#orignal novel

[t-lane-writes]

I finished the third version of the first draft of The Specters.

I may do some work on editing the Worldbuilding file, so it's up to date with the current version of the story.

And, honestly speaking, the final six chapters now exist in the form of notest, the length of barely 100-400. I may or may not add some thoughts to those notes, so they are a little longer. I still have three days of leave, so they will be dedicated to post-draft cleaning, I guess.

I'm glad to say I found the way (during writing the previous version -- now it solidified) to finish the story without sacrificing (killing) any of the main characters. Instead, it ends in a way that opens the door for a sequel, although I do not think I will write it. At least I'm not making such plans at the moment.

I feel fulfilled. :)

[catsconflictscopicsandchamomile]

bit of a weird announcement:

that spn fix-fic I've been throwing so much of my time and life into for the past 2.5 years?

yknow, the one that quickly devolved into an incomprehensible crossover clusterfuck that requires the reader to know 4+ dead languages?

...yeah I'm not doing that anymore.

I guess it crossed some kind of Overcomplication Event Horizon bc I looked away for five seconds and when I looked back I realized that I'd written the bulk of a VERY fun original modern fantasy novel.

so yeah this is my announcement that I'm writing a book

(...or have already written a large part of a book. for two years. before realizing I was writing a book)

The Third Road

is a modern fantasy story combining mythology, solarpunk/hopepunk, environmentalist, antifascist, faecore and post-apocalyptic themes.

Since the industrial revolution, Heaven and Hell alike have been influencing humanity to further its destruction of the environment, and of itself, in order to create ideal conditions for the apocalypse. However, in the early 2010s, just as the apocalypse was set to begin... it didn't.

Now, ten years later, Heaven and Hell are mired in infighting and blaming each other for God's failure to appear as promised. Caught up in their own strife, they forgot about the countless chain reactions of death and ruin they had left on earth, needing only the tiniest push to topple.

Unaffiliated spirits of the apocalypse, angry at being denied their promised rule, began wander the earth and found a biosphere on the verge of total collapse, and many powerful humans extremely receptive to the idea of jump-starting Revelations.

This holy(?) collaboration began quickly amassing eager allies in other pantheons' spirits of waste and destruction, and as they pushed over the metaphorical first dominoes in various chain reactions, mortal, political, economic and supernatural forces alike rose to support their cause.

The only line of defense lies in various gods and spirits of the wild, the seasons and the cycles of time, but they are spread thin after years of undoing what they can of Heaven and Hell's damage and holding the world together with the magickal equivalent of duct tape and safety pins. Unprepared for the onslaught of the forces of Waste, only a handful of survivors were left the flames died down. Since then they have lived on the run, forming unprecedented alliances and taking on new roles as needed.

One such creature who finds herself in an unexpectedly central role is Daéna. Never given a name for most of her existence, she had, like most monsters, lived many incarnations alongside her more famous son, Grendel.

In this latest life, the pair had the good fortune to find a mentor and guardian in Queen Maeve of the Unseelie Court, and quickly rose to prominence in their own right.

For many years, the three have lived, traveled and fought together as the Fae Courts' fastest and foremost strike team against the encroaching spirits of waste, even as Daéna and Grendel's nature as half-fae, half-christian monsters put them directly in the center of the oncoming war.

It is now 2023, and everything has gone wrong.

anyway, though I will definitely keep applying/writing abt these HCs re:fandom on my main blog, I'll have a sideblog set up soon for everything related to the actual novel.

[preciouslandmermaid]

i've had this line in my book since the first draft and it makes me cackle everytime i read it :

“You bought three?” Alistair asked. “Don't be dumb.” She pointed to a new pouch tied at her belt. “I got myself extras for later.”

like yes bitch lmao

[a-cat-in-toffee]

friendly neighborhood ghost included in house purchase !

[r-f-m-writes]

A Lark In a Hollow Chapter One

Really, she doesn't have a choice.

Lark barely remembers the huge shadow of a man sitting beside her in the dead heat of Mrs. Poppy's office at the children's home. He is silent, stoic, and completely terrifying.

Christopher Hollow.

Muscled.

Six foot five.

Storm blue eyes.

Dog tags outlined under the straining stretch of his black tee-shirt.

"Lark," Mrs. Poppy says, gently, "you're happy with this arrangement? You want to go with your Godfather?"

There's no money left for her to live off until she finds a job - if she finds a job.

Her Dad is dead.

Lark doesn't have a choice.

Lark Douglas didn’t know who Christopher Hollow was when Mrs. Poppy brought his name up to her on a hot Saturday afternoon in her office. The additional details that he had served with her Dad in Afghanistan and was her appointed legal guardian and Godfather did nothing to help jog Lark’s memory.

      In fact, it was a full week after Mrs. Poppy informed Lark of Christopher Hollow’s existence that the girl finally managed to scrounge up a single, short, fuzzy memory of the man.

         She was home.

         The door to their flat was open, the old ceiling fan had been turning in slow circles over her head. It did nothing to fight against the mid July heat that was so stifling and muggy it made her skin stick to the linoleum floors. She had sat on the couch playing with Labrador, her stuffed toy dog, when Mom walked in with someone.

        Lark was five, she thinks, and she hadn’t paid attention to anything that was being said, or looked at who had stepped the room after her mother. She only glanced up from where she was making her stuffed dog do backflips off the worn-down couch cushions when big, black boots stepped into her vision off the edge of the sofa.

       The man who stood in front of her was tall, wearing camo pants and a fitted grey tee-shirt. His face was hard to remember, but Lark thought he had sandy brown hair and the start of a thick brown beard. He had crouched down, setting aside a battered black duffle bag, looking at her like he expected something.

     Lark had only stared at him.

      Mom’s voice had a strain in it when she spoke.

     “Say hi to Chris, baby. He’s come all the way from the airport just to see you.”

     The man spoke before Lark had the chance. He had a deep, rough rumbly voice.

     “Don’t worry her about it, Lori. Been two years. I’d be surprised if Pet remembered me at all.”

      Pet.

      That was the only memory Lark had of Christopher.

      She wasn’t even sure it was real and not just something she had made up in the recesses of her mind as an unconscious effort to help herself fill in the gaps and feel less uncertain.

     She had lots of memories like that.

      Memories no one else could verify. Memories she wasn’t sure happened, but couldn’t shake as being real.

      This was what led Lark to where she stood at the top of the worn flight of wooden stairs.  Seventeen years old, dressed in clothes that didn’t belong to her, feeling entirely unsure of what the future would hold.

      Seventeen, and only three weeks and four days shy of her eighteenth birthday.

     It was ridiculous.

     Stupid, even.

     Why couldn’t she just wait it out at the girl’s home?

     Why was Mrs. Poppy was obligated, by law, to reach out to relatives Lark had never even heard of and negotiate with them down the phone, asking and then, after the eighth rejection, pleading with each of them to come and pick her up?

      “Just a month - no, no, you wouldn’t have to commit to adoption, Mrs. Tanner - not at all. I am only reaching out because Lark is your niece, and I am sure you want the best for her -”

     The list thinned, name by name. Lark saw them each time Mrs. Poppy opened the manilla envelope with her initials on it, glancing over the struck off phone numbers and feeling nothing.

    The rejections didn’t surprise her.

    She knew from lived experience how reluctant people were to help a stranger.

     It took less than half a week for them to reach the last one.

     His name.

