#the whole fake: thAT’S GOOD A POINT YOU MADE SARAH

[gh0stsp1d3r]

ℳ𝒶𝓎𝒷𝒶𝓃𝓀𝓈 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉ℯ𝓇

Part 3 chapter 2- can I kiss you?

Series masterlist

Warnings: bullets, mentions of blood + getting shot, mentions of abuse

“Who are you calling fifty times?” Rafe asked Topper, who set his phone down on the bar. Topper turned to Rafe. “Huh? Who’s not answering?”

“I don’t know, Rafe, uh… does your sister ever do what she says she’s gonna do?”

“Not really, no.”

“Oh.”

“Ah! How’d she screw you this time?” He asked topper, handing him a glass of whiskey.

“So I did your sister a favor, right? Got reamed by my mom, I mean, it’s a shit show, man. So I do this favor, she’s like ‘oh I’ll hit you tonight.’ It’s tonight. Haven’t heard a thing, been calling her. Nothing. She’s just ignoring me. So, I don’t know, man.” He rambled.

“Listen, listen. Let’s sit.” Rafe patted his back, Topper sat down.

“Uh, she’s playing you like a fiddle, bro.”

“No.”

“She’s been playing you since day one.”

“It’s a lot different now.”

“You know why she can’t hit you up right now? It’s cause she’s with John B.”

“Listen, Rafe. She is not with John B.”

“Oh, okay.”

“She wouldn’t do that.”

“Well, she thinks she’s a pogue now. As soon as they think that, they’re gone, bro. Speaking from experience.” He shrugged.

“Can’t trust a pogue, not that you could trust her anyways. And now she’s with John B and you’re looking at me like I’m the bad guy? She’s gonna keep doing this, again and again and again..” he continued.

Topper stood up, downing the rest of his drink.

“Just playing you like a fiddle.”

“I’ll catch you later, Rafe.”

“All right, Top.” He raised his glass, smirk on his face. He was right, and Topper knew it. “Was good to see you.”

———

Everyone sat down in the Chateau, John B had taken himself to his room, Kiara strummed her ukulele, and you and Sarah played a game of “who’s dad sucked more?”

“My dad faked his death. Like… twice.” Sarah shrugged, taking a sip.

“My dad once made me drink a bottle of beer to calm me down when I was 6 because I threw a temper tantrum when he hit me.” You narrowed your eyes at the girl.

“My dad tried to kill all of my friends, more than once.”

“My dad stole 670 bucks from me on my 15th birthday so he could buy more heroin.”

“I think y/n already wins, by default.” Pope pointed at you, making you smile.

“Yeah, I thought so.” Sarah shook her head with a smile, getting up and going into John B’s room with two bottles.

“I never thought my trauma would ever make me win. This is great. Anyone else wanna play?” You asked.

“Think you beat everyone here.” Cleo said with a laugh, watching you chug the beer can you had and tossing it in the trash.

“I should go play for the nba.” You mumbled to yourself, JJ laughing.

“So, what type of plane is it?” Cleo asked, her and Pope playing mancala on the table.

“Well, it’s wards so im guessing something fancy.”

“That’s what I’m talking ‘bout, flying private, baby!”

JJ sat next to Kiara, her movements pausing and her putting her instrument down.

“Hey, kie. You know, that whole entire money clip and dad situation?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, um, that wasn’t that cool, and im kinda beating around the bush a little bit, but, um, I’m…” he looked up, you heard a crackling noise and looked up as well.

“What the fuck?” You mumbled to yourself, standing up and rushing over to the window.

“What is that?” Kiara asked.

“That’s a fire.”

“Everybody get the fuck out!” You shouted at JJ and Kie.

Everyone dispersed, telling the others that were in the rooms.

“There’s a fire!”

“Get outta here, everyone get the fuck out!” You shouted at the teenagers, but before they could, it had reached the door.

You grabbed Sarah hand, getting her away from the door when she went over.

You watched some one pull away from the Chateau amongst the fire, a Range Rover you noted in your head. But you couldn’t worry about that right now. You had to figure out how to get out.

——-

The entire of the Chateau had been burnt to the ground. You all sat on a tree, feeling defeated.

“Could’ve been a faulty electrical wire.”

“Place was all wood.”

“It wasn’t an accident.” You mumbled.

“What?” They turned to you now.

“I.. saw a car pull away from the Chateau when I pulled Sarah away from the door. A Range Rover. It had to be some kook.” You told them.

“And you’re just now telling us this?!” Kiara asked.

“I was the one who got us all out of there alive, so don’t.. give me that bullshit. I was waiting until we were all out, and safe. Fuck.” You hit your head against the tree.

“Verdicts in, bro. Whoever’s up there does not like you.” JJ said, patting John B’s shoulder. “Sorry.”

You sighed, grabbing a glass bottle and throwing it towards the burnt house.

——

“Sarah, when did you say the pilot was getting in?”

“Probably like an hour? I mean, once he’s here, my dad says we can leave whenever we want.”

“Okay, well, as much as I would love to ghost my parents again, I can’t.”

“Pope, we’re talking El dorado here. Can you just like slip out the back maybe?” JJ asked.

“Great advice.” Kie shook her head.

“It always worked for me. How to avoid unpleasant circumstances 101. If there’s a problem and you don’t wanna face it-“

“Turn that face and keister around, and walk the other way.” You rolled your eyes, finishing his sentence, remembering that you had always told him that. Although that never stopped him from getting into his fights.

“I’m not doing that, okay?” Pope told him.

“I just want you to be there, dawg.” JJ sighed.

“I’m gonna be there. I’ll meet you guys in the airstrip in an hour?”

“Yeah, we’ll see you there.”

“One hour, pope. Not a second later.”

“Shit, any of you guys gotta phone I could use? I gotta call in sick, I guess.” You remembered.

“Is that really important right now?” John B asked you.

“Yeah, it is. You know how damn hard it is to get a job recently?”

“There’s probably one up at that gas station across the street.” Sarah nodded in the direction.

“Okay. I’ll be right back, swear.”

“You want me to come with?” JJ asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m good. It’s not that far.” You began to walk off the dock, and towards the gas station.

You rummaged through your pockets for some change, glad that they still had a pay phone outside. “Fuck.” You mumbled, realizing you hadn’t had enough.

You looked around, and you spotted a familiar vehicle parked at one of the pumps.

“Oh my God.” You muttered. This would only happen to you.

Rafe walked out the gas station. You turned around, trying your best to hide yourself. But you heard him chuckle and say something.

“Funny seeing you here, y/n.”

“Rafeeee…” you drawled out, giving him a small smile. “Just the person I wanted to see.” You said sarcastically.

“What are you uh… doing out here..? Awfully far out, aren’t you?”

“Well, actually, my cousin works here and he asked me to bring him something since he’s doing an overnight.”

“Huh. Where’s your car then?”

“That’s none of your damn business, is it?” You snapped.

He held his hands up in defense. “Sorry. Sorry. I’ll get out your hair, but it was nice seeing you.”

“W-wait, Rafe.” You mentally faceplamed at yourself.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry. Can I use your phone? I really, really, need to call someone.”

He hesitated, before grabbing his phone out his pocket and unlocking it before handing it to you.

“Thank you..”

You typed in your jobs number, telling both of them you’d be out sick probably for a while, out with a virus.

“A virus, huh?” Rafe asked when you handed it to him again.

You shook your head. “I got shit to do, and I’m not trying to get fired in the process.”

“Makes sense.” He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against a wall.

It was silent between the both of you before he spoke up again.

“Hey, I’m- I’m sorry if I uh… overstepped last time we talked. I was… drunk, and I… I dunno, I just feel bad about it… if that makes sense.”

Him apologizing was not what you expected. You stared at him, your mouth agape. You looked into his eyes and he seemed sincere.

You swallowed the lump in your throat, and he got off the wall, slowly walking towards you. His hands tangled into your hair, and made their way to the back of your head.

He leaned down, until his lips ghosted over yours. Your heart pounded and your eyes searched his.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked you quietly. Your nod was all he needed to move closer, your lips moving against each other.

But this kiss was different than the one in his bedroom, it was gentle, more loving. Your hands were on his chest, and oh god how you missed this.

Once he leaned away from the kiss, he cradled your face in his hands.

“I miss you. And I know I fucked up on the boat, and before that, but I want you to know I’m trying to change.” His thumb stroked your cheek.

“I… I miss you too. But, Rafe… I… I don’t know if it’s the best idea right now.”

“Is this about your brother still?”

“I- Rafe, it’s about everything. I got a lot going on right now.”

His hand fell from your face. “I get it.”

“Rafe-“

“I do, I get it. But all I want is for another chance to make things right. That's all I'm askin’ for.”

You sighed. “I… I have to go somewhere for a while, but when I come back, we can talk, alright?”

He nodded. “I’ll see you around, yeah?” He gave you a small smile.

“Yeah. I’ll see you.” You nodded back. He went close to you again, giving you another quick kiss before pulling away.

You leaned against the wall, sighing in relief when he walked away. You waited until he left the gas station to run back to the dock.

“Shit, sorry.” You panted as you ran up to them all.

“What took you so long?” JJ questioned with a quirked eyebrow.

“I had to ask people for their phones, and not a lotta people are nice I guess.”

“Whatever, I’ll see you guys on the tarmac!” JJ told them, you waving bye to them.

Kiara followed behind, “Hey, Jayj, wait. Hey. Um…”

You looked at them both, you standing there awkwardly. Kiara stared at you expectantly.

“I’m just gonna… yeah.” You snapped your fingers, turning back around and beginning to walk.

———

Rafe’s head swam in his thoughts. His unexpected visit with you resolved one of his problems, but he still had another major one. His dad.

“There’s no going back.”

Rafe paced the room, nervously biting his hands, his leg bouncing when he sat down.

He knew what he had to do. He drove over to where his dad was laying low, going over to his dad, fishing and drinking beer at the river.

“I need you to leave.” He told Ward.

“Oh, yeah? We talked about this already, Rafe.”

“I need you to go live your life in Guadeloupe. And you can let me live mine here.”

“I’m not gonna do that, okay?” Ward turned around, looking out into the water again.

“You realize… hey, you realize what could happen if you stay?”

“What could happen, Rafe?”

“What could happen? The police could find you here. Easy. And then, it’s… it’s done, you’re gone forever. Or something much worse.”

At his son’s words, Ward snapped his head around, standing and looking at him now.

“Much worse.”

“What have you done, son?”

Rafe walked towards him. “It’s not gonna be good if you stay.”

———

You and JJ walked through the house, you looking at the reminders of your dad while JJ shoved his clothes in a bag.

“You good?” He asked you, snapping you out of your thoughts.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” You looked at him, shaking your head and going back into your old room.

You grabbed everything you possibly could, looking around the room. Your whole life, packed into it. It would be gone when you came back.

You came back out, looking at JJ grab things as well. You grabbed your camera, a flashlight and maybe a couple bottles of beer as well.

A car engine outside made both of your heads snap to the window. He looked at you and you looked at him.

“What the hell?” You mumbled, telling him to get away. You looked out the window.

“Oh shit. It’s Mike.” You looked at him.

“Shit. Shit.” JJ mumbled, both of you getting down and hiding.

“JJ! Y/n! It’s your ol’ buddy, Mike. You lost my load. Time to pay up!” He shouted from outside. “All right, we’re gonna do this your way. Hmm?” He grabbed his gun, cocking it.

“I’m coming in, y/n! Yeah, I know you’re in there.” You both leaned against the wall, you motioning for him to go the other way.

Mike opened the door, both of you panicking now.

“We’re gonna do this your way.” He repeated.

JJ ran out the door, grabbing his backpack. You glanced around, where the fuck was yours?

JJ was outside, and he looked around. You were still inside.

It took you a minute to find it, but you grabbed your backpack.

“It’s gonna be a lot easier if you do it now.”

He was getting closer, if you ran out, you risked JJ getting found. And if you didn’t, you risked getting shot.

You didn’t know what to do. Your heart pounded and tears threatened to fall.

A memory flashed in your mind for a second.

“Jayj!” You cried out, watching him get repeatedly punched by another boy on the playground. You didn’t know what to do.

“JJ!” You gasped when the boy was finally pulled off and Jj was left laying on the ground. You cried, tears hitting his body.

JJ had taken those hits for you after he had caught some boy making fun of you.

He had taken those hits for you then, so you would take this one for him. You stood there, just trying to give him enough time to run. You held your breath, as silent as you could possibly be.

Mike found you before you even realize it, and started to fire upon seeing you. You ran outside, hoping to God JJ was already far away.

“Y/n.” He whispered, watching you run into the woods, Mike already had lost you both.

You panted and fell behind a tree, JJ ran over and grabbed your arm, asking what was wrong.

Mike glanced around, shouting as he looked around outside

You and JJ hid behind a tree, he glanced at your leg, blood seeping through your pants as you set your bag down. “Oh… my god.”

“Fuck.” You gasped, holding your leg. You cried out, JJ grabbed your backpack and helped you up, noticing Mike getting even closer.

He grabbed a stick, handing it to you. You put it in between your teeth as to muffle your pained cries. JJ put his arm around you, helping you walk.

“Shit, stay with me, alright?”

“Mmhmm.” You groaned out through the stick.

“You’re gonna be fine, shit, why didn’t you fuckin’ run?” He cried out, and that’s when you noticed he was crying as well.

You looked at him, he sat you down when you both were far enough. He rolled up your pants, you crying in pain as you looked at the wound.

“Shit.” He mumbled, and began to rummage through his bag, grabbing a shirt of his and putting pressure on the wound.

You screamed, stick still muffling your noise. You grabbed onto JJ as he tied the shirt around your leg, hiding your face in his shoulder.

“Fuck. Okay. Uhm… are you okay? Never mind, dumb question. I’m gonna take you to Ricky’s, or something, okay? I’m sure he’ll know what to do, and I’ll stay back with you-“

You took the stick out your mouth, panting heavily and cutting his sentence off.

“I’ll be fine.”

“What? You just got shot-“

“JJ, listen to me.” You grabbed his face in your hands. “We’re getting on that damn tarmac if it’s the last thing I fucking do. I am going to be fine, and I will find a doctor or something when we get there. I’m sure healthcare is much more affordable there than it is here.” You joked, he looked up at you.

He was so confused on how in the worst situations possible, you made it better.

You wiped your finger over his face, wiping his tears away. “You hear me?”

He nodded. He felt like he was a child again.

“Now help me get the fuck up, please?” You gave him a small smile, he stood up and wrapped the arms around him again. You wincing as you stood up.

——

On the tarmac, John B and Sarah stood. They saw you both come up.

“Why is he helping her walk?” Sarah asked.

“Was he.. crying?”

One thing about JJ, he never does that.

“What the fuck happened? Are you okay?” Sarah asked when JJ came up to them, she immediately helped you stand up, giving Jj a break as he breathed heavily.

“Mike fuckin’ came up, shot her right in the leg. She’s fine. But I swear to God, the second I see him it’s on sight.”

You gave them a thumbs up, smiling at Sarah.

“She can’t.. she can’t come, dude.” John B said. “We gotta take her to a hospital or something-“

“Dude, I said the same thing.” JJ told him.

“I’m fine. I told you I’m fine. All I need right now is some alcohol, and probably for it to be cleaned. I can do this.” You shrugged. “Can I have my bag?” You asked JJ, he handed it to Sarah.

“C’mon.” Sarah helped you up into the plane, and grabbed one of the first aid kits hidden in there.

“Thanks, Sar.”

“Of course.” She said, giving you a small smile. She stayed focused when cleaning your wound, apologizing every time you winced.

“I would just sit here for a little, okay? Don’t walk on it or anything for a while.”

“Yeah. Thank you, again.”

She nodded, heading back outside the plane. You smiled and leaned back, grabbing a beer bottle from your backpack.

It’s been a while, and they’re all still outside. You were asleep, comfortable on the seats and leaning up against the window.

“Y/n. Y/n.” JJs voice interrupted your lovely sleep. You grumbled and stirred, slowly opening your eyes.

“What?”

“I gotta go get Kie, you gon’ be okay here?” He glanced down at your leg and back at you.

“What? What’s wrong with Kie?” You asked, concerned.

“She’s not here, we think her parents are keeping her home or something.”

“What? Let me come with.”

“Are you serious? You can’t even walk.”

“Actually, I can kinda walk. Plus, I think you forget how good I am at sneaking out.”

He raised an eyebrow, your leg saying otherwise.

“That was the only time I’ve gotten caught okay?” You rolled your eyes. “And I did it to save your ass.”

“I know, I know, but-“

“Jayj. Take me with you before I shoot you.”

“I ain’t falling for it this time.”

“Be careful, okay?” You sighed. He nodded.

“His loss.” You mumbled, watching as he left. You leaned back onto the window, stretching your legs and arms, before going back to sleep.

——-

Taglist:

@cassie0sstuff @fals3-g0d @tiaamberxx @callsignwidow @saintnourah @calmoistorm @rafesgiirl

[crooked-wasteland]

I just saw your essay on the codependency of FizzOzzie and it cleared up a lot of things I've been thinking about this ship and to be honest, I myself thought it was the most healthiest ship in the whole show even better than the trash that Stoliz is but well... (btw, I was trying to scroll through tumblr to find it but can you just link it for me so I coud read it again)?

It also brings me to an idea of the possibility brung up in two fics each with different ideas:

#1 if Hazbin's events every leak in Helluva's since they're the same universe, there's a possibility that Lucifer would want to have precautionary heirs for the defense of Hell and outright force Ozzie and any other relationships with lowerclass apart since it's "not compatible with angelic DNA" or some thing, so Ozzie could in fact leave Fizz because of his status

#2 Ozzie getting tired of Fizz... Ozzie is the sin of Lust after all and Lust can be ever-changing and capricious in its nature as a sin. Ozzie’s character, embodying Lust, might lead to a fluctuating commitment level, influencing his interactions and relationships. In biblical lore, he did end up causing a lot of sinful things like fucking a human named Sarah or so I remember?

Again this is the same guy who humiliated Blitzø in Ozzie, S2 just rewrote him completely (btw, in my rewrite I'mma change him to be more evil and instead give the whole "lovey-dovey Sin" idea to Satan who is female and thinks Asmodeu's "fake-love" is like a slap in the fact to her idea of realistic and true romance)

I'd just feel like Fizz would be better off with Blitzø tbh or Striker or all in a threesome... the possibilities are endless, and why is the show making love seem too fairytale and unrealistic?! Like Blitzø shouldn't have to fuck Stolas just because he was his arranged playmate for just one day??? The show did the childhood friends trope dirty and would be better if Stoliz was a thing until mid-teens broke up for [insert reason] and reconnect but honestly, Stolas should've had his own seperate season/arc dedicared to himself if HB was an anthology show

Also the fact that Asmodeus couldn't just burn the contract, one-shot the lawyer and go on a rampage to save Fizz is just beyond me... the Sins are supposed to be these scary demon lords so why aren't they, hm?

Sorry for rambling and what do you think or want to add?

Absolutely here you go.

The consistent failure of Vivziepop is to commit to a mature story. She describes her own protagonists as "Deeply flawed but understandably traumatized people who just need love to fix them" while the villains of her shows are "irredeemable" (and women, but that's a tangent).

I mentioned before that trying to use the excuse of the setting being Hell and playing that out to the logical conclusion would end up exactly like Good Omens. The whole moral of said show being that imperfect humanity is worth saving, that life is worthy and beautiful for its own sake of existence. That is why the story of Good Omens uses the Bible, angels, and demons to tell it's story, to make that point.

Why is Helluva Boss/Hazbin Hotel set in Hell? What is being said by the plot, themes and story? So far we have that demons are better people than the Angels in Hazbin. That sacrifice is the only virtue worthy of redemption and thus reinforces backwards Christian ideals of penance.

Personally, I would have made Hell less absurd. Less a place of debauchery and chaos and more a mere continuation of life. We see in the Hazbin Pilot a character falls from the sky and says "I'm alive?" Before being hot by Travis' car. The point being that people just transition from one life to the next and in that they keep living life the way they always have.

