#she eventually grows up to become Lady Alice

[mimikiplovesgaming]

Ink Demonth: Benevolent

I love Alice Angel, and making her fit in with the tots was easy! Little Alice, the youngest toon, is a big sweetheart who wants to see people smile. She's a cuddler and can be clingy, but she always knows how to brighten someone's day 💜

[thatrandomidiot182]

I'm not great at writing full stories, so if someone wants to take this idea and turn it into a whole fic pls do so. Also, pls pls pls tag me. I'd love to read it!!

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SO, thinking of Velaryon! Reader who is...

The youngest daughter of Rhaenys and Corlys, born around the same time as Jace and Aemond.

Her egg never hatched in the cradle, so it was assumed that she would succeed Corlys as the next Sea Snake and become the Lady of the Tides, seeing as Laenor would become King Consort and Leana was now a Princess.

However, some other factors that need to be taken into account are;

King Viserys sees the birth of a daughter so close to the birth of the two boys as a sign, another reason to further unite the two great houses (especially after the rumors surrounding the dark-haired grandson of his) so he proposes another marriage. This time, the girl is to be raised amongst both boys and allowed to choose between them once they all come of age.

(The reason I didn't mention Baela is bc Viserys atp wouldn't be that into marrying his line into Daemons line lol.)

Corlys is salty and refutes at first, bc look at how Rhaenyra and Laenors marriage is going, not to mention Daemon and Laena. Rhaenys, on the other hand, convinces him to agree because either way, their daughter ends up a princess, or even better, a queen.

AND

Corlys ain't into the matriarch idea.

AND

Laenor is currently his direct heir, so logically, his son would be the next Lord of Driftmark.

So, Corlys holds off on naming her heir for as long as he possibly can.

This is where things begin to go downhill...

Naturally, the three kids all grow up amongst each other, all of them being told that at one point, Reader would marry one of the boys and either rule driftmark or become queen.

This feeds into the animosity between Rhaenyra and Alicent and, in turn, Aemond and Jace.

Rhaenyra is urging Jace to bond with Reader to 'save her' from the Hightowers clutches. Not to mention how much she admires Readers' determination, will, and intelligence. She thinks Reader would be a good queen one day (I HC that she sees herself in Reader lol)

Alicent could honestly care less at the beginning, but as soon as Aemond begins making snide comments about Aegon being king, she begins to urge him to pursue Reader and become the Ruler of Driftmark. A, futile, attempt to turn his attention away from the iron throne, seeing as he always had the intention to marry Reader, with or without his mothers interference.

Both boys, therefore, form some sort of affection for Reader.

Jace is indifferent at first. He believes the reader is pretty and admires her intelligence and wit but does not particularly enjoy the thought of being forced into a marriage.

Eventually, these feelings change, and he becomes devoted. He completely adores her, as does the rest of his family. He idolizes her, worships her, and is now vying for her love and affection just as much as Aemond. He knows the moment he spoke his wish for her hand, it would be his, being the Kings favorite did have perks, but he would rather wait for her to return the feelings. He would hate nothing more than her being miserable in an arranged marriage with him.

Aemond, however, is immediately infatuated. Neither of them have dragons, so it must be fate! He always follows her around like a puppy, and they often study together. Wherever she goes, Aemond follows. Seeing as Reader spends most of her time preparing for her, inevitable, rise to power, Aemond also begins to learn the ways of the court and how royalty should behave.

As they grow and time passes, his pure childhood love and adoration festers into obsession and, much like Jace, utter devotion.

He believes that Reader belongs to him, just as he belongs to her. Why else would the gods bind them in such a way? He believes that the reason they don't have dragons is because they were meant for something greater than dragonriding! They were meant to rule, conquer the nobles, and charm the smallfolk. They were meant to bring about a new era of Targaryens, ones who were more than powerful enough without dragons.

(Yeah. He's like double the psycho he is in the show lol.)

That's how the boys feel about everything, Now let's take a glimpse into Readers mind...

Now, her whole life, Reader is constantly being told by everyone,

"You're going to be a great Sea Snake, just like your father!"

"You'll make a fine Queen one day, better than any we've had in ages, I reckon!"

"You and the Prince (either one lol) make such a handsome couple, I'm sure your children will be very blessed with looks!"

In her youth, when she's innocent and naive, (until she's abt 6) she's just confused. She's her fathers heir, isn't she? Why isn't she titled yet? Why does she have to marry one of her snot nosed nephew/cousin in order to gain one?? (As if she's also not a snot nosed brat at the time lol)

She doesn't question her parents because she trusts them, and believes that maybe she's not old enough, or trained enough, and therefore dedicated the rest of her spare time to studying, training and practicing.

And then Laena dies.

The Driftmark incident happens, but the only reason Aemond claimed Vhaegar was because Reader was trying to claim her, and he followed her and was just there for emotional support.

After Aemonds eye was cut, Reader distances herself from both boys.

She feels guilty about Aemond losing his eye.

She resents Lucerys and, by extension, Jace, as she believes it was a completely unacceptable reaction on their part.

Rhaenys and Corlys are PISSED.

"What were you thinking!?"

"You knew Rhaena was supposed to claim her!"

Reader is also big mad.

"Leana was my sister, I had just as much of a claim to Vhaegar as Rhaena!"

"Why must I be the one with nothing!? No title, no land, no dragon, NOT EVEN A SHIP!!"

Rhaenys explains that they were just waiting for the right moment, between Laenas passing and Corlys' declining health. (Excuses lol)

Aka, she's trying to convince Corlys to wait and see who Reader decides to marry before naming an heir.

Corlys, on the other hand, is fine with waiting bc being forced to choose between a bastard and a hightower as the heir to driftmark is agonizing. (He's legit considering Vaemond atp)

Anyways after that, everyone kind of splits up.

Jace goes with his mom to Dragonstone.

Reader doesn't see him again until his blood is being questioned, but does write to him after he persistently apologizes.

Reader stays at driftmark and begins to learn how to sail and command a fleet.

(The only reason Corlys agrees is bc he wants to quiet the rumors of why he hasn't named her as his heir yet.)

Aemond stays in kings landing, and the two reconcile only because he broke down and begged her not to hate him for being deformed, and she couldn't handle him thinking she'd toss him aside for that. (By letter ofc)

Then Laenor 'dies.'

Everyone is upset, distraught, mourning, you get the gist.

Reader, however upset she may or may not be, is also ecstatic.

She sees this as another chance.

A chance for her to finally get a dragon.

A chance for her to prove herself to her father and finally be named his heir!!

After all, no one else is in her way anymore... (so she thinks)

So, once again, while everyone is busy at the funeral, Reader sneaks off to claim Seasmoke.

Alone, this time.

However, that doesn't work (bc he's not dead lol) so she completely breaks down.

Everyone thinks it's bc both her siblings just died but it's actually because she feels worthless and pathetic.

Existential crisis lol.

Who comforts her? Jace.

They bond over losing Laenor, and Reader has a manic epiphany.

Maybe Aemond was right. Maybe the gods refused to give her a dragon because she was meant for greater things.

After all, Jace was a dragonrider through and through. She knows that he despises his princely duties and would be happy if he could have the title and power of the throne without the politics and mind games.

He would much rather burn and fly than rub shoulders and sign papers.

Then she starts PLOTTING.

If her parents refused to name her heir, even after Laenors death, then she would go above them.

She'd show them she was worthy. She didn't need them anymore.

She didn't want them anymore.

After all, why would she choose to be a Lady when she could be a Queen?

If she marries Jace, she has no doubt that he would allow her to handle everything. He'd be nothing more than the face and name. She'd be the one making the calls.

He'd be the axe, and she'd be the executioner.

She waits to inform everyone of her decision, though, seeing as they are in mourning, lol.

She doesn't even tell Jace, but she does become more affectionate and romantic with him.

Jace is just happy she's finally giving him attention and spending time with him (poor bby).

Aemonds too busy plotting how him and Reader are going to usurp the throne to realize she was pulling away from him. (Delulu)

Time passes, Viserys is wilting and the dance is approaching.

Readers making moves to secure her place as Jaces Queen, befriending both the smallfolk and the nobles and shadowing Otto Hightower and Larys Strong as much as possible. (Unlikely friendship lol, they're all ambitious, cunning, and know how to play the long game. Reader admires their ability to manipulate everyone to their advantage, Otto is under the impression she will be his future granddaughter in law, and Larys believes she can benefit him one way or another in the future.)

Alicent and Otto are beginning to groom Aegon to be King.

Rhaenyra marries Daemon and awaits her succession.

Corlys is severely ill and is finally about to name Reader his heir.

Then the gun goes off.

Everyone gathers in kings landing at Vaemonds behest to discuss the legitimacy of Jace and Luke.

(Vaemond and Reader do not get along bc they both think their the rightful heir to the Driftwood throne.)

Reader is a whole badass now. Smart, pretty, strong and manipulative AS FUCK!

She's grown to simultaneously love and despise both her nephew and cousin after everything that has happened.

Regardless, she decides that once the whole legitimacy dispute was settled, she'd announce her choice to everyone present.

That obviously doesn't happen because of Rhaenys announcing Lucerys and Jacaerys' engagements to Rhaena and Baela.

Reader is LIVID.

She's upset, furious, and feels betrayed.

Was all that talk of choice and decisions meaningless?!?

Was all her agony over choosing between the two she loved the most for nothing!?

Nonetheless, she keeps her cool, and her determination never wavers.

After all, Aegon the Conquerer had two wives. Why couldn't Jacaerys? Besides, he loves her, not Baela, he wouldnt give up on their engagement that easily.

She could deal with sharing him, seeing as Baela didn't show any interest in being a ruler at all. Her plans could still work. She just needed to adjust some things first. It might actually benefit her more.

Baela could keep Jace occupied while she did what she wanted.

Yes.

It could still work.

Then, Lucerys is named heir to driftmark.

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divider by: @bucciniexe

I still have wayy more to add to this but I'll post it tomorrow it's currently 6 am and I need to sleep lol

[whenthesnowfelloverwinterfell]

Vatic - Chapter XVI " Threads "

Series Description :The youngest daughter of King Viserys and Queen Alicent grows up split between the two sides of her family. With dreams plaguing her sleep of people she does not know, and a war looming ahead of her. She will be forced to choose between the two sides of her family, between the love for her brother, and the loyalty for her sister. 

Chapter Description : Y/n has a nightmare that she cannot seem to stop thinking about.

A/n : Merry fucking Christmas. hope ya’ll enjoy, this chapter kicked my ass

Warnings : Y/n is beginning to have subconscious feelings for Aemond, other than that I don’t think there’s anything, taking glee in someone else’s misery ig, tourney violence, absolutely not beta read or edited ( ya’ll been waiting close to two months idk )

Pairing : Eventual Aemond Targaryen x Targaryen!Reader ( cannon typical targcest idk what to tell you )

Word Count : 6.2 K

The throne room was empty. No lord, lady, king or queen gathered. The columns supporting the ceiling were a far cry from the ones Y/n knew. Instead of the king’s prior to Viserys, they were now a warm beige with leaves  carved out to look as though they were twisting around the pillars, and they were painted green. She recognized the room. . . but it felt empty. And then she was finally able to understand why. 

The swords that had been melted into the ground surrounding the throne weren’t there and the throne itself looked smaller, more presentable and organized. 

The very stone beneath her feet was not the rough stone tiles she’d always known. No, it was instead a polished stone, and as she took a step forward from one edge of the great hall towards the throne, the sound of her shoes against it were far different.

The window behind the throne was different. It was stained glass instead of the usual clear. The Targaryen banners on either side of the  window were gone. There were no banners. 

Y/n continued to walk towards the throne, and as she did, she could hear other footfalls throughout the hall, however saw no one. And as she went to take another step, she found she could not, with a tugging on her shoulders she turned to look and see what it was. The Targaryen banner seemingly stitched into the fabric of her dress on both shoulders, and then suddenly, a banner unfurled from right beside it, Targaryen. And then another from the other side. Stark. 

But both banners had appeared to be ripped at the bottom, with loose threads hanging. 

Y/n felt a sudden wave of panic hit her, her heart beginning to hammer against her ribcage as she began to tug on against the banner stitched to her dress. Crying out in fear as it suddenly ripped from her gown, sending her flying to the ground, the upper half of her gown torn from her body, leaving her in her stays and shift underneath with her skirts staying in place, but as she turned to look at the banners, the green fabric from her clothing was hanging from the banner. 

“Mother!” She shouted, gripping the skirt of her dress in her fists so tight that her knuckles were beginning to turn white. No response came. “Aemond!” She tried once more, to no avail. No one came. 

Y/n approached the banner, grabbing the green fabric and tugging at it to get it off of the banner.  As it finally ripped off from the black banner, she could hear as the sound of flames began to become clear. Metal stands where fire light would be offered in the night were ignited around the great hall. And the other Targaryen banner turned from black and red, to green and gold. 

The field of it was first, threads slowly turning green, and the then the threads of red turning gold in front of her very eyes, and the loose threads began to extend, as though it were growing as did the now loose threads of the banner that had held her captive to itself. The two threads eventually met and as though it were growing ivy, the meeting threads crawled up the wall to the ceiling, right beside the green and gold banner, that of the traditional Targaryen banner, but only a second later, a very sheer banner dropped down right in front of the new banner, so sheer you could make out the three headed dragon underneath. It was the sheer banner of House Reyne. 

One of the footfalls made itself clear as a woman walked past  Y/n to the new banners, and stood under it, turning her body to face Y/n. The woman had striking violet eyes. Her pale skin was freckled across her cheeks, and her red hair was pulled back into an intricate style, and draped over her shoulder with a ribbon intertwined into one of the small rope braids. Her dress was red with white embellishments. 

Then she heard more footfalls approaching, and she turned to look at who they belonged to. The Stark and the Targaryen banner she had been connected to began to intertwine their threads as well, and another woman came to stand under the Stark banner, wearing grey colors that of house Stark. Her dark brown hair in cascading waves down her back and over her shoulders, her pale skin and gray eyes were captivating, and the necklace she wore, was that of sapphires. It was familiar to Y/n. 

These two women must have been the most beautiful she’d ever seen. 

But it did not seem to end. No. More banners continued to unfurl from the wall, revealing different houses. And under each banner stood a different woman. On the side where the Stark banner was, the threads from each banner connected. 

Y/n did not understand. 

After Stark came Cerwyn, then Slate, Blackwood, Flint, and then Stark again, and once more. At the last stark banner, Y/n watched as a young woman, possibly only a few years her senior, came to stand under it. She was slim, a wild beauty could be attributed to her. A long face that was so frequently found with the Starks. Her dark hair was in a braid, and her brown eyes followed Y/n’s. The blue winter rose laurel she held in her hands seemed to look dry. As though it were weeks old. 

and as Y/n looked to the other wall, she watched as the Targaryen banner under the sheer Reyne one began to intertwine it’s threads with the next one, and that one with the next. It went Targaryen, Parren, Drox, Lydden, Prester, and the next threewere all Lannister, but the last one had a sheer banner over it as well. That of house Baratheon. And the woman who stood under it must have only been a few year older she was. 

She was so familiar. Her hair golden and in a similar style to the woman before her. Her gown red and gold. 

This was the young woman she’d seen so often in her dreams. Standing before her with a house attributed to her. But what was she? Lannister? Baratheon? Neither? And while nearly every looked directly at Y/n, the young woman stared straight ahead. An enamored look upon her face. And so, Y/n turned to look as well, and found the only man standing there. Under a new banner connected to the last Stark banner. 

It was once more Targaryen, this also with a sheet one over top it. That of Stark. He also stared straight at the woman. This was a man Y/n had seen once before. 

In her dreams where she saw the northern wall. She’d only ever seen it once, the after King Viserys had sentenced three rapers and five theives to the wall to repay for their crimes. 

He looked exactly how Y/n vaguely remembered him from years ago when her sire was not rotting from the very inside out. His dark hair curled around his face, a light stubble along his jaw and cheeks. Warm brown eyes filled with nothing less than love for the woman he stared at across from him.

She’d seen the look before, directed at her everyday. But the look she received was not from brown eyes, but that of violet. 

Was this a dream? Y/n did not know. Who these women and a singular man in front of her. And why was the great hall so different? Why did their eyes follow her so intently? 

She could not answer any of the questions as a final banner unfurled directly in front of the dais the iron throne sat upon. split into four sections. The top two, Stark and Lannister, the bottom two, Targaryen and Tyrell, but stags were stitched into each corner. 

A child walked down the steps from the lifted walkway of the great hall. Her skin freckled from the sun, her giggles echoing off the walls, her dark curls bouncing as she hopped down each step. Her brown eyes shone with an innocence only ever found in a child. She could not have been more than six as she bounded towards the dais. Her clothing was thick. That of a northerner, but it was a deep crimson, embroidery of the same color thread of the fabric contained the Tyrell rose, and the Lannister lion. The fur peeking from the collar of her clothing was a warm cream. It mimicked gold. 

It happened quickly after that, The banners began to fall to the ground, erupting in flames, the other women disappearing like ashes in the wind as even bricks of the great hall began to collapse, letting in light and ash from the sky, and as the banner of many houses erupted in flames, the small girl screamed and ran from it, and as it fell to the ground in flames, Y/n watched as the throne melted, fire licking at the rusted and blackened blades, the steel and iron of old swords beginning to pull down the dais, dripping onto each step as it formed a large molten puddle. 

“Aemond! Brother!” She screamed once more. 

The only two left that weren’t the girl was the last Lannister, or was she Baratheon? And the Targaryen, or was he a Stark? 

Where was Aemond? Her mother? Aegon or Helaena? Where was Rhaenyra? Why was their home crumbling to the ground in front of her, why was she the only one there to witness it? “Rhaenyra! Aemond!” Her screams were so guttural and blood curdling that this were not a dream, it would have strained her throat. 

But as each boring red brick fell, so did the reality of the dream. She was in the great hall. . . and then, she was in her dark bedchambers as Aemond held a lantern and looked down at her from the side of the bed, a boyish grin on his face. 

She leapt from her bed, throwing herself into his arms. The sudden action caused Aemond to stumble back, pulling her off the bed by how tight her grip around him was. But once he had regained his footing, he had quickly wrapped his own arms around her as tightly as he could in return. 

He was fully dressed, even wearing his riding boots. She was on her tiptoes atop the toe box of his boots. But he did not complain. 

“What’s wrong little sister?” He questioned gently, one hand on the small of her back, holding her steady, and the other one around her upper back. 

“A bad dream.” She said simply. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck. Finding comfort in his warmth, smelling the fresh scent of dragon on him. Her eyes squeezed shut so tightly that she was only getting snippets of the terrible dream that had crept its evil self into her slumber. 

The first two women were etched into her sight. Red hair and violet eyes, dark brown hair and grey eyes. And the last man and woman, and the child. She could not get their faces out of her memory. 

She felt him nod against the side of her head as he dipped his head to press a firm kiss onto her shoulder. “What happened? In you dream?” 

Y/n sniffled a bit, her nails digging into the leather of his riding clothes. “I. . . I can’t remember most of it.” She told him. It was the truth. Lannister, Stark, Targaryen, Baratheon. “But I was afraid. I kept calling for you. . . and you did not come.” 

She felt a low hum in his chest that rumbled into her own The hand on her upper back went to rest firmly on her hip, and he moved his head so his lips were by her ear. “I would always come when you call. If you are to have another one of those dreams and I do not come running to you? Then you should take comfort in the fact that it is not reality, little sister.” 

Y/n could only nod as she continued to hold onto him. “I was scared that you didn’t come to my aid.” The confession was whispered, but he still heard it. 

He pulled back from her, placing the lantern down, and holding her cheeks in his gloved hands, resting his forehead against hers. Y/n’s eyes were still shut, but she could feel his eyelashes against her brow bone everytime he blinked. “Look at me,” Aemond told her firmly. Almost a command. 

So she did. She opened her eyes and met his gaze, so close to her she felt dizzy, and her eyes were straining to focus on him.

“I will always come to your aid.” He professed. “I will travel however far I must to be there. You should never allow fear to plague you as long as I am breathing, Y/n. So you understand that?” Aemond urged. 

Y/n nodded with fervor, her hands coming to grip the back of his arms as he continued to hold her face. 

“You are not afraid.”

“I am not afraid.” The younger one agreed.

The old library was dimmer than most other rooms in the Keep., It was the oldest library in the keep, and it was hardly visite. Old stories and legends that had long been rewritten and pressed into fresh copies that were easier to read. These were books whose ink were fading, the binding was coming apart, and the leather of the covers was peeling away from years of use. But the youngest daughter of Queen Alicent and  Alicent’s favorite son favored this library to others. 

They preferred the dim lighting that forced them to light the candles and bring lanterns, the enjoyed being away from others. 

“I heard Rhaenyra keeps writing to you.” Aemond’s voice was cold as he said it and pulled a book from the shelves, opening it and reading the first page as Y/n sat in the large armchair by one of the windows, her legs curled in so all of her was on the cushion. Aemond oft said that she looked like a fawn when she sat that way. 

Y/n rolled her eyes, continuing her sketch in the well lit corner. “She merely wished me a good name day, Aemond.” She explained as she continued on with the woman she was drawing. “She told me about the ghost of Dragonstone.” Y/n added with a small grin. “A white shadow darting across the sky, supposedly alongside Grey Ghost” 

Aemond hummed from the book shelf he stood in front of, clearly unimpressed. “That’ wild dragon’ is a figment of drunk sailor’s imaginations, and the whores of the villages below the dragonmont wish to feel more important than they are, and report false sightings.”

Y/n looked up from her drawing, watching as Aemond remained unfazed by his words. They were harsh words, cruel words. 

“You don’t think the ghost exists?” She pondered aloud, resting the stick of charcoal she’d been using to draw down on the paper that was clipped to her clipboard, watching as Aemond peered over his own shoulder at her, his hair swiftly moving with every motion of his body. He still had not quite settled on a style he preferred to wear. Still, he wore it down. And Y/n knew why he did such things, he was still somehow embarrassed of his wound. 

“Why would I?” He questioned. “The tales say it’s a large beast only spotted in recent years. You expect me to believe that such a large beast went unnoticed until now?” 

Y/n chuckled a bit, shaking her head at his response. “People didn’t think Grey Ghost was real either. Not until Rhaenyra’s own guards saw him.” She grinned, so sure of her own words as Aemond now fully turned around to face her, leaning against the bookshelf now behind him, an amused grin on his face as he shook his head and continued reading from the book. 

But as Y/n stared at her brother, she realized just how truly beautiful he was in the moment. The dim light casting harsh shadows across his face, accentuating the already sharp features he possessed, his white silver hair draped over his shoulders, his sapphire and scar on full display for her to see. His eyepatch was beside her on the arm of the chair. 

She had taken to doing that more often now. Whenever they were alone, she’d walk straight up to him and pull the leather strap off of his head and take it with her. The princess wished to see him in all that he was. As she had seen him all her life. She did not wish for him to hide his face from her, and so he did not. 

“Grandsire has been talking more about Ser Raymond.” 

Y/n rolled her eyes, looking back down at the drawing in her lap, picking up the charcoal and continuing on with the rough sketch lines of it, the hilt of the sword she held was too intricate that she could not get every detail onto the parchment, but she tried never the less. 

“I do not like it.” Aemond confessed gruffly. 

Now she chuckled again. “Do you like anything, Brother?” She teased. 

“Of course I do,” He stated. “I like reading, training with a sword, dragon riding, sugarplums, wine from Oldtown, and of course I love you and our family. I however do not like Ser Raymond, nor his family.”

Aemond certainly had always loved sugarplums. Ever since they were young children. Y/n would pretend she enjoyed them more than she did, because Rhaenyra would always gift them to her as a surprise, and not long after she and Aemond had eaten them all. However, Y/n always let Aemond have the majority of them, just as he always allowed her to have the most lemon cakes. It was a fact that made her smile. 

“Why do you not like the Reynes? They seem perfectly kind. Perhaps a bit over ambitious, but kind. And Ser Raymond is chivalrous to be sure.” She responded, attempting to persuade her older brother, but it was clear just from his tense shoulders and uninterested ‘hmm’ that he had no intention to be persuaded. 

“That’s exactly why I do not like him.” Aemond grumbled as he soon made his way over to her taking his spot on the ground right in front of her, one of his hands coming up to grab her ankle that was poking out from her dress in the position she was sat in, pulling on it to bring one of her legs to rest over his shoulder as he rested his head against her knee. 

How he was able to still read while maintaining a conversation was truly beyond her. 

“You do not like that a potential suitor is kind to me? Or chivalrous? I had figured that was the sort of suitor I was supposed to find.” Y/n told him, reaching a hand out to run her fingers through his silk like hair, allowing her nails to run across his scalp. 

Aemond did not respond for a moment, and yet, it did not look like he was reading the words on the page either. But rather stuck staring at the crease between the two pages in front of him. 

But he answered soon enough. “If you were to marry Ser Raymond you’d be in the Westerlands. Future ‘Lady Reyne’ and ‘Lady of Castamere.’ And only the gods would know when we’d next see one another. I do not wish for you to go.” 

It was Y/n’s turn to hum as she set her clipboard and charcoal aside on the table next to her, fully leaning forward to rest her cheek on the top of his head, resting an arm over his shoulder, her palm against his chest. “That’s not how it works.” She said simply. “I am a woman of higher status than him. Daughter of a king, though I’m sure Viserys often forgets I exist, but nevertheless, I am a princess. I would maintain my own name, I would still be Y/n Targaryen, and I would never be called Lady Reyne, though. . . If I were to marry Ser Raymond I would one day be Lady of Castamere, just as Princess Rhaenys is the Lady of Driftmark. But I’m sure we have more time before Grandsire insists on my marriage” The argument they’d once heard through stone walls in the secret passages plagued her in that moment. 

“She must be married before the King’s health declines to the point where he cannot effectively rule.”

Viserys no longer ruled in truth. He was given so much milk of the poppy to keep his pain at bay that Y/n did not remember the last time she had seen their kingly father. It must have been many moons at this point. And she did not find herself missing him. 

“You remember as well as I what Grandsire said.”

The night of her eleventh name day was flooding every thought she had. The sounds of Alicent and Otto arguing through the wall as she and Aemond made their way to the waters, and what Aemond had said that night as well. 

“The King’s health has declined to where he no longer rules. I do not wish for you to make the wrong decision in a husband.” 

The gossip of the court was insidious. And as each year passed, she understood just how vile even the most noble of lords were. 

She learned just how cruel even Aegon was. The gossips in corridors echoed, and the youngest princess had excellent hearing. She knew what the maids who cleaned up Aegon’s chambers had said the day after Helaena and Aegon’s wedding. The sheets with blood, and Helaena curled up in a corner, wearing Aegon’s robe, and even Aegon looking ashamed of what he had done. 

Y/n shrugged with a hum. Beginning to pick up Aemond’s habit of humming whenever she was about to speak, or when she did not have an answer to something. This was something she did not have an answer for. 

She was afraid she did not know how to choose a husband. She had, in truth, not been putting much effort into it. Y/n spent more time with Aemond, or practicing with Theobrand than she had with any suitors. She was prepared to just tell Otto to pick a husband for her. 

Otto Hightower did not show strength in arranging happy marriages. Their mother and father were a good example of such a thing. Viserys had never cared much for Alicent, and Alicent resented Viserys. 

But perhaps, it would save her the trouble. 

Y/n had always been good at talking to Aemond, but in this moment, she truly was at a loss. What could she possibly say to ease his fears?

But it not appear that he needed such fears to be placated, as he then flipped to the next page of his book, and began to trace shapes and patterns into the red fabric of her stocking with his thumb. 

He only ever showed this much affection to her in private. He only ever became this touchy when they were behind closed doors. The princess did not mind that their affection was more oft than not private. She found comfort in it. Both of them being able to show the other exactly how much they cared for the other. 

Y/n relied on her elder brother so heavily. His presence kept her from a soul crushing lonely solitude she would have been left in otherwise after Rhaenyra left. 

Y/n loved her family. There was no hidden secret behind it. She loved Helaena and her spouting of nonsense, her mother and her obsessive prayers, Rhaenyra despite having not seen her in many years, even Aegon and his lecherous behavior, he was nevertheless her brother. But out of all of her siblings, Rhaenyra and Aemond had cared for her and been the very most affectionate. She was grateful to the gods for her elder brother. 

The uneven stone floors they walked on behind Maester Orwyle made a clicking noise every time Maris and Y/n took a step behind him. The people they passed by all talking to whoever they were with, though when they had passed Maris’ brother, he had given them a suspicious look as to what exactly they were doing. But in truth, they were doing nothing wrong. Not unless you considered curiosity to be a sin, or shameful. 

It was not a frequent occurrence for both Y/n and Maris to both get an idea at the same time, so once it had happened, they acted on it quickly. Searching out Maester Orwyle near the king’s quarters. Even from just outside the door, you could smell how the king was rotting from within the confines of his chambers. You could smell rot, ointment, stale air, and milk of the poppy as it crawled its way through the air to come out in waves when the doors opened to the chambers. Y/n was sure that if smells had an appearance when they entered the air, it would look like the smoke that comes from candles when you blow out the flame from the wick. And whenever someone opened the doors to the King’s chambers, it would look like when one of the cooks accidentally burns something, and everyone attempted to get the smoke out of the kitchen, opening all doors and windows, allowing the smoke to billow out in ribbon like shapes. 

Even the maester stank of the chambers as they followed him from a safe distance. Far enough away to not get a full whiff of him, but close enough to not appear rude.

Orwyle seemed happy enough to have guests in his study when they had ambushed him as he was leaving the King. And as they neared his study, Orwyle pulled keys from deep within the pocket in his robes and slotted one of the many keys into the keyhole and turned it, a clicking sound heard quite loudly as the two girls stopped and watched as he opened the door, moving to allow them both to go inside before him. 

