#nova you beautiful badass

[justanotherrcblog]

WTC : Season two cover 🔮✨

[lee-writes-things]

☆ the hawthorne brothers+ avery, max, libby, rebecca, and thea during the eras tour ☆

a/n: co-written by @nutellani and i. this was originally just going to be stored in my notes app because i had a big brain thought but then i decided that tumblr doesn't have enough tig content and i needed to help change that. i got stumped on a few things, so i of course asked my lovely mutual nova for some assistance <3 (tysm!!)

aaaanway, enough about that, here you go:

they obvi went to the concert in texas. they probably got tickets for both arlington and houston bc rich people yk

nash wore a sparkly cowboy hat and so did libby

(idc what you say, in my head, he likes glitter and i will stand on that hill)

in fact they all wore sparkly cowboy hats (xander forced grayson), but nash and libby's were matching

grayson ofc is wearing all black, very rep era but he's secretly a lover girl at heart. he also likes midnights because let's face it- who doesn't??

but everyone convinced him to get his jacket embroidered with "ts" and a few snakes along the sleeves and back to pull together the whole rep look

i don't think i finished talking about nash and libby?? anyway, matching sequin cowboy hats, nash wore a flannel with patches from different albums

him and libby spent a whole night designing it

libby wore a tee shirt from the midnights album

and the night before, nash and libby painted her favorite lyrics on some black cargo pants and some cute lil doodles

nash totally wrote N+L on one of the pockets inside a big red heart because i said so

very cute couple moment

thea is in her rep era because she's a badass so she wore all black with some maroon to make her outfit pop, she got her nails done and everything

girl was drop dead gorgeous

rebecca went with a more simplistic look, lavender flowly dress just under the knee, with a cardigan. yes, the cardigan. rebecca gives off very mellow and soft vibes so i think that's why she went with an evermore themed outfit

now, onto avery. i think her favorite albums is midnights and rep because of the vibe of the songs and overall it is just SO HER and i feel like she wore a shirt with the midnights album cover on it. she also wrote her favorite lyrics from the album on the front of the shirt with a fabric pen or something of the sort. i can also see her wearing a rep outfit too tho!! she is rich so since she could go to two concerts and wear both outfits ig lol

jameson is a total swiftie!! xander is too but we'll get to that next this boy would really like 1989 and a good handful of songs from lover because they remind him of avery

he would wear something 1989 themed but also something sorta flashy, i think

now moving onto max

she for sure loves the love triangle in folklore/evermore but also enjoys midnights

she radiates night owl energy because she'll stay up until 4am to finish a really good plot twisty dark romance novel and the whole track (midnights 3am edition) reminds her of her favorite ships. she makes edits and you can't convince me otherwise. although max does love evermore, she would totally love speak now era taylor and therefore would wear that really pretty purple sparky dress on the album cover!!

xander totally bought it for her

and with max looking like a literal princess, he would be mad blushing

and when he snaps out of his daze, he would tell her how pretty she is because let's face it- max is beautiful

now, as mentioned before, xander is a hardcore swiftie and i will always think this

he is a lover lover, so definitely went with a hat of the colors on the album

totally bitch-slapped toxic masculinity in the face by wearing pretty pastels

and definitely had the jacket from the yntcd MV!!

their favorite eras (and moments i suppose) on tour:

nash: debut, fearless

we love his nomad cowboy vibes

he also definitely vibes along with whatever libby likes too because he's down bad-

anyway

grayson: red

definitely shed a few tears during all too well ten minute version even though he tried to hide it

cus it reminded him of emily

i hate her with a passion

this isn't about her though

he loved the song and performance for 22 since he's in his 20's and his family is always telling him to loosen up

attending this concert definitely helped him

jameson: 1989

screaming along to style for sure!! me and nova were talking a bit about how he fits the description-

Exhibit A, "you got that James Dean daydream look in your eyes" is so him!!

Exhibit B, because i said so

me and nova totally weren't fangirling over this, i have no idea what you're talking about-

xander: lover

xander fs would start dancing with max and singing softly when taylor sang lover

and nash caught it all on camera

such a cute candid moment

i love xander+max with everything in me

libby: midnights

more specifically, WCS because she could relate to "give me back my girlhood, it was mine first"

fuck drake

i know that she wasn't a teen when they were in a relationship but she was still young, and he was toxic asf

aaaanyway, she would also love when tay performed vigilante shit

tay slayed so hard (i had to tell myself to turn down the gay because my mom and sister were at the concert with me lmao)

everyone felt things when taylor did that performance, to say the least

ik thea and practically everyone else would be in awe~

thea: reputation

would scream along to don't blame me

and she would sound amazing because there's nothing she can't do bffr

and rebecca would be like "damn how'd i get so lucky"

thea would also love karma from midnights because i feel like she's the type of person to not give af about other people and their opinions cus she knows that bad things are coming their way

"me and karma vibe like that" is so her

but she could also shit talk and stand her ground (and also fight)

i also think that that one part of don't blame me, "don't blame me, love made me crazy if it doesn't, you ain't doing it right" and "my drug is my baby" she would sing while making eye contact with rebecca

rebecca: evermore (and folklore obvi)

she would sing and sway softly and thea would take such a beautiful candid photo of her while she sings aksjaja

and when cardigan plays, she would grab thea's hand and dance with her, foreheads touching

this time, xander would take a photo of them like that and it becomes thea's homescreen

thea would also love champagne problems omfg-

rep gf x evermore gf is such a cute dynamic and they slayed so hard

and nowww avery: rep and also midnights!!

would love getaway car with a PASSION

it's just so her <33

"you were driving the getaway car" is very averyjameson even tho the rest of the lyrics aren't lol

she would love mastermind and especially the lyrics "you knew that im a mastermind and now you're mine"

and Paris!!

both songs are so averyjameson coded

"im so in love i might stop breathing drew a map on your bedroom ceiling" and "no i didn't see the news cause we were somewhere else" ajdjjahd

it's THEIR song and i will defend that till the day i die

bonus: i almost forgot to include oren and alisa, im so sorry, im very sleepy!! anyway, oren refuses to wear anything other than his usual attire meanwhile this concert is one ofbthe very few instances where you see alisa in casual clothes. not many people know (other than the hawthornes of course) that she's a swiftie because she always acts so professional. she wears that one red letters shirt that says "who's taylor swift, anyway? ew." and everyone does a double take cus she also has her hair down and doesn't look formal lmao. during some songs avery looks over her shoulder and swears she could see oren have the slightest smile and head-bumping along to the music.

to wrap it all up, they would ALL HAVE THE NUMBER 13 PAINTED ON THEIR HANDS IN DIFFERENT COLORS AND FONTS!!

and also a little extra because me and nova were having big brain moments and i HAVE to include it, it would be a crime if i didn't

They would all scream to paper rings but guess what else?? a PROPOSAL!!

my nashlibby brainrot needed to be included even more:

"i love shiny things but id marry you with paper rings" is so them because even tho they're rich, they value the little things <3

libby is so into the performance, it takes her a minute to realize that the stage screen is on her

she's confused because why would the cameras be on her??

and then taylor would point just behind her to where nash was on one knee

the ring wasn't shiny, it was literally a paper ring

nash didn't have a full on speech planned out

but of course libby would say yes

they kiss, it's on the big screen and everyone (taylor, backup dancers, everyone) cheers

it was caught on camera by practically everyone which leads to their engagement going viral all over tik tok and other media platforms!!

after the concert, back at Hawthorne House, they made a resin/epoxy(i think that's what it's called) mold to preserve the ring, and keep it from getting damaged

and the end because not only can i not think of anything else, but it's 4am while i save this to my drafts-

p.s. huge thank you again to @nutellani, you helped me with this so much when i was having a brain block. you have wonderful input, and i owe you big time!!

(majority of how we got more ideas was thru incoherent fangirling over taylor and tig haha)

[abandonededen]

MY MAMAA @malka-lisitsa

Send me a url and I'll write positivity for them! Always accepting

Nova collects broken people and reminds them what it's like to feel safe and loved. I truly can't imagine my life without November in it at this point. She has the biggest heart and loves so fiercely, and is so gentle and kind with those of us she cares about, and some of the most important people in my life, I met through Nova, who also lives on that list. Of course she's an amazing writer and does an absolutely fantastic job with Katherine, but I really do want to focus on Nova personally, because I feel like a lot of people on the dash only know her as the beautiful badass Katherine mun, and not the insanely loving, compassionate cult leader beautiful human she is. Nova stood by me at my worst and helped me remember that I'm loved not in spite of my imperfections, but with them, and made sure I knew I would always have a home with her. There's a damn good reason she has such a dedicated group of friends. She's so giving, and so loving, and so fiercely loyal. Normally I finish these off by dramatically saying I'd die for the person in question, but y'know what? I'd live for Nova. She makes me want to keep trying, and make a better future for myself and the people I love. Love you, @malka-lisitsa 💙💙💙

[someonewhogotanaccount]

did you know that you're adorable?

Yes, an Anon (definetely not Nova) told me so today. ;)

Did you know that you have a absolute beautiful profile pic? And that I really appreciate your little messages and you make me very happy I'M A REAL BADASS?

(maybe I should stop saying this haha)

[winterf4iryy]

i'm glad that's better now! and omg that's so exciting!! it's gonna be so beautiful omg <33

i'm doing good! TODAY IS MY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FINALLY 😭 so i'm super excited to just be done with school and exams lol 😭

YES IT'S LITERALLY THE BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE EVER LIKE 😭 i don't have any words bc it was like perfect. there was nothing bringing it down a bit, there was no little problems it was PERFECT. and there's an INDIAN SPIDERMAN?? that literally made me so happy 🥺 AND OMG HOBIE IS MY FAV HE'S SO- ALSO ALSO JESSICA IS SUCH A BADASS I LOVE HER 😭

ugh- i just- everything about it was just too good!! and like major props to all the artists who worked on it bc i could pause that movie at any point and it would create a beautiful picture that i could put up. AND OMG DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE FACT THAT HE WENT TO THE WRONG UNIVERSE AND THAT THAT MILES WAS THE PROWLER AND OMG 😭 ANDDDDD OMG THE END WHEN THE SCREEN WENT BLACK....i swear my heart skipped a beat and then when it said 'to be continued' i literally screamed "NO" in the movie theatre 😭

i’m so sorry for the late reply nova <33

BUT YAYYYY SUMMER HOLIDAY!!!!! 🥹😭 im so happy for you ik how much you wanted to be done with school.

also how was your birthday? :D 💓💓

I ABSOLUTELY 100% AGREE!!!! IT WAS PERFECT. i truly expected no less but it’s so hard not to be amazed by it. the attention to detail in the animation is incredible— and the storytelling and arcs and how complex each character is???? INSANE. and the humour?? ALSO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS PLAYING IN THE THEATERS!!!!!😭😭😭 apparently they’re minor differences like changes in dialogue or how something looks, etc., but oh my god. they’re really making it like a multiverse im just in awe.

PAVITR WAS SO CUTE I LOVED HIM SM 😭😭😭 <33 i hope we see a LOT more of him in the next movie! it’s so heartwarming to see people’s reaction to him being in the film🥹 it just shows how important diversity is in media. which is a whole other tangent i could go off on regarding the spiderverse films ESPECIALLY this one bc they really just do an incredible job. like i don’t think some people get how meaningful and powerful it is to have hundreds of different spider people from all walks of life, showing how anyone can be hero :( it makes me wanna cry

HOBIE IS SO ICONIC 😭 HES SUCH A HEARTTHROB

AND YES JESSICA TOO!!! MY JAW DROPPED WHEN I SAW SHE WAS PREGNANT I WAS LIKE THATS AMAZING

BROOOOO MY FRIEND WAS LIKE “the prowler has to be miles” I WAS LIKE ???? AND THEN SHE WAS RIGHT I WAS SHOCKED 😭😭

i still cannot believe they did that to us 😔 my heart dropped too, i was like it can’t be.. AND THEN IT WAS 😭 im honestly glad they didn’t rush it though bc we had so many character arcs in this film. gwens and miles’ and miguels and i feel like peters too a little bit? and then the spot is still there, and then miguel turns out to be an antagonist PLUS miles in the wrong universe + that vers of him being the prowler. it just makes sense to have a third film. IM SO EXCITED FOR IT

ALSO THE SOUNDTRACK WAS SOOOOO GOOD 🥹

[icicle-nail-biting]

the birds are coming

Birds are not real. Birds are robots made by the government. Birds are spying on you. One day, the birds will kill us all. They will suck our blood and sing our praises. Make every meal a party!

