#so no one notified me that they made a new drama together?

[itzjustmonikas]

Some short cute scenarios of the octavinelle trio relating to magicam! (Jade,Floyd, Azul x reader with no specified gender)

-Jade runs one of those foraging accounts you see on YouTube where he shows people different types of plants/fungus. He gets especially excited talking about his collection and how he tends to his plant babies. Most viewers first started watching him for his voice, hands, and appearance but stayed for the information. One day he asked you for some help with transporting a pot/harvesting a rare plant and got you on video. You didn't think much of it at first and just went on with your day, but when he uploaded the video his fans were all commenting, asking who you were because they liked your voice and found it rare to see someone other than Floyd in the videos. He responded in the next video by saying “That’s a secret~” and people start speculating and talking about who you might be. You end up making more appearances but your face is never shown as Jade wants to keep his beloved all to himself~ and well, he is amused at his fans reactions and want to keep them guessing ;)

-Floyd is canonly very caught up on the latest trends and fashion. He has a big wardrobe and buys alot of different clothing items and accessories. It definitely costs a lot of money so Azul suggested for him to be one of those influencers that post their fits in order to get brand deals to support that lifestyle. Floyd agreed and is actually interested in doing it consistently, he eventually gets pretty popular on magicam because of that and gets invited to a high end luxury brands fashion show. He initially didn't want to go but found out that you liked the brand so he took the offer and brought you with him. You guys got dressed in matching outfits and went to the show together and go viral for your matching outfits and how compatible you both look. Floyd especially for his eyes, tallness, and unique appearance but you also looked very gorgeous alongside him, had great chemistry. Brands end up sending Floyd loads of clothes for upcoming couple lines and you guys ended up with lots of pictures and some fond memories together~

-As you spend more time in NRC you and Azul have gotten closer, chatting often during passing period and collaborating on projects. He was initially cautious of you and did not think you would become such a special and important person to him. He loves your kind words and feels as if you really understand him, he is still scared and a bit hesitant on telling you about his past. Will you decide to turn away from him like the others or will you accept him for who he is? He hopes for the latter...regardless, he wanted to show his gratitude for you by taking you out on a date to watch that one movie you've been excited about recently. You guys plan it out and go to to the theaters together, snacking on popcorn while giggling together at the funny scenes. As you guys walk out, hand in hand, a few people see you guys and end up snapping a pic of you two together because you guys just look so good! None of you realized because you were both enjoying the moment and excited to talk about your thoughts on the ending. Once you guys got back to the dorms you were bombarded with messages from Cater talking about how you and Azul went viral online. You were shocked and went to notify Azul who also just heard the news, both of you ended up reading through the trending tags and comments. You both blushed at the compliments you guys got, such as:

"they look so compatible", "the way he looks at [insert pronouns]>>>", "I love their outfits", "omgg the chemistry between these two", etc

People were wondering if you guys were upcoming models or something and were comparing you guys to known couples from dramas/television. It was an unexpected event but brought you guys closer in the end~

I am a first time writer so please bear with me if I made any mistakes, I am open to constructive criticism and hope you guys enjoy!

Let me know if any of you guys want a part 2🫧

[minnwaa]

what i think of mu kusunoki

tldr: she's unforgivable in my eyes. hella fucking unforgivable.

but the long story is, i think i know what happened in mu's storyline, though bear in mind this is purely conjecture, so it might be wrong. credit for drama translation to onigiriico who is so fast in translating the drama holy heck.

tw// bullying, bugs

read more below:

i find it super interesting that the two mvs have wildly different vibe to it. after pain was more rooted in reality, the background was mostly at school, the people involved in the story are humanoid, everything is pristine, beautiful and tragic. while on the other hand, not my fault is bold, vibrant, surreal, so out of touch of reality it's actually crazy. there are two ways to read this:

that after pain was closer to what happened, that's why the memory is more clear, or

not my fault is closer to what happened, and the reason why it's surreal is that bc mu herself does not consider it the "reality".

i think it's closer to the second point than the first. Why? Because there are contradictions in after pain. first one is the message exchanged between mu and the supposed bullies.

i can't read a lotta kanji, but as i understand it, mu and the "bullies" had a group chat together where mu bought the "bullies" new make ups, and basically wanted to hang out more bc mu had money. and the last sticker that she sent has "ureshii" written on it, means that she's "happy." (feel free to correct me!)

the other contradiction is the reason why she killed her victim. because well, her bully is not her victim. literally, the only time we see the victim was when she walked away when mu is being bullied, so what was the motive? wouldn't it be more obvious if mu killed her bullies and not this one random girl who presumably killed bc she didn't care abt mu? what's up with that?

but then we get it's not my fault. (banger btw)

it starts off immediately with mu being the veritable queen bee of the hive, wanting everyone to please her. and if she's unhappy with you, you get "destroyed". the first line of the song is literally "yappa, hora, watashi no kachi" which means "i knew it, see, i'm the winner." and she continued with "it won't ever change." (which genuinely made me laugh now bc she got unforgivable-leaning vote rn lmfao)

what i would like to point out regarding the person who made her displeased is destroyed is this: once you get pushed away from her favor, it means that you are gone. sure, you still exist, but you are no longer useful to her. you broke into pieces. and i would like to point you guys to these:

so in this frame, we see that she has 8 followers, right? one of them get pushed away and she broke. but then we see this frame:

only three of them left. only three. at the very least, there are FIVE PEOPLE who are now broken because of mu.

we do actually see some uh... people that we know from the mv.

the victim one is pure conjecture, but I'm fairly sure about the three. because well, those three who have the most pictures? are the supposed bullies and the one who survived from getting stomped on mu.

we see the victim looking at the quartet with disgust in her eyes, and when the quartet saw her, she became her next target. which brings me to my next point.

from the way this is framed, her friend, which we will dub as acchan because that was her contact name, notified mu of something and everyone looked back. mu herself looked at the camera like whoever is meddling rn is being a big annoyance.

then immediately after that, the next picture is of the murder and mu mcfuckin' losing it. then the very last scene was the bodies of her "victim" powered up to allow her to escape from her little pod once again, reborn. i think the bugs were actually a metaphor for acceptance (but green, so probably a toxic kind? so perhaps kind of like kissing her ass?) and that after we say that she was forgiven of her sin, she became the queen bee that she was before, escaping the prison as her true self.

and then the real kicker of this whole mv?

THIS PART IN AFTER PAIN. TURNS OUT, SHE WASN'T THE ONE WHO WAS GRIEVING FOR THE GIRL. SHE WAS PROBABLY THE ONE WHO PUT THE FLOWER THERE AND SHE WAS ENJOYING THE SIGHT.

THIS? THIS WAS THE REAL SCENE.

the victim was being bullied by presumably mu and her clique and has to deal with all of her shit being destroyed and probably thrown a bucket of water as well. this is the true scene. none of that beautiful, clean bullshit that mu painted in after pain. no, this is (i believe the real thing)

which then brought me to my next point now, the voice drama. the voice drama confirmed these:

that mu still views herself as the victim

that mu did not think what she did was wrong, it was merely a revenge. if she killed her bullies, it should be okay. if she bullied people, it's because she was bullied before so now it's justified.

that she will be forgiven anyway.

that mu is REALLY good at gaslighting people. she even affected es.

that mu thinks that because her position is so enviable, that's probably the reason why she was being bullied,

that she's not above using threats of other's death for her survival,

that she is a massive bitch who actually doesn't know how friendship work

that the mv could be manipulated by the prisoners, they just have to have strong feeling about the event and it will be painted as such, though MILGRAM can go deeper than that

mkdr, the song chosen for mu, interestingly enough tells a story about a pair who is in a toxic relationship, one who is very dependent on the other, the other one kind of doesn't know the impact of their words. i think this in a way described mu and haruka's relationship.

so i think this is her story. i believe that first when she entered school, she wasn't exactly discriminated or being bullied, it's just that according to her, it must be bullying. for revenge, she decided to be the queen bee of the school. she has everything, looks, money, probably also connection, ofc ppl flocked to her. but she wasn't happy with some of them, so once she's done w/ them, she cuts them off and then bullied those people.

the victim was once upon a time also part of this friendship. she might even be the one who became mu's first friend. but then she saw all the atrocities that mu did, and became disgusted by her.

then i have two ways this could go:

first, the girl became the target of mu's cliques and was bullied by them. decided enough was enough (the final frame of it's not my fault), she decided to fight back and reported mu. mu, knowing that her time is running out, decided to chase after the girl and asked her to delete the evidence. the girl rejected that, ofc, and then mu in panic killed her.

or second, the girl still became the target of mu's cliques, but she was still trying to hold on and not do anything abt it. but when she saw that she wasn't the only target, she was angry at mu and immediately berated her. mu who thrived under attention ofc couldn't take this, esp from someone who she cared about. so she decided to ask for forgiveness, and ofc rejected. mu, in rage, killed the girl.

either way the story goes, the girl died and mu lose it. she lose everyone, her "friends" are now scared of her, she's now in milgram, her status is back to as someone who has nothing.

but then after pain happened. our acceptance of her fault happened. haruka happened. and she was reborn as the queen bee that she was, that she is, and she was so happy that milgram existed.

the worst part abt all of this is that someone like mu exist in this world. someone who, for her benefits, will steps on everyone and gaslight the absolute hell out of you if you don't fit her ideal. we as viewers had been absolutely lied to. after it's not my fault? i can't even see after pain in the same light. holy shit.

anyway that's my thought, i'm definitely voting unforgivable bc this shit won't fly with me. just. ew.

edit: this just make the whole thing worse but rochisama did a translation of things written on the board and the text, and it proved that:

the first scene of after pain (mu waking up) was her being bullied for killing the other girl

the text proves that her and her """bullies"""" was on good term (went out to get tapioca and borrowed lipstick and it was a spare apparently??)

the black board at the end wasn't meant for mu, it was meant for THE VICTIM.

when i thought this couldnt get any worse. it did. what the fuck mu kusunoki

[orphicpoieses]

Writing Log

August 3, 2023

WIP: Project Rosary

Phase: Active Writing

Percentage: ~ 50%

Hello and welcome back to a new writing log.

I am slowly coming near the halfway mark in my Project Rosary Part 1. Even though life is stressful right now (exam season started in Germany two weeks ago), I am fairly consistent in writing every morning before studying.

Creating stories in these times is crucial for me. I immediately feel stressed, when I cannot write (especially if people tell me to not write during the exam phase!). It is like my little escape from everyday work.

But to be honest with you, I am currently a bit unmotivated. Not only because stuff currently happens within my family, but also because everything seems to be quite exhausting. So, what’s been new these days, is that I am trying to get anything down. A new Tumblr post, stuff for my project, new stuff… All of that.

Some of you have already seen that I came up with a new kinda fantasy story, that has no particular meaning, whatsoever.

It doesn’t have a name, beside the codename for Tumblr, so I can tag it: Project Unnamed. It is probably the shittiest story I have ever written. Not only because it is mainly pure Romantasy, which I normally don’t write, but also the fact, that I am writing some elven romance thing while complaining about how many elven or fae romance is out there? It’s kinda ironic.

To give you a little insight in the quick story (including some fancy banners I made for this):

It is about a somehow royal girl (I haven’t decided on that just yet), who lives in a world where magic is banned and seen as a wicked thing. One day, she gets in danger in the nearby woods, where a mysterious man saves her. Fascinated by his ethereal presence, she decides to find him again (which obviously works), where she finds out that he is able to control magic. He seems to come and go like a spirit and so she calls him the white spirit, also because he doesn’t tell her anything about him, besides the facts, that are obvious to her. She gets him to teach her about magic and soon enough, she finds out, that she can use the forbidden force too. They kinda have a secret relationship going on (with probably many red flags - I don’t know if he is a good or a bad guy). The drama comes from the secret relationship and when people find out about the elf in the forest.

I already know that this is going to be bad. I have no intention on publishing it. Maybe one day on Wattpad or as snippets here on Tumblr, but this is probably the most cliché Romantasy story you can come across. Even though I kinda like the characters…

But this is never going to any publisher in this world. It’s to bad for that.

If you are lucky enough to grasp an update on this story in form of a writing log, you are probably blessed. Project Unnamed is not even considered an active WIP.

But back to the original project, of which I am very proud of.

Project Rosary is still right before the half-time of the book, but I only have to finish the current scene and I am done. I like the pace in which things are falling together. Also, because I have the time to come up with solutions to plot holes in the storyline.

Now, as I am slowly coming to the end of one book of the series, I ask myself more, if I should wait until all seven books are done and then publish the first one. If people read the current book first, they will be (a little bit) spoilered for the rest. But if I publish the rest first, they get spoilered for the current book. It’s a bit of a challenge here, since everything connects to each other.

Luckily, I have until the final draft is done, to decide wether or not I publish now or later.

And that sums up, what’s new.

I hope, you enjoyed reading this writing log and if so, please consider to share it and subscribe to my Tag List, so that you get notified when I post.

See you soon and bye bye 💕

From the tag list: @ladyazulina

Other: @writeblrsupport

[mehumiljonaari]

Netflix’s new true crime drama DAHMER, which focuses on the life and crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer is really strange tonally. Before I watched any of it, I said it seems like it’s very deliberate that they cast Evan Peters, known tumblr sexy man of the alt girls, in it, and after seeing 3 episodes, and how much time the camera spent panning across glistening muscles, I think I can say I was right. Like I get that the fact that Dahmer worked out a lot was deliberate but there was no reason for the show to have Evan Peters do it shirtless and then zoom in on his sweaty torso. No reason.

I actually only watched three episodes, and I feel like that was enough. I only really gave it a try cause I was interested in the tone it would adopt AND I had already heard some bad things about it.

I wasn’t surprised to hear the narrative does all it can to paint him in a sympathetic light and focuses on his childhood trauma and him ”accepting himself” as a gay man, that was always gonna be par for the course for a true crime spectacle like this. People are interested in the nature vs. nurture theory, and want to try to make sense of why any individual would do something so horrendous to their kin.

I do find it odd though that Dahmer’s childhood fascination with dissecting small animals was portrayed in such a light manner. Usually I would expect those scenes to be much darker cause it’s macabre, and knowing his story, an omen of what’s to come. Hurting animals is also usually included in a list of warning signs of psycopathy in children — I’m not sure how scientifically accurate it is, but it is a theory and a ”fact” that gets passed around a lot. Of course, a lot of children go through a phase where they are curious like that, especially if they’re around things like parents gutting fish they caught etc, but when it’s a show about a serial killer who applied that same ”curiosity” to his victims, I would expect there to be some type of tonal shift during these scenes.

Some people would probably argue that because taxidermying animals was something his dad encouraged and something they did together - one of Jeffrey’s happier memories from his childhood (according to the show) - is why the show painted it with a neutral lens, but I think that if this was the case, they did not do it well.

The torture porn aspects are also not surprising, especially when we know many of his victims were black men & media loves to glorify their suffering. True crime media also regularly attracts people who want to hear about gruesome murders and gory details AND it’s made by Ryan Murphy who delights in that, so. par for the course. It’s still disgustingly exploitative. Dahmer’s victims were people, and this really strips them of their humanity. There’s a scene in episode one or two, where the police come to Dahmer’s apartment and they discover Dahmer’s horrifying polaroids in one of the desk drawers. For those unaware, Dahmer would use the ruse that he was a photographer to get his victims alone. You will notice that the camera spends a significant amount of time on a few polaroids. I won’t show them but I am 90% sure the two shown are actually re-prints of actual Dahmer polaroids. I think so, cause I came across them accidentally once and they stuck with me. It felt like a really gross easter egg for ”real Dahmer fans” or something. Vile.

I don’t think there was a need for this show. Dahmer has been studied extensively in both literature, tv and movies. It does not escape me that this came out during the height of the true crime boom, either. Some people argue that this is not just a cash grab, but rather that it focuses on how the police wouldn’t believe the victims cause they were black. If this were true, they wouldn’t spend multiple episodes painting Dahmer as a socially awkward but sexy young man with abandonment issues. They wouldn’t have made a dramaticised netflix show without notifying the families of the victims, they wouldn’t have duplicated the very public breakdown of a victim’s family member without asking them first. And yes, it has been confirmed that the family members of the victims were not notified about this, they all found out when the rest of the world did. Keep in mind that Dahmer’s murders took place between the 1970s and 1990s. The families are still alive and they still remember and they’re being victimized again.

DAHMER does not bring anything new to the landscape of true crime, nothing new to the understanding we all have of Jeffrey Dahmer. It is nothing but a fictive retelling of his crimes that paints him as a sad little boy who just wanted to be loved. Ryan Murphy is trying to masquerade the show as some political commentary on how black people in america have been, and are, treated by the police. It’s nowhere near that.

[percontaion-points]

EAOD chapter 2

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Click here for the rest of the series!

Chapter 2

"Thank you, Sophia, for waking up to be here."

 "I'm sorry, your Majesty. I was only notified fifteen minutes ago." 

The Queen gave Andre a cold look. "Andre was notified over an hour ago." 

"What?!" Sophia's incredulous voice made me falter and I glanced back towards Andre. He stood up straight, his eyes fixed on the Queen and he shrugged. "I don't have time for this petty squabble; I have work to do." [sic]

You know it’s bad when even your little errand boy can’t be bothered to actually help you. 

Also also… THE GODDAMNED ENTER KEY. FUCKING USE IT. 

"Elizabeth, the afterglow of morning sex does you well."

 I grinned. "Why, thank you, James. Too bad you couldn't join us."

I’m really over this creepy James subplot. 

I grabbed a washrag and wet it. Then put it on his forehead as he rested against the toilet, breathing heavily. I reached to flush it when I realized he'd thrown up fresh blood.

Chapter 2 summary: Liz goes to the meeting with the queen. Once there, the queen makes Sophia and Liz stand together. She then chastises Sophia for not being appropriately dressed. Seemed as though the queen told Andre to tell Sophia, but then he didn’t.

Liz then challenges Sophia for alpha control. However, the queen breaks out a 100 year wolf/dragon accord that gives permission for two different races to fight each other in human form. Then goes on to say that they’ll actually have two battles: one of wit, the other of physical strength. However, the battle will not be to the death. 

Sophia tries to pull rank on the boys, since they obviously want to train Liz. But then one of them quietly reveals his blackmail on Sophia, and she relents. The battle is to take place in one week. After this has been decided, James shows up and tries again to convince Liz to sleep with him. He also randomly gives her a magic ring. 

She goes back to the apartment, where the other boys complain about how jealous that they are about Liz giving another boy attention. Yawn, in a story about a poly relationship, you can’t be jealous over yet another boy. Pick a new piece of drama. 

Liz bangs one of them, and then wakes up to a note from Riley complaining that they fell asleep post-sex in the living room… Naked. That’s fair. One of the boys is randomly sick, so Liz takes care of him. The entire thing is so fucking dumb; I feel like I lost 10 IQ points reading it. But then he goes to throw up, and Liz notices that there’s blood in his vomit. 

[paulroberts316]

While I was at my first grade friend’s house, admiring how his father bought him sports cards to show he loved him after his parents’ divorce, my father was being tackled by a couple police officers in the front yard of our house a couple blocks away. After subduing all 6’ 5”, 235 pounds of him by shoving his face into the beauty bark of our flower beds, the officers carted him off to our town’s suburban police station. I arrived home, having walked from my friend’s house, to see my mom and older brother talking with a police officer on the walkway in front of our house. This, along with the mess of beauty bark strewn everywhere, told me that something bad had just happened and it was easy to guess that it had something to do with my dad.

A couple months earlier, while I sat in my first grade class, probably trying to figure out why the letters ‘th’ made the sound they did, my teacher notified me that my mom was going to pick me and my older brother up after school. I guessed she was going to take us shopping for shoes. I met up with my fourth grade brother David after school and we determined that we didn’t really know why mom was picking us up but it was probably to go shopping for shoes. After mom picked us up she told us in a serious, but loving way, that we were not going shopping for shoes. She had something she wanted to talk to us about and would tell us what it was when we got to the location she arranged after about a 20 minute drive. My mom was a very strong and stable parent, so we thought this was unusual but we weren’t scared, more confused.

We pulled into a hotel in another suburb of Seattle and checked into our room. Hotels and motels were not new to me as my family had taken several driving trips, to Lake Tahoe, Reno and Las Vegas, so my dad could play blackjack, while my mom, brother and I hung out by the pool having fun. But checking into a hotel near where we lived was odd.

My mom had us sit on one of the two beds in the room and calmly informed us that my dad was receiving notice today that my mom was divorcing him. The way I remember taking this news was: hmm, that’s too bad, oh well. My mom explained that no matter what happened she was going to take care of us, and that we, as a team of three, would continue to have a nice life together. In fact David and my lives wouldn’t change that much, as us kids never really interacted with our dad that much. My mom’s life would change a lot as she would no longer have to deal with my dad’s erratic drinking, unpredictable mood swings and poor parenting skills. At least, once my dad moved out of our house and the divorce was final.

The next day we went home. I was pretty anxious about what we were coming home to. My dad was not a violent or abusive person, as far as I knew, had had never been arrested for anything. I was told a story about how he had once dragged my brother out of the living room in a rage, but I didn’t see it happen and couldn’t remember any other similar incidents. I remember we were all pretty quite as we approached our neighborhood and then our house. We got home and my dad was not there, which I was relieved about. My brother and I proceeded to do what we would normally do on a Saturday morning, watch cartoons on TV.