It was a room with high ceilings. She had never really known that the Grand Maester’s study was on one of the lower floors. And she had never been aware of the beautiful lighting of the room. The large windows allowed beams of sunlight to filter in through gaps between the lemon trees right outside the window. The room smelled of incense and medicinal liquids stored away in glass vials that were on the shelves above the hearth. 

Maris was the one to fully venture in before Y/n did. The silver haired girl was in awe of the beautiful view from the window. Yes, it only had the view of the gardens, but it must have been nothing short of enchanting to study in such accommodations. What must it be like when it was raining? 

Y/n had always found the rain to be a calming thing. The sound of it hittings the glass windows, going ‘tap’ ‘tap’ ‘tap.’ The sound of it hitting the stone of the balcony that overlooked the city could always lull her to sleep on her most restless nights. With such tall and magnificent glass windows here, it must have been like a lullaby sung by the heavens. 

Stepping further into the study, she found herself approaching the windows, gently resting her hand on one of the frosted tiles of glass that was at the bottom of the tall window. The windows started roughly around the height of Y/n’s waist, and went to the ceiling. 

“I’ve never noticed that we had lemon trees.” 

Maris giggled a bit from where she was, examining some of the beautiful plants that grew in the corner in clay pots. “Of course we do, Princess. We cannot always have lemons brought from The Reach. It’s how they make sure to have lemon cakes at royal events, or when their Princess decides she wants lemon cakes in the middle of the day.” Maris teased, now looking over her shoulder to gaze and Y/n who turned her head to look at Maris with a playful glare. 

“Lady Maris, please don’t touch the plant with the red leaves.” Maester Orwyle advised as he sat down in a wooden chair at a desks with a heavy sigh. 

“Of course Maester,” Maris said quickly, taking her hand away from the plant and stepping back from the pot. “But may I ask why?” 

Orwyle glanced at Maris and then to Y/n at the question. He then stood up from the chair, approaching Maris, and waving Y/n over to the pot. 

At a brisk pace, Y/n approached the two, watching as Orwyle picked up the clay pot, placing it on the table directly in front of the window, allowing the sunlight to hit the plant directly. In an instant, both girls were fascinated by the plant. 

The red leaves practically sparkled in the sunlight, the red turning a deep purple in response to the light. The shade of purple was almost that of some of the gowns Y/n had worn in the past, or had seen other women wear at court. 

“It’s gorgeous!” Maris exclaimed. 

“It’s deadly”

At Orwyle’s words, both girls now looked at him. 

“Pardon?” Y/n stuttered out. 

Orwyle then looked down at Y/n and then to Maris, a grin now forming on his round face. “I must confess, Princess, Lady Maris, I have never had people be truly interested in what I have in here. . . This is a Raven Violet.” He informed. “It is used to make a poison.” 

Y/n looked back down at the plant. It was beautiful. Even in the shaded corner it had been placed in it was beautiful with its red leaves, and now, with the purple leaves in the sun, and the sparkle of the leaves made Y/n skeptical. 

Could it truly be a poison? How could something so beautiful and unassuming be so dangerous?

“It works similarly to the strangler. It’s even the same color. . . but this is far more common. You receive air from breathing it in through your throat. You give someone this. . . it closes their throat, strangling them. But unlike the strangler, this is a plant based poison, and its strangling properties is not what usually kills you.”

“Then what does?” 

“More oft than not, the poison stops your heart before it strangles you.” The Maester informed, placing the plant back down on the shelf it had been on in the corner, the leaves slowly turning back to its deep red from the purple shade. 

Y/n continued to stare at it however. Who would ever need such a thing? Y/n had read history books all of her childhood, and had them read to her as well from Aemond. She knew the ancient legends of kings and rulers having someone killed. She had always found it to be so cowardly. Men were meant to fight battles. Its the reason boys were trained with swords and bows. Taught how to ride a horse at such a fast pace. It was honorable to go out as a soldier, fighting. Not being killed in such an unsuspecting environment. Perhaps not even knowing who their killer was. 

“What’s ‘The Strangler’, Maester?”Maris suddenly asked, pulling Y/n from her thoughts. 

Orwyle seemed to hesitate to answer as he looked up at them from the other plants. “It’s a purple crystal, it almost looks like an amethyst. . . it dissolves in fluids. It’s far worse than a Raven Violet. It truly does strangle you.” 

Y/n didn’t have much to say as she looked back out the window at the lemon trees. The bright yellow fruit ready to be picked and made into something delicious that would surly have both her and her mother asking for more. If Rhaenyra was there, they’d go through it twice as fast. Y/n wasn’t even sure if Rhaenyra ate most of them whenever she had taken them onto her plate, or saved a majority of them to give to Y/n later. 

Rhaenyra had never been caught by Alicent doing such things. Rather the oldest of Viserys’ children would wait until it was just the two of them and sneak small lemon cakes to her. Sometimes it would be while Y/n sought her sister out for company while the boys went to the dragon pit, or were in the training yard. Those were moments that Y/n yearned to have back. 

The oldest and the youngest princesses would sit alone in Rhaenyra’s chambers, lounging on the couch, or even on Rhaenyra's bed, and read.  Y/n had always been the one who took the highest interest in learning High Valyrian other than Aemond, however, Aemond never asked Rhaenyra to teach him, but Y/n did. She’d sit with Rhaenyra for hours, looking through old books with translations, and meanings for Valyrian words, and practice them. Y/n was the most adept out of all the children in the Keep with the language by the time she was six. It likely helped that while she was still beginning to learn, Rhaenyra only spoke to her in the language. 

One of those moments came to mind as she stood there. She must have been five, sitting in Rhaenyra’s lap. She’d asked a simple question, “How was your day, Sister?” and the woman had begun to speak in Valyrian, at a normal pace, explaining how the day had gone as Y/n stared up at her sister in confusion until Rhaenyra had said “Sȳz,” It was the praise Rhaenyra had always given her when she’d done something well. Y/n smiled as she recalled what she had done next. 

Getting up in Rhaenyra’s face laughing, and grabbing her cheeks. “Good?” She had questioned. She swore she could almost hear Rhaenyra’s laugh now as she nodded in agreement and repeated it “Sȳz.”

Y/n longed for her sister’s presence. 

There was noise from outside of the study that had caught Y/n’s attention. Watching the open doorway as stewards, maids, and low lords made their way away from the noises. And then two men passed the doorway, carrying a wood and glass decoration so large it required two men. The seven pointed star, with each point being a different color of glass. 

Y/n approached the door, and peered her head out in the direction they had gone, watching as a large wooden ladder was placed against one of the stone walls beside the tapestries. 

Taking a step out into the corridor, Y/n finally noticed her mother, speaking to a man dressed rather plainly who was motioning towards the stone wall, a hammer and pick in hand as he did. Otto was not too far away either, standing near another corridor with his hands behind his back, a haughty look upon his face as he gazed at the tapestry. 

“Mother,” Y/n called. 

Alicent looked down the hall towards Y/n, a warm smile gracing her face as she beckoned for Y/n to come closer. “Come,” She called. 

the girl picked up her pace, finally reaching the center of the commotion, the two men sat the statue down on the ground propped up against a wall as Alicent reached out to grab Y/n’s shoulder and bring her close. 

“ I think you will find that I put my best men to work on this. I would never allow subpar work for the Queen.” 

Y/n watched as a man climbed up the ladder, and grabbed one corner of the tapestry and lifted it up from the wall, dropping it quickly, allowing it to fall to the red stone floor where dust flew off of it as it landed. 

Her jaw dropped in shock while another ladder was placed against the wall, and a few servants quickly grabbed the tapestry and took it away, rolling it up before they scurried away. The two men who had carried the statue down the hall, picked it up and brought it to the wall, both of them beginning to climb the ladders, both having a firm grip on the statue with one hand, cautiously climbing up as two other held the ladders steady. The two men then placed the statue on the wall, allowing it to be held up by the old fastens that had held the tapestry there for many years. 

“It’s beautiful, Addam. Thank you.” Her mother spoke. “I thought it was time for a change in scenery. Those tapestries were. . . improper.” 

Y/n then turned her head to look at Otto, and watched as a smug grin graced his lips. The kind he thought no one would notice. 

The Princess allowed her gaze to drop to the floor. Examining over every bump and groove in the stone below their feet, the grout between stone tiles that desperately needed to be refilled, and then, black threads that had fallen off of the tapestry  laying on the ground. There was a trail of them leaving down the hall where they had taken it. 

Black thread. 

Lannister, Stark, Baratheon, Targaryen.

For only an instant, the awful dream she’d had days ago came to mind once more. And the sight of the first two woman flashed before her eyes. Red hair, violet eyes. Brown hair, grey eyes. 

Targaryen, Reyne, Stark. 

Add yourself to the taglist ! 

@disneyprincessbuffyannesummers  @winxschester @blissfulbluenights @ghostlypineappl @dreaming-of-the-reality @strangersunghoon @shesjustanothergeek @floralsightings @watercolorskyy

[arithedingas]

realized i haven't posted a single thing about river on here so have her ref + her eventual staff and a couple of aus (info about everything under the cut)

River

child of the mistress and alice, following the events of "stingstress"

raised in ultraprison, so she doesn't really see alice as a parent in any way

bruce is basically her stepfather

very much a hippie, though with a heavily suppressed sadistic side

likes giving nicknames hehe

like the mistress, she's capable of drastic changes in personality. however, river's is triggered by anything that takes away her optimism, and essentially turns her into a beatnik lol

River's staff

when river inherits ultraprison/starts her own branch of ultraprison she's pretty much given a bunch (or maybe all) of the mistress' robots

due to both loneliness and wanting to give her "workers" the freedom of choice she pretty much tried to install freewill/sentience into all of them

most of them either a) ended up being destroyed in the process, b) created very dangerous robots that needed to be put down anyways, or c) pretty much left as soon as they could. the four pictured are pretty much the only successful ones that stuck around

Lily ("Lil")

river's first successful (comparatively at least) attempt at giving a robot free will and it not either leaving or going crazy

basically river's right-hand woman and advisor, she checks up on the other staff members and gives river status reports regularly

despite her free will she isn't much of an independent thinker, being essentially a yes-man to river on anything, much to river's chagrin ("what was the point in me giving you free will if you're not going to use it?")

Lewis ("Lewey" or "Loo Loo", formerly "Lewisia")

he covers accounting/budgeting, file upkeep, and even medical matters when necessary, as well as any other minor tasks that need to be done around rivers prison

he's a bit stoic and can be a know-it-all at times lol

Lilac and Lavender ("Lila" and "Lav")

prison guards essentially

lilac tends to be too lenient, while lav is too vicious/domineering, so river always keeps them together so that they can balance each other out

The Matron AU

basically the mistress changes back to her old self early enough into river's childhood that she's still impressionable

river grows up to become known as "the matron", a warden who's just as harsh and domineering as her mother, if not more so due to her sadism, which she doesn't try suppressing at all

Lady "R" AU

the mistress changes back to her old self during rivers teen years

needless to say, a large rift is formed between the mistress and river, ultimately culminating in river running away

eventually she adopts the alias "lady r" and starts her new life as a radical anarchist-activist, with a focus on prison abolition

she pretty much tries to shut down/destroy as many jails/prisons as possible, with a major focus on eventually destroying Ultraprison

while superjail isn't as big a target on her list as Ultraprison, she still hopes to destroy it too eventually. And maybe she does? Or at the very least does a lot of damage to it lol

[harwin-breakbones-strong]

Fire & Discord

Canon divergent - Harwin Strong x Targaryen!Fem Reader. Jace and Luke are not Harwin’s in this story.  All gifs are mine. I’m not a native english speaker so please do not mind the vocabulary and grammatical errors. This is completely self indulgent.

Synopsis: During your younger years, you were nicknamed the Forgotten Princess by people at court. Your father King Viserys Targaryen only had eyes for his first born daughter, Princess Rhaenyra. You didn’t blame Rhaenyra at all, the opposite in fact, the two of you were best friends and still were to this day. When your mother Queen Aemma died, you thought it would bring the three of you closer but it only brought you closer to your sister. Otto Hightower, Lord Hand used the Council’s influence to push your father to remarry so the Crown could have a chance at having a male heir. His own daughter, Alicent, became Queen. You and Rhaenyra saw clearly through the game Lord Hightower was playing and pleaded for the King to see reason. He eventually did and parted ways with Hightower. Lord Lyonel Strong was chosen as the new Hand Of The King. His firstborn son Ser Harwin, was assigned as Rhaenyra’s sworn protector. And as your father said, you didn’t need one since you weren’t to become Queen. You were used to being secondary to everyone. Now people barely remembered your existence because the attention was focused on Rhaenyra and the princes. When your father forced your sister to marry Laenor, your cousin, Ser Harwin became your protector as Rhaenyra would have one loyal to House Velaryon. Two years after Rhaenyra’s marriage to Laenor, as a token of appreciation for Lord Strong’s counsel, the King gave your hand away in marriage to his son, Ser Harwin. Your first reaction was astonishment. Was that all that you were to your own father?! A reward to be offered to a man?! Ser Harwin, blessed his heart, discerned your anger and misery. You considered yourselves friends since he was assigned as your protector. He held you in high regard. He then swore he would guard your heart like the most precious treasure if you so choose to trust him with it, so no one would ever hurt you again. It had been his sincerity that made you see you could have been dealt with a far worse match. His genuine good heart that made you believe it could turn to love if you both let the relationship blossom. And it did. You fell in love with one another slowly but surely. Your marriage to Ser Harwin was the most solid, true marriage in the family. You trusted him with your life and your heart, as he did you.

+ stories masterlist here +

~ ~ 

Sliding down Arthemysia’s back, your feet touched ground not far from the Dragon Pit. Your dragon, the only one with dark blue scales, was one of the few who didn’t grow up in the cave. The confined environment altered the dragons’ growth and so, you decided she would never be forced to live in the Pit unless she chose to walk in herself but she never did. 

You barely started making your way back towards the castle that a guard approached you with a certain hurry.

“Something has happened.”

It wasn’t a question, it was a certainty. It was clear as day from the guard’s unease.

“I’m afraid so, Your Highness. There has been an incident during the princes’ training. It involves Ser Criston… and the Lord Commander.” 

The anxiety that left you during your flight came back tenfold. 

“Pertaining to what?”, you demanded, feeling the anger creeping in as usual when your family was concerned.

“We’re not sure, my lady. We only witnessed the Commander hitting Ser Criston repeatedly. It took four men to restrain him. We feared Ser Harwin would kill the Queen’s sworn protector.” 

“I see. Where is Ser Criston at the moment?”

You were going to have to deal with this with Alicent's presence as she was the Queen and she was ruling in your father’s absence. Currently away for an alliance with other Houses with Lord Strong at his side. 

“He’s being treated by the maesters.”

"And my husband?"

Strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms or not, Harwin was still a man of flesh and blood who could suffer physical harm.

"He had sustained no injury that required the maesters' skills. He has been seen entering your chambers."

Knowing he had not been hurt eased your mind a little. Though you already began to brace yourself for the tension this situation would add to the intense distrust between Alicent and your half-brothers on one side with you and Rhaenyra on the other.

"Very well. See that Arthemysia is fed, would you?"

"Yes, Princess."

~ ~

You radiated hardly controlled exasperation as you strided through the castle to your chambers. Everyone had perceived over the years the animosity between you and Criston Cole but also between him and Ser Harwin. The cause of this immature hostility was rooted in the fact that you put a stop to Criston's unwanted attention and he took umbrage of your rejection.

Inhaling deeply, you opened the doors to your chambers and fell on the sight of your armored husband gulping down a glass of whisky before slamming it back onto the table with a curse. You could feel his fury from where you stood. He turned around at the sound of the door closing behind you. You moved across the room to the table to pour yourself a glass and refilled your husband’s. He looked like he needed it. You did a quick observation of your husband’s form. Aside from his bloodied knuckles, he was alright.

“The moment I grant myself some time away from this place, things go downhill.”, you ranted under your breath between sips. Harwin looked pained as he grabbed his filled glass. You went through a lot lately and adding to your burden was the last thing he wanted.

You let out a heavy tired sigh and locked eyes with him, leaning your hip against the table.

“What did he do this time?”, you prompted.

“Something that would get anyone to lose their head on the spot but the Queen will surely come to his defense.”, he responded, vaguely, as he swallowed the last of his whisky and put down the glass.

“I’d rather hear what occurred from you here and now, while we’re alone. Instead of having to find out in front of Alicent and my sister. Tell me the truth, Harwin.”

His eyes searched into  yours for a moment. Then he began to recount the events that lead to this conversation you were having.

He had heard Jace and Luke, your nephews, deploring that Ser Criston spent most of the time ignoring them, instead focusing on instructing your half brothers Aegon and Aemond. So he went to check if it was indeed true. And it was. When Criston wasn’t ignoring Jace and Luke, he was humiliating them with harsh words rather than teaching them with encouragement.

Seeing how your nephews were treated, he stayed in the courtyard. And when Criston chose Jace to fight against Aegon, as any caring uncle would do, Harwin gave him a few tips and the encouragement the boy needed. Confidence was earned through lessons. Criston said a few words to Aegon as well before pushing him to start the fight.

Later, after several duels between the boys, temperaments were running high. The children tossed away the wooden swords and jumped at each other’s throats. Once your half brothers and nephews were separated, Harwin bent down the find the training swords now buried under the sand of the courtyard with all the ruckus the children's fight caused. A few feet away, Criston then started on spewing his hatred.

Your husband assured you several times, he could take any vile word hurled at him stoically.

But Gods help the fool who dared utter any unpleasant term about his wife and Princess.

“He called you a whore to my face knowing there was no one to bear witness but the children. From that moment, he decided his own fate. So I punched him. Again, and again, and again. All I felt was pure blind rage.”, Harwin recalled with a growl, his hands turned into fists at the memory.

Ser Criston’s behavior sadly came as no surprise to you. You couldn’t remember all the distasteful remarks he muttered discreetly but loud enough for you to hear. You knew your husband wouldn’t have reacted as violently as he did without a good reason. Nothing could make him as dangerous to your enemies than the threat of your safety and the defense of your name and reputation.

Criston Cole’s words no longer affected you. You brushed it off but added to the list of every offense he had the audacity to make against you or Rhaenyra.

Closing the distance between you and Harwin, you tenderly traced a finger along his jaw, his beard scratching your palm before wrapping your arm around his shoulder. Your fingers buried themselves at the nape of his neck, playing with his curly hair as you had the habit to do so. You discovered at the beginning of your marriage that it had a calming power on him. His arms went around your waist, hands at the small of your back, pressing you closer to him.

“He had it coming. I’m just glad you’re alright.” You said in a breath, bringing his face down so you could nuzzle his nose with yours before kissing him softly. Once, twice, a third time before you pulled away.

“I would have killed him if they hadn’t stopped me…” he admitted without regret, his forehead coming to rest upon yours.

You hummed. The Lord Commander’s reputation as Breakbones spoke for itself when it came to how dangerous he could be. And yet he held you in his arms with such reverence and delicacy.

“Did it feel good?” you wondered, with a wicked smile.

Harwin snickered and your smile grew.

“Immensely.” he answered with his familiar smirk. “I definitely broke his nose if the sound was any indication.”

It was your turn to laugh.

“Four men to restrain you, huh?” , you added with a playful voice when you felt his breath on your lips.

“It does get you hot and bothered, doesn’t it, Princess?” he murmured as his hands slid down to cup your ass in your dragon-riding pants.

He swallowed your moan when he captured your lips with his in a searing kiss.

Settling family disputes could wait a little bit longer.

[missglaskin]

it would make sense if Criston became her personal sworn-sword rather then a kingsguard when she’s first brought into the family, pretty much giving him unlimited access to her, therefore, making toddler!reader begin to believe that he’s actually her father because he’s just always there. and Criston will inevitably play into it, claiming her to be his bastard born daughter after people started wondering why she was calling him ‘papa’ so much. the family members hate it. but Viserys offers Criston the position of Lord Captain of the Red Keep’s Guard to keep him close. the reader eventually becomes the king’s cupbearer and queen’s page once she’s old enough to serve because it’s a way to keep her close without freaking her out. so she’d be able to grow up around Viserys children and grandchildren. but Laenor would definitely try to befriend Criston to gain proper access. and Rhaenyra is really regretting not running away with him.

also Daemon refuses to call her Lady Cole despite Viseeys legitimatizing her once word that she was Criston’s bastard spread

The family hates the entire idea, and Criston is left with many targets on his back. It’s Viserys who tries to ease the situation by offering Criston the position to keep the reader close. It does not appease Alicent who argues that Criston was her sworn guard and that he should remain on her side. Which also means having the reader near. 

Considering how he’s on thin ice, Criston tries to pretend that he’s forced into this situation. But Alicent has walked on the knight a few times having a ‘tea party’ with the reader. He’s been caught tucking the reader into bed, telling her the stories he heard growing up. The reader suspiciously has no suitors growing up, all of them having a ‘talk’ with Criston before they turn her down. 

Many of the family members will try to ‘befriend’ or get on Criston’s good side. It’s Alicent and her children that get on his good side. Rhaenyra not so much. Daemon doesn’t even try. If anything, he regrets not killing him when he had the chance. To spite Criston, he will refer to the reader as Lady Targaryen rather than Lady Cole.

[writingwenches]

OC breakdown — Cinda's ladies-in-training

Writing the next part of my Lyn fic Freedom From, where Lyn is introduced to the first bits of "Lady Life" and the harsh realities of being a courtly woman, its not all just fluff and overindulgences. So, I wrote a breakdown of what I have so far for the other ladies. They are very recent creations, so hopefully I'll flesh them out more as I write them. Always here for suggestions, inspiration and such~

setting: So, I'm thinking that the "Court" life at Casterly Rock has been legendary for centuries, but in this AU Alicent opens up King's Landing wanting the largest court in the known world, so even with the Lannisters serving on the small council, the Westerlands Houses aren't super eager to live down in the capital, so Cinda has taken on a score of women to make smart matches for to show the Westerlands it could be possible as a place to flourish in society. or something like that.

Filippa Banefort, from Banefort, the lands in the Westerlands that guard against the Ironborn from the North.

The Horse Girl-archtype. Banefort's lands are a lovely, small peninsula with great land for horse riding. Filippa would always prefer to be outside somewhere with the animals, animals don't have the same complicated problems of people. Her childhood dream is to marry into a house far far away, so she would always be traveling from one place to another, her dream would be to always on the road. Her nightmare is her future husband locking her away in a tower, and not letting her leave. Her father could be the Lord Banefort, or a second+ son Ser. It would be fun to have him inherit the title in his older years, but he could just be a wealthy landed knight. siblings: the only/one of the only children of her father that looks like him. He was away fighting the majority of her life, and when her mother bore children, father never questioned it. She has siblings that are of different races, but they don't look "Iron Born" so everyone is quietly chill about it. Father is fine with having many sons. Filippa is the only daughter allowed to "go to court" because she looks the part of a Banefort.

"Lady" Bette Harlaw, from the isle of Harlaw in the Iron Islands, a ward of House Banefort after defeating their house in a great sea battle.

The Dolphin Girl-archtype. The water sign. Mermaid coded. She was raised by a powerful mother and father on the Iron Islands, she learned to sail and fight at a young age. She was the eldest daughter. She was young when she was on the ship, her parents said her brothers had already been fighting at the young age. When House Harlaw lost their battle to House Banefort, little Bette was taken as ward to grow up with their daughter, Filippa. Her nickname eventually becomes Lady. She learns to act like a proper lady, even if Filippa doesn't always act like one. House Banefort hates all things Iron Born, so Lady represses her upbringing and embraced all things womanly to please her new captures. Lord/Ser Banefort was always off fighting some war, so she was always at the mercy of Lady Mother Banefort. I haven't thought much about Mother Banefort's personalty yet, it could go so many ways. The Mother Banefort dies when Filippa and Lady are in their mid-teens. Lord Branfort ages, ages out of his fighting and warring ways of youth. He slowly appreciates a slower life at home in his castle in front of a warm earth. In young adulthood, Lady seduces Lord/Ser Banefort and eventually becomes the new Lady Banefort and lives her a quiet life. siblings: she is the eldest girl, maybe second child, but probably third. She has many younger sisters. Some of the sisters are okay fighting and warring, while others are weaker and meeker and need her help to escape them from the terrors of the Iron Island for those who are deemed weak. Mother Banefort will not accept bringing more girls from the family over, so Lady sends them money and help when she can. Cinda probably helped one get married to a seemingly proper Northern man? It's not a perfect marriage, but she's physically safe (outside of childbirth whoops).

Cordelia Lannister, from Casterly Rock, born of the second son of many Lord Lannisters past, he eloped with the love of his life, a distant cousin Lannister of Lannisport, much to the shock and dismay of his family.

The one with great parents. Cordelia's parents tell her that if she ever does anything bad, or is in trouble, or is set to marry a horrible horrible man, her mother and father will run away to Essos with her, and they will start a new life. "I will sell fish by the docks, and your mother will wash sheets," said Tym Lannister, uncle to the current Lord Jason Lannister. "We will find a way to survive," he consoled his daughter after some tragic news. "No, Mother will dance!" Cersillia said, throwing her hands up and twirling around the room, making her daughter smile. siblings: Cordelia is an only child. The relationship between Tym and Cersillia is for laughs at asoiaf incest tropes. So, they married late, probably both's second marriage. The Maesters advised against having children because of their "close familial relation" so they did some christian family planning until Cersillia was "obviously too old to bare children"...they went a lil crazy and had Cordelia. whoopsies. They love her so so so much.

Anna Grace Reyne, fom Castamere for feels. (tw: suicide)

The Emo/Goth-archtype. She had a lovely upbringing at home with her mother while her elder sister was away learning to be a proper lady with Cinda Lannister. Her sister was set to marry a seemingly wonderful man, that Cinda set her up with, she was to be her first great success story. A few days after the engagement was announced, the girl jumped from a high tower to her death. No one really knows why. Anna Grace blames Cinda for her sister's death. Anna Grace was surprised by the visceral hatred shown by her mother and father at the choice of suicide by her sister (who needs a name...). Anna Grace used to love her mother, but then she turned sour and unempathetic, openly complaining about their house's money problems that her sister's marriage could have solved. Anna Grace is fighting against her own happy ending, and happiness of any kind. If she pushes people away, never love again, she will never get hurt. Finding her ending is going to be fun, I picture her in some sort of unconventional relationship that, on the outside, seems like a bad thing, but she is very compatible with and can easily find happiness if she lets herself. BUT could also easily shove everything away and ruin it easily. Any ideas and opinions are always welcome! siblings: she might not have a brother, her father might not have a male heir, which leaves their marriage extremely salty as the years go by. Anna Grace could be the only sibling left, or she might have a much younger sister(s) that she wants nothing to do with.

Heather Oakheart, from Old Oak in northern The Reach.

The Knight Super Fan. Like many girls from The Reach, she is a huge fan of all things Knights and Knighthood. She dreams of one day marrying a knight, but her father seems to want to sell her to the higher (and seemingly most unvirtuous) bidder. She keeps a binder/book of Knight Cards of something similar. She has a great scribe talent, that will most likely never be realized. She is probably the fastest and most accurate hand in Westeros, if only there were competitions for that. She might have a newsletter that she sends a group of Ladies in The Reach. Always up on the gossip of everything everywhere all at once. Heather and Lyn will become quick "friends" because Lyn is personal friends with "Red Ryver" the notoriously brutal Knight of the Northern Riverlands, who's legend/rumors are spreading in ridiculous ways. ((and let's not forget Oswalt Frey's huge hog, which Lyn has seen in person and it causes quite the stir amongst the "properly raised" ladies and tbh it's talked about so so much throughout the story rip)) siblings: Middle Child™ she has two older siblings that are not married to knights, so she's pretty depressed about it. She has two younger siblings that she feels that she is responsible for and always need to set a good example for them...even if they are weeks travel away.

[alovesreading]

Constant Repeat | Part 10

Summary: Having worked at Focus Creeps for a year, Ella knows that as a production assistant and part of the crew, there’s one important rule: don’t interact with the talent unless it’s needed. But once she meets Arctic Monkeys, and the recording of the music videos for their upcoming fourth studio album starts, the band seem to become her exception. Not only because they treat her more like a friend than just someone else they’re working with but when Alex continuously makes her blush with his flirting, so enthralled by her that he forgets he’s got a girlfriend, Ella finds herself growing closer to him. As videos are filmed, wrapped and edited, the friendship lines become blurry. Situations unfold, secrets are told and others are kept under lock and key, but how long can Alex and Ella endure being stuck in each other’s minds on constant repeat.  

Word Count: 27.4k

Story Warnings: Throughout this series there will be suggestive talk, jealousy, cheating, alcohol and drug use, angst, smut.

A/N: Okay, you better buckle up because I'm telling you this trip is wild and real ride starts here. I'm giggling like an idiot typing this right now and realizing how this chapter perfectly falls on the start of June, what a way to start Pride month (happy pride month btw, love y'all my fellow queer babes xx), you'll understand why I say this when you read. Anyway I wanted to thank imagine-that-100 again because in this one, she gave me the incredible honor of getting my lovely Alice in here so I can introduce you to her and you can grow excited about the fic she's gonna be the main character of which is called 'Nightmare'. Alice is based on Heather from Pale Waves by the way! All I'm gonna say is that Alice is a fucking legend and when N eventually puts that fic out, y'all will die cus it's really fucking hot. I cannot wait for you to read this lol, remember the story warnings that are in the description of this story! (I think you can make out why I'm saying this right now) Enjoy!!!!!!

Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 11 | Part 12 |

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After spending the day before walking, it was obvious to Ella that she'd be sleeping in, but she had made sure to set at least three alarms in order to not miss breakfast time at the hotel restaurant. That hadn't worked though because she managed to sleep through them and wake up only thirty minutes before breakfast was over.

