#taylors safety and privacy come first

[indeliblescarspivotalmarks]

reminder that Taylor’s safety ALWAYS comes first.

no matter what if you’re given/leaked her location from anyone, or somebody is posting overly personal things about her or her family, block and report them!!! if it’s somebody who appears to be leaking from it inside her team / close circle, REPORT THIS TO HER TEAM!

no amount of insider info / free merch / whatever they are offering is worth compromising someone who you are supposed to love’s safety and privacy. treat her with some respect.

just my input from the twitter situation thats happening right now with a bunch of swifties over there…its ugly honestly

[lightofthemoonglow]

kinktober day seventeen

Threesome or moresome | Fisting | Vore

Buddy Swanson and Sam Wescott

dedicated to the amazing @bisexual-horror-fan

The head counselor. The head cook. The only nurse. The top three positions of authority at this camp. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, she calls them. Sam is their Kirk, being the actual leader that is the glue holding them all together, the balance between the other two. Buddy is their Spock, the pragmatic one that isn’t as expressive, but there’s so much heart to him underneath that exterior. And she’s the McCoy, the whirlwind with a big mouth and bigger emotions. They’re all passionate people though, the three of them somehow having found a way to make it work enough that people want to work with them, the kids want to come back. It’s easy, yet it feels like it takes over everything when they’re all together.

Of course there are rumors. There have been since the first day they had come together, forming the power trio. But only after the whispers had died down did they come true.

–-

“What are you two troublemakers up to?”

Sam ambles over to the lakebed, where a canoe is parked. Steve had asked someone, anyone, to finish testing out the lake gear after he had needed to rest his ankle after incurring an extremely minor injury involving a gopher hole. Lucky for him, Taylor the crafts counselor was helping him in these trying times.

It's the last day of setup before the kids arrive. In fourteen hours, they'll be here and their time will be consumed for the next couple of months. There will be very little personal time for a while.

"We are celebrating a perfect score on the safety inspection." She smiles up at Sam, languid and slow as she beckons him to join her and Buddy on the blanket laid out on the ground. It’s one they’ve laid on countless times, having been ruined by paint and glitter their first summer together. It’s strange how time has become divided between before and after they met. She’s on her back, knees bent as she looks up at the sky as Buddy sits normally, one knee bent and the other leg flat on the ground.

Sam joins them, sitting on her other side. It's a familiar layout, her in the middle. One of the photos on the homepage of the camp website is of the three of them, her arms around their backs as her head rests on Buddy's chest, though she's looking up at Sam, the camera catching her mid-giggle.

"Kids are due tomorrow. Gonna be the last time we have any privacy for weeks." Buddy sighs, gazes out at the water. He shifts around, his head going into her lap, a place he's familiar with. "And then it's back to the city." He's got a fancy restaurant gig lined up at the end of the summer. As it turned out, one of their returning campers had a father who owned this swanky place and constant talk about Buddy's meals had eventually gotten the guy to call him. After years of sticking it out at various places that weren't nearly as nice, it was good for him to have a win. But that would mean not seeing each other for a while, not until around wintertime.

"You make it sound like you're marching to your death." Sam tries to joke, but it is very clear how he feels about the gang splitting up. He moves to grab a bottle of water but pricks his finger on a burr. "Ow!"

"Poor baby. Want me to kiss it better?" She jokes, but it's not really a joke. The time is now, and they all know it. It's now or maybe never because so much could change in the next several months.

"Yeah. I do." Sam's voice is serious, he knows the implications, what it could lead to. But it's dark, the camp is quiet, it feels like they're the only people in the world right now.

Her mouth is soft, gentle against his. Buddy looks up at them, sort of but also not really trapped between their bodies. It's not for long, because Sam pulls back soon, his lips smeared with cotton candy lipsmackers. There's no going back now, it's like Eve biting the apple. The line is gone, all pretense is out the window. It's at the bottom of the lake, alongside the paddle Steve broke last summer.

"I think I…" Buddy can't even come up with a convincing lie, he knows what he wants and they know it too. She leans up, he leans up and he can taste both her and Sam on her mouth, bringing forth a soft moan and Buddy gripping a handful of her hair.

It's not going to be like in a bad porno. It's not a V, it's a triangle. Their first summer, as if to foreshadow what was to come, she had insisted that love triangle was a stupid phrase to refer to two people fighting over another. A triangle is complete, it's when everything flows together perfectly. Those situations are a love V because two points never meet. Buddy and Sam kiss like they've done it for eons, falling together as naturally as she had with them.

If they leave the blanket, the spell will be broken, so that's where they stay. It's where it all began, it is where it will come to the natural conclusion. It could have only ended this way.

She's between them once again, all of their shorts pushed down, her shirt pushed up as Sam's hands grope at her bare tits. No need for a bra in the summer, she'd said over and over again. Buddy's cock is rutting between her thighs as he spits into his hand to jerk Sam off. She's kissing the both of them as much as she can, they're kissing each other, it's a mess of drool and teeth. Sam's hand goes between her legs, searching for her clit.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum," Buddy grunts, kissing her neck in between words. "Should I -?"

"No." She doesn't care, there's no risk. Nothing matters right now, and she encouraged him without uttering a word after her brief insistence that he come all over her thighs. The mess can always be cleaned up after all.

But it's Sam that comes first, shooting off all over her belly and Buddy's hand. She's so close and yet Buddy beats her to the punch, smearing her inner thighs and the blanket with his spend. Before she can even protest, a hand from each of them is between her legs and she's coming with a sharp cry that scares away a small flock of sleeping birds.

There's no awkward silence afterwards, merely some smiles and a suggestion that they clean off in the lake. It was always meant to end this way, after all and now all they need to do is wait for another moment like this to come around.

[bridgertonbabe]

what shenanigans did queen kate, the princessses, and sophie get up to on their first outing?

The first outing that had been planned had been for Kate, Sophie, and the three eldest Bridgerton girls to go on a night out to an exclusive members only club where they'd be able to let down their hair without fear of being papped or spied on.

Sophie had arrived at Aubrey Palace all dolled up for a night on the tiles and hung out with Hyacinth while the others got ready and waited on Daphne to arrive. When they were all ready to go Daphne went to fetch the car but then suddenly Kate burst into tears. She had just been giving baby Edmund a kiss and cuddle before she left for the night but had been overcome with emotion at the thought of leaving him, seeing as this would be her first evening not spent in with him. Daphne and Eloise gently tried coaxing Kate that Edmund would be perfectly fine in Anthony's capable hands but Kate clutched her son closer to her, shaking her head at the suggestion of detaching herself from him. Apologetically she bailed on the night out but insisted the others all go off and have fun without her. Daphne then offered to stay with Kate and while Kate insisted she would be fine, Daphne admitted that she was already exhausted at the prospect of going out for the night, considering she was once again pregnant with her third baby.

The two mothers then urged Sophie, Eloise, and Francesca to go have fun without them but Sophie couldn't help but feel bad, knowing how much Kate and Daphne had been looking forward to the night out, plus the fact they were both already dressed for a night of fun. She then suddenly had a brainwave and proposed that they all stay in instead. They could put on music and dance about in the privacy of the palace or put on some girly film and it would mean Hyacinth could join in as well, seeing as the youngest princess had been disappointed to be left out. Naturally Hyacinth was the first to jump at the idea, ecstatic by the turn of events, and then Kate and Daphne agreed followed by Francesca and Eloise.

So what was supposed to be a night out ended up turning into a fun night in. Francesca found a party playlist to blare in the throne room as they all danced about, taking it in turns to dance with baby Edmund in their arms as the adorable infant thoroughly beamed and giggled from all the fun and attention. Eloise's lady's maid had managed to dig out a karaoke machine and once it was all up and running the girls loudly sang along into their microphones covering the likes of ABBA, Taylor Swift, and Bonnie Tyler.

When Sophie casually mentioned without thinking that this was the closest she had come to something like a sleepover, immediately the others decided to turn the night in into the sleepover Sophie had never got to experience before. They then took part in a makeshift fashion show, dressing each other up and pretending to strut their stuff down a runway before they got changed into their pyjamas. It was then Violet popped her head round the door to announce she had set something up for them. Leading them to the grand staircase of the palace, Sophie was shocked to see a slide had covered the stairs, and was further puzzled by the pile of mattresses that lay at the top. Though she was confused by the sight, the princesses were not as they all squealed in delight before Eloise grabbed a mattress and flung herself onto it and down the slide. Apparently the slide had come to be after Violet's sister-in-law, Princess Sybilla, had mattress-surfed down the grand staircase one too many times for her parents liking and thus they requested the safety precaution in order to prevent her constant array of bruises she always managed to acquire from such a practice. They all then took it in turns to slide down the stairs and even Violet took part much to the girls' delight. After they had worn themselves out they settled in on the sofas, sharing duvets and snacks as they watched Mamma Mia and all sang along and got up and danced when a song called for it.

When Benedict had contacted his brother in the early hours, wondering if he knew if the girls were still out, Anthony laughed as he informed his brother that his girlfriend was currently crashed out with his wife and sisters in his bed and that she had thoroughly enjoyed her first ever sleepover. It was the first night they had been apart since Sophie had moved in but honestly Benedict couldn't have been more pleased for her and was simply elated that she had had a joyously fun evening with his family.

[novumtimes]

I dont feel safe: Halifax senior on living at provincially run housing complex Halifax

Residents and family members at an independent seniors’ complex in Halifax are raising concerns over safety issues, and want the provincial housing authority to take action. They allege people who don’t even live in the building are getting inside and harassing residents. “I don’t feel safe,” 95-year-old Winnifred Bowden said. Bowden lives in the building on Devonshire Avenue in Halifax operated by Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency (NSPHA). She’s lived there for nearly four decades, but in recent years, she’s noticed things deteriorating. Her son, Joe Bowden, says complaints range from non-residents “roaming the halls late at night” to unhoused people sleeping in the common areas and even confrontations between tenants. “There were incidents where people were knocking on the door late at night, early in the morning, and we found out that it was a lady across the hall that has dementia,” he said. Story continues below advertisement “And then recently, I guess it got to the point where some of the people in the building were afraid to walk the hall because they thought that they could be accosted or who knows what could happen.” The email you need for the day’s top news stories from Canada and around the world. Instead of feeling like her home is a place of refuge, the senior says she dreads being there. “I’ll tell you one thing. When I open my door, I don’t go out down to the elevator. I’m scared. Not only me. The other people in here are afraid of what they’re going to face when they go out of that door,” she said. “When I go home with my daughter and we spend all day out, I  hate to come back in here.” Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency responds Pamela Menchenton, executive director of client services at the NSPHA, confirms they’ve received complaints from tenants of this particular building and that the agency takes security and safety “incredibly seriously.” “This is a priority of ours. Everybody deserves to feel safe in their own home, just as you and I do. And and as a landlord, we take steps to make sure that that’s the case for all of our tenants,” she said. Trending Now ‘FLiRT’ COVID-19 subvariant dominant in Canada. What to know about the strain Taylor Swift fans outraged after baby spotted sleeping on concert floor “When something like this comes to us and again, it’s a conversation with a tenant to dig in and find out what’s going on and address concerns.” Story continues below advertisement Menchenton says there are tools the NSPHA uses, including exterior security cameras and security personnel. She adds that they would consider placing cameras inside the building, but would need to have a “privacy impact assessment” done first. “We also have the ability, of course, to work with law enforcement if necessary or needed. So we have all of these tools available to us whenever there’s a concern around safety, security, extra lighting and so forth around the building,” she said. But the Bowdens say they feel their complaints are not being taken seriously, because little has changed. While the authority has offered to move Winnifred to a different building, she declined because she says she doesn’t necessarily want to leave her home. She just wants her safety ensured. “Does it take somebody to be murdered … or physical, sexually abused or something to have them react?” Joe said. Winnifred has another word: “disappointed.” “I am disappointed with them because they don’t care about us,” she said. “We’re seniors and this time of our life, we should be living in comfort and not fear.” &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link via The Novum Times

[spade-riddles]

Fabulous Submission:

I didn’t intend to write this (I had a thought about something and it ballooned into this post), but here’s my interpretation of the Cardigan and Willow music videos. It’s an optimistic and chronological look at Taylor’s entire story up till now, and what I think/hope could come next. It’s really long, sorry.

I think the Cardigan and Willow videos are symbolic of Taylor’s career and personal journey over the last 15 years. So in Cardigan, she starts at the beginning of her career where it’s just her and her music. She follows the gold bubbles (representing fame?) and finds herself in this beautiful utopia, symbolizing her early career– she was famous, but not like she is today. She was wildly successful and talented, but wasn’t facing as many of the downsides to fame (intense scrutiny, safety concerns, privacy, etc). I’d say this period was maybe 2006-2010, when her career was fresh and fun and she was overall pretty happy.

I think she got a little swept up in her fame after that. She lost herself in a lot of ways. Her PR was a mess, her real relationships seemed to implode, and I suspect her relationship with SB started to deteriorate toward the end of this period (2010-2013 or so). Her reputation was “boy crazy/man-eater/serial dater.” This is where she was trying to stay afloat in the water in the music video. But she managed to hold on. The journey changed her, but she was on solid ground again. So that’s Cardigan– it covers 2006 to fall of 2013. She’s not in a great place, but she’s planning to make some changes.

