#magnum pi imagines

[xxchumanixx]

Break it again

Thomas Magnum x reader

He broke your heart once - will he do it again?

Warnings: hurt, angst, fluff, comfort, reader has a broken heart

Word count: 4.659

Authors Note: Heya! I'm watching Magnum P.I. at the moment and I really love that guy ugh... I wish I could hire him to keep me company, I swear I'd just stare at him all day long. Now I have to wait for season 5 to air in Germany...

Anyways, have fun!

"No way!" TC mumbled to himself when you entered the bar, gathering Rick's attention. "Huh?" he hummed, following his friend's line of sight.

"No way!" he repeated TC's words, when his gaze landed on you as well; eyes widening in shock.

Your eyes scanned the small crowd gathered at La Mariana, before they landed on the bar to your right.

You couldn't believe your eyes as your mouth slowly opened in disbelief. Huffing you smiled, walking towards Rick and TC.

"Y/N!" the boys said in unison, grinning at you. "Where have you been?" TC wanted to know, engulfing you in a bone crushing hug.

Still smiling you hugged him back, ignoring the ache in your heart at his question.

He didn't need to know where you have been or why you left in the first place.

Even when they most likely knew anyways.

Rick rounded the bar, before he snatched you from TC's arms to hug you as well.

They used to be your family, your best friends.

But that was three years ago.

You still loved them, though - even when you had left them without properly saying goodbye back then.

Which made you wonder why they weren't angry at you, but instead were happy to see you.

"It's been what - four years?" Rick said when he let go of you. TC's brows lifted, as he shook his head. "It's been three." he corrected him.

"Feels like an eternity." Rick gave back, shaking his head as well.

His hand landed on your shoulder and he grinned. "Damn, we've missed you." he said, shaking his head again.

Then his eyes widened and he let go of you, stepping behind the bar and gesturing around him.

"What do you say?" he wanted to know, sounding proud.

Your eyes widened and you looked at him in shock.

"Wait, the La Mariana is yours?" you asked in disbelief, as a grin stretched your lips. "Actually, it's ours." TC chimed in, chuckling to himself. "We bought it a while ago, but Rick manages everything."

"Wow." you breathed, taking a look around you. "It's beautiful!"

Rick smiled. "Thank you." he said, wiping his hands on a towel. "It's been a hell of a ride, but we're very proud of it."

You nodded, feeling excited for them.

"Want something to drink?" Rick asked, tilting his head questioningly. You contemplated for a moment. "Surprise me." you then told him smiling.

He chuckled before he went to grab a glass, as he froze in his movement, his smile suddenly gone.

He was staring at a point behind you, and as TC sighed, you turned around to see what they were seeing.

Thomas Magnum.

"Oh." you made, staring at the man who once broke your heart.

The one who drove you away three years ago.

He didn't see you at first, talking to a blonde woman who was walking beside him. She was beautiful and you felt how you became jealous of her.

No, stop it. you warned yourself. Don't.

His eyes looked up a few steps away and landed on you, causing him to stop dead in his tracks, mouth open.

You bit on the inside of your cheek, chewing at the sensitive flesh.

You should have known he would appear sooner or later - where Rick and TC were, Thomas wasn't far.

Turning back around you tried to calm your racing heart, hands sweating.

"I need that drink, now." you told Rick, pressing your lips together. "Please."

Rick nodded silently, pouring you some bourbon, before sliding the glass over to you.

Your hands gripped it shakily, before you downed the shot, grimacing at the burning sensation in your throat.

But you needed it.

Then you turned back around, plastering a fake smile on your face.

"Thomas." you greeted him, trying to conceal your feelings, keep them in check. You didn't need him to know that your heart was still in pieces.

He needed a moment to respond, shaking the shock off and offering you a hesitant smile.

"Y/N." he gave back, swallowing. "Hey."

The woman beside him watched your interaction with furrowed brows, clearly confused.

"I'm Y/N Y/L/N." you introduced yourself, holding out your hand for her to shake. "Juliett Higgins." she gave back, shaking your hand. "Nice to meet you."

Nodding you looked back at Thomas. He didn't seem comfortable, and it satisfied you somehow.

You didn't feel comfortable either, when you left because of him.

It became silent for a moment, before Thomas cleared his throat awkwardly and faced TC.

"We need your help." he told him, biting his cheek. "Our client went on a hike in the mountains and she's missing since this morning. Could you fly up there and look for her? Please?"

Your brows knitted together.

Client? That meant he was still active as a private investigator, which meant he must've been pretty successful in doing so, when they still hired him.

Was Juliett his partner then?

TC nodded, looking your way for a split second, before he cleared his throat. "Sure."

Thomas thanked him, before he faced Juliett. "I'm gonna look after Gordon's tip about her ex boyfriend." he told her, avoiding to look at you. "Okay, then I will check her bank account and GPS." she gave back, nodding.

Then she looked at you, tilting her head.

"May I ask where you're from?" she wanted to know, eyes wandering towards Thomas, before looking back at you. "I believe I haven't seen you here before."

You nodded biting your cheek. "I live here." you told her, avoiding the others questioning looks. "Just moved back. Have been gone for a while, after I couldn't stand being here any longer. Personal reasons."

Thomas inhaled sharply, and you swallowed.

You intended to bite, and so you did.

Though it seemed to hurt you as well.

Juliett nodded, seeming pleased with your answer. "Where do you know the others from?" she asked further. "They've never mentioned you."

Ouch, that hurt.

Biting on the inside of your lip you contemplated your answer.

"She's like a sister to us." TC responded for you and you sighed inwardly in relief. "We met after we moved here."

Even though you were a few years younger than them, it had instantly clicked back then.

Julietts brows furrowed, but she just nodded.

She was probably wondering why Thomas and the others never mentioned you before.

Clearing your throat awkwardly you pulled out your wallet, handing Rick some money.

"Oh, no, no." he said, pushing your hand holding the money back. "It's on the house." He sent you a smile and you returned it. "Thank you." He just nodded and put your glass away.

"Well, then..." you said, looking back at the others, your gaze eventually landing on Thomas. He was already looking at you, irritation clear on his face, as his intense stare sent shivers down your spine.

He still had that effect on you, even after not seeing him for three years.

"Was nice to meet you all." With that you walked past them, biting your lip when you heard Thomas, though. He wanted to say something, but stopped himself, before he even really voiced anything.

Your steps faltered, but you continued on, swallowing.

You needed to be as far away from him as possible on Hawaii.

The waves crashed against the stones at the beach, calming you down a little. The wind brushed through your hair and you finally felt at home again.

When you left Hawaii you instantly missed it.

The waves, the weather, the air and the beach. You missed it all, causing you to come back after three years.

Maybe you had hoped he would've been gone by now, moved to another city, but somewhere you also hoped he hadn't.

Now you weren't sure what to think at all. Or what to feel, for that matter.

Someone cleared their throat behind you, snapping you out of your thoughts as you turned around.

You wished you hadn't.

Barely holding back from rolling your eyes you turned back around, continuing to watch the waves.

"Y/N." he said, stepping beside you as he tried to gather your attention. "Can we talk?"

Huffing you shook your head.

"About what?" you asked, still not looking at him. "What could possibly be of interest for you to talk about?"

He sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. "You know what I wanna talk about, Y/N." he spoke, still looking at you.

"There's nothing to talk about, TC." you responded, already feeling bad for getting angry at him.

"I know why you left." he said. "But when you're gonna continue being angry at him, this won't work."

"Im not angry." you shot back, finally looking at him whilst crossing your arms above your chest.

"Yes you are." he returned, shaking his head. "You forget that I can read you like an open book, Y/N. He never said anything, but we know what happened. What I don't get is why you never talked to us, but instead left without a word."

Rolling your eyes you bit on your cheek, as the memory of him breaking your heart Colin Bridgerton style flooded your mind.

"Nah, never." you heard Thomas say, chuckling uneasily.

You knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but you just couldn't help yourself. Drinks in hand you waited for them to continue around the corner.

"Why not?" Rick asked, sounding confused. "She's funny, smart and beautiful. She's all you could possibly want, Thomas. Still you don't want her. Why?"

Thomas sighed, needing a moment to answer.

"I would never date her." he then said and you felt your heart become heavy. Where they talking about you?

God, you hoped not.

"But-" TC started, but Thomas cut him off. "No, guys." he said, most likely shaking his head. "I don't love her like that. I would never date Y/N. I couldn't."

You felt the tears pricking at your eyes, blinking rapidly as you tried to push them back.

Your heart crushed, as Thomas ripped it from your chest and stomped on it.

He didn't love you - not like that.

The drinks almost slipped from your grasp, as you tried gathering yourself, before making your way back into the living room.

"He broke your heart." TC spoke, ripping you out of your thoughts. "And I get that you're angry and that you're not willing to forgive him just yet, but you have to at least try. If not for him, then for yourself."

You sniffed, wiping at your eyes in an attempt to stop the tears that threatened to spill.

"If you want to live here you will have to see him from time to time." he continued. "Especially if you want to visit us at La Mariana. I expect you to become a regular, by the way."

You chuckled through the tears, smiling a little.

"Who would pay your bills if not me?" you joked, looking at him. He chuckled, shaking his head. "That's what I'm talkin' about."

You stared at each other in silence for a second, before he hugged you. "C'mere." he said, pulling you into his arms.

Yours wrapped around his middle with your face against his shoulder.

"I meant what I said. You're like a sister to Rick and me. When you left, you broke our hearts. We just settled here and I just started Island Hoppers. I could've used some help, Y/N." he continued.

The tears spilled at his words and you did your best not to sob.

"I didn't want to go." you told him, sniffing. "But I had to. I loved him and he broke my heart. I couldn't be near him, but being with you and Rick meant that he would be there as well. It would have been inevitable so I left."

He shook his head, before he let go of you.

"Let's go back to La Mariana and get you something to drink." he suggested. "Rick's worried that you'll leave again."

Your eyes rolled playfully, head shaking. "No." you said. "I'm not going to leave you again. I will just avoid Thomas, or..." you paused, not sure about it.

"Or you'll talk to him." TC finished for you. "Yeah..." you mumbled, starting to follow him back to the street. "Something like that."

When you got back to La Mariana, Rick rushed to you and pulled you into his arms.

"Thank god." he mumbled and you chuckled at his reaction. "I thought he would have caused you to flee again."

"No, not this time." you told him, head shaking, as he let go of you. "Nor ever again. I've missed you guys and Hawaii too much and I'm not gonna let him ruin this again. I should have never left in the first place." You mumbled the last part, looking over at TC.

He smiled, bowing his head slightly.

Rick then walked you towards a table, handing you the menu. "Whatever you want, it's for free tonight." he told you, smiling down at you.

You felt the tears prick at your eyes as you nodded gratefully. "Thank you." you said, smiling back. He nodded, patting your shoulder, before he and TC went to the bar.

You looked over the menu, deciding what to eat, when someone sat down across from you.

Not looking up you sighed. "Yes, TC?" you asked, contemplating between nuggets and fish.

The person across from you cleared their throat and your heart missed a beat.

That was not TC.

Putting the menu down on the table you looked up. "What do you want, Thomas?"

He cleared his throat again, sliding uncomfortably on the bench.

"We need to talk." he finally said, avoiding eye contact. "And what should we talk about?" you wanted to know, biting your cheek as anger bubbled up. "About the fact that I left because of you, or that I should leave again? Because that's not gonna happen."

He flinched at your words and bit his lip.

"No." he then said, shaking his head with his eyes glued to the table. "No, I should start by apologizing to you."

Your eyes widened. The Thomas Magnum wanted to apologize?

When you didn't say anything he looked up, his eyes meeting yours.

"What I said was wrong." he started, swallowing. It must've been really hard for him to apologize. "I never meant to hurt you, please believe me Y/N. When Rick and TC asked about you, I-" he cut himself off, wiping across his face with his hand.

He stared down on the table again and your brows furrowed.

"I panicked." he then said, shaking his head lost in thought. "I thought that because we were so close friends, that you'd never even consider dating me. So I said the same, never even considering that you would hear me."

"But I did." you told him, huffing. "I did and it broke me. It made me leave - something I never wished to do in the first place."

You heard him swallow again, as he bit his lip, nodding. His eyes seemed to glisten - but then it could have just been the light above you.

"I know." he said, sighing deeply. "And I blame myself for it. There's not one day that I don't feel guilty for what I did to you. I never told Rick and TC, but they surely know."

You nodded, fiddling with the edge of the menu.

"They do."

Nodding he brushed over his chin. "Yeah, I figured." he almost whispered.

It was silent for a moment, as neither of you knew what to say.

"Listen, I wish I could undo what I did, but I can't. I shouldn't have said what I said... I'm sorry for what happened and I hope you can forgive me some day." he spoke, looking at you with what seemed to be hope in his eyes.

Your breathing hitched as your heart pumped faster. Did he really mean what he said?

"Truth is, that I-" he cut himself off again, and his teeth grit. He was silent for a moment, as his eyes nervously switched from one point to another, wandering through the room.

"I lied."

Your brain seemed to come to an abrupt halt.

He did what?

"What are you talking about?" you wanted to know, clearing your throat as you noticed just how dry it had become. Was he doing this on purpose?

He breathed in shakily, wiping his hands on his legs, before he suddenly seemed to lose his patience.

"I lied, Y/N." he pressed, looking back at you. "I told them that I would never date you and that I wouldn't love you like that - it was a lie!"

Your heart seemed to shatter for the second time, as his words broke it again.

Mouth agape you felt your eyes sting. Was he messing with you?

He had to, right?

"What?" you managed to breathe out, noticing how your entire body began to shake in anger and disbelief. A tear managed to spill from your eye, but you didn't care.

"Are you telling me, that you loved me and even when I went away - because of you - you didn't tell me?"

His breathing hitched and he seemed to understand just how big his mistake really was. Swallowing he looked away, eyes watering.

"You could have stopped me - could have had me - but you chose to let me go with a broken heart?" you almost yelled at him, causing Rick and TC to nervously look your way.

"Do you know just how much I suffered, because of you?" Now you were yelling at him, as you stood up, looking down at him, as some of the customers turned your way as well. "No, Thomas, you don't know. You only care about yourself - So don't tell me that you loved me! Because clearly you didn't!"

Making your way past Rick and TC, who walked over to your table, Rick tried to stop you. "Y/N-" he spoke, grabbing your arm, but you freed yourself, walking past him and out of La Mariana.

You couldn't believe him. How could he do this to you?