I don’t have any memory of dad coming home that day. My mom made sure David and I were insulated from any of the drama that I am sure ensued. As the next couple of months unfolded, I remember a ‘lame-duck dad’ energy in the house but life continued mostly as usual. We had never interacted with him that much so that didn’t change, with one exception. On sunny weekend day, Dad made an attempt to be a dad to us by buying us a skateboard (a lame one) and trying to play baseball with us in our driveway (poorly). This was super awkward for all of us and seemed very fake. After that day, an hour was probably all it was, he went back to being pater in absentia.

“I’m going to take the family up to heaven now” my dad told my mom. Something in my dad’s mind had snapped. It’s not hard to speculate that the pressure of the divorce, feelings of failure as a husband and father, built up until something happened. Our family was a bit religious, about average for the time. We went to church every once in a while but not consistently. My mom said that her in-law were ‘holy rollers’, a term I only understood to be overly religious in an unusual way. So, the fact that my dad’s breakdown had a religious nature was not expected, yet at the same time not shocking.

9-1-1 was called and my mom kept my dad calm until a police car arrived with a couple of officers. My brother was an eye witness to the struggle to subdue and cuff our dad, while I was fortunate to miss it. Another police car arrived as the first one departed with dad in the back seat. This is when I arrived and heard the disturbing story.

Sometime later that day, My mom, brother and I went to Harborview Medical Center where they had taken my dad to treat his mental breakdown. I remember standing in the middle of the lobby area as my mom did some paperwork at the counter. I watched an internal door open and saw some hospital people come through. When the door way cleared I saw my dad restrained with straps on a gurney. He was looking my way and recognized me. He called out to me in a sad, scared voice and then the door closed. My 7 year old brain did not know how to process this situation so I went over to my mom and told her I saw dad. She assured me everything was going to be ok and that the people at the hospital would help him.

The next time I saw dad we were sitting in a circle at the hospital with a bunch of other people in a group therapy session. My dad introduced himself as John Teacher, which I assumed was some biblical character. None of this made sense to me and I just sat quietly hoping it was going to be over soon.

Days passed and my dad regained his normal mental function. He found an apartment a few miles away and moved out. We saw him only occasionally at first, and over time even less frequently. It was usually awkward and I didn’t look forward to our visits. He found a girlfriend named Leona through the church he attended and his career as an insulation salesperson for his dad’s company took off, so he was in a good place.

My mom remarried and all of our lives were proceeding well. When my brother and I were teenagers, we were invited to spend Christmas Eve with my dad at Leona’s house. I think we both thought that this was going to be an uncomfortable evening, but it was Christmas Eve so we went with positive attitudes and the Christmas spirit.

The defining characteristic of my dad’s parenting skills was ‘I have no idea what to do with these boys’. Thankfully for him, my brother and I were used to hanging out together and not needing much supervision. So Leona and dad parked us in a spare room at Leona’s house, as they tried to figure out what to do with us. The only thing I remember about the room was it had an accordion in it, which we tried unsuccessfully to play. We got bored and ventured out of the room where we found Leona consoling my dad in a nervous motherly sort of way. He proceeded to tell us that Jesus was taking our mom up to heaven now.

We knew what was happening as we had lived through it before, but it had been 8 years since his first breakdown and it took us a minute to wrap our heads around the situation. We called home to our mom but there was no answer, which was a little disconcerting. We suspected that she and our step dad had gone out to visit people on Christmas Eve, which was exactly what they had done. Then the reverend from Leona and dad’s church showed up at the house to console him. This struck me at the time like asking a bartender to help console a drunk, but I was glad other people were there to help defuse things. That was the last time we saw our dad in person.

Not long after that incident he moved with his older brother to Los Angeles ‘to be in the movies’ and then ended up in Las Vegas. We stayed in touch by exchanging cards on the holidays and birthdays. When I was twenty I sent him a Father’s Day card using the address from the envelope that my birthday card came in. It was returned with the message ‘no longer at this address – no forwarding address’. I never heard from him again. Two decades later I discovered through a genealogy search that he had died several years before at the age of 67 in Bullhead City, Arizona.

[stormiclown]

Let Her Eat Cake

After scouring the miraculous side of tumblr for writing prompts I could use for a one shot, I came across a post about Madame Bustier from @heyitsbugette. Basically a what-if with Bustier being incriminated as Mayura. As with all my other one shots, I’ll write it because canon has failed me one too many times. I’m also eating cake as I write this, bon appetite! (I might edit this later as this is an outline)

The entirety of Paris went wild when Lila’s alliance with Hawkmoth was unearthed.

Lila’s exposure was a complete accident. The Italian had tried to stir up drama while Marinette was absent for a week. She claimed that the asian girl had been skipping school and just using a ’sickness‘ as an excuse.

Despite Alya and Nino trying to refute the girl’s claims with literal photo evidence of Marinette’s clearly sick form lying in bed, Lila insisted that it was fake and the bluenette was just trying to cover her tracks by using fabricated evidence and accused the reporter and DJ of being biased since Marinette is their friend.

The two had tried to get Adrien to help, so that Marinette wouldn’t be expelled, but he refused stating that he didn’t want to get involved.

Nino had given him a disappointed look while Alya accused him of being an awful, unreliable, cowardly idiot. She huffed and let herself be dragged away by Nino.

To no one’s surprise, the class rallied around Lila and supported the idea of Marinette playing truant. They eventually got the teacher involved who immediately believed them due to the designer not meeting her personal standard of setting a good example for the rest of the class.

”I will go to Principal Damocles and discuss this matter with him. Marinette will not get away with this,” Bustier marched out of the room with conviction, deeply unaware that she had just dug her own grave.

When the principal heard the (false) news of the French-Chinese girl skipping school, he immediately contacted the super attendant from the school board.

This turned out to be a fatal mistake.

The super attendant, Ms. DeClaude, made principal Damocles rummage through his phone calls to see if the Dupain-Chengs had contacted him.

Lo and behold, a recorded voice mail of Sabine’s voice was heard notifying the man of her daughter’s absence.

Needless to say, both teacher and principal were embarrassed while Ms. DeClaude was incensed at this monumental waste of the school board’s time and resources. Not to mention this could’ve been avoided if they had contacted the Dupain-Chengs first.

”If they managed to over look this, what else could they have done?” Ms. DeClaude said to herself as she dug through student files and records. Most of them had come out clean, but there was one in particular that caught the redhead’s attention; Lila Rossi.

Specifically, her so-called disabilities, injuries, and her….lying disease!? While investigating further, the super attendant discovered that this revelation of this ‘lying disease’ had Lila admitting to framing another student for assault, theft, and bullying. Accusations that led to another student getting expelled!

Determined to not let any stone go unturned, she flipped through all of Lila’s files from her previous schools. What she ascertained left her wondering if the school was being run by morons.

Because in those files were in depth descriptions of the Italian’s lying and bullying habits. Why they didn’t warn the students of her behavior was beyond the redhead. It was enough for Ms. DeClaude to resolve and call Mrs. Rossi.

As she struggled to get in contact with the woman, she looked over the security camera feeds to get a clearer picture of the situation.

Flipping through the few options, the super attendant found an interesting piece of footage. The screen displayed Lila Rossi and Marinette Dupain-Cheng walking together to the principal’s office.

Hitting the audio button, Ms. DeClaude’s suspicions were confirmed, “I told you I’d make your life unbearable Marinette. Let’s see how you get out this one…” came Lila’s smug voice.

”I not falling for you trap, Lila,” Marinette bit back, clearly unamused.

”Too late. You already have,” the Italian said a lot quieter that the super attendant had to strain her ears to hear it. The the sausage hair girl proceeded to walk down the stairs, sat on the floor, and began wailing about the bluenette pushing her down the stairs.

Ms. DeClaude switched to the feed in which Lila placed her ’grandmother’s pendant’ in Marinette’s locker, actively framing her for theft.

The super attendant was well within her rights to assume that Marinette was innocent of stealing test answers as well. Not only was it stolen after the test was finished. There’s also the fact that many students from other classes had vouched for Marinette and that she studied rigorously.

But there something else Ms. DeClaude stumbled upon that made her go pale. One particular piece of footage with Lila talking to Adrien about something or other. The Italian obviously hadn’t liked what he said to her as the super attendant watched Lila huff and storm off. In another set of cameras, the redhead recognized the iconic purple butterfly that had taken Paris by storm.

And Lila reaching for said butterfly and placing it in her earrings, voluntarily allowing herself to become the villain Chameleon.

Rushing to call the authorities, Ms. DeClaude sent all the footage she had found to the school board and near by police station.

When Mrs. Rossi was finally hear on contact with the police, everything spiraled from there.

Lila, who was blissfully unaware of her fall from grace, was immediately intercepted at school. The students were on their lunch period and were chattering around Lila as usual. The sausage haired girl was prattling on about an expensive vacation she had when an entire police team, seven members of the school board, the mayor, and a tears eyed, furious Luisa Rossi burst into the cafeteria.

Roger stepped forward and clasped handcuffs around her wrists, much to the shock of everyone in the cafeteria. Teachers present stopped whatever they were doing to watch the catastrophe in front of them.

Lila begged her mother for help as she was dragged out of the school but said woman only glared at her daughter and told her that she was being arrested for aiding terrorism. Someone in the crowd had been live streaming the whole mess on their social media. Once it was seen, it went viral.

People were rightfully outraged. Lila’s entire life had fallen apart right from under her nose and she didn’t even realize it. When she was told just how her alliance with Hawkmoth was uncovered, she immediately regretted her attempt at getting Marinette in trouble. How was she supposed to know all of this would eventually blow up in her face? She had hoped Hawkmoth would send an akuma for her, but the butterfly villain left her high and dry! And with all of her lies she told since arriving in Paris were swiftly debunked and exposed for the whole of France to see, all she could do was stew and wait for her official trial to begin.

There were many who refused to believe that a single teenaged girl would stoop to Hawkmoth’s level. This was vetoed and proven wrong by leaked videos of the surveillance cameras not only showing Lila grabbing an akuma for herself but also declaring that she wanted Ladybug gone as well. That was when Paris went crazy.

People we’re actually akumatized over it. Lila had to be locked away in a secured facility to ensure her safety. When the news reached the French court of law, new legislations had to be created for aiding in terrorism. The backlash was so severe that people called Francois DuPont into question.

Her lies were insultingly obvious and easy to clear up so why didn’t they? How has her alliance with Hawkmoth stayed hidden for so long if all it took to discover it was just scrolling through the camera feeds?

Social media was at a stand still when these questions were made public until people brought up the akuma class. Or more specifically one person.

Madame Bustier.

Theories began floating around that she was Mayura. The fact that she looked eerily similar to the peacock themed villain.

It was then that a dam burst. Students and teachers alike who had witnessed Bustier’s teaching methods revealed her tendency to gaslight or outright punish victims of bullying while letting the aggressors off scot free.

It didn’t help matters that she was one primary cause of Stone Hearts rampage: the first ever akuma.

The school board called Marinette in to clear up her expulsion. They were curious as to what else had been happening.

The bluenette knew saying anything else would only make Bustier look worse, but the members of the school board reminded her that her word could potentially protect her classmates from harm. Marinette finally gave in and told them how Bustier and Damocles were quick to turn on her when the accusations of bullying began circulating around her.

She also mentioned how she just let Chloe do whatever she wanted without facing any consequences. Though she stressed that Chloe had been getting better.

This unleashed another tidal wave of public outcries. Because to the general public, it seemed that Bustier was intentionally favoring students that wreak havoc all the while not having them face consequences and grooming the children of the akuma class to be taken by Hawkmoth.

And when Bustier’s ‘be a better example‘ was exposed (by Alya) citizens were outraged. But at the same time it made sense for the teacher suspected of being Hawkmoth’s partner to leave the one of the only students that hadn’t been akumatized to deal with bullying while dumping all of her responsibilities on said student.

Marinette’s parents were furious and planned to sue the school, Damocles, and (especially) Bustier for endangering their daughter as were many other parents. On their insistence, the principal was fired.

Bustier sat in her now empty classroom with her phone in hand as she read through social media and news outlets which defamed her and smeared her name across headlines.

The school board was on her case and investigating the rest of her conduct, though they might as well fire and arrest her. With how everyone and their mother was demanding it, it was sure to happen soon.

Her students looked at her with contempt and disgust as well as her colleagues and people on the streets.

She closed her phone and placed her head in her head and cried, wondering just how she had let things get so out of hand.

[frogtanii]

your palms were sweaty as you adjusted your slacks, making sure the pleats were where they should be with not a wrinkle in sight. you wanted to look professional and put together, at least on the outside, because you knew you were actually about .2 seconds away from falling apart.

your palms were sweaty as you adjusted your slacks, making sure the pleats were where they should be with not a wrinkle in sight. you wanted to look professional and put together, at least on the outside, because you knew you were actually about .2 seconds away from falling apart.

a quick glance to the boys at your sides notified you that they weren’t faring much better. atsumu kept fidgeting with his cufflinks, sakusa was so stiff you could knock him over with your pinky, kenma looked like he was about to pass out, bokuto was debating on squeezing under the table in front of you, kuroo was tapping a pattern on his pants (akeelah and the bee style), and akaashi kept reciting ominous poems under his breath.

the only people in the room who looked even remotely fine were osamu, oikawa, sugawara, daichi, and, surprisingly, yachi. osamu was munching on some peanuts that he pulled from... somewhere, while oikawa and sugawara were holding their own conversation by the window. daichi seemed to be minding his own business but you could never really get a proper read on him anyway.

well, you supposed yachi was okay because she knew what to expect. i mean, you were meeting her boss.

after you and kenma had posted your “exposing the hype(r) house” youtube video, an email had come to the both of you, inviting you to visit the “big boss” along with the rest of the crew.

you weren’t necessarily afraid of losing your job; the hype(r) house was already being dissolved and you were (finally!!!) getting to move in with makki and mattsun until you found your own place. you were genuinely excited to put the drama and literal hell behind you and begin to live your life again but...

that didn’t mean meeting the Man™ wasn’t terrifying. it was like being called into the principal’s office, complete with the existential dread and occasional bouts of gassiness.

the door opening made you flinch as you quickly moved out of the way to let the newcomers enter. while they walked past you, you couldn’t contain the shock that overtook your face, your jaw practically on the floor.

the man was massive.

built like a brick wall, the man who you assumed to be the “big boss,” had a chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, and massive fucking pecs, his white button up barely closing around them.

beside him stood a tall, lanky man who was dressed suspiciously un-office-like with a red buzz cut and wild eyes that seemed to cut into you as he took his place at the table.

the final man seemed a bit awkward in comparison to the other two, but he was trying to seem unaffected, his purple bowlcut, despite being rather juvenile, fitting perfectly with his slim but toned build and bright complexion.

yachi hurried to greet them, giving all three a blinding smile before motioning for everyone else to take a seat. you ended up between the redhead and atsumu, the former being way too entertained by just your general being. his eyes rarely, if ever, left your face sending shivers down your spine. the remaining members all hesitantly took their seats and “big boss” began.

“it is an honor to meet you all. i am ushijima wakatoshi but you can call me ushijima or wakatoshi or ushiwaka or toshijima or just ushi or just jima or just waka or just toshi.” for a moment you thought he was joking but his face never moved, not even with the awkward silence that followed. redhead seemed rather amused by the whole display and bowl cut looked like he was on the verge of spontaneously combusting.

it took an uncomfortably long moment for ushijima to proceed but he did as though nothing had happened. “these are my associates, satori—” redhead gave you a mischievous grin “—and tsutomu.”

“goshiki,” bowl cut interrupted, his voice wavering but his eyes gleaming with righteous indignation as though he was challenging wakatoshi to say something in defiance. instead, ushijima just gave him a nod and he visibly deflated back into his seat.

“goshiki is the social media manager for imla and satori is... satori,” big boss continued, not a hint of emotion on his face. the rest of the table perked up at his comment but atsumu was the only one who apparently had the balls to say anything.

“so yer the one who wrote that shitty among us tweet?” goshiki flushed horribly and sunk further into his plush leather chair, his body language showing he must’ve already gotten an earful about it. “thought it was a good idea,” he muttered while averting his eyes, completely ignoring satori’s cackle from across the wood.

ushijima put up a (massive???) hand to calm the both of them and it instantly worked. satori quieted down though he never lost the mirth in his expression and goshiki straightened up, a new wave of determination crossing his features.

you sat up as well, feeling the shift of energy in the room but you were startled to realize the boss had decided to focus his energy on you, his deep baritone voice calling your full name. “i am extremely sorry. we have failed you as a management team and as men. i have failed you.”

he sounded remarkably remorseful, his brown irises conveying heavy emotion and guilt. you had no idea what to say but he wasn’t done.

“although i do not have full control of the decisions that have been made here, i should have fought harder for what i believed was right and for that, i will forever be sorry.” you shifted uncomfortably under his weighty gaze, not that he noticed because his attention was swiftly taken by kenma at the opposite end of the room.

“who is in charge then? aren’t you like the ceo or whatever?” he asked. ushijima took a moment before nodding very slowly, his attention clearly on something in his head.

thankfully, satori rapidly took over the thread of conversation before the room could fall in tense silence yet again. “there’s a board of old, stuffy guys who basically kicked miracle boy wakatoshi to the curb and make all their decisions without him.”

...miracle boy? what did he have to do to earn that kind of nickname? you shook your head and tuned back in, just as the ceo spoke up once again.

“because i have not succeeded in doing my job properly, i have something to give to you,” ushijima deadpanned, sliding a thick envelope towards you. you carefully grabbed it and opened it up to reveal a thick, thick, wad of cash.

a gasp caught in your throat, words not coming to you as you thumbed through the money. there had to be at least $60k in there, your eyes filling with tears while you took in his generosity. “thank you,” you whispered, not trusting your voice to speak any louder.

wakatoshi nodded at you before addressing the rest of the table about something but you weren’t even listening.

you were so overwhelmed. for the longest time, you’d hated whoever management was for ignoring your pleas for help and trying to placate you with nice dresses and fancy dinners so meeting ushijima was quite the welcomed surprise.

despite everything that occurred, you could tell he felt horrible for letting things slide even though it was technically out of his hands and you couldn’t even articulate how much that meant to you.

the fact that he had gone out of his way to pay you extra, assumingly without the permission of the board, was heartwarming, confusing, shocking, and staggering all at once.

i mean, you could probably describe the past few months as exactly that. so much had happened, so much had changed, and while you could do without some of the life adjustments (the nightmares, spare trauma, and fear of public bathrooms to start), you felt blessed with new friends and the experiences that helped shape you to the person you were now.

the boys didn’t hate you anymore (well, not all of them at least and none were actively antagonizing you), you were seeing dr yamada again, you were getting to move in with your two best friends, you were just given enough money to expand your channel drastically, and you were finally feeling good. better than good.

meiko was behind you and though you missed the person she once was, you were so glad she was out of your life in a way where she couldn’t harm you or the boys any longer.

a grin spread across your face, your cheeks nearly burning from the intensity of it. things were definitely looking up.

a soft call of your name jolted you from your thoughts, your eyes landing on all the boys already standing as they got ready to leave the room. you could sense their worry and you shot them a genuine, reassuring smile before standing yourself.

you waved goodbye to the three men at the table, thanking ushijima profusely for his kindness but he shook you off, insisting that he had just been doing what he should’ve done a long time ago.

what a nice guy.

as you followed the boys out of the building, you took a moment to observe them together with fondness written all over your expression. they were laughing and joking around, the happiest and most carefree you had ever seen any of them. bokuto was begging yachi to get them ice cream, the rest of them piling on until she gave in with a playful roll of her eyes, giggling at the cheer that went up from the group.

atsumu seemed to notice you lagging behind, falling back to join you. “ya okay angel?” he asked, eyes focused on your feet as he slowed down to match your pace.

you didn’t answer for a while, instead focusing on the sun warming your cheeks, the cool breeze messing up your hair, and the sounds of pure joy swirling above you.

“i’m absolutely perfect.” you replied and you actually meant it. “race you to the van?” you sent him an impish grin before taking off, his yells of indignation making you laugh freely as the rest of the boys joined in, right on your heels.

this is it, you thought. no matter what, i’ll have this moment and i’ll be okay.

you’d been through hell and back and you’d survived. you’d been cursed at, choked out, hospitalized, and been beaten at mario kart more times than you could count and you had still made it through. you were resilient and strong and you’d never given up, despite how badly you’d wanted to, multiple times over.

things weren’t perfect, they rarely are, but you knew that if you could make it through all that, you could get through practically anything, especially with the boys by your side.

yeah. i’ll be just fine.

ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

bonus!!

“told you it sounded stupid as hell.”

“gah, stop talking about it!!”

“you sounded sooooo old ‘shiki, what are you, 92?”

“AAAAAAAAAA!!!”

“satori...”

“what’s up miracle boy?”

“...what is ‘sus’?”