Bird Speakers – iPod Nanos, $39.99, Amazon

Aaahhh…. I just hear the air guitars and badass drumroll. Bird Speakers are not that birdie. But they do work to make sounds that mimic the screech of birds, all from your iPod, through the help of some really cool USB dongles. I totally think I could see it working with a lot of music from Tool, Pink Floyd, U2, and Shania Twain.

Bird Walk – iPhone, $9.99, iTunes

iPod Bird Walk is a beautiful way to bring the birds into your home. Just hold up the receiver, and it will give you the clearest sounds possible from around you. Of course, the bird in my pocket is loud as hell, so I haven’t been able to really test this product yet. But it sure does sound like a bizillion birds chirping, and it’s something that I have wanted to try. Check it out!

Bird Magnet – iPhone, $14.99, Amazon

Yep, you heard me right. Bird Magnet is a yellow plastic ring that you get to stick on the back of your iPhone. It makes your phone more bird-proof and, hopefully, gives the bastards something else to peck at. They don’t like plastic much.

But one day, regardless of what you do, the birds will come for us. And they will kill us all. You know, by getting inside our ears and making our eardrums bleed. There is nothing that we can do about it. It’s happening.

Since no one can stop the birds, I propose that we will just have to use our imaginations and come up with creative ways to defeat them. I suggest Bird Pinball, Bird Mario, Bird Cops, Bird Tactics, Bird Darts, Bird Snacking, Bird Pie Eating, Bird Moth Repellent, Bird Ammo, Bird Courting, Bird Power, Bird Genes, Bird Incest, Bird Nicer, Bird Smarter, Bird Invader, Bird Thinker, Bird Insight, Bird Chef, Bird Brewmasters, Bird Drinker, Bird Grounders, Bird Zen, Bird Science, Bird Guy, Bird Quieter, Bird Hunter, Bird Navigation, Bird Scare, Bird Cubbers, Bird River Runner, Bird Time Traveler, Bird Claws, Bird CEO, Bird Genius, Bird Teacher, Bird Boss, Bird Full Cycle, Bird Brother, Bird Tender, Bird Keeper, Bird Keeper Job, Bird Planter, Bird Galler, Bird Quitters, Bird Left Behind, Bird Pants, Bird Probie, Bird High Flight, Bird Nemesis, Bird Trustee, Bird Highway Pilot, Bird Knowledge Seeker, Bird Football Coach, Bird Hero, Bird Heartbreaker, Bird Lousy, Bird Soaring, Bird Super Nova, Bird Wonder, Bird Whisperer, Bird Moralist, Bird Moralizer, Bird Nostalgia, Bird Smart. Then, we will try to put on our best when the birds come. And we will not give in, for we are the bird killers.

–

What new ways are you coming up with to counter the birds?

[sanguishqsgossip]

It wasn't that long ago that you were all asking us who we thought had the hottest costume, but we wanted to hear your opinions too. As voted by your fellow members below the cut, are the results of Most Badass, hottest, least like their personality, more like their personality, and favorite couples costumes ! Congratulations to the winners ! - P

Most Badass

First place: Lizzie Saltzman with Bucky Barnes Second place: Hope Mikaelson with Lara Croft Third place: Carli Forbes & Lamai Bennett with Shego & Jennifers Body

Hottest

First place: Hope Mikaelson with Lara Croft Second place: Bonnie Bennett with Gold Angel Third place: Lizzie Saltzman & Nova Gilbert with Bucky Barnes & Medusa

Least like their personality

First place: Keelin Taylor with Harley Quinn Second place: Lamai Bennett with Jennifers Body Third place: Jeremy Gilbert, Noelle Bennett, Klaus Mikaelson with Prince Charming, Devil & Romeo

Most like their personality

First place: Lucien Castle with the Devil Second place: Caroline Forbes, Matias Mikaelson, Carli Forbes, April Young, Freya Mikaelson, Matt Donovan with Juliet Capulet, Superman, Shego, Angel, Sleeping Beauty, & Quarterback. Third place: Bonnie Bennett, Rebekah Mikaelson, Stefan Salvatore, Billie Forbes, Ace Salvatore, Lamai Bennett, Hope Mikaelson, Tyler Lockwood, Noelle Bennett, Dom Griffith, Hunter Gilbert, Kiana Gerard, Emerald Gerard, Lizzie Saltzman, Jeremy Gilbert with Gold Angel, Cinderella, Romeo, Super Girl, Top Gun, Jennifers Body, Lara Croft, Prince Charming, Devil, Spartan, Thor, Doc Ock, Dorothy, Bucky Barnes, & Prince Charming.

Favorite Couples Costumes (Romantic & Platonic)

First place: Stefan Salvatore, Caroline Forbes & Klaus Mikaelson with Romeo and Juliet Second place: Jeremy Gilbert, Rebekah Mikaelson & Tyler Lockwood with Cinderella & Prince Charming. Third place: Otto Tig-Williams, Rosie Salvatore, Lucien Castle, Noelle Bennett, Matias Mikaelson & Billie Forbes with Sebastian Michaelis, Ciel Phantomhive, Devil, Devil, Superman & Super Girl.

[toppersjeep]

Check Yes Nova

(A story in which Nova Severide Kelly’s little sister falls for the cute hacker in intelligence. But not everything is as it seems)

Chapter 1:She’s Sassy

Novas POV

“Why are we here Kelly” I asked looking at my brother. “Sargent Voight wanted to talk to us regarding a couple fires” Kelly said. “Isn’t that more for OFI” I said. “Yeah but you were a CI for them you know the drill” Kelly said.

“Ahh if it isn’t the Severides” Trudy said I smiled. “Hi Trudy” I said. “Nova you are looking as beautiful as ever, Kelly she’s the better Severide” Trudy said. “Sure she is anyways we are here to see Hank” Kelly said. “I’ll buzz you guys up” she said I smiled.

We walked upstairs and were immediately greeted by Kevin and Adam.

“If if it isn’t little Severide” Kevin said. I hugged him. “Kev how are you” I said. “Kelly I’ll talk to you then her” Hank said. “Alright you behave” Kelly said. He walked into Voights office.

“So this is mouse” Jay said. “Is that a nickname or did you get stuck with a weird name” I said he smiled. “No uh it’s Greg” Mouse said. “Well Greg I’m Nova” I said shaking his hand. “We call her little Severide” Adam said.

“Oh come on still” I said. “Yup and it’s sticking” Kevin said I rolled my eyes. “So uh what do you I mean I hack things” Mouse said. “I am a firefighter this outfit isn’t a joke” I said he looked shocked.

“Careful she’s very sassy and sarcastic” Jay said. “No I think it’s badass that your a female firefighter and one on Squad that’s awesome” Mouse said. “So a hacker huh” I said sitting his desk. “Yep” Mouse said. “So if I need anything hacked call you” I said.

“Yeah” Mouse said I handed him my phone. “Well in case I do or you just wanna hang out sometime” I said he smiled and put his number in. “Maybe Mollys tonight” Mouse said. “Sure” I said.

“Flirting with Mouse” Erin said. “What no” I said she smirked. “Mmmh” Erin said. “So Nova” Voight said. “What’s up Sarg” I said. “So you ex Alex Hanks has been setting these fires” Voight said.

“To be fair I haven’t spoken to him since I dumped him” I said. “Which was when” Voight said. “Uh shortly after my high school graduation he became really, angry all the time” I said. “Do you think he’d trust you” Voight said.

“Probably not I kinda trashed his car one night” I said. “Don’t forget the hot wiring a car” Mouse said. “That’s sealed” Kelly said. “I’m flattered I got background checked” I said laughing. “In all seriousness I need her to go undercover to get close to him” Voight said.

“I don’t feel comfortable putting my sister at risk with an arsonist I don’t care that they dated” Kelly said. “She’s the only way we can stop this he’s killed innocent people” Voight said. “You didn’t protect Katie” I said. “She’s right our sister had to move” Kelly said.

“She’d be very protected and would have a wire” Adam said. “Yeah I can set that up” Mouse said. “The answer is no come on we gotta get back” Kelly said. “I’ll see you later Mouse” I said. “Oh again sorry it’s a habit” Mouse said. “No really I’m flattered also maybe you should lock your phone down more” I said Kevin laughed.

“Wait” he said seeing a hilarious picture of Jay. “Got you” Jay said. “Bye boys” I said. “Seriously Nova we need you” Erin said. “I’ll work something out” I said. “Alright thank you” Erin said. “Mouse 8 at Mollys” I said.

“I’ll buy” he said I smiled and walked down to meet Kelly. “I’m not letting you do it” Kelly said. “Kelly” I said. “No end of conversation I… I can’t lose you too I’ve lost enough in the past” Kelly said. “Shay was my best friend too I get it but Kelly we can stop him” I said.

“We need to get back to the firehouse Nov” Kelly said. “Alright” I said.

Later…

I walked into Mollys. I saw Mouse and sat beside him.

“Hey Otis” I said. “The usual Nov” Otis said. “Please” I said. “Make that two it’s on me” Mouse said. “I’m kinda surprised you showed” I said he smiled. “Well Jay told me a lot about you and I wanted to hear it myself” Mouse said.

“Here you are”Otis said handing us both a beer. “Well you really want the full story huh” I said he laughed. “That’s up to you but why’d you ask me out” Mouse said. “First of all this isn’t a date and secondly I think you are really cool” I said sipping my beer.

“So what do you wanna know” Mouse said. “Whatever you feel comfortable telling me” I said he smiled.

We spent hours talking. It was only Herman, Otis, Mouse and myself left in the bar. Kelly had just left with Stella.

“Alright you two” Herman said. “Right” Mouse said paying for the drinks. “Thanks Herm see you guys tomorrow” I said. We walked out to my car. “You good to drive” Mouse asked.

“Yeah” I said. “So I’m hoping we can get to know each other better” Mouse said. “I’d really like that a lot” I said. “What are you doing tomorrow” Mouse said. “I’ll be at the district I’m gonna help bring him in” I said.

“I promise you that they’ll keep you safe” Mouse said. “Oh my goodness Nova Severide” Alex said. There he was. It’s like he was watching me. “Alex” I said. “I was gonna come by 51 but your brother hates me” Alex said.

“Yeah umm actually what if we talk over lunch tomorrow or something maybe the old diner at noon” I said. “Sure that’s great who’s he” Alex said. “I’m Greg but everyone calls me mouse” Mouse said. “Your boyfriend” Alex asked.

“No ummm he’s friends with Kelly he was just making sure I’m getting home” I said. “Alright well good seeing you” Alex said. “Shit actually I forgot my keys Greg you mind taking me to Kelly’s” I said. “Yeah yeah sure” Mouse said.

“Have a great night you two” Alex said walking away. “Are you ok don’t you have your keys” Mouse asked. “I have a bad feeling please take me to Kelly’s or your place” I said. “Yeah come on I got you” Mouse said.

He drove me over to Kelly’s. We walked up and knocked on the door. Kelly opened up. Matt was cooking something in the kitchen.

“Everything ok” Kelly said. “No I just saw Alex he wanted to have lunch with me” I said. “So your doing this then” Kelly said. “Yes Kelly I am” I said. “She’d be safe and we’d have wires and trackers” Mouse said. “Look this is between us” Kelly said.

“Don’t be rude to him he’s my friend” I said. “Friends huh like Alex or Sean” Kelly said. “Kelly” I said. “No come in so we can talk privately Greg thanks for bringing her home” Kelly said.

“Yeah of course” Mouse said. “Ummm thanks for drinks and the ride” I said. “Yeah just be safe I’ll uh check in” Mouse said. “Alright” I said. Mouse left. I walked into my brothers apartment.