The tears now fell freely, as you made your way to your car. Leaning against it you slid down, sitting on the ground as you lost control over your feelings.

Crying you buried your face in your knees, sobbing and shaking.

All this time he let you believe that he didn't love you, that he would never do so. All this time you suffered because of a lie.

The realization of him loving you didn't make you happy, as you had imagined so many times before. It made you angry and even more sad, knowing that he had let you live in the dark for so long.

You didn't know what to feel, besides the emptiness that slowly overtook your whole body.

You felt numb.

The tears subsided after some time, but the pain was still there. Your heart ached so badly you were scared you would actually die of a broken heart.

You heard steps coming your way, before someone crouched down before you.

Even though it was already dawn, you could clearly see that it was Rick.

"Hey." he spoke softly, grimacing at your tear stained face.

"I wanna be alone, Rick." you told him, sniffing, but he shook his head.

"Forget it." he gave back, sitting down beside you. One of his arms wrapped around your shoulders and he pulled you towards him.

The smell of his familiar cologne calmed you down a little.

"Thomas is an idiot." he quietly said, his fingers brushing over your arm. "Only he could fuck up this badly."

A bitter chuckle made its way through your lips, as you nodded. "Yeah, that's exactly like him to fuck up." you spoke.

It was silent for a while, as you both were lost in thought.

"We tried to convince him to be honest about it." he eventually spoke up. "We were so sure about his feelings for you, but he denied them. Even when you were gone, he didn't change his opinion. If he would have been honest from the start, he could have stopped you. After you left, he wasn't himself for a couple weeks. But he was ashamed, was so sure you wouldn't talk to him, so he eventually accepted it instead of talking to you."

Shaking your head you bit your lip, to stop another wave of tears from falling.

"If he would have been honest, I would have forgiven him." you gave back, clearing your throat. "We could have been happy."

Rick contemplated for a moment, scratching his chin.

"You still can be." he then said, causing you to sit upright and stare at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" you wanted to know, brows furrowed. "I mean that his feelings for you never changed." he gave back. "His face when you stormed out the bar proves my theory."

Shaking your head you looked away. "If anything, it's a theory." you said, not believing his words.

He sighed, turning your head back to him with two fingers.

"If I know one thing, than it's that two of my best friends - my ohana - are in love." he explained, looking you in the eye. "And this is your only chance to talk about it and get it right. To not lose that opportunity again."

You stared back at him, swallowing. If he was right, than this was your only chance.

But were you ready to forgive Thomas? Were you ready to waste another few years with a broken heart, if not?

Before you could decide, TC walked out with Thomas in tow. Swallowing you stood, Rick following you.

Rick and TC nodded towards one another, before they left you and Thomas alone.

Breathing in deeply you tried to calm yourself down.

If you were going to talk to him, you didn't need to let the entire neighborhood and customers be part of it by yelling at Thomas.

It was silent, as you stared at one another without uttering a single word. Biting your lip you decided to start if he wouldn't do it himself.

"Did you suffer?" you wanted to know, biting your cheek. He looked away for a split second, before nodding once. "Yes." he answered, swallowing. "But I believe you suffered even more than I did."

Huffing you nodded. "Yes, Thomas." you replied, crossing your arms above your chest. "I did. In fact I suffered so badly, that for three years I didn't let any man get near me out of fear that the same thing would happen that happened with you."

He swallowed again, before he took a step closer.

"Y/N - I'm so sorry for what I did to you." he apologized again, looking sincere. "I'm so sorry and I don't know what I should do to make you believe me, to make you forgive me someday."

Shaking your head you felt your eyes beginning to burn again. You were going in circles with this.

"What are we doing here?" you asked, looking away from him, suddenly feeling defeated and tired. "I mean, what are we doing? You broke my heart and now you broke it again. What makes you believe we can actually fix this?"

"Do you still love me?" he asked, instead of answering you. His question stole your breath, causing your gaze to snap back to his.

"What?" you gave back, brows furrowed.

"Do you still love me?" he repeated his question, still looking at you. He really wanted an answer to it.

Breathing heavily you stared back at him, speechless. Why did he want to know that?

"What if I do?" you finally answered, having trouble to keep up the eye contact. Your voice was smaller than before.

"Then I'll tell you, that I still love you, too." he responded, taking another step closer. "Because I do. And I want to fix this so we can finally be together."

You couldn't stop the tears anymore, as you bit your lip. Did he really want this?

"Yes, Thomas." you spoke, swallowing. "Yes, I do. But how am I supposed to forget what happened? Because I can't."

He nodded, looking away for a split second. "Then don't." he said, looking back up at you. "Don't and we'll take it as en example how not to do it. Let us prove that we're stronger than this."

Shaking your head you wiped your tears away.

"I really want to, Thomas. But... why didn't you talk to me sooner? Why didn't you tell me the truth when I left?"

Biting his cheek he wiped his face with his hand.

"I was scared." he spoke, shaking his head as well. "I really wanted to, but I was scared you wouldn't believe me. I pushed it further and further away until it was too late. And I hate myself for it, believe me. I do."

"I would have forgiven you, you know?" you told him, taking a shaky step towards him. "I really hoped things would take a turn, that you would call or something - but after a few months my hope vanished. I thought the only solution was to go, but that meant that I had to leave my ohana as well. All because of you."

He nodded, sighing shakily.

"I know." he spoke. "But I'm willing to do anything to gain back your trust - and your love. Whatever it takes."

Another wave of tears streamed down your face and he stepped forward, his fingers hesitantly brushing the tears away.

"Please tell me that you want this as much as I do." he whispered, looking you in the eyes. His pupils were dilated, making his brown eyes almost seem black.

"I do." you gave back, as his hand cupped your cheek and your head leaned towards it. "I really do."

Your heart raced, and you felt how you became warmer. Ignoring what happened and what led to this situation, you somehow felt like a teenager that just confessed to its crush.

He breathed a breath of relieve, smiling hesitantly.

Something inside you convinced you to forgive him - then and there. Forgive him for breaking your heart and stealing you three years that could have been wonderful.

And so you did.

"I forgive you." you mumbled, eying his lips that seemed so close, yet so far away.

His brows shot high, as he couldn't believe what you were saying.

"What?" he mumbled back, confusion clear on his handsome face. "I forgive you." you repeated, a small smile stretching your lips. "If we want to do this, I'll have to start by accepting your apology and forgiving you."

He blinked a few times as if trying to understand what you just said, before he started to smile.

"Oh, thank god." he mumbled, before his lips finally met yours.

Kissing him for the first time felt like a dream come true - which it was.

As you kissed him back your hands wrapped around his neck, his wandering to your hips and the back of your head.

Fireworks spread through your body, leaving goosebumps and tingles in their wake.

It felt right, as all the troubles of the past three years fell off your shoulders. As he kissed the pain away, he somehow stitched your heart back together along the way.

When your lips left his you stared each other in the eyes, breathing heavily. His pupils were blown, and so must have been yours.

"I love you, Y/N Y/L/N." he confessed, as his fingers brushed some stray hair from your face.

"I love you too, Thomas Magnum." you confessed in return, a giddy feeling making its way up to the surface.

"Let's do this together then." he spoke, smiling down at you. "Yeah." you gave back, biting your lip. "Let's do it."

[doontpanic]

"If we had a baby, I wonder if it would inherit your gift of spin."

"Or maybe your gift of sarcasm."

[morgandr]

Imagine:

Thomas looking over at you in regret as he missed his opportunity to ask you out. Now having this defeated look on his face he knows he probably will probably never get another opportunity like this.

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(NOT MY GIF!)

(Thomas Magnum X Reader)

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(TAGS)

[mylittleredgirl]

i keep thinking i have filtered every possible thing to avoid picard spoilers and commentary, but my friends, y'all seem to be working very hard to post without spelling out even a single character's name

[niuxita21]

Are you sure about your feelings for Ferrán? Ferrán is a great guy. My feelings for him are super clear. I hope you’re trying to convince me and not yourself.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

I love already bi knowing Steve and closeted bi Eddie with all my heart. Just imagine after the boathouse, Steve already knows, and he sees the hanky thinking Eddie already knows. So, he starts his "act like you don't care" with the whole Ozzy thing, and then Eddie starts pushing him towards Nancy. He's like, "Oh, Eddie's playing hard to get or something." Anyway, after Eddie is all healed, Steve goes to his house to hang out, and Steve brings it up during Magnum PI.

"I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff, man," Steve said, blushing.

"What do you mean?" Eddie asked.

"You know, the hanky," Steve said, pointing his pocket.

"It's just a hanky, man. It doesn't mean anything," Eddie asked. "What do you think it means?"

Steve blushed and told him all about the hanky code, what it meant to people like Steve.

"Oh God. Okay, so that explains some of the interactions I had in the Hideout," Eddie said. "That's cool, man, but I'm not like that. Are we good?"

"Oh, yeah," Steve said, trying to hide his disappointment.

Several moments later, Eddie breaks the silence.

"I think that if I were into guys, it would be Tom Selleck," Eddie said. "Dude's got great thighs."

Steve’s head snaps to look at Eddie.

"What? What is it? Do I have something on my face? What?!"

[starlightandsouls]

Fallen Hearts

Warnings: accusations of treason, torture, death, suicide, betrayal, blood (this is kind of dark so read with caution)

18+ MINORS DON'T INTERACT

A/N: Well I finally got done with this piece. Honestly it just might be my favorite thing that I have ever written, so here it is: my magnum opus. I truly hope anyone reading it feels at least a part of the emotion I tried pouring into this and if you like it please do let me know what you think! This fic soo much effort and emotion from my end so your comments really make it all worth it)

(Inspired by the song Eleanor Rigby- Cody Fry Although I don't believe I could do justice to the song, this fic is not nearly as emotional or dramatic as I wanted it to be. But then again how do you live up to this masterpiece of a song?)

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Azriel had never been one for afternoon picnics or eating apple pie under its own apple tree or relationships at all, come to think of it. But as it turns out, having a mate does change a person. Your personality, your very soul starts shifting; learning, becoming better acclimated to its lost twin. You begin doing things you would never have imagined just to make them happy. And that is how he ended up here; sprawled across a blanket, his back to the vast apple tree with his mate in his arms, munching on her hand made pies. Then again, Azriel would eat anything his mate blessed him with, just because he knew how happy it made her when he complimented her cooking.

The air was not stifling, despite the fact that they were well into the summer months. Summers here weren’t that long. Mostly because of the towering mountains surrounding the city that blessed them with good weather. But the two months that they did have summer were the worst out of the entire year. Velaris was usually boiling this time of year. However it seemed like the Mother had blessed them with good weather this time.

So they were lounging outside their sea side home, basking in the summer sun before it became insufferable. A few months later Azriel would reminisce this exact moment, try to relish in the meagre happiness its fading memory would provide and beat himself up for taking it for granted. But then again it wasn’t his fault. How could they have known they were happy? That this was all the happiness they would get?

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Azriel and Selene had been mated for well over three centuries, the other two you had been the closest of friends. That simple fact always brought her joy; that in their five centuries of life, she had always had Azriel. It was as if you were twin souls, meant to find and love each other.

The love you two shared was known all across Prythian. Everyone knew of the Shadowsinger and his mate, sister to the Heir of Night, closest to the High Lord Rhysand. Just as this fact was second nature to many, everyone knew not to get between the two of them, knowing they would gladly burn the world down, if just to keep the other warm. So deep and unconditional was their love. A force as constant, as eternal as the sun and the moon. Or at least they had thought it to be.

The war with Hybern had been won over half a decade ago and peace had settled. A hard won peace that had cost everyone a little too much. While all the courts were trying to rebuild, themselves and their diplomatic relationships with each other, they had remained blissfully unaware of a new threat lurking in their shadows, bidding its time to show its hand.

Rhysand, however, had begun to feel uneasy. Maybe it was instinct or just the unfamiliarity with peace after so so many years of pain, that something began unsettling him. He tried to hide it, if only for his family’s sake. They had all sacrificed too much for him to bother them with his unreasonable fears. But soon they began to notice his off putting behaviour. Azriel, of course, was first.

The two were playing chess in his office, as they often did. Cassian had gone to Illyria with Nesta to monitor the training camps, to ensure that no female was being mistreated despite the new laws. They had been vigilantly cracking down om anyone who toed the line. Rhysand had sworn to his mother that he would change the centuries old, misogynistic customs of the Illyrians. And now that he had the power to rule without any threats, he would do anything to ensure it.

But it seemed that his silence didn’t go unnoticed by his brother. Perhaps he was taken aback by Rhysand’s unusually quiet manner, given that that was usually Azriel’s job.

“What’s on your mind brother,” Azriel asked nonchalantly without looking up from the chess board, where he was getting closer and closer to besting Rhysand.

Rhysand didn’t reply, simply because he didn’t notice. His thoughts were too consuming, too rampant.

“Rhysand,” Azriel repeated, “Is everything alright?”

“Yes. Everything’s alright,” Rhysand said. What’s the harm in trying? Azriel quirked an eyebrow, telling that he wasn’t going to fall for this lame response.

Sighing, he replied, knowing he could lie to anyone, put up a facade for anyone. But not Azriel. His brother had always been the one to see through his mask that had fooled countless others so easily.

“Honestly, I don’t know either. And that’s actually exactly the problem. Everything is fine. But for some reason I’ve been feeling so uneasy, like something is going to go wrong.”

Azriel listened carefully without any interruptions. This was one thing he loved about Azriel; he was a great listener. He never judged him or gave him false reassurances, never tried to dismiss his concerns.

“Is something in particular bothering you?” Azriel inquired, seamlessly taking on the role of Spymaster, always ready to fulfil his duty.

“That’s the problem. There is no specific threat or danger that’s worrying me. I just can’t shake this feeling of dread. I swear Azriel this paranoia is going to drive me crazy. Such small things start bothering me these days. Like how Beron was acting in the last meeting. I mean he was an asshole as usual, but nothing other than that,” Rhysand started rambling. All his concerns and worries started bubbling to the surface, knowing Azriel was the one person he could vent to without any repercussions.

“Okay, so Beron’s acting strange. If you want I can go do some recon in Autumn. Figure out if those foxes are upto something,” Azriel offered. Rhysand could see the cogs turning in his head, already planning how he would go about it. Rhysand rushed to refuse before Azriel could formulate a plan.

“No, its fine. There's no point in going to that hellhole and riling up Eris. Plus my sister would skin me alive if I put you in danger without any reason.”

