#my friends decided to call him euro daddy

[cauliflowercounty]

Gone Too Far? (Fred Weasley x fem!Reader)

House: Gryffindor

Blood Status: You Choose

Warning: Light swearing, some suggestive moments

A/N: Youre in an established relationship with Fred

——

Fred and George have been on a major hot streak. The pranks were glorious and the castle had been in mayhem for the last week, which the twins basked in gleefully and your heart filled with warmth seeing Fred so happy and satisfied with his schemes.

It was obvious who the pranks had been orchestrated by, but the twins were masters of their craft, working with a couple of other trusted Gryffindors to create air-tight alibis and complex game plans, so it was impossible to provide evidence that it was them other than “of course it was the twins!”

This round of pranks all started when the twins decided to get under the Slytherin team’s skin before the upcoming quidditch match. Gryffindor would be playing Slytherin and Draco Malfoy had been targeting Harry as of late to get him off his game.

In order to even the playing field, the twins enchanted all the statues in the castle to shout insults about Draco Malfoy whenever anyone passed them, earning cheers from everyone not in Slytherin. Some of the favorites of the student body were “Draco Malfoy is a deviled old twat” and “Draco Malfoy’s wig is made of treated Sasquatch hair.”

The statues were finally silenced once the statue of the architect of Hogwarts in the front hall shouted that Draco Malfoy was “a bigoted mother fucking daddy’s boy,” which Professor Snape heard loud and clear while discussing the upcoming Quidditch match with Professor McGonagall. Snape quickly silenced the statue and set off to deal with all the others, leaving McGonagall with a small smile on her face.

Next, Fred and George set to messing with the whole team and had sent fraudulent report cards in unmarked envelopes that would read aloud the fake abysmal grades they’d written in them to all the members of the Slytherin quidditch team. Fred and George also sent them to all the Slytherins in Harry’s year for kicks, in order to freak them out, too. This, earned the slytherins a lot of unwanted attention and resulted in all of them wasting about two hours going to their professors, trying to resolve their grades only to find they were fake while Fred and George snickered in the corner and the Gryffindor team booked extra practice time while their opposition was distracted.

Additionally, the twins had charmed all the food at the Slytherin table to turn into ash in peoples mouths and the pumpkin juice to disappear during breakfast among other things.

The last incident was the grandest that had yielded exactly what the twins wanted, but also ended up unintentionally landing you in a 3 week long detention with Snape.

The Slytherin quidditch team had finally been able to book a practice on the Tuesday before the game this upcoming Saturday. The Slytherins has been relieved that they were able to book the pitch since the twins had been putting obstacles in their way for the last week. Their relief was short lived; the twins had arrived at the pitch two hours before Slytherins’ time slot and enchanted all the equipment.

Upon releasing the bludgers, things seemed normal at first until the quaffle started to turn red hot in the chasers’ hands each time someone caught it, causing the player to drop it and yelp in pain.

The bludgers were normal, until Crabbe and Goyle started hitting them. Each time a bludgers came in contact with the bat, the bludgers would split in two. This went unnoticed by the two beaters until all 16 of the bludgers decided to hurl themselves at the team captain, intimately causing him to flee. This resulted in Draco Malfoy losing sight of the snitch, but once he realized what had happened, catching the snitch was the least of his problems.

The snitch on the other hand, had grown to be about a meter in diameter, but it kept its old flight pattern and started to zip around the pitch, cutting into the stands with its wings, which were now blades of destruction. It hurled through the air, nearly knocking all the players off their brooms.

This turn of events made the whole team to abandoned practice and return to the castle and find Professor Snape, knowing full well the twins were behind this. Hopefully Snape would be able to take points at the very least or have them banned at the upcoming match, making the Gryffindor team to have no choice but to forfeit.

As the Slytherins rushed into the changing rooms to escape the gargantuan death snitch, Fred and George popped out from the changing stalls and confunded all of them I order to ensure this couldn’t be traced back to them, making a quick getaway.

After being confunded, none of the Slytherins remembered who was at fault for the outcome of practice, but passed by you studying for Transfiguration on their way to tell Snape what had happened, resulting in you being blamed for the mayhem since you were the last face they saw. This earned your three month detention and lost Gryffindor 50 points.

You knew it had been Fred and George who executed the prank. Most people if they wanted to mess with another team would dye something a different color or perform an easily reversed transfiguration, but charming all the equipment to produce a quidditch practice from hell reeked of Fred Weasley and seeing Fred Weasley’s face after you had your talking to from Professor Snape said it all.

Because of that, you and Fred aren’t talking currently, which was mostly the fault of Fred since he was suddenly to shy to come up and apologize. Maybe it was the look of death you have him after you saw his face? You desperately wanted to talk to him, but he was avoiding you at all costs.

Otherwise, the final days leading up to the game were wonderful. Now, you’re sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry, Hermione, and Ron, trying to get Harry psyched up.

“Come on, mate,” Ron says, pushing Harry’s plate toward him. “You gotta eat something. I haven’t seen you like this since your first quidditch match ever.”

“I’m just concerned about this time. Malfoy wants blood this time, especially this time since Fred and George have been merciless as of late,” Harry groans, shoving his head into his hands.

“But you gotta admit... Fred and George got him good. That statue moment was priceless,” Ron laughs. “Speaking of Freddie, are you taking with him again, y/n?”

“No,” you reply, “and it’s not my fault. He hasn’t spoken to me since I came out of Snape’s office. It’s too bad. I miss Freddie. I’m not even that mad at him anymore....”

Hermione raises her eyebrows at that comment. “Not mad at him?” she scoffs. “I’m not buying it, y/n. You were livid at him.”

“Well, that was only for 2 seconds. I can’t stay mad at that face,” you sigh, earning a fake barf noise from Ron. You roll you eyes at his reaction. “he did land me in Snape’s detention of all detentions for 3 weeks and lost us all valuable points. Now Ravenclaw is in the lead for house cup,” you explain, “but I’m over that. I want Freddie back.”

You smile, thinking about Fred and your late night conversations in the common room until 3am and the way he families when you laugh at his jokes. You sigh, hoping he’ll get over himself soon.

“Harry, eat something,” you say quickly, eager to change the conversation as you snap out for your day dream. “If you say Draco wants blood, you should eat so he doesn’t have the upper hand to begin with.”

You look over to the Slytherin table and they’re all horking down food like there’s no tomorrow.

“... also I think Crabbe and Goyle just ate a full chicken each,” you whisper, trying to look away from the two slytherin beaters with chicken fat smeared on their hands, face, and uniform. Your friends hiss at the sight and divert their eyes.

“Don’t worry, Harry,” Hermione smiles.

“Yeah,” you join in. “You’ve always been the better seeker.”

Harry nods in thanks and returns to his food, eating this time as you all hope for victory this afternoon.

~

“HARRY POTTER HAS SEEN THE SNITCH! He’s gaining in it and- Ooh! Draco Malfoy has just rammed into him from the side, pushing Potter off course! Now he’s after the snitch- Malfoy should really learn to find the snitch himself, lazy ass-“

“JORDAN!” McGonagall scolds angrily, glaring at Lee.

“Sorry, Professor! It just comes out!” Lee defends, but McGonagall shoots him a look of pure irritation. Turning back to the game, Lee stammers, “I-I mean... it won’t happen again! Potter and Malfoy are neck and neck! Fred Weasley deflects a bludgers header for his seeker! And now the seeker go into a dive! This is gonna be close!”

“GO HARRY!!” You shout as you watch Harry plummet towards the ground, swiftly pulling up inches above the ground.

The seekers fly forward, arms outstretched. From behind, a bludgers heads for Malfoy, knocking him forwards off his broom. As he falls, Malfoy grabs onto Harry’s robes and pulls him down to the ground with him. Both of them hit the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust on impact. A resounding chorus of oohs euros from the crowd. That must have hurt.

“And the seekers WIPE OUT!” Lee shouts, nearly leaning over the edge of the stands too far in order to get a good look.

As the dust clears, the crowd mourners and a figure emerges. It’s Harry, holding the fluttering, struggling snitch between his fingers.

The Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw stands erupt in joyous cheers at Slytherin’s loss. Groans and angry shouts fill the Slytherin stands as Draco Malfoy, holding his arm limps forward and angrily kicks his broomstick, bitter and jealous of Harry basking in the glory of a Gryffindor victory.

You sneak a look at your Freddie. He’s bumping bats with George, a gleeful smile on his face, knowing his pranks and psychological warfare paid off. Fred looks down to the stands, and his eyes scan for you. You smile as you lock eyes. A dopey grin breaks in his face as he realizes that your smile is directed at him. You wave to him, calling him over as the Gryffindors next to you clear stands to get to the after party in the common room that’s sure to last late into the night with streamers, confetti, loud radio music, and endless butter beer.

“Hi, Freddie,” you call as he pulls up in front of you on his Cleansweep.

“Hi..,” he respond, a little on edge since this is the first time he’s said anything to you in days. Fred knew it was wrong to ghost you after the incident, but the longer he waited, the harder it got to say something to you again. “Y/n- I’m so-”

You giggle as he starts. “It’s okay, Freddie. I’m not mad anymore,” you explain with a comforting look.

“Please! I just messed up and I didn’t know that the charm would-”

“Fred! I’m not mad at you! You don’t need to make a speech!” You clarify, reaching out to him. Surprised, he nods and touches down in the stands next to you. He demounts and sits next to you. Folding his hands into yours, you lean on his chest and he smiles at the closeness. He’d missed you more than he’s care to admit.

“How come you’re not mad at me? I landed you in detention.. with Snape!” he says, furrowing his brow in confusion.

“Don’t remind me,” you shush, putting a finger to his lips. “All I wanted was a quick apology from you. Detention is a small price to pay.”

“You you think Georgie and I went overboard?” He asks you. “With the pranks?”

“If you didn’t go overboard, I’d be concerned,” you joke, learning you a small kiss. “It’s not like you to just half-ass a prank.”

“How do you even stand all my nonsense?” he asks, pulling you closer to him.

“It’s one of my many talents,” you quip. “And I love you. Now, go get changed, Mister Weasley. You smell like quidditch and we should be heading to the common room to celebrate your victory.”

He nods and grabs his broom.

“Come on,” he says, motioning for you to climb on behind him. You look at him incredulously. “I’m not letting you walk down all those stairs when it’s easier for you to hop on as I fly to the changing rooms. Get on, love. I don’t bite.”

“You,” you start, pointing at him, “know that’s an absolute lie, Fred Weasley. Remember that one time in that broom cupboard? And you just couldn’t-”

“Of course not! I cold too forget that,” Fred interrups, with a smirk. “I also happened to remembered we both agreed on a continuation of that encounter, but a follow up never happened...”

“Okay, okay, Freddie. Later,” you smile, climbing into the broom behind him and wrapping your arms around him. With a hearty Fred Weasley laugh he kicks off and you both fly off towards the changing rooms where he drops you off. As he heads in to change, you call to him that you’ll wait for him.

He shouts back, “no need to, love!”

You wait anyway. He smiles as he comes out with disheveled hair from changing, spotting you. He told his eyes as if to say “I can’t believe you waited again,” even though he loves that you sit and wait for him, and he takes your hand as you place a kiss on his lips. He returns the kiss immediately and holds you closely.

Breaking away reluctantly, you whisper “never leave me alone like that ever again, Freddie.”

“I don’t plan on it, y/n,” he smiles back, packing your cheek and pulling you toward the castle for the Gryffindor house party.

[sassyduckqueen]

Miraculous: Rise of Anatis 36

Only three more chapters to go til Heroes Day!! I'm very excited for that one as I think you'll love it. I have a basic plan and it's gonna be good! As you've all probably guessed, Leatherback is going to be one of the next three chapters but the other two will be Desperada and Ikari Gozen. Though Desperada's appearance will be her second akumatization in this universe. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter :D

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Chapter Thirty-Six: Malediktator

Luka hummed softly to himself as he cycled to the Grand Paris hotel. He was on one of his delivery shifts and actually had time to complete it. He had reduced his hours at work now that he was a superhero and going to school but luckily, his boss was pretty cool and understood. He only got two shifts a week and luckily it seemed that Hawkmoth didn't tend to target people on a Thursday and a Saturday. That or his luck was coming into play. Now that he thought about it, it was probably his luck that he hadn't had his shifts disturbed yet but he certainly wasn't complaining. He pulled up at the Grand Paris and jumped off his bike, locking it up. Tikki flew into his hoodie as he took his helmet then grabbed the final box. It was his last delivery for the evening. He walked up to the doorman and smiled.

 "Delivery for Chloe Bourgeois," He stated, making the doorman nod and let him in. He walked through the hotel and checked his phone to make sure she had paid. He got into the lift and rode it up to the floor she lived in. As soon as he exited the lift, he heard screaming and shouting. He frowned as he walked towards the door. Tikki popped her out.

 "Is it an akuma?" She asked, making him shake his head.

 "No, it's someone arguing," He mumbled as the door slammed open. Tikki quickly hid and Luka blinked as Audrey Bourgeois stared at him before lifting her arm and tracing her eyes at his outfit. He could literally feel her judging him.

 "What a trashy outfit," She scoffed, turning her nose up at it before she waved her hand at him in a dismissive manor. "You're fired,"

 "I don't work for you," He stated, making her blink and stare at him before she glared at him.

 "How dare you talk to me like that?! I'm the queen of style-"

 "And I really don't care. I'm tired and I have other things to do so either take this or move out my way," He stated, making her blink again as he took out his phone and send the text to let Chloe know her food was here. 

 "Now listen here, you-"

 "Mum! Could you just not have a go at my school friends?! Go argue more with Dad," Chloe suddenly stated, making her blink for the third time as she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room, closing the door behind them. She let out a sigh before taking the sushi box from him before pointing towards the window. "If you go out that way, you can take the lift into the restaurant and avoid my mother,"

 "Thank you," He muttered, turning to walk out of her balcony doors but he stopped and frowned a little. Chloe had moved to her bed and was slowly eating the sushi but something felt a little off to him. He wasn't sure if it was his best idea but he turned around and cleared his throat, causing her to look up at him. "Uh... are you ok? You seem... off?"

 "Because I'm been nice?" She asked, sharply and defensively. "Well, even I can be nice you know. I am trying to change,"

 "That's not what I meant," He stated, making her look at him. "You seem out of tune,"

 "Out of tune?" She asked, confused. He frowned as it wasn't the right words. "How can I be out of tune? I'm not a musical instrument,"

 "Sorry... I meant like sad... you seem sad..." He replied, making her eyes widen in shock before she looks down, a sad expression coming on her face. Luka sighed and turned to walk away. "Never mind..."

 "Mama wants to go back to New York with me but Daddy doesn't want us to leave Paris," She admitted, making him stop and look at her. "They've been arguing non stop about it for a couple of days. I'm sure you heard the shouting when you got out of the lift. Mama was trying to convince me to go with her but when I said I wasn't sure I wanted to leave, she started to shout at me,"

 "Why aren't you sure?" He asked without meaning to but she sighed and hugged her legs. "I mean Paris is cool but New York would be pretty cool too,"

 "I like Paris..." She admitted, sighing. "I know I don't have many friends in Paris but since the whole Queen Wasp incident, I've been going to therapy and it's really helping just having someone to talk to.... but Daddy is the one paying for it as Mama doesn't believe I need it. I know if I go to New York with her, I won't get the help I need plus she just brush me off like she always does,"

 "Well, it sounds like me that you're not unsure at all. You clearly want to stay in Paris so tell her that," He replied, making her look at him. "As for having no friends, you can always try to make some,"

 "Most people believe I haven't changed," She admits, looking down again. "That's why I snapped at you. I thought you were like them but you seem different,"

 "Well, you still have far to go but I can see quite clearly that you're trying your best so I think it's only fair to give you a chance. Besides, we never really got a chance to introduce ourselves to each other," He smiled before holding out his hand. Chloe blinked and looked at him in surprise. "I'm Luka Couffaine. It's nice to meet you,"

 "Uh... Chloe Bourgeois," She replied, taking his hand and shaking it. "It's nice to meet you as well. I'm right in thinking you're friends with Marinette?"

 "Yeah," He smiled, causing her to look nervous. "You should talk to her and I don't just mean about the dress you've commissioned her for. She is a great person and if you give her a chance, you might find a real friend in her,"

 "I was her bully for years..."

 "Then apologize for that,"

 "She won't accept it,"

 "She doesn't have to," He replied, making her look at him in surprise. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Just by trying you can show her and the rest of the school that you really have changed. Anyway, I should get going as I have some more errands to run but Chloe, don't give up ok?"

 She nodded as he headed to the door and walked over, giving her a nod. Audrey had gone and he could hear shouting in the distance as he walked over to the lift. He pressed the button and waited for the lift to arrive, stepping in it as soon as it did. Once the doors closed, Tikki poked her head out.

 "That was some good advice you gave, Chloe," She smiled, making him smile a little as well.

 "She does seem to be improving but she has a long way to go," He admitted, making Tikki nod. "I just hope she's able to tell her mother that she needs to stay. I'd hate to see revert back to how she was before,"

 "Me too," Tikki admitted before hiding in his jacket as the lift came to a stop. He walked over of the building and unlocked his bike before placing his helmet on. He took out his phone, marked Chloe's food as delivered before using the company's app to clock out. He placed his phone back in his pocket before cycling off. He had one last errant to do and that was pick up some macaroons and cookies for Tikki. He stopped outside of the bakery and parked his bike, taking off his helmet and placing it inside. He walked over to the door and pushed it open, causing the bell to ring.

 "Welcome to- Hello, Luka," Sabine smiled as he walked up to the counter. "How are you?"

 "I'm good, Mrs Cheng. Thank you for asking," He smiled.

 "That's good to know, dear," She smiled back. "If you're here to see Marinette, you just missed her. She just left for Alya's,"

 "That's ok, Mrs Cheng. I'll message her later," He replied, nodding. He would be able to hang with Marinette another day as they both had plans tonight. She was sleeping over at Alya's with the girl squad and he had his shift then had to go on patrol. Of course, he didn't tell her about the patrol part. "I actually came in to buy some cookies and macarons,"

 "You do seemed fond of them. The usual flavors?" She asked, making him nod. "As I recall, they're for your friend?"

 "Yes, she has a huge sweet tooth,"

 "Are you and her close?" She asked as she bagged them up.

 "Yes, she's like a little sister to me," He smiled as he glanced at the rest of the food on display. Sabine smiled a little at his answer. "Can I have two eclairs as well?"

 "Of course, dear," She replied, getting them for him. "You already have a little sister, don't you? Juleka? Was it?"

 "Yeah but I have a habit of kind of been a big brother to people. I basically adopted Rose as my little sister and Tik- Tina... my friend who likes the cookies," He smiled, mentally sweating at almost saying Tikki's name. "Rose is practically my sister in law at this point anyway. How much do I owe you, Mrs Cheng?"

 "You can call me Sabine, dear," She smiled before ringing up the items. "22.45 euros, please?"

 He smiled and paid before taking the sweets and leaving the shop, waving goodbye to Sabine. He placed them in the basket and put his helmet back on before cycling off back to the Seine. The sun was beginning to set once he got to the Liberty. He locked his bike up and climbed on board, walking downstairs as he hummed to himself. Anarka looked up from her notepad as he placed an Eclair in front of her as he smiled.

 "Have you had any dinner yet?" He asked, making her look at the time. She frowned and stretched.

 "Nothing yet," She replied, making him frown. "Been working hard on a new song. Wanna read while I order take out?"

 "Sure, ma," He smiled, picking up the note pad and glancing over the scribbles and notes as she put in their usual order. He put it down as she walked back over.

 "What do you think?"

 "Sounds good so far," He smiled, making her smile. "You'll show me the finished piece right?"

 "Of course," She mumbled, making him nod before she claps her hand. "That reminds me. I have a job interview,"

 "You do?" He asked, frowning a little. Either she's decided to cure her boredom by getting a second job or money is tight. Sometimes that was the case with their lifestyle. Writing and selling songs were good if people wanted to buy them but not everyone did and of course, Bob Roth made it rather difficult for her to sell songs. Sometimes, they were times where it was hard to make ends meet. That's why Luka got his job in the first place but of course, he has reduced hours now. "Is everything ok?"

 "Nothing for you to worry about, Lad," She smiled. "We're up to date with bills and the usual things that cost money but it wouldn't do us any hard if I have a second job,"

 "So what's the job?" He asked.

 "Just some part shop work," She stated, making him frown. "It's nothing to worry about, Lad,"

 "Alright but if money gets too bad, I can always pick up some more shifts,"

 "You don't need to," She explained. "And you have school to worry about,"

 "If you say so, ma,"

 ~Monday~

 "Mr Couffaine, are you listening?" Ms Mendeleiev asked, making Luka look up from his notes and nod. She rose an eyebrow. "Then repeat what I said,"

 "You were explaining the difference between an atom and an ion," He replied, making her look at him with surprise before he lifted his book, showing his notes. Kagami smiled at him as Ms Mendeleiev nodded in approval.

 "Good that you're taking notes, Mr Couffaine," She replied before continuing with her lesson. Luka looked back down and smiled at the text he received from Marinette before sending her a reply, saying that he almost got caught so he'll talk to her at lunch. He slid his phone into his pocket and tried to pay attention to the rest of the lesson. Finally, the bell for lunch rang. He slid his notes into his bag and began to leave for the canteen. 

 "Luka," Kagami called, making him look over at her. She was holding her bag, looking calm as usual. "Adrien mentioned you are joining us for lunch today,"

 "Yeah, Marinette invited me," He smiled, making her nod. "You don't mind, do you?"

 "No, I do not," She tried her best to smile. "Perhaps we can walk to the canteen together?"

 "Sure," He smiled, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking out with her. They walked in silence, making him bite his lip as he wasn't sure what to say to her but it was Kagami that broke the silence.

 "I'm glad you're not longer sick and have returned to school," She stated, making him look at her in surprise. "Marinette seemed worried about you,"

 "Yeah... Marinette saw why I was off," He mumbled, playing with his strap of his bag. "But I'm ok now,"

 "She cares a lot for you," Kagami stated, surprising him. "And I'm certain you care for her,"

 "I do," He mumbled, looking to the side with a slight blush.

 "You should tell her," She stated, making him look at her in shock. It's not that he didn't like Kagami or that he thought she was bad but in a way, she was similar to Chloe. In other words, an acquired taste and while he was happy to be his friend, he didn't necessarily want to have this conversation with her. It was bad enough that Juleka, Rose, Ivan and Mylene had given him lectures about talking to Marinette about his feelings. Now Kagami was going to. He would not be surprised if at some point, Adrien pulls him aside and tells him off.  "It is obvious that you are in love with her,"

 "She's in love with someone else," He mumbled, looking down. 

 "Yes, Adrien. I'm aware of her crush," She stated in a matter of a fact tone. "But Adrien isn't the only person to have captured her interest and he is unavailable to her. Adrien cares for Marinette but he only sees her as a friend,"

 "Then maybe he should tell her that!" He snapped, making her look at him. "Sorry... I didn't mean that..."

 "No, you are quite correct," She stated, making him frown. "Adrien doesn't understand social ques like the rest of the students here but even so, he should explain to Marinette that he only views her as a friend and that he only ever will. I shall tell him t-"

 "No," Luka gasped, causing her to look at him. He looks down as Kagami frowns.

 "I am confused," She stated. "Having Adrien tell Marinette that he only cares for her as a friend would eliminate him as a contender for her heart, meaning you would be to win her heart. Do you not want that?"

 "Not like that," He admitted, making her look at him. "Marinette deserves better then that. She doesn't deserve to have her heart broken. Yes, Adrien isn't interested in her and he should tell her that he likes her as a friend but not like that. He shouldn't just crush her heart so I can pick up the pieces. I do not want to have her love because of that. I do not want to be her second choice and I would never make a move on her while she was heartbroken. I have too much respect for her to do that. If Marinette wants to love me, I want her to come to that conclusion on her own,"

 "You really do love her," She stated, making him look at her. Was that a test? He rose an eyebrow as they walked into the canteen and shook his head, waving at Marinette when he saw her. She waved back, smiling brightly as she did. Alya was sat next to her, talking to Nino. Luka was glad to see that the two girls hadn't fallen out over the Reverser incident. Speaking of which, Marc had joined their table, happily talking to Nathaniel and Alix. Juleka was leaning on Rose as she gushed about something to Ivan and Mylene. Adrien was sat next to Nino and smiled as Kagami joined, leaving the spare seat next to Marinette. Luka moved over and sat down, happily taking out his lunch as he listened to the different conversations going on. However, the talking stopped as Chloe walked over. She looked extremely nervous and was looking to the side. She looked up and glanced at Luka, surprising him a little but he gave her an encouraging smile.

 "Um... I was hoping I could talk to you, Dup- I mean Marinette..." She mumbled, making Marinette look at her in surprised. Alya crossed her arms and glared at her but Marinette cleared her throat.

 "I'm listening, Chloe," She stated in a calm voice. Chloe took a deep breathe.

 "I wanted to apology for my behavior in the past," She stated, making everyone on the table look at her in surprise. "I was a terrible person and took out my own hurt on you. I understand that you probably won't forgive me and I don't blame you for that. In fact, I apologize to everyone at this table. Mylene, I'm sorry I made fun of your fear, Rose, I'm sorry that I made fun of your perfume and torn up your letter to Prince Ali... Ivan, I'm sorry for teasing you about liking Mylene. I actually think you two make a really cute couple. Nino and Alya, I'm sorry for been mean to you for no real reason or snapping at you. Nathaniel, I'm sorry for stealing your art and making you feel bad about having a crush on Marinette..."

 She turned to face Juleka, who looked frightened.

 "Juleka... I'm sorry that I got Sabrina to trap you in the bathroom. I was so desperate to stand next to Adrien that I didn't care who I hurt but I realize now how wrong I was," She mumbled, causing Juleka to go bright red before she turned to Marinette. "Marinette... I'm sorry for all the years I bullied you and belittled you... I was jealous of you... you are kind, sweet and having loving parents... you had everything I didn't and I hated you for it..."

 "Chloe..." Marinette stated but Chloe shook her head, tears in her eyes.

 "I am a terrible person and I don't deserve your forgiveness so I understand if you reject my apologies," She stated, wiping her eyes. "But I hope that maybe you'll let me earn your friendships and that we can start again,"

 She looked up and held out her hand with a sad smile on her face.

 "Hi, I'm Chloe Bourgeois... it's nice to meet you," She stated in a similar manner to how Luka done to her when he delivered her food but she wasn't expect anyone to shake her hand back. She was just giving them a chance to start again if they wanted. The group look around confused but Marinette was the first to get to her feet. She walked over to Chloe and stood in front of her, causing the girl to blink as she looked at her.