     Christopher Hollow.

     He was who Lark was waiting for as she hung onto the banister, her dark eyes fixed on the panes of frosted glass in the door, anticipating seeing a shadow blot across the panels when he stepped onto the porch and rang the buzzer.

     Floorboards creaked.

     Lark moved too late when Mrs. Poppy stepped out of her office that stood at the side of the stairs. The stacked blonde beehive of her hair bobbing into the girl’s view as Lark tried to scurry back out of her sight.

    Too little, too late.

    The kind wrinkles around Mrs. Poppy’s eyes doubled and deepened as the sound made her look upward and spot Lark.

     “Lark, there you are! I was just about to come and find you, dear. Nip down into my office for a moment, I’ve got some things I want to discuss with you before Mr. Hollow arrives.”

    The old stairs squeaked loudly as the girl walked sheepishly down the grossly worn-out blue carpet runner, rounding the curved banister at the bottom to follow Mrs. Poppy into her office.

    It was sun warm inside, light spilling over the faded hardwood floor and shiny varnish of the big, brown desk, highlighting the dozens of ring-marks stained into its top by mugs of coffee past. Mrs. Poppy rounded the desk, having to skirt sideways between the edge of it and the rows of heavy metal file drawers that flanked the room on all sides.

   Taking her perch in a black wheely chair, the woman gestured for Lark to sit in one of the two big, green, retro velvet sofas that faced her desk.

      Sinking down into her seat, Lark folded her hands in her lap and looked at the woman, waiting to be spoken to. She had been thoroughly taught from a young age that she was to be seen and not heard. There had also been plenty of occasions when Lark wasn’t to be seen or heard. Those were moments when her half empty pink, princess wardrobe came in handy.

        Mrs. Poppy placed a pair of up-swept cat eye spectacles on the tip of her tall, gently crooked nose, and took out a notepad. It was one of dozens she had, this particular piece of stationary sported Lark’s name on its front, written in black pen and then broadly underlined in purple marker.

       “Miss Douglas today is a big one for you. How are you feeling, hon? Excited? Nervous?”

        The soft slip of her southern accent calmed Lark some as she fought against the urge to fidget, keeping her fingers still in her lap.

        “Excited, Ma’am. Dad didn’t like to travel much, so seeing the Appalachians sounds like a real adventure.”

        Lark stuck a quick smile onto the end of her lie. She had rehearsed it in her head a hundred times since she was told the good news a week before.

        Christopher Hollow wanted her.

        He was driving the whole way down the coast from his home in the Appalachian Mountains to come and collect her. Lark couldn’t even comprehend where the Appalachian Mountains stood, just that they were stupendously far away.

        Mrs. Poppy grinned at Lark, genuine and radiant, as she wrote something in fast scratching cursive over and empty line of the notepad.

       “Always such an optimist, Lark. I’m sure Mr. Hollow will be delighted by you.”

        Lark’s left thumb twitched. When she smiled, it felt tight in the corners, “I certainly hope so, Ma’am.”

        And she truly did. Lark knew the way men behaved when they weren’t delighted by her.

~R.F.M~

         A fist gripped long, brown hair tightly enough to tear dozens of strands out of Lark’s scalp as she was dragged down the hallway by her head, the girl’s frame stooped almost to the floor as she clawed at the hands restraining her.

       “Fucking little bitch coming to steal from me? Think you’re slick, huh?”

         In honesty, Lark did.

        She had stolen from the man before on countless occasions, rummaging through the contents of his worn leather wallet, fishing out loose coins and dollar notes that wouldn’t be missed. Before, he was always too out of his mind to realize, so Lark had gotten greedy.

        Twenty dollars was a lot of money to people like them. She was foolish for thinking she could snatch it away without his notice.

       Lark didn’t know his name, or his age, or anything about him other than the fact he bought pot on Thursday afternoons and left the door to his apartment wide open with 90’s music playing full volume while he sat out on his balcony in a beat-up pink recliner, back to the living room, smoking.

         By all accounts, the man wasn’t very smart. But he was still a man, a man much stronger than Lark.

[teahmugs01]

New Episode is up! ^^ 💕

[attemptingwriter]

I plan on participating in the novlr 24 hrs novel challenge that happening June 15-17th (more info at @novlr) so expect me to post more during that time

I'm gonna try update my stats- when I start writing how long I write for, how many words, etc.. it's just a matter of staying motivated and getting myself to do some writing before the challenge

We'll see how this goes! I'm excited for the challenge!

[haruhar-u]

Just your average CEO novel yep definitely

CWs: Alcohol usage, cursing, drawn out suggestive conversation (humorously), one character mentions throwing up but doesn’t actually

Co-written with @chocolate-cat-bread and a friend that doesnt have tumblr

taglist: @edith-is-a-cat @the-banana-0verlord @angelhairpastawithherbs @v-anrouge @twistwonderlanddevotee @ferris-the-wheel @twst-om-lover @xen-blank @whspermy-name @cheezy-moon (lmk if you wish to be added or removed)

definition of chinese words used

Chapter one

The first thing I heard when I woke up was the song “Sweet Home Alabama” blaring loudly from my phone, but in Mandarin, and that was all I needed to throw off the covers and turn off the alarm, cursing my past self for losing a bet with my cousin and ending up with this ringtone. 

I checked the time and sure enough, it was 6:30. I was expected to be at work by 7:00 am.

“Oh shit, I’m gonna be late.” I quickly put my hair up in a messy bun and put on a white dress shirt, a beige plaid vest and a matching pencil skirt.

I hurried down the stairs, nearly tripping while I hastily shoved my socks on. It took all the self-control in me not to string a bunch of curses together that would make even a sailor flustered, as my socks were refusing to cooperate with me.

Once my socks weren’t threatening to slip off my feet, I headed to the kitchen to grab a slice of toasted bread and shove it in my mouth, before grabbing my shoulder bag and heading out the door.

It took me a while to unlock the car door, my head was all over the place after somehow getting the position as the CEO’s assistant. Apparently, the previous one had quit the job, leaving the position open to anyone with experience.

I applied mostly because I had experience in a few of my previous odd jobs, and also so I could finally put that degree to use. During the interview, I may have stumbled over my words quite a bit, and I was sweating profusely that I was pretty sure even the interviewer could tell.

While I was driving, I noticed two elderly people yelling at each other in the middle of the street. There were at least a dozen other cars that were stopped right in front of the arguing old people.

Why are they arguing on the street of all places? I wondered, not even irritated by the fact that I was probably not going to make it on time. More so concerned about the fact that they could get run over if someone wasn’t being careful.

“You BASTARD! I told you to wash the damn dishes, and yet here you are, eating fried donuts! Hiya!” The old lady yelled, yanking the old man by the ear, who held onto the fried donuts for dear life.

“I was going to get these fried donuts for you though, but clearly that doesn’t matter to you!” The old man snapped back.

The old lady looked even more pissed off than before, if that was even possible. “Why didn’t you do the dishes first before getting them, huh?!”

“Because the donuts were 50% off the original price, and it was the last hour before they went back to the original price, lah!” The old man said like it was the obvious thing to do. Chiu could see the logic in that, 50% off was a pretty good deal after all.

The old lady rolled her eyes, most likely used to these kinds of antics. “Fine, but only because 50% off is good deal lah, now come home and do dishes!” She then yanked the old man by the ear away from the street, ignoring his cries of pain.