At the mention of Selene, a small smile bloomed on Azriel’s face, and seeing him made Rhysand do so as well. Azriel had gone through so much in his childhood and then when they had grown up as well. No family, no siblings. Sure Rhysand and Cassian were his sworn brothers but it was that feeling of having someone that was yours, truly and only yours, was more blissful than anything. And Azriel had found that in Rhysand’s sister. While it had been a bit off-putting at first, if only because it was his job as a big brother, later he had felt nothing but joy at the thought of the two people he loved most in his life, finding their happiness with each other. And both of them deserved it. After everything, if there was anyone who deserved it, it was Azriel and Selene.

After the game finished, which Azriel so gleefully won, he got up to leave, but not before adding,

“Hey, if you need anything, I’m here. Just say the word.”

Rhysand had only smiled and nodded, knowing his brother would almost put his duty first and foremost, sometimes even before his life. If only he had remembered this simple fact.

.................................................................................

Azriel’s POV...

Leaving Rhysand’s office, Azriel made a beeline towards Selene. His shadows had informed him that she was in the training ring. Of course. Despite there not even being a bare hint of a conflict let alone a war, you and Cassian insisted on training everyone everyday. The two of them claimed that should the need arise, they all needed to be ready. Azriel prayed to the Mother that it never did.

However, it appeared she was alone right now. Perhaps getting in some extra work out. Hypocrite. Sel was were always chastising him for working too hard, always forcing him to take one too many breaks. While she herself often toiled away in the training arena for hours and hours on end. Like he had said: hypocrite.

Walking in, he saw her slashing away at the dummy with her sword. Each strike was precise and lethal, the picture of perfection. For a moment, Azriel simply stood their quietly, waiting a second to take in the sight before him. Even covered in sweat and your leathers, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Night embodied in the form of a heavenly angel, a gift from the Mother to show mere mortals what true beauty looked like. Each day Azriel thanked the Gods for blessing him with this brilliant female for a mate but he knew deep down, even if he were to worship Selene for a thousand years more, it would never be enough to show even a trickle of his devotion. She was his muse, his reason for life, the one who held the keys to his soul and heart.

Despite his chosen silence, Azriel knew she had noticed him. If not because of his shadows, maybe because of the love pouring in openly through the bond. Selene always tried to feign annoyance at his ‘cheesiness’ as she called it, but he knew from the blush that adorned her cheeks and the blinding smile that lit up her face, that deep down Selene adored it. So he kept doing it every single day; reminding her how much she meant to him. He only hoped it was enough.

Finally putting down her sword, Selene turned to him with that smile of hers. She walked right over to him and instantly put her arms around him.

“Well hello there, handsome. How did you find your way to our humble abode,” she mocked as Azriel had honestly been scarce in the training arena these days. He had been occupied with either spying or some other task which, for once, left no time for training. A fact that his mate often loved to tease him about; that if he didn’t start training sooner or later, he was going to become an old crone.

“I was told there was a rather pretty female here who was getting quite lonely. I thought maybe I should go offer her some company?” he joked right back. Only with Selene did he ever leave his guard down like this, only with her did he let this side of him show.

“You’re shameless, you know that?” she said, laughing her melodious laugh that would make the sweetest nightingales shy away.

“You love me anyways,” he whispered back.

“That I do. I love you Azriel, more than anything else in the world. You’re my everything.”

Azriel only leaned forward and kissed her forehead and both of her closed eyes. It was the softer moments like this that brought Azriel the most joy. Not that he wasn’t thankful for each second he got to spend with Selene. But something about when it was just the two of them, surrounded by silence, quietly expressing their love for each other that touched his heart the most. Even when she simply held his hand, he felt powerful enough to conquer the world. That loneliness he had felt ever since he was a child disappeared when he had first befriended her and had not reared its ugly head towards him ever since. Such was her power, and he has been in awe of it for just as long.

....................................................................

Three months had passed ever since, when it began. Disappearances, murders. People going missing left and right in all seven courts. And these were no ordinary people; nobles, court officials, warriors. Panic had begun to spread. No one had the slightest idea who was doing it or what their intentions could be. As the summer heat reached its peak, stifling everyone’s breaths, so did the uncertainty, the anxiety of the current events.

All seven courts were scrambling to find the reason behind these disappearances, a culprit, a reason. Something that would at least give them a hint as to what to expect, how to prepare. Azriel, himself, hadn’t slept in almost two weeks or if he had, it had been for an hour only at best. He had gone longer without rest, but the stress of everything was starting to get to him. Well that and the fact that he had come up with no answers. He was supposed to be good at this, it was literally his job. His entire family was looking to him for answers, when he had absolutely none to give. And the feeling of letting them down, risking putting them in danger because of his incompetence scared him more than anything.

Selene had been the only one to notice; how he was so tense all the time, how the bags under his eyes had become deeper everyday, how even his beautifully carved face had become gaunt, pale, because she knew he hadn’t been eating properly. She saw it perhaps because she was the only one he let see through his mask. Everyone needed him right now. He couldn’t afford to break down. But around her... he could take a second to breathe, to not put up a facade. She constantly reassured him that he didn’t have to do this alone, that he didn’t have to bear this burden alone. But what could he do? Centuries of experience had ingrained into his very being this sense of duty that he couldn’t shake off no matter what.

However, at the last meeting where Azriel had all but collapsed as he gave Rhysand his report, Selene had finally put her foot down. Despite everyone’s protest she had dragged him home, saying he needed rest, that everyone else could survive without him for a couple of hours. Now Azriel himself had also opposed this decision, albeit half heartedly. Because no matter how much he wanted to work, Azriel knew he had to be honest with himself. With how exhausted he was right now, if he tried to winnow somewhere Azriel knew it would end in a disaster. Selene had quickly shut up everyone’s arguments with a swift reprimanding and has dragged him home.

Which was how they ended up here; in their room, where Azriel sat in an armchair while Selene prepared the bed. In all honesty, Azriel knew he should help but he realised he would probably faint and increase her work even more. So he stayed still. While Selene fluffed up the pillows, Azriel gazed out the window to their garden. Only some time ago, the two of them had been having a picnic under their apple tree, blissfully unaware of what awaited them. The same, luscious tree that had held ripe apples for them just some time ago was now bare. The leaves were sparse, the branches lightning every day. The leaves were turning a pale yellow, losing that healthy green. Perhaps it was a sign of winter. Although it was still far off, the thought still unsettled him for some reason.

“Azriel.”

Selene’s voice calling out to him broke Azriel out of his reverie. Turning to her, he saw she was holding out a hand to him, signalling him to join. Each step felt like he dragging mountains as he walked across the room to her.

As he lay down with her, Azriel suddenly felt a strange sense of peace, of silence, wash over him. Selene began running her fingers through his hair, which really made him melt. Closing his eyes, he took in her scent. It never failed to soothe him, always grounding him.

“You know you can relax right. Not everything is your responsibility. Let others help you out as well,” she whispered into his hair. He knew she purposely kept her voice low for him, knowing when he was this exhausted, this overwhelmed, loudness always made it worse.

“I know but... I just feel so guilty. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me. And I am trying, I really am. I just...”

“Shhh. Its okay Azriel. I know how hard you work, how dedicated you are to this court. And so does everyone else. You don’t need to prove it. You’re overworking yourself, my love. And until and unless you get some proper rest, I’m not letting you go out there. Cauldron knows what’s going on. And if you’re putting yourself in harms way, you need to be prepared. I... I can’t lose you, Azriel,” Selene cried out, her fears finally coming out.

“You’re not going to, my love. I promise. I always do don’t I? I’ll always come back to you,” he reassured her.

“You better, you big bat.”

The two of them got around four hours of sleep before someone came knocking on their door. While Selene was grumbling about it not being enough, Azriel knew with the current circumstances even that was a luxury.

It turns out Rhysand needed both of them for different tasks. Azriel was to go to Winter court to check on a lead that Kallias had apparently found. Selene was going to Day, to help out Helion with his forces. Rhysand had commented that he didn’t want to split the two of them up, but right now he needed all the hands he could get.

They had begrudgingly agreed and had left for their respecting missions, not before a hearty goodbye. Not a single soul in Prythian could have predicted what was about to happen as the two lovers went their separate ways. If only they had known this was the last time they would ever see each other again. Maybe they would relished in the moment more, maybe they would have spent more time together. Maybe, maybe, maybe. In the end everyone was left dreaming of how, maybe, they could have stopped what was about to happen.

.................................................................................

Feyre POV...

The last few weeks had been difficult for everyone, but Feyre thought it was even worse for herself and Rhysand. They were supposed to be the leaders of their court, supposed to assure them and provide all the answers, tell them that everything would be okay. But with every disappearance, she felt like she was failing her people. Helpless and aimless, the two of them were struggling to keep the court together, to stop the panic from turning into pure hysteria and chaos.

Right now, she was the only one in Velaris. Everyone else had gone somewhere or the other to try to figure out something about this new threat. Feyre had gone on the last round to Dawn Court whose villages had just been attacked, to see if they could perhaps find some semblance of an idea as to what the hell has been going on. While she had come back empty handed, it was her turn to stay with Nyx as Rhysand left this time.

Feyre was alone in the House of Wind, save for Nyx and Elain. After crying his throat soar, Nyx had finally gone to sleep. Elain had gone to put him to bed while Feyre read some of Azriel’s reports, desperate to find anything they could have missed the first time round.

She had just put the last of the papers down, her eyes heavy from all the reading, when a scream pierced the stagnant silence that had settled over the House. Instantly Feyre was on her feet. Had someone infiltrated the House, despite all the wards around it. She was all alone as well. No matter, Feyre was enough for whatever coward had dared to intrude her home. Nyx... Oh gods Nyx... no no no

Feyre ran through the halls, dread filling her as she prayed to whatever deities that listened, that the intruder was nowhere near her son. If something happened to him, she would raze the whole world down.

She had just turned a corner, when she slammed into Elain, who was clutching a crying Nyx in her arms. Thank the Cauldron. It was only did she realise that Elain was crying too, with a bleeding gash down her face.

“Elain, what happened? Elain, where are they? Elain!” she yelled at him, shaking her shoulders, trying to will her into speaking. But Elain kept on sobbing, shaking her head, she started hyperventilating. Only a second later, Elain’s gaze zeroed in on something behind Feyre’s back, and she screamed.

Pushing Elain and Nyx behind her, she yelled at them to run as she turned to meet the invader head on. Whoever it was, had laid a hand on her sister, and for that they would die a most gruesome death.

A hooded figure stood on the other end of the hallway, knives in both hands. Only, one of them was dripping in blood. Elain’s blood. Blood that could have easily been her son’s. The thought enraged her beyond reason, as she charged at the male.

The male was on her before she could reach him. His knives lashing out, each strike intending to kill. Feyre barely missed some of them. Shit. He was really, really good. All of her hits went amiss. Whether those be from her dagger or her power. The male evaded her in every way.

A kick to the ribs knocked the air from her lungs as Feyre collapsed on the floor. In front of her, the male reached for another weapon. Closing her eyes, she tried reaching Rhysand. She had forgotten where he had gone, but only hoped that he could feel her distress.

Feyre felt her assailant get closer and closer until she opened her eyes. Before she could give in to her fate, the glint of the dagger in his hands caught her eye. It couldn’t be.... Perhaps the blood loss had made her delusional. There was no way what she was seeing could be true. For the dagger in the male's hand, the one against her neck... was Truth Teller.

Summoning what last strength she had left, Feyre pushed herself off the ground and reached up to the man’s head. As she pulled down his hood, a cry of anguish escaped her. At that moment Feyre wished it had been someone else, anyone else. That it was some other pair of eyes sneering back at her, that it wasn’t the friendly hazel one’s she had grown accustomed to. That it wasn’t Azriel glaring down at her.

“Why?” was all she could croak out with his knife pressed against her throat.

Azriel said nothing and only pressed the blade closer, presumably to finish her off. Just as she has resigned her fate, a cry sounded out,

“Feyre!”

Rhysand. He had heard her. He was here. Thank the Cauldron. At the sound of his voice, Azriel got off of her and disappeared into the shadows.

That was how Rhys found her, crumpled on the ground, tears of her own making their way down her face. She understood now why Elain had been crying the way she was. This betrayal was so unfathomable, she couldn’t wrap her head around it despite seeing it with her own two eyes. It just wasn’t possible...

Rhysand skidded to a halt as he crouched down next to her,

“Feyre are you alright? Are you hurt?” and just like Elain, Feyre was now speechless. How could anyone expect her to put to words what she had just witnessed.

“Feyre, what happened? Where’s Nyx?” Rhysand cried out as he shook her again, probably scared out of his mind.

Given the situation, Feyre did what she could do in the moment. She tapped against his mental shields, asking to be let in, then showed Rhysand the memory of just a few moments ago.

The only sign Feyre had to tell her that he had seen it, was Rhysand going wholly still. The colour drained from his face as it became ghost white. He too crumpled on the floor. Eyes empty, staring at the wall before him, not looking at anything in particular. The hurricane of emotions going through him right now was unimaginable to Feyre. Azriel was his brother... to expect this from him....

Rhysand POV..

After the shock had lessened, but still not gone, he had called back everyone in his family. He had then proceeded to show them the same memory Feyre had shown him. Not Selene. His poor, innocent sister. To be subjected to such pain was something he would never wish for his darling sister. He would deal with her later. Right now he needed to deal with a traitor.

The emotions of everyone were varied, as expected. Cassian had protested the most, blowing up within an instant of seeing the memory.

“Rhysand, tell me you’re not falling for this. Tell me you don’t think our brother is a traitor,” Cassian roared at him, questioning him like Rhysand was in the wrong. The audacity of it surprised him.

“Are you suggesting my mate is lying? That your High Lady is lying!” Rhysand yelled right back.

“It could be a mistake. Maybe... she didn’t know what she saw. It...it can be a trap. Maybe someone’s trying to set him up... He would never... Azriel would never do this.”

“For Cauldron’s sake, Cassian! Feyre SAW him! What else do you want? What more proof that you want that that bastard is a traitor! That treacherous son of a bitch laid his filthy hands on my mate. And for that I’ll cut his head off. If any of you try to intervene, you can die right along with him!” Rhysand threatened, ensuring that everyone understood how serious he was being.

He had barely finished his sentence when the door to his office was opened. For the second time that night, Rhysand found himself speechless. For before them, stood none other than Azriel. Relaxed and unabashed. As if he hadn’t committed treason. As if he hadn’t betrayed the only family he had ever known. That pathetic son of a bitch...