“Are you serious bringing up Sean too” I said. “I’ll be in my room” Matt said. “Well is he gonna become another failed engagement” Kelly said. “First of all that’s not what happened with Roman” I said. “You’ll never admit that you fell for a cop who was in love with someone else” Kelly said.

“Like your one to tell me about relationships” I said. “Then why are you hanging around with that guy” Kelly said. “Because I trust him a lot ok Kelly and Jay says amazing things” I said. “Whatever if he hurts you too I swear” Kelly said.

“We need to talk about the other thing” I said. “Look I’m gonna be here every step of the way” Kelly said. “Do you not trust me” I said. “I don’t trust Hank Voight” Kelly said. “I get that but this guy needs to be stopped he already hurt a family” I said.

“I just can’t lose you too if you feel like it’s getting bad you need to tell me” Kelly said. “I will” I said. “Alright then you can go through with this” Kelly said.

“Great” I said. “You can sleep in the guest room” Matt said. “No Matt I don’t wanna be rude the couch is completely fine” I said. “No no you take the room a night on the couch is alright with me” Matt said. “Great thank you I’ll probably head to bed” I said.

“Don’t you need your uniform for tomorrow” Matt said. “We can stop by my apartment in the morning right” I said. “Yeah sure I’ll drive you and then to your car” Kelly said. “Alright” I said.

[sketchy-yy]

Halcyon Stars

Fic Requests Fic Masterlist

@badpun’s request - “Heya just me with another LiS request :) Chenrich (Alex X Steph) and the prompt is they go on a coffee date and end up having some silly cute shenanigans by the creek.”

Pairing - Alex x Steph (Life is Strange) A wholesome Chenrich date

Genre - Fluff 🌸

A/N - I AM SO SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG- You probably forgot all about this request and again, I'm genuinely so sorry it took so long for me to get this started. This is kind of a mix of serious and not so serious but I hope this is ok :)

Word Count - 1848

Alex rested against the wood slab table she was seated at, mesmerised by the rain that ricocheted into silver beads outside. The sky glowed platinum blue with white stripes of leaking sun. The wind picked up and swerved course, redirecting the rain to come clattering against the window, startling Alex from her thoughts. Sighing, she leaned her head against the glass, feeling the rain quiver the room.

She breathed in the warm, coffee scented air of the cafe. She’s probably trying to avoid the rain, Alex thought, now resting her chin on her palm, eyeing the sky placidly.

The atmosphere of the room was cozy, yet somewhat irritative. Focusing her mind on the emotions around her, she felt a contrast of relief and complaint in the warmth of the coffee bar.

‘Stupid rain, messing up my plans.’

‘I left my umbrella at home! Now I’ll have to sit this out.’

‘It’s so warm in here, I’m lucky I dodged the rain.’

‘Holy fucking shit I’m late I hope she’s not mad.’

Alex perked up at the familiar voice of Steph’s mind. Blinking her eyes a few times to focus on the beanie saint that hastily bee-lined toward her, Alex found herself grinning stupidly as Steph not-so-elegantly threw herself into the seat across from her.

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Steph relaxed in her seat, scratching behind her ear. “The uh.. rain held me hostage under some shelter just down the road.” She pointed her thumb towards the door.

“It’s fine,” Alex chimed, easing with Steph’s aura, “I got in here just before the rain started, so I did expect some fashionable lateness.”

They shared a bright smile together, enjoying each other's presence.

‘She’s so pretty.’ Golden-pink hues swam around Steph, humming Steph’s admiration for Alex. Alex loved this aura, because the only person it captivated was Steph, and it was beautiful. Like the sinking sun beneath a platoon of pinks, golds, and halcyon stars. She’d never seen the aura in anybody else before, and the nova was a world of skipped heart beats that Alex would swoon over in smite for her girlfriend.

“Right back atcha,” Alex winked, her face picking up the rosy tones of the room. The sunset aura around Steph swirled and danced as her eyebrows twitched upward. She sighed a laugh, shaking her head.

“I still have to get used to that,” her eyes creased with her grin as she gave Alex’s outfit a quick glance. Steph wore a black, rainbow patterned singlet paired with black jeans and her sacred beanie, while Alex wore her classic jean jacket over an egyptian blue hoodie.

“How do you do that?” Steph’s eyes were still gliding over Alex’s attire.

“Do what?” Alex replied, giving Steph’s wear a study of her own.

“Look good in everything you wear.”

Alex tried not to sway. “Even the bard hat?” she chuckled.

“Pssht, especially the bard hat.” Steph now eyed Alex with fondness, watching the shade of her cheeks plummet into red. Alex glanced elsewhere, as if she were thinking out her next response. Which she was. Oh boy she was.

“Well, if we’re going that far,” Alex grinned teasingly, “seeing my ‘badass dj’ rocking a witch outfit? I mean I couldn’t help myself from proposing you were such a smokeshow,” Steph opened her mouth to speak, but Alex went on. “I mean, I see you with that beanie every day, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the witches hat- I mean holy shit Steph. And your voice over it all? You’re the hottest girl to have stepped foot in Haven Springs for a reason,” and to top it off, Alex finished by giving steph a once over.

Steph, for once, had no idea how to respond- seeing as all she could think of was: ‘Holy shtiy5//?<agh7g-shga#[1 what do I say hngg/!R AAAAAAAAAAAAAH’

Which she didn’t say it out loud, but Alex, to her amusement, heard it nonetheless.

As Steph struggled to keep herself from internally combusting as she floundered for something to say, a figure approached the two disasters.exe as they stop physically responding.

The waiter cleared their throat, “hey, what can I get for y-”

“CofFeE,” Steph spluttered, eyes still glued to Alex, who snickered behind a sleeved wrist as she elaborated their coffee order and the waiter took their leave.

‘What was that!? What WAS THAT!!?! I cannot form words, Alex you’ve killed me.’

“Sorry, I had to say it at some point. Too much?”

Steph blinked. “NNoO hHa yeah pssssht I just- you know. Short circuited. Wires did a funny. Yeah. You’re hot,, too.”

Alex and Steph’s temperature combined could prepare an entire barbeque and then some. In the short time they’d been dating, neither of them had directly called each other hot. It seemed to take effect.

Soon after the waiter returned with two coffees.

“Thanks,” both Alex and Steph said in union.

“So,” Steph turned her attention to the window, “looks like the rain stopped.”

And so it had. Alex was so caught up in flustering Steph that she hadn’t noticed the sudden halt of rain. The only evidence was the glossy concrete and pools of water that spilled from leaf to leaf.

“I could cool off,” Alex said, still smiling at Steph. She could get all poetic about how the way her eyes captured the window light like heavenly gateways, and the white outdoor glow framed her cheekbones perfectly- Alex couldn’t take her eyes off her. Steph met her gaze, “then how ‘bout a walk, sugar?” she stood, offering Alex a hand.

“Wooow such a gentleman,” Alex joked, taking her hand anyway. Steph winked in response, and the two made their way outside for a walk.

(Don’t worry guys they paid I promise)

Alex never let go of Steph’s hand, swinging their arms as they walked along the street.

“God, I hate when weather does this,” Alex released Steph’s hand momentarily to pull off her jean jacket.

“Does what? Rain?” Steph eyed Alex curiously as she lifted off her hoodie, freeing herself from heat.

“No,” Alex laughed, “like- you know. When it’s cold and rainy and then the rain makes the atmosphere humid and you get all sweaty.”

They stepped onto the bridge; Steph gliding her hand through the flowers that lined the margin. Birds could be spotted shaking rain from their puffy frames, while bees creeped out from their refuge and resumed their flowery endeavour.

They came to a pause at the side of the bridge, watching the stream crash against stones and rush beneath the two girls who felt as if the entirety of Haven Springs was theirs. Alex watched Steph as the cloud that had been shielding the sun finally abandoned post, freeing gilted rays of sun to coast over Steph’s face. Her eyes, like the rich green-brown of leaves, fluttered over to Alex.

“C’mon,” she half-whispered, retaking Alex’s hand and guiding her away.

“Where are we going?”

☀️🌸🌹🌸🌹🌸🌹🌸🌹🌸☀️

The creek came into view, and Steph’s pace hastened until she broke into a run, Alex on her tail. They both ran the short distance to the water, quickly picking up a sweat from the rainy atmosphere. “Too.. muggy for this,” Alex huffed, stumbling to a stop at the edge of the small wharf Steph had led her onto. Everyone else in Haven Springs was somewhere in their homes, hiding from possible future rain, leaving only Alex and Steph to roam.

“I know,” Steph slid off her beanie, setting it on Alex’s hoodie and jacket that she’d placed on the railing. Alex had to force herself to look elsewhere, but admittedly failed. Steph with her beanie? Wow. Steph without her beanie? WOW.

“Too hot for your holy headpiece?”

“Never,” Steph stepped insanely close to Alex, raising her hands to her face and brushing her fingers against her cheeks as she reached for her glasses. She carefully removed them, placing them beside their items.

“Brilliant, you’ve officially removed my eyes,” Alex squinted, adapting to her slightly blurred vision. “Ugh, you’re still pretty,” she sighed, “but what are we doing?”

Steph pulled Alex toward the very fringe of the wharf. “Cooling off.” Alex’s eyes grew large as she connected the dots, but she was too late. Together, hand in hand, Steph threw themselves into the creek.

The two crashed into the freezing waters, sending water lapping against the poles of the wharf.

“Oh my gOD STEPH,” Alex whipped her inky hair back, rubbing her eyes.

“What?” Steph laughed in return, floating Alex further from land, “isn’t it refreshing?” She drifted toward Alex, who sighed into their embrace.

“Everyday is refreshing with you.” Their clothes filled with water as they paddled their legs to keep afloat. They held each other for a while, until Steph pushed away, cupping Alex’s face in one hand. Steph and Alex had been together for a couple months now, and every moment together was pure bliss. They’d stay up late laughing at stupid sitcoms or hugging closer as a jumpscare in a cheesy horror movie took them by surprise. They planned to watch the stars, to travel the world- or grow old in Haven, to stick together for as long as the universe lets them and more. They wanted to show everyone how strong they were together, and they did.

“You mean so much to me.”

“The fucking world, right?” Alex hummed to the memory of that night- their first kiss.

“Yeah,” Steph tugged Alex closer, “the whole fucking world and then some.”

Their breaths caught as their lips pushed against each other, soft and warm. Their hands glided over their waists, through their hair and against their faces, forcing red to bubble across their skin. A golden aurora rippled through the water, sending waves of passion through Steph and Alex.

While everyone was holed up in their houses, Steph and Alex owned the world, using every moment they had together. They broke apart, smiling stupidly in a red mess.

“You’re probably gonna hear me think it, so I’ll spare you the effort: you’re so fucking beautiful.”

Alex tucked Steph’s hair behind an ear, “and you’re so..” she blinked a few times, “blurry..?”

The two laughed, releasing pent up serotonin and leaning back in the water before eventually slipping beneath the surface.

☀️🌸🌹🌸🌹🌸🌹🌸🌹🌸☀️

“Today was nice.”

The two came to a stop infront of The Black Lantern. The moon was now high above the town, and the streetlamps drew in moths with an amber glow.

“Yeah, it was,” Steph breathed in the cold air of the night, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Alex hesitated, glancing toward her home. “Who says you have to leave?”

Steph warmed at the idea of holding Alex as they drifted to sleep, which ofcourse Alex caught onto. Sleeping in each other's arms was probably the most rewarding thing after a long day of work, or in this case, a day of excitement and joy. “I would love to stay,” and with that, Alex took her by the hand and pulled her inside, leaving the halcyon stars to blink across the sky.

[myulmangg]

Author Recs

I read a lot, so this post will change and evolve as I do. A good rule of thumb is to assume that pretty much everything I recommend contains explicit sexual content and adult themes not suitable for those under the age of 18 years old.  So minors, please see yourselves out.

@smileysuh - pretty much everything by Smileysuh is amazing, and I actively look forward to reading anything and everything by Nova.

Expect: Amazing smut that will ruin you for everything and anything but you won’t even mind because it’s that good, poly x fem!reader content, NCT / Ateez / Seventeen / Got7 / BTS / MonstaX / Stray Kids + more! I am a huge fan of the Cam Baby, Frat Universe, and CEO au series.