℗ poker face

i’ll be just fine

series masterlist

(●’◡’●)ﾉ

an - AND THATS A WRAP FOLKS 🥳 wowowow did the ending give me trouble but that’s ok SISJSK the endings will be coming shortly but they might not be daily just cs they may take more time, who knows lmfao i’ll let y’all know :3 AAAA ANYWAYS ILY I HOPE U GUYS LIKED KITH KITH don’t forget to feed me <3

taglist - if your name is in bold, i cannot tag you

@boosyboo9206 • @geektastic84 • @elianetsantana • @trashy-simp • @infinitebells • @6mattsun9 • @suhkusa • @katsulovee • @kotarosbabygirl • @fucktheworlddude • @insomniacwreck • @calumsfringe • @saltylettuce • @chai-blu • @al3x1ss • @hawksyoongi • @jooleuuh • @loubells • @kissungjae • @liberhoe • @tetsurocore • @animeoverdosee • @duhsies • @saiKishaircLip • @afire24 • @premiyagi • @kit-kat428 • @doctorspencereid • @daphnxy • @kyomihann • @maer-333 • @sinoflust19 • @peteunderoos • @peachiikichu • @iidanotlida • @yongboxerrr • @kac-chowsballs • @tanakaslastbraincell • @memorableminds • @risjime • @starry-magicshop • @sugavwara • @smuttyanimeslut • @kiwibirbs-library • @haijkk • @airybnb • @crybabygumi • @iwaisa • @decaffinatedtealover • @notameera • @kawaii-angelanne • @rintarovibes • @urlocalsimp • @keiarma • @shrimpypenis

the rest of the tags will be in the replies!!

[theoncomingchaos]

I can’t believe I just saw an actual BL at the movie theater. What is real life?

Overall, this absolutely was a movie calling out why there should be marriage equality in Japan and that alone is amazing.

Spoilers/Review under the cut.

Basic summary: Adachi is transferred to Nagasaki to help open a new branch there, and he overworks himself and gets into an accident. (Only his phone gets hurt.) Kurosawa hears about the accident, and in a panic goes to him. They realize being separated like that how much they mean to each other, decide to be more upfront about their feelings, and finally Adachi loses his cherry magic. They decide to move in together when Adachi returns to Tokyo, and then take the next step to meet each other’s families. They get engaged after getting the blessings of both families, and then have a wedding. It ends with them walking hand in hand through the park in the day time with people not really paying them much mind. Overall, pretty low drama- similar to the series. There were some cute making of scenes at the end as well.

First, I gotta give this movie so much credit for bringing up some really practical points like how if one person is in an accident, and the couple is in the closet/not married, the partner might not get notified. It’s important for people to see that it’s more than just about the wedding certificate. They also did a great job of showing the similarities of LGBT+ couples in a way that will help a straight audience identify & empathize with: taking trips together, going to the temple on New Years together, looking forward to seasonal events together, moving in together, eating dinner together, and the absolute fear of meeting the families together.

It was beautiful that they got to have a wedding with full support from friends and family. We didn’t get a wedding kiss, but it was still a cute moment. Speaking of kisses, just so no one else gets let down here, the only kiss was from an angle that completely hid the kiss, and instead they gave us hand porn, but this is Japan, what do you expect? I also suspect this is because they really want a wide audience to watch it and to see the point in hopes for change, and toning the physical aspect down will assure it has a better chance to do that.

Their point was made especially clearly when they came out to their families as the parents really said what the film makers clearly want people to understand: Everyone has the right to choose the person they love, and if they love that person wholeheartedly and are devoted to them then that should be enough.

My favorite part was a throw back to the opening. In the opening for the TV series, they both held their hands up to the light in their different apartments. In the movie, they laid together on the beach with their engagement rings on, and held their hands up to the light side by side. The symbolism killed me.

[cali-holland]

An Irregular Romance ★ Harrison Osterfield One Shot

Pairing: Harrison Osterfield X Reader

Summary: Over five years ago, Harrison followed his heart (a.k.a. you) to drama school, and the day he asked you out was the day he discovered you had a boyfriend. He thought that part of his past was behind him, but then he was cast as Leo in The Irregulars and you were cast as Bea. Romance and shenanigans ensue as he tries to navigate the resurrection of his crush on you.

Word Count: 10k

Warnings: spoilers for The Irregulars, swearing, drinking (reader gets v drunk at one point), cheating boyfriend + “open relationship” drama

Masterlist in bio

*Gif is not mine

A/N: inspired by harrison literally saying he followed the girl he liked to drama school but she didn’t like him back; the drama school is the brit school (idk if that’s what he was talking about but age wise it works better); also darci is 18+ in this fic bc it just fits better to make her around their age; plus i had to re-post this bc the tags didn’t work so rip

also just like to say a massive thank you to @duskholland​​ for proofreading this for me :) you’re the best! this fic would be missing 90% of its commas if it wasn’t for you lmao

❁❁❁❁❁

Harrison had been buzzing with excitement all week. While he knew for sure that he had landed the role of Prince Leo in The Irregulars, he had no idea who the other cast members were. His agent learned from Netflix that they’d announce the cast on Saturday, so now here he sat, anxiously awaiting the news as he drank another pint with his good friends.

“Anything yet?” Tuwaine asked, refreshing his Twitter timeline.

“Nope.” Harrison said with a shake of his head as Netflix’s Instagram page remained unchanged as another minute went by.

“Maybe they’re announcing it at midnight.” Tom shrugged, trying to be useful to ease his friend’s nerves.

“Everyone would be asleep.” The blond replied before taking another long drink of his beer.

“Well, congratulations whenever they officially announce it.” Harry stated, standing up with his empty glass. “Next round’s on me.”

The conversation began to wander off, and Harrison found himself deep in thought, pondering his mysterious, new castmates. Would he like them? Would they like him? Were they big names or no names? Were they people he had screen-tested with (because, truthfully, he only screen-tested with a few girls, but even then, he didn’t screen test with all of the potential actresses)? As he got stuck, trying to think of someone he’d actually liked when they screen-tested together, he was snapped out of his thoughts by Tom yelling.

“It’s up!” Tom held his phone in the middle of the table as he, Harrison, Tuwaine, and Harry, who was now back with more beer, looked over the cast. A sense of pride soared through the group at Harrison’s picture and name being on the official Netflix page for The Irregulars. Harrison read over the other names, wondering if he knew any by happenstance. Just as he recognized one name in particular, Tom spoke up.

“Y/N Y/L/N? Isn’t that the girl you fancied in drama school?” Tom asked with a smirk. His smirk seemed to widen as Harrison blushed a deeper shade of red.

“No, no, no!” Harrison grumbled, taking out his phone to look over the post for himself because maybe, if he looked from his own account, the cast would magically change. When he looked at your name and picture right beside his, realization hit him. He slumped over, putting his head down on the table regretfully.

“I’d nearly forgotten about Haz’s girl that wasn’t his girl.” Tuwaine joked.

“Wait, what girl?” Harry questioned, out of the loop.

Perhaps the stupidest but best choice Harrison had ever made in his life was following you, his biggest crush, to drama school. Why his mother even let him chase after a girl like that was beyond him; he thought she should’ve advised him against it, but with the whole “follow your heart” attitude, his mum was his biggest supporter. He did his best to impress you, to get you to notice him, but you were unfazed by him. The day that he finally got the courage to ask you out was the day that he learned you’d had a boyfriend for the past two months.

Though he didn’t get the girl in drama school, he actually enjoyed it, and look where he ended up now— a new Netflix show was on the horizon for him. Despite the fact that he was (and still sort of is) crushed and embarrassed by the fact that you (very kindly) rejected him five years ago, drama school turned out to be a blessing.

“Harrison, here,” Tom laughed as he clapped his friend’s shoulder as Harrison still didn’t lift his head from his pitiful position, “thought he’d pursue acting because Y/N wanted to be an actress. He didn’t realize that in order to get her attention, he’d have to actually talk to her.”

That was enough to make Harrison lift his head, eyeing his friend questioningly. Cutting Tom off, he defended himself, “What do you mean? I did talk to her.”

“Right— you’d have maybe one conversation with her every three weeks.” Tom turned back to his brother, “Anyway, Haz finally asked her out and, turns out, she’d been dating this other guy for months.”

“Whatever. I only asked her out because you and Tuwaine shoved me into her. Maybe she doesn’t even remember me.” Harrison pulled out his phone to check over Netflix’s Instagram, wanting to see for himself the new cast again. When he opened the app, it notified him of all the new followers he had gotten, and, with one glance at the list of names, one account stood out to him.

‘@yourusername started following you’. Harrison let out a sigh, not wanting to dwell on this any further.

“She works fast.” Harry teased, looking over the blond’s shoulder.

“We’re co-stars now. She probably followed everyone else too.”

As if on cue, a new notification came through his Instagram— ‘@yourusername sent you a message’. With bated breath, he opened it to see the message that confirmed his worst fear— you remembered him.

‘Hey stranger! How have you been?’

❁❁❁❁❁

With every passing day, Harrison’s excitement for this new big project grew… but so did his dread about seeing you again. He wasn’t entirely sure now as to why his gut was filled with butterflies mixed with anxiety just thinking about you. You were only ever nice to him, both before and after he asked you out. It all led him back to the same conclusion that he still had a thing for you, but yet again, maybe it’s just life that your first real crush always has some power over you.

As he walked down the strangely long hallway to the conference room, he adjusted the collar of his letterman’s jacket. Today was the big day— the first table read for The Irregulars, and the first day he’d be confronted by you after all these years. Just on the other side of this door, his co-stars and the main production crew were waiting. Everything was real now; production would start in just a few days.

With one last nervous breath, he pushed open the heavy oak door and entered the room. People were chatting as they sat around the large conference table, which had small name cards at each seat. Harrison’s eyes found you almost immediately. You were locked into a conversation with your co-star, Darci, seated to your left for the table read. To your right was one of the last available seats, and Harrison’s name was on the little card on the table. All hopes of being unnoticed by you were instantaneously gone as he took his seat beside you.

“Fancy seeing you here.” You said to Harrison with a laugh, and he was instantly reminded of how that laugh basically drove him to where he was today.

“How long has it been?” Harrison asked, trying to play it cool like he hadn’t been rehearsing this day in his mind for the past several months.

“Far too long.” You smiled.

As the last few people trickled into the room, introductions flew around the table as everyone met their new coworkers. After a cold read-through of the script and a few words from the show’s creator, the table read was deemed over. Just when Harrison thought he was free to forget about your existence for a few more days, you pulled him aside.

“Hey, Darci and I were going to get drinks with McKell and Jojo. You should come.” You offered, and Harrison chanced a glance across the room to where Darci was chatting with your other two main co-stars.

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Harrison replied. He cleared his throat before giving you a definite nod that yes, that’d be a great idea.

“Perfect.”

And just like that, the five of you made your way across town to a pub. Darci had chosen the spot, explaining that it was the best place for drinks in Liverpool, and, seeing as she’d lived there her whole life, none of you tried to argue with her.

Harrison felt a strange pit in his stomach as everyone talked and laughed over some beers, as if you weren’t all strangers a few hours ago. His eyes always seemed to land on you and your contagious smile. You looked almost exactly how he remembered you, and you still were the same happy, go-lucky girl he’d fallen hard for. It was crazy to him how quickly you gave him butterflies, how effortlessly you made him feel like a silly schoolboy all over again. He couldn’t help but wonder if you thought he’d changed since his school days, too… or if you even thought about him enough to notice. So far, you’d made no indication that he was anyone besides an old friend from drama school, making him hope you didn’t remember that dreadful day.

As you and Darci excused yourself for a bathroom break, Harrison gave himself a little reminder that he was meant to be getting to know all of his co-stars right now and wasn’t meant to be focusing so intently on you. He took another sip of his beer, turning back to Jojo and McKell.

“So how do you and Y/N know each other?” McKell asked, and Jojo tried to hide his shit-eating grin behind his beer.

“Drama school, a few years ago.” Harrison replied, trying to play ignorant.

“Ah, so it’s a schoolboy crush, then?” Jojo questioned teasingly.

Harrison felt his face heat up. Jojo and McKell were practically strangers to him, and they already knew. He was cornered, “Is it that obvious?”

“A little.” McKell said while Jojo simultaneously replied, “Very.”

“Just ask her out.” Jojo encouraged.

“That’s the problem— I did.” Harrison replied, and both of their jaws dropped.

“No way. Did she let you down easy at least?” McKell’s voice was somewhere between a disbelieving, teasing, and pitiful tone.

Harrison scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, “Well, yeah? I mean she wasn’t rude about it, but it was still a bit awkward. She was dating this other guy at the time. He didn’t go to our school, though, so I had no clue about him.”

“That’s rough.” Jojo grimaced, before he gave Harrison a hopeful smile, “Maybe she’s single now.”

“I’ve been rejected by Y/N once— I don’t need her to reject me a second time.” He shook his head with a small laugh to conceal his embarrassment. He took a drink of his beer, hoping that would calm his nerves a little.

“Incoming,” McKell said quietly, nodding in the direction of the bathroom.

“What’d we miss?” Darci asked as she slipped back into her seat. You remained standing to put your jacket on, both you and Darci completely unaware of the boys’ conversation.

“Nothing, just Jojo being an idiot.” McKell joked, to which his newfound friend just punched him in the arm, taking another long drink of his beer.

“I think I might head back to the hotel.” Your words were met with a collective groan from three of your co-stars— Harrison silently frowned as he sipped on his beer.

As your head was down to collect your things, Jojo swiftly kicked Harrison under the table. Harrison looked at him quizzically, sending him a “what the hell was that for” look. When his co-star just nodded his head encouragingly towards you, Harrison got the idea.

“I’ll walk you.” Harrison said, making you look over at him. Standing up from his seat, he insisted, “I was just about to head out, too.”

“Okay,” You smiled, still completely unaware of his interaction with Jojo.

After you all exchanged phone numbers and created a group chat lovingly titled “The Irregz”, you and Harrison left the pub. You fell in step together, walking along the sidewalk in the chilly Liverpool air back to the hotel that you’d all be staying at for the next few months.

“So what have you been up to since graduation?” Harrison asked you, his hands deep in the pockets of his letterman’s jacket.

“All sorts of things, really.” You shrugged with a smile, “I got a few TV roles here and there, did some modeling, but so far none of it has really stuck, so I’m hopeful that this will be a foot in the door. What about you?”

“The same as you, really, but, instead of shows, I’ve done some short films.”

“I see you’re still best friends with Tom.” You said in a teasing tone. Harrison felt an unusual, upsetting tug on his heartstring. Not noticing any change in his demeanor, you continued with a laugh, “It’s funny. I would’ve placed my bets on you being world-famous after graduation.”

“Me?” He questioned, surprised by your words.

“Yeah, you didn’t go to LAMDA for nothing.” You playfully nudged his arm with your elbow, and he felt his cheeks heat up once more. “Don’t be modest— I’m not wrong.”

“Can’t argue with that logic.” A laugh passed his lips, any previous bashful reservations slowly fading away.

Before Harrison could say anything further, your phone began to ring. You fished it out of your pocket and barely looked at the caller ID before sending it to voicemail. Your actions were fast, but Harrison still caught the name of who was calling, Davey, followed by a red heart emoji. And that’s when it hit him— you were still with the same boyfriend from drama school, all those years ago.

And just like that, Harrison felt a tsunami wave of heartbreak from drama school wash over him.

“Hey, Y/N!” Harrison called out as he stumbled his way over to stall you from leaving school. He had one hand holding onto his book bag strap tight enough that his knuckles were turning white, and he shuffled his other through his hair.

“Hey, is everything alright?” You asked, concerned at how nervous he seemed.

“Yeah, um, well, tonight’s opening night for West Side Story, and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me? I know it’s your favorite play, and it’s one of mine too, so, yeah, I thought maybe we could go together?” He was sure that he’d never sounded so unsure of himself. Truth is, he didn’t want to ask you out right now, but Tom and Tuwaine had quite literally shoved him in your direction, physically encouraging him. He felt rushed and unprepared.

When you smiled so captivatingly and softly at him, he felt his racing heart speed up even more. Was this it? Was he really going to take you on a date? He thought to himself. His hopes weren’t up for long as you spoke up, “I can’t. I’ve already got tickets for tonight. I’m going with Davey.”

“Davey?”

“My boyfriend.” You replied, a hint of guilt in your voice.

His heart shattered. The only reason he was here, at this school, was because of you, and now he just had all of his hopes for any future dates with you thrown out the window.

“You and Davey are still together?” Harrison wondered aloud as you two arrived at the hotel.

“Yeah,” Your response was hesitant and quiet. He knew why— there was that elephant in the room between the two of you.

Before he could stop himself from mentioning it, he blurted out, “You don’t have to feel guilty about it, you know.”

You paused, watching unsure as he ran a hand through his hair nervously. “I kinda wonder what would’ve happened if I had said yes. Davey and I didn’t even end up seeing  West Side Story, anyway, so I wonder if you and I would’ve ended up any differently.”

It wasn’t much, but his heart sped up ever so slightly— so you had thought about him, even in the dating context. Harrison couldn’t think of a response (his brain repeated “fuck Davey, ask her out again”) fast enough as you stopped at the front desk. You mumbled something about needing some towels, and Harrison took that as his cue to just continue walking. He bid you a quick farewell, wanting to escape to his room as fast as possible.

Nothing you had said tonight had been particularly flirty, but he still rewound the events in his head because maybe he missed something. As he laid down in his bed that night, his mind drifted off with thoughts of you, wondering just how he’d manage to pull off these next few months without falling for you all over again.

Over the next several weeks, his predicament only seemed to grow. Spending so much time with you (and your other three co-stars) just made Harrison wish even more that he’d asked you out sooner in drama school, and having to spend most of his screen time gawking over you added to it further. Maybe it was another school boy crush, or maybe it was intense method acting— either way, he definitely liked you.

Ever since he read the script for episode four, he knew that eventually your two characters would become romantically involved. He would’ve felt giddy over the thought (because his eighteen-year-old self would’ve died at this opportunity), but whenever he thought of the scene, he was reminded about your boyfriend. Harrison wasn’t the type of guy to hate his crush’s boyfriend, but something just didn’t seem right about Davey.

Harrison was lying on his hotel bed, reading over the episode’s script for what must have been the fifth time through that afternoon. It was Sunday, the day before you’d both film Leo and Bea’s kiss. With a beer on his side table and an array of highlighters beside it, he was set. As the words started to run together, and his glasses began to feel uncomfortable on his nose, he heard a knock at his door.

“Coming!” Harrison called out. Setting his script aside, he rolled off the bed. He was confused at who could possibly be at his door, but, figuring it was someone from set, he had the decency to slip on a white t-shirt, opting for not answering the door in nothing but grey sweats. He was thankful for his last-minute decision as he opened the door and was met with you on his doorstep. Smiling at you and leaning on the doorframe, he let out a small, “Hey.”

“Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to rehearse tomorrow’s scene.” You offered with a friendly smile on your face.

“Right now?” He asked, glancing back into his room to decipher if it was clean enough or not.

“Oh, is this a bad time?” You replied, subconsciously stepping back. “Is someone here?”

“What?” Harrison looked at you, confused before it clicked what you thought, “Oh, no, no. There’s no one here. I was just rehearsing, too.”

“So is that a yes then or-?” You trailed off.

“Yeah, come on in.” He opened his door fully, allowing you to step in. He chivalrously closed the door behind you. “Would you like water or anything?”

“Can I have a beer?” You asked, spotting the one on his nightstand.

“Sure.” Harrison nodded. While he got you a beer and grabbed his own half-consumed bottle and script, you settled on the couch with your pages in hand.

“Thank you.” You smiled as he handed you the beer, and you took a sip happily. “You know, I’m honestly so jealous of you this week.”

“Why?” He asked with a laugh, thrown off guard by your confession.

“You get to do all the palace scenes again.”

“I also throw myself off a balcony.”

“But still.” You insisted. “Leo really needs to sneak Bea into the palace just so I can have one of those extravagant ball dress scenes. I just want to feel like a princess, and I feel like it’s what Bea deserves.”

Harrison looked at you admiringly for a moment. “You are a princess.” His face dropped as soon as he realized he’d said his thoughts aloud. Coughing, he tried to cover it up, “I mean—- you were kind of princess-like in episode 3, right?”

“Smooth.” You laughed, but didn’t press the situation. Your phone began to ring, and Harrison watched as you rolled your eyes, declining the call and ultimately silencing your phone.

“Spam call?”

“More like clingy non-committal somewhat boyfriend.” You stated, rolling your eyes.

He furrowed his eyebrows, confused. You hadn’t mentioned Davey in the past few weeks— not that Harrison was complaining, but he just assumed you were private about your personal life. “I thought you and Davey were on good terms?”

“We are? I don’t know.” You sighed, taking a sip of your beer.

“If you’re not comfortable with the topic, we can just rehearse-”

“No, it’s fine. I just haven’t really talked about it with anyone. Before I came here, he asked about having an open relationship while I’m away, and I told him no. And the last time we talked, we got into an argument and that was a couple days ago. I’m not ready to talk to him, and at this point, I’d much rather talk to you than him. It’s very frustrating that he wants to have an open relationship, but he still expects me to be at his beck and call. It’s like he’s looking for someone to substitute me, but I can’t have a life of my own. He wasn’t the most supportive of me taking this job in the first place, too.” You paused, with a small shrug, “I know you’re probably thinking I should leave him, but I can’t. We’ve been together for 5 years. I don’t know anything else at this point.”

“I get it.” Harrison said softly, hesitantly resting a comforting hand on your knee. “He was your first love. It makes sense that it’s hard to move on.” He felt his own heart sink at his ironic words. After all, you were his first love.