Azriel walked in coolly, not showing any signs of the suiting emotions whatsoever. As he felt everyone’s gaze on him, the bastard had the audacity to ask,

“What’s going on here? Is everything alright?”

The one simple statement broke whatever fragment of reverse Rhysand had left. Whatever patience, uncertainty there was left went out the door. Instead it was replaced with white hot rage.

All Rhysand saw was red. His fury gone beyond any bounds, any and all sense of reason gone with it. He wanted Azriel’s blood. And he wanted it now.

Before he even knew what he was doing, he moved across the room and punched Azriel right in the face. And he did it again and again and again until Azriel’s face was nothing but a bloody pulp. Eventually, Azriel pushed him off long enough to ask,

“Rhysand, what... why are you doing this? What are you doing?”

The question was answered only by a kick to the ribs. Azriel groaned and rolled to the side, coughing up blood. The sight brought him more pleasure than it should have. At that moment Rhysand felt like a crazed animal. The sight of spilled blood exciting him to shed even more.

Rhysand hauled up Azriel and slammed him against the wall, he then spat at him,

“You thankless son of a bitch, after everything I’ve done for you! Five hundred years, Azriel! Five centuries together... I thought you were my brother... and you go and stab me in the back?”

Rhysand then showed him Feyre's memory, hoping that maybe it would quell this bastard’s stubbornness. Azriel’s eyes widened as he took it in.

“That’s not me! Rhysand... how can you even think of believing that. I would never... I was in Winter! You sent me to Winter!” Azriel croaked out, still making excuses.

“You lying bastard. But don’t worry. I know just how to make you talk.”

Rhysand then grabbed Azriel by the collar and winnowed to the one place traitors like him deserved to dwell. The Court of Nightmares. It had been Azriel’s area of expertise and now the same place Rhysand would use to break him.

Dragging him to the cells in the bottom most pits of this miserable place, Rhysand threw all concern as to who was watching, or what they might think out the window. The only thing on his mind was vengeance. The pain of this betrayal only fanned the flames even more.

Throwing Azriel in one of the cells, Rhysand himself walked in and locked the door behind him.

“Now, tell me. Who are you working with? And what have you told them?,” Rhysand demanded, perhaps if Azriel was compliant he could be granted an easy death.

“Rhysand, are you out of your fucking mind? Why would I do this? Go ask Kallias if you want. I was with him in Winter,” Azriel exclaimed.

“Who’s to say you didn’t trick him too?”

“Rhysand, please. You have to believe me. I would never do this. Feyre’s my sister. I would never hurt her!”

His mate’s name only enraged Rhysand even more. How dare this son of a bitch do what he had done and then proceed to act innocent? Like he could be forgiven his crime?

Rhysand called on his daemati powers and tore his talons into Azriel’s mind, tearing it apart from within, trying to find some clues as to who he had been conspiring with. Beneath him, Azriel screamed as he felt he his mind being violated, each passing second feeling like knives being repeatedly stabbed in his head. Good. Rhysand wanted him to feel pain, if only an ounce of what his betrayal had made Rhysand go through.

“Rhysand! Please! I didn’t do anything! Please!”

Rhysand withheld his mental attacks, only for a moment. He wanted to give Azriel one last chance to confess, if only for the sake of the five centuries they had spent as brothers. Perhaps it was easy for Azriel to throw them away like they didn’t mean anything, but not for him. He wasn’t shameless enough.

“I’m giving you one more chance Azriel. Tell me who you’re working with. And perhaps I’ll make your passing easier.”

Azriel only sobbed below him, hands in his hair, he only sobbed,

“I didn’t do anything Rhys. Please! Please believe me, you’re all my family... I would never hurt you...”

Rhysand grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head against the wall repeatedly before letting him crumple to the floor once more.

“Do not speak to me of family. You lost the right to do so when you turned your back on us! I gave you a chance to confess. Now don’t say I didn’t give you a chance. You raised a hand against my mate, your High Lady! If I hadn’t gotten there on time, you were going to kill her weren’t you? You were going to rob me of the most precious thing in my life. Now, it’s your turn.”

Realisation dawned on Azriel’s face as a long, dark blade of pure ebony materialised in Rhysand’s hand. He tried to retreat, to cower back but Azriel’s broken body only allowed so much.

“No no no. Rhysand please! I didn’t do anything! Please! Please don’t do this... think of Selene!”

“Don’t you dare take my sister’s name, you bastard. She didn’t deserve a filthy low life like you for a mate! She loved you with everything she had and this is what you gave her in return... But not anymore. I’m not going to let even your shadows get close to her. You’re going to pay Azriel. For hurting my mate, my sister... you’re going to pay for all of it,” Rhysand threw back at him.

And then...Rhysand raised the sword and brought it down on Azriel’s back, cleaving his wings right off his body. Azriel screamed a scream of pure agony. Blood trickled down his back as the membrane of his wings gave way to the blade.

Rhysand had exacted his revenge in the most fitting way he could think of. Wings were not only fragile but also extremely important to Illyrians. And now Azriel’s were gone. Despite the fact that he despised his parentage, his wings were what marked him as an Illyrian. Now he was nothing.

Azriel’s cries died down to nothing as his throat became parched because of the screams. Now he lay collapsed in a corner, body still shivering and shaking, perhaps from the pain, perhaps from Azriel’s sobbing.

Despite it all, Rhysand felt no pity, no sympathy. Azriel deserved it. Rhysand would not let some crocodile tears break his resolve. Before he left, he said one more time,

“I hope the next time I come here, you’re a little more compliant. Do think about what has already happened. If you don’t give me answers next time... well you know better than anyone else, there are many fates worse than death.”

Azriel POV...

Even after the High Lord had left, the Shadowsinger kept on crying, shaking. He tried and failed to come up with a reason for what was happening. His brothers couldn’t do this to him. Not Rhysand and Cassian. They weren’t like his step brothers. They weren’t.... This was all a bad dream. Yes, a nightmare. He would wake up and he will be in Selene’s arms, and all will be right.

The pain from Rhysand’s mental attack and the severing of his wings had driven Azriel beyond the point of sanity, his hold on reality slipping with each passing minute. Crazed with pain and fever, he kept on whispering into the dark, just like he had when he had been a child,

“I didn’t do anything. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t do anything. It’s just a bad dream. Its just a bad dream.”

..........................................................................

Rhysand POV...

When he returned to Velaris to the House of Wind, he was met the piercing sound of a female screaming. Instantly his heart stopped. Was there another intruder? Was Feyre alright? It was only when he reached the room the sounds were coming from, did he realise that the screams weren’t Feyre’s. They were Selene’s.

When he reached her room, he found her slumped on the floor, hair strewn everywhere, with her hand clutching her chest, beating at her heart. Feyre and Morrigan were by his side, trying but failing to calm her down.

“Selene, what’s wrong?”

Her gaze fell on him shakily, she stared at him got a moment as if trying to reassure herself that he was really there, before she started sobbing,

“Rhysand. Its Az... something is wrong. He’s hurt. I could feel it. It hurt so bad, Rhys. And now... I can’t feel him! I can’t feel him, Rhysand. You have to find him! You have to... he needs our help.”

“We will, we will. Don’t worry, my raven. But I need you to calm down first okay?” he said calmly. Selene only stared at him incredulously before pulling back from him.

“How can you ask me to calm down? I’m telling you my mate is hurt and you’re telling me to calm down?” his sister spat at him. He didn’t blame her. Not one bit. What she was going through right now was unimaginable. So Rhysand did what he could in the moment. He reached into her mind and put his sister to sleep.

Selene slumped into his arms as he picked her up from the floor. Laying her down, he ushered everyone outside.

Once they were all a safe distance away from her room, Cassian exploded,

“You can’t keep this from her forever Rhysand. You need to tell Selene. She deserves to know!”

The gravity of the situation finally started to weigh on him as his legs gave way from under him. Rhysand collapsed on a sofa and put his head into his hands.

“It’ll kill her. Knowing what that son of a bitch did... she won’t be able to survive it...” Rhysand whispered softly.

Cassian and Rhysand sat there for hours on end, trying to figure out what had led them there, trying to remember if there were any signs of Azriel acting strange in the last few months. But both of them came up empty. In the end they were both left with heavy heads, and even heavier hearts.

.................................................................................

Selene awoke only an hour later, once again in pain. The damned mating bond. It ensured that she felt every ounce of pain he conflicted on Azriel. That was one technicality that Rhysand had not thought of while exacting Azriel’s punishment.

This time it was Cassian who was in the room when Selene awoke, beside herself with pain and desperation. The feeling of the mating bond slowly withering away was enough to drive anyone insane. Rhysand would know; he had felt Feyre die once. He also knew how that it broke a person’s very soul in two.

When Selene awoke, she jumped straight out of bed and made to leave when Cassian stopped her,

“Sel, wait! Wait! Where are you going?”

Rhysand was truly beginning to worry for his sister. Her eyes were half crazed as she tried to fight off Cassian.

“Azriel! I need to find Azriel, he needs me!” Selene cried.

“He’s not here, Sel. We’ll find him. I promise. But you need to stay here, alright? It's not safe out there,” Cassian tried to reason with her, “Why don’t you sit down here? I’ll go get Rhysand. And then we can figure out how to find Azriel together alright?”

That was when Rhysand had walked in, going to his sister’s side the second he walked in. Selene took him by the arm and asked,

“Rhys, where’s Az? Where’s my Azriel? I can’t feel him. Why can’t I feel him?”

“I don’t know...”

“He knows I love him right? He knows I need him?”

“Of course he does,” Rhysand answered.

“THEN WHY ISNT HE COMING BACK? HE KNOWS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT HIM! WHY DID HE LEAVE ME ALONE!” Selene screamed at the top of her lungs.

Rhysand then put her to sleep again with tears in his eyes. Realistically, Rhysand knew they couldn’t do this forever. But seeing his sister in such a state tore his heart apart everything all over again. Glancing at Cassian, he saw in his expression that he felt the same. Their sister had always been shielded, protected. And to see her suffer in such a way, was more than either could bear.

.................................................................................

Two weeks passed like this; Selene waking up in a panic and then Rhysand or Feyre putting her to sleep. Each time they tried telling her, her broken state would deter them. Who would be the one brave enough to share her mate’s fate? Who would be the one to ring the toll bells for their love?

It was only when the second week ended when everything came crashing down. Selene was once again sleeping a restless sleep, Elain with her in her room.

The rest of the Inner Circle were in the Town House when Rhysand felt a disturbance. Someone had broken through the wards of the city. Instantly they were at their feet. Before any of them could react, there was a flurry of swirling darkness and before them stood a man.

The invader was tall, lean. Despite what he was undertaking, the man bore no armour. As if he expected no attack, no resistance. As if he could just walk out of here unscathed after barging in to his home.

“Who the hell are you?” Feyre demanded.

“Ah, Lady Feyre. Always so impatient. Lord Koschei sends you his regards. As for my name, we’ll that’s irrelevant really,” the man sneered.

Rhysand’s heart dropped. Koschei. It was impossible. He wasn’t... he wasn’t alive. How has risen again?

“That’s not...”

“Possible? Well i can assure you it very much is. Who do you think is behind all these people disappearing?” Then after adding a sick smirk the man added, “Behind the fate of your Shadowsinger?”

“Go tell your master, we’ve caught his lap dog. He won’t have any of our secrets anymore,” Rhysand spat at the man, still shocked at his audacity.

“Tsk, tsk. Rhysand. I honestly gave you more credit than you deserve. My master thought you all would never fall for this trap. But then again he did always underestimate my ingenuity. You see, we knew with Azriel by your side, we would never have been able to infiltrate your court. It was too well guarded. So we knew we had to get rid of him somehow, but we couldn’t figure out how. He was too secure here, with all of you. But then I thought: why do we go through all of that trouble when you can just do it for us?”

“What? I... I didn’t do anything. Azriel was working with you people. He got what he deserved,” Rhysand answered.

“Was he? Because I do not recall any such thing. And that is not something you forget. After all having the Shadowsinger by our side would have been such an advantage,” the man explained.

“Do not attempt to lie to me! I saw him.. Feyre saw him. He attacked her...” Rhysand began, perplexed. What game were these people playing now.

“Did he?”

The repeated questions caught him off guard. He glanced at Cassian who had a similar expression.

“Yes, we saw the memory. It was Azriel who attacked Feyre. He...” Cassian began.

“Really? Because I could have sworn Azriel was in Winter Court when I came here,” the man jeered.

“No, Azriel wasn’t....” It was then that the man’s words sunk in, “Wait, what did you just say?”

“Oh yes. It was me who attacked the House of Wind that oh so fateful night.”

“No.. it was Azriel... he..” Cassian started, too confused for words.

The man smirked smugly once again and raised an eyebrow. Then, the man snapped his fingers and in an instant, disappeared. In his place, now sitting before them... was Azriel.

A gasp from everyone sounded through the room. It was Feyre who exclaimed,

“What devilry is this?”

Despite looking like his brother, when he spoke the voice was the man’s own,

“Yes. There it is people. The grand reveal. It was I. Honestly it was so easy to fool you people. When Azriel left for Winter, I made my way here. I did the crime and poor Azriel paid the price. How sad.”

No no no no no no no no no

Before he could process what had just occurred, a soft voice echoed through the room,

“It was you. You took my Azriel from me.”

Selene. No.

“Yup. And he’s been torturing him loads as well,” the man added, mocking all of them.

“You son of a bitch! After everything you still have the audacity to stand before me so shamelessly?” Rhysand roared at him.

“Well if you ask me, I was just getting bored. I was expecting you lot to figure it out sooner but you are all so slow. So I thought why not come reveal myself? There’s no point in committing all these brilliant crimes when no one gives you its credit.”

The man disappeared before Rhysand could reach him to cut his measly head off.

“How could you?” Selene asked again, “How could you?!”

Rhysand tried making his way over to her but she retreated, getting as far away from him as possible.

“All this time... you’ve been lying to me. You lied to my face. How could you Rhysand?”

“Sel... it wasn’t my fault. I had no idea... we all thought it was Azriel... He..” Rhysand scrambled to come up with an answer, something to explain why he had done what he had. But deep down he knew, nothing could ever absolve him of this heinous sin.

“Where is he? WHERE IS HE?” his sister demanded.

“The Court of Nightmares.”

And Selene winnowed away.

...........................................................................

Selene POV..

The hurricane of agony and anguish that was ravaging her very soul right now made her want to curl into a ball and cry. But she didn’t have time. She had to find Azriel. She had to get to him.