Willow picks up where we left off, only this time, Taylor is following a gold string. She’s officially on the path to meet her soulmate. She plans to move from LA to NYC and seemingly has a plan to change her public image.  See: “I’m perfectly fine, I live on my own. I’ve made up my mind, I’m better off being alone. We met a few weeks ago…” So Taylor’s plan at the end of 2013 was to stay single. This is the dark, lonely scene with the willow and reflection pond. Of course, we know what happens next. When she least expected it, the string led her to Karlie. They met and had an instant connection– “have I known you 20 seconds, or 20 years?” This is the scene with the children in a tent. 

Suddenly, she finds herself in a glass closet. There’s no way out. She can sing and see and interact with her lover, but they can’t be in a public relationship. This is 2014-2016, the Kaylor BFF years, where we saw them together as “friends” all the time. We know Taylor was in a pretty bad place in 2016– this isn’t really depicted in the video, but I think she needed some time out of the public eye for her own wellbeing. So she left the glass closeting behind and made her relationship private, to escape some of the constant scrutiny around her life.

This is the dancing witches part of the video. Taylor is in hiding. We don’t see her in public anymore. We don’t see her with her friends. We don’t see her with her alleged boyfriend. She makes it impossible for the public to tell who is still in her life. The cloaked witches (Taylor’s close circle) are working together to give her privacy. I think they represent the people who know Taylor’s real story– her friends, family, close business associates (including Toe), and Karlie.

This is where she first says, “Every bait and switch was a work of art.” Around 2:22-2:26 in the music video. Then she dances with the other cloaked witches. I think this is 2017, when the biggest bait and switch of them all showed up: Toe. Taylor hired him so she could keep her real relationship private. The public thinks she’s with the most boring witch on the planet, but whoops, she’s actually dating one of the other witches.

Then, Taylor leaves the witches and wanders off, following the gold string away from the coven. Her love story isn’t over because she hasn’t made it to the end of the gold string. As in, Taylor’s end game is not secrecy and hiding and being closeted. Anyway, we can’t tell which witch is Taylor’s lover, since they’re all cloaked and masked. By design. But when Taylor walks away from the circle, one of the witches takes off their mask, and it turns out her lover was there the whole time. Much like we think Karlie and Taylor have been together this whole time, but publicly, that’s not what we see. 

Anyway, Taylor is still following the string, but she’s distanced herself from her lover (at least publicly). Her lover looks like he’s afraid he’s going to lose her as she walks away. What does this mean for Kaylor, publicly and privately? Are they going to be reunited? Is it possible someone else will be at the other side of the gold string? Why did Taylor wander away? We don’t know at this point. I think the entire dancing witches/snowy forrest scene is 2017 to sometime in 2020.

Taylor ends up back in her cabin, where she finds the other end of the gold string. For a second she’s confused, because she thought the string was supposed to lead her to her soulmate… and she thinks she’s alone in the cabin. This is where we are now, in my opinion. It looks like all hope is lost, that Taylor and Karlie are never going to publicly reunite. That maybe they aren’t even together– maybe Karlie was just another girlfriend, and the gold string leads to someone different. 

But then? Taylor sees her lover. Somehow, some way, he ended up back in the cabin with her. It’s the same person she saw in the reflecting pond, and on the other side of the glass closet, and danced with in secret. The guy in the cabin is the soulmate, after all. Making me think that the girl in Taylor’s story has always been Karlie.

We don’t know how they ended up together again. We don’t see the lover leave the dancing witches. He seems to have arrived before Taylor. I guess she took the long way back to the cabin? “I take the long way home” from DBATC? At 3:22, Taylor sings, “Every bait and switch was a work of art” again as they walk toward each other. Maybe this bait and switch is how the gp thinks they’re feuding… but really, they reunited recently. (I think they’ve been together the entire time, but this is the public narrative– they were together on and off before 2016ish, then they ignored each other and dated other people, then they privately reunited recently.) 

Here’s what gives me the most hope, even when things look bleak (like now): After reuniting privately, they walk hand in hand out the door, into the golden daylight together. The question is, is this Taylor’s fantasy? Or is it foreshadowing? Does she just want to publicly reunite with Karlie, but can’t (or won’t)? Or are they going to ACTUALLY reunite publicly in the near future?

I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. I know we’re all feeling really cynical right now because we’ve been burned so many times. I’m choosing to be optimistic for a bit longer– I think they’re about to reunite publicly. It’s okay if you disagree. I get it. None of us know what they’re up to and I could definitely be wrong. But I think Taylor singing, “Every bait and switch WAS a work of art” in past tense is interesting. If they have no plans to change anything, why not sing, “Every bait and switch IS a work of art”? “Is” would indicate to me that the games are ongoing. “Was” indicates to me that they’re over or will be soon. Also, why remind us of Daylight, the song about not hiding who you are and who you love? The song that she almost used as an album title but decided it was too on-the-nose? Why remind us of Daylight and the Lover album for the first track/music video of Evermore, the album where she DID name the album after its last track?

Cardigan’s final verse ends with, “I knew you’d come back to me.” Will Karlie publicly come back to Taylor? Willow ends with, “I’m begging for you to take my hand, wreck my plans, that’s my man.” Which is exactly what happens in the video. Evermore ends with, “Floors of a cabin creaking under my step / This pain wouldn’t be for evermore.” Like the cabin floor in Willow? Is her pain almost over? Daylight ends with Taylor saying, “You gotta step into the daylight and let it go” and, “I wanna be defined by the things that I love.” Again, that’s how Willow ends. It’s also similar to the second ending of Evermore, It’s Time To Go– “So then you go/then you go/you just go.” To me, this all looks like they’re still planning a public reunion and that we’re almost there.

I don’t know what’s happening with the baby and the beards. I don’t know what the plan is, and I don’t know if I’m going to like it. But everything else is giving me reasons to stick around a bit longer. I don’t think we’ve made it to the last page of the story quite yet.

[sunjaesol]

clandestine meetings and longing stares

juke secret dating au | title: illicit affairs // taylor swift | a middle of the night scribble

When twelve year old Julie Molina got a stern talk from her father that she wasn't allowed to date until college, the tween had no qualms with it. The only boy she's ever liked had been Sokka from Avatar and that was it. Real boys didn't interest her. 

Until she turned sixteen and caught sight of Luke Patterson. 

In the years between, she had small crushes here and there. Lance, Nick, Noah. None, however, competed with storm that erupted in her stomach each time Luke smiled at her - her heart in a constant frenzy. 

It was the beginning of junior year when he randomly sat next to her in music class and brought out all the bravado. It shouldn't have been cute. Julie should've rolled her eyes, dismissed his cute smirk, but she simply couldn't. The shimmering green of his eyes and the nice laugh was too alluring, too attractive. Soon enough, Julie was crushing on him hard. Which was fortunate, since he very much liked her as well, something he never hid from her. 

("Watch out, Julie," he joked during one of their first conversations. "The charm is gonna make you get a crush on me!") 

Luke kissed her two weeks after, chastely and secretly under the bleachers. Her infatuated mind forgot in that moment how she wasn't even allowed to look at a guy and eagerly kissed him back. It had been her first kiss and wow - what a perfect one at that. 

A beat later, she realised her mistake and told him about her dad's stupid rule. His face had crashed for all of ten seconds when a mischievous grin crawled on his lips (an expression that would get her into serious trouble one day) and said: "Why tell him?" 

Had it been any other boy, she would've shaken her head and regret kissing him. But this was Luke. She really liked Luke. The idea of not being with him, of not seeing where this could go, was a greater fear than her father's disappointment. In response, she snatched him back into a kiss he all too hungrily went along with. 

Rule #1: Don't date! Broken, busted, thrown out the window with a smile. 

It started off easy. At school, no one had to worry. She sat with him at lunch and let herself be coaxed under the bleachers and snuggled into his embrace at the end of the day. On the parking lot, she could pretend she was simply saying goodbye to her boyfriend and not going home to lie in her dad's face about why she was so overly chipper all of a sudden. 

(Luke made her so ridiculously happy it was unfair. Each time he surprised her with a hug, her feet lifted from the ground; each time they kissed, his thumbs grazed her cheeks like she was a precious gem; each time she came up with a clever lyric, he gave her the toothiest grin and called her all the cute nicknames he could think of. Boss, baby, babe, Lyric Queen.) 

God, she was complete mush for this boy. Sometimes she wondered if she was doing enough, not quite matching his overt display of affection, but she knew she must be doing something right if he never stopped smiling when she talked. That his eyes held a certain softness, timidness, reserved for her only. 

They outgrew school quickly. Both wanted to go on dates without raising suspicion, Luke wanted to come over and just be with her without causing havoc. 

"Why does the rule exist anyway?", he asked at the end of a cool December day. 

Julie toyed with the lapels of his red shacket. "It's dumb. I mean, I get it, but it's dumb." Sighing, she explained his reasoning. "He wants me to fully focus on school so that I can get into a good college. Once I secured that, then I'm allowed to have fun."

Luke frowned. "I- I guess I kind of get it."

Her eyes rolled teasingly. "You don't even want to go to college." 

"Correction: I wanna go to frat parties and have the college experience-" 

"Without the classes part," she deadpanned. His face fell flat, a giggle of her own following. 

His frown returned, a look she hated seeing. "You don't think he'll… I don't know, let go of that rule when he sees we're good?" His calloused hands slipped from her waist to softly cradle her face. Julie sighed, leaning into the touch. Resisting Luke and everything he did was hard. A smile twitched on his lips. "Would be pretty dope to come through the front door and kiss my girlfriend."

Her heart clenched at his confession. It would be amazing, but it sounded so unbelievable that it could easily be taken as a joke. Dad would go absolutely insane if she pulled something like that. Hey dad! Don't mind me as I jump into the arms of my boyfriend and he kisses me like a heartthrob from the movies! 

She should've known Luke would try something. His impulsivity was an admirable trait, she found, though the pebbles hitting her window past midnight have her such a fright that she cursed for a beat how one track minded he could be. Until she caught sight of him. Eyes twinkling in the moonlight, a wide smile, his casual stance. He pointed at her and she nodded, grabbing her phone to text him there was a ladder by the garage. 

Quiet like a ghost and quick like a fox, Luke snuck into her room, feet falling onto the floor with a soft thud. 

Butterflies raged in her stomach. Her secret boyfriend was here, in her room, right now, with her father sleeping just down the hall. 

"What're you doing here?", she whispered, already breathless from having him near. 

His nose scrunched up. "Trying to be romantic. Should I have called you first?" 

She shook her head. "It's fine. Maybe next time. It's-" Her arms slung around his shoulders, heart hammering a mile a minute. Her pyjamas were nothing special, an oversized pullover and sweatshorts, but it felt oddly intimate to be so cozy together. His own faded t-shirt was from a zoo in Oregon and his sweatpants softer than any of the ones she owned. Julie almost asked to borrow them, if it wasn't for his lips to swallow the words with a warm kiss. 

Her fingers slipped into his hair. Yeah. This was better than talking. 

It soon became routine. Every other week, Luke would text her a moon emoji and then climb into her room around midnight. They'd kiss and cuddle, Luke often leaving by five am and then making a whole show at school as if he hadn't seen her. Julie thought it was cute. If she could, she'd return the favour and go to his place, but Luke assured her she did not want that and, consequently, her father would just know. Unfortunately, she didn't have Luke's agility like some parkour champ. 

"Trust me, Jules, I don't mind," he told her at lunch while stealing a cherry tomato. "I like sneaking in."

Alex shot him a look. "You like feeling like the main character of a movie, that's what."

"You brainwashed me with romcoms, so it's your fault, dude,' Luke retorted, grinning when the blonde flipped him off. 

They got cocky though. Julie knew her dad would be gone during the day for a photography gig in Santa Monica, all the way on the other side of Los Angeles. It was the perfect excuse to get Luke over. Excited, Julie opened the front door for him with a flourish and did a silly courtesy. 

"Your first time using my door," she teased. "Must feel special."

His cocky nod made her roll her eyes. "Super special," he replied gravely, playing along. "She's been begging for me."

Her expression turned sour. "I haven't been begging for you." 

His smirk widened, tugging on a curl as he slipped past her. "Was I talking about you?" 

He didn't, but he did start making out with her the second they were in the safety of her bedroom, so she knew there wasn't much competition. 

That afternoon, they successfully avoided her dad's wrath and felt arrogantly confident about it. It made them daring. Pushing the limits, how far could they go, how blatant could they be before he knew? It was almost a game, the thrill part of the insane attraction she felt each time he snuck in. 

His strong arms were wrapped around her as she straddled his waist, kissing him. Every touch was languid and intentional, a searing passion that rippled her skin and left her mind empty. Kissing Luke always put her in a dreamy, blissful haze. Her fingers clawed at his shirt and he shrugged it off in one fluid motion, pulling her back in. His skin was warm, hers to explore. Julie grinned into the kiss. His fingers toyed with the hem of her top.  

"Julie?" 