My personal criticisms of the series' use of Hell is that it established this idea that people only behave if they have a god to fear. Once in Hell, there is no salvation, so why bother. It's like a Christian asking an atheist why they wouldn't commit murder if they don't believe in God. The answer is that people like order and security. People dying would seek to maintain their status quo from life. A lack of salvation wouldn't change that for them.

And frankly, I wouldn't have redemption be a thing. This story and its messages are actively devalued by the act of redeeming sinners when the Angels are just the same as them. By having Hell just be a warped continuation of life on Earth, it makes the message more universal: Life is Hell. Life is suffering in a way Hell can never hope to be. Physical anguish and torment for all eternity can never amount to the pain of the fleeting and the terror of change and uncertainty.

I would have made it impossible to be redeemed because the fact is, regardless what you believe happens after death, what we know we have is life. We fear death so much we have created salvation throughout history, the wish to keep living forever in some way. But, especially for young people, life is harder now than ever before. It's more terrifying and uncertain and cruel and uncaring.

So if life is Hell, how do you be happy?

That would have been my thesis for the show. The message underneath is all about finding happiness in the absence of salvation. Even the idea that maybe salvation is something we should reject to really feel what it means to be alive. Giving up on our deaths and seeking our own fulfillment, and in that finding community, love, and hope. To see true humanity as something selfish and kind at the same time.

That's how I would have taken the concept.

[atinylittlepain]

No Surrender

no outbreak!joel miller x fem!reader

Hungry Hearts masterlist

wordcount | 2K

warnings | smut, angst, the usual

a/n | a short but sweet epilogue to this treat of a story. thank you to everyone who has followed along with joel and cherry <3

................................

“Strike!”

“That’s alright, Els! Shake it off, babe, you got this!”

“C’mon, kid, just like we practiced. All in the hips.” Before she steps back up to bat, Ellie shoots a rather pointed look their way, her shoulders rising and falling with a huff.

“Shut up, please.” Cherry laughs while Joel grumbles, not too surprised by the kid’s abrasive command, though still a little taken aback. 

“At least we got a please out of her.” Joel nods, only half paying attention to Cherry’s quip as he watches the next pitch, a ball that Ellie doesn’t bite at, smart. Their team needs a strong hit, Sarah on third and another runner on second, two outs and all tied up. 

“Strike two!” 

“Oh, c’mon now, that was way inside.” He mumbles it just loud enough that the parents sitting in front of them on the bleachers turn over their shoulder to stare at him, Cherry offering them an apologetic smile before turning her attention to him. 

“Joel, don’t start. Do you want a repeat of last week?” Last week, both Ellie and Sarah wouldn’t talk to them the whole car ride home from the fields after he and Cherry both got asked to wait in the parking lot when they got a little too heated with the ump about Ellie’s contested slide into third.

“I blame you for that one.” Cherry’s face screws up, her hand that had been resting on his thigh laying a mean squeeze that makes him laugh.

“Me?”

“Yeah, you’re the one that started it.”

“Well, you’re the one that finished it, Miller.” Somehow, even after a year, they’re still disgusting for each other. At least that’s what Sarah calls it, Ellie usually agreeing with a grimace and a fake gag. But they’re too busy on the field right now to comment on the smacking kiss Joel steals from Cherry, her frown going slack before crooking into half a grin. 

“How could I not, Cher? That ump was calling my woman’s judgment into question.”

“Your woman, huh?” A quick flush of heat in his cheeks when she says it like that, all simpering low. His cheeks smart with his grin.

“Yeah, that’s right.” 

“How very paleolithic of you.” Before he can jostle her a little for her snark, the crack of a bat hitting a ball pulls their attention back to the field. Both of them are instantly on their feet when they see the perfect zip of Ellie’s hit. Yeah, maybe a little obnoxious, the way they alternate between cheering Sarah on into home and yelling for Ellie to steal second. But it is their girls, after all. 

…

Not that he would go around admitting this to anyone, but Joel has gotten pretty good at cooking tofu. Two pans on the stove, one with chicken and one with the aforementioned protein, he stirs while Cherry chops up veggies for the tacos beside him. 

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed that all the boxes we just brought over were only Sarah’s.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m all ready to go. The movers are coming on, what? Wednesday?” She stops chopping, shooting him an exasperated look.

“Monday, Joel, the movers are going to be at your house at nine sharp on Monday. Which, by the way, is two days from now.” 

“Right, I knew that.” She huffs, a murmured uh-huh as she goes back to chopping. Honestly, he’s not sure why she’s so worried about it. Over the course of the last year, it’s just been one big and slow move-in to the point that one evening last week when he and Sarah actually were at their house, he found himself without a toothbrush, having made a permanent home for it on Cherry’s bathroom sink. Really, the movers are just for the few big things they’ve still yet to haul over. Sarah’s bed, which is going to go in what was the guest room in Cherry’s house, walls now painted purple after a quick weekend project and ready for its new purpose. A couch and a flatscreen that’s going in the basement, and yes, he’s already looking forward to football season. And his bookshelf, an open wall in Cherry’s room for its new home, though she’s been adamant that anything with her name on it needs to go in a box somewhere that she can’t see it. Writers, he muses, never without their quirks. 

“Phone’s ringing, Cher.” And it never seems to stop. He swears he could hear it ringing from across town with how used to that sound he has gotten. But she’s been putting it on silent more often these days, and right now, she waves her hand in her phone’s vague direction, a despondent little sound in the back of her throat.

“I’m not answering that, it’s the fucking weekend and I just sent in the first draft to her. And anyways, she’s gonna be in town next weekend, did I tell you that?” She has, probably ten times, but he doesn’t tell her that, just nods, giving her hip a squeeze as he reaches around her for the spatula.

“What’s her name again?”

“Maria. And I was thinking, you know, maybe you could invite Tommy over for dinner the same night that she’s visiting.” Her words slant a little with her hardly-contained grin, and he finally pieces together why she’s been mentioning her editor’s visit so frequently to him.  

“Oh yeah, you were just thinking, huh?” He hooks his arm around her waist, the end of his words getting pressed into the shell of her ear as she squirms in his hold, trying to bite back her smile. 

“I’m just saying. She’s thinking about moving to Austin.”

“Is there a big publishing business in Austin?”

“No, she wants to give that whole remote thing a go. The wonders of modern technology and all that. I tried that new Skype thing out last week for an interview though and it gave me the biggest headache ever. I doubt that’ll last very long.” He hums, letting Cherry go to finish cooking the food on the stove. 

“I’ll invite him over, Cher, but I ain’t gonna promise you that he won’t make a fool of himself. She’s probably way out of his league.” 

“Hmm, we’ll see. I think someone a little more serious would be good for him.” 

He’s used to this now. He might even take it for granted. All the ways that they have configured their lives around each other. Lucky, he thinks, that Ellie and Sarah get along like they do. Lucky that Sarah likes her and Ellie tolerates him, though he thinks the kid’s not giving him enough credit when she says that with a dramatic sigh. Lucky too that two decades felt like nothing compared to all the good they get to have together now. 

A family, he thinks, because what else would he call it? Hers and his sitting down at the table on their back porch for dinner. And yes, it’s theirs now, or as good as, even though the movers are still two days away. 

Sarah and Ellie talk about their class schedules for the new school year. Lord help them all, sophomores in high school. Apparently he said that thought out loud because Ellie screws up her face at him around a bite of taco.

“Well, what were y’all like in high school?”

“Oh my god, Els, did you just say y’all?” Cherry can barely get the question out behind her laugh, and Ellie rolls her eyes so hard Joel thinks they might get stuck like that.

“Hey, she’s just practicing the local customs. But I’m also curious, for the record, about what you two were like in high school.” Ellie nods along to Sarah’s addition, already a team, he thinks. Again, lord help them all. 

“Well, your dad had a bit of a reputation on campus for getting into trouble.” 

“Hey, I was never as bad as Tommy.” He puts all of his energy into the look he gives Cherry, pleading for her to not take this where he thinks she’s taking it. She just grins over the rim of her glass. Sarah and Ellie meanwhile, seem rapt to hear more.

“Maybe so, but I’m guessing you haven’t told Sarah about what you did at homecoming in eighty-three?” 

“Oh Jesus no, and I’m not going to, and neither are you, thank you very much.” Sarah and Ellie take up a chorus of boos at that, Cherry shrugging her shoulders at him, though he doesn’t let her smugness off easy, squeezing her thigh beneath the table as he gets a story of his own ready for takeoff.

“You had a reputation of your own, didn’t you, Cher?” Her face falls just as his lifts with his grin, looking at the girls again, their attention recaptured. 

“This one right here was something of a heartbreaker. Wouldn’t give the time of day to any of the poor boys that trailed after her. Little did they know she was actually a grade A nerd.” A cheap shot maybe, Cherry shoving at his shoulder as Ellie snorts at her mom, enough for him to be pretty pleased with himself.

“I’ll have you know that I wasn’t giving any of them the time of day because I wasn’t interested in any of those poor boys you’re talking about.”

“No? Not even Mikey Donahue?” Cherry scoffs, a wave of her hand, forget it.

“Especially not Mikey Donahue.”

“That right?” “Mmhmm.”

“And how’d that work out for you, Cher?” 

“I’d say it worked out pretty well, at least in the end.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh god, they’re being disgusting again, that’s our cue to leave.” He doesn’t pay Sarah’s gripe any mind, nor Ellie’s groan of my eyes, it burns! By the time the sliding door of the porch closes behind their girls, he’s already leaning in for a second kiss that Cherry meets with a soft hum. 

“You better not tell them about homecoming in eighty-three.” Her brow crooks, nails scratching lightly at his scruff where her hand is settled along his jaw.

“Or else what?” He sighs, like he’s really considering his options, another squeeze to her thigh before he answers. 

“Or else I’ll tell them about the time you peed your pants in Sunday school.” Her smile simmers, her ankle hooking around his, a little tug for him to scooch his chair closer to hers. 

“Hmm, I think homecoming in eighty-three is still worse.” 

“I was trying to be generous, Cher. I could tell them about the time you got sent to the principal’s office for telling Maureen Henderson to shove her nail file up her—” Cherry gasps, quick to clamp her palm over his mouth, though she jerks her hand away when he starts to laugh.

“I never liked her.”

“No, you sure didn’t.” 

“She liked you though.” It’s silent for a moment, Cherry’s smile sliding into something a little more shy as Joel leans into her side, trying to catch her downturned gaze.

“That’s not jealousy I’m detecting is it?” The heel of her palm shoves into his chest with a huff, but he doesn’t budge, just crowds in closer, his arm curling around her shoulders. 

“Uh, considering I’m the one you’re breathing your pickled jalapeno breath on right now, no, I am not jealous of Maureen Henderson.” 

“I didn’t really care for her either.” That gets a smile out of her, the slightest curl of it enough for his to split even wider.

“No?” 

“Nah, I was waiting on someone else anyways.” She leans back to get a better look at him, doing that now familiar thing of pressing two of her fingers into the patch in his scruff, always right there. 

“Hmm, how’d that work out for you?”

“Pretty damn good, at least in the end.”  That gets him another kiss, Cherry just as quickly flitting out of his hold to start cleaning up the table after dinner, another routine he’s happy to settle into with her. 

Yes, maybe it’s strange, still awkward at times, figuring out how this family fits together. Yes, maybe there’s still hurt, two decades worth of it to answer to, to soothe in each other. But he knows that this is theirs, movers be damned. It’s always been theirs. And yes, maybe he also knows that there’s a small velvet box tucked into what is now his sock drawer up in their bedroom. He thinks he knows what her answer will be to that velvet box tucked into his sock drawer. 

...............................

taglist: @spookyxsam @libbylou223 @angel-in-beskar @starstruckunknown-princess @casa-boiardi @tieronecrush @swiftispunk @beskarandblasters @trulybetty @amanitacowboy @pr0ximamidnight @wannab-urs @jksprincess10 @suzmagine @everything-isfucked @lanabobana @kittenlittle24 @sarap-77 @officerrrfriendly @val-srz @bitchwitch1981 @redwoodsanddaffodils @themothersmercy @romanarose @lost-inhawkins @youcancallmeelle @hollywoodcaligirl @harryleatherfit @fifia-writes @brighttears @lokanda @hardlystrictlystarwars @sarahxxo3 @harriedandharassed @anoverwhelmingdin

[shellxrls]

need ward to whisper against my neck how “‘so good to me, you’re never gonna leave me like sarah did, are you sweetie?” in the middle of groping u while ur sitting on his lap and it’s so fkn unsettling but at that point ur too attached to leave

(rafe really stuntin (manipulating) like his daddy huh..)

2nd time talking about ward in your inbox today.. I’m so sorry 😞

the whole family perverted as fuck even sarah and her fake gay ass like 😭😭 their mom made the right choice leaving.

but when you get close to ward you rlly realise how it all stemmed from him and instead of making u leave it only brings u closer to him cause you’re just as demented in the head !!

[just-kit-ink]

Ok your answers are AMAZING. They have catapulted me in a Smarty-Pop mood. I'm not feeling too good so I was gonna save reblogging them later. But I knew I had to send this ask in at least.

On the ball! I tried to Google venetian style costumes for Smartass to see what would fit him best. Assuming I git the right time period, I can see him wearing this! Except in his colors and without the mask (and wearing the diamond he may or may not have stolen from a king before Doom hired them all)

I mean, with how flamboyant his suit is in the movie, I can imagine how his ballroom outfit would look. Good luck getting the other weasels into something this formal, though XD

And Poppy!! She's not only more low-key in general, she also has been starting to get worried about people finding our her identity as the run away lady too (Kitty worrying about people finding out her real identity has made Poppy wonder her own safety as well). So she wouldn't go too all out for her dress. This image was the best example I could find of what I imagine her wearing. Just make the sleeves a bit longer and change the color to a more light dusty rose (she would have just gone for plain white, if she wasn't trying to catch someone's eye ;)). From afar it may look plain, but up close you'd be able to see all the work and talent that was put in the dress.

Instead of glitter/jewels though, I'm thinking Poppy would have sewn in a more floral pattern? Oh! Maybe even sewn in actual fake flowers in the neckline? Diamonds are more Smartass' thing anyway XD

Can you imagine these two on the dance floor??? He's like a peacock with his apparel, but she's just as stunning with her simple yet elegant look ^^

Ok now that we have clothes out of the way; I'm just imagining these two looking at each other across the ballroom and just being stunned by what they see. Especially Smartass. People move between them, but they only have eyes on each other. Like- like when Sarah and Jareth saw each other during As the Workd Falls Down. Except Smartass' jaw is dropping XD (not that Poppy is so calm herself. She's got nothing but the sounds of her internal screaming echoing in her mind while trying to keep a cool front XD)

I can see Poppy taking the initiative and making her way to him! Even while he's busy elbowing Greasy for his comment XD If Kitty can go dance with that duke, then she can go ask Smartass if he'd like to dance ^^ But then that stupid knight that has been harassing her this whole time comes over to her and stops her, talking about how beautiful she looks- for a peasent- and expects her to come dance with him. Poppy doesn't want to, of course. The only eyes she wanted on her tonight were the bandit leaders! But he keeps cutting her off, and even tried grabbing her hand when she tried to just slip away.

Smartass sees this when he's done berating Greasy, and storms on over. Not caring if anybody sees because he's had it up to here with that knight now. He might not even bother with words at this point, he's that ticked off. While the knight is recuperating, Smarty grabs Poppys hand, gently despite the hard look in his eyes, and then walks away from the scene, and his patrol position that Doom assigned him, with her. Maybe he asks her himself for a dance, to which Poppy would reply "Yes" all happily and relieved.

Maybe during the dance, they open their hearts to each other more than before. Like Poppy asks him if he could ever love someone who runs from their past, and he asks her why she's so nice even to a rotten bandit like him.

But yeah, that's what's been in my head ever since you answered my ask XD I wish so so badly I had the energy to write this out or could just draw it.

//I love every part of this! Smartass peacocking, Poppy's understated beauty, Kitty gaining confidence, the knight getting weasel-blocked! 😂 It's all so perfect!

And OOOOH that scene from Labyrinth is actually what I had in mind when I thought of Kitty in a dark fantasy AU! It fits Poppy too! Dark-haired maiden meets mysterious flamboyant man who's part of a magical world and seduces her even though he's on the corrupt end of the moral spectrum.

This is all really well thought out and yes, I am so imagining Smartass in that outfit!

[bookofmirth]

The more I think about the Feysand pregnancy arc in acosf the more annoyed I get. It's not about them wanting a child, it's about the plotholes and all the made up bs that resulted in this totally unnecessary drama.

So the main issue was that the baby had wings despite being quarter Illyrian because Feyre shapeshifted during their sexy time. But in acomaf when she starts to learn how to fly, she shapefshifts her wings based on the batboys wings - how in the earth did she alter her whole anatomy to be of an Illyrian woman?? If the pelvis was an issue Rhys probably knew (and Feyre too apparently if she changed herself), why didn't they discussed it beforehand like responsible adults? They were actively trying for a baby at that point, why did noone think about this could be an issue (even if the baby is only quarter Illyrian)? Rhys could have said something like 'hey darling, you know there are risks if the baby has wings since you don't have the anatomy of Illyrian women, maybe we should cut it out with the wingsex for a while'? For me, this is the biggest plothole in the whole narrative of this arc.

You tell me that in a world where they could heal Azriel who had a poisoned arrow shot right in his heart, regrow Cassian's wings that were shredded to pieces, heal Cassian from a would that was so deep his guts were hanging out, they could never in their 20.000+ year history perform a successful C-section? How is this even justified?

Feysand having a baby at a time when their continent is on the verge of war again combined with their stupid bargain results in two things: They either put themselves in the backburner and sit out every conflict for the next at least 18 years which would be interesting since they are High Lord and High Lady, or they risk their kid being orphaned.... Again, like...... ???

The whole birth drama totally undermined the fact that Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie made actual history (esp. Gwyn and Emerie!). They won the Blood Rite and everyone was like 'oh well, AnYwAyy the BABY'. Please...

I don't even want to mention how Rhys dealt with this whole situation and then blamed it on Nesta when it blew up in his face, I think that was discussed a lot

Whew sorry for this rant, it's just the obvious and unnecessary bs-ness of this arc annoys me so much. Feysand just could have had their baby in piece, or at least sjm could have made up some fake magic-science to justify things better, because for me it really did not hit the spot.

What are your thoughts on this?

Absolutely agree with all of this!

I feel like "they were stupid" isn't a good excuse to fix the plot holes in what sjm worked really hard to show was a communicative, equal partnership/romance.

The way the fandom was STRESSING over Cassian's wings post-acomaf though, I laugh at us now. As if Miss Sarah J "handwaves it away" Maas was actually going to have him suffer long-term effects from that.

IMO, the entire pregnancy plot was SJM's way of creating reconciliation between Nesta and Feyre. That's it. Nesta saving Feyre (and by extension Rhys and Nyx) sidestepped any of the tough conversations that needed to be hand. It was so inorganic to... everything we know about Rhys, and Feyre, the IC, the magic of the world, it was inconsistent with what other characters have been through physically. But hey! It made Feyre and Nesta feel better about all the years of conflict and resentment, so whatever.

Okay and the bargain lmaooooo I argued back when acofas came out that the death bargain wasn't a big deal. I was like nah, it wasn't literal. But wow, what a way to inorganically sideline your former main characters in order to give your new main character an excuse to take center stage. Maybe if sjm hadn't made everyone so freaking overpowered all the time, then other characters besides Rhys (and now Feyre) would be able to help solve problems. But noooooo we gotta have an excuse for Rhys and Feyre to sit on their hands because otherwise, they are just Too Strong, the Strongest Ever, and because the magic is so freaking vague, now we need an excuse for Rhys to not be able to wave his hand and make problems go away like bits of lint.