I blinked, once, twice, processing the unusual yet somehow normal scene. That was… interesting. At least everything was resolved in the end, and fortunately, it didn’t seem like a domestic abuse case or anything, which is not very uncommon, much to the dismay of any normal person.

Traffic carried on as usual, and I managed to arrive at the building with at least ten minutes to spare. Patting down my hair and outfit, I walked in as professionally as I could, trying not to trip over my brand-new heels, while I headed to the front desk.

I immediately noticed a very pretty lady at the front desk, with her dark hair in a high ponytail, wearing a pale pink cardigan over her work attire.

“Oh uh, hi. I’m the CEO’s new uh…assistant.” I said and internally facepalmed myself for my blunder. First day on the job and I couldn’t even talk to my first colleague without stuttering like a fool.

The receptionist smiled, her eyes crinkling along with it. “You must be…ah, Lien Chiu? Nice name, by the way.”

I fidgeted, a bit flustered by the compliment. “Thanks, it’s um…I’m from rural Taiwan, we speak Hokkien there.”

The receptionist lady nods. “Figured as much, your accent gives it away. I’m Hujin, if you couldn’t tell already, I’m the receptionist, and I have to answer a bunch of phone calls and greet visitors and such.”

“Sounds interesting,” I say, trying to be polite. “So uh, where is the CEO’s office?”

“Ah, it’s on the 50th floor. For your sanity, you should take the elevator. About the CEO, he might be a bit busy…but I give you full permission to bother him.” Hujin winks, a mischievous smile on her face.

“Thank you.” I pretended to not notice the scheming grin on the smaller girl’s face.

She spun around in her chair. “Ah, no worries.” Hujin then paused, fixing her gaze on me like a cat. She pursed her lips together, rummaging through her purse before pulling out a pastel, rainbow star hair clip.

“Here,” She said quietly and tenderly, reaching over the desk and tucking the hair clip in my hair, pushing back my curtain bangs. I didn’t even know it was blocking my line of sight until she put it up for me. Why was it so warm all of a sudden? Why was she so close? Is there something wrong with me?

“Oh uh, th-“ I was about to say, but she waved it off.

“No need, now go on and bother my-the uh…CEO. Yeah.”

I nod, ducking my head as my thoughts swirled in my head and my heart raced at incredible speeds. If I had a strange look on my face the entire time I was in the elevator, no one commented.

The CEO had their office on the top floor in the corner. Stepping in, there was a fireplace adorned with various pictures of what seemed to be a family, and a bookshelf filled with books that looked like they were never read. There was a dark oak desk with a laptop placed on it. Behind the desk, there was a man who appeared to be in his mid to late twenties. His dark hair was mainly well kept with only a few strands astray. He wore a professional-looking suit. He was slumped over, holding his head up with his hand. He immediately perked up once he saw me. I could feel my heart beating rapidly again, and my breakfast threatening to somersault out of my stomach. I forced it back down, it would be really bad if I threw up right now.

“You must be my new assistant, correct? The last one quit after he went back to America…Oh, I’m Li Haoyu.”

“Yeah um,” I swallowed, trying to get myself to stop panicking. Stay calm, my mind unhelpfully supplied. “My name is uh…Chiu. So, is there anything I can help with? Like, um…paperwork?” I offered, trying not to sound as awkward and wrecked with nerves as I felt.

“I have my schedule in the printer.” He gestured to a fancy black printer against the back wall. “I think there might be some paperwork, I forgot to sign...not sure.”

I went to the printer and checked the inside, and sure enough, there was some unsigned paperwork. I take it out of the printer, find an empty seat and begin to sign the paperwork. It wasn’t much honestly, I just needed to sign using the company’s signature. The signature became less and less clear each time, probably because I was running out of ink.

Haoyu tapped me on the shoulder, interrupting my work, he was carrying a tray with tea on it with one hand. “Do you want a cup?”

“Oh, um, t-thank you so much.” I stammered, a bit flushed and reached out to take a cup of tea from the tray, almost dropping the cup from how shaky my hands were. I went back to signing paperwork, pressing my pen against the paper and frowning when no ink came out.

Haoyu was still there, sipping on his tea with a calm expression on his face. He looked very handsome, no doubt about it. The thought of approaching him, and disturbing him, made me more anxious than I already was.

I eventually sucked up the embarrassment, inching closer to him with the sad, inkless pen in my hand. “Um…excuse me…” I pushed on, despite Haoyu’s look of concern. “Do you have an extra pen or something? I-uh…the pen. Ran out of ink.”

He nodded, rummaged through one of the drawers of his desk and handed me a really expensive pen. “Keep it. Also, what meetings do I have for today?”

I flip through his schedule, trying to find the one that had the present one on it. “You have a meeting with two clients, they own a very wealthy private tech business. It says that they want to buy a license to sell a camera brand owned by this company. It says their names are uh…Yuen Zixuan and Huang Mingze?”

Haoyu let out a sigh. “Those two again?”

Surprise. “Wait, you know them?”

“I went to university with them…”

“Ah, I see. Am I required to come with you for this meeting?” I asked. I probably should have known if it was or not, but I may or may not have skimmed through the job description. So asking stupid questions it is.

“Not required, recommended, though.”  He probably wasn’t judging, yet it still felt like he was staring into my soul. I averted my gaze, looking at the floor, then the wall, then the wooden chair that was very, very interesting. Just so the man wouldn’t stare into my soul and figure out that my left sock had a massive hole where my ankle was.

Even though I wasn’t required, it was recommended, that was basically just another way of saying it was required, at least for overachievers like me. “I’m coming with, then,”

“Can you tell me exactly when this meeting is?”

I handed him the schedule and pointed at the timetable where the meeting takes place. “It’s at 9:30 am, so 2-3 hours or so from now.”

He nodded, “You can do whatever until then.”

“Okay, thanks.” I take a long sip of my tea, emptying the entire cup. ‘Is there…a sink nearby?” I chewed on my lip, wondering if I should even be asking. Maybe they didn’t use sinks, or maybe they had their own dishwasher because only rich people can afford dishwashers.

“Oh… I think in the staff room. Don’t worry about the cup, just leave it on the tray outside and someone will come pick it up to be cleaned.”

“Wait so I don’t have to wash it…? I mean…of course. Uh, sorry about that.” I make my way out of his office and to the staff room in embarrassment.

—-2-3 hours later—

“Hiii!” Mingze says

“Oh, uh, hello. How’s up? I mean life?” I rambled, my body at least five degrees hotter than normal from how nervous I was.

“Is Mr Li late again?” Zixuan asks, glancing down at a watch. He spoke with a Cantonese accent.

I shrug. ‘Probably. Is it normal for him to be late?”

“Yes, especially now that he doesn't have an assistant to wake him up.” Zixuan sighs. “He was notorious for being late in university.”

“Oh god, does that mean I have to be his personal alarm clock,” I grumble. “I did not sign up for this sh-to be a human clock.”

“Assuming you’re his new assistant, yes. Have fun, I was the human alarm clock 8 years ago” He says sarcastically. “Oh. He also tends to forget his wallet and phone often.”

I groan, burying my face in my hands. “So I’m going to have to be his human wallet too…”

“Luckily for you, that’s usually Huijin.” 

“The…pretty receptionist girl?”

“Yes. Don’t ask.” He checks his watch again and impatiently taps his foot.

