraid.

Miranda: Honey I know you would anything to make me happy, but you can’t just lock the door and hold me in your arms every time I’m afraid.

Liam: That’s not what ....

(Miranda cuts Liam off)

Miranda: I know what you’re going to say this isn’t just me being afraid of something silly. It’s a major fear that causes me anxiety and it kills you to see me like this

Liam: Precisely! That’s why I need to take care of you first. How can I attend to the needs of our people when the most important person in my life is suffering?

Miranda: (Smiles) I’m not suffering I’m just scared and upset that’s all

Liam: That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve my love and attention. I can’t bear to see you upset or sad, your happiness means everything to me! I would do anything to avoid seeing tears in your eyes.

(Miranda beams with love as Liam’s beautiful words warm her heart. She gives him a sweet kiss and caresses his cheek and she smiles at him with love in her eyes)

Miranda: Sweetheart you are the most loving, caring man in the world and I am so honored and blessed to have you as my husband. As much as I would love to have you all to myself today I can’t because you are first and foremost the King of Cordonia and....

(Liam abruptly cuts Miranda off)

Liam. No, you’re wrong! (Liam gets a serious look on his face and moves closer to Miranda) I am first and foremost your husband and a King second. (Liam holds Miranda’s face in his hands and continues softly) You and our children will always be first in my life. Please don’t ever forget that my love.

Miranda: (Smiling) I won’t I promise! (Miranda and Liam share a sweet kiss) Now as yours and Cordonia’s Queen it is my responsibility to make sure that the King attends to his duties and the needs of his people. A very wise and incredibly sexy man (Miranda wraps her arms around Liam’s neck as Liam grins at her) once told me that as rulers we sometimes have to put the needs of our people first and today is one of those times. (Liam opens his mouth to respond but Miranda cuts him off) You know I’m right!

(Liam looks at Miranda sternly and then gives her a small smirk)

Liam: You know I hate it when you use my own words against me.

Miranda: (A little sarcastic) Yeah I know that’s why I love to do it to you.

Liam: (Sarcastically) Ha Ha very cute!

(Miranda leans into Liam and gives him a kiss. Liam then strokes Miranda’s hair and gives her a sad look)

Miranda: (Pleadingly) Honey please don’t look at me like that. I’m ok now, really.

Liam: I’m sorry Baby its just kills me to know that you have been this afraid for so long. I just wish I could take all of your fears away.

Miranda: Well you know I actually feel a little better now that I told you so maybe keeping this bottled up for so long was part of the problem.

Liam: Then promise me you will not do that again. I’m always here for you and you can talk to me about anything, you know that right?

Miranda: I know that Sweetheart. Thank you!

(Miranda gives Liam a sweet little kiss but Liam kisses her back and the kiss turns into a deep passionate kiss. When they pull apart Liam caresses Miranda’s cheek and looks at her lovingly)

Miranda: What are you thinking about Sweetie?

Liam: (Sighs and smirks) Nothing I just want you to be happy that’s all. Your happiness is all that matters to me.

(Miranda wraps her arms around Liam’s neck and smiles at him)

Miranda: I am happy Liam and it’s all because of you. You make happier then I ever dreamed I could be. I love you!

Liam: And I love you!

(Miranda and Liam share a passionate kiss)

Miranda: You know what would make me even happier right now?

Liam: What’s that Baby?

Miranda: My husband joining me in the shower?

(Liam gives Miranda a sly grin and holds her close to him)

Liam: Well then you are in luck because your husband LOVES to shower with his beautiful wife. (Liam gives Miranda a sweet Kiss) Come with me my Queen!

(Liam gets out of bed and offers his hand to Miranda to help her out of bed. Liam then pulls her into his arms and kisses her deeply. As they continue to kiss Liam picks Miranda up and cradles her in his muscular arms and carries her into the bathroom. When they reach the shower Liam puts Miranda down on the floor and turns on the water jets in the shower. Liam then takes Miranda by the hand and they enter the shower. As the warm water covers their bodies Miranda and Liam wrap their arms around each other and share a passionate kiss. Miranda slightly pulls back as Liam places his hand on her belly and begins to massage her belly.)

Miranda: Do you want to wash the baby?

Liam: I want to wash both of my babies because I love them so much and don’t want them to ever forget it.

Miranda: We wont Sweetheart because both of your babies love you just as much.

(Liam gives Miranda a kiss and then they continue to wash each other’s bodies. After they finish in the shower they head into their closet and start to get dressed. Liam puts on his suit as Miranda puts on a fashionable short dress. As they finish dressing Miranda looks over at the clock in the closet and realizes how late it is)

Miranda: Oh crap! I didn’t realize how late it was. I’m not going to have time to cook us breakfast.