I do wish that Feyre could have had a baby in peace, to not stress, to not be in danger, and most importantly, for her dumbass mate to have NOT kept that information from her. Feyre had been through enough already, just for sjm to be like "hm, how can I get these characters to not be mad at each other anymore without them actually talking like adults about it??" I understand that there needs to be conflict, there will be drama. But it didn't have to be like That. Conflict or the resolution of conflict, should not be built on a house of cards. It should feel natural to the world, the culture, characters, plot, etc.

Feysand used to be otp, and I still do like them a lot, just... pre-acosf. That book nearly ruined them for me, though.

[xreaderbooks]

Your thoughts on obx season 3 ???

Warning: SPOILERS Be prepared for a whole essay of my thoughts :)

I could not stand Big John, mf really just did not care about John B or at least cared more about finding el dorado and/or the treasure than his own son. Kind of made me think that John B was thriving when his dad was dead (yes, I know he actually wasn't thriving but it just hurt to see how his dad came back into his life and he was actually more toxic than you remembered).

Following up with that... IMO Ward is a better father than Big John lowkey.

John B needed to speak up! The daddy issues were real, I felt bad for him tbh

What is up with villains and their need to narrate their whole life story, I hated Singh, this short ass mf really thought he did something with everything that he did (that sentence might have made sense but in my mind it did)

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah... Get this girl a therapist! Please because what the actual fuck. Can I just say that I know she's human and people make mistakes, she went through some really tough shit. But this bitch really cheated on John B with Topper dude, like John B is the only one that's acknowledged that they are 'married'. They were not broken up, John B said some hurtful ass shit to her and she said 'come find me when you wanna tell me the truth' or something like that... so you cheated and you told your ex that you were broken up.

Fuck Topper and his feelings but if you know that he can get white boy crazy, like girl why would u do this? Mans is OBSESSED, and he wants to talk shit about the pogues when he's the problem. Literally, burned John B's house to the ground like???

Anyways... I still stan her though bec poor bby was hurt and ended up pulling through.

Kie's mom really did try to be supportive but HER DAD!!! he really thought that this girl was being lied to and manipulated by the pogues. he boiled my blood with the way he spoke to JJ and just did not try to be understanding at all- with the way he said that he was a pogue so he knows what it is to lie and shit? So that just tells me that you're really no better than JJ and the others as a matter of fact you were worse even.

If I was Kie I would have been RAGINGG dude that was so wrong of her parents, I know she was pissed but the moment I saw that van I would've ran!

Poor JJ, he really felt like he wasn't good enough for Kie (I don't necessarily ship them but they were cute). He was so self-destructive I wanted to shake him through the screen and tell him how he is more than enough for Kiara.

The no love club!!! did we really think that was gonna last though? Like they swore off love yet they have feelings for each other ahhhh okay but Cleo and Pope >>>

JJ and Kie had MOMENTS and they were pretty cute

I LOVE JJ but I am a slut for Rafe, he ate this season idc

It's the way that at the end of the season everyone gave the pogues a standing ovation for the award they received (was it an award? I can't remember cause at that point I was in shock at how this was ending) when they ALL thought so lowly of them, fake ass bitches I swearrr

I feel like they could've ended the show perfectly fine there, maybe they could have added an episode where they show how the group is doing while they live their new lives, I am excited for season 4 but I just hope they don't ruin the vibes yk?

So those were my thoughts I probably left out a few that I can't think of right now but for now let me know what you think in the comments or message me and we can discuss :)

[chellyfishing]

the girlies are going through it so i’ve watched even more stuff lately

i forgot in the last post that phil and i are keeping up with my adventures with superman (we are going to watch the newest one[s] today!) and this show is just. exactly what i want in superman media. because it’s superman! it’s why i love superman!!!!!! it’s just colorful and fun and he’s so puppy!!! and it’s incredibly anime, like they’re really out here wearing their inspirations on their sleeves and i love them for it. if you like superman who is actually superman and not batman but wearing blue this is the show for you. (and!!! he’s got the underwear!!)

bella and i also have started only murders in the building season 3. not much to say yet cause only two episodes but we’re off to a good start! i shan’t spoil who is IN THIS SEASON OH MY GOODNESS but i will remind everyone who forgot like we did that paul rudd.

we unexpectedly marathoned our flag means death the other night cause i had still not yet watched it and uhh. i mean do i really need to go into this one? xae was also there while we watched and he ended up getting sucked in to the point he was literally yelling at the show by episode nine. (also: when lucius was like “i know i’m not cute but i’ve decided to carry myself as if i am”? that’s the energy i want to embody from now on.)

as for movies: i think i should have included in the last one but am not sure about the order of things because time is fake that i saw insidious for the first time. i actually wrote a little mini-essay in my head about gender roles in that movie but it wasn’t as egregious about it as, say, a quiet place. like insidious doesn’t make me low-key a bit mad like that one does lmao. it has some real good spookenings! too bad the sequels are apparently real bad cause i would like to have continued the story, but it’s not killing me or anything. like that cliffhanger didn’t make me tear my hair out or whatever. it’s patrick wilson he’ll be fine.

we watched an irish film called the hole in the ground which is about a hole in the ground (that has some evil fey creatures in it). it was good! it’s very beautiful and quiet and atmospheric and i am a slut for atmosphere. this is for if you want a straightforward but artistic horror film.

then we watched the night house, and i guess horror movies don’t feel the need to have warnings because it’s a horror movie and you know it’s going to be horrific but we both wish we’d been warned ahead of time how much this one deals with suicide. it was really good and i could probably write a lot on it but it was also quite heavy and hit really hard. the ending had us both nearly in tears. recommended but with that warning.

(we rewatched the menu afterward to bring the mood back up. good-ass movie.)

and last night!! we watched red white and royal blue! i read the book ages ago but bella and rose were both going in pretty much blind and i’m so pleased with how much they loved it. i think it was a good adaptation. they kept what made the book a good read (it’s just a little modern romantic fairy tale with two men) and i think they conveyed the vibes of the developing relationship well. the lads played the roles well and with a lot of heart and sincerity. let’s not try to force either of them to come out over it though please? also in that vein: i am afraid that the release of the film is going to revive The Discourse about the story, so this is a reminder that mcquiston wrote it around the 2016 election as a way to cope and escape to a better and more just world. they know what it is and what it says.

can’t remember what else i’ve watched besides quite a bit of black mirror. i’ve been kind of choosy with the episodes because i’m still fucking haunted by the first one!!! why did they do that!!!!! but i gotta say. sarah hawkinson on youtube was so right. nosedive might be the best episode of the whole thing. just flawless. I could watch that ending scene ten thousand times i love it so much. special shoutout to joan is awful which is another current fav. maybe if i get through the whole series i’ll do a full ranking.

oh. and still playing zelda. haven’t got another divine beast but have fought a looooot of lynels. now just going around trying so hard to get guardians to drop ancient cores. not a sign of a giant one yet and i need THREE MORE PLEASE COME ON.

[klainesheilen]

starting to read Villette by Charlotte Bronte and you know what that means? Rom-Com summer break is over, time to get back to my academic readings. Yet I want to share some of my thoughts with you on the books I have read in the last 3ish weeks

started with A Witch's Guide to Fake Date a Demon by Sarah Hawley AND I HAVE EATEN THIS SHIT UP. The main reason why I have got it is simply because it was for 99 cents and I thought the idea of a romance between a witch and a demon being something unique. This book made me laught out loud, can't remember the last time a book made me do that. It's helerious, I really enjoyed the other plot going, found the characters so loveable (the ones who derserve it lol, iykyk). My only issue with this book is the fake dating aspect. I see the reasening, but once I hit a point in the story where I was wondering "Why are we still calling it fake dating?" it wasn't doing it for me anymore. Maybe it's a me thing, but still a strong 4 star read for me !

next I read was Practice makes Perfect by Sarah Adams and this was a huge side eye, criminal offensive side eye. Maybe my bar was too high after AWGtFDaD, but what was that? I couldn't feel the chemistry. Everytime one of them drifted off in their thoughts and thought something sexuell - how did I get here? The only reason I kept on was that I updated my bf after like each chapter how and why these characters (and even the whole small town) pissed me on. Two stars for me.

I have dnfed Something Wild and Wonderful by Anita Kelly. I liked the new setting, found one of the characters a little cringe but both still loveable. At 13% I got the feeling that this will be more of sad story and I wasn't in the mood for that. Hope to pick it up again one day (:

With Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon I have hit book #400 of my alltimes reads. I wasn't the target audience, so I was cringing at some moments and at the writing style. Again, would have loved it more if I was younger, because the message is so good for young people and their first heart break, but for me, an adult who been there was there, it was a nice quick (two days !!) read. The adult in me gives it 3 stars and the (pre) teen 4 !

Lastly I have read It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey. This one was a little rollercoaster for me. The beginning was so good, usually I have a problem with spoiled characters, but Piper was still true to herself that reading about her was so fun! The dynamic she has with Brendan LOVE! But once it's clear that they have a crush on each other it has put me into a slump. Everytime I had to force myself to pick the book up and keep on and once I did so I liked it, tho I got the feeling that the plot stretched itself. At like 80% I was so fucking close to dnf it. Not that I disliked the conflict, I just got so triggered by it. Can you tell that I have some personal stuff going on lately? Anyway, I finished it yesterday and gave it four stars, but now I'm thinking to go a little down with my rating, because of the reading slump it has put me in

[kinetic-elaboration]

January 2: Halloween Resurrection

As part of my mission to watch every Halloween, I've watched Resurrection. And...you know, I knew it would be bad and I put my expectations down on the floor and with such low expectations, I didn't hate it. But I completely agree with the assessment of it as "unnecessary." This movie really didn't do anything or bring anything to the table. It made overtures sometimes, but after it was over, I just felt...meh. Nothing really. Like there wasn't much of a point to the last 90 minutes.

Its biggest sin is being the only other film in the H20 timeline. If there were more, I might feel like, okay, they had to resurrect Michael to keep this whole story line going, they had to kill Laurie so Jamie Lee Curtis wouldn't be forced to do any more films (again, in this timeline). But since this movie is basically the end of this universe, since it was this movie and only this movie for which they retconned the ending of H20 to have Michael live, and it had so little to say or to add to the franchise, it did so little to even entertain, it seems like a terrible waste. It didn't have anything to do wit H20 after the first 15 minutes. It didn't do anything with the other survivors of that movie, for example John or Molly--and a part of me likes that because it makes it easier for me to ignore it and just tell myself H20 is the end of this timeline, the satisfying end of Laurie's and Michael's story. Even more so since Laurie's end was so dissatisfying. I don't want to see the final girl die! Even if she does get a bad ass moment before her death and even if her scenes are the best part of the film.

But if it wasn't going to do anything with what H2O set up, then why does it even exist?

If the answer is, to tell another cool Michael-related story...well that would require a cool Michael-related story.

I appreciated a few things, at least a little bit. I appreciate the movie as a time capsule--they were obviously trying so hard to make it relevant and hip or whatever, which of course makes it very dated 20 years on, but in a sort of interesting way. Let's make it about college students, and hidden cameras, and the Internet. Oooooh the Internet. Watching all of the Halloweens has really shown me just how much the franchise reflects the changing trends of horror, but also fashion, movie-making, characterization, etc. Resurrection certainly is a good example of its time.

Also, having "Deckard" help Sarah survive to become the final girl, by using a weird little 2001-era phone, was a nice 'technological' touch. It was fun to see the meta-element of the high school kids watching the same movie as the audience and reacting in real time.

I also...get what they were trying to do with examining the mythos of Michal Myers. That can be fun when done well: letting different characters explain their theories, considering different backgrounds and explanations, seeing Myers from the outsider's POV rather than from within his family, as the movies so often do. The fake out of the "origin story" being placed there by the producers, not a real explanation but just a ruse, a building of the myth for profit while they underestimate the real threat, was an interesting touch. Something there about the franchise itself, I think... But the intro sequence of Halloween VI did this better. Resurrection was too touch and go, too sloppy.

There were also a couple of scenes that were pretty good. I liked Laurie's Michael trap in the opening, even though I didn't like the concept of Laurie in a mental institution as a whole. The sequence where the camera man is killed and his death is intercut with Tyra Banks dancing and making herself coffee was pretty funny. It didn't feel Halloween-y--more like a cut-rate Scream or other horror-comedy--but I enjoyed it nevertheless. Similarly, Michael Myers stalking Michael Myers through the dark, leading to Busta Rhymes yelling at Myers and telling him to skedaddle, was creepy and then funny in turn. And the discovery of Michael's (real) lair was maybe a bit too disgusting for me, but effective.

That's basically it, though. Overall, it was just...hard to care. There were a lot of characters, and except for Sarah and Jen, and a little bit the character played by Sean Patrick Thomas only because he was played by Sean Patrick Thomas, I really didn't know anything about any of them, and so I just wasn't attached. Also, while the quality of the mini-cameras was obviously...what the quality of mini-cameras was in 2001, having big chunks of the action, and intercut parts of pretty much every kill, presented on grainy mini-camera footage, made it pretty much impossible to even figure out what was happening. After the genius of H20, it was disappointing to see the franchise revert to standard slasher fair, and without any of the Halloween staples (other than Myers himself) that make the old Halloween routine so pleasant to return to again and again. No Sam Loomis or Loomis type figure to warn the police about Myers. No particular reason or goal for Myers' killing (other than 'get out of my house' I guess). No aesthetically pleasing suburban American Halloween scenes. No creepy daytime buildup to the killing spree.

Overall, if you want to watch found footage horror, you should watch Blair Witch or Paranormal Activity. If you want to watch comedy/meta-horror, you should watch Scream. If you want to watch something from the early 2000s, I'm sure there were a lot of much better movies made during that time to turn to. And if you want to watch Michael Myers go on a killing spree, you should watch the original Halloween--or Halloween II or IV if you want a higher body count. This one doesn't have anything to offer other than the wild realization that it was made at all.

[ljsstories]

Chapter Twenty Six: The Premiere

"Jensen! Jensen over here!" "Jensen smile, put your arm around her! Yes, that's it!" "Hey Jensen, Jensen!" It felt like being pulled apart by a pack of wild animals. Flashes in his eyes and people yelling his name, telling him to stand this way and pose that way. His co-star was eating it up with a spoon, her hand started at his waist but made its way to his left butt cheek. She looked up and winked at him flashing those pearly white teeth while squeezing him aggressively through the fabric of his Armani suit.

"Chloe! Chloe, look over here sweetheart! You're so pretty! Give us a smile!" Yes, Chloe Cornell was loving the attention in her skin-tight blue dress that left very little to the imagination, it barely covered her ass. She wasn't wearing a bra, her boobs were fake anyway, so she didn't have to worry about them sagging. Jensen felt bitter towards her, after everything, after burying the hatchet and becoming good friends, it all went up in smoke the minute they hit the red carpet. She was up to her old tricks again as soon as the cameras were pointed in their direction, stoking the fire for the tabloids. Jensen looked over at his mentor, the writer and director of this movie, Landon looked green, he was sweating, and he looked utterly uncomfortable as his lovely wife Sarah held his hand and whispered something in his ear. Suddenly a smile spread across his face, and he was giving the paparazzi the thumbs up. His hair fell neatly and effortlessly down his back and his beard was trimmed to perfection. Those blue eyes glinted in the glare of the camera flashes as Sarah squeezed his hand and smiled up at him as if he was a God. Jensen envied them so much, he had a leech attached to him, a blood sucking parasite who didn't care how uneasy she made him feel with her antics. "FYI, I'm not wearing any panties!" She had whispered as her hand brushed against his abdomen, dangerously close to a place he didn't want her to touch. What a stark contrast to Sarah Ellis Chloe was, only out for herself while Sarah stood by her man and held him together when all he wanted at that very moment was to fall apart. Jensen wondered what that was like, to have someone by your side supporting you, telling you everything was going to be alright. Jensen wanted Jane, right then that was all he wanted, to have her by his side telling him everything was going to be alright. But she wasn't there, it had been two months since the show at Rugby Park, two whole months Jensen had stewed in his own juices because Jane had abandoned him. He had tried to contact her several times during those two months, but she never answered him, be it text or phone call or private message, she never got back to him. He was so mad at Eliza that he refused to go through her to get a reply from Jane, he knew that all of this was his fault, that he should have been straight with her from the beginning, but all he ever wanted was to see her shine. He looked over at Landon, he was smiling and nodding towards the paparazzi, he was talking to reporters about his masterpiece as Sarah remained by his side looking proud of her husband. Chloe squeezed Jensen again, knowing he could do nothing without making a scene in front of the cameras, that bitch, some friend she turned out to be. It was all over the papers again, Jensen and Chloe, were they or weren't they. He really didn't want that to take the shine from Landon's movie, which was smashing box office records. There was talk of Oscar nominations in the best actor and director categories, the early reviews were mostly positive. Of course, there were always the odd ones that were personally negative because that particular critic hated the actor or director involved and refused to praise anything they did out of sheer principle. You would never get their approval, so there was no point in trying, or letting it get to you. Jensen and Landon had the same hater in movie critic Davis Underwood. He just couldn't say anything nice about either of them, he disliked what they represented, he hated pretty boys. Davis wasn't particularly good looking, he was short with a receding hair line, he had a major chip on his shoulder, a failed actor turned critic at thirty-five years of age. He just despised actors like Jensen and Landon, who had looks as well as natural talent. He had slated Landon's movie, but it hadn't damaged its popularity in any way, it was just a bitter little man spewing bile. Jensen had to do the whole promotion thing with journalists from magazines and television shows coming in and out constantly, most of the time he was sitting next to Landon so that the interviewers could marvel in their similarities. When Jensen was asked to sit with Chloe, he refused, requesting that Victoria Harper sit in with him instead. She had played Sarah at the end of the film, she was married and had a little boy, she never made Jensen feel uncomfortable and they got along really well during filming. Jensen felt that she wasn't getting enough publicity, after all she had played the lead character's soulmate, she was an integral part of the plot. Landon agreed and made sure that Victoria was given as much attention as Chloe. Not having to pretend to like Chloe Cornell lifted a huge weight from Jensen's shoulders, he didn't have to worry about where Victoria's hands were, they were always by her side. She had a mutual respect for him too, always understanding that deep down Jensen was actually quite shy, he didn't like women lunging at him and touching him inappropriately. One day during takes he had told Victoria how he had to deal with that for most of his music career, he felt he could talk to her, she reminded him of his sister. He also confided in her about Jane, how much he missed her and worried about her, how all he wanted was to hop on a plane and tell her exactly how he felt even though his therapist had told him that was the last thing he should be doing. Sitting in this room next to Victoria, answering another reporter's questions, Jensen felt like he was in autopilot, just going through the motions, he'd answered every question dozens of times, it was like doing take after take on a movie set, repeating the same lines over and over again. He decided to stay with his mother for a little while, living alone wasn't the same anymore. He craved company to silence his loud mind, the voice in his head telling him he was never going to get over Jane, that he was forever doomed to pine for her until he was old and grey and alone, lying on his deathbed lamenting how it could have been if only she'd given him a chance. If only he'd looked up from his phone that night and spoke to her, treated her like a human being, maybe they would have fallen in love and lived happily ever after. She would never have chained him up, he would never have made her life hell, they would just love each other. It could be so easy, why was it so hard? He could blame Eliza all he wanted, but deep down he knew that he should never have meddled in Jane's life, even though his meddling had resulted in something good, something that made Jane's life better. No matter how much he tried to justify it his mother was always there to tell him what a dick he was. His sister said nothing, she was being sugary sweet for favours, Jensen was an awesome uncle and babysitter, she was keeping him onside. Jonah took Eliza's side obviously, he was constantly messaging and phoning her even though they were just friends, Eliza had done nothing wrong, and it was all Jensen's fault. Jonah was right though, that was the part that Jensen couldn't handle, that his dopey little brother was right! Everything that had happened was all on Jensen, he pushed Jane so many times when she'd told him to leave her alone. But there were also times when he was useful, he had been there for her when she needed someone, when her mother was sick Jensen turned his plane around just to be with her. He was always there, she just had to snap her fingers and he would come running, even now, always! If she called right now and said she needed him he would be straight on a plane to Scotland, he would still do anything for her! Even after she completely broke his heart by leaving the concert he had booked, yes it had been his idea and he ran it by Jonah who agreed to do it, just so that she would be there, just round the corner from her house, he would come running and let her destroy him in the process. It wasn't healthy, and he had an appointment with Doctor Jenna to discuss this...again! All they ever talked about was Jane, how he had to resist the urge to hound her, which was so hard. Doctor Jenna was adamant that he try to live his life as normally as possible without Jane, that was a lot to ask of him but he was going to try. During that session at Jenna's office, they discussed his father's terminal illness, something that Jensen was still very numb about. He still couldn't understand why it was affecting him so much. Jenna tried to explain that despite their estrangement, Martin was still his dad, his flesh and blood, and if it didn't affect him then there would be something seriously wrong. "Jensen you're allowed to care about your dad! It's not a crime!" "I know I..." Jensen trailed off and looked out the window. It felt different being in her office in downtown L.A. as opposed to the rehab clinic. They'd been meeting here ever since the movie wrapped and he'd promised Landon he'd keep seeing her. "Is there something else bothering you?" "It's just..." He sighed, closed his eyes and tried to find the right words, "...how do I get my brother and sister to see him? He's dying for Christ's sake!" "People deal with these things in different ways, your siblings are maybe less attached because it was you who heard it straight from your dad. Second hand news, it's maybe not real for them yet. There's nothing you can do to make them visit your dad, all you can do is suggest, the rest is up to them." She was right, Jensen had tried everything to get Jonah and Juliet to meet with Martin, Juliet's excuse was Maddie and Jonah simply didn't want to, as clear cut as that. Jensen had seen his dad a lot, he was even bonding with Lucy as well as Ava, his two lovely little half-sisters. Jensen left his latest therapy session feeling drained as always, but content...as always. It wouldn't last though; it rarely ever did. Turning the key in his mother's front door he could hear Jonah whining away inside. Great, that was all he needed, "All I'm sayin' is where is the harm? We're taking a break from the tour; I could just suggest to Eliza that Hawaii is nice this time of year!" "Hawaii is nice every time of year Jonah honey, just leave the girl alone for a while, huh?" "Mom, I am going out of my fucking mind! I can't do this!" Jensen stood in the doorway of the living room watching his mother comfort baby Jonah once again. He understood exactly how he felt, but he wasn't going to buy into his crazy scheme of sweeping Eliza off her feet. She'd applied for a job as a make-up artist on some Scottish soap set in Glasgow, she had no intentions of jetting off right now. Jonah really was bad at reading situations, a curse he had all through his teenage years and beyond. Jensen cleared his throat and stood up straight. "Hey! What's going on?" "You can butt out ass face!" Jonah moaned, yeah that was mature! Jensen was quite happy that they were taking a break from touring because Jonah had become a right royal pain in the backside since the show in Kilmarnock, after he'd seen Eliza. He pined and whined, and the other guys were just about ready to beat his ass, also Ian was on his last nerve with him too, if he got a hold of him he was going to be mincemeat. "Well, I was just trying to be brotherly and lend you an ear but if you're going to resort to name calling then..." "No, wait!" Jonah called to him as he was about to leave. "Jensen, sweetheart your brother is just...going through a rough patch!" What a fucking laugh, Jensen thought as he watched their mother stroke Jonah's hair like he was still in pre-school. Why did he have to act like such a big baby? Jensen had to suck it up, it was time for Jonah to do the same! He bit his tongue and joined them on the couch, ready to listen to his stupid little brother cry and wail over Jane's sister...again!