Haoyu finally shows up 15 minutes later. “My apologies.” He takes a spot at the head of the table after pouring everyone a glass of either water or tea.

I pull the cup of tea closer to me, desperately needing an energy boost after navigating the hell that is buildings with 50 floors. “Apology accepted for now. So um, you said you wanted to buy the license for…this camera?” 

“Surely this could have been done in an email,” Haoyu says in an exasperated tone, rummaging for a piece of paper. 

“Didn’t get much sleep, did we?” Zixuan retorts, rolling his eyes. 

“Can we pretend to be civil for at least five minutes?!” I grumbled, before immediately realizing my mistake. Oh fuck. Is this really how I’m losing my job?

Haoyu clears his throat, using a fist to cover his mouth“Anyway, the licenses.” He hands Zixuan and Mingze two pieces of paper. “Sign here, then write a cheque then they’re yours.”

Mingze immediately grabs a pen and signs both cheques. “Thanks, dude! You’re the best!”

Zixuan elbows Mingze in the ribcage. “Did you seriously not read the fine print? We could be selling our souls for all we know “

“Fine print? Wait uh…oops.” Mingze said sheepishly.

“I understand, you’re not the only one who doesn’t read the fine print,” I admitted. I wasn’t quite sure what possessed me to admit something like that out loud. Maybe I was just really stupid.

Haoyu rose from his seat, “Once you have finished going over the documents please give them to my assistant, I believe this meeting is dismissed.” He was oddly cranky.

“Okay, no need to be a grump,” Mingze said grumpily as he painstakingly read the documents. Sporadically, he would look to Zixuan, who would softly pat his back with a look of affection, and then throw his head into his arms in despair. I watched very concerned as Mingze looked like he was about to rip the documents apart.

“Here, I’ll read them.” Zixuan dragged the documents from Mingze towards himself with a finger. He spent about 5 long minutes reading before signing and pushing them over to me.

“Thank you. Uh, you can go now.” I took the papers, shuffled them in order and then put them in a folder to do later because I didn’t feel like doing it right now.

After finishing all the paperwork, which took a lot longer than it should have because my wrist pain started acting up again. I let out a sigh of relief, flex my wrist and do a quick stretch before checking my cellphone. I had a couple of unread emails that were mostly just junk files and a new...text message?

Li Haoyu: I apologize for my mood earlier, may I invite you to dinner after work with Hujin nd my brother to make up for it?

Lien Chiu: It’s alright :) and sure!

Lien Chiu: Where is the place?

Li Haoyu: It’s a hot pot place best in Shanghai, around 3 blocks down. I usually get a taxi.

Lien Chiu: Oh

Lien Chiu: What time do I arrive there? You said after work, but I would like a specific time, if that’s ok :)

Li Haoyu: Right after, I’ll pick you up from your office.

Lien Chiu: Ok thanks

I turn off my phone and turn on my laptop, where I mark a bunch of emails as read and play some music while I’m at it. 

Later, I hear a knock at my office door. “Miss Lien? Mr Li wanted me to tell you that the taxi is here” An employee called.

“Coming,” I called.

Outside there wasn’t a taxi but a limo instead and Haoyu was outside casually chatting with the driver and Huijin as if they were old friends. 

“Oh hey, Chiu! Come on in!” Hujin pats the seat beside her. “Sit next to me, please! I’m so much better than Haoyu.”

“Yeah sure.” Haoyu scoffs at Hujin with a smirk on his face.

Hujin sticks her tongue out at Haoyu. “I’m obviously cuter, and at least I don’t always forget my wallet. And my keys. And my phone.” She says teasingly.

“You two…seem close?” 

Haoyu bites his lip “Friends from college.” He says rather quickly. “Also speaking of forgetting my wallet and phone…”

“NOT AGAIN!” Hujin yelled, repeatedly whacking Haoyu with a pink bunny neck cushion, which made me snort with amusement.

“I’ll e-transfer you later tonight? I’m paying by the way.” He just stared deadpan at the pink bunny neck pillow, casually blocking it with his arm. 

Hujin just glared at him. “Fine.” She paused in her relentless attack on Haoyu with the neck pillow, before whacking Haoyu with a bear plush.

“Okay, you can stop beating him…” I said, attempting to grab the bear plush from Hujin. Every time I would try to grab it, she would shove the plush in my face, perhaps she was trying to use the fluffiness to distract me, which totally wasn’t working!!

Then the limo stops in front of this fancy-ass-looking restaurant. They got out of the limo, walked in and were seated by an oddly formal hostess. At the table was a guy who looked almost exactly like Haoyu, the only difference was this dude was dressed a lot more casually and his hairstyle was slightly different. 

“Are you by any chance made in a lab?” I blurted out, before immediately having the urge to descend into the earth’s core.

“Uh…pardon?”

I looked at Haoyu and Hujin, the former with an awkward smile on his face and the latter stifling her snickers with her hand covered over her mouth.

“Well, it’s just that…You look exactly like Haoyu. Except that your hair and clothes are a bit different.”

“We’re twins.” Haoyu points out.

I mentally facepalmed. “Ah. Right. Well,” I retorted, trying to defend my honour. “In my defence, you never know if someone is made in a lab or not.”

Hujin’s eyes darkened with mischief. “You’re right actually, both Haoyu and Huifen are made in a lab. I’m the one born the standard way.”

“Hey! Stop with the conspiracies!” Huifen interjected. 

Haoyu only rolls his eyes at Huijin’s comment, “All 3 of us were born because our parents had sex.”

“Yeah, well our parents had sex in a lab and then had you guys, meanwhile I was actually born in a hospital,” Hujin replied. Meanwhile, I was recovering from shock, at Hujin’s crude sense of humour, the way she took my joke and pushed it to the limit.

“Why are you more invested in this conspiracy than me?” I asked Hujin, very concerned for the way she seemed so dead set on her opinion. 

“Dad told me it was in a private jet ...For all 3 of us” Haoyu replies, his eyes scanning the menu. 

“What?!” Huifen, Hujin and I yelled at the same time. Hujin marched up to Haoyu and poked him in the chest.

“Are you being serious or silly?!” She said, staring up at him with a scowl on her face. It was really cute, honestly.

“Dad told me because I asked why there were drawers full of condoms.” Haoyu was probably serious as he didn’t even crack a smile.

“You guys can afford to make love in a private jet?!” I shrieked, pulling at my hair.

“You can’t?” Haoyu asks dumbfounded, staring right into my soul.

“Well, I’m sorry I don’t have a million dollars to spend on a private jet!” I retorted, exasperated and recovered from a culture and lifestyle shock.

“I could let you fuck in our private jet, wait what,” Huifen said nonchalantly.

“WHAT?!” I stared at Huifen. “I don’t even know how to fuck, let alone in a private jet! Is there, like a…difference?”

“I don’t know how to fuck either.” Haoyu replied bluntly. Hujin elbowed him again, sending him a deadpan glance.

“Aaaanyway, enough sex talk, and let’s eat. I’m starving and I’d rather not starve to death while the last thing I hear is about the differences between regular citizen sex and expensive private jet sex.” Hujin declared, putting her hands on her hips.

“Bitch, we didn’t even order any food yet. We scared the waiter off.” Huifen objected

Hujin glared at Huifen. “And who’s fault is that? You gotta stop projecting on me, gēge.”