Liam: Its ok don’t worry about it. When we got out of the shower I figured that we would be running late so I texted Sawyer before I started getting dressed to have the kitchen staff set up breakfast for us. It should be waiting for us when we get down stairs.

(Miranda smiles and warps her arms around Liam)

Miranda: Thanks sweetie

Liam: Your welcome. (A little sarcastic) You know one the perks of being a Queen is that you have a staff that can cook for you instead of always having to cook yourself.

(Miranda glares at Liam)

Miranda: Yeah I guess its a nice perk but the Palace chefs can’t cook anywhere near as good as I do.

Liam: (Being playfully) Oh yes I agree. No one can cook as well as my wife.

Miranda: (Chuckles) YOU are smart man for saying that

(Miranda gives Liam a quick kiss)

Liam: Hey I’m getting the hang of this husband thing. What’s that old saying “Happy Wife, Happy Life”

(Liam and Miranda giggle)

Miranda: I think I like that saying, you should keep that one but I also believe a wife should keep her husband just as happy thats why I love pleasuring you as much as I do.

(Liam pulls Miranda closer to his chest and puts his mouth inches away from hers)

Liam: (Seductively) No one has ever pleasured me that way that do Baby.

Miranda (Seductively) I can say the same about you Sweetheart!

(Liam and Miranda close the small gap between their lips with a deep kiss that becomes very heated but after a few moments Liam reluctantly pulls back)

Liam: As much as I want to keep going you know if we don’t stop now we are never going to make it out of this bedroom.

Miranda: Yeah you’re right. We are already late enough as it is, come on lets go get breakfast.

(Miranda takes Liam’s hand and the two of them walk out of their bedroom and head downstairs. When they reach the kitchen they see an enormous spread of breakfast foods covering the entire island in the kitchen)

Miranda: Oh My God! Look at all of this! How many people did you tell them to send up breakfast for?

Liam (Smirks) This is nothing you should see the spread they put out in the main dining hall. Now that’s enough food to feed a small country.

(Miranda and Liam grab some food off of the island and quickly sit down at the kitchen table to eat. When they finish Liam checks his watch to see what time it is)

Liam: We need to get going the car will be here any minute.

(Miranda and Liam get up from the table and get themselves ready to leave. Liam puts on his suit coat as Miranda walks over to him and straightens his tie and then adjust the collars of his shirt and suit coat. Liam loves how Miranda always fusses over him and gives her a smile. When Miranda finishes he warps his arms around her and stares at her lovingly as he brushes a strand of hair off of her forehead)

Liam: (Softly) Stay close to me today

Miranda (Smiles) Why?

Liam: Because I need to make sure that you’re ok

(Liam stares at Miranda with sad eyes)

Miranda: (Pleadingly) Sweetie I’m fine really so please stop looking at me like that

Liam: I’m sorry but I can’t help it. It just breaks my heart to know that you have been living with that much fear for so long. (Liam stares at Miranda and then gets a questioning look on his face) Is this the reason why you have been studying the history of the Cordonian monarchy so intently?

(Miranda gives a small shrug of her shoulders and nods her “Yes”)

Liam: You’re making sure that there are no hidden laws that would prevent you from being Queen and dissolve our marriage, right?

Miranda: (Looking sad with light tears in her eyes) I had to know for sure that there was absolutely nothing else anyone could use to possibly take me away from you again

(Liam’s face drops as he holds Miranda tightly in his arms)

Liam: (With a sympathetic heartbroken tone to his voice) Aww Baby! Why didn’t you tell me? I would have assured you that you have nothing to worry about. I’m so sorry my love!

Miranda: No I’m the one that is sorry. I should had said something to you but I honestly didn’t know how to tell you but I won’t do that again. From now on I’m going to tell you when something is bothering me, no matter how silly or insignificant I think it is.

Liam: I’m glad because I never want to see you this upset again. I love you so much!

Miranda: And I love you just as much!

(Liam lowers his lips to Miranda and gives her a deep passionate kiss. Just then Madeleine walks into the kitchen and sees Liam and Miranda kissing each other. She rolls her eyes at them in annoyance but Miranda & Liam have not noticed that she has entered the kitchen and continue kissing each other)

Madeleine: (Annoyed) My god don’t you two ever come up for air?

(Liam and Miranda are slightly startled; they stop kissing and look at Madeleine but reaming in each other’s embrace)

Madeleine: It’s no surprise that you’re having a baby so soon the way you two go at it.