She'd rushed through the hallways to get there in time, barely having gotten presentable enough to show up at the place next to the lobby, but she made it regardless.

The lady who showed her to a table had been very obviously forcing a smile at Ella, making her wince and nervously promising that she wouldn't take long. And keep her promise she did, for she was done and back upstairs in her room getting ready for the day only twenty minutes later.

That day would have to be done without Alex, due to the band having a meeting at Domino Records in anticipation of the album coming out soon.

Ella had gotten a full update on it all from Flo, who had designed the cover art and the merch, and also helped the guys come up with a better name for the record than 'The New Black'. So 'AM'would be coming out in September, and only two months away from release day, things were busy for the lads.

When Alex suggested rescheduling the meeting, claiming they still had all of August to handle everything, Ella had turned him down with a laugh.

"Alex I won't have your label getting angry at you because you're pushing things back to hang out with me. I can spend the day with Bre and we'll see each other later—plus, didn't Jamie say we were all going to that pub tonight?"

Jamie had been adamant of going to this pub, somewhere Ella had no clue it was but looked pretty, and everyone would be following him to the place that night.

Just because of the plans the guitarist had already made for everyone, Ella had been conscious to take it easy that day. That's why she and Bre had walked around London, being mindful of not tiring themselves too much for the early afternoon, to then go back to Ella's hotel room and just chill about the place until they had to get ready to leave and meet up with the rest of the group.

Alex and Matt had picked them up from the hotel and taken them to the pub where Jamie, Katie, Nick and Kelly were already waiting.

Thankfully, the ride to the place was only fifteen minutes long so their friends weren't waiting for too long and when they got there, they could see they had bumped into a friend and been stuck in a lovely conversation with him.

Ella smiled at the sight of her friends, waving eagerly at Katie and Kelly who waved back just as enthusiastically when they spotted her by the door.

She walked over to the girls with Bre in tow and hugged them hello. She wasn't short in showering them with compliments since they looked stunning and they had done just the same to her.

Ella blushed and thanked them shyly, taking off her trench coat and placing it over the back of a chair to greet Jamie and Nick.

She silently made her way around the table and went to hug them, excusing herself when she interrupted the man she didn't know who was speaking with Jamie.

"So sorry to interrupt. I'm Ella, nice to meet you." She would've waited for Jamie to introduce her but the truth was that the lad was gorgeous and she had promised herself this trip would be the one to let go of the insecurities she'd been left with from her latest relationship and maybe put herself out there, even if it was just for some fun.

The guy waved her apology off with a smirk, one that fit his face so well it had Ella biting the inside of her cheek lightly, "Oscar. Nice to meet you Ella." He shook her hand delicately and let it drop slowly back down.

Everyone saw the way Ella had blushed, the girls had wanted to shriek at her reaction and the lads had wanted to giggle but they held themselves back. Alex, on the other hand, had wanted to pull Ella from Oscar's side because he only wanted to see her react like that to him, just like she had done many times the day before.

They all settled at the big table after Alex greeted everyone, Oscar included, Katie sitting beside Jamie, Nick and Kelly next to each other as well, Matt had his arm wrapped around Bre's waist as she sat on his lap despite having a free seat next to them, and Alex had Ella sat close next to him.

Soon enough, Ella found out Oscar was in a band called 'Pale Waves' and they'd been friends with the Monkeys for a few years. He had lazily pointed at the two other band members that had come with him and said that the third, who was their drummer called Zara, had stayed at home because she was ill.

Ella had barely caught that, because when Oscar had pointed towards the pool tables where his two other bandmates were, she swore her heart had skipped a beat.

There stood a man, waiting for his turn at the game but the one who had Ella hypnotized was this woman bent over trying to make a shot at a striped ball. Ella watched the smirk growing on her face when she made the shot with ease and watched as she stood back up straight, only losing her breath a little more.

Her black hair cut in a bob with the long bangs framed her face perfectly, and Ella appreciated her beauty deeply but what she was wearing had the American gulping at the sight. Her legs were on full show due to her short plaid skirt but covered in fishnets, her white crop top clearly showed the lack of a bra, she stood tall in her red heeled platform boots and her neck was adorned with a black leather collar that tied together with a metal A.

Suddenly, Ella felt so insignificant in her square neck green dress that covered up to her knees and her simple black chelsea boots.

But that feeling of inferiority died when the girl caught her staring and she had to make it seem like she was talking to Katie. It hadn't worked at all, because the girl's smirk grew bigger at the sight of Ella's flustered expression as she spoke to Jamie's fiance.

Alex had noticed her pink cheeks but had been in conversation with Nick and Matt, therefore missing what had happened, so he brought his hand to Ella's face and cupped her jaw just to feel how warm she was.

"Are you okay?" He asked with a tinge of worry. He knew she didn't do well in the cold and the last thing he wanted was for her to become ill whilst on holiday.

Ella gulped at the feeling of his hand on her face, so delicate and warm. "Yes, uhm–, who's that?" She shyly asked, pointing towards the woman with a slight raise of her chin.

Alex's gaze quickly fell on the other two members of Pale Waves and with a soft frown, he repeated what Oscar had said a few minutes before. "Oscar's bandmates."

She let out a small sigh, "I know– but, who's she?"

Alex missed the way Ella looked at the girl then, because he just had to roll his eyes as he was completely overcome with annoyance and anger towards the woman playing pool. He shook his head, not really wanting Ella to meet such an appalling person. "You don't wanna know."

That answer had Ella frowning, his face had completely fallen just at the sight of the girl and if that was Alex's reaction to just being in the same establishment as that woman, then she was intrigued about who she was and what her personality was like. She was curious to know about what had happened to make him react like that but she and Alex were brought back into conversation meaning she couldn't get answers just yet.

Matt and Bre came from the bar with drinks for everyone, placing a tray in the middle of the table. Breana had bought a round of shots for everyone along with their drinks, so that was the first thing they did to start off their night.

Ella winced at the burn of the vodka, quickly grabbing her old-fashioned to soothe her throat. Alex wrapped his arm around her waist, softly rubbing circles over her dress as he softly smiled in amusement at her reaction to the alcohol. The need to close her eyes so she could catch her breath again made Ella miss Oscar's bandmate making way to their table.

She opened her eyes and saw the lad waving at everyone and introducing himself to Bre and Ella.

"Hi, I'm Connor. Y'alright?"

Both of them greeted him sweetly and introduced themselves to him, falling into a quick small talk that was then interrupted as the mystery woman now came from the bar with two drinks in hand.

Ella felt her gaze burning on the side of her head from all the way there, that was the only reason she had noticed where she had disappeared to, and she'd had to turn back around slowly as she felt the blush creep on her cheeks again.

But then her platform boots hitting the wooden floors had Ella turning back around to watch her approach them. The girl took a sip of one of the drinks, the glass leaving her lips just a few seconds later and they formed a grin as she got to them.

"Well hello," The girl said but it wasn't to everyone, her gaze was stuck on Ella who grew hot under it and almost shifted in her seat. Alex's hold grew tighter by the second, and that was making her head spin too.

Ella was beyond herself at the way she was feeling about the woman so she could only mutter a quiet, "Hi." as she raised her eyes to return her stare, trying to smile at her without blushing but it was becoming difficult.

"I'm Alice." She said and offered her hand out for Ella to shake, "What's your name beautiful?"

That fully made Ella's cheeks heat up again—her voice was so sweet and her accent only made Ella's knees go weak—but Alice had barely a chance to see her flustered because Alex was quick to say through his teeth, "Fuck off Alice.", making Ella whip her head around to glare at him.

She had never seen him be anything but kind to everyone, and Alice had only said hello and introduced herself so there was no need for the defensive reaction.

Alice seemed to be used to it though, because she only raised her eyebrows at him, gave him an unimpressed, "Rude." and then turned back to Ella with a soft smile and asked again, "What's your name darling?"

Ella didn't know if it was the way Alex squeezed her waist after hearing Alice call her that, or if it was hearing Alice call her 'darling' that had made her squirm in her seat.

Nothing compared to the feeling in her tummy whenever Alex called her by that nickname but what she had just felt from being called it by Alice was the closest she could imagine it would feel from anyone else that wasn't the singer.

It was embarrassing how much of an effect a gorgeous woman could have on her but she would blame it on the lack of sex for the past six months and the instant attraction she felt for Alice.

"I'm Ella." The American finally answered, placing her hand on Alice's and praying she didn't feel how they had started to sweat.

"Well Ella..." Instead of shaking her hand, Alice turned it so she could lean down and kiss the back of it, "Lovely to meet you."

Ella wanted to say that it was a pleasure to meet her as well but after that, her words were completely stuck in her throat. Ella barely registered Alex's exasperated sigh at Alice's antics because she watched Alice notice her 'Pure Desire' tattoo on the back of her hand and how she seemed entranced by it, even if it was only for a mere few seconds.

Ella wouldn't lie and say that it didn't feel nice to see Alice acting like that towards her, especially when she seemed to really not want to let go of her hand and leaving her with a faint squeeze to it.

It had been so long since Ella felt anyone actually showed some genuine interest in her—she knew any flirting from Miles was a joke, and that the flirting from Alex wasn't something he actually meant—, that it had her feeling giddy and smiley.

"Oscar, wanna play the winner?" Alice offered her bandmate with the whole group watching her. "Hello everyone by the way. Looking gorgeous as usual ladies and I've missed you three." She added, only giving a smile to Nick, Jamie and Matt, completely excluding Alex from the greeting and even though Ella was still confused by it, she knew Alex had started it.

"Sure," Oscar stood up and then turned to his other bandmate, "Come on Connor."

"I didn't win." Connor hung his head a little, making Matt laugh at the bassist's defeat.

Ella's gaze was drawn onto Alice, she truly couldn't stop looking at her and when she let her gaze drop to scan her look again, she noticed her nipple piercings peaking through the thin fabric of her top. Ella almost groaned at the sight, her legs clenching together and biting her bottom lip.

Alice caught her looking again but this time Ella only gave her a big smile. However this might finish, I should go for it tonight, Ella thought then, with her mind made about Alice and what could happen. The night was young and she felt it was reciprocal so she could try to let go and have fun that night.

About an hour later, and after two more shots and a third old-fashioned in hand, Ella was well on her way to getting drunk. She was very tipsy, only a couple glasses left for her to fall over the edge of drunkenness so she made herself the promise of having a glass of water after she was done with her current cocktail.

Her eyes had been magnetized to Alice's figure, just like Alice's to hers because they had both caught each other staring a fair few times and the last one had ended with Ella blushing after Alice winked at her.

Ella went to the bar once she had finished her drink, promising Alex she was fine and was only going for some water so she could last a bit longer without getting absolutely shit-faced. Alex reluctantly nodded and turned back around to talk to Jamie and Katie once he saw her almost at the bar.

Alice had been waiting for the perfect moment to approach Ella so she could get to know her without being stared at by the rest of their friends and without Alex being an absolute prick to her.

So seeing Ella sweetly smile at the bartender and ask for a glass of water, Alice walked up beside her and greeted her again.

"What is the pretty lady drinking tonight?" Alice asked with a sultry voice that made Ella brightly smile.

"Got some water for now 'cause I refuse to get wasted and go back to my hotel room before midnight." Ella explained swiftly, playing with her fingers.

Alice hummed with a smirk on her face, "Awh baby, are you a lightweight?"

Ella giggled shyly, her already pink cheeks heating up even more at the pet name, "I have that reputation, yeah."

The Brit smirked at her, "Don't worry, I'll take care of you."

"Thank you, Alice." Ella replied with a faint blush on her cheeks.

Alice found it so adorable how easily she blushed but she didn't want her to stay quiet so she started to test the waters to see her chances. "You're not from here from what I can hear."

"The gossip or the accent?"

"The accent," Alice chuckled at her banter, "Quite like it, always been a sucker for an American accent."

Ella hummed softly and decided to just push through her shyness to flirt back with the stunning girl. "It's a British accent in my case."

"Is it?" Alice smirked, she wanted to keep talking to her just to see how she was once out of her shell. "Shall we go sit over there?" She pointed at a booth by a window, not too close to the bar but not too close to their friends either.

Ella nodded, "Sure. Let me get you a drink first though."

Alice just couldn't hold her tongue so she smirked to reply, "Spoiling me already? Was hoping you'd save that for later."

And she was pleasantly surprised when Ella flirted right back, "I'll have more left in me, don't worry."

Completely satisfied with her reply, Alice hummed and gave in, "In that case, I'd love a gin and tonic."

Ella quickly ordered and paid for Alice's drink, handing it to her once the bartender pushed it towards her and after a sweet 'thank you' from Alice, they made their way to the booth.

"Whereabouts in the States are you from?" Alice asked right after they'd taken their seats, sipping on her drink slowly as she waited for her to answer.

"Tennessee, but I live in Los Angeles."

"Ohhh," Alice let out in realization, "Is that how you know them then?"

Ella nodded with a soft smile, "I'm a production assistant in this company that has been working with them since 2011."

"Fucking hell. Two years dealing with them? I applaud you." Alice exaggerated a bit, knowing that they could be annoying but when it came to work they were professionals.

The American girl chuckled, "They're great. I love them, the four idiots."

"Yeah, but you know..." Alice pushed further, playfully. "Men."

"Ugh, don't even get me started." Ella groaned and that was enough to spark some curiosity in Alice.

"Oh no. Bad experience?"

Ella took a few seconds to think before answering, but even then she stumbled, "It's... complicated."

"Do you mind if I'm nosy and ask about it?" Alice was gentle, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

Ella was feeling very at ease with her though so she didn't find it hard to say, "I actually feel like a drunk rant about the whole thing will be great right now but I apologize in advance for oversharing."

"Nothing to apologize for, baby." Alice quickly reassured, smirking when Ella pressed her lips after being called by the pet name.

After taking a sip of water, Ella started, "So, my last boyfriend cheated on me. And I would love to say that the whole relationship was shit and it was the worst experience of my life but that'd be a lie."

That didn't make Alice feel better about the situation though, her frown deep as she commented on it with a stern, "What a fucking twat."

"Yeah..." Ella agreed, "Now, when I think back to it, I just get annoyed at how he played me. We had agreed on starting a family and trying for a baby at the start of the year and I was over the moon about it so imagine how shattered I was when his parents found him on a date with someone else when he'd told them he'd be out with me."

"You're joking..." Alice's jaw dropped at the brief story, for it sounded utterly devastating.

"He hadn't even wanted to tell me himself to start with so his parents called me to tell me themselves. Apparently they'd been together for a whole month by then." Ella winced as she thought back to it, still not believing that had happened to her.

"I'm so sorry, that's the worst fucking thing." Alice apologized like she needed to but then tried to bring her spirits back up joking with, "You should've fucked his dad. Or his mum, I don't discriminate."

Ella cackled and nodded, "Yeah, that threesome would've made him hate me."

Alice smirked, slightly satisfied by the subtle confirmation of the girl's sexuality. "Definitely."

The alcohol was already impulsing Ella to word vomit though, that's why she continued saying, "Now I have this awful feeling that every relationship I have will end up with me getting cheated on because the first one did it too."

And the British girl didn't miss a beat to reply, "I will batter him after I batter the last one."

"Oh it was a she." Ella felt the need to clear up, looking straight into Alice's eyes just to watch her reaction to the confirmation of her sexuality. "My first relationship. She was my best friend since we started high school but I'd always liked her, so we became girlfriends with two years left until graduation and we were gonna go to college together. Well, that was until she met someone else and fell in love with her, and then left me to go to college with that other girl."

Softly gasping at how cruel things had been to Ella, Alice said, "What the fuck? That is so unfair."

Ella could only nod, "I was left scarred from that one so I just didn't do relationships. Julian was my second official partner, everyone else in between was just a casual thing or a one night stand."

And that was enough for Alice to know that she'd make the night memorable for Ella, "You know what? Fuck them both. Tonight we're gonna have fun and we're gonna forget all about them, so let me change this," She grabbed Ella's glass of water and stood up from her seat, "For an actual drink. Tonight you're getting the treatment you deserve, baby."

Alice winked before leaving to the bar, leaving Ella to stay at the booth, fiddling with her fingers from how nervous she seemed to have gotten. It had been so long since she'd done something casual and she was so scared of fucking up.

No more than two minutes later, Alice was back with two gin and tonics. She left Ella's in front of her and sat back down across from her in the booth.

"Thanks very much." Ella's voice was shy, making Alice feel the need to relax her some more.

"It's nothing, Ella." Alice promised with that sweet voice of hers that had Ella already feeling some type of way.

"You can call me Ellie." She offered her quickly, it was weird to hear someone who wasn't from work call her Ella now.

Alice smirked and stood back up from the booth, grabbing her drink with her left hand and extending her right out to Ella so she could stand up too. "Ellie, let's go dance then."

But that had Ella hiding into herself, "M'not a great dancer."

"I seriously doubt that." Alice insisted, wiggling her fingers which finally made Ella take her hand and let her pull her up from her seat.

"We can dance when I have more alcohol in me." Ella negotiated, knowing she was too sober to dance in the middle of the pub.

"Should we get some shots then?" The singer suggested with that mischievous smirk of hers.

A smirk that Ella matched as she thought, "I probably shouldn't, 'cause it gets me quick but I'm feeling some tequila shots right now."

Alice hummed, amused at the information. "You're looking for trouble."

"Maybe I am." Ella flirted this time, before taking a sip of her drink with her eyes still on Alice's face.

"I like that." Alice winked at her, "How about some shots and playing pool to warm up?"

That sounded like a solid plan to Ella so she eagerly nodded, "Sounds wonderful."

"Alright, go get a table and I'll get us some shots."

Just like Alice had told her, Ella stood by the chosen table after setting it all up. She was leaning on the table as she watched Alice and Matt talking by the bar while they waited for their drinks, but it soon seemed to have turned bitter as Alice's smile changed to a frown that made Ella want to go over and fix whatever had happened.

"Was Matthew annoying you?" Ella had been quick to inquire once Alice was back beside her.

Handing her a shot glass, Alice shrugged with an eye roll, "He's being a dickhead."

"Typical Helders." Ellajoked before raising her glass and clinking it with Alice's to take it.

Ella winced at the taste, going straight back to her still half full gin and tonic to make the tequila burn subside a little bit.

"Do you know how to play?" Alice asked, grabbing her cue and already itching to start playing.

Ella scoffed playfully, "'Course I do."

Alice laughed and said, "Alright." letting her go first.

But halfway through the game, when Ella was missing shots consecutively, Alice had noted her poor form. "You're doing it wrong."

"Why?" Ella asked, slightly defensive.

Alice went to stand behind her, pushing her back down so she was still bent over the table and she could fix her stance. Alice had smirked at the position though, her brain going places already. "If you keep leaning like that then you're gonna mess up your shot."

The Brit leaned her cue on the side of the table and used both her hands to grab at Ella's hips and reposition them. "Keep your hips here, and don't slump over the table like that." Her hands softly fixed her shoulders, making Ella smile at the touch. "There we go. I thought you knew how to play." Alice teased with a smirk.

But Ella took the chance to flirt a little bit, "Maybe I needed a little help." wiggling her ass a little bit before hitting the white ball to shoot at a striped ball.

"Well, I don't mind helping some more." Alice's hands were still resting on her hips as Ella stood back up straight.

With her back pressed to Alice's front, Ella leaned back to say, "Sure you don't."

And Alice didn't let up when she squeezed her hips and whispered in Ella's ear. "I truly don't, but I'm still gonna win."

Ella laughed once Alice had left her with the ghost of her touch on her skin, and turn after turn, she was growing fonder of the singer's company.

Between giggles the game ended and just like Alice predicted, she had won and left Ella to play the next game with Oscar, making her way to the bar to get a new drink for herself.

Alice only let her eyes leave Ella's figure when she had to order her drink, turning back around to look at her bent over the pool table as she giggled over the things Oscar was saying. She wanted to hear exactly what the guitarist was telling her but the music was louder than the chatter.

Ella stood back up and met Alice's gaze with rosy cheeks and a soft smirk, mouthing "I'm winning" proudly to her.

Smiling brightly, Alice winked at her and mouthed a "Good job." back to her, before turning around when the man behind the bar handed her drink.

Alice thought she'd let Ella have some fun by herself, only so she didn't feel suffocated by her flirting because she truly couldn't be fucking it up with her.

So she walked to the booths on the other side of the room, to the one that gave her the best view of the place where Ella stood with Oscar, and it wasn't a surprise that a certain someone had beat her to the best seats in the house.

She smirked at the thought of pushing Alex's buttons, especially knowing that Ella seemed to be very important to him and how she had completely gotten her attention the whole night. Alice could see the fact eating away at Alex's insides.

"Your friend is fit as fuck," Alice sighed as she dropped herself into the space beside Alex, "Thank you for bringing her... Here, and to my attention."

"Stop flirting with her." Alex immediately scorned, "You're making her uncomfortable."

"If I'm making her uncomfortable then you're fucking Einstein." Alice shook her head, sarcasm thick in her voice, "She's flirting back or are you blind as a bat and can't see that woman blush?"

He scoffed, his patience wearing thin already, "She doesn't deserve to be played about by the likes of you."

"Christ Red, I'm already sick of the sound of your voice." The feeling is mutual, Alex thought but before he could even say it out loud, Alice continued, "And it's rude that you think I'm trying to play her about. I'm genuinely interested."

Alex didn't care to believe her words, still pushing for her to stop her behavior. "She's just had her heart broken and she doesn't need you to-"

But Alice had had enough, "To what, Alex? To break it again? To use her? Why do you automatically assume I'm going to be a bitch?"

"Because you are a bitch."

Alice let out a dry laugh at his attempts, "You can do better with your insults, Turner."

"She's only just herself again and I don't want you fucking that up." And truly he didn't want Ella to get hurt, he'd do anything in his power to avoid that but he was biased and in denial, not wanting to see how Ella was reciprocal to Alice's intentions.

"Very noble of you Red I've gotta say. But I have absolutely no intention to hurt that stunning woman." It was one of the very unusual times that Alice didn't use sarcasm when speaking to Alex, her words screaming honesty but the singer was seething seeing it all unfold in front of him.

"Stop trying to fuck her too," was the only thing he could say, completely ignoring Alice's tries to make him understand she wasn't playing the American girl.

She was completely fed up then, so she just said, "I think she wants to fuck me too, so why would I stop?" to mess with him a bit more, have him more angry at the fact that the night was simply not going how he'd expected.

Alex groaned in response, his hands coming up to rub his face in frustration. He desperately needed a smoke but if he went outside after this talk, he knew Alice would take Ella back to hers in a second and there'd be nothing he could do about it.

"I've never seen you so defensive. Not even over Arielle when I used to flirt with her." Alice was taking the opportunity to continue annoying him, but at the same time she was trying to find some answers, just so she could use the information to her advantage in the future.

Alex didn't give her the pleasure though, only glaring at her with murderous thoughts running through his mind. Alice brought the worst in him every time.

"What's that look for?" She teased, knowing she'd break him in no time. "Ohhh, you like her don't you?"

"Fuck off Loveless." He cursed through his teeth, really grasping tightly the last bits of patience he had left.

Alice rolled her eyes, truly amused at the fact that he kept trying to tell her what to do. "Oh Red, you've already told me and I didn't listen to you the first time so I definitely won't be now. Save your breath."

"Do you ever just get fucking tired?" His question was hostile, his gaze matching the tone.

"Not really." She purposely answered knowing that it would make him want to scream in frustration, "Do tell, how long has it been since you've liked her?"

"Shut up Alice." She truly didn't need to know, because the true answer was gonna be enough for Alice to laugh until the end of time over his 'lack of game'.

But she wouldn't budge, now she was just purely curious to know the real answer because it seemed like it'd be an entertaining story. "C'mon, let's try and be civil once." She kicked his feet under the table, only getting him to grumpily shift his legs away from her.

She laughed as Alex gave her an ultimatum for her to stop trying to get an answer. "We're not going to sit here talking about my feelings Alice. We're not friends."

"No we're not. But Christ, I'm jealous you've been her friend for so long. Since 2011 she said, you fucking lucky bastard." She really couldn't believe he had seen a girl like that for two years and not tried to make her his girlfriend.

"Please stop." He begged, making Alice's eyes widen.

"Damn you beg for this woman. You're down so bad." 'Please' was a word she never heard coming from Alex, so this meant it was very serious for him.

"Loveless, I'm being serious." His eyes narrowed as he glared at her once more.

That only had her trying not to laugh, "Don't threaten me with a good time Alex."

"Kill me now." Alex sighed, looking up to the ceiling as if begging for lightning to strike him down.

"Don't tempt me." Alice pushed further, fully just jumping on everything he said because he put it so easy for her to get him angry.

Alex was done with it so he just said what he wanted to say, not caring about what Alice may think, because he was finding her cruel—not just to him but to Ella—and he hated it. "Don't, because I know exactly what you're doing and you know it's working so just please stop."

Alice frowned, not really understanding what he meant. "What is it that I'm doing?"

"You're trying to fuck her to get one up on me for our little vendetta we have against each other. You're trying to get with her to annoy me. And yes, it's working." He stated like it was obvious, a patronizing look on his face that made Alice want to punch it right off.

Alex watched as the singer visibly deflated then, her eyes got less hard and some emotion he'd not seen in her before seeped through the cracks. But before he could comment on it, Alice's hard expression came back, "It pisses me off how you think I'm such a stone cold bitch. I have fucking feelings too, I just don't when I talk to you because you're always a cunt to me."

Her glass landed with a loud thud on the table in front of them but it wasn't loud enough to hide her scoff, "I'm not a monster Alex. I'm not trying to use her. Especially in any way to get back at you."

Alice's playful smirk had long left her face, making Alex start to panic inside thinking about what he should say to make it better, maybe even try to apologize. If Alice had paid attention to him, then she'd seen the cogs turning around in his brain, smoke coming out of his ears with how hard he was trying to make it up to the singer but when Matt came over to check on them—knowing they had a reputation to ruin each other's nights from their arguments—, he took it as he'd been saved by the bell.

Thankfully, Matt had been a sort of mediator between them because about five minutes later, when they were back alone, they stayed there in a comfortable silence rather than the awkward one before.

So they continued watching Ella playing. Their eyes followed her every move, which were ever the slightest bit calculated since Ella had caught them and could feel them staring at her.

So, with a mischievous mind very much induced by the alcohol in her bloodstream, she slowly leaned down to pick her glass from the floor, making a show of her barely covered ass and swaying it to the sides slightly, just enough for them to notice but for everyone else to take it as a normal thing.

And if that wasn't enough, when she came back up, she made sure to stroke up and down the cue she was using to play. Her fingers flexing around it, her tattoo stealing the spotlight and drawing their eyes in.

"Fucking hell." Alice hissed quietly before biting her lip and taking her own drink to have a long sip of it as she looked away from the American. Her brain was racing with thoughts that had her eager to get the night moving.

As Alex was the only one who could hear it, he looked at the singer and breathlessly asked, "What?" as if he hadn't seen that too, as if he hadn't had to bite his tongue and clench his fists to not groan.

"I want that Pure Desire tattoo wrapped around my neck like a pretty necklace." Alice said truthfully, not really wanting to keep it to herself because it was Ella and she knew now that he'd agree. "Take this choker off me and give me her hand."

Alex hated so badly that it was Alice saying it, he didn't want to share Ella with anyone, much less with the woman he hated. "Oh my fucking god Alice."

Alice rolled her eyes, "Oh don't tell me you've not pictured exactly the same thing. Just because I'm the only one ballsy enough to say it out loud."

"Come on," Alice nudged his shoulder with hers, "Admit it."

"Loveless." He told her like a warning.

Alice leaned in a little closer, prompting him again, "Admit it, Red." And only to see his reaction is that she allowed herself to think of a dirty scenario, "You've definitely thought about that hand around your throat, probably around your dick too, but knowing your lyrics, the throat one probably has you finishing in seconds when you think about her."

"You're being loud." He warned once more.

"And there was no denial in sight. Kinky bastard." She raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him to admit to having done that. But he was quick to avert his eyes and look back to the pool tables. "Don't go all shy, she's hot. Why wouldn't you want her? I know I do."

He still gave her silence as an answer and that was enough for Alice to know it all. Alex was so easy to read, and having received nothing but hostility, indifference and defensive comments from him, it was easy to know when he felt the complete opposite towards someone.

They watched as she made her last shot, making it perfectly and she jumped in her spot in celebration. Oscar laughed at her actions, his smile staying on his face because Ella was just so adorable to him. So he took a step towards her and in one swift motion pulled her in by the waist, making her crash into his chest and fling her arms around his neck for stability.

Oscar had seen the two staring at Ella for a while, so he found his friends' eyes and smirked at them in an attempt to tease them.

Oscar's smirk only grew bigger when Alice and Alex flipped him off at the same time, the jaws locked and their stern looks on him as he swayed with Ella in his arms and squeezed her tight before letting go.

"How you nearly fucked him I don't know." Alex quickly reminded Alice, trying to see if that'd push her away from trying anything else tonight.

"We were very drunk and my standards were lower."

"You sure?" He back chatted, without missing a beat and the way her face fell in annoyance.

"You're a dick." She sighed, her 'Alex Turner tolerance' levels were running very low, "I'm sorry but out of me or Oscar, who would you rather take your friend home?"

"Can't believe I'm saying this but you." He felt sick just admitting that aloud.

She hummed in satisfaction, "Exactly."

Ella moved to hang the cue she'd been using, hearing Breana call her over from the table the group was still at. So she walked in a slow pace over to her best friend, smirking at the attention of Alice and Alex she could still feel.

Alice sighed in content, watching Ella's legs peeking out from the fabric of her dress, her ass so perfectly hugged by it. "She's so perfect from every point of view... Just one look from her is more than enough for me to believe god is real and she's just as gay as me." She backtracked on her statement and felt the need to clarify, "God, I mean, not Ella. I know Ella is just as gay as me."