***

Jane saw photos online of the premiere of Landon Ellis' big movie, Jensen was there with his girlfriend looking rather uncomfortable, maybe he'd gotten bored of her already. Why did she care? After his betrayal! She didn't...only she did! He did look handsome; the beard was gone, and his hair was its usual length at his shoulders. It was nice to see his beautiful face, blushing as she was thinking this Jane looked over at an unsuspecting Eliza who was shovelling spoonfuls of Coco Pops in her mouth and focusing on the television. "Hey, look Janey, it's your boyfriend!" She let out a sarcastic laugh as Corey Tyler's shit eating grin took up most of the screen. He was being interviewed on Good Morning UK about his role in the new Dracula reboot on HBO. Apparently it was rather saucy, well it would be on that channel, lots of swearing and nudity, something the Americans frowned upon most of the time. "Please don't call him that!" Jane pinched the bridge of her nose, seeing that big blond idiot stressed her out. His latest offering was a weird looking necklace shaped like an egg which had lots of little jewels all over it, it opened up to show a four-leaf clover inside. Eliza had screamed in her ear when she saw it, almost perforating Jane's ear drum. "OMG that's..." The words had choked her as she just stood and stared at the necklace, mouth gaping open. "It's hideous!" Jane had said with more than a hint of disgust in her tone, "What's with the clover? Does he still not know the difference between Scottish and Irish?" Eliza's flabbergasted face left the egg for a moment as she stared at her sister in disbelief. "Janey, have you any idea how much this hideous thing is worth? Do you even know what it is?" "No, don't care either!" Jane shook her head and slammed the box shut so she couldn't look at the offending article a moment longer. "Janey it's a Fabergé egg! This one is worth almost £10,000! You could sell this and pay off dad's mortgage and still have a chunk of change left!" The sisters stared at one another for a few minutes as Jane processed what Eliza had told her. If she was right and it was worth that much, selling it would be the best option, even though her morality was telling her to return it to sender. Jensen would tell her to sell it, why was she thinking of Jensen? Because she was always thinking of Jensen, even after everything, after she found out he had orchestrated her deal with Gemma Lacey, after she'd found out that his stalking had branched out into meddling in her everyday life! Looking at Corey waffling on now, she knew in her heart that no one would ever live up to Jensen Alexander Reed, even after Jane found out what he'd done, was it really so bad? It wasn't like he'd sabotaged her business, quite the opposite in fact! Why was she so angry? Why did she feel like she could never forgive him? As her sister and best friend kept telling her, he was only trying to help her out, so what was his crime? Jane had no answer to that, all she knew was that it hurt, Jensen had hurt her, and she didn't know how to get past it. Deep down she knew it was because he'd asked a favour of an ex-girlfriend, she knew it was because her mind kept going over what their conversation must have been like. Did he flirt with her? Did he sleep with her one more time in exchange for this little favour he wanted? Stupid things to think, but Jane was thinking them anyway, when it came to Jensen her jealousy was over the top. Looking down at Eliza's iPad, seeing Chloe Cornell leaning into him and staring up at him with her pearly white smile, Jane was insanely jealous still. She hated that feeling, jealousy was such an ugly emotion, it caused all sorts of problems and ruined so many lives. People went to war over jealousy, people killed over it, they did unspeakable things over it. Jane just sat and stewed, that was her way of overcoming this horrible feeling that she got any time Jensen's face appeared or when his name was mentioned, or when she heard his voice on the radio. Hatred had transformed into the green-eyed monster, and that was far worse! The forgetting spell that Louise had mentioned a long time ago was looking really good right about now, she didn't hate Jensen, she wished that she did, no how she felt at that precise moment could destroy hatred, it could destroy planets! That was why she needed to completely forget Jensen Reed before anyone got hurt, because someone would!

***

Jensen had decided to recruit his mother to try and convince his siblings to visit their father. He knew that Martin hadn't stayed away out of choice, he knew that Steph had made it difficult for him to be in his children's lives. Steph looked sheepish when Jensen sat her down that afternoon, she knew what he wanted to talk about, "I know you must hate me, for what I did..." She looked him in the eye, a wary expression on her face, unsure of how to proceed, "...but I still love your father! I never stopped!" Steph broke down before she finished the sentence, her voice broke on the last word as Jensen took her in his arms and held her. "It's okay mom, I understand!" He did in a way, not being able to stop loving someone who had wronged you was his speciality these days. "No, you should hate me!" Stephanie sobbed into her son's shoulder, "You should yell, throw things! I deprived you of having a relationship with your father! I'm the reason for everything!" Her heart was breaking just talking about it, Jensen knew how sorry she was, he knew that it must have been so hard to resist punishing the love of her life for leaving her. Would he have done the same to Jane? No way, but maybe he was more like his dad, he kept quiet even though it was killing him. "You're such a sweet boy Jensen, I have no idea where you get that from! Even your brother and sister have my mean streak, my inability to forgive! But you, beautiful boy, you're unique!" "I'm not, I..." "Listen to me!" She pulled from his grip and stared into his eyes, "Don't ever lose that, don't let life take that away from you! It's okay to feel, to love and to accept that you can't change things, don't ever get bitter!" Too late, Jensen thought, he was already bitterly resenting Jane for standing him up, it had never really gone away since that night. It still hurt to think about it, how his attempt to help her had been thrown in his face like it was something sordid and unsavoury. All he did was put in a good word about her to a friend, all he did was help. "Mom, I don't know if I can ever..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to cry, "...she hurt me mom, and this time I don't know if I can get past it! This one is a biggie!" And then the tears came, he hadn't realised just how much it had affected him until he couldn't control his emotions. "Oh my baby!" Now it was Steph holding him in her arms, "I think it's time honey, time you let her go, hmm?" She was right, with his dad being sick and Landon talking about a new major project, River Monster's tour resuming soon, he needed to move on. "I need you to do something for me mom!" Steph rubbed his back and sighed. "Anything baby, just ask!" "I need you to talk Jules and Jonah into meeting dad, you and I both know that if they don't, they'll regret it. Tell them what you told me, please?" "They'll hate me, they're not like you sweet boy!" "Please mom, I don't want them to miss out on having closure with dad, they need this, and you know that! Just tell them?" Stephanie agreed to help her son, even if it meant losing her other son and daughter in the process. Jensen knew it would never come to that; they would forgive eventually. "You know, it's not a curse!" Jensen gave his mother a confused look, "Being an empath, feeling things more deeply than your brother or sister! Marty was like that when we first met, he liked me a lot so when I fell pregnant with Juliet, he did what he thought was the right thing...and he proposed!" Tears glistened her cheeks as she talked about her marriage with his father, "He loved her the moment he laid eyes on her and he stayed for her, he tried to love me. He wanted to love me, I could see it in his eyes, he tried so hard! In the end it was useless, you can't make yourself love someone. Jensen, you can't make Jane love you the way you love her, you need to let go now kiddo!" That pain came back, the moment she told him to let go, the pain came back, and it hurt more now than it ever did before, "Marty thought having another child would fix things, after three years of trying to make our marriage work you were born, a son, maybe now things would fall into place...but it didn't! Then our happy little accident, Jonah, he wasn't planned but don't you dare tell him that, he'll take it the wrong way and you know he will!" She pointed a shaky finger at him, "You were all wanted and loved, even Jonah, he may have been unplanned, but he was loved, and your dad and I wanted him so very much the moment we held him in our arms. You folded yours and huffed, and that's when this epic battle between you and your brother began, a one-year-old boy puffing his chest out and refusing to accept his new sibling!" Now she was laughing softly, remembering Jensen's defiance over a new baby in the family. "Yes, you my sweet boy, you started it, not Jonah! I remember when he had just started talking, he would stumble around following you everywhere shouting your name and telling you he loved you, love you big brother, love you Jensy! You had no time for him, Juliet would comfort him and tell him that you did love him back in your own way. I think you did; you were just always too scared of getting rejected, of getting hurt. Now you let that girl break you down into little pieces, stamp on your heart every chance she gets, and you give her chance after chance. It's time you put yourself first honey, let go!" "I don't know how..." "Sweetheart, you've tried, nobody can ever say that you haven't! How many times are you going to go through this? How many times are you going to let her destroy you?" "I know, I know you're right I just can't...I still love her mom! I'll always love her!" "And that's okay baby boy, you're allowed to love someone, it doesn't mean that you can't let them go! I love your father Jensen, it's not just your brother and sister who need closure, I do too! I need to see him and make peace. I can still love him and let him go at the same time. Do you understand honey?" He did, that didn't mean he liked it, he knew it made sense. He was going to ask Doctor Jenna to help him move on at his next appointment. His mother was right, it was time. He fully planned to work towards leaving Jane behind, but as the weeks went by his dad took up most of his time and if he was honest, he didn't really think about Jane that much. The only time she crossed his mind was when he thought about what she had gone through with her mother, how their situations were very similar. While taking a break between the European and American legs of the tour, Jensen was round at his dad's, getting to know his sisters and spending time with the whole family. Steph had talked to Jonah and Juliet, confessing her darkest secret that she was the reason that Martin had stayed away all those years, after that revelation Jonah said he would think about meeting their dad and Juliet was still keeping very quiet. As the oldest she remembered more about Martin leaving and how their mother coped during the early months of their divorce. It was bound to be harder for her, Jensen knew it was hard for him, even after all these years, even though he was a grown man now...it still hurt that a parent could walk out on their children and never look back. Despite now knowing that that wasn't the whole truth, he bore the scars of a broken marriage and a bitter mother. As he sat listening to his stepmother offload, she seemed to feel comfortable enough around Jensen to do that, he felt sorry for her. He could see how much she loved his dad, how much this was tearing her apart, but she had to be strong for her daughters, "And they mentioned a hospice, but I just don't want...I mean that's a little while away right now but..." "Arlene, whatever he needs, I'm here!" Arlene curled her hand over Jensen's the way his own mother did and gave him a grateful smile. "I know, you've been so generous already I feel awful asking for anything!" "He's my dad, we might not be as close as we should be but we're still family! I'll do anything that needs to be done, please always remember that!" Jensen didn't like hearing about the hospice, as Arlene continued to talk, the phrase end of life care made his blood run cold. This must have been how Jane felt, she'd gone through this with her mother, how did she cope with all this pain? All this shock and devastation! Jensen was barely holding it together. Yes, his mind would drift back to her when things got hard, when he struggled to cope with his dad dying, Jane was the first person that popped into his head. "Well, we have time to think about things, right now all we can do is give him plenty of rest and most importantly, try not to stress him out. He's still hurting over your brother and sister refusing to see him, but I know you tried your best, he appreciates having you here!" Most of the time Martin was asleep, he slept a lot, but there were moments when Jensen got to talk to him, tell him things about his life and the work projects he had lined up. He liked to hear about the tour, and Jensen filled him in on what Jonah was up to, how big Maddie was getting and how cute she was even showing him photos he had on his phone...and he had hundreds! "She has the Hale eyes, that's for sure! That's what made me fall in love with your mother, her big blue eyes! I close my eyes and I see little Stephanie Hale sitting on the bleachers shouting my name! I hated football, but I needed it for my college applications, she made it all worth it in her cheerleader outfit!" A wistful smile crept upon Martin's face as he reminisced, telling Jensen things that he didn't know about his parents. So his mother was a cheerleader? She kept that one quiet! Looking at his father, smiling away to himself, eyes closed, looking peaceful, it was hard not to focus on how thin he was. It was hard not to see how yellow his skin was. Martin was practically bed ridden; he rarely went out other than to the hospital for appointments. The doctors had said that he was doing well considering how progressive the tumour had become, Arlene believed he was waiting to see Jonah and Juliet, only then would he be content. Jensen had tried, Steph had tried, it was now up to them to decide. "You are so like your mother!" Martin mumbled, squeezing Jensen's shoulder as he sat up in bed, his pyjamas drowning his slight frame. He had said that when they met up all those months ago, "I'm so proud of my Jensen, my sweet little boy who used to nurse baby birds back to health..." Jensen had totally forgotten about that, he was four and there was a baby swallow lying on the ground in their back yard, barely breathing. He had brought it inside cupping the tiny bird in his hands calling to his daddy, he got to stay up late that night to feed it with a dropper, "You remember?" Martin whispered, seeing Jensen's confused look. "I do actually!" He smiled back at his father, the bird made a full recovery a few days later and they released it into the garden back to its mother. "If I could, I'd go back in time and I would go to the recitals, I would go to the parents' evenings...I would risk it all! I would stand up to her, I'd..." He trailed off and looked out of the window with a pained expression, "I should have been there!" "Dad..." "No, Juliet and Jonah have every right to hate me, I let my children down! But like I said, it's something that I'll take to my grave, my guilt and my shame!" A tear rolled down his pale cheek as Jensen forced himself to hold it together. "Dad, I forgive you!" There was a long silence, Martin continued to stare out the window as Jensen took hold of his hand, "I forgive you...and I love you!" Martin turned and looked at his son with amazement. "I love you too son!" Another long silence, then he mumbled with a small giggle, "My boy's a movie star!" They talked for a little while longer until Martin felt tired and Jensen left him to have a nap. Ava was waiting for him in the living room, she always wanted to chat with him before he left, he seemed to get along with her more than he did Lucy. "So, you going back on tour soon?" It was strange to talk to someone who was a blood relative and also an adoring fan, very surreal. "Um, I dunno! With dad I..." Jensen stopped and looked into Ava's green eyes, the same colour as their dad's, the way she gazed up at him as if he was more than her brother, like an idol, it made him feel slightly uneasy. "Mom doesn't want him going into a hospice, she's scared he dies without any of us there, like in the middle of the night or something?" She scanned Jensen's face as he felt it burn, "Anyway, I think she'd feel better if she could keep him at home but it's going to be a lot of work, you know nurses and carers and everything?" Jensen simply nodded, he didn't know what to say, he didn't know what was best. He had no right to come barging into their family unit and giving his opinion, so he stayed quiet, and listened. "Well I told your mom and I'll tell you, whatever he needs I'll get it for him! Okay?" He rubbed his sister's arm affectionately as a wave of relief washed over her face. "You're still going to be around..." Her eyes locked onto his, "...after..." "Yeah, of course! We're family, right?" Jensen didn't know what would happen once his father was gone, but he liked to think he could stay in touch with his sisters now that they knew each other. He said his goodbyes to everyone, getting a grunt and a nod from Lucy as per usual, and he headed home to his own place. He was giving it a go for a while, he was a thirty-four-year-old grown ass man, he needed to try and live like one.