(Miranda still embracing Liam gives Madeleine a cocky smile)

Miranda: (To Madeleine) Jealous are we?

Madeleine: Hardly! Try annoyed! The car was ready to leave 10 minutes ago.

Liam: Our apologies Madeleine. Miranda and I were a little preoccupied his morning.

Madeleine: (Rolling her eyes) What else is new. Come now you need to get going you two have an incredibly busy day ahead of you.

Liam: (To Miranda) Are you ready honey?

Miranda: Yeah let me just grab my phone (Miranda picks up her phone off of the island) I have to remember to send out the text to everyone about Saturday.

(Madeleine hearing Miranda’s comment looks at her questionably)

Madeleine: (To Miranda) What’s happening on Saturday?

Miranda: Oh Liam and I are having the gang over this Saturday for a barbecue.

Madeleine: (Sarcastically) “The Gang”?

Miranda: (Sarcastically) Yes Madeleine our “Gang” of friends which just so happens to include you.

Liam: (To Madeleine) Yes it most certainly does include you. Why don’t you make plans to join us, we loved to have you.

Madeleine: Thank you Liam I appreciate the gesture but spending the day with (Madeleine speaks sarcastically) “The Gang” is hardly my idea of fun on a Saturday.

Miranda: (Annoyed) Cut the act Madeleine. We all know you enjoy hanging out us even though you pretend that you don’t. If you would like to join us the party is a noon, it’s your decision.

Madeleine: Well if I am able to clear my schedule I’ll see if I can make a brief appearance at this shin dig of yours, at least for a little while.

(Madeleine gives Miranda a small hint of a smile and Miranda gives a small smile back to Madeleine)

Miranda: Ok, its up to you.

(Madeleine quickly composes herself and gets a serious look on her face as checks the time on her watch.)

Madeleine: My god is that the time! You two are incredibly late! We have to move, now!

(Madeleine quickly ushers Liam and Miranda out of the Residence Suite, through the Palace halls, and into a waiting SUV in the courtyard. As the SUV drives off with Liam and Miranda in the back-seat Miranda gets out her phone and types a text message to Hana, Penelope, Kiara, Drake, Olivia, Maxwell, Bertrand, and Savanah.)

Miranda’s Text: “Hey guys! Liam and I are planning a barbecue for this Saturday at noon at our place and we would love for all of you to attend. You don’t have to bring anything but yourselves as we will take care of all the food and alcohol. Hope everyone can make it!”

Miranda: (To Liam) Ok I sent the text let’s hope everyone can make it.

(Liam smiles at Miranda and holds her hand)

Liam: I’m sure everyone will come Sweetie. We all have such a good time when we get together and its been a while since we have all seen each other.

Miranda: We’ll see who responds to my text.

(As the day continues Miranda and Liam attend various meetings and visit a few charity foundations and hospitals. At the end of the day they are exhausted as they pile back into the SUV to take them home)

Liam: Boy I’m beat, that’s was a long day.

(Miranda moves closer to Liam and leans her head on his chest and closes her eyes as Liam wraps his arm around her and kisses her forehead)

Liam: You tired Baby?

Miranda (Cuddling up next to Liam) Mm Hm! I just want to go home and relax with you in a nice hot bath and wash the day away.

(Liam closes his eyes and leans his cheek against the top of Miranda’s head as he continues to hold her)

Liam: Mmmm! That sounds perfect Sweetheart!

(Miranda looks up at Liam and they give each other sweet little kisses until they are interrupted by a text alert on Miranda’s phone. Miranda slightly shifts herself as she reaches for her phone in her purse)

Miranda: Oh you know I never checked to see if anyone responded to my text from this morning.

(Miranda looks at her phone and she’s that everyone has texted her back.)

Hana’s Text: Oooh a barbecue! We haven’t done that in a while. I’ll absolutely be there. Thanks!

Maxwell’s Text: Did someone say Paaaaarrrrttttyyy!!!! You know I’m DEFINITELY there!!! I got some new party tricks that I cant wait to show you guys!! See everybody Saturday!!!!

Penelope’s Text: I just love barbecues! Can I bring Merlin & Morgana?

Drake’s Text: Free barbecue and alcohol!! You know I’ll be there!

Kiara’s Text: Qui sonne fantastique! Merci!

Olivia’s Text: Well I suppose if I have nothing better to do then I can grace you all with my presence for an afternoon.

Bertrand’s Text: Its difficulty to say at this time if Savanah, Bartie, and I will be able to attend. The are several projects that we need to oversee at House Beaumont. Savanah and I are extremely behind with our wedding preparations, and Bartie has his riding lesson that afternoon. Savanah and I will throughly need to review our schedules before we can commit to an afternoon of leisure.