Alex shook his head, trying not to give her the pleasure of hearing him actually laugh because he'd found that funny, focusing on the way Ella got to Bre and hugged her from the back and over her shoulders.

They could see Breana had ordered some sort of dessert, but they weren't quite sure what it was. It didn't matter though, because watching Ella take the spoonful that the model was offering her was far more important, and it had them completely entranced when the whipped cream that was over it fell out of the corner of Ella's mouth and down her bare neck.

Ella laughed, struggling to swallow between the chuckles and Breana, who was trying to wipe the sweet from her neck with her finger, couldn't do it correctly due to how she couldn't stay still from the laughter.

A few seconds later, Bre had managed to wipe most of it with her index finger and offered it to Ella as a joke to lick clean but that was exactly what Ella needed to have the two people who were gawking at her, completely lose it.

So Ella stuck her tongue out to lick Breana's finger from base to tip and then wrapped her lips around it to sink her mouth on it. It got even filthier when Ella's eyes met theirs and she let them roll back in satisfaction.

Both Alice and Alex were struggling to breathe. In the middle of that Alice's head had fallen on Alex's shoulder and she'd fully groaned into his neck. Alex was going into overdrive, and Alice felt herself getting worked up from the whole thing.

"That was thigh-clenching-ly hot. Fuck me..." And Alice wasn't lying because when Alex distractedly dropped his gaze down, he saw her thighs pressed together and he had to hold himself back not to groan in response.

But Ella wasn't done, not when she'd just seen them react that way. She had made it seem like she'd gotten distracted by Jamie and Nick laughing at Matt's comment on Ella trying to steal his girlfriend, but she'd been watching the two out of the corner of her eye.

That's why, to seemingly keep the joke going in front of the lads, she asked Breana to lick the rest off her neck and her best friend did just that.

Alice wanted to be Breana so badly in that moment, to have Ella sit on her lap as she licked her neck. Alex tried not to moan when he saw Bre purposely start sucking on Ella's neck and Ella's mouth opened slightly in pleasure.

"They're gonna start shagging on the table!" They heard Nick yell, Matt was separating the American girls as everyone laughed their asses off, especially when they pointed at the small bruise already showing faintly on Ella's neck

Alice had been sure she'd be shagging Ella later, but that just made her a thousand percent sure that it'd be one of the best decisions she'd make. "I won't fuck her against the shared wall, don't worry." She stated, even though she certainly knew that'd happen, because all she wanted to do now was fuck Ella in every corner of her damn flat.

Alex stood up then, completely done with her, still breathless from the whole situation and just wanting to go home so he could properly get off to the thought of Ella. "Time for another drink."

"I'll have a Negroni Sbag–"

"Wasn't asking if you wanted one Loveless." Alex leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Especially if you fuck my Ellie."

Alice smirked up at him and whispered back, "I'm going to make your Ellie cum on my tongue."

Alex pretended the image hadn't made him want to burst right there. He was sure he'd hate Alice even more after that night because of how much he'd be thinking about them both. And it was awful of him, he knew, but how could he not. That made him also want to kick himself in the head because it wasn't only Ella involved, it was Alice of all people. Fucking Alice.

Alice downed whatever was left of her drink, taking the empty glass with her until she reached Ella's side and wrapped her arm around her waist.

"You're a tease, aren't you?" Alice whispered into her ear, making Ella shiver in her hold.

Ella played innocent, "Me? What makes you say that?"

But Alice could see straight through her and if she was right about her suspicions then it would be a very fun night. Alice hummed, letting her hand drop slowly and then grabbing a handful of Ella's ass and squeezing it, making Ella whimper softly only for her to hear. "I'm very observant."

Ella had enough alcohol in her to fully be blunt and not care that she was in public and in front of all their friends so, with her eyes filled with lust, she said, "And are you liking the view?"

"Very much." Alice replied looking at her hungrily and not being able to hold back any longer.

Alice quickly placed her glass on the table and grabbed Ella by the neck to pull her in and kiss her. It was a hungry kiss, and neither of the girls cared to be seen, if anything Alice thought it'd be better for everyone in the place to know she was the one taking Ella home. Alice believed she was the only one in the place that could treat her the way she deserved.

Ella's arms wrapped around Alice's shoulders, making sure to tangle her fingers on the singer's hair and pulling her in impossibly closer. Alice had one of her arms around Ella's waist, holding her tightly to her chest, and her right hand was still wrapped around Ella's neck just like she'd wanted to do all night.

Now, Alice wanted to test her theories, so she put some more pressure around Ella's neck to see if she was truly into it and when the girl moaned into her mouth, allowing their tongues to taste each other, Alice felt like the luckiest woman alive.

Their kiss went on until they ran out of breath, pulling away as they panted, not even caring about how their friends had all gone silent. All the girls could focus on was the big smirks on each other's faces, certainly satisfied by the kiss.

Somewhere in the background they heard Matt saying "Fucking hell, they were eating each other." but they couldn't be arsed to say anything back because Alice was now rubbing circles on Ella's neck and she was enjoying the touch way too much.

Ella's gaze fell on Alice's swollen lips and that only made her want to taste them again so, letting one of her arms drop from around her shoulders to her waist, Ella pulled Alice back in for another kiss.

Alice moaned as she felt Ella's tongue instantly teasing her lips so that she could open them up for her, making Ella grip her waist tighter and pushing her hips against Alice's. That only made the British girl tighten her hold around Ella's neck, and that's when Ella knew that if she didn't live in a different continent, then she'd do anything to feel Alice's lips on hers all the time.

This time they didn't kiss for long, because now their friends were causing ruckus and they'd rather not have them ruin the night for them by being loud and forcing them to leave early. Not that it would be bad for them, as they could get down to it sooner but they both knew they wanted to stay and enjoy each other's presence a little more at the pub they were in.

So Ella left a bunch of pecks on Alice's lips, which made Alice truly melt at how fucking adorable she was.

When Alice let her hand drop from Ella's neck, she noticed once again the bareness of it, so she undid her own choker and wrapped it around Ella's neck instead.

Ella bit her lip, feeling Alice's fingers brushing the skin on the back of her neck—it was such a simple touch but she was suffocating in the tension between them, it had her tummy fluttering.

Alice finished locking the leather piece, and leaned backwards to see it in all its glory around Ella's pretty neck. "Definitely suits you better." She said, her mouth watering as she thought of marking her up all over. "That feel alright?" She asked, just to make sure Ella was comfortable.

But Ella made her breath hitch in her throat when she whispered, "Kinda wish it could be tighter."

And once again, Alice just couldn't help herself. She deeply groaned as she hooked her finger on the A that tied the choker together and pulled Ella in to attack her lips again. Thankfully, seeing that the two girls had been ignoring them all, their friends had gone back to what they were doing and left them to it.

They were also thankful for the music in the place, loud enough so it could drown the moans they were letting out into each other's mouths.

Alice brought one of her hands to tangle in Ella's hair and pulled on it ever so roughly to make her whimper. Ella had left the hand that was on Alice's waist drop to grope her ass, fingers roughly kneading the barely covered flesh, and the singer stopped the kiss to let out a breathy moan that had Ella smirking.

Alex had come back from the bar right after Alice had put her choker on Ella and he found it a miracle that the glass he had in his hand didn't shatter from how tight he was holding it.

He knew Alice was determined but how he wished she'd set her eyes on someone else because seeing all that was just making his chest twist in a knot. He had imagined tonight going so differently: getting to have a drink with Ella and chat to their heart's content, dancing around with her, sharing smokes and maybe taking her back to his just so they could cuddle.

The longer he thought about it, the more his anger towards Alice bubbled inside him.

He got to the table right when the girls let go of each other, not before Ella gave Alice's ass another cheeky squeeze, making Alice laugh and leave a kiss on her neck. Rolling his eyes, he started gulping down his drink, making a mental note to make it a double next time he went to the bar.

Ella went to sit with Breana again, leaving Alice to chat with Oscar and both conversations seemed to be about the same topic.

Bre kept teasing Ella, and she could only blush as she said how much she was looking forward to later in the night. The model had hugged her tightly and shaken her in her arms, making Ella giggle away.

And Alice watched all that with a loopy smile on her face, matching the one on Alex's face who was looking at Ella's happy state with pure adoration. Yes he despised seeing it be because of someone else but her happiness was contagious and he couldn't help feeling warm inside whenever she smiled.

It was about ten minutes later that someone from the staff had pulled the projector screen down in the corner of the room and set everything up for karaoke. A handful of people ran to the book to pick a song to perform.

They all suffered three very drunkenly performed songs and a decent rendition of one of the best ABBA songs. And as a man very passionately sang an Adele song, a tipsy Ella who had been peer pressured into participating stood up to grab the song book.

If it wasn't for the alcohol and Alice's gaze on her, she would've done anything to avoid it, but then she found a song she loved by one of her new favorite artists that had her brightly grinning and quickly telling the man in charge of the songs what it was that she'd be singing.

When the man singing Adele was done and stepped out of the small stage, Ella grabbed the microphone with shaky hands. Everyone at the table whooped and cheered, wolf whistled and clapped seeing her walk onto the stage, making her blush.

The song started, she was deeply regretting agreeing to it until her eyes landed on Alex's and he nodded at her encouragingly, giving her thumbs up and smiling wide at seeing her on stage for a change.

Ella smiled back at him, scrunching her nose and in no time she started singing along.

She had a sweet, hush voice that sounded amazing even when she was drunk. People at the pub started cheering for her as she'd been so far the best to perform. But it was when she got to the chorus that her eyes met Alice's and she just had to put on a little show for her.

Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want

Ella sang teasingly, making sure to get a little breathless to accentuate how she wanted to be chanting that line, Alice crossed her legs to aid the ache between them.

Alex had let out a groan, one that left his throat without him wanting to. If he closed his eyes every time she sang that line, he could paint a picture in his mind that was enough for him to cum in his pants at any second.

It was in the second verse that Ella leaned onto the railing that separated the stage and stared right into Alice's eyes as she sang.

In the land of gods and monsters

I was an angel looking to get fucked hard

Ella sent a wink Alice's way and the singer bit her lip, eyeing her up and down with a hungry look on her face.

And after that look, Ella just filled up with this confidence that had her hips swaying and really feeling every line of the song.

Alex was quite literally dying in his seat. His heart was going a thousand miles per hour, every movement of Ella's body getting branded to the forefront of his mind. But all of Ella's attention was on Alice, making him want to scream.

Alice had made a point to be the loudest once Ella got off stage and she was pleased to see Ella go straight to sit on her lap and give her a quick kiss.

"That was so embarrassing." She'd said in Alice's ear.

Alice shook her head, "You did amazing, baby. T'was fucking hot."

Ella gave her no time to react when she cupped her jaw and kissed her hard. Ella's hands cupped her jaw eagerly and Alice's arms pulled her impossibly close, and because of how she'd forcefully pushed her hips into hers, Ella had moaned at the friction.

"God– Please, sit on my face." Alice said under her breath, already obsessed with the noises Ella made.

Ella's thighs clenched together, "Thought you'd never ask." was what she said back and Alice would've taken her right there if she could've.

Another hungry kiss started, their tongues meeting straight away making them dizzy from want but it was cut short because of the person who was now on stage quite literally screaming 'Living On A Prayer'. Ella rested her forehead on Alice's and they both started laughing into each other, absolutely loving the way the night was turning out to be.

Alex was forcing himself to focus on the butchering of the Bon Jovi song, just so he could keep the little sanity he had left.

He was sure it'd be worse once he'd go home and had to try to find sleep whilst he knew that the girls' would be shagging next door. He would just have to try and stay way longer just to avoid arriving at his flat.

A few more people went—including Katie and Breana who had sung 'Head Over Heels' by Tears for Fears—, and after a fair fifteen minutes, Ella had stood up from Alice's lap so she could go sing.

When Alice got on stage, Ella wolf whistled at her, earning her a wink and a blown kiss. Alex felt himself dying a little bit when he watched Ella's massive smile on her face at that. Jealousy was such a weird feeling, his chest tightening at the sight of her happiness and knowing someone else was the reason for that, was killing him.

And it only became worse when Alice's chosen song started and the people around the place started cheering for her as she sang straight to Ella.

So one, two, three

Take my hand and come with me

Because you look so fine

That I really wanna make you mine

I said, you look so fine

That I really wanna make you mine

He wanted to be the one making Ella blush as she giggled by having a song basically serenaded to her.

Well, I could see you home with me

But you were with another man, yeah

I know we ain't got much to say

Before I let you get away, yeah

I said, are you gonna be my girl?

Alex drowned his thoughts in whiskey, staring at a giddy Ella hypnotized by Alice. It was painful to see not only their group of friends enjoying the performance but everyone in the establishment cheering and singing along, clapping and hyping Alice up. That only had the singer more confident to lay it on thick on Ella as she sang to her.

Once Alice was done and off stage, seeing Ella so eagerly kiss her had Alex standing up from his seat and going to the bar.

He ordered himself a double whiskey on the rocks, downing it faster than he should've and ordering another one right away. He sat at the bar until the karaoke stopped and even though his ears hurt, he wished the obnoxious noise was still there so he could distract himself from his thoughts.

Once he was finished with his second drink, he made sure to get a third one and when he got it, he went back to sit at the booth he and Alice had been sitting at earlier when watching Ella.

Time had moved quicker than he could process as he wallowed in self pity in a corner and, in a moment when her attention wasn't completely taken by Alice or the rest of the group, Ella made her way to him.

She was truly elated, the night had turned out better than she'd ever expected and to find someone she actually wanted to fuck, who she felt so comfortable with already, was a massive win to her.

So Ella let herself drop beside Alex with a happy sigh. He turned around quickly, knowing it was her from just her scent, and smiled softly.

"You okay sweets?" She asked with a soft frown on her face, the last time she'd seen him was when she was on stage during karaoke and he'd been smiling so she wondered what had happened for his mood to fall down completely.

"Yes darling, I'm fine." He gave her a tight lip smile that she instantly knew was forced.

She shook her head, "You don't look it, sweetness. Come here." She opened her arms for him and Alex sighed.

He stared at the A around her neck, held by the leather band of the choker and he wished with everything he had that it was A for Alex instead of Alice. Ignoring the growing jealousy inside him, he accepted her embrace and relaxed instantly by nuzzling in the crook of her neck.

She giggled at the tickling feeling from his hair, which made him only do it more in order to hear her laugh louder. His hand managed to go around her side to tickle her there and that's when she dropped her arms to cackle as she tried to push him away from her.

"Stop, stop, stop. I'm too drunk for tickling." She pleaded, really feeling like she'd fully pee herself from laughing with her state.

Alex stopped, opting for properly wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer into his side.

"Are you having fun?" He asked softly, only she was able to hear him from how close she was to him.

Ella showed a loopy grin, her eyes closing at how wide it was, "Lots."

"I'm glad, darling. You deserve it." He was being honest, because despite how he hated everything that had gone on—except for this very moment—, he was so damn happy she was happy.

She cooed, letting her head fall on his shoulder. "Gonna make me cry, sweets. Remember I'm an emotional drunk."

He chuckled and left a kiss on top of her head, making her skin erupt in goosebumps. "You're a clingy one as well. You'll be asking for cuddles in a bit."

And he was about to suggest taking her back to his so they could cuddle all night, a last attempt to stop anything from happening between her and Alice, when aforementioned suddenly appeared beside her and pounced on Ella's lips.

Ella leaned back into Alex due to the force and the lack of space, and since the singer had his arm around her waist, he was stuck between the seat and Ella's body.

He tried his best to avert his eyes, not wanting to watch the way Alice's tongue disappeared into Ella's mouth but what he couldn't do was mute the noise so he fully froze when Ella let out a loud moan at the taste of Alice.

A moan that earned her one from Alice and soon enough both of them were whimpering messes which had Alex completely going insane.

Alex tried pulling his arm out slowly but Ella kept leaning back, meaning he was more trapped by the second. He watched around him in search of any type of help, he needed a way out, but everyone was still at the table, so engrossed in the conversations that he couldn't even catch anyone's attention from where he was.

He cursed in his head, fully panicking as Ella continued to lean back into him and now resting on his chest, Alice starting to bend over on top of her. And then the girls' hands started to wander and Ella's right hand disappeared under Alice's top. He could see her fingers inching closer to Alice's nipple and he knew that if he didn't get out of there soon, then he'd be in serious trouble.

So Alex cleared his throat loudly and continuously, enough times to have them separating with their chests heaving and cheeks flushed. Not as flushed as his, but definitely giving him competition.

Alice held her hand out for Ella to grab, which she accepted instantly and watching Alice go over to the table to grab her coat, Ella turned around slightly to apologize.

"Sorry sweets. I'll see you tomorrow?" Ella tried meeting his eyes to see if their plans still stood, but it was a failure.

Alex could barely meet her eyes as he nodded his head. "Yep. See you tomorrow, darling."

Ella gave him a tight lip smile that he missed but he was left with the picture of Alice helping Ella put her coat on and then intertwining her fingers with Ella's as they waved everyone goodbye.

"Have fun Eleanor!" Oscar yelled suggestively as the couple of girls walked away.

Ella was gonna flip him off when Alice beat her to an answer, "Oh she most certainly will." She assured, to then make a V with her fingers and stuck her tongue out through it to flick up and down in a quick motion.

They heard their friends laugh behind them, Ella's cheeks bright red as they walked out but her heart leaped on her chest from anticipation. 

✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧

The walk back to Alice's was about fifteen minutes long which she'd find short in any other circumstance, but standing right there with the need to have Ella to herself had her deciding to just take a cab back to her place.

Only a few minutes later the girls were sitting inside a car, the red light on and the lights flashing as they drove the city's streets.

"So I hear you're in a band?" Ella started the conversation, feeling Alice rubbing her hand tattoo with her thumb.

She nodded, giving Ella her undivided attention, "I am."

"What do you do?" Ella asked, her words a little slurred, and she felt slightly bad for forgetting what Oscar had said she did earlier.

But Alice smiled amused, "I sing."

"Like Alex?" The American grinned, forgetting how both singers seemed to hate each other.

"Yes, but I'm better than him," Alice stated confidently and when Ella laughed a little she added, "I'm sexier too."

Ella hummed softly, not really knowing if she could fully agree on that because if she took a moment to think about it, then she'd greedily choose them both.

"Why does it seem like you two don't like each other?" She felt the need to ask.

"That's because we don't... At all." Alice didn't hesitate to tell her.

The information confused Ella because she truly couldn't understand why Alex couldn't stand such a sweet and funny girl like Alice.

"Can I ask why?" She asked curiously.

"I don't know why to be honest with you." Alice told her truthfully, "The first time I met him he was horrible to me for no reason. And then it progressed to what it is now... Always getting under each other's skin."

"He's not a bad person, I swear." Ella felt the sudden urge to defend her best friend, maybe even give Alice another view on him that could make her try to change her mind. "I've actually never met anyone nicer... He's the one who got me through all the shit my ex put me through, got me being myself again."

"I'm glad he's got a soft spot for someone. Nice to see some human qualities come through" Alice only smiled back, her eyes clearly wandering around Ella's face, which made her blush. "And it's really fine that it's not for me. We get under each other's skin, it's entertaining a lot of the time to be honest."

Ella got lost staring at Alice's features, half a minute going by before her brain caught up with what was said so she offered a solution, "Maybe if you spent time together then you both could-"

But Alice shook her head with a sad expression on her face. Only sad because of not being able to give Ella the outcome she wanted in the situation. "We're going on tour together the rest of the year and the next baby, and we've just done a festival run together. I can't see anything changing. And I've already tried with him and nothing's ever come of it. So I'll just have to learn to live with him."

"You're touring with them?" Ella asked with a sparkle of excitement in her eyes.

"Pale Waves supporting Arctic Monkeys across America and Europe and festivals in Australia. Can you believe it?" Alice smiled sweetly at her, really appreciating her obvious elation at the news.

"I feel bad that you're touring with them and I've never heard your music." Ella's voice sounded very apologetic then, as she played with Alice's fingers.

"Don't worry baby," Alice waved off, letting go of Ella's hand to let her own wander over her knee and slowly up her thigh. "You'll get the best seats to any and all shows. I'll be very pleased to see your pretty face there."

Ella blushed harder then, letting her head drop slightly. Feeling the urge to tease Alice back, she let her hand brush over her fishnet covered thigh, and let her fingertips ghost over the tattoo she had there. 'My Mind Makes Noises' it read, and if she focused enough, Ella could see the goosebumps breaking out on Alice's skin from the touch.

"It's the title of my first album." Alice told her with a small smile.

Ella's fingers kept tracing the words as she asked, "Your first?"

"Yes, I'm writing my second now." The singer nodded, trying not to react to the tingles that Ella's fingers were causing her to feel go up her thigh and reach her center.

"Nice." Ella smiled but she couldn't help but wonder, "Why 'My Mind Makes Noises'?"

"Mental illness, baby." Alice chuckled as a joke, but she went on to explain, "I'm okay now but I struggled with how I looked and what my body looked like when I was younger. Wrote the song Noises about it and 'my mind makes noises' is the first line of the song."

"Proud of you for getting through it." Ella smiled, fully resting her hand over her thigh then as she made a mental note to remind Alice as many times as she could just how fucking drop dead gorgeous she was.

"Thank you Ellie." Alice smiled back at her, her hand coming over Ella's and tracing her hand tattoo again.

For a brief second, Ella felt bad that she was flirting with the singer when she'd just told her about her personal trauma. So going a little shy, she withdrew her hand from the singer's thigh and put it back down on her own.

This however was written all across Ella's face and Alice could already read her like a book. So smirking a little, Alice picked Ella's hand up and placed it back on her thigh over her tattoo, then crossed her legs trapping the American's fingers so she could keep her there.

Ella's mouth opened up slightly, her breath shaky when she met Alice's gaze. The action made her lean back into the seat as she cursed under her breath. "Fucking hell."

Alice smirked at the effect and she was grateful to see they only had a few blocks left to get to their destination.

It was all a blur from the moment they got off the cab to when they made it upstairs and into her flat. Their minds were quickly shaken up by their lips clashing again as soon as the door to Alice's flat closed behind them.

"Fuck." Alice cursed on Ella's lips, "I can finally have you all to myself." She inhaled deeply through her nose, so glad to be in between four walls meaning that she could freely drop her hands to grab Ella by the ass and push her hips into hers.

Soon enough, after Ella's coat had been thrown onto the floor, they were on the settee. Ella's legs on each side of Alice's hips as she straddled her. They couldn't stop kissing each other, only when they were overcome by the friction of their hips meeting and they couldn't stop moaning into each others' mouths.

Ella was drenched already and Alice hadn't missed that, not when Ella's dress was bunched all the way up to her hips and she had a full view of her cute lacy thong already ruined. Alice let one of her hands in between their bodies to push Ella's underwear to the side and rub her clit with enough speed to have Ella whimper and stop kissing her.

"Alice–" Ella was barely able to say, breathless from the kiss and now her fingers.

And Alice had loved how she said her name so much that she went ahead and dipped two of her fingers into Ella, slipping so easily inside of her because of how wet she was.

"All this for me?" Alice asked teasingly as she slowly pumped her fingers in and out of her.

Ella could only softly moan at the stretch of Alice's fingers inside her, feeling so much better than her own after so long of having had to get herself off.

But since Alice didn't get an answer, she stopped her movements which made Ella whimper in despair. And in a desperate attempt to continue with what had been happening, Ella lifted her hips up and back down Alice's fingers, fucking herself on them.

Alice groaned as she watched her fingers disappearing inside Ella's cunt and when she looked back up, she noticed Ella's eyes rolling back in pleasure.

She didn't let her have fun for much long because she took her hand away and before Ella could even protest, Alice gave her left ass cheek a hard spank, leaving her to let out a gasp that turned into a moan.

"You need to answer." Alice scorned, a smirk on her face when she watched Ella's dilated pupils focus back on her.

Ella nodded desperately, missing the feeling of her fingers inside her, "Yes, baby, all for you." And in an attempt to get some mercy from Alice, she connected their lips again with need.

Alice knew exactly what she wanted Ella doing first, so without breaking the kiss, she guided Ella's right leg in between hers and forced her hips down onto her tattooed thigh. Alice's hands gripped at Ella's hips tightly, guiding her to move on her thigh, to ride it until she came.

Ella hummed in pleasure, biting Alice's bottom lip as she pulled back and letting it free after a few seconds. That had Alice squirming in her seat, her leg accidentally shifting in between Ella's legs, making the American girl cry out in pleasure.

Watching Ella ride her thigh was a picture Alice wouldn't forget in a while, her soft sounds echoing in her brain and making her want more from her. So when Ella fell forwards, caging Alice between her arms as she rested them on the back of the couch, Alice took advantage of the skin she had right there to bruise.

Her choker stood perfectly in place still and that only encouraged Alice more. She started kissing her way down her neck and started her attack on her chest. Alice sucked love bites on Ella's tits, biting her nipples softly over the fabric of her dress and that only made Ella move faster on her thigh.

Ella got increasingly louder with the more sucking Alice did, and it turned into desperate whimpers when Alice found that spot right over her collarbone at the base of her neck that made her go absolutely insane.

The rhythm of her hips grew erratic and messy, Ella's moans falling straight into Alice's ear and she couldn't do anything else other than encourage her to reach her climax.

"That's it, good girl." Alice said against her neck, leaving a trail of pecks as Ella got louder, "Come on, baby, I wanna hear how good you sound when you cum."

Alice's hands went to grab harshly at Ella's ass, helping her with her movements and it was her touch along with her words of encouragement that had Ella tipping over the edge and trembling as she orgasmed on top of Alice.

The singer watched her in awe, taking a mental picture of her pretty face scrunching up in pleasure, continuing to help her shaky hips as she came down from her high.

Ella let her forehead drop on Alice's shoulder, her shallow breaths loud as she tried to get oxygen back in her lungs, her legs still shaking slightly besides Alice's thigh.

"You look so fucking pretty when you cum, baby." Alice started, leaving open mouthed kisses on the side of Ella's neck which was on show to her.

When Alice licked a bold stripe up her neck and started sucking right under her ear, Ella's breath hitched on her throat and that had her coming out of her trance.

She sat back up straight, dipping her head to give Alice a brief messy kiss and then saying, "Let's go to your room, Allie." as she carefully stood back up on wobbly legs and offered her hand for Alice to take.

Alice wasted no time, intertwining their fingers and dragging Ella towards her room.

Once inside, Ella quickly pushed Alice onto bed and dropped to her knees right in front of her. Alice felt herself grow breathless in anticipation, her cunt dripping at the sight of Ella so innocently staring up at her through her lashes.

But Ella wanted to tease her, so she got a hold of one of her legs and slowly took one of her red boots off, making sure to kiss from her ankle up to a few inches above her knee, really making it feel like she was going to her inner thighs but leaving right when Alice got her hopes up.

She repeated the process with the other leg, this time teasing her a bit more and licking her inner thigh up until she was close to the edge of her underwear.

Alice watched as Ella's head disappeared under her skirt, but whined when all she got was a couple of open mouthed kisses over her clothed core.

Ella pulled back to take Alice's fishnets off, so painfully slow that almost had Alice wanting to complain—she only didn't because she was enjoying Ella's methods, it turned her on impossibly more.

The American got on the bed then, straddling Alice and slowly pushing her backwards so she was fully laying on the bed. Alice cupped her jaw and brought her in for a kiss, another steamy one that had their breaths shaky in no time.

Their hips met once again, over and over, the friction so good that it made them stop kissing just so they could moan into each others' mouths. But Ella wanted Alice to cum under her first, just so she could also fully see how she came undone without being distracted by chasing her own high.

Ella's lips trailed down Alice's neck, slowly starting her attack on the singer's neck, leaving open mouth kisses and softly sucking her skin which earned her soft moans from Alice.

It was when she got to her clothed chest that Alice got louder, as Ella licked over the fabric on her nipples and then blew on the wet spot, sending surprising shocks of pleasure down Alice's spine.

"Ella, fuck–" Alice could barely mutter.

Ella did that for a minute, Alice felt like she was agonizing already and she was surprised at the confidence Ella had to tease her like that.

Soon, she started lifting Alice's top until it was off her and forgotten somewhere on the floor of the room.

Seeing Alice's nipple piercings made Ella moan as she bit her lip, "So fucking stunning, baby." She complimented before leaning in to suck her tits, purposely leaving her nipples abandoned to her touch.

Alice squirmed under her, and when Ella's fingertips started to ghost over her inner thighs up until they got to her cunt but never touched her like she wanted, Alice started rolling her hips as if that'd help her.

Chuckling, Ella kept her teasing going, this time abandoning Alice's legs to softly touch all over her chest and abdomen as her mouth stayed busy marking her up. And Alice could feel herself going insane when Ella's fingertips faintly rubbed on her pebbled nipples, feeling all the heat going down in between her legs.

Her breaths grew shallow when Ella took it a step further and used her fingers to pinch her nipples. Alice was whining in a high pitch, feeling a new type of pleasure that had her head spinning. And it only got more intense when, after kissing up the side of her neck, Ella found Alice's sweet spot right under her ear.

Mixing the feeling she got as Ella intently sucked on that spot she loved so much and the way her fingers kept pinching and twisting her nipples, Alice felt herself fastly reaching her orgasm.

Ella knew it, from the way she sounded and how ragged her breath had gotten. The more obvious sign was Alice's hand dropping between her legs to help alleviate some of her frustration in that very spot.

But Ella was quick to stop her, letting her skin alone with a pop and taking the hand she'd been using to play with Alice's nipples under her skirt.

Her left hand went to pick up the work she'd been doing and her right one dipped right into her cunt, pushing Alice's underwear to the side.