***

Jane was a little more than annoyed when she had to find out from Eliza about Jensen's father Martin being terminally ill. It was just in passing as well, because Jonah wasn't all that bothered about it according to her. She could see from her sister's expression that she was slightly shocked over Jonah's attitude, having lost their mother in a similar manner neither of the sisters could comprehend it. Jane desperately wanted to reach out to Jensen, it took her an entire day to compose a text message and send it to his personal mobile phone. It was short and to the point;

*Sorry to hear about your dad, I understand what you're going through so if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you, love Jane x*

She never got a reply, she waited a few days and there was still nothing. She couldn't talk to anyone about it, she was beginning to realise that her reaction a few months ago was over the top, he had only ever tried to help her. All Jane could do now was wait, and hope that he would answer her and take her up on her offer of talking. He never did, it had been a few weeks, still not a word from Jensen! Her own hurt feelings would have to take a back seat as her best friend Louise was dealt a rather unexpected blow in their latest class. Mike Pearson, the dishy Canadian who she had a crush on, was sitting at the table in front of them swinging on his chair like a clown. As the tutor droned on, jotting nonsense on the white board, Mike swung as far back as he could so that he was close to Louise behind him and whispered, "I'm heading back to Canada next week." Louise simply blinked at him as he almost fell arse over tit on his chair but managed to steady himself in time, total fool! He looked at Louise for a long time, waiting for her to say something as she continued to press her pen aggressively down onto her notebook making a rather unsightly splodge on the paper, she was doing it so hard that she'd pushed through several sheets, the dent highly visible. Her lips were pursed, and her cheeks were flushed as her blonde hair fell forward hiding most of her bashfulness. Both Jane and Mike looked expectantly at her, eventually she looked up at him and spoke, one simple word. "And?" Mike jerked his head back as if she smacked his face and his eyes widened. "Okay then!" He nodded and twisted forward in his chair, the four legs finally firmly on the ground. Jane gave Louise a bewildered look as she cleared her throat and continued her assault on her notebook. At the end of the class, Jane tutted and shoved Louise roughly as they left the room, Mike was slowly packing up his things into his plain green backpack looking forlorn and Jane started on her best friend. "What the fuck was that?" "What?" Louise huffed, pointing her nose in the air indignantly. "He wanted you to ask him out, you do know that right? Or he was waiting for you to show some sort of disappointment that he was going back home!" "Pfft, yeah right!" Louise replied shrilly, then after a short silence she grabbed Jane's arm, spinning her round to face her, "Oh fuck, do you think so?" "Yes, he was waiting for you to say, oh no that's awful news, or something! He wanted you to show that you give a shit! Lou you're an idiot!" "Well, it takes one to know one!" She snapped back, "Sorry, but you're exactly the same with a certain pretty boy who sings like an angel and is so good in films that he wins awards! So don't you start with me girl!" She stomped off ahead of her as Mike caught up and brushed past looking sorry for himself. "Hi, Mike?" He spun around, his backpack swinging in the breeze almost hitting another man who was passing him. "Yeah!" Looking at Jane with that rabbit in the headlights look he had in most of the classes. "Before you head back home, maybe a group of us could go out for a farewell drink or something to eat? Maybe?" She was aware that she'd said maybe already but it didn't seem to matter to him, he grinned, fiddling with that green lightsaber keyring of his as it flashed on and off. "Ya, cool, that sounds awesome! Totally!" Jane found Louise sitting in her car, white knuckles clutching the steering wheel. "I've just arranged a date for you under the illusion that there's going to be a whole gang of us, so don't fuck it up!" Louise turned to Jane with her mouth gaping wide open. "YOU WHAT???" She yelled, "For fuck's sake Janey, I can't...why?" "Thank me later, will you drive me home please?" Louise shook her head in disbelief as she turned the key in the ignition and muttered a few profanities under her breath. "I'll pay you back for this, some day I'll get you back you wee bitch!" "You're welcome!" Jane smiled, looking straight ahead for fear that Louise's stare would kill her stone dead. Someone had to do something, so Jane did, if Louise wanted to kill her then she could at least wait until after her wedding to Mike so that she could have Jane as her Maid of honour!

⏮️Previous/Next⏭️

[birf]

I will pay good money for people to do discussion boards for me I stg

[erodasfishtacos]

Curious Gazes

prompt: [CEO!Harry] four times harry has been spotted by employees being very unlike his demeanor at work.

word count: 4.3 k

warnings: harry is an asshole to everyone but is wife and baby.

**** <-- click for visuals throughout the story. ( because i love showing off how dumb rich harry is - i mean he’s a billionaire ffs)

notes: thanks so much for the love on the first part. I will be writing quite a bit for this trope. the next addition will be all smut. love you, enjoy.

PART ONE

----

RESERVATION RUN-IN

Harry has over a hundred-thousand full-time employees. He has nearly ten-thousand at his London office at all times. The skyscraper was beautiful with clear glass, a reflective grey tone, and the structure screamed modern. It has eighty-three floors.

So with that being said, Harry does not know even one third of the people who work in the building nor does he want to. He couldn’t pick them out of a line-up if he tried. 

However, having so many employees in the city means his staff members are bound to catch sight of their boss pretty often outside of the office.

Sarah, Lucielle, Jack, and Anya - all from the customer service department of Styles Media and Marketing Inc. - are all out to dinner. They decided to go all out and dish out a hefty amount to eat at Il Nascondiglio Segreto. It was a reservation they had made nearly a month ago.

As they’re enjoying their appetizer, Lucielle nearly chokes on her oyster, “Holy shit. It’s Harry,” She whispers, nodding her head in the direction she was staring with bulging eyes.

They all can’t help but turn subtly, a perfect vantage point from where they’re sat right across the way from the group of employees. Their boss was dressed in a bit more casual - not by much - attire than he’d worn to the office earlier that Friday afternoon.

He had an open blazer with a white, nearly see-through button up. Their eyes nearly jumping out of their skulls when they spot his butterfly tattoo sitting on right below his sternum. Jack’s hawk eyes catch that he has a name in cursive on his left pec. 

Plus his normal tailored suit trousers were replaced with tight skinny jeans that hugged his crotched - making it unmistakable that he was well….endowed. Hair was no longer as styled and curled. Laying more carelessly on his shoulders. ****

But what was the most absurd thing they saw him wearing was a smile. His lips were curled up in a large, white grin that was big enough to cause little wrinkles around his eyes. 

His hand intertwined with his wife’s until they arrived at their table, pulling out her chair for her, landing a soft kiss on her cheek before sitting down in his across from her.

He automatically puts an open palm halfway across the table and his date places her’s right on top of it. Her large engagement ring and wedding band sparkling in the low lighting in the restaurant. They were holding hands over the table.

The group had never actually seen the women they deemed Cruella Deville. They had envisioned his wife with bleach blonde hair, fake tits, and fish lips complimented with botox that made it so her forehead didn’t move.

But they were met with a beautiful, natural one instead. She had gorgeous curled locks trailing down her back, light neutral makeup with normal sized lips, small creases where they should be. 

Her body was natural as well, breasts pushed up in a bra but obviously not manufactured by the way they sat, a bit of a pouch around her midsection - a telltale sign from her recent pregnancy, and a radiant smile to match her husband’s. 

They looked so happy and in love.

She was dressed short, polka-dotted black dress with a pair of simple black shoes. She complimented with with a bright red lip which stood out against the dark fabric. ***

It’s not that they didn’t look like a match - she was absolutely stunning. It just wasn’t who they imagined for the boss they despised ninety percent of the time.

The group can’t keep their eyes off the couple - subtly, of course - for their whole time at the restaurant.

Harry was laughing loudly - different sound than when he laughed without a humor at bumbling, nervous employees.

It was light and higher pitched - but still gravely low; smooth like honey as his wife matches his laughs.

At one point, after their meal arrives - Harry offers her a spoonful of his food, playfully complaining that she took too big of a bite - but then immediately offering her more right after.

When she excused herself to the bathroom, Lucille catches Harry’s sneaky hand reaching out to give her backside a quick grope which earns him a warning glance that has him snickering.

Anya who was in the restroom nearly runs into her, Y/N apologizes instantly, “I’m sorry! Wasn’t watching where I was going! Are you alright?”

Anya nods, a bit at a loss of words, talking to Harry Styles' wife, “I’m okay, thank you.”

“I swear I have two left feet,” Y/N jokes, complimenting her dress before disappearing into a stalls. A completely lovely girl.

It’s pathetic but the group lingers around to watch their boss’s full dinner date. It was creepy but they were just so stunned at the man that was sitting by them.

The couples behavior had turned more flirty by this point, Y/N’s eyelashes fluttering at little bit more at her husband, her giggles flowing more often with licks to her lips. 

By the clenched fist on the table, Harry seems to be falling prey to the teasing. 

But when his wife whispers something - that must have been filthy - and leans forward so her cleavage is displayed more, Harry’s pulling out his wallet, pulling an absurd amount of bills out and throwing them carelessly on the table.

Y/N’s eyes are twinkling in victory as her husband stands and helps her out of her chair - ever the gentlemen.

It doesn’t seem very gentlemen like though when his hand comes to the very lowest point on the small of her back -  pushing her into him. He leans down to murmur something into her ear before landing a damp, way too intimate for public kiss to her jaw and then throat.

In turn, she looks up at him with a mischievous tilt of her lip and a challenging raised brow. You could cut their sexual tension with a knife.

Y/N lifts up on her toes to kiss him before grabbing his hand and guiding him out of the establishment quickly - his eyes glued to her bum the whole time.

Jack breaks the bated silence, with a bewildered chortle, “What the fuck was that?”

Sarah sips her wine, “Maybe he has a twin? Like a good twin? And he’s the evil one.”

They all laugh and finish up their desserts. 

---

MOTHER’S DAY SHOPPING

Kasey and Tom - from Human Resources - are out for the day. It was a week before Mother’s Day and they were both scrambling for a gift at the shops.

Harrod’s was nearly empty as they had came in a few minutes after the store opened. Kasey had gotten distracted from her mission and was trying on shoes. 

There was a 40% off sale and she wasn’t passing that up.

Tom had wondered off to the electronics department very soon after the first five shoeboxes arrived next to her chair.

“Pink!” Kasey hears a high-pitched baby voice squeal with utter delight. She looks up to see a curly haired toddler pointing at a pair of pink baby shoes.

The little girl had the cutest denim dress on with white stripes ***, white tights on, and white Mary Janes. When Kasey looked closer she realized the Gucci emblem was on the dress - holy shit, she didn’t even know Gucci made baby clothes.

“Daddy, please?” The toddler asks in a sweet, small voice looking to the approaching man who scoops her up in the crook of his elbow.

“Ivy, y’can’t run away from daddy. Do you understand me?” 

Kasey’s eyes widen as she recognizes that deep, raspy voice. It was her boss, Harry Styles, and with his little mini who looked like a cherub angel.

“No run, daddy,” Ivy grins up at him, looking for approval.

The slightly stern look dissipates from his face into a softer, relaxed smile at his daughter’s words. He kept her close against his chest.

“Daddy, please?” She piques up again, pointing at the small shoes on the wall.

“Y’want those shoes?” Harry asks, nodding towards the pink sneakers.

Ivy nods before pointing at the other shoes next to it, “All, please?”

Despite her father not having any manners in the slightest, his daughter seemed to have excellent etiquette.

Harry chuckles, smoothing a stray curl down from her forehead, “Y’want a pair of all these shoes?”

Ivy nods with wide doe eyes and one of her dimples popping in her left cheek. 

“Y’mother’s going to kill me,” Kasey hears Harry mutter before waving a sales associate over.

“Good to see you, Mr. Styles - I’m Tracey. What can I help you with?”

Of course they knew him by name. He was by the looks of it one of their most appreciated customers, figuring he rarely wears the same thing twice.

“Can I please get a pair of all these shoes in a toddler’s size three? And can you please ring them up for me? Thank you,” Harry asks, his voice taking on the executive and firm tone with the associate who nods and turns on her heel.

“Daddy? Kissy?” The girl asks her father, her little palm patting his cheek and she’s puckering her pink lips.

“Yes baby,” Harry obliges, giving her a peck before blowing a raspberry on her cheek. He tugs down her dress that’s ridden up in true parent fashion.

As they’re waiting, Harry continues to talk to his daughter, “Y’know pet, we came here to shop for mumma for mother’s day. Y’always manage to get something out of it, hmm?”

“Mummy?” Ivy squawks, repeating her father’s word. 

“Yes, mummy. I think she’s really going to like the necklace we picked out,” Harry taps at her nose, his eyes just read love and amazement for his little girl.

Kasey was dumbfounded. 

This man had literally stormed into their offices yesterday, frustration seeping into his loud tone as he asked the room of employees if it was a lady's brunch club or a place of employment when he hadn’t gotten a report on his desk at a certain time.

They’d all stuttered and apologized but Harry had already slammed the door of his way out - the doorframe shaking. A nasty email being sent to their inboxes mere minutes later.

“Mr. Styles? We are out of two of the pairs,” The saleswoman appears and tells him, tablet now in hand.

Harry’s voice is calm but he looks her dead in the eye, “Do you not know how to ship them to a house? I don’t have time for this nonsense.”

She begins to apologize, pulling up a page of her tablet, “Your total comes to £6,309.45 for the shoes.”

Kasey’s eyes nearly pop from her head at the total but Harry merely blinks and states, “Charge it to my Amex on file.”

“Would you like me to add on the items you picked up downstairs? That would bring your total to £ 213,088.79. The necklace *** will be shipped within the next two weeks and will need to be signed for at your doorstep by an authorized person of your choosing, they’ll need to provide identification to certify their identity.”

“I need the necklace by next Sunday- it’s my daughter’s Mother’s Day gift to her mum - hence the pink diamonds,” Harry states to the woman like she’s stupid.

Did that woman just say that amount? And did Harry not even bat an eyelash at it. 

Kasey’s brain couldn’t really comprehend it.

“Expedited shipping on this item would be…” Tracey looks down at her tablet and taps a few buttons, “It will be an extra £3,219 for expedited shipping as it’s coming from Swittzerland.” 

Harry is distracted for a moment as Ivy is wriggling until Harry puts her down. Kasey didn’t see that he had a plush doll tucked in between his jeans and belt on his back.

“Baby doll,” Ivy pokes at her father’s thigh, too short to reach her toy. 

Harry tugs it out and hands it to her, “Stay right here, Vee.”

Ivy unceremoniously plops on the ground next to her father’s leather boot while he confirms the purchases and signs off on them.

It was cute - the plush baby doll she was playing with was ratty, worn, and very visibly loved. It seems as if it’s been her favorite toy for a while.

After finishing up with Tracey, Kasey sees him slip her a few bills for her trouble and lugs Ivy back up onto his hip.

“Shake, daddy?” Ivy lisps hopefully, green eyes sparkling up at her father’s. 

Harry lets out a chuckle, “No, baby. It’s only ten in the morning, y’can’t have a milkshake. Let go home, maybe mumma will make us some blueberry pancakes if we give her lots of kisses?”

“Mummy,” Ivy agrees happily, her plush held tightly against her chest.

“She’s going to love your gift, darlin’, even though y’the best gift we’ve ever got,” Harry murmurs lovingly, pressed a warm kiss to his daughter’s cheek.

Tom has wandered back to the shoe department, eyes unfortunately meeting his boss’ right away - widen with surprise.

Harry’s eyes narrow when he finds Tom staring, “Can I help y’mate?”

“Uh-no! Sorry, just, erm, I work for you?” Tom stutters stupidly at his annoyed employer who currently has his toddler trying to pulls his sunglasses off the top of his head.

“Then I’d recommend, if you’d like it to stay that way, you mind your own damn business,” Harry bites out with a warning tone, unnecessarily rude.

Ivy doesn’t seem bothered, delighted when she tugs the shades off his head and attempts to put them on. She begins huffing as she struggles and Harry gently takes them and slides them on for her.

Tom nods, still baffled, and scurries over to Kasey. 

They both glance back when their boss isn’t looking. He hears him murmur softly, “Let’s go see mummy.”

“Pancakes?” Ivy chirps, looking at her dad for confirmation.

“Anythin’ for you, my little love,” Harry agrees, starting to walks to the elevator to the entrance of the store. 

Tom and Kasey look at each other with unexplainable expressions as they watch their asshole of a boss clearly wrapped around a toddler’s finger. 

—-

THE PARK

“Hi! Is anyone sitting here?” Savannah hears from beside her on the park bench. 

She looks up to see a beautiful, young woman looking to be around her age looking at her expectantly. She has a backpack on her shoulders and a curly-haired toddler on her hip.

“Nope! You’re good!” Savannah replies kindly, moving over to make room on the bench for her to sit.

“Awesome, thank you. I’m Y/N and this is Ivy. Say ‘hi’,” Y/N prompts her daughter with a nudge.

Ivy puts on a beaming smile, white little blocky teeth on display, “Hi.”

“I’m Savannah and the little brunette boy in the green shirt is mine - his name’s Flynn.”

“Tell her how old you are, baby,” Y/N smiles, always trying to get her daughter to socialize as much as possible.

“Two!” Ivy giggles before impatiently squirming, “Mummy, play.”

Y/N laughs, “Just as impatient as your father. Go on, stay where mumma can see you, please.”

Ivy nods before speeding off towards the little jungle-gym to automatically start playing with the little group of kids.

“I wish I had their energy,” Y/N sighs, tugging a water bottle out of her backpack. 

Savannah was obsessed with everything gucci - even though she couldn’t afford anything - so when she spots the flashy bag, she can’t help but ask, “Is that a custom Gucci monogram multipack?”***

Y/N takes a sip before answering, “Yeah, my husband gave it to me as a gift on ‘national stay at home mum day’ - which I don’t even think is a real thing. He just knows I’ll chew him out if he buys me things like this without reason.”

They both laugh, Savannah can’t help but glance over the woman a little bit closer. She had a ratty, vintage tee on, plain black leggings, and a pair of black Nikes on - nothing that screamed over the top.

But then she spots the engagement ring *** on her finger. Savannah thought it looked so extravagant it almost looked fake. But the way the faucets reflect so magnificently in the sunshine makes her sure it’s real.

“What was that?” Savannah snaps back, realizing she hadn’t heard what Y/N was saying - too busy deciding how much money she had which wasn’t right when the girl was being so friendly.

“Oh, just - do you know any mum groups around here? I was in a group but all they liked to do was gossip and bitch. And I think Ivy heard the word ‘cunt’ one too many times from them.”

Savannah barks out a laugh, Y/N turns out to be extremely funny and friendly. She has a bit of a foul mouth and a quick wit but is a good listener.

“And so I said to the dude -“ Y/N cuts off when her phone rings, digging it out and answering, “Hi H, yeah. The one with the big purple slide, okay.”

When she hangs up, she tells her new friend, “My husband is stopping by really quick. He has a business dinner later and won’t see Ivy before her bedtime. Or me before my bedtime,” Y/N laughs.

“That’s so nice of him!” Savannah says, knowing her husband enjoyed when everyone was asleep by the time he came home. Would never go out of his way like Y/N’s husband would.

Y/N says with a smile in her eyes, “Yeah, he’s really good to us.”

They continue to chat until they hear a loud engine revving into the car park, Y/N rolls her eyes and mutters, “Of course, he brings the loudest car today.”

A vintage car swings into a spot and Savannah nearly gasps at who exits the car and begins to stride towards them. No one other than her boss. 

The man who had her doing her job by the book and when one hair fell out of place he knew right away. 

The man who she avoided at all cost possibly - taking the stairs so she doesn’t have to be in the elevator with his intimidating presence.

It took her a minute to connect the dots. Y/N was married to Harry? Harry was Ivy’s dad? It through her through a loop - Y/N was just - so nice. 

But it does explain all the gucci and the massive diamond ring. She did happen to work for a fucking billionare. Y/N didn’t come off as a billionaire or a billionaire’s wife.

‘Holy shit, this is wild,’ Savannah thought.

Harry makes his way over to the bench, Y/N standing up to hug him. Harry kisses her softly with a large palm coming to slip under the back of her shirt to rub at her bare back.

Uh - this man was being loving and affectionate? Proving all Savannah's preconceived notions about him wrong. Mostly that he was a robot.

“Hi darlin’, have a good day?” Harry asks his wife, still holding onto her and tugging her into his side - looking to Ivy who was obliviously - playing on the swing.

“Mmm, don’t want you to go tonight,” Yn/Ngroans dramatically, squeaking when Harry playfully pinches her side.

“Tell me and I won’t go,” He murmurs with surprising sincerity against his wife’s cheek, smiling when Ivy lets out a loud, carefree giggle with her new friends.

“Oh! I’m being rude. This is Savannah, Savannah this is my husband Harry,” Y/N introduces the two, unknowing of their connection.

Savannah swallows harshly and gives him a timid wave, “Hello.”

Harry shows no recognition that he knows her but gives her a curt nod and rasps out a “hello.” 

Y/N rolls his eyes at her husband, patting his toned stomach, “He’s always a little crabby after work,” She jokes as he smirks at her - he’s rarely ever crabby with his wife and they both know it.

After work? How about from the time he stepped foot through the lobby doors everyday? He only had one mode at work - crabby.

“It’s ok-“

“Daddy!” A squeal interrupts them, a blur of brunette curls crashing into her father’s legs - full force with excitement.

Harry is bending down and tucking her into his arms for a hug, “Hi baby, y’bein’ so good for mumma?”

His tone had shifted into a low, relaxed drawl that Savannah had never heard. His words are kind and caring towards his daughter.

“Good for mumma,” Ivy parrots her father, dimples popping as she pushes at Harry’s face when he attacks her with kisses.

“You taste so good I could eat yah!” Harry growls playfully, Ivy giggling delightedly at her fathers antics until her cheeks are flushed pink with laughter.