Savanah’s Text: Miranda ignore Bertrand’s text. The 3 of us will most definitely be there. Thank you for thinking of us. Can’t wait to see you and Liam!

Bertrand’s Text: Yes what Savanah said. See you on Saturday.

(Miranda finishes reading everyone’s text and giggles as she looks at Liam)

Miranda: Well everyone responded back and said that they are coming so it looks like we are all set for Saturday

Liam: That’s fantastic! It’s going to be a great day, with good food and good friends.

Miranda: I can’t wait to tell them that we’re going to have a baby. You think they’re going to be excited?

Liam: Are you kidding they will be thrilled for us. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when we tell them.

Miranda: Saturday can’t get her quick enough. I’m so happy! I love you

Liam: And I love you

(Liam and Miranda share a kiss and then cuddle in the back seat of the SUV as they enjoy the rest of their ride home)

[jade-island-lives]

Just general writing advice for beginners?? also I love tales of merlia it's like just ??:,) I love it so much

Thank you dear! I’m glad you like Tales of Merlia :D

Well, everyone has their own forms and ways of writing. As you keep writing, you’ll develop your own tactics for writing, but here are mine.

1. Write whenever possible

It’s not possible to write everyday, as much as we want to. School and work and chores are always getting in the way. But it is to write whenever you can. It will make you a better writer, you’ll get a lot done, and it will put you on time management skills.

2. Brush up on grammar

What I always see with new writers is that they don’t spell words correctly or don’t know what a certain word means. It’s important that you brush up on spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. It’s also important to know the meanings of words. 

Now, I must stress this. Grammar is always changing, one year, a certain word is improper, the next it’s the god among words. Words like y’all and ain’t and hisself are totally fine to use if you know how to use them. They actually spice up your writing. You are totally allowed to use the slang and the language you grew up on. Doesn’t matter what any teacher says, as long as you make your writing readable and enjoyable and you enjoy it, that’s what matters.

3. Read

A lot. Read whatever you can. You’ll find out what you like, what you don’t like. You can find topics you want to write about, a favorite genre, a favorite style of writing. And you’ll find out what you don’t like, which is just as important. You may find words you’ve never heard of or a new way of description and so forth. So read. And read a lot.

4. Keep an open mind

I want to be honest. It’s not cool to hate on a genre. Especially one you’ve never read up on. It’s okay not to like a genre, but HATING genres and the people within them is unprofessional and harmful to new writers that like that genre. Because just like you, they have a lot to offer if you give them a chance.

5. Cringe is good

I’ve made it clear that it’s never okay to hate on an artist or writer because what they write or draw is cringy. We all start from somewhere, and you need to express yourself when you are young. From there you will learn on your own or from compassionate people who only want to offer advice. You’re allowed to make mistakes.

6. Failure is good

Every failure brings you closer to success if you are willing to learn from your mistakes and apply them to your life.

7. We all have moments of self doubt

It comes with the business man, we all love and hate our writing at the same time. Have others read your writing, and others will love it I promise.

8. Follow Writblrs and Bookblrs

Like @theinkstainsblog @git-writing-good @writerintraining-us @sophialikestowrite @blackfeatherantics @sawyerblue @novel-like-you-mean-it​ @crazybunchwriter @thewritershandbook @the-book-ferret @theartofnotwriting @thecaffeinebookwarrior @writing-questions-answered

To name a few ^^;

9. Learn to take criticism 

You MUST learn to take criticism if you are to be in the arts. My rule of thumb, if it points out a plot hole, or if more than 3 people make the same complaint, I know to fix it. If the complaint is: “This sucks.” and they don’t give me a reason why, ignore him.

It’s hard and can hurt your self esteem. Just remember what you’re writing for, and write for yourself. I recommend watching “Arthur Writes a Story” to understand my meaning.

10. Love what you do

I knew I was in this job when writing gave me adrenaline. When the thought of writing made my skin tingle. When I was coming up with stories out of boredom. When others saw a train, they saw a train. When I saw a train, I saw a train that lead to a space station far in the stars. The ocean was a particular mystery to me, and that’s why my stories involve it so much. There was a whole new world I could see under there.

I knew when my writing made my sad friend smile, when my idea of a perfect night was to sit in my bed with a cup of tea and write a story. I knew when a song came on the radio and full blown scenes filled my head. I knew when the thought of me giving up writing seemed so ludicrous. I knew then I loved writing. And I still do.

Because if we didn’t like it, there is no point to it I believe. So...do what you love, okay?

Thank you for asking!