"Needed me right here?" She teasingly asked her with a massive smirk on her face.

Alice's face contorted in pleasure at the feeling of Ella's fingers filling her up and curling inside her. "Yes– Ella, baby–"

She continued pumping her fingers in and out of her, her thumb rubbing her clit as well and her other hand still playing with her nipple.

"What is it Alice? What do you want, babe?" Ella's mouth opened slowly as she watched Alice quickly approaching her climax. So to help more, she changed her fingers for her mouth to suck on her nipple and that was enough to have Alice lose it.

"Oh fuck!" Alice cried in pleasure, "M'gonna cum, gonna cum!"

Ella hummed enthusiastically with her mouth still sucking Alice's tit, and the vibrations from that were the thing to push her to her orgasm.

Her fingers pumped in and out of her in a constant pace that she kept up until Alice couldn't take anymore and pushed her hand out and away from her cunt.

Ella let go of her tit with a pop, smiling down at a dazed Alice who was trying to get her breath back, and the little she had managed was taken away once more when Ella brought her hand up and licked her fingers clean.

Humming in pleasure, Ella felt herself clenching around nothing as the taste of Alice's arousal fell on her tongue, "You taste so damn good."

At that Alice wrapped her hand around Ella's neck and pulled her down to kiss her. She moaned, tasting herself on Ella's tongue, already thinking about the infinite ways she wanted to have her.

It was a brief kiss because of how breathless Alice was, but Ella took the chance to gather more of Alice's cum on her fingers and bring it up to her lips again. Once again she moaned as she wrapped her lips around her own fingers and tasted Alice on her tongue.

Alice watched it all in adoration, in complete awe of just how erotic it all was. Her mouth went dry when Ella dipped her fingers back down to gather more of her slick but this time telling her to, "Open up." so she could taste herself.

And how could she just not oblige when Ella was looking at her with those hungry eyes. So Alice wrapped her lips around her fingers and sucked them clean eagerly, moaning around them to then release them with a pop.

That made something in them unleash, desperately kissing again as they got rid of their other clothes. They both stood up from the bed and while Alice shed herself off her skirt and underwear, Ella took off her dress along with her bra and thong.

"Keep the collar on. I love seeing you branded as mine." Alice said, eye fucking Ella as she stood so perfectly naked in front of her.

The comment had gone straight in between Ella's legs so she basically threw herself at Alice, both of them falling back on the bed with shrieks that turned into giggles that they swallowed into a kiss.

Maybe if they hadn't laughed so loud, they could've caught the sound of the next door neighbor arriving home.

Alex had slammed his front door closed, dropped his keys on the little table he had by the entrance and toed his shoes off. He was drunk and knackered, already dreading the fact that he'd had to come home earlier than expected because his mind was too distracted to focus on the rest of the group, growing too bored of hearing their chatter and of mindlessly drinking so he felt the urge to leave.

In retrospect, he probably should've walked home just so he could waste more time and avoid hearing anything, but he had been truly just craving his bed and unfortunately his cab had taken way less than anticipated.

He was glad to hear absolute silence once he got to his room, wishfully thinking that Ella wasn't enjoying whatever Alice was doing and therefore it was all completely silent but, as he took his own clothes to get in bed, on the other side of the wall something completely different was happening.

"I meant it when I said I wanted you to ride my face." Alice reminded her, making Ella's ache between her legs grow.

The girls wasted no time going further up the bed and getting comfortable. Alice started a devastatingly slow trail of love bites on the insides of her thighs, making Ella breathe shallowly in a matter of half a minute.

Another excruciatingly long minute went by, Ella feeling every bruise that Alice was leaving in her wake, before she could finally ask her to go where she needed her. "Allie, baby, please– I need you."

The British woman smiled hearing her plead, "Come here then Ellie." She encouraged, and Ella didn't need to be told twice.

She slowly came down to have her cunt hover over Alice's mouth and a loud moan left her throat when Alice licked from her entrance to her clit and then sucked it harshly, making her see stars.

"Alice!"

That noise had made Alex freeze one foot away from his bed. He stayed there for a minute, trying to sharpen his hearing to see if it was real or he was imagining it but his questions were answered when he heard the unmistakable voice of the girl he fancied screaming the name of the girl he hated.

"Oh fuck! Alice!" Ella cried out, Alice fucking her with her tongue as she very quickly rubbed on her clit was making her go absolutely insane.

A minute later Alice changed her tongue for her fingers, seeing how Ella was practically dripping all over her face, being able to easily fit three inside Ella and then letting her mouth give her clit all the attention.

Ella's right hand quickly tangled in Alice's hair, pushing her closer to her center and tightly pulling at it encouragingly, her hips moving erratically on Alice's face and the whole thing had Alice humming in pleasure—Ella shaking over her as she got closer to her orgasm.

It only took Alice's fingers going faster and sucking harder on her clit for Ella to fall forward to grab a hold of the headboard as her legs trembled beside Alice's head.

Ella loudly moaned Alice's name like a chant, followed by profanities that were barely understandable as her orgasm left her completely breathless.

Alex's mouth and throat was dry, all he could feel was pure jealousy and himself growing hard in his boxers as he sat there on his bed with his back leant against his headboard.

He wished he could be the one hearing all that in his ear and not through the bloody walls. He wanted to be the one making Ella fall apart under him, yet he had to know it was Alice doing that.

His blood was boiling out of rage, his body extremely hot from how turned on he was thinking about the whole situation. But he'd have to be strong this time, so he let himself close his eyes and ignore the way he was dying for some release.

That didn't work though, not when his eyes stayed open as he stared at the darkness in his room and minutes later was startled by another round of moans from the girls.

Alice was already overly sensitive, only slowly recovering from her last orgasm, when Ella had cum all over her face. Watching Ella come undone on top of her had Alice clenching her thighs together, it had been such a pornographic view that had her wishing somehow she could replay it second by second, over and over in the future.

Not wanting to waste any of Ella's sweet taste, Alice had lapped at every bit of her arousal she could get, making an overstimulated Ella cry out as her tongue continued working on her cunt.

She only stopped when her whines got louder and Ella desperately shifted to go back down and straddle Alice again, "Jesus fucking Christ," She watched her slick all over Alice's chin and neck so she just couldn't help but lick it all up for her and then catch Alice's lips in a hot kiss.

It wasn't the long kiss Alice had wanted it to be, because Ella desperately wanted more of Alice and she just couldn't wait longer. So she kissed down Alice's body, making sure to suck more bruises on her skin and enjoying every sound the singer made under her.

But Ella just needed to have a taste of her again, so in no time she dove between Alice's legs and started eating her out.

Alice's back arched off the bed in pleasure. Her center had been aching from just watching Ella that the feeling of her tongue flicking at her clit and lapping at her entrance had Alice not able to control her whimpers.

"Ellie, oh my–" She shivered as she grabbed a hold of Ella's hair and pulled on it tightly as she fisted it to bring her closer to her cunt.

Feeling Alice so desperate already made Ella the more needy to make her cum hard so she went up to Alice's clit and wrapped her lips around it to suck on it as she moaned into her.

The sucking and the vibrations made Alice's legs shake and instinctively close around Ella's head.

That had Ella smirking to herself, changing her mouth to use two of her fingers to quickly rub at the singer's clit and making sure to lick all of the arousal that had wet the top of Alice's inner thighs.

Ella made sure to look up to see Alice's face, and that was just a portrait she wished she would have captured with her camera. Sweat was making her face shine and her makeup the slightest bit messy, her cheeks and chest were flushed, chest heaving and littered with bruises that were already darkening.

She was proud of her work so she went back to finish her task, but when she let her eyes drop again to Alice's cunt and saw how she was clenching around nothing, Ella groaned.

"Where are your toys Allie?" Ella asked, knowing there was no way she wouldn't have a wide variety of them.

Alice couldn't answer, not when Ella kept quickly rubbing on her clit so when Ella realized that and stopped, Alice whined in complaint before answering, "Second drawer, over there."

A satisfactory smirk appeared on Ella's face when she opened the drawer and she was met with being right about her suspicions. She tried making a quick decision but there were many toys to choose from and she was feeling indecisive.

That was until she heard Alice mewl in the background and when Ella turned to see her, she was playing with herself. Ella couldn't even find it in herself to warn Alice not to continue doing that because she just looked so fucking gorgeous desperately trying to reach her climax.

In a quick decision for a safe bet, Ella grabbed a dildo and made her way back to the bed.

Alice let her hand fall from her center and raised on her elbows to look at what Ella had chosen. Ella looked her right in the eye and brought the toy up to her lips, to spit on it and once it had dribbled down the length of it, she sank her mouth down on it.

Alice swore she died seeing her like that, as if she couldn't get any fucking hotter. And for a second a cursed thought ran through her mind, of how she'd love to watch her fuck someone else and if she was desperate enough for that show then she'd definitely choose her next door neighbor to be the third in the party.

Out of convenience, of course.

Ella broke her out of her trance when she kneeled on the bed between her legs and prompted them to open further. Bringing the toy to Alice's entrance and teasing the tip in and out of her.

"Baby, please–" Alice begged breathlessly, "Don't tease, Ellie, please."

Her wish was her command so Ella pushed it slowly inside Alice, letting her jaw drop as she watched it disappear inside her with ease. Alice moaned loudly at the stretch, which got easier when Ella's thumb came to rub soft circles on her clit.

"You always take it so well, don't you, gorgeous?" Ella started properly fucking her with the toy, slowly picking up the pace, "And here I thought you couldn't get more beautiful."

The 'thank you' Alice had wanted to say died down in her throat when Ella leaned back down and started sucking her clit again as she continued to use the dildo on her.

"Fuckkk– Ella!" Alice mewled as her back arched in pleasure. One of her hands went down to tangle on Ella's hair, while the other started playing with her own tits.

Alex tried his hardest to control himself but, at the end of the day, he was still human so his hand traveled down his boxers and he slowly started faintly touching himself.

He was well aware the one screaming was Alice but, as he closed his eyes, picturing what could be going on on the other side of the wall was driving him mad.

Alice bit her lip harshly, the pain feeling almost null compared to the heavy pleasure she was feeling, and the stronger the waves of pleasure came, the more she'd bite on her bottom lip.

Ella tutted when she noticed Alice going silent and stopped her sucking to scorn her, "Uh-uh, I want to hear you."

Alice was so focused on the tightening feeling in her belly that she barely heard her so Ella used her free hand to spank her clit, making her jump and drop her hand from Ella's head. Alice yelled from the sensation that pushed her closer to her orgasm and Ella smirked satisfied from it.

"You liked that? Yeah?" Teasingly asked Ella, rubbing slow circles on Alice's clit.

Alice hummed and it sounded almost like a purr, so Ella spanked her again and the gasp that Alice let out turned into such a sweet moan that had Ella needing to hear more of her like that.

Ella hoped the use of a choker meant more about Alice, so she brought up her right hand and wrapped it slowly around Alice's neck.

A massive smile broke on Ella's face when Alice made eye contact with her then only to let out a guttural moan and roll her eyes back in pleasure. So Ella tightened her hold, feeling Alice moan even more under her hand, and continued fucking her with the toy.

Wrapping his hand around his cock, Alex found himself already leaking precum and he groaned, applying a little more pressure around himself. Soft strokes was what he was relying on as he got harder in his hand to the sounds of the girls shagging. He was biting his lip, only letting out soft hums of satisfaction but when he heard Alice yell at Ella to go faster, he let himself moan out loud.

"I'm so close! Faster– faster, please!" Alice begged, feeling herself so close to reaching her high.

Ella listened to her straight away, letting her hand wrap even tighter around Alice's neck and picking up the pace with her left hand as she pounded into her with the dildo.

In no time, Alice's legs started shaking uncontrollably as she came with loud moans of Ella's name, 'baby' and pure gibberish. Ella had her seeing stars as she kept pumping the toy in and out of her with a slightly slower rhythm but kept her hand wrapped tight around her neck.

Alice was getting so overstimulated that she felt the tears pricking her eyes, her legs ached from how they wouldn't stop shaking and she felt like she was about to explode.

But that was exactly what Ella was looking for, so she took the dildo away to solely focus on her clit then, rubbing on it as fast as she could, wanting to see if she could do what Ella had in mind. Ella kept her relentless pace until Alice was cumming all over her again, squirting all over Ella and herself.

Alex died a little hearing how loud Alice had gotten, and thinking about what Ella could be doing for the singer to be almost screaming her name made him fail at trying to stay quiet. He picked up his pace, smearing the precum down to make it more comfortable for him and he fully just pictured them two in front of him, having fun as he watched.

He grew hotter hearing Alice's sounds continue until they ended in her choked up words asking Ella to stop.

"No more– Can't– Can't take more." Alice chanted over and over, making Ella loosen her hold on her neck and start rubbing Alice's thighs soothingly while leaving pecks on every inch of her skin.

Alice was gasping for air, absolutely mind blown by what had just happened and despite wanting to get rid of the mess as soon as possible, she had to show Ella the appreciation she deserved for all that.

"You..." She started, reaching out to get a hold of one of Ella's hands and pulling her up to her, "You are a fucking dream."

The singer attacked Ella's lips hungrily, and it was messy as she still was trying to catch her breath but that only made it better, because it was a clear sign that they were enjoying each other that much.

"That was so fucking hot, Allie." Ella said between kisses, having to hold herself back from going down on her again.

"You're skilled," Alice smirked, breaking the kiss and wrapping her hand around Ella's neck, "Only a few people have been able to make me do that."

Ella laughed, the noise vibrating under Alice's palm making her squeeze tighter and causing Ella to moan.

"As much as I love your hand around my neck, we need to clean this mess." Ella was quick to say, pecking Alice's lips in between words.

Alice agreed, trying to stand up along with Ella but she plopped back on bed when her legs were too weak to do it without help.

The American girl laughed as she offered her hand out for Alice to hold, which she appreciated and stood up slowly.

"I can take the duvet over to your washer while you clean up, if you want." Ella offered, pulling Alice in by the waist and rubbing circles on her lower back.

The singer leaned in to give her a soft kiss and nodded, "Okay. It's the last room at the end of the hallway." She pointed out the door and to the hallway on the other side of the flat.

With a kiss, Ella left Alice to get cleaned up in her ensuite whilst she balled up the duvet from the bed and walked to the laundry room.

It was good for Alex that they had left the room, because if they'd stayed then they would've definitely heard his grunts as he replayed all that he had heard like a broken record in his head as he continued to get himself off.

He was so close when he noticed the silence, and maybe it was that which had made him snap out of it. Realize what he was doing and just how wrong it was.

The next ten minutes were filled with an internal debate that had Alex wanting to pull his hair out of his head. One part of him told him that he'd done that before and why would it matter if he did now, so desperate for relief, and the other told him he should be a bigger person and learn to have better self control.

His inner monologue was rudely interrupted then, by a loud gasp and all Alex could do was let his head hang as the girls started back up again.

After going to the bathroom, Alice had made her way back into her room and seeing her drawer still open, she let herself choose what she was gonna use next on Ella.

The singer was tired but she needed one more from Ella, one more look at her face while she fell apart for her, one last taste of her sweetness.

So when Ella walked back into the bedroom, feeling so bare only wearing Alice's choker, and saw Alice standing there with a smirk and four things in her hand, she bit her lip already feeling herself getting flustered again.

"Thought we were going to bed." Ella blushed as she approached Alice, shy steps but eyes brave as they scanned her up and down with lust.

"I need you to cum for me one more time and then we can do whatever you want, baby." Alice raised her eyebrows, putting the things on the bed to turn around and pull Ella into her by her waist.

Ella hands came up to cup Alice's face, "How do you keep getting hotter by the fucking minute?"

Alice leaned in softly laughing, "I could ask you the same thing."

Kissing again, Alice walked Ella backwards until she was sitting on the edge of the bed and grabbed two of the items to start her plans.

Alice started making her way down, sucking down Ella's neck and chest—really enjoying her whines when she played harshly with her nipples—, leaving open mouthed kisses on her tummy and bruising more of her thighs.

By the time Alice came to where Ella wanted her most, she only got to feel the blow of her hot breath over her because Alice wanted to tease her this time, wanting to hear her truly desperate.

In her hands, the singer had two leather wrist to thigh cuffs, meaning that once they were on Ella, she'd have her legs up and wide open at Alice's mercy.

A few minutes later, that's how Ella ended up with her feet plated on the bed and her knees up, her wrists pressed on her thighs and her legs open to show her glistening cunt to Alice.

Her mouth watered at the sight, the need of having a taste of her before everything taking over and making her dip down to intently lick up and down her core.

The whole setting had Ella already whimpering, being so exposed to the singer made her shiver from lust and looking at the vibrator and the new dildo beside her was only making the ache between her legs grow.

The vibrator coming alive with its buzzing made Ella squirm in her place in anticipation, an action that Alice noticed, making her smirk.

"Are you ready, baby?" She crawled back to Ella with the white buzzing object in her hand.

"Mhm," Ella mewled, "Yes, Allie."

It was excruciatingly slow that Alice moved the vibrator down to Ella's cunt, so much so that when it finally came to meet her clit, Ella gasped loudly.

Like he'd come alive, Alex heard it and only was able to curse his poor luck for a few seconds, because when more moans that Ella was letting out came through the walls, he didn't have it in him to stop himself.

He fully spat on his hand this time, imagining Ella actually doing that to him and wrapped his hand around his length under his boxers.

He was getting harder the more he got to hear the sweet sounds Ella made and it was so much better than he could've ever pictured in his head all those times before. Nothing compared to the real thing. He couldn't imagine how fucking good they sounded falling in one's ear.

Alice had increased the intensity of the vibrator as she started sucking on the dildo she'd chosen for Ella. Getting it ready for her—not that she truly needed it though, because she was already dripping and messing the sheets.

When she pushed it inside her, Ella let out a chesty moan that was followed by the most earth delicious moans Alice had ever heard.

"Oh fuck! Al–!" She couldn't even finish Alice's name and that caused a reaction on the other side of the wall.

Alex would describe those moans as earth shattering. Hearing a clear moan of her saying his name had made him fully lose it. That 'Al' kept replaying in his head and in the background all the sounds she was letting out.

Without them knowing, the three of them were moaning almost in a harmony. If it wasn't for the loud buzz of the vibrator then they could've heard rather quietly Alex's low groans as he fucked his fist to the thought of Ella.

"Ella, darl– F–fuck–" He choked out, desperate to vividly picture her in bed with him.

But Ella's legs were trembling as Alice teased her by keeping the vibrator on her clit for a few seconds, taking the dildo away from her, and then taking the vibrator away to fuck her fast with the long toy.

It was agonizing, feeling so full one second with the ghost of the vibrations, to feeling empty and clenching around nothing as her clit got intensely stimulated.

"Baby I'm so fucking close!" Ella yelled desperately, a loud cry leaving her when Alice still took the dildo out and away from her.

Ella couldn't even touch herself to help, it was impossible for her to bring her hands up and tease her own nipples without pulling her legs all the way up—she was definitely not that flexible.

Alice was enjoying her desperation so much, it made her want to take it to another level. That's why she upped another level and dropped the dildo on the side to curl three fingers inside Ella, knowing that'd get her instantly.

"Fuck!" Ella screamed, feeling Alice hit that spot perfectly and her vision clouded because it was just too much along with the vibrator on its strongest level. "Right there! Right the– Al– Ah!"

And then it came crashing down on them.

Ella got whiplash from how strong her orgasm had reached her, her vision blinded as her legs shook and she squirted, feeling herself spasm around Alice's fingers.

Alex's quick motions pumped himself to an intense climax that had him cumming all over his chest. All he seemed to know was Ella's name, as that was the only thing that came out of his mouth as he came.

Alice was drenched in Ella's cum, as it had all splashed over her arm and chest and that was enough for her to match Ella's noises. She desperately reached for her face, to kiss her messily and feverishly.

After that, everyone disappeared into their bathrooms. Alice and Ella shared a shower while Alex stood alone under the waterfall.

Alex cleaned himself with the sounds replaying over and over in his mind. Alice and Ella got carried away and their shower ended with Alice cumming on Ella's fingers once more.

He had already been in bed for fifteen minutes trying to force himself to sleep when, on the other side, Ella and Alice came back into the room and discarded the dirty sheets for new ones to get some sleep.

The girls were giddy as they got under the fresh sheets and scooted closer until they were cuddled into each other. Alice's head nuzzled in Ella's neck with their legs tangled together and their arms wrapped around each other.

They were certainly aware of the next level of intimacy that meant but they couldn't be arsed, they were enjoying each other's company and they wouldn't keep themselves from it just because of how it may look like. Ella and Alice were both glad to be on the same page.

Alex, on the other hand, was dying inside just thinking about how he'd have to see Ella after all that and how he, no matter how hard he'd try, would never forget the night. 

✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧

Alex thought he was dreaming when he heard Ella's soft moans reaching his ears. He squirmed in bed and continued to sleep when suddenly Alice's soft sounds came in to mix with Ella's.

He held his breath trying to gather his hazy mind, still attributing the noise to his imagination not having recovered yet from last night's events but then Alice loudly moaned Ella's name and Alex's eyes shot wide open.

Groaning in misery, Alex let his head fall back on the pillow and hid his face there begging in his head for it to be over soon.

His silent prayers weren't answered though, only a few minutes later—which had been painfully long, five minutes had felt like fifteen—the girls on the flat next door only seemed to be growing louder.

Alex stayed there sprawled over his bed with jealousy filling every cell of his body as he tried to focus on that awful poking in his chest to ignore how the noise was making his lower belly tingle and his dick to twitch in his boxers.

What had happened last night was a lapse of better judgment and he was trying now to hold onto every bit of self control he had left.

He had contemplated blasting music to drown it all but that'd give away the fact that he was in fact listening and he knew that if Ella found that out, she'd be mortified. So he suffered in silence for the next ten minutes, as they gasped for air and chanted each other's names accompanied by lots of profanities.

It was too painful, not only because his chest felt tight but he felt his body responding to it all subconsciously and he hated it, so once they got quiet he escaped to his ensuite.

The shower Alex took was freezing cold. He stood there, shivering under the waterfall for a while until he felt himself calm enough to be able to get out. His movements were slow as he got ready for the day, brushing his teeth and brushing his hair with his fingers, deciding to just let it air dry while he waited for Ella.

Choosing something from his wardrobe had been painfully slow because he was sure he could hear faint noises coming through the walls again and trying to find out if they weren't just the ghosts of what he'd heard earlier kept distracting him.

That was until the high pitch whines came loudly through the walls to knock all the air out of his lungs, like a punch to the gut.

Pulling up his trousers quickly, Alex almost ran out of his room and it seemed like the noise wanted to follow him as he heard all of it walking out of his bedroom.

The singer could breathe again when he got to the kitchen, the noises long lost in the hallway and it seemed like they had stopped because even if he'd left the door open, he couldn't listen to them anymore.

There was only so much Alex could take anymore so he decided to ignore it all despite one part of him begging to pay attention and give into his carnal desires.

This day was meant for him to accompany Ella to buy a dress for the wedding since she hadn't had the time for it back in LA, and not only that but she'd thought it'd be better to buy one in London rather than being worried about the gown being ruined from having to be cramped up inside her suitcase.

Alex had agreed with her when they videocalled a few days before her flight and he promised her that he'd be taking her to buy her dress. He was excited for it, the prospect of spending more time with her was always something that elated him but it being in a place he knew so well and she was so foreign to made it the more special.

Now, after last night, Alex wasn't sure when it would happen but like he had promised himself merely a minute ago, he would ignore it all and act like nothing had happened so with hope that she'd be coming over to his in a bit, he started making breakfast. For himself and for Ella.

He was softly singing under his breath as he cooked some sausage, serving two plates and then he moved onto making some scrambled eggs. The only thing that could be heard then was the sizzling of the eggs cooking on the pan, but after he finished them and served them, the silence that overcame him became dangerous for it gave way for the now loud again noises from the girls to creep up through the hall and softly reaching his ears.

Alex stopped as he turned with the two plates in hand, slowly bringing them down to place on the kitchen island, really unsure of how to feel anymore. He was just utterly confused at all the reactions his body was giving to the whole scenario.

Once again, he reminded himself to ignore it so he grabbed himself a fork and knife and started eating, his brain only trying to think about what was in front of him to not go absolutely insane.

But that only worked for so long because the girls, now getting closer to their climax, had started getting louder and more restless meaning their cries of pleasure were just filthy begs and it was making Alex's head short circuit.

Dropping the utensils on the countertop, Alex hunched over almost defeated. He was breathing heavily and in his mind praying for self control and patience. Since that wasn't working because the noises were making his breaths become more shallow, his hands came up to his head and his fingers tangled in his hair to pull on it with frustration.

He was going insane now, he really was.

And Alex thought it couldn't get worse than it already was, when he heard Ella clearly encourage Alice, "Cum for me, baby, c'mon." followed by a loud mewl.

He let his head drop on the cold surface of the kitchen island, fully defeated as his thoughts were spinning. A groan came from the deepest pit of his chest, one of pent up frustration that he knew he wouldn't pay attention to for his own sanity.

"Fuck my life." Alex muttered under his breath when he heard the girls clearly reaching her orgasms, hands holding onto the sides of the countertop like it was gonna ground him somehow.

He was almost scared to see Ella later, afraid that after all that he'd just ask to have her like he wanted to so badly. Every bit of his being was just aching to have her, and Alex didn't know if it would be the right time to play his chances.

✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧

About an hour went by and it was surprisingly quiet after everything that had happened the night before and in the morning. That had been a relief to Alex who had gotten to finish his breakfast counting to a thousand multiple times to try and get his shit together again.

What he didn't know was that Ella and Alice had gone to make breakfast after that second round he had heard. They'd gotten decent first, going to the bathroom to freshen up and Alice lended Ella some clothes for her to leave with—Ella had shyly asked after seeing her chest and neck all marked up on show with the low neckline her dress had.

Ella walked through Alice's kitchen with gray joggers and a 'My Mind Makes Noises' jumper on. The singer watched her in awe through the corner of her eye as she grabbed some mugs to make some coffee for the both of them.

"You look amazing in that." Alice threw the compliment out as she focused on frying some eggs, pieces of bread toasting on the little oven by the stove.

Ella looked down at herself and her new outfit, "I'll give it a listen tonight."

Alice smirked at that promise, "Hope you enjoy it, baby."

Ella walked up behind the singer as the Keurig made their coffees, wrapping an arm around her waist and said into her ear, "It's you singing so I definitely will." Alice bit her lip at Ella's actions, a little harder when Ella left her with a squeeze of her ass and a kiss on her neck.

The British girl was fast making breakfast, almost done at the same time as Ella had placed the coffee on the counter and got utensils for them to use.

"Do you want me to drop you off at Alex's?" Alice asked Ella casually, placing a plate right in front of her as she sat on one of the tall chairs.

Ella was truly confused at the sudden question as she was completely unaware of Alice and Alex's housing situation. "Huh?"

"Are you going to Alex's?" Alice changed her inquiry slightly this time, walking over to sit next to her.

Ella watched as Alice took her seat and ripped a bit of her toast to dip on the runny yolk of the fried egg, "Not now... I'm going back to the hotel first."

"Oh well." The singer shrugged nonchalantly, "He lives next door, that's why I'm asking."

"What?" Ella's face went pale, looking at Alice with wide eyes like it was her worst nightmare come true.

Alice chuckled looking at her face, "He lives next door... I thought I told you."

And Ella shook her head with a frown to remark that Alice in fact hadn't told her, "Fucking hell." She cursed under her breath, flashbacks of the night before and this morning coming to the forefront of her mind and she felt herself burning up from head to toe.

"What's wrong baby? You've gone all red." Alice teased, one of her hands resting over Ella's thigh, where Alice now knew she had her 'Divine feminine' tattoo and squeezed slightly.

Ella squirmed a bit under her touch, her cheeks growing even hotter. "Do you think he heard us?" She genuinely felt like she'd die if he had, because it had already been embarrassing that he knew she'd gone home with someone but him hearing her was making her burn inside and out.

Will this ruin things? Will this make things awkward? She had no idea but now she was spiraling about it all and she just couldn't help but think about every little thing this situation would entail.

Alice being so calm about it was what brought her back from her thoughts, "I couldn't care less to be fair."

"Fuck..." Ella mumbled, staring at her plate with a shocked expression.

"I mean," Alice squeezed her thigh once more and when Ella turned to look at her, she brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "If he did, he's lucky 'cause I don't think I'll ever want to hear anybody else now."

Ella blushed under her gaze, still feeling so affected by the way the singer would smirk at her. "Stop." She brought one of her hands to cool down her cheeks, Alice's smirk getting bigger at that.

"I love it when you go all blushy on me." Alice remarked and then she leaned in to kiss Ella one more time, which the American girl welcomed with a smile.

After the brief soft kiss they shared, the girls went back to eating breakfast and they made small talk about what they were doing in their current jobs, getting to know each other a little bit better. Alice had heard all about Ella's aspirations and Ella had listened to everything Alice had been getting inspired from for her next record.

Without really noticing, an hour had gone by, and when Ella noticed it was about to be noon, she told Alice she had to leave.

They were both gutted to know this was the end of it but Alice a bit more, especially by knowing that Ella would be going to Alex and he'd be the one to spend time with her for the rest of her stay in the UK.

After having loaded everything in the dishwasher, Alice walked over to Ella and pulled her into her by her waist, "Remind me why you can't stay," The singer brushed a strand of hair behind Ella's ear and with her gaze taking in all of Ella's features, she bit her lip at the memories of all that had happened in the past twelve hours. "I wanna fuck you all day."

Ella grinned at Alice with her cheeks heating up, she could tell Alice was being completely honest and that was one of the things that she liked about her because it gave her the confidence to say "I would love that." back to her, which was exactly what she was feeling.