 "I accept your apology, Chloe," She smiled before taking her hand and shaking it. "I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It's nice to meet you too, Chloe. I hope we can become good friends,"

 "Thank you," She whispered, more tears appearing in her eyes. Marinette smiled as Juleka stood up and shook Chloe's hand, reintroducing herself. The rest of the class did the same. Though Rose didn't actually shake her hand. Instead she just hugged Chloe, causing the girl to pat her head before she sat down. Marinette smiled as Chloe wiped away her tears before gesturing to the spare seat.

 "Why don't you join us for lunch?" She asked, making Chloe blink and look at the seat before pointing at herself.

 "You want me to join you?" She asked but it wasn't in a malicious tone. She just sounded surprise. Marinette smiled and nodded. "Thank you,"

 "Do you have a lunch?" Rose asked, making Chloe shake her head.

 "Usually I go back to the hotel to have lunch with Daddy if he's not busy," She explained, glancing to the side. Luka frowned a little as he suspected that her father was almost always busy and he highly doubted her mother ate with her. He felt Tikki push a cookie into his hand, causing him to glance down. She smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up.

 "Here, you can have this. It isn't much but it's better then nothing," He smiled, handing her to the cookie. Chloe went to take it but hesitated as she was sure he would snatch it from her but when he didn't, she took it.

 "Thank you," She mumbled before Marinette handed her a croissant and part of her sandwich. She looked up at her. "Are you sure?"

 "Well, a cookie isn't enough to fill you up," She smiled, gently nudging Luka who smiled back. Chloe thanked her and the conversation began again. Marinette turned to Luka. "So I wanted to ask you a favor?"

 "Oh?" He replied, making her press her fingers together. 

 "I was hoping that maybe you could show me the basics of guitar..." She mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck. He looked at her in surprise. "If you're not busy... you're probably busy..."

 "I'd love to show you," He smiled but before either of them to could continue, the sound of a helicopter got their attention. All of the students rushed out to see what was going on as the guitar landed in the school grounds. Mr Damocles rushed over as Audrey Bourgeois got out of it. Chloe frowned as Mr Damocles tried to tell her that she couldn't land the helicopter there. However, she just ignored him and walked over to Chloe. 

 "Chloe, get in the helicopter. We're going to New York," She ordered, making the girl frown.

 "Mum, I told you already I don't want to go to New York," Chloe explained, making her mouth frown.

 "Don't be ridiculous, Chloe," She replied in a bored manner. "Of course, you want to go to New York. Now get in the helicopter. I haven't got all day,"

 Chloe sighed and began to walk to the helicopter with her shoulders slumped but Luka frowned and gently grabbed her wrist, making her look at him in surprise before he let go.

 "Chloe, you don't have to listen to her," Luka stated, causing Audrey to lower her glasses and glare at him. "You don't have to go,"

 "Well, trash like you wouldn't understand," She stated, causing everyone to glare at her. Luka crossed his arms and glared at her.

 "I'm not the one who isn't listening to my daughter, Mrs Bourgeois," He pointed out, making her frown as she glared at him. She expected him to back down but he glared back. Chloe frowned and looked at the group, expecting to tell her to go but Marinette walked and gently took her hand, giving her a reassuring smile.

 "Luka is right, Chloe. You don't have to go," She declares before turning to Audrey who was still looking at Luka like he was trash. "And don't call my friend trash! Luka is the most kind hearted and gentle person I know and he is far from 'trash' as you put it!"

 "Melody..." Luka mumbled, looking at her with surprise as a blush came across his face.

 "Oh, I know you. Margret was it?" Audrey asked, frowning. "Well, I'm glad I didn't take you on as my protege in New York if this fashion mistake is your friend. Clearly, none of you understand fashion," 

 "That may be the case but at least, I understand how to be a decent human being!" Luka growled, surprising everyone. "Something that you clearly have no idea about giving how you treat people!"

 "How dare you tal-"

 "How dare I?! No, how dare you!" He shouted, making her step back in surprise. "First, you demand your daughter to go with you, despite the fact that she told you no then you insult me and finally,"

 He pointed to Marinette.

 "Her name is Marinette! Not Margret!" He growled, making him frown. "And I'm glad she never went with you to New York because she deserves better then you and so does Chloe! Both of them have more talent in their little finger then you've ever had in your entire career! You are a selfish and egotistical woman so it's no surprise that Chloe doesn't want to go to New York with you!"

 Everyone stared at him in surprise as both Marinette and Chloe blushed a little. Though Marinette was blushing a little more. However, Audrey looked more angry then she did before but before she could say anything, a man burst through the door.

 "Chloe!" He shouted, making everyone look at him in surprise as he walked over. On his head, he wore a dark blue bicorne and light blue skin. He was wearing a dark blue jacket with a cowl going over most of his head except the bottom of his nose and his mouth. The jacket itself had black and purple markings on the shoulders and his right arm had a yellow armor-like shoulder with black stripes. However, the rest of the arm was dark blue with a bent white and red stripe just below the elbow. Across his chest, he had a blue, white, and red sash with a large blue, white, and red circle attached at the center. Also, he was also wearing white trousers and dark blue boots. Luka narrowed his eyes and quickly glanced around. It was clear he was the akuma but right now, Luka couldn't see a chance to escape. The akuma was looking around in disgust as he walked over before looking at Chloe. "Chloe, my daughter! You are not leaving for New York,"

 "Daddy?" She asked, shocked as he smiled at her.

 "Yes, sweetie," He smiled. "Now I have the power to make sure you have the best possible life. We'll start by getting rid of this awful school and their students. You're above those nasty little rats anyway. Now come with me, sweetie,"

 "Uhhh," Chloe gasped, clearly scared as he held out his hand.

 "André, getting yourself akumatized like everyone else in this city does not make you a 'cool' or 'hip' father," Audrey stated in her usual attitude, causing André to frown deeply before he lifted his two of his fingers to his mouth as she continued to rant.

 "By the power invested in me, I declare that you will be devoted to this family and remain in Paris with me and Chloe," He spoke, creating a small ball of light as he did before he threw it at her. Instantly, she stopped talking and rushed over to him.

 "Oh yes! My dear hubby!" She gasped, leaning against him and rubbing her cheek against his chest. "I'm so happy to stay here!"

 She jumped up and began to kiss his nose as she wrapped her arms around his neck, causing everyone including Chloe to stare in shock at the action. The akuma smirked before turning to Chloe.

 "Now, Chloe, why don't you come here?" He smiled as Audrey leaned against him, hugging his arm. "We can finally get rid of this god awful place,"

 "But... Daddy, I like it here..." She gasped, making him blink. "And while I don't want to go to New York, I can't stay with you as an akuma,"

 "Sweetie, I'll give you one more chance to come to me willingly," He stated in a menacing way. "Come here,"

 "No!" She shouted, making him frown deeply. Luka glanced around as he really needed to get to a place to transform. His luck vision kicked in, lighting up all of the students and giving him an idea. Since the akuma's attention was on Chloe, who was slowly backing away, he leaned over to Nino who was stood next to him, looking shocked and frightened.

 "Hey, when I shout scram, run in a random direction," He whispered, making Nino look at him. "Pass it on,"

 Nino nodded and whispered it to Adrien and Alya, who in turn told others including the teachers. It finally reached Marinette who grinned and gave Luka a discreet thumbs up as the akuma lifted his fingers to his mouth. Luka nodded to Marinette.

 "By the power invested in me, I declare-"

 "Scram!" Luka shouted, causing all of the students to run in a random direction. He grabbed Chloe's arm and dragged her to the locker room as the rest of the students confused the akuma. He pushed her inside and closed the door, leaning against it as he turned to her. "Go out the window now!"

 "Thank you," She gasped before she climbed up and out of the window as the akuma called for her before he began to head to the locker room. As soon as she was out, he moved from the door and hid inside a locker, holding his breathing as the akuma kicked open the door.

 "Chloe! Where are you?!" He growled, looking around as Audrey came in. "She isn't in here,"

 "Don't worry, sweetie. We'll find her,"

 "Of course, we will but let's get rid of this awful school. Maybe then she will see what a wonderful father I am," He replied, leaving with his wife. Luka let out a sigh before opening his jacket, allowing Tikki to fly out.

 "Trouble?" She asked.

 "Chloe's father has been akumatized," He replied before swiping his earring. "Tikki, spots on!"

 A red glow engulfed him, turning him into Anatis. He climbed out of the locker and out of the window before throwing his yoyo and pulling himself onto the roof as the other students began to destroy the school. Anatis narrowed his eyes as he looked around. Most of the students had been affected by whatever order the akuma had given them and were trashing the school but a few of them weren't among them. Marinette wasn't there and neither was Rose. However, Juleka, Adrien, Kagami and the rest of his friendship group were. The akuma smirked as he looked around before throwing a ball of light at Sabrina.

 "By the power invested in me, I order you to find Chloe and bring her to me," He ordered, causing her to bow.

 "Yes, Malediktator!" She declared before running off, causing Anatis to frown as Lady Noir jumped down onto the helicopter's blades.

 "Do you have a permit to destroy this school?" She asked, crossing her arms as she glared at him.

 "I don't need a permit!" He declared, making both heroes frown. "I am Malediktator, the all powerful super-mayor of Paris and this is my city!!"

 "Hate to burst your bubble but Paris doesn't belong to you alone!" Anatis called as he swung over to the helicopter and landed next to Lady Noir. "It belongs to everyone!"

 The two of them dived at him and began to fight him. Anatis threw his yoyo and wrapped it around Malediktator's wrist, pulling his arm back as Lady Noir tried to hit him with her baton but Malediktator blocked it with his free arm and tried to kick her. She dodged it but he grabbed her baton and used it to throw her across the playground. She flipped and landed on her feet as he grabbed a bench and tried to hit Anatis with it but he jumped out the way before it could hit him and landed next to Lady Noir. Malediktator growled and lifted his fingers.

 "By the power invested in me, I declare that your miraculous are my property!" He shouted, summoning to light balls and throwing them towards Anatis and Lady Noir. The two heroes dodged and dived out of the way of them, causing them to head up to the roof and duck down behind the brickwork.

 "Any idea where the akuma is?" Lady Noir asked as he looked around to see where they had gone.

 "I'm thinking it's in his sash," Anatis mumbled before throwing his yoyo up. "Lucky charm!"

 He frowned as he caught the abacus, causing Lady Noir to raise an eyebrow at him.

 "Your lucky charms get weirder and weirder," She replies, making him smile a little.

 "Tell me about it," He grinned before glancing around in his luck vision but nothing lit up. "Nothing up here is gonna help us,"

 "Then let's get a little closer," She replied, getting a nod of him as he went hooked it to his belt but Lady Noir placed her hand on his arm. "You work out what to do with that while I keep the mayor busy,"

 She dived down and threw her baton at him as Anatis looked around, trying to work out how to use the abacus. He frowned deeply as he glanced around the playground and school area yet not a single thing lit up. Frowning, he glanced at the abacus and examined it. What exactly what was he to do with it? Why that particular item? It did look familiar but he couldn't place it. It was probably in one of the classrooms. Either way, he was definitely gonna have words with Tikki when he was done here. Seriously, how was he suppose to defeat Malediktator with this when his power could cause him to literally surrender his miraculous without a fight? If anything, he would need something that would immobile Malediktator first but this wouldn't help him do that. If anything, he would need to go to Master Fu and get the Bee Miraculous. His eyes widen in understanding before he examined the abacus to be certain. It was almost identical to Master Fu's abacus expect for the ladybug pattern. Like the time with the teapot, it became very obvious what he needed to do. He looked up to call back Lady Noir as she dodged a ball of light and jumped up to the first floor. She dived towards Malediktator with her baton, ready to hit him but he spun round and threw a ball of light at her.

 "By the power invested in me," Malediktator smirked as it hit her, causing her to land on the ground. "I declare you are a cat!"

 She suddenly meowed and began to play with a can on the floor, moving it around with her hand.

 "Oh, no," Anatis groaned as he watched.

 "Oh, what a cutie pie," Audrey gasped before she leaned down and called her over. "Here, kitty, kitty,"

 Lady Noir glanced up at her before cautiously moving over. Audrey grinned and began to stroke her hair and ears as she leaned into her. Anatis frowned and took out his yoyo as Malediktator moved over but Lady Noir hissed and hid behind Audrey before trying to scratch him when he went to take her miraculous. Anatis smirked as he watched before frowning. If he wanted to rescue Lady Noir, he would have to get the Bee miraculous. However, he didn't want to leave her with Malediktator. He tried to grab her ring again but she hissed and scratched his hand, causing him to pull back his hand with a yelp of pain.

 "Kitty still has claws," Anatis mumbled as his earrings beeped. He frowned, taking out his yoyo and standing on the edge of the building. "Kitten, I'll be back soon I promise!!"

 He threw his yoyo and swung to another roof before running as fast as he could in the direction of Master Fu's house. He jumped across to another roof and slid down the tiles before throwing his yoyo and wrapping it around a flag pole. He swung across to another roof and landed on it before running and jumping across a gap. He back-flipped off a wall and into an alley near to Master Fu's shop just before his transformation dropped. He caught Tikki before running to the shop and pushing open the door.

 "Master Fu!" He gasped, causing the man to jump and glance at him as he caught his breathe. "A villain has transformed Lady Noir into a cat,"

 "What?" He gasped, shocked before shaking his head. "Perhaps you shouldn't have left her by herself. She's at Hawkmoth's mercy,"

 "I know but the lucky charm told me to come here," He replied, causing Master Fu to make a thinking face. "I think I need help for this mission,"

 "It seems so," He replied, getting up and walking to the phonograph. "After all, the lucky charm never fails,"

 He unlocked the phonograph and took out the miracle box, bringing it over to Luka and placing it on the ground. Luka knelt down in front of it as Master Fu opened it, causing the different draws to pop out and show the miraculous hidden inside. Despite seeing this before, Luka found himself amazed again. It was interesting to watch the box open and to know what the miraculous did. 

 "Luka Couffaine, pick an ally you can trust to fight along side you in this mission," He declared as Luka glanced at all of them but he knew exactly which one to take. He needed the bee. "Choose wisely. Such powers are meant to be serve the greater good,"

 "I need someone who isn't impressed by power and sees people on face value," He muttered, reaching for the bee as Master Fu gave him a concerned look. He hesitated before glancing up at Tikki, who gave him a reassuring smile. He smiled back and picked up the hair comb.

 "Are you sure?" Master Fu asked, causing Luka to nod.

 "I need to trap Malediktator and the bee's power is the best chance at that," He replied, getting up and walking to the draw where the smaller boxes were kept. He took one out and placed the hair comb inside.

 "But is it really a good idea giving it back to... her?" He asked as Luka put the small box in his pocket.

 "Don't worry, Master," He smiled in a reassuring manner. "I know how to make good use of it this time,"

 With that, he left with Tikki and headed to the alleyway.

 "How we will find Chloe?" She asked, making him shake his head.

 "We're not," He replied, making her glance at him as he took out a macaron and handed it to her. "I told Chloe I can't give her this miraculous back and I have to keep to that. Plus Hawkmoth will probably expect me to go to her. Since she is Malediktator's target, the two of them may set up a trap to lure me there. There's also a high chance that Chloe has already been controlled by Malediktator since he sent Sabrina after her,"

 "So trying to find Chloe is a bad idea," Tikki nodded as she ate the cookie.

 "Exactly,"

 "But who are you gonna give it to?" She asked, swallowing the last bit. "You said you need someone who isn't impressed by power and takes people on face value,"

 "Don't worry, Tikki, I know just the person. You good?" He asked, causing her to nod. "Alright. Tikki! Spots on!!"

 He transformed back into Anatis and threw his yoyo up, pulling himself onto the rooftops and running as fast as he could back to the school. He landed on the roof and glanced around. It looked like Malediktator had left, taking his wife and Lady Noir with him but the students were still around, trying to destroy the school. He glanced around and noticed Sabrina had joined them but Chloe wasn't around. Frowning to himself, he looked around and spotted Rose, trying to stop Juleka from destroying the art room. He swung down and landed near by.

 "They've been mind controlled by Malediktator," He stated, making Rose gasp and turn around in surprise. She honestly looked like she was about to squeal at his appearance. "But there is a way you can help them,"

 "There is?!" She gasped, making him nod.

 "This way," He replied, jumping down to the courtyard and heading into the locker room. Rose came in a few seconds later as he glanced around to make sure no one else was in here and that they were out of the way of cameras. Once certain that it was just them, he took out his yoyo and opened it before reaching in and taking out the box as Rose watched before he held it out to her, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

 "Rose Lavillant, here is the bee miraculous, which grants the power to immobilize your opponent," He declared, making her eyes go huge as she realized what he was offering to her. "You will use it for the greater good,"

 "Me?" She asked, shocked before making a thinking expression. "But doesn't the bee miraculous belong to Chloe?"

 "No, Chloe wrongly took the miraculous and is currently unfit to wield one. However, if she continues to right her wrongs and change her ways, I am willing to give her a second chance," He explained, making Rose nod. "Do you accept the miraculous?"

 "Yes!" She grinned, taking it and opening it. She gasped in surprise as a golden light appeared from within and circled around her before transforming into Pollen, making her coo.

 "Hello, my queen," Pollen smiled, making Rose gush about her cute she is. "My name is Pollen,"

 "You're so adorable," Rose gushed. "But what are you?"

 "I'm a kwami, my queen," She explained, bowing a little. "I grant magical powers that transforms one into a superhero,"

 Rose squealed, making Anatis smiled before he cleared his throat, causing both Rose and Pollen to look at him.

 "Once the job is complete, you will return the miraculous to me," He explained before looking at her. "Can I trust you, Rose?"

 "Yes, Anatis! I will do my best!" She declared with a lot of energy, making him smile.

 "My queen, to transform you just need say Pollen, buzz on," Pollen explained as Rose listened before she fixed the comb into her hair before looking up at Anatis, who gave her a smile and a nod.

 "Pollen, buzz on!" She declared, causing Pollen to be sucked into the hair comb. She threw her head back as it became a more honey blonde then black strips appeared in it. She held up her arms as a golden light appeared from her feet, creating her suit as it traveled up her body. The suit was completely yellow but a second light appeared, creating some detail on her suit. It gave her black gloves, turned part of her legs black and added a couple of extra strips on her suit as well. She had two symmetrical ones on her upper arms and thighs, a pointed strip on on around her waist and a black choker around her neck. Her shoes resembled a ballerina's and she had the spin-top around her waist. She swiped her hand across her face, creating her mask which was mostly black but had a yellow boarder. With the transformation over, she examined herself before squealing. "I'm a superhero!!"

 "You're gonna need a name," Anatis smiled, making her look at him before she pulled her thinking face.

 "Abeille," She declared, causing him nod to in approval.

 "Abeille... nice," He smiled before taking out his yoyo and searching it on it. He frowned as he watched a video of Malediktator who seemed to have taken control of the city hall. He also had Chloe and his wife at his side as well as Lady Noir. He frowned and put his yoyo away before turning to Abeille. "Alright, I'm gonna be frank with you, Abeille. Malediktator is a very tough enemy. He has the ability to make anyone do what he wants and he has Lady Noir captured,"

 "Oh no,"

 "Which is why I needed to get you," He continued before pointing to her spin top. "The spin-top is your weapon. Similar to my yoyo, it has multiple functions and can be used to help you move through the city. You can also spin it really fast to create a shield and use it to tie up enemies. It can be used as a phone and GPS locator as well as other thing. You also have the power to immobilize your opponent. You can activate this by pulling the spin top's string and saying venom but don't do it yet. You only get to use this power once and then you have five minutes before you transform back. Got it?"

 "Yes, sir," She grinned, making him smile. "But how do you plan to get defeat Malediktator?"

 "We need to get you close enough to use venom on him," He replied, making her nod before taking out his yoyo and showing her the footage. "But as you can see, he has taken over city hall and turned it into his fortress. If we go in head first, we'll be captured. We need to get close enough to observe him but not close enough to alert him off our presence,"

 "Why don't we hide on the building opposite city hall?" She asked, making him smile.

 "That's a good idea," He replied, moving over to the window and opening it before jumping out of it. Abeille followed him as he swung across to the city. The two of them jumped across the buildings and ran across the rooftops, causing Rose to want to squeal in excitement. She almost crashed into a wall but Anatis grabbed her arm and pulled her away from it. "Try to keep your head in the game, Abeille,"

 "I'm sorry, Anatis," She gasped as they jumped over another wall. "It's just... this is so exciting!!"

 "I get it," He smiled as they came closer to the city hall. They landed on the building opposite it and ducked down, causing him to frown as he saw Malediktator sat on a throne atop of the building. He had his wife and Chloe sat near him and Lady Noir curled up by his feet. Anatis frowned deeply as he glanced at her. While he was glad she was ok, he felt annoyed at the fact that Malediktator literally had her as his pet. He shook his head and moved his eyes over to the swat team that were acting as his guard. Suddenly, two balls of light flew towards them, causing the two of them to jump away from the hiding place as Malediktator smirked.

 "Did you think I wouldn't notice you there, Anatis?" He asked before creating two new ones. "By the power invested in me, I declare your miraculous are mine!"

 Anatis and Abeille jumped, avoiding the balls of light before the two of them threw their weapons at him but the swat team blocked it, making Anatis frown before they landed on the edge of the building. Abeille back-flipped away as Anatis ran in the other direction, jumping across to Malediktator. He tried to land a kick on him but once again, the swat team protected him. He swung away as Abeille took down some of the swat team but she had to jump away when Malediktator directed a ball of light towards her. He turned his attention back on Anatis as he swung up before turning his body and throwing his yoyo towards Malediktator. For the third time, the swat team blocked him, causing him to jump back as he dodged a ball of light. However, Malediktator stopped focusing on him and Abeille as Hawkmoth talked to him before smirking at the super villain's suggestion. He began to make a new ball of light.

 "By the power invested in me," He stated, lifting it into the air and make it increase in size. "I declare you all my slaves!"

 Abeille gasped as he made the ball of light massive, causing Anatis to frown.

 "We can't dodge that one, Anatis!" She gasped in fear.

 "He's going to take over the city," He mumbled, frowning. Abeille jumped up and threw her spin top at Malediktator but once again, the guard blocked it. Anatis whistled as she tried to kick the guard, causing her to jump back over to him as they hid on the building behind him. "Directly attacking isn't going to work,"

 "So what do we do?" She asked.

 "You need to get past that guard and get his sash. That's were the akuma is," He muttered, thinking before he took out his yoyo. "And to do that, we're gonna need a bit of luck... Lucky charm!"

 He threw his yoyo up in the air, summoning the magic bugs. He blinked in surprise as he caught the large machine gun.

 "Are we going to shoot him?" Abeille asked, making him frown as he glanced around for the answer. He smirked when Malediktator lit up, followed by Lady Noir. He glanced down at the gun and smiled as the laser was highlighted and finally, Abeille. He broke off the laser part and dumped the rest of the gun aside.

 "As if I'd use violence," He grinned, spinning it in his fingers. "I'll deal with the guard, you sting our esteemed mayor,"

 "Aye, aye, Captain," She grinned, saluting him before spinning her spin top, causing it to glow yellow. "Venom!!"

 She caught it as it pulsed before nodding at Anatis before the two of them jumped over to separate buildings. Abeille laid in wait as Anatis clicked the laser near Lady Noir, causing her to notice it and try to catch it with her hand. He smirked as he moved it, causing her to chase it as she repeatedly tried to capture it. He directed it on the back of one of the swat team, causing her to jump on him and knock him down. It also caused Malediktator to notice but he couldn't move as his bubble would become ineffective. Smirking to himself, Anatis moved it across the backs of the guard, causing Lady Noir to take them all out and knock them off the building as she chased the laser. Malediktator panicked and tried to tell her to stop but Anatis continued to move the laser until all of the swat team was off hanging off the building. He blinked it twice, giving Abeille a signal. She jumped out from her hiding place and dived at Malediktator, slamming the spin top into the middle of his chest before landing on the ground next to him as he froze. The giant bubble disappeared as she grabbed the sash and threw it to Anatis. He caught it and broke it in half, releasing the akuma. He took out his yoyo and captured it before releasing the purified version. He picked up the laser part and tossed it into the air.

 "Miraculous Ladybugs!" He shouted, causing it to burst into the magic swamp and fix everything. He smiled as it flew through the city, fixing the school before it came back and fixed city hall and Lady Noir before safely placing the swat team and the Bourgeois family in front of it before disappearing. Anatis jumped down with Abeille as Malediktator turned back to Mr Bourgeois as Audrey looked around confused before she began to shout at him. Chloe looked at them sadly before gasping and rushing over as she saw Anatis.

 "Anatis!" She gasped. "You totally saved me again!! Oh, I can I have a-"

 She stopped as she saw Abeille, causing Anatis to place his hand on his yoyo. She honestly looked like she was about to cry but she swallowed and smiled widely at Abeille before holding out her hand.

 "Hi, I'm Chloe Bourgeois, the previous Queen Bee. It's nice to meet you," She smiled, causing Abeille to shake it.

 "I'm Abeille. It's nice to meet you too," She replied, causing Chloe to break into a massive smile.

 "Would you mind if I took a selfie with you?" She gasped, causing Abeille to look to Anatis. He smiled and nodded as Lady Noir jumped down and leaned on his shoulder.

 "Aww, Annie, you made a new friend," She grinned in a teasing manner, making him laugh and pat her head. She grinned and leaned into his hand, causing him to laugh as Abeille and Chloe took a couple of selfies before their miraculous beeped. "Abeille, we need to go,"

 "Ok!" She grinned, turning to leave before she decided to hug Chloe, surprising the girl before she let go and ran over to Anatis. Chloe smiled and ran over to her parents before telling them off and dragging them away. The three heroes jumped up to the roofs and ran off but Lady Noir stopped and turned to them.

 "I'll let you do the thing, Annie," She grinned before turning to Abeille. "I hope next time he calls on you we get to actually work together,"

 "Me too, Lady Noir," She grinned, hugging her as well. Lady Noir grinned and patted her head before saluting. She walked to the edge of the building before turning around and blowing a kiss towards Anatis, making him blush and Abeille to gush before she hopped away. "Oh my gosh!! You two are so cute!!"

 He smiled but shook his head as they jumped down to an alleyway. Rose called off the transformation and said goodbye to Pollen before taking off the comb and handing it back to Anatis.

 "Thank you for choosing me, Anatis," She smiled. "I hope we get to do this again,"

 "Should there be an occasion that calls for the bee, I will come and find you," He smiled, placing it back in the box and hiding it in his yoyo. "Are you ok getting home?"