“Wait hold on, you guys are siblings?” I exclaimed. Honestly, why was I even surprised? Even without the obvious slipup, I should have figured it out long before, it was basically hinted at me since Hujin told me to be a little shit to Haoyu when I first arrived, and the fact that they said their parents had sex. Fuck me.

“Yeah, it was kind of implied when we said that we were all from our parents having sex in a private jet,” Huifen states.

“Enough with the private jet sex!” Hujin shrieked, 

Haoyu’s gaze hardened, “Do not tell anyone.” Then his gaze softens again, “Besides dìdì, maybe she thought it was a gangbang.”

“I SAID ENOUGH SEX!!!” Huijin screamed even louder, which definitely made everyone sitting at neighbouring tables concerned. If they were not already, that is.

I hold my hands up in surrender. “Okay, I wasn’t going to anyway. Although…are you sure you trust me enough to not…slip up or something?”

Hujin grabbed my hands and I nearly jumped at the sudden touch. “Of course we trust you, silly goose! Besides, we’ll just pay them a million dollars to shut them up. Now,” She grabs all of us by the arms. “Let’s go order something before A PRETTY YOUNG LADY STARVES TO DEATH!!”

Haoyu waves down a waiter and puts in an order. The waiter looks at all of them with an odd look, before gasping.

“No way! You must be…you must be Haoyu, CEO of Revocorp! And you look, wait no, are you Huifen! I love your cosplays so much! Woah,” The waiter does a double take at Hujin, who was dressed in a pink strawberry cardigan, a pastel rainbow-striped gown and brown Uggs. “Aww, aren’t you adorable!”

“Thank you!” Hujin beamed. Her smile is also cute…I think with a pang of jealousy.

“No problem, ah right, your orders?” The waiter pulls out a pen from their ear and a notepad, ready to write down our orders.

“Chiu, do you drink?” Haoyu asks.

“I drank vodka once…? Does that count?” I say.

Haoyu turns to the waiter “This set.” He says, pointing to a certain spot on the menu. Then he leans in to whisper something to the waiter “And a bottle of your most expensive wine plus 4 glasses.”

“WHAT! HOW ARE YOU AFFORDING ALL THIS?!”

“Money.”  

I glared. “Yeah, I know that, you dunce. But like, wha-we never had this back home! Oh, wait, do I have to pay my share or…” I search through my wallet, and well…I had a couple of coins, two $20 bills…and my credit card which was definitely going to expire soon.

He puts his hand on mine, “Don’t worry about it”

“Oh…” My brain short-circuited for a good moment before smiling shyly. “Thanks.”

A fit of giggles erupted from Hujin, who was shaking in her seat from laughter. Huifen nudged her, but she continued to laugh. Her laugh immediately dropped to a frown when she found that the waiter put down kids utensils, with the Doraemon bowl and colored cutlery.

“Is this…oh this has to be a joke,” Hujin grumbled.

Haoyu meanwhile was smirking at Huijin’s grumble. Wait, wasn’t he whispering to the waiter earlier?

“I think it was Haoyu’s doing,” I told Hujin, who immediately stood up and glared down at Haoyu.

“You! It was your idea for them to give me children’s cutlery! This is ruining my reputation! And I’m 26!” Hujin shrieked dramatically, miming stabbing Haoyu in the throat with the plastic knife.

“I mean…” I say, as an attempt at being a devil’s advocate. “Kids menus are cheaper?”

Hujin scrunched her nose at me before scowling at Haoyu. “You jerk! You know damn well that you can afford 3 adult meals! You could afford this entire restaurant!”

“Baby sister for a reason.” Haoyu shrugs, brushing her off.

“I’m 26…” Hujin pouts. I pat her on the back comfortingly.

“There there, some of us are just born to look like 12-year-olds.” I teased.

“Not you too!” Hujin wailed dramatically, grabbing onto my sweater vest. “You were on my side, I trusted you…and you just betrayed me…were we ever meant to be?”

I grin. “What are you, a theatre kid?”

“I took drama in high school.” She props her chin on her hands. “Guess it never wore off.”

Then the waiter shows up with a bottle of fine wine and Haoyu gracefully pours a glass for everyone at the table, even making sure to put some in the coloured cup that Huijin had.

“Okay not gonna lie, this cup is actually kinda cute.” Hujin says as she stares at the wine in her coloured cup.

The waiter shoots a glance at Hujin and she sighs, pulling out her ID card. After a few moments, the waiter nods and leaves her drink alone.

“Does that happen often?”

“Yes.” All three of them say, all at once. 

“Used to happen to Haoyu and I before last year.” Huifen sighs. “We’re getting old.”

Hujin rolled her eyes. “Tell that to the middle-aged and seniors, they’ll think you’re crazy. Although…” she grins mischievously. “Are you sure none of you have back pain?

“We’re 27,” Haoyu mutters. “I am hunched over at a desk all day though.”

I nudged Haoyu. “I have wrist pain, so I guess you’re not alone. Probably since I’ve been writing every day for over 5 hours since I was a teen.’

Hujin took a swig from the sippy cup of wine. “Woah, body pain. Couldn’t be me.”

“Because you actually have time to stretch. Lucky.” Haoyu grumbles.

Said woman swirls her cup around, letting the wine slosh around the cup. “Even a minute of stretching out your arms could help, you bum.”

“Hmph, I don’t even have time for that. Besides, how would stretching my arms help with neck and back pain.” Huifen sighs. “I hope we can eat soon so I don’t have to be insulted by my own sister. I wonder how Mingze deals with bratty younger sisters.”

“I’ll have you now I’m only a brat 40% of the time!’ Hujin hissed. I couldn’t help but notice the way she looked like a very grumpy, rainbow, sparkly earring-wearing cat.

“40% is still a lot…” I mumbled before immediately being pinched on the cheeks by Hujin. ‘Ow ow ow, I take it back, help me-”

Then the waiter awkwardly places the food on the table. 

“Hey uh, I’d really appreciate some help here,” I stare pointedly at Huifen and Haoyu while escaping a headlock from Hujin. 

“You’re on your own,” Haoyu says, taking off his blazer then, putting some meat into the pot.

“Bastard,” I hiss at him. Huifen averts his gaze and I glare at him too. “Hey don’t look away! You’re also a bastard.”

Hujin then pulls me into a bear hug. “I guess we’re all bastards then!” She leans her head on my shoulder.

“Yeah…” I notice her head on my shoulder and stop in my tracks, all of a sudden the room went from hot to a boiler room. I’m pretty sure my brain was thoroughly cooked, better than the most well-done of steaks.

Haoyu puts a steak on my plate. “It’s Wagyu, you should try it.”

“Okay, uh, bon appetit.” I poked at the steak with my fork, before sighing and trying to cut it open with a fork and a knife, then sighing again and was almost tempted to just grab the wagyu by the end and shove the whole thing in my mouth, with chopsticks or something.

“Silly, you don’t need to cut it. But I’m sure someone here wouldn’t mind helping you,” Hujin teases, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Of course that certain someone wouldn’t mind helping their girlfriend,” Huifen smirks. I blink at him stupidly, trying to process what he said for a solid two seconds before the realization hits me with all the grace of being clonked in the head with a brick. Oh.

“No.” Interjects Haoyu. Still, he leans over with his knife and proceeds to cut the steak for me. 

“You really didn’t have to,” I say, while Hujin sulks about Haoyu being a ‘party-pooper’ and ‘old man wheezer’. “I was going to just eat it whole anyway.