It was hard to compare how honest she could be with Alice than how cowardly she felt even admitting to herself anything to do with Alex, because with Alice it was something casual and it was always easy with girls, but Ella knew deep inside her that Alex wasn't meant to be a casual thing to her. It was either all in with Alex or nothing. But that would only happen in her dreams, she'd much rather keep him as her best friend than try to become more again and it ending poorly like it had before.

In another life, if Ella hadn't been hung up on Alex already, then she would've tried to pursue whatever had started with Alice, because Alice was lovely and funny, and she was the type of girl anyone would be lucky to have in their lives.

The American girl smiled, bringing one of her hands up to cup Alice's jaw softly, "But I need to get a dress for the wedding."

"Can't you do it some other day?" Alice pouted, it was playful as she tried to see if there was any chance Ella would change her plans.

But Ella didn't budge because she really needed to get the dress, "Wedding's in three days and today's the only day we've got no plans."

Seeing how Alice's pout stayed on her face, Ella brought her in for a kiss. A slow one that just felt like it settled it all, a silent thank you and a goodbye.

They savored every second of it, trying to enjoy the time they'd shared until the very last moment. Alice hummed against Ella's lips before pulling back. "Don't go back to the States without saying goodbye, alright?" Her thumb rubbed soft circles on Ella's cheek.

"Promise." Ella replied with a sweet smile and pecked Alice's lips one last time before stepping out of Alice's hold to get her things which were merely her phone and the dress she'd worn last night.

With the dress draped over her arm and her phone being pocketed in her coat she had just put on, she made her way to Alice's front door. Alice was already standing by the door, watching Ella's slow steps with a smirk. She was glad Ella also didn't want it all to end.

When Ella got beside her, Alice softly opened the door but stopped Ella with a hand on her wrist before she could go out to the hallway. "Don't forget I'm always a text or a phone call away." And this time now walking up to her and getting a look of the empty hallway that led to the rest of the flats, including Alex's, Alice added pointing at the door that was his, "A door away as well."

Ella blushed when Alice winked at her right after that and nodded, "Definitely noted."

"Bye Ella." Alice squeezed Ella's wrist softly and let go of her hold.

"Bye Allie." Ella said after one last look at Alice.

Ella walked into the hallway and walked over to what Alice had pointed to be Alex's door. She had expected Alice to close the door right after she left but, out of the corner of her eye, Ella could see Alice was there waiting to make sure she'd gotten inside Alex's flat.

Three knocks were left on the door and only a few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a smiley Alex.

"Hi, Al." Ella smiled brightly at him, hearing then the soft thud of Alice's door closing.

"Hi, darling." He greeted almost breathless, she looked stunning despite wearing Alice's merch and now it seemed like every time he'd look at her, the memories of the previous night and the early morning were going to haunt him. "How are you feeling?" He asked, letting her come in and closing the door behind him.

She sighed and very genuinely answered, "Tired and in a desperate need of another shower."

He tried biting his tongue about it all but his mouth played with him when he let out a "Reckon you enjoyed yourself then?" without meaning to.

Stopping in her tracks, she cursed through her teeth, "Oh, fuck–" And almost wincing, she turned to see him and ask, "Did you hear us?" She was begging he hadn't, because if he had then there was no way she could look him in the eye for at least a week.

"No, no." Alex shook his head and her soul came back to her body. He walked past her, and it was easier for him to lie when she wasn't seeing his face, "No– I, erm, I passed out right when I got home and only woke up a little ago."

"At what time did y'all leave?" Ella asked curiously, she didn't even know when it was that she had gotten to Alice's but the last time she'd seen the clock it had been a bit over three in the morning, and that had been before her and Alice got in the shower.

They got to the kitchen and she stood by the marble island, resting her belongings on one of his high chairs. Alex seemed entertained by what was on his kitchen stove, so she barely heard him recount very briefly the rest of the night, "Everyone left about fifteen minutes after you but I stayed for another hour or so."

She hummed trying to calculate at which point of the night that would've been and nodded once she gave up trying to come to a conclusion since all she was getting was flustered by the memories. "Right."

Wanting to change the subject as his brain was aggressively reminding him of the night before, he asked her, "Are you hungry?" turning to see her with a plate in his hand filled with the food he'd prepared.

Ella looked at him with her lips pressed together, hating having to turn him down by saying, "Alice made me some food actually..."

A small "Oh." fell from his lips, and he froze with the plate in hand before he could manage to form a proper sentence, "There's some more here if you want."

"That looks amazing," She admitted because it truly did and just because she felt bad for leaving him last night, she gave in and said, "Some more food is not gonna hurt anyone..."

Alex gave her a sweet smile when her words reached his ears and placed her plate right in front of her, quickly getting her utensils to eat with. As she had before, Ella enjoyed the meal he had prepared and wasn't shy to give him praise for it. It was really good so it wasn't long until she was done with it and she was calling Alex out for not letting her do the dishes.

"Stop it, I'll wash this quick and we can go to get the dress." were his last words on the matter and he took care of the task with a grin on his face seeing Ella let her arms fall by her sides in defeat.

"Okay but we need to go back to the hotel first though." She truly wanted to shower first, before she could even think of going out to try on clothes. "Can't go out shopping looking like this." Her hands waved briefly down her body to emphasize the state of her.

Drying the freshly washed dishes, he agreed, "Yeah, it screams 'walk of shame'." He quipped, snickering which earned him a roll of her eyes and an annoyed sigh.

Her response was a simple, "Idiot." as she shook her head. He laughed at her while he sorted his dishes back in the cabinets and once done, he dried his hands with a kitchen towel.

"Alright," He glanced around his kitchen to see where he'd left his phone, finding it and pocketing it, he looked back up at her and instructed, "Let's go then before the shops get too crowded and we don't find anything."

Alex had already been ready for the day so once Ella picked up her stuff from the high chair next to her, they left Alex's flat. And thankfully, his place wasn't far from her hotel so they got there in less than a fifteen minute walk.

Once inside her room, she left all that she was carrying sprawled over her bed, really not caring for the mess at the minute as she just wanted to freshen up. The singer found comfort in lying on the bed as well, his head resting on the pillows.

He watched her as she yawned behind her hands before letting him know she was "Gonna take a quick shower now." adding a "If you don't mind." just to check if he had any other plans he had to get to.

But Alex shook his head with a blissed expression at the soft pillows under his head and the silence in the room. "Absolutely not, go ahead." He replied with a soft smile on his face that she gave him back.

Before she left for the ensuite, she wanted his advice, "What should I wear?" Crouching down, she opened her suitcase and was met with multiple articles of clothing all rolled up, "Needs to be easy to put on and take off since I'm gonna be trying shit on all day."

His eyes were closing but his mind was still with her in conversation so trying to be helpful, he thought about it for a few seconds and came to the answer being, "A skirt?"

He hadn't sounded so sure but she nodded in agreement, "Oh, yes. And with a sweater so I'm not freezing to death." It had been quite cold as they walked back, and she was certainly grateful Alice's clothes were quite thick and cozy.

Alex only hummed in response and she took out the clothes from her case, trying to be the quickest she could be as it was already about to be eleven in the morning.

"Okay, I'll be right back." She informed and in his hazy mind, Alex managed to nod.

The water pattering on the floor of the shower lulled Alex to sleep, Ella took her time to shower and pamper herself after what certainly felt like a very long weekend, slowly putting her clothes on. And once she had dressed herself, despite the loud noise even with the door closed, the hair dryer she used didn't manage to wake him up.

When she left the wet room, she walked into the small hallway that connected it to the room which had a floor to ceiling mirror that showed her reflection back to her and the sight made her gasp.

That was enough to wake Alex up then, blinking multiple times he was able to get himself the slightest bit awake to ask, "What's wrong?"

The answer Ella gave flew straight past him as she let out a low whistle and said, "Fucking hell, it's gonna be really awkward trying on dresses today." and continued to watch herself in the mirror.

"What was that?" Alex inquired again, his brain not being able to process what she'd said just yet.

But when she walked back into the room and stood in front of him, she reiterated in a different sentence, "The skirt is not gonna do..." and that was what made him look down to her bottom half to see what she meant.

Her inner thighs were littered in purple marks and the view alone made his eyes shoot open, "Holy shit, Ella." He cursed loudly, his jaw dropping more the more she showed him the insides of her thighs a bit better.

She looked down at the lovebites and chuckled to herself, feeling her cheeks heating up, "Yeah, I know."

"What the fuck?!" He cursed out loud again, his brows furrowed.

"She's a little vampire." Ella joked trying to make the situation a bit less awkward, because he seemed really taken aback by it.

What she wasn't expecting was for him to start saying, "I'll have a chat with her when I get ho–"

She stopped him before he could continue with a firm, "No, you're not."

"But she–" The singer tried to fight, yet Ella wouldn't have it.

Shaking her head and with her cheeks tinting up redder, she admitted, "Alex, I loved it when she was marking me up so there's absolutely nothing to complain about here."

Ignoring the way that statement had felt like a knife to the chest, he gave another argument to back himself, "Well she needs to learn to control herself."

Sighing, she pursed her lips and added, "I'm pretty sure I left her looking the same or maybe worse." so he could stop with his need to cause a fight between himself and the girl.

"Fuck." He cursed through his teeth, hiding his closed eyes behind his hands like he was in pain.

Ella tried to get answers then, ones that she hadn't managed out of Alice, "I still don't get why you don't like her, she's one of the sweetest girls I've ever met." And she truly meant it. In her head if she got along well with Alice then there was no reason for Alex not to get along with her.

Alex wasn't help at all for Ella to try to solve the mystery because he only shrugged and meekly answered with, "Maybe you're biased because you've fucked her."

Without missing a beat, Ella replied in the same tone, "In that case, maybe you need to fuck her too." She had been guilty of picturing the scenario of the three of them in bed the night before, when the thought of him flashed in the forefront of her mind in a moment of pure ecstasy.

"Eleanor." Alex warned with a firm voice, his face stoic as he stared at her like he was begging her to be joking.

"Alexander." Ella copied with the same tone but a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as his anger was becoming amusing to her.

"Don't ever say that again." The singer warned, as if it had been the single worst most awful thing someone could've ever told him.

"What?" Ella threw her arms up defensively, "She's good." Her cheeks warmed again and the sight made Alex sigh exasperatedly.

"Just find something to wear and let's go already." He was growing impatient and he wanted the view of the love bites Alice had left gone for they made a bitter taste rise up his throat and coat his mouth with it.

She chuckled and playfully rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say boss."

He let out an involuntary snort at her remark, unable to not react to her, "Shush you dickhead."

Going back to her suitcase, Ella ended up picking up a long brown wool skirt that reached her ankles and went to the bathroom to change into it. Her white sweater stayed on and over it came her long brown trench coat.

After quickly tying her converse on, they left her hotel room and went straight to Harrods where Alex said he knew she would find something. 

She had scolded him when they stepped out of the taxi and the first store she saw was Valentino with a couple stunning dresses she could wish to buy on a random afternoon. He only laughed and reminded her that it was a dress for the wedding and that she was allowed to spend her money on it if she ended up loving it—not that he was going to let her buy it but she didn't need to know that—so with that mindset they began to look for it.

It was a hit or miss in the many stores they had visited, the first few she had been far too wary of the cost of the pieces and by the time she had convinced herself it was okay, she hadn't found anything she was completely set on for her to spend an obnoxious amount of money on.

That was until they stumbled into a boutique that gathered many designer clothes into one place and the dresses she had caught through the window looked to die for.

When they went in, a lovely woman called Rose greeted them by the door and took them inside while asking a bunch of questions so that she knew what the pair were looking for. Once Ella told her she was looking for a dress to wear to a friend's wedding, Rose effortlessly guided them to the ones she knew would be wedding appropriate and that Ella might like.

From the looks of them, Ella chose a few to try on and Rose guided her and Alex into a private changing room. Thankfully, inside was a curtain that separated the actual changing room with the small lounge area in which Alex would be waiting.

Taking her time as she slowly put the different pieces on, Ella tried on the first three dresses she had chosen but none of them had her swooning. Alex on the other hand found himself at a loss of words and oxygen every time she drew back the curtain and stepped out in a different gown.

The first one had been a champagne off the shoulder dress with a slit on the side that showed her right leg perfectly, but it was exactly that which made her discard it. The second was a strapless plum dress which had a beautiful mermaid silhouette but it was just that which made her struggle to walk, plus the top kept falling down so she had to hold it up when she walked out to keep it in place. The third was a black one shoulder dress made of tulle which made it puffy and she truly felt like a princess with it but it was far too big for her to be comfortable in it all day at the wedding, she had been already sweating figuring out how to put it on.

The fourth one was a deep red low v neck dress which cinched at the waist and from there draped down a lovely flowy train. It looked amazing on her, it was light and the shape of it was beautiful and flattering but she found herself pursing her lips at her reflection which showed her fully exposed and very marked chest. Her tits looked great hugged perfectly by the fabric but the love bites littering her skin had her trying not to laugh at herself for caring so little about it the night before when she had a wedding to go to in a few days.

At least she was grateful it didn't have a leg slit for her bruised thighs to show and with amusement clear on her face she walked out, "Well this is not gonna do, is it?"

It was a rhetorical question, she already had seen the annoyance in Alex's eyes that he knew Alice had left those and a part of her was hoping it was the product of jealousy, but thinking of it like that would hurt her if she found out that wasn't the reality so she had been pushing the thought away.

Before Alex could compliment her on how stunning she looked, there was a knock on the door of their private room that snapped Ella out of her thoughts. She was well aware of her marks so she tried to escape back behind the curtain before anyone could walk in but Rose beat her clumsy steps as she came into the room right when Ella was only managing to turn around.

"How are you liking them?" The woman asked enthusiastically and when she saw Ella's figure being hugged by the red fabric, she just had to say, "Oh let me see that one!"

Ella winced at her tone because it was so sweet and genuinely excited to see her wearing the dress so she just couldn't say no. Bad time to be a people pleaser, she scorned herself before slowly turning back around so she could face Alex and Rose.

The loud gasp Rose let out was enough for Ella to hide her face behind her hands, feeling her cheeks burning under her fingers, and Alex to laugh out loud. The singer watched as Rose all but counted the bruises on her skin and then switched her surprised expression for a teasing grin, "You're gonna have a good time covering all those up."

Hearing the smirk on Rose's voice, Ella shook her head still hiding behind her hands so the, "Oh my god, this is so embarrassing." she said came out muffled against the palms of her hands.

The woman directed her gaze to Alex then, completely unaware of the actual story behind them, "You went hard on her didn't you?"

Ella dropped her hands, ready to correct her but she only managed a, "He d–" when Alex interrupted, being a bit louder than her as he said, "I did but I'll help her get rid of them later." He looked so smug with a hand on his chin and a smirk on his face, it made Ella lock her jaw because if she didn't it would've dropped.

Rose giggled at the pair, "That's gonna be lots of ice you'll use." But once again, Ella's real explanation was stuck in her throat as the woman beat her to it, but luckily changed the topic of the conversation, "How did you like the ones you've already tried on?"

"This one was too big." She pointed at the second one she'd tried after clearing her throat, and very truthfully admitted her opinion about the other three, "And the other ones I just don't feel like I love them."

Rose hummed completely understanding her, "This one looks stunning on you though. But I feel like–" She cut herself off to have a small think and after a few seconds of staring at Ella's silhouette, a spark lit up in her brain, "Okay wait, I know just the one to bring you. I'll be right back."

Ella barely managed to say, "Thank you!" to her when Rose walked out of the room, but when the door closed behind her, she instantly turned to Alex to scold him.

"Why would you say that?!" Her mind was in a mush, she was so embarrassed but seeing him so proudly admit to that was making her head spin.

Her thoughts were stopped abruptly when the singer shrugged and raised a brow to set his argument down, "Would you prefer to explain how someone else did all that whilst you're out with me buying a dress for a wedding that you told her we're going to together?"

Ella didn't know why she felt so defeated and recognising that reaction from herself made her feel pathetic. She tried to hide it as best as she could, turning around to go back behind the curtain and look at herself in the mirror again, "Well if you put it that way." She replied, brushing her hands down the smooth fabric of the gown she had on.

"Saved you the awkwardness." Alex added proudly, eyebrows raised as if telling her he had been the one to make the situation better.

But Ella poked her head out the changing room and with a frown, she whisper-shouted, "It's still awkward!"

He giggled at how mortified she looked, it was so funny to him that she'd react like that when she had no need to. "You are making it awkward, she was joking about it."

"My face is burning." Her hands came up to cup her red cheeks, sighing at the cold of her fingers against her face.

"Wouldn't be the first time today, darling." He retorted playfully, and that earned him a lovely middle finger peeking through the side of the curtain which had him laughing out loud.

A few minutes later, in which Alex had been lost in his phone and Ella had been lost in her thoughts, Rose knocked on the door again with a stunning blue gown hanging on her arms.

"I think you'll like this one, but I'll keep looking for some more." The woman said handing Ella the piece of clothing and once the American girl had thanked her for it, she left the room again.

The dress was heavy in her arms but it felt fresh and it had the prettiest floral detailing embroidered with the same color of the gown so it looked more like texture than a pattern. It had spaghetti straps and a delicate scoop neck, what she wasn't sure about was the excess fabric on the back of it so without wasting more time, she went back behind the curtain.

A minute went by, Alex impatiently waiting for her to come out because she had gasped a few seconds before. He was about to ask what it was that she was gasping about when she let out an excited, "Oh sweets I think this one's it."

With his knee bouncing up and down, he bit his bottom lip before saying, "Let me see."

Alex was met with silence for another half minute and when he called her name, she only answered with a quiet, "Wait a second."

But he wasn't feeling that patience anymore, so very eager to see her, he instructed her, "Come on out already, you can't say that and then leave me hanging."

Ella's voice came out struggling as she replied, "It's only been less than a minute and I'm trying to fix the back but I can't reach it."

Knowing that he only itched more for her to come out, so he offered, "Come out and I'll help." Not without adding a "Hurry." at the end.

"You're really impatient." She sighed defeated as she couldn't get the extra fabric out when it was stuck right on her lower back where the zipper was. Taking him up on his words, she came out from behind the curtain, mindful of her every step to not step on the bottom of the dress, "What do you think?"

Alex choked on his words seeing her in that dress, his mouth opening and closing only letting out a "Wow." before he could gather his thoughts and finally say, "Darling you look gorgeous and that doesn't even cut it."

"Shut up." Ella rolled her eyes not wanting to take the compliment herself so she complimented the look of the gown, "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"It's beautiful." He agreed, nodding enthusiastically like a little kid, "You look stunning."

Ignoring the way his words made her stomach flip, she turned around to show him the back of it for it was her favorite part of the dress, "I'm obsessed with the back of it." And he was too, it was a backless dress so her back was on full show, the fabric sitting tightly on her lower back and the extra fabric draping lusciously around the low cut.

"Help me with this bit, it's stuck on the inside." She said and he knew exactly what she meant so reaching to untuck the fabric that had gotten stuck on her lower back, his fingers grazed her skin and she shivered under his touch.

A low, breathless, "There we go." fell from his lips, entirely satisfied by her reaction to his touch.

She hated that she had so obviously reacted so her "Thanks." came out choked.

Walking a few steps back to the changing room, she fully opened the curtain so she could see herself in the mirror without having to go back in and she turned slightly to see how the dress looked from different angles. "So... this one?"

"You're the one who decides that darling, you looked stunning in all of them but this one's just... wow." Alex was truly at a loss for words, she was effortlessly stunning. Her hair had been put up in a quick bun so there were many strands sticking out of it but she looked beautiful with her messy hair and she was walking around in her long gray socks which she had laughed about how they looked when she lifted the bottom of the dresses up to walk.

Alex grew mesmerized by her everyday it seemed like and it was something that surprised him. He didn't want to think too much about it, scared of messing something up and hurting her like he had in the past. He just had to live only being friends with her. Best friends. He'd rather have that than absolutely nothing, he loved her too much to let go of her that easily.

Rose's knuckles thudding against the wooden door interrupted his thoughts and when she came in and saw Ella practically beaming in the dress, she smiled and nodded in approval.

"I love this one." Ella confessed, giddy about having found the perfect dress for the wedding.

Rose was proud of her vision, "I knew it. That was just the right one."

So the American girl walked up to her and gave her a tight hug, "Thank you, it's truly perfect." She said into the woman's ear, letting her go after a soft squeeze.

Alex was entranced by her beauty and her kindness, but he was brought back when Rose turned to him and tauntingly asked him, "What do we think, Mr Dracula?"

"Think she looks absolutely breathtaking." He answered genuinely, the biggest smile on his face as his gaze went up and down Ella again.

"At least you didn't attack her back." Rose chatted back, seeing Ella's fortunately love bite free bare back in the reflection of the mirror.

The singer was feeling very smug about Rose thinking it was all him so playing more into the situation, he cheekily replied, "We shall see about that."

Which earned him a firm "Alex!" from Ella, one accompanied by her wide eyes at his confidence to just say that in front of the woman.

But Rose laughed hard at that, patting Alex's shoulder as she got some air back into her lungs, "Oh I love you two," she stated before inhaling deeply to completely regain her posture. When she straightened back, the woman turned to Alex and kindly inquired, "Want me to ring you up while she changes?"

Ella was about to say no because she wasn't going to allow Alex to buy her the dress but he practically jumped to his feet as he said, "Yes, I'll go with you and she can change."

Rose nodded and exited the room, completely unaware of the hard glare she was giving Alex who was pretty much ignoring it as he got his phone from the coffee table beside the loveseat he had been sitting on.

"Alexander." Ella started with her voice firm to try and get him to look at her.

But when he turned, a mischievous grin was adorning his face, and when he replied, "Eleanor." in a playful tone, she knew whatever she'd say would fly right over his head.

"Don't." She warned with a serious face, her hands already frantically trying to undo the zipper of the dress so she could quickly change and beat him to it.

He played dumb first, asking a silly, "What?"

She wasn't having it so trying to remind him of what they had talked about before she came, she said, "What did I tell you?"

There had been many occasions in which he had suggested taking her to many places and when she had jokingly said 'well you'll let me pay this time right?', he had swiftly averted the question and continued with listing his plans. So she had made sure to remind him every other time that when she came to visit, he wouldn't be allowed to spend money on her. That had been broken already when he showed her around London and she had been determined to not let it happen again.

But her reminder didn't work because Alex continued playing dumb about it, this time taunting her by saying, "I don't really remember right now darling, head's scrambled by the view." Giving her a wink before he stepped closer to the door.

She took a step forward to reach out to him, getting a hold of his wrist, "Told you I would–"

Alex interrupted her before she could repeat what he clearly remembered she had said many times before. "I really have to follow her 'cause it'd be rude to make her wait." He wasn't gonna listen to her in this one, not when he had the means to make her happy gifting her the dress she'd loved.

The singer took another step with her hand still clasped around his wrist and she quickly caught up right behind him. "Alexander David Turner." She said through her teeth when he didn't stop and had a foot out the room.

Knowing he had won already by being out of the private room, he smirked and pointed out with a tut, "Eleanor Hayes you can't leave the fitting room with the dress on."

Ella pursed her lips, exhaling through her nose completely frustrated, "I'm gonna fight you."

He was enjoying seeing her like this way too much. "Would love to see you try." He dared, taking advantage of her hold to pull her in by her forearm and leaving a quick peck on her temple.

"Have fun!" He said with exaggerated enthusiasm, leaving her all flustered and annoyed, still wearing the dress.

She had been huffing around while changing back to her clothes and when she came out of the changing room with a frown and the chosen dress in hand, Alex had the opposite expression on his face.

Rose took the garment from her with the sweetest smile which made Ella feel guilty for her lack of one so trying to make herself look at the positive outcome of it all, she smiled back as the woman packed it up in a perfect box with a bow tied around it and placed it in a bag.

Ella had been trying to keep up her act with Alex, thanking him reluctantly at first and biting her tongue to give him the cold shoulder as they walked out of the shop and back onto the streets of London.

But that had only lasted so long when he pulled her in by the waist and pressed a bunch of kisses on her cheek.

"Oh c'mon darling, don't be angry. I wanted to buy it for you." Alex defended himself quickly, his eyes trying to look for hers but she was forcing herself not to look at him.

Her gaze stayed ahead as they walked a few more steps but he wasn't gonna have her silence any longer so he stopped in his tracks, forcing her to stop with him and turning her around so her front was pressed against his.

"Are you not gonna talk to me now?" He pouted and when her eyes flew up to the sky, he cupped her jaw to make her look at him.

There was nothing aggressive about his touch, it was how delicate his fingers were on her skin and his gentle gaze on her that made her slowly melt in his arms.

"You just don't listen." She started with a defeated sigh, "I didn't want you to spend money on me again."

He thought about it then, something to say to twist her arm, "Can't this be your very late birthday gift?"

"You gave me a ticket back home." Ella reminded him with an eyebrow raised.

"That was from all of us, this one is just mine." He negotiated, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips when he saw her face fall in slight amusement at the loophole he had managed to find.

"You're insufferable." She decided then, shaking her head at how proud he looked to have caught her with that.

"You love me." He fought back, the corner of his eyes crinkling the harder he smiled.

Humming, she gave in and agreed, "I unfortunately do." playfully trying to get that ego of his down.

He scoffed and it made her giggle, "I'm kidding." and throwing her arms around his shoulders, she added, "Thank you sweets, love you."

Leaning back, he looked down at her and left one last kiss on her cheek, squeezing her waist before letting go and once she was back beside him, they continued their walk back to the hotel.

A few minutes passed, people watching and talking about the upcoming big event. Their talk about Nick getting his tux with the lads brought him to pointing out a fact that made him warm inside.

"You know this is perfect." Alex vaguely started, trailing off long enough for Ella to ask what it was and with a tilt of his chin pointing to the bag which contained the dress she'd just gotten, he explained, "My suit is blue too."

Gasping, she turned to him, "Awh! We're gonna be matching!" Ella scrunched her nose at him, "How cringe, I love it."

Alex snorted at her response but agreed, "Matt's gonna take the piss out of us."

"Definitely, but I bet everyone will be matching with their plus one." She pointed out, wishfully thinking that it would be that easy to escape Matt's taunting.

He hoped that logic worked too and whilst they were on the subject of the wedding, he mentioned again the plans for that day, "I'm picking you up early that morning, by the way."

Ella groaned, already dreading having to wake up at an ungodly hour to start getting ready. "Yeah, don't remind me how early though."

"I know, weddings shouldn't be that early." Alex wholeheartedly agreed, almost every wedding he had attended would've been awful for him if he wasn't surrounded by his friends—only being in their presence made him able to look past how long they lasted and how unnecessarily stressful they were.

"It's an actual crime." And then she thought about how late the reception could be but found relief at the silver linings, "At least there's a free bar."

He chuckled and nodded, "I can already imagine the hangover."

She grimaced at the thought, "S'not gonna be pretty that's for sure."

"I'll take care of you, don't worry, darling." He promised, holding her closer by the arm she had hooked on his.

"I'll take you up on that, sweets." Ella replied with her eyebrows raised like challenging him to keep up to his words, which he definitely would.

But then the singer reminded her of the real trouble approaching them, "Tomorrow's what you gotta be worried about."

The next day would be the parties thrown for the bride and groom, she called them bachelor and bachelorette parties but she'd gotten cultured about them being called stag do and hen do over in that side of the pond.

"Matt and Bre being in charge of the parties is making me nervous." She admitted very honestly as she had tried many times to get something from Breana but miserably failed at it.

Alex hadn't been successful in getting information from the couple either so he felt the same way, "Haven't managed to get anything out of them so I share your worries."

Ella sighed, only being able to imagine the trouble the next night would bring but wishing aloud, "It better be fun."

He decided to tease her a bit and with a low voice said, "But at what cost?"

"Don't." She cut him off before he could set off more nerves in her and nudged his hip with hers, "That only makes me even more scared."

He giggled at her, noticing they were already close to the hotel she was staying at and wanting to spend the last few minutes they had together on a better note, he decided to settle her down a bit, "I know we won't be together but Florence will take care of you since I know Bre is gonna be too gone to do it herself."

"Awh I love Flo!" Ella almost jumped in her spot at the reminder of his childhood best friend's attendance, "I'm excited now, I can properly party with her."

They had been talking about properly going out at Glastonbury, trying to align their schedules so everyone could join and there had been a few dates thrown around but nothing confirmed, nothing that couldn't be solved when she would see her again then and the thought of making plans with her and the girls was making Ella excited.

She had been brainstorming more about that shoot she had in mind and she couldn't wait to properly set a day and a meeting place for them all to bring the vision to life. Ella was properly giddy about it for they were all stunning and the shoot was going to be in a style she had been waiting to try for a while.

Alex's memories came back to him of every time he'd partied with Flo since they were teenagers and he smiled at them, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that the girls would have the best night together. "She's amazing company, you're gonna have the best time."

Ella hummed, even more excitement bubbling up inside her and with hopes up to the ceiling, she replied, "I'm counting on it, Turner."

The girls all together and away from the lads, partying the night away in celebration of the bride sounded like a perfect night and, despite going into it blind, Ella just couldn't wait to see what that night would bring.

✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧

A/N: I don't exactly remember how me and N came about the talk about how insane it would be if Alice and Ella bumped into each other and had Alex absolutely seething but it ended up in me writing this and all I can say is I blacked out, I was fully possessed lolllllll! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's a whiplash of emotions from now on tbf but it's gonna be really fun. Hen do is coming next and so is the wedding... heheheh. Thank you for reading and see you in two weeks!!!!!! xx

Taglist: @imagine-that-100 @red---moon @kennedy-brooke @faveficz @indierockgirrl @ladydraculasthings @moonvr @unwantedlovergirl @eaglestar31 @nikisfwn @funniestpersoninnyc @andrearroe @justacaliforniandreamer @alexturnersgf69 @yourorganiccigarette

[wherethewolfsbaneblooms]

What if Rhaenyra Targaryen had a baby sister who lived instead of a baby brother who died? What if she fought for the Blacks during the Dance of Dragons?