 "Yes, I'll be going to my friend's house tonight," She smiled as his earrings beeped. "Besides, you're about to transform back,"

 "Yeah, I'll have to go," He replied, making her nod before she hugged him suddenly. He smiled and hugged back before she pulled away and ran off, waving to him. He waved back and threw his yoyo up to the building. He ran across it as his earrings rapidly beeped before he jumped down into another alley. He caught Tikki and gave her a macaron before taking out the bee miraculous. He fixed it into his hair, causing Pollen to manifest.

 "Hello, my prince," She smiled as he took out a macaron for her. She thanked him and began to eat it as he smiled.

 "Do you approve off Rose?"

 "She makes an excellent bee," She smiled, moving on his shoulder as Tikki sat on the other one. He smiled and walked with them to Master Fu. Tikki and Pollen hid in his hoodie as he walked up to the shop and knocked on the door before walking inside. Master Fu looked up and smiled.

 "You've returned," He nodded, taking out the miracle box. Luka smiled at Pollen before taking the comb out of his hair and placing it back in the box. "I noticed that a new bee superhero made her debut today. Care to explain?"

 "Chloe was never my choice to wield the bee miraculous," He replied, making Master Fu nod. "And when I reclaimed it from her, I made it very clear that she would never have it again and that she would need to earn my trust to even be considered as one of my allies. I wasn't going to go back on my word,"

 "And the new bee?"

 "She's a friend," He smiled, making Master Fu nod. "Chloe is making progress though. She apologized to everyone and is trying to start again,"

 "Maybe she'll prove to be worthy then," Master Fu replied, making Luka nod. "Perhaps if you have some free time, we can go over some miraculous lore,"

 "Sure, Master," He smiled, kneeling down as Master Fu grabbed his tablet and joined him. Tikki flew over to Wayzz and settled next to him as they watched their two holders talk and learn. Tikki smiled with a little pride as she watched Luka name the miraculous and who the kwami was that resided within them. 

 "He seems like an excellent choice to be a ladybug,"

 "He's the best holder I've ever had," Tikki admitted, smiling. Wayzz looked over and smiled as well as Luka pointed out each ability.

 "He would make an excellent guardian,"

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

Next Chapter: https://ultra-sassyduck.tumblr.com/post/636700267461623808/miraculous-rise-of-anatis-37

[mikauzoran]

Marichat/Adrienette: The Rejects Club: Chapter Twenty-Eight

Read it on AO3: The Rejects Club: Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Duel

“Minou,” Marinette calls softly from behind him, and it makes the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end.

Adrien smirks as he stage whispers to Nino, “I know what that syrupy sweet tone means. Ten euros say she wants something.”

“No bet,” Nino scoffs, packing up his things.

Adrien turns in his seat to grin adoringly at a sheepish Marinette. “What does my princess need?”

“Bestest best friend Adrien,” she begins.

Alya rolls her eyes as she shoves her books into her satchel.

“No. I’m not revealing Chat’s secret identity,” Adrien chuckles.

Marinette grimaces. “I was only going to ask for a list of all the blonde guys on the fencing team.”

He looks back at Nino. “Do you think she’s just using me? It would be pretty stupid of me to help her get together with another guy, don’t you think?”

“Mec,” Nino sighs, one word conveying so much.

“There are a lot of blondes in fencing,” Adrien directs back to Marinette. “In fact, most of the guys on the team are blonde. Then there are the unofficial members who come weekly and the people who drop by from time to time. A lot of them are blonde too. It’s a very popular hair color. Shall I narrow the list down for you?”

Marinette raises an eyebrow in suspicion, cautiously inquiring, “You’d do that? Wouldn’t Chat be upset?”

Adrien shrugs, turning back around to scribble something quickly on a spare sheet of notebook paper. He tears it out and hands it to her, declaring, “This is all the list you need.”

Marinette looks down to see the words “Adrien Agreste” circled, underlined, starred, and with arrows pointing to the name.

With a sigh, she rolls her eyes and crumples the paper, tossing it at Nino.

“Hey,” the DJ grumbles.

The bell on the choker around Adrien’s neck gets a flick, making its owner tingle with glee.

“Gee. Thanks. It’s really helpful that you’ve narrowed down my suspect list,” Marinette remarks in a monotone.

“You’re welcome,” Adrien replies without a hint of irony. “You know, if you like, you could always come watch practice today. Maybe you’ll spot him yourself.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Marinette admits, turning to Alya and Nino. “Did you two have anything going on today, or would you like to come?”

And so they all end up in the courtyard after school. It had started raining after lunch, so the roof is up, protecting the open-air gym.

Alya, Nino, and Marinette station themselves on the benches to the side of the court while the team gets ready for practice.

“This is probably pointless,” Marinette sighs, straining her eyes at every blonde boy walking in or out of the locker room.

“Probably, but Adrien’s happy to have you watching him practice, and I’m sure Chat is too, even though you don’t recognize him,” Nino offers consolingly, getting out his physics worksheet.

Alya subverts his efforts to be productive by laying her head in his lap and smiling up facetiously. “Hey, Babe.”

“Hey, Al,” Nino sighs fondly, running a hand through her hair.

“You can’t even tell which ones are blonde once they’ve got all their gear on,” Alya helpfully points out, stealing Nino’s glasses.

“Yeah.” Marinette sinks to sit on the ground, resting her head back against the seat of the bench. “This is probably a total bust. At least I’ll see him tonight.”

“What’s all this then?” Alya chokes, shoving Nino’s glasses back at him and rolling up to sitting to gape down at Marinette.

“Al,” Nino scolds. “Careful with the eyewear.”

Alya doesn’t hear over her single-minded intensity. “You’re meeting him tonight?! In person?!”

“Oh!” Marinette gasps, blood going cold. “Oh, no. No. That’s not what I meant. We’re chatting online again tonight. Because he’s my pen pal whom I’ve never met before in real life. It’s not like he’s coming to my bedroom and we’re gonna watch movies or anything.”

Alya blinks. “Oddly specific denial.”

Marinette grins awkwardly.

Alya flops back down on Nino’s lap.

“Oof! Al!”

If Alya weren’t so used to Marinette’s weirdness, she would be suspicious. “Right. Well, at least he can’t get you pregnant from the other side of a computer screen.”

“Alya!” Marinette squeals, turning chartreuse.

“Just sayin’,” Alya scoffs. “If he can convince you to marry him in a week, how long do you think it’s going to take him to talk his way into your pants? I don’t trust him. At least Adrien was a known quantity. Can we go back to Adrien now that he’s a sloppy mess over you? I feel more comfortable with Adrien.”

“This is a wonderful conversation,” Nino remarks cheerily. “I’m so glad I’m here for this.”

“Me too,” Marinette mutters, curling up defensively. “Chat’s a good guy. He would never overstep my boundaries like that. And Adrien…I’m not touching that metaphoric can of worms.”

“There’s always the threesome option,” Alya proposes. “I’d feel better if Adrien were there to take care of you. But then again, he seems to have done a total one-eighty with his feelings for you. What’s to stop him from dropping you in four years like he dropped Ladybug? What if he decides he likes Kagami in two weeks? Maybe it would be better if I didn’t set you up with someone with a history of inconstancy.”

“Adrien is not inconstant,” Nino snorts, defending his buddy even as he wonders about the alleged “secret girlfriend” Adrien has been texting.

“Still. I’m thinking Chat may still be the better choice,” Alya decides. “Unless you can get them to commit to a threesome. Then definitely go for the threesome.”

“She has a point about the threesome,” Nino admits.

Marinette buries her face in her hands and fights down a scream. “Stop. We are not doing this right now. Come talk to me in two months when I’ve managed to figure out what I want.”

“Threesome,” Alya sings, settling back down on the bench.

With a sigh, Marinette stands up to go lean against the wall for a better view of the numerous blonde boys on the fencing team.

“Marinette!” one of the team members calls, waving as he approaches.

Marinette’s stomach explodes into butterflies. He’s wearing a mask, so she can’t see his face, but could this be Chat, finally coming out of hiding?

Marinette perks up, fixing an inviting smile to her lips as she pushes out her chest a little more and tips her head so that her neck and the lace choker there are bared.

“Hey there,” she greets, going for confidence with a pinch of mystery thrown into the bargain. She is so grateful that she looks awesome today…good hair day, cute outfit, stellar accessories… She’d bet that he’s taken notice.

The mask comes off, and it’s Étienne Saint-Cloud.

Marinette’s smile falters. “Oh, hey, Étienne. How’s it going?”

He comes up to her and rests a hand on the wall to the right of her shoulder. “It was a good day to begin with, but it got even better when I saw you here to watch practice. How are you doing today?”

“Oh. You know.” She forces a smile and plays with her loose bang. “Pretty good. Always a little crazy, but I can’t really complain.”

“Who’s this guy?” Alya sits up and whispers to Nino.

“Étienne Saint-Cloud,” Nino mumbles back. “Marinette accidentally flirted with him yesterday because she thought he might be Chat.”

Nino glances around the gym, hoping to find that Adrien is still in the locker room, but there is no such luck: Adrien is watching Étienne flirt with Marinette, watching Marinette smile awkwardly and play with her hair as Étienne leans farther into her personal space.

Adrien glares death threats backed by enough money to hire a hitman as he strides over, fists clenched.

Nino groans. “This doesn’t end well.”

Alya pulls out her phone and starts filming. “We can show this at the wedding…depending on which one she ends up with.”

Nino shakes his head. “Do you have to film everything?”

“I’m telling you,” Alya stresses, “that fight in the locker room this morning and this territorial display are going on the highlight reel for the wedding. I’m going to be the maid of honor, so I have to be prepared.”

Nino blinks. “Wouldn’t that be the ‘matron of honor’? Isn’t it ‘matron’ when you’re the maid of honor but you’re already married? Do you think they’re going to get married before we do?”

“Semantics,” Alya hedges, not wanting to start in on their number one source of conflict. She does not have commitment issues. Has she not been with the same guy for four years? So what if she’s a little squeamish about making it official and legally binding too early?

“I was wondering…” Étienne reaches out and catches Marinette’s hand as it fiddles with her hair. “Would you go on a date with me tomorrow after school?”

“She’s busy,” Adrien snaps.

Marinette stares in confusion as Étienne turns on Adrien and places his hands on his hips.

“Oh, is she?” Étienne scoffs. “Are you the keeper of her schedule?”

“No, but I happen to know she has dinner plans,” Adrien retorts, taking a step forward and sticking out his chest to make up for the difference in height. “And even if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be interested because she’s not into you, Saint-Cloud. She’s already got someone else.”

Étienne raises a skeptical eyebrow. “Who? You? You’re so conceited, Agreste. Just because you’ve got a pretty face that all the other girls drool over? You think Marinette is the same? You think everyone likes you because your daddy’s rich and you’ve got your face plastered over all the billboards. Newsflash, Agreste,” Étienne snaps. “You’re not so great. You’re shallow and pretentious. You’re a pampered brat who thinks he’s got it so tough. Really, how much effort and brain power does it take to lie around half naked while people take pictures?”

Étienne punctuates his verbal attack with a shove. “You think Marinette likes superficial airheads like you? That’s insulting. On the other hand, she seemed pretty into me yesterday morning, so why don’t we let Marinette speak for herself and tell us which one she prefers?”

Adrien answers Étienne with a shove of his own, seeing red as he remembers Nino telling Chat Noir about Marinette flirting with Étienne. “Or I could just challenge you to a duel. First to five points wins. If you win, you can take Marinette on a date, and I’ll shut up. If I win, you never bother her again.”

“I’ll enjoy wiping the floor with you in front of her,” Étienne agrees.

“I can make my own decisions, if anyone cares,” Marinette grumbles as the boys prepare to do battle for her hand. “This is stupid.”

“This is testosterone at play. It’s the result of a culture of toxic masculinity,” Nino reports in reluctant acceptance.

“AKA, the reason why women should govern the world,” Alya seconds, getting up from the bench and moving a little closer to get a better shot of the match.

“I knew this would happen,” Nino sighs, not bothering to get up. “The instant I saw that guy flirting with you yesterday, I thought, ‘Adrien is going to be a jealous mess’ and ‘This is going to cause problems in my life’. I’m really sick of being right all the time, you know?”

“I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone or Bizarro World or something,” Alya snorts. “What has gotten into our sunshine child? He’s never like this. I mean, he rarely loses his head, even over things that he should.”

“He’s kind of been out of his mind the past week,” Nino mutters.

Marinette crosses her arms over her chest. “I’d say I’m glad I’m not the only one, but…”

Alya bursts into a cackle. “Marinette, my love, you’ve been out of your mind these past four years.” She turns the camera on her friend and inquires in her best journalist voice, “So, how does it feel to have two hot guys fighting over you?”

“Not good,” Marinette sulks, skimming the crowd gathering to watch the duel, hoping to chance upon a semi-familiar face. “Not when I’m more interested in attention from someone else. It’s funny to think that two weeks ago this would have made me ecstatic, but now…”

She doesn’t see Chat in the crowd. She imagines he would be rolling his eyes at the stupidity but secretly cheering Adrien on.

“You know what this looks like?” Marinette groans as the realization hits her and her stomach fills with dread.

“A cockfight?” Alya snickers.

“The prelude to an akuma attack,” Marinette corrects, nervously fingering her lace bracelet.

“Oh,” Alya whispers somberly.

Nino hisses a sibilant curse under his breath.

The combatants take their places on the piste, pulling down their masks and giving the salute.

“…Wanna take bets?” Alya suggests.

“Adrien is going to rearrange Saint-Cloud’s face,” Nino declares.

“En garde,” the student chosen as referee intones. “Prêt…. Allez!”

Adrien and Étienne lunge into action, both figuratively going for the throat. There’s a furious exchange of thrusts, parries, ripostes, parries, and counter-ripostes ending when the fencers lunge simultaneously, both touching at the same time.

“Double,” the referee announces. “One-one.”

Adrien and Étienne nod, returning to their respective starting lines.

Kagami takes advantage of the brief pause in the action to come up beside Marinette. “I can’t believe he’s losing his head like this over you.”

Marinette shrugs. “Yeah, well, join the club because I’m just as surprised.”

Kagami lifts a skeptical eyebrow. “What exactly did you do to him?”

“The truth?” Marinette snickers as Adrien and Étienne begin a more cautious dance of advance and retreat, testing the waters and baiting each other by occasionally touching blades. “For the past week, every time he’s spoken to me, I’ve burst into tears.”

Étienne lunges, going high, but Adrien drops low, landing a touch on Étienne’s foot.

“Two-one.”

“Seriously?” Kagami demands.

“Every single time,” Marinette insists, watching intently as the back-and-forth punctuated by occasional feints and unsuccessful attempted attacks starts up once more.

“He doesn’t strike me as the type to go for weepy, depressed girls,” Kagami scoffs.

“No, I think he actually likes strong women who aren’t afraid to kick his butt,” Marinette replies, trying to remember if that was something that Chat had said or Adrien. They’re beginning to bleed together at the edges. “I think he said something like that this morning, anyway, so I’m not sure why he’s suddenly interested in me.”

“Temporary insanity,” Kagami decrees levelly.

Étienne tries for a flèche, charging at Adrien with the intent to score a point as he passes, but Adrien parries the attack and successfully ripostes.

“Three-one.”

The boys return to their lines, bending their épées back into shape.

Étienne is getting visibly agitated, swiping his blade through the air, clenching and unclenching his fist, and shifting restlessly at the starting line.

Adrien, on the other hand, outwardly appears calm as he raises his blade in en garde.

“En garde…prêt…allez!” the ref calls.

Étienne advances aggressively, pushing Adrien back to the very edge of the piste. Adrien parries but is unable to gain any ground in the face of Étienne’s relentless onslaught. With one foot over the back line, Adrien lunges just a split second behind Étienne’s balestra.

Étienne does a quick, vertical hop into a lunge, and Adrien’s thrust misses.

He doesn’t have time to recover from the lunge and retreat or parry before the point of Étienne’s épée finds his collarbone. He only barely manages to sneak in a jab to Étienne’s arm.

The execution is sloppy and not the performance he wants while Marinette is watching.

“Double. Four-Two.”

Adrien swipes with his blade in frustration, despite getting a point. He won’t let Étienne Saint-Cloud back him into a corner again.

“You know, Kagami,” Marinette remarks softly. “I’m not your enemy.”

“Aren’t you?” Kagami snorts. “We both want the same thing, and only one of us can have it. How are you not my enemy?”

“Adrien might be fighting a duel over me, and, sure, I guess you’re allowed to be jealous over that. Two weeks ago I would have if our places were switched, but now…even if Adrien wins, that’s not going to decide anything. I’m not dating anyone right now, and when I do decide that I’m ready again, there’s someone else.”

“Someone else?” Kagami wonders as Adrien and Étienne start the next bout, moving back and forth on the piste, taking calculated risks.

Marinette nods. “Someone else. I don’t think Adrien will be able to change my mind, so…I don’t know how strong his feelings for me are, but he might need a friend that’s not Nino or Alya or me when this is over. Someone uninvolved,” she clarifies. “You’re his friend, aren’t you?”

Kagami watches silently in thought as Étienne goes for another flèche.

As Étienne passes, Adrien parries, and their épées get caught up in one another. Étienne’s épée goes in front of Adrien’s chest, and Adrien manages to stab behind himself and find Étienne’s thigh before the pass is complete.

“Five-Two. Adrien wins,” the referee declares, and the announcement is met by a mix of cheers and polite applause.

“You’re going to break his heart?” Kagami finally responds.

“Most likely,” Marinette mumbles.

“Then, yes. I’m his friend. I’m able to be a friend, if that’s what he needs.”

“Good,” Marinette sighs quietly in relief. “Thanks, Kagami.”

“I don’t need your thanks,” Kagami counters, holding her head high as she walks off.

On the piste, Adrien takes off his mask and approaches Étienne for the customary handshake.

Étienne slaps Adrien’s hand away. “You’re a prick, Agreste. I’m not even going to pretend to be civil with you.”

“Fine.” Adrien shrugs, withdrawing his hand with a self-satisfied smirk. “Then don’t expect me to be civil if you ever bother my princess again. For the last time, she’s not interested in you, so bugger off, Saint-Cloud,” he spits, baring his teeth.

In response, Étienne is only able to utter a guttural curse. He points at Adrien, his entire arm shaking with rage. The gesture alone is threat enough.

Étienne throws down his mask and turns on his heel to storm off to the locker room, the gathered crowd parting for him.

Several teammates approach Adrien to clap him on the back and congratulate him, but he quickly makes his way through the receiving line and back over to Nino, Alya, and Marinette, looking for all the world like a pleased puppy who expects to be rewarded with head pats.

“Hey,” Adrien greets airily as he comes to a stop in front of Marinette, his smile a shining beacon.

“Proud of yourself?” she asks wryly.

Adrien’s grin falters. “…It is just now occurring to me that maybe I shouldn’t be?”

Marinette crosses her arms, closing herself off. “Adrien, I am not your princess. Didn’t we just talk today about how I’m not some prize to be fought over?”

Adrien visibly shrinks. “I’m guessing you didn’t find that at all romantic or sweet or impressive.”

“I found it anachronistic,” Marinette snorts. “Adrien Agreste, you’re a chauvinistic jerk. If I want to turn a guy down, I’ll do it myself. No one requires your permission to date me. I make those decisions myself. I am not your possession to get territorial over.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t—” Adrien begins to splutter. “I don’t think that. I wasn’t trying to objectify you, and I know you’re more than capable of handling things yourself and that I don’t have the right to interfere if you want to date someone else, but I saw him flirting with you, and I just…” He looks down at his feet and mumbles, “I got jealous.”

“I’ve seen you wear a lot of things that would be ugly on someone else, but jealousy isn’t something you can pull off. It’s not a good look on you, Adrien,” Marinette informs softly, gradually relenting.

“I’ll take that under advisory,” Adrien sighs. “I’m sorry, Marinette.”

“Minou?”

He looks up in time to see her smile gently. He’s no longer wearing the choker with the bell because of his fencing gear, but she reaches out as if to ring it and, instead, runs a slow finger down his throat, plucking at the collar of his fencing jacket.

“I forgive you,” she assures, beginning to build him back up now that she’s gotten her point across. “And you were pretty impressive. You looked really cool, especially on that lunge where you got him in the foot.”

“Yeah?” Adrien perks up, and if he were Chat in that moment, his tail would be wagging like a dog’s.

“Yeah,” she confirms, her cheeks betraying her with a blush. “Just between you and me, if you had challenged a guy to a duel over the right to date me two weeks ago, I probably would have thought it was sweet and romantic. I still would have been upset over being treated like a trophy, but…I don’t think I would have been as mad as I am today, so I’m not really being fair to you.”

“Because of Monday?” he guesses.

She looks away. “That might have something to do with it.”

“Okay.” Adrien nods, accepting that he has to play the hand he’s been dealt. “That’s okay. After all, there’s no rule saying that you have to be fair to me, Princess,” he chuckles, scooping up her hand for a kiss.

“You have got to stop that. That’s Chat’s nickname,” she makes a show of protesting.

“Is Chat allowed to engage in territorial displays over you?” Adrien wonders, straightening back up.

Marinette rolls her eyes. “Chat is not my boyfriend either. He also does not own me, and if he starts treating me like a possession, he and I will have the same discussion that you and I had.”

“But would you secretly think it was sweet and romantic?” Adrien pushes.

“Yes,” Marinette reluctantly admits through gritted teeth. “But I wouldn’t tell him that because I don’t want to encourage this kind of chauvinistic behavior. It’s demeaning.”

“I’ll make a note to ask your permission next time before I challenge someone to a duel over you,” Adrien chuckles.

“That’s not what I meant,” Marinette groans.

“If you want, I can even make a verbal disclaimer before I fight the guy: ‘Let it be known that Marinette Dupain-Cheng-Noir is perfectly capable of beating the tar out of both this loser and myself, but I am acting here as proxy’.”

With an eye roll, Marinette flicks Adrien on the nose. “You are insufferable.”

“But you still like me,” Adrien hesitantly teases, half afraid she’ll contradict him.

Marinette shakes her head slowly. “Yeah. Heaven help me, I like you. Platonically,” she adds.

The wattage on his smile could blow fuses. He’ll take “platonically” for now.

He opens his mouth to say something charming to, hopefully, smooth over the whole ordeal when he is cut off by a deafening crash emanating from the locker room. He blinks in confusion.

Did one of the banks of lockers fall over? What could have—?

Suddenly it hits him.

“Shoot,” he hisses. “I just got Étienne Saint-Cloud akumatized, didn’t I?”

“Sounds like it,” Marinette groans as the students in the gym begin to flee in anticipation of the chaos. She scans the crowd for a lone blonde boy rolling his eyes and trotting off to transform; she sees only panicked retreat.

“and he’s probably coming straight for you or me, so it might be a good idea to get out of here,” Marinette completes, abandoning her search for Chat.

Adrien nods in resignation. “We should probably split up. Hey, Nino!”

Nino looks up from where he’s pulling on Alya’s arm, trying to get her to run.

Adrien takes Marinette by the hand and leads her over to their friends, presenting her to Nino. “Could you please get Marinette somewhere safe and then make sure she stays there?”

“Uh…” Nino looks uncertainly between Alya, Adrien, and Marinette. “Sure, Mec.”

Marinette takes a split second to be annoyed. “Seriously? After we just talked about outdated chivalry being sexist and obnoxious, you’re asking Nino to protect me?”

Adrien struggles not to laugh. “Uh, no? Sorry, Bro, but I would never ask Nino to protect you. I’m pretty sure you could break him over your knee.”

“It’s true.” Nino shrugs, pulling on Alya’s arm as she uploads her “Prelude to the Attack” footage to the Ladyblog and prepares to capture the upcoming fight.

“I’m not asking Nino to be your protector,” Adrien snickers. “I’m asking him to be your warden.”

Marinette blinks, attempting to parse Adrien’s meaning.

“You have a penchant for getting into trouble,” Adrien points out. “Nino, if she tries to do anything heroic or even vaguely altruistic, sit on her.”

Marinette pouts as Nino snorts in laughter.

“I’ll take care of her,” Nino assures. “You take care of you, Mec.”

“Thanks.” With a wink for Marinette and a two-finger salute, Adrien takes off.

Nino turns to his girlfriend. “Al—”

“—I’m filming,” she replies flatly.

Nino mutters a hushed curse. “Be safe, Al. I love you.” He presses a quick kiss to her cheek.

“Love you too, Babe,” she chuckles. “Sorry you have to put up with me.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he snorts, turning to Marinette. “Come on. Let’s get you squared away.”

They make it out of the courtyard just as the locker room door blows off its hinges. Marinette leads the way at a run, bypassing a few of her usual transforming spots for a location farther away from the action so that Nino will be safe while he waits out the attack. They duck into the men’s restroom and do a quick check for witnesses.

“Nino, I think I’m going to go do something heroic and-or vaguely altruistic,” Marinette chuckles, popping open her purse. “Do you want to try to sit on me?”

Nino laughs mirthlessly as he pulls out his phone and opens the Ladyblog. “Pass. Just make sure that Marinette is back in this room ASAP after the fight. Adrien is going to flip if he calls or finds me and I don’t have a spotless Marinette readily available for inspection.”

“Was that a pun?” Marinette wonders.

“No. Now go, and don’t get injured unless you want Adrien to wipe the floor with me.”

Marinette gives the nod and turns to Tikki. “Tikki, transform me!”

In a burst of pink light, Ladybug materializes. “Stay safe, Nino,” she mutters, yo-yoing up to the windows above the stalls and letting herself out so as to come back in from a different direction.

“Damn…that is a big sword,” Nino sighs, taking off his baseball cap and running a nervous hand through his hair as he observes the akumatized Étienne on his screen.