“I wouldn’t say he’s my first love.” You said softly, placing your hand on his, squeezing it gently. “Plus, at this point, I wouldn’t even say I love him.”

A silence fell in the room. Harrison really didn’t know what to say now. He would have told you to leave him, but you already knew that, so what was the point in him repeating it? Besides, it was your relationship, and you needed to make the decision for yourself… or let Davey make it for you.

“Let’s go through the scene, yeah?” You asked, changing the topic. You dropped his hand to pick up your script again.

“Right.” Harrison mumbled to himself, flicking through the pages to the scene.

You glanced around his hotel suite for a moment, looking for something similar to a bridge rail to lean on. “Should we use the kitchen counter? As the bridge rail?”

“Yeah, that works.” He nodded. The two of you got up, scripts in hand. Harrison stood to your right, just as the stage direction had called for. There was some space between the two of you, enough room for Harrison to shuffle closer to you later, as scripted.

“You’re not on your own, Beatrice. You must remember that.” Harrison said to you, leaning on the counter but looking over to you with his icy blue eyes. “You’re very different to anyone I’ve ever met.”

“What do you mean?” You asked, looking at him curiously.

“You have something about you.” He started, awkwardly.

You cut him off, “Like a smell?”

“No, like a quality.” He chuckled softly before continuing, “I don’t know what it is, but I really like it.”

“Well, when you think of it, let me know.”

“I’ll be sure to.” He smiled at you, his confidence slowly building as the scene continued on. Harrison stepped closer to you until he was right beside you, leaning sideways on the counter. “And I’m not saying you don’t smell, by the way. I’m just saying that that’s not the thing.”

You laughed, turning your head away from him in disbelief. “You know, I was thinking of kissing you, but now I’m not gonna.”

Harrison paused, taking a moment to mentally hype himself up for what was about to happen, but also taking a moment because it was scripted for Leo to be nervous. “Well, uh, I suppose I have to kiss you then.”

You turned to him, smiling coyly. Slowly, Harrison closed his eyes and leaned in. His heart started racing faster as he felt your breath fan against his face before his lips finally found yours. It was gentle and hesitant, everything that it had been scripted to be. As much as he wanted to keep kissing you and keep tasting the sweet strawberries of your lipgloss, it had to end. He pulled away after a moment, and you seemed almost breathless as you opened your eyes to see him again.

“I meant it when I said you’re not on your own.” Harrison looked at you with more hesitancy this time, but he still kissed you with the softest passion. The script said that Leo and Bea kiss and continue to kiss for a few seconds; Harrison wasn’t counting, but he was sure this kiss was longer than it was meant to be. Again, he found himself dreading its inevitable end. If there was one thing he could do for the rest of his life, it’d be this… well, this amongst other things with you. His stomach started to stir with guilt as he remembered Davey; you were still technically in a relationship, open or not, arguing currently or not. But then it clicked with Harrison, you weren’t pulling away— no, you were fully kissing him back.

Before he could pull away and end the scene with his last few lines, a knock came from his door. Regretfully, he stepped away from you. He didn’t meet your eye as he went to answer the door while you read over the script on the counter. Flustered, he opened the door.

“Mum! You’re here.” Harrison’s eyes went wide, surprised to see his mother and his sister standing before him.

“Surprise!” She smiled, hugging him almost immediately. “We had to come and see you at your big job.”

“Are you not happy to see us?” Charlotte teased, and Harrison shook his head, pulling her in for a hug. As they all stepped into Harrison’s apartment, you waved from the kitchen.

“Hi.” You smiled, coming over to introduce yourself.

“Oh, mum, Charlotte, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is my mum and Charlotte, my sister.” Harrison introduced the three of you.

“You’re Y/N Y/L/N from drama school?” Phil said with a smile, making the connection as you shook her hand. Charlotte seemed to stifle a laugh as Harrison’s cheeks heated up.

“Yes, that sounds like me.” You laughed, brushing off any awkwardness that Harrison feared was there. “We were just rehearsing our scene for tomorrow.”

“Maybe we can come to set.” Phil suggested, sending Harrison an expectant look.

“I’ll have to ask. This is so, so last-minute, though, so I don’t know.” He replied.

“It’s a spontaneous weekend trip.” Charlotte clarified.

“We should get some dinner. We haven’t eaten much all day.” Phil told Harrison before turning to you, “Y/N, you should come, too. It’d be so lovely to get to know you.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” You trailed off, glancing at Harrison. He sent you a silent look that said ‘she seriously does want you to come… If you don’t come, I won’t hear the end of it’. “I’d love to. I just need to go change first.”

You grabbed your script off the counter, and Harrison walked you to the door. “How long do you need?”

“Like 10 minutes?” You replied, and he nodded.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were coming, or that they’d invite you to dinner.” He said quietly, making you laugh.

“It’s fine, but I do have to warn you, if my parents spontaneously drop by, they don’t know who you are.” You teased.

He let out an embarrassed groan, “Let’s not talk about that.”

“See you in ten.” You sent him a wink before leaving to your own hotel room. As Harrison closed the door and turned back around, he was met with the smirking faces of his mother and sister.

“So, is there anything you want to tell us?” Phil asked.

“We were rehearsing. That’s all.” Harrison insisted, going through the wardrobe to find some clothes to change into for dinner.

“Huh,” Charlotte trailed off, crossing her arms. “So, you wearing sparkly lip gloss that matches Y/N’s is a coincidence?”

“It’s a kiss scene tomorrow. We rehearsed the lines and the kisses, too.” He explained. With a pair of jeans, a clean shirt, and his red letterman jacket in hand, he made his way to the bathroom.

“Oh, multiple kisses.” She teased, making him roll his eyes.

“She has a boyfriend!” Harrison ended the conversation, closing the door to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, you returned back to Harrison’s room, and the four of you left, making your way to an Italian restaurant nearby. You and Harrison shared anecdotes about filming so far, keeping spoilers to a minimum until the server came with your food.

“We got in so much trouble from the makeup and hair department.” You laughed as Harrison finished telling them of how you two went on the playground last week, much to the chagrin of the crew.

“It was worth it.” He added.

“Who would’ve known you’d play a Netflix prince?” Charlotte asked teasingly, but it was clear she was still proud of his achievements.

“Look at that face. He couldn’t play anything but a prince.” You joked, and he smiled smugly.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He stated.

“Phil, I have to say, I’ve never met someone more well suited to play a well-mannered prince.” You told her, playfully pinching Harrison’s cheek beside you.

“I remember when there was a time he was revolted at the idea of playing a prince.” Phil said, her lips growing into a smirk, and Harrison knew exactly what that meant.

“Mum, no—“ He started, but you just shushed him, wanting to hear whatever embarrassing story was about to be told.

“He watched a single Batman movie growing up— and not even a good one at that, and decided he simply had to be Batman.” She explained. “Then the Christopher Nolan ones came out, and there was no stopping him.”

“Every kid wants to be a superhero, and Batman is simply the best one.” He said as if it was obvious.

“I didn’t know you had a Batman phase.” You teased.

“Phase? He still has posters and comic books and dolls.” Charlotte added.

“Action figures.” He corrected her, making you laugh at the humor of it all.

“You know, honestly, I think I still have Catwoman action figures.” You admitted, trying to make him feel better, and Phil’s eyes lit up as she remembered another story.

“I cleaned your room a couple weeks ago, Harrison, and I was surprised to see you still Anne Hathaway as Catwoman posters.”

“Do we really have to talk about that? Does this torture not end?” He groaned.

“Fine. That’s enough for tonight.” Phil let out a defeated sigh, clearly enjoying herself.

“Y/N, if you want the really embarrassing stories, you’ve got to talk to Tom. He’s told me embarrassing Harrison stories that I can’t say in front of mum.” Charlotte laughed, and Harrison’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head at his sister’s words.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” You smiled coyly.

“Sometimes, I wonder if he forgets that I know just as much embarrassing shit that he did growing up, too.” Harrison stated, shaking his head.

The night went on with minimal embarrassment on Harrison’s end. After Phil and Charlotte went back to their hotel, you and Harrison started the walk back to your own hotel. As you walked, your hands would brush against each other’s every so often, but neither of you made any move to take it further.

“Darci’s going to be so jealous in the morning.” You said, making him laugh a little.

“Why’s that?”

“That’s her favorite restaurant in town. Plus, I just got a free meal.” You laughed. A visible shiver coursed through you as the chilly night air picked up.

“Are you cold?” Harrison asked, already taking off his letterman’s jacket.

“Thank you.” You replied, taking his offer of warmth. Your short sleeves did nothing to shield you from the cold, but he had at least been prepared enough with long sleeves. “Are you sure you won’t get chilly?”

“I’ll be fine.” He reassured you.

“I had a really nice time tonight. I’m glad your mum invited me.” You admitted happily.

“Me, too. Apart from all of the embarrassment I just went through, I enjoyed tonight.”

“I never knew you had a secret Batman fanboy side.”

“I never knew you had a secret Catwoman fangirl side.” He countered with a smile.

“Guess that means we make a good team, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess it does.”

As you smiled at him, completely content under the moonlight, he wanted nothing more than to kiss you right then, to taste the sweetness of your strawberry lip gloss again. The last bit of your walk was filled with you two arguing over Batwoman and Catwoman, two things that neither of you had ever realized you had in common before.

Harrison’s wish finally came true the next day, as you two ran through the kiss scene multiple times. It was strange at first for him, because his sister and mother were intently watching, proud to see him in action, even if it was just a kiss scene over and over again. But, with you there, he grew more and more comfortable with each take.

As a few more weeks passed by, Harrison thought that perhaps you and Davey had officially ended things, but then he heard through Darci that you had magically worked it out. Whatever magic it was, he was upset about it, and he found himself increasingly irritated at the mention of Davey.

“Ooh, we finally get to meet the Davey tonight?” Darci asked as the five of you enjoyed lunch in between shots. It had been two weeks Harrison’s mother and sister visited, and now Davey was coming, much to Harrison chagrin.

“He’s only here for two days.” You explained, taking a bite of your sandwich.

“Ah, so you’ll be very busy, then.” McKell teased, suggestively nudging your side with his elbow. You brushed off his comment with a laugh, avoiding Harrison’s eyes.

“We should get him to do that calzone challenge with us.” Jojo said to Harrison. Although Jojo and McKell had been rather supportive of Harrison’s interest in you at the beginning, they seemed to forget about it most of the time now— for which he was actually kind of grateful.

The conversation couldn’t go any further as the director came into the room, holding the script in his hands. The look on his face told all of you that something was up. He looked between you and Harrison before speaking, “Change of plans for tomorrow. Eileen isn’t feeling well, so we’ll film Bea and Leo’s scene tomorrow instead of her scenes.”

“But tomorrow was supposed to be—“ You started, but cut yourself short, realizing there was no point in arguing. Schedules, plans, things all change, and this was just part of the job. “Never mind.”

“Well, tomorrow will be interesting.” Darci said quietly, voicing what was on everybody’s minds.

The director left with a silent nod, and the room fell silent for a moment. You and Harrison wouldn’t dare to look at each other, both of you feeling awkward suddenly. Making out with Harrison multiple times, especially with your boyfriend there, was not something either of you particularly enjoyed the thought of.

Having to film no more scenes today, Harrison went back to the hotel with Jojo and McKell. He didn’t end up seeing you for the rest of the day, but he was okay with that as he wanted to go as long as he could without meeting Davey. The director had taken some pity on the two of you, asking you to come in later in the morning instead of at 6 AM like usual.

Harrison made his way down to the hotel gym, wanting to utilize his newfound free time. Normally, he’d get his daily workout in after filming, but he didn’t see a reason to not get an early start today. He didn’t expect anyone to be up this early, but as he got closer to the gym, he could hear a voice coming from inside the room, the door cracked just slightly.

“Love, I promise I’ll be back in two days.” The stranger paused before continuing, “You know I’m only here for business, nothing else.”

Curious and trying to decide if he should even enter the room, Harrison snuck a quick glance through the crack in the doorway. He felt his blood run cold as he immediately recognized the guy sitting on the weight bench. Afterall, Harrison had looked at your social media enough to recognize your olive-skinned boyfriend, Davey.

“Bit early for you, isn’t it?” Harrison nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of your voice from down the hall. He heard Davey mumbled something on the other side of the door, probably having heard your voice too.

“Yeah, but I just figured I’d start my pull-ups early today.” He replied before opening the door for you, acting like he had no clue that Davey had been in there.

“Hello, gorgeous.” Davey said to you, completely ignoring Harrison. He stood from his spot at the weight bench to wrap his arms around your waist and kiss you possessively.

“Davey, this is Harrison, he plays Leo. Harrison, this is Davey.” You introduced the two guys.

Davey looked Harrison up and down with his dark brown eyes and seemed to stand straighter, even though the blond was inches taller. Harrison was the first to step forward and politely outstretch a hand to the raven-haired guy before him. With a tight smile, Davey shook his hand, “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Davey turned back to you, “Spot me?”

“Actually, I wanted to-” Your eyes drifted over to the treadmill as Harrison got in position to start his pull-ups at the bar. Davey looked at you expectantly, and you nodded, silently agreeing to stand there and spot Davey while he bench pressed.

Slipping on his headphones and turning on some music, Harrison began his workout. He played his music loud enough to block out your conversations with Davey. Not only was it none of his business, but god, Harrison really hated everything about him already. Hearing silence between you and Davey when his song changed, Harrison spared a glance over towards you. He was surprised when he found your eyes trained on him or, rather, trained on his abdomen that seemed to stick out from his tight white shirt. Still unaware of his eyes on you, your own eyes trailed up to his arms, watching as they flexed with each pull-up. Feeling flustered by your fixed gaze, Harrison faltered a little, and your eyes immediately darted back to Davey in front of you. Harrison couldn’t help the proud smile that ghosted his lips as he continued— you were checking him out.

Harrison finished his workout and decided to get cleaned up before heading to set in half an hour, leaving you and Davey in the gym. When he left, he was surprised that you were still spotting Davey, getting no work out in like you had planned. The whole time he was getting cleaned up (and brushing his teeth repeatedly to ensure he had good breath), he just kept picturing your staring in his head. He had worked very hard to get his body in this shape, and he was very proud of himself too, but he was even prouder that you’d clearly taken notice. If anything, it almost excited him that they’d be filming this scene today. There were a few times in this episode specifically in which Leo is shirtless, but none of those scenes had been filmed— and if this scene was going to be anything like it was scripted to be, then you’d definitely get a better show than in the hotel gym.

He didn’t see you again until the two of you were on set, in full costume and makeup. He had a loose shirt on, but underneath it, his chest had been painted with blues and purples to make convincing bruises. As he went to his mark, Leo’s makeshift bed on the floor of the cellar, Harrison spotted Davey across the set, looking bored and unhappy. His blue eyes drifted over to you next, and he refrained himself from smirking as he noticed your makeup artist applying chapstick to your lips.

While you gathered your prop lantern and the lights dimmed around you all, Harrison made himself comfortable under the ragged blankets. The director called out “Action!” and Harrison closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep as he waited for you to come into the shot. Hearing your footsteps, Harrison stirred, blinking his eyes open.

“Bea, is everything alright?” He asked, looking up at you as you stood over him.

“Let me see your body.” You said definitively.

“Beatrice—” He started, but you cut him off.

“Show me, Leo. I want to see it.” At your words, Harrison shifted slowly, moving as if in pain. He pulled the blankets down and went to roll up his shirt. “Take your top off.”

He paused, looking at you questioningly with a hint of fear in his eyes. Groaning a little, Harrison sat up and removed his shirt. He looked at you expectantly, and you set aside the lantern before kneeling on the blankets beside him. Your hand drifted over the painted bruise tentatively, ghosting over the same abs that you had been studying just hours earlier. Harrison waited for you to deliver your next line, knowing he was scripted to kiss you after it. It felt like ages that he was waiting for you, wanting nothing more than to kiss you right now. His mind went blank as your eyes found his and you leaned in to kiss him.

It was unscripted, and he was surprised, but he didn’t let his surprise stop him from immediately kissing you back. Your chapstick tasted of strawberries, just as it had the last time the two of you had a kissing scene, and he swore he was in love with the taste of it. He expected to hear the director yell cut, to hear him question why you suddenly improvised, but when nothing came, he just continued to kiss you. You pulled back, a shy smile on your face, “I don’t want you to hide your body from me anymore. It’s too nice to be hidden.”

His heart leapt as he leaned forward to catch your lips once more, this time scripted. His hands shuffled to your waist, pulling you down to lay beside him as he rolled onto his side, his chest leaning over yours. Your fingers tangled into his hair, and he savored the feeling.

You pulled back again, whispering up to him, “No more hiding.”

“No more hiding.” He reaffirmed. As he continued to kiss you, his hands sensually wandered down your back, keeping you as close to him as possible. Part of him wanted to pause the intimate scene and pinch himself, just to make sure it was really happening, but he was worried if he stopped kissing you now that he’d never get the opportunity to kiss you like this again.

“Cut!” The director called, and Harrison reluctantly pulled away from you. He could’ve sworn a small frown passed your lips as he looked down at you, not having shifted off of you yet.

“Spearmint— my favorite.” You teased quietly, as if it was only for the two of you to hear. As you laughed underneath him, Harrison couldn’t help but wonder what his younger self would think if he knew he’d one day get to make out with Y/N Y/L/N. Even if it was just for the show, it was a sight that he’d always want to remember.

“I’ve always enjoyed the taste of strawberries.” He replied softly, rolling away from you.

The director ran you two through a couple pointers for the scene, and, to Harrison’s surprise, he even suggested Bea kissing Leo first, just like you had improvised. You reasoned that you forgot your line momentarily, but something about the way you kissed Harrison made him feel like that wasn’t the case; no, it seemed like you’d truly wanted to kiss him.

After running through the scene a few more times, the director was satisfied. While you stayed behind on set to film more scenes, Harrison returned to his hotel room. Just as he was searching his toiletry bag for some much-needed chapstick, his phone began to ring with a Facetime call. Seeing Harry’s contact photo light up on his screen, he accepted and set his phone aside momentarily. He didn’t need to wonder what Harry (and most likely Tom, Tuwaine and maybe even Sam) were calling about— he had made the dire mistake of telling his easily-excited best friends about today’s scene.

“Why are we looking at your ceiling?” Harry asked almost immediately.

“I’m, uh, looking for lip balm.” Harrison admitted quietly and smiled to himself when he found some. He quickly put it on and then grabbed his phone, heading to his bed where he could comfortably talk to his friends.

As expected, his friends let out an incoherent chorus of excitement. Sam seemed to calm down enough first to ask (more like, shout through the phone), “How was it?”

“Does she really kiss with tongue? Remember Jack used to say-” Tom started, and Harrison scoffed, hearing the name of one of their old classmates who swears he had a summer fling with you once.

“I still don’t believe him, but no, not today at least.” Harrison was honestly a bit embarrassed to admit it. You were in a relationship… with a possibly cheating moron, but still. It just didn’t feel right to talk about you in that way.

“Not today? So there could be another time!” Tuwaine shouted encouragingly.

“Is she still with that prick?” Tom asked.

“Yes, but,” Harrison paused, and they all looked at him expectantly, waiting for elaboration, “I think he might be cheating on her.”

“What makes you say that?” Harry questioned. “Mate, just because you fancy her doesn’t mean her boyfriend’s a cheater.”

“No, I mean I heard him on the phone, and he said he was in Liverpool for business, not for his girlfriend.” He reasoned, “I’m just very suspicious of him.”

“You should tell her if you think he is.” Sam stated, “If he isn’t, then, oh no, you’re on bad terms with her boyfriend, who probably already hates you after today. If he is, well, she’d hate you if she finds out you kept it from her.”

Harrison let out a small sigh as the others nodded. “I don’t know. It’s not my place. Besides, she said something a few weeks about him wanting an open relationship. Maybe it’s that?”

“Okay, look, forget I asked about him.” Tom said, shaking his head, while the others looked at Harrison skeptically through the phone, “How was it to finally have your drama school dreams fulfilled?”

“Fucking heaven.” Harrison admitted with a laugh.

For the next week, Harrison resisted the urge to tell you about Davey. He wanted to, he really did, but whenever he’d finally be alone with you and mentally prepare himself for the conversation, you would always just seem so happy and content. He couldn’t bring himself to disturb your happiness, especially when it was Harrison making you happy. After Davey left, it’s like something changed within you, and Harrison had no clue what it was, but he enjoyed it.

‘You have to tell her.’ Harrison read over his most recent text from Tom again. He let out a small sigh, trying to get the courage to tell you as you sat across from him at the booth.

It was Saturday, and you two, along with Darci, Jojo, and McKell, had made your way to a club, wanting to celebrate another week down. With only two episodes left to film, you all knew your time together was starting to run low. You were all a few drinks in by now, happily buzzed. Jojo and McKell were off somewhere, probably attempting to be each other’s wingmen. Darci was telling you a story so wild that Harrison wondered if it was even true. He finished the rest of his drink and shuffled out of the booth.

“I’m going to grab another drink.” Harrison said to you two, and, without waiting for a response, he left. He made no move to flag down the bartender, leaning against an empty spot in the bar. Pulling on the collar of his blue shirt, he started to feel hot, unsure if he could handle this.

“What happened to getting another drink?” You asked him, stepping up beside him.

“Where’s Darci?” He replied, not wanting to answer your question.