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WARNING: !!HOTD SPOILERS + MENTIONS OF TARG INCEST (it’s Game of Thrones nobody panic)!!

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Storyline (pre-Dance of Dragons) —

Her name was Saerys Targaryen (SAYR-iss)

Born in 102 AC

Second born daughter to King Viserys Targaryen and Queen Aemma Aryn

Queen Aemma still dies giving birth but Saerys stays healthy and survives

She is 4 years younger than Rhaenyra

Saerys was said to have hair “whiter than moondust”, which earned her the nickname the “Moon Princess” and later “Saerys the Silver”

She grows to be very tall, standing at 6’0. She is the tallest of all her siblings, including the boys

While Rhaenyra was said to be the most beautiful of the sisters, Saerys was often described as “lovely still, but with a ruggedness one can only describe as handsome; the princess’s jawline was sharp as a cutlass and her lilac eyes pierced like Dornish spears.”

Rhaenyra was so devastated over the death of her mother that she didn’t put a dragon egg in her baby sister’s cradle, leaving Saerys dragonless.

Instead, Saerys claimed her great grandfather’s dragon, Vermithor, at the age of 10. Everyone was very surprised to see a renowned dragon such as Vermithor allow a young girl to mount him. Saerys was emboldened by her cousin Laena after she claimed Vhagar, the largest of the living Targaryen dragons.

Rhaenyra and her sister weren’t close at first, but they eventually bonded deeply in their grief and expectations as Saerys grew older. It wasn’t long before they became practically inseparable. While they were not always at the Red Keep together, they always could count on one another.

Saerys very much never felt like she truly belonged. She was never like the other women at the Red Keep; she didn’t want to wear frilly dresses, learn to sew, and never fawned over the young lords. The people of the court saw her similarly; she was the second daughter of the king, worth no more than the political advantage the womb between her hips could gain. She didn’t even feel like a Targaryen for haven’t had a dragon egg put in her cradle. As a little girl, Saerys felt as though there was something wrong with her and that her interests (which were considered to be “for boys”) were wrong. For a long time, Saerys felt alone and blamed herself still for her mothers death. She thought everyone was against her and thus became very defensive in nature. It was only when she and Rhaenyra got a bit older that they started to become friends. Saerys’ first act of confidence was claiming Vermithor.

Saerys grew up feeling guilty for causing her mother’s death. She was always afraid Viserys and Rhaenyra blamed her for killing Aemma. Later, Saerys would also blame herself for starting the war, for if she hasn’t killed Aemma during labor, none of it would’ve happened.

She holds a lot of repressed guilt and self-resentment over her start in life — though no one truly blames her for it, least of all her father. Rhaenyra held some resentment for a time, but slowly came to realize it simply was not Saerys’ fault for being born.

Rhaenyra confides in Saerys a lot after Alicent Hightower marries Viserys and they become very close, though Rhaenyra can be jealous at times towards her sister’s sense of freedom and free will.

Saerys rarely does what she is told if it doesn’t suit her. She will do the exact opposite of what she is told just to spite those who told her to do it *ahem, poor Viserys*

She is profoundly bold in nature, but not stupid; she only takes calculated risks.

As an adult, Saerys is suave, charming, witty, and bold.

Though Viserys had wished for a boy, Saerys quickly became the son he always wanted. She hated lady-like activities and instead begged her father to train with sword and shield. She wanted to learn about politics, study military strategy, and be taught all that a young Prince would. Viserys resisted at first, but eventually allowed it despite the upset he faced amongst his court. He was, in secret, proud. This made Rhaenyra a little jealous, as Rhaenyra was typically viewed as their father’s favorite.

Saerys was always considered to be the more “unhinged” of the two girls. While Rhaenyra was kind and calculating like their father, Saerys reminded the King more of his brother Daemon with her brazen charisma. The sisters gave Viserys and the castle servants a run for their money.

Long before Rhaenyra’s sons (Jacerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey) were born, the Red Keep harbored another parentage scandal: that of Princess Saerys. So like Daemon in appearance and personality, Saerys was insatiably rumored to be his bastard daughter, sired on Queen Aemma in attempt to give Viserys the son he so desperately wanted after her many miscarriages. Some accounts differ on whether or not the encounter was consensual — or if it ever occurred in the first place. Viserys quickly put these rumors to bed after Aemma’s death, but as Saerys grew ever the witty, defiant, and charming girl, the whispers persisted despite his attempts.

It is thought these rumors were seeded by Viserys’ Hand — Otto Hightower — as a way to disinherit Daemon and tarnish his reputation. Daemon denies these claims, but the resemblance between him and Saerys is almost incriminatingly striking.

Otto was never overly fond of Saerys due to her similarities with Daemon. As a young girl, Saerys quickly found that out and made it her life’s mission to bother him as much as possible.

While Rhaenyra grew up closest to her father (something Saerys envied her for), Viserys’ lack of attention led Saerys instead to become very close with Daemon. Daemon always seemed to favor her over Rhaenyra. She has an almost fatherly bond with him, which further fueled the rumors of her parentage.

Daemon loves to gift his nieces. While Rhaenyra gets foreign jewels and necklaces, Daemon would eventually forge Saerys her own, priceless Valyrian Steel Sword made from ore found on his journeys after she gained her knighthood. Saerys names it Moon Wing.

Saerys was trained by Daemon (with Viserys’ permission) in swordsmanship, mounted combat, dragon riding, and the histories of Old Valyria (which fascinated her). This caused a lot of controversy in the Red Keep. Never before had a woman been taught “men’s work”, but Viserys merely wanted his daughter to be happy. Saerys also harbored a deep sense of old tradition because of Daemon’s teachings, whereas Rhaenyra did not like history and called it “boring old stuff”.

Fittingly, Saerys is obsessed with dragons and loves to learn about them; she has a theorized dragon genealogy chart on her desk.

Saerys is a decent artist and sketches her sister and the dragons in her free time.

She seems like bad news at first glance, but when you get to know her, she actually has a very kind/gentle nature and is fiercely protective of those she cares for. Sometimes to the extreme and will not hesitate to choose violence.

Though free in spirit, Saerys has a strong sense of duty. She seems morally grey a majority of the time, but usually does the right thing in the end.

She is the first woman to become a knight of the seven kingdoms at the age of 16. After her knighthood, Saerys was sometimes referred to as “Saerys the Silver”. When Saerys competed in her first tourney, she was harassed by four of the male knights who taunted her for being a woman in a “man’s sport”. When the King heard of this, he ordered the four knights to have their tongues cut from their mouths, but Saerys stopped him. She insisted on fighting them fairly in combat. Though he was hesitant, Viserys agreed. Saerys ended up winning the tourney; one of the knights yielded to her, two were severely injured, and the last was killed in combat. Saerys was never bothered at a tourney again.

Daemon once said of Saerys (to Viserys) “that girl fights with dragon fire in her blood; she will eat her lord husband’s heart and spit it out should you marry her away”.

Saerys grew up with a dislike for Ser Criston Cole for “reasons”. When asked, she would oft describe him as a “self-righteous twit”. It is unknown what caused their animosity, but most say it started after Rhaenyra’s rumored sexual encounter with him.

Saerys, while she loved Rhaenyra unconditionally, would often roll her eyes at the latter’s romantic adventures in a way not only a sister would, but perhaps in a way one might describe as jealousy. Jealousy of what is unknown.

When Aemond claims Vhagar in 126 AC and the squabble between he and Lucerys begins following the death of Laena Velaryon, it was a 24 year old Saerys who intervened to protect her cousins and nephews from him. Lucerys was ultimately blamed for maiming Aemond’s eye, but rumors say it was actually Saerys.

Afterwards, Saerys sported a straight, thick scar across her upper and bottom lip. She never reveals how she received it but says “she will never let anyone get that close to her again”.

Overall, Saerys is “eh” with her half-siblings. Her least favorite by far is Aegon. She thinks Aemond is a pain in the ass crybaby who’s desperate for attention, but she at least respects him a hair more (which is still not a lot) than the whoring Aegon. To her, Helaena is a strange but kind soul. Daeron is her favorite. Saerys doesn’t appreciate Alicent dressing them all in green, however. She says “green taints the blood of Old Valyria”. Saerys even laughed and said they looked like “flocked toads” once when Alicent and her half siblings posed together in emerald threads for a painting.

Saerys was originally betrothed to her half-brother Aegon, who was four years her younger, when she was a teenager till the princess grew up to despise him and proved too much for the boy to handle. Aegon was then betrothed to Helaena instead.

Aegon always picked fights with Saerys like the rotten little shit he is. Saerys has absolutely no time for him and grows up to despise him even more for his alcoholic behavior, constant womanizing, and overarching laziness. She even threatened to castrate him (and she meant it too) on one occasion when she caught wind that he’d sired several dozen bastards on the brothel women of the Street of Silk. But, instead of cutting his balls off, she broke his nose. The fight had to be broken up by the Kingsguard.

Alicent was furious to learn Saerys attacked Aegon. However, when she found out why, Alicent almost allowed the Kingsguard to step aside so Saerys could go back to hitting him.

Viserys thought Aegon deserved a reality check for the shame he brought upon himself, Helaena, and their children. As a king, Viserys was forced to scold Saerys in public, but in private she received a pat on the back for dishing out punishment to Aegon that was well deserved.

Saerys finds her half sister Helaena to be a bit of an enigma but likes talking to her in and listening to her riddles. Saerys has an ongoing game with herself on how long it takes for her to become confused while speaking to her half-sister.

Saerys enjoys playing with Aegon and Helaena’s twins, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera (her niece and nephew), since Aegon is an absent father for the most part. It also pisses Aemond off for a reason Saerys can only speculate and she enjoys getting under his skin just to watch him squirm. Aemond doesn’t appreciate Saerys interacting with the twins but refuses to speak up about it. Whether it is out of fear or respect for Saerys no one is sure.

Saerys constantly fought with Aemond due to his inherent need to prove his metal to her. He always loses their duels. Aemond always secretly looked up to Saerys, but never showed it in the right ways. Instead he came off like a jerk. Sometimes him and Aegon would team up against Saerys, but even as a duo, they still never won against her.

Aside from Rhaenyra, Saerys is closest to her half brother Daeron despite their twelve year age difference. Daeron looks up to Saerys and idolizes her. He wants to become a knight just like her. Saerys sees a gentleness, kindness, and honorability in him that Aegon and Aemond don’t have. Him and Saerys are often seen training in the yard together or training on horseback. When Tessarion was large enough enough to mount, Saerys even took Daeron flying and taught him the basics of dragon riding like Daemon did for her. She calls him Squirt a lot and fluffs his hair.

Saerys is very close with her cousin, the Princess Rhaenys, and refers to her as “Auntie Rhaenys”. Saerys visited Rhaenys and Lord Corlys on Driftmark often. Saerys, Rhaenys, and Laenor would often fly on dragonback together. Rhaenys was like a mother figure to her growing up and Saerys often spent time with her on Driftmark in her teen years after Laenor married Rhaenyra.

Later on, Saerys is the only one who knew the real truth of Rhaenyra’s son’s parentage and will take the secret to her grave. She understood Rhaenyra and Laenor’s marital situation on a personal level, but she also gave Rhaenyra an earful for threatening her position as heir to the Iron Throne by having children out of wedlock with Ser Harwin Strong instead of Laenor. Saerys, however, does comfort Rhaenyra in her grief when Harwin is killed in the fire at Harrenhal and then again when both Laena and Laenor are killed.

Saerys is henceforth fiercely protective over her nephews. No one dared to call them bastards in her presence, no matter what, lest they face the steel of her blade. She once sliced an ear off the son of a petty lord for not telling her where he heard such a thing after he uttered the insult.

Viserys was outwardly not happy, but inwardly a very proud father. He had to scold her (but he really didn’t).

A rumored “lover of the fairer sex”, Saerys was said to have zero interest in any of her lord father’s choices for her in a husband, which is why she went unmarried and childless by the start of the Dance of Dragons. Having endured more than enough with the fight Rhaenyra gave him on marriage, Viserys all but gave up with his second daughter. Some also say Saerys had seduced nearly all the ladies at court, aside from Queen Alicent Hightower (though some say she tried) by age 20.

Rhaenyra supported Saerys’ sexual/romantic appetites 100%. Rumors were Rhaenyra enjoyed the company of both sexes. Rumors also said in the past Rhaenyra had the buddings of a relationship with the (then) Lady Alicent before the latter was married to the king.

Since then, Saerys filled the gap Alicent left in Rhaenyra’s life and took that role very seriously.

After Laenor’s passing, Saerys was left in the dark on Rhaenyra’s and Daemon wedding. Her sister never spoke a work to Saerys about it. Still grieving the loss of both her cousins, Saerys stayed on Driftmark for several months following Laena’s (who had been married to her Uncle Daemon before her death during childbirth) and Laenor’s “death” to help her Auntie Rhaenys. When word came of Rhaenyra’s wedding to their uncle, Saerys had already flown back to the Red Keep. She received such news bitterly. Originally, Saerys was furious with Rhaenyra, thinking her stupid for doing such a thing while knowing their father would not be happy about the union. Even more so, she felt betrayed. Saerys did not discount the idea that Rhaenyra would be disinherited by their father, which would mean she’d be next in line for the throne. Saerys was also, almost more so, furious that her sister did not tell her about the wedding prior.

Daemon and Rhaenyra’s marriage sparked a conversation between Saerys and King Viserys that they might not of had, had it not happened. It happened the night the raven came announcing the news. Viserys called Saerys to his study and sat her down. He was weak, frail, and growing more and more feeble by the day with a growing sickness. It is said they spoke well into the night. What they spoke of one could only wonder, but it was speculated the king told his second daughter that he wished to make her his heir. Whispers in the Red Keep (who’s origins are unknown) would say Viserys named Saerys the “heir of dreams” that night. From then on, Saerys would sometimes be called, in hushed voices, the “Princess of Dreams”.

Nothing changed, but after that, Saerys seemed more at peace with herself. No one could understand why, nor knew what happened, other than the Princess carried herself with a sense of self-knowledge rather than bitterness henceforth.

The next day, Saerys flew to Dragonstone on Vermithor to confront Rhaenyra. Daemon attempted to intercept a furious Saerys, which resulted in surprise for onlookers. Saerys drew her weapon against her uncle, the very sword he’d forged for her, and gave Daemon no choice but to draw his. As a result, Vermithor and Caraxes stirred on either end of the Dragonbridge, each dragon coming to the defense of their rider. Eventually, Daemon yielded (though onlookers accounted that it was Saerys who disarmed him) and Saerys entered Dragonstone without further resistance. But that was only the beginning.

When the sisters confronted each other, it was said their shouts could be heard all the way up on the Dragonmont and reminded the castle servants and lesser lords of “two great dragons roaring”. Although, some said it sounded more like a quarrel between lovers rather than of sisters. Eventually, Saerys stormed out of the castle and took flight on Vermithor toward the Red Keep. Some accounts say Rhaenyra ran after Saerys following their immense fight and begged her to stay. However, others recall that the Princess Rhaenyra shed a tear at the furious departure of her sister but moved not an inch.

Henceforth, the monumental argument would be dubbed by nobility the “Battle of Gold and Bronze” for the colors of Vermithor and Syrax — the mounts of each Targaryen princess. The sisters would not see or speak to each other again for over two years.

After this, it was thought Saerys would not support her sister’s claim. Some even thought Saerys would challenge Rhaenyra for the throne or that Viserys might finally change his decision on who his heir would be. Saerys, however, never spoke ill of Rhaenyra. In fact, she hardly spoke of her at all.

Afterward, Saerys was said to have a reoccurring fling with the daughter of a lord at the Red Keep. Some say it was casual while others say the princess would have taken the girl to wed had she the means to. Rumors say this girl was Lady Fell’s daughter, Amelia.

The Red Keep seemed at peace for a time, settled between Driftmark and Dragonstone, where House Targaryen found family on each. But it was less like peace and more like a hollow stillness. Rhaenyra and Daemon welcomed two sons and were expecting a third child on the way. Saerys, betrayed by both of the two people closest to her, lost herself in books and in steel. There was a rigid calmness that shrouded House Targaryen. The nights drew blacker and the days became greener, but King Viserys grew sicker by the passing of each. The Dance of the Dragons was near.

Part two will be on Saerys and Vermithor’s impact on the Dance of Dragons

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

So, let us say, for the dork squad (general). They meet a girl who seems to know all about them and who they are. A fan, so to speak! And she knows so much about them. She mentions a 'thank you' for all the souls they've sent, but really...when are THEY going to end up punching their ticket? Maybe they notice something like tapetum lucidum flashing in her eyes at the wrong angle. And then they start seeing her everywhere. They're being followed. Or hunted. Can they keep Death from her dues?

So to clarify there is a romantic spin on this and girl means young woman adult in this occasion (I asked). While I figured most people would know, it helps being clear. That being said. Death becomes her.

Tw: murder, child abuse (mentioned in past tense)

Scarecrow

- For a moment he's ready to tell her not to bother with the little charade. That he has other things to deal with rather than some young woman with flights of fancy in her head. Then he sees the flicker of an animals eyes looking back at him.

- It shakes him to his core, at first. She disappears and he's left with many thoughts. The afterlife? What does this all mean...? She said she was a fan. Of him?

- Then he keeps seeing her everywhere it seems. At one point he finally just sits down in the park at night, waiting for her to join him. Once she does he asks plainly, "Is it my time?"

- She hums, "Not necessarily. Not unless you wanted to go. I'd take you by the hand to the rotting dark right now if you wanted."

- "I don't. I have things that need to be done first." He says simply. She shrugs. Worth a shot!

- "Then I wait." She smiles, "You don't mind me waiting in sight, do you?"

- It strikes him as an odd question. Would she still be waiting, just unseen, if he wished it? To that he shakes his head, "I don't mind much. You've seen it all, have you?"

- "Of yours? Yup. Ever since your granny. Big pause after that, though." She tilts her head. A "simple" mix-up of medications by a young Jonathan Crane took care of all that easily.

- Death continues, "People should cherish their lives. And the lives of others. She didn't cherish yours much."

- His silence answers the insinuation. When she leans on him, he seems surprised. It's comforting, somehow. She softly sings an old folk song he knows quite well growing up where he did.

-"O death... O death... won't you spare me o'er another year?"

- His eyes close. His voice, ragged and not quite as pretty- joins hers.

- It's the first of many intimate moments between them.

Mad Hatter

- Nervous laughter, what the fuck. Look, he's spooky in his own way, incredibly so but this is a whole other level. Her eyes shining like that when a truck went by scared him deep into his soul.

- The rest of it doesn't really process or register until later. The souls HE'S sent? Oh dear, oh no, oh... fuck. Jervis, dear boy, you're really in it now. But- but- he hasn't even met his Alice!

- The next few times he sees Death, he outright tries to ignore her. Smiling, watching. Tries to make tonics to send him to Wonderland in an attempt to forget... to not think about her... Even there he still seems to see her.

- Eventually she's walking beside him and he says pointedly, "I cannot go with you, I need to..." He looks upset.

- "Find your Alice?" Death asks, "Haven't you tried that already? There's been a few souls delivered that way. A lady killer." Her eyes narrow on him and he feels faint.

- "It wasn't like that! It wasn't-" He stammers, "Everything just keeps..."

- "You're not meant for this world. These people. I understand. Always feeling like you don't belong." She says, "I'm not taking you. Yet. You can stop being so worried. I told you, I'm a fan."

- He stops as she continues to walk. A hopeful look in his eyes, "Do you... perhaps... like Alice in Wonderland?"

- "I love it. I had a long conversation with Mr. Carrol when he passed about the books." She looks so proud of herself, "Do you want to hear?"

- It takes him a moment, but he offers his arm, "After you, dear lady!"

Riddler

- You're joking. You can't be serious, right? What a cute little prank. He gently pats the young woman on the head and tries to walk away as quickly as he possibly can.

- The tapetum lucidum was what bothered him the most. Whatever that was, she wasn't human.

- He gathers himself and the next time he sees her he approaches her oh-so-smug, "If you're really Death, then who was the first person I killed?"

- Smiling, cute as a button she'll respond, "Your father. You set up a very complex web of information that made him think he was going to get the payday of his life if he went to a certain spot. A certain spot you set up with traps. The moment he entered his hand into the cuff for the key, you gave him options to stay trapped and starve or risk bleeding out by cutting his hand off. Like an animal. That hand that hurt you so often, right?"

- Edward's face goes white. He's never told anyone that. She doesn't even need to tell him how as a young man he made it look like a burglary gone wrong afterwards. He gets the message. Seeing her around afterwards makes him paranoid.

- He's going to use her fan status- or try to. You think he's witty? Clever? Let him tell you all about it. Behind the scenes on his most brilliant and sometimes fatal traps! He figures if she won't stop following him the least he can do is talk his way out of this.

- People have done it for eons in stories about Death, haven't they? What he's not ready for is the sweet way she listens. And comments on his stories. She doesn't even necessarily judge him, not the way a regular person would.

- fuck, he's caught feelings. Disgusting. But he can't quite help himself with how he leans in with that smarmy grin and charming voice. Pity him, oh Death, spare his mortal soul! What great offerings can he give in penance for his... Mistress?

[if-i-bothered-to-write-a-fanfic]

Battered Steal

She knows the exact moment when everything changed.

She was young, a girl merely of four and ten. She remembers anxiously picking at the skin of her fingers, tentatively speaking with her father after the unseemly death of the late queen. She was saddened for her dearest friend, and yet-

“I thought you might go to him, offer him comfort.”

Her father all but ordered her to remain by the king's side. 

She wasn’t naive, foolish as many would think, she was aware of what her father was demanding of her. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to deny him. With her heart heavy, nausea threatening to send her to her feet, she dressed herself in the image of her late mother and made her way to the king's chambers. 

Over time, she sensed the shift in the king’s attention. It went from pleasant, cordial company, to something more. At least, in the king’s eyes, it was more.

Alicent only ever felt constantly ill to her stomach. 

As the days passed, her father would offer further suggestions on what she should do to garner more of the king’s favor. To dress a certain way, to bring the king gifts, to continue offering the king a shoulder to lean on. 

It only made it easier that Rhaenyra was shunning him.

The king would often narrate his woes, about how he missed his dearest daughter, how lost he felt without his late wife and son. Only, for him then to state how beautiful she was, how kind, gentle, as radiant as the sun. A beauty liken to Aemma. 

And then, he started to slowly touch her more.

It started off with a gentle brush of the fingers, leaning more into her personal space. It then grew into lingering caresses, and even the occasional gentle kiss to her head or neck. The king was becoming more bold, building up to something that only brought the greatest dread to Alicent.

Then, despite it all, even she too was blindsided by the announcement.

“I have decided to take a new wife.” The king paused, staring at those of his council. “I intend to marry the lady Alicent Hightower, before spring's end.”

What hurt worse than her inevitable fate, was the look of despair and betrayal on her dearest friend's face. 

Things only spiraled for the worse from that moment on. Rhaenyra would not even look at her, immediately turning away whenever they would cross paths. Alicent tried to speak to her, apologize and explain to her the circumstances of her position. Yet, Rhaenyra wouldn’t hear a word of what she had to say, and Alicent, she couldn’t even fault her for the vitriol. 

It hurt, she never felt more lost and alone without having anyone she could truly lean on. 

Soon her wedding day came, the entire day Alicent never spoke a word besides pleasantries to honored guests. She was not happy, she never would be happy again. She was to wed a man more than twice her age, lay with him, and bear his children. 

Alicents heart stuttered, tears unknowingly filled her eyes as the reality of her circumstances hit her. She didn’t want this, she never wanted any of this. She mourned for the days her and Rhaenyra would sit in the Royal gardens, and read fantastical stories that her dearest friend would bring. She mourned the days when she was free.

“By the light of the seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity.”

Her fate was sealed. 

The king, her husband, bed her that same night. The first of many, all of which for her own sanity she forced herself to forget. She would let the man do as he wishes, and she would lose herself in her thoughts, memories, of times spent with Rhaenyra. Despite everything, Rhaenyra would always remain her greatest source of comfort as much as she was her greatest source of pain. 

Years eventually bleed into each other, and Alicent grew more into herself as a woman. She birthed three beautiful Targaryen children, and yet, she seemed to have only learned to grow to be frigid and bitter. Instead of love, Alicent only ever seemed to feel a cloying mixture of apathy, rage, and despair.  

She would never tell him, but as much as she loved her father, Otto, under the cover of night she wished him dead all the same. 

The relationship she once cherished, treasured with Rhaenyra, had been burned in dragon fire. They had jumped at each other's throats on too many occasions, speaking venom-laced words aimed to hurt, and they did. They irrevocably damaged the once seemingly unbreakable bond. Now, they’re little more than acquaintances holding poisoned daggers at each other's backs. 

Everyday they seemed to move themselves and those around them in a practiced dance, a strategic game of chess where the one who loses will fall to the hands of death. Alicent has learned this game with Otto, has played it with the king, she more than knew the consequences of failure. With Rhaenyra, she knew she could not allow any faults. Her life and the life of her children laid in precarious balance, and the venomous words of Otto breathing down her neck did not help.

Each day she seemed to spiral further into a blackened void she could not hope to escape from, both duty and faith at war with her mind and body as she fought for herself and the station of her children. Alicent, after all these years, still didn’t know how to interact with those she brought into the world. All she knew was fear and hatred. She despised her children because their conception was never consensual, but she couldn’t help but to love them because they were still of her. She did the only thing she could do, she kept her interactions with them to a minimum. She oversaw their studies, answered the questions they may have had, but she never truly tried to get to know them. 

Well, that was until she came to understand Aemond. 

She saw herself in her second-born son. He was a boy excluded from his siblings and Rhaenyra’s children, isolated in his own right. After the incident where he lost his eye, well, she couldn’t help but to compare when she lost something too. Aemond became her favorite of the three, the only one she truly bonded with as mother and son. 

She knew it wasn’t right, that there was something undoubtedly broken in her, all Alicent could do was to survive the fight for a throne she was never born to, and fight to have her first-born son rightfully seated upon it so she too can be free. 

When Viserys himself said unto his final breath that Aegon was the prince that was promised, she couldn’t help but to hear that as a confession to reinstate a male heir to the iron throne. It seemed perfect, everything that made her who she was, was finally coming to an end. She did her duty, Viserys was dead, no one but her son would be able to command her. 

Except-

“Rhaenyra has declared herself the rightful heir to the iron throne, crowning herself queen of the seven kingdoms.”

Alicent wished she knew the price of her desired freedom, for if she knew the ferocity of a battle between dragons, she might’ve done things differently. Maybe she wouldn’t have been a coward? Maybe she would’ve found that she too was as strong willed as any dragon? That she could have fought for herself? Prevented needless bloodshed by denying a marriage to a man she never loved? 

Watching as she lost every last one of her children, even her grandchildren-

She couldn’t help but to feel regret as she took her last breath, staring at the vacant walls that made up her tomb. 

[shayrose5494]

So I’ve had this idea for a while but I’m not sure how to execute it. I’m hoping by sharing it with you all, I might get some inspiration/motivation for actually writing it: What if the Dance of the Dragons was Viserys’ dragon dream. So after Aemma dies (and in this AU Daemon doesn’t make the “heir for a day” comment or this happens before he gets the chance to say it) Viserys decided ‘fuck it, I’m the king, if I don’t want to take on a new wife I don’t have to.’ Plus, having seen his fate he doesn’t want to subject a woman to his condition. So he decides he’s going to change the game completely.

He betroths Rhaenyra and Daemon and names BOTH of them his heirs, to rule as equals. (Obviously this causes an uproar but he knows they can handle it if they all stay together as a family.) As a result, Aegon, Helaena, Aemond and Daeron are Rhaenyra and Daemon’s children.

Helaena is more assertive and more like a young Rhaenyra. They catch early on that she’s a dreamer and pay much more attention to the ‘nonsense’ she expresses while caring for her insects.

Aemond is more confident and is definitely not bullied for not having a dragon. He has all of the good qualities of Daemon and just like his dad is a skilled warrior. (Aegon plans for him to be his hand when he becomes king) And it is no surprise this time when the son of 2 of the fiercest Targaryens claims Vhagar, the largest dragon still remaining in the world.

Daeron takes more after his grandfather, Viserys. He is good natured and jovial, and just a treasure for everyone around him (since he didn’t appear in the show I don’t really know how to combine my ideal characterization for him with how he’s portrayed)

And finally, Aegon. I feel like he would be the perfect combination of Rhaenyra and Daemon. And because he would grow up in a more loving environment, without any pressure of stealing the crown from Rhaenyra, I feel like he wouldn’t feel the need to drown himself in booze and whores. He would be given the chance to enjoy his childhood while also properly preparing him for his eventual reign after his parents. He would still be a snarky little shit from time to time (hello Daemon’s son) but he would also have a firmer grasp on authority (have you meet his new mama?)

As for Alicent, I feel like Viserys would still have had a soft spot for her and wouldn’t want her to suffer a similar fate to his dream. So he arranges for a marriage between her and one of Lord Stark’s sons. This way a) he can get her away from Otto and his manipulation and b) Aegon the Conqueror’s dream said something was building in the North, what better way to strengthen the stronghold up there than to have the Queen’s best friend marry the overlord of that region?

In addition, Alicent ends up giving birth to a girl around Aegon’s age, leading to a betrothal between her and Aegon. I feel like said daughter would be a combination of regal noblewoman (see Sansa Stark) and fierce warrior (see Arya Stark). If Aegon is anything like his parents he’d meet this girl and his immediate reaction would just be:

Aemond would be betrothed to a soft, gentle noble lady from the Riverlands. Who brings along her best friend, caregiver/ (and secret love interest) Alys Rivers.  The three eventually begin a cute polyamorous relationship where Alys and Aemond are certified sunshine protectors and their darling is the sunshine. Aemond would later follow the Targaryen tradition of marrying Alys so the three can live their happy poly life.