They froze. Her dad. Other side of the door. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. As quietly as possible, the girl hoisted herself from his lap and motioned at her closet. 

"Julie?" The door handle began to shake. 

Her voice squeaked. "Just a second!" Luke tiptoes into her closet, Julie kicking his shirt under her bed as she ran to the door. Her flushed cheeks would be a dead giveaway had her father ever doubt her trust. Fortunately, Julie Molina was in the eyes of her family a perfect good girl. 

(The guy hiding in her closet would whisper something else in her ear.)

"Why is your door locked?" Dad frowned. "You never lock your door."

Julie shrugged, innocence leaking from her tone. "I can't have some privacy?" 

"Of course, Julie," he said, though his lips were pressed into a thin smile. This clearly wasn't the last time they'd talk about it. "I'm going to the store. Do you need something?" 

"No, thanks," she rushed. "Anything else?" 

"Uh, no. Don't lock yourself in, hm?" It was said as a joke, his brows lifted, but both she and her father knew he meant it. No more locking doors. Shit. 

When the front door fell shut and the car rumbled into the street, Luke reappeared with a careful smile. 

Julie sighed. "That… was close. Maybe we should stop hanging out right after school. I didn't even hear him coming up the stairs."

"Damn, Jules!” Peppering two kisses on her forehead, it did little to relief her stress. “Now that's an ego booster."

"I'm serious!" She huffed. "I hate this. I hate the rule and I hate that I'm making you put up with it."

"Hey, hey," he soothed. "It's shitty, yeah, but you're not making me do anything." Nodding at her lips, he added: "Your smile is already…" 

The smile bloomed on its own accord when he trailed off, edging closer. "What?" 

That little shake of his head almost made her kiss him, but she wanted to know what he was going to say, why his lips were parted in that wonderstruck expression. When nothing came, a curious hum rumbled in her throat as she placed her chin on his chest. 

He relented, tapping a finger against her cheek. “Your smile is already making me do dumb stuff.”

Oh, God. If he was going to continue saying things like that, she might actually fall in love with him. Back when Julie and Flynn were still obsessed with those relationship quizzes in magazines, she always claimed she’d like guys that weren’t so smooth with their words. She thought it meant they were players. But Luke never half-assed anything. 

Her head tilted, amused. “Do you always have words ready?”

“Zero words, Jules,” he quipped. “Ever.”

Yeah, she might actually love him. 

Public dates became a thing after that conversation. She simply couldn’t let him get away because of some rule, even if he claimed he wouldn’t. Eats & Beats was a cute, little café in the heart of Los Feliz with live music and amazing lattes; it was also their regular spot. They’d settle themselves into a booth, share a baked good (“If we’re trying the carrot cake now, we’re doing the pastel de nata next week.” “Deal.”) and talk for hours. Sometimes, when either was tinkering on a song, they’d work on it together.

One leg overlapped his, his fingers drawing pictures on her knee. The booth with the suede red couches and the scratching of a star in the wood was their safe haven.  

“Mh, no,” she swallowed the piece of muffin. “That’s such an ugly word, don’t use that.”

He grinned, shoulders nudging as a tease. “Drencher not doing it for you?”

A laugh bubbled up, kissing his cheek. “Just use ‘rain’, you dork!”

“Dork?”, he mocked, getting in her face. 

“Yeah.” Her nose brushed his. “Dork.” 

“You are a dork.”

“That’s the best you’ve got, Patterson?”

Luke smirked, eyes flicking across her frame. “Want me to show you my best, Molina?”

She pushed his face away, a blush creeping up her cheekbones. They haven’t done it yet, but whenever he got like this, she felt her entire skin heat up at the mere idea. A part of her wanted to take that step, but she felt bad doing it if her dad or tía didn’t know. Knowing that they wouldn’t support her for as long as the rule existed, made her settle with that heat for a little longer. Her leg slipped from his and turned back to his songbook. 

“So-”

“Julie?”

The couple looked up, once more paralysed as her dad’s familiar voice called her name. Why was he literally everywhere?! His tall figure stood in front of their booth, his hat shrouding the grimace on his face as his scrutinising eyes flitted between them. Oh, God. Did he know? Did he see? How much did he see? Did he see Luke checking her out? Mortification didn’t even come close to what she felt. 

“Dad!” Her pressed smile hopefully looked relaxed to him. Her dad had moments of obliviousness; she might be able to save this. “What- hi, I didn’t know you had a booking here.”

His suspicion didn’t waver. “Yeah, honey, for the Rodriguez’ - I told you last night. Was just getting, ah, coffee.” He nodded at Luke. “Who’s this?”

My boyfriend. The one I’m falling for. The boy I’ve been hiding for months. “This is Luke, he’s one of my classmates.” The way his arm tensed at the label made her ache, but she had to truck on. “We’re working on a song.”

If he didn’t believe her, she just hurt her boyfriend for no reason. It did the trick though. Her father’s face mellowed, noticing the scribbles in the tattered book. “You’re working on a song?”

“Yeah. It’s really getting along.” Her finger tapped against his thigh. “Right, Luke?”

He perked up, a cough following as he straightened his attitude. This really was not the way she wanted them to meet. “Uh, yeah.” His hand stuck out. “Hi, mister Molina.”

Dad shook it with a smile, fully relaxed now. “Ray. Nice to meet you.” The barista called out his name. “See you at home, Julie. Don’t stay out long, yeah?”

Her smile twitched and crashed the second he turned around, grabbed his coffee and closed the glass door. She groaned, dropping her head on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

“I gotta be honest,” he whispered. “That hurt.”

“I’m sorry.”

Luke sighed. “I was okay being a secret before, but…”

She coaxed his jaw, needing him to look at her. “It’ll hurt more if I tell him and forces me to break up with you.”

For a moment, silence sunk onto the table, wedging itself like thick smoke between her and Luke. He seemed pensive, the green of his eyes peering. Suddenly, they lit up. “But wait, aren’t you getting your results? Early admission?”

She sagged in her seat, pouting. “If UCLA wants me.”

“They will,” he smiled. His arms wrapped around her. “Of course, they will. And if you get in, he can’t be mad that you’re dating me, right?”

Hope tinged her chest. She hasn’t considered that. She’s been so focused on Luke and trying to keep it hidden, that everything college-related went over her head. The letters and essays and interviews happened before she and Luke got serious, so with her being on that pink cloud ever since, school stress has been locked away. Why bother mulling over UCLA when she could be having fun with Luke? 

If she locked in UCLA… then Luke might be right. And if not UCLA, then she’d hear of USC and NYU next year. (If they were even still together by the time those letters got in the mail.) 

“You might’ve found the loophole,” she teased, hoping to lift the tension. And then she uttered out her biggest fear: “But if you haven’t… will you stay?”

His kiss answered her, soft and sweet and with a hint of blueberry muffin. A grin bloomed on her lips, burrowing her face in his shoulder. She felt it. That overflowing, unbridled adoration overwhelming her all at once. Julie loved him. It was April fourteenth and it only took her six months but Julie loved Luke. They stayed in the booth until they had to go home.

Her phone was mocking her. Luke and her were in her car, stagnant, as both stared at the white screen. Every few minutes, she refreshed it, yet no email came. Gah! Couldn’t colleges just send the email when they said they would? What was taking so long? Did that mean she didn’t get in? Was this a bad sign? It helped having Luke there, easing the rising stress that clenched her ribcage, but she wouldn’t be fully okay until that freaking email come through. 

As if sensing her thoughts, he drummed against the dashboard. “It’s gonna be cool. You look great in blue and gold, you gotta get in.”

She giggled, nerves lacing her tone. “Imagine if that’s how you got in. You’d get into USC then.”

“Are you saying I look hot in red?”, he teased. 

“You know you- oh my God!” She lurched for her phone as a new email pinged in, heartbeat stuttering in her ears. Frozen, her thumb hovered over the fated email. This would change everything - for better or for worse. She knew she should focus on the fact that it would determine where she’d go to college, but all she could think about was Luke, Luke, Luke. Was it selfish to care more about junior prom then UCLA? At this very moment, she thought it was completely justified. 

She shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t do it. You open it.”

His brows raised. “You sure?”

“Yeah-” She stuffed the phone in his hand and put her trembling ones on her lap. “-do it for me.”

Luke took a deep breath. Julie shut her eyes. Please. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please accept her. Please let her be with Luke.

Ten seconds passed. His voice gave nothing away. “Julie?”

“Just rip the band-aid off,” she choked out.   

A familiar, calloused hand softly grabbed hers. Her eyes cracked open. Luke had the biggest smile on his face and it made her heart pop out of her chest. She bit down on her lip, fighting off a grin. “Don’t play with me.”

“I’m not,” he sang, reaching across the console to show her phone. You got accepted! blinked in bold, black letters. “You’re UCLA bound, baby!”

Euphoria burst out. Julie squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a searing kiss. She got in! She fucking got into college! A great one at that! Another Molina was going for gold! 

And it might even get her to date Luke without secrecy. God, she hoped this was enough. She wanted to do everything with him. All the time, the entire time. Flynn has called them clingy, but Julie just wanted to get rid of the anxiety of her dad finding out. To finally relax and be fully with him.

Her head tilted, bashful. “Is it crazy to say that I might be in love with you?”

He dropped her phone in the cupholder and peppered another kiss on her mouth. “No. That’s good.” His thumb traced her bottom lip, eyes glittering with adoration. “Cause I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you too.”

She pecked his thumb, giddy. “Fuck it. Let’s tell my dad right now. About UCLA and you.”

He smiled. “You sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

Storming inside the house, the couple made a beeline to her dad’s office, his hand in hers. 

“Dad!”, she called out, door slamming open. Her startled father perked up in his seat, his wide eyes going from Julie to Luke right behind her. “I got into UCLA!”

Ray sprung up, cheering. “Mija-!”

“And I’m dating Luke!”, she yelled after. “And that’s okay, cause I got in, so you don’t have to worry about the rule anymore! So... ” She put her foot down, awkwardness creeping in her tone. “Yeah!”

Flabbergasted, dad faltered and let the cheers die in his throat. Luke came to stand next to her, squeezing her hand. Slowly, he nodded. “Ah… so that time in Eats & Beats-”

“A date,” she admitted. “And I’m sorry I went behind your back, papa, but I… really care about Luke. And we figured that if I got in, you’d stop enforcing the dating rule.”

His grap became even tighter. “I, uh, really care about her too,” Luke mustered. “Sorry that we kept it a secret.”

Ray sighed, propping his head in his hands and scrubbing the confusion away with his palms. The pair shot each other a look. He wasn’t mad, she deduced, so that was a good sign at least. Finally, dad moved again and gave her a tight hug. Her confidence grew, hugging him back and withholding a cry of victory. 

He pulled back, crossing his arms with a hint of amusement. “Well… the rule clearly didn’t work, but you seem happy and you- you did actually get in, right?”

She laughed, nodding, and showed the confirmation email. His smile grew. “Then I guess,” he trailed, “you’re allowed. To date. But no funny business!”

Julie quickly nodded, grabbing back onto Luke’s arm and jostling him in excitement. Luke bounced on his heels, trying to temper it but failing miserably. She thanked her dad, promised him they’d celebrate her acceptance later tonight and rushed back out with Luke. Dad yelled something about establishing new rules, but both gleefully ignored it. Once in her bedroom, he snatched her into a tight embrace, kissing her full on the lips. Julie whooped against his mouth and danced between his arms. This might be the best day of her life! Luke was her real real real boyfriend!

“You heard your dad, Jules,” he teased. “No funny business.”

She pouted, faux-peeved. “You won’t get to climb through my window again.”

“Won’t have to hide in cars anymore.”

“Won’t have to say you’re just my classmate.”

Luke dragged them onto her bed, laying side by side. “I can take you to junior prom.”

She kissed him with a giggle. “You’re taking me to prom?”

“Hell yeah, I am!”, he bellowed, drumming his fingers against her hips. “Let your dad take pictures of us and everything.”

She scrunched her nose. “Let’s maybe not push him just yet.”

“Yeah,” he exhaled, humming in agreement. “You’re probably right.”

Luke did that her to junior prom, to homecoming, to senior prom, called her hot in blue and gold and vetoed no when she begged him for a bright, blue velour couch for their first apartment. When someone asked her father what it was like, seeing his daughter find the one at sixteen, he had to admit with embarrassment red on his cheeks that it all flew under his radar.

That it all started with sneaky bleacher kisses and a hopeful heart. 

@blush-and-books @ourstarscollided @sophiphi @bluefirewrites​ @willexx​ @unsaid-emily​

[justanapparatus]

on your tags for the cancellable tswift takes -- could you expand on "calling taylor a liar is cruel" ? i agree with you i just want to hear more of what you think on that maybe :o

sure! i feel like a lot of swifties leaned into "taylor is a liar" as a joke with lover/folklore/evermore and it was kinda funny at first because she was kind of teasing us with mistruth - saying the album wasn't called lover, not a lot going on at the moment, etc - but I started to see people use it as like a known thing about Taylor's personality in order to prove whatever theory they're invested in whether it's a third sister album or who she's dating and I was like. okay this is annoying but whatever. but it crossed a line for me when I started to see ppl use this image as a meme

because this is an actual magazine cover from 2016 when Taylor was being canceled and i was like hold on. so this woman we all claim to admire and care about had her name dragged through the mud because she supposedly lied about a phone call, an experience that made her feel like the world wanted her to kill herself. and people are using literal magazine covers from that time period as a fun and cheeky way of saying they don't believe her about whatever they don't want to believe her about. as a joke.