“Swings, daddy,” Ivy motions with green doe eyes. Grass and mud stains the outfit her mother had dressed her in - cute striped overalls with a white tee underneath  *** and little sneakers ****.

“Oh dove, I wish I could. I have to go back to work,” Harry frowns, his thumb coming to caress her sweaty cheekbone.

Her brows furrowed and her full pink lips turned down - Savannah has to contain a laugh by how much she looks like her father with the displeased grimace on her face.

“No, no, Daddy,” Ivy argues adamantly, her eyes brimming with sad tears.

“Vee, c’mon, my love. I’ll be home later,” Harry soothes, starting to rock her from side to side to calm her.

But Ivy is in her terrible twos and doesn’t like the word ‘no.’

Y/N comes up to her husband’s side, tucking a hand into his back pocket to rest. 

“Ivy Elizabeth, we need to let your father go. Come to mummy now, please,” Her mother asks in a soft but firm tone.

“No!” Ivy absolutely shrieks with a awfully high pitch, “No mummy, daddy swings!”

The couple shares a look before Y/N is gathering her backpack on her shoulder, looking back to Savannah, “Hey! Text me, it’s about nap time for this one.”

Savannah agrees and gives them both a wave off as Harry totes his tantruming toddler to a sleek, teal SUV. It takes her a moment to scoff internally - off course it’s a Bentley ***.

And because Savannah can’t help but be nosey she googles the price of the car and quickly locks her screen when she sees the base price is £ 210,000.

Harry is planting little pecks on his daughter’s face and murmuring to her until her tears have dried up and she’s laughing at her dad once again.

After Harry straps her into the car seat and shuts the door, he gently pushes his wife back against it. His body is crowding hers, arm over her shoulder against the car.

The talk for a moment before Harry’s ducking down to pull a few kisses from her lips before she’s giggling and pushing him off.

Savannah couldn’t wait to tell the old women at in her customer relations department tomorrow.

— 

THE GAME

Cassie didn’t mind Harry actually. She made his coffee nearly every morning and she secretly knew he was the one who left those hefty tips.

She’d fumbled over his orders a few times when she’d started and apologized profusely but Harry had just looked up from his phone and said, “S’fine.”

Yeah, that’s not much but compared to some of the horror stories she hears, but she was grateful for another reason.

—-

One day he had found her crying in a empty corridor that he used to walk to his car at the end of his day.

“Y’alright?” Her boss asks gruffly, pausing to look down at her - no clear emotion on his face.

Cassie nods sheepishly, “M’sorry, I’m just really stressed out.”

Harry’s eyes flash a tad darker, “Is Carole giving you trouble?” 

Carole was her manager.

“N-no. I got declined for my school financial aid. If I don’t come up with the money I’ll have to drop out. I-I have a son and I do-don’t have the money to go without help.”

Harry doesn’t say anything, rustling into the inner pocket of his suit and fishing out something - a checkbook.

He clicks the pen and moves his hand quickly across the pad before ripping it out and handing it to her, “Good luck and use the extra on your family. Don’t go spreading it around that I did this.”

Cassie goes to thank him or refuse it but when she looks back up from the check he’s already striding away down the hallway away from her.

She lets out a loud sob as she sees a check written for £150,000 right in front of her.

—

Cassie still works at the Starbucks part-time while attending college with the help of her secretly kind boss.

The extra money she’s stowed away in an education fund for her son after he graduates. 

Anyways, she was at Man U football game that she got invited to with her boyfriend - Jacob. His dad won tickets for box seats from his work in a raffle.

Cassie soon realized that their box was right by the Styles Media and Marketing one. The way they were placed, she could see right into their area.

It was just Harry and a woman in there. 

They were obviously a couple and this was the Cruella Deville. Cassie didn’t refer to her as that as she had a bit of a different perspective of the man.

His wife was sipping on a water bottle and cheering loudly with the rest of the fans. Harry watched her with amusement at her excited behavior, at one point pulling his photo out and snapping a picture of her.

When the exciting bit is over, she seats herself on his lap and wriggles until her back is against his chest - comfortable and cozy.

His large palm comes to cup at her stomach, Cassie now seeing that she is clearly pregnant as he cradles the noticeable bump protectively.

For most of the game, his hand never leaves her belly - rubbing circles with his thumb. His head came to rest on her shoulder to watch the game.

They seem so happy together - giggling and talking animatedly throughout. His wife constantly tilting her head back with her lips puckered requesting kisses that Harry happily supplies each time.

At one point, Cassie witnesses Y/N eat two huge corndogs in a row while her husband watches her with humor in his eye. Then goes on to order her a massive spool of candy floss that he feeds her throughout the game.

It was a late game and it was now in overtime. The clock reads nearly eleven at night. Harry’s wife has dozed off against his shoulder and when he notices he gently rouses her.

As she blinks her eyes open, Harry shucks his jacket of his shoulder and helped her slip it on. They must decide to call it a night because he’s helping her up, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, and guiding her out of the box.

Cassie never tells anyone that she saw him that night or what he did to help her family.

The End.

Hope you bubbbies enjoyed. Send me requests for this verse. Smut is up next for this trope.

[cjsinkythoughts]

Suits, Dresses, and Heels

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Reader

Word Count: 4000

Warnings: !FATWS SPOILERS!, Cursing, More Mentions of PTSD, Gun Violence, Slight Mentions of Drinking, Club Dancing (You’re all gonna hate me for that part, but I’m not sorry)

A/N: Here’s Part 4.2 - The Second Part to Episode 3 - as requested. This is a little more scene-by-scene, but there are some off-screen moments. I’ll be posting Part 4.3 (which will have the rest of the episode) later tonight.

There’s a bit more information on Reader, but not as much as the last chapter. Sharon comes in during this part, so you get to see her and Reader’s relationship.

Also, I have mixed feelings about Zemo at this point. Not in the story, the Reader’s not a fan as you learned previously, but for me personally, he’s surprised me a couple times by coming back and helping.

Anyways! Thank you so much for reading! This isn’t beta’d so excuse any mistakes! Check out my other parts before you read! Thank you again! Stay tuned, loves!

FATWS MASTERLIST

cjsinkythoughts MASTERLIST

!SPOILERS UNDER CUT!

The dress was far too tight for your liking, and showed way too much skin. Not that you didn’t like being a tease every once in a while, but for this mission, you’d rather have more cover and movement.

You had to admit though; Zemo had nice taste. The dress fit deliciously - which made you wonder how he got your size. The color and cut was devastatingly flattering. Plus, he let you do your own makeup.

Being the only female, you were in a separate area of the jet getting ready. Once you were done, you made sure to knock, even though you’d walked in on Sam changing too many times to count while on the run and had seen Bucky answer the door in nothing but a towel. It was mainly for Zemo’s sake, just a warning that you were walking in whether or not they were ready.

“Damn, girl! You clean up nice!”

You rolled your eyes at Sam, painted lips quirking up as you studied him, shooting him a wink. “You should try a mirror, Sammy.” You turned to Bucky to find him staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed at you. “What do you think, Buck?”

His mouth snapped shut and he cleared his throat, eyes exploring the dips and curves your body. “You…” He blinked once. Twice. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, his intense eyes making you heat up, before he shook his head. “You look good.” He rushed out, before spinning on his heel shoving past Sam who was snickering.

“Where’s Zemo?” You noticed he wasn’t in the main area of the plane when you walked in.

“Rearranging our ride once we get there.”

You huffed, fixing your hair. “Oh God. We’re really doing this.”

“Yup.”

“Okay.” You looked down at yourself before looking up at the boys. “Something’s gonna go wrong, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely.”

“No doubt.”

Giving a slight groan at their simultaneous answers, you nodded. “Let’s try not to screw up too badly, boys, alright? I at least want to live long enough to see Peter graduate.”

Sam rolled his eyes with a scoff. “That kid’s a punk.”

“You’re a punk.” You shot back.

Bucky raised his hand. “I second that punk thing.”

“For which one?”

“Both of them.”

You chuckled as Sam gaped at Bucky, who shrugged innocently. The former assassin tilted his head in your direction to shoot you a grin and a wink, making you laugh more. Shaking your head, you go to make a joke when Zemo walked in.

“It’s time. We’re landing now.”

And just like that, the teasing atmosphere dissipated, leaving you anxious and regretful.

*******************

You walked by Bucky, arm linked with his metal one, listening as Zemo told Sam about his “character” he was to play.

“He’s a known womanizer - always has a gorgeous lady on his arm.” Zemo gestured towards you. “It’s the only way they’d let in a woman.”

“Aren’t we going to see a woman?” You questioned, gently patting Bucky’s metallic bicep when his hold on you tightened.

“Which makes it more imperative that you don’t act threatening. Women don’t make the same mistake men do; they don’t underestimate other women.”

You nodded. He had a point there. Bucky faced you, a frown on those pretty lips. “I don’t like this.” He mumbled.

“You think I do?” You whispered back. “With you being him again? Even if it’s just pretend? And need I remind you whose idea this was?”

“I know, I know. Just…” He sighed. “Promise me you won’t get hurt on purpose.”

Your forehead creased. “Why would I-?”

“To protect people. You always do. And I get it, I do. It’s why you started this in the first place, but…save yourself first, this time, okay?”

“Buck-”

“Promise me.”

It wasn’t often you could see the fear in his eyes, hear it in his voice, but you could then. Unable to do anything else you nodded, a soft, “okay” falling from your lips. He nodded back, pressing a kiss to your head, before letting you go as a car approached.

Bucky helped you in - the heels you were wearing were no joke - before sliding in himself, Sam getting in on the other side of you. “And you two can’t be…” Zemo gestured to the two of you as the car started moving, eyeing your still connected hands. “Doing that.”

“This isn’t my first theater production.” You snapped at him. “We’ll be fine.”

He raised his hands in surrender, turning back to look out the windshield. Once you arrived, you gave Bucky’s hand one last squeeze, before accepting Sam’s hand to get out on his side, linking your arm with his like you were doing with Bucky earlier.

“I finally get to see one of your performances, baby.” Sam grinned at you.

You smirked back. “Best seats in the house, too, Smiling Tiger.” He groaned at your jest, nudging you playfully with his elbow as you giggled.

“This way.” Zemo cut in, jerking his head in the direction you’d be going. You took a breath, steeling yourself, before the three of you nodded at each other and followed his lead.

You found the fellas reactions amusing, their heads turning to study and scan everything they could see. You were more subtle in the way you analyzed your surroundings, feeling a bit more at home in this situation than, say, fighting super soldiers on top of semi trucks.

Your jaw tightened, as did your grip on Sam’s arm, when Zemo started speaking Russian, the four of you pushing through a crowded bar. Sam ran his fingers over your arms, giving your hand a little squeeze, silently reassuring you.

It was a bit obvious Sam hadn’t done much undercover work, put he stayed in character and you were impressed. Especially when the bartender started cutting up the snake, which you had to look away for because if there was one thing you couldn’t do…it was snakes. You nearly gagged when Sam reluctantly downed the drink. 

Bucky eyed you, lips pursed in a way you recognized as him trying to hold in a smile. That made you feel a little better, hiding your own smile by turning into the crook of Sam’s neck. “Not. Funny.” He growled through clenched teeth, lips not moving.

“Kinda is.”

He grumbled under his breath, before the two of you tuned into the conversation between Zemo and a thug that came up, learning about the apparent power broker of Madripoor, which you a bit of from your time undercover there.

Sam held you tightly when Zemo turned to Bucky, knowing what was about to happen.

You didn’t like it. You didn’t like how easily aggressive he became. You didn’t like the little smirk Zemo gave as Bucky attacked. You didn’t like the cellphones being pointed in his direction. You didn’t like it.

“Didn’t take much for him to fall back into form.” You gave Zemo a warning glare, a shaky breath leaving you.

He’d been doing so well. At least, for someone who had been through what he had. Especially considering it’d only been a few months since he’d been pardoned - half a year since everyone came back. You knew bringing Zemo on board had been a bad idea, but-

A squeeze to your hand pulled you out of your thoughts. You let out an inaudible sigh of relief as Zemo allowed Bucky to let the man he was choking go.

“Selby will see you now.”

One step down. You hoped that would be the hardest part, but you knew it most definitely wouldn’t be.

“You good?”

Bucky sniffed, giving you two a curt nod, before following Zemo. You bit your lip. “That wasn’t really an answer, was it?”

Sam shook his head. “No. No it wasn’t.”

Selby wasn’t exactly what you were expecting, but you’d come to expect that. You stayed on Sam’s arm, giving the guards coy smiles and playing with the fake nails you had on in faux-boredom.

When she purred at the man besides you, you and Bucky glanced at each other, with you resisting the urge to scrunch up your nose. “And who is this gorgeous creature?”

Your eyes snapped back to Selby, giving her a slightly bashful smile. “Celeste Addams. Pleasure.”

“Trust me, dear. The pleasure is all mine.” Alright, you thought as she scanned you with a smirk. She was swinging for both teams. You could work with that. “What’s the offer?” She looked back to Zemo.

Zemo gave her the offer - information about the super soldier serum for the Winter Soldier and the code words to control him. Your blood boiled as Zemo touched Bucky, fingers grabbing his chin. You swore, once this whole thing was over, you would kick Zemo’s ass. You should make a list, just to keep track of all the things he’d done, and no doubt would do, to piss you off. That way he’d know why exactly you were beating his ass.

A name came up, Dr. Wilfred Nagel, along with the knowledge that the super soldier serum was, in fact, in Madripoor. You and Sam met eyes. Second step down.

But before they could get anything else, Sam’s phone buzzed. You ducked your head, closing your eyes, mumbling “fuck” when you saw it was Sarah. Sam’s responses just made you inwardly cringe even more.

“The bank, yeah. We laundered so much mo-” He chuckled nervously. “Yeah. They’ll come around.”

Is he fucking serious? For the love of God, Sammy…

And then she called him Sam. Next thing you knew, Selby was shot and you, Bucky, and Sam were taking out a guard each, you growling at the fact that you couldn’t use your legs because the dress was too damn tight.

You had no choice but to trust Zemo’s lead, but word traveled very quickly here, and less than a minute after walking outside, you were getting shot at.

“C’mon!” Bucky grabbed your arm, pulling you besides him.

“Can you not right now?!”

“I can’t run in these heels!”

You glared at Sam, the killer six inchers on your feet feeling like hell. “Hell no! You did not just say that in front of me!”

“You started it!” You scowled at him, following Bucky into an alley, only to duck as shots rang out. Chest heaving, you looked around for the source of the bullets that killed the men chasing you.  Your “guardian angel” as Zemo put it.

She soon appeared in all her stunning, blonde badass glory. “Sharon?”

Sam quickly explained the situation, trying to get her not to shoot Zemo who she had a gun pointed at.

“I stole Steve’s shield, remember? I also took the wings for your ass,” she pointed the gun at Sam, then Bucky, “so that you could save his ass, from his ass.” And the gun was back on Zemo. She shot you a smile. “And your ass is looking beautiful as always.”

You grinned back. “Thanks. You’re not looking too bad yourself.”

As she spoke, your lips turned down. You had tried calling her after Germany, but it always went to voicemail. First thing you did when you got back was try to get everyone pardoned, but it was a process. And then you found out about Wanda and ever since…

Sharon was your first real friend. She was only a couple years younger than you and had been one of your first partners during your time with SHIELD. And the fact that she’d been on the run for years now, even with the Blip, her family not having seen or talked to her since…that was exactly why you couldn’t take a break. She was family and you found there was nothing more important than family. But when she needed you, you were out searching for someone who didn’t want to be found.

How were you supposed to choose between two sisters? How could you cope with the fact that you chose the wrong one?

“Sharon, we need your help.” She laughed at Bucky’s statement. “Please,”

She glanced at you and you nodded. “I’d appreciate it, Share.”

She gave a sigh before nodding. “This isn’t over. I have a place in High Town. You should be safe there for a while.”

She turned and started walking, and you were about to follow, when you remembered something.

Spinning around, your fist connected with Zemo’s cheek, Sam and Bucky shouting in surprise while the man stumbled back. “Don’t you fucking dare touch him like that ever again, or I will break every bone in your body.” You threatened, your expression twisting into a scowl as you grab his hand and bend it awkwardly. He grunted but didn’t move, knowing one wrong turn would break his wrist. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.” He ground out.

You pushed a little more, making him wince, before letting go and rounding back to Sharon, who was smirking at you. “Let’s get moving.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She jerked her head back over her shoulder to where a car was waiting, leading them over.

You quickly followed after her with Bucky on your heels and Sam dragging Zemo along. Speaking of heels, as soon as you got in the car - getting shotgun for the first time ever at Sharon’s insistence - you prodded the stupid shoes off your feet.

“Nice kicks.”

“Yeah.” You scoffed. “Unless you’re trying to kick.”

“Did you rip the dress?”

“I was tempted to.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you in something more comfortable. And you’ll look just as good. Not that you wouldn’t look good in literally anything.”

You chuckled, giving her a look. “Let’s not test that theory.”

She smiled back, nodding. “Fine. I’ll let you pick something out.”

Sam huffed, crossing his arms best he could, being squished with the two other fully grown men in the back seat. “Women.”

The two of you exchanged looks, rolling your eyes at the three pouting guys. “Men.”

*****************

“I’m gonna go check on the boys. But I’ll be right back.”

You nodded, looking through her closet. No dresses. And absolutely no heels. Flats, if you had to, but you’d definitely prefer sneakers right now. You decided on shorts and an off-the-shoulder blouse, grateful for the looser clothing.

“They’re idiots.”

You laughed and looked over at the door as Sharon entered. “Yeah. I know.”

“Cute.” She commented on your outfit, sitting on her bed. “They explained the situation. Sam said if I help, he’d clear my name-”

“Sharon.” You sighed, biting your lip. “I tried. I really did. I-”

She shook her head, smiling at you reassuringly. “No, I know. It’s why I’m not mad at you. Sorry I didn’t call back. How’ve you been?”

You shrugged. “Fine, I guess.”

“Even with the whole ‘Cap is back’ thing.”

“Walker’s the government’s pet. He’s not Captain America. He’s not…”

“Steve?”

Looking up at her from the ground, you nodded. “Yeah.”

“Do you miss him?”

You smirked, wagging your eyebrows at her. “Do you?”

She rolled her eyes, tossing a pillow at you. “It’s kinda weird now, isn’t it?”

“Maybe a little. But I can’t blame you. Have you seen him shirtless? Good God.”

Sharon laughed, shaking her head as you joined her on the bed. “How come it’s always you getting wrapped up in these things?”

“I have no clue.” You chuckled, crossing your legs underneath you. “First I’m answering a phone call from Bucky at five in the morning and next thing I know, I’m being kicked off of semi trucks, breaking criminals out of prisons and running in six inch heels.”

“You answer Bucky’s calls at five in the morning?”

You gave her a look. “Sharon-”

“No, no. Hey. That’s cool. Some girls like bad boys, some like jocks, others like nerds. You like super soldiers from the 40’s. Everyone’s got a thing.”

A playful shove turned into a pillow fight, which turned into a sparring session, during which you pin her on her back. “You’re getting better.” You complimented, getting up.

She glared at you, taking your outstretched hand and letting you pull her up. “I guess that’s why you’re an Avenger.”

“That’s still weird to say.”

“Why? You’ve been an Avenger since, what? Ultron?”

You nodded, straightening your clothes. “Officially, anyways.”

“Right. Because you were there for the Battle of Manhattan as the secret seventh superhero.”

“Yeah…I miss it. The anonymity. I’m pretty sure I’m one half the Senators’ speed dials.”

Sharon frowned, brows pinching together. “What about the other half of the OG? Where are they?”

“Thor’s in space, Bruce is MIA - which I can’t really blame him for - and Clint’s retired with his family.”

“You think he’s gonna stay retired?”

You shrugged. “I hope he does. He’s been trying to retire for years. He deserves it. Knowing him, though…probably not.”