“Found a friend in the crowd.” You laughed and turned to flag down the bartender. You ordered a round of shots, to Harrison’s surprise.

“Are you good?” He asked skeptically.

“Yeah,” You nodded, but with how your eyes were glazed over the alcohol and another unreadable emotion, Harrison didn’t quite believe you. Playfully, you nudged him, “I should ask you the same thing. You’re the one who’s been moping all night for god knows why.”

“I haven’t been moping.” He argued as a tray of four shots was placed in front of you two. You handed one to him and took one for yourself.

“Cheers to another week done.” You clinked your shot glass against his before both of you downed them.

As you went to grab your second shot, Harrison reached a hand and stopped you. Concerned, he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Davey and I broke up— for good this time.” You admitted, and his hold on your wrist softened while he looked at you pitifully. “He told me when he was here that he went through with his ‘open relationship’ plan, even though I never agreed to it, so he’s been basically cheating on me since I left for this job. Then tonight, he drunkenly texts me, and I know it’s just a booty call. He’s done it for years, but now I actually see it for what it is. So now, my shitty boyfriend is gone, I’m finally single, and my only plans for tonight is to get properly drunk. Maybe even hookup with a stranger— god knows it’s been a while since I had decent sex.” Harrison was speechless, and you continued, a smile finding its way to your face at the end of your venting. “Dance with me after this shot?”

“Do I have a choice?” He asked playfully, feeling your mood lighten once more. You winked at him, handing him a full shot glass. He made a mental note to keep a close eye on you and to keep you from drinking anymore.

After you both drank back the burning liquid, you grabbed his hand and pulled him out to the dancefloor. Harrison had felt the alcohol that was flooding his system earlier, but the colored lights, pounding music, and countless bodies around him seemed to make the alcohol hit him harder. There was a weight off his shoulders, knowing you were actually single as you danced with him, and yet he still felt strange about his current state with you— were you truly into him or was he just the first guy you could drunkenly hook up with?

You turned to face him, a small frown on your face, “Haz, you’re being a bit of a killjoy.”

It was then that he realized, while you were fully grinding on his body, he was relatively motionless. Your hands found his, and you planted one on your hip and another on the small of your back, low enough though that it teetered being on your ass. You leaned in closer to him, letting him get a whiff of your perfume. While one of your hands trailed along the hem of his shirt, daring to even dip below his shirt, the other traced through his hair.

As you planted a kiss on Harrison’s neck, not caring at all for the dancing bodies around you, you heard him let out a strangled groan of your name. Your nails light scratched over the deep V in his hips, hooking onto where his jeans met the line.

“Should we get out of here?” You asked Harrison, your lips right next to his ear as your voice dripped with seduction. He felt his heart flip with intoxicating excitement before he was immediately reminded of the gravity of the situation. You went to kiss him, but he moved back quickly, stepping out of your reach. Pouting, you asked, “Do you not want me? After all this time?”

“No, I do.” Harrison insisted. “I want you, but not like this, not when you’re drunk. You’re not in the right headspace for this. I don’t want to be your drunken rebound.”

“How can you be a rebound when it’s always been you?”

Harrison sighed. Oh, how much he’d love to hear that from you— sober. He was saved from having to reply when Darci, McKell, and Jojo found you two. They looked at the two of you skeptically, but Harrison just shook his head.

“I’m going to take Y/N back to the hotel.” He said as he stepped closer to the group so that they could hear him over the music.

“We’ll come, too.” Jojo insisted, even though, with his words slurred and his eyes glazed over, he was thoroughly drunk, too.

“Where did Y/N go?” McKell asked, realizing your sudden absence.

“Oh god,” Harrison muttered, and the four of them dispersed in the crowd to find you, tripping over the other sweaty bodies. Darci found you first, unable to stop you from having a couple more shots.

“No, no, you’re done.” She argued with you. You reached for the last shot that she had taken from you, but, in your intoxicated state, you easily lost your balance. Harrison quickly wrapped an arm around your waist to hold you up.

“I don’t think she can walk.” Jojo commented.

“What gave that away?” McKell asked sarcastically.

“Come on, let’s get you home.” With a small sigh, Harrison, as the most sober of the group (though he still felt fairly tipsy), proceeded to lead you out of the club.

Darci hailed a cab for the five of you, and while it was an illegally tight fit, you all made it work. You leaned on Harrison as he was pressed right up against you. On your other side sat Jojo. You mumbled softly to Harrison, one of your hands falling onto his knee, “Do you remember that year when they put up mistletoe at school?”

“Where are you going with this?” He asked you softly.

“I saw you kiss Vivian at the one outside of the gym, and I couldn’t walk in that area for three months without thinking of you. I was so jealous of her, and you just looked like such a good kisser, which I’m happy to report you are.”

“Babes, maybe stop with the drunk talking.” Darci said, because all of you could tell this was stuff sober you would never say.

Harrison looked at you in surprise— he barely even remembered when Vivian dragged him under the mistletoe, so the fact that you remembered and were jealous? And you said he was a good kisser, too. He felt a glimmer of pride overcome him.

“Ask me tomorrow, it’s the truth.” You shuffled in your seat, laying your head against Jojo’s shoulder, “Jojo, wanna know a secret?”

“Y/N, maybe-” Darci started, but Jojo cut her off.

“No, go on, Y/N.” He laughed, wanting to hear your drunk thoughts.

“Do you think I’d make a good Catwoman?” You asked, words slurring together as you grew tired.

“Catwoman? Like Anne Hathaway?” He questioned, and you hummed a ‘yes’. “Yeah, you’d make a good Catwoman.”

“Good. Tell Haz he needs to my Batman then.” Your voice was quiet, as if it was something just meant for the two of you to hear, but your voice wasn’t nearly as soft as you had thought it was, meaning Harrison and the rest of your friends were truly aware of your little drunken secret

“Okay, I’ll tell him.” Jojo reassured you, a shit-eating grin on his face as he glanced over your head to look at the embarrassed Harrison.

The rest of the car ride was silent, and Harrison helped you out of your seat. With the help of the others, he got you safely inside your hotel room. Everyone retreated to their own rooms, except for Harrison who stayed with you. He laid you down on your bed and went searching for your pajamas, which to his luck were stowed underneath your pillow.

“Can you change or—?” Harrison asked, holding out the clothes to you

“I’ve got it, though I wouldn’t mind you helping.” You said with a wink. As you started to change out of your club clothes, Harrison turned away from you and focused on getting out some much-needed pain reliever and a glass of water for you to have in the morning. He heard you shuffle on the bed behind him before you let out a small huff, “Hazzy, can you come here?”

Hazzy— that was a new nickname. To his surprise, you were already tucked up in bed, your previously worn clothes scattered on the floor around you. He set the water and meds on your nightstand before kneeling to your level, “What’s wrong, love?”

“Do you know why Davey wasn’t my first love?” You asked quietly, your eyes beginning to droop with sleep. You reached a hand out to tentatively run your fingers over his cheek before you cupped it, smiling softly at him.

He had a hunch, but he played along anyway, wanting to hear you say it, in case he never heard it again. “Why?”

“Because you were.” Your voice was so quiet that he barely heard you, but he was so glad that he did. He leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead, and you let your hand fall from his face.

“Get some sleep. We can talk in the morning.”

“Can you stay tonight? Please?”

“Of course, love.” Harrison stood to his full height, and when he looked at you again, you were already asleep. He softly readjusted the blankets on your bed to make sure you were warm enough, before he made his way over to the couch. Grabbing a throw blanket off the back of the couch, he settled into his bed for the night. Just like every other night lately, he drifted off thinking of you, but this time, there was an excited flutter in his heart.

The next day, Harrison woke up to you letting out a groan, loudly asking, “Why the fuck is it so bright in here?”

He slowly sat up from the couch to check on you. A smile crossed his face as you took the pain meds he’d left out and downed the glass of water. Your eyes seemed to bulge out of your head when you noticed his presence in the room. Laughing, he greeted you, “Good morning, sunshine.”

“Please tell me you miraculously don’t remember anything I said last night because I remember, and I don’t want to.” You said, pulling your knees up to your chest.

“Sorry to disappoint then.” He sent you a sympathetic smile.

With a sigh, you patted the spot beside you on your bed. Wordlessly, Harrison got up from the couch and came to sit beside you on the bed. He expected you to say something, but when you were silent, seemingly caught up in your thoughts, he spoke up, “Did you mean it? When you said I was your first love?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation in your reply, and you turned to finally meet his eye, “It was a very intense schoolgirl crush, hence why I hated Vivian after that mistletoe incident, but seeing you again just made me realize that it was more than just a crush. I’ve regretted saying no to you all those years ago ever since you came back into my life.”

“Well, I thought I was over my crush on you, but turns out, there are just some things time can’t change.”

A comfortable silence overfell you two again before you finally spoke up with the words that had been on your mind for weeks, “I think I’m in love with you.”

“I think I’m in love with you, too.” Harrison sealed his words by leaning in to kiss you.

With no script to follow now, he felt fireworks as you kissed him back. One of your hands drifted to the back of his neck, silently urging him to continue kissing you. His hands snaked around your waist before he shifted to lay on his back, rolling you on top of him. You deepened the kiss, your tongue finding its way into his mouth. He moaned at first, fully enjoying himself, before his lips curved into a smile, and he started to laugh against your lips.

“What’s so funny?” You asked, pulling away from his lips. His hands wandered from your hips up to where your own hands were resting on his chest, and he casually intertwined your fingers.

“It’s nothing.” He said in an attempt to play it off, but the smile on his face told you that whatever he was thinking was hilarious to him. “You remember Jack Evans? He told everyone that you were the best french kisser in school, and, well, he’s not wrong.”

You let out a scoff before giggling to yourself, “First of all, how many girls have you french kissed from drama school and should I be jealous? Second of all, Jack was an ass who couldn’t kiss for shit, but I’ll take it as a compliment that he told everyone that.” You leaned down until your lips were just barely touching, “And thirdly, do you want to keep talking about drama school, or do you want me to keep kissing you?”

“You don’t need to be jealous, but I kinda like that you are.” He replied with a cheeky smile. “And you’re right. He was an ass.”

“And for the last one?” You asked, raising your eyebrows at him.

Harrison pretended to think about it for a second before he let go of your hand to cup your cheek, bringing your lips crashing back down to his.

[angelasscribbles]

Complicated Part 24: Whose Heart Gets Broken

Series: Complicated

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Liam x Riley, Drake x Riley

Song Inspiration: Why Does it Have to Be Wrong or Right? by Restless Heart

Rating: M for mature themes and mild language

Warnings: none really for this chapter

My other stuff: Master List.

An hour later they reconvened.

“Bastien is on a flight back to Cordonia. He has been locked out of all our systems. He has a tail; all his communications are under surveillance. His house has been tapped. If he’s working with anyone, we’ll know it.” Drake said with satisfaction.

“Good.” Liam responded, “Mara has been briefed on her new responsibilities and everyone that needs to know about the change has been notified. She’ll be briefing those under her command today. Now we need to turn our attention to neutralizing my father. Once that’s done, assuming there is no one else involved, we will finally be free of this mess, pending finding Tariq of course.”

“I estimate that will happen within the next day or two.” Drake informed him, “When I spoke to Toussaint earlier, he said they have narrowed it down to about a dozen residences paid for in cash that are in the area he was last spotted in.”

“We’ll need boots on the ground when that happens. We should dispatch-“

“Way ahead of you Li. I called last night from the limo just before the state dinner and made arrangements to deploy a small detachment-“

“Before we knew who the traitor was?” Liam asked.

“Yeah, ok, listen though. While I could not rule out the traitor being one of my guys, I knew it wasn’t any of these guys! I handpicked them Li and I swear to you, I would trust them with my life.”

Liam held his hands up, “Ok, ok. So when will they be on the ground in LA?”

“Tonight.”

“Perfect. Are we going to have any issues with local law enforcement?”

Drake sighed, “No. I called my grandfather.”

“I take it he agreed to help?” Liam asked.

Drake nodded.

Liam lifted an eyebrow, “Then why do you look so annoyed?”

“He had a condition.”

“What was the condition?” Liam and Riley asked at the same time.

Drake sighed an even bigger sigh, “When we get to New York, I have to go visit him.”

Liam threw back his head and laughed.

Riley gave Drake a look and said, “He’s your grandfather. Of course you should visit him!”

“You don’t know him Campbell.” Drake shook his head, “He’s an ass.”

Riley gave him an ‘oh really’ look, which made Liam laugh some more.

“I think she’s trying to say that he sounds just like you!”

“Yeah, I got that.” Drake was ready to change the subject. His family drama was just….too much drama. Riley had no idea.

“Ok, back to how we’re going to contain Constantine.” Drake scowled at them both.

“Right.” Liam got serious again, “He’s really sick. He was supposed to meet us in Shanghai, but Regina tells me he isn’t strong enough to travel. So here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to have a full-scale hospital installed at the palace, I’ve already made some preliminary phone calls. We’ll spin it as needing to keep him at the palace because it’s more secure than the hospital.”

“Which is true.”

“Yes, but this allows us to control who he sees, who he speaks to, everything. He can’t leave. I’ll make sure that all the drivers know not to bring a car around for him unless it’s cleared through me. We can monitor his visitors, his calls, incoming and outgoing mail-“

“I’ll place one of my guards at the palace as a butler-“

“And I’ll ensure the head butler knows that whoever it is will be exclusively in charge of the mail.”

“I’ll put someone in the kitchen as well-“

“To make sure no one is sneaking any communications in with his meals. Good idea. You should also place someone as an aide to the medical staff-“

“To monitor in person visitors.” Drake finished.

“Wow!” Riley said.

They both paused and turned to look at her.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, but you two together, it’s like you’re thinking with the same brain! It’s pretty impressive.”

“Thanks?” Drake said.

“Haha, I suppose it’s true. We have been working together to solve problems since we were small children. So there’s that.” Liam said.

“Right!” Drake laughed, “Coordinating sneaking past the king, queen and all the guards was good training for real life political intrigue.”

“Ha. I’ll bet!” Riley giggled, “Ok, like I said, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, please, get back to it.”

Drake turned back to Liam, “What about Regina? Do we trust her?”

It was Liam’s turn to sigh, “I don’t know. This doesn’t seem her style, but we can’t be sure. So while I can’t restrict her to the palace-“

“We can place a tail on her, tap her phones, monitor her emails and put a member of my team in with her personal maids to keep an eye on who comes to visit her. Anything else?”

“Maybe you should place someone as a driver-“

Drake scoffed, “Most of your drivers are already undercover guard.”

“What?”

“Oh, you think I just let you drive around without someone in the car that knows how to protect you at all times?” Drake fixed him with an acrid stare.

“I thought that’s why I have Alec….”

Drake scoffed again, “Like you take him everywhere. Even though I told you to.”

“Ok, ok. Fair enough. What about Madeleine?”

“Li, we should have been monitoring her from the beginning! I’ve always believed she was involved.”

“The timing of her offer could be construed as suspect-“

“She has every motive to want Riley out of the picture!”

“Riley huh?” Liam asked.

Drake flushed. “Campbell. Whatever.”

Riley looked back and forth between them. She had noticed that Drake reverted to her first name when he was experiencing strong emotions or was very serious. Had Liam picked up on that as well?

There was a knock at the door.

“Are we expecting anyone?” Drake asked as he walked over to answer it.

“No.” Liam replied.

Drake opened the door to find Jason standing there with a huge shit eating grin on his face.

“I take it this is good news Toussaint?”

Jason stepped into the room and glanced around before asking, “Is it safe to speak freely?”

“Yeah.” Drake replied as he closed the door.

“We got him!” Jason crowed.

“Tariq?” Drake asked.

“Yes! We found the bastard!”

Riley, Liam and Drake all erupted into celebration.

“YES!”

“Thank God, finally!”

“Good job, thank you!”

Riley hugged Drake first, because he was closer, then Liam, then Jason.

Jason seemed surprised by the hug, “Oh, uh, ok, you’re welcome.” He patted her back awkwardly.

“How?” Drake asked.

“We hacked into the reality companies that owned the properties we were looking at, and ran handwriting analysis against the signatures, using documents we were able to obtain here that Duke Lambros has signed in the past. We got a hit then we hacked into security cameras in the area until we got visual confirmation. Easy Peasy.”

“Fuck yeah!” Drake clapped the other man on the back.

“Excellent job, Lieutenant.” Liam congratulated him, “You can expect a bonus with your next paycheck.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, but it was a team effort.”

“A team that you led. Don’t be modest.” Liam told him, “But if you send me their names, I’ll make sure they get a little something extra too.”

“That’s very generous of you, Your Majesty.”

“I believe that hard work and loyalty should be rewarded. I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to me, to us.” He said shooting a glance at Riley.

“I’ll need the address to give to my guys that are enroute as we speak. And we’ll need to coordinate with local law enforcement, so they are aware. We already have clearance from the U.S. government.” Drake said.

“You got it boss.” Jason wrote the address down on a notepad from Liam’s desk.

“They will arrest him and escort him to our embassy in New York?” Liam asked.

“That’s the plan.” Drake answered, “Thank you Toussaint, you have no idea how happy you’ve made me! I knew I begged you to come work for me for a reason!”

Jason laughed at that. “You were pretty damn persuasive and I have to say, I don’t regret it. If there’s nothing else?”

Drake looked at Liam, who shook his head, “No, nothing else, Lieutenant, dismissed.”

Jason grinned as he saluted, “Captain.” He turned to bow to Liam and Riley, “Your Majesty, Lady Riley.”

After he left, Riley hugged both Drake and Liam again, “I can’t believe it’s finally over!”

“He’ll be in custody soon and once he issues a public statement, your name will be officially cleared, my love!”

“But, how do we know he’ll make the statement?” Riley asked anxiously.

“Trust me, we have ways of compelling-“ Liam began.

“Oh, he’ll make that statement if I have to beat it out of him!” Drake assured her.

“That likely won’t be necessary,” Liam continued, “I can merely threaten to strip him of his lands and titles.”

“You can do that?” Riley gasped.

Liam smiled indulgently, “Yes, love, this isn’t America. The monarchy has considerable power. I can and I will. But it won’t be necessary, he’ll capitulate. I’ve known Tariq since we were kids. He won’t risk losing his fortune or his status.”

“What about the countess of cruelty? I can’t imagine she’ll go down without a fight.” Drake said.

“Yes, that’s true. I’ve already taken steps to ensure that there will be no negative blow back from the press or the public when I break our engagement.”

Drake looked at him skeptically, “How are you going to do that, exactly?”

“I’ve retained the services of Audrey Toscani.”

Drake let out a low whistle, “Wow. Bringing in the big guns.”

“Who’s that?” Riley asked.

“The best political fixer on the continent.” Liam answered.

“A political fixer? Like Olivia Pope?” Riley asked.

“Who?” Liam looked at her in confusion.

“You know, Scandal?”

“What scandal?”

“I think it’s a TV show Li.” Drake said.

“It was a TV show, never mind, I know what a political fixer is.” Riley said.

“Anyway,” Liam continued, “I’ll break my engagement to Madeleine, Tariq will clear your name and then we can move forward with announcing our engagement!”

Riley froze, her gaze darting back and forth between Liam and Drake, “Oh….”

Liam rushed on, excitement shining from his eyes, “We’ll sway public opinion back in your favor, the people loved you before, they’ll love you again! We can spin it into a star-crossed lover’s story, the press will eat it up. We’ll finally be able to be together publicly, like it should have been from the beginning!”

Riley felt panic rising in her chest and tears creeping into her eyes.

As Liam continued to talk, Drake’s eyes were glued on Riley. Her distress was clearly evident. His gaze flicked back to Liam, who was so wrapped up in the plans he was making, that he wasn’t noticing Riley’s reaction.

“Li…Li…Liam! Stop!”

Liam stopped in midsentence and turned to Drake in confusion, “What?”

“Give her a minute, ok? I think she needs to process some things.”

“Drake-“

“Seriously Li, you’re not-“

Liam scowled at him, “You promised to accept it if she chose me. You said you would respect her choice.”

“And I can, and I will, but would you give her a minute to make one?” He gestured toward her.

“I can’t do this!” Riley’s voice drew both their attention. The tears were now streaking down her face.

“Riley, love, I’m sorry, I didn’t-“

“Campbell, don’t-“

“I can’t! I can’t do this! I can’t choose between you; I can’t give either of you up and it’s not fair to anyone! And I can’t be the thing that comes between you! I cannot be the wedge in your friendship! I….I have to leave!”

“NO!” Both men yelled.

“Leave, go where?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, leave. Back to New York. The sooner, the better. I can be on a plane tonight!” The tears were now pouring down her face as sobs wracked her body, she ran for the door.

Drake was closer to the door, and he moved faster. By the time she reached it, his body was between her and the exit.

“Move Drake!” She yelled at him as she tried to push him out of the way.

“Please, Riley, wait!” His voice held a desperation she had never heard before. It only made her cry harder.

She hit him, her fists pounding on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and looked over her head at Liam in a panic. He mouthed, “DO SOMETHING! FIX THIS!”

Liam looked back at him with the same panic rising in his chest, threw his hands up in the air and mouthed, “LIKE WHAT?!” He spun around, both hands gripping his hair, mind racing furiously. Shit! Shit! Shit! Why had he pushed the issue? What was he going to do now? What could he do?