Winnowing in to the Court of Nightmares, she willed the faint mating bond she could still feel to find him, to lead her to him. Cauldron knows what that monster had done to her mate. She would never forgive him. All of them would pay.

Pushing her fury aside, Selene skidded to a halt in front of a cell in the bottom most pit of this wretched place. Damn you Rhysand. She unleashed her power and the door before her crumbled to nothing. Walking in, she saw nothing at first. The darkness so absolute, no amount of light could ever lessen it in this place.

After grasping at nothing but the dark, she finally spotted a figure in the far corner of the cell. Azriel.

Running over, Selene felt like throwing up at the sight before her. Her mate's back was covered in blood and blisters. Open wounds, half clotted, half fresh. His majestic, awe inspiring wings were... gone. Rhysand couldn’t have done this. He was cruel but not this... this was unimaginable. He wouldn’t do this to his brother... would he?

Turning him over, she tried to shake him awake. He’s okay. He had to be.

“Azriel. My love. I’m here.” No response.

“Az. Please.”

With a shaky breath, Azriel’s eyes opened, only slightly. And her violent eyes were met with his beautiful hazel ones. Eyes that once held nothing but adoration. Eyes that had always looked at her like she had hung the stars. Eyes... that were now empty and hollow.

Azriel looked at her for a second, and recognition lighted up his eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something but just as quick it closes. His hand slipped from hers and his chest stopped rising.

Selene was frozen in place, refusing to accept what had just transpired. Azriel’s now empty, unblinking eyes stared at her coldly.

“No no no. Azriel. Azriel. Wake up. It’s me. Its your Selene. I’m going to take you home. We’re going to go home,” she whispered, willing him to wake through some miracle.

Her hands felt the wounds on his back as she held him. They had been too deep, too lethal to be left as he had been. And those same wounds had led to his passing. Now that was what Selene would have realised if she had been rational, if she had been sane at the moment. But she was long gone past that point.

“My lion mate. What did they do to you? My brave Azriel... how could they do this to you?”

Running her hands through his hair, she moved it from his eyes. His empty gaze, his still chest mocking her.

“Azriel, my love. How could they do this to you? Azriel. Wake up. Come on, we’re going home. Azriel wake up. Please. For the love of God please wake up,” she cried softly once before panic began to settle in her chest.

Selene felt the mating bond stretch and stretch, until it shattered. The bond cleaving felt like someone had ripped her very soul apart. Her heart felt like it was om fire. The world fell away. The only thing Selene knew was her lost love.

“AZRIEL!” Selene screamed, finally letting out her anguish, “AZRIEL WAKE UP! PLEASE! MY DARLING! PLEASE WAKE UP”

She let out a wail that was heard all across the wretched court. She dragged her nails down her face as she screamed. At one point, she even stopped saying his name and just screamed in pain.

Her ragged screams were what led Rhysand and the others to the cell. Where they found her, holding on to her dead mate, pounding on his chest, begging him to wake up. The screaming did not subside or lessen with their arrival. The entire court of Nightmares stood witness that day as the Daughter of Night cried and pleaded for her mate, witnesses how the two lovers were torn apart.

Cassian fell to his knees at the sight of his dead brother. A wail of affliction tore free from him but Selene paid him no mind, she was too far gone beyond the point of salvation, as she still shook Azriel, as if expecting him to awoke any second.

Rhysand was frozen. Body, mind, both numb. His hands were shaking as he took in the sight before him. No no no. This couldn’t be happening. Azriel couldn’t be... dead. He couldn’t be. Rhysand was going to take him home, was going to apologise. He would have paid with his own life if he had to, to Selene and Azriel. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen...

Selene turned on him, rushing over to where he stood. He realised too late, she was holding Truth Teller. She must have grabbed it before winnowing here. Feyre, however, did and she moved to stop her. But Rhysand held her back. No. He would take whatever punishment his sister would deem him worthy of. His wings. His life. All were offered.

But despite screaming only a few seconds ago, which Rhysand also expected her to do, Selene only cried out softly, as if she was too tired to raise her voice anymore,

"How could you do this to me Rhysand? You put out the light of my heart. You killed the one who held my soul. You know, when you took him from me and then lied to me about it, when you took my love from me, my entire being was plunged into darkness. I was drowning in my soul's agony. The hope that I could find him again, kept me alive. I took refuge in that hope. But you took even that away from me. And who knows... if he had been alive.. maybe I could have forgiven you. Maybe we could have moved past this a century or two later. If he had been alive, there could be hope for another spring. Light could have lit up our lives again, flowers would have blossomed again. Your court would have been covered in the red of roses rather than the tainted blood of my innocent mate! You have forever changed the fate of this court Rhysand. You have summoned such a winter, whose icy winds will never stop.Everything will surrender to it. Everyone will meet their end because of it . My suffering, my pain is over Rhysand. But yours... yours has just begun."

Selene raised Truth Teller. Behind him, Feyre and Mor cried out his name, assuming the knife was meant to him. Beside him Cassian moved as well to get Rhysand out of Selene’s way. But Selene... Selene gave her brother one last whisper of a smile before moving Truth Teller to her own throat. It was then that the Shadowsinger's legendary blade spilt its last drop of blood. It was then that it took one last life, the life of someone who no one could have ever imagined being subjected to the blade.

Rhysand was frozen in place as he watched his sister, his darling baby sister slit her own throat in front of him. As she fell, he did too.

Kneeling, he held her lifeless body as blood flowed freely from her. The same blood that drawing from Azriel had given him so much pleasure only some time back. And now... his sister, his only family was gone. Gone...because of him.

The High Lord’s agonised roar could have been heard all across Velaris as he cried for his sister, for his brother who he had murdered with his own two hands. How... how could he have been so foolish? How had they come to this? How could Rhysand, the High Lord who believed himself smarter, stronger than any, had fallen for this heinous trap?

And his sister... she had died alone, without her love. So did Azriel. How.... How? How could Rhysand have done this? To think Azriel's childhood, his first steps, his first memories had been of the dark, cold cellar his so called father had locked him in. To think he had gone through all of that, had survived, found happiness only to meet his end in the same way...it was too cruel. Almost a slap to the face, like fate was mocking his brother; look, you tried to escape but what happened? Once again you return to this lonely darkness. People like you don't deserve happiness. No. Rhysand couldn't have been this cruel. Why hadn't he waited, why hadn't he questioned his own sinful eyes?

And Azriel... he was gone. His brother, the one person he could always rely on was gone, the one person who had always protected him was gone. To think of the fate he had subjected the two of them to; dying alone, in pain, without their mate by their side. Rhysand couldn't save them...

Cauldron. What had he done?

..................................................................................

The last vestiges of summer left the Night Court. And along with it, it took the last bits of warmth, of plenty... of happiness. The city of starlight now submerged in an unforgiving, relentless winter. As it would be for as long as it shall stand. For the cries of the Daughter of Night had not gone unheard by the Gods.

At the edge of the city, in a small garden by the seaside, the signs of winter first started showing. The home that had always been basked in light and warmth, now stood derelict. Doors have been thrown open, windows too. As the icy wind made its way inside the house, taking over what was once the haven of two lovers, a silence settled. It was the overbearing, suffocating silence. One that made its presence known, that couldn't help but make you think of a lost time, where this silence did not reign. Now... it only mocked the house's desolation. Look, what you used to be? How you have fallen.

Outside, the apple tree in the garden, in whose shade the Shadowsinger and his beloved had once laid, was now barren. As the last leaf of the tree fell, it was joined by the first snow of this eternal winter. Snow that would not stop, that would take all who stood before it.

Oh how they had fallen.... in the end, no one was saved.

[magnumdays]

Magnum PI - S05E11 - Hit and Run review

We're back. I guess. It feels strange knowing these are the last ten episodes it seems likely we're getting but judging from just this first one it's going to keep on being one heck of a ride at least for that :P

(Full honestly, something is wrong with my internet so I watched this with like 1 million little lags and annoying loading bits so... may have affected my viewer enjoyment. Also gotta go to bed because I gotta work tomorrow so this is a little short and 5% spell checked...)

Miggy

Wham-bam, thank you, ma'am. It would have been more shocking if we hadn't gotten the "I'm late in the promo" but still, it was fun to explore this for an episode. They didn't touch back on what Juliet said about not being sure if she wanted a baby or not, but from how the discussion went today she seemed to have changed her tune. Would have been good to have addressed. I thought the would with Magnum being incredibly award when she told him. (This was low-key a favorite part of mine because not knowing what to say Magnum is pretty rare.)

Loved that they're keeping the Miggy banter and Thomas Magnum logic going strong even with big life-changing-ish news looming on the horizon.

"Yeah but if you are pregnant you will be more pregnant tomorrow."

"Just like how you said you weren't scared of spiders?"

I think this was a big set-up for how the series is going to end. Which I think is going to be very Mentalist and we kind of needed to have them talk about and want a baby, even if not right now. (Seriously, if the show doesn't end with a Miggy wedding and baby on board I'm going to be annoyed.)

So yeah, I'm glad they had the baby talk and that it leads to Confessions! (have I been watching too much K-drama? Maybe. Yes.)

And is it weird that I cried there with them being all "I love you" at the end? Like I thought, kind of that I'd gone through my mourning process for this both with thinking season 4 was the end and during the past few months knowing season 5b is the last. But apparently, I was wrong. I still have tears left.

Watching this episode just kind of made me realize how much I love this show (all over again) and that I'm going to miss it and my babies sooo much.

TC being sad = sadness

It's was kind of hard to watch our favorite guy going through tough stuff. I feel like the *protect TC at all cost* society will sue someone :P no but I was really thankful things seem to be going in the right direction for him both with emotionally dealing and getting some feeling back!

Rick + Piper...

So Rick's got a new GF? I feel like she gotta have some connection to something bigger. Like she's for sure a spy or something right? Wasn't her being all "that dump never" just too great of a start? I mean Rick is cute and all, but just introducing her as a love interest would be a little frivolous? Though they have done that before with Ethan and Lia.

Anyway, Piper is cute and I can't wait to see what happens with it.

The Case!

I really liked this case, even if it the excitement was somewhat lost because my internet kept lagging. It's pretty classic "hitman decides to save victim" only with a Magnum and Higgins twist. It could have gone a lot of different ways and in a way it felt a little too quick for it to end. (I think this might be another K-drama symptom where most things just keep going throughout the season.) I was hoping/thinking when I heard "boarding school, sick mom" that we'd get a Juliet/kid bonding moment.

I would have liked Mr. Hitman to not have died so unceremoniously. I mean this poor kid, her mom is dead, her dad is dead, her brother just tried to kill her with 2 hitmen and now the guy who saved her (even if he was a hitman to start) dies? I mean come on! Couldn't he have gotten caught and she'd be like "I'll come visit you in jail" or something?

The Jin + Book

Are we going to get more flashbacks of Jin imagining the White Knight with superpowers? Because that was so weirdly hilarious. I was like? What? What? WHAT? Then I totally cracked up.

But yeah, hope we have something more with the TR Bell + White Knight. That kiss back from early season 4 is still one of my faves of theirs (even if it wasn't actually 'them'.)

Next week seems fun! Like, repo a fish? What a strange world, but it sure going to be amusing.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Imagine dark reader sees Lloyd in the library and she was secretly obsessed with tom Selleck and that’s when she start stalking him

"Oh my is that Magnum PI?"

[xxchumanixx]

Here's my Magnum PI Thomas x reader request 🤗 it's some kind of the always loved enemies to lovers trope, with hurt reader, an annoyed Thomas with slightly asshole vibes but he improves during the story until we have our beloved cute sassy Thomas with his heart of gold. So let's go (please feel free to change the details, to ignore the request or just use some aspects).

Reader was a good friend of Rick and moved recently to Hawaii

She needs help cause she's threatening due to an investigation she made to write an article (I imagine her as a journalist, but of course you change that)

Rick is worried for the safely of his childhood beat friend and so he is determined to keep her safe. And what place is the safest on the island? Robin's Nest with the 24/7 protection of Thomas Magnum

Thomas is absolutely not amused to play "babysitter" as he refers to it

Reader feels really uncomfortable to intrude and Thomas complaining is making her more shy than she already is

She doesn't want to annoy Thomas more so she tries to be invisible in the house

Thomas often teases her in bad way

I picture reader as a shy but lovely young woman and to make it a bit more dramatic she suffers from bad migraine attacks when under stress and stress is what hee bothers her now. The bad feeling that Thomas hates her and having a target on her head makes her health spiraling

When one day Rick wants to visit his friend and Thomas he notices her feeling super bad (dizziness, nausea, bad migraine) and also explains Thomas the whole situation (her health, the reason she's threatened and her huge sense of justice). Maybe Rick also explain him that she's like a little sister to him etc

Thomas begins to see reader differently and his behavior changes. He takes care for her stops being an asshole

Soooorry I know it's long :D and I've got sooo many ideas but I don't want to waste more of your time. Even if I have another idea for a story in which reader works with Thomas and at first they don't get along sooo great and she hides a severe injury from him....

I hope my request doesn't bother you.

Love your work

Vitamins and Bulletholes

Thomas Magnum x fem!reader

Warnings/Tags: fluff, hurt, angst, reader has migraine attacks Word count: 4.786 Authors note: Hello love, thanks for the request! I'm always down for some enemies to lovers, so I'm very exited about this idea! I know this problem with having too many ideas, I also have so many of them (especially when I don't have time to write, like when I'm at work, have to sleep or whatever), and sometimes I even mix them up, because I lose focus. Whupsi... So I really appreciate how detailed your request is! Also, I'm a migraine patient as well, so I know how bad these attacks can be... Anyways, lets get going! Enjoy!

Hawaii.

It was like breathing the freshest and most delicious air on planet earth.

Fragrances you would nowhere else smell, sights you would nowhere else see.

It was magical, pure bliss.

The birds singing melodies in the trees, wearing the most colorful and beautiful feathers you could imagine.

After your first vacation on the island, you knew that someday, you would move here. Now the time had come, finally having made your dream come true.

Rick, your childhood best friend (and maybe your first crush) had helped you move, accompanied by his friend TC.

TC was like a big, cuddly teddy bear. He didn't have to do much to wrap you around his finger. He was nice and sweet, something you at first wouldn't have imagined, given his size and broad shoulders.

You had bought a house, a very nice one with a beautiful garden. It wasn't cheap, but after saving every penny you could, it made it even more worth the wait.