I started to find it annoying because I don't think there's anything wrong with Taylor misdirecting the public or even outright lying if it means protecting her privacy and safety. a lot of the "lies" that fans accuse her of are about personal relationships or business dealings and its like..... is she lying or is it none of your business? and then to use magazine covers from the darkest time of her life and to spam her comments accusing her of lying because you want to believe in something other than what she says just feels so cruel, especially coming from people who claim to care about her wellbeing

[swifterthancivility]

So let me start by saying I am a lesbian. I very much would love to see Taylor come out as a wlw and I have my private thoughts on how she may identify. But after she endorsed girl in red a lot of people took that as her officially coming out. And I saw this argument by queer fans multiple times: why is it we're allowed to analyze every emoji but not take this as a clear message to fans? And my answer is that speculation about an album release is very different from speculation about a person's sexuality. Here are some reasons why.

1) First and foremost, the safety of the individual if they are queer. Taylor Swift often talks about how she fears for her safety a lot. Her coming out would likely be big news for a long time and could potentially embolden security threats we don't know about. Not only that, she may not be emotionally ready to come out. She's someone who has been deeply traumatized by the cruelty of the media. How much homophobia and biphobia do you think she'll be submitted to? And how many people in the queer community will say that she's lying because she doesn't "look queer" because I experience that a lot now and I'm not even famous. Speculation does not out anyone, but it may make Taylor feel afraid to reveal more of herself for fear of being outed before she's ready.

2) Invalidation for the individual if they are not queer. We often see partners of famous people being subject to death threats because of the fetishization of queer relationships. Yes, you can be queer and still be part of the fetishization problem. Taylor is not a character onto which you can project your head canons and identity. She is a human being who is in a relationship with someone she loves. To have fans that she also loves speculate about her identity could be very damaging.

3) Attention removed from openly queer creators. I find it frustrating that in all this talk, Girl in Red is being forgotten. It's not like they're a huge band, they're relatively new and their album is great! They deserve more than a background place in a conversation about a publicly straight person's orientation. If you want representation you should support the people representing you often at great personal risk. It's obvious why Taylor supported the album by the way, there's some great break up songs on there.

4) Association between behavior and sexuality. It took me a long time to come out despite being in a tolerant family. And that's because I look nothing like a lesbian. I have always loved sparkles and princesses. I dress like a teacher (because I am one), i wear make up, and I don't own a single pair of doc martens. When you take anything other than who that person is attracted to as proof that someone is queer, you are defining queerness for the rest of us. An aesthetic, a song preference, even being close to friends should not be factored in to determining someone's sexuality. It is actively alienating people like me. How do you determine someone's sexuality? You wait for them to tell you what it is.

I get that there seem to be hints. Again, I have my private thoughts on the matter. But there is a difference between private speculation and public speculation (on the internet). You have to remember how much things build on the internet and you have to remember the effects this might have. There is a big difference between theories on the next rerecord and theories on a human being's sexuality. I am not saying that Taylor is straight or gay. I'm saying that it is her choice to decide when or whether she wants to reveal her inner life to us. It is our job as fans to remember we are not entitled to a straight answer on this and to respect her privacy.

[theprologues]

Is there someone really claiming they met Joe and Taylor in London? How many people are going to claim they have seem Taylor. Wasn't someone saying they saw her in RI a few days ago?

Like, come on. If they saw them—I'm sure more people would confirm. This shit is stupid.

Yeah, I ran into Joe and Taylor yesterday at Target? They were very nice. You would catch them at first because they are wearing wigs. Yes, I'm clearly lying, but if I put it on the internet, it has to be true. As if the Taylor Swift is roaming around so people can post about it like safety and privacy doesn't matter at all.

Bye.

[mercedestaylor]

Just Let Me Adore You

Roger Taylor x fem! reader AU

You and Queen have known each other for many years. Through the years you and Roger have some intense moments and try to be near each other. On the way to a pub you and Roger have another intense stare. This time in his car.

A/N: So, this was the first ever complete written fic I’ve done. I thought this was the best timing to post this to celebrate the most beautiful person alive.

Happy Birthday Roger! Long live the Queen (one of four ;) )

word count: 1987

warnings: swear words, slight nsfw? let’s call it a hot moment

THIS gif inspired me to write this :)

I touched up my last swing of mascara when I looked at the clock. It was already 8:20. Roger and Freddie would be here in 10 minutes. I brushed my hair one last time so it looked fresh and glowy. I wore a red bodysuit with a flowy black skirt that was still over my knees and some baby blue sneakers. My hair was open with little braids in them. We were going to a newly opened pub to check it out. We wanted to get there later but since it was summer it was still bright outside. We were meeting the rest of the boys there. When I checked my makeup and outfit the last time my doorbell rang. I quickly grabbed my purse and ran to the door. I grabbed my keys and went down the stairs only to see that the boys were already back in the car.

I waved at them and got in the back seat.

„Hey girls, are you ready to rock?“ I smiled. I looked at them expectantly and waited for their response.

„Are you ready to roll? I’m really sceptic dear, nothing can be better than The Rabbit Hole. “ Freddie said.

„And what do you think?“ I smiled at Roger. He was looking at me through the rear view mirror and smiled back at me.

„I have no expectations. Let’s just make the best time out of it.“

I looked at him questioningly. „BORING!“ I said and laughed.

They both did too and Roger said „Let’s just go and see.“

So he started the engine. The pub was all across London so we had to drive 20 minutes. I got my seatbelt on and when they heard the clicking sound they softly laughed. I glared at them and told them to shut up because I would be the one that wouldn’t die in a car crash.

I looked out the window to cherish this beautiful city. I’ve lived my whole live in London, but only lived in this area for 3 years. I’ve met the boys on a gig they had and we befriended really quick since Freddie is so open with people.

I was on the bar to get myself a drink when he came to me.

„Oh my god, shut the fuck up! Your outfit is amazing! I love how you combined this super cute dress with those rocking boots and to top it off a beautiful leather jacket. You have an out of this world fashion sense. You should totally go to my friends and I’s shop in Kensington Market.“

When he was finally done with complimenting me I thanked him and told him that I was interested in visiting his shop. He then introduced me to his band mates.

„My darlings, this is a new friend of mine!“ he shouted over the loud music.

„What was your name, dear? “ he asked me.

„I’m Y/N.“

A tall young man with a lot of black hair came to me and gave me his hand.

„Nice to meet you Y/N, I’m Brian.“ he smiled.

I shook his hand and smiled back. Brian got back to his seat. The guy beside him waved at me.

„Hi I’m John Deacon.“

I waved back „Hi“.

Freddie walked to them „We’re just waiting for Roger now. “

And at that second a beautiful blonde boy came up and got next to me. He shortly looked at me then the boys and then looked me up and down.

I looked back at him and coughed to get his attention back to my face

„Can I help you?“

„You could but I’d rather help you.“ He smirked and I heard the boys laugh.

„Take it easy, Rog.“ Freddie said. „This is our new friend, Y/N.“

He still looked at me and gave me his hand .

„What a pleasure to meet you.“ Roger grinned.

The way he looked at me gave me shivers, but in the best way.

„I can only agree. “ I took his hand and we held eye contact what felt like minutes. His eyes really were what you call beautiful. We parted our hands yet kept looking at each other the remaining night.

Since then many years have passed however nothing ever happened seriously between us. In fact, he recently got out of his relationship that lasted 4 years. He still got his „flings“ from time to time, still mostly he would get a girl for one night. Queen had quickly risen to fame and success and just dropped their new album. They would soon be touring again in Europe.

Roger just drove past a yellow traffic light when I looked at him. I looked at the back of his head with his beautiful blonde hair. It’s been always so fluffy and soft. I was sitting in the middle seat so I had a perfect view of his side profile while he was concentrated on driving. I’ve always thought he was too pretty to be human but here he is.

Roger tried to get at me on the first years we’ve known each other. Except I knew what he was about, that’s why I never agreed with it. But I secretly crushed over him. How could you not? I tried to take a glance when he wasn’t looking, I tried to stand close to him, we often hanged out together and he would visit me in my dreams. Even so in the early years there wasn’t any chance of him being in a serious relationship. Now he isn’t as bad as then anymore, though still I’m scared of getting hurt by him.

I look at his eyes through the rear view mirror. His big, deep blue baby eyes with these long lashes. They keep moving to check the street or just staring at the horizon. His eyes are so hypnotizing.

Sometimes I almost couldn’t control myself because we would look at each other while talking and when we were done he would keep staring at me with this soft yet intense look on his face. I had too much pride to look away so I held his gaze and we would just sit there and stare at each other.

And it was at these times where I just wanted to climb over the seat, sit on his lap and kiss him. I would touch his face while his hands grab my waist. My fingers wander through his soft hair, pulling some strands and him moaning into my mouth. His hands go up my body to my arms and chest. He kisses down my jaw to my neck and gently sucks on my pulse. I’d grind my hips on his and he would grab his arms under my legs, pull me up and get us out of the room for privacy.

Well, that was only my imagination. In reality I needed to keep my stand and stay in my seat while breaking the eye contact.

It was an advantage for me that he was distracted because in that case he didn’t notice me staring at him. I just couldn‘t help it. His face was mesmerizing. But just as I fell into another fantasy he looked at me. He noticed me staring at him. In his car. Though in a second he looked back on the street. Or so I thought because after he checked the street he looked back at me. And I didn’t know what to do.

Then I had the idea, when he was driving I couldn’t lose my control of holding back. Because when we would have another staring contest, I couldn’t get on his lap because he was driving. So I kept looking at him. He had his slightly orange tinted sunglasses on. Although I could still see his eyes through them.

I looked at the street to check if something’s in the ways of passing. I looked back at him and I see he also checked the street. He kept giving me this intense stare and I lifted an eyebrow. He started to smirk which I could see on his side profile. I tried to hold my incoming smile back but I couldn’t. I must have looked ridiculous trying to hold back because he chuckled shortly after. Roger looked back on the street to check.

I looked to Fred who didn’t seem interested in our „conversation“ or why Roger had laughed. When I looked at Roger I saw that he was looking up to the mirror. But I didn’t want to look away from his face. I studied his features like his jawline or his hands on the steering wheel. I could look at his hands all day long. My attention got back to his eyes when we needed to stop and he gently coughed. He was still looking at me. I playfully rolled my eyes whereupon he just winked at me.

We soon arrived at the pub and Roger parked on the lot. I unbuckled my seat belt and before I got out of the car I waited until one of them opened their door. I never wanted to be the first one to leave in case we had to stay in the car for some reason. When Freddie opened the door I also got out. I was on the same side like Fred so when I got out I turned around to check on Roger. He was just getting up and taking a first look at the pub.

„Wow, this is huge.“ He turned back to us.

„Oh darling, I can tell you some other things that are huge.“ Freddie commented. I hit Freddie with my arm and laughed.

„We all know, Fred. You don’t have to tell us again.“ I said.

Roger smiled at us and said „Let’s look for the others.“

We went to the entrance and searched Brian, Chrissie, Deaky and Veronica. Jim couldn’t come because he had to work early in the morning. He trusted me with the safety of Fred.

„I see them!“ Freddie shouted and jogged to them leaving me and Rog behind.

He walked right beside me, his arm brushing mine every now and then. We walked to the direction Freddie went off. Normally I was totally relaxed in his presence but now I felt somewhat tense. I felt the warmth his body was radiating.

„You shouldn’t do that again while I’m driving. Especially when you look like that.“ He said to me.

I looked at him questioningly. I knew what he meant but I wanted to hear it from him.

„What do you mean?“ I innocently fluttered my lashes. He laughed lightly.

„Oh I think you know what I mean. Listen, these moments that we have… I can’t ignore them.“ I looked forward because I felt my heartbeat quickening.

„I think we should talk about what has been going on between us for some time.“ He said slowly looking at me expectantly.

I’m trying to think of an answer to give. I feel rushed because it felt like minutes that I was thinking.

„Uhm, you know… uh...“ I’m so confused, this came out of nowhere.

„Maybe we can meet tomorrow? I think you know where I live.“ Roger jokes.

„I could make some dinner for us.“ He continues.

I stop walking and look at him.

„Uhm yeah, sure. Dinner sounds good.“ I said hastily. I play with my fingers.

He wanted to talk about what has been going on between us? Like the staring and standing close? How could I talk with him about that.

„Great.“ He smiled and started to walk again.

I kept looking at him and watched as he made his way to the boys.

„Hey Y/N! Get your pretty ass here, we want to party!“ Freddie shouted.

I smiled and walked to them. I greeted the rest of the group and we all went to the VIP entrance into the pub.