Haoyu completely ignores Huijin, “Don’t worry about it.” He smiles ever so slightly. “Besides, you shouldn’t eat it whole. You will choke and die.”

“I’m too powerful to choke and die,” I deadpan back, picking up a large piece of steak and devouring it. Hujin looks at me with a mixture of awe and concern.

“Woah, I’m so trying that.” Hujin doesn’t even bother trying to cut her steak open, instead tearing off a huge chunk and swallowing. Her face turns a bright shade of red and she pounds on her chest while taking a huge swig of alcohol

Haoyu gently pats Hujin on the back, then clears his throat and he kinda glares at Hujin as if he’s trying to reprimand her for her table manners. Hujin glares back, not getting the memo about table manners. “Also don’t drink too fast, you’re going to get drunk.”

“Do we have a feral animal for a sister or what?” Huifen asks, half-joking, half-not.

“Mother would have killed her for this,” Haoyu replies cutting off a piece of steak. “And Father would have given all 3 of us a lecture on how we are representatives of our family 24/7”

“Thanks for that, now I’m going to choke on meat even more out of spite,” Hujin coughed out, covering her very rosy red face with a napkin.

“What are you, straight?” I quip.

“I’m whatever you want me to be, darling,” Hujin said in a sultry Southern accent before bursting into a fit of giggles so uncontrollable that Huifen jumped out of his chair in shock.

“I’m calling her an Uber home later…” Haoyu murmurs.

I nod. “Please,” I say while trying to avoid being suffocated while Hujin wrapped her arms around me and rested her head against the crook of my neck. “Help me…” I tried to move Hujin’s head away from me to take a bite of steak but gave up when she burrowed her head in further.

Haoyu removed Huijin’s arms from around me softly and guided her head towards himself. “Actually, I’ll just take her back to my place tonight.”

“Nooo,” Hujin whined. “She’s warmer than you. And more soft.” She grinned widely, a soft giggle forming on her lips. I suddenly felt my face heat up, probably because of how hot the steak I ate was. Most definitely.

“Huifen, can you take away her wine please?” Haoyu asks. “Erm, I also forgot my wallet so…”

Huifen threw his hands up in frustration. “Are you fucking kidding me?! This is the third time this week! Fine, I’ll pay though.” He pulled out his wallet, dropped 3 hundred-dollar bills in the little basket and waved for a waiter to come and collect it.

“I’ll e-transfer you once I get back to the office. Also Language we're in public.”

“Yeah yeah, no need.” Huifen waves it off. “It’s only a hundred dollars.”

“No no, I got it.” Haoyu waves off Huifen’s wave off.

“Don’t forget the e-transfer then,” Huifen sighs.

“Rich bitches,” I interrupt them while putting down twenty-five cents as a tip. “Good enough.” 

Haoyu helps Huijin to her feet, “Do you have your own ride or do you want to join us in the limo?” He looks at Huifen. 

“I’ll join you guys, a bit of family bonding I guess.” Huifen sighed and put his wallet back into his bag, and slung it over his shoulder. “Let’s go I guess.”

“Don’t fall” Haoyu warns Huijin, still he walks slower to ensure he’s right next to her.

Hujin pretends to trip out of spite, before immediately straightening herself afterward. “I’d never fall…unless it’s head over heels.”

“At this point, you’re falling head over heels literally.” Haoyu sighs, “I’ll let you have my bed tonight, I don’t want you alone right now.”

Hujin frowned. “Ah, right. That makes sense.” Her face and tone were grim, and it made me feel grim for some reason. I wanted to do something, anything to make her smile again.

“So um…penguins?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood. “Opinions?”

“They’re cute,” Haoyu says, getting into the limo.

Hujin perked up immediately and started rambling about penguins, from their scientific name all the way to their mating seasons and their dietary habits. By the time the limo was on its way back to the company building, Hujin was now rambling about…Madagascar and how accurate the penguins representation was.

“Chiu, you’re dismissed, feel free to head home once you get to the office,” Haoyu says authoritatively. 

I smile warmly at Haoyu. “Thank you, for…well, everything.” My stomach churned with unease and I fought off the butterflies in my stomach with a pained grimace. “Sorry, I don’t really feel well right now…still getting used to uh…life in the big city.”

Haoyu nods “Do you want me to walk you to your car?” He offers.

I glance at Hujin and Huifen, who nod and give a thumbs-up in a strangely devious manner. “Um, okay, that would be nice. 

The four of us walked to the parking lot in comfortable silence, although I couldn’t help but notice Hujin whispering to her brothers in a drunk way and then started bursting into fits of laughter. Just what was that manic pixie nightmare girl yapping about now?

“Are you sure you don’t mind me teasing your new assistant girl?” Hujin says in a sing-song voice to Haoyu. Huifen gives Hujin a deadpan stare and a grunt before plugging in his earbuds, his social battery worn out 

“Shut it.” Haoyu stops to boop his sister’s nose. Hujin wrinkled her nose, an angry pout on her face.

“Uh-uh, I’m stealing her from you,”

“Stealing who?” I butted in, wanting to be included in the conversation. Back at home, I was often given weird looks by others for not minding my own business. However, the siblings didn’t seem like the judgmental type, so I didn’t really bother asking. 

“I honestly have no idea,” Haoyu replied. “Uh is that your car?” 

I nod. “Yeah. Uh, see you tomorrow I guess?” I look at Hujin, who was basically using Haoyu as a human teddy bear. She was snoring loudly on his shoulder and startled awake when I nudged her awake

“By the way,” I said smugly. “You’re going to have a killer headache tomorrow.”

“Noooooo…” she whined, burying her face even more into Haoyu’s shoulder.

“I think I have stuff to treat it at home, you’ll be fine.” 

“My head feels like it’s been hit on a rock…” Hujin complained.

I sigh, both exasperated and fond. “Maybe if you didn’t chug five glasses of vodka in one go?”

Haoyu shook his head, “Mother and Father would have killed me for even letting you drink, period.”

Hujin grumbled. “If only they ever treated me like an adult, not a fragile glass doll. Rargh!” She gripped at her hair.

“They’re dead,” Haoyu says bluntly. Crossing his arms with a stonefaced expression, returning to his soulless facade. “We can’t wish for anything from them anymore.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” I say apologetically. Though sympathy was probably the last thing either of them wanted, it was the only thing that I could think of

Hujin waved off my concerns. “It’s fine, it’s not like it hurts…that much.” She cradled herself, looking a bit shameful. “Um…I mean, they’re our parents, so I should feel sad, but…” She shoots a pleading glance at me

“Don’t feel bad, I’m kinda glad they’re gone.” Haoyu blurts out. Then he grumbles  “I couldn't even force myself to cry at their funeral.”

I look at him, mostly a bit confused, before coming to an understanding. “So, I’m going to assume they weren’t the best of parents?”

“Far from it,” Huifen chimed in, sounding almost nonchalant…or detached?

Haoyu remained silent from here, his face suddenly becoming pale as if he said something he shouldn’t have, he’d occasionally glance at his twin but other than that he was frozen.

The air was getting more suffocating by the second. I opened my car door and slid in. “Um…thanks for accompanying me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I lock the car door and drive back home.

chapter 2 release tbd

[thenetdep]

This movie goes hard, 7.5/10, loved it🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

[mxtxfanatic]

Fandom Gripe #19: ok this one is kinda shocking to me since I used to love them (before I read the novel) but I apparently now have a viscerally negative reaction to prisoner!wwx who surrenders himself as captive to any of the great clans, but particularly the Lan.