Sharon crossed her arms, nodding at you. “So that leaves you.”

“Yes it does.”

“Do you ever think of taking a break?”

You gave a half-sigh, half-groan, making her smirk in amusement. “It’s…come up a lot recently. I dunno. I think I’m burning out, anyways.”

“What makes you say that? I was watching you guys with Selby. You’re still one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

“I-I’ve been having…problems.”

Her eyes narrowed, her hands setting on her hips like a mother about to scold her child. “What kind of problems?”

“Just flashbacks. Of different things. It happens at random times. Certain triggers; something someone says or does, or something I smell or hear.”

“PTSD?”

“Something like that.”

“Has it affected you in the field?” Hesitating to answer was answer enough and she nodded. “Then…maybe it’s time you do start considering retiring.”

You snorted, shaking your head. “At 36? There’s no way.”

“C’mon. It’s not too late for you to settle down. Go one a few dates. Meet someone. Maybe have a couple kids-”

“Woah, woah. Slow your roll.” Your features scrunched up in incredulity. “Pump your breaks. No one said anything about marriage or kids.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying…think about it. I heard even Bucky’s been on a few dates.”

It was your turn to narrow your eyes at her, hearing the suggestive tone in her voice and seeing the eyebrow raise. “Yeah. He has. A few. I told him to. Told him it might be good for him to, I dunno, get back out there.

“Or, you could just…go out there with him.”

“Not you too! Have you been talking to Sam?”

“Is it Steve? Is that what’s stopping you? Because you know he’d just want you to be hap-” She stopped as he phone vibrated, grabbing it and reading the text. “Company’s arriving.” She pointed a finger at you. “You got very very lucky. This conversation isn’t over. I’m not dropping this.”

You bit your cheek and nodded. “Alright, mom. Can we go party now?”

She breathed out a laugh and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go party.”

**********************

“Hey, gorgeous! There you are!”

You smirked at the boys as they met you near the top of the stairs, eyeing Sam and Bucky appreciatively. Damn, could Sam pull off a turtleneck. And Bucky in black and skinny jeans? Sharon sure had good taste. “Today’s the day for attractive outfits, huh, gentlemen?”

“I’ll say.” Bucky hummed, glancing at your own outfit. “You look beautiful, doll.”

“You look very dashing yourself, Barnes.” You grin, pulling at the lapels of his black blazer and fixing the collar. You smoothed your hand down the front of his shirt, looking up at him with an eyebrow raised when he caught your wrist, keeping your palm over his heart.

He clenched his jaw, taking a breath, before letting it out, almost dejectedly, and letting your hand go. “Um,” He cleared his throat, hand falling down by his side. “Did, uh, did Sharon say anything more about these friends of hers to you?”

“Nope.” You shook your head. “Just told me to enjoy the party.”

“I guess we should go enjoy the party, then.” Sam nodded towards the stairs, where the music was floating up, her guests already pouring in.

You made your way downstairs, looking around the room. Sharon sure did know how to throw one, that’s for sure.

People were pushed together, dancing to the beat of the music, drinking, with colored lights flashing every which way. Bucky’s hand found yours almost instantly, and you smiled at him. “C’mon.”

“What?” His eyes were wide as you dragged him towards the groups of people dancing. 

“Dance with me.”

He shook his head violently. “I-I can’t.”

“I thought you used to be a dancer?”

“Used to. And I was a swing-dancer. Not…” He gestured around to the people bobbing up and down, moving their bodies with each other.

You waved dismissively, pulling him closer. “All you need to do is feel the beat. I’m sure you can do that, can’t you, Mr. Tough and Scary Assassin?”

He licked his lips, looking around nervously. You brought his hands to your hips, making his eyes snap back to yours, your own arms winding around his neck. You started moving rhythmically, nodding your head to the music, smiling up at him and giggling at the adorable concentration on his face.

“You, uh, you go to parties like this a lot?”

“I specialized in undercover operations, remember? I practically lived at these places for some of them.” He licked his lips, his grasp on your hips tightening. “Loosen up a little.” You laughed, catching his jaw between your fingers and making him look at you instead of the crowd surrounding him. You scratched at the scruff, speaking softly, but loud enough for him to hear. “It’s just me.”

He nodded and, slowly, a bit hesitant, started moving his body with yours, relaxing his tense muscles the longer you two danced.

“Nice hit, by the way. With Zemo earlier.”

You shrugged, turning in his arms, biting your lip when he pulled you closer, your back to his chest. “I didn’t like the way he grabbed you. It was unnecessary. I was thinking of making a list, actually.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” Your arms wound around his neck again, your head falling back to his shoulder. “Of things he’s done so far that warrant’s me beating his ass once this is done.”

He chuckled, warm breath tickling your cheek, thumbs tracing circles on the bare skin just above the waistline of your shorts. Your own fingers had found home in his hair holding his head where it was, his lips centimeters away from your ear. “Share it with Sam. I’m sure he has a few things to add.”

Your breath hitched as his metal fingers danced along your bare navel, arm tightening around your waist. “I’m sure he does…I thought you said you can’t dance.”

“I guess I just needed to warm up. I’m a bit rusty after eighty years.”

“Don’t seem that rusty to me.” You breathed out, turning your head to look at him. His tongue ran across his lips again, his eyes glancing to your own.

“Hey, guys!” The world and your situation came crashing down on you, the music you didn’t realize you’d been tuning out, along with the crowd’s boisterous laughter and cheers, rushed back to yours ears. The little bubble with just you and Bucky shattered. You both stepped away from each other; you cleared your throat and pushed down the heat that had nothing to do with the hundred bodies in the one room, while Bucky rubbed the back of his neck, the tips of his ears red with no help from the colored lights. Both of you were panting lightly, avoiding eye contact with the other three staring knowingly at you. Sharon nodded her head, gesturing behind her. “I found him.”

Sam nudged Bucky - who was staring at you, his jaw ticking and his throat tightening as he swallowed thickly - before jabbing his thumb in Sharon’s direction. “Here we go.”

You nodded, eyeing Bucky with a small smile. “Here we go, Buckaroo.”

[strangelysamantha]

hey, i have a jj maybank request! fem!reader, possible angst!

so basically, y/n is a pogue and gets along with the other pogues (john b, pope, sarah, kiara & cleo) except for jj. y/n is always bright, a total sweetheart and bubbly and jj…hates it.

john b recently opens up a surf board shop on that stranded island that they’re on?? and he leaves y/n and jj alone to polish some boards hoping that they’d get along. jj complains about every little thing y/n does and starts calling her names. she gets really upset and storms out the shop to clear her head. she goes by the water for a swim but a dangerous tide picks her up and jj notices and saves her?? hopefully this makes sense!

the deep end ☆

jj maybank x fem!reader.

warnings: mentions of drowning, jj being an asshole, swearing.

words: 1,674.

summary: jj somehow finds everything you do annoying to the point he criticizes everything you do. john b thinks of a plan that will ensure his two friends will befriend each other. it was working at first, until it wasn’t.

request? yes!

a/n: y’all have such good ideas what the?! thank you for the request! if you enjoyed please like and comment. this is angst with fluff at the end. <3 BTW i am from missouri and have never surfed so i hope i got the polishing of the surfboards correct. :)

my masterlist

——————————————————————————

john b always had a plan, well usually he did. if two of his friends were fighting, he would always find a way to get them to get along. he knew that stranding kiara and sarah on a boat together in the middle of nowhere would force them to fix their friendship. so, with that knowledge, he knew that he could do the same thing with jj and you.

you were always nice to jj, he just seemed to get annoyed with you all the time. you didn’t know what you had done, if you had even done something. he just always felt the need to critique you. it became harder and harder everyday to ignore him.

since washing up on the abandoned island, john b was ecstatic for his brand new start. unsurprisingly to anyone, his first idea for creating a new civilization would be a surf shack. he started building it right away. you would occasionally help, but he was determined to do it on his own so he would always send you away.

“okay! john b what would you like my help with? i can do anything you need. just let me know.” you smile brightly at john b, while he stared at you. “listen, i love you. but, i don’t need your help at the moment. you should talk to everyone else.” you frown at his words, “fine. but you better get me the minute you need assistance.” he nodded. “will do.” and with that, you left joining the others.

jj was talking to cleo before silencing upon your arrival. “hey everyone!” you smile at the group in front of you. “hey! how’s john b?” kiara asked. “i think he is good, he’s actually pretty much done.” you play with the bracelet on your wrist. kiara nods, “that’s great.” pope smiles, “statistically speaking, we can’t ensure that his shack will be entirely safe as he built it all on his own.” you stare at pope. “true… we’ll let’s hope it doesn’t collapse on him.” pope smiled at you, glad you listened to his random fact.

jj groaned. “awe, how sweet pope!! you found a girl who wasn’t disgusted by your weird and useless knowledge.” you gasp in shock, “jj! shut up you are so rude.” jj laughs, “it’s just a joke, why do you always have to be so offended?” you glare at jj. “jj it’s not funny, you’re just a dick.” pope sighs. “it’s okay, don’t worry.” you frown in popes direction. you quietly pull away from the group. you walk to an area of sand, plopping yourself down. that’s when john b approached you.

“hey, remember when i told you i would come get you when i needed help?” john b smiled at you. “yes! do you need my help?” you tilt your head to the side, waiting. he nods. “i need you to wax up some of the boards i made.” you nod. “okay! sure.” he walked you to his shack, helping you set up. you began waxing the board, paying attention to the direction and the amount of wax you were applying. john b waits a minute watching you, before he decides to leave.

after a minute, you see jj approaching the shack with john b who held a smug smile on his lips. you shake your head, confused. “friends.” he looked between you and jj. jj held an unamused look on his face. “as my close friends, you will wax these boards for me. you can’t stop until you guys fix whatever feud is going on between the two of you.” john b stands his ground. jj scoffs, “we don’t have a feud.” you nod your head in agreement. “jj is right, his hatred is definitely one sided... it is not a feud.” you laugh softly seeing jj send a glare your way. “yeah okay. whatever guys. just fix it, and if you even try and leave, i’ll send cleo after both of you.” your eyebrows lift in shock. you mutter a quick okay, returning your attention to the board.

jj stares at you, watching you apply the wax. he couldn’t help but get upset. everything you did just made him annoyed. he grabbed the wax, working on the board right by yours. silence falls over the two of you. it’s not awkward or weird, it actually feels quite normal. until jj interrupted it so he could judge you.

“youre doing it wrong. i mean come on.” you stare at jj, “jj please just focus on your own board.” you shake your head, continuing to polish the surfboard. he glares at you. “whatever. just keep doing what you are doing, and then john b or i will fix it after you.” his attention turned back to his board. you rolled your eyes. “i will, thank you.” he breathes in, inhaling the waxy scent. “you are so annoying you know that?” you ignore jj’s words, focusing on the board. he continues, “i mean everything you do. everything you say, it pisses me off.” you nod slightly. “you done?”

“no, actually i’m not.” you bite your lip, fixating on the wax that is spreading along the smooth surface. jj stops waxing the surfboard. you look up to see he is already staring at you. “you know, you act like you are better than us, i mean why do you hang out with us anyway?” jj waits but continues when he realizes you won’t reply. “you are fake, you are so upbeat and bubbly that it’s annoying. you are a double sided two faced bitch who says anything to get in good graces.” you inhale, looking up at him.

“listen jj. we are stranded on this fucking island. TOGETHER. so either drop it and move on, or just shut the fuck up and stay away from me.” you place your hands on your hips, breathing slightly staggered from anger. “everyone speaks so highly of you saying how great you are; but the only jj i’ve met is a total douche. if you hate me so much then just stay the fuck away from me. if you continue you’ll just be wasting your breath and energy anyway.” jj holds back a laugh at your sudden outburst.

“you really think if i had the choice, i would want to be here? especially with you?” jj asked, you already knowing the answer. you stay silent. “exactly. no one can deal with you for that long anyway.” you roll your eyes.

“whatever jj. you win.” you toss the wax to the side, frowning. you don’t turn back to him, you just ignore him. you start to walk towards the beaches seashore. it was getting slightly hot, so you decided to take a dip into the water.

you were salvaging the few moments of freedom you had, before you got john b’s and cleo’s wrath from leaving the scene before mending the friendship with jj. it was practically impossible. what did jj have against you? you tip toed into the water, getting deeper and deeper. you floated at the top of the water; the coolness feeling great on top of your hot skin.

jj truly had the biggest nerve, your mind was overwhelmingly clogged. you felt seaweed scratch against the bottom of your foot, this caused you to jump, your adrenaline levels rising since you thought it was a fish. you try to remain afloat, but the high tide caused the waves to crash right over you repeatedly, being faster and higher than ever. you went above water trying to shout for help, but your mouth was filled, causing no sound to come out. you thrash against the water, kicking to stay afloat. your throat was burning, your legs tired from kicking, and your lungs filled with liquid.

a pair of hands wrap around your stomach, dragging you out the water. you were placed on the warm sand. “shit.” jj stared at you. your head felt light. jj’s hand began pumping your chest, curses falling from his mouth. “come on, just breathe. please.” you cough, the salt water exiting your lungs, and dropping onto your neck. you gasp for air, opening your eyes to be met with jj’s face. you breathe heavily for a minute.

“jj… thank you.” you sit up, pulling him into a tight hug. your hands wrap around his neck, one of them grabbing his hair. his arms held tightly around your waist. his chest was heaving heavily, shaking slightly. “i hate to be so cliché j, but you genuinely saved my life.” he frowns at you. “i almost lost you.”

jj’s confession confused you. “what?” you say softly, your hand combed through his hair. “look. the reason i’m so mean to you, is because i knew that if i was nice to you, my already intense feelings for you would only amplify.” you frown at him. “you’ve had a crush on me this whole time?” jj nodded. you went to talk, but your friends interrupted the moment.

john b rushed to your side, kiara and pope swiftly behind him. “what happened!! we were watching from over there.” john b pointed in a direction farther away. “one minute you were swimming… the next you we’re gone!?” you wipe your neck, trying to dry it off. “jj saved my life. i almost drowned.” you frown, the group in front of you nodded. “im so glad you are okay.” kiara bent down pulling you into a hug. “i’m glad you are safe now too.” pope joined in on the hug; as well as everyone else.

sarah, kiara, and cleo bend down, reaching for your hands. they help you up, dragging you to your feet. they walk you away from the crowd, bombarding you with questions. “so when you were drowning what did it feel like??” you turn around watching jj, you smile slightly before turning to them. “oh get ready for the amount of details i’m going to give you guys.”

possibly a part two…??? not sure yet :) <3 also!! i’m proofreading this tomorrow since i’m not entirely sure if it has errors or not! ily!!

[rafescoke]

Crime ; Rafe Cameron

masterlist

Part #1

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x reader

Summary: Reader would do anything for the boy she loves from a summer ago.

Warnings: Story takes place at the start of season 2 (and some flashbacks from season 1), swearing, angst, death penalty, gaslighting, reader just needing help

A/N: i don’t think this is my best work at all :( but i’ll post the part 2 straight away!! didn’t know tumblr has a word limit now wtf

p.s; tell me what do you think of this fic!!

(Y/N) had begged for somewhere else to spend the Summer. She couldn’t go back to that place, not when there were too many memories that awaited her. No one seemed to listen to her, and her father continued to check something online.

“Rafe Cameron.”

“(Y/N),” she had smiled, and she thought about how gorgeous a boy could be. This man before her; with his hair messily parted and that goddamn blue eyes had her holding her breath, and she wasn’t in her usual demeanour.

“You come down here often?” Rafe asked, raising his eyebrows. (Y/N) watched as he chugged on his beer, and gave her another sly smile again.

“Um, not really. This is my first summer here.”

“That’s nice,” he shrugged, “Welcome to Obx.”

“Thanks,” she nodded, liking how Obx already is. She made a mental note to tell her friends back home about this island, and most importantly; Rafe Cameron.

“Do you wanna take a walk?”

(Y/N) never really accepted any boy’s invitation for a walk, because all the boys in the city never had good intentions with her. She never dated anyone, never bothered to do so.

“Sure,” she smiled, and walked alongside the dirty-blonde boy to the far end of the beach. He sucked in a breath, glancing at her from the corners of his eyes, and laughed.

“You look nervous.”

“You could be a mass murderer.”

“Isn’t that just the perfect person to spend the summer with?”

(Y/N) looked up at him, the moonlight from the sky illuminating his features. God, he really is beautiful. “I guess.”

“So would that be a problem if I killed someone before?”

(Y/N) laughed easily at the joke, bumping her arms against his. She felt a jolt from the touch, and swallowed her saliva. “No.”

Rafe chuckled, “Yeah. That’s more like it.”

(Y/N) had thought of that moment as nothing but a joke. A playful joke, meaning to flirt with her. The next few weeks were spent with only them two, sometimes in his house or (Y/N)’s stay. They were inseparable; always attached by the hips morning and night, and (Y/N) knew about all of his problems.

“Try it.”

“What? Coke?” She asked, bewildered. She looked down to the table, her hands fidgeting, and she quickly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked up to Rafe again, “I don’t know how.”

“Come on, I’ll show you,” he smiled, pulling her by her wrist and seated her beside him. She felt the jolt again, but she had gotten better at ignoring it.

Rafe lowered his hand, a finger placed on his left nostril, and snorted the line of white powder. He grunted, throwing his head back, and after a few seconds, he gave her a smirk.

“Your turn.”

(Y/N) smiled back, reaching for the rolled up bill before lowering his head to the last line. She took a deep breath, still so shaky, and snorted the powder before she could change her mind.

Her heartbeat quickened, and her mind was all over the place. She could feel her forehead getting clammy, and before she could do anything, Rafe cupped her face in his large hands.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay,” he expressed, looking straight into her eyes. (Y/N) didn’t realise she was starting to cry, and stared back into his eyes.

“You’re so pretty,” he said suddenly, rubbing comforting circles on her temples. (Y/N) relaxed under his touch, “Such a pretty girl.”

“I thought you’re friends with that Cameron boy,” her father suddenly said, shaking her out of her memories. (Y/N) closed her eyes, trying to push away the thoughts, and gave her father a grimace.

“So? I don’t want to see him.”

“What happened between you two? You used to ask me to move to Obx,” her father laughed, still clicking on the mouse to the laptop.

“People change, dad,” she muttered, and made her way back to her bedroom to be alone with her thoughts.

“Rafe! You don’t have to do this,” (Y/N) gasped, her hands around her mouth. She looked around the gazebo by the lake, her eyes brightening against the beautiful fairy lights and veins decorating the railings.

“It’s your last week here,” he shrugged, helping her to her seat before sitting for himself. He pointed to the food displayed before then, “Steak. Your favourite.”

“You are amazing,” she expressed, her eyes suddenly glassy. The lake never looked so calming, and (Y/N) wished she could capture this exact moment in her head.

“Just thought you should see the other side of Rafe Cameron,” he shrugged, his lips forming into a smile. “I’m glad you came down here to Obx.”

“Me too,” she breathed, and went for the food. “I’m so glad to have met you.”

“Yeah?” He chuckled, cutting his steak into small pieces before biting into one. “Didn’t you called me a mass murderer the first time we met?”

“It was a joke,” she rolled her eyes, “But I’ll still like you even if you are.”

She didn’t know the truth behind her words.

“You will?” He looked up to her, grinning. “And just like?”

“Just like. What are you playing at, Rafe?” She faked groan, putting her cutleries down and clasping her hand together. “What? You’re going to propose to me or something?”

Everything happened so fast; Rafe chuckled, awkwardly running his fingers through his fair, messing with his slicked back hair. She liked this messy hair better, but she liked anything about Rafe Cameron, messy hair or not.

“No.”

Rafe held out the tiny velvet box in his hands, and (Y/N) never saw a prettier smile than his.

“No,” she repeated, her breathing heavy. She was too shocked by this, only meaning the proposal part of her speech as a joke, and looked into his sincere eyes again.