——————————————————————————

I want to thank @ineloqueent for giving me the motivation to write this, just because they replied my comment! And I also want to thank @perriwiinkle for reading this and giving me the confidence to post it!! You MUST check them out!!! @perriwiinkle wrote my favorite Roger fanfic series, so you also need to read her stories!! Out of time is the best shit ever!!

I hope the few people that read this story like it, too. Please give me some feedback 😊

And who got this far: THANK YOU FOR READING IT!!

[visionsofus]

im loving your wanda + vision's mixtape series! my song request is "I Know Places" by Taylor Swift! the song works perfectly with those two during the times between civil war and infinity war :)

Anon I'm sure you expected something quite different with this song... but here is what I wrote :) I hope you still enjoy even though its angsty! 

Track #13: I know places by Taylor Swift 

| read on AO3 here | mixtape playlist | send me an ask with your song/prompt request |

Synopsis: Wanda and Vision try to spend a peaceful evening out for dinner in Paris when they are suddenly attacked. To keep each other safe they split up, forced to make the harrowing journey to the next safe house separately. Vision is faced with Wanda's mortality.

Warnings: Angst/ mild whump, blood, guns, reference to a gunshot wound, I mostly skip writing the gore because no

All Wanda had wanted was a peaceful evening. She should have known it wasn’t to be. You didn’t get peace when you were a fugitive.

But they were in Paris, it was their first time in the city of love, and it was impossible to resist the opportunity to spend an evening together at a Parisian restaurant, overlooking the River Seine. They’d put the necessary research in, knew how private the restaurant was and chose the night it was said to be quietest – a Tuesday evening. They were so caught up in being in love with each other and in the hope of having a normal evening, like a normal couple. One of the first lessons Nat had taught Wanda was how easy it was to hide in a crowd, a lesson she shouldn’t have forgotten so quickly. But after two years of hiding on and off with Vision in different cities Wanda had come to associate privacy with safety.

Of course, they was no way they could have predicted that their server would be attending university for international relations and was not only knowledgeable in the Accords, but had aspirations of reaching the United Nations. It was the wrong time and the wrong place, but it always had been for them. Time was never on their side.

The first sign that something was wrong came before they’d even sat down. The restaurant was quieter than they’d anticipated, with only two other couples occupying the interior of the restaurant.

Wanda tried to wait patiently for their nervous waiter to return and shivered slightly at the breeze coming off the river below. They’d chosen the balcony in the hopes that it would put them further out of view of anyone else in the restaurant, but she hadn’t anticipated the cold. In response to her shiver Vision slid closer along the bench, wrapping an arm around her waist and she gratefully pressed herself to his warm side.

“She’s taking too long with the menus,” Wanda murmured quietly reaching out to fiddle restlessly with the napkin in front of her.

“You worry too much,” Vision said pressing a kiss to her forehead. “We took proper precautions.” But he too sounded worried and Wanda was beginning to second guess their whole decision to spend an evening out.

To their relief the young woman returned a moment later with two menus clasped in her grip. They began the motions of ordering food and Wanda started to hope that everything was going well.

She was mid conversation with Vision about their plans for the duration of their trip when she heard a series of car doors slamming down on the side street below them. Vision too went quiet, listening carefully. He rose, walking to the edge of the balcony and peered over, his eyesight far superior to Wanda’s human eyes. At that exact moment their server returned, two drinks in her hands and Wanda couldn’t help it. She reached out into the woman’s head, just enough to see what had happened in the time since they’d arrived. What she saw made her jerk back, fear alight in her heart as she launched herself up from the table and the server scurried back inside.

“Vis,” Wanda said stepping towards him, “we need to run.”

He didn’t get the chance to reply as a series of bullets ricocheted off his chest. Of course, his Vibranium form was impervious to such amateur tactics but Wanda still felt her chest constrict in fear. Her powers rose to the surface immediately and she encased them protectively behind her magic, shielding them from whoever was shooting.

“Perhaps this was a bad idea,” Vision said scanning the area and Wanda could almost hear his thoughts as he ran through possible escape routes. “They’ll have circled the building by now, we’ll have to get out via the roof.”

“Up it is,” Wanda muttered and launched herself towards the roof with her powers, Vision close on her heels.

“How did they find us?” Vision asked as they ran along the roof shingling, or rather she ran, and he flew.

“The server recognised us immediately and reported to the local police,” Wanda called, stumbling a little on the next rooftop as she launched herself across the space between two buildings.

Vision was at her side, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. “We have to get out of the city.”

‘Pyramus Protocol?” Wanda asked, hating using the name of the plan that was their last possible resort.

“I’m afraid so,” Vision replied, and they stopped atop a flat rooftop, far enough away that they surely must have bought some time.  

Wanda sighed, pulling herself to him and hugging him tightly. “It’ll be ok,” she murmured a promise to herself and to the night air around them.

“I’ll see you in two days,” Vision said drawing back just enough to kiss her tenderly.

“Don’t get caught,” Wanda murmured trying to keep her eyes closed a little longer as his thumb brushed along her cheek.

“Stay safe.” His voice was a whisper and when she opened her eyes he had disappeared.

Wanda cursed their frivolity even as she ran over rooftops, launching herself across spaces no regular human would have been able to in the direction of their rented apartment. Pyramus had been a requirement when they decided to keep seeing each other, despite their divided teammates, the havoc wreaked on a German airport and most significantly, the very legal international treaty that now divided them. Anytime they started feeling guilty about the danger they were putting each other in, the Pyramus Protocol was there to fall back on.

They’d designed the plan at the demand of Nat and Steve on one side and Tony on the other. Wanda knew it was the main reason their friends didn’t have more problems with these secret meetings. Vision hadn’t been able to resist naming their escape plan after Pyramus and Thisbe, the star-crossed lovers of Greek mythology whose tragedy had inspired Romeo and Juliet. Wanda didn’t mind, as long as they hadn’t cursed their relationship to end the same way.

Thanks to the Pyramus Protocol they had a safehouse in mind, deep in the mountains in the south of France. In every country they visited, there needed to be an alternate safe house if things went to shit, or it became too dangerous to leave the country. Such as right now. With Wanda’s cover blown the authorities would be keeping keen eyes on borders and airspaces, so the only option was to venture further into the country.

Part of the Pyramus protocol was to split up in the event that only one of their covers was blown and as Vision purposely hadn’t let his human form go public in the US, it was safer for them to be apart. Wanda could only hope that the authorities were only out for her. The secret of his appearance was all that was protecting him from becoming a fugitive like her if she got caught and it was this assurance that silenced Wanda’s guilt enough to keep seeing him.

Wanda was so lost in her head that she almost flew straight past their apartment, managing to slow down just in time to drop onto the small balcony facing the street. She laid a hand to the glass, using her magic to turn the handle from the inside and stepping quietly into the apartment. Vision didn’t often bring anything with him, but Wanda kept all her belongings on hand and couldn’t afford to leave everything behind, lest they find some evidence that could be traced back to her teammates.

The bag was always semi-packed, always sitting at the foot of the bed and within magic’s reach if she had to run, or worse, destroy the evidence.They’d gotten lucky so far. Until tonight.

Wanda knew something was wrong as soon as she stepped into the apartment. A floorboard creaked to her right and she threw her hands over her head as something whistled past her ear, narrowly missing her neck. A tranquiliser.

Wanda jumped into action, grabbing the duffle bag with her magic and launching herself back to the doors, smashing through the glass and up onto the rooftop once more. She heard the shouts of her pursuers and waited until the four men made it out onto the balcony, swearing in French and looking around. When one finally looked up, Wanda reached out to their minds, hating it even as she did. She managed to subdue three of them but the fourth persisted and Wanda fought between keeping the three under and trying to wrangle the last man into submission. All it took was the distraction of sirens nearby and her control waned enough for the fourth man to draw his gun and take several, carefully aimed shots at her. Wanda swore and launched herself back, throwing her power up as she did. But she was not quick enough, and one of the bullets found her shoulder, sending pain ricocheting through her left arm. She fell to her knees on the rooftop huffing in pain, tears burning at her eyes. She’d been faced with guns often during her time with the Avengers but never had a bullet actually hit her. She vaguely recalled that you weren’t supposed to leave it in, but worried about not having anything to staunch the blood flow if she tried to pull it out. If she passed out from blood loss now, she’d never escape.  

Instead, she pulled off her winter coat, removing its woollen belt and using that as a temporary bandage, her blood warm against her fingers as she tried to breathe through the pain. To hide the bloody stains on her top she took a jumper from her duffle bag and tugged it over her head with great difficulty. She heard grunting and a hand reached over the side of the rooftop, sending her scuttling to the shadows as she tried to gather her wits once more. Shouting could be heard below, and Wanda knew this was her last chance to lose her pursuers.

The station was only 20 minutes away by foot, but Wanda made slow progress, sticking to rooftops as often as she could, always on alert for how near the sirens were. She launched herself from rooftop to rooftop with one hand, her other arm too painful to move.

Once she was sure she hadn’t been followed she purchased two north bound tickets using a traceable credit card under her name, and for her real ticket used cash, messing with the ticket officer’s mind to ensure he only recalled her buying the first two. She’d paid extra for a private cabin with a bed for the overnight train ride that was due to have her arriving late afternoon at the Pyrenees mountains.

At the platform Wanda reached into the conductor’s mind as he waited at the door, erasing any memory he had of her boarding the train even as he checked her ticket. She made it to her cabin without further event, shutting the door firmly behind her and pulling the blinds down. She lowered herself carefully to the cramped bed set against one wall, breathing properly for the first time in an hour. She groaned quietly as the pain in her shoulder hit her fully and her adrenaline abruptly ran dry. It took all her strength to stretch out on the uncomfortable bed as the train started to rock, leaving the city. With the knowledge that she had gotten away she closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.

Vision was waiting in a café, a French newspaper propped up in front of him and a steaming coffee in his hand, though he hadn’t drunk any. He was doing his best to act normal even as he listened to a couple near him chattering in French about the international fugitive spotted in Paris the night before. It was all over the various news channels, but so far, no mention of him had appeared. Better yet, the authorities seemed to have no leads on where Wanda had disappeared to.

Vision gasped as his forehead sparked with pain, exactly from where the mind stone usually was when he was in his normal form. He put his hand to his head and rubbed nervously. It was throbbing sharply, and he gritted his teeth as he tried not to draw any attention to himself. Then it was as though the stone was trying to speak to him, images flooded his mind – Wanda lying unconscious on what seemed to be a train, someone opening the door, the cry of sirens as police cars pulled into the train station. It all happened so quickly that Vision thought he might have been imaging things. The stone throbbed persistently, and he knew he could not ignore the warning. He needed to get to the train station immediately.  

Now that he was further south, it had grown colder and though Vision didn’t feel the discomfort of the temperature drop, he was glad to be wearing the thick woollen coat, flipping the collar up and pressing his chin down. He disappeared into the street, just another person avoiding the harsh wind blowing down the main street.  

The station was relatively busy as the train pulled in just on time and Vision found himself darting around people, making his way towards the front of the train where the priority seating was. The row of empty compartments appeared just as they had in his head, and there was the final compartment, its blinds still pulled tightly down.

He glanced surreptitiously over his shoulder and tried the door handle. Once inside he could have sworn his artificial heart stopped for a few moments. He dropped to his knees next to the bed and the woman lying in it. He was eye level with Wanda’s pallid, unconscious face and her eyes flickered weakly beneath eyelids.

“Wanda,” he said voice raw with pain. He reached out to her shoulders hoping he could wake her up. That was when he felt the blood, his hand coming away a dark red as he looked at her shoulder in horror. “You’re alright, you’re alright,” he whispered to himself more than anything as he picked her up carefully, hating how limp she was in his arms.

Throwing caution to the wind he phased right through the side of the train, moving so quickly he only hoped that no one on the platform happened to see him heading straight for the outskirts of town where the safe house was waiting for him. He didn’t care if he was spotted now, it wouldn’t matter if he couldn’t help her.

The house was as basic as possible, an empty cabin in a small mountainous town. The last place Vision hoped the authorities would come looking. But it was hard to be concerned about that with the alarming situation presented before him. Wanda was hurt and there was no way he could risk taking her to a doctor or trying to get her to Steve or Natasha. But Vision had always assured her that he would be there no matter what, now was the time to see that promise through.

While the cabin might have been lacking in interior design and scarce of furniture, it was equipped with an extensive first aid kit beneath the kitchen sink which Vision quickly located. He had laid Wanda out on the couch and was startled to see her slowly coming to as he returned.

She tried to sit up, gasping as she looked around frantically at the unfamiliar surroundings. “Vis?” She cried her voice full of desperation.

He appeared at her side instantaneously and she pressed a bloodstained hand to his cheek her lip quivering as she looked him up and down, as though assuring herself that he were real. Despite his concern for her jostling her injury he leant into her as she rested her head on his chest, sitting so that she could hug him with her good arm, and he could hold her.

“It’s okay,” he said kissing her cheek even as tears began to roll down, “you’re going to be okay.”

“I was so scared they’d get you,” Wanda said through her crying and Vision’s heart clenched and he held her tighter.

“It’s okay,” he whispered over and over, giving her the time she needed to calm down.