The whole moving situation, finding a new job and stuff, caused you to suffer from migraine attacks more frequently, though. You were prone to them, especially when you were under pressure or exposed to stress.

After settling in, starting your new job as a journalist, and finally getting to breathe more freely, the attacks luckily lessened again.

That was, until you did something dumb.

Very dumb.

You weren't new to dangerous situations, having your fair share with gangs and bad people, something that came along with being a journalist back in Chicago.

This, was something entirely different, though.

But how did you get into this situation in the first place?

When your boss, an ambitious and eager woman with zero tolerance for failures, told you to bring up something big, you inwardly rubbed your hands.

This was your chance to move up the ladder, to impress her.

That you would have a target on your back by the end of the day, you didn't know then.

Originally, you were supposed to get a statement of a young man, exposing a chemical company that was said to dispose off their toxic waste in a nearby river, contaminating the water and making people sick.

Originally.

That he was being observed by people hired by said company, neither of you knew - nor even noticed.

But they saw you, and when they broke into your house, threatening your life when you made the mistake to talk back, you slowly realized in what kind of situation you had maneuvered yourself.

That the man was killed only a few days later, gave you the final push to do something about it.

"Y/N, you're on Hawaii for barely a month now, and you already managed to pin a target on your back?" Rick yelled, frustration and confusion clear on his face, as he threw the towel he had used to wipe his hands with on the counter.

Rubbing your face, you sighed, only the more realizing how bad your situation really was.

"I know..." you groaned, sipping your coke, the dull pain behind your forehead returning. "But how was I supposed to know this would happen? I mean, he was at a damn safehouse, they shouldn't have even known where he was!"

Rick cocked a brow at your words, leaning on his elbows, his face inches from yours. "Did they exchange your brain for a dumb one, when you moved here?" he wanted to know, sending you a pointed look.

Rolling your eyes, you pushed him, causing him to chuckle slightly.

"You know how this works, you should have noticed them after being in this industry for the last couple years now." he spoke softly, sighing.

"I know..." you grumbled, rubbing your temples. He bit his cheek, scratching his chin. "Migraine?" he guessed, standing more straight again. You nodded slightly, digging in your bag for some painkillers.

Once you had found them, you swallowed them with the coke, before your gaze wandered through the bar.

"Did I mention how great it is that you own a bar?" you asked, smiling at Rick as you looked back at him. He chuckled, cleaning a few glasses.

"Free drinks for me?" you asked slyly, smirking at him, as you batted your lashes. He laughed, shaking his head. "No, even if you're my sister, you have to pay for your drinks like the others do."

You huffed playfully, emptying your glass, before you slid it over to him. He took it as he shook his head at your attempt. "Even Thomas has to pay for them."

Narrowing your eyes at him, you leaned more towards him, propped on your elbows. "When do I get to meet the infamous Thomas Magnum?" you wanted to know, tilting your head.

Rick had told you about him multiple times, they had served together with TC, were best friends. He was living on Hawaii as well, working as a private investigator.

"Infamous, huh?" someone spoke behind you, causing you to turn towards the source of the voice. "Huh." you made quietly, mimicking him.

Speaking of the devil, right?

He smiled at you, holding out his hand for you to shake. "Thomas Magnum." he introduced himself, as you took his hand. "And you must be the infamous Y/N Y/L/N, I assume."

You nodded, taking him in.

He was even more handsome than he was on the pictures Rick had sent you.

"Rick talks about you nonstop." he told you, smirking. You blushed a little, chuckling. "Only good things, I hope." He nodded, chuckling as well.

"Thomas, perfect timing." Rick mused, drawing Thomas' gaze towards him, as he cocked a brow. "Is Higgins with you?" Thomas shook his head, denying. "What do you need?"

Rick hesitated a second, licking his lips.

"Y/N here, works as a journalist." he started, motioning at you. "And she somehow managed to make some people very mad." Thomas mouth twisted, eyes narrowing. "What type of people?" he wanted to know, glancing at you.

You swallowed, sighing, as Rick answered for you.

"She was supposed to investigate in that case of Cleantec disposing of its chemical waste in a nearby river." he explained. "She interviewed a former employee, that was at a safehouse, because he was supposed to testify in court."

"He's dead now." you chimed in, licking your lip, before you bit down on the cushion.

Thomas' brows furrowed, as he looked between you and Rick.

"The people responsible for his death threatened her. Now we're worried that they're after her as well." Rick continued, hesitating again. "And the only place where she would be really safe at is Robins Nest."

Thomas' eyes widened, mouth agape. "And now you're suggesting that we let her stay at hotel Robins Nest?" he concluded, brows raised. He didn't seem all too happy about the idea.

Rubbing your eyes, you swallowed. Of course you were scared - Hell, the whole killer at your back situation scared the living shit out of you, but you didn't want to be a burden to anyone.

"I'm worried for her safety, Thomas." Rick pressed, sending him a pleading look. "I don't want to be a burden." you cut in, before Rick could have said more. "I can handle this on my own."

Thomas bit his lip, clearly torn between helping and not.

Then he pulled out his phone, dialing someone.

"Hey Higgins." he began, his free hand playing with a beer mat. "Ricks friend, Y/N, is being targeted by killers, and now she needs someplace safe to stay at. Do you think we can let her stay at Robins Nest?"

It was quiet for a few seconds, as Higgins answered him. "Okay, thanks." Thomas then said, before he ended the call. "You can stay." he told you, stuffing the phone back inside his pocket.

Eyes widening, you thanked him, still unsure if you should really do this. But it was better than constantly having to watch your back, right?

"You need to keep her safe at all costs." Rick clarified, leaning foward to underline his words. Thomas' brows rose, pointing at himself. "I'm not a babysitter." he made clear, gaze wandering towards you for a split second.

Ricks eyes widened in earnesty, not believing he heard him right. "She's my sister, Thomas." he pressed, shaking his head. "She needs to stay safe. If you won't do it, I will."

Thomas groaned in discontent, but you cut him off, before he was able to respond.

"Look-" you began, holding out your arms in a gesture of diffidence and surrender. "you don't have to keep a watch on me - I'm sure we can figure this out without you even noticing me."

Thomas sent you a pointed look, having trouble to believe your words.

"And if I bother you too much, I will just go back to my house. I'm sure I can manage just fine."

Rick made a sound of protest, the towel he held hitting your shoulder. "Y/N, you're not gonna be alone until these guys are either arrested or dead!" he told you, determined.

Sighing, you bit your cheek, giving in as you nodded slightly. "Whatever you say."

"Damn right, whatever I say."

____

Even though he was your brother - you had somewhere along the way of your friendship decided that you had to be siblings, people even mistook you as being siblings when you were younger - you could have hit him, hard.

Robins Nest was much bigger, than you had imagined.

Rick had told you multiple times about it. You knew that Thomas stayed at the guest house and that Juliet Higgins lived in the main house, but he failed to mention that it was this big.

It was intimidating, honestly.

So, when you arrived in your car - which was in no way a comparison to the ones parked up front - you needed a moment to catch your breath and slow down your racing heart.

How were you supposed to not get lost on this property?

Getting out of your car, you grabbed your bags that held the things you needed for your stay.

You just hoped you had packed enough. Who knew how long your stay would get?

Sighing, you walked towards what seemed to be the front door, ringing the bell. It took a few seconds for someone to answer, but when she did, you were sure this was not Juliet.

You somehow remembered her differently from all the pictures Rick had sent.

"Aloha, you must be Y/N." the woman greeted you, smiling warmly and you couldn't help but return the smile. "I'm Kumu. Come in, the others are already waiting."

Your brows lifted, not sure what she meant. "The others?" you questioned, following her, as she made her way through the mansion. She nodded, leading you to an open living room with windows as big as your bedroom was back in Chicago.

In said room were several people gathered: Rick, TC, Thomas, Higgins and Shammy.

Brows furrowing, you sat down your bag, gaze shifting between the people staring your way.

"Am I missing something?" you wanted to know, feeling the uneasiness creeping through you. "No, but mr. insecure told us to meet here." Thomas gave back, sending Rick a displeased look.

Clearing your throat, you noticed how your cheeks grew hot. Suddenly, you wished to be back at your place, immediately feeling unwelcome.

"I'm sorry for all this turmoil, I can just go back home and we'll forget about it." you suggested, feeling more and more uncomfortable. "No, you'll stay." Juliet spoke up, stepping towards you, holding out her hand for you to shake.

"I'm Juliet Higgins. Nice to meet you." she introduced herself, as you took her hand and shook it. "Y/N Y/L/N." you gave back, forcing yourself to smile despite the uneasy feeling inside you.

"The others are here, because Rick told us what happened." she explained, motioning at the others. "Thomas might not be happy about it, but we're not letting anyone down, no matter what happened. We want to help."

She turned more towards you, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Oh, and he'll come to terms with it, just give him a little time."

You nodded almost unnoticeable, swallowing.

"But, how are you gonna help me?" you wanted to know, fingers tugging at lose strings on your jeans. "Thomas and I are private investigators." Juliet spoke, walking towards a table to your right with a laptop placed on it.

"We will investigate in your case."

Eyes widening, you chuckled uneasily. "But, I don't have the money to hire you." you told her, biting your cheek. Suddenly, you felt ashamed, knowing that Juliet seemed to have already begun researching.

"Oh, don't worry." she told you, typing away on the laptop. "It's pro bono." Sighing, you nodded, feeling a little relieved. "Thank you." you said, looking at the others. "Thank you all, even if you don't really know me, except for Rick and Shammy."

You hat chatted with Shammy before, after Rick told you how they met him. He was a little grumpy sometimes, but he had a heart of gold.

The others nodded, even Thomas, though he still seemed grim.

____

When the others were gone and it was already dark outside, you had settled in one of the guest rooms of the main house. Juliet had the staff ready a room for you earlier, one that was bigger than your living room back in Chicago.

Robin had to have a lot of money, if one of his residences - one he barely visited himself - was this big and luxurious.

But you had read his books, knowing all about the white knight, so you understood where the money came from.

He was a genius.

The white knight had inspired you to start as a journalist, he gave you the strength when you doubted yourself - even if he was just fictional.

Swallowing, you sent the painkillers down your throat, sighing to yourself. You just hoped your stay wouldn't get any more complicated than it already was.

____

It had been two weeks, since you moved to Robin's Nest - Yes, literally moved.

You hadn't seen your house other than gathering more clothes and the mail. Other than that, you weren't allowed to leave the property of Robin's Nest.

It was hard, you had to take time off your job, explaining them the situation as best as you could, hoping they wouldn't fire you.

Meanwhile living with Thomas was... difficult.

Even though he resided in the guest house of the property, working on your case as well as on another one, you still saw him plenty of times.

Either he was plundering the wine cellar, making Higgins furious over the various missing bottles he never replaced, or he was getting himself something to eat or just lounging around whenever he had the time.

You had barely spoken to him, other than about your case or occasionally a hello or goodbye - or him complaining. You sensed his discomfort, knowing that he wasn't fond of your presence, even though you did your best not to stand in his way - literally.

The typical cliche moment of standing opposite each other, both stepping left and right to get out of the way, had occurred more than once.

You had migraine attacks almost every day, already having had to restock your painkillers.

Sighing, you shifted on the couch with your laptop on your legs, doing research. Yes, I know what you might think now, but after what happened, you couldn't just sit by and wait.

You had to at least do some research, using your skills and contacts to help.

That you came up almost empty handed, you didn't tell the others, though. They didn't even know you were doing research in the first place.

Your breathing hitched, heart pounding faster in your chest, as you suddenly felt a presence loom over you. You heard him breathe almost unnoticeable, he was quieter than normal people were.

Smelling his meanwhile familiar cologne, you relaxed slightly.

It was Thomas.

Still your hands began to sweat, heart pounding even faster.

"And here I thought we would do the investigation." he mumbled, causing you to flinch slightly at how close he really was. Taking a deep breath - of course as quiet as possible - you tried to calm yourself, as he rounded the sofa, looking down at you.

"I'm just doing some research." you defended yourself, holding his gaze, as his eyes narrowed slightly. "In case you have forgot, I am a journalist. It's my job to do research. And if I'm able to find something, even better!"

He cocked a brow at you, tilting his head mockingly. "Are you able to find something?" he wanted to know, even though he could already guess the answer.

Taking another deep breath as not to explode - your head already did that on his own - you bit your cheek, breaking eye contact after a few more seconds.

He truly had a way of getting under your skin.

"What do you want?" you tried to stir the conversation away from you, looking back at your laptop, typing away.

It took him a few seconds to answer, as his eyes roamed over you. You were looking uncomfortable, only the slightest bit, but he had a schooled eye - he knew when something was up.

"Are you okay?"

He surprised you with his question, causing your brows to furrow slightly. "I'm fine." you responded, briefly glancing up at him. "Why?"

He didn't respond, only sitting down in an armchair.

His presence made you all the more uncomfortable, his curious gaze burning holes into your skin.

He was handsome, you couldn't deny it, and yes, you would have hooked up with him, if it wasn't for his comments and him being so dismissive towards you.

Rolling your eyes, you tried to ignore him, fingers tapping on the smooth surface of your laptop, lost in thought. You had already browsed every platform you knew, coming up with nothing useful.

Biting your lip, you sighed, closing the laptop.

Your migraine was making it hard to concentrate, anyways.

"Don't you have anything to do?" you wanted to know, giving Thomas a pointed look. He only sipped his beer, shaking his head.

Only then did you notice that it was already dawn.

"What, missed the time?" he quipped, sending that pointed look right back at you. "Maybe you shouldn't waste your time doing research, when your not able to find anything, anyways."

He was hot, but his way towards you, made him colder than the antarctic.

____

Having lived at Robin's Nest for over a month now, you and Higgins became friends. You got along very well, having a lot of things in common.

Your case stretched on like chewing gum, having no hints or new findings. Thomas grew frustrated, never having had a case that went on for so long.

You hadn't got out of bed today, your current migraine attack causing you to have nausea, barely holding yourself back from vomiting.

Unfortunately, he let it out on you with witty comments and snarky remarks, causing your health to spiral further downwards.

He took every chance he got to pick on you.

You made out voices in the distance, recognizing Rick.

"Where's Y/N?" he wanted to know, his steps getting closer. "She's probably still sleeping, too exhausted from all the research she's been doing." you heard Thomas respond, their voices getting louder.

"What?" Rick gave back, shocked. "What research? I thought she wasn't working as long as the case went on?"