Favourites: Anteric (Wonwoo & Mingyu x fem!reader), 8th Grade (Yunho & Mingi x fem!reader), and Panini (Yunho & Mingi x fem!reader). Honestly though, this list will probably always be changing because everything is just that good.

@domjaehyun - Jewel has also completely taken over my life. Those Friday night plans I was too busy for? I was staying at home reading her fics. 

Expect: Some of the hottest NCT fics I have ever read, periodt. Her characters are fleshed out and her fics maintain a simultaneous sense of realism and fun. It’s masterful, and post-fic depression is pretty much guaranteed. 

Favourites: Quarantine Chronicles pt. 1 + pt. 2 (Jaehyun, Johnny, Jungwoo, Jaemin, Mark x fem!reader)

@yutaholic I wish I could go back and re-read all of Yutaholic’s fics again for the first time. Each one reads like a novel, with clearly discernible character arcs/development, nuanced emotion, and extremely hot smut. Each fic is lovely to the point that they all continue to live rent free in my brain, months after reading them.

Expect: NCT & WayV fics, long fics that are consistent in tone and emotion, highly developed female!reader characters, porn + feelings, angst, stories that feel like beautiful memories captured on rolls of film, nostalgic and authentic.

Favourites: Winter Bird (Jaehyun x female!reader), Keep it to myself, Small Doses (Taeyong x female!reader)

@hongism - I am not exaggerating when I say that I read 39 chapters of hongism’s Mists of Celeste Ateez space pirate series in pretty much 1 sitting. I took breaks to grab food from the kitchen, shower, and take care of the essentials ( and I passed out for a little bit somewhere along the way) BUT!!! It’s good, y’all. 

The worldbuilding is excellent, the playlist is fire, and as an individual who struggles with PTSD myself, I can say with confidence that an astounding amount of thought was put into presenting the plot points, characters, and their struggles in a nuanced, and detailed manner. 

Expect: good writing, badass space pirates, a super badass female protagonist, intricate magic/class systems, detailed worldbuilding, potentially triggering content such as PTSD, violence, panic attacks, etc. If you like games like Borderlands and Apex Legends you’ll probably like this.

[silkchiffoner]

HELLO IFINISHED SEASON 1 OF TRESE AND I NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

• OKAY THE INTRO? BEAUTIFUL.

• baby alex is so cute i cant-

• butbutBUT, Alex's mom is SUCH. A. MILF.

• the kambal? amazing.

• the wind girls are so cute and amazing yalls

• i do believe that Alex is a lesbian? yes. am i saying that because i have a huge gay crush on her? you have no proof of that so-

• DARREN CRISSSSS!!!! YESYESYES

• RIP CAPT. GURRERO I RLLY LIKED HIM YALLS

• Hank and Nova dcbhcbyebevb

• NUNO BEING THE TRAITOR-

• I LIKED HIM >:O

• but like shay mitchell as alex was okay, but like,, when shay was chanting, or saying tagalog words,,, it was really uhm, it sounded kinda terrible ngl. IM SORRY I JUST NEEDED TO GET THAT OUT-

• anton and what he did to sinag was- it was weird.

• EVIL ALEX WAS SO HOT YALL-

• SHE WAS SO BADASS IN THE FIGHT SCENES

• ALSO LIKE THE END CREDITS OF THE LAST EPISODE? I SENSE SEASON TWO SO KEEP STREAMING TRESE YALLZ

TL;DR: the show was great, i recommend you watch it when you can, and i'm gay for alexandra trese.

okay adios, flameo hotmen!

[aquagirl1978]

#1 - Favorite line in set

aliboo: "But no matter what, there's one thing I do know with absolute certainty. There's someone out there among all those stars who misses you." There was a lot of humour in this set and so many great lines to choose from, but these words really stuck with me. I'm weak for lonely/lost souls.

aqua: (Please know what I mean. Having 'the droids and the drones' talk is not in my job description.) This route has so far been filled with so much humor, much of it at Nova's expense. Nova robotic naiveté could have come off as boring, but this route with a no-nonsense, take no shit MC is just bringing out the humor in these situations, and I'm living for it.

violet: (If I pass out and die of asphyxiation from fluorescent red Crunchie dust in an alley on a research colony...) This line stood out in a sea of really, really funny ones. I thought it was perfect.

#2 - Favorite scene/moment

aliboo: Hearing what Nova imagines her childhood was like. It cut me up in so many different ways. Just the very fact that her starting point was so analytical... of her accent, skills and physique rather than actually knowing anything about herself. So sad but so good!

aqua: MC and Nova going over the contract. I love when Nova points out the terms in the contract, and MC goes "to-may-to, to-mah-to." MC might consider having her contracts looked over by a lawyer tho, because these would not fly in Court 😆

violet: When MC meets Comet. That was so well done. Comet loving MC and MC being super unsure about the whole thing is hilarious.

#3 - Did you buy hearts? Which scene(s)? Worth it?

aliboo: I bought all the heart scenes. The first one is definitely worth it for the CG and it's a cute scene, despite not learning an awful lot. The second one is my favourite, as mentioned in my previous 2 answers, and the third one, the fight scene - I ALWAYS have to buy those, I love the infighting banter scenes! So yes, all worth it!

aqua: I got the first one. It was a fun scene and unlocked the cg.

violet: I got the first heart scene and really liked it. Nova and MC have a bit of a road ahead of them, I think, but when they get there they are going to be such a great couple.

#4 - Standout character

aliboo: Nova continues to be unironically funnier than MC. "Why would it be? It's only furniture." in response to the awkwardness caused by sharing one bed... "Technically, gravity did that. I merely stopped its forward trajectory." in response to , holy SHIT Nova, you just flipped a car!?

aqua: Nova. She continued to show this week what a badass she really is. I know Nova was portrayed to be very robotic in the previous routes, but I really enjoy that she's showing some real emotion at times too. You truly get a sense of how lonely she is, not having any idea who she really is.

violet: Nova's abs should get the credit they deserve. The definition, strength and star power is like none other in this route.

#5 - Thoughts on the CG?

aliboo: Very nice! SP Rebooted is really delivering on the artwork!

aqua: I love that this was a throwback to the cg from her previous route. Artwork has been top notch so far.

violet: I think she looks amazing!!!

#6 - Fave screenshot

aliboo: This is a great scene! The expressions on their faces perfectly conveys the whole situation!

aqua: I really liked this part, how Nova was so absorbed in whatever she was thinking about, she forgot everything else in the room. Very relatable, and some beautiful writing.

violet: How could I not pick one with him? I like the sight of them together (wink wink nudge nudge)

#7 - Secondary character shining moment.

aliboo: Dr Azdha's twin bro, "Ezhdre B'Cani". For an ageing civil servant he sure can move. I loved the chase scenes.

aqua: Shotru for being terrifying in such a small scene. Oof!

violet: The Civil Servant they chase for an entire episode has mad stamina. Props to him for lasting so long.

#8 - Thought on the villain.

aliboo: Shotru is a thorn in the side - not sure what her motivations are. And clearly Ezhdre is involved, but I need more context to form any opinion.

aqua: The plot thickened this week with the addition of Ezhdre B'Cani (Dr. Azdha, is that you in disguise?) who for some reason is in cahoots with Shotru, who continues to be frightening. What a cliffhanger!

violet: Shotru strikes me as very very unhinged. I look forward to her fuckery.

#9 - Most OMG scene?

aliboo: The chase scene with Ezhdre! I loved it! So much action, ducking and weaving... and THEN, he falls down the stairs and MC is all like "Gods I hope he didn't break his neck." and Nova, in all seriousness, "That would make it difficult to get any information from him." Perfect.

aqua: Opening the door and meeting Ezhdre B'Cani. The chase scenes were thrilling...but why is he with Shotru?! How will MC and Nova get themselves out of this mess?

violet: I think when Nova and MC were on the stakeout and I found out MC is a snacker. More routes with people who love snacks!

#10 - Any predictions for next week?

aliboo: No idea, but I'm really looking forward to Dr Xendalia's introduction, as well as Beta and Gamma's. As integral as the Promise Crew are to Nova's story, I'm just waiting for the superhuman/supersoldier origins to come to light!

aqua: With this new lead, my fingers are crossed that Beta and Gamma make an appearance sooner than later. I'm with @aliboo, I'm much more interested in Nova's origins.

violet: Shotru is going to say or do something awful and really let the crazy out. Nova and MC will continue to spend time together and Nova will be adorably clueless about why MC is constantly blushing. Comet is going to develop a full on attachment to MC, much to her dismay. And we get more amazing crew scenes.

[a-deadly-serenade]

so here are some of my favorites ive watched over these past 2 months :) i’ll even add little summaries too because why not!!

Going in Style (2017), stars morgan freeman, michael cane and alan arkin as 3 lifelong best friends that plan an elaborate heist to steal from the bank thats screwing over their pensions. super funny super charming, i had an absolute blast watching this.

The Kindness of Strangers (2019), is a more independent film, with its most notable stars being bill nighy and jay baruchel (he voiced hiccup!). however, the star of the show is zoe kazan who plays a mother who takes it upon herself to protect her two sons from their father’s systematic abuse and heads to new york city to try and make a new start. its raw and i think an amazing piece that shows the hardships domestic violence victims deal with, but, as the title suggests, it also shows the beauty of kindness and human connection. fantastic film but, i’d one i’d recommend u double-check to make sure youre personally ok to watch :)

Cloudburst (2011), is a Canadian film, starring Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker as an elderly lesbian couple that go on a roadtrip up to Nova Scotia to get married. super funny film, brenda fricker is hilarious!!! and their relationship is so natural and soso sweet. 

Catch and Release (2006), has an absolutely stacked cast you got jennifer gardner as the leading lady, timothy olyphant, juliette lewis, & even fiona shaw. it followers garner’s character dealing with the death of her late fiancee and the secrets she uncovers after moving in with his 2 best friends. its got a couple low-hanging jokes but, it was a romcom made in 2006. other than that, its really a fun movie. i mean u get olyphant as the cocky, yet sappy loverboy. what more could u want ?

Hellboy (2004), has another stacked cast but, imma be honest, the only reason i decided to watch this and its sequel, was because they were both directed by guillermo del toro. but!! man. do you guys remember when comic book movies used to be FUN?!? this movie is so fun!! the plot is crazy you’ve got this elite fleet of immortal russians (??) that used to work for the NAZIS trying so summon these eldritch monsters and start the apocalypse and in order to do that, they need to capture hellboy. AND IT RULES. this movie is allll practical effect work and allll makeup work and its soososososo sexy. everyone learn from senor toro. see? this is how a movie should look! anyways. ron perlman is hilarious and a fantastic lead, rupert evans is great as the little human sidekick, selma blair is a badass and doug jones is AWESOME. love u abe 💙 the sequel isnt bad, i just dont think the plot is as strong, however, definitely worth checking out if u enjoy the first one.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017), i hesitated a little to put this one on the list, because i believe the viewing experience is greatly enhanced by seeing the original 1982 film, since technically this IS its sequel. however, the original was. ok? the effects and atmosphere are fantastic, ridley scott never disappoints, but it did tend to drag a bit in my opinion, the last 15 or so minutes in particular. ANYways. 2049 is strong enough to stand on its own, so i’ll leave it up to you to decide if you want to watch the og. with its own fantastic mix of practical vs computer effects, great cast and solid story, you follow k on his mission to track down a miracle that was once thought to be impossible. super solid movie and the attention to detail to keep the feel of the world on par with the og is very impressive. 

[440mxs-wife]

A Slice of Heaven

Pairing: Dean x Reader, Anthony (OMC) x Reader (former). Other Characters: Charlie, Sam Winchester (mentioned), Kara (OFC)

Word Count: 5880-ish

Warnings: Mentions of Divorce, Jerk Ex, light smut-ish towards the end, mostly fluff though.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

You awoke to a faint buzzing sound that only grew louder the more you opened your eyes. "Ugh, make it stop," you groaned aloud. You finally realized that it was your alarm clock going off, and that you had pushed the snooze one too many times. If you didn't get up and shower and now, you weren't going to have enough time.