Excuse me for asking, but what fucking right do any of the clans have to take Wei Wuxian, who had committed no offense against them, prisoner??? In what world would that not just be broadcasting their own corruption to willingly imprison a man who has literally done nothing to them except win them a war??? “He uses himself as leverage to save the Wen” is not a good enough excuse to argue that him being prisoner is a “good” or even neutral thing, that the clan imprisoning him wouldn’t automatically be evil by default after that point, because nobody thinks the Wen remnants are a threat. (If they truly thought this, they could’ve easily followed wwx to Qiongqi Path to see the labor camps but 🤷🏽‍♀️) What’s funny is I’ve never seen a fic argue that the Jin imprisoning wwx, even after Jin Zixuan’s death, would be a moral or justified thing, but if anyone else is written to do it, it’s suddenly fine and dandy??? And this especially paints Lan Wangji in a terrible light for going along with it if it’s his clan doing the imprisoning! No excuse—not “well he wants to protect wwx!” or “he doesn’t want to disappoint his family!”—would justify him going along with such an injustice, which is why canon Lan Wangji never fucking goes along with it.

This just feels like the attic wife trope trying to disguise itself as a love story. The Wen remnants are usually disappeared from the narrative post-deal, “protected” by the same group of people who couldn’t even be bothered to follow wwx to the site of their continued genocide, wwx continues to take every bit of abuse thrown at him with no pushback (ALSO ooc for him), and the clans get to continue living in their delusions of righteousness. Nobody ever questions the validity of the “army” they were supposedly afraid of wwx building after taking in the Wen remnants (despite it being a heavy point in these fics), and the Lan (the most popular jailers) get to play hero by “freeing” wwx from his own cultivation. Then we, the audience, are expected to clap as wwx lives his happily ever after as an attic wife, just like Madam Lan.

I hate how these fics have taken this horror trope that even the book condemns and have tried to twist it into a romance and a healing journey. Sorry, but nobody in the history of ever has healed from unjust captivity while being treated like scum, and if we wanna talk about consent issues in a story, let’s talk about the dubiousness (AT BEST) of a jailer fucking their captive, then, huh? Also wwx isn’t dumb enough to think that the same group of people who created and/or condoned the existence of the Wen labor camp are going to suddenly protect those same Wen remnants if only he gave up his protection shield and surrendered himself for experimentation “cleansing of resentful energy.” Also, he isn’t dumb enough to believe that the same clans who always choose greed and power above all would keep their word to him. Stop treating wwx like’s he’s a desperate, politically naive, and unintelligent character!

[zackvalence]

100 Downloads of Terrence!

Thank you all for suffering.

It means the world to me <3

If you haven't played Terrence yet, and wish to suffer, you can find him here:

[resurrectionist3]

OKAY SO,,,

Has ANYONE ELSE seen BODIES on Netflix YET???

BECAUSE IF YOU HAVENT,,,,

YOU BETTER CHANGE THAT.

Usually i don’t Actually cry over movies or series with sad or happy endings. i’ll say that i cried over a show and i definitely felt all the emotions, but i didn’t physically cry. It takes a LOT of emotions to make me PHYSICALLY cry over a movie or series (like when i saw Hamilton or at the end of Turn: Washington’s Spies).

And this Did It. Not only is the story absolutely GENIUS, but the ENDING. IS SO SWEET. AND PERFECT. And the overall message that the story has to convey is a really beautiful one.

Please Please PLEASE do yourself the most wonderful favour and

WATCH. THIS. SHOW.

-

-

-

know you are loved

[lunasaysmoneyisbest]

Another Fanfic

Its another OG:CALE!

Oh and This is inspired by an Fanfiction I read on Ao3 I think and its Sweet and Sour Original Cale Henituse Witch Au

Yes I know I have a Problem leave me alone its 4 am

[jasmynmorning]

This fan art from my beta reader is absolutely beautiful and perfectly showcases the dynamic between my 3 MMC's 😍 I'm so in love.

Thank you @sunskaiis 🖤

My debut dark fantasy romance novel, "The Shadowbearer's Curse," will be out in September 2024!

*pls DO NOT repost as your own art

www.jasmynmorning.com

[r-f-m-writes]

Bittersweet BabyGirl Chapter One

“Please sign here, miss Bennet.” Pedro’s penthouse was luxurious and sun warm around her, everything inside it smelling of him - just the way she liked. Sarah scrawled her name on the certificate of adoption. “This mean I have to call you Daddy now, Pedge?” Looking over a shoulder at her co star turned father, she passed the pen back to his lawyer. Pedro grinned, hands in pockets. The way he stared at her was about as subtle as a slap across the face. “Only when you want to, babygirl.” The lawyer supervising the signing looked uncomfortable. Sarah was impressed he seemed able to sense something that usually went over people's heads. That tension, running an undercurrent through every moment she and Pedro shared. She knew none of this was innocent. And it thrilled her. He thrilled her.

The knife against Ray’s throat was even colder than the night air that pressed around her, thin material of her worn out waffled thermal doing nothing to fight the cold as she was pinned against the front of Aiden’s chest, jaw grasped tight, forcing her to stare ahead, right at him .

     “One more step and I’ll open up your girl, Mills, I swear to God.”

    He was erratic. Voice shaking, breath puffing hot against the side of Ray’s face while her hands trembled, her own lungs barely able to gasp a clean swallow of air with how deeply the blade of his knife was pressed into her skin. When his voice came from the darkness, it was a balm to all her fears. Salvation, safety, love .

        “Alrigh’. Easy , Aiden. Let’s talk about this.”

    Ray’s feet stumbled under her when she was jerked backwards, open hands flinching in the air as the man behind her yanked her painfully to move with him.

        “No, no more talking. I am done with the fucking talking . Either you give me what I want, right now, or I take away the only thing you love. I’ll kill her, Mills. I swear .”

    Ray was panting now, hyperventilating around the choking blade. She couldn’t move if she wanted to. She was paralyzed in her fear. 

    “ Dad -”

    He stepped out of the shadowed tree line, rifle slung over his back, heavy winter coat expanding his already impossibly large frame. Slowly, he raised his hands, stance mirroring hers as his eyes shone in the dim light. When he spoke next, he was talking to Aiden, but staring at her. 

    “Alright. No talkin’. We do whatever you want, Aiden, however you want ta do it. Just say the word.”

   The press of the knife lessend. Ray felt her heart thundering, pulse spiking as she took deep pulls of air into her lungs, eyes welling up in relife and fear and hope as she watched her father step closer. She couldn't stop herself when she spoke again, desperate for him.

    “Daddy, I’m scared .” 

   Pain furled across his face at the terror in her tone and the use of an innocent name she hadn’t called him since she was a young child.

      “I know, babygirl. I know.”

    The bell rang out. George’s voice came, calm but precise, from the director's chair. “Cut!”

     Hot flood lights thawed the freezing air on set in a second as they doused the forest clearing in a golden glare. Samson drew the chilly prop knife away from Sarah’s throat. Pedro dropped his hands down to his sides and grinned at her. 

     The clapperboard snapped to mark the take.

     She was bolting toward her co-star before the camera had a chance to stop rolling, coiling  her arms tight around herself as she ran, “Fuck, I’m freezing .”

      Pedro threw his arms open, lifting the flaps of his warm winter jacket, ready to swaddle her the second her chest met his.