Someone knocked at your door and you groaned, causing the door to be ripped open, Rick barging inside. "Fuck." he breathed out, kneeling down beside you.

Swallowing, your eyes met his. You didn't need to tell him for him to know what was going on.

"Have you taken painkillers already?" he wanted to know, brows furrowing in worry. "Yes." you mumbled, sighing.

Thomas stepped further inside the room, his eyes scanning over you, taking in your distraught face and hunched figure. "What's going on?" he inquired, brows furrowing as well.

"Y/N is prone to migraine attacks." Rick started to explain, his fingers brushing through your hair absentmindedly. "When she's exposed to stress or is having a hard time it can trigger an attack. Sometimes, when the pain gets too much, she suffers from nausea and dizziness as well. She's having a migraine attack right now."

Thomas swallowed, now understanding what was going on with you. He'd been an absolute ass to you, only worsening your condition.

He felt guilty.

It wasn't that he couldn't stand you, in fact it was quiet the opposite. But after he was this way towards you in the beginning, he wasn't able to break out of it.

It had almost become a bad habit of sorts.

Rick straightened back up, motioning for Thomas to follow him as he left the room to gather a hot water bottle.

____

When you woke up, your head was doing a little better. Blinking the sleep from your eyes, you smelled herbs, causing you to frown.

"I didn't mean to wake you." you heard Thomas say. Looking up, you saw him standing at your bed, a cup in his hands. "I thought you'd like some tea, when you feel better."

Licking your dry lips, you sat up, taking the cup as he offered it to you. "Thanks?" you said, not sure how to react. "Is it poisoned?" His brows furrowed, as he huffed. "No, of course not."

Sending him a small smile, you sipped some of the hot tea. It warmed your body, spreading a nice feeling through you.

"May I?" he motioned at your bed, asking if he could sit down. You nodded, and he did. "I didn't know you were having these migraine attacks." he began, licking his bottom lip, as he looked at his hands, before his eyes met yours.

"Had I known I wouldn't have acted this way. I was a complete ass to you, which only worsened your condition - Rick told me about it. I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention."

You were taken aback by his apology, not having expected that change in behavior. "Wow." you breathed out, stunned. "I didn't expect that."

He chuckled, brushing over his chin.

"Yeah, I know." he gave back, smiling slightly. "Somehow everyone's surprised when I apologize." Rolling your eyes, you chuckled. Your head already felt a lot better.

"I've got you some vitamins as well." he explained, pointing at the package on your bedside table. "Oh, and we finally have a breakthrough in your case."

You sat up further at his words, eyes widening.

He grinned knowingly. "Yeah, we found a lead to the killers. But that's for later. What do you say we ask the cook to make somethin'?"

Your brows rose. "Who are you and what did you do with Thomas Magnum?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Get up, I'll get us something to eat."

Huffing silently, you obeyed.

Getting out of bed you walked into the bath, as he left. The shower helped clear your mind a little, soothing your aching muscles.

When you stepped into the dining room, Higgins walked in from the other side. "Thomas!" she almost yelled in anger, her hands at her hips as she stopped in front of him.

Tilting your head, you watched them, curious about what had happened now.

"What happened to the ferrari?"

Thomas bit his lip, leaning on the table behind him, arms crossed over his chest. His gaze wandered towards you and he shrugged. "The lead I found might included them shooting at me." he explained, slightly shrinking, as Higgins inhaled sharply.

Eyes widening, you took a step forwards.

"Really, I don't know what to say." Higgins mumbled, shaking her head. "But hey, I've got her some vitamins for her migraine." Thomas added, smiling hesitantly.

"Vitamins and bulletholes." you said, shaking your head. "Sounds like an article I would write."

Even Higgins had to chuckle at that, as Thomas winked at you.

Maybe he wasn't that bad after all.

____

"Why is it always everyone but me?" Thomas grumbled, watching the dogs chase each other. Cocking a brow, you tilted your head at him. "What do you mean? They are quiet lovely, aren't they?"

He abruptly stopped, his feet kicking up some of the freshly cut grass. He looked at you in shock, spreading his arms. "No!" he gave back. "They are cruel monsters, trying to kill me every chance they get!"

You chuckled at his exasperation, turning back around towards the ocean. The view was breathtaking, really.

He huffed, following you as you started to walk further towards the beach.

Over the last two weeks you and Thomas had talked a lot, after he promised to be nice to you. He had no reason to be harsh or angry at you, he never really had.

Rick's words had shaken him out of his behavior towards you, showing him that you were more than the burden he had first expected you to be.

He had explained why you got into this situation in the first place - yes, you got into this situation when you talked back at the killers, but Rick explained why you had taken this upon yourself at all.

He explained that you fought for a better environment, Cleantecs diposal of chemical waste something you wanted to expose to the public, helping the people that had been affected by it.

The man that had been killed wanted the same.

His wife had been killed by it, her cancer having worsened due to the chemicals in the water. She didn't make it, too weak from the chemo.

You knew that feeling, your mother having died of cancer when you were still very young.

Even though you knew it was dangerous to talk to the man, you still had taken that risk, even when Rick had warned you about it. You wanted peace for him and justice for his wife.

Thomas watched you with amazement, as you walked in front of him, having created a slight distance between you, after he took a moment longer to follow you.

He had a small smile on his lips, as he noticed that he wanted to get to know you better. Even though you had talked a lot and learned a lot about each other, he still had the feeling that there was even more to you.

You turned slightly, as he caught up with you. "Are you going to continue your work as a journalist?" he wanted to know, watching you.

Biting your lip, you nodded. "Yes. Now that the case is solved and there's no target on my back anymore, I think it's time for the next one."

He snorted, his shoulder bumping yours. "I'm not gonna rescue you again." he warned you, chuckling to himself.

Higgins and him were able to solve the case, after Thomas managed to catch one of the killers red handed. You were relieved, now finally being able to sleep again.

As a bonus, you had managed to write that article, exposing Cleantech.

You stopped at a slope, looking down at the water. It was peaceful, the sun shining down on you.

Turning your head, you looked at Thomas, only to find him already looking at you. You swallowed at his intense gaze, the rest of your body turning towards him as well.

He silently stared at you, mouth slightly agape. His scent clouded your senses, heating your body up.

He leaned closer, as your heart hammered in your chest. You couldn't deny the attraction you felt towards him, and the urge to close the gap and press your lips against his, was overwhelming.

His breath fanned over your face, eyes darting to your lips, before he closed the distance, kissing you. Your hands wrapped around his neck instinctively, tugging him closer, as his hands wandered to your hips.

His lips caressed yours, tongue brushing over your bottom lip. You let it in, sighing softly.

Your lips parted, as you both had to gasp for air. His thumb brushed over your cheek, his fingers removing lose strands of hair from your face.

Breathing heavily, you smiled at him and he returned it.

"What do you say we go out for dinner?" he suggested, swallowing. He wouldn't admit it, but he was nervous. Your smile widened, nodding. "I'd love that."

His smile widened as well, sighing in relieve.

"How's your head?" he wanted to know, one of his arms wrapping around your waist, as you started to walk back to the main house. "Good." you gave back, nodding to yourself. "I haven't had an attack in over a week now."

He tugged you closer. "Good."

As you walked, you heard the dogs bark, Thomas stiffening and you chuckled.

"Damn these dogs."

[bluemoonperegrine]

Lonely is a Jake without...

@vicarious-rebel and I were silly earlier today (Imagine that!) and decided to share some of it with the world.

It all started with me declaring that a mustache does not suit Gael García Bernal and he should get rid of it now. Vi's text is black. Mine is blue.

My unsolicited opinion: lose the mustache, Gael. Beard, stubble, or clean-shaven, plz.

and yeah I'm not a fan of the stache on him either

The stache must go! Let Jake have it

Jake, wistfully: moustache

If I could draw stuff straight out of my head, I'd draw Jake in various settings wistfully saying or thinking "Mustache."

some settings:

watching Magnum PI

seeing something with a mustache-twirling bad guy

just before Steven or Marc shave

I hope they give Jake a solid month of mustache. He deserves it.

give him the Stache. He deserves it.

Stachetember

I have no idea what that gif is from, but it's funny.

[libraryleopard]

I was procrastinating on my homework by thinking about how much I want a New Mutants animated show and occasionally my sister @kazz-brekker​ and I bounce ideas for it off of each other, so I made some New Mutants characters on picrew.

Doug (left) and Warlock (right) are at the top. My sister and I call Doug a “Very Nice Boy” a lot (Alan Davis draws a very cute, huggable-looking Doug in particular) so I gave him a sweater because that kind of fits the vibe for me. Warlock takes on a human form a couple of times in the classic New Mutants comic so I made him in that form, with yellow eyes to indicate that’s there’s something not-quite-human about him. 

Roberto (left), has a Hawaiian shirt. I know he wears it as a reference to Magnum, PI, a show that a current-day teenager probably wouldn’t be into, but I just enjoy the vibe of that outfit for him. (The other day I was talking to my sister about how you’d update the New Mutants as modern teenagers and tormented her with cursed idea that the equivalent of Beto being into a detective show nowadays would be BBC Sherlock, but that’s mostly a joke.) 

I gave Sam (right) freckles and kind of shaggier hair because you can’t do much with face shapes on icon makers, but I’ve always liked that he and Doug have distinct looks from each other despite both being white teenage boys with blond hair. Beto and Sam’s relationship doesn’t read as romantic to me in the original New Mutants comics (I read them has having a three-year age difference in the Claremont run, which can be a significant maturity difference when you’re a teenager) but I do think there’s a vibe between them later on in X-Force (I still haven’t read Hickman’s New Mutants yet), so I think of them, and especially Beto, as bisexual. 

Dani (left) has her hair in her two iconic braids, of course. I think she and Sam have somewhat similar fashion choices as well as being co-leaders of the team, so she’s wearing overalls like he is. I imagine she’s wearing her Cheyenne belt just outside the frame of the picture. I think she should get to be the kind of central viewpoint character for the introduction of the team because 1) I love her and 2) I think it’s interesting that she’s not completely on board with Professor X at the start. She’s younger than Sam, but her age is never explicitly given that I’ve seen, so I think she’s about 15 when she joins the team.

Rahne (right) has her short hair and a hint of fangs to give a sense of her wolf form. I know Rahne has had a string of very bad stories in the 2000s, but in the Claremont run of New Mutants I very much read her as a baby lesbian with a crush on Dani whose struggles with being rejected by her religious community for being a mutants very much parallels and is intertwined with her sexuality. My hot take on New Muutants is that Rahne is not the baby of the team, that’s Beto (early on it says she’s 14 and Beto is 13, though I think that might get retconned later), and she’s just kind of short and naive so she comes off as younger.

X’ian (left) has her hair in the bob haircut with bangs she got in the early issues of the Claremont comics. (I do think her pink buzzcut from X-Force is kinda fun, but I think that’s very much something she would evolve as a character to get.) Also, since her name is actually incorrect by Vietnamese naming conventions, I think an adaptation should have the freedom to call her Xuyen instead. (I also think a lot of her storylines in the early comics, like the grossly fatphobic Shadow King storyline, should be discarded and writers could create new stories for her in an adaptation of the comics. Also, she’s a lesbian, of course. (God bless Vita Ayala for finally giving her a girlfriend.)

Illyana (left) is another member of the overalls gang because she wears them sometimes as a teenager. I know she’s all goth as an adult, but I think that’s less present in her character design as a kid. Designing these characters is also making me realize that in my ideal world like half of the New Mutants are lesbians.

Amara (right) looks completely different from her comics version because I hate the comics version of Amara! In this version, she’d be indigenous Brazilian and…not Empath’s girlfriend. I think, like Xuyen, an adaptation could rewrite a lot of her stories and be the better for it (I believe X-Men: Evolution did, though I’ve never seen it).

I included Tabby (left) because I think she’d be a fun character to join the later seasons of a New Mutants cartoon. She’s not an original member of the team, but she and the other X-Factor kids do end up joining the New Mutants after the events of X-Terminators. 

Rictor (bottom because I ran out of regular image spaces) would also join the New Mutants later. I know he was being a baby punk in this era, but the clothing options didn’t include that, so I gave him a Star Trek t-shirt because he does canonically like Star Trek. He also has long hair because I enjoy when Rictor has long hair! Out of all of these characters, he’s the one I’m incapable of calling by his civilian name because canonically doesn’t let many people call him that. Anyway, I think he and Tabby are tight best friends and I like their relationship.

I also included Shatterstar because 1) he is technically a New Mutants character since he was introduced in the final issue before it relaunched into X-Force and 2) I like him. In this version, he’s biracial because Dazzler’s original character concept had her be a Black disco singer, though I kept his red hair because it’s an iconic part of his character design. I do like how Yasmin Putri drew him on the covers of the Tim Seeley Shatterstar solo series (even if I didn’t like the writing or some of the interior art), so I very badly gave him a glowing eye and a star mark. Also I gave him a little braid because I like when he has a little braid :)

Anyway, I have a lot of other thoughts about a New Mutants cartoon and in particular how a lot of their superpower would translate better to animation than live action, but I’ve spent enough time procrastinating by making this.

[wh0lemilk0vich]

Omgggggg

To the anon talking about chubby eddie and chaser Steve YES

Misha your comments on "too much boy and not enough denim" and "you like em with long hair and big tits any gender" and "just wanting something you can grab on"

Fuuuuck this particular location is NOT the place to feel these things!!!

I knew I wanted to incorporate a chubby eddie somewhere in a fic but wasnt sure what kind of dynamic to put him in. Because I love eddissy but now am loving steddie too.

I can see him being chubby with chrissy too and it making their relationship even weirder since shes popular and hes a freak etc just add in the fat/thin combo too. But I feel her chasing would be more comforting him with food and him toddler dading her food she doesnt eat, slowly helping her with her ED (thanks chrissy's bitch ass mom).

Also eddie and steve are both bi IMO

But this?

Steddie with fat eddie and chaser steve??

Fuck yesssssss

👨‍🍳😘

I never thought of chubby Billy, I find him hot af so fuck yes. (Just gonna extract the evilness)

And hopper? Fuuuuck season 3 magnum pi hopper is SEXY.

So now along with fat mickey and chaser ian content I'll be shouting on misha's page at him, and you, about fat eddie/chaser steve, fat billy, and big daddy hops.