[all-hail-the-witcher]

You guys are friendship goals how do you make internet friends saph

okay story time this is the progression of mine and @papesdontsellthemselves friendship (complete with pictures)

so once upon a time (actually it was november of last year) i was a Sad high school senior drowning my sorrows in my tumblr account as newsies royalty while i stressed over my college applications and auditions. most of my pastimes included 1. writing shitty fics 2. reading good fics and 3. listening to bad music from 2012. and i happened to stumble upon some newsies pics as one does by Someone called @papesdontsellthemselves or, as was listed in the bio “Mikey” 

nevertheless i binge read all of them at approximately 2am on a school night and probably fell asleep in ap euro the next morning. i very much liked his fics. they were slappy. and i started to stalk his account, as any normal person would.

and once or twice or several times, as any person who runs out of ideas does, he asked for prompt requests. and me, being a sad fangirl of this poor bois account, decided to send him some. (he still has one that he never answered) and he wrote a few of them. this one was my favorite go read it (i think i inspired this one) 

and then one day i opened my tumblr acc and THIS was waiting for me:

and i think i was like KJHSJHASLHJGDSLKH WH

then you know some time went by as time does and we sort of awkwardly coexisted. i actually was within like 10 minutes of him for a college audition before we knew each other that was pretty wild.

and then

the fateful day

i was sitting in ap stats, bored out of my mind, and decided to ignore the lesson on z scores or whatever it was cause what the fuck else are you supposed to do in ap stats and go on tumblr (seriously do not take ap stats its terrible, its an acid trip, i barely passed that class) and i had a message waiting for me from the one and only @papesdontsellthemselves that said something like:

“lol sorry to bother you chief but how to you put your tag lists on your pics so they dont take forever ooo sorry!!” 

and i was like ssksksksjskskjsk why is tumblr royalty @papesdontsellthemselves talking to me, a lowly peasant, and i may have freaked out for a hot sec but then i responded something like 

“i have it in a google doc and then hit the down arrow and the return key really fast lol”

(only recently he revealed to me that he didnt actually give a shit about my tag list (r00d) and that he just wanted an excuse to talk to me and That was what he came up with and he screamed after he sent the message cause he was so scared. also he was in theater with his weird shoeless teacher not paying attention. we’re good students i promise.)  

and then we got to Talking and we just didnt Stop talking? like i told him about jeff, my shitty english teacher and he told me about his theater teacher who made them do 9/11 shakespeare and we bonded and then we sent each other pictures of our dogs: 

mikeys dog, leela (aka leeks Big Chonk) ^^

my dog, lacey ^^

and we also went through The Awkward Stage

but then

a miracle happened

twas christmas eve, about like idk 3pm and the two of us were Awkwardly Conversing as awkward internet friends do and i was getting changed for christmas eve dinner (cause my family Extra and you have to be Fancy or face the Wrath of the Elders) and I'm digging through my closet looking for something Presentable when discover The Pencil Skirt. 

it twas a rather unsuspecting article, green wool with faint plaid stripes, and hand-me-down from some aunt, and i decided to put it on because i had limited fancy clothes and didnt wanna do a repeat from a previous year. so i added my One White Button Down Shirt and some black dance tights and called it a day. 

so then me, being me, was messaging mikey and said (keep in mind were still practically strangers and had been barely talking for a week):

“wow i actually look kinda hot right now like maybe someone would bang me. like, I'm not into that, but I look good enough that someone might consider it.”

yes

me, an asexual, said that to a total stranger on the internet.

what were you Thinking saph.

truly, i have no idea.

but for some reason, instead of being scared away (like a normal sane person should be) mikey laughed and we began calling each other daddy. i dont know okay, it was a wild experience. I'm not sure if it actually happened.

so, my skirt became The Daddy Skirt, a tragic symbol of our strange friendship, and the two of us exited the Awkward Stage.

truly it was an exciting time:

and then we gave each other nicknames. the sappy kind not the cursed kind. mikey was bean cause he was a coffee bean and cocoa bean addict. and i was originally shrub and then bear and finally peanut. im not sure why. he isn't either.

boi also Literally guessed my real name. like straight up. and i was like “o word.” it was trippy. 

AND THEN twas a cold february day when we decided to exchange faces. i send him a picture of me eating a christmas tree. he sent me a picture of him in his kitchen wearing sun glasses frat boy posing. truly iconic.

we also liked to look up weird things late at night and have revelations about dumb shit, as seen by these Unexplained Screenshots i have on my phone:

yes those are real screenshots

then we decided to finally talk on instagram instead of this hell site and i was exposed to mikeys finsta *shudder*

nothing much else interesting happened until: College *dun dun dunnnnnn* 

(except for that one time i had a mental breakdown at 1am and he drove home form some party to ig call me and tell me about the time his dog ended up in solitary confinement. a true g)

so for Safety Reasons, i finally gave milky my number when i got to school and we started texting and Facetiming which was a Trip.

i also sent him a Box of Cursed Content. he tried to send the box back to me in october and it still hasn't arrived. we think it may be in antarctica.

and then we tried to coordinate to meet up like three (3) separate times before We Got Lucky, the Stars Aligned, and we held hands in the back of an a&f

(we also hugged in a nordstrom in like the Fancy Clothes Section and the lady thought we were definitely dating cause we took pics of us hugging in the fuckin mirror pillar. also i almost lost my wallet but thats another story.)

and next year our wild journey will continue (hopefully) 

in conclusion i love mikey and this has been a sappy post

[punkscowardschampions]

Janis & Grace

Janis: What's this I hear about a bitch fight, like? Grace: ugh can you NOT please Janis: Is it true though Grace: it wasn't a fight okay I just lost my chill like Grace: moving on Janis: 💔 Janis: shame Janis: what happened then Grace: I don't wanna talk about it Janis: I mean I'd ask her but she ain't responding either Janis: very unlike Mia Grace: I didn't hit her that hard but sure Grace: she'll be watching a tutorial for like fake bruises or whatever obvs Grace: make me look worse Janis: again, gutted Janis: but seriously Janis: why'd you finally lose it with the bitch Grace: ask Pablo Janis: ? Janis: what's he got to do with it Grace: while you were getting with barista boy on the school trip they were also hooking up at some party Janis: no way Janis: what the fuck Grace: he didn't even try & deny it Grace: I literally can't with either of them Janis: Jesus Janis: kinda wish I didn't know now Janis: 🤢 Grace: UM yeah same Grace: but she just had to tell me cos I was dealing with a lot that wasn't about her Janis: well yeah Janis: sitting on that one 'til the best time Janis: cow Janis: should've hit her hard, I'd have shown you Grace: I'm not trying to get sued babes Grace: & it wasn't like I decided to hit her or anything Janis: wouldn't waste a court's time with that shite Janis: daddy not trying to get done for wasting resources really Janis: did think Pablo had better taste, tbh Janis: well, not really but you know Grace: Ew don't call him daddy Grace: I can't even be angry right Grace: I should've just kept crying like I always do Janis: Come on Janis: smacking her ones the best thing you ever did Janis: felt good, yeah? Grace: you'd have done it better Janis: still can, like Janis: have to be a decent apology for that Janis: 💰💰💰 at least Grace: if you do, vlog it & send me the footage Grace: I can't be here Grace: I literally have to leave Janis: where are you gonna go? Grace: idk Grace: I can't think rn Janis: You at home? Grace: obvs not they all think I'm mental there Grace: this isn't gonna help Janis: Hardly Janis: she deserved it Janis: how long do you need Janis: away, like Grace: if I'm freaking out now it'll be worse when she retaliates so ????? Grace: & when school starts Grace: OMG LITERALLY WHAT AM I GONNA DO? Janis: Calm down Janis: okay, you'll be fine Janis: contrary to her word being law in your circle, no one actually gives a fuck what she says Janis: anyway Janis: you said you have loads of shit on her, right? Grace: everyone needs to stop telling me to calm down Grace: you don't even understand Grace: she knows as much about me Grace: this is so bad Janis: exactly Janis: so if she's got any brains, she won't be spreading it Janis: if you don't move, she can't, yeah Grace: but I did Grace: I literally hit her Janis: you don't do things like that, you lot Janis: you didn't post anything about her or her and Pablo, did you Grace: I don't want anyone knowing that ever happened, why would I? Janis: see, wouldn't that be much worse Janis: to her Janis: how you lot operate Janis: she'll make up some story about why you hit her, if she chooses to go for that angle Janis: but she knows you've got all the real shit if she's gonna try anything else Janis: stalemate Grace: Yeah, I guess Janis: I'm sure Janis: school'll be fine Grace: UM how?? it's already rubbish & now I've got no one Janis: join the club Janis: just show up, do your lessons Janis: go town on your lunch break Janis: easy Grace: You've got your bf Grace: don't do him like that Janis: I didn't before, did I Janis: never mind just last term Grace: you didn't want one before Janis: no lad at that school, maybe Grace: I'm gonna have to get one now Grace: ugh Grace: 🙏🙏 there's some party tonight or something Janis: how's that the solution Grace: to not being alone? well duh Grace: who's single rn? 🤔🤔🤔 Janis: 🙄 honestly Grace Grace: excuse you Grace: I'm trying to be pro-active here Janis: you've lost your friend not girlfriend Janis: that's what you should be aiming for Grace: she was my friend for like 10 years, most of my relationships don't last 10 days Grace: I obvs can't just find a new bestie Janis: you can try Janis: that's what you want Janis: what boyfriend has ever been good company Grace: yeah cos she was so good for me Grace: 🙄🙄🙄 Janis: not the kind of good I meant Janis: a lad ain't gonna chat about reality telly with you and reapply lippy in the loos Grace: a gay one maybe Janis: if you want a gay bff you go for it Janis: bit problematic but sure we can let it slide Grace: all I actually need is someone whose arm I can be on in the halls & whatever Grace: boys are easy to get Grace: easier than friends anyway Janis: alright Janis: if you say so Grace: duh then I can say I dumped my friends for my man Janis: well they are your friends Janis: so they'll know you haven't Grace: no-one else will tho Janis: I'm not sure anyone else will be too concerned Grace: rude Janis: why? Janis: it's the truth Janis: not like the entire school is on the edge of their seat every time you two fall out Grace: obvs they are too busy watching you & your boy Grace: that doesn't make me utterly irrelevant thank you Janis: why are you getting offended Janis: it's not a performance Janis: just do what you want Grace: Oh sure Grace: I told you idk how to be different Janis: it's a good chance Janis: you've got a couple of days Janis: don't be rash, like Grace: I'm so not ready to just like overhaul my life excuse me Janis: it's shit, right Janis: what do you actually have to lose Grace: I told you on that school trip, if I try & I'm still the worst, what then? Janis: go back to faking it with vigor Janis: no one will know, like Grace: I will Grace: & you since it's your suggestion Janis: who am I telling Janis: not even a good secret Grace: ugh Grace: I'm freaking out, I can't commit to anything if it's not a detox, babes Grace: & even then Janis: boyfriend probably ain't the one then Janis: it's what Janis: 7 weeks if you wanna survive the first term Janis: maybe more? Grace: OMG don't Janis: Hell that's only half term, even Janis: then that'll end and it's more drama Janis: don't need that Grace: that's like 7 boys I need to find Janis: you can't just line 'em all up Grace: tragically Janis: could always transfer Grace: do you think mum and dad will let me? Janis: I wasn't being serious but they probably would Janis: just say Mias shoved your head down the bog Grace: EW Grace: did work for Nancy though so Grace: devastated I can't go to Chelsea Janis: mm did it Janis: she did try to fuck her special ed teacher Grace: Oh yeah Grace: & she wasn't even cute Grace: awks Janis: 🙄 Janis: and her twin has ended up inbreeding so don't reckon much to his fine education tbh Grace: Maybe I should hook up with Mia's dad Janis: don't be grim Grace: He's not hot but he is rich Janis: only relevant if you marry him Janis: and her mum is still very much alive and you'd have to last a while to be written in Janis: if ever Grace: I probably look too young for him to be 😍😍😍 anyway Grace: I'll hit him up post surgery if I'm still bitter Janis: you know people have surgery to look younger Janis: what kind of surgeon you found that's gonna make you a grandma Grace: 😂😂 Janis: I mean you will anyway Janis: your desired aesthetic ends up looking Donatella Versace when the filler starts to drop out Grace: gross Janis: He'll defs have a secretary he's banging, they always do Janis: just send a confession to her house and watch the fireworks, like Grace: that's a secret I already know, babes Grace: Mia caught him forever ago Janis: awh Janis: she does have a 💘 Grace: she has an even bigger allowance cos of too Janis: 'course Janis: got that to look forward to, Venus Janis: pretend to be her and tell then, even more trouble Grace: Do you want me to change or not? Janis: no one said you need to be a nun about it Janis: and if you ain't up for round 2 Grace: Yeah okay Janis: Seriously Janis: you don't need to worry Grace: it's fine for you, you don't care what anyone says or thinks or does Janis: yeah Janis: well she's a cunt Janis: why let her get to you Grace: it's not like I want her to Grace: she just does Janis: had 10 years to perfect it, I guess Grace: mhmmm Janis: don't mean you need another 10 Janis: fake that it doesn't get to you, like you said Grace: idk if I even can but sure Janis: why not Janis: you fake everything else, right Grace: & everyone's seeing through it rn Janis: doesn't have to be a bad thing Grace: Pablo called me mental & he got with Mia Janis: Pablo calls everyone and everything mental Janis: his vocab is lacking along with his brain, like Grace: 😂 Janis: doubt he was aiming for a soul-reaching read Janis: just a moody twat, yeah Grace: it's so okay for boys to have moods like it just makes them look hotter if anything but if a girl our age does anything she's mental Grace: is anyone in this fam calling him out for sleeping with girls at parties he says he doesn't know, no just me getting slutshamed Janis: that's misogyny, kid Janis: and I'm sure we're all very disappointed with him for it, like Janis: but as you said, everyone's seeing through you rn so Grace: my feet hurt I can't even run away Grace: I'm putting my coffee cup on the ground & giving up Grace: throw some euros in it if you come this way Janis: if you come here you can earn 'em and think about something else for a bit Grace: ?? Janis: we wanna go out Janis: the kid already knows you so come watch him for a few hours, yeah Janis: better hiding place than wherever you've got to Grace: before I say yeah, is his sister there too? Janis: I can assure you she'll be out as soon as she gets the chance Grace: Okay Janis: she's like Gus' age Janis: she can take care of herself Grace: as long as that's the only way she's like Gus Janis: 😏 Janis: bit rude but yeah Grace: oh come on, he's a lot Janis: 😂 and you're not Grace: that's why I can say it duh Janis: so is that a yeah or what Grace: I'm omw Janis: good stuff Grace: I need to fix my makeup first so Janis: so you'll be five hours Janis: come on Grace: Shut up Grace: I can't do it in a moving car, I'll look worse than I do now Janis: as long as you aren't rocking a 🤡 look I don't think the kid will mind Grace: you and the love of your life will still have to let me in Grace: what are you wearing? am I gonna have to be fake nice about it Janis: it's cool, he doesn't think you're nice, like Janis: told him what a bitch you are, obvs Grace: thanks babes Janis: any time 🖤 Grace: 💜 Janis: anyway, you'd be here for it Grace: Yeah? Janis: it's stupid Janis: had to dress up 'cos not fully sure where we're going so Grace: that's soooo cute Janis: alright Janis: that's enough Grace: I didn't even start Grace: so mean Janis: I know Grace: Do you want me to do your makeup? Janis: I don't think we'll have time Janis: takes an age don't it Grace: for me cos I have problem areas Grace: it wouldn't take like any time to do yours Janis: okay go on Janis: but we can't make him wait forever so it really does have to be speedy Grace: OMG really?? Grace: I promise, like 10 mins Janis: 👌 Janis: why not Grace: yay Janis: love the enthusiasm, babe Grace: Babes, if you could see me rn Grace: 🙌💜🙌 Grace: but if I get too excited I'll never get there Janis: I know it's shit Janis: but she's been shit for a long time Grace: & I know that Janis: yeah Janis: well Bobby will be happy to see you Grace: duh it's totally mutual Grace: he's a babe Janis: shame you can't take him to school 💕 Grace: he isn't a 🐶 I can't just put him in my 👜 hun Janis: think this one is too big for that and all Janis: 'less you're going really hard Grace: OMG has he got a big scary dog! 😱😱 Grace: one of my exes had one that was like Grace: so evil Janis: no Janis: it's just not a rat dog Janis: and it's nice just a bit excitable, only a puppy, like Grace: 🙏🙏 Grace: thank god Janis: just walked it so it should be chill-ish Janis: [sends pic 'cos god knows I have enough] Grace: ask him if I can steal it for school 😍 Janis: 😏 probably say yes Grace: that's so happening then Janis: you so don't need these bad influences in your life Janis: do you reckon mum used to put Ri in her school bag Grace: obvs have her strapped to the front & all her books in a backpack Grace: if I had a baby I could get away with leaving school though, I'll think about it Janis: behave Grace: I need to find the hottest boy ever first Grace: so it'd be cute Janis: shut up Janis: anyway Janis: don't always work Janis: look at Drew and Ro's kid Janis: weird looking thing, they're both attractive enough Grace: is she though? Janis: thought you'd tell me off for being mean Janis: she could be, if she wasn't dying, like Grace: never seen her when she wasn't so it's too hard to tell Janis: 💔 Janis: must be Mia's GP Janis: doling out the advice Grace: I'll book myself in ASAP Janis: like you said Janis: not a look, is it Grace: neither's this Grace: whatever I don't have the commitment Grace: stopped making myself throw up forever ago Janis: did you? Grace: it's like really hard to do Grace: someone should PSA that Janis: along with all the reasons not to, yeah Janis: reckon there's been a couple of films and docs on it Grace: it has its upsides too obvs, how I get any lads to date me Janis: you can shut up now Janis: didn't need to hear about Pablo jumping Mia's bones Janis: don't need to hear about you Grace: you just wanna hear about my bulimic past instead Grace: 🙄🙄 Janis: um I didn't ask you about that either Grace: you literally just did Grace: but fine Janis: what did you want me to say Grace: whatever I don't need an intervention for that so Janis: alright Grace: where's his dad? He's not gonna like come back & freak out that I'm watching his kid, like who am I, is he? Janis: nah he's on a date of his own Janis: if he came back early, just give me a call, like Grace: Gross Grace: 👌👌 Janis: he is Grace: I bet he's hot though, son like that Janis: old men are so not your thing Janis: don't need to go down that route, tah Janis: and he's not Janis: like he could've been but he's well past it Grace: tragic Grace: I wonder if his mum is pretty Grace: they could've been like couple goals forever ago Janis: long as you keep your speculating to yourself Grace: obvs I'm not that stupid Grace: or mean Janis: just saying Janis: it is really messed up Janis: wonder where she is Grace: did he tell you anything? Janis: they don't know anything Grace: Oh Grace: poor Bobby Janis: I know Janis: still Janis: Jim looks after him really well Grace: yeah he talked about him like non-stop at the fair Grace: it's nice that they have each other Janis: it is Janis: hard for him sometimes though Grace: obvs he can't just do whatever he wants Grace: unless I'm babysitting Janis: and with his job Janis: we're spoilt brats, like Grace: maybe I'll get one Grace: keep me busy Janis: I'd like one Janis: but I'd definitely throw coffee over people like you so Janis: gotta think Grace: rude but v true Grace: there's like lots of stuff at the sports centre you could do Janis: 😏 Janis: yeah maybe Janis: not the worst idea Grace: I'm mostly fake stupid Janis: leave that off the job applications Grace: idk what I'd even apply for anyway so Janis: you could do anything retail Grace: they want girls who look good in the clothes Janis: you do, you daft cow Grace: on like 1 day out of 7 Grace: I can't maintain that much gym time Janis: 🙄 Janis: alright, you could be a teasgirl in a salon or something Grace: maybe but lots of girls wanna do that Janis: yeah but every job gets more applicants than it needs Janis: worth a shot, if you wanna Grace: sure Janis: work on your resume later though, yeah Janis: on the clock here Grace: I'll make dad do it Janis: hasn't he got catering to be planning Grace: okay fine mum then Janis: surely she has a lovely big 👒 to buy Grace: yeah but we'll fit it around the shopping trips duh Janis: 🙄 Janis: gross Grace: you don't have to come, babes Janis: made it pretty clear I won't be Grace: yeah Janis: you know anyone who'd want some meth, like Grace: that's not funny thank you Janis: it ain't Janis: made a right dent in my back pocket, like Grace: so you better start job hunting Janis: I'll find a buyer Grace: Janis Janis: what Grace: you can't sell drugs Janis: not gonna make it my career Grace: just throw it away Grace: it's freaking me out that you even still have it Janis: not gonna waste it Janis: it's fine Grace: OMG how is it fine??! Grace: you could get murdered Janis: not for this much Janis: didn't go that crazy Grace: people get killed for their phones Janis: alright after school special Janis: worry 'bout yourself then, never off yours, you'd be fucked Grace: excuse me for not wanting you dead Grace: & I dropped mine so it is Janis: unlucky Janis: excuse to say you've lost all their numbers though Grace: that was obvs my plan not just a clumsy bitch 🙄🙄 Janis: 👌 Janis: less believeable than you getting a boy to stick for 7 weeks but we'll roll with it Grace: UM rude Grace: it's 7 boys, lasting a week Janis: 😏 7 dickheads for the price of 1, whatever Grace: even I can keep a boy for a week Janis: the real questions Grace: it's not a q, I can Janis: LOL Grace: stop being a bitch & let me in Janis: finally Grace: ILY too babes Janis: yeah yeah Grace: & you're so welcome 💜 Janis: shut up I'm coming as fast as I can alright Grace: it's literally raining btw Janis: let's hope dickhead ain't planned a picnic Grace: 😂😂 Grace: 💔

[miraculoussideblog]

Ways To Forgive Chapter 8

Catch up with the first fic in the series  Ways to Say I’m Sorry

Chapter [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][You are here]

[AO3]

Chapter 8-The Reunion

Nathaniel worked on character designs for his comic in his office. Adding the mother as the new villain went well with his editor, but he felt a little guilty using his future mother in law as the model. He changed her design slightly to distinguish the two, but anyone who knew him would know where he got the inspiration. He had a lot of explaining to do before the character debuts. He could see the headline now: “Future husband of Heiress Pokes Fun of the In-Laws.”

He checked his phone for messages from Chloe. Since he left her alone with the box last night, he’d been worried sick. But this was something she wanted to face on her own. She needed to understand the past to better her future relationship with her mother.

“Time for coffee,” Nathaniel shut his computer.

Chloe had a shift at the bakery at this time, however he doubted she’d actually be there. She called out yesterday, so it was likely some was covering for her again today. He had to go check, either way he wanted something sweet from the bakery.

He gathered his things and walked to the bakery. It was less busy in the afternoon. Marinette was assisting a customer when she spotted Nathaniel standing in line. She frowned for a half a second before, plastering back on her customer service face as she handed over a box of pastries.

Nathaniel stepped up to the counter. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, just worried about Chloe,” Marinette signed. “This is the second day in the row she called out. Ever since her mom…”

“I know.”

“Bourgeois family drama, right?”

“Right,” Nathaniel chuckled weakly. Andre was right, it was his drama now. He’d have to get used to it.

“The usual?”

“Of course.” He fished out a few Euros and handed them to her.

Marinette started making his drink. “By the way, even though I’m insanely busy with the the relaunch, if Chloe wants me to design her wedding dress let me know.”

“We talked about that the other day. Sorry so much has happened.”

“No worries. To be honest I’ve been waiting for her to ask me for months. I just assumed she was too proud to ask.”

“Not it’s not that,” he said. “She knows things have been insane after the wedding. If we didn’t have the wedding budget, we might have asked for the favor.”

“I feel like there’s an insult in there somewhere.”

“No...I don’t think… what I’m trying to say is now that we can afford something without the massive discount you would have given us, we didn’t want to add anything to your plate.”

“It’s okay. Now that you can afford it I can charge you full price.” Marinette placed her hand on the counter and leaned in. “Truth be told, we need the publicity. Designing the dress for the wedding of the century would boost sales and get the company in the black.”

“Is it that bad?”

The bell on the front door jingled. Nathaniel glanced behind him the only customer in line was a man in a green tracksuit.

“I’ll be just a minute,” Marinette said.

“Take your time,” the man said in a thick Italian accent. He bent down an looked a the pastries displayed.

Marinette packed up Nathaniel's order and handed it to him. “As I was saying, it’s pretty bad. For starters the founder of the company was a supervillain who terrorized the city for nearly five year The marketing team thinks it will be hard to bounce back from, especially since we’re renaming the company Agreste’s. It’s like the name is tainted. Adrien wanted to keep the family name. He invested a lot of money into this rebranding because didn’t want his father’s employee’s to suffer. I won’t let it fail.”

“And you won’t. I’ll talk to Chloe once this thing with her mom blows over.”

“Thank you.”

Nathaniel took is coffee and pastries and walked out of the bakery. He didn’t plan on staying to work. He had an office for that now. The only times he sketched in the bakery was when Chloe was working.

Nathaniel nearly tripped on his shoelaces and a little coffee spilled on shit. “Crap.” He stopped to tie his shoe, out of the corner of his eye, the man in a green tracksuit stood close by looking in a shop window. He didn’t have a single pastry from the bakery. An eerie feeling washed over Nathaniel. He stood up and glanced over his shoulder again.

The man was gone.

Chloe placed two wine glasses on the coffee table. After her mother’s performance at the engagement party, maybe wine wasn’t a good idea. No, she was going to need a glass or two if she wanted to get through this conversation.

Audrey was already fifteen minutes late, Chloe was about to call her when she heard a knock at her door. Strange, she never heard the buzzer.

“Here we go,” Chloe muttered as she opened the door.

“I’ve been standing outside for five minutes waiting for your doorman to let me in.” Audrey stood in the doorway. She wore a white pantsuit, black hat and round dark sunglasses. The only color she had here her bright red lips. She dressed way too high fashion for a chat with her daughter in her small apartment.

“I don’t have a doorman.”

“Than who was the small man who opened the door for me.”

“Probably a neighbor?”

“Oh,” Audrey took off her sunglasses. “Are you going to let me in?”

“Of course. Have a seat.” She gestured to the couch.

Audrey’s face contorted into a mixture of disgust and confusion as she surveyed the apartment. For a half a second, Chloe felt embarrassed, but she quickly shut it down. Why would she be embarrassed about an apartment she pays for herself? That deep down urge to please her mother bubbled to the surface and she did not like it at all.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“I’ll have a vodka tonic on the rocks.”

“I have wine.”

“What year?”

Chloe grabbed the bottle off the counter and glanced at the label. “2017.”

“That will do,” Audrey said through her fake smile. Lord forbid the great Audrey Bourgeois drank a wine from this decade. Chloe poured he mother a glass and watched her mother take a sip of the cheap wine. “Thank you.” Audrey placed her glass on the table, clearly displeased.

Chloe took a big gulp of her own wine before starting. “So I got your cards. Daddy kept them in a box all these years. Thank you for the money.”

“Consider it an early wedding present.”

Chloe couldn't tell if she was being serious or not. Either way, she had to push on. “Listen, I’m not going to pretend that seeing those cards will magically fix whatever is broken between us. There are so many reasons why I shouldn’t give you a second chance. You insulted my fiance and embarrassed me in front of my friends, twice.” She paused to let it sink in for a moment before continuing. “But I can’t ignore the fact that Daddy kept you from me and that you in some strange way are trying to reconnect. All I can say is, if you are going to be around, this might be the only opportunity I have to really get to know you and decide for myself if I want you back in my life.”

Audrey smiled. “I’m glad you came around.”

“Where have you been, mom?”

“America mostly,” she started. “I worked with a few fashion magazines and build a reputations. I moved to Italy a five years ago and started my own magazine. Investors said I was crazy, because print was practically dead, but I didn’t listen. That little venture failed…” her voice trailed off. “After that I started traveling around Europe before I came back here.”