      “C’mere, you.”

     Somewhere behind them, Samson laughed. Sarah plastered herself against Pedro, pinning her icy hands between their bodies as the man grabbed the flaps of his jacket and wrapped them around her tight, squeezing narrow shoulders and rocking them back and forth on the spot. 

      “Still can’t believe Laura put you in this for a night shoot. Shirts paper thin, not gonna do a fuckin’ thing against the wind. Hey, George! This the last take? We’re all tired as hell, an babygirl ‘s about to lose her damn fingers.” 

    Relishing in the warmth pouring over her body and the ragged, woodsy smell of his cologne - which Sarah can tell Pedro applied a bit too liberally that morning - she didn’t say a peep, instead closing her eyes and burrowing her head as deep as she could in the collar of his shirt. 

    George’s voice came steady and tired in reply. “Yep, last take for tonight. I’ll put it through to get approved tomorrow - hopefully we won’t have to torture y’all with a reshoot.”

  Stepping down from his chair, the older man picked up his empty coffee cup off the grass, slotting the huge jumble of scripts against his hip as he began to walk away. 

   “Sarah, I liked what you did with it, good job. Samson, if we gotta shoot again, not so much shaking the knife, just hold it steady against her steady. Remember, you’re full of adrenaline, ready to go in for the kill. Otherwise, nicely done.”

   Pedro’s voice rumbled through Sarah as he called after their director with false offense. “Hey! What about me? I don’t get any notes?”

   Glancing over his shoulder with a good humored smile, George shook his head.

   “What about you, Pedro? You get it perfect - every single time. Now, stop fishing for compliments, and get her inside. I don’t want the best half of my father - daughter duo freezing to death in a shit hole like Toronto.”

     Smiling to herself, Sarah mumbled into her friend’s jacket. “You gonna let him get away with that diss, Mr. Emmy winner?”

    Rubbing his hands in quick passes of friction up and down her spine, the man hummed. 

    “Not a diss from where I’m standin’. You are the best part of our duo, babygirl .”

     He slipped briefly into Mills' deep, Texan accent for the last word. Sarah pulled a face and batted him on the chest. 

    “As if you fucking belive it. Carry me inside, I’m freezing, and exhausted.”

    Scoffing at her attitude, Pedro drew his head back the tiniest bit, peering down the handsome crook of his nose at her.

    “ Carry you? Nah. Don’t think I can do that on account ‘a my - what did you call them? Geriatric knee caps?”

     Groaning, Sarah hugged her arms around his waist tightly and searched for the humility to repent. 

    “Look, I’m sorry, OK? I was just teasing. Your knee caps aren’t geriatric, and you aren't geriatric so please, please carry me inside.” 

    Clicking his tongue like he would if he were still playing Mills, Pedro slid his hands down to grip the backs of her thighs, squeezing once in warning before hoisting her up around his waist.

    “All the things you’ve done to me, and I still carry you to bed. How do you manage it, Sarah? With those big brown eyes, fuckin’ can’t say no to anything.”

    Smiling, the girl let her head roll against the strong jut of his shoulder, watching the forest set shrink away behind them as he took her the short distance back to the trailers, every step bumping the flat of her stomach against his slightly softer one.

    The door to her caravan was unlocked, and Pedro deftly knocked the handle down with his boot, showing Sarah, without words and beyond a doubt, that he most certainly was not geriatric.

    Lights flicked on automatically as he walked up the short length of steps and trod into the sleek temporary living space. Last week’s scripts were scattered thoughtlessly over the built in couch, and two pairs of dirty bowls crowded the small table along with half drunk mugs of tea. Her kitchen wasn’t much better, with an open box of cereal and a quarter drunk gallon of whole milk left out on the counter. 

       Sarah made a fuzzy minded note to herself that she should throw both away the next day as Pedro muttered something disapproving in Italian so she couldn’t understand it. She hated when he did that.

      Her bedroom was the least shameful, with fresh floral sheets thrown over the queen sized mattress and none of her four sets of pillows scattered on the floor. Baby Bear lay lopsided against the headboard, looking up at her with mournful glass eyes as Pedro lowered her to the soft hug of the mattress. 

        The clock on her bedside said it was quarter past one in the morning. Sarah rolled her head, closing her eyes as she felt the laces of her - or, more accurately, Ray’s - boots being undone. 

        He undressed her slowly, careful and exact, mindful of the wardrobe pieces but always more conscious of her, his big, warm hands skimming her skin as he tugged off Ray’s jeans and pinched off her woolen socks. 

      The last thing to go was the thermal, beige colored and totally inadequate. He said something to himself as he drew it up over her head to unveil her sports bra benithe, muttering in quick, breathy sweeps of his first language while he balled it up and chucked it at the back wall.

     Stripped down to her underpants and bra, Sarah slowly opened her eyes again, peeking up at him through her lashes as he gestured for her to sit up. 

     She did. He took hold of the bottom of the tightly fitted bra, jutting his chin toward her nightstand as he began to peel the compressing fabric up.

    “You enjoyin’ the book I got you?”  

     Blinking hazily in the direction of what he was referring to, Sarah saw the pastel yellow cover and smiled.  

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy.

       Lifting her arms to help with the challenging process of getting the activewear off, she laughed a little.

      “My mother wasn’t that bad, Pedro. Yes, she forced me into a career I didn’t want, but it was nothing like what Jennette went through.”

      Tossing the bra aside where he had thrown the shirt, the man looked down at Sarah with a disapproving pinch in his brows.

      “But you do relate to it. I didn’t give it to you to say what she did to you was that bad, I gave it to you as a reminder that you made the right choice last year. I don’t want you to start spiraling. You needed to cut her off, if you hadn’t she would have kept on taking from you. Money. Love. All the other shit she didn’t deserve.” 

    Sighing, Sarah sank back, nipples pebbling in the cool air of the trailer as she took hold of one corner of her duvet to pull it over herself, closing her eyes and blindly feeling around the bed for her teddy.

     “I know, Ped. I’m not spiraling, I’m just tired. Its been a long week.”

     Footsteps padded by her bedside. The feather-soft- fur of Baby Bear brushed the skin of her naked chest, pressed against her by a warm hand. Pedro’s mustache tickled her cheek as he leaned down to kiss her there. 

     “Get some rest, bambino . Remember, I’m just across the lot if you need me.”

      The rumbled pet name made Sarah smile as she moved her hand blindly to find the top of his head, gently scraping her fingernails through the soft, fluffy hair that grew there. 

     “I’m not seventeen anymore.”

     A soft chuckle came from the man at her sleepy, disgruntled tone. She didn’t have those nightmares anymore. She wasn’t a child anymore.

     “Maybe, but you’ll always be my babygirl, Sarah.”

      She didn’t remember him leaving, or herself falling asleep, but in a blink, it was morning again, light filtering through the small cracks around the blinds and waking her. 

      When she walked out of her bedroom, Sarah saw her dirty bowls washed and dried on the side board of the stainless steel sink. Her scripts sat in a perfect stack on the small dining table.     

Opening the mini fridge, there was a fresh bottle of milk and, when she looked toward the breakfast nook, two new boxes of her favorite cereal, a pink sticky note tacked to the front of one.

        Remember to look after yourself, bambi. If you’re struggling, tell me. I am here for you, always.

~P

[thepedanticbohemian]

Important thoughts on writing older women.