Her breaths were still coming out in hiccups even after ten minutes of holding her, but Vision couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Now came the difficult part. He pulled back gently, cupping her cheek and she relented to lying back down, wincing as her weight was put into her back and her shoulder.

He prepared the first aid kit, the tweezers to remove the bullet that was still lodged in her shoulder and the needle to stitch the wound back up. Her power must have stopped some of the impact because the bullet thankfully hadn’t gone in too deep. He’d already profiled the area and made sure it wasn’t pressing on any arteries. It would be a painful, if quick procedure.

“Wait,” Wanda said hoarsely when he looked at her for confirmation to begin. “Can I hide in your head?”

“Of course, darling,” Vision said presenting his forehead to her and relishing the feeling of her warm palm on his cheek, and more distantly, the warmer feeling of a consciousness alongside his.

He looked at Wanda for the go ahead and she nodded slowly, closing her glowing eyes as she retreated out of her own mind and into his.

The mental distance helped Wanda as Vision started cleaning her wound up. The pain was a distant foe and though she winced as he withdrew the bullet it was infinitely better wrapped up in the comfort of his mind. He let her filter through the memories of the previous evening, and she was glad to see his escape had been relatively uneventful, he’d travelled west first and then south to the mountain range. Wanda hadn’t gotten a very good look at the space so far, hadn’t taken in anything beyond the simple fact that he was by her side and that she felt safe for the first time in 24 hours. But she looked now, reliving through his eyes as he made his round of the house. It was simple but cosy and reminded Wanda of the time a year ago when they had stayed in the Swiss mountains for a week. They’d spent their time going on long, secluded walks on mountain trails or sitting wrapped up together in front of the fire. It was a week spent taking each other in, catching up on the separate lives they’d been living in the month spent apart, and relishing in the closeness they could have when it was just the two of them. This cabin certainly wasn’t as lush, but Wanda was grateful to feel the warmth behind those memories even as her body cried out with pain in the physical world.

Wanda drew back to herself as the pain began to lessen, the stinging on the surface of her skin sufficiently numbed and the bloodstained belt and bullet discarded.

The rest of the evening was quiet, though neither were able to settled down after such a close call. Vision moved Wanda to the bedroom where she might be more comfortable, and she tried her best to relax as the pain medication slowly kicked in. He helped her eat something, though her appetite was non-existent. Then he waited for her to sleep, her head resting on his arm as they lay together. He ran his hands through her hair, gently teasing tangles apart and doing his best to clean the dried blood away from her neck.  

He left bed once to double check the locks, ensuring that the motion sensor alarms were set for the outside of the remote property, ready to warn them if they were found. But Vision had been monitoring the news all afternoon and the press seemed to believe the trail of the international fugitive had gone cold, much to his relief. He distantly noted that Tony had tried to contact him twice in the last few hours and he silenced the notification, it was a problem for tomorrow.

He heard creaking coming from the bedroom and dashed back in alarm. But it was just Wanda doing her best to stand up against the wooziness from the pain medication and exhaustion.

She reached for him wordlessly, her eyes threatening to spill the tears gathered there and Vision was at her side instantly, cupping her head to his shoulder and slipping a hand under her knees so that he might return her to bed.

“It’s alright,” he whispered as she twisted her fists into his sweater shakily.

“Don’t let me go tonight please,” Wanda whispered as he tried to make her comfortable even as she gritted her teeth past pain, getting as close to him as she possibly could. “You’re the only thing holding me together right now.”

Vision wiped her tears away and kissed her softly. “I’m not going anywhere; I’ll always be here.”

“What if they find us?”

“They won’t,” Vision whispered though he couldn’t possibly say for certain, “and if they do, I won’t let them take you.”

“I’ll never let them take you,” Wanda whispered looking into his eyes as she promised. “Anything but you.”

“It will never come to that,” Vision said with such conviction that tears began spilling down her cheeks again.

They remained intertwined the entire night, Wanda curled into his side, her back to the outside world, her head resting on his shoulder.  Some part of Vision managed to rest, taking solace in the fact they were together and for now, safe. But there was a part of him agonising over what had happened, the part of him that remained conscious over-analysing every creak and crack of the old cabin as winds swirled through the forest outside. The same part of him that desperately dreamt of an alternative, a life where they didn’t have to run and hide anymore. He clung to that hope as they clung to each other throughout the night. Though Wanda had told him he was the only thing holding her together, Vision knew he’d be in pieces if they were ever separated by something more final.

[71tenseventeen]

Take My Hand (Take My Whole Life Too)-29

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Warnings for sexual content, male pregnancy, implied homophobia, non-hockey Sid. Sid and Taylor’s ages have been altered to fit the story.

I literally have a team of betas at this point and I could not do this without them. Much love and so much credit to @ljummen, @visionshadows, @icosahedonist and @queen-alia for taking on different parts of this.

Pure floof below the cut. 

Sid doesn’t think much of it when Geno is late coming home from practice the next day. He made lunch so he wraps up a plate and puts the rest away in the fridge before migrating to the living room. 

He really should do yoga but a nap is so tempting. It’s been harder lately to move around without getting tired. It’s not something he thinks he’ll ever be used to but Dr. Agarwhal has coached him to listen carefully to his body so he’s trying. 

He decides on a compromise-a few minutes of mild yoga and then a nap if he still feels like it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wonders idly if maybe he’ll get lucky and Geno will come home before his nap. 

Despite the exhaustion and physical discomfort that has come with his third trimester, his sex drive hasn't diminished at all. If anything it has kicked into overdrive leaving Sid horny basically all of the time. At first he was a little sheepish about it but those days are long past now. Geno is always more than enthusiastic when Sid propositions him so Sid figures it’s a win for both of them. 

He’s just maneuvering himself into a bridge position when he hears the garage door and smiles to himself. Just thinking about Geno's hands on him has him half hard already. 

He listens as Geno comes in from the garage and calls for him.“Sid?”

“In here.” He lifts his hips and holds the pose before glancing up to see Geno standing in the doorway watching. “Hey," he says, shamelessly nipping at his own lower lip as he meets Geno's eyes. 

Geno stares for a moment before he clears his throat and replies dumbly. “Yoga?” 

Sid grins. “Yeah. Wanna spot me?” 

Geno looks genuinely conflicted for a moment before answering, “More than you know but can’t just yet. Have something to show you first.” 

Sid furrows his brow, disappointed as he lowers his hips slowly and tries not to think about how hard it is to roll himself back into a sitting position. By the time he’s managed it, Geno is standing next to him, reaching out a hand to help him up. 

He tries not to look as disgruntled as he feels but Geno smiles fondly before kissing him slow and sweet. "Don't worry, promise I'm take care of you. Just need to show you something first."

Sid sighs. "I'm holding you to that. So what is it?" 

Geno rubs the back of his neck, looking almost bashful. “Well...I buy something today.” 

Sid blinks at him for a moment until yesterday’s fiasco pops into his head. “Oh no.” 

“You say I could buy as long as I follow rules!” 

“Okay, yeah, I did say that.” Sid suddenly suspects he may have somehow left a loophole in the rules.

“Just keep open mind for me? Please?” 

“Oh god.” 

Geno takes his hand, leading him to the garage and there it is. Sitting neatly between the Mercedes and Escalade is a steel gray Ranger Rover with the biggest golden bow Sid has ever seen in his life perched on top. 

It looks brand new and Sid’s jaw drops open but before he can get a word out Geno grabs his hands and looks down at him earnestly. “Before you say anything please let me explain.”

Sid swallows back the protests on the tip of his tongue and nods. 

“Next road trip in two days—have very short time to take care of this. Order something take way too long and end up being even more expensive. So Flower help me look local and this was best option. It follow all your rules.” 

Sid looks between Geno and the Range Rover bewildered. “How?!” 

“You say not flashy and not most expensive. I say I wanted very good safety rating and car that have good features so I not have to worry as much. This all of that—is gray so not flashy at all.” 

“That’s not what I meant,” Sid replies, flatly. 

Geno continues, talking quickly. “Is also not most expensive option and was ready to drive off lot today. I’m not have to spend lots of time on lot-found online and Jen help me get it arrange so I can just pick up easy. Bonus that windows already tinted for privacy. But most important, I know you and baby protected in this. Has safety features I want and even has way for you call for help if you ever need.” 

He looks so sincere when he talks about their safety, it’s hard for Sid to be mad. He knows Geno isn’t lying or making excuses—he really wants this for them. Sid takes a deep breath. He's never even considered driving a car this new or nice but Geno is grasping his hand and looking at him so hopefully.

Geno really did try to follow the rules and still meet both of their needs and Sid’s having a hard time finding it in himself to argue. “Okay,” he says, a little shakily and lets Geno guide him all the way into the driver’s seat while listing all of the safety features enthusiastically. 

“I just—” Sid touches the steering wheel tentatively, feeling his breath come a little quicker. “This is— It’s a lot and--” 

Geno cuts him off, turning him just enough so that he can cup Sid’s face gently. “I know. I'm sorry if I overwhelm you. I just need to know you safe, Sid” 

Sid looks at him carefully, feeling a little emotional and waits until he’s finished talking to say quietly, “Yesterday really scared you.” 

Geno swallows hard. “More than can even explain. I worry all the time, every time I leave house, every time I leave town, all I think about is if you going to be okay.” 

“G…” now it’s Sid’s turn to swallow hard and Geno pulls him into a gentle hug, kissing the top of his head before he lets Sid pull back. 

“Just want to take care of you.” 

Sid shakes his head. “You do take care of me. I couldn’t even get a decent doctor without you. You make sure I have everything I need, you let me live here—”

Geno cuts him off. “Not just let, want you live here. Want to do this together. And keeping you safe is part of take care of you.” 

Sid sucks in a deep breath before letting it out slowly and turning to touch the steering wheel again. “I don’t know what to say. This is just—It’s just really nice and I don’t ever want you to feel like I’m taking advantage of you. ” 

“Never, ever think that—you in my life now and that not going to change. I’m take care of you always, not just until baby come.”

Sid sighs softly, running his finger over the soft texture at the top of the wheel. “Thank you, Geno.” It’s almost a whisper. 

Geno leans up to kiss Sid’s cheek and wraps him in a tight hug and doesn’t complain when Sid stays like that for a lot longer than normal. When he finally pulls back he smiles sweetly at Sid. “Thank you for accept. You think maybe you want to try test drive?” 

Sid can’t help but smile at Geno’s happy gaze. “Okay.” 

Part 29

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

What if Aldrea's ghost really did work with Rachel or Toby Hamee instead of Cassie in #34?

First of all, I think #34 does a reasonably good job of showing why Aldrea ends up with Cassie — people keep describing Aldrea as “tough-minded” and “independent” and I’ve argued before that those are some of Cassie’s core qualities.  I also like that Aldrea’s gender is a core part of her identity, given that she talks a lot in Hork-Bajir Chronicles about being frustrated with the way female andalites are treated and even having internalized some of the dominant attitudes about being “weak” because her tail is smaller than her brother’s.  It feels like a cool triumph that she wants and needs a female host.  Anyway.

Toby would probably be a friggin disaster if Aldrea took her as a host, because it’d be a perfect storm to combine Toby’s deference for her ancestors with Aldrea’s dismissal of her host’s mind.  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the respect and love and awe that Toby feels for Aldrea — this is Toby’s only to her own culture, which has been annihilated by genocide.  However, Toby also considers abandoning her family and the only home she’s ever known in order to go die fighting yeerks at Aldrea’s say-so, and she later only abandons that plan because of a push from Aldrea.  Toby trusts Aldrea so much that she angrily dismisses Ax’s question about how to ensure the host’s safety, even though Ax later proves to be exactly right about the danger of there being no kill switch on the Ixcila.

If you combine that with Aldrea’s utter lack of respect for the person hosting her?  I shudder to think.  Toby wouldn’t fight and argue and force the issue of a personal connection in order to get control back the way Cassie does.  Toby would probably give in completely and let Aldrea have her body.  Aldrea would probably mean well toward Toby, but she’d probably also demonstrate exactly the same entitled imperialistic attitude toward Toby that we see her have toward other hork-bajir and non-andalites.  So I’m not saying Aldrea would get Toby killed, and she wouldn’t knowingly go against Toby’s wishes... but she also wouldn’t take Toby’s wishes into account either.  That scenario would probably end with Toby going off to try and die liberating the hork-bajir homeworld, an outcome that everyone from Cassie to Toby to eventually Aldrea herself agrees is not what’s best for the free hork-bajir.

Rachel on the other hand might not figure out how to work with Aldrea at all.  There’s this interesting motif starting as early as #2 that Rachel fears neither death nor pain — she fears a cage (X).  Specifically, she is afraid of being trapped in her own mind because someone else is controlling her body or because she is physically unable to fight back against the threat.  It informs her horror at being buried alive in earth (#17) or water (#27), her attitude that she’d kill Saddler or David if she thought it would help (#22), her nightmares (#2, #7, #22) and her ridiculous bravery because death doesn’t seem so bad by comparison (#37, #54).  Rachel would dig in and not give up any modicum of control over her body, and the harder Aldrea pushed to try and get in, the harder Rachel would push back.  There would be no give-and-take with Cassie offering Aldrea the use of her mouth and Aldrea letting Cassie do the hard morphing and the two of them offering each other privacy once Cassie figures out how to demand it.