He paced the floor frantically. There had to be a solution, but what? She wasn’t willing to break anyone’s heart and he couldn’t live without her. If only there was a way they could all be happy. Suddenly he stopped pacing, his eyes widened, and he spun around to stare at Drake in stunned realization.

She had stopped struggling and was sobbing hysterically in Drake’s arms. Drake’s hand stroked down her hair and her back trying to calm her. He returned Liam’s gaze and asked, “What?”

“Oh my God.” Liam breathed as he made his way across the room to them. “Riley, love, sweetheart, please. Can I?” He gently pulled her from Drake’s arms.

She went without resistance from Drake’s embrace into Liam’s, tears still cascading down her face.

Liam led her back to the chair she had vacated and gently eased her into it. He knelt in front of her, slightly to her right, “Drake, could you get her something for her tears?”

Drake glanced around the room until his gaze fell on a small towel on the drink cart. He grabbed that and took it to her, then he pulled another chair next to her and sat on her other side, rubbing her back with one hand and resting the other on her leg. He gave Liam a puzzled, but hopeful look. He didn’t care if she married Liam. Well, he cared, but it was preferable to her leaving and not being in his life at all.

Liam reached up and placed one hand gently on her shoulder, the other on her leg, “Please, love, calm down. I need you to listen. I have a solution. But you have to calm down and listen. Can you do that?”

His voice was so gentle and tender, it made her cry harder, but she nodded as she fought to get her emotions under control. She turned her head into Drake’s shoulder and reached for Liam’s hand. She felt calmer, more grounded, once she was touching them both. She focused on that feeling and slowly her sobbing began to subside. She pulled away from them and wiped her face. She drew in a few more deep, shuddering breaths before she was able to lift her head and look at either of them. She slowly brought her eyes up to meet Liam’s.

He looked back at her with such love and tenderness, the tears threatened again, but she kept them at bay. Barely.

“Are you ok now, love? Are you ready to listen to my idea?” His hand had grasped hers again and his fingers stroked her palm.

She didn’t trust herself to speak so she nodded.

“There’s a way that you don’t have to choose.” He said softly.

Drake’s head snapped up and his eyes locked on Liam. He couldn’t mean….

Riley’s face was crumpled in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’d like to propose a solution, an arrangement, that will include everyone.”

Drake gasped in shock, “Liam, you would agree to that?”

Liam’s eyes shot over to Drake then quickly back to Riley, to focus on her face, so vulnerable and desolate. “Yes. I would give her anything.”

Riley looked back and forth between them, still confused, “What are you talking about?”

“Love,” Liam said gently, still rubbing her hand, “Remember when I told you about the arrangement Madeleine offered me?”

“Yeah…”

“Remember how I told you that these types of arrangements are fairly common in Cordonia?”

She nodded again, still not really understanding where he was going.

Drake snorted, “So common they are literally called Cordonian Arrangements.”

“Quite.” Liam continued, “Riley. I’m offering you one.”

“You’re offering me…what, exactly?”

Liam cleared his throat and glanced at Drake for help, “A Cordonian Arrangement.”

Drake clarified, “It’s an agreement, either informal or written into the marriage contract, granting permission to have, uh, relationships outside the marriage.”

“Like an affair?” She’d circle back to the fact that they had marriage contracts later.

“Not exactly.” Liam explained, “An affair implies secrecy and betrayal. This is more of an open relationship, committed non-monogamy. Something fairly common here. It can be broad, as in allowing either spouse to engage in, well, sexual acts and even full-blown emotional relationships with whoever they choose. Those are generally used for couples that spend a significant amount of time away from each other.”

“Or they can be specific.” Drake continued, “Either in parameters for what’s allowed, or who.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“It means it can specify when it can happen, only on weekends or when one spouse is out of the country, for example. Or it can specify what is allowed, limiting sex to certain acts but not others. It really varies widely because it’s specific to each individual couple and what they agree on.” Drake told her.

“Or it can be exclusive to certain people, or one other person. In this case, I would be agreeing to accept your relationship with Drake. This means we can still marry, assuming you agree, and whatever is going on between the two you can continue.” He tried to keep his voice as even as possible. Any hint that he wasn’t fully on board might send her running to pack again.

She blinked at him, not quiet trusting this turn of events, “And you would be ok with that?”

“Darling, I’ve been dealing with it since Italy. It’s not like this is new information for me. And listen, I thought I would have to marry for duty, I was resigned to have to spend my life with someone like Madeleine, for the good of Cordonia. Having love in my life, it’s far more than I ever dared dream possible. Being able to marry the woman I love? An even further reach. Absolutely not something I ever thought would be possible. Having you in my life at all, is already more than I ever hoped for. I love you, I don’t own you. If this is what needs to happen to keep you in my life, then yes, I am whole heartedly ok with it!” He brought her hand to his mouth to drop kisses along the back. “Please say yes!”

She stared at him in astonishment for a moment then turned to Drake, “And you? You would be ok with this?”

“Campbell…Riley,” He laughed softly, “My God, yes! Is that even a serious question? I have been in torment since that first night in New York, trying to fight my feelings for you because of my friendship with Liam. And I have consistently failed. I already told you, I’m not the possessive type and I would never make you choose between us! That fact that you love me at all is still a source of astonishment for me. I don’t know what you see in me. But if you’re telling me that I can be free to love you and not betray my best friend in the process…. I can’t find the downside to that! I told you the other night that I wanted to be in your life in whatever capacity you wanted me there. I don’t care what it looks like. I’m all in.”

Riley looked down at her lap then nervously shot a glance at Liam, then Drake. She could find nothing, in either of their faces, that indicated they were anything but on board with this arrangement. Hope began to trickle through her. She looked back to Liam and gave him a tentative smile.

His heart clenched in his chest, hope surged through him, he tightened his grip on her hand and asked, “Is that a yes?”

Her eyes slid over to find Drake’s locked on her, hope and fear mingling in his expression. She turned back to Liam and nodded.

“Yes?” He nodded, he really needed to be sure they were on the same page.

She nodded too, “Yes!”

“Oh, thank God!” He stood, pulling her into an embrace.

Drake stood awkwardly to the side, rubbing the back of his neck.

When she released Liam, she turned and threw herself into Drake’s arms.

“Oof! Warn me next time!” But he smiled as he embraced her. His eyes found Liam’s and he mouthed, “Thank you!”

Liam shrugged. He’d done what he had to do to keep her in his life. Now he just hoped he could live with the consequences.

[dolliedarlin]

Hi I’m one of the anons who’s obsessing over the P.A series!!!!! For some reason my brain has been full w diff things that could happen IDKKK! Hope u don’t mind if I dump a few....

TW: this is A bunch of rambling and some grammar errors LMAO sorry

Idk y I c y/n having a stalker💀 this prob sounds rlly weird but hear me out. (To add drama, also I Lowkey wanna c Mina,Sero and kiri get mad idk y-)

Since we all know y/n is the baddest most sophisticated b*tch (sorry idk if I’m allowed to cuss or not LMAO) her Ex lover is still obsessed w her and thinks that they are soulmate even tho they obv aren’t. I feel like y/n knows he stalks her but she ignores it until it gets worst. Like he found out where she lives. (He finds out where she lives while she’s sick which is now loll)

Anyways I feel like Mina would be over at y/ns place and since she’s getting better they are In her living room talking abt who knows what and y/n gets a knock on her door she goes to open it and admittedly closes it looking shocked. Mina being a pro hero is  supposed to be able to read body language. Mina ask her if everything is Alr and y/n OFC (stupid a**) says yes. Mina didn’t want to keep pressing the issue so she dropped it until it became a reoccurring thing with y/n and it’s not just her that noticed. She (y/n) is extremely hesitant to open the door and when she does she opens it a little bit. (And then idk her EX does crazy like breaks into her apt and scares the sh** outa y/n) THIS IS WHERE MY BIG IDEA STOPS 😭😭😭😭😭😭 that was a lotta rambling my apologies

Have a great day dollie!

oh no! please don’t feel bad, it’s always fun for me seeing what you dolls would want to happen next

although i don’t plan on bringing any psycho exes into ‘the p.a’ series, as a writer and an avid daydreamer, i can’t help but play around with this idea 

warning: there are brief mentions of violence ; this is not a part of ‘the p.a’ series but is just a little thought that i just couldn’t help but try my own hand at also ; i didn’t edit this either 😂 so kindly forgive any grammatical/spelling mistakes 

continuing on from your idea...

⏤mina, having the sneaking suspicion that something bad might happen to you that night, notifies the rest of the group later on that day

⏤usually, bakugou was in charge of you during the night and always sat in a chair beside your bed on high alert, ready to serve your every need...

⏤BUT!

⏤now that mina told them about your suspicious behaviour, all of them were put on high alert. 

⏤they all agreed to keep you unaware of their intentions by having bakugou take care of you like usual but they made sure that when on the night patrol, they were close by with their radios on and constantly being hyper aware of the shortest route to your residence from wherever they were situated - just in case of an emergency 

⏤naturally, they trusted bakugou with keeping you safe but that didn’t mean that they had no worries for you at all 

⏤seeing as you usually feel asleep before bakugou switched with the sero, who took care of you in the late evening, you were under the impression that you were alone at home 

⏤your current condition disallowed you from comfortably staying awake so you were constantly tossing and turning in bed, brows furrowed and sweating more than usual

⏤”what is she dreaming about?” bakugou utters in frustration as he continues to wipe away the vastly accumulating sweat rom your wrinkled brows

⏤he wasn’t frustrated at you no no, he was annoyed at the fact that he couldn’t make you comfortable no matter how many wet towels he uses to cook your forehead or wipe your sweat clean off your skin 

⏤as the night progresses, you eventually fall into a dreamless sleep, far too exhausted to continue stressing over your ex with the added burden of your fever on your body

⏤nevertheless, bakugou continues being on high alert at all times except for when he momentarily leaves to room so as to go to the toilet 

⏤this was the perfect opportunity for your crazy ex to sneak into your room via the window bakugou left ajar so as to help cool you down better 

⏤your ex was a creepy and disgusting man - someone that you had grown to dislike the more you got to know him and naturally left as quickly as you were able to 

⏤what followed was harassment to the highest degree, thankfully you were able to protect yourself due to your self defence training and quirk, however, it didn’t take away the shuddering feeling of being watched constantly

⏤you grew paranoid and extremely fidgety over time and eventually filled for a restraining order. unfortunately, that didn’t work and left you to deal with the situation yourself

⏤you were naive enough to think that you had shaken him after a particularly horrible beating he took from you in self defence. he had come at you with a knife but you were able to disarm him and send him limping home with a dislocated arm, a black eye and a bruised ribcage 

⏤over time, you got busy with work and slowly forgot about him, it wasn’t until today that you were reminded of his crazy obsession with you and were thrown into a panic 

⏤believing that you were alone at night and in your most vulnerable state, you didn’t feel safe and sought to deal with the situation however you could, even in your dreams

⏤all attempts were in vain, however

⏤bakugou, returning from his momentary break to the toilet came back just in time to see your creepy ex hovering over your sleeping figure. as if you sensed the unpleasant existence stalking you, your body stiffened under the blankets and you began to breathe uncomfortably, beginning to sweat bucket-fulls once more

⏤not wanting to disturb your sleep as rest was the top priority for you, bakugou crept up from behind the unknown figure and instantly went for his neck, choking him into silence as he dragged his thrashing figure outside, far away from you all the while sending a emergency signal to the rest of the squad 

⏤in no time at all, the rest of the squad arrived and had your crazy ex cornered. at this time he had already been tied up by bakugou and was ready for a quick chat 

⏤”what the hell were you doing with our yn?” kirishima began, sharp teeth grinding together as he clenched his jaw 

⏤silence 

⏤”speak up, we can’t fucking hear you,” bakugou spat as the others glared on from beside him, their eyes piercing through the moonlight and darkness of the night 

⏤”y-yn isn’t yours - that’s the first thing,” your ex finally cracked, giggling creepily in between 

⏤”you’re right,” sero began, “yn doesn’t belong to anyone so why were did you break into her house,” it took everything in sero not to lash out but they needed answers

⏤”wrong again!” your ex sang, “she doesn’t belong to you, she belongs to me! i’m her boyfriend!”

⏤”yn doesn’t have a boyfriend,” kaminari spoke up

⏤”that’s right! and if she did, we would have known,” mina agreed

⏤“that’s because she doesn’t know it yet, we broke up but we’ll get back together again soon” the tied up man giggled to himself, “it’s only a matter of time before she realises her mistake and she comes back to me,” 

⏤the team of heroes didn’t know what to say, they were so shocked and appalled at what they were seeing and hearing that they couldn’t bring themselves to utter a single word of response, they only listened further

⏤”i hoped she’d come back soon, anyway...but i was getting impatient so i had to try and convince her a little more. she’s been ignoring my love for her all this time, she can’t continue rejecting me for long...” he laughs, “i bet she misses it”

⏤“miss what...?” bakugou didn’t want to know but it had to be said

⏤”i bet she misses being with me. she’s so beautiful and so soft to the touch, she always smells good too and she has such a lovely voice - i want her all to myself, she doesn’t deserve to be anybody else’s”

⏤it was then that the team of heroes just about lost their minds. the creep before them didn’t say anything explicit but the madness in his eyes and the harrowing smile he was displaying was off putting. they dread to imagine what a lowlife nasty sob like him put you through but they saw flashes of unforgivable scenes that sent all of them into insanity 

⏤someone so precious to them didn’t deserve any such treatment. you may not have disclosed anything to them strict on being professional but if this man was willing to break into your house...they were fearful to think about what else he was capable of

⏤he deserved a beating from that act alone, actually, and a beating he got

⏤they could’ve killed the guy - they were more than tempted to and it would have been so easy...but he deserved to suffer in jail for his crimes against you so they held back no matter how painful that was for them 

⏤the very next day, under their authority and recommendation, the man was locked up for as many years as they could tally up and seeing as they were heroes, they were able to look into his past documentations and found you had filed a restraining order for him under harassment, assault and a number of other things they grew all the more furious at the more the read

⏤they would prefer it if you didn’t realise what they did that night but the media couldn’t let the story of 5 high class pro heroes sending a singular, beaten man to jail for life

⏤your creepy ex’s battered photos were all over the news and you were so incredibly grateful  

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi Steph! Would you happen to have any fic recs that involve John meeting the Holmes family? I always think that's such an interesting dynamic to see! Also, I think this goes without saying but I love your blog and appreciate your contributions to the fandom! Thanks!

Hey Nonny!

Ah, thank you! I’m glad you enjoy my blog!

Oooo! Yes, I love that dynamic too!! ANNNNND!!! You’re giving me the chance to make a part 2 for a REALLY OLD LIST!!! So YAY!!! I found a bunch on a text doc I haven’t posted yet, so HERE WE GO! Hope you enjoy, and as always, everyone please add your own!

PARENTS AND FAMILIES Pt. 2

See also: 

Parents & Family

Meeting the Family With a Fake Relationship

Do You Love Me? by whitchry9 (K, 641 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Family, Epic Bromance) – John asks Sherlock perhaps the most important question.

Once Upon A Time by ProfessorSquirrell (T, 908 w., 1 Ch. || Family, Snippets of Life, Romance, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Implied Drug Use, Angst with Happy Ending) – There is a room in Sherlock's mind palace where nothing gets deleted. And it looks like this...

Crisis Averted by Spartangal22 (T, 2,188 w., 1 Ch. || HLV Fic, Missing Scene After Confronting Mary, Canon Compliant, Sherlock Whump / Mary Shot Sherlock, Family / Friendship, Hospitalization, Sherlock POV, Holmes Brothers) – Lying in the hospital, Sherlock receives some surprising visitors, and manages to deal with two problems he's been having lately. A missing scene from HLV about a formal introduction that was never made and a visit that was never shown.

The Only Available Transportation by blueink3 (T, 5,379 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Fluff and Angst, Insecure Sherlock, Caring John, Parentlock, Sherlock’s Birthday, Family, Misunderstandings) – It’s possibly the desperation that’s seeped into his voice despite his best intentions, or perhaps it’s just a mother’s intuition, but she knows that whatever he’s calling about is Serious, hangover be damned. “What’s happened?” she asks, tone soft and as comforting as a hot cup of tea on a cold winter’s night. “Mummy,” he begins, voice catching. “I think John may be moving out.”

On the Steadfast Approach of an Oncoming Darkness by 2bee (T, 7,772 w., 1 Ch. || Apocalypse, Minor Character Death, Sort of Parentlock) – The world is ending. Not fast, but slowly, like falling asleep with a fever.

The Name Game by ItsClydeBitches221B (K, 8,958 w., 1 Ch. || Humour, Family, Platonics / Friendship, Sort-of Parentlock, John/Mary, Mary is Nice, Five and Ones, Baby Watson, Mycroft Loves Baby Watson) – The names that baby girl Watson comes up with for her extended family. Or: how everyone—Watsons, Holmes, and others alike— just learned to give up and embrace their weirdness.

The Burning of the Leaves by blueink3 (M, 15,915 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Angst, Reichenbach, Parentlock, Past Jolto, Idiot John, Sherlock’s a Mess, Puppies, Fluff, Possessive / Jealous Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Sherlock POV, Matchmaker Sholto, Melancholic Feelings, Emotional Sherlock, Domesticity, Love Confessions in the Rain, Kissing in the Rain, Pet Names) – After the events of series 4, Major Sholto invites John and Sherlock to lunch one day. It nearly proves to be too much for their tenuous relationship as the past haunts the present, putting the future that Sherlock so desperately wants at risk.

Permanent Fixture by vitruvianwatson (E, 18,836 w., 9 Ch. || Post-S4, Parentlock, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, They’re Good Parents, Blushing Sherlock, First Kiss/Time, Explicit Consent, Sexual Content, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Big Feelings, Crying, First Kiss, Fluff, Anxious Sherlock, Inexperienced Sherlock, Emotional Communication, Love Confessions) – Now, as Rosie sat curled up against Sherlock’s side, John watched and wondered exactly how he had ended up here. Domesticity had never suited him before, not at any point in his life. His disastrous marriage had been proof of that. But somehow, here in the warmth and safety of 221B Baker Street, here with Sherlock Holmes reading medical jargon to his daughter, Sherlock’s bony feet nudging against his leg, John couldn’t imagine anyplace that would make him happier.

Dropping the Act by jadztone (T, 27,258 w., 10 Ch. || Parentlock, Fake Relationship, Mary’s Family, Post-S4, Cuddling & Snuggling, Bed Sharing, Pining, Christmas) – Sherlock and John are quite happy living together with Rosie in Baker St. They might be even happier if they didn’t act towards each other like their love is only platonic. Mycroft brings troubling news in the form of Mary’s parents wanting to know just what their grandchild’s home life is like. The boys decide to spend Christmas pretending like they are in love in order to seem more like a "normal" family. It's easy enough to pretend when all you're doing is dropping the act.

An Acquired Taste by kinklock (E, 31,059 w., 4 Ch. || Vampires AU || Vampire Sherlock, Misunderstandings, Bat!Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Humour, Magical Realism, Fluff and Angst, Blood Drinking, Holmes Family, Slow Burn) – At Montague Street when Sherlock was forced to sate his body’s needs, he was at least able to wander about the flat as much as he pleased. At Baker Street, it was mini-bags in a mini-fridge and bedroom confinement.

Chaperones by MissDavis (T, 34,114 w., 7 Ch. || 11 Years Post-S4, Fake Relationship, Parentlock, Disney World, Bed / Room Sharing, Friends to Lovers, Fluff, First Kiss, Obsessive Sherlock, Insecure John) – Right. Of course. Everyone assumed they were a couple and no one would question it. John put his elbows up on the table so he could rest his head in his hands. "You want to pretend to be a couple so we can chaperone a trip to Disney World with Rosie's class and you won't have to share a room with a stranger?" "Exactly." Sherlock beamed at him. "Don't worry about the cost. The Birmingham case last month paid more than enough to cover expenses for all three of us."

Where The Ghosts Have Voices by HappyJuicyfruit (M, 37,691 w., 12 Ch. || Supernatural AU || Ghosts, Magical Realism, Light Horror, Fluff and Smut, John Can See Ghosts, John Whump, Emotional Manipulation, Dark Magic, Coma, Injury Recovery, Blow Jobs, Anal, Happy Ending, John’s Past, Mr Holmes, Powerful John, Holmes Brothers, Sherlock’s Past, Past Viclock, Drug Abuse, Hair Pulling) – John has lived his whole life as an outcast. It is only when he meets Sherlock, that be realizes being a freak might not be such a bad thing, and that the curse he has lived with his whole life may be a gift after all. (TO READ)

Anchor Point by trickybonmot (E, 49,856 w., 80 Ch. || Truman Show AU || Psychological Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Dark Characters / Fic, Alternating First/Third Person, Protective John, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Tender Moments, Love Confessions, Hand/Blow Jobs, Cuddling, Jealous John, First Kiss/Time) – The world tunes in nightly for Sherlock, the ultimate in reality TV: Sherlock Holmes, a real person with a legendary name, unknowingly lives out his life in a staged setting contrived by his brother. Things get complicated when a retired army doctor joins the show to play the part of Sherlock's closest friend. This fic borrows its concept from the 1998 film, the Truman Show. However, you don't need to have any knowledge of the movie to enjoy this story.