[ladylynse]

Hey Lynse... ive kinda been down lately because people don't review my fics but also never give me prompts whenever I do requests and stuff... it makes me really sad but I really love writing my fanfiction, it just slows me down tho... any advise or help? T-T

Hey, Anon. *hugs* I know how you feel; it can be hard to work up the motivation to do what you love (or at least keep posting it) when something you’re really excited about gets little to no reaction. I still feel that with some fics, if not as often as I did when I was starting out and going at least three chapters without a single review.

As far as tumblr goes, remember that only your first five tags are searchable; the rest just help organize your blog. Putting in the fandom name, that it’s fanfiction/fanfic, or the characters is your best bet for getting people searching through tags to see your work. However, if you add a link to fanfiction.net, the post won’t show up in the search anyway, and only your followers will see it. (I’m pretty sure you can link to the AO3 and have it searchable, but not FF.net. Sites like deviantart will also render your post unsearchable, if you’re an artist, too.)

Don’t feel bad about reblogging your own work a few times to catch people in different time zones; no one else is going to reblog your fic if they never see it in the first place, and other people reblogging your fic is going to be the main way people find your blog to follow it in the first place. (This might not be true once you get thousands of followers if you’ve already got a large chunk of the fanbase following you, but it’s still true for me.)

Another way to increase your exposure as a writer is to participate in months/weeks where a fandom you’re in is holding prompts. Whether there’s a blog going through reblogging everything with the specific tag they ask you to tag it with or just people searching for that certain tag in general, you’re at least guaranteed that someone will be looking for work like what you’ve done, and if they enjoy it, they might reblog it and follow you. You certainly don’t need to do every single prompt--I did two for Miraculous Ladybug in the entire month of August and that first post remains the one with the most notes out of anything I’ve written--but it’s another way for people to find you.

I’m lucky; I’ve managed to pick up a few followers (thanks!) who will cheerfully give me prompts or leave comments on my fics fairly consistently. But I still opened writing requests three times before I ever got one (and at that point, it was just one, from someone I PMed with on FF.net because I actually specifically told them what I was doing) since until then I didn’t really have anyone who was following me for my writing, or at least no one who happened to be on tumblr/saw the post and wanted to see something from me. That’s not a reflection of your writing skill; it’s simply that people haven’t found you yet. 

If you’re writing for popular or at least large fandoms on FF.net/wherever else, the same could be true; your story could be buried before too many people see it beyond those that have you on author alert. If you’re able to, it might be a plan to write ahead of what you’re posting so that you can update more or less consistently; that way, people who are actively reading in the fandom are more likely to spot your story. I used to do that, back when I had more time to write in general, and it seemed to work for me. 

Also, as far as first chapters go? Cliffhangers really do work when it comes to getting readers to stick around for the second chapter, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a review that’s more than just ‘update soon’ (let’s face it; ‘nice! update soon please’ is preferable). If you think your first chapter is rather boring, writing-wise, because you still need to build up to the action/the problem/etc, considering writing a hook first--some sort of preview of a later scene, which you then go back to work up to that point. It’ll give your readers a taste of what’s to come and hopefully catch and hold their interest through the more tedious setup portion of the story.

Never underestimate the power of a good summary. Do not say that you are bad at summaries, do actually give a summary (not just ‘summary inside’), and do proofread it, too. If there are spelling mistakes in it or improper capitalization/blatant grammatical errors, I don’t even click on a story to read it, because I expect more of the same inside. 

Basic spelling and grammar are important. Nothing will get to me leave a fic faster than clicking on it and seeing the horrific ‘wall of text’; a new paragraph is necessary whenever someone new speaks, and some people still don’t realize that. Some amazing people write in a language that isn’t their first language, and sometimes spelling isn’t people’s forte in general, but spell check is important and free. It’s not foolproof--you can type the wrong word and it won’t catch it if it’s still a word--and that’s where having a beta-reader is nice, in addition to bouncing ideas off them when you get stuck; you can always let people know at the end of the first chapter that you’re looking for a beta reader for the story. Failing that, give yourself some time between writing something and giving it its final proofread; you’ll catch more of your own mistakes if your brain doesn’t remember exactly what you wanted to say and see it correctly even if you’re missing a word. And please do proofread your work; too many errors is jarring, bringing the reader out of the story, and you’ll have fewer people interested in your work if they can’t get into your fic in the first place. The odd error seems to be okay--I know I have those in my work simply because I’ve missed them, and every once in a while I spot one and go back to fix it--but there are limits. People are lazy as readers; they don’t want to have to work to figure out the story you’re telling them. It’s far simpler to just go read a different story.