Fortunately, the coffee pot was on a timer, so by the time you came downstairs, it was already finished brewing. You fixed your coffee in your travel cup, grabbed a blueberry muffin off the counter and put it in a resealable bag. You checked to make sure you had everything you needed, put your purse in your messenger bag then zipped it closed. Just before you went out the front door, you lifted your keys out of the bowl sitting on the shelf.

You pulled the door shut behind you, making sure it was locked. As you turned to your left, you noticed that your neighbor was sitting on his front porch, enjoying a cup of coffee. He was reading a magazine, but as soon as he heard your door being closed he looked up. His emerald eyes shifted in your direction and a smile lit his face.

"Good morning!" he called out, raising his coffee cup in salute. The Golden Retriever pup at his feet raised his head, looked side to side, then laid back down on his front paws.

"Oh, hey! Good morning to you, Dean," you replied, returning his salute with your own coffee cup. You then slipped the strap over your head for your messenger bag so that it was stretched diagonally across your body.

As you descended the steps from your porch, you noticed that Dean was doing the same from his. He met you on the sidewalk in front of your houses and took a sip of his coffee.

"So, off to work, I see. By chance, do you have any big plans for the weekend?" Dean asked.

"Sadly, no. I've been invited to go out for drinks with some of the girls from work, but it all depends on how the day goes. Might be too tired for anything other than pizza and a movie," you remarked.

"Well, if you find yourself with nothing to do and you'd like some company, I'm right next door," he offered.

Your eyes brightened at the possibility of spending time with Dean. "I may just take you up on that, Dean," you replied. You looked down at your watch and noted the time. "Oh my goodness, I need to get going so I'm not late for work," you groaned.

"Wait, I still need to get your phone number! You know, so I can text you or....something," he stumbled.

You giggled. "I don't have time right now, but if you want, you can come by where I work. It's that bakery called 'A Slice of Heaven', down on 7th Avenue," you explained.

"I know where that is, maybe I'll have to stop in and see what you have," Dean remarked.

By this time, you had reached the driver's side of your 1968 Chevy Nova. You gave Dean a wave and a smile before getting into the car and driving off to work.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Since he saw you move in, Dean has made sure he was waiting on his front porch no later than 7:15 a.m. every day. That's because he knew that you usually left for work no later than 7:25 a.m. Seeing you every morning has become the highlight of his day. Even if it's raining out, he peeks out at you from behind his living room curtains. He feels that his day won't go just right unless he gets at least a glimpse of you.

To him, you're an amazing, beautiful woman who drives a badass car, and someone he'd very much like to get to know better. He'd heard some of the neighborhood gossip, but tried not to pay much attention or put any stock in it.

Rumor Control said that you moved here after your divorce from a rich husband. You were living in a modest home in a small, quiet neighborhood and went to work every day to support yourself. That led Dean to believe that you probably got the short end in the divorce settlement.

A Slice of Heaven. That's what you said your bakery was called, and Dean was starting to develop a serious craving for pie. May have to go check things out over there, he thought with a smirk.

If nothing else, it gave him a chance to get your number and put it into his phone for safekeeping. He had no problem finding any excuse to try and get close to you, get to know you better. Anything for you to give him one of your heart-stopping smiles, like the one you gave him before you drove off this morning. Dean went back inside to shower, then to get ready for the day and his important journey to a certain bakery.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I know, I know, I'm sorry I'm just getting here at the last minute. It is only by the grace of the Traffic Light Gods that I managed to get here in the nick of time. I couldn't help it, I stayed up too late  reading. The story was getting to the good part, and you know how much I love to read," you remarked.

"Oh, it's all right, honey. You're here now, so let's get to work. Throw your apron on and help Kara with getting those pies made and in the oven, would you please?" your boss and best friend, Charlie asked.

"You got it, Chief," you grinned as you tied your apron behind you.

A few hours and so many pie crusts and fillings later, Charlie came back to see you in the kitchen. She said there was a handsome customer out front that wanted to place an order, but specifically asked for you. With a puzzled look on your face, you washed your hands and walked towards the front of the shop.

The man leaning down and checking out the display case suddenly stood up. All at once you were staring into the piercing green eyes of your next-door neighbor.

"Dean, how wonderful to see you again! Is there something I can help you with?" you asked.

"Yes, I believe you can. I think I need one slice of everything in this display case. Everything looks so delicious, I can't possibly be expected to choose. Yep, that's what I want. One slice of everything please," he requested.

You giggled at his request, because no one had ever placed a walk-in order like that before. "We can certainly do that, but it will take time to put it together. If you could come back in an hour or so, we could have it ready for you by then," you suggested.

"Perfect, that way we can have some lunch, and by the time I bring you back, it'll be ready. Right?" he asked.

"I would love to go to lunch with you today, but--" you started, but Charlie interjected.

"She just went on lunch break. Here, give me your apron, and I'll put his order together while you're gone. Goooooo," she insisted. She untied your apron and gave you a gentle push towards Dean's outstretched hand.

"Wait, I need my purse or at least my wallet if we're going to lunch," you recalled, turning back towards the kitchen.

"Nuh-uh, nope, no way, this was my idea, therefore it is my treat," Dean replied. With his hands on your shoulders, he steered you back so you were facing the shop's front door once again. "I'll have her back in an hour, boss lady," Dean called over his shoulder. Charlie made a shooing motion with her hands, and the next thing you knew, you and Dean were out the door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Once outside, you scanned the area for places to go and have lunch, but Dean seemed to already have an idea of where to go. He picked up your hand with his, and guided you towards the little diner that was a few blocks from the bakery. Pausing in front of the door, he asked, "Is this okay?"

"Oh, absolutely, I love this place. Their fries have exactly the right amount of crispy that I love, and they have awesome milkshakes,"  you gushed.

Dean pulled the door open for you to walk in before him. "After you, milady," he gestured with a bow.

"Thank you, kind sir," you giggled as your cheeks grew quite warm, even in the air-conditioned diner. Dean's hand settled on the small of your back, gently ushering you to an open table by the window. A waitress with bright red hair and big doe eyes strode over to your table, pen and order pad in her hand.

"Welcome to The Bluebird Café, what can I start you with to drink?" Emma, your server, asked.

"I'll have a cup of coffee, please," Dean replied.

"And I'll have an Arnold Palmer, please," you asked.

"Excellent, and do you need a few minutes, or are you ready to order?" Emma inquired.

You and Dean looked at each other, both shrugged and grinned. You ordered the turkey club sandwich with fries, while he ordered the bacon cheeseburger with fries. Emma smiled and said she would be back shortly with your drinks.

"So," he started. "You do know that an 'Arnold Palmer' is just an iced tea with a whole lot of lemon in it, right?" Dean teased.

"I know, but it's what I like," you laughed. "This is nice, thank you. I usually don't get much of a chance to take a 'real' lunch break. You know, one where I actually leave the shop. Usually, I'm bringing in leftovers and reheating them in the microwave," you explained.

"Well, that is a tragedy, one I am committed to remedying for you," Dean declared. He leaned back, since Emma had returned with your drink order. As she set his drink on the table, she gave him a big wink, which did not go unnoticed by you. An unfamiliar and unpleasant feeling fluttered in your stomach at her obvious attempts at flirting with Dean.

Dean seemed to pay no attention to her, though. He continued to rattle on about possibly making this a once-a-week event for the two of you. Suddenly he stopped talking and carefully reached across the table for your hand. As soon as he made contact, you jumped as if scalded by boiling hot water.

"I'm sorry, was it something I said?" he asked gently. He pulled his hand back, waiting for you to make the next move.

"No, Dean, I'm sorry. What were you saying about lunch?" you asked, hoping to revisit the subject.

"It's all right, we can talk about this another time," he promised. At that moment, his phone went off, and he rolled his eyes as he fished it out of his pants pocket. If the look on Dean's face was any indication, it said he'd rather not interrupt lunch with you to answer. However, he knew he had to take it.

"Sa-Sammy? Sam. Slow down, bro, what's going on? They what? You're kidding me. No, don't worry, I'll handle it. I'll think of  something and let you know. Bye, bro," Dean grimaced as he  disconnected the call.

By this time, Emma had returned with your lunch order, placing your meals in front of you. Reaching across the table, you took his hand in yours. "Is everything okay? Something I can help with, Dean?" you asked with concern.

Dean let out a small chuckle. "You're so sweet. It's about my parents' 30th anniversary party.  They've decided to go all out for this party, they've rented a ballroom at this hotel, invited a bunch of their friends, black-tie. There'll be dinner, dancing, the works," he explained.

"Sounds fancy," you added.

"Yup. So, we hired this company to make these baked goods for the dessert table, but they had to cancel. Seems they overbooked themselves, and ours was the last order taken, so the first to be cancelled," he grumbled.

"That's terrible! Also, extremely unprofessional," you retorted.

"Anyway, the party is in three months, and now I have to come up with a solution before everyone is booked. Wait a minute," Dean said, his face brightening.

"What?" you asked.

"You work for a bakery, and I've seen firsthand the work you all can do. If the product tastes even half as good as it looks, I think I've found a solution to my problem. What if your shop took the contract?" Dean suggested.

You pondered his idea for a minute. On the one hand, you and your co-workers took great pride in your work. You were confident that your shop could compete with the larger ones. On the other hand, it was a rather daunting task. One that may possibly blow up in your face if it didn't go well. "How about we ask Charlie when we get back? Let her decide if we can handle a job of that scale, not to mention prestige," you replied.

"Oh, sweetheart, if you can convince her to take the job, I would be forever in your debt," Dean remarked as he dug into his burger.

Your cheeks grew warm at hearing his endearment for you. "That's not necessary, Dean," you said shyly.

He put his burger down and reached for your hand across the table and grasped it in his. "You know, you're awfully pretty when you blush. Sweetheart," he added with a wink.

You felt as if your cheeks were the temperature of glowing hot metal from a sword-maker's forge. "Thank you, Dean," you whispered.

At some point, you had the presence of mind to pick up your sandwich and take your first bite. The warm turkey and crispy bacon against the cool lettuce, tomato and mayo nearly melted in your mouth. Once you and Dean had finished your sandwich and his burger, you took turns stealing fries from each others' plates. It was the most relaxed lunch break you'd taken in a while.

All too soon, it was time for you to return to work. Before you left your table, you made sure to exchange phone numbers with Dean. When you got back to the shop, Dean's pie order was all boxed up and ready to go. You went into the kitchen and asked Charlie to come out to one of the tables, because Dean had something to ask her.

When he was done explaining his dilemma, Charlie was silent for a few minutes. You and Dean passed nervous looks back and forth to each other until Charlie cleared her throat. "I think....I think that we could help you out, Dean. You said the party is in three months?" she  asked. Dean confirmed the date of the party as June 20th, three and a half months away. "You know what? Let's do this!" Charlie exclaimed.

Hugs were exchanged and a preliminary order form for the party was completed. Once that was done, you helped Dean load up his slices of pie in a shopping bag. After he placed the last one in the bag, you put your hand on his arm. "Thank you so much for lunch today. I had a wonderful time with you. Next time, though, it's my treat," you promised.

"Anything you say, as long as there is a next time," he agreed, tapping on the end of your nose. "It's time I should be getting home and start sampling these pies. Maybe I'll share them with my family....then again, maybe not," Dean grinned and waggled his eyebrows.

You laughed at Dean's antics. "I hope you enjoy your purchase, sir. Don't eat too many at once, or you'll get sick, you know! Hope you have a great rest of your day," you replied.

"Until we meet again, sweet lady," Dean said softly. He captured your hand once more and brushed his lips to the back of it. "Ladies," he called to your boss and co-workers as he walked out the door.

As soon as the door was shut, everyone swarmed around you. "Where on earth did you meet him?" Kara and Charlie both asked.

"Girls, he's my next-door neighbor. He's friendly, easy to talk to and has a great sense of humor. Also has a dog, a Golden Retriever," you mentioned.

"And he's good-looking, hot, handsome, all of the above," Kara interjected.