Instead, I imagine that those first few minutes where Aldrea’s inside Cassie but completely disoriented would involve a lot of Rachel mentally shouting at Aldrea “This is MY BODY, you are a GUEST, if you do not wipe your feet and GTFO when you’re done, then we are going to have PROBLEMS, lady.”  Cassie realizes that Aldrea’s on the verge of just shutting down completely when it becomes clear that Dak and Seerow and the whole damn planet are dead, and — it being Cassie — finds a way to support her and draw her out anyway.  I think if it was Rachel hosting Aldrea at the time, then Aldrea really would just shut down.  Of course, then that leaves a whole other problem of how they’d get Aldrea out of Rachel if none of them can communicate with Aldrea and she’s in Heroic BSoD mode.  A really creepy thought: since it takes Cassie a long time to figure out how to communicate with Aldrea enough to figure out she’s there, maybe Rachel wouldn’t even realize that the ritual had worked.  So Aldrea would be this, like, sleeper cell inside Rachel’s mind, also lacking some important context on how she came to be within a human body on a foreign planet... That could end really really badly.

If I can venture a dark-horse candidate that no one in canon even considers... How about Tobias?

Tobias also has a lot in common with Aldrea personality-wise.  He’s an idealist who doesn’t always fully consider the consequences of his idealism.  He learns and embraces hork-bajir culture in spite of not having been born hork-bajir.  He’s a nothlit.  Ax also says of Aldrea “You are highly intelligent, emotionally self-controlled, capable of lying and manipulation... also fundamentally peaceful, moral, courageous, and capable ofself-sacrifice,” a description that always struck me as applying to Tobias maybe even more so than Cassie, even though of course Ax is describing andalites in general.  (Wow, it’s almost like Tobias is part andalite or something!)  Anyway, part of what’s striking is that Ax and even Cassie fundamentally don’t get why Aldrea would ever become a nothlit voluntarily, much less a nothlit in a body with a shorter lifespan than the one she was born with.  Tobias obviously does get it.

If Tobias and Aldrea were sharing a body, Aldrea would probably consider the three-pound thing with feathers she got stuffed inside to be less than ideal, but they also might have a lot of potential for harmonious coexistence.  Tobias has more experience with multiple minds in a single body, including the balance of hawk-human-etcetera that he has to perform when listening to multiple sets of instincts at once and figuring out which one to use.  Tobias is more thoughtful and self-reflective than Cassie, and I think he’d be far more aware as a result of exactly how much power and control Aldrea would have at any given time.  Although Cassie and Aldrea learn to work together, Tobias would probably set a mutually beneficial division of powers between himself and Aldrea and remain in control of the situation the whole time, only changing the relative degree of power over his body if Aldrea comes to him with some damn good reasons why he should do so.  It’s also notable that this is ONE DAMN BOOK after the events of #33 with Taylor and the Anti-Morphing Ray.  So it might be good to have Tobias do what he’s good at and get a win for the whole team at a time when he’s feeling like he lost himself.  It might even help him heal if he chooses voluntarily to connect with another mind compassionate toward his own, and to continue to get in touch with his andalite heritage through mind-melding with Aldrea.

[nicollekidman]

I don’t really see DBATC as a break up song. when a relationship has a lot of obstacles it’s hard to stop your mind from going there. I agree that the song is about karlie but I dont think it’s necessarily a break up song . I can’t put it into words Rn but i think the song has more to it than just simple “we broke up”. Let’s be real there situation isn’t ideal and they can’t really be together In public anymore and their dynamic had to change she could be saying bye to how things used to be

i’m still not deep in analysis yet but upon the first couple of listens of death by a thousand cuts... the sadness and regret does not seem to be directed at the other person in the relationship, but rather the situation they’re both in...

they have a secret love in the safety of nighttime privacy, but in the morning, this person is not taylor’s to call her own. and they - meaning both of them - were the ones who decided to board it all up (which to me really signifies entering into a contract that neither of you wants but have mutually decided is necessary) but despite all of that the chandelier is still flickering, the feelings are still there

this is like..... there’s no anger here, just sadness and acknowledgment of how entangled they are. to me, it’s a tribute to how even when you love someone and give them so much you might as well be the same person, you can’t always control what’s happening around you... not that it wasn’t enough for the other person, but that it wasn’t enough in general, to overcome the constraints of the situation

again, this is very very much a nod to the hostility of their surroundings, how they could share songs and videos (to me, not only taylor’s music but karlie’s penchant for taking photos/videos that we’ve already seen be prevalent this era) and gain bravery in small touches but ultimately the “lawless land” and the harsh reality of their lives forced them to deviate from “paper thin plans” in ways that left them scarred and cut even as they tried to reach out to one another..... FINALLY...

home!!! it’s always about home!!! we have call backs to sneaking in garden doors in cornelia street, an “on the way home” motif AGAIN after taylor called our attention back to YAIL, and.... a nebulous ending. this situation is still in progress, and still up in the air! the traffic lights say i don’t know because sometimes it’s a green light and sometimes you have to halt, when plans are out of your control and continue to change. 

to me this song is so stunningly vulnerable and melancholy, and i personally read it as trying to endure the pain of loving someone compeletluy while knowing that that is not enough to solve the difficult sitation you’re in. but there’s still daylight to come...a time when she doesn’t have to dress slowly to kill time and walk home, but she can greet the ultraviolet daylight in bed after watching her lover sleep. this love is difficult but it’s real... and it’s still happening 

[megalony]

Don’t hurt her

This is a Roger Taylor imagine that has a lot of angst and a bit of fluff in this one I hope you all like it.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr @luvborhap @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac @vousmemanqueez

Warning: Mentions of hostage situation and stabbing.

Roger Taylor masterlist

Part 2

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tilting his head from looking at the magazine resting on (Y/n)'s lap, Roger looked up to see Brian standing in the aisle a few feet away from where he was sitting. His usual small black camera in his hands that he had used to take a picture of the drummer and his wife whilst both of them had been laughing at something about the magazine. Roger's chin was resting on (Y/n)'s shoulder, his arm around her waist as she had one leg crossed over the other, holding the magazine for both of them to see.

Brian had a thing about capturing every moment that the band had, whether that was them getting changed for a concert, them drunk out of their heads or on a plane like they were now. None of the band minded, they posed, they smiled, they pulled silly faces or they simply looked up in time for the camera to take a snapshot of them. It was all good fun and Brian loved to keep scrapbooks of all the photos.

Drifting her eyes from the magazine to Brian, (Y/n) watched him smile at the photo before turning around so he could take a picture of Freddie and John who were sitting with one another, chatting away like the rest of them didn't exist.

Turning her head to the left, (Y/n) locked eyes with Roger, a silent question passing from her eyes to his own as he knew what she was asking. A comforting smile pulled at his lips as she shook his head causing her to sigh and nod in relief.

"Just for a scrapbook, sweetheart." Roger whispered before he pressed a kiss to the side of her temple. This was (Y/n)'s first time going on tour with the band and it was the first time she was really getting to know the rest of the boys. She didn't realise Brian was really into photography or that he liked to record all the moments until she saw him taking pictures of the boys at the airport and just now. She found it endearing but at the same time, it was worrying now that he had gotten a photo of her in, maybe even more when she wasn't looking.

It had been a shock for all the band when Roger turned up to the studio one day with a gold band around his wedding ring finger and then announced he had gotten married whilst he had been on a small break to LA. The band knew that Roger had been involved with someone but they hadn't met (Y/n) until Roger brought her to the studio a few weeks back and said he was bringing her along for the tour. Needless to say all of them adored her but they all noticed she was rather reserved and quiet.

Roger had asked the boys if they would help him with something whilst they were on tour, he'd asked if they would help stop the paparazzi and journalists from taking photos when they were in public. Normally the photos weren't much of a problem for Roger, he would smile politely or plainly tell them they were getting in his way and push past them. He told the band that (Y/n) didn't want to be in the media and he was desperate for them not to take so many photos of her.

Roger knew that (Y/n) being with him meant that if one photo of them got out, she would be hounded by people wanting pictures and comments for articles and that was not an option. (Y/n) was taking a big risk being with Roger when he was such a big person in the world because she couldn't have people putting her picture out there or her name.

(Y/n) had been given a new identity after being a witness to a crime and seeing the culprits. Roger met her not long after and he promised he would protect her and make sure she wouldn't be in the media. Coming on tour was a risk to that safety they had built but if no one knew who she was and only got pictures with her in the background with others then she would be fine. Pictures taken by the media was an absolute no and even though the band didn't know the actual reason why they understood about (Y/n) wanting privacy and so were helping in any way they could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Sweetheart, calm down-"

"He's here Rog! He's here and he's gonna find me... I saw him I swear-" (Y/n) fisted her hands in Roger's shirt as he unravelled his arms from around her waist, moving his hand to cup her face so he could tilt her head to let her look at him. He gently brushed away the tears falling from her eyes with the pad of his thumb as he felt his heart sinking at seeing her shaking like a leaf.

Whilst Roger was on stage last night with the band (Y/n) had caught a glimpse of one of the people she had convicted for murder four years ago. She knew one of them had been released as he had a shorter sentence but she didn't think he would be here. He couldn't know she was here on tour with the boys but somehow he had gotten a job here. If he saw her even with her different hair colour and style, he would recognise her and he would get back at her. She was the one who saw the murder, she had picked all three men out of a crowd and each of them had seen her and knew what she looked like.

If he was here then she wasn't safe.

"Look at me, love. If he's here, that doesn't mean he knows you are too. You stay with the boys in here, I'm gonna go and talk to security. Tell me his name and we'll make sure he can't get to you, I won't let anything happen to you." If he was here he was clearly a worker on the tour and there were thousands of people here. There were crew to put up the stage, do the lights, electricians, stage production, camera crew, security, crew to set up and dismantle the stage. There were thousands of workers here and that meant the band and (Y/n) wouldn't even see half of them during the tour. She had a good chance of staying well hidden.

"Aiden Bell... I- I'm sure it was him."

"Right, you stay here with Brian, don't go anywhere without one of us or security. I'll go and have a word." Roger continued to brush his thumb over her cheekbone as he leaned down to kiss her, trying his best to keep both of them calm. He pressed a longing kiss to her forehead before he headed over to talk to Brian when (Y/n) sat down on the sofa.

She wrapped her arms around her chest, trying her best not to cry but it was useless when the tears continued to fall whether she wanted them to or not. Her eyes followed Roger as he moved over to where Brian was standing, needing to ask his friend a favour.

"I need to go have a word with security, there's someone here that's a threat and they might go after (Y/n). I can't explain but, please stay with her. Don't let her out of your sight until I get back, please?" Roger didn't have the time to go into detail about what was and had gone on but he needed Brian to trust him and wait with (Y/n) until he got back. Brian gave him a rather sceptical yet worried look but he nodded all the same, watching Roger pat his shoulder before heading out of the room, giving a lasting glance to (Y/n) before he went.

Walking over to where (Y/n) was sitting, Brian took a seat next to her, debating whether or not to try and hug her with the state she was in. She looked like she could use some form of comfort but he didn't know what to do. He felt that they were good friends even if he didn't know her all that well and he wanted to be there for her.

Saying nothing, Brian simply rested his hand over her own, forcing a smile when she locked her fingers with his own as if his hand was now her lifeline that she wasn't about to let go of.

"Why don't we go find a security guard to take you to one of the backstage rooms? Everyone comes in here, we can find somewhere out the way for you whilst Rog talks to someone." Brian suggested after a few makeup people walked into the room a few minutes later. This was the boys dressing room, makeup and costume crew walked in and out of here as well as production. They had many different rooms backstage that went unused for a few hours, they could sit (Y/n) in there and get someone to stay with her so she was safe and out of the way.

When (Y/n) silently nodded, Brian wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they both got to their feet and headed out of the room. Brian led them down the rather busy corridor, unsure whereabouts they would have a security member or some kind of bodyguard to who could watch over (Y/n) for a while.

"Excuse me." (Y/n) mumbled quietly when her shoulder bumped into a passerby. Her eyes glanced up but her gaze locked with the man she just collided shoulders with. Their eyes watched one another causing her head to turn as she carried on walking with Brian. Fear was written all over her features that she couldn't hide as she watched him take a moment before a sudden burst of recognition took over his face. His eyes seemed to light up with a growing fire of emotions before (Y/n) turned her head and pushed herself more into Brian. "T-that was him! Brian, he's there!" Her voice was no more than a hurried whisper as Brian quickly pulled her down a side corridor on his left at her words.

Brian let his arm drop from her shoulders so he could take her hand instead, his mind working out where they were and what the best option would be as he tried to speedwalk but not look suspicious or worried. They didn't need unwanted attention yet. (Y/n) dared to look over her shoulder for one split second but her body shuddered involuntarily when she noticed he was at the end of the corridor they were now jogging down. Brian didn't need to say anything to know that (Y/n) had just seen the stranger following them who she seemed to know.