The Hollow Woman by ScopesMonkey (M, 51,335 w., 22 Ch. || Post-TRF, Major Character Death, Mystery, Romance, Friendship, Family, Angst, Crime, Reunion, First Kiss / Time, Nightmares, Doctor John, Jealous Sherlock, Jealous John, BAMF John, Angry John, Dub-Con, Rough Sex, Bottomlock, Possessive John, Villain Mary, Open Ending) – Forced to return to London sooner than expected, Sherlock falls into a case too close to home. Part 1 of the Hollowverse series

Repairing the Broken Things by BakerTumblings (M, 75,252 w., 15 Ch. || S4 Compliant, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Hospitals, Big Brother Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Realizations, Severe Accident, John Whump, Pneumonia, Medical Procedures, Bed Sharing, First Time, Healing, Happy Ending) – "I'm calling today to notify you that there's been an accident."

Points by lifeonmars (E, 53,791 w., 42 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || HLV Rewrite / Canon Divergence, Married Life, Pregnancy / Baby Watson, Drinking to Cope, Boxing / Fisticuffs, Clueless John, Angst, Minor Medical Drama, Tattoos, Christmas, First Kiss/Time, Eventual Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Doctor John, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Case Fic, Drugging, Blow/Hand Job, Emotional Love Making, Parenthood, Passage of Time) – What if His Last Vow never happened? This fic picks up a few months after John and Mary's wedding, in an alternate universe where Magnussen doesn't exist, but Mary is still pregnant. Life continues -- just in a different direction. And slowly, Sherlock and John find their way to each other.

The Monument of Memory by J_Baillier (M, 79,663 w., 14 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It Fic / S4 is Canon, Angst, Family Drama, Guilt, Case Fic, John Loves Sherlock, Complicated Feelings, Mentalism / Hypnosis, Murder, Grieving John, Sherlock is a Bit Not Good, Team Work, Trust Issues, BAMF John, Psychological Trauma, Protective John, Autistic-Spectrum Sherlock, Parentlock, John POV) –  A genius traumatised by a past he's only beginning to recall. The psychopath sister that time forgot. A missing woman and a mentalist who may or may not be a murderer. And, in the middle of it all, stands John Watson.

Kintsukuroi by sussexbound (E, 91,823 w., 20 Ch. || S4 Compliant / Post-TLD, Grief / Mourning, PTSD, Internalized Homophobia, Therapy, Past Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Anxiety, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, Cuddling, Suicidal Ideation, Masturbation, Minor Character Death, Sexting, Frottage, Inexperienced Sherlock, Rimming / Anal / BJ’s, Emotional Turmoil, Finding Each Other) – “I love you.” Sherlock sees the words hit John with almost physical force. He reels back a little, jaw twitching and eyes filling. “I love you,” he repeats, a little softer, a little more gentle, as earnest as he possibly can. Because they’ve been teetering on the brink of this thing for years, and it had become painfully obvious over the last few months that they were at a tipping point. This had to happen. Now it has. Now they can see where they end up. The tears in John’s eyes spill over, and he wipes at them angrily. “Do you even know what that means?”  

The Summer Boy by khorazir (T, 94,706 w., 6 Ch. || Post S3/Post TAB/Alternate S4, Friends to Lovers, Asexual Sherlock, POV Sherlock, Flashbacks, Bullying, 1980′s Kid Sherlock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inexperienced Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Pining Sherlock, Case Fic, Sherlock’s Past, Awkward Conversations, Anxious Sherlock) – About half a year after the fateful events at Appledore, Sherlock and John embark on a private case in Sussex. For Sherlock, it’s a journey into his past, bringing up memories both happy and sad that he has locked away for almost thirty years. For John, it means coming to terms with the present – and a potential future with Sherlock. Part 1 of the The Summer Boy series

The Wedding Garments by cwb (E, 105,390 w., 36 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Alternate Future AU || Alternate First Meeting, Dating / Arranged Marriages, Romance, First Kiss/Time, Heavy Petting, Cuddles, POV Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn / Falling in Love / Dev. Rel., Nervous/Anxious Sherlock, Jealous/Cranky, Hiking, Vacation Homes / Honeymoon, Sherlock’s Family, Horny John/Sherlock, Patient John, Massages, Hand Jobs, Assassination Plots, Hand Jobs / Oral Sex, Case Fic, Emotional Love Making, Bath Time Fun) – This is the story of a young consulting detective who wants nothing to do with marriage and an army doctor who wants to find true love. It's 2020 post-Brexit England and the British government is encouraging arranged marriages. Candidates meet through state-run agencies and date in hopes of finding love (and tax benefits). Sherlock doesn't need or want a spouse, at least not until John Watson shows up. Hesitant to give in to his more carnal urges because of the way they derail his mind, how will Sherlock progress toward the more intimate aspects of a relationship? The answer lies in a very special wedding gift.

The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w., 37 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Dev. Rel., Possessive/Obsessive Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Body Appreciation, Depression, Closeted Sexuality, Family, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Ogling Each Other, Anxious Sherlock, Panic Attack, Drunkenness, Talk of Forever, Big Feelings™) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it's a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball

The Lost Special: Family Matters (As Do Relationships) by ShirleyCarlton  (M, 144,688 w., 40 Ch. || S4 Fix It Fic, Unreliable Narrator, John’s Mind Bungalow, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending) – Sherrinford is not really the name of some high security prison. That was just a figment of John’s frantic coma dream. And Eurus is not actually Sherlock’s sister. That’s just something random she said to John before shooting him. Sherlock and John were never actually estranged. That was just their act to cover up what really happened to Mary – or Rosamund Moran, as her real name has turned out to be. Sherlock does have a secret sibling, though, and his name is Sherrinford. After finally eliminating Moran – though in a rather dramatically different way than they had envisioned – and exposing the truth about Eurus, John encourages Sherlock to delve into his past and to find out whether the reasons to keep Sherrinford away from Sherlock were the right ones, and to discover what really happened in 1981. Along the way, Sherlock and John gradually, finally, stop keeping each other at a distance, and eventually become a proper family of their own.

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.

[tsumuniri]

━━━ Atsumu Miya is a free-loader. Living inside his twin brother's home as if it was his, he would bring home girls and annoy Osamu most of the time. Y/N L/N is quite the opposite apparently because she's a virgin loser. Being the popular anonymous BL mangaka known as Yamazaki, she stays in the homey abode of her parents and watches boys from afar for references (not for admiration sadly).

Now what will happen if fate decided to tie these two idiots together and made them live across each other in one apartment?

。m.list ❯❯ prev┃next

TWO ━━ THE GIRL NEIGHBOR

THE FORTUNE OF GETTING EVERYTHING Atsumu desired had always blessed his luck in his twenty-three years of living on this habitable planet— may it be in his talents for the ball sport or even outside his athletic career. This man surely knew what it means to be spoiled by the gods as they loomed over his being and guided him through the prosperity of his lifetime. He was a guy who could attain his dreams by any means necessary.

So, here he is, debating on which detergent he should buy because he had finally moved into the apartment his brother recommended.

He hasn't settled in at the moment. The room he rented was still a mess of cardboard boxes full of his things piling up on top of each other. It was a new environment for the male as he had always stuck to Osamu throughout his life; they were partners in crime after all.

That was when he decided what was his current goal at the moment; to survive a week of living alone without asking for his brother's help. Hence, the reason why he's here in the cleaning aisle of the grocery close by, having difficulty in choosing if he should use powder or liquid detergents.

"Are you stupid or something?" An irritated voice spoke up from behind the setter's crouching figure. Atsumu sneaked a glance over his shoulder and lazily grinned at his teammate and friend. "Great timing, Omi-kun!" He chirped, standing up from his last position before turning around to face the ravenette.

Sakusa rolled his eyes, "For your information, buying cleaning products isn't the only thing I do. I just like my place and myself to be tidy. Can we also quicken up the pace, please?" He spoke out his thoughts as he got one of the liquid detergents set on the shelves, carefully placing it inside the grocery basket.

"Didn't know you'll get offended by my texts. I was only joking about that time you bought that many cleaning products," The blonde shrugged his shoulders casually, "It was a funny sight. You really looked like a janitor that time." He snickered at the memory of the other with the bags full of cleaning supplies.

Sakusa clicked his tongue and took a step past Atsumu, "I don't usually buy that many supplies. Half of those were for Bokuto-san and Hinata-san," He held the two metal handles of the grocery basket, hoisting the holder up as he let it hang by the side of his thigh. "Speaking of those two, they already texted me that they've finally arrived at your new apartment in Morinomiya. They mentioned your brother also dropped by with some onigiri." He notified the other male.

Atsumu grumbled from his teammate's words as he followed Sakusa's trail towards the snacks aisle. "Ya mean the same brother who decided to betray me?" He mumbled, his expression seeming like a child who just got grounded by their parents for a whole week.

"And yet, you still visit his Onigiri place in the city. You love him, don't be sissy about it. You got kicked out because you were too complacent, and unlike during your high school days, you realized that your brother wouldn't be there for you all the time."

The blonde stayed silent, most likely agreeing with the ravenette's statement. Although the two brothers argued for a while after Osamu announced the unfortunate news about his twin's boot out of the household, Atsumu knew that it was the best for both of them as it was time for him to get an apartment (even if he sort of dislikes the idea of moving).

Despite him understanding this, it wouldn't hurt to be a drama queen for once.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." Atsumu mouthed as he motioned his hand in upward movements, walking over to the cashier register to check out their groceries. A frown etched on Sakusa's face from under his white face mask, not a slight bit amused by the latter's laid-back composure. He adjusted his grip on the basket's handle then followed behind to the location of the check-out counter.

The cashier, who looked as if she was currently in high school, kept on stealing glances between the blonde male and the cleaning supplies she was checking out. With lips pursed from her thoughts, her eyes slightly squinted every time it landed on Atsumu.

'What is this girl's problem?' He thought, raising his brows at the girl's serious expression. He cleared his throat and let his eyes wandered around the vicinity to distract himself from the cashier's peeks.

After the uncanny interaction with the young cashier, the two volleyball players made their way to the newly-built apartment building that the blonde-haired setter is now residing. From what the raven-haired outside hitter mentioned before, their two other teammates had already ordered two boxes of pizza and couldn't help but devour its cheesy goodness once it arrives. Atsumu quickened his pace from the newly-given information as he wouldn't like to meet the sight of two empty pizza boxes in his apartment.

"Tsumu-Tsum! Great timing. The pizzas are here!" Bokuto cheered after seeing his two comrades walked in from the front door. His eyes lit up while his mouth formed into a wide smile— almost looking like he won the jackpot of a million yen (not like he needs it anyway since he earns more than that).

A certain tangerine-haired male was already munching a slice beside him, "Omir-shan, Arsurmu-shan," Hinata said, mouth full of pizza dough and toppings. He then chewed the last bit of bread and swallowed the piece down his throat, "Welcome back! I like the new place, by the way, Atsumu-san!" He ended his statement, taking another slice from the pizza box.

Sakusa cringed from the mess on the table and how their two reckless teammates ate the freshly-oven baked slices. He lowered the grocery bag he was carrying on one of the moving boxes beside him as Atsumu followed suit. "Did you guys even washed your hands before eating?" The masked male straightly asked as he sat down on the carpeted floor.

"Don't worry. We did! Bokuto-san even brought the hand sanitizer that Akaashi-san bought for him." Hinata replied, scooching over to the side as he gestured Atsumu with a nod of his head.

Atsumu walked over to his side of the table, taking the spot the short male had spared for him. The blonde then lifted the closed pizza box with his right hand and almost gagged at the chosen toppings, "You guys ordered two Hawaiians? That's sickening." Atsumu stuck his tongue out in disgust and lowered the box's paper lid, deciding to get one of his brother's onigiris instead.

"I'm the one who invited you all here to celebrate my new home, and yet, you guys wanted to be douchebags by ordering my least favorite flavor of pizza."

"You're the only person here who doesn't like pineapples on a pizza, Atsumu-san." Sakusa pointed out, moving the face mask under his chin with his index finger then taking a bite on his slice of the Hawaiin pizza. "Besides, it's three-to-one. You wouldn't win at all." He added, to which the other two avid pineapple lovers agreed with hums of satisfaction.

A thought suddenly popped in Bokuto's mind as he licked the tomato sauce off the tip of his fingers. "Oh yeah! I met a cute girl while I was waiting for Hinata outside your apartment. She also moved in just a few days ago, and guess what? She's living in the room across from you!" He stated out of the blue and laughed lightly at how it was such a coincidence.

This statement caught the attention of the other three, mainly the blonde-headed volleyball player.

"Maybe you could give your new neighbor some onigiri, Atsumu! Like a welcome gift!" Hinata grinned widely, his tone having a trace of excitement as he began eating another slice of the Hawaiian pizza.

Atsumu casually shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe..." He trailed off before taking a bite off the seaweed-rice snack.

The horologe of time had passed by quickly as the blazing sun settled down for the glowing moon to shun upon the busy streets of Osaka, the twinkling stars glittering the night sky with constellations and patches of galaxies from a distance. The simple gathering ended and left the room in peaceful silence. However, Atsumu was still sitting on the floor, his legs overlapping each other as his arms crossed against his built chest.

"Should I?"

He thought out loud as his eyes stare at the box of left-over onigiri. The blonde heaved out a breath through his nostrils before he stood up from his position, patting the dust particles off his bottom. He reached over the box, not bothering to transfer the contents in another container since it would've taken another set of minutes in trying to search for one.

"Here we go." Atsumu swung the door open and immediately noticed the door from across was slightly opened. No light was emitting from the inside. It triggered the male's intuition to check the situation of his neighbor as the scenario of a burglar robbing a harmless female concerned him greatly.

With a slight push of his hand, the door eerily creaked like it was a prop in a horror movie set-up. His eyes tried to look into the dark apartment. But unfortunately, the moving packages were stacked in every spot of the apartment, making it difficult for his peripheral vision to catch anything suspicious of some kind. "Hello?" He called out and didn't get any answer.

'I swear to the gods... If I'm getting killed by a serial killer.'

It's his fault for watching those horror movies in the past. If he hadn't watched that one texas killer with the chainsaw, he wouldn't have gotten scared at all. Atsumu's heart thumped loudly against his ribcage from the anxiety of having to roam around this creepy apartment.

A groan echoed off the walls, stopping the male from his tracks as his body froze like a statue. His throat went dry while his palms started to sweat when he felt an unknown presence creeping up behind him. He closed his eyes shut and quickly spun around to greet the unknown person with a power punch, "Get the fuck away, demon!" Atsumu screeched, still holding onto the box of onigiri safely in the other hand.

"Ouch! Why the heck did you do that for?"

Atsumu peeked his eye open and found you sprawled on the wooden floor, hissing in pain as you caressed your bruised cheek. You were wearing your pajamas as it seemed like you had just woken up from your slumber.

Oops. It's a false alarm, after all.

## it’s gonna get good boiz

## taglist: @underratedmage ; @haikyuuwifu (if you guys wanna be added in the taglist, please comment down! :>)

[headcans-oneshots-and-stuff]

Really gone...

Warning: Again, super angsty, I believe that you will cry or at least will wanna cry. Sorry already Word count: ~1.5k Summary: Bruce was gone, not leaving a body or any way to bring him back, and you are left to pick up the pieces Pairing: Batman x Batmom

Requested by a rosey Anon: Okay, here’s my super sad request... okay so Batman dies while in Gotham (so the league doesn’t know) and the bat fam has covered it up so no one knows. And so at the next league meeting, one of the kids shows up (cause they are the new Batman you can pick who) and their all like what the heck who is this dude and they question him and he’s like ‘you don’t know? He’s dead’ and if you want you can add in a funeral part where all the kids are theRe edit: the reader would be the batmom

It felt wrong. So incredibly wrong. To see his suit filled by someone who’s not him..made the entire thing too real. He was gone. Really gone. It had happened before, but never like this, never without a corpse to bury. It had a certain feel of finality to it. At first, when after a week - that you had spent trying to keep the family together and help them grief, barely eating, and the nights crying for hours at pictures and memoried of Bruce, before sleeping for one or two hours - the league had notified you of a mission for your late husband you had wanted to just ignore it, but Dick had convinced you that that wasn’t what Bruce had wanted and that he’d go instead of him. You had agreed and even said that you would come along, thinking that it could take your mind off thing, but as soon as you saw your oldest son standing there in the suit you couldn’t go on anymore and broke down. You were more than glad that none of your other children were in the cave, you didn’t want them to see how broken you were, how his loss affected you. You wanted to be strong for them, but at the realization of the situation, you couldn’t be strong in front of Dick. But he understood, for a few minutes he held you as you sobbed at the feeling of emptiness in your heart and your life while soothing you before he told you to take the day off from everything and stay home. He told you that he’d take care of the mission on his own and be back in time for the public funeral the next day. The funeral. You had forgotten about that. Or did you just not want to be aware of it? It was unimportant as you knew that it had to be done. Even if the casket would be empty and public would never know that his end was in no way caused by a surprising stroke, it still had to be done. It would explain why the family would keep out of the media for a while until you were ready to fully take over Wayne inc. with help of Tim and things would change into a state that was supposed to be normal again. Even if it never truly would be normal again. Your heart would never heal. No one would ever fill the empty space that was left in your soul. While you went back upstairs to drown yourself in the sheets of your bed that you hadn’t changed since he had died - the smell making you feel like he’d come back any minute take you in his arms and tell you that it was all just a nightmare - before you had to put your brave mask back on and console your other children, Dick went to the Cave’s own Zeta-tube and took a deep breath, trying to bury his own grief not only over the loss of his adopted father but also over his mother who was so visibly suffering. He had to go through with this now, he’d get this mission over with and then he’d come back and help you through the funeral. It wouldn’t be okay, but it would be manageable. “Justice league headquarters,” he gave the voice command before the blinding light enveloped him. “Batman, there you-” a voice that he immediately recognized as Clark’s echoed through the room, but immediately stopped as soon as the transport was finished. He guessed that Clark realized that he wasn’t Bruce. A quick look around the room showed that it was only the inner circle of the league: Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Green Arrow and of course Superman. “What are you doing here? Where’s Bruce?” Superman asked immediately and narrowed his brows. The others also inspected him with wary eyes. Luckily for all of them, they all knew about Bruce’s real identity and his family. Dick had to swallow the lump in his throat. He wasn’t ready for this, but he should’ve guessed that it would happen. He had to tell the truth. Clark would know if he’d lie and to be quiet honest, he didn’t have the energy to lie right now. “He-” he tried to start but stopped himself with a sigh and the suit felt incredibly heavy all of the sudden. The way that Dick avoided their eyes and looked down at the floor was enough for the others to realize what exactly he was going at. “No,” Green Arrow - Oliver - breathed out and his shoulders fell, the look of shock and agony mirroring on all the other faces too. “What- What happened?” Diana asked and Dick noticed the way her hands were clenched together so tight that her knuckles were completely white. “I-I don’t know-” Dick sat down at the desk on the chair that was usually his dad’s and rubbed his eyes over the mask, “-I wasn’t there, none of us where. Only Y/H/N… They were on a mission, but she came back alone, she wasn’t able to tell us what exactly happened yet. We just know that he’s gone… and that it seems like he won’t come back.” A silence filled the room. They all knew how in love you and Bruce had always been, you were always the picture-perfect example that a relationship between two vigilantes could work. No matter what, you stuck together and supported each other. They couldn’t even imagine how much it must have affected you. “We’re so sorry,” Hal muttered and the others nodded in agreeance, they all knew how it felt like to lose someone so important and they all felt the stinging in they hearts themselves. “I think you should go back home, they need you right now, this mission isn’t as important, we can handle it,” Clark mumbled and lais his hand comfortingly onto Dick’s shoulder.

Dick had come home just as you finally made your way out of your bedroom to have lunch with your family. He caught you in the hallway and told you that it was okay, that you didn’t have to force yourself to put up a facade, that all your children were old enough to realize that you needed some time too. He said that he’d take care of his siblings as the oldest brother and that you could try to just concentrate on yourself for the night. The next time you came out of your room was the next noon when you had to get ready for the funeral. You gave yourself a last once over in the mirror. To be honest, you couldn’t care less what you looked like. It was your husbands funeral for god’s sake, but the media would be in the area - like they always were - and the last thing you needed right now was to be on every drama-channel in existence. You just wanted to get through with it. Once you were sure that there was nothing about you that could provoke a reason for the paparazzi to rip you apart, you made your way to the foyer where your family was already waiting. Normally you would be delighted to see all of your children, Alfred and Kate on one spot, but the occasion made it tear at your already fragile heartstrings. They were all dressed in black suits and in Babara, Cass and Stephanie’s case dresses. “Miss Wayne-” Alfred focused the attention of the room on you and you were happy that the black veil that was accessorizing your head hid your eyes well enough for them to not immediately see the despair in your eyes, “- Are you ready?” You took a deep breath and nodded your head as you arrived at the bottom of the stairs, a small trace of something similar to happiness filled you when Damian immediately hurried over to you and took your hand in his, clutching it like you could fade away any seconds. “Very well, if you’d follow me,” Alfred’s voice was so void of emotions. It was unusual. The way to the cemetery that was attached to the grounds of Wayne Manor, the place was Bruce’s parents were buried and where he’d soon join them, was silent and if it would have started to rain you wouldn’t have budged an eye. This was Gotham for you. Behind the fence, you could see the flashes of cameras and news-trucks, but that wasn’t what caught your attention. It was a small group of people standing off-side. You immediately recognized them. The tall woman dressed in a dark-red pants-suit, the man with his wife and son and all the other people. They were your friends, his friends. They were there to pay their respects and let you know that they were there for you. And at that point, you realized it, with your family beside you and your team near you, just because you were lonely, didn’t mean you were alone. And just because he wasn’t there anymore, didn’t mean that Bruce was truly gone. He was still in your heart, he was still in the hearts of the people who loved him. And that had to be enough because you knew that you would never get more than that again.