You rolled your eyes, even though you agreed with Kara's assessment. "Can we please get back to work?" you asked with mock exasperation. Reluctantly, everyone returned to their station and the remainder of the day passed without further comment on Dean. Mostly, anyway. Charlie stopped you as you were both closing up the shop for the night.

"Seriously, you need to do something about and with that neighbor of yours. Not everyone is a jerk like your ex, honey," she remarked.

"I know, Char. Right now, I'm having fun being friends with Dean. For now, that is," you hastily added.

"Uh, okay, but the way he was looking at you tells me that he wishes you were having fun as more than friends. He's into you. Taking you to lunch, buying one slice of every kind of pie we have. Giving us this tremendous opportunity to cater his parents' anniversary. Face it, he likes you," she finished.

"We'll see, Charlie. For now, I'm going home to shower, order a pizza then probably fall asleep halfway through some movie. I know, the riveting life I lead," you remarked sarcastically.

You and Charlie walked out to your cars together and gave each other a hug before going your separate ways. You promised to let her know if anything more developed between you and Dean. "Don't get your hopes up, Char," you warned, even though you secretly wished for another opportunity to get together with your neighbor.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As predicted, you didn't go out for drinks with your friends from work. You breathed a sigh of relief when you parked your car in front of your house. "Home at last," you announced to yourself. Once inside the house, you deposited your keys in the bowl on the shelf next to the door.

You walked into your room and began peeling off your clothes to get ready for your shower. The hot water coursing over your body soothed your aching muscles from a hard day's work. You dried yourself off and put on your pink plaid pajama pants and an oversized sweatshirt. From your phone, you accessed the app for the pizza place and ordered your dinner. You settled on the couch for some mindless TV program while you waited for your delivery.

About 40 minutes later, your doorbell rang, signaling dinner was served. When you opened your door, you were surprised to see Dean standing there, holding your pizza. "Well, this is certainly a surprise. I didn't know you moonlighted as a pizza delivery man," you teased.

"I'll have you know, I'm a man of many talents and secrets. Sadly, though, pizza delivery is neither of them. I had to kind of hijack this from your actual delivery person. I was hoping we could make good on that deal to get together, since you have no big plans? You know, that we were talking about this morning?" he asked with hope.

You laughed as you opened the door wider for him to come in. "How can I refuse such an offer? Please, come in," you replied, your heart hammering. "Let's bring the pizza into the kitchen and we can fix our plates there. Would you like something to drink?" you asked.

He asked for a beer if you had it, which fortunately, you did. For yourself, you poured a glass of white wine. "A toast," Dean started. "To dinner and a movie with the sweetest woman I know. Cheers," he finished softly, clinking his glass to yours.

"Cheers," you returned softly. At that moment, your phone rang in your pocket. Dean noticed how your smile completely dropped when you noticed the name on the Caller ID. Anthony, your ex-husband. You took a deep breath before answering, "Hello?"

"What took you so long to answer?" Anthony demanded.

"If you must know, I have a guest over for dinner, Anthony, not that it's any of your business. I was deciding whether to pick up or let it go to voicemail. Looks like I made the wrong decision on that. What do you want?" you retorted.

"Whatever. My parents are coming over for dinner next week, and I can't find the silver flatware that they bought us as a wedding present. I've looked all over the house. It's not here, which means you must have taken it with you when you left. I want it back, and I will be over to your house tomorrow to pick it up," he declared.

"Anthony, what on earth makes you think I have any use for something like that? Besides, it's in the storage area under the basement stairs. I put it there after the last time we used it for dinner with your parents. And you are truly unbelievable if you think I'm capable of stealing," you huffed.

"How do I know you wouldn't take it to the pawn shop if--" he shot back but you  interrupted.

"Don't even THINK about finishing that thought, Anthony. I didn't want anything from you in the divorce. I didn't ask for alimony, all I took with me when I left was what I brought with me into the marriage. Well, all but my belief in a forever love. That was something I had to leave behind when you cheated on me with Ashlynn," you remarked, tears silently streaming down your cheeks. "I don't have your precious silver flatware, Anthony. Goodbye and don't ever call me again," you finished as you disconnected the call.

With a shaking hand, you placed your phone on the counter and covered your face with both hands. Silent sobs wracked your body and the next thing you knew, Dean had wrapped his arms around you in a warm  embrace. You leaned into his chest as the tears continued to streak down your face. "I'm so sorry you had to witness that. I can't believe he thought...." you trailed off as you let yourself be comforted by Dean.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. I'm sorry you had to deal for even one minute with your asshat of an ex," Dean replied, to which you gave a small chuckle. When he looked into your eyes, you noticed a kind of softness was in his eyes. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to your forehead in a lingering kiss. You sighed deeply in contentment and he tightened his embrace just a bit.

"Um....Dean? If it's okay, I'd still like us to hang out, spend time together tonight. Shall we get our pizza and watch our movie? If you still want to, that is," you added.

"I would love nothing more, sweetheart. Let's do that," he agreed.

"I'm going to go splash some cold water on my face, then I'll be in a much better mood. Be back in a few," you promised but not before pressing a shy kiss to his cheek.

Dean stood in your kitchen, a bit stunned. His fingertips brushed the place where your lips had just been, as a broad grin swept across his face. What a woman, he thought.

His thoughts darkened a bit when he thought back on the phone conversation he witnessed. What a colossal jerk you had for an ex-husband. How dare he suggest that you would steal anything from anyone? You are a strong, independent and selfless woman, how dare he betray your trust by cheating on you? Dean knew that if Anthony was in front of him at this moment, he wouldn't be standing long, because Dean would punch him.

Dean's heart nearly broke in two when he heard what you said about not believing in a forever love anymore. He made a vow to himself to do everything he could to restore your faith and belief in love again.

The rest of the evening went a little more smoothly than it did at the beginning. When the movie was over, you walked Dean to the door, where he lingered a little. He tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear just before he pressed another soft kiss to your forehead. He said he would call you in the morning about plans for the day, and that he'd  like to see you again. You agreed, and wished him goodnight, a sentiment which he returned.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On Monday afternoon, Charlie called you to the front about something. You had no idea what it could be, so you washed your hands and went to find her. When you got up front, you saw a vase with a dozen roses of assorted colors in it. "The card's for you, and I think you have some 'splaining to do," she teased.

You opened the card, and as you read it to yourself, your cheeks grew warm, which did not escape anyone's notice. You replaced the card in the envelope and slid it in your pocket without sharing its contents.

Kara spread her arms wide then dropped them to her sides in exasperation. "So? What gives? Are they from 'him'? What did the card say?" she asked.

"First of all, yes, they're from Dean. And 'B', I don't have to tell you what the card said," you replied mysteriously.

"Must have been some weekend if she's not willing to share details," Charlie muttered.

"Wouldn't YOU like to know," you taunted.

"YEAH! Actually, I would like to know!" Charlie shot back, but with a small smile. It was nice to see you happy, something she hadn't seen in you for quite some time. Not since the divorce, anyway. Charlie decided that if Dean was who made you happy, then it didn't matter what the card said. Still curious, though, she thought to herself.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the months leading up to the anniversary party, you and Dean spent more and more time together. You took turns cooking dinner and hanging out at each other's houses. Most nights you ended up on the porch swing, sitting and talking as people walked by. Those were the times you treasured, when it was just the two of you, sometimes his dog. The walls around your heart, put there because of Anthony, were starting to come down, allowing your trust in Dean to grow.

Dean was careful to take things between you at your pace. As much as he wanted to get closer to you, he wanted more than anything for you to be comfortable being with him. Nights out on the porch started with holding hands and soft kisses. Then it moved to the two of you snuggled together in the cool night air or on the couch during a movie. You learned that Dean gave good foot massages, which felt like heaven after a day on your feet baking pies.

One night after dinner at your place, you were standing at the sink rinsing dishes to be put in the dishwasher. You were too busy singing to yourself and swaying your hips. You failed to notice what was going on behind you in the kitchen.

Dean had come around the corner to enter the kitchen, only to hear you singing and see you dancing. Never had he heard a sweeter sound than the melody of your voice, whether singing, speaking or laughing. He quietly positioned himself so he was in your path, directly behind you. If you pivoted just right, you'd run straight into him, which was exactly what he wanted.

You needed to check if there were any other dirty dishes in the dining room. You turned away from the sink and ran smack dab into Dean, your palms landing flat against his solid chest. As he looked down to you, his eyes held a spark of amusement. You looked closer and caught a fleeting glimpse of what you thought was adoration and maybe even love.

"Careful there, darlin’. Wouldn't want you to fall and hurt yourself. Most accidents happen in the kitchen, or so I've heard," Dean explained softly.

"Well," you said as your tongue darted out to lick your lips. That move was nearly Dean's undoing, though you were unaware of its effect on him. "If I fall, I'm sure you'll be there to catch me. Right?" you asked breathily.

"Sweetheart, I will always be there for you," he promised, brushing your cheeks with his fingertips. "Anthony didn't know what he had when you were together. You deserve to be told every day how loved and cherished you are. You should know what a vibrant, sexy woman you are and how lucky I am that I get to do this." He bent his head towards you and captured your lips with his.

At first, the kiss was soft and tender, as if Dean was testing the boundaries between you. As your mouths moved in tandem, the kisses became more insistent and urgent. You slid your hands up his chest and moved them behind his head. Grinning with mischief, your delicate fingers played with the hairs at the base of his neck.

You could feel his smile as he dropped open-mouthed kisses along your neck, behind your ear, wherever he could reach. You felt the tickle of the vibrations against your skin from his playful growl at your teasing his neck. When the need for oxygen became too great, you broke apart, both breathing heavily.

"Whoa, Dean. That was amazing," you whispered.

"Sugar, you're more than 'amazing', I was going to say 'magical'," Dean replied.

"Dean, really, I'm not--" he silenced your protest by sealing his lips to yours once again. There was just enough of an opening between you for Dean's tongue to sneak through. A fact that he took full advantage of, and when your tongues met, a moan of pleasure escaped from you.

Dean's hands roamed up and down your back as he reached into your hair and gently tugged your head back, exposing your neck. "So beautiful," he murmured against your skin, nipping and ultimately leaving his mark on you for all to see.

Your hands slid around from behind his head to cradle his face so you could attack his lips once again. Just before you dove in to capture his mouth with your own, Dean pulled back a little.

"Is this okay, sweetheart? Or do you want more? We can stop anytime you want," he assured you.

Without a moment's hesitation, "More, I want more with you Dean. Let's go upstairs," you replied as you tugged his hand for him to follow.

Once upstairs in your room, layers of clothing were shed one by one. With no more clothing barriers between you, Dean nudged you backwards until the back of your knees hit the bed. You climbed up onto the mattress, crawling until you reached the middle. Dean soon joined you and leaned down to kiss you.

His hands and mouth took their time in worshiping every inch of your exposed skin, as if committing it to memory. Your mouth and hands were doing the same, mapping every muscle, every scar, every detail of his exquisite bare body.

Never had you been with such a patient lover, one who was more interested in learning what brought you pleasure than chasing his own end. He wanted to know which touch produced which sounds, so he could fulfill your every desire.

For as much as he was learning about you, there was an eagerness on your end to return the favor. You wanted to discover what sounds he would produce with every caress or stroke of your fingers on his skin. That way, you could be sure to replay each move as often as possible.

The silence of your room was punctuated with breathy words of affection and moans of ecstasy from the two of you. Layers of passion were built higher and higher as you both chased your release. Finally, you both tumbled over the edge, one after the other, each whispering declarations of love.

Later, after getting cleaned up, he belatedly realized that neither of you used protection. You assured him that you were clean and had just renewed your birth control, which eased his mind. He wrapped his arm around you so that your head rested on his chest. You could hear his steady heartbeat, which brought out a sigh of contentment from you.

"Hey," he whispered softly, turning to face you. His hand cupped your cheek, his thumb caressing it.

"Hey yourself," you grinned. At the serious look on his face, you pulled back a little. "Is everything okay? Oh, god, you don't regret--" he interrupted your spiraling mind with a kiss.

"No, sweetheart, never! You're an incredible woman, and I don't regret one second of what just happened between us. Quite the opposite, actually," he chuckled. "I wanted to ask if you would be my 'plus-one' to my parents' anniversary party," he finished.