"We need to get to the stage, the more people around the less chance he has of getting to us." Brian whispered firmly before pulling (Y/n) down a different leading walkway on her right. The more twists and turns they took the more they could speed up and get away. And if he got them to the stage or just the back of the stage where the steps were, it was a big open field. They would be around hundreds of crew working to set things up. Whoever was following them couldn't try and attack them if he was surrounded by many people.

By the time they were heading down yet another walkway past the toilets, they were running. This was the corridor that led out into the backfield area of the stage. They would be seen and heard.

Brian's eyes locked with the drummer just as he and (Y/n) ran past the last toilet and got to the field that was now sheltered in case of rain. He didn't know what happened, he had been holding her hand and was two strides in front but the next he was slipping as he turned to look behind him. His whole body tensed when he saw the look on (Y/n)'s face. The man who had been running after them was now standing by her side with his arm around her waist as if they were old friends.

"Start walking." Aiden hissed in (Y/n)'s ear, his left arm around her waist as his right hand pressed the tip of a knife into her back.

(Y/n) tried to control her breaths so she wouldn't scream as she barely managed to nod. Forcing her knees not to buckle beneath her as they walked side by side like they were friends just chatting to one another. Her head turned to the left as her gaze locked on Roger who was getting increasingly worried. He'd never seen the man standing beside her before and (Y/n) didn't know any of the crew working here.

Something wasn't right.

"(Y/n), are you okay?" Roger kept his tone light but his words firm as he scanned her features for any hesitation or signs that she wasn't okay. He took a few steps towards her and whoever she was with as the man beside her stopped walking at the sound of Roger's voice. Roger watched the man whisper something in her ear which made her shiver.

"Help me." It was so quiet that Roger almost missed the words but as soon as they were passed through her lips a broken sob followed.

Roger felt his muscles seizing up as he watched the utter fright take over his wife's features as an arm wrapped around her throat and another locked around her waist. Effectively stopping her in her movements and pulling her back into someone's chest.

A small murmur mixed with a cry left (Y/n)'s lips as she dug her nails into the arm that was pressing too tightly against her windpipe making it harder for her to breathe. Her eyes followed Roger as if she had tunnel vision and he was the only person she was able to see. He seemed to pale until it looked as if he had no blood left in his body which was now propelling over to try and get to her.

"Let her go!" Roger was visibly shaking with both fear and anger as he took a step closer to (Y/n) but the man holding her hostage pulled her back with him to keep distance between them. He started to walk (Y/n) away from Roger, his eyes darting between the drummer and Brian who was yelling for security.

By now people passing by or just hovering around like flies were now stopping with whatever they had previously been doing to watch the scene unfold with petrified eyes. (Y/n) winced as the arm around her throat pushed further against her causing her head to snap back against his shoulder so she could try and breathe. Tears distorted her vision but she could still make out Roger trying to get closer, desperate to take her back into his arms.

Lunging forward Brian grabbed hold of Roger by the shoulders, pulling his friend back so he didn't try and pounce like he had been about to do. Roger didn't have a moment to protest about Brian's actions before he noticed the glimmer of a blade shining in the luminescent lighting. He almost doubled over at the sound that left (Y/n)'s lips when the blade was moved so it was now visible and being pressed to her lower chest. The tip pressing through her shirt to try and touch her skin.

"Don't move." Aiden ordered, twisting his hand to curve the blade showing that if Roger took another step he would simply puncture the knife into (Y/n)'s skin.

There was nothing Roger could do but nod in response, watching him start to walk, roughly pulling (Y/n) along with him as people instantly moved out of the way. Not wanting to provoke Aiden or get in the line and be harmed themselves. Roger felt Brian's hands tighten on his shoulders as they both watched (Y/n)'s steps falter from being dragged so she had to walk sideways. Her knees caved in before Aiden was pulling her up by the arm around her neck causing her to gasp and sob at the same time with the little air she had.

"Where are you gonna go?" Roger suddenly shouted before he could stop himself. Pulling away from Brian to move and keep up with his wife but staying a fair distance away to be on the safe side. Aiden narrowed his eyes at Roger but didn't stop dragging (Y/n) further away through the backstage area. "There's security everywhere, you can't leave." Roger wasn't lying, they had security as a precaution anyway not for the specific reason of Aiden being here. He wouldn't be able to get in a car and drive away without them knowing what car he was in and blocking the exits.

"Doesn't matter, as long as she dies."

(Y/n) snapped her eyes closed as a sob bubbled up her throat and passed through her parted lips. She had spent four years with a new identity being free until being told three months ago that one of the men she had helped to put away was now free. She knew he would either come after her or find her somehow and he had. She had taken four years of his life away by sending him to prison, of course he wasn't going to let her go if he ever saw her again.

"Rog..." There was clear desperation in (Y/n)'s voice as she was suddenly dragged backwards causing her to stumble again. Her head started to shake as she couldn't see due to the tears. If someone didn't intervine she wasn't going to be let go until she was harmed or even dead.

(Y/n) didn't want to die.

She wanted to be in Roger's arms away from Aiden.

"P-please, let me go... Roger, please help." (Y/n) felt like wailing like a child who wasn't getting their own way. She'd never felt this scared in her life but then again no one had ever taken her hostage like this or threatened to hurt her. Her eyes locked with Roger's as his eyes seemed to enlarge but flood with pain as he was desperate to walk over and take her into his arms but he couldn't without potentially hurting her in the process.

"Just let her come to me and leave, you're hurting her. Look at her, she's frightened, isn't that enough?" Roger bargained, taking another step closer as Aiden continued to pull (Y/n) away who wasn't cooperating like he wanted her to. He was scaring her half to death and he was already hurting her, if he did try and kill her he would be sent to prison. But if he just let her go he could run and they would let him. They'd let him get away with this if he didn't hurt her. Roger would pay him to leave her alone right now if he could get his wife back into his arms where she would be safe and unharmed.

Scraping her nails down his arm, (Y/n) dug the heels of her shoes into the ground to try and slow them both down but he started to drag her rougher, his arm pressing tighter to her throat as he was becoming mad. Her body writhed in his hold as she tried to lean forward but he kept pulling her back. (Y/n) watched Roger and Brian hurrying after her, not wanting her out of their sights for one second in case something happened.

A choked scream tore against her throat when the knife was quickly dragged across her stomach. It was deep enough to bleed but it would be more superficial than damaging. All the same, it still let blood leak onto her top that was now also shredded at the bottom and it caused lightning bolts of pain to surface that made (Y/n)'s knees cave in. Mutters and cries left her lips that she couldn't even hear as Roger shouted something furious as he didn't know whether to lunge for her now or hang back in case she got hurt worse.

"Stop it- fuck, don't hurt her!"

Aiden switched his hold around so one arm was held around (Y/n)'s waist just above the wound and his other hand held the now bloodied knife to her neck.

"Get closer and it's her throat. Now start fucking moving." He shouted the first sentence at Roger before spitting the second one in (Y/n)'s ear. Her feet stumbled and scraped against the ground from having to walk backwards and keep moving despite wanting to collapse down. "Say goodbye."

Roger choked on air at the words as he suddenly ran for them both when Aiden backed into one of the rooms they used for respite. He couldn't lose sight of them, the moment he let (Y/n) out of his sight anything could happen to her and he made a promise that he would keep her safe. He had done everything he could up until now to make sure she was by his side and protected. He needed to keep her safe.

"N-no... Roger-"

"No!! Let her go!" Roger cried as he pounded his fist against the door that was slammed shut and locked in his face. He'd lost sight of her. She was locked on the other side of the door.

Turning sideways, Roger bashed his shoulder into the door that should be giving way. It wasn't heavy, it wasn't made of steel and it was practically a prop with a locking mechanism on it that should be breaking with little force. He rammed his shoulder into the door again but it didn't give way to him. Roger spied Brian running over with about three or four security men behind him who had been useless up until this point but he couldn't stand back and wait for them to open the door. Pulling back, Roger braced himself on one leg before smashing his foot next to the lock, watching the door give way as the lock broke from the wood.

"What have you done?!" The words tore from the back of Roger's throat as he glanced between Aiden and (Y/n).

Security bypassed Roger to get to Aiden who was stood with such a sinister, crippling smile on his face that it made Roger feel sick to his stomach. Snapping out of his momentary paralysis, Roger collapsed down to his knees in front of his wife who was laid on the floor, both hands pressing to her chest as each breath she took seemed to hitch higher than the last.

"Sshh, alright baby. I'm here, I've got you now. Let me see." Roger cooed, glancing his eyes from hers down to her chest that she was cradling.

Tears were streaming from her eyes as her body was shaking. She didn't protest when Roger gently enveloped his hands over her own before pulling them away. Moving to grasp her shirt and pull it up to her bra so he could see where she had been hurt and how badly.

His eyes set on the gash first that she had gotten earlier, it went from the right side of her stomach just above her belly button to just an inch or so on the left side. It was a superficial wound that was bleeding but hadn't gone nearly deep enough to hit any organs. Trailing his eyes up, Roger found the injury that was causing the most damage. There was a puncture wound only a few inches wide that had clearly hit an organ. Roger kept his touch light as he hovered his fingertips over the wound, breathing in relief when he worked out that it was lower than her heart.

"Small wound baby, missed your heart completely. This is gonna hurt." Roger spoke as he made quick but shakey work of unbuttoning his plain white shirt. Slipping it from his shoulders before scrunching it up, his eyes locking with (Y/n)'s as he pressed the shirt forcefully to her wound.

A shiver burst through his spine as he winced at the guttural scream that left her lips. He couldn't do anything but keep the pressure to her skin even as she writhed in clear pain beneath him. He had to stem the blood flow so pressure was needed.

"Rog... we called an ambulance, and an on-site medic won't be long." Brian spoke quietly but there was a certain edge to his voice that showed he was worried and close to crying. He bent down beside Roger who seemed to be either so panicked that he was calm or he had put himself into some kind of trance so he didn't break down just yet.

The drummer nodded mindlessly at the words as he motioned for Briain to shuffle to the left just a little. When Brian did so, Roger moved one hand from the bloodied shirt and lifted up (Y/n)'s lower legs so he could set them on Brian's legs for elevation. Brian began rubbing his hand soothingly up and down (Y/n)'s leg, unsure if she could even sense or feel his touch with how much pain she was clearly in but it was helping him to stay calm so he continued.

Turning his attention back to (Y/n), Roger took her hands and held them in his own that he was pressing to the shirt covering her wound.

"Don't move, baby, stay still for me. You'll be okay." Roger tightly locked his fingers between (Y/n)'s as he nodded at her to try and show her that she would be alright. He wouldn't accept anything else happening to her now except for a recovery.

(Y/n) managed to weakly nod back, concentrating on holding Roger's hand rather than how he was pressing both of their hands to his shirt that was now turning deep crimson rather than staying a crystal white. She tried to stay as still as possible, not wanting to move or rupture anything or make the bleeding worse as she looked up at Roger. Seeing that he didn't look extremely panicked or worried meaning she could be alright. Her heart wasn't hit, Roger was stemming the bleeding and they had medics on the way as well as an ambulance.

Roger brushed his thumb over the back of her hand as he leaned down to kiss her temple, his eyes burning into her own as he managed a smile to try and keep her calm.

"Here's the medic, you're gonna be just fine, sweetheart. I promise."

[honestgrins]

KC and london boy by taylor??

I Saw the Dimples First, then I Heard the Accent

Everything was just...weird in London. Food tasted a little differently, even if she cooked it herself. She couldn’t find a decent cup of coffee in their neighborhood. For the first time in her life, she hesitated to speak in public for fear of being that American stuck on the wrong side of the pond.

But as she closed her trusty umbrella and let herself into the corner pub, Caroline couldn’t help but melt at the way Klaus’s whole face lit up when he saw her. If he was going to look at her like that every time, it certainly made the continental move so worth it. 

“Come on, love,” he greeted, pulling her into the booth with him and graciously accepting a kiss on his cheek. “The match is about to start. Want a pint?”

“I’ve got it,” Lucien insisted from across the table, winking at them. “You lovebirds deserve a moment alone.”

Rolling her eyes, Caroline nevertheless took advantage of the privacy. She leaned into Klaus’s space, lightly scratching over the stubble of his neck. “Hi.”

“How’d your interview go today?” he asked, voice low against her ear. One hand had crept underneath her jacket, warm on her hip. “I know you were nervous.”

“It’s hard to be confident when I feel so out of my depth here,” she admitted. “But I think it went well. You? Have you and Elijah worked out your transition into the firm?”

Klaus nodded, pressing a kiss to her nose. Moving to London had been a big jump for them as a couple, but at least he had the safety net of joining the family business. “We should be fine for the time being. If not, I’m grateful to come home to you.” His lips moved down to hers, indulging for a moment longer than they usually did in public. “Have I thanked you today for coming with me?”

She shook her head and smiled. “You can thank me with a new coffeemaker. If I have to make it myself around here, it better be a good one.”

Lucien returned with a fresh round of drinks just in time for the rugby match playing on TV, and Caroline couldn’t help but get swept up in the energy of the pub, glad to feel a part of this place she now called home.