Chloe nodded politely. Audrey wouldn’t have accomplished so many things if she had stayed with Andre. It pained her to know her mother’s life was better without her.

“I would have taken you to America if I could,” Audrey said as if she read her mind.

“But you couldn’t be a fashion mogul with a toddler attached to your legs.” Chloe said. “Let’s not talk about the past.”

“All right, tell me about Nathaniel. What’s so special about him?”

“He was there for me when I was at my lowest. He saw the good in me when no one else would and helped me become the best version of myself. He’s a little shy, but so funny. And his art…” A smile formed on her lips. “He has a beautiful soul and when I think it’s impossible to love him more, he surprises me every day.”

“Wow.”

“I’m scared mom,” She confessed. “I know how to be a good wife.”

“You’re asking the wrong person, but I can tell from the few times we met that he loves you fiercely. I only wish I had a love like that in my life.”

“Did you ever love Daddy?”

“When we were young, yes, but people change. Sometimes the timing is wrong. He wanted to grow up and I didn’t. Some marriages just don’t workout.” Audrey took another sip of wine. “Chloe this is absolutely terrible.”

“It’s what I can afford right now.”

“What about the wedding money?”

Chloe tensed. She knew it was a matter of time before that topic came up. “The lawyers are keeping track of the receipts. Every dimes has to go to the ceremony.”

“Oh,” she frowned. “No matter. The wedding is soon enough. You’ll be back in the lap of luxury before you know it.”

“I like my apartment. It’s the first place I paid for with my own money. My lease will be up before the wedding, so I’ll have to figure that out eventually. Nathaniel and I haven’t really talked about where we’re living after the wedding. There are a lot of thing we haven’t talked about. I might be putting off school now, so I can pay for tuition with the inheritance.”

“School?”

“I’m didn’t finish university. I want to go back to get a degree in business.”

Audrey laughed. “You don’t need a degree to do business if you’re rich.”

“I do if I want to do well.”

“I guess you didn’t learn that lesson from your father.”

“Sabine actually. She became a pseudo-mentor when I was living with her and Tom. Why does she hate you?”

“That’s a story for another time,” Audrey checked her watch. “I should get going. I have a hair appointment in twenty minutes.”

“Okay, yeah.”

“I can see myself out.” Audrey walked to the door and opened it. “If you want to do this again, just call. I’m not going anywhere.”

Chloe slumped back down on the couch. Her first attempt to reconnect with her mother went better than she anticipated. It wasn’t perfect, but they weren’t trying to force anything. This could work. As long as there weren’t any more surprises.

But given Audrey’s track record, it was only a matter of time before she found a new way to disappoint Chloe.   

[breeeliss]

[Miraculous Ladybug]: The Perks of Being a Rich Kid

short commission i did for @leoqueen082​ :) 

fun fact: people really forget that these two kids are filthy rich and probably run in the same circles all the time. which makes for some interesting convos :P

Link to Archive of Our Own: [AO3]

Title: The Perks of Being a Rich Kid Pairings/Characters: Gen fic, Chloe & Alix Summary: Chloe and Alix bond after getting sent to the principal’s office

The Perks of Being a Rich Kid

Useful bit of information that Chloé learned today: there was a limit to how much trouble her last name was capable of getting her out of.

Which, seriously, how ridiculous was that? What was the sense of being the daughter of the most powerful man in Paris if she wasn’t going to be totally immune to punishment? She tried to explain that to her teacher but he didn’t seem to appreciate it very much because here Chloé was, getting sent to the principal’s office with a bag full of extra credit homework that was going to take her hours to do.

Sabrina really picked a horrible day to be home sick with the flu. Chloé had been doing her nails during history class this entire quarter and now she had to write a whole paper by Thursday.

To be fair, Chloé kinda toed the line a little close today. Not that she’d ever admit that to anyone other than her father who was going to love an explanation for the mess she’d gotten herself into. That was going to be a fun conversation. She wasn’t sure if her justifiable hatred for Marinette Dupain-Cheng was going to be enough to let her off the hook, and that was the real travesty of the day. Because seriously, this was all Marinette’s fault.

But whatever. At least Chloé got her revenge. Definitely worth potentially losing her credit card privileges over.

M. Damocles was busy scolding a student in his office while another three sat right outside the door awaiting their own lectures. Chloé snorted when she realized that one of them was Alix who was crouched over her handheld and growling at the video game she was playing while she waited. Well, that explained why she wasn’t in class last period.

It was funny that people complained so much about Chloé (almost) never getting in trouble because of who her father was. Alix got sent to the principal’s office at least four times a week and only ever left with a slap on the wrist because of who her father was.

Figures. M. Kubdel gave a monster of a donation to the school last year.

Chloé laid her jacket down on the floor and sat down next to Alix. “You know he’s going to confiscate that when he comes back out here, right?”

“Eh, I’m already up shit creek as it is, can’t possibly get any worse.” She waited until she was finished passing the level she was on before she looked up. “The more interesting story is the fall from grace you must have suffered to be sitting out here with us.”

Chloé rolled her eyes. “Don’t rub it in.”

“I can’t believe that the one time Chloé Bourgeois gets sent to the principal’s office, I miss it. Talk about shit luck. What’d you do? Curse out Mme. Mendeleiev because the lab goggles messed up your foundation?”

“Would you let that go?” Chloé glared. “And no, that’s not why I’m here.”

“Yikes,” Alix laughed. “Who’d you kill?”

“No one. It was a brief altercation.”

“Brief my ass. You wouldn’t be here if it was brief. Spill.”

Chloé shifted. “I...may...have gotten into a fight with Marinette.”

“Yeah, dude, that happens like every five seconds.”

“No like an actual fight. Like I might have lunged over the desk and yanked at her pigtails.”

Alix’s head snapped back as she cackled loud enough for it to echo all the way down the hallway. “No you did not!! You catty maniac!!”

“She called me a soulless hag!” Chloé defended. “How was I not going to put my hands on her?”

“You need a therapist,” Alix suggested. “Like I’m talking thousands of euros in anger therapy. You’re a liability.”

“Screw you. What are you here for?”

Alix shrugged. “Rollerblading in the courtyard. Kim dared me. Couldn’t say no.”

“You mean you did it because you knew you wouldn’t get in trouble for it.”

Alix pointed in Chloé’s face. “Hey, Damocles is afraid of my father because he needs to keep the donations coming. You make him afraid of yours. Don’t lump me together with you.”

“Please, just admit it,” Chloé smirked. “You’re a rich kid with perks.”

“Of course I’m a rich kid with perks. You, on the other hand, are a rich, annoying, prissy, spoiled kid with perks. And guess who everyone hates?”

Chloé gasped. “No one hates me!”

Alix stared at her for a long moment. “Dude….do not start with me right now.”

“They don’t!” Chloé insisted. “They just….they’re jealous. Because I’m famous and Daddy gets me whatever I want.”

“God, I’m gonna vomit. Here, open your bag so that I don’t get it on the floor.”

“Gross!! Stop it!! You’re such a freak!!”

“You sat down and started talking to this freak so joke’s on you, my dude.”

Chloé pursed her lips. “Force of habit. Don’t read into it. Besides, what’s your excuse?”

Alix squinted her eyes and tilted her head. “It’s weird because you’re like ridiculously annoying and I kinda wanna run over your face about ninety percent of the time, but the other ten percent of the time you’re oddly entertaining. Like if I needed a good laugh, all I’d have to do is insult your contour.”

“My contour is immaculate!”

“See?”

“Shut up.”

Alix stuck out her tongue. “I will say: the level of shade you dish out during all those benefit parties we hate going to sustains me.”

Chloé smirked. Their fathers had been friends for years —  long before M. Bourgeois got into politics and M. Kubdel became an art curator. That meant that every art exhibition, campaign fundraiser, charity gala, and Christmas party that either man decided to hold, you could bet that Chloé and Alix were both going to be there suffering through the entire thing with no one but each other for company. Alix told her that the momentary truce was worth listening to Chloé roast all the pathetically dull boys that always asked Chloé to dance, and Chloé had to admit that watching Alix threaten to scoop out old men’s eyeballs with a melon baller was quite satisfying.

“Daddy forces me to go to those parties because he wants me to be nice to the sons of all the politicians he tries to cozy up to,” Chloé shrugged. “Not that I don’t want to see him reelected, but I only have so much patience.”

Alix shrugged. “I think my mom just wants to see me in a dress for once. Everytime I shop in the boy’s section she has an aneurism. It’s great.”

Chloé nudged her. “Remember that time you panicked and invited me over to your house because you had to get ready for our New Years’ party and you had no idea how to do your makeup?”

“Um,” Alix glared, “the whole point of that momentary lapse of judgement was that we were never supposed to talk about it. Like ever. To no one.”

“Who doesn’t know how to put on mascara? I learned that when I was ten.”

“Not everyone sleeps with a Lanc ô me palette under their pillow, Chloé . But anyway. I had a point I was arriving at before you distracted me.”

“The anticipation is killing me.”

Alix ignored her sarcasm and waved her in closer so that the other students in the hallway wouldn’t hear them. “I have to ask because sometimes I think your stupidity is genuine and not you pretending to avoid conversations that bother you. You... do know that no one in class likes you, right?”

Chloé straightened her shoulders. “That’s not true. Adrien and Sabrina like me.”

“Sabrina doesn’t count, she’ll shine your shoes if it meant getting on your good side. And Adrien likes you because that kid’s got too much faith in the world and thinks you’re gonna do a huge turn around any day now. Everyone else low key wants to smash your face through a window everytime you so much as open your mouth.”

“Gee. Thanks.”

Alix lifted her hands. “Listen, I’m being honest with you. And I’m only telling you this because I happen to know that you’re not a total brat.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, when we go to those parties? You’re like...not awful. You’re kinda tolerable to be around. I think it’s because there you’re not trying to impress anybody and here you’re forcing everyone to kiss the ground you walk on because you value your school reputation over all else. You try too hard and you come off as a total pain in the ass. It’s starting to seriously piss everyone off.”

Chloé blinked. That was a disturbingly thoughtful answer, especially coming from Alix. “Since when are people pissed off at me?”

Alix’s face fell. “Are you seriously that clueless?”

“If people were so mad about my behavior, they’d tell me,” Chloé reasoned. “Marinette’s the only one who hates me as far as I can tell.”

“That’s because Marinette’s a badass who isn’t afraid to say what everyone else is thinking,” Alix pointed out. “They just don’t want to say it themselves.”

“Why wouldn’t they want to say it?”

Alix rubbed her hands down her face and groaned, slapping her cheeks a little at the end. “Ahhh, okay, okay, you’re blonde so I guess I have to dumb this down for you.”

“Oh screw you!”

She snapped her fingers. “Okay. You know that Italian art collector that my dad invites to art exhibitions all the time? M. Fellini.”

Chloe pouted. “Not ringing a bell.”

“He’s the one that always sounds like he has a sinus infection.”

Chloe face lit up. “Oh my god, yes!”

The joke was fresh in their minds because they both pinched their noses, lifted their chins, and said “Ah, buonasera mademoiselles, don’t you just look lovely this evening!” before collapsing into laughter when they heard how ridiculous they sounded. Honestly, that never got old. Chloé was half tempted to tell her father to send him some cold medicine for Christmas.

Alix rubbed away the tears from her eyes. “Anyway. We can agree he’s a total asshole, right?”

“He’s an old, skeezy, misogynistic snob. Asshole is too tame an insult.”

“Everyone and their mother is on the same page as you,” Alix explained. “But no one ever says that to him. People either ignore him or keep being nice to him no matter how much they wanna punch his face in.”

“I’m assuming there’s a point in you bringing him up.”

“People don’t confront him about being a jerk because he’s one of the richest and most successful art curators in Italy. Insult him and you can say goodbye to doing any kind of meaningful work with him in. Which, in the art world, is social suicide. It’s the same with you.”

Chloé scowled. “You’re comparing me to that wrinkled old sack of broken dreams?”

“It’s a perfect comparison. You got Alya suspended for taking a picture and you tried to get Marinette arrested for supposedly stealing your bracelet. Like, come on dude. People are terrified of you.”

Chloé crossed her arms. “They both deserved that! Alya was invading my privacy and there’s still no proof that Marinette wasn’t involved in that whole bracelet nonsense.”

“And I’m assuming Marinette also deserved you attacking her in class today and that you sitting here is an injustice to humanity. Pretty sure Damocles and your dad are gonna totally side with you when they hear you put your hands on someone because she said something a little mean.”

Chloé looked down at her nails. “You’re being sarcastic…”

“Yeah no shit, queen bee,” Alix scolded. “Here’s a wild concept: if you want to make friends, you have to actually be nice to people. Crazy, I know! Life hack of the year!”

“I try to be nice to people!” Chloé said. “But you’ve got people like Marinette who — ”

“Nope,” Alix interrupted. “Stopping you right there. Marinette has never done anything to you. Marinette’s a freaking angel. She’s nice to everyone who’s nice to her back. The only reason you hate her is because she’s more popular than you are, so you overcompensate by trying to make yourself seem like you’re better than everyone else. Except that doesn’t make anyone want to be friends with you. That makes people wanna stay away from you.”

It was only because Alix lecturing Chloé was such a bizarre occurrence that Chloé stayed quiet and let her words sink in. She wanted to brush it off and assume that Alix was just over exaggerating the situation, but then Chloé remembered a conversation she had with Adrien during his first week of school. She warned him about how hard it was to make friends when you were as perfect, beautiful, and rich as they were because everyone was automatically jealous of your success. That was why it was so important for Chloé and Adrien to stick together because she thought he’d suffer the same fate she did. But Adrien was as quiet, polite, and soft hearted as he’d always been as a kid, and that seemed to have waltzed him straight into the hearts of everyone else in the class in a matter of days. Chloé hadn’t quite figured out how he did that or how she was supposed to follow in his footsteps.

Chloé had always been more abrasive than Adrien — louder, more sarcastic, and harder to get along with. Maybe that was the problem. Although, Alix seemed to do just fine on her end.

She flipped the questions around. “Well, how did you make friends?”

Alix shrugged. “It’s not like I tried. I don’t act different depending on the situation. I just am and people just come. Kim was my first friend because we loved competing with each other. Then Kim’s friends became my friends and it just kept going.”

“That’s what Adrien said…”

“That’s pretty much how everyone makes friends,” Alix said. “Putting people down to lift yourself up doesn’t make people starstruck by you. It just makes you seem like a bitch.”

Chloé sighed. “Daddy says that in politics, in order to win, you have to show how bad the other candidates are in order to make yourself seem better. That’s why people vote for you.”

“This isn’t politics. Making friends isn’t about crushing the competition. You just….act normal and find people that vibe with your flow. Like I said. You’re chill when you aren’t trying too hard.”

“Seriously?”

Alix grinned. “You’re surprisingly hilarious. You’re also an enabler and a bad influence, but that’s a check in my book. Gotta appreciate people who talk you into stealing a thousand euros worth of silverware just to see if you can get away with it.”

“Can’t believe you actually did that,” Chloé laughed.

“Hey, like I said. I can’t turn down a challenge.” She paused for a moment and nudged her foot against Chloé’s knee when she saw her growing quiet. “Hey. I’m not telling you this stuff to make you feel bad or anything. I’m just telling it to you straight. But I also think you can do a turn around and start being nicer to people and make more friends if you cared enough to. You’re stubborn enough to pull it off.”

Alix wasn’t the type of person to put in this much emotional labor into another person, and Chloé knew that the polite thing to do was to at least thank her. But the words felt awkward on her tongue and betrayed her inexperience, so she decided it was best to just not say anything for now. Instead, she followed up with a question that was bugging her. “Why are you telling me all of this now?”

“Dude,” Alix snickered. “You got sent to the principal's office . That’s like the turning point of the century. Might as well take advantage of the momentum and use it towards something productive.”

The door to M. Damocles’s office flung open before Chloé could say anything else, and the student he’d been speaking to slunk through the hall with his head down and a slip of paper crumpled up in his hands. Probably a letter for his parents to sign. “Mlle. Kubdel!” M. Damocles’s voice rang. “It’s your turn. Please come in.”

Alix winced as she collected her bag and stood on her feet. “Womp. Time to face the music. Wish me luck.”

“You know damn well you’re not going to get in any trouble.”

“Wow, fine, I’ll wish myself luck.” She held out her fist. “Hang in there, you frilly little nightmare. If you apologize and cry a lot he’ll probably go easy on you.”

Chloé gently tapped her fist against Alix’s and have her a crooked smile. “Alright.”

Alix gave her a short salute before throwing her arms wide and skipping into M. Damocles’s office as if she were greeting an old friend. Chloé shook her head fondly and tried to think of what excuse she was going to open up with before it was her turn to go inside and explain herself. If spontaneously bursting into tears was all it would take to walk away with nothing more than a stern warning, Chloé was fully prepared to polish off all those acting lessons she took when she was little.

She hummed to herself as she pulled out her phone and started typing out her script. “Turning point, huh?” she muttered. Chloé was pretty sure Alix didn’t mean for that to be a challenge, but for some reason Chloé wanted to treat it like one. Alix’s specialty was planting seeds in people’s heads and sitting back while she watched them try to pull off the impossible. Chloé could always resent the fact that Alix was trying to get in her head, but it would be much more satisfying to exceed the girl’s expectations just so she could shove it in her face.

If Chloe could convince Alix to sit still long enough to put eyeliner on her for a party, she could handle being nice for one day, right?

[isarose2]

What was that? Part 2

Here is the next day of the chapter ‘What was that?’, in continuation of the story Lost & Found. 

Thursday was when she met with her friends: "So how are you?" She asked politely. "Oh you know, lot of standing and sitting I suppose" Miya, her Italian friend complained. "Come on chicka I saw that shoot you were at with your boy-toy" Sandra, her other friend mention. Sandra said her parents were from South America but she was born on the west coast, so she defines herself as Latina. Miya rolled her eyes, "well of course you did, darling, that was the point, he wanted to irritate his parents by taking those risqué shots." Mary thought for a moment, she remembered a spread that Miya had done with this French-person. It wasn't that scantily, but then again she didn't look at the other pictures. And there were always, the proofs, pictures that are taken but not used for the project that they would use, the models always had the right's to that, if they asked. Maybe Sandra was referring to something that was published somewhere else. "Why did he want to do that?" Mary asked. "his parents think that he can't take care of himself, so while they were away he wanted to be a part of a shoot they had no control of. I was bored so I went along with the plan but we only made it look bad, we didn't do anything. The photographer was into it so he didn't mind giving us the proofs, to sell to some rag, as 'fake news'. My manager was furious but, hey it's not the worst thing I could do and really he was a popular model so I actually ended up getting more work out of it." Miya explained boredly. Sandra scoffed, "really, for sure, I thought you finally settled yourself a sugar daddy of a play thing" Miya rolled her eyes once more, "Pu-lease, I wouldn't know were to put a plaything, unlike you me and Mary here do a lot more traveling" she said all posh like. It was true, that was originally how Miya had met Mary, they got called for jobs overseas, and there weren't many travel teenage model's these days. Sandra sneered playfully, "well sucks to be you then cause Mary here has settled" she said pointed. "for now." Mary finished. Miya lifted an eyebrow, "Really, here in Gotham of all places" she scoffed, "Why?" Mary rolled her eyes at her friend, Miya was nice when she wanted to be, most of the time she didn't want to be though. "well it's a nice urban environment, that is growing and has good transportation, and possible opportunities" she said all lady-like. Sandra snorted in her drink, then started to crack up laughing, and Miya smiled humorously at that. "Alright, I want to go to Gotham U. for environmental studies and botany" she said. "that's more like our little book worm" Miya said. Sandra having calm herself down said, "oh yeah, I forgot you had more than one brain cell unlike the rest of us" "speak for yourself, I finished my technical school a year ago, what's left is practical work in the field" Miya said. She had gone to a euro-school, for high school which is like two years of class work and exams then a year of 'field' work. "so you’re a year behind then" Sandra asked cheekily. Miya frowned and throw a grape tomato at her. Sandra laughed and dodged. "well then if you don't have any love interests then what about you Mary" Sandra asked her. "no none that I know of" Mary said. "still running from an Ex-" Miya asked nonchalantly. "what?" they asked. "you know, your always going to different places after every shoot, once you went from Hong Kong to London to Japan, to Paris. Like you were running from something" "now that you mention it, I always did here that it was like you were on the run of something, but it didn't make any sense" Sandra said. Mary flinched, "it's just I would get jobs everywhere you know" "but what about that shoot where you were asked to stay a bit longer, you know work around that area" Miya asked. "I already had a commitment with another job, I couldn't back out then" Mary said quickly. "well whatever, if you weren't running then, then what maked you settle for Gotham U. there are more schools all around the work" Sandra asks. Mary rolls her eyes, "I told you I want to study environmental sciences, kind of hard online when you don't have access to labs for research. Plus I don't know, I feel safe like I belong here or something" Mary looked out at the street. Sandra and Miya looked at each-other and They both scoffed. "Gotham safe, really, mija" Sandra said with a chuckle. "Gotham is one of the most dangerous city's on the planet, what with the only 'viable' protection being a family of 'Bats'" Miya said, almost bringing her accent into the mix. Mary shrugged, "I don't know they say that about a lot of places but I feel fine here" "whatever you say" Sandra said shaking her head. "but seriously, no guy has tickled your fancy, you know 'intrigued' that brain of yours" Mary thought about that, "well not tickled my fancy, but one guy has been on my head lately, like an annoying nat" she said thoughtfully. "really, do tell, darling" Miya said with a playful smirk on her face. "ugh, it's kind of like my boss, or more like his son, he's an annoying prick he thinks himself above everyone and everything but I am trying to ignore his personality, and do the job right" "son of the boss is incharge?" Sandra asked. She had never done big projects so she didn't know as much of the industry as the other two. Mary rolled her eyes but decided to comply anyway, neither Miya or Sandra were in the project for WE so she didn't think too much about telling them. "Damian Wayne" she muttered. Miya's eyes widened for a moment and Sandra nearly choked on her drink. "Wayne, as probably richest kid in North America, the one that's not in any romantic relationship, and hot " Sandra managed to choke out. "excuse me" Mary asked. Miya rolled her eyes "Damian, most eligible bachelor and millionaire this side of the Atlantic" "Come on you can't have not heard about him" "uh, this side of the Atlantic, when was the last time I was here again?" Mary said. "right I forgot you traveled so much" Sandra said hitting her head. "plus if anything if it didn't have chlorophyll our little book worm would probably not be interested" Miya said. Mary nodded it was probably true. "still though, how could you not know who you were getting involved with when you interviewed? You are usually the best at this" Sandra stated. "I was trying to get myself motivated to choose this city not think practical, trust me it was the first and probably the last time I would do something like this" Mary said, she didn't think that by choosing Gotham her life would get anymore complicated. She just wanted to relax, settle a little before planning her future out, and what better place than the city that she would hopefully end up going to college in. "Well what happened between you too anyway?" Sandra asked curiously. "Nothing really, I just ran into him a couple times and may have insulted him a little, but I didn't know he was going to be my boss, or that it would be his father's name on my checks, you know" Mary said sheepishly. "You what, girly, that's not good, he could seriously mess with your career, and not just modeling, but your future may also be in jeopardy as well" Sandra said. "I know that now, but I couldn't help it, he was berating a poor dish boy for something that wasn't even his fault, I can't stand for that behavior" Miya and Sandra looked at her, they weren't too close but Mary had always been the type to help others, whether it was the over worked set hand, or the common street beggar she would give an apple to. It was in her nature to help and that's what she portrayed everyday of her life, even as a model. "well alright" Miya said resolutely, "you can't change what's happened but maybe you can change what's to happen" Mary tilted her head, "what do you mean?" "you can't change what he thinks of you before but what about now" Miya said again. "you mean like flip the scrip, change the perspective, so that what was perceived is not what is" Sandra said wisely. Mary and Miya looked at her oddly. "What, I can read fantasy novels as good as any sixth grader" she joked. They rolled their eyes, this girl and her television. Mary pondered this, "what so make him think differently about me, make him understand. He doesn't seem like the type to really appreciate what he thinks is wrong you know" "yes but you have a gift for making people see you differently" Miya said. "not that much, I just let them see what they want to see, which is pretty close to who I am so.." "then show him you" Miya said. Sandra looked at Mary then grinned mischievously to herself, "Yeah Mary show him what you hide behind those conservative blouses" Miya rolled her eyes, as Mary blushed  slightly( Nudity never bothered her, but somehow the idea of being in front of someone that was her superior yet also kind of her peer with less than 'proper' attire kind of reddened her. "you, when will you get your head out of the gutter" Miya asked. "Hey it's the first time I see that Mary actually blushed at that prospect" Both Miya and Sandra looked at Mary who gulped, "Guys, he's like my boss and a total jerk, that alone feels weird" Miya took pity on the blushing girl, "well since you're so interested in talking about relationships today, why don't you talk about yours Sandra" Sandra blushed. They continued the rest of their meal, and finished then went to 'interact' with each other the rest of the day, they were more like work friends but they were close enough to be able to 'hang out' socially. Mary felt better, after talking about both her incidents fully with two other people she thought she had a better idea on how to proceed. They eventually departed and went their ways, with Mary going back to her place and feeding her new house guest once more before turning in early.

[tandf]

Chapter 1: Omega

“It`s just so boring. I mean anyone could do it, why does it have to be me?”

Her phone was still in her hand and as soon as she finished her sentence she glanced back at it and started typing in.

“Maybe it`s just because you`re the new one and they thought to give you easy tasks to begin with.”

“It`s not easy, it`s boring. I really don`t want to do it. I`ll talk to George and I won`t do it. I`m pretty sure he has a thing for me so I`ll get out of it easily. He invited me to his place to watch a movie. Like I don`t know what that means.” She followed with a devil-may-care laugh and kept on typing away. It wouldn`t be the first time she would use her feminine charm and the poor guy`s feeling to make her life easy.

“You know better, mom.” They both puffed away at their cigarettes.

I`m not addicted, I just…enjoy it, you know? I can quit anytime; I don`t need cigarettes, I just enjoy them.

They knew each other for so long, they might as well have been sisters. Still in university, both with an internship in their field. Moments like this, together were quite rare, even during the hot days of summer.

“Speaking of which, did you talk to him lately?”

“Who?”

“Tobi.”

“Not really. He called me on my birthday, but didn`t want to pick up and let to call to go on voicemail and he texted me a nice happy birthday message and that was it pretty much.”

“You used to talk every day. You were very close.” She sipped her cappuccino watching her sister through the sunglasses. Her eyes were glued to the screen, her fingers typing away messages. She didn`t need anything to know who`s on the receiving end of those texts. “Did you tell him?”