“I’m not proposing to you,” he laughed, getting down to one knee and opening the box to a beautiful diamond ring. (Y/N) sucked in a breath, mesmerised. “I will though, in the future.”

“Oh my god, Rafe, I can’t accept this,” she gasped, watching as the diamond glinted under the bright light. “You’re too much.”

“It’s a promise ring,” he smiled, “And a proposal to ask you to become my girlfriend.”

He sucked in a breath, and (Y/N) swore her heart stopped. She never thought of herself worthy as these kind of moments, but here she was; all teary eyed, her hand against her heart to calm her crazy heartbeat.

“Will you be my girlfriend, (Y/N)?”

She laughed, wiping the tears that had rolled down to her cheeks, and cupped his face into her hands. “You’re so fucking dumb. Of course I will, asshole, without this whole dinner thing. You could ask me while we’re in the swimming pool and I’ll say yes.”

Rafe laughed, melting into her hands, before taking out the ring he had saved up for (by not buying anymore coke) and asking for her permission to slide it over her ring finger.

(Y/N) nodded, holding her breath, and the diamond ring slid to her finger, and she gasped at how pretty it looked. She wondered about how much it had cost Rafe to buy the ring for her, but pushed the thought away when Rafe tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“We haven’t even kissed yet.”

(Y/N) laughed, “I told you you’re too fast, Rafe.”

Rafe smiled, inching closer to her, and (Y/N) just instantly stopped thinking. He was so beautiful, so angelic, and she wished she could stay at Obx forever.

“I love you, (Y/L/N).”

“Rafe,” she expressed, placing her forehead against his, “I love you too, okay?”

(Y/N) groaned, deepening her face against the soft pillow. She felt like screaming, but she didn’t have the energy to do so.

She would do anything for Rafe, and the next few days after that proposal went too fast that she felt like God was being unfair to her. He made her feel so good, and no one had made her feel the way he made her feel.

She felt like she was in heaven.

Until that one, certain Friday; the day before she went back to New York.

“Rafe, please,” she cried, pulling him by shirt as he pointed the gun at the sheriff, his eyes flaring up in anger. “Rafe, it doesn’t have to be this way.”

She looked at Ward, who looked afraid as well, and sucked in a breath. “You told me-”

“Shut up!” He grunted, his own fingers trembling on the trigger. “Fuck! Shut up.”

She didn’t know what to do. Sarah was looking at her for help, but she had tried her best to console him. She tried to reach for him again, to which he quickly pushed her away.

“Do that again, and I’ll kill you next.”

“Rafe-”

“Shut up!” He yelled again, and before she could do anything the pulled on the trigger, and the sheriff fell to the ground with widened eyes.

“Hey.”

(Y/N) jolted from her position at the knock, and groaned when her mother came in. She scooted away, giving her some space on the bed, and laid with her face planted against the pillow again.

“You never told us about what happened with you and Rafe,” she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.”

“Okay, so why don’t you want to go to Obx for the summer?”

“I want new boyfriends.”

Her mother laughed, “Okay. Then find new boyfriends in Obx. The blonde boy who helped us carry our bags the first time we arrived there can be one.”

“JJ?”

“He’s always around the island too, helping people for money,” she shrugged, “That’s a good kid. Doing honest work for honest money.”

“I’m not actually looking for a boyfriend, mom,” she rolled her eyes. “It was a figure of speech.”

“Well,” she stood up, “You better be looking for one. We’re spending the summer in Obx, and that’s final.”

. . .

(Y/N) rubbed her eyes against the glowing sunlight of North Carolina, her body screaming with pain from hours of sitting in the same position. She heard the pilot said something, her mind still woozy from only being caffeinated, and placed her head against the seat again.

“It’s a bright day, like it’s waiting for us,” her mother exclaimed, fixing her sunglasses before walking down the stairs to the road. (Y/N) groaned, still so tired, and she wished for nothing but to stay in her room with Netflix to watch.

“Hey, Mr (Y/L/N),” JJ smiled, and (Y/N) noticed the fake exterior he was trying to portray. “Come down here for another summer again?”

Her mother, who admired JJ’s ‘honest work’ gushed out to beside him, asking about his school and his works. (Y/N) rolled her eyes, not interested in making any new conversation, and she looked back at the area where the incident took place.

JJ caught her looking, and when her parents and the little brother had entered the car, he went to her to help her with her bags.

He crouched down, wrapping his fingers around the handle, and quickly whispered. “You saw, right?”

“Huh?”

“What Rafe did.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she muttered, and went into the car before he could say anything else.

God. Just how she expected her first moments after arriving in Obx.

“Hey! Welcome back!”

“You called the Camerons?” She groaned, looking at her father for some kind of useless explanation. After the brief conversation with JJ, she wanted nothing that could remind her of Rafe and hoped she could stay in her room for the whole 2 months.

“(Y/N), wait-”

She barged into her room for 2 months, noticing the old posters she had put up the year before, and thought about how happy she was at that time. She felt nothing now, and she couldn’t wait until the end of summer.

“Fuck!” She yelled, her head feeling so light, and placed herself before the naked bed. She sighed, trying to calm herself down, and thought of the ways to ignore the certain boy a few miles away.

Maybe he’s in college.

Maybe he’s going to leave her alone.

Maybe he has found someone new.

She felt a tug at the thought of the last sentence, and she couldn’t explain why she would even be devastated over him finding a new girl. That’s good, she guessed, at least she doesn’t have to think about staying away from him again.

Maybe she should spend her time with the pogues; JJ’s friends. They looked fun to hang with.

“Hey, (Y/N).”

“I’m not in the mood,” she grunted, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. “What do you want?”

“Can we go to the beach?”

“The beach?” She huffed, “We just arrived. Shouldn’t you clean your room or something?”

“Okay. But can you bring me to the beach after I’m done?”

“I’ll think about it,” she expressed, but after a few hours of sweeping and mopping the dusty room, placing the new bedsheet over the mattress and taking down her old posters, all she wanted to do was get out for some fresh air. She had slept most of her time in the plane so she wasn’t feeling like taking a nap at all, and she guessed it would be appropriate to bring her little brother to the beach.

She walked to her room, her hands around her waist. “Hey, you’re- where the fuck did you get that?”

“What?” He asked, raising the frame with his sister’s arms around Rafe, smiling happily at the camera. “This? Isn’t he your boyfriend?”

“Throw that away!” she yelled, “I said throw that away!”

“Okay, okay,” he groaned, throwing the frame into the big plastic bag before dusting the dust off of him. “Can we go to the beach now?”

“You’re an asshole, do you know that?” She huffed, watching as he changed into his swimming shorts, “And we’ve been cleaning for 3 hours. You’re not half done yet.”

“Whatever,” he said, and closed the door. “Just wait for me downstairs.”

The ride to the beach didn’t take long, and (Y/N) actually felt peaceful riding the bicycle and letting the breeze hit her square on the face. She had laughed at a stupid joke by her little brother, and she thought about how she could do this for the next 2 months.

“I wanna learn how to surf,” he said, letting the water soaked his feet and dumped his feet into the sand. “Do you?”

“You’ll forget how to when we’re back in New York,” she mumbled, gazing at the sky, “Also your body’s too weak to fight the waves.”

“No, it’s not,” he argued, “What are you going to do for the summer, (Y/N)? Are you going to be with that-”

“No,” she quickly said, curling her toes at the feeling of the water soaking her feet. “I’m not going to be with anyone.”

“Isn’t that your friend?”

“Ha-ha, nice joke,” she laughed falsely, still closing her eyes against the bright sky. “Who’s the friend? Is it Rafe?”

“Hey.”

(Y/N) sat up straight, her heart beating wildly, and what greeted her sight sent shivers down to her spine, and she quickly clutched onto her little brother’s wrist before pulling him away.

“Ow! What are you doing? (Y/N), let me go!” Lucas groaned, looking back at the boy who wanted nothing but to talk to his sister. “Rafe, help!”

“Shut up, you bitch,” she groaned, still pulling on his wrist. She knew about the possibility of leaving a claw mark on his skin, but she wanted nothing to do with the boy.

“Help me, Rafe! She’s going to kill me!”

“I said shut up!” She yelled, her chest heaving now, and she didn’t care about her hair that was hanging loosely from her hairclaw.

She didn’t know if Rafe was chasing after her, and she didn’t dare to look back.

“Ride your bike home,” she fumbled with the handle, “Now. Please, now!”

“Okay,” Lucas groaned, “What’s wrong with you? It’s just Rafe.”

“Go!” She yelled, already set to cycle back home, with her clothes all wet and sticking against her skin. She couldn’t breathe, and she hated the sight of him. She cycled back home hurriedly, tears streaming down her face, and she wished she had stayed home.

The night after the day on the beach she didn’t bother to come down for dinner, only staying in her room and browsing through Netflix. She didn’t feel like doing anything, and she hated how quick her mood was ruined.

She didn’t think about seeing him that quickly, especially after just arriving on the island that morning. This was exactly the problem; she couldn’t face him, not after what he did, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn him to the authorities. She was pushing him away, but at the same time protecting him.

The next morning, she felt shittier than ever. Being in the small island, where everywhere she goes could remind her back to Rafe, she decided to stay in bed and browse through more movies, only going downstairs for a glass of water before going back to her room. She was glad Lucas and her parents were enjoying most of their time here in Obx, and she would do the same if it weren’t for what happened last year.

She was scared. She was mad at herself too, because she couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone about what she saw. As much as she hated him now, a part of her still loved him.

“(Y/N)! Wait!”

“Get the fuck away from me!” She yelled, her eyes red and her cheeks wet. “You’re a fucking psycho.”

“No, no, baby, please-”

“Don’t call me baby, I swear to fucking god!” She yelled again, getting into the car and watched as Rafe desperately banged against the car window, pleading for her to hear him.

“It’s not what you think-”

(Y/N) cried, her head painful, and slowly slid the diamond ring from her finger before lowering the window by a slit and throwing it outside. Rafe watched the ring roll away but didn’t care to fetch it, only trying to speak to her through the tiny slit.

“I had to do it, please,” he begged, “Please. Baby. I can’t do this-”

“Go to hell,” she hissed, and sped away.

That was the last time she had ever seen Rafe, and she knew he tried to contact her with different phone numbers every day, but she had blocked every single number. The trouble stopped after a while, and (Y/N) realised how much she had been missing him.

Who could she confront about this?

Who could she tell?

She couldn’t. She loved him too much.

A week after settling in their summer home, (Y/N) was tired of all the screaming and nudging by her mother for her to get out of the house, and ‘get a life’. She didn’t feel like having a whole summer of just hanging out at the beach, not when the last time she had went there and bumped onto Rafe, so she decided to keep her distance off Figure 8 and made her way to the other side of the island.

She had only been there twice with Rafe before, to pick up something at Barry’s (he told her not to worry about it), so she never really quite get used to the road around here.

She stopped the jeep by the side of the road, glancing at the signboard and the road behind her. Did she go too far? Or was this just the wrong way?

She rested her back against the car door, already tired, and decided to just wait until she was good enough to drive home.

It was half an hour later when she heard the roaring of a motorcycle, and she quickly got to her feet, her chest suddenly heaving.

“Yo? You’re okay?”

“Huh?” She fixed her hair, “Um- yeah. Just resting.”

JJ nodded, “You should turn off your engine. You don’t want to-”

Just right on cue, the engine stopped completely and (Y/N) groaned, getting into the car to turn the engine again. It made some noise, until silence fell between them.

“That’s what I’m saying,” JJ said, “Where are you heading to?”

“Oh, nowhere in particular,” she sighed, getting out of the jeep and shutting the door angrily. Good. Just like how she wanted her day to be.

“Let me send you back home,” he offered, pointing to the black ride behind the jeep. She shook her head, her mouth forming into a tight smile.

“That’s alright, I can-”

“Walk back home? Come on, you’re far from Figure 8, and you’re 50 minutes away from The Cut on foot.”

She didn’t exactly wish for this, but it would help.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, helping her up to the motorcycle and placing her hands on his shoulders for some balance.

“You’ve never ridden a bike before?” JJ asked, half-amused. “No, no, because you look nervous.”

“I’ve just never ridden a bike with you driving,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Can you send me to the taxi stop or anything?”

“Really? Why can’t I just drive you home?”

She groaned, “Just send me to the taxi port, Maybank.”

He laughed, putting his helmet on, and (Y/N) placed her hands against her ears at the loud sound of the engine.

(Y/N) hate to admit it; but the ride to The Cut was the most thrilling thing that she had ever felt in months. She felt a smile slowly forming onto her face, and JJ swore he could see it too from the side mirror, and when they finally stopped at the taxi port, she was so happy she felt like buying a bike for herself.

“Thanks for the ride,” she said. “Minus one point for no helmet.”

“I didn’t know I would see you laying by the side of the road,” he rolled his eyes, a hint of teasing in his tone. “But where’s the fun when you’re all safe?”

She hummed in response, “I’ll see you around then.”

“So you’re just going to get an expensive ride back to Figure 8? Why wouldn’t you let me send you off?”

She knew exactly why, but she didn’t want to admit it. She was scared of Rafe seeing her on JJ’s bike, knowing that he’s not on good terms with the pogues, and the last thing she had ever wanted was to make him feel like he was being replaced.

“Don’t trouble yourself too much, JJ,” she sighed. “Besides, you can see me for the next 2 months everyday if that’s what you want.”

He grinned, “Good offer. Will think about that soon.”

(Y/N) laughed, tilting her head to one side before making a move to reach for her phone. JJ watched as she filled in her passcode, went straight to Contacts, and handed him the phone.

“What’s this?”

“Oh god, you’re annoying,” she rolled her eyes. “Put in your McDonald’s order.”

JJ laughed again, his fingers sliding over her phone screen easily to fill in his number, and he handed her the phone back after saving his name as ‘Handsome pogue’.

“I’ll see you around, (Y/L/N).”

(Y/N) smiled, this time sincerely, and she thought about the possibility of spending her summer in The Cut with JJ where she knew there would be no troubles awaiting her.

It was safe to say that JJ and (Y/N) were inseparable after spending so much time together the next few weeks. Everywhere JJ goes, (Y/N) would be there with him, either by helping him with his work in the restaurant or running for groceries to deliver with him. She liked it with him; he took her mind off Rafe, and that was everything that she needed.

JJ knew about the girl’s relationship with Rafe last year, but he was careful not to cross the invisible line. He was gentle with her, always studying her reactions at certain places (he was sure Rafe had taken her to those places before) and in return, she knew everything about him.

“I’m sorry about your dad,” she bit her lips, letting the water soaked her jeans as they laid on the sand, gazing at the view. She felt sorry for the blonde boy after knowing the truth about his father, and wished she could help him in any way.

“That’s okay,” he replied. “Hey, I’m bringing you to meet my friends. Would you like that?”

“Your friends?” She raised her brows, “Like Kiera and Pope?”

“Yeah,” he smiled, “Would you like to meet them?”

(Y/N) thoughts went back to the many times Rafe had told her about the pogues, but she always saw them as a tight group of friends who always had each other’s backs. She never had that kind of friendship before, especially living in New York where almost everyone is fake, and sometimes wished she could have something like that.

“Okay, yeah,” she nodded, “Would they like me?”

“You’re kidding? You’re amazing!” JJ gushed out, throwing his arms onto the air before slapping the water, resulting in a splash across her face.

She gasped, “Fuck, you’re fucking dead.”

“No, no, I don’t mean it-”

The conversation turned into a water fight, their screams filling the air and attracting everyone’s attention, but (Y/N) didn’t care. She was enjoying the moment, with JJ, and she wished she could do this forever.

“Stop it!” JJ laughed, pushing her down to the sand before pinning her arms on top of her head. He watched as her chest heaved, a smile playing on her lips.

He pulled away, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

(Y/N) pulled him into a kiss, her fingers wrapping themselves around his jawline and allowing the water to completely wet their whole body. JJ softened into the kiss, still so shocked, but he never felt better than ever.

(Y/N) pulled away, giggling. “You’re red in the face, JJ.”

“Huh?” He smiled, and quickly pulled her up with him. “Let’s go to the Chateau. Get you cleaned up.”

“I’m not meeting your friends looking like this, J,” she rolled her eyes, pushing him away slightly. He pulled her close, placing a soft kiss against her forehead that left her all breathless.

“Why not? You’re still pretty.”

She made a face, but let her body be pulled away by JJ to his bike. She was nervous, of course, to see his friends, but she decided it was time anyways.

If she was to date JJ, then she would have to meet his friends and talk to them eventually.

When (Y/N) first entered the chateau, she didn’t know what to expect. Pope and Kiera were friendly to her, but she could feel the strange vibe between her and Kie, but they were both trying to be polite not to mention anything.

(Y/N) knew there was somebody missing from the group, but she didn’t dare mention it to anyone. JJ had hinted about this to her before, something about John B getting convicted, but she had tried her best to stray away from the topic.

“Let’s play truth or dare,” Kie smiled, clasping her hands together and laying her back against the chair. She watched as JJ whispered something to (Y/N), feeling her heart tightened when she laughed, and shook her head. Kie would never let anyone like her trouble her.

“JJ, truth or dare,” Kie said, crossing her arms. Her question was directed to JJ, but she watching (Y/N) intently.

“Dare.”

“Come on, we’re short of one person who could think of the best dares,” she said, and (Y/N) realised the piercing tone and attention towards her. She sucked in a breath, not sure if she was just stating or directing the statement to her in a satirical manner.

“Okay, truth,” JJ rolled his eyes.

“Do you miss John B?”

“Kie-” Pope groaned, “Not the time.”

(Y/N) watched as he glanced at her, but quickly pulled away when he realised she was staring at him too.

“Okay, since you guys wanna be such assholes,” Kie sat up straighter. “(Y/N), truth or dare?”

“I’m not playing.”

“Of course you’re playing,” Kie laughed, “You’re fucking with JJ now right? You gotta show-”

“Shit, Kie, what’s your problem?” JJ sighed, throwing his arms up into the air. “She’s a friend of mine.”

“She’s not your friend!” She suddenly exclaimed, “She fucking saw Rafe shot Sheriff Peterkin but decided to keep her stupid mouth shut because-”

“Stop it!” JJ yelled, pushing her against the seat. “Kie! Not right now!”

“What do you mean not right now?” (Y/N) asked, disbelief lacing in her tone. What was even happening? She was having the best time of her life a few hours ago at the beach, and now this?

“Oh, did your boyfriend not tell you?” Kie laughed. “It’s all an act for you to confess to him that you saw Rafe kill Sheriff Peterkin. Don’t fucking act dumb with me, (Y/N), you saw, and you didn’t tell anyone.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she gritted her teeth, “I never saw him kill anyone.”

“Bullshit!”

“Kie!” JJ yelled, using all of his power to hold off the struggling girl. He motioned for Pope to take over and tried to reach (Y/N), only for her to walk straight towards the exit.

“Wait, wait, I don’t mean it-” he sighed, wrapping his fingers around her wrist before pulling her close. “I don’t-”

“You betrayed me,” she said. “Are you that stupid? So you planned about helping me to the taxi stop so that I can confess whatever it is about Rafe? Is that your fucking plan?”

“No, oh my god, I didn’t mean-”

“Fuck! I know I can never trust you guys,” she hissed, pulling her hand away before walking towards the door. She groaned again when she realised the lack of a vehicle to drive home, but she rather walk back home than be in the same distance as JJ or Kie or anyone else.

She walked alone all the way to the main part of town so that she could hire a cab, and just to make her day any better; the rain suddenly decided it was time to cool the island, and (Y/N) was left to soak.

She put her arms around her, shivering slightly, looking back at her previous way and wondering how much time she had spent walking from the Chateau. If only she had driven all the way from Figure 8 to The Cut, she wouldn’t have had to waste her time walking mindlessly.

A few minutes after, she saw a car pulling up beside her. She decided to ignore the black vehicle in hope for whoever it is to finally give up.

“Get in, (Y/N).”

Part #2