[hauntedbythefanficsofmypast]

Daminette Rough Layout AU #1

Warning- This is a Salt AU, it contains Lila salt, Adrien Salt, Alya Salt and Class Salt. Some of the Salt is dramatized, pkease read at your own digression.

Note- Changing things up a bit-they are in high school now-Damian 16 and Marinette 15 and juniors, obviously things are different from canon. Gabriel gave up both miraculous after Adrien dies in one of the akuma fights, he has Nooroo and Duusu bring them to the guardian. Marinette helps heal Duusu so that if he is ever used again the holder will not start to die. Soon after Master Fu takes back Adrien's miraculous and names Marinette the guardian.

He doesnt lose his memories but he does pass away a week later. Marinette also deletes her original website and makes and entire new one under MDC designs after Lila threatens to leave bad reviews.(This happens before she meets Damian, right when they are entering high school.)

They met online after Damian got tired of his brothers making fun of him for talking like an old man. He found Marinette on Twitter, (She has a very popular Twitter blog where she Tweets in English and is considered a meme god.) and after reading her tweets decided that she'd be a good teacher.

After reaching out they agreed on how much she'll be paid and a time that works best for both of them. Every Monday & Wednesday the video chat when Damian has his lunch and study period. For Damian it is 12 to 1 pm, and for Marinette it is 7 to 8 pm. After two months Marinette has successfully made Damian her friend, and he has began opening up to her more. Meanwhile Damian begins to mess with his brothers using memes.

Tim to Jason- I will die if I don't get coffee soon.

Damian passing by the kitchen on his phone- Then perish.

Jason-...Did he just?

Tim- Impossible.

_____________

Dick over the coms while on patrol-I really want candy right now.

Damian drops down next to him and pulls a tidepod of of his belt giving it to Dick before continuing on.

Dick-What the fuck...

Tim having seen from a distance-What did Damian give you candy?

Dick- He gave me a tidepod.

Jason-Your shitting me Goldie.

______________

Jason-What are you eating Damian?

Damian taking a bite of a pop tart- Ravioli...

Jason-Im going fucking crazy.

Alfred-Language Master Jason.

They now text each other durning their free time, Marinette loves receiving pictures of Damian's pets and silly pictures of Damian's friend Jon. Damian loves seeing pictures of her newest designs and Paris at night.

Jon is the only person who knows about Marinette and thats because he crashed one of Damian's classes. He gushes over the fact that Damian is talking to his favorite person on Twitter, then full on fanboys a second later when she follows him back on Twitter. Soon after she becomes friends with Jon too, Lila comes back. After two weeks of fighting her she stops after both Damian and Jon point out that if her classmates were really her friends they wouldnt believe someone they just met over her. Marinette stops doing extra things for the class no more free pastries, banners, clothes or anything. She spends majority of her time on school work, her comissions and talking with Damian and Jon.

Madame Bustier at one point asks her to stay after class. She tells her she is disappointed that Marinette is distancing herself form the class so much. Marinette just tells her that she is done, that if she wants a perfect role model then she should use Lila instead and leaves. The next day she tells Madame Bustier she is stepping down as class president, everyone in the class except for Chloe and Marinette vote for Lila. Marinette has had more free time then she has had in a while and is thriving. She is able to take more and more commissions and even allows Jagged and Clara to give other celebrities access to her website. With a push from Jon she also sets up a Twitter and Instagram account under MDC Designs. With in no time everyone is trying to get an MDC original.

At one point she gets a call from Jon asking her how much it would cost for a MDC original for his mom. Marinette smiles softly telling him to just get his moms measurements for her. When he argues she finally agrees to accept payment but gives him a family discount. Jon agrees with a huff, a month later Jon sends her a video of his mom opening his gift.

Lois-Oh Jon love you know you didnt have to get me anything.

Jon-And let Connor out do me this year? No way.

Connor laughing-Oh shut it Jon!

Jon-cone on open it already mom!

Lois lauging before unwrapping the box- Is this? Jon is this a MDC box?

Connor looking at him with wide eyes.

Jon-open it and see!

Clark-So thats why you asked me for her measurements.

Lois pulls a beautiful knee length navy blue pencil dress. It had a classy V neck and flounce bell sleeves Jon is this and MDC original?

Jon-weeell if you look at the inside of the right sleeve your see her signature marking. Thats not all though mom theres another box!

Lois grabs the other box and unwraps it opening it quickly to find a pair of white lace up Oxford pumps with matching navy laces, MDC hand stitched on the back in navy.

Lois-How did you-how did you get MDC originals?

Jon laughing-I'll never tell!

Marinette saves the video on her phone and tells him he wants a photo of her in it for her website. A week later he send her pictures of his mom in the outfit posing with his dad and the next day he send pictures of her posing with Bruce Wayne on the red carpet. She quickly posts them on Instagram and Twitter tagging Lois, Clark, Bruce and Daily Planet.

'I knew Mrs. Lane would make this one of a kind outfit look beautiful! I was happy to make the dress and shoes as a surprise from her son! Mrs. Lane your son has my number, if you ever want another original talk to him! 💋'

Lois immediately responds to her tweet thank her for the amazing gift, while also asking how her son got in contact with MDC.

Marinette- ' 🤫🤫😘😘💋'

Jon-'You'll never know!!'

Lois, with her bosses approval, writes an article joking about the mystery that is MDC at also an interview where she grills her son on how he knows MDC.

Its a blows up and part of Jon's interview becomes a meme. This part;

Jon-Superman, please come save me from my mom!

Marinette being the meme godess she is decides to quote it on Twitter, but she messes up and posts it on MDC desgins.

MDC-Superman, please come save me from these deadlines!

Half an hour later

MDC-That was meant for my personal Twitter...

Now everyone is also talking about MDC memeing.

After talking with the Kwami Marinette decides to tell Damian and Jon about her time as Ladybug, and how she still goes out and patrols to stop muggers. In return one day Damian and Jon flies him and Damian to paris and they finally meet in person and they tell her their own identities. They leave Gotham at 7 am in Gotham and make it to Paris at 3 pm and wait for her outside of her parents bakery. Marinette flips out and practically tackles the both if them in a hug. She pulls them inside happily introducing her parents to her American friends. After they tell her they decide to spend the rest of the day together. Marinette also takes their measurements telling them its for a surprise. Damian tells her that his brothers are obsessed with MDC and how the wouldnt stop hounding Jon when they found out he had gotten in contact with her.

They go out and Marinette shows them Paris while Jon is slowly pushing them together. He is ecstatic when Marinette wraps one of her fingers around Damien's finger and he respond by grabbing and holding her hand. They are all immensly happy until they are passing by a park and notices her class having a party. At first she doesnt care and just shrugs it off, until the class notices them. Alya accuses Marinette of trying to start drama, she rolls her eyes telling Alya she didnt even know about the party and was just showing her friends around. Damian frowns glaring at the class when he feels Marinette hand start to shake and releases her hand wrapping an arm around her waist in support. Jon is also frowning but simply reminds Marinette that they were going out to eat. Marinette nods and begins telling them about the restaurant they were going to while leaning into Damian's side.

They turn leaving the class behind only for Adrien to hurry after them. Adrien tries to convince Marinette to return and spend time with the class saying he missed his friend. Marinette tells him that they arent friends anymore, that friends dont allow lies to be spread about their friends. She takes the boys and they finally make it to the restaurant.

Damian pays refusing to let Marinette or Jon touch the check. They spend the rest of their time at Marinette's house watching movies until they leave at 9pm wishing Marinette goodnight and making it back to Gotham at 3 pm. When they get back to the manor Bruce confronts Damian asking why he got notified that Damian's card had been used in Paris. Thats how Bruce finds out about Marinette.

Bruce- shes been teaching you memes?

Damian-yes.

Bruce-...well at least your making friends.

Damian-dont tell the others, they'll want to meet her and Id rather not be embarrassed

Bruce-I wont say anything until they catch you then.

Around the end of Marinette's junior year Lila accuses Marinette of theft and she is once again expelled. Only this time Marinette gets the school board involved and she is quickly cleared of charges. once again. However she decides not to return to the school tired of their treatment. Instead with the help of Jagged and her parents permission she enrolls at Gotham Academy and doesnt tell Damian to surprise him. Jon does know that way he could help her.

Within the week Marinette is in Gotham in her new penthouse apartment with her new gaurdian, a maid/nanny that Penny had recommended. Her name is Margaery she is in her 60s. The next day Marinette is dropped of at school by Margaery, Jon is already there early and helps her get his schedule and everything. Then they wait for Damian to arrive hiding until the see him open his locker Jon distracts him while Marinette hides behind the locker door. The school is very surprised whe. Damian smiles brightly at seeing her. Within the day she is known around the school as both Sunshine and Gotham's new Goddess.

Soon enough Damian Marinette and Jon are never seen withiut tge other except in classes. Many teachers see Marinette as a blessing classes have been calmer shes always willing to volunteer and shes even started tutoring some of the students. Even though she entered late in the year she starts to help the student council and things were more organized and running smoother. What everyone is really happy about is how she seems to bring out the teen in Damian and encourage him to act his age. The only reason they havent posted about her and Damian's relationship is because Damian made it clear he didnt want his family to know.

He starts calling her Angel and Red Bird. Marinette starts calling him Dove and Birdie. They slowly start going on dates while also making sure to hang out with Jon so he didnt feel left behind. Its the beginning of summer when Marinette gets invited to a Wayne gala by Bruce himself with a little note.

'Miss Dupain-Cheng, I would like to meet the girl that has stolen my youngest's attention. Please do not inform him I invited you, I think it will be quite the surprise for him. -Bruce Wayne

She tells Damian to wear a seafoam green tie because it will bring out his eyes, in a sly way so that they will be matching. She then makes a seafoam green Asymmetrical A-line off the shoulders dress adding layers of tulle that forms teirs and finishes with horsehair hemlines. The MDC signature is stictched on to the second layer of tulle.

The night of the Gala she is dropped off by Margaery and Jon leaves his parents to meet her. She tells him that Damian didnt know either and Bruce wanted to surprise him. Jon starts laughing causing Marinette to dissolve into giggles. This catches Jon's parents eyes and they walk over. Jon wuickly introduces her as one of his best friends. Lois and Marinette quickly hit it off and enter the gala together with Jon and Clark following behind them. After 5 minutes Damian spots them, and discreetly hurries over to them.

Damian-Angel!

Lois and Clark are surprised at the nickname and that Damian is smiling even more surprised when he hugs her and holds her hand gently. They stare into each others eyes for a moment until Lois coughs catching boths attention. Damian greets them as he lets go of Marinette's hand wrapping an arm around her waist as she does the same. They stand talking with each other until Lois spots someone she wants to interview and hurries off with Clark. The three of them share a look before all saying food at once. Jon walks ahead of them as Marinette and Damian follow talking to themselves.

M-'Your father wanted to meet me so Im afraid I will no longer be a secret.'

D-'Of course he did, I was hoping to keep those embarrassments known as my brothers away.'

This causes Marinette to laugh leaning her head on his shoulder.

M-'I am sure they arent that bad.'

They spend a good half hour talking with Jon and eating before Bruce finds them and introduces himself to Marinette. Five minutes later she notices Damian's brothers starring at them in shock. She starts giggling and points it out to Damian who groans. Soon after the boys rush over to interrogate their brother dragging him away from Marinette Jon and Bruce.

While Damian is dealing with them Jagged and Penny both find Marinette. Eventually the boys force Damian to introduce them to Marinette. She hits it off with all of them promising to visit the mansion. Jon convinces Damian to ask Marinette to be his girlfriend. He asks her to dance with him and asks while they are dancing. That night Marinette Damian and Jon leave together for an impromptu sleepover at Marinette's. Margaery picks them up greeting both parents and assuring them that there kids will be safe, and they will be camping out in the living room.

Marinette surprises the boys with handmade pjs once they get to her house and Margaery surprises them with cookies. The next day she goes to the mansion with Damian and gets to know his brothers more piecing together who is who of the Batfamily. At one point Jason insinuates that Marinette couldnt fight so she challenges his to a spar. Jason being cocky holds back and gets his butt kicked, he asks for a rematch and doesnt hold back this time, still gets his butt kicked.

While Damian and Marinette are saying goodbye she jokes about how long its going to take his siblings to realize shes a hero not a civilian. Damian finds it hilarious. When Marinette gets home she tells Margaery that she was going up to the roof to look at the stars for inspiration. Margaery allows her making her take a blanket, hor chocolate and some cookies with her. That night Nightwing lands on her roof and 'startles' causing her to throw her cup at him hitting him in the gut

Robin chuckling-That bitch empty,

Mari and Robin together-Yeet!

Marinette laughs offering him a cookie as Nightwing gets up

Nightwing-Nice throw.

Marinette laughs harder her eyes twinkling.

Mari-Sorry you startled me I must have lost track of time I should head back home now. Have a safe patrol Birdies!

She says before passing other of them leaving the plate of cookies behind for them. Over the summer Marinette and Damian visit her parents for two weeks before returning to Gotham. The rest of the summer is filled with dates between her and Damian the Gotham Gazette is having a field day with them.

They're referred to as the Goddess and the Prince and every date is talked about the next day. When summer is over Marinette Damian and Jon are back for their senior year. Marinette decides to run for student body president and Jon runs as her vice president, they both tease Damian about being the trophy boyfriend and he responds that he is fine with it as long as hes the trophy boyfriend to Marinette. Marinette and Jon win with an almost unanimous vote. It is half way through their senior year when Damian's brothers realize she knows. Bruce and Babs already know. Jason teasingly jokes about Damian outing them to a civilian and Marinette jist goes

Marinette-Jayby(This is her nickname for him), I have beaten you in spars 9 out of 10 times and you still think Im a civilian.

Tim-What?

Marinette sighs before calling Tiki out and transforming. (She has a different outfit. Period. Her hair is pulled into a high ponytail, held by a red ribbon. It has a completely black mask, her top was sleeveless and was a deep red. She had gloves that stopped at her elbows the same deep red but with black poka-dots. Her pants were completely black with a red belt holding her yoyo. Her outfit was finished with red combat boots with black soles.) Everyone is silent as they taken in her outfit.

Damian-God your so beautiful.

Marinette-Aw Dove

Que a sweet kiss where Jason gags jokingly before Tim flips out about her being Ladybug. Marinette jokingly says that he didnt react that way to her being MDC.

Tim-what?

Dick-This time your oulling my leg.

Marinette-You didnt know? I was always giving you guys family discounts.

Tim-Your MDC...my favorite fashion designer is my future sister-in-law. Thats why your commissions always seemed cheaper than others. Im chalant right now.

This causes Dick to burst out laughing.

Dick-Really becuase Im whelmed!

Bruce smiles slightly remembering when his eldest would use to his 'Unwords' all the time.

That night Marinette patrols with them and Gotham gains a new hero LadyBird. With a little shove from Damian and begging from Tim, Marinette begins to grow MDC even more by partnering with Wayne Enterprises. Marinette and Damian are the power couple of the school, they have majority of their classes together both being in AP and Honors classes. As the school president Marinette is notified that during the last quarter of second semester a French class is doing an exchange program at Gotham Academy.

Her and Jon have to escort them around the school the first week. Marinette argues a bit at first.

Mari-I understand that it is important but Jon and I are still heavily working on Prom, Senior's Last Peprally, Senior Awards, Senior vs Freshman Football, Prom King and Queen vote and The Senior trip.

Jon-Mari is right is there anyway we could pick someone else to show them around. There are a few other people in student council that speak French.

They both convince the Principal to allow the Secretary of the Student Council, Candy St.Cloud, to show them around. Marinette, Jon and Damian avoid them, none of Marinette's old class knows Marinette is there until votes for Prom King and Queen pops up and Marinette's name is on the ballet.

Lila bursts into tears claiming her Dami promised her she'd be on the ballet since he goes to that school. They all try to hunt her down and give her shit for booting Lila off. However majority of Gotham academy has noticed their attitude towards Gotham's Goddess and everyone makes sure Marinette is unreachable.

They pretty much only see glimpses of her until Senior's Last Peprally when she and Damian are announced Prom King and Queen. Their boos are covered up by the school's cheers. Marinette and Damian share a quick kiss which causes more cheers as the teachers roll their eyes calling out Pda. Then both her and Jon announce whats going to be happening at the peprally.

At the end of it all the seniors get together for one last class photo in the front is Jon Marinette and Damian. Damian and Marinette are wearing the sashes and crowns and Marinette is in the middle of them. Bustier's class is upset they cant be a part of the picture because they arent actually seniors at the school. The next night is Senior awards the class doesnt go but the trio does.

Marinette and Damian get best couple.

Damian gets the award for best grades.

Jon gets the award for most likely to secede in life.

That night all three are on the news and trending on Twitter when they go out to celebrate at Bat Burger, videos and pictures are posted off Marinette and Jon dying of laughter as Damian cuts his burger with a knife and fork. At the hotel Lila is crying claiming that Damian is cheating in her with Marinette. The class continuously message Marinette even when they get a response saying that the person is not Marinette amd that they've had the number for two months.

The next day at lunch they confront Marinette, they followed Jon to the room the Student council eat lunch in. Que them berating Marinette infront of everyone including the teachers. Marinette just rolls her eyes not wanting to give them the time of day.

Alya-I cant believe you tricked Lila's boyfriend into dating a bully like you!

This causes Jon to launch to her defense, he steps in front of Marinette glaring at the class.

Jon-Lila's boyfriend?? You mean Damian, so Lila was dating Damian first?

Lila-Yes! And Marinette purposely seduced him!

Jon-Really tell me when did you firat meet Damian?

Lila-oh he was so sweet! It was when we were 6 and we met at a gala here in Gotham! A older women was being incredibly mean to me and he stood up for me telling me that he'd have his dad kick her out. We were always meeting up over the summer and started dating at the beginning of senior year!

Jon-Oh so you know Arabic?

Lila-What?

Jon smirking-Well Damian didnt learn English until he was 8, his first language is English. Also you couldn't possibly have met Damian here when he was 6 because Damian didn't come to Gotham until he was 10. When his dad was informed that he had a son. On top of that Damian spends every summer with his family and closest friends. Actually he usually spends a few weeks on my family's farm, this summer he didnt because he went to Paris with Marinette. Also at the beginning of senior year? St. Cloud, when did Damian ask Marinette out.

St. Cloud- Beginning of the summer at Mr. Wayne's first charity gala of the summer, he asked her while they were dancing. It was really cute and Marinette looked amazing in her MDC dress!

Mari-Thank you St. Cloud, I could give you her number if you'd like a dress

Lila runs away embarrassed the class starring at Jon and Marinette in shock.

Alya-who-who do you think you are?!

Mari-Alya do you really not recognize your idols son?

Marinette is disappointed as she introduces them to Jon Kent, after that the teacher finally forces the French class out, while also telling them how kuch trouble they'll be in.

The class starts trying to get on Marinette's good side for the rest of the year but she ignores them. Prom comes and goes and when its finally time for graduation Damian is valedictorian. He gives a fairly inspirational speech and at the end he smirks finishing it with.

Dami-And lastly I would like to thank my eldest brother, without him Id never be able to give this sappy inspirational speech, he is really good at them.

When they throw their caps in the air Damian finds Marinette and dips her pulling her into a deep kiss.

That night while they are all celebrating at the Wayne Mansion Marinette finally lets go of Paris, she decides that her place is in Gotham with Damian.

Lets do a time skip!

Marinette is the top name in Fashion, Damian is Co-Ceo of Wayne enterprises with Tim. They are both married and living in Marinette's penthouse together with Margaery, I am to emotionally invested to kill off her or Alfred even if it is do to age. They visit the mansion almost every day, and family dinners are common.

Jon started going out with St. Cloud and are engaged, he has also taken up the mantle of Superman.

Damian has taken up the mantle of Batman with his Robin, Johnn'i Thomas Grayson-Wayne, Richard and Koriand'r's second child that did not inherit his mothers powers, and his partner Ladybird. That is until Marinette discovers she is pregnant. She surprises the family while they are getting their family portrait redone, with only Kori and the photographer knowing.

All the girls are in chairs with the boys behind them. Seating goes.

Babs, Kate, Selina, Marinette, Kori, Stephanie, and Cass. For a few of the pictures Marinette holds up a sign saying, "Another Wayne is on the way!" Then they hide the sign so they have a regular family portrait.

A few days later when the entire family is gathered to see the photos they are surprised when Bruce stars at them in shock. Alfred and Margaery merly smile offering congratulations, everyone is confused until Bruce turns the picture around.

Damian is looking at the pictures in shock until he jumps up and picks up Marinette spinning her around. Soon everyone is screaming and cheering offering congratulations. While Damian and Marinette hold each other close crying softly.

Mari-Your gonna be a Daddy Dove.

Damian-I love you so much Marinette. So much.