“Tell him what? That me and Vlad are back together?” She paused and placed her phone face down on the table and pulled out another cigarette from the pack. The waitress was coming their way, going back to the bar from another table.

“May I, please, have a glass of water and ice?”

“Sure!”

Ana knew them. Not by name or anything significant. But she knew that they used to come around to visit Tobi. She knew enough to know that one of them was an actual fiend of his and the other one was better of hit by a train. But she was smart enough not to let things like this getting in the way of her job, even as a simple waitress.

“Ray, I`ll get in the bar to get a glass of water, ok?”

“Yes, love. Is it for the girlfriend? You can take some from the toilet for her.”

“Gladly, but let`s keep out jobs, alright?”

They couldn`t really stand her. Tobi worked with them and he grew on them. No one from that place suspected Tobi being so young. He acted childish at times, but he was the one responsible for the bar and got to that position in less than a summer.

The smoke came out once with her words.

“Did you talk to him about it?”

“I did not talk to him since I took my driving license. He called me to congratulate me and we didn`t talk much cause I couldn`t.”

“I think he knows. Don`t know how, but I think he suspects something. No one else knows about it, besides you and Joe know about it. Joe wrote on the group chat after I told him that our fling is over, but Tobi didn`t say anything related to it, just dropping occasional hints that I would be with someone.”

“He is smart and he got to know you very well.”

“Too well if you ask me.” She laughed again like he was nothing but another toy. But Abi knew her much her sister cared about him. She used to love him to the moon and back, would`ve gave him her finger to own if he would`ve asked. He already had the ring, Abi helped him pick it. But it was never easy with her. He was away and his good friend was closer. Well former friend, she knows for a fact the last thing they said to each other was “Happy birthday!” months and months ago.

The whole situation was strange. She, Abi, knew him for good 6 years, had a crush on him and now that she`s been together with her boyfriend for a couple years, he was dear to both of them. Tobi and her boyfriend were good friends even with the age gap between them. To be honest, Tobi always was at least a decade more mature than his age. And he proved himself to be the best friend someone could`ve asked for.

She has been her best friend in the whole world since they met years back. But that didn`t change the fact she was not happy with her sister`s choice of going from one to another and back again. She met Tobi  5 years ago at a party Abi hosted and he noticed her, but didn`t act cause of her boyfriend. Second time Tobi noticed her, he broke his rule and went for it. She left Vlad a few days later and the two of them got very close. Until she decided that Tobi`s good friend, Joe, could be a good fun source. Months later Tobi found out about the fun they had while he was in London at university. That shook the group up a bit, but Tobi acted like the big man and talked it out with Joe, without violence or arguments.

She doesn`t know exactly all the detail, but Joe grew cold to her sister and then she started talking with Tobi`s other good friend, also brother-from-another-mother, Jake. The two of them share the same birthday and have been very close from the day they met. Without knowing anyone in the classroom, Jake and Tobi sat down in the same desk on the first day of high school and started a strong friendship. He knows all the story from both her and Tobi. And she tried to get to him too. The four of them: her, Joe, Jake and Tobi are a group. Close friends. Or they used to be.

“Ray!”

The shout came from the front of the screen and soon everyone went towards the screen

 “… the authorities say it is too early to declare an exact number but the reports that come in speak of a level of destruction unprecedented. There is no sign of radioactivity and there have been no reports of missile launch or nuclear accident that could`ve caused this kind of damage and the cause is still unknown. The damage raises to billions of euros, but the most tragic loss is the one of human lives, London being the house of over 8.5 million people…”

Her hands were shaking and she could barely make the call. No answer. She tried again and again, getting angrier and more frustrated at the phone. Tears dropped on the screen and were confused for touches.

“Mami, why are you crying?” His voice was frail and broke on the last word. He never saw his mom like that, shaking, with tears dripping down her face.

“What happened?”

“Nothing sweetheart, go back to the computer and play, ok?”

She tried to call again, with no success. She ditched WhatsApp and tried the mobile number.

“The number you have dialed is not available, ple…”

The rest of the message didn`t make it to her ears as she crushed on the sofa. It didn`t matter that her phone dropped. The food on the stove didn`t matter. Nothing else did. Her son didn`t answer and she was being consumed by fear and pain. She didn`t even hear the door open or her husband`s as ever bright and cheerful “Hello!”

“Daddy, what happened?”

“What do you mean?” He was confused. He finished work, went to do some groceries and came home. Nothing more than an usual day so far. The situation would`ve been completely different if the car radio would`ve worked though. For the past hour, all the TV and radio stations, all the news channels and social media, everyone was talking only about one thing: the complete obliteration of one of the major cities is the world without a single breathing survivor left alive.

[worldcakecakecake]

Throwing Cellphones

                            Feliciano gets himself a sugar daddy

                                   I update on Fridays now!

                                                     Chapter 8

How blissful this was even if they weren’t doing anything but holding each other close and swimming in their scents. Feliciano couldn’t hold his smile, his triumph, his slight movements of hips, hoping for a chance to wake him, to be alive in that glory together.

He suddenly caught the glint of his engagement ring, thrown in some corner of the room, uncaring and useless. It reminded, it created guilt, images of Yekaterina’s smile flashing in his mind, on Ludwig’s hold on her, repeating the words of when she admitted proudly that she was his fiancé. He halted, just as Ludwig began to awake, as he stretched, bones cracking, all while an arm was still wrapped around him. He smiled upon being welcomed with Feliciano’s curls, leaning to kiss his shoulder, cheek, stopping only because he couldn’t reach Feliciano’s lips in this position. Feliciano turned to him, hoping he could shush, hoping he could utter something to stop this, to sink away his desires. As soon as his eyes met with his, it was all broken. Instead he was lost in radiance, in love, in a hand going up to caress his fallen strands, lost in want, in the desire for his arms to do much more. He couldn’t hold himself from letting his hand caress on the back of his neck, enough of a push for Ludwig to come down and let their lips met, in the same passion from their last night. Feliciano hated the fact that he was disappointed when Ludwig stopped, settling with staring into his eyes and feeling the hand that caressed him.

“Do you really…want to go back to Italy today?” Ludwig asked, his eyes showing easily his begging to have Feliciano for more, and not just in bed, but in squares, in dinners, in shops, in parks, in strolls where he wished he had more of a chance to hold his hand, in union no matter where they went and who saw.

“I have to…” Feliciano started, unhappiness readable in his tone. Ludwig could tell that part of him wanted to stay, with the continuing caresses on his shoulders, on the side of his face, as if trying to memorize even the feel of his gaze forever.

“I…I’m sorry…but I can’t.” Feliciano looked once again to the ring, Ludwig noticing as well, cursing that he didn’t leave it at the table the night before as he always did.

“…I can’t keep doing this,” he decided lastly, even as his fingers explored his lips, his jaw, his chin, resting a palm on the beating of his heart.

Ludwig knew he had to obey, knew he had to fall in line with what was expected of him for the better. At least he was granted this night, one to treasure and remember, a last grasp of paradise that he had to let go before it could poison.

  Feliciano packed well and Ludwig drove him to the airport. He parked and accompanied him through the building, where they spent it with fleeing phrases trying to grasp a conversation, but they were too saddened to continue anything, dreading what was to come, this goodbye that was supposed to be final.

They reached to where the security line started, where Feliciano had to go, Ludwig had to leave him, but they were still pulled to the other, a tugging that didn’t let Feliciano pass through. He turned to him, wishing so much he could kiss him and embrace him as they had done every time they had to leave like this. They stood apart, having to force a field between them to keep them from coming closer, from saying so much more, screaming stops and I love you.

“T-thank you for…giving me everything and helping me and being such a kind gentleman and uh…” so much he wanted to say, but he couldn’t in this plentitude that could be a danger.

“I’m raising my deposits to 1,500 euros,”

“What? No, please! You can’t after we’re going to stop-”

“It doesn’t matter, I want you to be well secured until you find something, and even so I don’t think I’ll stop, I’ll continue for as long as I’ll be able to pay for it…I want you to be happy.” He wanted to promise him a good holding, a sustainable house and wealth that would continue to bring him the things he wanted, the chances for happiness that he hated he would not be a part of anymore.

With the force and decision in his voice, Feliciano had nothing he could say to change his mind, so he settled with a breath of relief. Those things would keep him well, bring him food, water, roof above him, his paints, his canvases, his phone, extras of refinery simply for taste…but it couldn’t cancel the marriage, it couldn’t give him Ludwig.

The crowds passed around them, in blurs, in silence, only them in the passing of minutes that they couldn’t do anything about. Feliciano gave enough farewell kisses, embraces and love in their night before, even that morning. It was done, he should go, he should leave.

“Good bye.” He turned, not a wave, not a smile, running ahead, wishing desperately that no one would notice his trembling and the watering of his eyes.

  Two weeks later, it was the night of Ludwig’s wedding.

While he was surely dancing the night away with a beautiful bride, groomed well in his suit, having drinks, laughing with family and friends a day to start what so many hoped would be a loving and lasting marriage, Feliciano spent it lying about on his bed, the entire day trying to focus on some pamphlet the gallery in Munich had sent him from the exhibition. A submission form was also with it. Apparently a gallery in France had taken the same interest and wanted to see more paintings from him in their own galleries. In any other time, when he was still struggling, when Ludwig hadn’t come into his life, he would had been so ecstatic that he would be filling the whole village with the news, paint more canvases, sing and dance along with a new prospect of the future as the brushes created upon the surface with the power of his hand. Yet now, he was laying over the bed Ludwig had given him, staring into the ceiling of the house he gave him, wrapped in a long sleeved short of his that he left behind the last time he came, both the pamphlet and the submission form to his side with unimportance. Two weeks and the forgetting he had hoped would happen was nowhere near. He still wrapped his arms around himself, as if the shirt could do enough to bring him his arms, his scent still strong in it, the very one that was even in his pillows and blankets no matter the washes he gave them. He hated how he tried to find more of it, diving into them, imagining him to be there, hands caressing the mattress and sheets as if he could feel them.

But he wouldn’t… he was at his wedding, by now surely married, spending it in a beautiful night he couldn’t spend with him, couldn’t laugh, couldn’t dance, couldn’t drink, couldn’t have him his, it couldn’t be their own. He gripped his sheets harshly, trembling, not being able to hold the tears that began to shed, to stain his pillow, whimpers to be lost in the silence of the room, alone, with no one, not even the man who gave them these very walls, this very place to crash on, even the clothes that wrapped his body. He wanted to hate him, he wanted to scream curses all for the hills to hear, burn this place to truly loose every remnant of him.

The phone rang, its light hurting in the darkness Feliciano had accepted for this night. The name that was presented was the very one of his anguish, the very one who caused all of this. He should throw it, smash it to pieces against the wall to never let his presence come back to him ever again. Just as he was about ready to swing it in his desperation, he instead dragged the green button to answer, a loud sob escaping, because no matter the harshness he wanted to address Ludwig with, he loved him, he adored him, he wanted to hear his voice, he wanted him there with him to tell him the same, to wash and kiss away the tears with his lips and large careful hands.

He placed the phone over his ear, an intake surely heard to Ludwig, heavy breathing as he tried to bring control to his voice. “Wh-what?”

Ludwig easily knew he was not okay, sharing in breathing, lost, fearful, a wish to run away to those hills, to that house, to that welcoming bed and those serene arms. “I miss you…I want to be with you,” Ludwig told him, a whisper, quite in solitude for a man who was supposed to be at a wedding reception.

Feliciano really tried to suck in the whimpers, but with each second it failed the more. He was shaking, surely even the stream of tears as it fell down to his pillow noticeable to Ludwig in this voice only call. “Ludwig, what are you doing? You’re supposed to be in the party, you-you should be eating and you should be dancing with Yekaterina, you’re not- you’re not supposed to be calling me! We’re not supposed to…” anything else was lost in in a weeping, Feliciano raising a hand to cover his mouth and nose, not wanting it to be heard, not wanting Ludwig to hear how destroyed he was about this even if it was already too late.

“I don’t want to be in there, Feliciano. Everything is suffocating and stressful. I feel like it’s another day at the labs. I don’t think Yekaterina is truly happy, we haven’t even danced. Her family is really awkward to be around with and the only one really keeping the feast alive is my brother with his karaoke,” he groaned, raising a glass and surely drinking from what Feliciano could hear. “I needed to escape from all of this…I headed out, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Ludwig…you could get caught,”

“I don’t care, I want to hear your voice.”

Feliciano though it cruel to smile, for a grin to form in the still gleaming of his eyes that rimmed with still falling tears. “You’re risking too much."

“I’ll make something up if someone actually comes out here, but I highly doubt it. No one would really spend their wedding reception at a parking lot."

“Only you would,” Feliciano managed a chuckle.

“I did not marry someone I love. I instead would take one of these vans and drive to you if I could.” The very vehicle was before him, giving him quite the temptation.

Feliciano turned his body to stare at the ceiling, wanting to imagine Ludwig was over him as he said this, hand rising as if he could feel his skin that instant. “Where to then?” Feliciano wondered.

“You wouldn’t want to stay at your home?”

“I want to run away, I want to forget everything," he admitted, breathless, truly tired, his mind concocting places, Ludwig joining along in the exploring of his mind.

“Livorno and Monte Argentario,” Feliciano started.

“Lake Bracciano,” Ludwig added.

“Rome,” Feliciano uttered which such a desire, almost to a moan, as if the word had touched him in the ways that Ludwig did.

“Sorrento.”

“All of the Amalfi coast,” Feliciano excited, raising his arms even.

“How about Capri?”

“Let’s stay there forever,” Feliciano wished.

“Together?”

“Only you and me.”

They both could already imagine a rich villa, the highest to get the best sun and view, land for Ludwig to have the dogs he wanted, relaxed in his work, Feliciano on his lap to talk about cupcakes and gelato, in their rest together, in their love making, in their intertwined happiness.

Feliciano thought it just wistful dreaming, the chance to simply imagine, hoping it would be enough, but it wouldn’t. They still needed much more.

  A month in without him, in the heights of summer, sun reigning, the villages being flooded with more tourists than usual, which made it rather deplorable to leave his own home. The heat was not a helping factor, and although Feliciano did prefer it, he hated the humidity and sweating that came with it. He gave up to throwing his shirt to the floor and throwing his pants along became more tempting. They were being stained anyway by his painting.

He was coloring something simplistic, the sea just as he saw it today, along with his balcony with the flowers that flourished, an old vase that belonged to his grandfather and even a reclining chair that would make the viewer want to take it just as he wanted. The breeze would surely be nice, the comfort would be heavenly, he could whip himself a drink. He had the view of the sea, a blue to go along with the one of the sky…just the color of Ludwig’s eyes.

He took a wet washcloth and slapped it upon his face.

Maybe he should actually start with his dinner, he needed to distract himself quickly before more thoughts of Ludwig flooded his mind and they would have him incapable of anything for the rest of the day.

The last call they gave each other was that one on Ludwig’s wedding night. Afterwards it was only three messages, sweet, small ones that would appear on his phone only once a week.

‘I haven’t stopped thinking about you’

‘I’ve been dreaming of your smile’

‘Stunning’ to one of his last selfies, sitting upon a rock at a near beach, gaze to the horizon, curls flying, a hand on his thigh that would have been surely seductive to Ludwig.

He never replied, no matter how tempted he was to tell him:

‘My bed has never felt this empty’

‘I want you to hold me’

‘Please come for me’

He would lock his phone and throw it to some other corner before he succumbed to it, before it could arrive, before he could get caught… by his wife.

The reminder always brought him a new shiver of pain, a dwindling, a falling, the repeat of why he couldn’t send him those words, of why he couldn’t let it continue, of why he was trying so hard to forget about him even weeks later. How frustrating it was that even with their time apart, Feliciano still knew the form of his body well, to be able to sketch perfectly upon his notebook, along with his gazes, the kind ones with a loving and beautiful smile that he only got to see. His touches and kisses still seemed to linger, no matter his showers. He would rest on the bed where they had made enough love and he would be engulfed once more like it was only in his skin where it belonged. He wished for him, he loved him, no matter how many times he tried slamming his head against a surface to try and forget, to rid, rid, rid, get out of my head, get out of my head, stop making my heart beat like this, stop appearing in my dreams, stop making me hope and call. He repeated in his head every time, in the making of dinner such as this, the sun setting wonderfully in the horizon, distracting him, burning away his image.

His linguini was done boiling, his lemon, garlic, thyme and mushroom sauce was ready to be mixed. He had just gotten the wooden spoon to help bring them together when he received a rather sudden knock at his door. He halted, taking his phone to check his messages. Nothing new from his brother, Antonio or his grandfather. Did he forget he invited someone? Perhaps it was the mailman with a new package? He threw the cloth and spoon to the counter.

He would just have to go and see for himself.

The only thing he disliked about this house was that he was not given a peephole, only glasses that offered a blurred image of the tall figure that was standing there waiting. Trusting to be no danger, perhaps a friend, a neighbor, maybe even a traveler who was asking for assistance, he unlocked and opened.

He met with Ludwig’s blue eyes gazing up to him with such guilt, a pout and a saddened expression that made him look like he was a distraught and lost puppy. No... if it would have been a puppy he wouldn’t have slammed the door against it so quickly, turned away, rush to get some water to clean his face and pretend that it was all some weird hallucination.

There again was the knock, continuous, begging, Feliciano hoping he could forget it by checking his Instagram notifications. It was not there, he was not there, he would leave and if he didn’t, Feliciano had the police numbers ready to call.

“Feliciano…” he called, so sweetly, yet so tired, his knocks weakening, and Feliciano could almost see him leaning against the near wall in exhaustion.

His kind and hospitable spirit couldn’t leave him like this. He gave up, left the cellphone in the counter and headed once again to the door to open, Ludwig just in the place he had met him in, leaning, with a fainting and rocking stature that made him the more accepting to his welcome. It still didn’t mean he would extend his arms, smile, kiss or embrace him, he just left the door open, granting him enough entrance, moving away back into the kitchen.

“What are you doing here?” He said with a scolding tone, yet picking up an extra plate to serve him.

“I…” Ludwig wanted to start, but now he just felt awkward entering, like the floors were stabbing his every step, not making him sure to even drop his bag.

Why even bother to answer? Feliciano was turned away from him, dedicated to serving two plates of pasta.

With visitors, Feliciano would have made them salad, gotten bread, a new wine bottle, but this was sudden, and so Ludwig would have to settle with only this plate. Not even when he was done did he move, paused before the counter, not sure if he could face Ludwig with a still expression, maddened as he tried to pretend. Seconds went on, Feliciano awaiting an answer, no hint of movement until Ludwig uttered any kind of word.

“I…wanted to see you.”

Feliciano only sparred him a fleeing glance, before picking up the plates and heading to put them on the table, right pass Ludwig, still no touch, no word, no locking of eyes.

“What excuse did you give your wife?” He took his seat, stabbing his fork harshly on the plate, all pieces easily being picked in one reach, just as quickly bringing it to his mouth.

“We don’t…need to mention her,” Ludwig shook, hesitant, the guilt evident in his voice, and for a moment Feliciano thought it was enough to have him out the door that instant.

He was still there, as awkwardly as he entered, but still there.

Feliciano continued to try to be as unfazed, but he did pat the seat beside him where he placed Ludwig’s food, and he quickly took it, finally leaving his bag by the sofa and content to be able to do something if even just eat in this house once again. They finished it in silence, never glances between them, not a touch, not a new reach. Even when it was done, the final clang was haunting, Feliciano looking over to the view of the darkening sky of his large windows, an excuse to not talk, avoid. In turn, when Ludwig was done, all he did was stare at Feliciano, in it enough heat asking for his stare back, for his answer, for his word, his smile, his conversation, even if insults. Feliciano was determined to not give anything back, but he could still feel Ludwig’s intense gaze, running now down the body Feliciano noticed was still bare, only red boxers, still trying to find coolness, especially now with Ludwig in the room.

Trying to calm he raised a hand to scratch at the back of his neck, but it only made Feliciano shine the more alluringly to Ludwig. “What excuse did you give your wife?” He repeated, firing anger in his eyes that this time Ludwig had to answer to.

“I told her I was coming here to work for the new base…told her I would be gone for three weeks.”

“Three weeks?” Feliciano perked. It was a long time, the longest he had ever stayed in Italy.

Ludwig nodded.

“And…you’re planning on spending them here?” He wondered, rather insulted, making Ludwig hesitant to continue to speak.

“Well…um…” he hoped too much, he was lost in the promise of their last call, of making it real, planning, working, ready to leave that instant if Feliciano gave him that simple yes.

“Were you planning of just having your way with me?” The insult, the growing hurt, Feliciano now turned completely so Ludwig could rightfully see the fire of his pain. “Did you think you could come to easily fuck me, that I’ll-” he was so disappointed in himself, standing, picking up both the empty plates, rather harshly, Ludwig afraid that he would throw them against the floor or wall. “That I’ll easily open up my legs for you, let you treat me like some doll you can resort to whenever the hell you want because you feel you’re entitled to just because you rightfully paid for it, when you have-” Tears started, shaking started, sobs interrupting any other word he wanted to shout. “You have a wife! You have…you have someone that loves you, is waiting for you, and is doing what she can to please you expecting your love in return and you-you-you-” He couldn’t even reach the sink, he simply dropped the plates on the counter.

“I love you,” Ludwig interrupted before anything else, readily and sharp in the air that made Feliciano shiver, tremble, break down with a weakening hold on the edge of the counter.

“Don’t say that! Don’t say that!”

“I will say it, because I do love you and…you…I know you feel the same way.” He stood from his own seat on the table, reaching, Feliciano coming closer to the counter, wishing he had a better exit than just standing there. His hall was there, he could lock himself in his room, make Ludwig understand and have him leave just as easily. He didn’t, he couldn’t, because in truth, this was what he wanted to hear, this was a refresh, even with the anguish that joined with it.

“You are waiting for me, you’re the one that does what he can to please me, you expect my love in return, and you have it, you have it.” He eased a hand on his shoulder, gentile, surprisingly not receiving a shudder, only feeling his trembling from his continuous tears. He didn’t move the hand away and he remained still to keep it there, straightening, arching, wanting more, but a grip on the counter still held him from giving in.

“You love me, please tell me you love me,” Ludwig whispered close, hanging, afraid to give him any more touches that Feliciano could refuse, could bark away.

Feliciano couldn’t hold it any longer, it only seemed to hurt him more, he wanted release from it, so he turned to him, crashing into his readily welcome arms, back into his scent, his strength and the kisses on the top of his head.

“I love you, I love you,” he finally admitted, but sobs still continued to escape with it, hoping that the more he cradled into his chest, the more they would stop, they would leave. He was just so relieved, so happy, a release all together at once that he preferred to let it out all now. Hopefully he would soon enough calm down.

Ludwig didn’t mind it, he held him close, a comforting hand on his back that let him continue with his whimpering and tears. “I truly, truly wanted to be with you, even if I wouldn’t have the prospect of sex. You have no idea how relieving it is to me to simply see you, to hold you like this, to hear you speak…to see you smile.” Even if he wasn’t at the moment, but even his trembling, his tight hold on his shirt, his resting over him, was enough, was a dream, was the place he preferred standing over any other. “I never, never, never saw you as an item just to own. It hurts to think that you thought it. I wouldn’t give anything just for a partner to sleep with, for that I could have just gotten a prostitute, but I was willing to give everything to someone I saw needed it…and I cared for, dearly, lovingly and yes, even with that lusting desire that calls me from time to time…but only for you.” He rubbed one hand on his back, the other on is hair, rocking him, settling in silence for him to continue in his calming. “Please don’t throw me away, don’t cast me aside for a marriage I would have preferred not to have, don’t make me leave you, please, let me stay, let me stay,” Ludwig begged, a saddening tone that was beginning to share in with the depths of Feliciano’s own misery.

Feliciano departed from his chest, head along with arms rising. They wrapped around his neck and he pulled him down to his lips. Warm, passing the faltering joy that they needed, mending, growing, letting it become as comfortable as any they shared. This spark was more intense, more magical, more igniting than any he could share with any other. Not even the one Ludwig had in his wedding was as beautiful and fulfilling as this. They swayed and danced with it, pulling them away, leaving the kitchen and living room to Feliciano’s bedroom, where they fell against the bed in simple kisses and longing but short caresses on their bodies.

They were too tired, exhaustion falling on them that the bed made more of a lullaby to bring them into sleep. Arms around each other, Ludwig resting on Feliciano’s hair, Feliciano on Ludwig’s neck and chest, legs intertwined, their hearts beating together in one rhythm, sleeping, for once full and complete, without any waiting sorrows to hunt their dreams or come anew in the next morning.

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[espanakatie-blog]

3 marzo

Okay, so now it’s been a really really long time since I’ve written. Sorry about that. In my defense, I wasn’t doing anything that new or exciting until Italy this past weekend. And my converter didn’t work in Italy so my laptop was muerto (dead). Since nothing of superb interest has happened since my last writing and Italy, I’ll just write about Italy (my very first solo trip!)

Day 1: Sevilla > Bologna

I got to the airport early because in America that’s what you do for international flights. Show up even earlier than normal. But I went to check in and the woman behind the counter (not so) nicely told me the Bologna flight wasn’t open yet so I should sit and wait off to the side. So I did, where I listened another (not so) nice couple bicker. Eventually I got to check in behind what I’m 95% certain was a sugar daddy/sugar baby situation. For a sugar daddy he was pretty cheap, flying Ryanair and all. In any case, I checked in and got through security to find that they wouldn’t announce where my gate was until about 40-45 minutes before take-off. This is a quality I’ve found happens more often than I realized and becomes particularly annoying for someone accustomed to waiting at their gate. All is fine though, I made it on time and got my seat.

While I was waiting for my flight, however, I was starting to wonder if I was going to regret traveling by myself. I was sitting next to a group of girls flying to Bologna as a group, excited for their girls’ weekend. I was pondering how comfortable I was really going to be alone for the weekend. Luckily, I finished a book right before going to Bologna called “What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding” by Kristin Newman. It’s a memoir about all her travel stories, group trips and alone, while all her friends were settling down and having kids. This book played a much larger role in my psyche during this trip than I expected. On a vacation to Russia with a friend, Newman describes being the only person at the dinner table unable to speak Russian. She felt out of place, but learned how important it was to be okay with just your own thoughts. I remembered this and tried my best to channel Kristin Newman. So, I got on the plane and went to Bologna.

Day 2: Bologna

I soon discovered that my converter didn’t work in Italy. So, I spent the first part of my morning walking around Bologna in hopes of coming across a store that would have converters (and a new phone charger because mine so conveniently broke while trying to charge my phone from what was left of my laptop battery!). It was a bit chilly (but manageable) in Bologna that day. While I was comfortable in a light cardigan, Italians were piled in layers upon layers and scarves and looked at me like I was crazy. I think they’re the crazy ones. Just yesterday I walked to the store by my apartment without a coat, while a Spanish woman wore a winter parka. Whatever your body is adjusted to, I suppose.