Your eyes lit up with excitement. "Really?" you whispered. "You want me to meet your parents? That's such an important occasion," you remarked as the self-doubt kicked in.

"I know. That's why I want the woman I love by my side," he replied.

"You love me?" you asked softly.

"Darlin', I've been in love with you since you moved in. Why do you think I'm out on my porch, every morning, when you leave for work? If I don't catch sight of you, even through the curtains, I don't feel like I'll have a good day. You're a strong, passionate and intelligent woman, with a kind and generous heart. There is everything to love about you," he explained.

"Dean, the past few months we've spent together have been wonderful. I feel so comfortable around you, like I can finally be myself. I can tell you anything, without fear of being judged in any way. You are an amazing man, Dean Winchester. I fell in love with you when we went to lunch at The Bluebird Café. That day and everything between us since has restored my belief in a 'forever love'. I love you, Dean," you finished.

"Guess this means you're going shopping for a dress, huh?" he asked, to which you nodded. "Well, sweetheart, you'd better make sure it looks as good on you as it's going to on my bedroom floor," he smirked.

"Your bedroom floor?" you arched an eyebrow in mock annoyance. "Who's to say we wouldn't come back here after the party? Then it would be my bedroom floor," you pointed out.

"Either one works for me, darlin', as long as it ends with you out of the dress," he grinned and waggled his eyebrows.

"You are so lucky that I love you," you remarked.

"Yes, I am. I love you too," he replied softly, as he placed a slow, luxurious kiss on your lips.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tags: @janicho88, @akshi8278, @magssteenkamp, @swiftlymoniquesblog, @lyarr24, @miss-nerd95, @distefano123, @hobby27, @deanwanddamons, @wayward-mikaelson, @jawritter, @gabrielslittleangel, @jensengirl83, @deangirl93, @ellewritesfix05, @supernatural-jackles, @winchesterprincessbride, @babygurltt

[literally-just-a-review-blog]

Post #1: Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish

I've been casually listening to Billie Eilish for four years at this point. I was never a superfan but I can definitely sing along to more than a few of her songs. I was really excited for this album to come out, because it had been a while since I'd listened to her music and I wanted to get back into it with multiple new songs rather than just one. So, here's my song-by-song review of Billie Eilish's latest album, Happier Than Ever.

1. Getting Older

I'm going to be honest, I think this is a weak song to start the album with. The constant rhythm of the synth in the background is somewhat boring, and there's really nothing about this song that stands out to me. I love the line "things I once enjoyed just keep me employed", but other than that, there's not much to say about this song. It's not bad, but it's not entertaining or something I would want to listen to.

2. I Didn't Change My Number

Dear goddess someone tell Billie she doesn't have to have one synth part playing constantly throughout the whole song. It ruins the feel of every chorus so much that I can barely tell when the chorus is supposed to be. I don't know if this monotone constant is part of the appeal for some people, but it isn't for me. This is also a concept we've seen Billie write about a lot (my boy, lost cause, bad guy, etc. etc. etc.). I dunno, maybe I'm being too critical, but hey, this is an album critique. Overall, the song is only slightly less boring than Getting Older and I'm still waiting for that "wow, that's Billie Eilish, alright!" moment.

3. Billie Bossa Nova

This might be controversial, but please do not put your own name in a song title if you don't have to. "Billie Bossa Nova" doesn't even. Make. Sense. Anyway, this song is slightly above I Didn't Change My Number. It's got a good construction and the chorus has an actual melody that I can recognize as a chorus. It's the least boring so far, but that's not saying that much.

4. My Future

I bought the exclusive picture disc of this song when it first came out. That's my opening statement to my review of this song. A beautiful half and half song of ethereal vocals and a funky beat. I also love the lyrics and the message of this song, because I really think that you don't need to be in a relationship to be happy. The chords are really pretty and I just. I love this song.

5. Oxytocin

I'VE FOUND THE BILLIE EILISH MOMENT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! I'm in love with this song. The sensuality of the lyrics and the music, the rare Billie belting, the echo, the layering, the everything. This is the best song on the album so far.

6. GOLDWING

Following up Oxytocin (a song with mentions of religion) with GOLDWING (a song that begins with a hymnlike acapella section) is genius. By itself, GOLDWING isn't super remarkable, but pairing it with Oxytocin creates a really cool effect. I also love the "da da da da" part. This is one of the better songs so far.

7. Lost Cause

Another one of the singles. I didn't listen to this one very much when it first came out but I heard it playing in an H&M a few days ago. The bassline and the lyrics make this such a badass song. It's like a better version of I Didn't Change My Number. There's not that much more to say about it, it's what you'd expect from a Billie Eilish song.

8. Halley's Comet

The chord progression is gorgeous. When I first heard this song I didn't love it, since it usually takes me a few listens at least to vibe with the slower songs. The main adjective for this song is pretty. The vocals, the music, the lyrics. I especially love the vocal effects on the outro. Speaking of the outro, I think that it makes the rest of the song feel more raw because of how stripped back it is. In all, a nice song.

9. Not My Responsibility

Wow. The power of words. I don't know what to say about this song that you can't gather from listening to it. I don't even really want to add anything, so I'll leave it here: this is one of if not the most powerful song on the album.

10. OverHeated

Sigh. I guess they can't all be bangers. This isn't a bad song at all, but it's still somewhat disappointing. There are a few parts that I can bop along to, but it feels very monotone and sedated. There's no remarkable high or low notes, no parts really worth noting. I'm having a hard time even writing one paragraph about this song because of how little there is to say.

11. Everybody Dies

Very subdued. Very low energy. This song isn't quite my style, but some of the lyrics are nice. I can't see myself listening to this a whole lot.

12. Your Power

The emotions I can feel in this song are so powerful. "How dare you" hits me so hard. Another song where I don't feel like anything I say will add very much to it, so I'll leave it at that.

13. NDA

I really like the lyrics of this song, and the chorus makes great use of autotune. The outro is also great, but the rest of it is a little boring. I can't really bop to the verses, and they don't really make me feel anything. A little disappointing, but not the worst on the album.

14. Therefore I Am

This one is a fucking banger. Singing along to it can make virtually anyone feel like the most badass person in the world. "I'm not your friend or anything, damn" is such a raw line. The music in the bridge also really reminds me of video game music, and the autotuned backing vocals on the last chorus really adds something else to it.

15. Happier Than Ever

Oh. My. Goddess. This has got to be, by far, my favorite song from this album. The contrast between the longing in the first half and the resentment in the second half. The ukulele vs. full rock band. This song is just incredible. Quite possibly one of the most screamable pop songs I've ever heard.

16. Male Fantasy

There are many beautiful songs on this album, and this one is no exception. I'm in love with the lyrics, as someone who has never been lucky in love. I know exactly what it's like to wish you could just get over someone, and to wonder if you're always going to feel so helpless and weak against your own emotions.

Happier Than Ever is something of a grab bag, in my opinion. You're never going to get an objectively bad song, but picking any song from the nearly hour long album will have you feeling anything from somewhat bored to extremely emotional. I would give this album a 7/10 rating in my own personal taste, because there are some songs I know I'm never going to listen to again, but also some songs that I've already listened to on repeat for days (cough, title track, cough).

[fandomrewrites]

Chasing Butterflies: Day Trip

Hello all! Sorry for the late update but I’ve been pretty busy today. As always I hope you all enjoy this chapter and constructive criticism is welcomed. Let me know if you want to be added to any of my taglists or if you have any requests. 

Season 1; Episode 8: Day Trip Pairings: OC x OC Best Friends, no love interests chosen yet Warnings: swearing, character death, guns, being high Word Count: 3,435

Season 1 Masterlist

Clarke and Nova sit in on a council meeting using the video chat that Raven set up. Chancellor Jaha turns to address the girls, "Tell me about the Grounder. Can he provide any insight on how to survive winter?"

Nova loudly scoffs but allows Clarke to answer, "We're doing everything we can to prepare here. We're gathering nuts and berries, curing meats, digging for roots, but the truth is, we'll freeze before we starve."

Marcus speaks up, "There's good news on that front. According to civil plans from before the war, there's an old emergency aid depot not far from the landing site. Here are the coordinates." He sends the girls the coordinates as he finishes speaking.

"How do you know this place is still intact?" Nova asks.

"It was designed to withstand nuclear warfare."

"Alright, it's worth a shot." Clarke sighs.

"Chancellor, I have to object." Diana starts, causing Nova to roll her eyes. "Project Exodus is under way. The kids should sit tight in their camp until the first dropship launches."

"Listen lady, nothing you say or do is going to stop us from doing whatever the hell we want down here." Nova glares.

"Nova." Marcus starts to scold.

"What Marcus? What are you going to do? Try to send us to our deaths again?"

Jaha raises his hand to stop the argument, "Even if everything goes without a hitch, the hundred would die from exposure before relief arrives. I'd like a moment alone with Clarke and Nova, please, and I know there is a line of parents waiting to talk to their kids."

He waits for the council to filter out of the room then continues, "We are all very proud of what you two have done down there." He pauses, "Your parents."

"I don't want to talk about my mother." Clarke says.

At the same time Nova says, "I don't want to talk about my father."

"Please, it's time to forgive them. Let me schedule a time for you." Jaha tries to reason.

"I'm done with this conversation." Nova interrupts. She pulls off the headset and stands up, turning on her heel to leave the tent.

Nova moves to her tent, grabbing a bag and her bow. As she waits by the camp gates for Clarke she eats some of the nuts that the group has collected.

After a few minutes Clarke and Bellamy walk up to Nova. "You're coming too?"

"Don't sound too upset." Bellamy says with a smirk.

The petite brunette rolls her eyes and turns around, "Let's go." She says over her shoulder.

 *_*_*_*_*_*

 As Elara was practicing with her bow she heard her name get called. She turned around to see Atlas walking towards her, "Hey. Your parents are waiting for you."

"I said I would go last." Elara states.

Atlas shakes his head, a smile growing on his face. "Elara go. We both know you've been dying to talk to them. And you do so much for all of us, you shouldn't have to wait any longer."

Elara quickly pulled the boy into a tight hug, "Thanks Atlas." She let go and ran off before he had the time to react.

Elara makes her way into the empty communications tent. She sits down, smiling when she sees her parents. She pulls on the headset, "Hi guys."

"Look at you! I've missed you so much!" Celeste exclaims.

"I've missed you both too! I was so nervous that I wouldn't see you guys again. Are either of you coming down on the Exodus ship?"

"No, it's going to be mainly guards to help with the Grounders. And Abby and Marcus of course." Jacopo replies.

Elara nods but both of her parents can tell she's slightly upset, "Hey, cheer up. We'll be there sooner than you know it." Celeste smiles at her daughter, which causes the teenager to smile back.

"How have you been down there anyways? Staying out of trouble?" Jacopo asks.

"Of course. You know me, I just want to help people." Elara states.

"Yes, but helping people is also what got you sent down there." Celeste scolds.

"And I still want you to be able to protect yourself, Elara. The Grounders are dangerous." Jacopo says, concern lacing his voice.

"Trust me, I know. But I'll be fine. I've been helping with the medical things and Nova made me a bow and arrows." Elara smiles, she holds up the bow to show her parents.

They both laugh, "Just like Robin Hood." Celeste gently shakes her head.

"I'm getting really good at it too."

Not getting the chance to reply, a voice on the Ark interrupts, "Time's almost up."

Jacopo and Celeste nod then turn back to Elara, "We love you and miss you so much. Please stay safe down there, okay?" Jacopo says.

"I will and I'll see you guys soon. I love you." Elara blows a kiss to the screen, her parents returning the gesture. 

"Fox is next." Celeste says, looking down at the list that says which delinquents still needed to talk with their loved ones. Elara nods, waves one last time then stands up to look for Fox.

 *_*_*_*_*_*

 As Nova, Clarke and Bellamy trek through the woods Clarke breaks the silence, "You know, the first dropship is gonna come down soon. Pretty sure you can't avoid Jaha forever."

"I can try." Bellamy states.