🍊🍊🍊

Hahaha thank you darling! I know, I totally support eddissy but I identify way more with m/m content and Steddie just seems so good to me. 100% they're both bi. Eddie's known it forever, and he just assumes people know. Steve is a baby bi. In fact Steve probably finds out Eddie is Bi when after tons of hanging out one-on-one and drinking and smoking and talking, Eddie leans in to kiss Steve. Steve would be a little taken aback and like

"whoa we got a problem here?"

"Uh yeah...I mean no it's just- you looked like you were about to kiss me."

"No shit, Harrington. I mean you've been giving me signals all night," he'd ease back and just look at Steve all entertained.

"I mean...I'm not against the idea. Usually I like to take a gir- someone out first."

And that just makes Eddie crack up, like nearly bust a rib laughing.

"What do you think the past few weeks have been?"

Cue dates at like the mall, the drive-in, tons of local diners and restaurants, junk food and basement hangouts, D&D, and everything to give Steve a crisis over how much he wants a fatter boyfriend.

Re: chaser!Steve chub!Eddie You know I'm a slut for contrast, I love someone whose thin/toned/muscular contrasted with someone who is just decadently soft and round and heavy.

Billy was just too evil even before getting taken over for me to be into, but he was hot. Depending on the situation I could imagine some darker Sub/Dom sexy bullying gainer-related stuff that could be pretty hot.

Never been too into daddy-types but I love the collective love of Hopper 🥰

[katurdayss]

Y'all I started watching Big Sky because Jensen Ackles is in S3 and it. is. so.dramatic. It's like everyone left their brains at home and what stupid ass kids think they can handle stolen cartel money and drugs by themselves like wtf.

I've never seen Days of Our Lives but I imagine that who's ever in charge of the creative direction of Big Sky pitched it like 'Daytime Soap Opera and Magnum PI had a baby, but in Montana with serial killers and prime time to appeal to general audiences'

The things I will do to support the actors I like.

[rainydayhues]

I posted 342 times in 2022

That's 188 more posts than 2021!

118 posts created (35%)

224 posts reblogged (65%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@livelovecaliforniadreams

@alexihawleys

@tim-lucy

@chenfordsource

@chenfordsbee

I tagged 337 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#chenford - 147 posts

#the rookie - 128 posts

#chicago fire - 71 posts

#and driving me insane - 64 posts

#they're insane - 62 posts

#hawkami - 50 posts

#brettsey - 34 posts

#fic reblog - 33 posts

#hawkami rising - 31 posts

#magnum pi - 27 posts

Longest Tag: 124 characters

#and don't even get me started on how he knows lucy is taking care of chris because she's done the same for tim so many times

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

time is wasting (so why wait for eventually)

I was spiraling over the party BTS content with the lovely @heatherelf77 and had a "lololol this would never happen but just imagine if it did" moment. The very barebones thought wouldn't leave me and so I had to flesh it out and this little thing happened.

Title from from Unthinkable (I'm Ready) by Alicia Keys.

time is wasting (so why wait for eventually)

Look, Tim knows he’s late. He can only hope Harper’s giddiness over her wedding keeps her from noticing just how late and how underdressed he and Angela are when they finally stroll in. Given the day they’ve had, it’s honestly a feat they made it here at all. He grabs his glass of whiskey from the bartender, scanning the room for his friends when he sees her. Her. It could only be Lucy (because when is it not?). He doesn’t know if it's tunnel vision or just a natural inclination to zone in on her in any given room but that’s just where he’s at these days.

She’s tucked away in a corner of the outdoor patio, the strands of twinkling lights reflecting just so off her metallic dress. It reminds him of another dress, another day, another moment. It somehow feels like just days and yet a lifetime ago. He makes his way across the edge of a crowded dance floor over to her corner, feeling an inherent pull into her orbit.

“Hey, you guys finally made it, thought you’d miss the entire night.”

“And deal with the wrath of pregnant Harper? Not a chance, we’d have to hear about it til the kid’s high school graduation, at least.”

At the bride’s name, Lucy glances over to the dance floor where Nyla sways with James, the newlyweds alternating between the softest glances and full out belly laughs. Their demeanor, the truest sense of bliss that only ever settles when you’re feeling entirely at peace.

And yeah, Tim knows every micro expression she makes and so he can confidently say it’s a look of wistfulness that comes over Lucy’s face. He sips his drink, she’ll talk when she’s ready - he knows her well enough to know she always does.

“I want that someday.”

Short and to the point, honest. And it packs a whole punch. Tim pauses, twists his glass, trying to come up with a response, any response. One thought immediately springs to mind and he can’t help himself before blurting out “you see yourself and Sanford like that someday?”

Now it’s Lucy’s turn to pause. She glances away, hesitant in a way she usually isn’t before replying, “no, that, it…actually, we broke up. I just, I guess I just didn’t see it working out.” She waits a beat before adding, “I didn’t see us here, like that.”

At that, she turns to look up at him and when he looks at her this time, it hits him all at once. He can absolutely see himself here, like that, and he knows exactly with whom. And while his mind is imploding and his heart is racing, Lucy stares up at him, her eyes open and honest, laying down something that he just can’t quite place.

And yet it’s at this exact moment that Tim knows something has shifted. He knows he’s been avoiding acknowledging this thing, this thing that always exists between them. For months, if not longer, he’s ignored its existence. But when he looks at Lucy now, he knows denial is no longer an option.

He’s the first to break eye contact, he has to be.

“Okay” he says simply, but he hears the promise he’s pouring into that one word. He just needs time.

“Okay” she whispers, with a hint of longing but a promise of her own. She can wait.

And as Angela and Wesley call over to them from the bar for a round of celebratory shots (they’re having a baby free, parents night out and taking full advantage, okay?), the moment ends, the spell lifts.

“You go, I’ll catch up” and at her nod, he watches her walk towards their friends, a hint of her bare back peeking through the layers of shimmering silver. He’s overcome with a renewed sense of action.

And as Tim finds himself inside the covered patio, away from the crowd and the music and the joy of his friends and colleagues, he makes the call a part of him has always known he’d need to make.

“Hey, Ashley, you home tonight? I was thinking I could come over. We should talk.”

114 notes - Posted February 20, 2022

#4

Chenford Week 2022 - Day 2

title: but i'd marry you with paper rings (you're the one i want)

prompt: “you're mad at me?!"

“I know firefighters aren’t your favorite but you have to admit - Bailey can throw a party, that dessert table was next level.”

Silence. 

“And who knew Wesley had moves on the dance floor - you might have some competition.”

His hands clenched over the steering wheel at that. They were in Tim’s truck, driving back from Nolan and Bailey’s proposal turned engagement party, but even with the windows shut and AC blasting, you would’ve still heard crickets. 

“It’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow so we might have to skip the hike. Maybe we should catch a movie?”

“Hmm.”

“Tim, come on seriously? You’ve got me talking weather, what is going on? You were fine before we left for Nolan’s.” 

And he had been, he’d been in a good mood, even better once he saw Lucy’s dress. He’d normally whine about having to spend his evening at Nolan’s with their friends but deep (deep) down inside, he knew he’d have a good time. He’d never admit it but somehow these coworkers were his friends turned family (even Nolan). Besides, it was impossible not to be happy these days, with Lucy at his side, their relationship rock solid. It was a new chapter, one he’d started making plans for.

Tim pulls his truck into the driveway, parking and letting himself out, turning to walk up to the house, leaving Lucy scrambling to follow. 

“Okay, seriously, what is with you tonight? It’s like you don’t even want me here. But newsflash, Tim, I moved in 5 months ago so I can’t exactly leave.”

He's already let Kojo out into the yard and is halfway into their bedroom now but at her words, he whips his head back, “what are you talking about? Lucy, it’s your house too, you’re not going anywhere.”

Yeah, okay, her heart melts a little at that. He was always trying to make sure she felt at home, felt that his home was in fact her home too. But still, this attitude -

“Well I’m not trying to but you’ve got to give me something to work with - you’ve barely said a word since Nolan’s proposal and I - what is that look? Is this about him proposing? Because we’ve known that was coming for years and what does it even matter?”

“It doesn’t, I don’t care about Nolan, that’s not the point, Lucy!”

“Then what is?”

“I…look - I just - we should be celebrating our engagement, not Nolan’s!” 

Oh. OH. 

She sinks down on to their bed, but doesn’t have a second to process his words before Tim continues and honestly, it’s giving her whiplash. She couldn’t get him to say a word in the car and now all of a sudden, she can’t get him to stop. 

“To be clear, you spent weeks helping Nolan pick out the ring, set up this fake dinner party and even took Bailey out for a manicure and it never once occurred to you to maybe mention it to me?”

Wait, what?

“Are you mad at me?!”

“Yes! Or, no, not exactly. I mean, no, not mad, I just wish you’d - okay, look, I am annoyed.”

“Because I helped Nolan plan his proposal?” she asks slowly, still trying to piece together what exactly is going through his mind right now. 

“Lucy, it’s just - I want that for us. To be engaged, planning a wedding and thinking about our future. Sometimes, it is literally all I can think about. But you’ve been in wedding mode for weeks and you never mentioned it. So either you’re a hell of secret keeper and I know that’s not true, or you didn’t bring it up because you’re not ready.”

“Wait, Tim, hang on.”

But he barrels right on, “and look, that’s fine Lucy, I am not trying to pressure you at all. It’s not like I’m saying we need send out save-the-dates but I guess I just thought that we were a little closer to making plans of our own.”

See the full post

114 notes - Posted July 12, 2022

#3

The way Tim was so proud of himself for that little baby peck and thought "job well done, yes? I kiss good, right?" and Lucy was like "huh, was that it?" and then (probably) thought "oh no no we can absolutely do better than that, you idiot" ?!

Her hands grabbing his face (the emotion right before she does, SWOON!) and the way his hand goes to her shoulder and hers drops from his face to his shirt/heart and then they could've almost broken apart (maybe to breathe?!) but instead kind of lean into it again to fully make out just before Tamara walks in - it just....broke me?! I am floored and I live here now. And I'm never leaving.

Also, these two dorks with their "good work/great work". YES INDEED - great work you two!! 😂

118 notes - Posted May 16, 2022

#2

touch me in the way that you do

Promo's got me feeling all the feels! To preface, this isn't what I actually think will happen but a girl can dream! See here and below the cut for a fangirl's dream scene - based on the first Chenford scene in the promo. Title from Zara Larsson's Love Me Land.

touch me in the way that you do

They’ve been sent home, mandated practically, by Grey and Harper to do their due diligence before tomorrow’s op. It was a no brainer for Lucy - Lucy who’s filled pages of journals delving into the psyche of her would-be UC personas - their likes, dislikes, quirks and backstory - no stone left unturned. And Tim, he’s been a cop and seen enough undercover work (for better or worse) to know the merits of being fully prepared for any given moment. 

Which is how they find themselves at Lucy’s apartment tonight. Tamara’s out celebrating the end of finals with friends and Lucy offered to cook. There’s an air of quiet comfort, ease and purpose that surrounds them ahead of tomorrow’s op. And yeah, okay, Lucy may have lit a few candles but they’re just remnants from her pre-dinner meditation, no big deal.

And now with the sink stacked with plates, Tim and Lucy find themselves on the couch fine-tuning the details of their covers. Lucy, meticulous as ever with her trusted notepad, and Tim, studiously listening to the sound of Lucy’s voice as she goes over the details out loud (and yeah, maybe it reminds him of another moment, her voice guiding and preparing him for a different challenge, sure, there’s some comfort in that). 

“….and then of course there’s our body language and how we’ll touch.” His head whips around at the distant sound of her voice and okay, how did he not notice she had gotten up off the couch? Her back is turned and she’s shuffling with the books on her shelf, seemingly casual to anyone else. But because he's not anyone else, he immediately clocks that there's a sudden anxious energy about her.

“Excuse me, our what now?”

“Tim, physical touch and body language are a crucial part of undercover work, the story of how we met won’t matter if someone doesn’t actually believe we’re together.”

“And you think we need help in that department?”

“Well, no offense but it’s not so much we as it is….you?”

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” He’s absolutely slightly offended. 

By now she’s turned back around to look at him, exasperated. 

“Tim, come on, I’ve seen you with Ashley, you’re not exactly Mr. PDA over here. You’re a little stiff and you keep your distance when you’re standing right next to each other.” 

“That’s…ahem…okay, no, that is not true.” He’s stumbling now, thinking back to this week’s interactions with Ashley and okay, sure maybe he’s not all over her but he’s a damn professional, sergeant that he is. 

“Hell, you pseudo proposed to her yesterday and then jumped right apart from each other. I’ve never seen that much distance between two people who are supposedly engaged.”

Of course they’re back to this. 

“Okay, Lucy, that’s enough. It wasn’t a real proposal, I saw you standing there, you know that. That was hardly my best effort!”

“And tomorrow’s undercover op won’t be real either but we can’t risk someone not buying that either. Look, all I’m saying is you’re a little uptight when it comes to being physical. I mean next time, you may want to show a little more passion, some sparks, maybe grab her waist or stroke her hair. Honestly Tim anyth-” 

OH. 

She doesn’t get to finish her thought. Because as Lucy quickly processes, Tim’s hands are in her hair and his lips cover hers and it’s like her mind goes completely blank. But through a haze, she feels her own hands reach for his shoulders while his move further down her body to tighten on her hips. It's like muscle memory that she didn't even know they had.

And okay, yeah, confirming that they do not have to worry about the physical aspect of their covers tomorrow. 

But now what?

150 notes - Posted May 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

So for me, it was the INTENTION behind that conversation in 508.

Lucy showing up to talk, Tim asking her what she was doing in this safe relationship and calling her out for being scared? Lucy immediately knowing and making it about them and how important he is to her? (p.s. his "you're right" was basically acknowledgement that she's the most important to him too, right???)

There was NO pretending it was about Chris or Ashley or work or anything else. This was two people who don't need or want to lie to each other, no more chances for miscommunication.

It was so intentional because it's worth the risk!!

"...unless it is?"

SIGH, the dream.

194 notes - Posted December 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[anna-hawk]

october, freckles, cupcake (have a feeling i know the answer to this one since you bake, but i know some people can only bake or only cook haha) 💞

I'm only answering 2 since Freckles already came up ;)

October – What month were you born in?

I was born in February.

Cupcake – Are you a good cook?

As you said, yes, I do bake. I prefer it to cooking, but I do know how to cook. I grew up in a family that loves food, with my parents owning a restaurant when I was very small. My dad had me sitting in a baby chair or a cradle in the kitchen, while he was preparing food for the evening. Imagine a tall German man, looking like Tom Selleck in Magnum PI, cooking Asian food XD.