Anyway, my first day was nice but slightly boring as I bought lunch and went back to my hostel to eat it. I overestimated the amount of English speaking there would be in my hostel. As English is the lingua franca, I assumed people would speak it with each other in the hostel. While it would make an appearance sometimes, most people spoke Italian with each other while I was there. So I ate my lunch by myself and took a siesta because I am very adjusted to Spanish hours. This would come to bite me in the butt when it came to dinner. I stopped getting hungry for dinner before 8:30 PM, but a lot of restaurants in Bologna closed around 9. I ended up eating some middle eastern food because that’s how I am as a person. Goes to Italy, land of some of the greatest food in this world, and ate some of the greatest food in the world from somewhere else.

Now, I have been sick for quite some time now. But I had improved and just had a slight cough. However, in Bologna I conveniently got my deep, guttural cough again. It was worse when I was lying in bed and I think it’s because of the position I was in. Walking around I wouldn’t even notice that I had a cough because it wasn’t that often. I could tell the people sharing the room with me weren’t thrilled with my coughing but what can you do? I tried my best to suppress it, I took meds, I drank a lot of water, and still I was coughing. Oh, and my left ear was completely plugged up.

Day 3: Bologna

I decided to do the things you’re supposed to do in Bologna because the weather was better, I had a charged phone, and I was ready for what the day would bring me. I started by going to the tower in Bologna, to get the best view overlooking all of Bologna. I underestimated quite how tall it would be. I’m glad that this tour was hard for everyone, and I wasn’t just another out of shape American. And because the tower was made when people were much smaller, SOME STAIRS WERE EXTREMELY SMALL. I climbed all 29 stories (in 5-7 minutes might I add) to get an incredible view of Bologna. The climb was well worth it, but I would recommend bringing a bottle of water. After the tower I got one of the best slices of pizza I’ve ever had in my life in a nearby shop. It was gigantic and just two euros. I sat on the curb of the street and tried to take in that I was in Italy, by myself, eating a slice of pizza, and just had the most incredible view of Bologna. I was getting up to start finding the hidden canal views in Bologna when I was approached by a man who wanted me to buy him food. I could barely hear him and started to wish I knew any obscure language so I could’ve pretended to not understand him. Or that I was a man. Because men don’t deal with the creepy old men. I told him I had to go and used the best RBF that I have to seem more unapproachable to anyone else who would try to do the same.

Anyway, I started to look for the little canal views and found a few. My favorite is this little window in the street that has a view of the canal and some houses built along the sides. I also tried to do things in the old Jewish ghetto, but everything was closed. By the time I got to the Jewish museum I realized it was a Saturday (you know, the holy Sabbath day) and nothing was going to be open in the old Jewish ghetto.

I came back for another siesta and walked around Bologna and I settled for a bowl of spaghetti alla carbonara and I couldn’t even finish it. I can’t tell if it was because it was so rich or because the last time I got spaghetti alla carbonara I had awful food poisoning and threw up 14 times throughout the night :-). Luckily this time, I kept everything down.

Day 4: Bologna > Venice

I bought a train ticket to Venice the night before and set an alarm for 7 AM so I could walk to the train station (about a 25 minute walk) with plenty of time to eat breakfast and get ready. I don’t know if I slept through my alarm because of my plugged ear or if I was so tired that I don’t remember turning it off, but I didn’t wake up on times. I think my train was at 9:00, and I woke up at 8:35. Which was the time I needed to leave the hostel to just (barely) make it on time for the train. So I hopped out of bed, changed as fast as I could, grabbed my stuff and ran out the door. I basically sped walk/ran to the train station and made it with 2 minutes to spare before the train left. The perfectly manicured Europeans didn’t seem to thrilled with my makeup-less face and unbrushed hair. I did my makeup on the train, where someone sitting next to me asked if I have bronchitis. I think. He said something like bronchitia. I told him I don’t speak Italian (in English, lol). He, his wife, and the person next to me went on to say something in Italian and then laugh. Love it. I now have to try to make an appointment for the doctor here because I may or may not have acute bronchitis.

I got to Venice and entered a state of absolute euphoria. I have wanted to go to Venice since before I can remember, and I was finally there. I ate a lot of dessert that day too, which definitely helped. After finding out a gondola ride would cost me 80 euros, I was taken aback a little. But during lunch, I remembered that Kristin Newman says to always do the thing you’re supposed to do in the place you’re supposed to do it. That little piece of encouragement reminded me that my fantasy of being in Venice ALWAYS included a gondola ride, and I was gonna ride in a gondola even if it killed me. I went to the nearby gondola stop and got my own private gondola ride. My gondola person (driver? captain? what do you call these people?) told me a few facts about Venice in a thick Italian accent that I did not always understand, but I just nodded and gave a few “oohs” and “ahhs.” I am sure I am in at least 80 photos from my one ride, as every tourist took a picture of this gondola going down the canal. At one bridge, we came across my gondola person’s friend where they said something, and then his friend said hello to me and blew me a kiss. Again, I awkwardly wished I was a man because he was probably in his thirties. This kind of stuff only happens to me outside of America. I’m starting to question if foreigners are just that much more vocal or if American boys don’t appreciate the absolute beauty that I am (lol, I can sometimes be modest...ish).

I got off the gondola ride and walked around a little more and got gelato so I could sit on the edge of the canal in peace and soak in all that was Venice. I was in a more quiet part of Venice and I was feeling such bliss. It was carnaval in Venice and it was PACKED. Some of the main bridges took three to five minutes to cross because there were SOOOO many people. I would really love to come back when there are less people and take a more detailed, historical tour of Venice. But, I was content just buying a cookie and sitting by the edge of the canal watching gondolas go by. I know now you’re thinking, “Katie, that’s a lot of pasta, pizza, and dessert you’re eating. How did you manage?” Let me just tell you there are quite a lot more stairs than I had anticipated basically everywhere I went in Italy. I walked about 10 miles everyday because I didn’t take public transportation anywhere (except the trains between cities) and I think it’s fine and I encourage you to do the same. Indulge in all the beautiful Italian carbs because you’ll be walking everywhere anyway.

Before I left I grabbed a latte from a cafe and people watched by the canal. Kristin Newman talks about how she longed to be the girl who could sit alone in a cafe at Paris and enjoyed it. She did, and I’m glad she wrote about it because it inspired me to be that same girl, just in Venice.

Now this is when I discovered just how annoying the whole delayed announcement of where the gates/platforms is. They announced where the train would be not too much before the train was scheduled to leave, and people were RUNNING. It was HOARDS of people running toward the train. I didn’t think much of it because I was like “I don’t need any specific seat, I’ll be fine” and luckily got a seat. However, there were people standing in the aisle for the two hour train ride back to Bologna. I didn’t realize how packed the train was, and that’s why people were running.

When I got back to Bologna it was after 9 PM and the only thing that was open was an American diner by my hostel. I went in and soon discovered they had several hot sauces, that when combined, was HEAVEN. FINALLY SOME SPICE IN MY LIFE. It was magical, it was beautiful, and my life had changed for the better.

Day 5: Bologna > San Marino (?)

I woke up and decided I wanted to go to the Republic of San Marino. Unbeknownst to me, the Republic of San Marino and San Marino are not synonymous. I bought train tickets to get to what I thought was the Republic of San Marino. It would take 2 train changes to get there, and I thought I got it down. I missed my second train though, because the platform was “pf” which was not a real place? So I went to customer service to get a new train ticket and they didn’t say anything about the fact that the Republic of San Marino and San Marino are different, leaving me to not think anything was wrong. On my second train, the conductor scanned my ticket and asked “You are trying to go to the Republic of San Marino?” and I said “yes.” He chuckled and the rest of the conversation went like this:

Conductor: You’re on the wrong train

Me: I’m going to get off at the end of the Bassano del Grappa stop and from there would go to San Marino

Conductor: No no, the Republic of San Marino doesn’t have a train station. That San Marino is a small town of about 50 houses and nothing else. I don’t think you want to go there

Me: Oh

Conductor: A lot of tourists make this mistake

Me: So what should I do?

Conductor: To go to the Republic of San Marino, you need to go back to Padova, get a train to Bologna and from there you can take a train and then a bus to the Republic. Where are you staying in Italy?

Me: Bologna...

Conductor: [chuckles]

Me: Yeah...

Conductor: What did you want to do in the Republic of San Marino?

Me: Just walk around, see what it’s like

Conductor: By the time you get there, it’ll be 5-6 PM. You can get off at Bassano del Grappa, the last stop of this train. It’s a very nice town.

Me: Okay, I’ll do that instead then. Thank you.

So, that is how I bought a ticket to the wrong San Marino but ended up in Bassano del Grappa. This was the best thing I could’ve done for myself. I fell in love with Bassano del Grappa. I felt such a euphoric bliss in Bassano del Grappa, even more than I had felt in Venice. The best part about this mix up was that I got to decide on a whim to see Bassano del Grappa. I didn’t have to check in with anyone to see what they wanted to do, I did whatever I wanted to do when I got there, and no one was complaining. I walked past a cafe in Bassano del Grappa, and just walked in! There was no “do you want to eat here? Do you want to keep looking?” I just chose what I wanted. I spent an unnecessary amount of time by the river skipping rocks and no one could get annoyed with me for being happiest by the water. I walked wherever I wanted, bought tickets to whatever museums I thought were interesting, and I was happy to just walk around and see what Bassano del Grappa had to offer. I already started planning a trip back in my head, maybe with some family. I know where I want to stay, for how long, and what I want to do. Bassano del Grappa was hands down the best mistake I made and my favorite part of the whole trip. And there were no creepy men!

Day 6: Bologna

It was my last day in Bologna, and I tried to do things in the old Jewish ghetto but it started to rain and I didn’t want to have sopping wet stuff in my bags so I hung out in my hostel. I got another gigantic slice of pizza for two euros and was extremely happy about it. I ate one last cannoli in the Bologna airport and headed home.

I’m so glad I had this adventure alone. I honestly came back feeling more confident, even with it being just a couple days. I learned in those few days how to be comfortable with just the company of myself and my own thoughts. I’m capable of solo travel and I owe a big thank you to Kristin Newman for being an idol for how to do it. And a thank you to my mom for buying to book for me. And everyone who gave me money for travel for making this trip financially possible.

[im-young-scrappy-n-hungry]

Things that bug my mom about TFP

Hey guys! So my mom had some thoughts about TFP that she asked me to post here for y’all. It’s a little long though (come on, you knew I had to get my wordiness from somewhere) so I’m gonna post it word for word under the cut. I’ll let her introduce herself up here though:

Hi. I'm Nat's mom and I'm a lurker by nature. I never post anything anywhere, but I need to get some stuff off my chest about this complete clusterfuck of an episode. So I decided to guest post on her account.  (Thanks, BooBoo!). 

Tl;dr: John Watson- Worst. Parent. Ever

First, I want to extend my sympathies to the TJLC folks. I love Johnlock, both the deep friendship and the romance idea, but I don't feel qualified to speak as part of that community. I admire the depth of research and the investment of time, effort and emotional energy that goes into this kind of pop culture discourse, and I am very sorry that your hopes and expectations were dashed after all that the creative team behind the show did to build you up.

Secondly, others have already pointed out the truly staggering failures of logic (not to mention violations of the laws of physics), the fact that every single female character has been reduced to their lowest common denominator, i.e., defining them in relationship to a man, and the plot holes big enough to fly a Tardis through. I look forward to someone's essay on the use of the Madwoman in the Attic cliche and the gendered depictions of mental illness. I mean, really, the male serial killer last week was a famous and universally loved philanthropist whose only "tells" were a creepy affect and disgusting teeth, but the female psychopath is locked away in her jammies with no human contact except for, oh wait, five minutes alone with another psycho. Uh huh. Someone with an academic background, please write this, please?

In addition to all of that, the thing that's been eating at me for the last two days is how they gave John the award for Worst. Parent. Ever.

John and Mary never had the best basis for a marriage. TJLC has covered this very well, but I think it's plain to even the casual viewer that they can barely stand each other. Except for the wedding episode they rarely touch and almost never express genuine affection. They chose each other because they consciously wanted a normal life, to deliberately turn away from their dangerous pasts. They have a baby and a house in the 'burbs, but it ends with John grieving, again, for the life he tried to build, and as a single parent.

I can buy that John needs help taking care of Rosie right after Mary dies. He can't function, he's back in therapy, he nearly kills Sherlock and then saves Sherlock's life within a couple of days. Then we're off on our Euros adventure and the only thing we hear about his child is from Sherlock, of all people, just before the grenade explodes. He goes haring off to Alcatraz and faces death about a half dozen times over the next, what, 24 hours or so. THE SOLE SOURCE OF CARE AND SUPPORT OF AN INFANT IS NOT ALLOWED TO BEHAVE THIS WAY. In TST, he and Mary twice discuss appropriate places to take Rosie and who stays behind to find a sitter. Now he's left the baby with friends: which friends? Molly and Mrs. Hudson didn't have her, so who did? Harry, Mike Stamford? Why were there no phone calls or texts asking where to find her favorite toy/pacifier/baby food, or letting John know she's teething/won't stop crying/running a fever? Why does John offer to kill an innocent man, knowing he'll have to look his daughter in the eyes for the rest of her life knowing her Daddy's a murderer (not killer. This isn't war or self defense.) Why is he so quick to offer to die instead of Mycroft? His daughter just lost her mother and now he wants to make her an orphan? Has he updated his will since Mary died, and named a guardian? In the unlikely event he did, who do you think he chose? Probably the person most likely to put him in mortal danger in the first place: his best friend, Rosie's godfather, Sherlock. Why doesn't he point out that of the three of them, he's got the most responsibility, the most to live for? And why, after conveniently forgetting that he was shackled to the bottom of that well and climbing up the rope, aren't his first words, "who has a phone, I need to check on Rosie"?

The answer, of course, is that instead of being an actual human infant, Rosie is a plot baby: there to tie John to a wife who was all wrong for him, there to be a symbol of the life he lost when Mary died, but not to be a real baby with real 24/7 needs. Moffat has experience with plot babies; remember Melody Pond?

This could all have been avoided with a line here and there acknowledging her existence. " 'Who's got Rosie?' 'Stamford's picking her up.' "; " 'I can't murder a man and then go home to my daughter.' " " 'Rosie just lost her Mum, who'll take care of her if you shoot me?' " It wouldn't have taken much.

As a parent of former infants, I can tell you with absolute certainty that when your kids are little you think of them constantly. I don't care if you have a fabulous career, a crappy job, are a stay at home parent, or anything in between. You're never NOT thinking about them. John Watson is presented, always, even at his most depressed, down or violent, as a good person. He would be a good parent. He would not be the kind of parent who forgets his responsibilities to someone so completely dependent on him. This BUGS me.

[dontbeallupinmyfriesdawg]

Kalijah Mini Drabble

A/N: Thank you so much to @klatholine for being my beta on this.x

Bottle Service

Admittedly, falling in love had really put a kink in her plans.

Elijah had come along, with his insufferably good looks and his expensive suit and ruined everything.

When they had first met, she had a career as a model. She’d started in her teens, taking up the profession in hopes of getting out of the one horse town she lived in and away from her controlling father. Being a model definitely had its perks. The travel for one, combined with the fact that models got a lot of free things, like clothes, and expensive meals at fancy restaurants (although she was rarely allowed to eat anything) and of course the pay was excellent. But Katherine Pierce was no fool. She knew her good looks would only carry her so far. Models had expiration dates. Unless you became a household name like Heidi Klum or Naomi Campbell, it was unlikely for your career to last past your thirties. Which is why she tucked away her earnings from each job into a nice little savings account and focused on her other career.

Rich men.

A lot of women didn’t realise it but obtaining a sugar daddy was a delicate and precise science. You didn’t want anyone too young. Young guys were unreliable and jerked you around, plus the money they had usually just trust fund money and therefore not really their own. That was no good. Men in their thirties were usually married - or were lying about not being married - and that was no good either. Older men were gross, smelt bad and usually had icky things like age spots and irritable bowel syndrome. You’d spend more time playing nurse than anything else; and not in a kinky way. That was okay for some, but Katherine was certainly not prepared to be giving sponge baths to any OAPs anytime soon.

Men in their late forties to early fifties were perfect. They were more than often divorced or never married. They were young enough to still be attractive but old enough to be experienced. Some men wanted companionship; others wanted something pretty on their arm to take to a work dinner; others wanted something more.

It hardly mattered to Katherine.

She knew some people might look down on her for how she chose to live. But if the men she dated were willing to shell out large amounts of dollars and euros on luxurious gifts, expensive hotels, shoes, drinks, automobiles and skiing lessons; all for little old her.

Well, then who was she to stop them?

She never kept a gentleman friend longer than a month, two months tops. But she was still on good terms with some of her favourites. One guy, Katherine had met in the south of France while she was on a modelling job and he’d fallen head over heels in love with her. Even though they’d only had a brief fling; she’d never blessed her eyes on him again after she left. Somehow, somewhere along the line, she’d talked him into paying her rent for the month. And then the next month. And then every month after that without fail. When Katherine considered it, at the rate she was going she could be retired before she was forty.

Then he came along.

Went Elijah happened, Katherine had been staying in a nice hotel across the city. New York was still abuzz post fashion week. The hotel had a lounge area that served drinks where she had been minding her own business when she caught him staring at her from the corner of her eye. After a brief assessment, she concluded he was about 35-37. That was usually a no-go zone.

But that was the dating rule.

There were no special guidelines for picking one night stands; except, try to stay away from the creeps and axe murderer types. Looking up from under her lashes she gave him her best flirtatious look. Shy, with a hint of ‘come and get me’. After a moment Mr Suit and Tie came gliding over to where she was seated at the bar, flashing her a charming smile and putting his perfect white teeth on display.

“Would you mind if I joined you?” he asked.

Katherine’s eyes fluttered shut momentarily and she resisted the urge to moan. Good looks and British accent.

Jackpot.

“Not at all,” she replied.

He’d occupied the stool next to her and offered to buy her a drink. She’d gotten his name, and he was a defence attorney but that was about it. Katherine was far too busy admiring his perfect jawline to focus on what he was saying. Then he’d surprised her and asked her to talk about herself. This was a shock because, in her experience, this was something men didn’t do very often. Most of them usually preferred the sound of their own voice; so Katherine was used to just smiling and nodding and laughing on cue when it sounded as if they’d said something they considered to be funny.

But Elijah had completely thrown her off.

Katherine refused to reveal too much about herself at first, for caution’s sake and to maintain an air of mystery. But by the time they’d ordered a second round of drinks she found herself laughing, chatting freely, and having a good time. For the first time in what had felt like forever. However, there was only so much talking she was prepared to do. The conversation came to an abrupt end when Katherine ran her hand up the inside seam of his trousers and asked if he would like to take her to bed. Elijah threw a 100 dollar bill on the counter before Katherine could grab her purse.

It turns out Mr Mikaelson was full of surprises that evening. In the past men had either been too rough and callous with her or treated her like she was made of glass. She had wrongly assumed Elijah to be one of the overly-gentle types. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. When inside his hotel room Katherine’s mouth immediately found his and they kissed each other hungrily, the adrenaline and alcohol pumping through their systems. Katherine’s hand instinctively reached down to his zipper but she felt Elijah’s strong pair of hands stop her. He spun her around and pushed her by her front against the wall both her arms pinned up beside her head.

She whined at the lack of control but Elijah ignored her and proceeded to run his hands between her legs feeling at the damp scrap of lace between her thighs. Katherine mewled and bucked against his hand but Elijah refused to relent.

“All this for me Miss Pierce?” he murmured against her neck.

Trailing kisses down the back of it, he proceeded to slowly pull her undergarment down her long legs. Kneeling down and placing kisses against the soft skin on her thighs.

“Elijah…” she’d gasped, feeling something warm against her folds.

He’d given her an incredible orgasm; the first of many that evening. In the morning Katherine was out of there before the light crept through the windows of Elijah’s hotel room. The night had been fun, but she didn’t do repeats. That’s how guys ended up getting attached.

A week later she had almost forgotten about Mr Sexy McDreamy suit. That is until she came home one day and found a voicemail from him on her answering machine, asking her to dinner. Katherine panicked at first. She was sure she hadn’t left him her number. Why would she? Yes, he had been handsome, and kind and charming. But a one-night stand was just that.

A one night stand.

She ignored the voice message for a while until her curiosity got the better of her and she called him back. Apparently, Elijah had talked one of the hotel staff into giving him Katherine’s number.

She couldn’t decide whether that was creepy or romantic. But what she did know was that they’d had a great night of fun, no strings attached sex. So she couldn’t understand why he’d want to ruin that by getting to know each other. If her memory served correctly, Katherine had made up some bullshit excuse about being out of the country that weekend and hoped that would be enough to deter him.

It wasn’t.

Elijah was persistent. The next week she received another message asking if she was free. This time she flat out ignored it and pretended that she hadn’t seen the message but fate (that bitch) decided that she should be invited to a gallery opening the next weekend and the owner of said gallery just so happened to be Elijah’s brother. Un-freaking-believable. Of course, they ran straight into each other. Him being far more amused by the coincidence than she was.

At first, he didn’t comment on her consistent rebuffing, Elijah simply asked how she was and made idle small talk. That is until the conversation changed direction.

“My apologies if my advances were unwanted Miss Pierce,” he murmured, leaning in to speak quietly against her ear; saying her name like silk, in a way that made a shiver go up her spine.

“Unwanted.. isn’t the exact word I’d use,” she explained. “I’m just not exactly looking to date right now,”

“Are you in a relationship?” he asked

“Well no but-,”

“Forgive me Katherine but in the brief period before we made our ascent to the bedroom; we had an enjoyable time did we not?”

“Yes we did-,” she admitted.

“Then, at the sake of risking my pride once more; would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner tomorrow evening?”

It may have been the expensive champagne flowing through her system, of the fact that Elijah fitted particularly well into the suit he was wearing that evening; whatever it was, it made her do it. She accepted.

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[chaotickidcat]