Helaena becomes engaged to a Lord from the Iron Islands (I love me some Viking/pirate action). I feel like he would find her interest in bugs to be very enduring, and frequently encourages it, especially once he finds out it helps her do her divination. This would also secure a strong naval fleet for King’s Landing.

Finally, Daeron would be betrothed to a Dornish Princess. This way it would secure an alliance with Dorne that would eventually lead to bringing Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms. I feel like she would be very open-minded and gentle hearted. But this doesn’t make her defenseless. She rather enjoys gardening, and some say half of her garden is full of cooking herbs, the other half is poisons and sometimes, she cooks with both.

Now, what about Laena and Laenor? Laena I could see Viserys arranging a marriage for her with a house that has a strong army to help assist with the Stepstones (perhaps the Blackwoods?) She would probably end up suffering from the same fate however, dying during childbirth. However, since Rhaena and Baela’s relationship with Aemond would be vastly different in this universe, I feel like not only would they be ok with him claiming Vhagar, but maybe even encourage it if he asked for their blessing first.

As for Laenor, if I recall correctly there was a noble lady in the Vale around his time that had a “uniquely” close relationship with her best (female) friend (if you catch my drift). And boy do we love to see gay/lesbian alliances. And if she never bares a child, well some women are barren, right?

So what do you think? Too out there? 

[tacoslurp]

Welcome to the Spencer-Kim-Lewis Family!

As you can tell, these are the townies in Willow Creek with the “complicated family tree”. Let’s break it down a bit shall we?

see, this is a lot simpler now.

Okay, ready for some dynamic, drama? Oh, I am.

May I introduce to you, Olivia Kim-Lewis. A happy child who is very smart. She takes after her mother more than her dad, wanting to be a future artist when she grows up. How cute!

But how will she deal with her dad being away from home at college for a while? I mean, that’s four year. Will she forget about her dad entirely? Surely, not?

And her granddad? Why did he always give her soo many chores! Ugh.

This girl needs no introduction, but let’s give her one anyway. Alice Spencer-Kim. She likes to paint and it’s awesome and it helps her escape. Escape from what?

She’s not sure, but she does know that Eric Lewis is getting a little more bossy and a little too comfortable with her dad’s money, (Dennis owns the house and all the money).

She wanted Eric Lewis to wait to go to college. After all, 75,000 simoleans was a hefty price and since they had enough money for their generation, why not ensure it to their child, Olivia? But Eric was not taking no for an answer. Eventually Dennis, being the old man he was, gave up and let Eric take the money to go to college just to him away from his home, haha.

But Alice LOVES Eric even if he focuses too much on money. It’s fine. And in the meantime She can keep playing with her adorable child, and his mom, Vivian helps out so much. it’s awesome.

Vivian is really trying hard out this technology, after all a device that allows calls in an instant? It’s useful. But, while Vivian is an optimistic sim she’s not sure she’ll be able to learn enough of this technology to keep up with her beloved granddaughter.

She’s a little bit upset at Eric. He has a wonderful family, why go to college and get away from your only child when they already had all their needs met?

She understood wanting to become something, but isn’t being a father something? Wasn’t that enough?

Vivian remembers being poor. Vivian remembers when she immigrated from far away into the lands of Willow Creek. She remembers how hard it was. She remembers finding her purpose in her child, how precious and adorable Eric was. It’s a shame her husband died in the journey to Willow Creek.

This was paradise. And while she felt a tad bit guilty for mooching off of the family, Dennis had insisted. After all, she was becoming too old to take care of herself and the house had enough space for her. While Dennis was a strict old man, she couldn’t deny it. Dennis was a kind man at heart, even if he tried to hide it.

She only hoped that Olivia would eventually learn that all those chores he gave her was to keep her from getting spoiled.

Alice? Alice was a nice lady. But, sometimes she had her head up in the clouds. Oh well, Olivia seems to like it.

Dennis was an old fashioned man, and some would even say a bit strict. But he had to be, being the only Sim to be mayor in Willow Creek. He had a partner once upon a time, a lady who helped him to turn Willow Creek into what it was now, but that is a story he does not tell often, as his lady, his poor lady, had a tragic end.

Now? He’s working on his lovely garden. It would do Willow Creek some good to have some more produce in this world full of evil.

He’s also a little concerned of Olivia and how much attention she gets. The young lady may be spoiled if he’s not careful.

[crazyprompts4asoiafdune]

HOTD Regency AU

The Targaryen family, known to breed the finest warhorses in Westeros, face a crisis after both the oldest sons, Aemon and Baelon, die in their prime, leaving behind a daughter, Rhaenys, and two sons, Viserys and Daemon, respectively, to inherit the estate after the death of their grandfather, Jaehaerys. Their grandfather, after extensive consultation with his business associates and lawyers, makes a will favoring Viserys, his eldest grandson and not his eldest grandchild, Rhaenys, who is married to the fierce, irascible and wealthy Admiral Corlys Velaryon, twenty years her senior. The admiral is only persuaded to drop his plan of fighting Jaehaerys's will when Daemon Targaryen announces his betrothal to Rhea Royce, wealthy heiress of Runestone, and says he will fight his brother's battles up to the highest court in the land. This leads to a severe estrangement among the cousins, with Rhaenys and her husband settling on his estate of Driftmark, which she soon fills with a son and daughter, Laena and Laenor.

Things are not so easy for Viserys, who is married to his cousin, Aemma--they have one daughter, Rhaenyra, whom they both adore. Viserys is advised to try for a son by his legal advisor, Otto Hightower, who does not feel Daemon Targaryen, the finest swordsman and horseman in the land, quite fit for the task of running the Targaryen estate. Daemon would rather fight wars than breed horses; he leaves the running of his estate to the Targaryen bailiff, Beesbury, while staying away from his family to fight for any army that would have him on their side. He avoids his betrothed, Miss Royce, and spends his time spoiling his niece, Rhaenyra, who is left to the care of governesses and nursemaids, while her mother unsuccessfully tries to reproduce the all-important Targaryen male heir. 

Eventually, Aemma dies in the endeavor, and Viserys is left to bring up his eight-year-old daughter on his own. It is at this time that Otto advises him to make a will naming his daughter his heir by informing Viserys of Daemon's behavior on campaign, which is causing a scandal. At the same time, he introduces his accomplished eighteen year old daughter to Viserys as a suitable governess for eight year old Rhaenyra. It takes Viserys no more than seven months after his wife's death to fall in love with and wed Alicent Hightower, who soon presents him with his longed-for heir. Rhaenyra is soon shunted off to a suitable school to become a young lady and be married off when she is of age; Otto hopes that, by that time, he can get Viserys to change his will in favor of Aegon, Alicent's son. 

For Rhaenyra, school leads to a meeting with her cousin Laena and happy holidays spent at the Velaryon estate of Driftmark. Rhaenys also introduces Rhaenyra to her mother's cousin, Jeyne Arryn, who is managing her own estates. Rhaenyra tries to visit her father and stepmother only when she must, preferring to spend her time with the Velaryons or Miss Arryn. It is on one of her infrequent visits home that Rhaenyra is instrumental in sending their old steward's only child, Criston, to public school, to better his condition, and also makes the acquaintance of the Strongs--Lyonel and his sons, Larys and Harwin--in the course of a hunt. She soon learns that Harwin, who was educated at school, has joined the army and is a soldier like her uncle, while Larys, educated at home, is studying law under Otto and hopes to become his junior partner. Lyonel retired as a judge and is now living on his family estate of Harrenhal

As she grows up, Rhaenyra is expected to make a suitable match, but finds no one she likes. In the meantime, Daemon returns; his long absence in the battlefield led Rhea Royce to break their engagement and wed her cousin instead. His arrival is a source of joy to Rhaenyra, and to her cousin Laena, neither of whom are impressed by the young men of the ton they have met so far. He makes it his business to escort both young ladies to various fashionable places and show them the world, accompanied by Rhaenys and Corlys. However, his reputation as a womanizer has followed him from the battlefield back home; it does not take long for Otto Hightower, who has become Viserys’s constant companion, to hint that Daemon’s attentions to Rhaenyra might not be entirely honorable. This forces Viserys to call her home and force her engagement to Laenor Velaryon, who is home on shore leave. Laenor, who is in love with a fellow officer, Joffrey Lonmouth, is not eager for the match and neither is Rhaenyra, but Otto succeeds in creating a whispering campaign in their circle that pushes the marriage through. Daemon marries Laena and settles at Driftmark, while Rhaenyra and Laenor settle at Dragonstone, which is closer to the Red Keep. In the meantime,Otto tries to use Rhaenyra’s closeness to Daemon to convince Viserys to change his will in favour of Aegon, which Viserys refuses to do. He then demands that Otto hand over all his legal documents to him, dismisses him as his lawyer and hands the papers over to  Lyonel Strong.

Laenor had hoped that, after marrying Rhaenyra, he would be able to live a life of his own with Joffrey Lonmouth, However, his hopes are dashed when Lonmouth is killed in a duel with Criston Cole a day before Laenor’s wedding to Rhaenyra. It appears that Cole had a brief affair with Rhaenyra while she was with Daemon. She’d been responsible for her father selecting him, their late steward’s son, to study in a public school and then a university and take holy orders; he had approached her to thank her, which eventually led to their affair. His feelings for her turned to hurt and bitterness when she refused to marry him and lead the quiet life of a curate’s wife. He reveals all this to Alicent on his return home; Alicent urges him to prayer and to seek employment as the Red Keep’s curate. She also puts him in charge of educating her children. 

In the meantime, Harwin Strong returns from war and Rhaenyra offers him the post of bailiff of Dragonstone. Laenor, who has not recovered from Joffrey’s death, soon returns to war and is killed in action. After a suitable period of mourning, Rhaenyra marries Harwin, much to the scandal of the neighborhood. However, the Velaryons--especially Rhaenys and Laena--who were aware of Laenor’s proclivities--remain her friends, while Alicent and Otto continue to drop hints of her moral depravity. Rhaenyra’s marriage to Harwin leads to the birth of three boys, while Laena has twin girls. The cousins and childhood friends make plans to betroth Rhaenyra’s two eldest sons to Laena’s  girls.

In the meantime, Larys, who has been working with Otto, reveals to Alicent that the Targaryen estate, which Viserys received from his grandfather Jaehaerys on his death, which includes the estates of the Red Keep and Dragonstone, will be given to Rhaenyra when Viserys dies. Viserys had made this will soon after Rhaenyra’s mother Aemma died in childbirth, trying to bring forth a male heir. Alicent then tries to convince Viserys of the wisdom of remaking his will in favor of her children, cutting out Rhaenyra and her children, as well as Daemon and his offspring, because she knows that Laena and Rhaenyra plan to wed their two oldest children to each other and they will inherit  Driftmark after Admiral Velaryon dies. Although she and Harwin are living in Dragonstone and Rhaenyra is an excellent manager and landlord, she does not  need the estate as much as Alicent’s boys do. She also wants to punish Rhaenyra for what she did to Criston Cole, who is now the tutor to her children. Rhaenyra’s children are taught by Mr Gerardys, Dragonstone’s vicar...

[saiyanlassie]

Chapter 1

Authors Note: This is the first chapter of my new DragonBall Z fanfiction. I would love for you to reblog and like this, as it would be very helpful! Also any constructive feedback will be greatly appreciated! I don't know what to call this yet so any ideas?

Looking back, Alice would have never guessed her life would have turned out the way it has. From becoming best friends with the daughter of the world’s most renowned scientist, Bulma Briefs, to meeting an alien. Two aliens actually.  If Alice met her former child self, the youngster would be ecstatic to know that there were endless opportunities out there. Hell, meeting an Alien? Child Alice would be over the moon. She was ecstatic once she learned they were highly skilled fighters.

Growing up, Alice was told that martial arts was for boys, and that “fighting wasn’t for young ladies”. Every time Alice’s father told her this, she would fume with anger and run to her room. Crying whilst reading her books she imagined she could be like the heroes she read. Alice never understood why girls were so unjustly discriminated against. Seen as “weaker” or “frail”. Never appreciating the fact that she was limited by society's standards, Alice grew up fighting for her place in a man’s world. Which is what led her to Bulma Briefs.

Bulma and Alice were like two peas in a pod. They both despised society’s view of women. Bulma grew up in the male-dominated field of science and outshined all her other peers. To which Alice highly respected. The two got along quite well, and over time became the best of friends. Taking into consideration her appreciation of martial arts, Bulma introduced Alice to her childhood friend, Goku. 

Admittedly, Alice didn’t like Goku at first. She was often dumbstruck at his naivety. How could a grown man not understand social cues amongst a plethora of other things? Bulma found Alice’s dislike of the orange-clad fighter hilarious. 

“You know Alice, once you look past all that, he's actually a great guy!” Bulma giggled, catching Alice off guard. 

They were sitting on Bulma’s balcony at Capsule Corp. Goku had teleported somewhere else leaving Alice in the midst of conversation whilst Bulma sat back and observed the interaction. Alice had a perplexed look on her face, After speaking with Goku, Alice was always left feeling confused. She could never understand that Saiyan man. And she never liked being confused. 

“Maybe your right.” Alice shrugged and walked back into the house. Eventually, Goku’s kindness and determination won her over. They became great friends. Oftentimes Goku would beg Alice to fight with him. Alice would always refuse. She wasn't confident enough in her abilities after seeing how Goku fought.

“Pretty please can we fight? Just a teensy bit? PLEASE?” Goku begged for the hundredth time. Alice rolled her eyes, deciding that saying no repeatedly just wasn't going to work. So opting instead to slap him. 

“All right! Now that's the spirit!” Goku exclaimed after dodging the slap.

“Wait what?” Alice immediately panicked, not realizing she had accidentally given Goku her permission to fight. Almost immediately, Goku proceeded to kick her in the gut across the room. Alice grunted as she landed on the wall, furniture scattered everywhere and the wall now severely damaged. Bits of wood and debris was scattered everywhere and in Alice’s hair.

After an intense lecture from Bulma, Goku decided he wouldn’t try that again. He didn’t realize that Alice was so weak. Bulma talked a big talk about how you loved martial arts, leaving him disappointed. 

“Apologize!” Bulma screamed at the Saiyan as he awkwardly laughed whilst rubbing the back of his neck. A nervous habit he picked up after experiencing several awkward encounters in his time. 

“Geez, I’m sorry! Bulma told me you were a strong fighter so I assumed you could handle it.”

After hearing that, not only was Alice physically hurt, but so was her ego. She slowly got up, shooting Goku a glare, and slumped out of the room.

Alice could hear Goku saying “What? I apologized!” Assuming Bulma got on him for his unintentional backhanded apology.

After meeting Goku, Alice was bound to meet Vegeta. Oh, how she despised that man. His arrogance and disrespectful attitude infuriated her to the core. Those two never got along ever since they first met. Alice remembered her first encounter with the Saiyan prince very well. 

Bulma had rented out a Capsule Corp property to Alice, making it her new home. She loved it. Having plenty of land to train in, and a nice cozy home to live in. The only downside was having Vegeta as her neighbor. Bulma rented out property and a home to him, conveniently next to Alice’s. Forcing them to be neighbors. 

Deciding to properly greet her neighbor, Alice created a welcome basket with assorted treats and items. She wanted to be on good terms with her neighbor, in case she ever needed them or vice versa. Stepping up to the front porch, she got no answer once she rang the doorbell. Giving up after waiting several minutes she left the basket on the porch with a note reading;

Hello,

I just moved in recently and wanted to bring you a basket of goodies! My name is Alice McClain and if you ever need anything don't be afraid to holler!

-A

A few days had gone by. No contact from her neighbor by the name of “Vegeta”. When Bulma told Alice his name, she giggled. The name “Vegeta” made her think that the words “vegetable” and “vagina” combined together was how his name must have been created.

After radio silence from her neighbor, Alice returned home from work one day to see a note. The note looked as if it was hastily torn from a notebook, and angrily written words read;

Fuck off

-V

After reading the note, Alice was infuriated and crumbled up the note in her hands. Wasting no time she stomped over to Vegeta’s house and rapped against his door with her hands. After a few minutes of constant knocking, an angry figure opened up the door.

“What is it, woman!? Why must you bother me?” Vegeta’s scowling face hovered over Alice’s.

“How dare you be so disrespectful? I was trying to be nice and you do this?” Alice threw the crumpled-up note at his chest, then in bad taste, spit in his direction. Thinking back this was not the wisest move, considering that her actions would have consequences.

“I-Woman! I should have you over my knee for that! How dare you disrespect the prince of all Saiyans!” He angrily spat. 

Now Alice would never admit it, but hearing him say that made her blush. She couldn't even think of a witty response.

“I- Fuck you!” She growled and immediately turned away, walking back towards her home.

Who does he think he is?

[therealvinelle]

I would 100 percent love a rundown of every vampire and how they would react to the option to be human again.

... every vampire..?

I guess we’re doing this.

Afton is more useless to the Volturi than ever. This changes nothing, in part because nobody notices. Afton dies of old age in a cry for attention.

Alec can have puberty?! Get tall? Have sex? Sign him the fuck up. Alec spends ten years as a human. Unfortunately it turns out he has the worst genes, so he stops at 5 feet and doesn’t grow an inch taller. He is Volterra’s short king. Even more unfortunate is the fact that the ladies still see him as a kid and would feel weird about sleeping with him, so no luck on that front either. (Somehow, Jane is both taller and gets all the hawt dewds)

Alice would not like this at all. Having a human is nice, that’s fun. Alice loves her Bella Barbie. Being a human? Oh god no.

Alistair’s whole thing is that he’s living as a hermit because he’s terrified of everyone and everything. If he became human again, he would still be a hermit, but lacking any of the survival skills or basic equipment that human hermits accrue he would quickly die out there in the wild.

Amun might just be the oldest vampire in the world, and he has been a god. Going back to being human would be too low, it would be the greatest humiliation imaginable. Hard no from Amun.

Anne was Victoria’s sister, the two girls were impoverished and Anne prostituted herself to feed them. Since she was executed by the Volturi within that same century, she would be returning to that same, horrible life. All the nopes, Anne gets her creator to turn her again.

Aro would be very practical about it, I think, and find someone to turn him back before the plague got him. Though I’m sure he’d be too curious not to try for himself the modern, global, human cuisine, so whoever was turning him has to sit by and wait while Aro drinks all the margaritas and eats all the sushi. And probably human flesh, gotta know what it tastes like from the other side

Athenodora has spent a very long time in that tower tripping on Corin’s gift. As she walks into the Volterra town square she has a full on Plato’s cave allegory epiphany, as she realizes that the tower was a fever dream and the real world is blurry and she doesn’t want to eat anybody. She comes to the conclusion that vampires aren’t real.

Bella would feel like Cinderella at the end of the ball, her beautiful gown turns back into rags and she’s an unworthy human again. Edward is overjoyed she smells delicious is fragile again and refuses to turn her back. Heartbreak ensues.

Benito invented newborn wars, he’s got a million enemies. He better become a vampire again immediately, or he’s dead.

Benjamin is the avatar, which is great. He lives in hiding because Amun has him convinced that Aro would enslave him, which is less great. Being human would not solve this.

Boris was living his best life being a fake Russian noble in the court of Versailles. Being a fake noble as a human is just not as fun, and he finds himself a vampire to get turned back.

Bree was miserable as a vampire, but her life wasn’t great to begin with. She was homeless and starving. I imagine she’d say no to humanity because she had nothing to return to, but this would be a survival move that had nothing to do with what she wanted in life.

Caius has no time for this nonsense, he turns back immediately.

Carlisle I’ve outlined in this post, but to repeat it here he is quite happy being a vampire, humanity has nothing to offer him. His ridiculously large network of friends would be put to good use once again as he tries to find someone who’ll turn him. (He has a surprisingly hard time, as no one wants to risk being the asshole who ate Carlisle Cullen. He eventually comes crawling back to a delighted Aro)

Carlisle’s creator is the lowest of the low, trash who lives in the slums, gets caught by humans, eats half a mob and then lets a newborn loose in the middle of London. This guy is a slob who does not have his life in order. Without vampirism, he starts shooting up under a bridge and dies within a few weeks. He does not get turned back into a vampire because nobody’s touching that.

Carmen would probably want a baby before turning back. The problem with trying to raise a human child as a vampire is that children bleed all the time. Eleazar Jr. scrubs his knee, Carmen goes full Cronus on her son, and Dostoyevsky is proud.

Charles... I don’t know if anybody agreed with my post on Renata, I for one think Luca is horrifying, and based on that Charles would turn back immediately because he’s not leaving Makenna on her own. Not to mention, Charles is one of the few vampires in Twilight who chose his fate.

Charlotte and Peter are living happily, thinking the Cullens are crazy for appreciating humans, so no changes there.

Chelsea might actually be a bit allured by humanity, since this way she can find out once and for all if she can form organic, normal relationships. However, she’s been a vampire for millennia, which makes it impossible for her to relate to humans. She makes no friends, and comes to believe that she is unlovable. She becomes a vampire again and, after an extended existential crisis, eventually becomes Marcus.

Corin would want to try all the human drugs. Gotta find out if weed is better than she is! Unfortunately half of Volterra is hooked on her, and she’s turned before she can find a good dealer.

Didyme would immediately suffer a brain aneurism, and die. Marcus becomes Marcus, but this is ultimately the better timeline since Aro can mourn his sister normally.

Diego’s life was pretty much over since gang members were out to get him, so he’s not returning to humanity anytime soon. Although vampirism means that now everyone he meets is a potential gang member out to get him (indeed, Victoria gets him), so maybe humanity would appear comparatively peaceful.

Demetri seems to be having a cool time being a vampire, so back into the ranks of the unholy he goes.

Edward, oh boy. I can’t imagine it, and I don’t want to.

Eleazar is a pretty self-righteous and sanctimonious fellow, I am sure he would not only choose to remain human, but talk about how noble it is that he’s staying human. He would not enjoy being human.

Emmet would be a miserable human, but to turn back would be to turn his back on Rosalie, and so he would dutifully remain, even as he grew to resent her for it. Once again I have a post.

Esme would not want humanity given the choice, but if she suddenly is human then provided Carlisle was as well, I imagine she would want to get a do-over. However, trouble is that if she wants to have a baby, then she’ll have to stick around with said baby as well. Sticking around means remaining human. Honestly, I’m not sure where that would go. Terrible places once Carlisle runs off to Italy, I’m sure.

Felix is another dude who seems pretty happy with vampirism. He sticks his hand into the first fanged mouth that he can find.

Fred is having a good time as well now that he has left Victoria’s army, no arguments here.

Garrett seems quite happy to be a vampire, although he enjoys new things enough that I think he’d want to spend a few years experiencing things from this human perspective. Alas, he’d have pictured the life human influencers and fictional humans were leading - it can’t be too far off, right? Well, real humans need jobs and housing and health insurance. One thing leads to another, and Carlisle finds himself bankrolling Garrett’s human adventures.

George is a seriously amazing guy who goes around pretending to be a demon called Astaroth and making fake demon deals with people. He’s an amazing conman, but his whole schtick depends on being a vampire, so it wouldn’t work if he were human. Vampirism it is.

Heidi apparently lived a terrible life as a human and was pity-turned into a vampire, so I don’t think she’d have any happy associations with humanity at all. She buys the first ticket back to damnation.

Hilda was a feminist bleeding heart who made suffering women invulnerable. Vampirism, to her, seems to have been salvation, with humanity a miserable state. Hard no from Hilda.

Huilen didn’t want anything to do with this supernatural horrorshow that killed her sister, and I imagine she’s one of the few who’d actually fare well as a human again, even though time has passed.

Irina drowns her Laurent-shaped sorrows in booze and men.

James would be furious with everything for letting this happen to him, and want to be turned back again.

Jane, like Alec, is overjoyed that she can have puberty again. This works out great for her. Like a middle school goth phase, she sort of pretends that whole 1200-year-stint as an actual twelve-year-old didn’t happen, going “oh, yeah... that” when it’s mentioned.

Jasper isn’t eating people anymore, praise Jesus. I think he’d actually fare quite well, he’d become a dusty professor in philosophy at some college and the violence would truly be behind him.

Joham is a monster and I imagine his children would eat him before he could get turned back. Good on them.

Kachiri is quite happy with Senna and Zafrina, she wouldn’t want that to change.

Kate loves Garrett very much, but there are all these human men she won’t have to worry about killing..?

Kebi was a slave who was chosen by Amun to be... well, his slave forever. As an unchanging vampire she’s stuck, but humanity could represent real hope for her, the only hope, really. Hard yes from Kebi.

Kristie is one of the two Victoria recruits who managed to turn the army into a high school, where you were either in the right clique or you were a square. Kristie is clearly an opportunist who’ll make the best of any situation, human or vampire.

Kumboh is a highly eccentric vampire who works in a mental hospital and gets attached to the humans there, to the point where he dies for one. This is not a man I can predict.

Laurent spent his existence in a pursuit of power without understanding what power is, and ended up stuck with the white trashiest vampires ever to white trash. Several logical leaps based on 18th century French Versailles logic later he endeavors to marry into the British royal family.

Liam is living quite happily with his wife and surrogate daughter, and even if he wasn’t then Siobhan is going to want her hubby back. And what Siobhan wants, Siobhan gets.

Luca is quite happy being the family patron who sometimes takes niece-brides (or family demon who keeps stealing their daughters), so he would want his fangs back. But, I’m sorry but I think he’d seize the opportunity to impregnate one of his descendants, because if this guy is all about preserving his family line then I can’t imagine he’d be able to resist a son.

Lucy, like Maria, would be in so much trouble. Honestly, I think Maria would eat her immediately. Easiest way to get rid of competition.

Maggie might want to grow a bit older and less emaciated before turning, but like Liam, Siobhan’s gift would see to it that the coven became whole again.

Makenna wanted vampirism once, I imagine she’d want it again. She seems quite happy with her life.

Marcus is finally able to kill himself. Happy days.

Maria would be in so much trouble. She is a human in newborn war territory, all the vampires around her have terrible control, and the ones with good enough control to turn her are enemy army leaders who want her dead. She is forced to make a phone call to Jasper and ask if he can put in a good word with Carlisle.

Mary (Carlisle’s friend), it’s been over a century and she’s still living alone. Sounds lonely, so maybe she’d be down for the change.

Mary (Hilda’s coven) is living that feminist liberation life with Hilda, and humanity would throw her right back into poverty and misery. Big nope.

Nettie would be eaten by Jasper, since Maria already ate Lucy.

Noela is a member of Hilda’s coven, meaning her life was awful. She would not want it back.

Peter is living happily ever after with Charlotte, it’s a good life. Peter does not want things to change.

Randall was turned in the 1960′s, so I’m sure he’d want some of that sweet weed again.

Raoul was a gangbanger and humanity is better off without him. So are vampires.

Renata had awful circumstances around her turning, and nothing to return to. Her human family either sold her out or were unable to protect her, my money’s on them thinking that her fate was a great honor, and either option makes them someone I imagine she has put behind her. As it is now, she has purpose with the Volturi, and no one is making her be anybody’s bride. She would not want things to change, nevermind becoming human.

Riley thinks he has found true love and glorious purpose, and would remain the way he is.

Rosalie would be delighted, but she has poured years of bitterness and crushed dreams into the dream of the perfect human life. Reality wouldn’t live up to her ideal and this time she can’t blame vampirism. I think she’d start drinking.

Santiago presumably has an alright time being a vampire, he has purpose and community with the Volturi. No changes here.

Sasha wanted a big ol’ family, turning first her niece and then women who resembled her niece enough to look like her sisters, so I imagine that, like all good Denali women, she’d seduce a sexy human male and give herself a few more daughters. Disaster would ensue if they were sons, or not blondes.

Senna is living happily with her girlfriends, let nothing disrupt that.

Siobhan’s life is great, with her gift her life will be as she wishes it to be, and she seems to truly enjoy being a vampire. It wouldn’t even be a question for her.

Stefan and Vladimir (no, they don’t get individual entries) are has-beens. Without vampirism, they would be greater has-beens than ever. This makes Aro’s century, and he makes it clear to the vampire world that no one is to turn these two back. Their lives suck and then they die.

Sulpicia is above pesky human sustenance, the mere thought is revolting. She accidentally starves herself to death.

Victoria would be at once more and less paranoid. Her gift isn’t going haywire telling her about all the danger, but she’s a human, so all is danger. I think she’d start drinking too.

Victoria’s NPC army recruits are newborns who love that sweet sweet blood, ain’t nobody turning their back on that.

Tanya would be so fucking happy, oh my god. She can bang all the dudes, and she won’t have to worry about killing them! She forgets that human women have to worry about STDs and pregnancies. Now she has chlamydia and a baby.

Tia’s big problem is that she’s stuck living with this ancient and bitchy loser who takes himself way too seriously. Vampirism on its own is great, she’s down for that.

Unnamed tracker formerly employed by the Volturi was relieved of his duties in the most “oops, you’re useless now” way possible. That hurts your self esteem. Becoming a powerless human would hurt it even more. Unnamed tracker formerly employed by the Volturi does not want this.

Vassilii would grow up, and have a host of issues because being a toddler with memories of bloodthirst and killing people is bad for child development.

Zafrina is having a great time with her girlfriends and her illusions. And it’s been a very long time since they were human, I don’t think anything remains of their culture. At least not anything they’d recognize.

Hope this answers your question, anon...

Edit: Added Carlisle’s Creator, Sasha, and Vassilii. If I’ve missed anybody else, let me know.

Edit 2: Added Bree, Diego, Frank, Kristen, Raoul, Riley, and Victoria’s NPC army recruits.