Clarke sighs, "The depot is supposed to be around here somewhere. There's got to be a door." She pauses then turns to address Bellamy one more time, "Maybe he'll be lenient."

"Look. I shot the man, Clarke. He's not just gonna forgive and forget. Let's split up, cover more ground."  Bellamy glances at Nova, watching as she walks further away. He shouts to make sure he's heard, "Stay within shouting distance!"

Nova waves a hand, indicating that she heard him. She has her bow clenched tightly in her hands as she scans the area around her, looking for any threats or a door to the depot.

After a few minutes of surveying the land Nova hears Clarke call, "Nova, Bellamy. Over here. I found a door." Nova quickly makes her way to Clarke to see Bellamy and Clarke pulling open a door.

Once she is beside the other two Bellamy looks at the girls, "Really think this place hasn't been touched since the war?"

"A girl can dream. Come on." Clarke mumbles out.

"This is disgusting." Nova states, scrunching up her face when she nearly trips over a human skeleton.

"Hell of a place to die." Bellamy says, grabbing a hold of Nova's arm so she doesn't faceplant.

"So much for living down here." Clarke says, disappointment laced in her voice.

"It doesn't look like there's anything left down here." Nova states looking around.

"They must have distributed most of the supplies before the last bombs went off." She pauses as she opens up a container. "Hey, I found blankets."

"Excited about a couple of blankets?" Bellamy asks.

"It will help keep us warm during the winter. We may need to move everyone out of the tents and into the dropship at night. It will be crowded but the walls and so many people will help keep us warm." Nova says as she checks another barrel, finding more blankets.

Bellamy groans, frustrated. "How about a canteen or a med kit or a decent fucking tent?" He kicks another barrel over. The top pops off and guns and grease spill out.

Nova lightly laughs, "Jackpot."

 *_*_*_*_*_*

 Elara sits on the bottom level of the dropship, sorting through what little medical supplies the group has. She makes a mental note to get more of the seaweed they used on Jasper. 

She looks up as someone walks through the door. Octavia smiles at her then continues to the top floor. She's not even up there a minute before she makes her way back down. 

"Hey, E. I think I'm going to need your help."

"With what?" Elara asks, looking up at the brunette.

"The nuts we collected. They're making people hallucinate." Elara's mouth falls open.

"Okay." She pauses, "Well let's make sure everyone is calm and safe. We'll have to make sure nobody is eating anymore of the nuts." Elara stands up, "We can also start burning the nuts, there's no need for them to be here anymore."

Octavia nods as the two girls step out of the drop ship, "I'll start on this side and you can go the other way. Meet in the middle." Elara nods in agreement. The two girls separate, heading in opposite directions.

Atlas quickly spots Elara heading in her direction. "Wow, you look beautiful." He says to her, a lopsided smile lighting up his face.

Elara smiles back, "Thanks. How are you feeling?"

"Grrreaaattt." Atlas says, leaning closer to his ex. 

"Have you been eating these nuts?" She asks, placing her hands on his shoulders to keep him from tipping over.

"Mhm, they're really good. I do feel a little weird though."

Elara nods and wraps his arm around her shoulder, "How about we bring you to your tent? You can take a nap and I'll give you some water. You should feel better in no time."

As Elara gently helps Atlas sit on his bed, the male looks up at her, "You know I fucked up when I lost you. You were the best damn thing that ever happened to me."

Elara bites her lip, "If you remember this conversation and want we can talk about it later, but right now isn't the time."

"Do you still love me?"

"I'll always love you Atlas." Elara replies without hesitation.

Atlas smiles as his eyes start to close, "I'll always love you too." Elara sighs and blinks back the tears forming in her eyes. She takes a minute to calm herself then steps out of the tent. She quickly brings him some water and leaves it next to his bed so he can have some when he wakes up. She then moves on to help the next person.

 *_*_*_*_*_*

 Bellamy and Nova both reach down to pick up a gun. "This changes everything. No more running from spears." He holds out a gun for Clarke, "Ready to be a badass, Clarke?"

She hesitantly takes it, "Look. I'm not gonna fight either of you on bringing guns back to camp. I know we need them, but don't expect me to like it."

"We're lucky the rifles were packed in grease. The fact that they survived means we're not sitting ducks anymore. You need to learn how to do this."

As Clarke and Bellamy talk Nova bends down to start cleaning the grease from the guns as best she can. She turns briefly to see Bellamy try to shoot at a blanket that they hung up for target practice. "My bullets are duds. Try yours."

Clarke shoots the blanket then laughs, "That was amazing. Am I horrible for feeling that?"

"Try again." Bellamy replies.

"No. We shouldn't waste the ammunition." 

"People are going to need practice. when we bring the guns back. That includes you." Nova states, looking into another barrel.

"We need to talk about how we're gonna keep guns around camp, where are we gonna keep them, and who has access." Clarke says.

Bellamy ignores her and takes a shot at the blanket. "You left Miller in charge of the grounder. You must trust him."

Bellamy nods, "You both should keep him close. The others listen to him."

"We should keep him close?" Nova asks, kitting her eyebrows together in confusion.

"What's going on? You've been acting weird all day." Clarke continues. "All the rations you took. You're gonna run. That's why you agreed to come with us. You were gonna load up on supplies and just disappear."

"I don't have a choice. The Ark will be here soon." Bellamy states.

"What about Octavia?" Nova asks.

"She hates me. She'll be fine."

Nova rolls her eyes, "She doesn't hate you. She's your sister. She's just angry with you. There is a difference."

Bellamy shakes his head, "I shot the chancellor. They're gonna kill me. Best-case scenario, they lock me up with the Grounder for the rest of my life and there's no way in hell I'm giving Jaha the satisfaction. Keep practicing. I need some air."

The two girls exchange a look as he leaves. "I'm going to head this way and check for some more guns and blankets. I'll be back in five minutes tops. Take a few more shots." Clarke nods and watches as Nova heads down a hall.

 *_*_*_*_*_*

 Back at the camp Elara takes her time making sure the delinquents are safe. Finn and Raven have since emerged from their tent to help though Elara made sure that Finn's main task was to burn the jobi nuts so he didn't do too much and risk injuring himself further.

"Hey Harper, how are you feeling?" Elara asks sitting down next to her old cellmate.

"Hmm." Harper hums. She slightly sways to music only she can hear. "I feel a little funny, but good." She pauses, "Yeah, really good."

Harper's eyes stay closed as she talks to Elara. "Have you been drinking water like I asked?" 

Harper nods making Elara continue, "Good. Remember to stay here and keep drinking. I need to check on everyone else."

Harper nods once more as Elara stands up to head to another part of the camp. As she makes her way to the wall she makes eye contact with the grounder. "How did you-" She cuts herself off already knowing the answer, "Octavia."

The grounder just stares at her, unsure of what to do. "Well, go quickly. Before anyone else sees you. Though of course they'd probably think they were hallucinating. Be careful, okay?"

The grounder nods in thanks then continues out of the camp.

 *_*_*_*_*_*

 Nova looks up from a barrel filled with blankets when she hears a noise. "Clarke?" Not hearing anything back she hesitantly walks in the direction. Her eyes meet the face of councilman Abraham. 

She gasps, "You're dead."

Jericho laughs, "Yes, but you should know by now darling, you can't get rid of me that easily."

Nova clenches her jaw, "You may haunt my dreams but you got what you deserved. Hell I should have tortured you longer."

The man smirks as he looks down at the petite girl. "You know you grew up to look even more beautiful." 

Nova tightens her hands into fists. She squeezes her eyes shut and quietly starts to mutter, "Get out of my head. You aren't here. You aren't real."

"Come on now darling, I'm more real than you may think."

Nova starts lightly pulling at her hair, "Shut up, shut up, shut up." She mumbles over and over. Her quiet mumbles drown out the sound over Jericho. After about a minute of silence she slowly peels her eyes open.

She sighs in relief when the man is nowhere to be found. She bends down to pick up her bow and arrow that she discarded when Jericho showed up. Once she makes it to Clarke, she sees the blonde knocked out on the floor.

Rushing over she begins to shake her shoulder, "Clarke get up." As soon as the blonde's eyes flutter open Nova asks, "What happened?"

Clarke blinks and shakes her head, "I-I hallucinated then Dax showed up and knocked me out."

"Dax?" Nova asks in disbelief.

Clarke nods, "We need to find Bellamy."

Nova helps her up from the floor. Clarke picks up a gun then the two girls head out of the depot. "Split up, don't stray too far though." Clarke nods then heads away from Nova.

After a few moments, Nova circles back around and runs in the direction that she can hear fighting happening. When she makes it to the clearing in the woods she sees Dax on top of Bellamy, strangling him. 

Nova aims her bow and shoots. The arrow lodges into the side of Dax's neck. He tips over dead, Bellamy pushing him off of his body. He sits up gasping for breath. 

Emotionlessly Nova walks over and holds out a hand helping Bellamy up. The two move over towards Clarke who has propped herself up against a tree. 

The three sit in silence for a few minutes before Clarke decides to speak, "You're okay."

"No I'm not." Bellamy chokes out, "My mother... If she knew what I've done, who I am. She raised me to be better, to be good. All I do is hurt people. Elara was right, I am a monster."

"You saved someone today." Clarke begins, arguing with the boy. "You may be a total ass half of the time, but I need you. We all need you. None of us would've survived this place if it wasn't for you."

"I would have." Nova pipes in. Clarke turns to glare at her. "What? I'm just speaking the truth. But Clarke does have a point. The others trust you. They look to you when they need guidance."

Clarke continues, "You want forgiveness, fine, I'll give it to you. You're forgiven, okay, but you can't run, Bellamy. You have to come back with us. You have to face it."

"Like you both faced your parents?" Bellamy challenges.

"You're right. I don't want to face my mom or Nova her dad. All I think about every day is how we're gonna keep everyone alive, but we don't have a choice."

"Jaha will kill me when he comes down."

"Not if you explain why you needed to come down and everything you've done since to help us stay alive. Plus Clarke and I will both vouch for you." Nova says.

"We'll figure it out." Clarke adds.

"Can we figure it out later?" Bellamy asks, looking between the two younger girls.

"Whenever you're ready."

 *_*_*_*_*_*

 Nova, Clarke and Bellamy trek back to the camp. Their bags filled with blankets and arms loaded with guns. "He's gone. The grounder is gone." Miller's voice is heard from inside the camp walls.

"What if he brings other grounders back?" Jasper asks.

A few more voices are heard as the three step into the camp, "Let the grounders come." Bellamy's voice booms above the rest, the delinquents attention brought to the three leaders. "We've been afraid of them for far too long, and why? Because of their knives and spears. I don't know about you. I'm tired of being afraid."

The three drop the guns in front of them. Cheers start to sound from the surrounding group. "These are weapons, not toys, and we have to be prepared to give them up when the guard dropships come, but until then, they're going to help keep us safe." Clarke addresses the group.

"And there's more where these come from. Tomorrow Blake and I are starting training, and if the grounders want a fight, we'll be ready." Nova says, looking around at the delinquents faces.

A little while later Clarke and Nova sat in the communication tent speaking with Jaha. "He wants to talk with you. Set up a deal." Nova states.

"I'll go get him." Clarke mumbles as she stands up.

"I can still set up a meeting with your father, Nova." Jaha says as soon as Clarke is out of the video.

"I'll talk to him when he comes down. He can wait until then." Nova replies. Jaha opens his mouth to answer but stops when he sees Bellamy. 

"Mr. Blake, I've wanted to talk to you for some time now." Jaha says.

"Before you do, I'd like to say something." Clarke begins, "When you sent us down here, you sent us to die, but miraculously, most of us are still alive. In large part, that is because of him, because of Bellamy. He's one of us, and he deserves to be pardoned of his crimes just like the rest of us."

"Clarke, I appreciate your point of view, but it's not that simple."

"It is that simple. You're just making it more complicated because you're biased on the fact that the attack was against you." Nova states, coming across more snippy then attended.

Bellamy speaks up before Jaha has the chance to reply, "If you pardon me I'll tell you who on the Ark wants you dead."

Jaha pauses for a brief moment, "Bellamy Blake, you're pardoned for your crimes. Now, tell me who gave you the gun."