true...but what if your such white fucking trash garbage and do not deserve her? And that you know that your such a piece of shit and no one deserves you or the BS. So how can somebody love a piece of shit not worth anything but shit 24/7. Would love to change and that for a while now. I stopped coke and porn and would love to fully stop drinking and smoking but I simply can't I need help and willing to accept help since i really would love to change and make her happy she deserves to be happy every minute of the day. And even if the whole fucking Internet hates me I acctually do not give a shit about your diss Orgy here. I Love her...and I really do ! Ok true Boobs are negotiable and if you realy love your wife you woulden't want her to run around with 2160cc.. but I admid I love big tits the bigger the better. I do not understand the problem here and that the WWW is trying to make me feel guilty. I see it this way I respect everybody's sexual Orientation if Gay Trans what so ever! You can have your little 19 years old boyfirend with 65 who cares...! (not ok with pedos though) you can have objectophilia and love the Busstation or your favorite tree or your VIBE. I think if I can bring up the respect and the tolerance so can you and I do not think it's asked to much if you expect something from me to at least give the same in return. I admid I love her breast... there are countless Men out there who dream of having such a wife. I NEVER FORCED her to do this NEVER ! I said I cold live with it and also without since we got a TON of PORNStars out there in the WEB. No my wife said she is not happy that I watch porn sometimes and I admid the truth the whole coke was messing this up big time aswell..true. I asked her since several weeks if she really wants to spend that cash on the tits. I said lets do your USA trip instead and if you feel like doing your boobs we can see Dr Revis and than still have more than 1/2 of the cash we spend on Dr Plovier. My wife was telling me she had pain in hr right breast so an OP was acctually inevitable. I asked her if she would like to reduce her breast instead..she said no. She even insisted and said I love em and I am used to them it would feel like she would miss something. So we decided together so see Dr Plovier since he is europes leading expert in this field of expertise. She decided to go and even came up with nearly 18.000 euros we spend on that trip and I have my doubts where the money came from. Now I acctually even refused going and said we should not do that its too much money. I love you with or with out tits and I really do. Some dreams shoud simply stay dreams. I even refused to go with her to Belgium and said let's not do it and if you still want to go on your own than take your friend mdm Garcia with you fo rtranslating. I even offerd her to take care of all her expenses if she would go. This totally broke out into a serious discussion. I said I prefer you to stay the way you are now than having all the men in this World trying to take you from me. I do not wanted to loose her. Though I admid I said... since your always complaining about housework and me gaming she would have the perfect Arguments do anything she asked me for and I mean who the fuck would want to play  Sony Playstation or WOW if she says .. hunney please could you ..Hell I would and I would run. Yes. So now after the Surgery. I asked her everyday like at least several hundred times if she is ok if she can handle it because if not we are still in Belgium and he can do them smaller. I seriously did evryday. I said we can call the Surgens office and simply decrese the volume since that is perfectly do able with expanders thats what they are made for. If too big you can simply decrese volume within in minutes with no further surgery. She denied the whole week. and she really did not want to. I admid I feelt a bit guilty but I was also totally hyped by her breasts and let my self a bit go on Twitter but I asked her if she is ok with it she said yes. And well She got me there with you guys for the 1k likes eventhough that no number compared to pine subs and Likes and views. I married her at the time in a real bad situation it was raining ... really pooring shit down on us from her ex for nearly 6 years. The Kids have been traumatised and that far far more that what ever you guy's say I did. I mean there father pushed it so far that they had to go into Childcustody and that was not because of me! I was not parrent yet ... I was simply ..voila... there you go now handle it! I had no fucking clue about parenting at the time and tryed to help and that made things even worse. But when ever I had to take the fall for her due to her Ex italien boyfriend (and boy! they can be far more exhausting than any White trash Daddy on this planet AMEN.) The Kids are not easy aswell and every week for over years.. seriously years I had to start over bulding up the relationship to them. Again and again and again...rinse and repeat and I did. Usually you grow into parenting and you're usually not just getting haveing 4 Kids and everything instantly but I love her and said I do my best and try hard. That's all I was able to do . I really meant it in a good way and wanted to help her since 4 Kids for singel mother is very though to handle.     Now my wife wished for Persephone another child it was the deepest wish from her heart...so I gave in to do the artificial fertilization procedure several times aswell. No husband who loves his wife woud say no to her biggest wish from her heart. Right?! So now I was really excited and also shit scared and paniced a couple of times..true. But I was at one point not able to cope with the whole situation anymore. Now... when I moved in with her I stopped coke at the time coz of her kids..thats true..but it's stilla major brainfuck sometimes if this little voice inside of you talks to you. So I did not even know anybody to get it from in the new town  I moved in with her . I swear its the truth since I really wanted to help her and really loved her and if I have to climb down the biggest Swiss Mountain in Town for her.. I would do it and litterally did it... and I would do it again. Anytime. So now the Mountain I am facing at the moment is bigger than anything else I had to handle before and I will take time... I am incapeable to change over night eventhough I wished I could. My depressions and my my constant fear to loose her just is totally messed up and emotionally its a hard fight with myself. Love is worse than drugs sometimes I makes you do things you probably would never do otherwise. And due to my emotional disorder (hey everbody got his handycap at one point so dont give me shit for that please. I was born with this disorder I did not choose to have it. Now I am not really sure if I should thank the Internet for this wake up call or give in into my depressions again. I am not sure yet I will have to sleep over it. So now since she removed the Implants and you have Posted the Photos... Now I would like to know one last thing?! If she already had a new Boyfriend and he moved in with her since a couple of month and lives with her.. than why the hell did she do the augmentation and She new exactly what she was doing. She could have said no. She could have at any given time tell the nurses or Dr Plovier that she would only like to minimal increase of even dercease since she was complaining about pain in her chest. Now the pain in her chest did not come from the implants themselfs... DR Plovier told me we where lucky to come and see him since if it would have gotten worse she would have lost her breast and this is due to cheap surgery done in Serbia. And hell believe me ... I was totally not ok with serbia since she wanted to do the T cut and that would def. made her unhappy in long term: I mean its about beeing well and feeling better and butcher her Breast in a Warzone Sugery room form the beginning 80's. SHe wanted and insisted to do it since it was affordable and her friend Dijana was with that surgeon aswell. She really insited to do it with me or without me. That's the response I got from her at the time. I really want to set things straight here .. I have never forced anything... it was her desicion and she wanted to do it and even got this hughe amount of money for it. Me and my hardcore Alcoholic Prof. friend both told her... to do the USA trip instead she always wished for and we take the kids along and stay a couple of weeks. It would fullfill her 2nd biggest dream after Persephone. So as I mentioned before... i would never say no to her dreams and always support them. Since you shoud live your dreams right?! Both the Prof and her argued that ist not possible with covid to travel through the US and my wife wanted to go to Belgium. I repeat never ever forced anything or her to do anything she is not ok with. I am a piece of shit yes and do not deserve her yes but eventhough I got Limits. Very hard for you guys to undderstand that now and to believe but it's the truth. So now... since the Situation is clear and she already lives with her new boyfriend since month and left me piece of scumbag Whitetrash and with your Super Internet pintree fiasco Shitstorm or let's call it Whitetrashstorm and..though yes I appreciate your help and the fucking wake up call bell you guys just simply smashed down on my head.. which I agree I totally deserve... But since this country is smaller than and has less Citizens than ANY of your Pinetree accounts you so surepass the 8million views and I am Nationwide Nr 2 BIGGEST LOOSER WHITETRASH Example exisiting now besides the Ideot who did the Swiss Porn Snychornisation... I will not find a Job that easy anymore. So since chris clun did brillant work... a bit exagurated at times but it's still funny and yes ..I really translated all the 1600 videos.. I really did. So now the whole World tells me to move my ass..I can not afford going back to IT school eventhough I would really want to graduate and I know that I am capable to do it .. I came untill the Finalexam but did not have the required apprenticeship in an IT comapany and therefore got got accepted with turned out me bing drunk and fucking shit up even worse  and even if my Mother said I have Math problems ..(which I acctually do not but simply didn't give a shit in Highschool about Calculus Class) am missing the cash and I will not be able to get a Job in that field that easyl but I will take my chances and try best since I have to come up with child support now and will face a Divorce... So now hear me cry... LOUD! I lost my CHILD (this hurts me very badly and giving birth to a 5 child to grow up with out Father was my greates fear ..Since I really did not have an trational Dad aswell..teaching you how to drill or see you play at a golf tournament. Or give me the needed drill..and holy shit yes.. he maybe should have kicked my lazzy ass HARDER !!! But unfortuneatly I had no opputunity and not the Luck and yes fucked up childhood. My father was working to provide my Mother the most Luxury lifestyle ever ! My Mother lived a Life back in the day shoud would have been most famous Instagram HIgh socity lady exisiting and it was easyier so send me to bording school with emotinal disorder in an Bording School and the only currency  in that Private School at that time was cocain and bitches.(Danke Ari das Du mich mit diesem scheiss Zeug angesteckt hast) The ritch Russian guy's where the only Opportunity to tripple my pocket money at the time wich was moderate but not exaggurated. I mean 100 bucks Week in Switzerland is like nothing. I could barely pay my Cigarrets with this money but no chance for out of plan Socialactivity like spending time with School friends in a Pub if I could not afford my Pepsi. Furhtermoe I would like to mention that I never drunk Alcohol not even wine or beer or whats so ever untill my 30th Brithday. My parents know that ! It all started with my Prof totally loosing it with his wife at the time and bascially lived with me for nearly 1 year, he simplay always was around. And he startet to drink exessively and since I concidered him my best friend at the time.. I played along to not let my only bro down. So now this drinking smoking and coking up to help him since he was a total wrack at the time.. useless unable to work things even got worse not able sitt straigh beeing so brainfucked by his Wife.. it was simply overkill for him. Now the drinking becaume somehow slightly and unknowingly a habit..it kind of sneaked in our lives without us even really realising and that's really bad because its not easy to to quit an habit once it's becamme a comman standard. I alwys feelt guilty for him to be honest and last Week when he came over for a visit he was drunk with in 15min I mean totally not even able to hold an conversation and man ..thats so sad. You did not see your friend for a while and are not able to talk with him its like instant drunk and usually he hurst himself in that state or passed out in the wild some where and that hurts me. Really it does. I seriously do not drink if he comes for a visit to be prepaired for the wort csae scenario. My Wife knows that.   I lost my family !!! I lost the Love of my Life !!! and I Lost my dignety and my life in Switzerland. I lost all my friends!!! I am Isolated due to beeing a piece of shit !!! Eventhough... I still resisted to take any drugs today since I kinda feelt shit is coming GREAT AGAIN. And my Fear of loosing her and my familiy made me really jealouse and jealousy... drives me sheer mad...insane. It's the most difficult Emotion for me to handle and the more I tried so set things in the right way again and fought for her Love the more it seperated us. And I am not able to handle this like apperently the wohle fucking World can and is soo easy .. but for me ..it is not. It's the hardest thing ever since that's what triggers my Voice telling me do return to old bad habits. It is a vicious cicle and is the most powerfull Deamon inside of me to fight with. NOW .. THE WHOLE FUCKING WEB tells me to move my bloody whitetrash ass and...just do it... But with the Divorce and the emotional stress coming with it.. again is the perfect condition again to drop back into old habits. It's very hard to break this Cicle and will be extremly challenging and will have serious side effects but who cares I am totally fucked up a bit more or less will not matter in my condition at the moment...right?! Emotionally I seriously doubt that I can change over or the next couple of weeks. I will though offically promise to do my best and try as hard as I can to work on me and my whitetrashflixmyvista little white Kartoffel boy ass and already made a little progress it's not much but hey..you got to take the first Step and everything starts with the first Step. Now please ...tell me why did my wife do the Surgery if she did not wanted to do it and already lives with a new Boyfriend together since month wihtou me knowing, We could have spared us the money and all the emotinal bullshit and this Shitstorm. all the lies and all furious outbreaks beeing scared to loose her... since hope dies last right? Maybe the situation would not be that fucked up as it is now. And my child growing up with a different dad.. I wish her and my child and her familie all the best and really hope that she finally get a good man who is capable of what i am sheer uncapable. My Exwife deserves it. The only thing I ASK TO YOU ALL... are 2 things... 1) Please tell my daughter that her Father really loves her and it's not her fault. And that I am very very sorry form the deepest bottom of my heart. I will never be able to make this up to her so please give my wife an helping hand and my Child. and 2) Guy's  I know I have to change myself and work hard on me and I know nobody can do this for me...but eventhough the WHOLE WEB hates me knwo and I am branded as Whitetrashdaddy world wide NR 1 (which is accutally quite a title compared to couple of rednecks and Hillbillys out there) I would appreciate a little help here. Yes flame me destroy my Life even more than I did untill now... But I really want to change but I could use a helping hand here...and hey no matter my mistaked and how hard they are... even me the biggest European Whitetrash Kartoffel piece of shit dirtbag...deserves a 2nd chance to set things straight and to be able to pay my child support. She at least ... deserves it. Now I am very sorry and I am very touched and hey thank you for the wakeup call..extrem people need extrem measures right. I hope that at least partially all of you in the WEB and my Exwife can forgive me.. I never had bad intensions towards her or any of you. For those you can not forgive me...fuck you !!! 2160xtimes !!! Do your meams... and do what you got to do and flood the net with my pathetic letter here. Do what you got to do...I deserve it and will take it like a man. But please be moderate and keep my disorder in your thoughts...please do not push it that far that I will do something incredible stupid. My child deserves a Father eventhough if I am shit and incapeble at the moment. I keep faith in that one day I will be able to be a good Father for her. Now thank you all for your time reading this. And hey I've ever somebody is willing to writ a book about how Hardcore Swiss Pirvate Bording Schools have been thoughtout the 90's..let me know I got stroy's to tell better than any Hollywood movie. The crazziest shit always happens in real life any maybe it's good warning for Parents to rethink and not do the same mistakes my Parents did. Thank you.

[31saveurs-blog]

house. hold.

i woke up, felt awful about myself but did my god blessed to stay out of the valley of shadows. i continued packing. then hugging my knees. then wandering to the mirror to criticize every thing i could see. squeezing every distateful part of me. completely. self. destructing. got sponsored to cry. felt better.

I did the laundry, for the house, like paying a due. a rental agreement I never signed. I bought the whiskey this weekend, i bought the detergent, i folded the sheets, and emptied the bins. i stayed up late with the cretins, eating smoked plums and sipping less whiskey than the rest of them: jim, denis- the daddy man and a few russians. to say I’ve been enjoying myself is refreshing.

The day before I’d read three hours of my fourth step sins to my sponsor on 4 hours of sleep: girl with a brain my brain running like the trades: times, days, pillows, suitcases. check lists, coffee. whiskey. afraid to admit some thing I don’t want to see. What happens to Us when I leave...after The Reading I stalked the few kilometers it takes to cover the city , suddenly so vast before me. dying. flaking apart on street corners. say anything. do anything. anything to give me a sense of being-- this righteous perfectionist needs to control something, to tick a thing off the list. and live having some thing accomplished.

i cancelled a, rare, dinner date and kept walking. And crying. i walked in the house i've been living in since june, even if i hate it, even if, don’t fuck with my stability, i go mental bean. even so, even so, I went home, and dinner was waiting.

fast forward twelve hours. Knees deep in winter coats, my one pot I’ve been carrying across 9 arrondissements, the suburbs and back again. my other calls in a calm after a little storm. it’s sunday, dinner party is in preparation. there's laughter and flirtation upstairs, it’ convivial and i’m finally in on the jokes. still, in my private asylum i cry in burst. rock and roll.

and pack crazy. parsing myself into pieces. to stay. to go. Winter in Paris to CA. Mich calls and i spend an hour sitting in corners, against the bed, in the closet, legs up the wall. i compare packing to art directing your life. And I love this tall child.

After two hours of talk. My fatal flaw. I snag my snip on the whisley lip at 4o clock. and dont stop. little sips, with the hoodlums upstairs back into the dungeon to deal sort, and drag out. six hours later i probbly imbibed 4 drinks, and a half glass of wine. I have to take what I have managed to pack to Saba’s for staying. I pick up a photo strip, we look sad. Me and |-|e.

I finally realize the too scary is the afraid of how much i want to be with this human. How it dominated in the begining. how i’ve fought to find myself within it. and maintan a seperate connectedness. these words, sound stupid, i want an awful lot for myself. and I know what loving him looks like, but i haven’t all the clues on how to love myself. not with consistency. Step 4 sinkhole. I guess that’s just it at the moment. I have to take hot easy. Adjust as my form shifts. I’m scared to death. And dying. But so excited to live.

Saba was nice to me, not knowing i  walked in while she was on the phone, poured myself a whiskey, put it back and then asked. wild thing. she lit two cigarettes after I balled at the sight of her, two left and her parents coming the next day. She held me on the couch and said, that’s my friend you’re talking about while I confessed i decided i wasn’t allowed to eat anything today. i’m horrible. hateful human. spiralling out of control, even so even so even so every one i know keeps saying the contrary.

The I got home someone had brought a menorah and the room sang in Hebrew.  miracle lit.

I wandered downstairs, finished packing my teachers rucksack and booked a new ticket. January 21st. So much later than I wanted, but the prices keep changing. 100 euros and three places to stay later. I’ll be home after Christmas. I’d be on a plane to la right now.

I have a great deal of shame.

I got wasted on accident purpose. The house. The talks, the readings, all revealing. All good. All in. Full disclosure : one fat fear, minus the unforeseeable future.

[chaotickidcat]

True… but what if your such white fucking trash garbage and do not deserve her? And that you know that your such a piece of shit and no one deserves you or the BS. So how can somebody love a piece of shit not worth anything but shit 24/7. Would love to change and that for a while now. I stopped coke and porn and would love to fully stop drinking and smoking but I simply can't I need help and willing to accept help since i really would love to change and make her happy she deserves to be happy every minute of the day. And even if the whole fucking Internet hates me I acctually do not give a shit about your diss Orgy here. I Love her...and I really do ! Ok true Boobs are negotiable and if you realy love your wife you woulden't want her to run around with 2160cc.. but I admid I love big tits the bigger the better. I do not understand the problem here and that the WWW is trying to make me feel guilty. I see it this way I respect everybody's sexual Orientation if Gay Trans what so ever! You can have your little 19 years old boyfirend with 65 who cares...! (not ok with pedos though) you can have objectophilia and love the Busstation or your favorite tree or your VIBE. I think if I can bring up the respect and the tolerance so can you and I do not think it's asked to much if you expect something from me to at least give the same in return. I admid I love her breast... there are countless Men out there who dream of having such a wife. I NEVER FORCED her to do this NEVER ! I said I cold live with it and also without since we got a TON of PORNStars out there in the WEB. No my wife said she is not happy that I watch porn sometimes and I admid the truth the whole coke was messing this up big time aswell..true. I asked her since several weeks if she really wants to spend that cash on the tits. I said lets do your USA trip instead and if you feel like doing your boobs we can see Dr Revis and than still have more than 1/2 of the cash we spend on Dr Plovier. My wife was telling me she had pain in hr right breast so an OP was acctually inevitable. I asked her if she would like to reduce her breast instead..she said no. She even insisted and said I love em and I am used to them it would feel like she would miss something. So we decided together so see Dr Plovier since he is europes leading expert in this field of expertise. She decided to go and even came up with nearly 18.000 euros we spend on that trip and I have my doubts where the money came from. Now I acctually even refused going and said we should not do that its too much money. I love you with or with out tits and I really do. Some dreams shoud simply stay dreams. I even refused to go with her to Belgium and said let's not do it and if you still want to go on your own than take your friend mdm Garcia with you fo rtranslating. I even offerd her to take care of all her expenses if she would go. This totally broke out into a serious discussion. I said I prefer you to stay the way you are now than having all the men in this World trying to take you from me. I do not wanted to loose her. Though I admid I said... since your always complaining about housework and me gaming she would have the perfect Arguments do anything she asked me for and I mean who the fuck would want to play  Sony Playstation or WOW if she says .. hunney please could you ..Hell I would and I would run. Yes. So now after the Surgery. I asked her everyday like at least several hundred times if she is ok if she can handle it because if not we are still in Belgium and he can do them smaller. I seriously did everyday. I said we can Call the Surgens Office and simply decrese the volume since that is perfectly able to do with expanders thats what they are made for. If too big you can simply decrese volume within in minutes with no further surgery. She denied the whole week. and she really did not want to. I admid I feelt a bit guilty but I was also totally hyped by her breasts and let my self a bit go on Twitter but I asked her if she is ok with it she said yes. And well She got me there with you guys for the 1k likes eventhough that no number compared to pine subs and Likes and views. I married her at the time in a real bad situation it was raining ... really pooring shit down on us from her ex for nearly 6 years. The Kids have been traumatised and that far far more that what ever you guy's say I did. I mean there father pushed it so far that they had to go into Childcustody and that was not because of me! I was not parrent yet ... I was simply ..voila... there you go now handle it! I had no fucking clue about parenting at the time and tryed to help and that made things even worse. But when ever I had to take the fall for her due to her Ex italien boyfriend (and boy! they can be far more exhausting than any White trash Daddy on this planet AMEN.) The Kids are not easy aswell and every week for over years.. seriously years I had to start over bulding up the relationship to them. Again and again and again...rinse and repeat and I did. Usually you grow into parenting and you're usually not just getting haveing 4 Kids and everything instantly but I love her and said I do my best and try hard. That's all I was able to do . I really meant it in a good way and wanted to help her since 4 Kids for singel mother is very though to handle.     Now my wife wished for Persephone another child it was the deepest wish from her heart...so I gave in to do the artificial fertilization procedure several times aswell. No husband who loves his wife woud say no to her biggest wish from her heart. Right?! So now I was really excited and also shit scared and paniced a couple of times..true. But I was at one point not able to cope with the whole situation anymore. Now... when I moved in with her I stopped coke at the time coz of her kids..thats true..but it's stilla major brainfuck sometimes if this little voice inside of you talks to you. So I did not even know anybody to get it from in the new town  I moved in with her . I swear its the truth since I really wanted to help her and really loved her and if I have to climb down the biggest Swiss Mountain in Town for her.. I would do it and litterally did it... and I would do it again. Anytime. So now the Mountain I am facing at the moment is bigger than anything else I had to handle before and I will take time... I am incapeable to change over night eventhough I wished I could. My depressions and my my constant fear to loose her just is totally messed up and emotionally its a hard fight with myself. Love is worse than drugs sometimes I makes you do things you probably would never do otherwise. And due to my emotional disorder ( hey everbody got his handycap at one point so dont give me shit for that please. I was born with this disorder I did not choose to have it. Now I am not really sure if I should thank the Internet for this wake up call or give in into my depressions again. I am not sure yet I will have to sleep over it. So now since she removed the Implants and you have Posted the Photos... Now I would like to know one last thing?! If she already had a new Boyfriend and he moved in with her since a couple of month and lives with her.. than why the hell did she do the augmentation and She new exactly what she was doing. She could have said no. She could have at any given time tell the nurses or Dr Plovier that she would only like to minimal increase of even dercease since she was complaining about pain in her chest. Now the pain in her chest did not come from the implants themselfs... DR Plovier told me we where lucky to come and see him since if it would have gotten worse she would have lost her breast and this is due to cheap surgery done in Serbia. And hell believe me ... I was totally not ok with serbia since she wanted to do the T cut and that would def. made her unhappy in long term: I mean its about beeing well and feeling better and butcher her Breast in a Warzone Sugery room form the beginning 80's. SHe wanted and insisted to do it since it was affordable and her friend Dijana was with that surgeon aswell. She really insited to do it with me or without me. That's the response I got from her at the time. I really want to set things straight here .. I have never forced anything... it was her desicion and she wanted to do it and even got this hughe amount of money for it. Me and my hardcore Alcoholic Prof. friend both told her... to do the USA trip instead she always wished for and we take the kids along and stay a couple of weeks. It would fullfill her 2nd biggest dream after Persephone. So as I mentioned before... i would never say no to her dreams and always support them. Since you shoud live your dreams right?! Both the Prof and her argued that ist not possible with covid to travel through the US and my wife wanted to go to Belgium. I repeat never ever forced anything or her to do anything she is not ok with. I am a piece of shit yes and do not deserve her yes but eventhough I got Limits. Very hard for you guys to undderstand that now and to believe but it's the truth. So now... since the Situation is clear and she already lives with her new boyfriend since month and left me piece of scumbag Whitetrash and with your Super Internet pintree fiasco Shitstorm or let's call it Whitetrashstorm and..though yes I appreciate your help and the fucking wake up call bell you guys just simply smashed down on my head.. which I agree I totally deserve... But since this country is smaller than and has less Citizens than ANY of your Pinetree accounts you so surepass the 8million views and I am Nationwide Nr 2 BIGGEST LOOSER WHITETRASH Example exisiting now besides the Ideot who did the Swiss Porn Snychornisation... I will not find a Job that easy anymore. So since chris clun did brillant work... a bit exagurated at times but it's still funny and yes ..I really translated all the 1600 videos.. I really did. So now the whole World tells me to move my ass..I can not afford going back to IT school eventhough I would really want to graduate and I know that I am capable to do it .. I came untill the Finalexam but did not have the required apprenticeship in an IT comapany and therefore got got accepted with turned out me bing drunk and fucking shit up even worse  and even if my Mother said I have Math problems ..(which I acctually do not but simply didn't give a shit in Highschool about Calculus Class) am missing the cash and I will not be able to get a Job in that field that easyl but I will take my chances and try best since I have to come up with child support now and will face a Divorce... So now hear me cry... LOUD! I lost my CHILD (this hurts me very badly and giving birth to a 5 child to grow up with out Father was my greates fear ..Since I really did not have an trational Dad aswell..teaching you how to drill or see you play at a golf tournament. Or give me the needed drill..and holy shit yes.. he maybe should have kicked my lazzy ass HARDER !!! But unfortuneatly I had no opputunity and not the Luck and yes fucked up childhood. My father was working to provide my Mother the most Luxury lifestyle ever ! My Mother lived a Life back in the day shoud would have been most famous Instagram HIgh socity lady exisiting and it was easyier so send me to bording school with emotinal disorder in an Bording School and the only currency  in that Private School at that time was cocain and bitches.(Danke Ari das Du mich mit diesem scheiss Zeug angesteckt hast) The ritch Russian guy's where the only Opportunity to tripple my pocket money at the time wich was moderate but not exaggurated. I mean 100 bucks Week in Switzerland is like nothing. I could barely pay my Cigarrets with this money but no chance for out of plan Socialactivity like spending time with School friends in a Pub if I could not afford my Pepsi. Furhtermoe I would like to mention that I never drunk Alcohol not even wine or beer or whats so ever untill my 30th Brithday. My parents know that ! It all started with my Prof totally loosing it with his wife at the time and bascially lived with me for nearly 1 year, he simplay always was around. And he startet to drink exessively and since I concidered him my best friend at the time.. I played along to not let my only bro down. So now this drinking smoking and coking up to help him since he was a total wrack at the time.. useless unable to work things even got worse not able sitt straigh beeing so brainfucked by his Wife.. it was simply overkill for him. Now the drinking becaume somehow slightly and unknowingly a habit..it kind of sneaked in our lives without us even really realising and that's really bad because its not easy to to quit an habit once it's becamme a comman standard. I alwys feelt guilty for him to be honest and last Week when he came over for a visit he was drunk with in 15min I mean totally not even able to hold an conversation and man ..thats so sad. You did not see your friend for a while and are not able to talk with him its like instant drunk and usually he hurst himself in that state or passed out in the wild some where and that hurts me. Really it does. I seriously do not drink if he comes for a visit to be prepaired for the wort csae scenario. My Wife knows that.   I lost my family !!! I lost the Love of my Life !!! and I Lost my dignety and my life in Switzerland. I lost all my friends!!! I am Isolated due to beeing a piece of shit !!! Eventhough... I still resisted to take any drugs today since I kinda feelt shit is coming GREAT AGAIN. And my Fear of loosing her and my familiy made me really jealouse and jealousy... drives me sheer mad...insane. It's the most difficult Emotion for me to handle and the more I tried so set things in the right way again and fought for her Love the more it seperated us. And I am not able to handle this like apperently the wohle fucking World can and is soo easy .. but for me ..it is not. It's the hardest thing ever since that's what triggers my Voice telling me do return to old bad habits. It is a vicious cicle and is the most powerfull Deamon inside of me to fight with. NOW .. THE WHOLE FUCKING WEB tells me to move my bloody whitetrash ass and...just do it... But with the Divorce and the emotional stress coming with it.. again is the perfect condition again to drop back into old habits. It's very hard to break this Cicle and will be extremly challenging and will have serious side effects but who cares I am totally fucked up a bit more or less will not matter in my condition at the moment...right?! Emotionally I seriously doubt that I can change over or the next couple of weeks. I will though offically promise to do my best and try as hard as I can to work on me and my whitetrashflixmyvista little white Kartoffel boy ass and already made a little progress it's not much but hey..you got to take the first Step and everything starts with the first Step. Now please ...tell me why did my wife do the Surgery if she did not wanted to do it and already lives with a new Boyfriend together since month wihtou me knowing, We could have spared us the money and all the emotinal bullshit and this Shitstorm. all the lies and all furious outbreaks beeing scared to loose her... since hope dies last right? Maybe the situation would not be that fucked up as it is now. And my child growing up with a different dad.. I wish her and my child and her familie all the best and really hope that she finally get a good man who is capable of what i am sheer uncapable. My Exwife deserves it. The only thing I ASK TO YOU ALL... are 2 things... 1) Please tell my daughter that her Father really loves her and it's not her fault. And that I am very very sorry form the deepest bottom of my heart. I will never be able to make this up to her so please give my wife an helping hand and my Child. and 2) Guy's  I know I have to change myself and work hard on me and I know nobody can do this for me...but eventhough the WHOLE WEB hates me knwo and I am branded as Whitetrashdaddy world wide NR 1 (which is accutally quite a title compared to couple of rednecks and Hillbillys out there) I would appreciate a little help here. Yes flame me destroy my Life even more than I did untill now... But I really want to change but I could use a helping hand here...and hey no matter my mistaked and how hard they are... even me the biggest European Whitetrash Kartoffel piece of shit dirtbag...deserves a 2nd chance to set things straight and to be able to pay my child support. She at least ... deserves it. Now I am very sorry and I am very touched and hey thank you for the wakeup call..extrem people need extrem measures right. I hope that at least partially all of you in the WEB and my Exwife can forgive me.. I never had bad intensions towards her or any of you. For those you can not forgive me...fuck you !!! 2160xtimes !!! Do your meams... and do what you got to do and flood the net with my pathetic letter here. Do what you got to do...I deserve it and will take it like a man. But please be moderate and keep my disorder in your thoughts...please do not push it that far that I will do something incredible stupid. My child deserves a Father eventhough if I am shit and incapeble at the moment. I keep faith in that one day I will be able to be a good Father for her. Now thank you all for your time reading this. And hey I've ever somebody is willing to writ a book about how Hardcore Swiss Pirvate Bording Schools have been thoughtout the 90's..let me know I got stroy's to tell better than any Hollywood movie. The crazziest shit always happens in real life any maybe it's good warning for Parents to rethink and not do the same mistakes my Parents did. Thank you.